Adrian Borland RIP

Message Bookmarked

Bookmark Removed

The Sound were in parts good but The Outsiders were awesome.Borland i met a few times and "Heyday" is still classic as are both Outsiders lp's.Am i showing my age?Time for a look backwards...

― cockney red, Sunday, 20 May 2001 00:00 (12 years ago) Permalink

The only Sound discs I own are Propaganda and the Shock of Daylight/Heads and Hearts combo. I've been waiting ages for the other reissues. Using what I have heard as an indicator, I'd say the Sound would rest quite favorably between the Comsat Angels and the Chameleons. Sad day when Adrian put himself in front of that train.

― Andy, Sunday, 20 May 2001 00:00 (12 years ago) Permalink

The first three Sound albums are fantastic, but they lost the edge after "All Fall Down". I didn't like the Borland's solo work.

I would have posted a longer reply to try and put The Sound into context, pick out the best tracks and mention some of my own experiences of The Sound live. Having read arrow core's post and cockney red's response I can't be bothered though. I'd rather stay away from ILM - it's getting ugly. Might be my last post for a while. See you.

― Dr. C, Monday, 21 May 2001 00:00 (11 years ago) Permalink

Is he dead? There's a lot of it about, the vocalist from 808 state was stabbed and killed in Manchester over the weekend.

― K-reg, Monday, 21 May 2001 00:00 (11 years ago) Permalink

I didn't know 808 State had a vocalist. Unless you mean MC Tunes??

― scott, Monday, 21 May 2001 00:00 (11 years ago) Permalink

Unable to source this info right now - but scanning old mail, it's not quite what I said (someone else was stabbed, not uncommon in Manchester). According to police statement early May - Noel Cockshutt, found dead in his flat in Wolverhampton, single gunshot wound to the head, but they think it's got a Manchester connection and are appealing for information. Better known as Mario Campbell, rapper and dancer with 808 state.

― K-reg, Monday, 21 May 2001 00:00 (11 years ago) Permalink

Dr C's post refers to now-deleted messages and therefore now makes no sense. The gist, though, should be depressingly clear to anyone who's been reading the forum lately. Sorry, Dr C and the rest of you.

― Tom, Monday, 21 May 2001 00:00 (11 years ago) Permalink

not your fault, Tom.

is there nothing the ILM moderator can do about bad tempered adolescents? Other than delete their worst messages after the event? or do these things eventually go away?

― Peter, Monday, 21 May 2001 00:00 (11 years ago) Permalink

You have no need to apologize, Tom. It's clearly not your fault when crap gets posted up.

― Dr. C, Monday, 21 May 2001 00:00 (11 years ago) Permalink

Is he (Borland) dead?

Apparently he committed suicide in April 1999.

― David, Monday, 21 May 2001 00:00 (11 years ago) Permalink

6 months pass...

6 december adrian birthday i miss you adrian.every days.dios te guarde en el cielo i dont forget you i so sad. adrian be

― risko, Thursday, 6 December 2001 01:00 (11 years ago) Permalink

Just received word that the reissues of All Fall Down, Jeopardy, and From the Lion's Mouth are being released on the 30th of this month. Good news indeed.

― Andy, Thursday, 6 December 2001 01:00 (11 years ago) Permalink

3 weeks pass...

Whatever happened to Max (aka Calvin) Mayers? Any news anyone? We were good friends when I lived in England and then both changed places and lost contact. Can you help and e-mail back? Thanks.

― Jean-Christophe Van Thienen, Tuesday, 1 January 2002 01:00 (11 years ago) Permalink

Jean-Christophe - sadly it's more bad news. Apparently he died in the USA sometime in the mid 1990's - Adrian told me this himself, so I guess it's true. Sorry.

― Dr. C, Friday, 4 January 2002 01:00 (11 years ago) Permalink

Big ole review of all The Sound reissues plus some unfinished solo record in this month's Uncut by the sainted Chris Roberts. He makes it all sound essential, of course, but I'm none the wiser to what it actually *sounds like* - I'm guessing early Echo & the Bunnymen?

― Edna Welthorpe, Mrs, Friday, 4 January 2002 01:00 (11 years ago) Permalink

Not far off the mark with early EATB, Edna. Less apeing of Doors, Velvets myth-stuff than Mac, though. Lyrically more personal too.

The first 3 albums are essential - Jeopardy and From The Lion's Mouth are conventional in song-structure, with lots of blazing guitar from AB, and a bit in most songs where he simply explodes with passion. All Fall Down, the third album has more experimentation which AB brought in from his other projects - odd percussion, squelching keys, - and should have been the album to get them real recognition. Sadly it flopped horribly, and led to a watering down of the real essence of the band from then on.

― Dr. C, Friday, 4 January 2002 01:00 (11 years ago) Permalink

I've ordered them reissued three from Red Sun Records and await them with interest...

― Ned Raggett, Friday, 4 January 2002 01:00 (11 years ago) Permalink

4 weeks pass...

I'm looking for videos or lives of Adrian or The sound. Please help me!!!

― Manrico, Saturday, 2 February 2002 01:00 (11 years ago) Permalink

Ned - did you get them? Any thoughts?

― Dr. C, Sunday, 3 February 2002 01:00 (11 years ago) Permalink

A couple weeks ago I received an email from Red Sun saying there has been yet another delay -- something about a bad pressing. They didn't say exactly when they'd be ready. Ohh it's alright. Not like people have been waiting for over three years or anything.

― Andy K, Sunday, 3 February 2002 01:00 (11 years ago) Permalink

From the label, Renascent: "Jeopardy, From The Lion's Mouth and All Fall Down should be ready by the middle of February. We are sorry about this additional delay but we have had to change printers as we were not happy with the quality of the sleeves. We will let you know an exact date when we get it."

― Andy K, Sunday, 3 February 2002 01:00 (11 years ago) Permalink

I was every bit as knocked out by Propaganda, the previously unreleased album from before Jeopardy. What do you fans think of it and the Outsiders stuff?

― Curt, Sunday, 3 February 2002 01:00 (11 years ago) Permalink

10 months pass...

Dr C. if not too much trouble would you make the post you woulda made up-thread if it weren't for that past ugliness? Just I bought 'Jeopardy' today (after being crippled by From The Lion's Mouth) and haven't listened to it yet, I'd be real interested to hear it. My g/friend bought the Josef K 'Young' album as well (along with the new Edith Frost) - I'm gonna hole myself up in my bunkerworld over Christmas and write about the Sound, and other rubbish.

― dwh (dwh), Friday, 20 December 2002 18:55 (10 years ago) Permalink

It's really sad about Adrian Borland; I heard a version of "Winning" that was recorded not so long ago for a radio broadcast (I think) and it's likely one of the most harrowing song-recordings I've ever heard. I don't know whether you'd have to know the other versions of the song to hear it that way, but I just cried uncontrollably when I heard that one - it's every note of the singing and guitar playing. When I had first heard the earlier live version from "In the Hothouse", I remember thinking that it sounded like he was just going to burn away or become something else.

― Tom (other), Friday, 20 December 2002 21:42 (10 years ago) Permalink

oh my god

― dwh (dwh), Saturday, 21 December 2002 15:28 (10 years ago) Permalink

Andy K!!!!!!

― dwh (dwh), Sunday, 22 December 2002 12:22 (10 years ago) Permalink

I think Chris Roberts in Uncut said everything that I could have said, only better.

― Dr. C (Dr. C), Sunday, 22 December 2002 12:29 (10 years ago) Permalink

oh. right. i'll dig that copy out. thanks dr, dr.

― dwh (dwh), Sunday, 22 December 2002 13:30 (10 years ago) Permalink

Andy K!!!!!!

dwh!!!!!!

Is this the article? I need to read it.

― Andy K (Andy K), Sunday, 22 December 2002 13:46 (10 years ago) Permalink

ha, I only shouted that fer two reasons: to get the thread to top of new answers & to let you know I'd read all yr allmusic reviews of the sound and josef k's 'young & stupid'

― dwh (dwh), Sunday, 22 December 2002 13:55 (10 years ago) Permalink

11 months pass...

haha look at me!

still so so classic. the songs kind of remind me of janice galloway's writing: that 'i watch myself from the corner of the room' crumbling state of mind coupled with 'i don't really like the way the world sits but i don't want to die' (kinda like the main character in jean rhys' 'good morning, midnight'). just the songs are so claustrophobic.

― cozen (Cozen), Wednesday, 17 December 2003 23:18 (9 years ago) Permalink

2 years pass...

Didn't know Adrian at all. When I was 15, though, I was taken to the Vortex (I was with the 4th placed band) to support Siouxsie and the B's and The Outsiders were 3rd on the bill. They were good, and to my ears stole the night. I might have been influenced by the fact that before the gig, the only person who took the time to talk to me, a spotty brat, was Adrian Borland, as it turned out. He told me his back was hurting and that it might be a stationary show. I said do your best. I'm sure he was a very good guy and for that reason I remember him.

― Louis Tracy, Friday, 5 May 2006 23:17 (7 years ago) Permalink

2 years pass...

RIP. Ten years ago today.

― Carroll Shelby Downard (Elvis Telecom), Sunday, 26 April 2009 02:20 (4 years ago) Permalink

11 months pass...

I've kind of stumbled into this guy's discography via The Outsiders, who were pretty awesome, and I've been listening to Honolulu Mountain Daffodils (weird psych-tribute project) and Second Layer. I guess next it'll be The Sound. I have no idea how I didn't hear any of these bands until fucking 2010.

― drinkin a carton of peace juice (GOTT PUNCH II HAWKWINDZ), Tuesday, 30 March 2010 16:35 (3 years ago) Permalink

there is a lot to listen to. i still haven't heard the outsiders or solo stuff. just the sound stuff via those nice reissues a few years back.

― scott seward, Tuesday, 30 March 2010 17:15 (3 years ago) Permalink

This is my favorite Outsiders song so far. It's the only one that sounds vaguely Hawkwindish, though.

This is a good one, too.

― drinkin a carton of peace juice (GOTT PUNCH II HAWKWINDZ), Tuesday, 30 March 2010 17:45 (3 years ago) Permalink

Ohhh, you're just discovering The Sound. Wonderful, wonderful. They're not as outright punk as The Outsiders but they build this web of feeling that's inescapable. I hope it meets your expectations!

Almost everything Adrian played on is fantastic - don't forget the first two White Rose Transmission albums and the Witch Trials EP with Jello Biafra. I was just hyping Honolulu Mountain Daffodils a few months back, so weird and good!

If you need anything, send me a message and I'll hook you up. Always thrilled to spread Adrian's message.

― Gerald McBoing-Boing, Tuesday, 30 March 2010 18:29 (3 years ago) Permalink

2 years pass...

Just listened to "Beautiful Ammunition" for the first time in years. I didn't know Adrian personally but I've heard some of the stories - that there was this one woman he had an on-again-off-again relationship with and he just PINED for her - the lyrics to this album become that much more striking. Poor lonely bastard.

― Gerald McBoing-Boing, Monday, 13 August 2012 23:28 (9 months ago) Permalink

You must be logged in to post. Please either login here, or if you are not registered, you may register here.