| Author | Message | ||
     spence Member Username: Spence Post Number: 288 Registered: 05-2005 |
yeah, on the topic of off topic, I played the Magazine box set today, from start to finish, boy, there is literally no one around who can match them for pace and originality, one of England's finest...all these pretenders etc like Yeah Yeah Yeah's. Killers, Wite Stripes, Editors et al, thay just ain't dangerous enough, they're about as dangerous a s a flea circus, when you listen to Magazine, although I was only about 9 at their time, it really is a generation thing that makes me feel disappointed in most of the new lauded acts, they can't nmatch it, really can't. | ||
| Jerry Clark Member Username: Jerry Post Number: 226 Registered: 08-2004 |
I am prepared to counter your rather off input on this topic. Magazine are over-rated. A poor man's Joy Division, Simple Minds, Birthday Party & Bauhaus, rolled into one. This opinion is based on the Rays & Hail comp I used to listen to on a C90 backed with the absurdly brilliant Pere Ubu's The Modern Dance LP. In comparison Magazine should have been recycled long ago. | ||
| spence Member Username: Spence Post Number: 291 Registered: 05-2005 |
You are joking Jerry???? Take it back, the opinion and the comp., the comp is a comp. Magazine easily stand upagainst Simple Minds, who incidentally used to pull the plug on Magazine's gigs when they were supporting them, couldn't take the pace!!! Bahaus? Absoulte turgid shite, frock opera at its worst... | ||
| kevin Member Username: Kevin Post Number: 265 Registered: 05-2005 |
im with spence magazine and joy division- dont even see the comparison jerry. two brilliant bands in their own right | ||
| Jerry Clark Member Username: Jerry Post Number: 229 Registered: 08-2004 |
I'm serious Spence, to an extent. Maybe the Bauhaus reference was a bit low. But early Simple Minds & Magazine are very similar to my tired old ears. But I like early SM. Magazine though, Devoto in particular always sounded as if he was trying too hard, straining to sound weird where it didn't occur naturally. I like Barry Adamson still, his work is under-rated. Joy Division on Closer sound a bit like Magazine, who influenced who is another matter, if at all. I'm sure there's a lot of bands we'd agree on as well as disagree, that's why we're here, right? | ||
| kevin Member Username: Kevin Post Number: 266 Registered: 05-2005 |
right | ||
| spence Member Username: Spence Post Number: 292 Registered: 05-2005 |
Jerry. SM/Magazine were very similar, but SM didn't have the seminal style of lyricism and intelligence, that Devoto offered, his delivery was very 'full on'. like Curtis, like a lot of Manc bands at the time, offering the psyche something to think to about. Magazine were to the New Wave what Roxy Music had been to the earlier 70's: elegant power, literate narratives, atmospheric arrangements, brilliant musicianship. Roxy without the Romanticism, you could say. Devoto and Magazine were a different league. Devoto aside though, McGeogh IS one of the all time greatest guitarists, Barry Adamson, well, just listen to the bass playing on Back to nature, off Secondhand Daylight. No hard feelings Jerry, just v.passionate about them, I have to stand up for them!! Like I would the GB's. Now, who linek Bryan Adams? | ||
| Jerry Clark Member Username: Jerry Post Number: 231 Registered: 08-2004 |
Who doesn't like BA? | ||
| Rob Robinson Member Username: Rsub8 Post Number: 46 Registered: 05-2005 |
Magazine is a band that I like - a lot. I clearly remember the day I bought, in the same record-store session, copies of Real Life (Magazine’s first album) and Life In A Day (Simple Minds’ first album) when they were just released. All sparkling and shiny record jackets. What a treat, hearing those fresh new sounds! I’ve enjoyed Magazine’s ensuing run of albums more than those from Simple Minds (I gave up on Simple Minds after New Gold Dream, which I enjoyed very much; however, their sound seemed to gel on a sort of plateau at that point, and lose some of its depth.) There is far more diversity to Magazine’s sound than can be captured on any comp, especially a single disc. Another problem is that their style did evolve noticeably from album to album, and the studio recordings of songs from different periods just don’t fit together all that well. Some of the earlier stuff had more of a raw, grinding edge, reflecting Devoto’s Buzzcocks roots. (In fact, the Buzzcocks’ song Lipstick, amazingly, is just Shot By Both Sides, with different lyrics!) Other stuff was very dark. They eventually migrated to a poppier style. Even as a longtime Magazine fan, I would be hard pressed to choose a setlist for a comp that could adequately capture their sound. Another “problem” was that some of their better songs only were originally released as b-sides (none of which were on Rays and Hail, but fortunately can be found on the After The Fact comp). Howard Devoto live had it all over Kerr & company. Devoto always sang with his eyes closed! (except for one or two times opening his eyes, talking to the audience.) A commanding performer. I always thought of him as a sort of subversive, slightly warped version of Peter Gabriel. And plus, in Magazine, we have the AMAZING Barry Adamson, and the quirky Dave Formula... not to mention the incomparable John McGeoch (r.i.p.). If you’d like to give them another shot, Jerry, I urge you to sample any one of their regular studio releases. This is one band where the comps are more for the collectors. The later stuff (e.g., Correct / Alternative Use Of Soap), is more accessible, as is usually the case with most bands. Other than that, the live set “Play” presents a good cross-section, inasmuch as that’s possible; at least the songs are given the same overall treatment (and though lacking the artistry of John McGeoch, Robin Simon’s appearance on the set is just fine with me). Devoto’s solo album wasn’t too much of a departure from the later Magazine albums, and it dovetailed well with A Correct Use Of Soap. However, I’d be interested to hear if Magazine fans on this board cared much for Luxuria. As much as I like Devoto, I just can’t seem to “get” Luxuria, and I have tried and tried and tried. The music, singing and songwriting somehow seemed flat and just not up to snuff. | ||
| kevin Member Username: Kevin Post Number: 267 Registered: 05-2005 |
To use a football analogy, man for man(or if you prefer in this case musician to musician) Magazine piss all over Simple Minds - no contest. | ||
| Jeff Whiteaker Member Username: Jeff_whiteaker Post Number: 248 Registered: 10-2004 |
i love magazine. if anything, i think they were clearly underrated as they never achieved the kind of recognition and rabid popularity that bands like joy division and bauhaus achieved (at least here in the US). furthermore, i would disagree wholeheartedly with the assertion that magazine was a poor man's joy division/bauhaus/simple minds all rolled into one. that statement is off, firstly, because magazine pre-dated all those bands. i have nothing against the other bands, i love joy division and bauhaus and even those early simple minds records, but i think magazine deserves to be rated just as highly. i honestly think part of the reason they weren't as popular is because they don't appeal so much to angsty teens the way bauhaus and joy division do. also, i really love devoto's solo album, "jerky versions of the dream." i almost like that album more than any of magazines records. | ||
| Kurt Stephan Member Username: Slothbert Post Number: 234 Registered: 04-2005 |
I loved Magazine back in the day. But I was an angst-ridden teenager (as opposed to the current angst-ridden adult) who was more impressed by lyrics like the "Permafrost" chorus than I am now. (Jeff, I'm an exception to what you wrote--Devoto's lyrics were the kind of angst I was looking for as a teenager!) They sound a little pompous and mock-misanthropic to me compared to, say, Ian Curtis's lyrics. So the group hasn't aged that well for me, though a lot of the music is truly outstanding. John McGeoch, Barry Adamson, and Dave Formula were amazing. I've always been a Roxy Music fanatic, and Magazine were kind of an extension of the "difficult" Roxy sound, a la "For Your Pleasure." I thought "The Correct Use of Soap" was the best album, as Devoto let some humor creep in. I wish I still had it, but I dumped all my Magazine LPs sometime in the mid '80s when I decided I didn't like them anymore. Bad move. I was in London for a couple of weeks in '81 and they were pretty much my favorite band at the time. I went into record shops and nobody wanted to talk about Magazine; everyone I talked to dismissed them with a sneer. London was all about Adam and the Ants that summer. Maybe it was wishful thinking, but I'm pretty sure Devoto walked past me on the street somewhere...wish I could remember where. | ||
| Rob Robinson Member Username: Rsub8 Post Number: 47 Registered: 05-2005 |
Kurt said: “I wish I still had it, but I dumped all my Magazine LPs sometime in the mid '80s when I decided I didn't like them anymore. Bad move.“ Never dump any of your record collection. For me, it was the prog-rock “junk” that I listened to in the mid to late 70s. I later concluded it was pretentious crap, and that all one needed was three chords. None of that symphonic polyrhythmic polyphonic botulism anymore. But, there WILL come a moment when you would like to listen to a snippet of this, or that. If it’s gone, you’ll kick yourself. I ended up re-buying some of what I dumped - for far more than what I got for the original albums. But, now I can go back and watch / listen to it. I still roll my eyes and shudder when I see the spandex outfits (that some of them still are wearing in their DVD reunion concert sets). Kurt said: “I went into record shops and nobody wanted to talk about Magazine; everyone I talked to dismissed them with a sneer.” Ain’t it the truth. A true music lover isn’t so shallow to neglect an artist because they don’t fit into the current trend. But then, there is always the “sneering clerk syndrome.” Probably, this happens to everyone at some point. I know it happened to me many times. But now, I just don’t give a sh**! I come to the counter at the Princeton Record Exchange with an armload or two of stuff that might just include an odd Madonna or Jacko single. I listen to what I feel like listening to. And I’m still discovering new “old” and new “new” music. Lots of it out there...! | ||
| Randy Adams Member Username: Randy_adams Post Number: 266 Registered: 03-2005 |
Rob, I pitched out my Ten Years After records at least 25 years ago. I'm still ok with that move. I did have to buy back all those 1960s era John Mayall albums though. After ditching the albums I bought one of the Moody Blues' anthologies so that I had access if I wanted to hear some campy self-important psuedo-symphonic "art" with that wheezy mellotron. And, yeah, now and then I actually do. Your point is well-taken. I've held onto my Ministry and Red Lorry Yellow Lorry discs even though I haven't felt like playing them in forever. Maybe I'll even want to hear Lene Lovich again someday. MAGAZINE WERE OLYMPIC GODS. It's as simple as that. In my perception, Devoto was tongue in cheek virtually all the time. There's plenty of humor to "Shot by Both Sides" and that forever classic "The Light Pours Out of Me." I'm not sure how anyone can listen to "Light Pours" and not simply become incontinent at its brilliance. A lot of people finger "Second Hand Daylight" as the best Mag album, but for me "Real Life" gets the nudge. But all of the first three are classics and even "Magic, Murder & the Weather" has plenty to offer. I actually like Luxuria's second album "Beast Box" which almost sounds like what Magazine might have become if it had continued uninterrupted to the end of the 1980s, but I don't have much use for the first Luxuria record. After all, "Beast Box" has Dave Formula's crazy fingermarks all over it. Simple Minds never happened for me at all. Ditto Bauhaus. "Upside down. Upside down. I'm always turning things upside down." | ||
| Jeff Whiteaker Member Username: Jeff_whiteaker Post Number: 251 Registered: 10-2004 |
Randy, so "Beast Box" is good? I've never heard it. I had the first Luxuria album briefly, and never got into it. I think I liked one song or something, but felt like the rest of the album totally fell flat. And as a result, I never bothered with anything else Luxuria-related. But you like "Beast Box"? I see that LP used in Amoeba now and then, I'll have to pick it up. | ||
| TROU Member Username: Trou Post Number: 21 Registered: 05-2005 |
I agree, Magazine is an important band. I've listened to the sampler recently, it's still ok for me. A record company should release a cheap boxset with all their record, especially 'The correct use of soap'. | ||
| Peter Collins Member Username: Tyroneshoelaces Post Number: 106 Registered: 05-2005 |
Magazine - seminal, imho. I quite liked Simple Minds at first, especially the Empires and Dance lp, but they quickly palled. Interesting the Red Lorry, Yellow Lorry got mentioned. Saw them live once and they were excellent. | ||
| spence Member Username: Spence Post Number: 297 Registered: 05-2005 |
whoah!? hold on guys, great to hear this, jerry hope i haven't upset ye. this wasn't the intention. i do agree with all the posts above, you guys can articulate in type much better than me, though io know from the where y'all come from post you some editors out there!!!!!!!!!!! jerry, peace man! ps i'll never forget the american live in '84, awesome. | ||
| Jerry Clark Member Username: Jerry Post Number: 232 Registered: 08-2004 |
I still stand by how I feel, purely personal observations. It's clear I'm in the minority here, maybe 1 day I'll listen to some of the original Magazine LP's. Spence, I also strongly disagree with your choice of Yeah Yeah Yeah's, Killers, White Stripes, Editors as a sign that things aren't as good now as in the punk/new wave years. Like it or not once we hit our 30's we're the previous generation. I think it's nice that those 4 bands are around & successful, with songs, tunes, opinions & most of all talent. My kids are getting into Franz Ferdinand, Kaiser Chiefs, Arctic Monkeys, Ramones, Rolling Stones, R.E.M. & The Go-B's. A good mix of then & now. I can't help but feel proud when my 3 yr old girl is colouring in & singing "Hammer The Hammer/Do Do Do Ya Do Ya Wanna". | ||
| spence Member Username: Spence Post Number: 304 Registered: 05-2005 |
jerry that's fine, I don't mind yeahs, etc its just that I feel the press in general have built up the hype here, ther's no danger, that was my point in starting this whole thing. the killers ain't dangerous, not one iota, the walk straight oyutta Harvard with the best musical instruments in the world, that's what they do. the Whiote Stripoes, I really real;ly really do detest. pretty ,much as I detset the mainstream. Its a bloke on guitar screeching like he's had his sack squeezed by Mike Tyson, with a drummer, forgive me, who can't play in time! And its boring. Sorry that's my feeling on it. I can see it in the Franz, Arctics, Kaisers etc. There's longevity in these bands I'll put money on it, where as take the Strokes for e.g., where are they now? Writing a 3rd rate album that sound like a box full of Pogues albums, and ditch the bloody fake 'IGGY' mike sound, plueese! There you go, see, Iggy, now, he's DANGEROUS! and he always will be, he's 102 isn't he!? My twin girls dance to franz all the time, where they lie down when the killers come on!!!!! Anhow, theer we have it, i've had my say, and will say no more... here's my white flag... | ||
| Rob Robinson Member Username: Rsub8 Post Number: 50 Registered: 05-2005 |
Randy, thanks for the reply. But, and I'm very sorry to say, Luxuria's Beast Box didn't do it for me, either... (sigh) spence, the images you evoke (Tyson) are just priceless  cccccalm down though, it's just music (that we all love)... | ||
| Randy Adams Member Username: Randy_adams Post Number: 268 Registered: 03-2005 |
Jeff, "Beast Box" is still overblown and certainly NOT Magazine. But it's a good deal better than the first record which I can't listen to at all. And the title track is honestly good. Formula co-produces the whole thing and plays on about a third and it shows. Glad you like "Jerky Versions." That album seems to have slipped out of mind. It was such a treat to have local radio actually play "Rainy Season" when it came out. I confess I clapped out loud at Spence's swipe at the White Stripes. If I didn't like Led Zep first time around I'm not likely to enjoy the re-processed version. So far, I've avoided Franz Ferdinand. I'm suspicious of that group but can't say anything further. A friend burned two Mark Lanegan albums onto a disc for me. Now there's some fun! | ||
| Rob Robinson Member Username: Rsub8 Post Number: 56 Registered: 05-2005 |
FWIW, a couple of photos of Howard Devoto... http://www.pbase.com/rsub8/devoto | ||
| Randy Adams Member Username: Randy_adams Post Number: 285 Registered: 03-2005 |
Does anybody like "Buzzkunst"? I gave it one listen and never bothered again. I think I'll pull it out for a second try. | ||
| spence Member Username: Spence Post Number: 320 Registered: 05-2005 |
heard a couple o trax Randy and it seemed a bit dull. Might purchase through itunes if its there. | ||
| Randy Adams Member Username: Randy_adams Post Number: 291 Registered: 03-2005 |
I just tried it again last night. That was my second listen after getting it when it first came out. No wonder I didn't play it again. It's crap. Really disappointing. All programed synth noises. Save your money, Spence. |