| Author | Message | ||
     Adrian P Member Username: Adp Post Number: 7 Registered: 05-2005 |
ok, here's my Robert Forster top 5 (for today). I thought it was going to be easier than picking my Grant McLennan top 5, but it proved to be just as hard! baby stones loneliness beyond their law heart out to tender atlanta lie low | ||
| gareth w Member Username: Gareth Post Number: 14 Registered: 05-2005 |
Baby Stones 121 Falling Star Girl to a World Altlanta Lie Low | ||
| Kurt Stephan Member Username: Slothbert Post Number: 88 Registered: 04-2005 |
Danger in the Past Dear Black Dream Cat's Life 121 On A Street Corner | ||
| Jeff Whiteaker Member Username: Jeff_whiteaker Post Number: 138 Registered: 10-2004 |
i've been looking for someone cat's life girl to a world beyond their law drop i want to be quiet dear black dream oops, that's 7! can never stick to just 5 | ||
| david pestorius Member Username: David_pestorius Post Number: 26 Registered: 08-2005 |
The River People Danger In the Past (IMA version, 1993, from the 2541 e.p.) I Can Do (Warm Nights version, 1995, unreleased) Warm Nights (Warm Nights version, 1995, unreleased) Crying Love (Warm Nights version, 1995, unreleased) | ||
| mingus Member Username: Mingus Post Number: 12 Registered: 06-2005 |
hang on for a few minutes..... I am just digging around under my bed to see if I can find any old tapes of RF music that no-one else would have heard.... Then I will propose those tracks.... | ||
| spencer roberts Member Username: Spence Post Number: 26 Registered: 05-2005 |
Sorry, but how can we be this unjust to so many truly great songs. Mr Forster's songs, each and everyone are up there for me. Yeah Warm Nights will never be a patch on Danger but Television were never gonna beat Marquee Moon were they? I also think that his covers album was beautiful. I don't know many artists who could add somthing to an album of covers, save for the tremendous Signor Coconut and their Kraftwerk tribute!! | ||
| Donat Member Username: Donat Post Number: 99 Registered: 11-2004 |
Brookfield 1975 Danger In The Past 121 Snake Skin Lady Falling Star | ||
| Cichli Suite Member Username: Cichli_suite Post Number: 75 Registered: 08-2004 |
I was a teenage fruitbat (demo for Warm nights 1995, unreleased) Possum Nights (early version of Warm Nights 1994, unreleased) Dammit Janet (Rocky horror out take from 'I had a New york girl friend' 1993, unreleased) Untitled (Bluegrass style guitar instrumental recorded at a sound check Vicar Street, 1998, unreleased) My baby's toes (Early (vastly superior) version of 'Baby stones', 1991 unreleased) Atlanta Lie Low (Calling from a Country phone,1993) Sorry, thats six! | ||
| Peter Azzopardi Member Username: Pete Post Number: 128 Registered: 09-2004 |
The River People Heart Out to Tender Danger in the Past Atlanta Lie Low Falling Star Girl To A World 3 AM Warm Nights Cryin' Love I'll Jump That's 10. I don't have any of the B-sides. | ||
| Pádraig Collins Member Username: Pádraig_collins Post Number: 90 Registered: 05-2005 |
Pete's top 10 looks damn good to me. | ||
| Pádraig Collins Member Username: Pádraig_collins Post Number: 91 Registered: 05-2005 |
Oh, his version of 2541 is tremendous too. Probably the only cover I love almost as much as the original. | ||
| Kurt Stephan Member Username: Slothbert Post Number: 91 Registered: 04-2005 |
Well, "Alone" is a cover that easily eclipses the original! I didn't even know there was a song there behind all the puffed-up hair, power ballad cliches, and ridiculous '80s outfits until I heard Forster's take on it. As for "2541," I agree it's a tough call between Robert's version and Grant Hart's single version. (Hart's LP version on "Intolerance" is not so great, though.) | ||
| Pádraig Collins Member Username: Pádraig_collins Post Number: 93 Registered: 05-2005 |
I didn't know there was a sperate single version by Grant Hart. I only know the album version (which I have on vinyl) which I love. I love the whole album in fact. My four-year-old daughter also loves Grant Hart's version of 2541. What's so different about the single version? | ||
| Randy Adams Member Username: Randy_adams Post Number: 102 Registered: 03-2005 |
Forster's version of "2541" turned me on to Grant Hart in the first place. I second Cichli's top six listing. I'm particularly keen on "I was a teenage fruitbat." | ||
| Pádraig Collins Member Username: Pádraig_collins Post Number: 94 Registered: 05-2005 |
What bootlegs are these "early versions" coming from? I've never seen any Robert or Grant solo bootlegs. | ||
| Kurt Stephan Member Username: Slothbert Post Number: 92 Registered: 04-2005 |
Pádraig, the "2541" single, which came out a while before the album (six months or more, maybe?) was mostly acoustic and more graceful and melancholy than the album version, which was a bit rocked up in comparison. The LP take of the song was still very good, mind you, but I don't know why they didn't just use the single version on the LP. I only have it on vinyl, but could make a cassette copy of it and the B side if you're interested. Anyone who likes "2541" would do well to seek out Grant's last solo album, "Good News for Modern Man." Someone somewhere compared parts of it to the Chills, which I think makes some sense...Hart isn't totally unlike Martin Phillipps--both are really talented songwriters who find ways to shoot themselves in the foot to keep from being as successful as they should be. | ||
| Cichli Suite Member Username: Cichli_suite Post Number: 76 Registered: 08-2004 |
Pádraig, I'm afraid the songs on my list are from an imaginary bootleg, apart from 'Atlanta Lie Low', of course. I would have thought that 'untitled', the bluegrass work out (in the style of 'Deliverance' with Grant on second guitar) gave it away! | ||
| Duncan Hurwood Member Username: Duncan_h Post Number: 23 Registered: 05-2005 |
I tried Grant Hart's (album) version of 2541, but it felt like a great song had been ruined. I much prefer RFs version. As for a top five (only including songs RF wrote, in the versions on his solo albums, otherwise R'n'R Friend would be there): 1 Falling Circle 2 The Circle 3 Loneliness 4 Snake Skin Lady 5 Beyond their law Special bonus points for "The River People", which I really like in the version by The Walkabouts, but less so on "Danger in the Past". | ||
| Duncan Hurwood Member Username: Duncan_h Post Number: 24 Registered: 05-2005 |
I meant "Falling Star" there at No.1. I was thinking ahead. | ||
| Randy Adams Member Username: Randy_adams Post Number: 104 Registered: 03-2005 |
I have to second Kurt Stephan's high marks for Grant Hart's albums. Both of them (I'm only aware of two) are great. I'm not really big on "best of" lists, but since no one else has mentioned it I'd like to nominate "Justice." I have a real weakness for Robert's small pieces such as this song (as well as "Girl Lying on a Beach.") It's only the big production that puffs up "Mountains Near Dellray" which is really another small song of his. Which I love, of course. | ||
| david pestorius Member Username: David_pestorius Post Number: 27 Registered: 08-2005 |
With respect to the question of bootlegs, the cover of the 2541 e.p. refers to the live version there of Danger in the Past as being "Taken the Brisbane cassette bootleg:— ROBERT FORSTER:THE MOST BEAUTIFUL MAN ALIVE". While there is such an audio cassette recording, more accurately this is a reference to an as yet unreleased soundtrack for a film of the RF show at the Institute of Modern Art in Brisbane on 30 January 1993. This film was shown publicly in Brisbane a couple of years ago now. The live tracks by Warm Nights, which I refered to above are similarly taken from a film soundtrack, which was also publicly shown in Brisbane last July. These films/soundtracks are reasonably well-known to Brisbane fans. RF as well as members of group, and some local fans have DVD copies. Whether these films get shown publicly again in the future and/or become more broadly available on commercially released DVD will depend largely on RF. What I can say, as the producer of these films, is that the matter is currently the subject of discussion between us. Digressing slightly, I'm surprised that the single Crying Love is not rated at all here. To my mind, it involves a rock riff, which to use RF's own words in relation to Franz Ferdinand in the current edition of The Monthly, is "big, compulsive (and) brain-lodging". If any song had the potential to reach a really huge audience it was this one. | ||
| Peter Azzopardi Member Username: Pete Post Number: 130 Registered: 09-2004 |
It's on my list David. I've always thought it was a cracker of a song. I finally saw the film clip for it earlier this year and it's easily the best Go-Bs or Go-Bs related video, IMO. Why the clip alone didn't make the uninitiated want to investigate this strange, tall man with the heavy eyebrows is beyond me. | ||
| M.J.L. Member Username: Mjl Post Number: 16 Registered: 09-2005 |
- I've Been Looking for Somebody - Is This What You Call Change - Justice - 121 - Rock-N-Roll Friend - The Circle - Drop - Warm Nights - 2541 - Baby Stones I don't know why 'Rock'n'Roll Friend' gets such a beating. I really love it... Those first three tunes I list - they're monuments! | ||
| Jeff Whiteaker Member Username: Jeff_whiteaker Post Number: 139 Registered: 10-2004 |
i always thought crying love was one of robert's most trite, pedestrian, rock 'n roll cliche songs ever. it's just plain wrong. depressing. but that's just me. | ||
| gareth w Member Username: Gareth Post Number: 18 Registered: 05-2005 |
Definitely some differences of opinion on this thread. For me 'Loneliness' is as dull a song as Robert has ever done but evidently it hits the spot for others. 'Jug of Wine' or 'Fortress' anyone? | ||
| Jeff Whiteaker Member Username: Jeff_whiteaker Post Number: 140 Registered: 10-2004 |
jug of wine is amusing in a kitschy sort of way, but certainly far from a good example of forster's songwriting talents. to me, fortress is definiely a low point. for me, most of what's on warm nights sounds as if forster had run completely out of ideas, but tried to scrap together an album anyway, full of songs with half-baked, tired cliche rock riffs and almost none of the smart, well-crafted pop melodies so prevalent in his previous work. a few songs work, and i felt like some of the songs worked better in a live setting because robert was able to get by (and breathe life into the songs) with sheer charisma and a tight band. i saw him during his tour for warm nights, and it was a great show. | ||
| david pestorius Member Username: David_pestorius Post Number: 28 Registered: 08-2005 |
Sorry Peter I didn't spot Crying Love on your list. I'd also forgotten about that video clip RF did for it, which I recall now was cryingly funny. In fact I think there is a certain amount of irony and humour in the song that RF was playing on there that might be misinterpreted as simply trite, etc. But I was really just wanting to make the point about the riff, which if you put aside the lyrics for a moment, is undeniably a corker and nowhere else rivalled in RF's songwriting. The version of Lonliness on the Warm Nights film is another grooving rocker. I would have listed it too. If you like that sort of Creedence Clearwater thing that RF was big into at that time then you'd definitely love it. On the album version something goes missing a little bit there, I think. The same goes for Jug of Wine and Fortress, both of which are, in my opinion, much better on the film, in their raw state, than with the studio embellishments. I think it's very interesting this polarisation of opinion, and perhaps it goes some way to explaining the relatively limited audience that RF, as a solo act, and more broadly The Go-Betweens, seem to touch. | ||
| M. Mark Burgess Member Username: Fortysomething Post Number: 43 Registered: 05-2005 |
1. I've Been Looking for Somebody 2. Baby Stones 3. Danger in the Past 4. 121 5. What Goes On I agree with the assessments of 2541;great cover, something R.F. might have written himself. Warm Nights seems to me to be just a loose, fun record; something like Dylan does from time to time. It's not a classic by any means but I do find myself playing it quite often. It has a distinct charm and relaxing groove with some really funny lyrics. I would compare it to Dylan's Down in the Groove in terms of its approach but I think it's better. | ||
| M.J.L. Member Username: Mjl Post Number: 17 Registered: 09-2005 |
M. Mark Burgess, I completely agree with you about Warm Nights' distinctive charm and relaxing groove. It may not have the writerly smarts of 'Country Phone, or Danger..., but, in my opinion, it's laconic, it's evocative, it's inviting, and it's a great record to play in company. | ||
| David Matheson Member Username: David_matheson Post Number: 37 Registered: 12-2004 |
Baby Stones Atlanta Lie Low Justice 121 Loneliness | ||
| Pádraig Collins Member Username: Pádraig_collins Post Number: 95 Registered: 05-2005 |
Cichli, there are no emoticons to express how embarrassed I am at not spotting that you were having a laugh! I knew Robert had not played Vicar Street in 1998 but I thought you were getting mixed up. He played in that place in Wexford St in 1996 (I can never remember the name of that venue for some reason, but I saw some great gigs there). | ||
| Cichli Suite Member Username: Cichli_suite Post Number: 77 Registered: 08-2004 |
Gotcha, Pádraig!  Whelan's of Wexford Street? It would have been a great place to see him. | ||
| fsh Member Username: Fsh Post Number: 55 Registered: 05-2005 |
No - it was the Mean Fiddler (now RIP, and renamed the Village [man!]). RF played there in 1996 and 1997 if I'm not mistaken. The first reformed Go-betweens also played two nights at the same venue a year or two later. Thus, for a couple of years we were spoiled by the GB's, who on their most recent tour decided to bypass Ireland (or maybe they did the 'Shannon stopover' which is very popular with large numbers of people travelling across the globe - particularly those with a penchant for military fatigues). The GB's exercised what was probably wise judgement - as Irish poet Patrick Kavanagh once observed :"through a chink too wide, there comes no wonder." Though, that would also have obviated the need for the DVD package also .... | ||
| Graham Twyford Member Username: Graham_twyford Post Number: 22 Registered: 05-2005 |
Just to correct you FSH, I think RF played Whelan's in 1996 and 1998. The first reformed Go-Betweens played The Mean Fiddler in 1997. Best gig I have ever seen. | ||
| Pádraig Collins Member Username: Pádraig_collins Post Number: 96 Registered: 05-2005 |
Graham's right. Whelan's is my favourite venue in Dublin though, very closely followed by Vicar St. I used to live five minutes walk from the former, ten minutes from the latter. How I miss not having to leave for a gig til Eastenders was over! The Go-Betweens played two nights in The Mean Fiddler in 1997. Best gigs I've ever seen too probably. I bought tickets for both nights immediately when they came out. Literally the day they came out; from the venue. The second show did not sell out initially, but as soon as the first show ended people were queueing to buy tickets for the following night. The remaining tickets were gone in five minutes. I will never forget the look of astonishment on Grant's face as he looked out at the audience after two songs. We were all grinning like idiots and bathing them in love. Grant just looked out at the crowd and said quietly, as if this audience was the confirmation, "We're The Go-Betweens". Cue huge roar of approval which meant "Damn straight you are", and the band launched into... I wish I could remember. Help me out lads, what did they then launch into? Streets Of Your Town? But that would be just too poetic and I'm probably doing some wishful thinking there. Two amazing nights, the second just as good as the first. | ||
| Graham Twyford Member Username: Graham_twyford Post Number: 23 Registered: 05-2005 |
Great summary Pádraig. At the time I was only in the process of discovering the Go-Betweens. In the 6 months prior to the gig I had purchased Spring Hill Fair, Before Hollywood and 16LL. I loved those records but that gig sealed the deal! Shamefully, I remember attending the gig (the first night) in sandals and socks because I had just been operated on an for in-growing toenail (sorry for the mental image). They opened with 'To Reach Me' which I had never heard before but which sounded fantastic. They didn't play 'Streets of Your Town' on the first night. I also remember Grant's expression throughout the whole gig being one of complete amazement. Applause for almost every song was deafening and didn't die down until they actually started the next song. This was especially so for 'Bachelor Kisses'. Apart from the GB setlist regulars, I can also remember 'This Girl, Black Girl' and 'Your Turn, My Turn'. It was so exhilerating that I decided NOT to get tickets for the second night because I was sure it couldn't be topped. Maybe I was mistaken! | ||
| fsh Member Username: Fsh Post Number: 57 Registered: 05-2005 |
>Graham wrote: "Just to correct you FSH, I think RF played Whelan's in 1996 and 1998." No Graham, just to correct YOU (you little shit), I was at BOTH Robert Forster gigs, and they were BOTH at the Mean Fiddler on Wexford Street, NOT Whelans, NOT that I particularly give a SHIT .... so think twice before you think again ..... | ||
| Graham Twyford Member Username: Graham_twyford Post Number: 26 Registered: 05-2005 |
Beautifully articulated FSH. I was actually at the Forster gig in 1998 but my memory obviously serves me poorly, so I stand corrected. It's a shame you feel the need to be so insulting. | ||
| fsh Member Username: Fsh Post Number: 60 Registered: 05-2005 |
Graham wrote: "Beautifully articulated FSH.... it's a shame you feel the need to be so insulting." Is the first part of that message supposed to be sarcastic or something? If you want to question someone's contribution on this board, then make sure you check out your 'facts' first. In order to check your 'facts' you could have checked out the following link on this site at http://www.go-betweens.org.uk/gigography.htm Robert Forster 1996.10.17 The Mean Fiddler, Dublin 1998.06.07 The Mean Fiddler, Dublin, Ireland. It really doesn't matter where or when he played, but you choose to make an issue of it, not me .... | ||
| Graham Twyford Member Username: Graham_twyford Post Number: 27 Registered: 05-2005 |
As I said, I stand corrected. | ||
| Matt Ellis Member Username: Matt_ellis Post Number: 36 Registered: 11-2004 |
Sorry Everyone, I suppose I missed the boat, but I just couldn't resist: I've Been Looking For Somebody Danger In The Past The Circle Falling Star Brookfield 1975 I would have included (as others did) Rock And Roll Friend but since it was co-written with Grant I suppose it's really a Go-Betweens song | ||
| Hardin Smith Member Username: Manosludge Post Number: 19 Registered: 03-2006 |
1) Rock N Roll Friend 2) Baby Stones 3) I Can Do 4) Is this what you call change? 5) I've Been Looking For Somebody And, he didn't write it, but his version of Keef Richard's "Locked Away" is extremely soulful and does the original proud. | ||
| Hardin Smith Member Username: Manosludge Post Number: 33 Registered: 03-2006 |
Another great Forster cover occurs to me. His version of Leonard Cohen's "Tower of Song" is wonderful - heartfelt and wry...It's the best thing on the tribute disc, "I'm Your Fan". Nick Cave also covers the same song on the same collection, and completely butchers it.... | ||
| Michael Bachman Member Username: Michael_bachman Post Number: 42 Registered: 01-2005 |
Baby Stones 121 Atlanta Lie Low Danger In The Past I've Been Looking for Somebody | ||
| spence Member Username: Spence Post Number: 229 Registered: 05-2005 |
Hardin, his Tower of song is really bloody good isn't it!? Only Robert could inject the humour! I loved that album, wasnt there this guy called bill pritchard doing I'm your man, he was a wee guy that used to come to our recording studio with a 100 botles of booze in a plastic bag, and he was already piss*d! | ||
| Hardin Smith Member Username: Manosludge Post Number: 37 Registered: 03-2006 |
Absolutely, Spence! I'm convinced RF interjects a lot of sly humor into things that people don't get or chalk up to him being slightly daft... And it is a great disc - I still have it someplace. As I remember, it has a lot of heavy hitters, like Lloyd Cole, the Pixies, James, etc., unlike the usual parade of no-names that seem to populate tribute discs for some reason... And, of course, the souse, Mr.Pritchard - he, on the other hand...you might be the first person who knows anything about him...Booze probably helps set the mood for Cohen though - it can be some pretty dark stuff... | ||
| Andrew Kerr Member Username: Andrew_k Post Number: 54 Registered: 04-2005 |
Spence, You aren't going to tell us that old laughing Leonard's original was deadly serious? Not a bad mixture of things on that tribute. I like Lloyd Cole's version of 'Chelsea Hotel', featuring some especially fine guitar from Robert Quine. Yep, 'I'm Your Man' is by Bill Pritchard. | ||
| gareth w Member Username: Gareth Post Number: 47 Registered: 05-2005 |
I have 3 albums by Bill Pritchard! Not sure how i have them but they're in the collection. Did a very good song about 10 years ago called 'I'm in Love Forever'. Anyone know what became of him? | ||
| Hardin Smith Member Username: Manosludge Post Number: 38 Registered: 03-2006 |
"I was born with the gift of a golden voice"? Yup, I think LC was definitely taking the piss... | ||
| spence Member Username: Spence Post Number: 230 Registered: 05-2005 |
a friend of mine Andy played with Bill, he was signed to Play it again Sam I think, he was (so I heard) a bit of a piss head. This was some time ago so don't really know if he's a fork lift truck driver or not by now, sorry! | ||
| Hardin Smith Member Username: Manosludge Post Number: 41 Registered: 03-2006 |
Out of curiosity and humor (and yes, killing time at work), I googled Bill Pritchard...He is apparently still making records, one of which is called, "Happiness and Other Crimes"....damn, dude! Lighten up! What a dour bastard... | ||
| spence Member Username: Spence Post Number: 233 Registered: 05-2005 |
well, let's not lose sleep over it hey!? | ||
| TROU Member Username: Trou Post Number: 16 Registered: 05-2005 |
Difficult to choose, but one song I like is 'Bird' on the RF's cover album. For Bill, he's still alive. I think he has strong french connections : http://www.lesinrocks.com/DetailCritique.cfm?iditem=176300 |