Dexy's Midnight Runners: Classic Or Dud

I hate bands with clever names. They should have names that aren't trying to be clever at all, like Ray Gae & Skadorfis Skadorfis Skadorfis Skadorfis (featuring members of mid-90's ska stars, Orafice Skadorafice).

I think for precisely the Soul/Stax/Northern Soul influences cited by Dr. C, 1980s Americans wouldn't have found Dexy's accessible because of the soul influences but in spite of them. Americans don't have the same tradition of Blue Eyed Northern Soul as the British (we have the original) -- I have always been curious about Nothern Soul, actually. What is it?

Dexy's only made sense to me in the context of British post-punk -- artists like the Jam, Secret Affair, Magazine -- because Kevin's Rowland's vocals and attitude make the overall effect come off more like the Boomtown Rats than conventional soul artists. He sounds more angry than hurt. 1980s American angry was more along the lines of JFA and the DKs and, you know, so Dexy's wouldn't necessarily appeal to that audience, either. And Dexy's do the weird, 2-part song thing that we American's don't usually understand (like in "Geno," the Jams's "Little Boy Soldiers;" Queen's "Bohemian Rhapsody" . . . ) Ok there are exceptions, but it usually presents a major stumbling block.

Classic, by the way. I never, ever, ever tire of of Don't Stand Me Down. I think 25% of my ILM posts mention it.

(Here is where I can put in my plug for Kevin's solo album "The Wanderer" --no, not that horrible covers record from a couple years ago but a county and western album from 1988 or so. Has anyone on the face of this earth besides me ever heard it?)

I was just listening to this right now, being as I'm listening to Too-Rye-Ay, and now my memory of this song is the exultant sing/dance/shoutalong to it at the ending of Tom E's wedding FAP in London last October -- and Mike Daddino dancing on a chair to boot.

Yeah, pretty damn classic.

I can essentially stand by what I and the lovely Msrk S said.

A question unanswered here is: why do Geezers love Dexy's?

Classic - Come on Eileen is one of the greatest pop songs ever written, and each of their albums is my favourite in a different way. If forced I might opt for Don't Stand Me Down as their masterpiece, but that's only because it's the last one I listened to. One of my favourite bands...

New Dexys album in 2012. Involves Mick Talbot.

http://thequietus.com/articles/06562-new-dexys-album-in-2012

Obviously there's been talk of this before but it feels like something might actually be occurring this time...

Kind of extcited and very nervous for this. I did like the two new songs on the best of and that demo they put on Myspace a few yeas ago was pretty cool so I'm hoping this will of a similar quality. The reunion show I saw them do in 2003 was the best gig I've ever been to, so much love for this band.

Guitarist is this fellow:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neil_Hubbard

Seems like quite a lineup.

http://new.assets.thequietus.com/images/articles/6562/kev_1310344176_crop_420x300.jpg
http://www.boxofficefootball.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/Arshavin-Meerkat.jpg

"Here is the influence "Don't Stand Me Down" had on the course of popular music.

None whatsoever.

You are all stupid scum and deserve to die, but that's another story."

http://www.hungoverdrawn.co.uk/dexys/03.html

only the plinth remains.

Chris Roberts all over the MFing money

Dug this out last week (I took a long time to find the DVD edition when I bought it. It should have been made obligatory)

The improvements (missing tracks added, general sonic improvements) and the fact that there were at least two singles that should have been issued, means that this was designed by KRowland to be a 'neglected masterpiece'.

As it was, the LP version was dominated by the conversational bits. It needed more songs, and now it has them.

At the moment, I am listening to "The Projected Passion Revue" on Spotify, I recommend this.

wd have to listen to it separately, i will never contradict K. Rowland's decisions on anything

Well, he decided it should come out, so yeh.

As it was, the LP version was dominated by the conversational bits. It needed more songs

I dont agree with this at all.

Well, that's how it seemed to me at the time.

(Yeah, that does read a bit Geirlike: purely my opinion there, probably should have played it more at the time.)

.. buat having "Kev Rowl's 13th dream" opening it now makes so much more sense, why did they not have it there in the first place? Running time issues?

BECAUSE IT'S PERFECT AS ORIGINALLY RELEASED

otm, 13th Dream a huge opener. Occasional Flicker makes sense, sort of, as statement of intent, but it's slow burn.

Quietus article mentions it, but in case Londoners do not know, Rowland DJing at How does It Feel on Saturday. I enjoyed it last time - he plays some 70s soul, sings along a bit (led crowd in acapella continuation of 'Let's Go Round Again'), generally A Good Time (though I spent large part of evening working myself up to say thank you for all the music, meant a lot to me etc etc to him). Will try to get along, but may have to persuade girlfriend. Not her crowd.

sorry xp otm, nv offtm

how often does he do this?

once every couple of years I think. This is the third time.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/c/c1/Dexys_Midnight_Runners_Don%27t_Stand_Me_Down_Director%27s_Cut.jpg/220px-Dexys_Midnight_Runners_Don%27t_Stand_Me_Down_Director%27s_Cut.jpg http://www.strikeforce.com/imagesprites/vs.png http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/3/31/Dexys_Midnight_Runners_Don%27t_Stand_Me_Down.jpg/220px-Dexys_Midnight_Runners_Don%27t_Stand_Me_Down.jpg

maybe in two years i'll go

er, the director's cut looks way better at cd size, the original only works at vinyl size, so y'know

only saw the 12 minute This Is What She's Like Video (dailymotion + adverts, couldn't find a full youtube, soz) a few months ago – really show how great that look is/was.

The CD+DVD version sold for around £10 recently on ebay.

There's two on there now, but for £84 or £40, maybe waiting would be best...

I always thought the Creation issue was just fine. The "poor mastering" or whatever always struck me as total revisionist horseshit, an outgrowth of KR's tendency toward self-loathing (just as the "MY DEAR FRIEND VINCENT CRANE, RIP" stuff on the original DSMD reissue seemed way over the top in retrospect -- probably had more to do with the fact that the dude died and struggled with manic depression all his life than the fact that he was one of Kev's soul brothers).

Love the guy, but he's not the guy I go to for a strict accounting of the past.

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6016/5931169483_b81253c34d_b.jpg

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6027/5931732896_f3f588d26d_z.jpg

KR looks like Alan Partridge in the pic from the opened-up booklet

I've always loved Don't Stand Me Down but the Director's Cut made it an even better album for me. Kevin Rowland's 13th Time works so much better as an opener than The Occasional Flicker. I seem to remember in the sleeve notes Kevin said he didn't want it on the original issue as he thought some of the drums were slightly out of time, didn't hear it myself. Not many moments in songs make me smile as much as him telling his joke half way through the song, especially the other band members reactions.

The DVD is essential, This Is What She's Like is so much fun but it's the performance of Listen To This that sums up just why I love them so much.

i've only ever heard the director's cut, haven't much tried to get into anything else they've done, but i fuckin love this to death:

You ever hear the one about the, ah, middle-class idiots, who sort of spend all their time analyzing their own emotions? And writin bullshit poetry? You know, that we're supposed to read? I mean as if we're fuckin interested.

where would that This Is What She's Like video have been seen at the time? i mean it's 12 minutes long and yet the single edit of the song was 3 minutes!

Absolutely nowhere, that's where.

Which was (one of) the problem(s).

New record.

I'll admit I was scared, but on a first listen it sounds tremendous. And their LPs are always growers, right?

Very Growers.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Dexys-Midnight-Runners-Dont-Stand-Me-Down-CD-DVD-2002-Directors-Cut-/200749223250?pt=UK_CDsDVDs_CDs_CDs_GL&hash=item2ebd960d52

A reasonable price (at the moment), you guys!

I'm really addicted to Nowhere is Home at the moment, his vocals sound so strong. Really quite excited for the album now. Some days I think they might just be my favourite band ever.

Is the book about them by Richard White worth reading?

This was them last night. They were brilliant.

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-_Y2DL6vt9VM/T6RUOlDT7sI/AAAAAAAAEIk/--7CABupVH4/s887/1336159526568.jpg

How were the new songs?

That's a draft lyric for the first verse of "Come On Eileen"

"This Is What She's Like" is rubbish. The contemporaneous critics were right.

I love it.

I don't get it

What, the Little Nibble?

I love it.

I love it.

I love it.

I love it.

i have ears and a soul (tbc), so I love it.

Sounds like thin gruel spread over too many minutes. And the ambiguity of the lyrics don't do anything for me, especially the opening dialogue. I'm missing something, clearly. But it always sends me back to Too Rye Aye

You want Kevin to tell you what she’s like? He’s really trying to!

It's SO ANNOYING!

As per ILX teachings, this post reveals dog latin secretly fancies "This Is What She's Like".

That dog latin, what's he like?

Well i listened to the first half of Don't Stand Me Down this morning so the revive was worth it

Lolled several times, Kevin's rambling still cracks me up

I bet dog latin puts creases in his old Levis

I might need the appeal of this song explaining to me. I feel daft in that I fundamentally don't get it.

Musically it sounds like a thin, jammy imitation of their tighter more, balls-out previous work.

And then I simply don't understand the premise or appeal of the song.

Why would you be talking behind someone's back about what someone thinks of someone else and then have them struggle to explain that opinion to them for 12 limp minutes? Is that the point, that he's dithering? Who is SHE to them? Is that the point, the ambiguity of it all?

When he says he DOESN'T like people who put creases in their jeans and attend CND rallies or whatever, is that the person She is like? Or is She not like them?

In time, in time

a lot of time