― Tom May, Sunday, 1 December 2002 20:24 (twenty-one years ago) link
― Ned Raggett (Ned), Sunday, 1 December 2002 20:44 (twenty-one years ago) link
― Tom May, Sunday, 1 December 2002 21:30 (twenty-one years ago) link
― michael (michael), Sunday, 1 December 2002 21:41 (twenty-one years ago) link
― michael (michael), Sunday, 1 December 2002 22:01 (twenty-one years ago) link
― Billy Dods (Billy Dods), Sunday, 1 December 2002 22:15 (twenty-one years ago) link
― James Blount (James Blount), Sunday, 1 December 2002 23:02 (twenty-one years ago) link
Out of interest, what else did Malkmus include on his list?
― Tom May, Sunday, 1 December 2002 23:18 (twenty-one years ago) link
― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Sunday, 1 December 2002 23:26 (twenty-one years ago) link
The Fall - Hex Enduction Hour (yup)Sonic Youth - (spelt Psonick Youth) SisterKraftwerk - the Man MachineWire - Chairs Missingsome CCR album, I can't remember which one
I remember feeling surprised/redeemed/something that 'Chairs Missing' was on there cuz it's one of my favorite albums
― James Blount (James Blount), Sunday, 1 December 2002 23:29 (twenty-one years ago) link
His first two albums, Pantomime Shadow Show and Aerial Ballet, are favorites of mine, too.
― Curt (cgould), Sunday, 1 December 2002 23:54 (twenty-one years ago) link
― Tom May, Monday, 2 December 2002 00:05 (twenty-one years ago) link
― webcrack (music=crack), Monday, 2 December 2002 00:43 (twenty-one years ago) link
Also, for pure fabulousity: the Shangri-Las doing "Paradise," one of his first songs. If you haven't heard this, track it down immediately. It's the Shangri-Las singing a Harry Nilsson song, for Christ's sake! Could anything be better?
― Marcel Post (Marcel Post), Monday, 2 December 2002 02:02 (twenty-one years ago) link
― Tom May, Monday, 2 December 2002 02:40 (twenty-one years ago) link
This album is GORGEOUS.
― Jody Beth Rosen (Jody Beth Rosen), Monday, 2 December 2002 02:48 (twenty-one years ago) link
I think I've already blabbed over "Without You" and the embarrassing Pavlovian reaction I have to its opening bars elsewhere on ILM.
I'd love to hear this Newman material. The Camden version is 35 tracks - for only 8 quid (well, it includes Harry). What am I waiting for?
― Michael Jones (MichaelJ), Monday, 2 December 2002 10:32 (twenty-one years ago) link
The other album talked up has been Pussy Cats but I find this difficult to listen to given the state his previously amazing voice is in. Too many brandy alexanders. The albums after this his voice recovers somewhat but it's never quite the same again.
Son of Schmillsson is also worth checking out especially the master stroke of getting the OAP's from the local old folks home to sing on a song called I'd Rather Be Dead. Not only a great voice and a great songwriter but a great sense of humour too.
― mms (mms), Monday, 2 December 2002 14:42 (twenty-one years ago) link
One of my favorite songwriters. Nilsson Schmilson and Son of Schmilson are complete classics. His songs hold up so well, it's pretty amazing. And I can't really see how Elliot Smith or Badly Drawn Boy without him.
The story about him blowing out his vocal cords when he was recording Pussy Cats because he didn't want to let Lennon know is pretty tragic.
― Aaron W, Monday, 2 December 2002 14:48 (twenty-one years ago) link
― Orange, Monday, 2 December 2002 20:37 (twenty-one years ago) link
But ....man....Nilsson Sings Newman.....phew....extraordinary...
― harveyw, Monday, 2 December 2002 21:53 (twenty-one years ago) link
A friend of mine in college swore by Harry's later albums, like 'Duit on mon dei.' I haven't heard them myself. Thoughts?
― Amateurist (amateurist), Monday, 2 December 2002 23:24 (twenty-one years ago) link
― polyphonic (polyphonic), Monday, 2 December 2002 23:29 (twenty-one years ago) link
― Tom May (Tom May), Sunday, 9 March 2003 19:13 (twenty-one years ago) link
― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Sunday, 9 March 2003 19:15 (twenty-one years ago) link
― Tom May (Tom May), Sunday, 9 March 2003 19:25 (twenty-one years ago) link
Not completely sure, but it must be one of his very earliest albums.
― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Sunday, 9 March 2003 19:29 (twenty-one years ago) link
― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Sunday, 9 March 2003 19:30 (twenty-one years ago) link
― Anthony Miccio (Anthony Miccio), Sunday, 9 March 2003 19:40 (twenty-one years ago) link
― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Sunday, 9 March 2003 19:55 (twenty-one years ago) link
― Anthony Miccio (Anthony Miccio), Sunday, 9 March 2003 19:58 (twenty-one years ago) link
― Tom May (Tom May), Sunday, 9 March 2003 19:59 (twenty-one years ago) link
Joy to the world was a beautiful girl But to me Joy meant only sorrow
― christoff (christoff), Monday, 10 March 2003 20:19 (twenty-one years ago) link
Does anyone have either of those two double-CD sets comprised from his last late 70s records? I like the few songs I have from them on comps, and I'm intrigued...
― Naive Teen Idol (Naive Teen Idol), Tuesday, 23 September 2003 14:27 (twenty years ago) link
― Dadaismus (Dada), Wednesday, 24 September 2003 08:32 (twenty years ago) link
Thoughts about his best record? Those first three are all filled with absolutely brilliant pop confections, but also some filler. Pussy Cats is pretty terrific in places -- "Don't Forget Me" being one of his best twisted ballads.
― Naive Teen Idol (Naive Teen Idol), Wednesday, 24 September 2003 16:18 (twenty years ago) link
You're not the only choo choo train,That was left out in the rain,The day after Santa came.You're not the only cherry delight,That was left in the night,And gave up without a fight.
― Naive Teen Idol (Naive Teen Idol), Wednesday, 24 September 2003 16:25 (twenty years ago) link
― ron (ron), Thursday, 25 September 2003 00:08 (twenty years ago) link
― Dadaismus (Dada), Thursday, 25 September 2003 10:16 (twenty years ago) link
He also apparently finished his last album right before he died in 1994. Would love to hear that...
― Naive Teen Idol (Naive Teen Idol), Thursday, 25 September 2003 21:02 (twenty years ago) link
― cinniblount (James Blount), Thursday, 25 September 2003 21:34 (twenty years ago) link
― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Thursday, 25 September 2003 21:36 (twenty years ago) link
And??!? Sadly, I am Soul Seekless right now...
― Naive Teen Idol (Naive Teen Idol), Thursday, 25 September 2003 21:50 (twenty years ago) link
― M Specktor (M Specktor), Thursday, 25 September 2003 22:58 (twenty years ago) link
― adaml (adaml), Sunday, 19 October 2003 01:35 (twenty years ago) link
Hours later I caught Harry heading for the hotel bar with friends and I asked him about a rumor I heard that their might be a POINT II in the works (animated sequel and album to The Point) and he said there was some talks about it. He said he wanted to call it "Back To The Point". Obviously, it was never made - but he did seem to have some fondness for The Point. At this point in his career Harry's voice was raspier than ever - and he never did recover to the point where he released anything like his earlier albums. I think he had just done the Popeye Soundtrack, which of course he didn't sing himself. But now hearing that there may be demos to it I certainly would love to hear what that sounded like.
My last recollection about Harry is a bittersweet one... he decided to join the Beatlefest house band onstage during one of their sets, and although it got a standing ovation from the audience - it was more out of appreciation for the man than it was for the vocal performance anyone was hearing that night. Harry was obviously drinking and at times when he spoke you either couldn't hear him or understand him - but I remember just the same how everybody went crazy for him. How could you not? I mean - this was Nilsson.
― Donald, Friday, 11 June 2004 15:33 (nineteen years ago) link
― briania (briania), Friday, 11 June 2004 18:17 (nineteen years ago) link
― Naive Teen Idol (Naive Teen Idol), Saturday, 12 June 2004 14:44 (nineteen years ago) link
― Ned Raggett (Ned), Saturday, 12 June 2004 15:57 (nineteen years ago) link
"Put a lot of echo on it if you can..."
― Michael Jones (MichaelJ), Saturday, 12 June 2004 17:35 (nineteen years ago) link
I'm probably going to wind up snatching everything through Pussy Cats (already got that, Newman and Aerial Pandemonium Ballet) except Touch Of Schmillson, but I was wondering if anybody wanted to defend his post-Pussy Cats work. I've heard most of its really uninspired but I was wondering if anybody had a differing opinion.
― manthony m1cc1o (Anthony Miccio), Sunday, 3 October 2004 22:18 (nineteen years ago) link
― the great doxology of heckmondwike town (gareth), Sunday, 3 October 2004 22:20 (nineteen years ago) link
― Didoismus (Dada), Monday, 4 October 2004 11:49 (nineteen years ago) link
Anyhow, Got the Camden 2CD Aerial Pandemonium Ballet thing. Brilliant stuff. Got a couple of singles back in the day, "Daybreak" and "All I think about is you" which are both fine and grand. too.
― mark grout (mark grout), Monday, 4 October 2004 12:01 (nineteen years ago) link
― Jay Watts III (jaywatts), Tuesday, 29 November 2005 01:20 (eighteen years ago) link
― Billy Pilgrim (Billy Pilgrim), Tuesday, 29 November 2005 04:53 (eighteen years ago) link
― mms (mms), Tuesday, 29 November 2005 10:34 (eighteen years ago) link
― Baaderonixx weaves a daisy chain for... SATAN!! (baaderonixx), Tuesday, 29 November 2005 11:33 (eighteen years ago) link
― Oh No, It's Dadaismus (and His Endless Stupid Jokes) (Dada), Tuesday, 29 November 2005 11:34 (eighteen years ago) link
― Oh No, It's Dadaismus (and His Endless Stupid Jokes) (Dada), Tuesday, 29 November 2005 11:36 (eighteen years ago) link
― mms (mms), Tuesday, 29 November 2005 13:46 (eighteen years ago) link
― Naive Teen Idol (Naive Teen Idol), Tuesday, 29 November 2005 15:01 (eighteen years ago) link
― mark grout (mark grout), Tuesday, 29 November 2005 15:12 (eighteen years ago) link
― Naive Teen Idol (Naive Teen Idol), Tuesday, 29 November 2005 15:27 (eighteen years ago) link
― Oh No, It's Dadaismus (and His Endless Stupid Jokes) (Dada), Tuesday, 29 November 2005 15:31 (eighteen years ago) link
― Naive Teen Idol (Naive Teen Idol), Tuesday, 29 November 2005 15:33 (eighteen years ago) link
― Oh No, It's Dadaismus (and His Endless Stupid Jokes) (Dada), Tuesday, 29 November 2005 15:35 (eighteen years ago) link
You know, I wrote a song in the style of (Harry's lonely version of) "One" — the subject of which was Harry's rumoured death. It was called "Coffin Full of Stones" and, yes, recounted the Marianne Faithful story. You know that story, right, Dada?
― Naive Teen Idol (Naive Teen Idol), Tuesday, 29 November 2005 15:44 (eighteen years ago) link
― Oh No, It's Dadaismus (and His Endless Stupid Jokes) (Dada), Tuesday, 29 November 2005 15:46 (eighteen years ago) link
"Cuddly Toy", btw, may be Harry's best song from that era. My gf (now fiance) positively adored that song — that is, until I told her what it was about...
― Naive Teen Idol (Naive Teen Idol), Tuesday, 29 November 2005 15:52 (eighteen years ago) link
― fizzcaraldo (Justin M), Monday, 2 January 2006 11:31 (eighteen years ago) link
― Dominique (dleone), Friday, 3 March 2006 13:50 (eighteen years ago) link
― Rotatey Diskers With Dadaismus (Dada), Friday, 3 March 2006 13:54 (eighteen years ago) link
― frenchbloke (frenchbloke), Friday, 3 March 2006 14:33 (eighteen years ago) link
"He'd come to townand he would hound her for a couple o' daysAnd then he'd sail across the bubbly wavesAnd those were happier daaaaaysbut noooooooooooooooooooooooow..."
Aside from Schmilsson, The Point has to be my favorite of the ones I've got - the storytelling bits are way, way more enjoyable than they could have been, and the whole thing is very warm and sweet without being cloying. It's absolutely perfect for evenings spent inking comic books, or at least that's what I used it for.
Just yesterday picked up Rock N Roll, which seems to be a reissue of Spotlight on Nilsson, and also one of those rare records that doesn't seem to exist on AMG. Haven't gotten to really digest it yet - apparently Spotlight was a collection of minor studio recordings/demos from when he had access to a studio but before he had a contract of his own. Enjoyable but doesn't really jump out the speaker at least so far...
― Doctor Casino (Doctor Casino), Friday, 3 March 2006 16:40 (eighteen years ago) link
I love this record. It has to be one of the strangest follow ups to a smash-hit LP by a major artist. There's a strong "I'm not going to repeat the formula, but I'll mess up the expectations of my new fans instead" vibe to it that's fascinating (and makes the album title an intentional joke). God only knows what people who loved "Coconut" or "Without You" might have thought of "You're Breaking My Heart" when they first heard it.
And recording a song titled "I'd Rather Be Dead" with back up vocals from residents of a nursing home is twisted genius. Classic, I say.
― James, Friday, 3 March 2006 16:52 (eighteen years ago) link
― Rotatey Diskers With Dadaismus (Dada), Friday, 3 March 2006 16:55 (eighteen years ago) link
Son of Schmilsson is one of his I've never heard, but I'm seeking it out right now for this reason alone.
― Johnny Fever (johnny fever), Saturday, 4 March 2006 15:39 (eighteen years ago) link
I see only one mention of Sandman on here -- which I've never heard; is it really bad? Can't say I'm not curious...
― mike powell (mike powell), Saturday, 4 March 2006 15:48 (eighteen years ago) link
― Dominique (dleone), Saturday, 4 March 2006 16:02 (eighteen years ago) link
― Beta (abeta), Saturday, 4 March 2006 16:05 (eighteen years ago) link
http://www.lslproductions.com/wihn_home.html
― Bob Six (bobbysix), Saturday, 4 March 2006 17:49 (eighteen years ago) link
― Johnny Fever (johnny fever), Saturday, 4 March 2006 18:10 (eighteen years ago) link
― Dominique (dleone), Saturday, 4 March 2006 19:21 (eighteen years ago) link
― Melisse D, Sunday, 19 March 2006 11:46 (eighteen years ago) link
― harvey.w (harvey.w), Sunday, 19 March 2006 12:05 (eighteen years ago) link
― A|ex P@reene (Pareene), Wednesday, 19 April 2006 19:35 (eighteen years ago) link
― gypsy mothra (gypsy mothra), Monday, 10 July 2006 04:46 (seventeen years ago) link
― gypsy mothra (gypsy mothra), Monday, 10 July 2006 06:03 (seventeen years ago) link
― Chairman Doinel (Charles McCain), Monday, 10 July 2006 18:39 (seventeen years ago) link
Seattle Weekly says it "breaks no new ground" but still
― W i l l (common_person), Tuesday, 18 July 2006 18:26 (seventeen years ago) link
― Dadaismus (Are we in love like I think we be?) (Dada), Wednesday, 19 July 2006 08:12 (seventeen years ago) link
― mms (mms), Wednesday, 19 July 2006 08:35 (seventeen years ago) link
― mms (mms), Wednesday, 19 July 2006 08:36 (seventeen years ago) link
How true.
I dug up an old single, Kenny Everett singing 2 nilsson songs. How about that!
― mark grout (mark grout), Wednesday, 19 July 2006 12:49 (seventeen years ago) link
― Dadaismus (Are we in love like I think we be?) (Dada), Wednesday, 19 July 2006 12:53 (seventeen years ago) link
― mark grout (mark grout), Wednesday, 19 July 2006 13:02 (seventeen years ago) link
― mark grout (mark grout), Wednesday, 19 July 2006 13:03 (seventeen years ago) link
― Dadaismus (Are we in love like I think we be?) (Dada), Wednesday, 19 July 2006 13:09 (seventeen years ago) link
http://chilled.cream.org/forums/viewtopic.php?t=812&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=20
then there is an mp3 of Harry Nilsson from an Everett radio show that's worth hearing. Unfortunately none of the other links on the thread appear to work.
― mms (mms), Wednesday, 19 July 2006 13:23 (seventeen years ago) link
― Dadaismus (Are we in love like I think we be?) (Dada), Wednesday, 19 July 2006 13:27 (seventeen years ago) link
― Rickey Wright (Rrrickey), Thursday, 20 July 2006 04:12 (seventeen years ago) link
I wanted to add a "classic" vote. The cover of "River Deep, Mountain High" on Pandemonium Shadow Show (better than the "remix" on Aerial Pandemonium Ballet though that one's great too) is so classic: sonically it's very similar to the original, with all the instruments save voice pretty much the same. But Nilsson does all the voices, and on the second verse (the one about the puppy) when he gets to the "I'm gonna be as faithful as that puppy" he shout/sings it and at that moment it's like the standards of faithfulness have been completely reset, like you can only really be faithful to another person if you can shout it that mountain high. It's like when Cash says "I find it very, very easy to be true", and you're like, wow, it's not easy for me at all, I've got some work cut out for me...Nilsson resets the standards of faithfulness too.
― Euler, Tuesday, 31 July 2007 21:27 (sixteen years ago) link
I remember Blue Peter creating a dance routine to Nilsson's "River Deep" (didn't know it was his version till many years later, it was that puppy line that registered w/me), with Lesley Judd of the Young Generation (the rest wus historie)
― Mark G, Tuesday, 31 July 2007 21:32 (sixteen years ago) link
i have been totally obsessed for the past like three months. everything about him is perfect - voice, songs, piano, personality, everything. classic, classic, classic.
― Emily Bjurnhjam, Tuesday, 31 July 2007 21:33 (sixteen years ago) link
Funnily enough, I just dug up my 2CD "Ariel Pandemonium Ballet Show" cd set about an hour ago. And suddenly here's this thread.
― Mark G, Tuesday, 31 July 2007 21:34 (sixteen years ago) link
how is Son of Schmilsson? seen that LP the other day, looked so cool. dunno why i didnt pick it up
― rizzx, Tuesday, 31 July 2007 21:34 (sixteen years ago) link
its good. has the fuck you song.
― chaki, Tuesday, 31 July 2007 21:38 (sixteen years ago) link
And Without You, of course.
― Billy Pilgrim, Wednesday, 1 August 2007 01:11 (sixteen years ago) link
thats on nilsson schmilsson
― chaki, Wednesday, 1 August 2007 02:00 (sixteen years ago) link
Knnillssonn is very underrated. He definitely got his voice back after Pussy Cats.
― chaki, Tuesday, 21 August 2007 01:32 (sixteen years ago) link
just to say a little more it has a very ethereal, angelic quality to it. a bit Spector-esque with beautiful string arrangements and heavy reverb throughout. not much guitar except for wonderful acoustic playing and lots of Beach Boys style percussion. some of his best vocals and melodies of his career for sure. even the cover is heaven.
http://www.jefito.com/nilsson_knnillssonn.jpg
― chaki, Tuesday, 21 August 2007 01:40 (sixteen years ago) link
actually, knnillssonn kind of depresses me. he doesn't sound blown out, but he does a little desensitized to me
― Dominique, Tuesday, 21 August 2007 01:41 (sixteen years ago) link
haha im liking it tons and tons today. btw i posted a song from it on askchaki! board last week and it still seems to be an active link of anyone wants.
― chaki, Tuesday, 21 August 2007 01:42 (sixteen years ago) link
+ i'll ask again: where in sf??
― Dominique, Tuesday, 21 August 2007 02:00 (sixteen years ago) link
just with friends for now! ill hit you up on webmail.
― chaki, Tuesday, 21 August 2007 02:22 (sixteen years ago) link
I sort of know what you mean, it's still beautiful though
― Tom D., Tuesday, 21 August 2007 08:57 (sixteen years ago) link
!!!! I just bought Knnillssonn the other day and was going to post about it. It's good. Not quite up there with the best of them, but certainly better than the snoozier albums of his I've heard, eg A Touch of Schmilsson. Just enough weirdness to stay alive. Love all the plucky-plucky strings (real? fake?) and the crazy song about being in an Agatha Christie story.
― Doctor Casino, Tuesday, 21 August 2007 17:36 (sixteen years ago) link
what is "Beach Boys-style percussion"?
― Shakey Mo Collier, Tuesday, 21 August 2007 17:39 (sixteen years ago) link
are you serious? you of anyone knows that wrcking crew percussion sound.
dr c: yes real strings.
― chaki, Tuesday, 21 August 2007 18:29 (sixteen years ago) link
ah okay gotcha
I heart Hal Blaine
― Shakey Mo Collier, Tuesday, 21 August 2007 18:30 (sixteen years ago) link
the most beautiful world in the world and though there are times when i doubt you i just couldn't stay here without you
― ghost rider, Sunday, 23 September 2007 04:38 (sixteen years ago) link
i want to party with him
― ghost rider, Sunday, 23 September 2007 04:42 (sixteen years ago) link
You're not the only cuddly toy that was ever enjoyed by any boy
You're not the only choo-choo train that was left out in the rain
― Billy Pilgrim, Sunday, 23 September 2007 05:34 (sixteen years ago) link
That Knnillssonn cover is triggering tavern-toilet bowl flashbacks
― Myonga Vön Bontee, Sunday, 23 September 2007 06:53 (sixteen years ago) link
you're breakin my heart you're tearin it apart so fuck you
― ghost rider, Sunday, 23 September 2007 07:36 (sixteen years ago) link
Love all the plucky-plucky strings (real? fake?) and the crazy song about being in an Agatha Christie story
that used to annoy me as a kid because i'm sure it didn't add up properly.
― grimly fiendish, Sunday, 23 September 2007 09:03 (sixteen years ago) link
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UrQ8NHz6T4Q
Harry Nilsson wrote the series' theme song, which Candy sang.
― and what, Wednesday, 26 September 2007 18:46 (sixteen years ago) link
wau
― ghost rider, Wednesday, 26 September 2007 19:00 (sixteen years ago) link
its such a harry nilsson song!!
― and what, Wednesday, 26 September 2007 19:09 (sixteen years ago) link
You're totally fucking with me! I remember liking the song and having next to no interest in the show. Wow. That's hilarious. It's as Nilsson a theme song as you could imagine - loping, drunken, absolutely not the kind of go-getter tune a kids' cartoon theme song of the day called for. Sadly John Candy didn't have quite Nilsson's set of pipes.
― Doctor Casino, Thursday, 27 September 2007 02:44 (sixteen years ago) link
"Jump Into The Fire" was so integral to that great coked-out sequence in "GoodFellas"
― Myonga Vön Bontee, Thursday, 27 September 2007 03:29 (sixteen years ago) link
If anyone wants the Popeye demos, I've got them. Email me and I'll figure out how to share 'em. I don't think there's a copyright on the demos.
Seems like I got them off of a direct link on a site, though...I'll try to track it down.
Currently I'm trying to find a few of the tracks off of Nilsson's unreleased last album, anybody hear them yet?
...and my insignificant vote for most underrated Nilsson album is Sandman. Classic stuff. All his early stuff was fantastic, too, up until Pussycats.
― morningsaystoidleon, Friday, 28 September 2007 22:33 (sixteen years ago) link
fortheloveofharry.blogspot.com/
― ghost rider, Friday, 28 September 2007 22:43 (sixteen years ago) link
chaki otm re Knnillssonn. tho he never really did get his voice back all the way. that's just aging and cigarettes as much as damage tho.
― ghost rider, Friday, 28 September 2007 22:45 (sixteen years ago) link
ghost rider, thanks much for the link. I've been waiting to hear those tracks.
Harry said toward the end that his voice would feel like it was coming back sometimes after a hot shower. If you do a youtube search you can catch some live performances from later on in his life, and he doesn't sound so great...still, his last album and some tracks he recorded for a Yoko Ono tribute album sound pretty good, his voice was tarnished but it was still amazing.
― morningsaystoidleon, Friday, 28 September 2007 22:50 (sixteen years ago) link
Holy sh*t!
― Billy Pilgrim, Friday, 28 September 2007 23:02 (sixteen years ago) link
been rinsing 'jump into the fire' thx to goodfellas thread madeleine-effect.
― That one guy that hit it and quit it, Friday, 7 December 2007 12:28 (sixteen years ago) link
we can make each other happy
― Pleasant Plains, Friday, 7 December 2007 13:02 (sixteen years ago) link
Nilsson Schmilsson and The Point! rule!
Gotta Get Up.
― our work is never over, Friday, 18 January 2008 16:20 (sixteen years ago) link
WE COULD MAKE EACH OTHER HAPPY!
― Emily Bjurnhjam, Saturday, 19 January 2008 00:48 (sixteen years ago) link
Sit beside the breakfast table, Talk about your troubles...
― Pleasant Plains, Saturday, 19 January 2008 02:09 (sixteen years ago) link
Perfect Day as used in the movie All That Jazz is pretty fucking awesome.
― dan selzer, Saturday, 19 January 2008 14:12 (sixteen years ago) link
11:20am saturday... 2 hours sleep... last night total debauch... going to a funeral in an hour... "gotta get up" just about the perfect song right now.
― s1ocki, Saturday, 19 January 2008 16:21 (sixteen years ago) link
Quick question: Did the vinyl issue ofThat's The Way It Is have a special innersleeve? I picked up a copy sans innersleeve this weekend and am curious, since some of the later Nilsson lps had sleeves w/in-jokes on them.
― The Wild Shirtless Lyrics of Mark Farner (C. Grisso/McCain), Monday, 22 December 2008 17:25 (fifteen years ago) link
It would seem not: Skimmed my usual places of info for this, and havent found one.
― Mark G, Monday, 22 December 2008 17:33 (fifteen years ago) link
Why is the "Who is Harry Nilsson?" documentary still not out on dvd?!! Blurg.
― Johnny Fever, Friday, 30 January 2009 22:41 (fifteen years ago) link
Just about the best thing ever:
― The Wild Shirtless Lyrics of Mark Farner (C. Grisso/McCain), Thursday, 5 February 2009 18:41 (fifteen years ago) link
nilsson/nilsson/nilsson...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eOwUvGgAL0k
― flying squid attack (tipsy mothra), Thursday, 8 October 2009 13:16 (fourteen years ago) link
it has dawned on me this past week that "don't forget me" is an astonishingly beautiful song.
― figuratively, but in a very real way (amateurist), Monday, 28 December 2009 20:10 (fourteen years ago) link
yes! it's a highlight of Pussy Cats. He's learned from the old masters on A Little Touch and written a subtle lyric, but not without a cheap laugh or two (I'm thinking esp. of the alimony line). But the vocal is heartbreaking, esp. in light of what's to come in his career. I love this album so much.
― Euler, Monday, 28 December 2009 20:15 (fourteen years ago) link
the whole song is pretty brutal, though.
― figuratively, but in a very real way (amateurist), Monday, 28 December 2009 20:23 (fourteen years ago) link
I'll Never Leave You is so lovely <3
― Salvador Dali Parton (Turangalila), Monday, 28 December 2009 20:31 (fourteen years ago) link
After living with two different greatest hits comps for years and years, I've slowly been picking up the actual albums in the last year. Bought Nilsson Schmilsson first, which in a way was a let-down because I already knew all the best songs and wasn't that into the others. Then I happened across A Touch of Schmilsson in the Night and was pretty bored by that one. Finally two weeks ago I got Pandemonium Shadow Show and that one is stellar, front to back. Next up for me will be Aerial Ballet, I think.
― scott pgwp (pgwp), Monday, 28 December 2009 20:43 (fourteen years ago) link
For me a moment that handily sums up the dude is the first verse of "Moonbeam." He's singing, with his gorgeous, free-floating voice, a rhyming list of places you may have seen a moonbeam, just some great imagery:
Have you ever watched a moonbeamAs it slid across your windowpaneOr struggled with a bit of rainOr danced about the weathervaneOr sat along a moving trainAnd wondered where the train has been?
And that last line breaks the rhyme and forces some more syllables in and interest is heightened a bit, so then he drops:
Or on a fence with bits of crap around its bottomBlown there by a windbeam?
Casually dropping the word "crap" in there, which isn't a totally crass or disgusting word but is really silly – man, it just tickles me every time. Such a Harry thing to do.
― just a moonful of sugar (Abbott), Monday, 28 December 2009 20:47 (fourteen years ago) link
just reveling in Aerial Pandemonium Ballet and wondering what other acts pursued the possibilities of this side of the Beatles: elegant but playful, tunes over conceptual depth, gorgeous but always aching.
― begs the question, when is enough enough (Euler), Wednesday, 3 March 2010 21:00 (fourteen years ago) link
How come this still hasn't come out (as far as I know)?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tmmwMx06Pg8
― Johnny Fever, Wednesday, 3 March 2010 21:02 (fourteen years ago) link
no idea but it looks nice!
― begs the question, when is enough enough (Euler), Wednesday, 3 March 2010 21:13 (fourteen years ago) link
I just ask because the trailer has been online since 2006. Apparently it's been shown at a few festivals, but there's still nothing about a dvd release. I want to SEE IT!
― Johnny Fever, Wednesday, 3 March 2010 21:20 (fourteen years ago) link
i want to see this urgently!!
― wilter, Thursday, 4 March 2010 10:28 (fourteen years ago) link
yeah.
― Mark G, Thursday, 4 March 2010 10:35 (fourteen years ago) link
would totally watch this
― Wet Hot American Oil Spill (Shakey Mo Collier), Thursday, 4 March 2010 16:27 (fourteen years ago) link
it is kind of a bummer Harry died when he did -- he should've had at least one late-career classic comeback sort of albums.
― tylerw, Thursday, 4 March 2010 16:31 (fourteen years ago) link
"Knnillssonn" sorta filled that role. I'm glad he stopped recording though, it was very wise of him.
― Tom D (Tom D.), Thursday, 4 March 2010 16:33 (fourteen years ago) link
Yeah but Knillssonn is what 1976 or 77? When did he die, early 90s?
― tylerw, Thursday, 4 March 2010 16:35 (fourteen years ago) link
'77. He hadn't made a good album in a while though and then he stopped after it... OK he did make another album after it, but who's heard that?
― Tom D (Tom D.), Thursday, 4 March 2010 16:38 (fourteen years ago) link
That doesn't mean it was no good though.
― Mark G, Thursday, 4 March 2010 16:40 (fourteen years ago) link
Nah, it's supposed to be dire
― Tom D (Tom D.), Thursday, 4 March 2010 16:41 (fourteen years ago) link
Popeye soundtrack is fun. I heard some song of his from the 80s that was a LA Dodger theme song or something. "Go Dodger Bluuuuue!"
― tylerw, Thursday, 4 March 2010 16:41 (fourteen years ago) link
Yah, I know that blog too!
― Tom D (Tom D.), Thursday, 4 March 2010 16:42 (fourteen years ago) link
Well, the amount of stuff he'd done and the people he'd worked with, I'd have said he'd earned to right to do something else.
― Mark G, Thursday, 4 March 2010 16:42 (fourteen years ago) link
surely Clive Davis coulda worked something out, paired him with Kanye or the guy from Maroon 5 amirite
― Wet Hot American Oil Spill (Shakey Mo Collier), Thursday, 4 March 2010 16:44 (fourteen years ago) link
hey lets throw in a Santana solo
i smell a Grammy
― tylerw, Thursday, 4 March 2010 16:45 (fourteen years ago) link
oh wait, that's just the garbage truck rolling by
He should have done more film work. I think he'd have been a very good actor.
― Tom D (Tom D.), Thursday, 4 March 2010 16:47 (fourteen years ago) link
his voice is heartbreakingly shot in every '80s clip i've seen on youtube
― da croupier, Thursday, 4 March 2010 16:50 (fourteen years ago) link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C63OcPY6AiE
which explains
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EvJ9Yxef5zI
― da croupier, Thursday, 4 March 2010 16:53 (fourteen years ago) link
(do not watch those clips if you're easily bummed out)
― da croupier, Thursday, 4 March 2010 16:55 (fourteen years ago) link
I'm not going to
― Tom D (Tom D.), Thursday, 4 March 2010 16:56 (fourteen years ago) link
such a strange career, this guy - listening to his earlier stuff now and not really digging it tbh. fascination with tin pan alley silliness hasn't really aged well imho, reminds me of early Van Dyke Parks and not in a good way. but once the 70s get rolling, he definitely becomes more interesting.
― Wet Hot American Oil Spill (Shakey Mo Collier), Thursday, 4 March 2010 22:03 (fourteen years ago) link
My buying Nilsson Schmilsson last year was my Classic Album Discovery purchase of the year.
― Inculcate a spirit of serfdom in children (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Thursday, 4 March 2010 22:09 (fourteen years ago) link
Yes, it's fantastique.
― Turangalila, Thursday, 4 March 2010 22:13 (fourteen years ago) link
Re. Tin Pan Alley silliness: when I revived this thread yesterday this was on my mind. It's one of the possibilities the Beatles opened for "rock" (cos yeah it was obv possible before them) but I think it's less followed through on than others of the possibilities they opened. Like, glam picked up on the silliness but with tongues in cheek---whereas for the Beatles & Nilsson it was more straight (Lou Reed fits in here somewhere too). But Nilsson's silliness usually is paired with ache, both early & late (and post Pussy Cats he's vey silly again).
― begs the question, when is enough enough (Euler), Thursday, 4 March 2010 22:19 (fourteen years ago) link
his tin pan alley-ish lyrics are usually major bummers when you listen to them ...
― tylerw, Thursday, 4 March 2010 22:20 (fourteen years ago) link
he's a great lyricist even when he's in Tin Pan Alley mode, its more the ticky-tacky musical arrangements that I can't get into - usually a bit too arch and cutesy and baroque for their own good ("Paul's granny's music" as Lennon used to call it)
― Wet Hot American Oil Spill (Shakey Mo Collier), Thursday, 4 March 2010 22:26 (fourteen years ago) link
After living with and loving his greatest hits for years and years, I finally bought my first proper album of his last year, too. Also Nilsson Schmilsson because that's the one that gets talked up the most. It's awesome, yes. But a month or two back I got Pandemonium Shadow Show and it is way better. Not sure why Nilsson Schmilsson gets so much critical love when the guy had a clearly consistent run of genius.
― scott pgwp (pgwp), Thursday, 4 March 2010 23:17 (fourteen years ago) link
Nilsson Schmilsson has the hits, which is what keeps it on people's minds. I like that whole mid-career run, though.
― Johnny Fever, Thursday, 4 March 2010 23:41 (fourteen years ago) link
Just now discovering HN, I've got Pandemonium Shadow Show, Aerial Ballet, Nilsson Schmilsson, Harry, The Point, and I'm going apeshit over how good all these records are. LUVLUVLUV the Beatles covers (esp "You Can't Do That") on his first two albums. Other favorite tracks at the mmt are "Down To The Valley", "Little Cowboy", "Everybody's Talkin'", "River Deep Mountain High". I saw "Popeye" recently and yes those songs are amazing, kind of traditional sounding yet with really inventive arrangements. The bonus stuff on "The Point" is wonderful, I really like this track a whole lot. It's an advert but it's probably one of the coolest adverts I've ever heard:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x68-mnvyMpo
― Adam Bruneau, Friday, 26 March 2010 16:19 (fourteen years ago) link
other favorite tracks at the mmt are "Down To The Valley"
Love that song too
― The Oort Locker (Tom D.), Friday, 26 March 2010 16:23 (fourteen years ago) link
It's an advert but it's probably one of the coolest adverts I've ever heard
Here's one he did for tv, for Duit on Mon Dei lp:http://fortheloveofharry.blogspot.com/2010/01/duit-on-mon-dei-tv-commercial-1975.html
― city worker, Friday, 26 March 2010 16:56 (fourteen years ago) link
Neat item from that page:
According to Olive Films (via Paramount), Skidoo is set to be released on DVD for the first time in September, 2010. Harry wrote some of the music and even made an acting cameo in the 1968 film.
― Roomful of Moogs (C. Grisso/McCain), Friday, 26 March 2010 17:02 (fourteen years ago) link
A neat little gift from the blog a few weeks back, a French TV Special from '68 featuring Harry and the surprisingly fetching Peggy March
― Roomful of Moogs (C. Grisso/McCain), Monday, 12 April 2010 21:55 (fourteen years ago) link
ah, this guy..
a god among mortals
― Stormy Davis, Sunday, 6 June 2010 08:41 (thirteen years ago) link
the best that ever was
― Stormy Davis, Sunday, 6 June 2010 08:45 (thirteen years ago) link
happy birthday harry
― kamerad, Tuesday, 15 June 2010 04:43 (thirteen years ago) link
"Well in 1941 a happy father had a son..."
― I am utterly and abjectly pissed off with this little lot (Tom D.), Tuesday, 15 June 2010 08:44 (thirteen years ago) link
the doc on dvd
― Roomful of Moogs (C. Grisso/McCain), Thursday, 29 July 2010 16:00 (thirteen years ago) link
I'm currently working on a dubstep track that samples the first couple of notes on "One".
― village idiot (dog latin), Thursday, 29 July 2010 16:05 (thirteen years ago) link
This guy needs a broad reaching 4CD boxset.
From his earliest days, through his Monkees and Beatles days, to his last.
I reckons.
― Mark G, Wednesday, 20 October 2010 15:07 (thirteen years ago) link
thanks for this revive reminding me about the doc dvd - anyone checked it out yet?
― ¸¸.·´¯´·he'd sail across the bubbly waves·.¸¸.·´¯ (another al3x), Wednesday, 20 October 2010 16:18 (thirteen years ago) link
obv of interest for fans but a pretty clumsy movie
― da croupier, Wednesday, 20 October 2010 17:40 (thirteen years ago) link
yeah my friend saw it, said there was some good footage, but not exactly a brilliant piece of filmmaking.
― tylerw, Wednesday, 20 October 2010 17:53 (thirteen years ago) link
actually, I really liked this -- along w/the Rush doc, one of the most comprehensive rock documentaries I've seen. unlike the rush doc, I wouldn't say Nilsson comes out more "likable" as a result of it. He comes out looking pretty flawed and tragic, but also incredibly well-loved by his friends/family/peers.
― Dominique, Wednesday, 20 October 2010 17:53 (thirteen years ago) link
ditto on the boxset. total genius. "Nilsson Schmillson" is such a classic, and every album I've heard has some amazing, indispensible material
― frogbs, Wednesday, 20 October 2010 17:59 (thirteen years ago) link
i thought the doc was pretty much inept. watch and it and see if you can figure out, for example, how he died. some good footage though, yeah.
― fact checking cuz, Wednesday, 20 October 2010 18:29 (thirteen years ago) link
didn't it say something about a big heart attack, and how that was a very nilsson way to go? I do remember the part about him talking to his kids the week before he died
― Dominique, Wednesday, 20 October 2010 18:34 (thirteen years ago) link
they said he was in bad health and he knew he only had a few days to live (which is a bit odd as it is), and then they say very ominously that there was an earthquake and you're left wondering (a) if the earthquake killed him, (b) if he correctly predicted the date or his own heart attack, (c) if he just went to sleep one night and never woke up. they don't actually tell you. you only know he's dead 'cause they start talking about his funeral. they do a lot of this in the doc. it's really strange filmmaking.
― fact checking cuz, Wednesday, 20 October 2010 18:40 (thirteen years ago) link
was the doc on telly in the states? it wasn't here harrumph.
― piscesx, Wednesday, 20 October 2010 18:51 (thirteen years ago) link
it is interesting to hear from all the people (producers, managers, whatnot) he left behind both on his way up and on his way down. they all sound like wounded ex-girlfriends who will go to their own graves wondering why harry left them.
― fact checking cuz, Wednesday, 20 October 2010 18:55 (thirteen years ago) link
i'm not aware of it having been on tv in the US. it had very brief theatrical runs in a few cities.
fcc otm abt the death sequence. that sort of elliptical stuff happened a few times throughout. pretty clumsy, but then a nilsson track'd come on and i was like "aw fuck it"
― bear, bear, bear, Wednesday, 20 October 2010 18:57 (thirteen years ago) link
Watch the Smothers Brothers TV performance instead. It's like 30 minutes long and features all these great Point-era performances and stuff and silly skits inbetween and things. Really wonderful.
― Telephoneface (Adam Bruneau), Wednesday, 20 October 2010 20:46 (thirteen years ago) link
"Watch the Smothers Brothers TV performance instead. It's like 30 minutes long and features all these great Point-era performances and stuff and silly skits inbetween and things. Really wonderful."
This performance of "1941" is my favorite thing he ever did. Waaaay better than the album version.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s51bRVVRah4
― rotoboros, Wednesday, 20 October 2010 22:55 (thirteen years ago) link
who cares about a box set? all but one or two of the albums are in print, and on two-fers no less. just dig in.
― by another name (amateurist), Thursday, 21 October 2010 02:54 (thirteen years ago) link
ans: Because his career was not a purely linear thing. There's a lot that predates his first album, and many projects that sit outside his "solo" works.
Make it like the Ramones' "life and times" with 3CDs, 1DVD and an inlaid book/history, and that would be brilliant.
Thanks. (in advance)
― Mark G, Thursday, 21 October 2010 08:34 (thirteen years ago) link
^ this is true. there's way more than enough genius nilsson to justify a 3 CD set, plus a booklet/DVD laying out the story. plus he fucking deserves it, and people deserve to know. that's reason enough.
― naked human hands and a foam rubber head (contenderizer), Thursday, 21 October 2010 08:38 (thirteen years ago) link
Book, rather than booklet, but yes. Thanks.
― Mark G, Thursday, 21 October 2010 08:44 (thirteen years ago) link
Really really love this song
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YsX5BkBsrMk
― Telephoneface (Adam Bruneau), Saturday, 13 November 2010 01:00 (thirteen years ago) link
As silly as those lyrics are, I think its one of the most beautiful songs ive ever heard.
― Telephoneface (Adam Bruneau), Saturday, 13 November 2010 01:04 (thirteen years ago) link
just watched who is harry nilsson - pretty dece for a talkin head/old footage stando type scenario - realized i didnt really know much abt this guy
― ice cr?m, Wednesday, 1 December 2010 05:05 (thirteen years ago) link
but now i do
Listening to "The Point" is probably the best introduction you could possibly have to this guy.
― Telephoneface (Adam Bruneau), Friday, 3 December 2010 05:56 (thirteen years ago) link
WHOA. Before opening this thread I ordered a copy of Son of Schmilsson this morning.
― look at it, pwn3d, made u look at my peen/vadge (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Friday, 3 December 2010 14:45 (thirteen years ago) link
Debatable
― Tom A. (Tom B.) (Tom C.) (Tom D.), Friday, 3 December 2010 14:54 (thirteen years ago) link
Well I think it's got the best concentration of amazing songs, and it's a really good one for showing off his vocal arrangements. "Son of Schmilsson" is pretty damn fine as well. <3 <3 <3 "The Most Beautiful World In The World". Really does dip into Beatles-level pop at a few points on that album.
― Telephoneface (Adam Bruneau), Friday, 3 December 2010 14:59 (thirteen years ago) link
It's a broad church
― Tom A. (Tom B.) (Tom C.) (Tom D.), Friday, 3 December 2010 15:05 (thirteen years ago) link
also just saw the doc. too much decline, not enough prime.
― kind of shrill and very self-righteous (Dr Morbius), Friday, 3 December 2010 15:14 (thirteen years ago) link
loved the sight of Otto Preminger in a blue hippie suit on Playboy After Dark, tho
yeah the doc tried a little too hard to cram everything into its chosen narrative and didnt really attempt to understand his music particularly past THIS GUY IS GREAT but it was p cool just for the presence of the man if nothing else
― ice cr?m, Friday, 3 December 2010 16:14 (thirteen years ago) link
lol at everyone being all WHEN HARRY SHOWED UP AT YR DOOR U KNEW U WERE GONNA DO TONS OF DRUGS FOR DAYS ON END and then none of them actually telling the stories abt it smh
― ice cr?m, Friday, 3 December 2010 16:16 (thirteen years ago) link
Just Say No to Harry, kids
― kind of shrill and very self-righteous (Dr Morbius), Friday, 3 December 2010 16:35 (thirteen years ago) link
xpostYeah, there were lots of moments of "Things were really crazy back then, kids", wink wink.
Also, what was the deal with dude with rainbow beard? That was probably more crazy than anything that happened in the 70s.
― Moodles, Friday, 3 December 2010 16:44 (thirteen years ago) link
it was a Hudson, right?
― kind of shrill and very self-righteous (Dr Morbius), Friday, 3 December 2010 16:47 (thirteen years ago) link
found it really frustrating they'd spend so much time on vague shit like this when, whenever they did flesh out an anecdote, like the letter he wrote his infant son or how he won over his last wife with fruit, the details were amazing.
― da croupier, Friday, 3 December 2010 16:51 (thirteen years ago) link
just gonna link to the review i wrote, since i think otherwise i'll wind up regurgitating the whole thing anyway
http://www.tinymixtapes.com/film/who-harry-nilsson-and-why-everybody-talkin-about-him
― da croupier, Friday, 3 December 2010 16:54 (thirteen years ago) link
other ppl's drug stories are boring. also I think Robin Williams was being honest saying he couldn't remember most of it.
― kind of shrill and very self-righteous (Dr Morbius), Friday, 3 December 2010 16:55 (thirteen years ago) link
other ppl's drug stories are boring.
not as boring as repeated references to untold ones!
― da croupier, Friday, 3 December 2010 16:56 (thirteen years ago) link
the flowers and melons story was p incredible
― ice cr?m, Friday, 3 December 2010 16:58 (thirteen years ago) link
yeah picking up a 19-yo in an ice cream parlor doesnt usu work out in the long term
― kind of shrill and very self-righteous (Dr Morbius), Friday, 3 December 2010 17:11 (thirteen years ago) link
just give that bitch melons, melons man im tellin u
― ice cr?m, Friday, 3 December 2010 17:30 (thirteen years ago) link
Rainbow Beard was the weirdest facial hair I've ever seen.
Agree w most ppl above, too many talking heads, too vague. I think most music docs these days make those mistakes. Even the "in depth" album-based ones are basically a series of people saying "This song is soooo good!". Mostly, I would rather have a complete compilation of archival videos. I guess this is where bootleggers step in to do the artist justice...
― Telephoneface (Adam Bruneau), Friday, 3 December 2010 17:59 (thirteen years ago) link
rainbow beard was jarringly nagl
― ice cr?m, Friday, 3 December 2010 18:01 (thirteen years ago) link
I think the only song we heard all the way thru (in two pieces) was "Everybody's Talkin"
― kind of shrill and very self-righteous (Dr Morbius), Friday, 3 December 2010 18:01 (thirteen years ago) link
Have to say him marrying a nice Irish girl and having lots and lots of happy-looking kids was a good way to end a potentially really depressing life story.
― Telephoneface (Adam Bruneau), Friday, 3 December 2010 18:42 (thirteen years ago) link
if only he had made it past age 52 tho, eh
― kind of shrill and very self-righteous (Dr Morbius), Friday, 3 December 2010 19:53 (thirteen years ago) link
kids stay away from robin williams and youll lead a long healthy life
― ice cr?m, Friday, 3 December 2010 20:00 (thirteen years ago) link
at least it's easier now to stay away from Lennon.
C or D: tracing a musician's downfall thru going from being John's pal to Ringo's.
― kind of shrill and very self-righteous (Dr Morbius), Friday, 3 December 2010 20:02 (thirteen years ago) link
lol
― ice cr?m, Friday, 3 December 2010 20:04 (thirteen years ago) link
I did like the part of the doc where Harry describes writing "One" around a phone's busy signal.
― Darin, Friday, 3 December 2010 22:13 (thirteen years ago) link
someone seriously needs to release decent copies of those BBC specials.
― by another name (amateurist), Friday, 3 December 2010 23:32 (thirteen years ago) link
the clips on youtube are amazing.
― by another name (amateurist), Friday, 3 December 2010 23:33 (thirteen years ago) link
think i'm gonna watch this doc tonight since it seems to have shown up on netflix streaming.
― tylerw, Friday, 3 December 2010 23:33 (thirteen years ago) link
wd've liked more Popeye music and less about the drug party on Malta
― kind of shrill and very self-righteous (Dr Morbius), Saturday, 4 December 2010 01:03 (thirteen years ago) link
I want to see "Son of Drac"! Wtf was that? EVeryone in the docu was saying how bad it was but the footage of Harry in a vampire suit just chilling and singing Harry songs suggested it is fucking awesome.
― Stop Non-Erotic Cabaret (Abbbottt), Sunday, 5 December 2010 20:02 (thirteen years ago) link
lol at the cover Netflix has for "The Point"
http://cdn-8.nflximg.com/en_US/boxshots/gsd/60036028.jpg
― Stop Non-Erotic Cabaret (Abbbottt), Sunday, 5 December 2010 20:03 (thirteen years ago) link
ha!i'm about halfway through the doc -- interesting stuff w/ some great footage, even if it's not the greatest filmmaking of all time. bbc stuff looks rad. you can grab it (audio/video) here: http://fortheloveofharry.blogspot.com/2007/12/bbc.htmlfor a guy who didn't play live, looks like he was perfectly capable of being a great performer.
― tylerw, Sunday, 5 December 2010 20:07 (thirteen years ago) link
and, if you must, from the same blog: http://fortheloveofharry.blogspot.com/2006/12/son-of-dracula-movie-1974.html
― tylerw, Sunday, 5 December 2010 20:10 (thirteen years ago) link
― Stop Non-Erotic Cabaret (Abbbottt), Sunday, December 5, 2010 3:02 PM (8 minutes ago) Bookmark Suggest Ban Permalink
^
― ice cr?m, Sunday, 5 December 2010 20:11 (thirteen years ago) link
everybody otm
― jaxon, Sunday, 5 December 2010 20:23 (thirteen years ago) link
Everybody's OTMin'
― look at it, pwn3d, made u look at my peen/vadge (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Sunday, 5 December 2010 23:09 (thirteen years ago) link
lol the point is a teen-made realist drama from an impoverished mtl neighbourhood
― shirley summistake (s1ocki), Sunday, 5 December 2010 23:17 (thirteen years ago) link
So The Point on Netflix is the original film right? It just has the wrong picture? I was worried that it was some weird remake, but now I'm going to try renting it.
― Moodles, Monday, 6 December 2010 02:18 (thirteen years ago) link
Adam Bruneau OTM re LOTTERY SONG upthread, outstanding song
OOOO LOO LOO LOO LOO LOO; OOO LOO LOO LOO LOO LOO
― yuoowemeone, Wednesday, 29 December 2010 12:02 (thirteen years ago) link
I found VDP and Jimmy Webb's stuff very affecting. And I admired how negatively the guy was portrayed for so much of it. But yes, it did sort of beg for a slightly more in depth discussion of his music.
Re. the decline years...the footage of him recording in '75 or so with the full bar and deli buffet in the studio, catching cigarettes thrown into his mouth and so forth, made me sad I never got around to writing a proposed piece for Stylus on his post-Pussycats records. Nobody declined like Harry Nilsson.
― Naive Teen Idol, Friday, 31 December 2010 15:10 (thirteen years ago) link
When rainbow beard told his funeral story, and said George Harrison told him his favorite Nilsson song was "Fuck you," I think that was actually Harrison just saying "fuck you" to rainbow beard. I mean, you know, not really, but in the best world, that's what happened.
― Stop Non-Erotic Cabaret (Abbbottt), Monday, 3 January 2011 02:32 (thirteen years ago) link
I didn't know who rainbow beard was and was frustrated throughout the movie. Then I saw him on the VH1 or whatever reality show about Rock Camp.
― dan selzer, Monday, 3 January 2011 03:55 (thirteen years ago) link
rainbow beard is p unsettling
― ice cr?m, Wednesday, 5 January 2011 22:05 (thirteen years ago) link
Who the hell *is* rainbow beard, Mr. Selzer? others amy also answer.Not only was his beard/clashing purple velvet suit combo appalling, he just generally seemed like an unpleasant guy.
― Stop Non-Erotic Cabaret (Abbbottt), Wednesday, 5 January 2011 23:32 (thirteen years ago) link
when i watched this i thought: that guy must get beat up every day of his life.
― tylerw, Wednesday, 5 January 2011 23:36 (thirteen years ago) link
I think about this docu all the time, tho, just for the Nilsson facts. The story about him robbing a liquor store as a kid!
― Stop Non-Erotic Cabaret (Abbbottt), Wednesday, 5 January 2011 23:37 (thirteen years ago) link
Personally, I am fond of the clip showing Harry catching a cigarette in his mouth and him lighting it without missing a beat during the Duit on Mon Dei sessions.
― Naive Teen Idol, Thursday, 6 January 2011 03:12 (thirteen years ago) link
yeah, that was nuts. one of the most impressive things for me was just how awesomely slobby looking the guy was. i mean, the album covers of schmilsson and the others give you some idea, but wow, for a star he just looked like a mess. in a good way.
― tylerw, Thursday, 6 January 2011 03:19 (thirteen years ago) link
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_Hudson_(musician)
― dan selzer, Thursday, 6 January 2011 04:27 (thirteen years ago) link
working with a broad variety of artists including Ringo Starr, Aerosmith, Ozzy Osbourne, Hanson, Harry Nilsson, and the Baha Men.
― ice cr?m, Thursday, 6 January 2011 04:35 (thirteen years ago) link
who let rainbow beard out who who
― ice cr?m, Thursday, 6 January 2011 04:36 (thirteen years ago) link
tread is now #1 result for fuck you rainbow beard
― Stop Non-Erotic Cabaret (Abbbottt), Thursday, 6 January 2011 04:37 (thirteen years ago) link
Ooga Booga!http://img.poptower.com/pic-34398/mark-hudson.jpg?d=600
― Moodles, Thursday, 6 January 2011 20:21 (thirteen years ago) link
GAH!
― ice cr?m, Thursday, 6 January 2011 20:23 (thirteen years ago) link
ick. thought that a big hole in the doc was the absence of a ringo interview. i'm sure the filmmakers tried to get him, but i guess ringo is kind of a cranky dude these days.
― tylerw, Thursday, 6 January 2011 20:28 (thirteen years ago) link
maybe he refused to be in it if rainbow beard was and the producers were all well theres no way were giving up rainbow beard i mean its RAINBOW BEARD
― ice cr?m, Thursday, 6 January 2011 20:34 (thirteen years ago) link
HIS BEARD IS A RAINBOW
― tylerw, Thursday, 6 January 2011 20:35 (thirteen years ago) link
i asked the director about ringo at a screening in new york, and he said ringo is unwilling to talk about those days on camera. or at least that's what ringo's people told him. it was definitely a hole.
ringo and mark rainbow beard hudson have worked together for years.
― fact checking cuz, Thursday, 6 January 2011 20:36 (thirteen years ago) link
ringo apparently is unfamiliar w/the old 'oh nilsson lol crazy times *scratch chin look around nervously*' dodge
― ice cr?m, Thursday, 6 January 2011 20:38 (thirteen years ago) link
Was that at the 92nd st Y screening? I was at the premiere and was about to say I remember them discussing Ringo.
If you read the wiki on Hudson, he and Ringo have had a falling out.
― dan selzer, Thursday, 6 January 2011 20:40 (thirteen years ago) link
this was at cinema village, where it played for a week or two.
― fact checking cuz, Thursday, 6 January 2011 20:43 (thirteen years ago) link
wiki on hudson sounds like it should be the name of a new high-tech village in upstate new york.
― fact checking cuz, Thursday, 6 January 2011 20:44 (thirteen years ago) link
It just clicked that this guy was one of the Hudson Brothers (of the Hudson Brothers Razzle Dazzle Show). Ugh.
― city worker, Thursday, 6 January 2011 20:44 (thirteen years ago) link
kate hudson's uncle
― tylerw, Thursday, 6 January 2011 20:48 (thirteen years ago) link
on the opposite spectrum of interviewees, van dyke parks is great in this -- super insightful, sincere, dignified.
― tylerw, Thursday, 6 January 2011 20:51 (thirteen years ago) link
yeah hes cool 4 sure
― ice cr?m, Thursday, 6 January 2011 20:52 (thirteen years ago) link
I wish Van Dyke Parks was my uncle.
― dan selzer, Thursday, 6 January 2011 20:54 (thirteen years ago) link
is there a van dyke parks doc cause if not calling all aspiring filmmakers
― ice cr?m, Thursday, 6 January 2011 20:56 (thirteen years ago) link
Every cult music figure has a documentarian who loves them
― da croupier, Thursday, 6 January 2011 21:34 (thirteen years ago) link
I was marginally fascinated by how personally devastated VDP and Jimmy Webb appeared to be about Nilsson wasting his talent. Not dying young but wasting his talent. Webb says something like, "The day I learned Harry ruined his voice was the worst day of my life." And at the end, Parks almost cries discussing how Harry had the gall to give up music because he wanted to fight gun violence.
― Naive Teen Idol, Thursday, 6 January 2011 22:29 (thirteen years ago) link
yeah that was interesting -- got the feeling that van dyke really believed that nilsson's gift was as a musician, not as a lobbyist. which is probably otm. webb not even being able to discuss harry's voice problems was a little strange, just since webb seemed so even-keeled throughout the rest of the interviews, but i guess it was a big deal to him.
― tylerw, Thursday, 6 January 2011 22:32 (thirteen years ago) link
The rainbow beard bloke, wasn't he Sharon Osbourne's helper on X-Factor?
― Mark G, Thursday, 6 January 2011 23:57 (thirteen years ago) link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b8CL23Xl5yo
― Sanford, Friday, 7 January 2011 06:11 (thirteen years ago) link
would shoot ball with
― bear, bear, bear, Friday, 7 January 2011 06:18 (thirteen years ago) link
yeah that was interesting -- got the feeling that van dyke really believed that nilsson's gift was as a musician, not as a lobbyist. which is probably otm. webb not even being able to discuss harry's voice problems was a little strange, just since webb seemed so even-keeled throughout the rest of the interviews, but i guess it was a big deal to him. --tylerw
Watched it again w my wife last night -- and I think that's right. First time around, I was struck by the fact that he seemed like a dick for most of the first half -- firing his producer from his first few records by telegram, dumping his wife and kid and generally carrying on like an asshole. Watching a second time I was struck by what a shitty childhood he had and how it clearly haunted him until he died -- at least until his third wife straightened him out a bit. I thought her point that he lived as if he knew it wouldn't be for very long was interesting.
― Naive Teen Idol, Friday, 7 January 2011 17:10 (thirteen years ago) link
The first son's scenes were heartbreaking though. After Harry walked out on him just like the damage his father gave him...then to find happiness with a new family and for the first son to experience that.
― dan selzer, Friday, 7 January 2011 17:32 (thirteen years ago) link
yeah sort of rough when one of his daughters was like "i didn't even know [the previous family] existed"
― tylerw, Friday, 7 January 2011 17:33 (thirteen years ago) link
i couldnt quite parse the particularities of the 'abandonment' - its seemed like he just got divorced from the 1st kids mom - they were all he abandoned us but then there was tons of stories of them hanging out at seemingly all ages - seemed like he was more generally absent and neglectful than left one day to by cigarettes on the bad dad scale
― ice cr?m, Friday, 7 January 2011 17:39 (thirteen years ago) link
kinda imagine it was more like he disappeared from his first family's life in the 70s, and maybe reconnected with the son in the 80s, though, yeah not entirely clear in the doc.
― tylerw, Friday, 7 January 2011 17:45 (thirteen years ago) link
i'm torn between being glad there's a harry nilsson doc and disappointed that now someone who can actually tell his story coherently probably won't bother
― da croupier, Friday, 7 January 2011 17:46 (thirteen years ago) link
It seemed pretty clear to me that he left the first wife and never saw the first son again really until the first son was an adult, when they hung out for 1 weekend. I don't remember any stories of them hanging out at all ages.
― dan selzer, Friday, 7 January 2011 17:47 (thirteen years ago) link
no one's written a bio, have they?
― da croupier, Friday, 7 January 2011 17:47 (thirteen years ago) link
see also: harry's good friend john lennon.
― fact checking cuz, Friday, 7 January 2011 17:54 (thirteen years ago) link
I've been trying to get my friend, who's a writer and the biggest Nilsson fan I know, to do this, but so far efforts have proved futile.
― ENERGY FOOD (en i see kay), Friday, 7 January 2011 17:58 (thirteen years ago) link
My sort of hope is that Curtis Armstrong (of Revenge of the Nerds/"Booger" fame), who has sort of emerged as the world's leading Nilssonologist with his liner notes and so forth, will write a proper bio.
― Naive Teen Idol, Friday, 7 January 2011 18:11 (thirteen years ago) link
wait waht
― assorted curses (Shakey Mo Collier), Friday, 7 January 2011 18:17 (thirteen years ago) link
lol that's weird. why wasn't booger interviewed for the doc?!
― tylerw, Friday, 7 January 2011 18:27 (thirteen years ago) link
fuck a bio i want booger to make biopic
― da croupier, Friday, 7 January 2011 18:31 (thirteen years ago) link
Owen Wilson as Nilsson
― assorted curses (Shakey Mo Collier), Friday, 7 January 2011 18:33 (thirteen years ago) link
booger can at least play old Nilsson in the hospital
― da croupier, Friday, 7 January 2011 18:34 (thirteen years ago) link
Whoa, Curtis Armstrong is on some odd obssessing deal. My dad happens to know him because of their shared interest in all things involving Sherlock Holmes!
― Moodles, Friday, 7 January 2011 21:06 (thirteen years ago) link
lol that's weird. why wasn't booger interviewed for the doc?! --tylerw
Dunno. He is thanked in the credits tho.
― Naive Teen Idol, Saturday, 8 January 2011 00:57 (thirteen years ago) link
"Who Done It?" is weird and wonderful.
― Gus Van Sotosyn (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Thursday, 20 January 2011 14:39 (thirteen years ago) link
this was pretty good, usual failings of low-budget rock docs aside
― Hyper Rescue Troop (Shakey Mo Collier), Monday, 21 March 2011 17:38 (thirteen years ago) link
Owen Wilson as Nilsson― assorted curses (Shakey Mo Collier), Friday, January 7, 2011 6:33 PM (2 months ago)
― assorted curses (Shakey Mo Collier), Friday, January 7, 2011 6:33 PM (2 months ago)
C'mon, Owen can't sing. Glen Hansard might be good fit, that is, if he could stop trying so hard to impress.
― suspecterrain, Monday, 21 March 2011 17:55 (thirteen years ago) link
btw does anyone know what the deal is with this Midnight Cowboy song that Joni apparently wrote for the movie?
― Hyper Rescue Troop (Shakey Mo Collier), Monday, 21 March 2011 19:52 (thirteen years ago) link
this was pretty good, usual failings of low-budget rock docs asideYeah, I don't think it failed on that much. For an obsessive like myself, there was a lot to chew on there.
Not totally sure. Thing is, I'm not sure she "wrote it for the movie" as Dylan's song is "Lay Lady Lay" which, IIRC, he had written well before Midnight Cowboy.
― Naive Teen Idol, Monday, 21 March 2011 20:28 (thirteen years ago) link
i think they asked dylan to write a song for the movie and he said yes, but he took to long to deliver "lay lady lay" to the filmmakers. or something. dunno about joni's song.
― tylerw, Monday, 21 March 2011 20:36 (thirteen years ago) link
has the doc been shown in US cinemas or was it on TV?
― piscesx, Monday, 21 March 2011 20:41 (thirteen years ago) link
it's on netflix watch instantly...
― tylerw, Monday, 21 March 2011 20:42 (thirteen years ago) link
ah is that free? (netflix virgin here)
― piscesx, Monday, 21 March 2011 20:43 (thirteen years ago) link
I rented a DVD. and yeah I don't think it failed that much it's just like... eh y'know ooh more talking heads and photo-montages! which is what most rock docs are composed of, especially when the subject is dead.
― Hyper Rescue Troop (Shakey Mo Collier), Monday, 21 March 2011 20:44 (thirteen years ago) link
netflix instant is free ... if you have a netflix subscription.
― tylerw, Monday, 21 March 2011 20:47 (thirteen years ago) link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dswVK5si45M&feature=related
"someday in combat it might save your life"
― offee is for losers only, do you not c? (Abbbottt), Sunday, 24 April 2011 18:12 (twelve years ago) link
Got the doc dvd in my latest batch of Borders clearance stuff. Finished w/the film a little while ago, haven't dug into the xtras yet, but noticed some missing things:
-His apprenticeship w/Spector. Admittedly Phil probably wasn't available, and perhaps the filmmakers felt the craziness quota was already filled.
-The late 70s records were only briefly touched upon. There's a good story about he tried to appease RCA w/That's The Way It Is and when it failed Harry sort of got his shit together and made Knnillsson only to see it more or less go OOP right away when Elvis died and RCA switched all their plants over to pressing Elvis albums and singles. That action became a severe bone of contention between them and helped finish Harry off at the label.
-No mention of "The Courtship of Eddie's Father" (aside from "Best Friend" soundtracking the Ringo montage).
But on the whole I guess it was okay, despite the flaws (the death thing was seriously WTF? Almost like the filmmakers figured the viewer already knew the real story). Seemed like a long ep of "Behind The Music" or (better still) "American Masters"--not necessarily something you'd shell 10 bucks for to see at a theatre.
Would love to see a comp of those BBC specials with those album ads thrown in in the extras. And it was cool to hear one of the Popeye demos on the soundtrack (how great is that segment of Van Dyke where he just plays the song on the piano?).
― Handjobs for a sport (C. Grisso/McCain), Saturday, 30 April 2011 02:33 (twelve years ago) link
The whole Mark Hudson discussion reminded me ofhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ngIxuGOVGeQ
― A Bop Gun for Dinosaur (James Redd and the Blecchs), Saturday, 30 April 2011 04:30 (twelve years ago) link
hahahahaha
― offee is for losers only, do you not c? (Abbbottt), Saturday, 30 April 2011 05:40 (twelve years ago) link
for the love of Harry says the Skidoo! dvd is coming (for real this time) in July. And amazon has it.
― Handjobs for a sport (C. Grisso/McCain), Saturday, 30 April 2011 18:03 (twelve years ago) link
OK, so Bob Stanley had a screening of the documentary in Camden on Sat'day afternon and three men and a dog (possibly Arrow) showed up, eventually they let me and few other people (i.e. like proper Harry Nilsson fans) in for nothing. Of course if it had been about Nick Drake or Jeff Buckley or someone they'd have been queues round the block. Re: the film, felt sad for Rick Jarrard that Harry dumped him, but more fool Harry because he did his best work with Jarrard + George Tipton IMO.
― Tom D has taken many months to run this thread to ground (Tom D.), Tuesday, 3 May 2011 11:55 (twelve years ago) link
Hey, in one of the deleted scenes, they actually explain Rainbow Beard's significance to the story-he produced Harry's last sessions at his home studio. There's pix too, AND RAINBOW BEARD LOOKED LIKE A REGULAR OLD ROCKER DUDE. WHAT POSSESSED HIM SINCE THEN TO GO FULL RAINBOW?
― Handjobs for a sport (C. Grisso/McCain), Friday, 6 May 2011 00:51 (twelve years ago) link
-His apprenticeship w/Spector.
yeah I thought this was a weird omission too. I wouldn't expect them to get Spector on film or anything, but to not even mention it seemed sort of odd.
― no slouch of a snipster (Shakey Mo Collier), Friday, 6 May 2011 01:10 (twelve years ago) link
wow where was this Bob Stanley screening? is it out on DVD yet? was it on telly in the States?
― piscesx, Friday, 6 May 2011 01:18 (twelve years ago) link
(xp) Talking of weird omissions, the fact that Harry's mother was a songwriter too would seem worthy of comment - after all, he did cover two of her songs on his albums!
― Tom D has taken many months to run this thread to ground (Tom D.), Friday, 6 May 2011 08:33 (twelve years ago) link
woah, totally - didn't know that. Would have helped smooth over the film's transition from poverished gutter kid to writer of Stephen Foster melodies.
― da croupier, Friday, 6 May 2011 11:28 (twelve years ago) link
Indeed, she wrote, or at least partly wrote, "Little Cowboy" and "Marchin' Down Broadway" (latter seem obvious once you know)
― Tom D has taken many months to run this thread to ground (Tom D.), Friday, 6 May 2011 11:31 (twelve years ago) link
you know I really don't get Nilsson - everyone says he's such a genius. To me every song sounds like his Randy Newman meets Any Gibb
― Latham Green, Wednesday, 1 June 2011 19:00 (twelve years ago) link
This is only a problem if it makes you feel inferior somehow. If not, there are 90-bajillion other things to listen to.
― Johnny Fever, Wednesday, 1 June 2011 19:01 (twelve years ago) link
every song sounds like his Randy Newman meets Any Gibbexactly! sort of!
― tylerw, Wednesday, 1 June 2011 19:02 (twelve years ago) link
You gotta find the shit with the dopest arrangements. I suggest reviewing the soundtrack to "The Point" on headphones.
― Telephoneface (Adam Bruneau), Wednesday, 1 June 2011 19:07 (twelve years ago) link
He has the most beautiful voice. He's like the male Karen Carpenter.
― everything, Wednesday, 1 June 2011 19:07 (twelve years ago) link
whole bbc doc is on youtube
here's part 1
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HaHWCPFP04o
― puff puff post (uh oh I'm having a fantasy), Wednesday, 1 June 2011 19:12 (twelve years ago) link
lol not doc but uh (famous) performance
― puff puff post (uh oh I'm having a fantasy), Wednesday, 1 June 2011 19:13 (twelve years ago) link
It doesnt make mee feel inferior so much as like "wait, the emperor is not wearing any clothes!" I watched "WHo is Harry Nilsson" - they were talking about Nilsson Schmilsson like it was freaking Abbey Road. "Lime in the Cocoanut" - wtf??
― Latham Green, Wednesday, 1 June 2011 19:14 (twelve years ago) link
its just music man no revelations are really there to be had
― puff puff post (uh oh I'm having a fantasy), Wednesday, 1 June 2011 19:17 (twelve years ago) link
thats what you think!
― Latham Green, Wednesday, 1 June 2011 20:03 (twelve years ago) link
I suggest buying Nilsson Schmilsson or Son Of. Otherwise have a nice life.
― The Edge of Gloryhole (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Wednesday, 1 June 2011 20:09 (twelve years ago) link
nilsson sings newman is the one that sent me over the edge into nilsson superfandom.
― tylerw, Wednesday, 1 June 2011 20:11 (twelve years ago) link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zS-jue4Yqt0
This song is so simple & beautiful + he is a freaking Dracula on the cover. These two things together sum up Nilsson for me!
― free inappropriate education (Abbbottt), Wednesday, 1 June 2011 20:30 (twelve years ago) link
To me every song sounds like his Randy Newman meets Any Gibb
That's why we like him. You see?
― Tom D has taken many months to run this thread to ground (Tom D.), Thursday, 2 June 2011 11:16 (twelve years ago) link
> "Lime in the Cocoanut" - wtf??
I have the same reaction, but I suppose for different reasons...oh, and I guess I had that reaction back when I was three-years-old for an entirely different reaction. Whoa!
― john. a resident of chicago., Thursday, 2 June 2011 12:22 (twelve years ago) link
I'm not actually a big "Coconut" fan and think Schmilsson's overrated - check out Pussy Cats. Though thinking "the emperor's not wearing any clothes" is pretty easy when watching a documentary on any rock musician.
― da croupier, Thursday, 2 June 2011 12:59 (twelve years ago) link
It's funny, I hated Dylan for years because of all the "genius" talk, would make glib cracks about his ugly voice - could totally see someone doing the same with Nilsson except making glib cracks about his pretty voice. Listen to it AS lightweight andy gibb music and you'll pick up the smarts. Listen to it for genius and yeah, it's lightweight. Dude was devoted to lightweight.
― da croupier, Thursday, 2 June 2011 13:04 (twelve years ago) link
OTM. Genius at lightweight. If you wanna stroke yer chin and furrow yer brow, look elsewhere.
― Tom D has taken many months to run this thread to ground (Tom D.), Thursday, 2 June 2011 13:07 (twelve years ago) link
Nilsson's best virtue is that he made several Love and Theft-type comedy records.
― The Edge of Gloryhole (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Thursday, 2 June 2011 13:15 (twelve years ago) link
In Nilsson's case, I think "lightweight" is an apt complement.
Watching the doc last week I realized that "Schmilsson" was one of the handful of rock LPs my dad owned. I had this sudden memory explosion of "Coconut" (with added Muppet memories) and the drums in "Jump into the Fire" being a jump around the living room soundtrack.
― Josh in Chicago, Thursday, 2 June 2011 13:54 (twelve years ago) link
Happy 70th.
― Mucho! Macho! Honcho!: Turn Off The Dark (C. Grisso/McCain), Wednesday, 15 June 2011 18:42 (twelve years ago) link
+1
― Naive Teen Idol, Wednesday, 15 June 2011 18:46 (twelve years ago) link
Why +1?
― Letsby Avenue (Tom D.), Wednesday, 15 June 2011 18:51 (twelve years ago) link
As in, "I also wish him Happy 70th."
― Naive Teen Idol, Wednesday, 15 June 2011 19:02 (twelve years ago) link
Ah, thought you meant he was 71. But then everybody knows that in 1941 a happy father had a son.
― Letsby Avenue (Tom D.), Wednesday, 15 June 2011 19:04 (twelve years ago) link
That docu is going to be on the BBC next week.
― Mark G, Thursday, 14 July 2011 22:04 (twelve years ago) link
it's not bad. the Spector stuff seems like the main glaring ommission
― i hate it when rats eat my bushels (Shakey Mo Collier), Thursday, 14 July 2011 22:18 (twelve years ago) link
You could make a whole 'nother film from all the deleted scenes. Jimmy Webb had some stories man...
― Mucho! Macho! Honcho!: Turn Off The Dark (C. Grisso/McCain), Thursday, 14 July 2011 22:23 (twelve years ago) link
Saw "Son of Nilsson" at a friend's house just now and freaked out over it. When i got home, i put it on immediately!
― Telephoneface (Adam Bruneau), Friday, 15 July 2011 00:31 (twelve years ago) link
documentary was kind of formless and boring, oh well.
― by another name (amateurist), Friday, 15 July 2011 21:16 (twelve years ago) link
Well, the "Imagine: Nilsson" documentary was on BBC1 over the weekend, and is now on iplayer.
I thought it excellent...
This thing about "Nilsson shot his voice forever thanks to Lennon" doesn't hold up for me.
Even in the doc, they spoke of his contribution to The Fisher King as being "well, his voice was shot and his whistling all over the place" and then the track got played, and it sounded great.
Even "Many rivers to cross" sounded raw/ragged, but in a good way.
― Mark G, Thursday, 21 July 2011 09:33 (twelve years ago) link
Been on a major Nilsson jag since watching the documentary. The piano/harpsichord coda to "Cowboy" on Nilsson sings Newman. Wow
― Number None, Thursday, 28 July 2011 15:36 (twelve years ago) link
That's a nod to the theme to Midnight Cowboy actually. And yes, it's awesome.
― Naive Teen Idol, Thursday, 28 July 2011 17:50 (twelve years ago) link
that version of Cowboy is so great. hard to imagine such power coming out of a sparse arrangement. nilsson and newman seem so perfect for each other.
― frogbs, Thursday, 28 July 2011 17:54 (twelve years ago) link
Fuck, i knew the piano reminded me of something. Pretty dumb of me not make the connection. It really is a tremendous album though. I like a lot the rest of his catalogue but tbh i'm not much of a fan of the wackier material so it's my favourite. Dunno how they left "Snow" off the original tracklist either.
― Number None, Thursday, 28 July 2011 18:02 (twelve years ago) link
"Snow" is pretty much my favorite thing on the record. It's devastating.
― Naive Teen Idol, Friday, 29 July 2011 01:43 (twelve years ago) link
the double- and then triple-tracking at roughly 7:15 = teh awesome2012 republican presidential nominee III: can romney get santorum out of his hair?
― Full Frontal Newtity (Shakey Mo Collier), Wednesday, 1 February 2012 16:28 (twelve years ago) link
Yeah, I dunno, Shakey, I have to say I think Harry's voice really shows the strain when he tries to tackle that later, political-meter-data-based material.
― Doctor Casino, Thursday, 2 February 2012 03:21 (twelve years ago) link
"people let me tell you 'bout mitt rom-ney"
― buzza, Thursday, 2 February 2012 03:22 (twelve years ago) link
"You're breaking my heart/you're tearin' it apart/So Ron Paul"
― Lady Writer, Male Seether (C. Grisso/McCain), Thursday, 2 February 2012 03:57 (twelve years ago) link
I can't live, if living is without Newt.
― Doctor Casino, Thursday, 2 February 2012 16:21 (twelve years ago) link
"Buy-y-y-y i-y-y-y Santorum (orum)Try-y-y-y i-y-y Santorum (orum)If you buy-y-y-y i-y-y-y SantorumYou will hear me singing...'Down from the mountain to Mitt RomneyDown from Mitt Romney to the peopleTeach 'em how to pray'
Buy-y-y-y i-y-y-y Santorum (orum)Try-y-y-y i-y-y Santorum (orum)If you buy-y-y-y i-y-y-y SantorumYou will hear me singing...'Herman Cain (oh yes he will!)Herman Cain (leavin' in the mornin' yeah)'
Buy-y-y-y i-y-y-y Santorum (orum)Won't you try-y-y-y i-y-y Santorum (orum)"
― Charles Kennedy Jumped Up, He Called 'Oh No'. (Tom D.), Thursday, 2 February 2012 16:40 (twelve years ago) link
Fuck it, somebody should have just done all of "I'll Be Home"...
Herman Cain, Herman CainWhen your nights are troubled and you're all aloneWhen you're feelin' down and need some sympathyAnd there's no one else around to keep you companyRemember baby, you can always count on meHerman Cain, Herman Cain, Herman Cain.
Herman Cain, Herman CainWherever you may wander and wherever you may roamYou come back and I'll be waiting here for you'Cause no one else will ever love you the way I doI'll be here to comfort you and see you throughHerman Cain, Herman Cain, Herman Cain.
― Charles Kennedy Jumped Up, He Called 'Oh No'. (Tom D.), Thursday, 2 February 2012 16:48 (twelve years ago) link
So, finally saw the documentary last night along with my sweets -- she was very intrigued and fascinated by his voice and immediately asked if I had anything by him (far too few things, actually -- aside from scattered tracks, just Son Of and the Popeye demos, oddly enough). She thought the documentary itself was a little too long though we were running it late in the evening, but she had a point since the film as noted is a bit poor on structure and detail at points, so it feels a bit like a slog. Still, loved the footage that did pop up and as an initial taste of everything there's been worse. Now I need to look through that For The Love of Harry blog...
― Ned Raggett, Sunday, 4 March 2012 17:12 (twelve years ago) link
Be careful Ned - you'll end up downloading all 11 volumes (22 discs!) of Harrities. I speak from experience.
― EZ Snappin, Sunday, 4 March 2012 17:18 (twelve years ago) link
This is not a bad thing.
― Ned Raggett, Sunday, 4 March 2012 17:19 (twelve years ago) link
true! Just giving you fair notice that you it's deep water you propose to enter.
― EZ Snappin, Sunday, 4 March 2012 17:23 (twelve years ago) link
Ha, well, I've already started that process. Meantime I'll order up Nilsson Schmilsson today from iTunes lest my girlfriend get testy.
― Ned Raggett, Sunday, 4 March 2012 17:34 (twelve years ago) link
I'm partial to Nilsson SIngs Newman. Great mix of voice and viewpoint.
― EZ Snappin, Sunday, 4 March 2012 17:39 (twelve years ago) link
Nilsson's the best, your girlfriend is great.
― cashmere tears-soaker (Abbbottt), Sunday, 4 March 2012 17:51 (twelve years ago) link
That she is. :-)
― Ned Raggett, Sunday, 4 March 2012 18:17 (twelve years ago) link
been listening to the 1st two proper albums today, boy they are fucking great.
― flesh, the devil, and a wolf (wolf) (amateurist), Monday, 5 March 2012 03:25 (twelve years ago) link
I love that the Popeye demos are what Ned had on hand, too! I think every album he did up through Son of Schmilsson is SOLID, a perfect gem, and every album after that has 2-3 movingly perfect deep cuts.
― cashmere tears-soaker (Abbbottt), Monday, 5 March 2012 04:47 (twelve years ago) link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UrQ8NHz6T4Q
― cashmere tears-soaker (Abbbottt), Monday, 5 March 2012 04:48 (twelve years ago) link
man he really shot his voice in the mid 1970s. jeez.
― flesh, the devil, and a wolf (wolf) (amateurist), Monday, 5 March 2012 05:04 (twelve years ago) link
also: go hog wild, ned:
http://fortheloveofharry.blogspot.com/2011/05/purple-chick-son-of-harrities-series-22.html
― flesh, the devil, and a wolf (wolf) (amateurist), Monday, 5 March 2012 05:11 (twelve years ago) link
"go hog wild, ned" is a great line.
Started downloading it this morning!
― Ned Raggett, Monday, 5 March 2012 06:38 (twelve years ago) link
When the TOTP repeats started happening, I was happy to see Nilsson's face in the top thirty run-down. "Look! Nilsson and a proper hit, everyone!"
― Mark G, Monday, 5 March 2012 10:02 (twelve years ago) link
Spaceman is sooo good / some of the alternate versions are downright spooky.
― a serious minestrone rockist (remy bean), Monday, 5 March 2012 11:45 (twelve years ago) link
Why is this stuff only on boots? And is his wife ever gonna release the album he was working on when he died?
― Naive Teen Idol, Tuesday, 6 March 2012 20:34 (twelve years ago) link
"Spaceman" got lodged in my brain in fall '10 and hasn't left.
― Exile in lolville (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Tuesday, 6 March 2012 20:38 (twelve years ago) link
any favorites from the Harrities list? are these for hardcore fans only?
― Moodles, Tuesday, 6 March 2012 21:51 (twelve years ago) link
Then there's this collection as well:
http://fortheloveofharry.blogspot.com/2011/12/bonus-tracks-volumes-1-3-2012.html
― Ned Raggett, Tuesday, 6 March 2012 21:54 (twelve years ago) link
i really like those monkees demos: http://fortheloveofharry.blogspot.com/2011/05/son-of-harryties-02-mr-lennons-favorite.htmlwill admit that i have a five-disc nillsson rarities collection, and it is probably enough for me...
― tylerw, Tuesday, 6 March 2012 21:55 (twelve years ago) link
a LOT of the stuff on that 22-CD collection, especially the later years, is dodgy-to-worthless.
― flesh, the devil, and a wolf (wolf) (amateurist), Tuesday, 6 March 2012 23:19 (twelve years ago) link
Pulled out Son of Schmilsson tonight, don't usually go for that one 'cause in my head it's long on the "slightly dark wackiness" angle - but I always forget, first of all, about "Spaceman" which is easily one of my top favorite Nilsson songs and probably one of my favorite songs of the Seventies period....and also about "The Lottery Song" which is just a gorgeous, sweet little treat. Wow. Totally totally slid past my ears the first x times I listened to this record.
― Doctor Casino, Monday, 5 November 2012 02:18 (eleven years ago) link
― Doctor Casino, Tuesday, August 21, 2007 1:36 PM Bookmark Flag Post Permalink
listening to this again for maybe the third or fourth time since that post, record is sounding pretty fucking great on a couple classes of rye, turned up loud. Just great sound, his voice against all this plucky echoey space.
― Doctor Casino, Thursday, 20 December 2012 02:31 (eleven years ago) link
yeah, i think "all i think about is you" is one of his best.
― tylerw, Thursday, 20 December 2012 15:52 (eleven years ago) link
I'm just getting over a chesty cold infection..
I reckon I could sing a blinding version of "All I think about is you" right now, if I could avoid coughing.
― Mark G, Thursday, 20 December 2012 16:08 (eleven years ago) link
"Blanket for a Sail" is one of my favorites on this.
― Naive Teen Idol, Friday, 21 December 2012 03:33 (eleven years ago) link
They're releasing a 17cd box! http://fortheloveofharrynilsson.blogspot.co.uk/2013/05/the-rca-albums-collection-2013.html
It has the tearjerking 'I Want You To Sit On My Face' on it, which is worth the price of admission.
― insert witticism here (hypehat), Thursday, 16 May 2013 00:55 (ten years ago) link
nice!
― EZ Snappin, Thursday, 16 May 2013 01:07 (ten years ago) link
whoa!
the only disappointment is they don't include the abridged/remixed/resequenced/etc version of his first two LPs which is actually damn good in its own right.
OTOH i already have that on CD so I can just keep that disc or rip it or whatever.
― flesh, the devil, and a wolf (wolf) (amateurist), Thursday, 16 May 2013 01:16 (ten years ago) link
oh wait they do have that album on there, nevermind. it just seems placed in a weird order.
The albums are in the order in which they were actually released. "Aerial Pandemonium Ballet" came out way way after the two albums from which it's derived.
― crustaceanrebel, Thursday, 16 May 2013 01:26 (ten years ago) link
ah, i see.
it took me a minute to notice the three discs of unreleased stuff. whoa.
btw this is going for WAY cheaper on amazon.co.uk compared to USA amazon
― flesh, the devil, and a wolf (wolf) (amateurist), Thursday, 16 May 2013 02:36 (ten years ago) link
which means that one of you is getting me a birthday present
― flesh, the devil, and a wolf (wolf) (amateurist), Thursday, 16 May 2013 02:37 (ten years ago) link
that amazon uk/us price diff is bonkers. is that common? or is that likely a mistake? i never shop on amazon uk.
― fact checking cuz, Thursday, 16 May 2013 03:07 (ten years ago) link
More common than you'd think. But Amazon US's price will eventually go down, and UK's will go up, though the latter will always be cheaper. Americans don't pay VAT on Amazon UK stuff, so subtract 15% from the price!
― crustaceanrebel, Thursday, 16 May 2013 03:36 (ten years ago) link
good to know!
― fact checking cuz, Thursday, 16 May 2013 04:08 (ten years ago) link
so subtract 15% from the price!
and probably add $15 or more for shipping, alas
― flesh, the devil, and a wolf (wolf) (amateurist), Thursday, 16 May 2013 04:16 (ten years ago) link
Actually, no. £3.08, or about $5 to the USA. Not bad for a 17 CD set.
― crustaceanrebel, Thursday, 16 May 2013 04:44 (ten years ago) link
oh wow. well, that's ordered.
― flesh, the devil, and a wolf (wolf) (amateurist), Thursday, 16 May 2013 06:42 (ten years ago) link
yup. ordered.
― fact checking cuz, Thursday, 16 May 2013 09:15 (ten years ago) link
Notice he does a version of "She's Just Laughing At Me", one of the standout tracks on Tiny Tim's 2nd album!
― Bees Against Racism (Tom D.), Thursday, 16 May 2013 09:24 (ten years ago) link
Seems rude not to.
― Mark G, Thursday, 16 May 2013 09:29 (ten years ago) link
Ordered.
― Bees Against Racism (Tom D.), Thursday, 16 May 2013 09:30 (ten years ago) link
My only hesitation for ordering this is that I already have everything but Skidoo from RCA. So I'd pretty much be paying for about half of the Sessions material (a bunch of it is bonus tracks on the other releases), mono mixes (yawn) and the packaging.
Still, $70 is pretty goddamned cheap.
― Naive Teen Idol, Thursday, 16 May 2013 12:00 (ten years ago) link
I have the Pand/Aerial/Combi 2CD set from a while back, and some of the vinyl albums.
This doesn't have the 'grapple' "Son of Dracula" does it? Will have to 'do' my vinyl copy and add it, I guess...
― Mark G, Thursday, 16 May 2013 12:03 (ten years ago) link
very tempted to get this
― Moodles, Thursday, 16 May 2013 13:21 (ten years ago) link
― Naive Teen Idol, Thursday, May 16, 2013 7:00 AM (1 hour ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink
just sell those other discs and you'll probably make enough to pay for 1/3 to 1/2 of the box set!
― flesh, the devil, and a wolf (wolf) (amateurist), Thursday, 16 May 2013 13:38 (ten years ago) link
Think I'll be giving my old CDs to friends who deserve to have Harry Nilsson in their lives
― Bees Against Racism (Tom D.), Thursday, 16 May 2013 14:08 (ten years ago) link
― four Marxes plus four Obamas plus four Bin Ladens (Shakey Mo Collier), Thursday, 16 May 2013 16:23 (ten years ago) link
yeahhhh, i think i want this. i've actually got a bunch of these on beat up vinyl, so it would be nice to have remastered versions.
― tylerw, Thursday, 16 May 2013 16:25 (ten years ago) link
is there word on whether these are remastered from earlier releases? i would assume they are.... but who is doing the remastering?
i'm not expert on this but I do worry about the whole loudness stuff
― flesh, the devil, and a wolf (wolf) (amateurist), Thursday, 16 May 2013 16:31 (ten years ago) link
the glory of the beat-up vinyl is that some of these albums have got really fun sleeves (inners *and* outers)
― dschinghis kraan (NickB), Thursday, 16 May 2013 16:33 (ten years ago) link
coconut = the moment he became classic
― i also enjoy in line skateing (spazzmatazz), Thursday, 16 May 2013 16:35 (ten years ago) link
huh? he was way classic before that.
― flesh, the devil, and a wolf (wolf) (amateurist), Thursday, 16 May 2013 16:39 (ten years ago) link
Apparently Vic Anesini, who's done really nice work on a lot of things (e.g. the Roy Orbison Monument reissues from a few years ago) did some or all of the remastering (according to this Steve Hoffman Forum thread: http://forums.stevehoffman.tv/threads/nilsson-boxed-set-coming.264573/page-10#post-8876519"">Nilsson boxed set coming?).
― eatandoph (Neue Jesse Schule), Thursday, 16 May 2013 16:40 (ten years ago) link
thanks!
― flesh, the devil, and a wolf (wolf) (amateurist), Thursday, 16 May 2013 16:40 (ten years ago) link
i'm kind of shocked that they are releasing this, maybe they saw that for the love of harry blog and were like, "ha, we can best that"
― flesh, the devil, and a wolf (wolf) (amateurist), Thursday, 16 May 2013 16:41 (ten years ago) link
for me the appeal is the later albums, most of which I've never been able to hear/find. I have a bunch of the extras from previous reissues of the early/peak period stuff, but I've never heard any of the albums after Son of Schmillson (except for Knilllssson, which is pretty good)
― four Marxes plus four Obamas plus four Bin Ladens (Shakey Mo Collier), Thursday, 16 May 2013 16:53 (ten years ago) link
duit on mon dei and sandman are definitely a mixed bag (at best?)
the outtakes stuff is pretty exciting no?
― flesh, the devil, and a wolf (wolf) (amateurist), Thursday, 16 May 2013 16:54 (ten years ago) link
I've heard most of the demos/outtakes from Pussycats, Nilsson Schmillson, Aerial Ballet and Pandemonium Shadow Show (not too fond of the latter tbh) - but yeah the rest sounds interesting
― four Marxes plus four Obamas plus four Bin Ladens (Shakey Mo Collier), Thursday, 16 May 2013 17:00 (ten years ago) link
http://bp0.blogger.com/_3D4uW44cDSw/SHoYn-3F0gI/AAAAAAAACD4/xmrz11_oCO4/s1600-h/PROMO+Knnilssonn+Mask1.jpg
best novelty promo item ever?
― dschinghis kraan (NickB), Thursday, 16 May 2013 17:01 (ten years ago) link
whoops that didn't work. this thing i mean:http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_3D4uW44cDSw/SHoYn-3F0gI/AAAAAAAACD4/xmrz11_oCO4/s400/PROMO%2BKnnilssonn%2BMask1.jpg
― dschinghis kraan (NickB), Thursday, 16 May 2013 17:02 (ten years ago) link
I might want the biography more.
― Naive Teen Idol, Thursday, 16 May 2013 17:30 (ten years ago) link
I think this is my favorite Nilsson outtake
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rhj85VNUT_k
― four Marxes plus four Obamas plus four Bin Ladens (Shakey Mo Collier), Thursday, 16 May 2013 19:27 (ten years ago) link
Better than the albums themselves arguably!
― Bees Against Racism (Tom D.), Friday, 17 May 2013 09:02 (ten years ago) link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xoSCTktqOVw
― joe schmoladoo from 7-11 (Shakey Mo Collier), Wednesday, 7 August 2013 20:45 (ten years ago) link
he still looks young there, but it wasn't too long before he died :(
― flesh, the devil, and a wolf (wolf) (amateurist), Wednesday, 7 August 2013 21:11 (ten years ago) link
I had to look up who EJ Gold was, interesting career there
― joe schmoladoo from 7-11 (Shakey Mo Collier), Wednesday, 7 August 2013 21:12 (ten years ago) link
"jump into the fire" is so fantastic, i've just listened to it on repeat for a while
― flesh, the devil, and a wolf (wolf) (amateurist), Thursday, 8 August 2013 06:23 (ten years ago) link
Interesting article on a sports website from a guy seemingly obsessed with Nilsson
http://www.grantland.com/story/_/id/9529179/the-legacy-harry-nilsson
― One Way Ticket on the 1277 Express (Bill Magill), Thursday, 8 August 2013 14:35 (ten years ago) link
thanks for that!
it's probably just the bass and the echo effects but does "jump into the fire" sound kind of dub-y to anyone else?
― flesh, the devil, and a wolf (wolf) (amateurist), Friday, 9 August 2013 16:07 (ten years ago) link
dub-y and, weirdly, a bit like the minutemen
― flesh, the devil, and a wolf (wolf) (amateurist), Friday, 9 August 2013 16:08 (ten years ago) link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2p6TNytFsNY
― Uncle Cyril O'Boogie (C. Grisso/McCain), Sunday, 11 August 2013 19:57 (ten years ago) link
Still waiting for Amazon to deliver mine, it's now 10 days late
― Tommy McTommy (Tom D.), Monday, 12 August 2013 10:07 (ten years ago) link
I see the Mercury album got a recent re-release also.
― Mark G, Monday, 12 August 2013 10:17 (ten years ago) link
I don't got 'permission' to go in here anymore, what to do?
So far, I'm up to "Sandman", and I've not noticed a massive drop in quality..
― Mark G, Tuesday, 10 December 2013 15:41 (ten years ago) link
You haven't played "How to Write a Song" yet then
― Saturated with working class intelligence and not afraid to show it (Tom D.), Tuesday, 10 December 2013 18:19 (ten years ago) link
Possibly not.
― Mark G, Tuesday, 10 December 2013 23:40 (ten years ago) link
Actually, I had: It's not the greatest song on the album, but it ends well.
Also, the 'extra track' "A Tree out in the Yard" sounds a lot like Joe Strummer with the Mescaleros.
― Mark G, Wednesday, 11 December 2013 15:13 (ten years ago) link
"The Flying Saucer Song" is shite too
― Saturated with working class intelligence and not afraid to show it (Tom D.), Wednesday, 11 December 2013 15:38 (ten years ago) link
Thought I'd check out the lyrics:
http://www.songlyrics.com/harry-nilsson/the-flying-saucer-song-lyrics/
― Mark G, Wednesday, 11 December 2013 15:44 (ten years ago) link
LOL, Harry thought it was one of the best things he'd ever written... Jesus, but cocaine is a dangerous drug
― Saturated with working class intelligence and not afraid to show it (Tom D.), Wednesday, 11 December 2013 15:46 (ten years ago) link
Actually, the one on "Sandman" is a little better than the 'extra' version on Pussy Cats.
Was litening to the "Pussy Cats" one first, thought it "funny" but wondered how anyone would listen to it more than once. A b-side, maybe.
The "Sandman" would just bear repeat, but a b-side nonetheless...
― Mark G, Wednesday, 11 December 2013 15:48 (ten years ago) link
More like a z-side. Talking of cocaine, I do love "The Ivy Covered Walls"... and "Something True" of course.
― Saturated with working class intelligence and not afraid to show it (Tom D.), Wednesday, 11 December 2013 15:51 (ten years ago) link
What I don't understand is that his vocals are almost as pure and unblemished as in his heyday on both those tracks but definitely so on "The Ivy Covered Walls", so he must have had good and bad days
― Saturated with working class intelligence and not afraid to show it (Tom D.), Wednesday, 11 December 2013 15:54 (ten years ago) link
Well, yeah.
The legend goes, he never played live, and he shot his voice 'competing' with Lennon.
Had both those things been opposite, he could well have shot his voice that way.
― Mark G, Wednesday, 11 December 2013 16:00 (ten years ago) link
http://www.bustle.com/#/articles/102638-what-song-is-in-the-by-the-sea-trailer-perfect-day-is-both-an-ideal
See, when you hear a vocal and think "That's very Nilsson", its usually because it *is* Nilsson.
― Mark G, Tuesday, 11 August 2015 07:06 (eight years ago) link
I read the Nilsson bio earlier in the summer, it was a good book and had a lot of interesting details, but boy was it depressing! He was a mess for a long time and it is painful to read through the details of his very long decline.
― too young for seapunk (Moodles), Tuesday, 11 August 2015 14:51 (eight years ago) link
All That Jazz turned me onto Perfect Day.
― dan selzer, Tuesday, 11 August 2015 14:56 (eight years ago) link
Haven't read it but his childhood didn't sound like a bed of roses either.
― The Tony Hart Land (Tom D.), Tuesday, 11 August 2015 15:15 (eight years ago) link
Finally properly getting into Pandemonium Shadow Show after owning it for ages and ages. Lovely lovely album. I think of him so much as this shambling Seventies guy, it's refreshing to see him back in the setting of 1967, a twee sort of fellow, capitalizing on the Summer of Love's affair with penny-farthing times and Davy Jones stylings (re: "Cuddly Toy") even as it's clear he has much more of a stake in pre-war pop than probably any of his contemporaries. "She's Leaving Home" does more for this album than it does for Pepper's easily, "1941" is more affecting and insightful than either "Cat's in the Cradle" or "Lonely Boy," and "She Sang Hymns Out of Tune" prefigures "Without You" as a song that seems like such a Nilsson song it's hard to accept that it's actually a cover. Lovely record.
― Doctor Casino, Monday, 30 November 2015 16:40 (eight years ago) link
yeah it's a great album. the "River Deep-Mountain High" here is excellent, in particular when he shouts
AND NOW I'M GONNA BE AS FAITHFUL AS THAT PUPPY
and I'm like YES I'M GONNA BE THAT FAITHFUL TOO, as faithful as that puppy too
and you're not sure if he's pulling your leg, like does he "mean" it? like a puppy? LIKE A SCHOOLBOY LOVES HIS PET! my oh my
but all you have is the song, and what a song, and that's what he means.
― droit au butt (Euler), Monday, 30 November 2015 17:16 (eight years ago) link
Have always preferred Nilsson pre-Nilsson Schmilsson tbh, not that later Nilsson isn't great too, tho less consistently.
― Otago Imago (Tom D.), Monday, 30 November 2015 17:49 (eight years ago) link
I really don't like that first album, I guess pre-war pop is a hard-sell for me - all those tack pianos and stiff oompah rhythms
― Οὖτις, Monday, 30 November 2015 17:53 (eight years ago) link
There's not really that much 'pre-war' POP on the first album, it's fairly diverse, there's more of it on "Harry".
― Otago Imago (Tom D.), Monday, 30 November 2015 17:58 (eight years ago) link
Can't explain that POP there lol.
― Otago Imago (Tom D.), Monday, 30 November 2015 17:59 (eight years ago) link
Yeah, that's fair... guess I was thinking more the ~sensibility~ though that's tough to pin down evidence for. It just seems very disconnected from 1967, except for this one thread of everybody no matter how hard and scuzzy having one light, melodious pastiche of the olden days tossed somewhere on side B (see: Good Trip or Bummer? U.S. Psych Bands Doing "Old-Timey" Songs on Their Albums though I imagine you all know what I mean). And even where Nilsson isn't doing something specifically old-timey, the light touch and the clear, clean recordings mean that the old-timey numbers don't jump out as not being of-a-piece with the rest. It's very different from what he'd do on, say, Touch of Schmilsson in the Night but it still feels out-of-its-time, to me.
OTOH there's the argument that the wild psychy rock world was itself never 100% dominant, I mean lots of people('s parents) were still buying records by old squares in 1967. I was thinking the other night of trying to square Nilsson with Manilow somehow, Nilsson as Manilow minus the consistency of show-biz instincts, but plus a way better voice, something. It didn't really hold up though. I was pretty hungry at the time.
― Doctor Casino, Monday, 30 November 2015 20:20 (eight years ago) link
The material split between Aerial Ballet (a better album on the whole imo) and PSS kinda run together for me - I agree they fall into that "Psych Bands Doing Old Timey Songs" thread category (a la the Association's "Wasn't It a Bit Like Now" or VD Parks' "Song Cycle"). A whole album (or nearly a whole album) of that stuff grates on me, the affectation just isn't something that really gets me emotionally, it just feels like little kids playing dress up in grandma's clothes or something.
― Οὖτις, Monday, 30 November 2015 20:25 (eight years ago) link
lol I see I am the first post on that thread
and no mention of "Auntie Grizelda" for shame
― Οὖτις, Monday, 30 November 2015 20:27 (eight years ago) link
recent fave nilsson rarityhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A5CWyZhlheM
― tylerw, Monday, 30 November 2015 20:28 (eight years ago) link
Never thought of Auntie Grizelda as part of that whole business to be honest! More like dressing up as a psychedelic rock band, plus "antics," for the kids. See also important early Doctor Casino release Are there more songs like "Him Or Me (What's It Gonna Be)," "Your Auntie Grizelda," and "My Uncle Used To Love Me But She Died?" And if so, what are they? .
― Doctor Casino, Monday, 30 November 2015 20:42 (eight years ago) link
Watching "Midnight Cowboy" and was reminded how classic Nilsson was.
― Everything Moves Towards The Sun (Ross), Tuesday, 3 January 2017 06:28 (seven years ago) link
"Spaceman" is better than "Space Oddity" and "Rocket Man" you know
― the Rain Man of nationalism. (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Sunday, 23 July 2017 02:21 (six years ago) link
OTM
― Week of Wonders (Ross), Sunday, 23 July 2017 08:30 (six years ago) link
Picked up the Flash Harry reissue from a few years back and have to say it's better than I was ever led to believe. Lovely sound, some nice songs, Nilsson's pipes aren't in great shape but it's pleasant. People who like Knnillssonn and can tolerate Eric Idle will find this enjoyable.
― yellow is the color of some raisins (Doctor Casino), Wednesday, 16 August 2017 21:59 (six years ago) link
Just finished "Nilsson: The Life Of A Singer-Songwriter" by Alyn Shipton which I got out of the library. For an artist who died 25 years ago and who kind of flew under the radar in a lot of ways, it’s extremely well-written and researched and ultimately pretty heartbreaking. There are tons of great stories in here – including a crazy hitchhiking story when he was super young. The drama in his backstory alone—being told by his mother that his dad was dead when he had actually started another family, discovering in his forties that his parents had given birth to another brother—is pretty amazing. It’s not hard to understand what drove his music and self-destructiveness. There’s also a lot of good detail on the music itself and insight from his various collaborators (Richard Perry, VDP, Perry Botkin) on how (and why) he really sabotaged his own career. It really paints Son of Schmilsson as a pivotal record in him turning his back on stardom – I knew about “You’re Breaking My Heart,” but less about him refusing to write a hit, do second takes and tone down dirty lyrics. Perry tells one story of trying to get him to only release the second, more romantic half of “The Most Beautiful World in the World” but Harry insisted that the cod-reggae first half be included and ending the record with the lines:And over your shoulderYou look back to see if it's realTell her she's beautifulRoll the world overAnd give her a kiss and a feelAlso lots of great detail on his mid-70s party records, Popeye shenanigans in Malta, stage and film work in the 80s. Like most of these things, it’s pretty depressing in parts, but also fascinating in that he was creative, productive and witty to the end, beloved by an enormous group of friends and utterly uncompromised. You want to be sad but as the author notes, it’s hard to think the guy didn’t wrench every minute out of his 52 years.
― Naive Teen Idol, Wednesday, 23 May 2018 16:50 (five years ago) link
thanks for sharing that
nilsson sings newman is so fucking good
― Music is confidence (Ross), Wednesday, 23 May 2018 17:49 (five years ago) link
Some great stuff on that album as well -- going in to how the overdubbing Nilsson does with his voice on that was pretty much without precedent at the time (and may still be). I may even want to go read that passage again, now that I think of it ...
― Naive Teen Idol, Wednesday, 23 May 2018 18:06 (five years ago) link
how the overdubbing Nilsson does with his voice on that was pretty much without precedent at the time (and may still be)
slow yr roll there
― Οὖτις, Wednesday, 23 May 2018 18:07 (five years ago) link
I mean, this was post-"Smile"
― Οὖτις, Wednesday, 23 May 2018 18:08 (five years ago) link
Did Smile have a lot of overdubs? Edits yes, but not aware of it having lots of multi-tracked vocs.
― Mario Meatwagon (Moodles), Wednesday, 23 May 2018 18:42 (five years ago) link
heard some of the Popeye demos on WFMU
― the ignatius rock of ignorance (Dr Morbius), Wednesday, 23 May 2018 18:45 (five years ago) link
is this a joke...
― Οὖτις, Wednesday, 23 May 2018 18:46 (five years ago) link
there are tons of multi-tracked vocals all over the Beach Boys work from like '66 on, including demos/early studio versions where Brian would do all the voices himself etc.
― Οὖτις, Wednesday, 23 May 2018 18:50 (five years ago) link
and the stuff on Smile is particularly dense
not to take away from Nilsson - who was an incredible singer and vocal arranger - but he was not unique in this regard, or the first (or the last). Certainly post-1970 there's tons of intricately arranged, densely multi-tracked vocals on pop records, from stuff I hate (like Queen, who definitely went up into the high end of numbers of tracks range) to stuff I love (like the Bee Gees).
Personally I'm a little skeptical of the "118 overdubs" claim in 1970, I'd like to see the tracklist for that, given that the first 24-track recorder wasn't even invented until 4 years later. In 1970 putting 118 tracks on a recording (presumably using a 16-track recorder) would probably involve a serious amount of signal degradation due to all the bounce-downs you'd have to do.
― Οὖτις, Wednesday, 23 May 2018 18:57 (five years ago) link
Sounds like 118 nilssons tho
― don piano (Ross), Wednesday, 23 May 2018 19:01 (five years ago) link
I'm with you on hating Queen despite their craftsmanship.
Yeah, there are def. some similarities on this record with Smile (which, mind, was mostly unreleased in 1969). Nilsson def. also had an obsessive quality to getting vocal takes right (which apparently annoyed Newman -- he prob. meant "118 takes"). And there is a Glenn Gould-ish aspect to how tracks on both records are spliced together to create the feeling of a perfect, seamless performance (and of course, Smile/VDP-->Song Cycle/"Vine Street"-->Nilsson Sings Newman/"Vine Street").
But there are some pretty big differences, as well, not least of which is that Smile is a big, maximalist record performed by a studio orchestra and sung by an ensemble and Nilsson Sings Newman is a record where the dude himself is an orchestra. While there are vocal overdubs on Smile, most of the "wow" factor on that album is the arrangements. Also, Nilsson Sings Newman is in stereo, which Nilsson's vocal arrangements use to great effect.
Beyond that tho, is Nilsson's voice, which was more far more versatile than anyone's in the Beach Boys. Don't get me wrong, I love the purity of Brian's voice and Carl's vocals on Wild Honey but no one in the Beach Boys was ever going to pull off something like "Without You" or "Spaceman" (or even "Sail Away" from years later). Even by 1969, the strength of Nilsson's voice lets him explore some pretty sophisticated, witty arrangements, and create different shades to the music (i.e., "I'll Be Home"'s gospel choir -- or "Vine Street," which feels Beach Boys-esque in places but without any trace of the Four Freshman) In general, there is a more seamless feel to his arrangements.
All that said, I don't hear Nilsson Sings Newman as some masterpiece in the way Smile is -- it's a great record but a small one. And what I find most fascinating about it is how he's using someone else's songs as a springboard for his own vocal experiments. And I think a lot of that experimentation is still unique.
― Naive Teen Idol, Wednesday, 23 May 2018 21:13 (five years ago) link
yeah that all makes sense. Nilsson def had a better, more versatile voice than any of the Boys
― Οὖτις, Wednesday, 23 May 2018 21:20 (five years ago) link
One of my best recent vinyl scores was a nice copy of Son of... w/the poster for only $3.
― Making Plans For Sturgill (C. Grisso/McCain), Wednesday, 23 May 2018 22:07 (five years ago) link
love that record so much.
Nilsson as a vocal genuis is pretty evident right from the start of his career (see his version of "You Can't Do That"). also good to note there is a difference between singing in a group (a la Beach Boys) vs singing alone. for one rehearsal is a lot more difficult to do!
― Hazy Maze Cave (Adam Bruneau), Wednesday, 23 May 2018 22:35 (five years ago) link
his cover of many rivers to cross gets a lot of play around here
― don piano (Ross), Wednesday, 23 May 2018 22:37 (five years ago) link
for one rehearsal is a lot more difficult to do!
I dunno, is it? Maybe this is a funny question that only musicians care about but in some ways one person with a recording device is actually easier - you only have to get it right once, then every time you hear it back it's always the same and you build the next part on top of that, then overdub another one, etc. It's sequential and iterative. Whereas with a group everyone has to learn/write/know their individual parts (have them written out in advance, or have someone like Brian Wilson sing them to you etc.) and each person has to hit it right every time or it sounds bad. So there you have to get everyone in their assigned spot and then just practice it and refine it til it's as good as it can get. They're different approaches, but I'm not sure one is inherently easier (or better) than the other.
― Οὖτις, Wednesday, 23 May 2018 22:56 (five years ago) link
and obviously the latter approach is tailored to performing live, the former isn't and is strictly a studio creation
― Οὖτις, Wednesday, 23 May 2018 22:57 (five years ago) link
NTI expressed what i was trying to say about Smile, but with much more detail and clarity. They are recordings built around elaborate orchestrations and edits rather than obsessive overdubs.
― Mario Meatwagon (Moodles), Wednesday, 23 May 2018 23:05 (five years ago) link
there are a ton of vocal overdubs!but sure whatever
― Οὖτις, Wednesday, 23 May 2018 23:06 (five years ago) link
when rehearsing in a group you can sit around with 3-4 other guys who all know their parts and rehearse that stuff simultaneously, continuously, tape rolling or not. you can rehearse in the back of the car on the way to the studio.
as a solo performer, i guess you can rehearse with a tape of yourself and build it track by track. you don't see how this is more painstaking than working out harmonies all-at-once with a bunch of singers who have been singing together since they were teenagers? no room for on the spot adjustments of "oh, how about you go low here and i'll go high".
― Hazy Maze Cave (Adam Bruneau), Wednesday, 23 May 2018 23:10 (five years ago) link
I've done both and they're both a pain in the ass (ok granted I don't have the blood harmony thing at my disposal, that's a pretty big differentiator)
― Οὖτις, Wednesday, 23 May 2018 23:19 (five years ago) link
but like I said, the solo recording only has to get each part right once. The group has to rehearse for hundreds of hours.
the solo performer has to rehearse and arrange for hundreds of hours as well. think about how much time Brian Wilson spent arranging that material. we are talking a lot of long days with no breaks. it's not like the singer 1 can go take a break and drink some honey tea while singer 2 does some overdubs. if you are a solo performer you kind of have to be on all the time. this is hard on your throat (keep in mind Nilsson did blow out his voice pushing it too hard).
imo Harry was exceptional because doing this was (seemingly) easy for him. part long hours of hard work part the natural talents of having an incredible singing voice. he can be very smooth, controlled, and on-key, but also really rock n roll, really drunk, loose, silly. his range is vast yet in a real pleasing, pop way. he has powerful command of his own voice. he's a great songwriter as well which always helps.
fwiw he doesn't have to be the sole pioneer of a style or anything, he is just fantastic, his music speaks for itself. it takes a big talent to be able to do this with your voice. i see him as in line with people like Buddy Holly or Brian Eno, the avant pop studio experimenalist. he excels at using overdubs to create a layered voice-as-instrument effect. in the spirit of something like this:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZcuojSU_hOY
― Hazy Maze Cave (Adam Bruneau), Wednesday, 23 May 2018 23:39 (five years ago) link
I've been non stop listening to Knillssonn for the last week. Arguably one of his best albums.
― stranded, Thursday, 24 May 2018 08:33 (five years ago) link
Well, I don't know, Brian and Carl are pretty good singers! I get a strong Bobby Darin vibe off (in particular, but not exclusively) Nilsson's first album.
― Poisoned by Johan's pea soup. (Tom D.), Thursday, 24 May 2018 17:41 (five years ago) link
https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/pop-genius-harry-nilsson-left-an-unreleased-record-behind-now-you-can-finally-hear-the-completed-version/2019/09/24/0ae20126-dec7-11e9-b199-f638bf2c340f_story.html
― a bevy of supermodels, musicians and Lena Dunham (C. Grisso/McCain), Wednesday, 25 September 2019 17:07 (four years ago) link
wow, almost didnt recognize his voice on that sample track
― “Hakuna Matata,” a nihilist philosophy (One Eye Open), Thursday, 26 September 2019 12:17 (four years ago) link
UCLA sounds completely in keeping with latter day Nilsson. Title track, agree, sounds like nothing else he did. I would love to hear the demos as well.
― Naive Teen Idol, Friday, 27 September 2019 19:23 (four years ago) link
https://i.imgur.com/Boy1C5O.png
dude was ahead of his time...
https://open.spotify.com/track/6fvIzrJ6boUDFF19fH4S2s?si=a48JN0ddSVeLd89E0LCCDQ
― corrs unplugged, Monday, 14 October 2019 07:28 (four years ago) link
There are some days where I think that Pussy Cats may be his best album.
― Mr. Cacciatore (Moodles), Wednesday, 21 October 2020 23:36 (three years ago) link
It's been reported that Zak Nilsson (Harry's son) has passed away after a long struggle with colon cancer.
I didn't know this, but when Paul McCartney heard he was starting chemo, he sent him this letter.
― birdistheword, Friday, 5 March 2021 02:07 (three years ago) link
Confirmed on the Nilsson FB page.e
He appears w/Mom & Dad in the upper corner of the Son of... gatefold.
https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/2176/9085/products/R-682504-1350386714-1971_jpeg_1024x1024.jpg?v=1598380339
― "what are you DOING to fleetwood mac??" (C. Grisso/McCain), Friday, 5 March 2021 02:24 (three years ago) link
Just saw this. RIP.
― The Ballad of Mel Cooley (James Redd and the Blecchs), Friday, 5 March 2021 04:15 (three years ago) link
Recently picked up ... That's the Way it Is as I continue very slowly filling in his post-Pussy Cats records. It's good! STE at Allmusic always gave me the sense this was the nadir of his recorded output, but it's feeling very consistent with Knnillssonn and Sandman, just wayyy more reliant on covers and therefore less compositionally or melodically surprising. If you like 50% or more of those records, you'd probably like 50% or more of this one.
― Bobo Honk, real name, no gimmicks (Doctor Casino), Friday, 2 July 2021 14:11 (two years ago) link
That run of three albums: "Duit on Mon Dei", "Sandman" and "...That's the Way It Is", is pretty dire compared to the rest of his discography, although there's definitely good (even great) stuff on all those albums. "Knnillsson" is different beast entirely.
― Are Animated Dads Getting Hotter? (Tom D.), Friday, 2 July 2021 14:22 (two years ago) link
i hardly ever put them on individually, but there are enough good tracks across all of them to put together a pretty good album-length playlist imo
― nobody like my rap (One Eye Open), Friday, 2 July 2021 15:36 (two years ago) link
Yes, you could get one very good album out of the three, shorn of dross like "How to Write a Song" et al.
― Are Animated Dads Getting Hotter? (Tom D.), Friday, 2 July 2021 16:11 (two years ago) link
https://i.imgur.com/utaGNbW.jpgThis came on and I was like “how did I not know that Lennon covered this?”
― calstars, Thursday, 10 August 2023 00:54 (eight months ago) link
Interesting to compare Nilsson's "Vine Street" to Van Dyke Parks' version starting off "Song Cycle"...
Or Harpers Bizarre's version.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sEkbPrsoX_c
― Hunky Tory (Tom D.), Saturday, 6 April 2024 15:55 (one week ago) link
... and Lulu's version!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=epxh3CetPo8
that Harpers Bizarre version is nice
― Muad'Doob (Moodles), Monday, 8 April 2024 13:31 (one week ago) link
This came on and I was like “how did I not know that Lennon covered this?”
Because he didn't? Lennon used the same string arrangement for "#9 Dream."
Nilsson's version is a cover tho ... of a Jimmy Cliff song.
― Naive Teen Idol, Monday, 8 April 2024 15:44 (one week ago) link
Lennon freely admitted he copped it too.
― poppers fueled buttsex crescendo (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Monday, 8 April 2024 15:46 (one week ago) link