richard youngs ,what's his best stuff?

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I was doing an interview with the brilliant musician giuseppe ielasi (fringes records) and ,talking of what we thought about experimental music in the nineties ,he cited youngs as one or the 4/5 more relevant musicians of our times . I already had"advent" , a record I bought after reading about it in "blow up magazine .yesterday I got "making paper" . both records are nice and relaxing but there must be somethig more than that . is there anyone who can help me?

― francsco, Tuesday, 7 August 2001 00:00 (11 years ago) Permalink

Try 'Lake', the first alb he recorded with Simon Wickham-Smith. Good mixture of noisy drone-rock and lo-fi experimental stuff. The 'Radio' albs with Brian Lavelle also make for fine 'horrible noise' listening. But to be honest, 'Advent' is my fave, so if yr not that sent by it, perhaps he's not for you?

― Andrew L, Tuesday, 7 August 2001 00:00 (11 years ago) Permalink

i strongly recommend "festival" (table of the elements, ca. '95) which is him on his own, mostly, and lush and beautiful without falling over into corn the way i found his prog folk opus "ilk" to do.

(agree the 2lp is the coolest - a benchmark of '90s free form freak-out - but probably real hard to come by?)

possible insight: i was playing someone the track "mendle" from the mr fox lp "the gypsy" (transatlantic, ca.'70) in the weekend and they were like "oh, so this is where richard youngs gets it from!"

― jon, Tuesday, 7 August 2001 00:00 (11 years ago) Permalink

'Lake' has been reissued on CD, btw...

― Andrew L, Tuesday, 7 August 2001 00:00 (11 years ago) Permalink

So does it make me lame that I'm only really taken with his last two records? Is loving Sapphie and Making Paper but not getting excited about anything else pretty much like loving the new Sting album but not liking the Police?

― Nitsuh, Tuesday, 7 August 2001 00:00 (11 years ago) Permalink

Oddly enough, I just interviewed Simon Wickham-Smith this Monday. Coincedence? ;-)

― Ned Raggett, Wednesday, 8 August 2001 00:00 (11 years ago) Permalink

I'm curious about that where will your interview come out?

― francesco, Thursday, 9 August 2001 00:00 (11 years ago) Permalink

_sapphie_ is pretty good, but i get the impression it's along the same lines as _making paper_. sapphie is just guitar and voice, VERY LONG SONGS. about a DEAD DOG. so bear that in mind.

the stuff with wickham-smith is all over the place. the latest one (LAMMERGEIER) is electronic-sounding and isn't really compelling, ditto for _veil_. _lake_, _red and blue bear_, _giladji_, and _kretinmuzak_ all explore abstraction in varying degrees and in varying lengths; i like _red and blue bear_, which is a children's story with accompanying music.

everyone hates their _pulse of the rooster_ cd, btw, but i think it's great drone/psych/pop come at from a completely fucked up angle. beautiful music that could go on forever, vocals that annoy a lot of people. worth hearing. i think you can sample a few of their releases at vhf records.

― your null fame, Thursday, 9 August 2001 00:00 (11 years ago) Permalink

1 year passes...

i was just about to start a richard youngs thread but instead: revive!

he has a new record out, it's called "airs of the ear." has anyone heard it?

my favorite records by him are "festival" (by a long shot) and then "may" and "sapphie." i believe "making paper" has that song "warriors" which i've never liked much.

what's odd is that when i mention r.y. to the one or two acquaintances of mine that know his music, they roll their eyes as if to say, 'oh that toss..."

does anyone have his vegan cookbook?

― Amateurist (amateurist), Thursday, 6 March 2003 06:48 (10 years ago) Permalink

May is beautiful. I hate everything with Simon-Wickham Young and all that glass harmonica crap - SO new age.

Neil Campbell and Stewart Walden's duo cassettes are better for pure drone-age tho

― roger adultery (roger adultery), Thursday, 6 March 2003 06:53 (10 years ago) Permalink

OK does Richard make a big mistake around 2:40 into "Trees That Fall" or is that intentional? Actually I can never decide if the jerky guitar playing in this song in general is intentional or not. He also rushes the ending and then just--stops. The next three songs are gorgeous though so maybe he was just impatient.

― Amateurist (amateurist), Thursday, 6 March 2003 07:06 (10 years ago) Permalink

i thought it was an error - lending to the overall humanism blah blah blah. it works tho

― roger adultery (roger adultery), Thursday, 6 March 2003 07:09 (10 years ago) Permalink

BTW "May" = best-ever sdtk to driving slowly through rural michigan.

― Amateurist (amateurist), Thursday, 6 March 2003 07:11 (10 years ago) Permalink

also, youngsbower (youngs + matt bower) release on VHF = candy coated noise deliciousness. tinkly!

i forgot to mention that youngs' _advent_ will leave your carpet smoking.

― your null fame (yournullfame), Thursday, 6 March 2003 08:18 (10 years ago) Permalink

When Richard takes a big deep breath toward the beginning of "Wynd Time Wynd," does anyone else think it sounds like a drummer brushing a snare? I keep thinking a rhythm section is about to kick in.

― Amateurist (amateurist), Friday, 7 March 2003 04:26 (10 years ago) Permalink

4 months pass...

Just got Airs of the Ear.... Hmm, on the one hand he's bridging the gap between his minimalist-folk records and his textured experimental records. I think I like it, though for some reason his vocals are irritating me a bit.

― amateurist (amateurist), Wednesday, 16 July 2003 03:23 (9 years ago) Permalink

The last tune (the long one), "Machaut's Dream," quotes from at least two pieces by Guillame de Machaut, but I'll have to pull out my Machaut records to recall exactly which ones. I find this tune very hit and miss. Young's trademark Zen-like repetition actually seems taken too far here, but the final stretch is lovely. Almost psychedelic.

― amateurist (amateurist), Wednesday, 16 July 2003 03:45 (9 years ago) Permalink

can be quite a freakout when you get into. i only heard making paper and its fine really.

― Julio Desouza (jdesouza), Wednesday, 16 July 2003 19:56 (9 years ago) Permalink

i like the recordings with (even though i'm not a fan at all of his larger work) makato kawabata... very electro-acoustic blurry tone strum which is my cup of tea.

― gygax! (gygax!), Wednesday, 16 July 2003 21:18 (9 years ago) Permalink

1 year passes...

though for some reason his vocals are irritating me a bit.

hm that was an understatement.

i figured out which machaut piece "machaut's dream" quotes from (it's available on t he "art of courtly love" collection) but now i forgot the name. it's in medieval french anyway.

― amateur!!st, Friday, 12 November 2004 18:47 (8 years ago) Permalink

2 months pass...

Revive! 'cos I've made it a New Year's resolution to properly tackle his stuff and would welcome further mullings w/ arms akimbo. All I have is Ceaucescu, which I think is absolutely bloody marvellous.

(You still looking for that cookbook, amateurist? there was recently a copy in the student fleamarket here...)

― NickB (NickB), Wednesday, 12 January 2005 13:31 (8 years ago) Permalink

Well I think this is going rather swimmingly. Twiglets anyone?

― NickB (NickB), Wednesday, 12 January 2005 16:17 (8 years ago) Permalink

1 month passes...

vhf website informs that a new ilk album "canticle" is on its way.

new ilk album! it's only been a decade. richard youngs in proper prog clogs. i bet i'm the only person excited by this though.

― jwd, Wednesday, 16 February 2005 08:30 (8 years ago) Permalink

2 months pass...

Browsing the net for mentions of myself (as you do) I just found this page. I first met Richard Youngs in February 1985, he was in a band called Omming For Woks with Andrew Trussler, and they had a label called Jabberwok. My band The Strolling Ones recorded a few pieces in Richard's home-studio set-up, for their "Great Difficult Music Swindle" compilation. I played live with Richard a few times over the next few years, notably with the a band ( we were never actually called THE A BAND by the way), as well as being the least musical quarter of the neil/richard/simon/stewart album "Durian Durian" (if you have it, that's me singing and drumming badly at the end of one side).
And my cassettes with Neil Campbell were not pure dronage thankyou for very much!

― Stewart Keith, Monday, 2 May 2005 10:18 (8 years ago) Permalink

oops! not "for very much", but "very much".

And in my opinion Richard Youngs has always been better with other people than just solo.

― Stewart Keith, Monday, 2 May 2005 10:25 (8 years ago) Permalink

there's supposed to be a follow-up release to the collab. w/ matthew bower at some point

― Amon (eman), Monday, 2 May 2005 10:46 (8 years ago) Permalink

5 months pass...

The Naive Shaman = awesome. Has this been discussed elsewhere, or is this album being slept on in spite of (or perhaps because of) the feature in The Wire? It strikes me as an accessible, fully realized synthesis of arrhythmic folk. Has he hit Rock Bottom?

― blackmail.is.my.life (blackmail.is.my.life), Monday, 31 October 2005 14:32 (7 years ago) Permalink

Ilk's Canticle = awesome

― the don juan he, Tuesday, 1 November 2005 00:46 (7 years ago) Permalink

1 month passes...

ok, i just heard 'the naive shaman' for the first time, and was totally blown away. what else do i need to get by him?

― toby (tsg20), Tuesday, 20 December 2005 10:39 (7 years ago) Permalink

i should hear this. honestly i had thought the law of diminishing returns was starting to apply to him, but i'll take this enthusiasm as a sign that i was wrong.

― Amateur(ist) (Amateur(ist)), Tuesday, 20 December 2005 11:24 (7 years ago) Permalink

even though it's NOTHING like 'The Naive Shamam' (I don't think anything else in his discog is), I highly recommend the collab w/ Makato Kawabata. it's simple but very effective: keyboards, acoustic guitar, angelic vocals. gorgeous.

― a, Tuesday, 20 December 2005 11:29 (7 years ago) Permalink

1 year passes...

I think the recently released collaboration with Tirath Singh Nirmala (HP Cycle) is fantastic. The second half of side 2, with the looped violin drone and analog synth washes, might be my favorite thing he's been involved in. Another favorite that I don't see mentioned is "Knish" with Simon Wickham-Smith--just baby grand piano and electric guitar, but it really hits me in the bliss-out/guitar fuzz zone in my brains. The piano is often very lethargic and pointilist, but always working towards a greater resolution. There are intense rhythmic parts where the piano builds to some fantastic guitar runs.

― be home by 11 (orion), Tuesday, 30 January 2007 21:48 (6 years ago) Permalink

I've lost touch with a lot of his recent work, which I regret.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Tuesday, 30 January 2007 21:53 (6 years ago) Permalink

My roommate was getting promos of everything on jagjaguar and vhf for a while... sweet times.

― be home by 11 (orion), Tuesday, 30 January 2007 22:01 (6 years ago) Permalink

Ned, did you pick up the one with Galbraith & Neilson? I think it's pretty good, but was hoping for a more audible Galbraith presence. I liked the first side a lot better than the second, initially, but lately I've been warming up the noize-haze percussion jams.

― be home by 11 (orion), Tuesday, 30 January 2007 22:02 (6 years ago) Permalink

i need to hear that new jammy. he was soooooo awesome at atp.

― hstencil (hstencil), Tuesday, 30 January 2007 22:06 (6 years ago) Permalink

i'll let you know when we get that back in stock, hp stencilcraft. or you can come over and listen to it and we can get stoned. either way.

― be home by 11 (orion), Tuesday, 30 January 2007 22:08 (6 years ago) Permalink

Ned, did you pick up the one with Galbraith & Neilson?

Ah no -- and since I love Galbraith, I must investigate, even if he's a limited presence.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Tuesday, 30 January 2007 22:08 (6 years ago) Permalink

dude you came here to plug an album you don't even have in stock any more?!?!? ;_;

― hstencil (hstencil), Tuesday, 30 January 2007 22:08 (6 years ago) Permalink

"plug"
it'll be back in stock by the weekend dood.

― be home by 11 (orion), Tuesday, 30 January 2007 22:11 (6 years ago) Permalink

put on hold for infinity. maybe i'll even be able to buy it this weekend.

― hstencil (hstencil), Tuesday, 30 January 2007 22:11 (6 years ago) Permalink

having money is hard just after the first!!!

― be home by 11 (orion), Tuesday, 30 January 2007 22:12 (6 years ago) Permalink

saw him and alex neilson (and campbell kneale, also on gtr, for one number) play a fantastic noize duo blowout earlier this month - youngs was playing electric w/ an ebow, making a fantastically gritty sound

― Ward Fowler (Ward Fowler), Tuesday, 30 January 2007 22:31 (6 years ago) Permalink

knish, I think was recorded live on WKCR, when they came to america and were staying with my friends Liz and Matt who did the world and "new" music shows at columbia. Matt released it on his Ignovimous label, which he used to share with Kyle from Lovid. I remember I was in NY that summer working a crappy 3-11 job at a print shop and listened to it live. I think that was the same time they played the second Table of the Elements festival which was at the knitting factory. The first one was the year before in Ga. I think? That was the first show Tony Conrad played in 20 years or so, behind a sheet w/ Jim O'Rourke. Like 30 people were there, it seemed, for Tony Conrad's first show in years, Simon and Richard and Zeena Parkins. Maybe somebody else? Maybe Gastr played?

Anyway, my favorite Richard Youngs has always been the first song on Festival. I fell out for a while but got back at some point and got really into Sapphie, one of the most gorgeous solo records I've ever heard, really really beautiful.

I was so into their stuff in college. My boss at the record store got the vinyl in, releases on Forced Exposure and stuff like Durian Durian. I'd just never heard anything like that before. Then we got in Kretinmuzak and I was so confused. What was this stuff? It sounded like 2 guys, a casio and a cardboard box making electronic choral music from Mars. I started collecting all that stuff, and remember having really high hopes for the Richard Youngs/Matthew Bower record on VHF but not liking it as much as I hoped, and I think it made my entire record collection smell funny(er) because of the inks or paints on it.

And echoing above, I dont' know if everybody hates Pulse of the Rooster, but I think it's awesome, more accessible, electronic art rock, definitely Simon and Richard at their most Joy Division! If you don't know what I mean, check out By the Sea...

― Dan Selzer (Dan Selzer), Tuesday, 30 January 2007 22:52 (6 years ago) Permalink

what did he play at atp? anyone see? hstencil?

― nik bozic (nikjasdf), Wednesday, 31 January 2007 13:49 (6 years ago) Permalink

his set at ATP was half shakuhachi improvisations, half a cappella folksy mantras. I remember that he did 'summer's end' and 'life on a beam', but I'm not sure what else. he was magnificent though. one of the festival highlights for me. however, he totally divided the crowd. quite a few people were taking the piss, while others sat enraptured.

saw him and alex neilson (and campbell kneale, also on gtr, for one number) play a fantastic noize duo blowout earlier this month

aye, this was good, especially the two really sludgy pieces in the middle. although it dragged a bit towards the end.

― m the g (mister the guanoman), Wednesday, 31 January 2007 14:24 (6 years ago) Permalink

i thot it was more 1/4 shakuhachi, 3/4 voice, but i might've missed part of it. either way, it was totally fucking awesome. his voice is incredible.

― hstencil (hstencil), Wednesday, 31 January 2007 16:14 (6 years ago) Permalink

well, he alternated the voice and shakuhachi pieces, but the vocal ones were much longer.

it was good indeed. I went for a slash after his set and every bloke at the urinal was singing 'summer's end'. how touching.

― m the g (mister the guanoman), Wednesday, 31 January 2007 16:17 (6 years ago) Permalink

My fave record of his is probably "River Through Howling Sky", as far as how cohesive it is, the spookiness of it in general through the wind chimes/fuzz-wah setup used pretty much all the way through, and how the black and blurred packaging "looks" like the music in a great way..."The Naive Shaman"'s definitely amazing too, though--him and Ben Vida/Bird Show are my two favourite loose-structured heavy digital solo-home-recording singers (if that's an appropriate way to sum things up) these days--I love how playful but intense their songs are...

As far as one single, simple song of his goes, though, you can't go wrong with "The World Is Silence In Your Head" from "Making Paper", a great Feldman-y piano ditty along the lines of Grubbs/Gastr.

― Craig Dunsmuir (Craig D.), Thursday, 1 February 2007 05:19 (6 years ago) Permalink

I just bought 'making paper' this week. it's not as immediate as the other records I've heard, but still rather fantastic. I love the way he can create really profound psychic unease with just a piano and his voice, yet at the same time it's beautiful and soporific.

youngs is a totally unique artist. I've been familiar with him for a year or so, and I'm no closer to truly understanding what he's doing. there are so many facets to his music, but they're all reflecting the same image...if that makes sense. it's very early. pre-coffee early.

― m the g (mister the guanoman), Thursday, 1 February 2007 09:02 (6 years ago) Permalink

Skipping 85 messages at this point... Click here if you want to load them all.

Man, so much RY stuff on Spotify! I am gonna go on a binge shortly, have been looking forward to hearing a bunch of these records. Mostly just heard the Jagjaguwar records. Listening to Advent right now ...

― grandavis, Thursday, 22 March 2012 20:06 (1 year ago) Permalink

I'll need to chew over Amaranthine a bit more, but it's certainly one of his most interesting and surprising records of late. Some of his wildest shakahachi jams with falling-down-the-stairs free jazz drums and creepy electronics. There's a growling electronic bass tone on one track which freaked out my dog.

― Poor.Old.Tired.Horse. (Stew), Friday, 23 March 2012 15:47 (1 year ago) Permalink

I can't listen to Sapphie with my dogs around -- too sad!

― Paul Smon (La Lechera), Friday, 23 March 2012 15:52 (1 year ago) Permalink

I can't keep up but of the recent albums I really love Ultrahits and Atlas of Hearts.

― my father will guide me up the stairs to bed (anagram), Friday, 23 March 2012 15:55 (1 year ago) Permalink

xp otm. i can't listen to sapphie AT ALL :(

― Valéry Giscard d'Staind (NickB), Friday, 23 March 2012 15:56 (1 year ago) Permalink

Sapphie is by far my favourite RY album...but then I don't have a dog.

― James Bond Jor (seandalai), Friday, 23 March 2012 15:59 (1 year ago) Permalink

see, I know that's the backstory of Sapphie but I've never been able to make any of the lyrics out so I'm never sure if that's really what it's about or not

― my father will guide me up the stairs to bed (anagram), Friday, 23 March 2012 16:04 (1 year ago) Permalink

Apparently he just made up that dog story as a bit of a joke, but it's come to be taken as gospel. Beautiful record either way. And there's nothing wrong with people projecting their own loss on to it.

― Poor.Old.Tired.Horse. (Stew), Friday, 23 March 2012 16:37 (1 year ago) Permalink

Does he ever play in the States? I've been an avid fan for ~5 years and have never heard of him touring here. He's creeping up my "must-see" live acts list...

― Badmotorfinger Debate Club (MFB), Friday, 23 March 2012 16:44 (1 year ago) Permalink

Apparently he just made up that dog story as a bit of a joke

Oh man, is that true? I've been had!

― Valéry Giscard d'Staind (NickB), Friday, 23 March 2012 16:49 (1 year ago) Permalink

i guess it wouldn't be the first time i cried real tears for a fake backstory ;_;
still, it just sounds so plaintive and mourning. RIP animals i've loved.

― Paul Smon (La Lechera), Friday, 23 March 2012 19:00 (1 year ago) Permalink

i just got Beyond the Valley of Ultrahits (in Brooklyn at Ian's store!) and holy crap it is so good!

― two overweight dachshunds with three eyes (La Lechera), Wednesday, 4 April 2012 05:52 (1 year ago) Permalink

there were other records of his that i didn't buy, and now i kinda regret it :-/

― two overweight dachshunds with three eyes (La Lechera), Wednesday, 4 April 2012 06:03 (1 year ago) Permalink

i think the sapphie story is a half-truth - it's named for and kind of in tribute to the dog of a friend who not-really-a-dog-person richard unusually bonded with. but then the songs don't have much if anything to do with the dog.

― Boo-Yaa Too Rough International Boo-Yaa Empire (Merdeyeux), Wednesday, 4 April 2012 15:25 (1 year ago) Permalink

I've never really connected with Ultrahits, though I guess it's one of his most "acclaimed". Maybe I'll give it another go.

― James Bond Jor (seandalai), Wednesday, 4 April 2012 15:35 (1 year ago) Permalink

absolutely adore ultrahits, wish he would do more stuff like it

― deploying a sewer otter unit (askance johnson), Wednesday, 4 April 2012 15:39 (1 year ago) Permalink

listening to core to the brave for the first time now, this is awesome.

― sonderangerbot, Wednesday, 4 April 2012 15:45 (1 year ago) Permalink

I'm really failing to keep up with him lately, which means I only hear a release oh every month or two or so. A recentish one I have listened to but will have to listen to more is I Dream of Mezzanine / Cloudplanes, I think the most interesting of his wonky (er, not in that way) techno-ish things that I've heard, a lot of odd things going on but cohering into some kind of undulating pseudo-unity, something that sometimes doesn't happen when he's throwing so much into the mix.

― Boo-Yaa Too Rough International Boo-Yaa Empire (Merdeyeux), Wednesday, 4 April 2012 15:54 (1 year ago) Permalink

2 weeks pass...

still catching up on so much of Youngs' stuff but really, "arise arise" from under stellar stream is fucking mindblowing... want to find more songs like that one!

― ilxor, Sunday, 22 April 2012 03:58 (1 year ago) Permalink

I haven't heatd that one, but I highly recommend the Youngsbower album. It's terrific!

― when will Jesus bring the composition chops? (loves laboured breathing), Monday, 23 April 2012 03:00 (1 year ago) Permalink

3 months pass...

This gig in Glasgow has just been announced, at which Richard will apparently be playing 3 sets!

― NWOFHM! Overlord (krakow), Tuesday, 31 July 2012 12:40 (9 months ago) Permalink

does he/will he have new stuff out this year?

― nicest bitch of poster (La Lechera), Tuesday, 31 July 2012 13:42 (9 months ago) Permalink

http://rootstrata.com/release/RS87

― fuck google analytics (am0n), Tuesday, 31 July 2012 15:34 (9 months ago) Permalink

The most recent releases are the 'Core To The Brave' LP on Root Strata, as am0n mentions, the 'Amaranthine' LP on MIE Music, and, in the last couple of months, the Library Assistants cassette with Liam Stefani on No Fans, and two collaborative 7''s; Yellow Gardens/Energy Pond with Luke Fowler on Fourth Dimension and the Rotten Masters EP with Andrew Paine on Sonic Oyster.

If anyone has trouble getting the 7''s or the Library Assistants cassette then I'm very happy to pick them up and post on at cost as they're quite readily obtainable around these parts, though Volcanic Tongue should also have them, and both Sonic Oyster and Fourth Dimension can be mail-ordered from directly, I believe.

― NWOFHM! Overlord (krakow), Tuesday, 31 July 2012 20:25 (9 months ago) Permalink

hoping to go to this gig, wondering if i shld buy tix in advance? hairdressers is p small

― Ward Fowler, Wednesday, 1 August 2012 08:17 (9 months ago) Permalink

The FB events page just says pay on the door. It's not a big space, but it doubt it'll be rammed. Although it would be cool if it was of course.
He's also playing Music Language fest with Luke Fowler in September: http://www.cryparrot.co.uk/gigs/3/

― Poor.Old.Tired.Horse. (Stew), Wednesday, 1 August 2012 11:29 (9 months ago) Permalink

Thanks for the info, Stew. The music lang fest is prob TOO MUCH MUSIC for me, these days, but it's always gd to know abt AMT gigs

― Ward Fowler, Wednesday, 1 August 2012 11:39 (9 months ago) Permalink

i wanna see richard youngs... someday

― one dis leads to another (ian), Wednesday, 1 August 2012 15:31 (9 months ago) Permalink

me too

― nicest bitch of poster (La Lechera), Wednesday, 1 August 2012 16:38 (9 months ago) Permalink

Come to Glasgow! Futon space available in return for whiskey...

― NWOFHM! Overlord (krakow), Wednesday, 1 August 2012 20:11 (9 months ago) Permalink

He is awesome. I knew nothing about him until I went to see The Telescopes about four years ago near Kings Cross in London. RY supported. A month later I'd picked up about 6 of his albums and I've been collecting and adoring his music ever since. The last date I saw him at Cafe Oto was incredibly inspiring. You need to see him live.

― kraudive, Wednesday, 1 August 2012 20:17 (9 months ago) Permalink

First time I saw him was at Instal 04 (I think...) when he did an extended acapella version of Life On A Beam. One of the greatest musical experiences of my life, blew my mind and shook my soul, so it did.
His set at least year's Music Language fest was a treat: walked into 78 mid-afternoon to hear him playing priapic Foxy Lady riffage, before unleashing a 'greatest hits' medley IN ROCK. Joking apart, it did rock mightily, in the ragged choirboy way only Richard knows.

― Poor.Old.Tired.Horse. (Stew), Wednesday, 1 August 2012 22:54 (9 months ago) Permalink

2 weeks pass...

Tonight! Right now! He's playing 3 sets!

― NWOFHM! Overlord (krakow), Saturday, 18 August 2012 18:45 (9 months ago) Permalink

I saw him do 2 sets in London last year. One of them was him singing to a backing tape of Beyond the Valley of Ultrahits. I love RY but, well, y'know.

― kraudive, Saturday, 18 August 2012 19:00 (9 months ago) Permalink

Well... we got an Andrew Paine & Richard Youngs 'Rotten Masters' set, then Richard played us some tapes of electro-acoustic sounds from around the 'Lake' period, which he simply sat and listened too with us, then he started to sing one song but stopped and called it a night when all his words fell off the music stand after a minute or two. It all made me happy, that he is forever unpredictable and gloriously confounding.

― NWOFHM! Overlord (krakow), Sunday, 19 August 2012 09:57 (9 months ago) Permalink

I dunno, I'd have felt a bit short-changed if I'd been at that gig (tho I'm not sure what an AP/RY set involves)

― my father will guide me up the stairs to bed (anagram), Sunday, 19 August 2012 10:34 (9 months ago) Permalink

yes that ultrahits karaoke show really put me off him for a while after being so hyped to finally see him

― Jamie_ATP, Sunday, 19 August 2012 10:54 (9 months ago) Permalink

Not for me! I love that he is so unpredictable and utterly singular. I'd so much rather be confused than bored.

I saw the Ultrahits show in Glasgow and thought it hilarious ("Good evening Glasgow! Are you ready for some Ultrahits!"). It is great to see him having fun and trying different things - that's part of his magic.

― NWOFHM! Overlord (krakow), Sunday, 19 August 2012 11:31 (9 months ago) Permalink

I've seen him do relatively straight-up song-based sets as well, both a cappella and with guitar (acoustic or electric) etc, which is wonderful and beautiful, moving or eviscerating or other, but I'm glad that he doesn't feel the need to play like that every time and is able to stay free to do pretty much whatever he likes.

― NWOFHM! Overlord (krakow), Sunday, 19 August 2012 11:37 (9 months ago) Permalink

1 month passes...

Listening to Amplifying Host again tonight - this really is my favourite of his for very many years. Really beautiful.

Is anyone gonna be catching him and Neil Campbell next week at Cafe Oto? I expect it'll be confounding as ever - and pretty noisy this time too. Can't wait.

― kraudive, Sunday, 14 October 2012 21:20 (7 months ago) Permalink

never heard of this guy until today

this is really amazing

― seasonal hugs (upper mississippi sh@kedown), Friday, 26 October 2012 19:05 (6 months ago) Permalink

you have like a dozen more great records to look forward to, see up-thread for recommendations. Ceaucescu, Asthma/Diabetes, and the 444d 10" (all with Simon Wickham-Smith) are great, solo recs Festival and Beyond The Valley Of Ultrahits are also great.

― sleeve, Friday, 26 October 2012 19:39 (6 months ago) Permalink

I like Airs Of The Ear and Naive Shaman a lot, the 'song' albums

― this update fixes the following known sugs (Jon Lewis), Friday, 26 October 2012 22:09 (6 months ago) Permalink

Ultrahits is a great entry point!! (also good songs!)

Sapphie is easy to find and also good.

― these albatrosses have no fear of man (La Lechera), Friday, 26 October 2012 22:14 (6 months ago) Permalink

In fact, I saw a Richard Youngs record at the store yesterday, but I didn't buy it because it was in the new vinyl section and was from 2007. I figured it would be there the next time I decided to stop by if it has been there that long.

― these albatrosses have no fear of man (La Lechera), Friday, 26 October 2012 22:15 (6 months ago) Permalink

ultrahits was the one i started with because it had the flashiest name

very cool, and very unique

― seasonal hugs (upper mississippi sh@kedown), Friday, 26 October 2012 22:15 (6 months ago) Permalink

1 month passes...

The Youngs / Neil Campbell / John Clyde-Evans set last month at Cafe Oto was extraordinary, lots of chanting / choral singing at the beginning and end - with some guitar rocking out in between.

I'd love to know if someone recorded it - it would make a fantastic album release!

― kraudive, Monday, 26 November 2012 00:29 (5 months ago) Permalink

yeah it was, i remember liking the weird skronky techno section in the middle most, but for something that was so all over the place stylistically it worked really well as a coherent set. (someone in front of me was recording it, but unfortunately that's all the information i have - we'll just have to ask everyone who's ever at cafe oto and hope we get lucky.)

― Shane Richie Junior (Merdeyeux), Monday, 26 November 2012 00:58 (5 months ago) Permalink

boy do i love richard youngs.
i have to play catch up. i think there are at least a few records released since the last one i bought..

― i guess i'd just rather listen to canned heat? (ian), Monday, 26 November 2012 05:23 (5 months ago) Permalink

2 months pass...

man this Youngsbower record! I know I'm a decade behind but it is SOOOOOOOOOOOO GOOOOOOOOOOOOOD

― Drugs A. Money, Tuesday, 12 February 2013 08:27 (3 months ago) Permalink

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