Your Top 3 most seen live acts

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Re: Your Top 3 most seen live acts

Postby Blackout » Wed Sep 04, 2013 3:43 pm

Feel a bit daft going back to disccussing British Sea Power now this thread has taken an unexpected diversion into Waterboys bootleg swap shop territory, but then I think about what I was going to post and it's almost certainly relevant to some of those other bands too.

The problem faced by any band with a few albums behind them: any new material will be compared with what has gone before and it is an unfairly weighted comparison. You've got this thing that has been a much loved part of your life for years and which you associate with some really great experiences and if there were any bits you didn't like ten years ago they've grown on you.... and then you have this new thing which is unfamiliar. Which do you like most? Which would anyone? It's not just going to have to be "as-good-as" for you to hold it in the same esteem, it's going to have to be literally* amazing*, and on first listen, but with the capability of still delivering after many listens. This is exactly why the traditional concept of "the difficult third album" came about (though more usually it's the second these days as gaps between albums are longer and attention spans shorter) - of course it's going to be difficult to make an album when there's that weight of expectation on you.

* I am aware that the words "literally" and "amazing" are somewhat over-used these days but I do mean both in their, er, literal sense here.

pomfob wrote:why all the hate for Canvey Island? It's quite sweet.


I have no idea why anyone else doesn't like "Canvey Island", in my case I just find it really fucking boring and ploddy, though should they ever return to playing sets of over 90 minutes I'd welcome its reinstatement exactly half way down.

Skinku wrote:I don't count them but that post from Blackout made me feel like I see more than I can remember.


This wouldn't surprise me :)

Wicker Man wrote:Just realised I've seen Tindersticks more times than the Cardiacs


Actually laughed out loud at this, the sort of startling revelation only real music geeks can ever experience... yep, had a few like that :)

mick wright wrote:Ohh I was at that gig too - have we had that conversation? Smoking monitors? Carlos setting off the fire alarm post gig?? My embarassingly non-verbal communication with Sam during Roland???


I was right in front of said monitor. And yes, we have. :)
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Re: Your Top 3 most seen live acts

Postby Wendelin of Trier » Wed Sep 04, 2013 3:55 pm

Yeah theres a lot of truth to what you say there Cath. I think once I separated the BSP of my (fond) memories from the BSP we have now, I started to feel a lot better about some of the recent stuff! They are not the same band, they do not have the same attitude (rightly so) and they do not try to write the same songs (arguably rightly so!).

However - I would agree with Ethyl in that I wish they had held that original 'spirit' over, say, 3 or 4 albums rather than producing DYLRM.
The Bunnymen (yes, tiresome isnt it) did that I feel, only 'giving in' a bit on the 5th. I'm aware its a different climate nowadays, but I think BSP could have been a band to have held firm, because they didnt need to worry too much about being dropped. The impression I get, and what i've heard, is that Rough Trade would let them release virtually anything they liked.

So, a little disappointing to me to have to put up with Canvey Island etc when they could have made an album with that original spirit, but which contained one or two 'worked on' or more commercially targeted singles.
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Re: Your Top 3 most seen live acts

Postby Cold Ethyl » Wed Sep 04, 2013 4:02 pm

While I agree that the weight of expectation is likely to have an adverse effect on the production and reception of an album, some bands manage it better than others and for me, and I can only stress the subjectivity of the following, BSP haven't ever quite pulled it off again over a whole album after Decline, though there have been some excellent individual tracks. For me that has been because of what I perceive as a shift away from the sentiment and lyrical dexterity that formed the backbone of Decline era BSP- there's been some great tunes since but nothing that makes me feel the sense of homecoming that the album evoked in me. That isn't to say I think anyone who rates the later work as highly is objectively wrong, just from where I am standing, with my experiences and emotional baggage, I can't see it, just as I can't see why bands like JD and The Smiths are deemed to be iconic in a way that many if the bands I've liked, aren't.

Still, even managing to create one great record is more than most manage so they are streets ahead on that alone. And isn't it great to have some activity on here, other than who has died.
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Re: Your Top 3 most seen live acts

Postby Wendelin of Trier » Wed Sep 04, 2013 4:03 pm

btw - I've counted my BSP gigs. Its 30! Which is a lot by most peoples standards, but a piffling, puff of air to some here, obviously.
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Re: Your Top 3 most seen live acts

Postby Cold Ethyl » Wed Sep 04, 2013 4:06 pm

Wendelin of Trier wrote:Yeah theres a lot of truth to what you say there Cath. I think once I separated the BSP of my (fond) memories from the BSP we have now, I started to feel a lot better about some of the recent stuff! They are not the same band, they do not have the same attitude (rightly so) and they do not try to write the same songs (arguably rightly so!).

However - I would agree with Ethyl in that I wish they had held that original 'spirit' over, say, 3 or 4 albums rather than producing DYLRM.
The Bunnymen (yes, tiresome isnt it) did that I feel, only 'giving in' a bit on the 5th. I'm aware its a different climate nowadays, but I think BSP could have been a band to have held firm, because they didnt need to worry too much about being dropped. The impression I get, and what i've heard, is that Rough Trade would let them release virtually anything they liked.

So, a little disappointing to me to have to put up with Canvey Island etc when they could have made an album with that original spirit, but which contained one or two 'worked on' or more commercially targeted singles.


What he said, apart from the bit about the Bunnymen as I've never managed more than one track at a time by them.
"Even if I saw these names grouped together completely out of context away from here... lets say a set of albums sitting together in a charity shop - I would immediately think of you and no other!"

thanks Gary...
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Re: Your Top 3 most seen live acts

Postby Blackout » Wed Sep 04, 2013 4:07 pm

Wendelin of Trier wrote:The Bunnymen (yes, tiresome isnt it) did that I feel, only 'giving in' a bit on the 5th.


You feel that but I bet back in the day there were fans that didn't. They just didn't have internet forums to rant about it on.

(edited in to avoid an unnecessary additional post) I lived in a student house in 1991-2 in which one of my housemates was frequently referred to as "Jim I Like the Early Stuff" because of his constant droning on about such (with whatever band).
Last edited by Blackout on Wed Sep 04, 2013 4:10 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Your Top 3 most seen live acts

Postby Wendelin of Trier » Wed Sep 04, 2013 4:08 pm

Cold Ethyl wrote:
Wendelin of Trier wrote:Yeah theres a lot of truth to what you say there Cath. I think once I separated the BSP of my (fond) memories from the BSP we have now, I started to feel a lot better about some of the recent stuff! They are not the same band, they do not have the same attitude (rightly so) and they do not try to write the same songs (arguably rightly so!).

However - I would agree with Ethyl in that I wish they had held that original 'spirit' over, say, 3 or 4 albums rather than producing DYLRM.
The Bunnymen (yes, tiresome isnt it) did that I feel, only 'giving in' a bit on the 5th. I'm aware its a different climate nowadays, but I think BSP could have been a band to have held firm, because they didnt need to worry too much about being dropped. The impression I get, and what i've heard, is that Rough Trade would let them release virtually anything they liked.

So, a little disappointing to me to have to put up with Canvey Island etc when they could have made an album with that original spirit, but which contained one or two 'worked on' or more commercially targeted singles.


What he said, apart from the bit about the Bunnymen as I've never managed more than one track at a time by them.


Haha, outrageous!
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Re: Your Top 3 most seen live acts

Postby Wendelin of Trier » Wed Sep 04, 2013 4:13 pm

Blackout wrote:
Wendelin of Trier wrote:The Bunnymen (yes, tiresome isnt it) did that I feel, only 'giving in' a bit on the 5th.


You feel that but I bet back in the day there were fans that didn't. They just didn't have internet forums to rant about it on.


Aye, tbh that did cross my mind when I wrote that. I suppose from Crocodiles to Ocean Rain theres quite a gulf, (or Ch-asm as morrissey might say) but.. I think the Bunnymen 'spirit' remained there over the 4 albums. The themes, the attitude.
I can only wish I was there back then, so i'll never know, but I feel the 3rd BSP album was a much bigger departure than Heaven Up Here to Porcupine in those terms. It was like their focus became something else entirely. This is all imo of course.
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Re: Your Top 3 most seen live acts

Postby Rake » Wed Sep 04, 2013 4:23 pm

Yes, it is great to have this level of activity on here again.

Cold Ethyl; if you'd be kind enough to do me a Waterboys thingy copy I'd love you even more than I do already (which is oddly a lot for someone I've never met).

Wendelin; I'm no counter of gigs, and as already proven here have a shocking memory, but I must be around the 35 - 40 BSP gigs (based on average of 4 per year).

It's funny how something like reading this and the other threads that have popped up can put you in a better mood than you were when you got up. Good stuff.
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Re: Your Top 3 most seen live acts

Postby Cold Ethyl » Wed Sep 04, 2013 4:34 pm

Rake wrote:Yes, it is great to have this level of activity on here again.

Cold Ethyl; if you'd be kind enough to do me a Waterboys thingy copy I'd love you even more than I do already (which is oddly a lot for someone I've never met).

Wendelin; I'm no counter of gigs, and as already proven here have a shocking memory, but I must be around the 35 - 40 BSP gigs (based on average of 4 per year).

It's funny how something like reading this and the other threads that have popped up can put you in a better mood than you were when you got up. Good stuff.



Just Pm or Facebook me address and I'll get her to do it after weekend.

I'm now singing can you feel the love tonight in my head.. Which may or may not be a good thing.
"Even if I saw these names grouped together completely out of context away from here... lets say a set of albums sitting together in a charity shop - I would immediately think of you and no other!"

thanks Gary...
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Re: Your Top 3 most seen live acts

Postby Rake » Wed Sep 04, 2013 4:39 pm

Cold Ethyl wrote:
Rake wrote:Yes, it is great to have this level of activity on here again.

Cold Ethyl; if you'd be kind enough to do me a Waterboys thingy copy I'd love you even more than I do already (which is oddly a lot for someone I've never met).

Wendelin; I'm no counter of gigs, and as already proven here have a shocking memory, but I must be around the 35 - 40 BSP gigs (based on average of 4 per year).

It's funny how something like reading this and the other threads that have popped up can put you in a better mood than you were when you got up. Good stuff.



Just Pm or Facebook me address and I'll get her to do it after weekend.

I'm now singing can you feel the love tonight in my head.. Which may or may not be a good thing.


Thank you :o)

That's always a good thing.
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Re: Your Top 3 most seen live acts

Postby redc » Wed Sep 04, 2013 6:56 pm

Wendelin of Trier wrote:
However - I would agree with Ethyl in that I wish they had held that original 'spirit' over, say, 3 or 4 albums rather than producing DYLRM.
The Bunnymen (yes, tiresome isnt it) did that I feel, only 'giving in' a bit on the 5th.


On many levels I think BSP : E&TB comparisons generally work or have some validity, so not "tiresome" at all. However (just to show how subjective these things are) to me E&TB's DYLRM was, with it's listener friendly polished production & top 10(?) single: No 4 rather than No 5.

You probably think I'm mad (if you didn't already) but for me the 'rot' had set in with No 3, Porcupine which despite some great Bunnymen moments, at the time was a disappointing follow up to their "sophomore" Heaven Up Here . When it came out, the jangly acoustic guitars & string arrangements of Ocean Rain put me off E&TB for years & I didn't acquire their 5th til long after it's release & the band's original demise.

The point of the above rather long-winded reminiscence is to reinforce Blackout's point that sometimes an album can captivate one so entirely that any follow up is going to be a let down. For me it took 2 albums from the high of HuH to loose interest in the band. For some BSP fans the drop from DoBSP to Open Season was enough but for many others DYLRM was the final straw.

I've now probably lost whatever remaining critical credibility I had, but at the time thought DYLRM was a return to from the patchier OS. I don't necessarily still feel the same but it's songs definitely enhanced the life experience for me at the time and they still do.
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Re: Your Top 3 most seen live acts

Postby Wendelin of Trier » Wed Sep 04, 2013 7:19 pm

redc wrote:
Wendelin of Trier wrote:
However - I would agree with Ethyl in that I wish they had held that original 'spirit' over, say, 3 or 4 albums rather than producing DYLRM.
The Bunnymen (yes, tiresome isnt it) did that I feel, only 'giving in' a bit on the 5th.


On many levels I think BSP : E&TB comparisons generally work or have some validity, so not "tiresome" at all. However (just to show how subjective these things are) to me E&TB's DYLRM was, with it's listener friendly polished production & top 10(?) single: No 4 rather than No 5.

You probably think I'm mad (if you didn't already) but for me the 'rot' had set in with No 3, Porcupine which despite some great Bunnymen moments, at the time was a disappointing follow up to their "sophomore" Heaven Up Here . When it came out, the jangly acoustic guitars & string arrangements of Ocean Rain put me off E&TB for years & I didn't acquire their 5th til long after it's release & the band's original demise.

The point of the above rather long-winded reminiscence is to reinforce Blackout's point that sometimes an album can captivate one so entirely that any follow up is going to be a let down. For me it took 2 albums from the high of HuH to loose interest in the band. For some BSP fans the drop from DoBSP to Open Season was enough but for many others DYLRM was the final straw.

I've now probably lost whatever remaining critical credibility I had, but at the time thought DYLRM was a return to from the patchier OS. I don't necessarily still feel the same but it's songs definitely enhanced the life experience for me at the time and they still do.


Great stuff.
It was so different for me as the first album I heard of theirs was the 'grey' album when I was 14, and then of course I went back and investigated the others, can't remember how but definitely not in sequence.
I can see what you mean. Good points, well made. If I was a rabid fan in 1981, I may have baulked at OR, possibly even porcupine. Something about youth, knowing nothing about the band (only imagining) and listening to the back catalogue without massive expectation made my experience much more open and accepting I guess.
I guess many others already have and will come to BSP in the same way.
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Re: Your Top 3 most seen live acts

Postby Rake » Thu Sep 05, 2013 5:47 pm

Interesting stuff. Very hard to retrospectively judge albums by your favourite bands when you haven't got them in chronological order. I came to the REM party late, buying Life's Rich Pageant when it first came out and Murmur at the same time, having only heard Radio Free Europe and Don't Go Back To Rockville previously, which had got me interested. I played LRP first when I got home and was absolutely blown away, never forget the feeling listening to the opening riffs of Begin The Begin. When I played Murmur straight after I was somewhat underwhelmed at first, and it was only later that I completely fell in love with that album, and then bought Reckoning and Fables of the Reconstruction of the Fables. I've spoken to a lot of REM fans who were there from the beginning who were really disappointed with LRP, and have also read that the band struggled putting it together, rehashing old early set songs and tour jams. But to me it will always be special as it was the album that got me hooked.
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Re: Your Top 3 most seen live acts

Postby rover » Fri Sep 06, 2013 1:09 am

Blackout wrote:
I have no idea why anyone else doesn't like "Canvey Island", in my case I just find it really fucking boring and ploddy, though should they ever return to playing sets of over 90 minutes I'd welcome its reinstatement exactly half way down.


For a piss-break, presumably?
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