New Scott Walker album: 'The Drift'

Have you heard much Mauricio Kagel? What is your opnion of his work. Iam curious as Iam just approaching it for the first time.

(search the archives and you'll find threads on all composers mentioned so far.)

Scott brought his own records..... played:

Johnny Ace Pledging My Love
He told how Johnny Ace comitted suicide on the road, while playing Russian Roulette before going onstage.

Played the first record he ever bought and the reason why he wanted to be a singer..Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers Why do Fools Fall In Love

Bought a lot of Doo wop records, thought the best of the bands was The Flamingos, but forgot to bring the record along

Loved the young Elvis in the Sun/RCA days everything he did before going into the army.

Played PJ Harvey To Bring You My Love, said he had seen her on tv and really liked this album.. "This one really appealed to me" "I like it, its got a thing running through it, its consistent and its got enough space in it".

Went on to discuss blues/doowop bands namechecked John Lee Hooker, BB King, Robert Johnston, Howling Wolf.

Played Gyorgy Ligeti's violin concerto next saying it was almost in the style of John Tavener, which he didn't always like, but to listen for the occarinas.. went on to say they were "magical" , and "what an idea!"

Next discussed classical music of course loves Beethoven, "an obsession of mine" Boulez, Stockhausen, mentioned Frank Zappa and the French composer he had been influenced by.
Like John Cage, but was not influenced by him as much.

Said he usually works to a blueprint, but the musicians have to come up with sounds too, and it could change everything. Said his lyrics are not like poetry as much as Lou Reed's are. He said "I'm going for the lyric" "There's a basic blueprint, but when you're working with musicians, I like to work with them live.... things change .......sometimes it will be radically altered by a sound someone comes up with that says it better" Said " we are all struggling for lyric now there's not a lot left to say with language now".

Next played The Drifters, Let The Music Play... stressed this was the original Drifters, not one of the touring bands. The "interesting Drifters with singers like Rudy Lewis and Ben E. King".

Discussed the songwriters like Bacharach/David and Pomus/Schuman, said "it worked fantastically well." Touched on Brel's connection/translations by Schuman knew him through his management, with Eric Blau the French composer.

Talked about Phil Spector, said he "had been through that period, liked "barer records" now. but loved the Spector stuff.

Was asked about touring, and talked about the Walker Bros tour with Jimi Hendrix/Engelbert/Cat Stevens.......( I saw that one!)...and about the 60's saying "it was really really bizarre,........it it was so crazy, and we were all a bit out of and I don't remember so much of the 60's like .. people often say , its a cliche.. if you remember it you weren't really there.. I really wasn't!"

Played The Long Hot Summer, Jimmie Rodgers.

The djs tried to get him to talk about his album,,, and the length of some of the tracks, said he tries to get "space" and to let things "breathe" Compared it to European movies ie Three Colours Red,, said it just unfolds.

Said he is "always changing my mind" about what movies/music he likes, When he lived in Scandinavia, he couldn't understand that the people over there "didn't give a damn about Bergman".

Last track played was 9 Inch Nails,,, end of the interview tape failed so no track name.

its a 50 minute interview, just picked out the relevant bits of interest.

Geri

First time I listened to this record was in the pitch dark with a double scotch. It seemed fitting for the mood, somehow.

It then goes on to talk about how the editorial staff had problems with this stance until many of them confessed a similar dislije of having their pictures taken.

It's a good article; six pages (three text, three full page grainy b&w images from the recording studio – one appeared in the last issue of Q) including an interview and brief track run through with some explanations by Scott Walker.
Also includes quotes from Peter Walsh.

There is a full page advert for The Drift on page 5 and "The Office Ambience" – the current favourites on The Wire office stereo – features The Drift at number one.

http://www.thewire.co.uk/current/images/267cover.jpg

hehe

"Hand Me Ups" enters the psyche of a conflicted television 'personality'. [Scott Walker] "He takes it too far, he's jealous of his children. And he wants to be the child himself, and a celebrity. I wrote it during the first Big Brother, one of those awful things. He'll stop at nothing, including sacrificing his children on whatever altar, because they steal his youth and the focus of his attention, preventing him from living his dreams. That's why you hear the children's screams. And there's some quotes in there from The Iliad. So ... there we are." [end Scott Walker quote]

I chose to extract the "Hold Me Ups" paragraph because I don't recall it being discussed that much in this forum.

Apologies in advance if there are any errors in my transcription the [in brackets bits] are mine.

There are also some insights to the recording sessions and instruments – the big wooden box etc.

I think I preferred it when he refused to discuss the lyrics.

Scott Walker - The Drift
http://observer.guardian.co.uk/omm/10bestcds/story/0,,1756929,00.html
5 Stars *****

i'd rather read pretentious analyses than wankers incessantly telling other people to shut up

Petridish tries it with Scott in today's Grauniad.