Adrian Borland RIP

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It's really sad about Adrian Borland; I heard a version of "Winning" that was recorded not so long ago for a radio broadcast (I think) and it's likely one of the most harrowing song-recordings I've ever heard. I don't know whether you'd have to know the other versions of the song to hear it that way, but I just cried uncontrollably when I heard that one - it's every note of the singing and guitar playing. When I had first heard the earlier live version from "In the Hothouse", I remember thinking that it sounded like he was just going to burn away or become something else.

Tom (other), Friday, 20 December 2002 21:42 (twenty-one years ago) link

oh my god

dwh (dwh), Saturday, 21 December 2002 15:28 (twenty-one years ago) link

Andy K!!!!!!

dwh (dwh), Sunday, 22 December 2002 12:22 (twenty-one years ago) link

I think Chris Roberts in Uncut said everything that I could have said, only better.

Dr. C (Dr. C), Sunday, 22 December 2002 12:29 (twenty-one years ago) link

oh. right. i'll dig that copy out. thanks dr, dr.

dwh (dwh), Sunday, 22 December 2002 13:30 (twenty-one years ago) link

Andy K!!!!!!

dwh!!!!!!

Is this the article? I need to read it.

Andy K (Andy K), Sunday, 22 December 2002 13:46 (twenty-one years ago) link

ha, I only shouted that fer two reasons: to get the thread to top of new answers & to let you know I'd read all yr allmusic reviews of the sound and josef k's 'young & stupid'

dwh (dwh), Sunday, 22 December 2002 13:55 (twenty-one years ago) link

eleven months pass...
haha look at me!

still so so classic. the songs kind of remind me of janice galloway's writing: that 'i watch myself from the corner of the room' crumbling state of mind coupled with 'i don't really like the way the world sits but i don't want to die' (kinda like the main character in jean rhys' 'good morning, midnight'). just the songs are so claustrophobic.

cozen (Cozen), Wednesday, 17 December 2003 23:18 (twenty years ago) link

two years pass...
Didn't know Adrian at all. When I was 15, though, I was taken to the Vortex (I was with the 4th placed band) to support Siouxsie and the B's and The Outsiders were 3rd on the bill. They were good, and to my ears stole the night. I might have been influenced by the fact that before the gig, the only person who took the time to talk to me, a spotty brat, was Adrian Borland, as it turned out. He told me his back was hurting and that it might be a stationary show. I said do your best. I'm sure he was a very good guy and for that reason I remember him.

Louis Tracy, Friday, 5 May 2006 23:17 (seventeen years ago) link

two years pass...

RIP. Ten years ago today.

Carroll Shelby Downard (Elvis Telecom), Sunday, 26 April 2009 02:20 (fourteen years ago) link

eleven months pass...

I've kind of stumbled into this guy's discography via The Outsiders, who were pretty awesome, and I've been listening to Honolulu Mountain Daffodils (weird psych-tribute project) and Second Layer. I guess next it'll be The Sound. I have no idea how I didn't hear any of these bands until fucking 2010.

drinkin a carton of peace juice (GOTT PUNCH II HAWKWINDZ), Tuesday, 30 March 2010 16:35 (fourteen years ago) link

there is a lot to listen to. i still haven't heard the outsiders or solo stuff. just the sound stuff via those nice reissues a few years back.

scott seward, Tuesday, 30 March 2010 17:15 (fourteen years ago) link

This is my favorite Outsiders song so far. It's the only one that sounds vaguely Hawkwindish, though.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5p_AV2XWp68

This is a good one, too.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fN6KAFnA0Qs

drinkin a carton of peace juice (GOTT PUNCH II HAWKWINDZ), Tuesday, 30 March 2010 17:45 (fourteen years ago) link

Ohhh, you're just discovering The Sound. Wonderful, wonderful. They're not as outright punk as The Outsiders but they build this web of feeling that's inescapable. I hope it meets your expectations!

Almost everything Adrian played on is fantastic - don't forget the first two White Rose Transmission albums and the Witch Trials EP with Jello Biafra. I was just hyping Honolulu Mountain Daffodils a few months back, so weird and good!

If you need anything, send me a message and I'll hook you up. Always thrilled to spread Adrian's message.

Gerald McBoing-Boing, Tuesday, 30 March 2010 18:29 (fourteen years ago) link

two years pass...

Just listened to "Beautiful Ammunition" for the first time in years. I didn't know Adrian personally but I've heard some of the stories - that there was this one woman he had an on-again-off-again relationship with and he just PINED for her - the lyrics to this album become that much more striking. Poor lonely bastard.

Gerald McBoing-Boing, Monday, 13 August 2012 23:28 (eleven years ago) link

two years pass...

Just found out Dark Entries is doing a 2LP of all of the Second Layer stuff.

http://www.darkentriesrecords.com/store/dark-entries/second-layer-world-of-rubber-2xlp/

that's why god destroyed the radio (GOTT PUNCH II HAWKWINDZ), Thursday, 18 June 2015 23:20 (eight years ago) link

Love that record, almost more Joy Division than Joy Division!

5 bonus lp only tracks. Boo, hope they're available digitally.

Gerald McBoing-Boing, Friday, 19 June 2015 01:33 (eight years ago) link

six months pass...

Had never seen this one before - Annabel Lamb's cover of 'Heartland' with Adrian playing some typically incendiary guitar:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=QY8o-XQpE9Q#t=249

seb mooczag (NickB), Friday, 8 January 2016 16:55 (eight years ago) link

three weeks pass...

Amazon currently has the mp3s of Heads and Hearts, In the Hothouse, Propaganda and Shock of Daylight for $3.99 each.

jana m, Sunday, 31 January 2016 03:53 (eight years ago) link

A bargain at twice the price!

Gerald McBoing-Boing, Sunday, 31 January 2016 04:57 (eight years ago) link

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x13lIPL1ffI

Pheeel, Sunday, 31 January 2016 09:44 (eight years ago) link

two years pass...

It'll be 20 years gone this April, I still miss his musical presence.

Listened to "Last Days Of The Rain Machine" for the first time since, probably, it came out, which was the year following his death. It was too hard to listen to this and the other posthumous work at the time. Now it just sounds glorious with its stripped down voice and guitar demos.

Gerald McBoing-Boing, Friday, 11 January 2019 00:34 (five years ago) link

Gerald, the only post-Sound stuff of Adrian's I have is Alexandria and Cinematic โ€” what else would you recommend?

Totally different head. Totally. (Austin), Friday, 11 January 2019 17:33 (five years ago) link

"Beautiful Ammunition" and "5:00 AM" are fantastic, the former is devastating at times as Adrian can be, but the latter is quite hopeful and uplifting.

You also need the first two White Rose Transmission albums he did with Carlo Van Putten of The Convent ("White Rose Transmission" and "700 Miles Of Desert"). Adrian wrote most of the music and added backing vocals while Carlo handled the main vocals but it's all in the same vein as the rest of his work.

Gerald McBoing-Boing, Friday, 11 January 2019 19:44 (five years ago) link

Brilliant. Thank you.๐Ÿ‘๐Ÿฝ

Totally different head. Totally. (Austin), Friday, 11 January 2019 20:43 (five years ago) link

I'll plug the three Honolulu Mountain Daffodils albums - some of Adrian's best feedlback/blasting guitar.

Elvis Telecom, Friday, 18 January 2019 04:55 (five years ago) link

eleven months pass...

Adrian's famously bootlegged Lovefield demos from 1993 got a proper release this year on Record Store day! It's on Amazon and other places, well worth hearing.

Gerald McBoing-Boing, Sunday, 29 December 2019 21:57 (four years ago) link

eight months pass...

somehow i'd made it this long without ever listening to the sound's peel sessions. oh my

reggie (qualmsley), Friday, 25 September 2020 19:42 (three years ago) link

So urgent sounding, just crackling with the electricity of being alive

kites aren't fun (NickB), Friday, 25 September 2020 20:16 (three years ago) link

Btw the Borland documentary is now available to rent online:

https://vimeo.com/ondemand/adrianborland

Haven't quite plucked up the courage to see it yet, have heard its quite a hard watch

kites aren't fun (NickB), Friday, 25 September 2020 20:21 (three years ago) link

I will watch it one day when I'm ready to be devastated. So maybe 2022?

Gerald McBoing-Boing, Saturday, 26 September 2020 01:16 (three years ago) link

one year passes...

yo how did I not know until now that dude produced Feltโ€˜s last album and almost produced their first album?!?!? mind kinda blown

brimstead, Saturday, 10 September 2022 21:10 (one year ago) link


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