| Author | Message | ||
     Rob Member Username: Rob Post Number: 11 Registered: 12-2004 |
All these GBs dates in the offing for Germany... has made me think about 80s Australian cult bands and their long running popularity in France, Germany and Scandinavia. One thinks of the Saints, with a French record company for some time and Chris Bailey living in Stockholm; the Triffids, big in Germany and Finland; the Scientists, the Church, Died Pretty, Celibate Rifles... Nick Cave, a Berlin institution and honorary German (see his appearances in Wim Wenders' movies). And our own RF/GM plus plus as well of course. My understanding is that for these bands, and perhaps for the GoBs as well, 1980s popularity also registered in record sales. This is still the case perhaps... it certainly looks like BYBO has done well in German-speaking markets. This loyalty is not something noticed in the UK music scene. How can we account for this general phenomenon? | ||
| Randy Adams Unregistered guest |
Pure speculation, of course, but I suspect that Australian acts suffer in the U.K. from the "not invented here" syndrome. We have our own version of the same attitude here in the U.S.. Or, maybe the Euros are simply smarter. | ||
| Peter Collins Unregistered guest |
Not sure about that. A lot of US bands do very well in the UK. Probably more to do with marketing and financial clout in the end. | ||
| Michael Bachman Member Username: Michael_bachman Post Number: 5 Registered: 01-2005 |
Some UK acts actually earn more of a living in the US, touring and sales. Robyn Hitchcock for sure. | ||
| Jeff Whiteaker Member Username: Jeff_whiteaker Post Number: 35 Registered: 10-2004 |
over the years there has been a slew of american indie bands who have found that they do quite well in germany. bands who are virtually ignored in the US have gone to germany and been treated like royalty, playing to enthusiastic crowds at well-attended shows on professionally organized tours. a friend of mine has a band that's been experiencing this. they've got a record deal and everything in germany, they've had 2 successful tours there, and yet after 3-4 years of existance, they seem to have relatively little to show for it here in San Francisco. i mean, they're known, they can fill a club sometimes, but haven't seen anywhere near the kind of support they've seen in Germany. kind of an odd phenomenon.. the same is true with japan. i've known many indie pop bands who are whatever over here, but have gone to japan multiple times to be treated like total rock stars. | ||
| Pádraig Collins Unregistered guest |
Randy, what did you think of the Mercury Rev album you got from Amazon? | ||
| Duncan H Unregistered guest |
The Triffids songs, in particular, resonate well in Scandinavia. I think it's the cabin fever factor, which happens in very cold, as well as very hot, empty places. | ||
| Randy Adams Unregistered guest |
I got "All Is Dream." I'm still digesting it, to be fair. I think "The Dark is Rising" got some airplay here when it was new because it sounds familiar, but maybe it's only the strings with their almost "You Only Live Twice" sound. I'm working on getting used to the squeaky lead vocalist. I AM prepared to say that "Lincoln's Eyes" is like fingers on chalkboard for me. It should be no surprise to you that the McLennanesque "Nite and Fog" goes over quite well. I think I remember you liking "Little Rhymes" which I also like. "A Drop in Time" reminds me of some of the more outrageously sappy stuff Joe Meek was responsible for back in the early 60s and I'd be willing to bet that Mercury Rev knows it. Speaking of influences, I wonder if Mercury Rev are fans of Jeff Lynne's first group Idle Race, as their melodic approach to psychedelia is similar. I love both Idle Race and Joe Meek, so as far as I'm concerned Mercury Rev's hearts are in the right place. The lush arrangements are fun, but they conjure up mixed emotions for me. One of the groups I listened to when mighty young (and will seldom admit to in public) was the 1967-1973 era Moody Blues. When I was 13, they seemed like the God's Eye. And then they didn't anymore. I picked up an anthology of their stuff a handful of years ago and I play it maybe once every other year for the camp value. Btw, I am not talking about the earlier Denny Laine incarnation of the Moody Blues who, at their best, I still view as God's Eye. I was sufficiently impressed by "All is Dream" to pick up a copy of "Yerself is Steam" at a local secondhand store. I've only heard it twice and will certainly listen again but it seemed to have a lot of filler. Speaking of the Triffids, I've been waiting what seems forever for the copy of "Born Sandy Devotional" I ordered from somebody through Amazon. I have only "Calenture" which veers a bit too close to Spandau Ballet for my taste and "Treeless Plain" which is erratic but much better. I suspect that I would really like the early music they only released on cassette. Was that ever anthologized on CD? | ||
| Pádraig Collins Unregistered guest |
Hi Randy, I would disagree that Yerself Is Steam has filler on it, but horses for courses. As for Calenture, I adore that album. I've had the vinyl version for many years and recently bought the CD. I know I am in a decided minority in loving it, but I do. My favourite of their albums though is In The Pines. I recently met a US contributor to this site in Sydney and stood over him to make sure that he bought In The Pines (it was only $10 Australian). Supposedly their early cassette recordings are likely to be re-issued on CD this year (I read that somewhere on this site), but, like everything to do with The Triffids, I'm not holding my breath. | ||
| Peter Azzopardi Member Username: Pete Post Number: 69 Registered: 09-2004 |
Padraig, you intimidating man! Yes, "In The Pines" is a beautiful LP. I love that "Basement Tapes" ethos and that Graham Lee and Alsy get a go at lead vocals. A true band record, definetly not of its time and therefore timeless. However, I guess it was conceived as more of a clearing of the decks type record: the liner notes mark the two year period, 84-86, in which the songs were written and failed to make onto earlier official releases. I wish Mushroom records or whoever owns the rights now would do a decent job on the CD reissues (not to deter you, Randy, but the back, uniformed, "mushroom midprice masters" covers look atrocious). David Nichols wrote on this site that he and Graham Lee were going to put together this anthology of early Triffids stuff. This I'd love to hear. I'd also like McComb's brilliant solo album (thanks for the copy Padraig) to become available again, as well as the fantastic McComb and Adam Peters 12", "I Don't Need You/Willie The Torch" (I wish McComb had have experimented more with hip-hop: check out a couple of tracks from the Triffids' "Black Swan" LP and McComb and Peters' contribution to the Leonard Cohen tribute album for the stellar results) to turn up on CD. Maybe, like with the Go-Bs biography, the appearance of the Triffids' book will bring a lot of interest and be the catalyst for such releases. | ||
| Badseed Unregistered guest |
Peter and Padraig, you need to get yourselves to www.thetriffids.com/forum and join the discussion on the Triffids reissues and any number of other Triffid's-related topics. Graham Lee runs the site and it is his record label W-Minc that are planning on re-releasing the albums. He's willing to listen to suggestions and moderates the forum so there's no point wishing they'll do a good job when you can have some influence. As for Triffids albums, my least favourite is In the Pines. It has charm, but it's bit too rough and ready, a bit lacking in ambition, for my tastes. I happen to reckon Born Sandy Devotional is one of the best records ever, and that Calenture and The Black Swan ain't far behind. And Love of Will is great too, if a little soulless in places. On the forums Graham speaks of a recent buzz around the band; the BBC recently played a live concert, other Djs are playing them, new bands are paying tribute. Like the Go-Betweens, I hope the band eventually get the recongition that proved so elusive when they were extant, even if, sadly, we'll never get to see McComb perform again. | ||
| Badseed Unregistered guest |
And I don't know what you mean about being in a minority in loving Calenture, Padraig: you'd have to be a cloth-eared dildo not to! It's work of genius, beautifully arranged, sung, played and produced. Save What You Can is the greatest album closer ever written. | ||
| Jeff Whiteaker Member Username: Jeff_whiteaker Post Number: 36 Registered: 10-2004 |
After all this time, and after hearing 3-4 of their albums, I still cannot locate the appeal of the Triffids. I think they may just not be my thing. | ||
| Pádraig Collins Unregistered guest |
Badseed, most people on this forum (the only band site I go to) who have mentioned The Triffids, diss Calenture as overproduced by Gil Norton. I've heard many people in the real world say the same thing. I think they are wrong. It is very well, but not over, produced. By the way, In The Pines does not in any way lack ambition. You don't have to have Gil Norton producing you to make a great album. Its rough and readiness is the whole point! Jeff, though it is entirely possible to love The Triffids without ever having seen Australia, it helps if you have. I think only then can you fully understand the vastness of the Australian sky and its inspiration on David McComb's sublime lyricism. (And by 'sky' I do mean Australia's topography in general, though the sky itself is a hugely important part of that). | ||
| JohnD Unregistered guest |
Padraig, I agreee with your assessment of Calenture, I think it is a great album, with grand production values but I also believe that this suits the nature of the songs - blinder by the hour , Save what you can, trick of the light, Holy Water, all great great songs. A rich confectionary indeed but worth a taste ot two. | ||
| Randy Adams Unregistered guest |
I'll be revisiting Calenture soon. But I suspect that I'll always wish I could hear the songs in their songwriting demo versions. The 1980s was bogged down with such obnoxious production values. Padraig, I brought "Yerself is Steam" to work yesterday to give another listen. Yeah, "filler" was the wrong word. It is a substantially different band than on "All is Dream" (happily no squeaky lead singer). Much more primitive which normally is a plus in my book. I'll be letting it soak in over a period of time. I should not have mentioned the album at all because I learned long ago that it takes me quite a while to absorb a new record. This mini-controversy over "In the Pines" makes me look forward to getting a copy. What is meant by "ambition?" Does that mean a desire to sell zillions of copies to people who hardly pay attention to what they're listening to? Ok, too argumentative. Does it mean elaborate? You can be ambitious and work very hard to produce your absolute best, simply presented work. A simple presentation that is effective is always more challenging to create than an elaborate one. | ||
| Badseed Unregistered guest |
Ambtition was mot the word I was after, more one chucked away in a quick post. I like In the Pines (unlike McComb, who came to dislike it, dismissing it as 'rinky dink'), but it is not as realized as Calenture or BSD. But then that's the point of the album, I suppose. My tastes favour the lusher, and, yes, epic side of The Triffids, which always rubbed against McComb's dark, troubling and brilliant words. The Seabirds for example, which is basically a short story set to a great arrangement, with some lovely pedal steel: or Save What You Can, whose huge, complex arrangement was impossible to recreate live, so they rarely tried. I am not dismissing In the PInes; it is an important part of the band's canon, and its development. The band are having fun, that is palpable. But next to Calenture and BSD it suffers. Yet what albums wouldn't? | ||
| Randy Adams Unregistered guest |
Having my semi-annual listen to "Calenture." I still feel a string of excellent songs are undercut by bombastic production and unsympathetic arrangements (too many major-label style cliches from the strings to the rock-god bass on the otherwise excellent "Kelly's Blues"). But "Jerdacuttup Man?" Excellent in every way. No complaints at all. It's this song that sounds really Australian to my outsider ears. I'm looking forward to finding out what the other albums (besides "Treeless Plain") sound like. Is McComb's solo album perhaps less gigantically arranged? If so, that will be very desirable. | ||
| Pádraig Collins Unregistered guest |
Randy, I agree with you on Kelly's Blues. It is the one track on the album that I do think is too bombastically produced. Oddly enough, however, I never thought this with my vinyl copy, just on the recently bought CD version. And, being a tad pretentious, it's an album that does sound better on vinyl. | ||
| Badseed Unregistered guest |
You see Randy, this is where we differ. I love the strings... And, of course, Kelly´s Blues is one of my favourite tracks on the album...and ironically Triffs bassist Martyn P. Casey is now a true rock God, or a member of the Badseeds, which is the same thing in my book. |