| Author | Message | ||
     kevin Member Username: Kevin Post Number: 1653 Registered: 05-2005 |
Ok, new year, new list. Here goes, the size of my list just shows to me the 70s ruled over the 80s big time. All genres are covered for me - punk,post punk,reggae,electronica, americana, country,rock,disco(well the Stones version of it) Africa stand alone - Culture Man Machine - Kraftwerk Real Life - Magazine Marcus Children(aka Social Living) - Burning Spear Another music in a different kitchen. - The Buzzcocks This years model - Elvis Costello More songs about buildings & food - Talking Heads Road to ruin - The Ramones Comes A Time- Neil Young Suicide - Suicide Brian Eno - Before And After Science Television - Adventure Big Star -Third Rasta Communication - Keith Hudson Some Girls - The Rolling Stones Willie Nelson - Stardust The best dressed chicken in town - Dr Alimantado Street Hassle Lou Reed Tapper Zukie: Man ah Warrior The Scream - Siouxsie & the Banshees Street legal - Bob Dylan Give 'em enough rope - The Clash Dread Beat & Blood - Linton Kwesi Johnson Shiny Beast - Captain Beefheart Max Romeo: Open the Iron Gate Blue Valentine - Tom Waits Go 2 - XTC First edition - Public image Love bites - Buzzcocks Love - Twinkle Brothers | ||
| Randy Adams Member Username: Randy_adams Post Number: 1249 Registered: 03-2005 |
When I trash the 70s, I am never referring to the late 70s. That's when the new blood finally arrived and the people who had been making decent records all along continued so I agree, Kevin. '78 is a heck of a year. From your list, records like "Real Life" and "Before and After Science" and "Third" (or "Sister Lovers") last forever. And I will add: All Mod Cons -- Jam Crossing the Red Sea -- Adverts Chairs Missing -- Wire Pusher Man -- Pioneers Flyin' Shoes -- Townes Van Zandt And that's without digging through my vinyl (except the Pioneers album which I just couldn't forget). | ||
| Rob Brookman Member Username: Rob_b Post Number: 680 Registered: 08-2006 |
Wow, what a good year. And what a good list, Kev. '78 was a banner year for British music, I'd say. Since you covered so much ground, I'll try to keep to, for whatever reason, 11: The Talking Heads - "More Songs About Buildings and Food" Wire - "Pink Flag" Elvis Costello - "This Year's Model" The Rolling Stones - "Some Girls" Big Star - "Third" The Clash - "Give 'Em Enough Rope" Nick Lowe - "Pure Pop for Now People" (or "Jesus of Cool," as you UKers known it) Neil Young - "Comes a Time" Ian Dury - "New Boots and Panties!!" Ramones - "Road to Ruin" Blondie - "Parallel Lines" | ||
| Rob Brookman Member Username: Rob_b Post Number: 681 Registered: 08-2006 |
Oh, as always, I should mention the above represent American release dates. Dunno if any of them appeared earlier in the UK. | ||
| Little Keith Member Username: Manosludge Post Number: 2036 Registered: 03-2006 |
Elvis Costello - This Year's Model Nick Lowe - Pure Pop for Now People Dave Edmunds - Trax on Wax 4 Neil Young - Comes a Time Willie Nelson - Stardust Big Star - Third Blondie - Parallel Lines Professor Longhair - Live on the Queen Mary Joe Ely - Honky Tonk Masquerade Rolling Stones - Some Girls | ||
| Little Keith Member Username: Manosludge Post Number: 2037 Registered: 03-2006 |
Dammit! I hate this - I always miss one. Bruce Springsteen's "Darkness On the Edge of Town" came out that year, too. As has been said above, what a year! Funny, too: at first, I really did not like it - it seemed too much a departure from the whole turbocharged Spectorish thing he was into on Born to Run, but it obviously grew on me, and I think has stood the test of time. A lot of songs from it are among his most beloved: "Badlands", "Promised Land", et al.... So, since I'm into the "brevity thing" (as the Dude puts it), I'm gonna have to bump somebody...who should it be? I can't bump Professor Longhair, since he's been dissed so much throughout the years and never really got the laurels he deserved, so sorry, Debs...Blondie it's youse guys...so, I hereby add "Darkness" to my list and knock "Parallel Lines" down to slot #11. | ||
| kevin Member Username: Kevin Post Number: 1655 Registered: 05-2005 |
Like LK I missed a cracker, how could I have forgotten Chairs Missing, possibly my favourite Wire album as well | ||
| Randy Adams Member Username: Randy_adams Post Number: 1250 Registered: 03-2005 |
Actually, Kevin, I was so surprised by that omission that I expected you to post a correction like "er, 'Chairs Missing' was released in 1977" or something. I'm also a little bit surprised that you omitted the Fall's first album but I left it out on purpose. It's still too unformed for my taste. In the case of the Big Star record, if I remember right it really dates from 1975 or so and just took forever to get a release. Yeah, I know, who cares? I usually do because it's normally unfair to have out-of-time recordings compared. But that proves to be meaningless with "Third," a brilliant painful record, the pinnacle of Chilton's creative legacy. | ||
| Rob Brookman Member Username: Rob_b Post Number: 682 Registered: 08-2006 |
Jeez, I plum forgot "Darkness," too, LK. Feel like I should do penance or something. And did "Chairs Missing" really come out here in '78, Randy? I know "Pink Flag" didn't get to these shores 'til then. You'll get no argument from me about "Third." I hated it when I first heard it back in college. I was wrong about so many things back then... | ||
| Jeff Whiteaker Member Username: Jeff_whiteaker Post Number: 596 Registered: 10-2004 |
Wire - Chairs Missing Magazine - Real Life Siouxsie - The Scream Kraftwerk - The Man Machine Talking Heads - More Songs About... Big Star - Third Nick Lowe - Pure Pop for Now People Buzzcocks - Love Bites The Jam - All Mod Cons Ultravox - Systems of Romance The Saints - Prehistoric Sounds Television - Adventure Elvis Costello - This Year's Model The Police - Outlandos D'Amour Devo - Are We Not Men? John Cooper Clarke - Disguise in Love Van Halen - Van Halen | ||
| Randy Adams Member Username: Randy_adams Post Number: 1252 Registered: 03-2005 |
No idea about here, Rob. I just go by the copyright dates on the CDs and the one I have is from the UK. The original copyright date is usually what I rely on (except when I hallucinate another copyright date or just plain can't read the fine print on the case any longer). Bear in mind that very few of the non-mainstream records were heard by me in 1978. I was well familiar with the Jam album because they were a big favorite of mine. (Though I didn't actually BUY "All Mod Cons" until much later. That was an era of poverty; if a friend had something I'd just listen to his copy and save the money for something else). I also had the Adverts record which remains the only good thing done by TV Smith that I've heard. I didn't discover Wire until I got a CD player in 1985. The same goes for Big Star. From the vantage point of 1986 or 1987 it was easy to hear the unhinged brilliance of "Third." | ||
| Rob Brookman Member Username: Rob_b Post Number: 684 Registered: 08-2006 |
You're more enlightened than I am, Randy. I probably heard "Third" for the first time in '86 or '87, and I didn't "get" it, even though then-current Chilton tunes like "No Sex" were big favorites of my college roommate and I. But at some point along the way, it just clicked. Now, it'd be high on my list of records I'd hate to be without on a desert island. | ||
| kevin Member Username: Kevin Post Number: 1656 Registered: 05-2005 |
Randy, no, Chairs Missing was definetly '78, just a shocking omission I'm afraid. Live at The Witchtrials is omitted because even though I loved it at the time I dont now, sounds pretty mediocre to these ears, although that is because I now know what was coming for the next 20 plus years from The Fall. | ||
| joe Member Username: Dogmansuede Post Number: 220 Registered: 07-2006 |
as this is technically the second year of "actual music" in my book....my list is a little brief. some of my 78 faves though... big star - third blondie - parallel lines siouxsie - the scream wire - chairs missing abba - the album | ||
| David Gagen Member Username: David_g Post Number: 75 Registered: 02-2007 |
Patti Smith - Easter Tom Waits - Blue Valentine Two of my favourite albums. Also Warren Zevon - Excitable Boy Radio Birdman - Radios Appear (but this coulda been 1977 here in OZ) | ||
| Pádraig Collins Member Username: Pádraig_collins Post Number: 1539 Registered: 05-2005 |
I love Third. Adore it. But have not played it in years. It demands a lot emotionally of the listener. But it's there for me. I'm nuch more cofortable with No 1 Record and, particularly, Radio City. I did a radio program on Radio City once. | ||
| Randy Adams Member Username: Randy_adams Post Number: 1254 Registered: 03-2005 |
"Oh, My Soul" is incredible. | ||
| Jerry Clark Member Username: Jerry Post Number: 661 Registered: 08-2004 |
Pere Ubu - The Modern Dance (& to a slightly lesser extent Dub Housing) | ||
| Michael Bachman Member Username: Michael_bachman Post Number: 661 Registered: 01-2005 |
1978 was a great, great year. Here's mine. 1. Big Star - Third/Sister Lovers 2. Talking Heads - More Songs About... 3. Elvis Costello - This Year's Model 4. Wire - Chairs Missing 5. Kraftwerk - The Man Machine 6. Kate Bush - The Kick Inside 7. Bruce Springsteen - Darkness 8. Blondie - Parallel Lines 9. Warren Zevon - Exitable Boy 10. Neil Young - Comes A Time 11. The Soft Boys - A Can Of Bees 12. Brian Eno - Music for Airports 13. The Adverts - Crossing The Sea 14. Devo - Are We Not Men? 15. Pere Ubu - The Modern Dance 16. The Police - Outlandos d'Amour 17. Televison - Adventure 18. Ramones - Road To Ruin 19. Kate Bush - Lionheart 20. X-Ray Specs - Germfree Adolescents 21. Rolling Stones - Some Girls 22. Peter Gabriel - Scratching Fingers 23. Emmylou Harris - Quarter Moon In a Ten Cent 24. Clash - Give 'em Enought Rope 25. Dire Straits - Dire Straits | ||
| joe Member Username: Dogmansuede Post Number: 221 Registered: 07-2006 |
oh wow....was the kick inside 78? in that case, put it at the top of my list. well....alongside third anyway. | ||
| kevin Member Username: Kevin Post Number: 1682 Registered: 05-2005 |
Was there ever a definitive version of 3rd/sister lovers ever released? I recall there have been a few version released, never with the same running order. | ||
| Jeff Whiteaker Member Username: Jeff_whiteaker Post Number: 608 Registered: 10-2004 |
Kevin, the definitive version was released on Ryko back in the early 90s, as seen here: http://www.allmusicguide.com/cg/amg.dll? p=amg&sql=10:3ifixql5ldfe While this version got the "okay" from everyone involved, and has the "official" track order, I have always much preferred the earlier PVC version because I think the track order on that works way better. For me, opening up with the magestic "Stroke it Noel" was much cooler and more powerful than "Kizza Me." Oddly, I had actually heard the Ryko version first, but hearing the PVC version made the whole album way more cohesive for me and actually elevated my love of the record. Weird, but sometimes artists aren't always the best judge of how their work should be presented. | ||
| Kurt Stephan Member Username: Slothbert Post Number: 1450 Registered: 04-2005 |
Definitely another great year. 1. Elvis Costello & the Attractions - This Year's Model 2. Talking Heads - More Songs About Buildings and Food 3. The Only Ones - s/t 4. Wire - Chairs Missing 5. Ramones - Road to Ruin 6. Lou Reed - Street Hassle 7. Brian Eno - Before and After Science 8. Nick Lowe - Pure Pop for Now People/Jesus of Cool 9. Pere Ubu - The Modern Dance 10. Devo - Q: Are We Not Men? A: We Are Devo! I'm surprised that #10 has bumped the following off the list for me--Television, Neil Young, the Clash, Blondie, Dave Edmunds, Buzzcocks, Ultravox, XTC--but I play it more now than any of them. Ashamed to say I've never heard "3rd/Sister Lovers"... | ||
| Andy Robinson Member Username: Andyblue Post Number: 65 Registered: 03-2005 |
Hey guys - let's forget this year, mostly. I was young and impressionable and probably had no musical taste. As I remember all we had in the house was my Dad's LW/MW wireless that played constant |Radio 2 and a dansette record player that gave electric shocks with me Dad's 78s - mostly crap apart from Spike Jones (he said he liked Hank |Williams but didn't haver any) and an uncles even dodgier early 45s! I vaguely remember a Kate Bush v Olivia Newton John argument with a school friend and fancying ON-J more. At some point my Mum bought my Dad a "music centre" for a birthday - it might have been this year which meant I could borrow stuff from school friends and tape it. I do have "Give 'em Enough Rope" which |I love(d) nut a little bit later, before I bought London's Calling the day it came out - and the rest is history . . . . | ||
| Rob Brookman Member Username: Rob_b Post Number: 717 Registered: 08-2006 |
Jeff, as I mentioned somewhere else on this board, I, too, have a non-Ryko version of "Third," one put out by some European label. Mine starts with "Stroke It, Noel," too, and is missing two tracks from the Ryko version, "Blue Moon" and "Nature Boy." I assume it probably mirrors the PVC version. I think "Stroke It, Noel" is a brilliant intro to the record. Mine ends with "Take Care," which I think is an equally great choice. Compared to the Ryko version, the track listing I have seems darker and more ennui-laden. The fast songs sound more like an abberation, like their kicking futilely against the bleak mood instead of triumphing over it. | ||
| Jeff Whiteaker Member Username: Jeff_whiteaker Post Number: 611 Registered: 10-2004 |
Rob, my PVC copy ends with "Thank You Friends," but like your's, the track order still produces a similarly darker and moodier feel overall. Interestingly, in the liner notes, I think it's the producer who mentions that he and the band never liked the track order of the unofficial releases, that they thought it was too depressing and that they never intended that. So for the official Ryko version, they arranged the tracks in a way that seemed more uplifting and less dark. Ryko added a few bonus tracks too, further messing up the mood and cohesion. | ||
| Randy Adams Member Username: Randy_adams Post Number: 1274 Registered: 03-2005 |
Ok, this is really whack. I have a PVC release called "Big Star's 3rd: Sister Lovers." It starts out with "Jesus Christ." There are a total of 17 tracks. "Thank You Friends" is the last. It has "Blue Moon" but not "Nature Boy." The CD copyright year is 1985. | ||
| Rob Brookman Member Username: Rob_b Post Number: 725 Registered: 08-2006 |
Jeff, that is interesting. Just looking at the tracklist on Amazon I could tell they were trying to lighten it up. I prefer my tracklist by far, but I allow for the fact it's the one I've been listening to for years and years. Randy, that's weird. Mine is on a record label called Castle Communications, which on closer examination is French. It has a terrible cover. I have no idea why your and Jeff's PVC releases would start differently. But since we've devoted so much copy to this issue, I'll post my tracklist, which is as follows: 1. Stroke It, Noel 2. Downs 3. Femme Fatale 4. Thank You Friends 5. Holocaust 6. Jesus Christ 7. Blue Moon (oops, I do have it - didn't recognize the title!) 8. Dream Lover 9. You Can't Have Me 10. Big Black Car 11. Kizza Me 12. For You 13. O Dana 14. Nightime 15. Whole Lotta Shakin' Going On 16. Kanga Roo 17. Take Care | ||
| Randy Adams Member Username: Randy_adams Post Number: 1276 Registered: 03-2005 |
Ok, mine is on PVC, but is a US release "marketed by PARAS" and distributed by Jem who used to distribute a lot of import music. The track list is: 1. Jesus Christ 2. Femme Fatale 3. O, Dana 4. Kizza Me 5. You Can't Have Me 6. Nighttime 7. Dream Lover 8. Blue Moon 9. Take Care 10. Stroke It Noel 11. For You 12. Downs 13. Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On (the one thing I usually skip) 14. Big Black Car 15. Holocaust 16. Kanga Roo 17. Thank You Friends Somehow it seems absolutely perfect for this album to have been released in such a bizarre and confused way. Perfect Alex Chilton. | ||
| kevin Member Username: Kevin Post Number: 1690 Registered: 05-2005 |
Mines is on Ryko, have copied the following from sleevenotes : "Even though Sister Lovers has been previously available on import CD it has never been released in its entirety, or in the proper sequence. This Rykodisc release is the closest SL will ever get to that sequence, as Chilton and Dickinson were only able to agree on the running order for 4 songs, the first 3 and the last one." But then things get confusing - the sleevenotes seem to contradict the tracklisting on this release, says it was supposed to start with "Thank You Friends (it actually starts with "Kizza Me"), and end with Take Care (which it does, except it doesnt really because there are 5 bonus tracks!! - but I suppose thats being pedantic) Back to the sleevenotes from producer Dickinson "It was very cyclic,Thank you Friends is supposed to be first, Take Care is supposed to be last. That definetely, I think, makes a big difference, because they way it has been sequenced, heretofore, is that the end of the record is very dark. In fact one of the versions ends with Holocaust which was never the point" Which begs the question, how many bloody versions have been released, neither mine, Randys or Robs ends with Holocaust. See this link to Rykodisc for notes on the album, and tracklist http://www.rykodisc.com/Catalog/dump/ryk oalbums_134.asp#Tracks | ||
| Rob Brookman Member Username: Rob_b Post Number: 728 Registered: 08-2006 |
I like the idea of starting with "Thank You, Friends" and ending with "Take Care." Makes a certain amount of sense. But Randy, man, having "Downs" and "Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On" back to back - ugh! My two least favorite songs on the album. Although maybe that makes sense, lumping them in the 11th and 12th slots where they do the least harm. "Downs" is track 2 on my version. Good thing "Stroke It, Noel" is so amazing. | ||
| Jeff Whiteaker Member Username: Jeff_whiteaker Post Number: 612 Registered: 10-2004 |
Okay, here's the tracklisting for my PVC LP: Side One 1. Stroke it Noel 2. For You 3. Kizza Me 4. You Can't Have Me 5. Nighttime 6. Blue Moon 7. Take Care Side Two 1. Jesus Christ 2. Femme Fatale 3. O Dana 4. Big Black Car 5. Holocaust 6. Kangaroo 7. Thank You Friends | ||
| Jeff Whiteaker Member Username: Jeff_whiteaker Post Number: 613 Registered: 10-2004 |
And here's the tracklist for the Ryko CD: 1. Kizza Me 2. Thank You Friends 3. Big Black Car 4. Jesus Christ 5. Femme Fatale 6. O, Dana 7. Holocaust 8. Kangaroo 9. Stroke It Noel 10. For You 11. You Can't Have Me 12. Nightime 13. Blue Moon 14. Take Care 15. Nature Boy 16. Till The End Of The Day 17. Dream Lover 18. Downs 19. Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On So, Ryko tacked on 5 bonus tracks, which for me was slightly detrimental. I'd rather have had those on a bonus disc so as not to upset the cohesion of the actual album tracks. Still, for me , "Kizza Me," perhaps my least favorite song on the record, was not a good way to open the album. | ||
| Jeff Whiteaker Member Username: Jeff_whiteaker Post Number: 614 Registered: 10-2004 |
Oh, and I'm utterly shocked that Rob's version placed "Downs" second! That's a ballsy move. | ||
| Rob Brookman Member Username: Rob_b Post Number: 733 Registered: 08-2006 |
Jeff, your PVC version seems damn near definitive to me. And yeah, putting "Downs" second on my edition was a weird move. Then again, the label it's on is French. Being a great Francophile, I have great respect for the Gallic propensity toward perversity. | ||
| Randy Adams Member Username: Randy_adams Post Number: 1279 Registered: 03-2005 |
Yeah, Jeff's vinyl version looks like the best by a giant distance. And so long as "Jesus Christ" starts one of the sides of the album I'm happy. I have an aversion therapy-like response to JC subjects usually but that song knocked me off my ass from the very first time I heard it. I could never tell if it is tongue in cheek and for once it's never mattered. | ||
| Jeff Whiteaker Member Username: Jeff_whiteaker Post Number: 616 Registered: 10-2004 |
I always assumed "Jesus Christ" was just sarcasm, but then I have no evidence to back that up. Just basing that on the general tone and context of the rest of the album. | ||
| Rob Brookman Member Username: Rob_b Post Number: 734 Registered: 08-2006 |
I ain't much for the old-time religion (or the new variety), but I've always taken "Jesus Christ" at face value and have been comfortable with it. I kind of imagined a drugged out, depressed Alex Chilton sitting around at Christmas trying to find hisself a little joy. I have no idea if that's the song's genesis, but it has that feel to it. | ||
| Little Keith Member Username: Manosludge Post Number: 2082 Registered: 03-2006 |
Alex Chilton is from the South, too...there's a lot of that going around down there. My theory is that it is, like the ending of the Sopranos, meant to be ambiguous. | ||
| Michael Bachman Member Username: Michael_bachman Post Number: 682 Registered: 01-2005 |
So, in regarding yet another third album with a JC song, do you guys think Lou was being serious with "Jesus" on the VU's eponymus third album? I always though so. I always thought that Lou was raised as a Jew though, did he ever convert? | ||
| Jeff Whiteaker Member Username: Jeff_whiteaker Post Number: 617 Registered: 10-2004 |
I was listening to "Third" last night. During "Jesus Christ," before the solo, Chilton mutters, "We're gonna get born!" Maybe I'm projecting here, but I can only imagine him tossing off that line with tongue planted in cheek. Lou Reed, religious? I'm honestly not trying to be rude at all, but that just sounds preposterous. But most of what I know about Reed is through VU and early solo lyrics and his drug and sex fueled antics at the time, so what do I know? | ||
| Kurt Stephan Member Username: Slothbert Post Number: 1464 Registered: 04-2005 |
Yeah, preposterous is the right word for the thought of Lou Reed as a Christian. Or a practicing Jew, for that matter. He may have played around a bit with spirituality and transcendence on "Magic and Loss," but not in any organized religion context. I'd say he wrote "Jesus" with tongue firmly in cheek...or as something one of the characters of his songs would be pondering. | ||
| Pádraig Collins Member Username: Pádraig_collins Post Number: 1564 Registered: 05-2005 |
My version is on a version I've never seen before or since. It's got the first two albums on disc 1 and a 17 track version of Third on disc 2. 1 Kizza Me 2 You Can't Have Me 3 Jesus Christ 4 Downs 5 Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On 6 Thank You Friends 7 O, Dana 8 Femme Fatale 9 Stroke It Noel 10 Holocaust 11 Nightime 12 Kanga-roo 13 For You 14 Take Care 15 Blue Moon 16 Dream Lover 17 Big Black Car | ||
| Pádraig Collins Member Username: Pádraig_collins Post Number: 1566 Registered: 05-2005 |
OK, I've now just downloaded Nature Boy and Till The End Of The Day, the two tracks missing from my version. They are worthy additions. |