The Return Of My Bloody Valentine

Like I said upthread I'd be totally happy if they began the set by announcing "This is a song we stopped working on in 1994" and broke into a half-hour of demolition jungle.

My fear would by they'd say "This is a song we stopped working on in 1998" rather than 94.

or maybe "This is a song we wrote hurriedly last night, because we found out our booking agent promised the Coachella people new music."

or "this is our tribute to Elton John"...

Interview with Shields here: http://www.austinchronicle.com/gyrobase/Blogs/Music?oid=oid%3A767977

OTR: Did you try out any new material?

KS: Not much, no, to be honest. We’re still working in the past. Even all the work I’ve done in the studio this year has largely been finishing off that record from the late Nineties.

OTR: Is that close to completion?

KS: Closer. At the time I was working on it there were about 15 to 17 tracks and there were only six or eight that I was really sure of. I was going through the process of actually narrowing it down and working on stuff and going, "You know what, this isn’t really working." Now the 11 tracks that are all going to on the record are clear. There was a reasonable amount of false starts ‘cause it’s basically half-done. It was half-made. It’s a weird process, sort of, restarting a record from such a long time ago. I had to be quite natural with it and not to rush it.

> not to rush it

lol

don't rush it, kev

Y'know I really love MBV and all, and that's an interesting interview but the whole "we make no money" thing is getting pretty old. By my reckoning they sold over 20,000 tickets on the uk tour last year, sold out every show, and all Shields can do is say they ended up in debt. Meh. And as for "I had to be quite natural with it and not to rush it", all I can think of is:

How you uh, how you comin' on that novel you're working on? Huh? Gotta a big, uh, big stack of papers there? Gotta, gotta nice little story you're working on there? Your big novel you've been working on for 3 years? Huh? Gotta, gotta compelling protagonist? Yeah? Gotta obstacle for him to overcome? Huh? Gotta story brewing there? Working on, working on that for quite some time? Huh? (voice getting higher pitched) Yea, talking about that 3 years ago. Been working on that the whole time? Nice little narrative? Beginning, middle, and end? Some friends become enemies, some enemies become friends? At the end your main character is richer from the experience? Yeah? Yeah? (voice returns to normal) No, no, you deserve some time off.

well, i dunno, he says they spent $600,000 just getting ready to tour ... You think they've profited that much (after paying road crew, etc.)? I'm asking, I actually have no idea.

Nah, I'm just crabby over Kev's whining and lack of actual ability to even get the remasters out. By the sound of it they must have got a real bung from Coachella, which would have made it worthwhile. And, in honesty, they did sound *incredible* in Manchester last year so if the bulk was spent on equipment then fair enough and that expense obviously gets offset the more shows they play.

no, i know what you mean -- it is odd for him to still be harping on the lack of touring funds for a brief US tour that took place in 1992 ... Does seem like he (rightfully) harbors some pretty serious grudges against the music industry in general -- the idea of them not making any $$ of of US sales of Loveless is wacky.

the idea of them not making any $$ of of US sales of Loveless is wacky.

But not surprising for ~1992 era sales/touring economics.

yeah, but over the span of 16 years -- surely they'd have worked off any record company debt, esp. with the album growing in stature over those years? Maybe I'm naive about that.

Since I don't have access to SoundScan data, I have no idea how many copies Loveless sold in the US. Less than 500,000, I guess, because it hasn't gone gold yet, has it? I would say, however, that even though tons of music nerds know and love MBV, the vast VAST majority of people in the U.S. have never heard of them.

In other words, it wouldn't surprise me if they didn't make much money at all on Loveless, considering the cost of recording it.

oh yeah, it can't have sold more than 500k -- way less, I imagine. but how much would it take for them to break even? maybe they got a ginormous advance or something. and spent it all on pedals.

So is there actually an opening band for this tour or what?

was there one last tour? nothing listed in any of the ads out here ...

was there one last tour?

Spectrum and Gemma Hayes

I have no idea how many copies Loveless sold in the US. Less than 500,000, I guess, because it hasn't gone gold yet, has it? I would say, however, that even though tons of music nerds know and love MBV, the vast VAST majority of people in the U.S. have never heard of them.

Copy/pasting from the Wikipedia page...

Loveless peaked at number 24 on the British album charts, and failed to chart in the United States, where it was distributed by Sire Records. In 2003 Rolling Stone estimated the sales figures for Loveless as 225,000 copies sold.

WWAAARRGGGGGGHHHHH!

So is there actually an opening band for this tour or what?

Kurt Heasley from the Lilys opened up tonight. Not sure if he's on for the whole tour.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3571/3449802600_906c9583d6.jpg
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3324/3448986817_e384324a5f.jpg
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3559/3449795578_a90ba191b0.jpg

=D

jealous as fuck

If the October shows were like seeing the Grand Canyon for the first time and trying to take it all in - tonight was being able to finally see the details. The sound wasn't quite the same total annihilation as the SMCC show was, but more distinct... I could pick out Deb's bass lines and even hear all the vocals well. Overall the band was loose, false starting a couple times, occasionally smiling, and totally fucking killing it with the power of an asteroid strike. Deb & Colm utterly breathtaking - cool to hear them get as many shout out as Kevin and Blinda.

Some choice bits with the audience:

Shouting Audience Guy: LOUDER!
Kevin: ok
Shouting Audience Guy: NO, LIKE SHATTER MY EARDRUMS LOUDER!
Kevin: ok

Another Shouting Audience Guy: FUCK THE EARPLUGS
Kevin: no, please don't fuck the earplugs

More photos here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/quartzcity/sets/72157616906370706/

I can't wait 'till Sunday!

Great photos!

Yeah those photos are awesome!

Heheh, lovely. But were there any new songs played?

excited! one week!

Brightblack Morning Light are opening in Seattle and Denver.

cool! mighta preferred Kurt Heasley, but BML are good too. :)

Who's opening in Austin/Dallas? Any word yet?

But I was there.

I was there in 2008.

I was there at the first My Bloody Valentine show in Monticello.

I'm losing my edge.

http://archivedmusicpress.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/mbv-interview-for-tremelo-ep-jan-26th-1991.jpg
http://archivedmusicpress.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/my-bloody-valentine-live-at-ulu-feb-25th-1989.jpg

"in the middle of a Gulf war"!!!

Thanks Herman, first article especially is a great read!

It is once you expand it :)

caek.css

^^

Changed my life

Right click, view image. It's not that complicated.

i know

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20090421/en_nm/us_music_coachella
By Darryl Morden Darryl Morden – 1 hr 20 mins ago
The Cure followed the highly anticipated My Bloody Valentine, which was bloody loud to the point of clearing nearly three-quarters of the field during a closing, seemingly endless white-noise drone. The band's earlier reined-in songs with actual melodies buried beneath the feedback architecture, still at painfully high volume if you were too close -- and that meant thousands of feet away.

Much more engaging were the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, whose Karen O is one of the most appealing rock frontwomen to surface since Chrissie Hynde. From thumpy struts to surging, hooky tunes, she charmed the crowd with self-effacing antics, warmth and plenty of smiles.

haaa

What are they odds they might play more US east coast shows around the time of All Points West?

I really want to see them badly, to the point where I'm willing to spend the extra money and get surrounded by sweat and discomfort and claustrophobia and misery throughout 5 sets from bands that I don't want to see at all.. plus the fact that there will be Tool fans in the crowd who will probably hate MBV..

But given the option I would just rather see them play on their own.

OK, Austin team. You've had 24 hours. Report in!

i just read mcgonigal's book. i wish i liked this band more.

i saw em at atp and left before the 14-minute drone piece and now i really want to see them do that somewhere else because it sounds way, way, way up my alley.

Are they still doing that in live shows?

I left in the middle to go upstairs and watch Eyes Without A Face in the Criterion lounge instead... And then fell asleep on the floor in the middle of that!

Are they still doing that in live shows?

Rather.

How long have their sets been on this tour?

i drove up to the austin show last week, set was abt 1:20 or so. noise wall was breathtaking. i brought some bitchin earplugs that were probably cutting 20 db and it was still almost at the pain threshold during this part. like my arm hair was standing up but not from goosebumps, but because it was little tiny sound winds propping them up, it was tight.

OK, Austin team. You've had 24 hours. Report in!

It was noisy and exhilarating and fucking LOUD.

Pretty much the same 14-15 song set as ATP New York last year.

The holocaust bit was about 13 minutes, seemed shortened...