You know, I've not ever heard Brian Eno give a bad interview. I interviewed him once, briefly, and even that was endlessly fascinating. But really, the guy just seems like he's always thinking and engaged and able to get his ideas across in a spontaneous, funny, smart way. Like, this random interview:
http://www.dazeddigital.com/music/article/16575/1/brian-eno-bodybuilding-and-brazen-tunes
It's full of great stuff!
DD: Is there something ironic about putting on a piece as still as 77 Million Paintings in somewhere so unstill? Brian Eno: Well, when I lived in New York I made my quietest music. The record On Land (1982) I made here. And one of the things you do when you make a piece of art is you try to make the world you'd rather be in. Do you know what I mean? You try to make up for the deficiencies of the place that you're in, because New York is a hellish place to live. It's so noisy and always broken and always being mended and abrasive and disturbing. So one of the things you want is to find a little place where, 'Swooh', you can breathe out for a minute.[DD: Is it also a reaction to the increasing smallness of music?Brian Eno: Yeah, I think it is. It's sort of a reaction against headphones, which I don't like. I don't like having the music pressed on to my head. I like feeling I'm walking around inside it.
[DD: Is it also a reaction to the increasing smallness of music?
Brian Eno: Yeah, I think it is. It's sort of a reaction against headphones, which I don't like. I don't like having the music pressed on to my head. I like feeling I'm walking around inside it.
This, alone, is intriguing and inspiring enough to fuel several different strains of creative activity, should one choose to embrace any of its ideas.
― Josh in Chicago, Saturday, 12 July 2014 13:23 (nine years ago) link
Spider & I was my number two. Such a beautiful song. The "We sleep in the morning" bit followed by that little wonky bass is one of my favourite musical moments ever. So sad.
It is basically a Syd Barrett song. The best Syd never wrote. My ballot:
1. The Big Ship (Eno)2. Spider and I (Eno)3. Here Come the Warm Jets (Eno)4. Taking Tiger Mountain (Eno)5. Julie With (Eno)6. Becalmed (Eno)7. The Belldog (Eno, Moebius, Roedelius)8. The True Wheel (Eno)9. Third Uncle (Eno)10. Discreet Music (Eno)11. The Paw Paw Negro Blowtorch (Eno)12. By This River (Eno)13. Needles in the Camel’s Eye (Eno)14. Burning Airlines Give You So Much More (Eno)15. 1/1 (Eno)16. Backwater (Eno)17. On Some Faraway Beach (Eno)18. Slow Water (Eno)19. Baby’s On Fire (Eno)20. Evening Star (Fripp/Eno)21. Spinning Away (Cale/Eno)22. Wehrmut (Cluster & Eno) 23. Another Green World (Eno)24. Here He Comes (Eno)25. Mother Whale Eyeless (Eno)26. Deep Blue Day (Eno)27. Everything Merges With the Night (Eno)28. Back in Judy’s Jungle (Eno)29. St. Elmo’s Fire (Eno)30. An Ending (Eno)
― Tommy McTommy (Tom D.), Saturday, 12 July 2014 15:44 (nine years ago) link
Was going to vote but I don't know enough Eno. But True Wheel would have been my #1
― kornrulez6969, Saturday, 12 July 2014 20:57 (nine years ago) link
My Top 30 Eno tracks:----------------#1. Here He Comes02. An Arc Of Doves (Budd/Eno)03. The Plateaux Of Mirror (Budd/Eno)04. Delta Rain Dream (Hassell/Eno)05. Among Fields Of Crystal (Budd/Eno)06. Julie With07. The True Wheel08. Beauty Queen (Roxy Music)09. The Big Ship10. The Lost Day11. Ba-Benzélé (Hassell/Eno)12. Above Chiangmai (Budd/Eno)13. Mother Whale Eyeless14. St Elmo's Fire15. The Belldog (Eno/Moebius/Roedelius)16. Do The Strand (Roxy Music)17. Everything Merges With The Night18. Driving Me Backwards19. Taking Tiger Mountain20. Not Yet Remembered (Budd/Eno)21. Still Return (Budd/Eno)22. For Your Pleasure (Roxy Music)23. The Pearl (Budd/Eno)24. Virginia Plain (Roxy Music)25. Ikebukuro26. I'll Come Running To Tie Your Shoes27. Burning Airlines Give You So Much More28. Slow Water29. The Carrier (Eno/Byrne)30. Charm (Over "Burundi Cloud") (Hassell/Eno)
Top 15 Productions:-----------------#1. Ambient 2: The Plateaux of Mirror - Budd/Eno02. Taking Tiger Mountain (By Strategy)03. Another Green World04. Fourth World Vol. 1: Possible Musics - Hassell/Eno05. Ambient 4: On Land06. The Pearl - Budd/Eno07. Before and After Science08. Remain In Light - Talking Heads09. Fear Of Music - Talking Heads10. My Life in the Bush of Ghosts - Eno/Byrne11. Voices - Roger Eno12. Apollo - Eno/Lanois/R.Eno13. After the Heat - Eno/Moebius/Roedelius14. More Songs About… - Talking Heads15. Power Spot - Jon Hassell
Top 15 tracks other than lead artist:-------------------------------#1. Roger Eno - Reflections On I.K.B.02. David Bowie - NeuKoln03. Laraaji - Meditation #204. David Bowie - Moss Garden05. David Bowie - V2 Schneider06. David Bowie - Always Crashing In The Same Car07. Talking Heads - Seen And Not Seen08. Talking Heads - The Great Curve09. Talking Heads - Once In A Lifetime10. Jon Hassell - Air11. Harold Budd - The Real Dream Of Sails12. David Bowie - Art Decade13. David Bowie - Warsawa14. David Bowie - Blackout15. David Bowie - Look Back In Anger
― Paul, Sunday, 13 July 2014 04:10 (nine years ago) link
Listening to the four pop albums again in prepping for this poll, I am heartened by how well this music continues to age.
Tracks:
1 By This River2 The True Wheel3 Spider And I4 Here He Comes5 The Big Ship6 Julie With…7 Mother Whale Eyeless8 Everything Merges With The Night9 One Word (with John Cale)10 Sky Saw11 On Some Faraway Beach12 I'll Come Running13 No One Receiving14 Cindy Tells Me15 Another Green World16 China My China17 Backwater18 Deep Blue Day19 Taking Tiger Mountain20 How Many Worlds21 Dead Finks Don't Talk22 St. Elmo's Fire23 Put A Straw Under Baby24 Burning Airlines Give You So Much More25 King's Lead Hat26 The Paw Paw Negro Blowtorch27 This28 Needles In The Camel's Eye29 Golden Hours30 Baby's On Fire
Productions:
1 Before and After Science2 Remain In Light (Talking Heads)3 Another Green World4 Taking Tiger Mountain (By Strategy)5 Here Come The Warm Jets6 Fear of Music (Talking Heads)7 Wrong Way Up (with John Cale)8 My Life In The Bush Of Ghosts (with David Byrne)9 Apollo Atmospheres and Soundtracks10 Achtung Baby (U2)11 Discreet Music12 Everything That Happens Will Happen Today (with David Byrne)13 Music For Airports14 More Songs About Buildings and Food (Talking Heads)15 Another Day On Earth
― chris_coolidge, Monday, 14 July 2014 00:37 (nine years ago) link
When I was relatively young - say, 15, I'd guess - someone gave me a cassette with "Another Green World" on one side and "Rain Dogs" on the other. I used to drive around listening to them, never once considering that both are pretty unusual car albums. Anyway, I never considered either album odd or exotic, at least not at the time. But then one day, not too long ago, within the past few years, something unscrambled in my head and I suddenly realized, huh, yeah, these albums are pretty strange. But I think strange really works in their favor in the "not dated" sense. They try so hard to do something different that they're totally at odds with the sound of the times (even though, sure, they absolutely sound very much of their time).
― Josh in Chicago, Monday, 14 July 2014 01:01 (nine years ago) link
My list is just what mostly gets hit up / dragged into modern itunes-era playlists; I'm not saying these are better than tracks from the four rock albums, just that its been a very long time since I needed to listen to any of them
Eno - Thursday AfternoonEno - 2/2Cluster & Eno - Ho RenomoHassell / Eno - Charm (Over "Burundi Cloud")Eno - IkebukuroEno / Lanois / Eno - An Ending (Ascent)Cornelius Cardew - Great Learning Paragraph SevenEno - Spider And IEno Moebius Roedelius - The BelldogRoxy Music - Ladytron (Live on Old Grey Whistle Test 1972)Eno - St. Elmo's FireHassell / Eno - ChemistryEno Moebius Roedelius - Broken HeadCale / Eno - Spinning AwayEno - The Demon Of The MinesEno - The Big ShipBudd / Eno - A Stream With Bright FishEno - Here Come The Warm JetsEno - BecalmedEno - The Great PretenderEno - Driving Me BackwardsHarmonia / Eno - By The RiversideEno - The HarnessEno - The True WheelEno - By This RiverByrne / Eno - Come With UsEno - Chamber LightnessEno - 8m1 (The Lovely Bones)Eno - Iced WorldEno / Wobble - Garden Recalled
― Milton Parker, Monday, 14 July 2014 03:10 (nine years ago) link
Love the Lovely Bones track – other than watching (enduring) it during the movie, I hadn't heard it.
And another voter for "The Harness"! My favorite from My Squelchy Life by a good distance.
I'd kind of love to do a ballot of lesser-known Eno cuts. I had a few on my real ballot but it would be great to see every recommend their 10 favorite obscurities. Can try to brainstorm a few today if others are interested.
― Naive Teen Idol, Monday, 14 July 2014 12:30 (nine years ago) link
Milton, thanks for repping the ambient side with me! I wished I'd made room for "Chemistry", probably my fave (not my face or have) Percy Jones ever and a great opening for that album.
― Paul, Monday, 14 July 2014 16:11 (nine years ago) link
i'd like to see some lists of memorable rarities!
― La Lechera, Monday, 14 July 2014 16:11 (nine years ago) link
also no one mentioned "for all mankind" again -- i did watch it again the other day and was reminded that it's really great if you like a collage of old footage/audio related to space travel and the music of brian enoand i do
― La Lechera, Monday, 14 July 2014 16:13 (nine years ago) link
SONGS
1. No One Receiving2. Spider & I3. Baby's On Fire4. I"ll Come Running5. One Word6. This7. Re-Make/Re-Model8. Empty Frame9. Another Green World10. Burning Airlines...11. King's Lead Hat12. Backwater13. Becalmed14. Chance Meeting14. Back From Judy's Jungle15. Editions of You16. The True Wheel17. Cindy Tells Me18. Sky Saw19. Your Blue Room20. St. Elmo's Fire21. Through Hollow Lands22. The River (Eno-Cale)23. Taking Tiger MOuntain24. Weightless25. DBF26. Life is Long27. Spinning Away28. No Control29. Needles in the Camel's Eye30. Discreet Music
ALBUMS
1. Here Come The Warm Jets2. Another Green World3. Wrong Way UP4. Discreet Music5. Taking Tiger Mountain (By Strategy)6. Apollo7. More Songs About Building sand Food8. Outside9. Laid10. Zooropa11. Achtung Baby12. No Pussyfooting
COLLABORATIONS
1. Gun2. Listening Wind3. Say Something4. Lemon5. The Fly6. Heroes7. The Unforgettable Fire8. Artists Only9. Viva La Vida10. Sometimes11. Boys Keep Swinging12. Art Decade13. Barracuda14. African Nite Flight15. The Great Curve
― guess that bundt gettin eaten (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Monday, 14 July 2014 16:14 (nine years ago) link
For a guy who thought 30 was too much, that's an excellent ballot, Alfred.
Will be thinking of rarities more later today. Already listened to Curiosities II on my morning commute.
― Naive Teen Idol, Monday, 14 July 2014 16:35 (nine years ago) link
thanks, NTI!
― guess that bundt gettin eaten (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Monday, 14 July 2014 16:38 (nine years ago) link
a lot of good rarities posted on the noms thread. I meant to convert all the odd eno youtubes ppl posted to mp3s if I had a spare afternoon...
― Neil Sekada (Jon Lewis), Monday, 14 July 2014 16:49 (nine years ago) link
I listened to a lot of previously unheard (by me) Eno for the poll, and I think my favorite has been Music for White Cube - http://whitecube.com/exhibitions/brian_eno_music_for_white_cube_duke_street_1997/
Eno has recorded himself two or three hundred times singing a single falsetto note held for as long as possible. In each instance he has tried, unsucessfully of course, to attain the same pitch. In this way the fallible human voice becomes the raw material for a sophisticated infallible software programme. This programme (called KOAN) allows Eno to impose about 150 possible instructions on the recorded notes in order to generate unique combinations of harmony, rhythm, tempo, vibrato and pitch. The resulting compositions have then been selected and recorded on CD.
Music for White Cube consisted of four CD stations which each played a unique CD cut with eight distinct tracks. Each CD station randomly selected and simultaneously played these tracks constantly producing unique combinations so that visitors never heard the same piece of music repeated. Like the generative system from which it derives, this symphony continually remakes itself in time.
― it's not rocker science (WilliamC), Monday, 14 July 2014 16:50 (nine years ago) link
Did we talk about lucky leif and the longships?
― Neil Sekada (Jon Lewis), Monday, 14 July 2014 16:50 (nine years ago) link
I love "Against The Sky" on The Pearl but wasn't sure whether to include it in original or "An Echo Of Night" form.
"The Lost Day"* has always been my jam from On Land, but I listened in greater detail than usual to the album rather than as background or falling asleep music and the (subtle!) tunes of a few other tracks became more apparent, so I'll be listening for them. partly because of the addition of Hassell (4/1) or Material (4/2), I feel like the side closers work a little against the mood of the first 3 on each side which are more of a piece, but it's pretty perfect as is.
*also like Eno's lost day concept: the things that didn't come to be. which could be read as the road not taken, in contrast to Another Green World aka the ultimately fertile other road (or art process) taken. but in "the lost day" I think Eno was nostalgic for better(?) futures that failed to materialize: other green potentials (or even things we didn't get to do).
wasn't surprised that Karl Hyde and Eno started working together cos the chords in "Born Slippy" reminded me of "Always Returning".
― Paul, Monday, 14 July 2014 16:52 (nine years ago) link
Choice rarity, inexplicably amended to recent editions of "Wrong Way Up."
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iEQBDyTjF7U
Another incredible song, inexplicably on Cale's Eno-produced Dylan Thomas tribute:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uQCbepdIe3o
― Josh in Chicago, Monday, 14 July 2014 16:58 (nine years ago) link
Eno (and some Eno cohort, like Percy Jones and Phil Collins) is on this. I believe Eno plays "The Wolf:"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G4iP5YAePYU
― Josh in Chicago, Monday, 14 July 2014 17:02 (nine years ago) link
And come to think of it, no one really rates the Ultravox album he produced, right? An early misfire (though not a bad record).
― Josh in Chicago, Monday, 14 July 2014 17:04 (nine years ago) link
Found this, too:
http://musicformaniacs.blogspot.com/2012/12/album-du-jour-9-eno-lost-70s-pop-album.html
(Sorry for all the piecemeal posts)
― Josh in Chicago, Monday, 14 July 2014 17:05 (nine years ago) link
The first Ultravox! album is sheer fucking genius
― i'm elf-ein lusophonic (imago), Monday, 14 July 2014 17:06 (nine years ago) link
multi-xp: hilarious! I was just about to post the William Bell cover - what do people think of it? I remember Eno saying he loved the tune, but I felt he'd gone too far into decorative resignation by stripping the soul/yearning out. not a million miles away from what Ferry did in recasting songs (though without the comedy of Hard Rain).speaking of which, doesn't Eno's singing on "Spinning Away" sound very Ferry c.Avalon?my highest Roxy vote was for "Beauty Queen" which is so much more Ferry than Eno (and allegedly was drowned out live by Eno fans), but it's my fave Roxy Eno-era or otherwise.
"The Soul Of Carmen Miranda" may be the best late-Cale song. shoulda remembered to pick that for Eno involvement.
― Paul, Monday, 14 July 2014 17:10 (nine years ago) link
Ten quick ones:
More Dust – Eno/Schwalm – Hawaiian guitar beauty, this made my actual ballot)What Actually Happened? – Nerve Net gem, all dirty drums and Eno processed vox speaking about a "recovering rapist." The Harness – My Squelchy Life cut, probably the best vocal track he's done since WWU. Could've been on the four classic albums. Also on my actual ballot. Grey Promenade – Roger Eno. Milton had this on his and it narrowly missed mine. The treatment on the piano is to die for.Stars – The closer on Apollo, this is just a slowed down Under Stars but it's amazing. Also on my ballot!Wire Shock – Another Nerve Net cut. Probably his best post TH rhythm track. Brass section at the end is outstanding.Still Return – Budd/Eno, closer of The Pearl, and really just another slowed down cut (the opener, Late October). Aubade – Harmonia '76. Gorgeous closer, with Eno and/or Roedelius doing organ textures, Rother playing a stately melody and Dieter processing the drum box. Some days, this is my favorite track from the album, and one of the three (amazing) cuts that only made it to the reissue. The Shade – Eno/Moebius/Roedelius, the combination of the Roedelius piano, lonely synth melody and harmonized Another Green World guitars make this probably my favorite Eno cut w Cluster (Harmonia '76 has a nice demo of this called "When Shade Was Born"). Tension Block – a menacing groove from MFF III w Lanois.
― Naive Teen Idol, Monday, 14 July 2014 22:38 (nine years ago) link
Still Return:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cH0zEgYviJ8
― Paul, Tuesday, 15 July 2014 03:00 (nine years ago) link
so I relistened to Before And After Science in full and found that side 1 held up better than I remembered - the grab-bag effect helps the album still feel fresh, full of ideas/directions - you can hear early seeds of Remain In Light on "No One Receiving" and "Kurt's Rejoinder". also it's a great yin/yang album (e.g. madcap vs serenity). and I was a bit unkind upthread to "Through Hollow Lands" - side 2 really is a supreme Eno side.should be higher on my albums list.
― Paul, Tuesday, 15 July 2014 03:06 (nine years ago) link
guys "The Big Ship" just hurt my heart really bad. how can I sit here working on excel files for a housewares company when the fkn big ship is playing? Gahhh.
― before you die you see the rink (Jon Lewis), Thursday, 17 July 2014 16:18 (nine years ago) link
Eno - 8m1 (The Lovely Bones)
Pulled down all Eno's stuff from this the other day ... and have been kind of obsessed with this track. It's not very involved – some guitar, ride cymbal and shimmer. And it doesn't really break any new ground. But it is emotional and haunting.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qFyWZPKk01c&sns=em
― Naive Teen Idol, Thursday, 17 July 2014 19:06 (nine years ago) link
bumpin this bc i bought the only eno book available on my kindle (on some faraway beach) because i wanted to be able to highlight stuff and actually find it againand i have some thoughts/questions
for starters, what a fortunate man he has been! stumbled into the right place at the right time in his life, allowed so much creative freedom (and all sorts of other freedoms). i'm only at the part where he starts working on the warm jets, so there are a lot of things i'm looking forward to reading aboutalso the writing is a little corny but whatever it was the only one available and it seemed ok
― cross over the mushroom circle (La Lechera), Monday, 11 August 2014 16:50 (nine years ago) link
one of my favorite parts was when he went to see aguirre the thought of young eno sitting and watching that movie makes me want to squeal
― cross over the mushroom circle (La Lechera), Monday, 11 August 2014 17:55 (nine years ago) link
haha I downloaded that book too! But first I am reading the other one, the one by Eric Tamm, which is available as a PDF online for free with the author's blessing. I can't remember if Kindles will render PDF or not?
― before you die you see the rink (Jon Lewis), Monday, 11 August 2014 18:00 (nine years ago) link
ugh they do but it's a step i have yet to take with more than one thingi should embrace technology for eno
― cross over the mushroom circle (La Lechera), Monday, 11 August 2014 18:03 (nine years ago) link
I didn't find the writing corny at all. Good book. Alas it wasn't available on Kindle in the States.
― Naive Teen Idol, Monday, 11 August 2014 20:25 (nine years ago) link
i should embrace technology for eno
The way Eno embraces technology, you should download it onto a DX7.
― Hideous Lump, Tuesday, 12 August 2014 01:25 (nine years ago) link
why was this picture not posted beforehttp://images4.fanpop.com/image/photos/23700000/Brian-Eno-brian-eno-23792357-500-373.jpg
― cross over the mushroom circle (La Lechera), Wednesday, 13 August 2014 19:33 (nine years ago) link
I posted that!
― Atp Fin (wins), Wednesday, 13 August 2014 19:37 (nine years ago) link
>:-(
oh woopsi was feeling low and i went looking for pictures of eno's costumes and found that onehe looks like a cute vacation boyfriend!
― cross over the mushroom circle (La Lechera), Wednesday, 13 August 2014 19:44 (nine years ago) link
Or this:
http://i63.photobucket.com/albums/h130/asynchro_nous/jellinghaus_dx-progr.jpg
― Naive Teen Idol, Thursday, 14 August 2014 02:19 (nine years ago) link
Just as sexy
i'm totally loving this booki'm reading it really slowly so i'm just on the part in 1975 when he gets better from his car accident and starts working with televisiontoday i looked up what he was doing in august of 1975 and he was finishing up the recording of AGWdoes anyone know the order in which the songs were recorded for that album? next year will be its 40th bday!
― cross over the mushroom circle (La Lechera), Thursday, 21 August 2014 15:26 (nine years ago) link
an old favourite - has it really been almost 30 years?https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uMJZwd1AN7A
― Paul, Sunday, 2 November 2014 00:47 (nine years ago) link
since it won't let you watch the link except on YouTube here's more details:
1985 episode of Nature called Lost World Of The Medusa - set in Palau and primarily about Jellyfish Lake. soundtrack includes Eno and Eno/Budd tracks - what a surprise/delight back then watching my fave show and hearing some of my fave music.
― Paul, Sunday, 2 November 2014 03:17 (nine years ago) link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-l7oFUXcmKU
― Paul, Tuesday, 4 August 2015 20:56 (eight years ago) link
I updated my poll contributions.
― the Rain Man of nationalism. (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Friday, 3 March 2017 02:04 (seven years ago) link