Royal Trux - Accelerator C/D?

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Didn't see a thread about this. It's one of my all time favorite rock albums, but doesn't seem to get a ton of love around here. What are your thoughts?

slagterm, Friday, 10 July 2009 01:58 (3 years ago) Permalink

prefer JJ Got Live RaTx - Accelerator is more aggro though, gotta give it that

worm? lol (J0hn D.), Friday, 10 July 2009 02:23 (3 years ago) Permalink

i'm one of those really boring people who think this is their 2nd best thing after the radio video EP

phillippa minge (electricsound), Friday, 10 July 2009 02:24 (3 years ago) Permalink

pretty much all trux rules but this is one of their best, yeah

pretzel walrus, Friday, 10 July 2009 02:27 (3 years ago) Permalink

why does radio video have a side of grooved silence though (is the real question)
extra bonus points for MONEY FOR NOTHING on the b-side of liar, too

the heart is a lonely hamster (schlump), Friday, 10 July 2009 02:39 (3 years ago) Permalink

their best imo

latebloomer, Friday, 10 July 2009 03:33 (3 years ago) Permalink

Juicy Juicy Juice

her soul a-wrecked-'em (latebloomer), Friday, 10 July 2009 03:46 (3 years ago) Permalink

a bit weaker than cats & dogs and thank you imho, but yes a great record.

ian, Friday, 10 July 2009 04:11 (3 years ago) Permalink

cats and dogs is easily the best R.t. album. even the singles collection does it to me.

Francis, Friday, 10 July 2009 04:15 (3 years ago) Permalink

Sweet Sixteen >> Cats + Dogs >> s/t >> Untitled >> Thank You >> Twin ... ah fuck i dunno ... Accelerator is way down the list for me. But all of their albums totally rule so it's a very relative thing.

Stormy Davis, Friday, 10 July 2009 04:44 (3 years ago) Permalink

this record seems kinda difficult to sustain a thread about because:
- stevie is so far and away undebatably the best thing on it
- it just turns into best trux lp discussion and the best thing about them is that everyone's different. none of y'all even mentioned veterans of disorder yet. i realised i hadn't heard YO SE in like a year recently so played it loudly

the heart is a lonely hamster (schlump), Friday, 10 July 2009 04:50 (3 years ago) Permalink

But all of their albums totally rule so it's a very relative thing.

^
yeah

her soul a-wrecked-'em (latebloomer), Friday, 10 July 2009 04:52 (3 years ago) Permalink

red light makes me think i'm going the wrong way, hombre

kamerad, Friday, 10 July 2009 06:13 (3 years ago) Permalink

"money for nothing" b-side is amazing percussion

A Fox TV Executive With Nothing To Lose (Dr. Superman), Saturday, 11 July 2009 05:08 (3 years ago) Permalink

the whole of side two works really well for me: liar->new bones->follow the winner->stevie; such a fine flow from song to song. can't really choose a single stand out.

sknybrg, Saturday, 11 July 2009 19:24 (3 years ago) Permalink

yeah side two is classic, don't really have much time for side one tho

❉❉❉❉❉❉❉❉Plaxico❉❉❉❉❉❉❉❉❉ (I know, right?), Saturday, 11 July 2009 19:27 (3 years ago) Permalink

my problem is I really like Veterans of Disorder

❉❉❉❉❉❉❉❉Plaxico❉❉❉❉❉❉❉❉❉ (I know, right?), Saturday, 11 July 2009 19:29 (3 years ago) Permalink

"my problem is I really like Veterans of Disorder"

& my problem is i really like pound for pound. 'small thief' - holy shit! 'deep country sorcerer' holy holy shit!

sknybrg, Saturday, 11 July 2009 20:10 (3 years ago) Permalink

oh fuck pound for pound, that was the first one I owned and yeah, small thief omg.

❉❉❉❉❉❉❉❉Plaxico❉❉❉❉❉❉❉❉❉ (I know, right?), Saturday, 11 July 2009 20:44 (3 years ago) Permalink

3 years pass...

best album ever now reissued

congratulations (n/a), Thursday, 11 October 2012 15:22 (8 months ago) Permalink

prefer JJ Got Live RaTx - Accelerator is more aggro though, gotta give it that

― worm? lol (J0hn D.), Thursday, July 9, 2009 9:23 PM (3 years ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

LOL i love RTX (jennifer herrema version) more than like 99% of people but even i think this is insane

congratulations (n/a), Thursday, 11 October 2012 15:24 (8 months ago) Permalink

Sweet. Voted Accelerator #1 on my Pitchfork People's List ballot, so I am in agreement witchoo.

Old Lunch, Thursday, 11 October 2012 15:35 (8 months ago) Permalink

i kinda forgot that i really like royal trux.

This Is... The Police (dog latin), Thursday, 11 October 2012 15:38 (8 months ago) Permalink

post-major label albums are so good. criminally underrated.

stop swearing and start windmilling (Shakey Mo Collier), Thursday, 11 October 2012 15:52 (8 months ago) Permalink

does drag city do download codes w/ vinyl?

adam, Thursday, 11 October 2012 15:58 (8 months ago) Permalink

i don't think so. it's a constant scandal.

congratulations (n/a), Thursday, 11 October 2012 15:59 (8 months ago) Permalink

i like most of their stuff but accelerator-veterans of disorder-pound for pound is a pretty sick run

congratulations (n/a), Thursday, 11 October 2012 16:00 (8 months ago) Permalink

yep

still pissed I've never been able to get ahold of Sweet Sixteen

stop swearing and start windmilling (Shakey Mo Collier), Thursday, 11 October 2012 16:02 (8 months ago) Permalink

don't forget the 3-song ep. probably my most-played royal trux disc.

adam, Thursday, 11 October 2012 16:03 (8 months ago) Permalink

It's amazing that Virgin rejected Accelerator after probably wasting a load of money on the mostly terrible Sweet 16 which was a bloody minded exercise in pissing them off. What kind of music biz professional could listen to Accelerator and say "drop em'"?. For me Cats & Dogs/ Thank You/Accelerator/Veterans Of Disorder are all some of best albums of the last decade. I had the pleasure of seeing them live when they toured Accelerator and they fucking shredded the place.

Damo Suzuki's Parrot, Thursday, 11 October 2012 20:24 (8 months ago) Permalink

yeah sweet sixteen isn't very good

congratulations (n/a), Thursday, 11 October 2012 20:30 (8 months ago) Permalink

Sweet Sixteen and Pound For Pound are the only albums from Cats & Dogs on that I don't out-and-out love, but there's still some great songs on them.

What kind of music biz professional could listen to Accelerator and say "drop em'"?

A smart one, tbh. As much as I love it, it ain't for everyone and it was never going to be any kind of mainstream success. It's amazing that they were ever on a major to begin with.

Old Lunch, Thursday, 11 October 2012 20:36 (8 months ago) Permalink

yep that they got signed at all is hilarious

stop swearing and start windmilling (Shakey Mo Collier), Thursday, 11 October 2012 20:37 (8 months ago) Permalink

A smart one, tbh. As much as I love it, it ain't for everyone and it was never going to be any kind of mainstream success. It's amazing that they were ever on a major to begin with.

You are right. But it shows how stupid they are if they thought Sweet Sixteen was going to be some kind of crossover success.

Damo Suzuki's Parrot, Thursday, 11 October 2012 20:55 (8 months ago) Permalink

Well, tbf, Virgin signed Royal Trux and predicted huge success solely on the basis of Sweet Sixteen's cover art.

Old Lunch, Thursday, 11 October 2012 21:51 (8 months ago) Permalink

They were just chasing that lacerated guts shitting blood into the toilet dollar!

Damo Suzuki's Parrot, Thursday, 11 October 2012 21:58 (8 months ago) Permalink

I like Sweet Sixteen a lot. As much as I do Accelerator anyway.
1992 self-titled, Cats and Dogs, and Thank You was their killer run, though.

chromecassettes, Thursday, 11 October 2012 22:38 (8 months ago) Permalink

Cats And Dogs/Thank You-era and Accelerator/Veterans Of Disorder-era were like two different bands, both awesome.

Old Lunch, Thursday, 11 October 2012 22:42 (8 months ago) Permalink

Did Virgin hear Accelerator though? I was always under the impression that Sweet Sixteen and the sales of that album, were the straw that broke the camel's back, and Accelerator was recorded, sorta custom made, for their return to Drag City. I could be mistaken, though.

You Sweet Sixteen haters are nuts, btw. "Stevie" notwithstanding, it's better than Accelerator (but not Thank You, the best album by anyone ever).

If Assholes Could Fly This Place Would Be An Airport, Thursday, 11 October 2012 22:45 (8 months ago) Permalink

pound for pound 4 lyfe

--bob marley (lag∞n), Thursday, 11 October 2012 22:47 (8 months ago) Permalink

Pound for Pound is way too underrated.

nostormo, Thursday, 11 October 2012 23:00 (8 months ago) Permalink

juicy juicy juice

puff puff post (uh oh I'm having a fantasy), Thursday, 11 October 2012 23:04 (8 months ago) Permalink

it's in your blood it's in your brain

Old Lunch, Thursday, 11 October 2012 23:18 (8 months ago) Permalink

If anyone has written a detailed a good online account of the history of Royal Trux, especially the Virgin years fallout and beyond, please post me to it.

The cover artwork for Sweet Sixteen used to give me serious album-browsing trauma not endured since that of Nursery Cryme circa 1993

'Separate Lives', by Phil Collins & Marilyn Manson (PaulTMA), Thursday, 11 October 2012 23:49 (8 months ago) Permalink

sorry drunk

'Separate Lives', by Phil Collins & Marilyn Manson (PaulTMA), Thursday, 11 October 2012 23:49 (8 months ago) Permalink

Would totally read a book on Royal Trux/RTX/Hegarty. Someone should pitch a 33 1/3.

Fig On A Plate Cart (Alex in SF), Thursday, 11 October 2012 23:57 (8 months ago) Permalink

Although I guess there is comic book of some sort?

Fig On A Plate Cart (Alex in SF), Friday, 12 October 2012 00:00 (8 months ago) Permalink

it's lovably inscrutable. don't look to it for answers

If Assholes Could Fly This Place Would Be An Airport, Friday, 12 October 2012 00:05 (8 months ago) Permalink

I wasn't even going to look for it hah.

Fig On A Plate Cart (Alex in SF), Friday, 12 October 2012 00:06 (8 months ago) Permalink

Would totally read a book on Royal Trux/RTX/Hegarty. Someone should pitch a 33 1/3.

This. I can't think of a band I love that I know less about.

Old Lunch, Friday, 12 October 2012 00:10 (8 months ago) Permalink

A lot of good songs on both Sweet Sixteen and Pound for Pound but both of them followed albums that extraordinary and brilliant.

Damo Suzuki's Parrot, Friday, 12 October 2012 00:14 (8 months ago) Permalink

were

Damo Suzuki's Parrot, Friday, 12 October 2012 00:15 (8 months ago) Permalink

Does anyone else remember when 'Liar' was use to wake up the Big Brother UK house one morning about 6 years ago? It definitely did happen.

'Separate Lives', by Phil Collins & Marilyn Manson (PaulTMA), Friday, 12 October 2012 00:18 (8 months ago) Permalink

y'all seen this? Interviews from 89-01

http://www.royaltrux.wolfzen.com/rtx_ints_needs_formatting.txt

blank, Friday, 12 October 2012 00:25 (8 months ago) Permalink

Oh, wow, no. Thanks!

Old Lunch, Friday, 12 October 2012 00:32 (8 months ago) Permalink

Needs formatting hag

Fig On A Plate Cart (Alex in SF), Friday, 12 October 2012 00:34 (8 months ago) Permalink

Hah

Fig On A Plate Cart (Alex in SF), Friday, 12 October 2012 00:34 (8 months ago) Permalink

i remember enjoying the interview from puncture back in the day. it's in that wall of text. there's an account of the virgin years but it's definitely filtered thru a lol 90s indie mag lens

adam, Friday, 12 October 2012 02:01 (8 months ago) Permalink

Vertical Stripes, Pilgrim Shoes,
These People Aren't Asleep : Royal Trux Interview
by Gerald Cosloy
Conflict, issue 50
Fall 1989

ctrl-f "Gerald" = 78 matches

Gerald?

lil queequeg (peter grasswich), Friday, 12 October 2012 02:09 (8 months ago) Permalink

Sweet Sixteen is by far my favorite. An underrated record. A case of a records cover art affecting its reception. That and Thank You are the only ones that I think are great all the way through. Plenty of good stuff on all the later records but also tracks I skip.

fit and working again, Friday, 12 October 2012 02:14 (8 months ago) Permalink

prefer JJ Got Live RaTx

That is a fucking great record.

fit and working again, Friday, 12 October 2012 02:17 (8 months ago) Permalink

Am I the only one here who thinks Howling Hex >>>>> RTX / Black Bananas? Dude's last few have flew under the radar (even for Howling hex records) but have been all kindsa brilliant.

Agree with fit and working about SS and TY being the two best 'albums' as far as albums go, but I'd also submit the s/t third album - that one's underrated, too. Like, if Trux only ever made one album, it would have had to have been that one. It's an album with a very unique personality and a distinct sensibility - it's the early only album that sounds 'stoned' and not, like, totally ravaged on drugs. There's an easiness to it that's more 'private press' than 'indie rock.' I'm not doing it justice. But that album affects me like few others in their discography. Trux are tied with the Dead for my favorite band of all time - I've spent more time with their records than almost any other band's - and that album holds a very special place in my heart. And no one ever talks about it! I blame Twin Infinitives for stealing its thunder.

If Assholes Could Fly This Place Would Be An Airport, Friday, 12 October 2012 14:11 (8 months ago) Permalink

Am I the only one here who thinks Howling Hex >>>>> RTX / Black Bananas?

banana question!

yeah, i'm totally with you

accelerator is amazing. my favorite of theirs by a mile. the last guitar solo in "stevie" should play over the closing credits of the human race

reggie (qualmsley), Friday, 12 October 2012 14:23 (8 months ago) Permalink

i feel like there are probably more people who like hagerty's post-royal trux stuff than herrema's but i am not one of them. we could have a poll though.

congratulations (n/a), Friday, 12 October 2012 14:26 (8 months ago) Permalink

post-Royal Trux poll: Hagerty vs. Herrema

congratulations (n/a), Friday, 12 October 2012 14:28 (8 months ago) Permalink

I think I do prefer the Hex over all of the other post-Trux projects, but I still really enjoy most everything those two have done since they split.

Old Lunch, Friday, 12 October 2012 14:31 (8 months ago) Permalink

the last guitar solo in "stevie" should play over the closing credits of the human race

― reggie (qualmsley), Friday, October 12, 2012 10:23 AM (8 minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

Been on Facebook too much. Went to click the 'like' button for this.

If Assholes Could Fly This Place Would Be An Airport, Friday, 12 October 2012 14:32 (8 months ago) Permalink

I love a few songs off SS The Pickup one of them from memory, but it really disappointed me at the time. At the time I saw Royal Trux as godlike and maybe just had too much of a preconception of how their albums should sound. Turn Of The Century would have to be my fave Trux song.

Another thing worth mentioning is the brilliant production work Neil + Jennifer did on The Make Up's In Mass Mind album. I fucking love the sound of that album. They really brought out the best of The Make Up.

Damo Suzuki's Parrot, Friday, 12 October 2012 14:47 (8 months ago) Permalink

Would totally read a book on Royal Trux/RTX/Hegarty. Someone should pitch a 33 1/3.

This. I can't think of a band I love that I know less about.

― Old Lunch, Thursday, October 11, 2012 7:10 PM (Yesterday) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

fuck yeah. thank you might be the best one to do for this series.

flesh, the devil, and a wolf (wolf) (amateurist), Friday, 12 October 2012 14:50 (8 months ago) Permalink

I had no idea they produced In Mass Mind!!

Old Lunch, Friday, 12 October 2012 14:52 (8 months ago) Permalink

I saw The Make Up and Royal Trux co-headline in c.1999 at a small venue in Bristol. Great show.

Arvo Pärt Chimp (Neil S), Friday, 12 October 2012 15:00 (8 months ago) Permalink

their production alter ego was "adam & eve", right?

His avid reading taught him things before he had not found (stevie), Friday, 12 October 2012 15:04 (8 months ago) Permalink

yeah that was them.

Damo Suzuki's Parrot, Friday, 12 October 2012 15:05 (8 months ago) Permalink

Hagerty also has a writing credit on Caught In The Rapture.

Damo Suzuki's Parrot, Friday, 12 October 2012 15:06 (8 months ago) Permalink

can't imagine Hagerty being at all forthcoming in a biographical/retrospective context (Herrema = eh maybe)

stop swearing and start windmilling (Shakey Mo Collier), Friday, 12 October 2012 15:54 (8 months ago) Permalink

dude is a prankster/dissembler of the highest order. one of the things I love about him

stop swearing and start windmilling (Shakey Mo Collier), Friday, 12 October 2012 15:55 (8 months ago) Permalink

Why would that be bad though? Mythologizing is one of the best things about music bios/retrospectives!

Fig On A Plate Cart (Alex in SF), Friday, 12 October 2012 16:48 (8 months ago) Permalink

oh I don't think it would be bad at all, it would probably be pretty funny. but I don't think it would be very illuminating in terms of people wanting to know more about the band, in a factual sense.

stop swearing and start windmilling (Shakey Mo Collier), Friday, 12 October 2012 16:49 (8 months ago) Permalink

!

omar little, Saturday, 13 October 2012 05:32 (8 months ago) Permalink

st vitus is a small metal bar pretty far up in greenpoint more likely to have local noise bands playing.
they do sometimes have fairly big metal shows tho sho who knows. seeeeeeeeeeems weird.
not going to buy a ticket quite yet

i guess i'd just rather listen to canned heat? (ian), Saturday, 13 October 2012 05:34 (8 months ago) Permalink

the OTHER ticketfly page now includes a facebook plug-in generated comments section including JH saying 'there is no noyal trux show'

i guess i'd just rather listen to canned heat? (ian), Saturday, 13 October 2012 05:44 (8 months ago) Permalink

from the drag city site:

Neil Hagerty plays Royal Trux's "Twin Infinitives" with 3 additional musicians; Jennifer Herrema not performing.

sriracha bishop (get bent), Saturday, 13 October 2012 05:46 (8 months ago) Permalink

they're crediting the show to the howling hex.

sriracha bishop (get bent), Saturday, 13 October 2012 05:47 (8 months ago) Permalink

NMH is the Mike Love of scuzz.

Jersey Al (Albert R. Broccoli), Saturday, 13 October 2012 05:55 (8 months ago) Permalink

http://pitchfork.com/features/interviews/8974-royal-trux/

As far as Accelerator, when listening to the radio in the 80s, everything seemed to have a semi-pop ease. Nothing was very difficult; the music on the radio didn't take me to depths, it just had a pop sensibility. So we would run any given pop song-- whether it be the Archies, Britney Spears, Duran Duran-- through a spectrum analyzer and actually see the peaks and valleys, and what dictated that pop sensibility as far as EQ and dynamics. Then we'd run our stuff through the same spectrum analyzer and clamp down on compressing to make them visual reproductions of particular pop songs.

congratulations (n/a), Wednesday, 24 October 2012 17:57 (7 months ago) Permalink

good interview -- they are so straightforward about their totally bizarre concepts, kind of inspiring.

tylerw, Wednesday, 24 October 2012 18:00 (7 months ago) Permalink

I dunno, sorta thought that was one of the least illuminating interviews with either of them I've seen.

If Assholes Could Fly This Place Would Be An Airport, Wednesday, 24 October 2012 18:54 (7 months ago) Permalink

really? maybe i haven't read enough of them. what's the definitive trux interview?

tylerw, Wednesday, 24 October 2012 19:00 (7 months ago) Permalink

I've still got my copy of Badaboom Gramophone with the Jim O'Rourke inteview Neil and Jennifer.
It's always been my favorite. Well, it's the only one I've read, I guess.
They each admit that "Goat's Head Soup" is the best Stones album.

Trip Maker, Wednesday, 24 October 2012 19:05 (7 months ago) Permalink

Interview OF N and J, that is

Trip Maker, Wednesday, 24 October 2012 19:05 (7 months ago) Permalink

There's a great pdf doc floating around that collects a lot of interviews. I generally keep up with these guys, and I read most of what's written about them, so maybe the whole 'we screwed over Virgin' thing is just tedious reading for me at this point. Interview seems...introductory.

From memory, though, the Index interview is really great, and Ben Parrish did a great interview with the 'Hag recently...I'll try to find it...

If Assholes Could Fly This Place Would Be An Airport, Wednesday, 24 October 2012 19:51 (7 months ago) Permalink


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