What Are you Listening to Right Now?

[Heston]

Wow, had no idea Peter Criss sang the lead, does he also on whatever studio album it was on? It's not a very good song, and the main thing I like about the Replacements version is the opening line "Out on the street for a living, and it's only begun..." - sounds desperate and frightened, something I'm sure no member of KISS ever was. And what's with their poofy vocals? Who thought that operatic harmony thing in the mid '70s was a good idea?

Yes, Peter sang it on the first album. The album that would be hailed as a proto punk classic if they had died in a plane crash on the eve of its release.

You're wrong, it is a good song.

Members of KISS were desperate, Gene freely admits he would fuck anything that had a pulse.

The operatic harmony thing served Queen well in the 70s, Bohemian Rhapsody was pretty massive. A few other instances too.

[muppet hi fi]

Wow, had no idea Peter Criss sang the lead, does he also on whatever studio album it was on? It's not a very good song, and the main thing I like about the Replacements version is the opening line "Out on the street for a living, and it's only begun..." - sounds desperate and frightened, something I'm sure no member of KISS ever was. And what's with their poofy vocals? Who thought that operatic harmony thing in the mid '70s was a good idea?

Yes, Peter sang it on the first album. The album that would be hailed as a proto punk classic if they had died in a plane crash on the eve of its release.

You're wrong, it is a good song.

Members of KISS were desperate, Gene freely admits he would fuck anything that had a pulse.

The operatic harmony thing served Queen well in the 70s, Bohemian Rhapsody was pretty massive. A few other instances too.

I've always thought Queen, while unique, were laugh out loud funny due to the vocal arrangements (drummer Roger Taylor actually did most of them). So Boston, Journey, Kansas, Styx were also pretty massive for about five minutes. It's a very fruity sound for guys who liked to portray their 'guy-ness' with poofy vocals and tight sequins. Made Bowie, the Stones, Dolls, Mott, etc. seem like old blues guys who were disturbed military combat veterans.

[Wolter]

I think one thing we can all agree on: the ‘Mats version of “Black Diamond” is definitive and any other version can be ignored.

[Heston]

I think one thing we can all agree on: the ‘Mats version of “Black Diamond” is definitive and any other version can be ignored.

Maybe we should have a poll.

[Kory]

I never got into this band, not for any particular reason (just never got around to it). What draws IMCT'ers to them?

For me, it's tremendous songwriting - pop-tastic melodies and hooks; Westerberg, as a singer, was always reaching for notes (often out of his natural range) for the sake of melody and atmosphere, and seems to have almost no emotional filter to his writing, singing and his phrasing as well; the band were walking encyclopedias of rock n' roll, blues, country, folk and early pop, as well as being hip to various jazz traditions.

Plus they could (and the surviving members still do) play like motherfuckers.

Where would you recommend somebody with my tastes to start checking them out (if you know my tastes well enough)?

I am hereby calling a truce with Flex just long enough to destroy you.

[Dr. Medulla]

You're wrong

I get that you hear this a lot, but it really doesn't work when you say it to others.

[Wolter]

I think one thing we can all agree on: the ‘Mats version of “Black Diamond” is definitive and any other version can be ignored.

Maybe we should have a poll.

If anyone who hasn’t voted already wants to...

http://clashcity.com/boards/viewtopic.p ... ck+diamond

[muppet hi fi]

I think one thing we can all agree on: the ‘Mats version of “Black Diamond” is definitive and any other version can be ignored.

Maybe we should have a poll.

If anyone who hasn’t voted already wants to...

http://clashcity.com/boards/viewtopic.p ... ck+diamond

Oh, I read that first as "Maybe we should have a proll."

[101Walterton]

I never got into this band, not for any particular reason (just never got around to it). What draws IMCT'ers to them?

For me, it's tremendous songwriting - pop-tastic melodies and hooks; Westerberg, as a singer, was always reaching for notes (often out of his natural range) for the sake of melody and atmosphere, and seems to have almost no emotional filter to his writing, singing and his phrasing as well; the band were walking encyclopedias of rock n' roll, blues, country, folk and early pop, as well as being hip to various jazz traditions.

Plus they could (and the surviving members still do) play like motherfuckers.

Where would you recommend somebody with my tastes to start checking them out (if you know my tastes well enough)?

Never heard that song before in my life!!
Why does the drummer have kitten face paint?

[revbob]

I never got into this band, not for any particular reason (just never got around to it). What draws IMCT'ers to them?

For me, it's tremendous songwriting - pop-tastic melodies and hooks; Westerberg, as a singer, was always reaching for notes (often out of his natural range) for the sake of melody and atmosphere, and seems to have almost no emotional filter to his writing, singing and his phrasing as well; the band were walking encyclopedias of rock n' roll, blues, country, folk and early pop, as well as being hip to various jazz traditions.

Plus they could (and the surviving members still do) play like motherfuckers.

Where would you recommend somebody with my tastes to start checking them out (if you know my tastes well enough)?

Never heard that song before in my life!!
Why does the drummer have kitten face paint?

He was an early adopter of the furry lifestyle.

[Marky Dread]

Paradiso, Amsterdam, November 3rd 1979.

Oh yeah. Great show, excellent sound.
Marky - did you ever see the Only Ones live? And were they always as "on" as the few live albums indicate?

Yes I did once at The Electric Ballroom, Camden 10th May 1980 and hey they released it on album. The album is taken from two nights I believe the 9th & 10th May.

This album is often credited as being from the Speakeasy in '77 but it's the above dates. Were they "on"? Peter was most definitely "on".

Ha! I actually prefer that one to the Amsterdam '79 show (less trebly mix for one thing); but I meant the band as a whole (as I consider them one of the great ones, and as individual players I think they're all brilliant, especially Kellie and Perry). And I've never thought Peter sounded stoned at all on record, live or studio (well, no more than his natural sound anyway). So do you have good memories from the Electric Ballroom gig?

Well what I remember is it was about half full maybe even less. I think back then you could get just over a 1,000 punters in the Electric. I got there just as the band took the stage so I didn't see any support band. I was still at school at the time I was almost 16 and was leaving school that summer. I had been working weekends with my uncle delivering washing machines/cookers etc. So I had money in my pocket. I had the first album (on cassette) and loved it and really wanted to see them. I bunked the train from Reading station (so easy back then) and got the tube to Camden. I had been to the Electric a couple of times before (Wire/The Damned (Doomed). I was supposed to be going with a mate (Simon) who bottled out so I went alone, nothing really phased me back then.

The gig was brilliant I was mesmerized by Perry's guitar playing he seemed to be in a league of one. Peter was on form with his nasally lethargic sounding whine sometimes in tune sometimes not but always on time. I can remember thinking how awesome the end of "The Beast" was and the brilliant bass line to "Strange Mouth" "Another Girl" sounding majestic Perry didn't miss a note.. Jumping around (pogo) to "City of Fun". Muir and Kellie were super solid and I think that foundation was the real support for Peter as if the band had been sloppy it would've sounded awful. A killer band on a good night, only wish I had seen them more.

[Marky Dread]

I never got into this band, not for any particular reason (just never got around to it). What draws IMCT'ers to them?

For me, it's tremendous songwriting - pop-tastic melodies and hooks; Westerberg, as a singer, was always reaching for notes (often out of his natural range) for the sake of melody and atmosphere, and seems to have almost no emotional filter to his writing, singing and his phrasing as well; the band were walking encyclopedias of rock n' roll, blues, country, folk and early pop, as well as being hip to various jazz traditions.

Plus they could (and the surviving members still do) play like motherfuckers.

Where would you recommend somebody with my tastes to start checking them out (if you know my tastes well enough)?

Never heard that song before in my life!!
Why does the drummer have kitten face paint?

Because he's a pussy.

[Marky Dread]

I think one thing we can all agree on: the ‘Mats version of “Black Diamond” is definitive and any other version can be ignored.

Wait, you mean there is another version?

[WestwayKid]

220px-Resistance_Is_Futile.jpg (20.97 KiB) Viewed 1699 times

I'm really loving this album. It's solid from front to back and the songs are really sticking in my head. "Rewind the Film" and "Futurology" were somewhat difficult releases for me. I think they're solid enough - but I can't shake the thought that there maybe should have been 1 really solid album from both of those releases. I really liked "Postcards from a Young Man" and I'll admit they haven't really ever released something I didn't love - just some I've loved less.

As an American kid in the early 90's...in the days before the internet reached as far as it did...I got most of my music news from reading relatively pricey imports of NME and Q and the Manics really captured my imagination. I picked up an import copy of Generation Terrorists in the summer of 1992. I was 15 and it was one of the albums that really "hit" me when I was an impressionable teenager.

I've been a borderline obsessive since that first listen - tracking down pretty much every single...which wasn't always easy living in Wisconsin! There was a period where even their LP's could only be purchased as imports.

I've had the chance to see them live. First time was at a small club in Minneapolis in 2009. It was one of the best shows I've ever seen (and I've seen my share). They came out after the show and had a few drinks at the bar with the fans...all very approachable, nice guys.

I'll end my "love letter" to the Manic Street Preachers here ...but I really recommend giving this one a spin!!

[matedog]

I never got into this band, not for any particular reason (just never got around to it). What draws IMCT'ers to them?

For me, it's tremendous songwriting - pop-tastic melodies and hooks; Westerberg, as a singer, was always reaching for notes (often out of his natural range) for the sake of melody and atmosphere, and seems to have almost no emotional filter to his writing, singing and his phrasing as well; the band were walking encyclopedias of rock n' roll, blues, country, folk and early pop, as well as being hip to various jazz traditions.

Plus they could (and the surviving members still do) play like motherfuckers.

Where would you recommend somebody with my tastes to start checking them out (if you know my tastes well enough)?

More serious Mats fans could probably elaborate better, but basically they started as a punk band and become a more traditional alt rock band as their career progressed. Their comp https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Don%27t_Y ... k_I_Was%3F covers the bigger songs well. Personally, I think Westerberg has a great, weathered voice and a natural talent for melody. There's a great chaotic energy in their early material, the later stuff is where his voice/melodic skills really shine. The latter stuff got me into them, but eventually I got into the early stuff more.

A few personal favs,
Punk era:



Non-punk era:

(fuck all y'all, I dig the horns)