Robyn Hitchcock/Soft Boys: Classic or Dud?

'Watch Your Intelligence' FTW

yep.

I hate A&M for not giving a fuck about those records. Criminal.

For reasons too boring to go into, I have been A/B'ing the Rhino and Yep Roc remasterings of Fegmania. I think I actually prefer the Rhino by a wee bit. The Yep Roc strikes me as a bit too thumpy for the crowded, colorful sound field of these recordings. This is a paisley party record, the only one of its ilk he ever made, and it needs to glitter more than it needs to rock.

― here is no telephone (Jon Lewis), Tuesday, January 22, 2013 12:27 PM (2 weeks ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

Unfortunately I would like to report the same finding wrt Element of Light Rhino vs. Yep Roc. The essential sound color of Element is the ring and shimmer of Robyn's telecaster; on the Yep Roc they have given so much thump to the kick drum that every time it hits it fractures the sustained tones around it a little. The diff is not huge but i def prefer the Rhino sound. And Rhino has that amazing, amazing 'Raymond Chandler Evening' demo.

Maybe RH wanted to take some of the 80s sheen off this record with its FM synths and Andy's chorused bass, but if so he has thrown the babby out with the bathwater.

I didn't get rid of any of my Rhino reissues because of all the missing tracks on the Yep Roc ones. I'll have to dig them out.

The liner notes were great too. It was so exciting when those were coming out 2 per month in 1994(?).

And Rhino has that amazing, amazing 'Raymond Chandler Evening' demo.
yeahhh, incredible that they took that off of the yep roc element of light. that is probably one of my top ten fave robyn recordings.

He probably omitted it on purpose. RH is a perverse fellow.

"And that could not have been rasher!"

*everyone loses their shit*

is that one not on the yep roc edition either? sheesh.
still ridiculous to me that there's not a soft boys live comp. that'd blow plenty of minds imo.

Robyn has one of the most rereleased and yet still utterly baffling discographies in history.

The Ryko 2CD is the best Soft Boys release ever. So fucking smart. Those Wading Through A Ventilator EP tracks aren't in print on ANYTHING now!

And 'Salamander'!!!!

yep. The best single Hitchcock related release ever.

^^^ yeah-- I'd even go that far.

it's a legit overview, a rarities comp, and a best-of all in one. And of course it's long, long out of print.

yeah, it's amazing that is out of print.

I think it's cause it pulls stuff from several different licensors/labels. Tricky to renew, I suppose.

I remember reading there was going to be a Soft Boys box from Yep Roc like the two Hitchcock ones, but they didn't sell as well as expected so we got the bog standard reissues instead. Absolutely criminal if that's the truth.

The reissues werent even bog standard, they were only vinyl or download right?

it's cool that robyn has a supportive label like yep roc, but can't help feel that his catalog has been underserved by them. soft boys records deserve exhaustive numero group style reissues.

Didn't the "Raymond Chandler Evening" demo move to the "While Thatcher Mauled England" discs?

His discography isn't all that complicated - you need everything released in every version on every format. Well, at least that's how it feels.

You need three CD versions of Black Snake, even! The first CD is the only one to retain the saxophones on 'The Man Who Invented Himself'.

Underwater Moonlight and A Can Of Bees got cd releases from yep roc. Also came with a code for download only bonus stuff, which was basically just the second disc of the Matador Moonlight and the Invisible Hits disc. And of course, stuff got left off. Gone are the shorter version of "Sandra", live versions of "Anglepoise Lamp" and "Ugly Nora", and "Fatman's Son".

lol, that's another thing -- invisible hits! classic album, now seemingly disowned. that stuff is as good as anything the soft boys did, shouldn't just be relegated to bonus track status.

Just tracks in the ether these days. *sigh* In the realm of bits and bobs with the Groovy/Gravy/Decay/coy/o recordings, only not even purchasable separately.

Shame upon shame the way his catalog is managed/mangled.

I swear he does it himself. Just look at the tracks he decides to leave off his proper albums! God bless him but he is an odd bastard.

Was it in Sex, Death, Food... that he said he has no idea what the good songs are? I understand that, but if you don't know let it all hang out. The here then gone then back in a different form then gone again shit is stupid.

Didn't he say he wasn't going to release physical media anymore? I guess he's not sticking to that line.

Tracks from the new album are, I'm told, previewed on this Guardian podcast. I just started listening.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/audio/2013/feb/07/music-weekly-robyn-hitchcock-delphic

^So, you guys should listen to that. The Robyn part is the first 15 minutes or so. I don't know what I think of the new stuff! It's not too far from Respect (lively band sound led by acoustic instead of electric) but this SOUNDS much more home studio than Respect did. The use of effects is more frankly artificial/surreal. I'm gonna be get the record as soon as it's out because I'm truly intrigued.

And today, there's this!

http://thequietus.com/articles/11363-robyn-hitchcock-favourite-albums?page=1

he's very fun to listen to in that podcast

I like when they go on to discuss Reg Presley's practice of eating gold.

LOL

He ill-treated those men, yes, but they let him do it and also they produced Trout Mask Replica. People have been treated worse for less. It’s interesting meeting Magic Band survivors now; they’re all Beefheart casualties and they all suffer from hats. They all wear hats and they make these oblique remarks and you think, they’re not really like that, but Beefheart imposed his personality on them when they were so young. It was like Dr Van Vliet’s Academy For Boys. I’ve met about four of them and they’re all suffering from hats. He sent them off on a particular direction they wouldn’t really have gone in and they’re grateful in a way and they resent him in a way and I think they also resent the fact that that’s what they’re known for, this guy. But it’s thanks to them.

Haven't gotten that far, but re eating gold to live forever, maybe Reg's migrated from his body's resting place to the nearest vein of gold (do they have any in the UK). "I"ve never played Lincolnshire", but saw a little doc of him playing New Jersey etc bars w the Venus 3; pretty cool. Peter Buck said he was so glad to get away from R.E.M. (years before they officially split) I enjoy the excerpts of new songs. Think RH tends to be auto-compared to Lennon, but here seems more like Harrison at his sharpest.

once saw hitchcock do a pretty killer "blue jay way"
quietus thing is great. the bit about him and buck arguing over byrds riffs is funny.

The Guardian podcast is what I'm listening to; might be signif diff excerpts on quietus

Boy do I love his Quietus commentary. Seems like the background music should be "Tell Me About Your Drugs" as he seems to bring it up for each artist. I hadn't realized he was straight-edge though it's always been clear he didn't need drugs to see the weirdess of life.

Monday, February 25th with Irene Trudel 12-3pm: On the eve of a brand new album, a tour and a significant birthday, Robyn Hitchcock is dropping by some of his favorite radio stations with solo performance sessions. In advance of the new album, Robyn will be ensconced in WFMU's Love Room to play songs from his newest disc, "Love from London," to be released in early March.

But I don't see anything NYC in his tour dates. If anyone hears of a short notice nyc show adjacent to this radio date please lemme know!

guess the new one is on itunes now?

you can pre-order it. Not out until next month.

ah, ok i don't think i even knew you could preorder something on itunes...shucks, i was excited to hear it!

One track streaming, and Webster Hall NYC 4/26 with the Venus 3 announced:

http://www.brooklynvegan.com/archives/2013/02/robyn_hitchcock_8.html

Peter Buck solo is the opener. I hope this doesn't mean the date is about to sell out on presale, because I am so broke I can't preorder a ticket for another 2 weeks at least...

It has been awhile since NYC has seen a proper Hitch/Venus 3 show. I bought pre-sale tickets for this. I have a feeling that old school REM fans are going to snatch these tickets up quickly.

venus 3 has never come near me, annoyingly, but i was surprised when my brother told me the show he saw in san diego was not particularly packed. seems funny that the guitarist from one of the biggest bands of the last few decades would not be that much of a draw...but i guess if he's doing his own set, the rem die hards will come out.

tylerw, I think that's because your average lo-information hardcore REM fan probably has no idea Buck is in the Venus 3 but...I think when they hear he is opening this show solo they will arrive in droves. I could be wrong though.

yeah maybe -- REM is such a weird band in that there's really no superstar in the group. obviously stipe comes close, but i don't think anyone is clamoring for a stipe solo album? and it's pretty difficult to imagine any of them playing REM tunes in a solo setting.

But I could see Hitch hopping on stage w/him to maybe give one or two of them a try.

yeah i think i've heard hitchcock doing electrolite with buck, berry, mills?

or maybe not berry
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hmrTGPB2aaw
kind of a cruddy vid, but hey

listening to him on the bbc NOW. "pink dress" (i think?) sounded awesome, kinda element of light-y.