4AD - classic all round?

fair enough!

this article, though, is a little shaky. like, aside from the weirdly casual dismissal of the throwing muses, which is bizarre if you're going to focus on 1987 and lonely is an eyesore... the title is taken from the lyrics to fish! the writer seems unaware that the current 4AD roster, which I agree is strong, is basically beggar's banquet using the 4AD name. the majority of these bands were signed to 4AD *after* they got famous, not initially signed by 4AD like pretty much all of the classic-era bands.

Back in the eighties a friend gave me a tape of "Filigree and Shadow". I actually like some of the instrumental pieces the best. It had a profound effect on me even though it is not my thing. I'm not accustomed to non-traditional singers. I just thought it had major balls.

whether you like 4AD bands or not, the answer to this thread is yes

Archaeological 4AD Fandom:

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d195/richhunt35/SUMMER2011058.jpg?t=1306165510

The Essentia 4AD - over at Fact

They had this awful little Josef K spin-off called The Happy Family on the label in 1982, not nearly as good as JK, though. What a clunker! The Happy Family album sounded like a slowed-down version of 'Spiral Scratch', had a sleeve that wasn't by 23 Envelope, and claimed to be a comedy concept album about a fascist dictator. What was Ivo thinking?
― Momus, Wednesday, 4 July 2001 00:00 (10 years ago) Bookmark Suggest Ban Permalink

Side note to Momus -- yeah, what was that one guy who led the band thinking?

― Ned Raggett, Thursday, 5 July 2001 00:00 (10 years ago) Bookmark Suggest Ban Permalink

Times where Wikipedia is your friend...

There is a TON of 4AD on Spotify...even obscure early stuff that used to cost 90 jillion dollars. It is good stuff! I always had a bit of a guilt complex about listening to such sensitive music, but the dog likes it and he normally prefers blues and soul music.

Facing The Other Way: The Story of 4AD is the first history of the iconic and influential independent record label, 4AD. Telling the story from its inception in 1980, the book concentrates on the 20-year period when founder Ivo Watts-Russell created the musical hot house that unleashed bands such as Cocteau Twins, Pixies, Throwing Muses. The Breeders and The Birthday Party on an unsuspecting world. Drawing on extensive and frank interviews with artists and label staff during this halcyon period, music writer and long-time 4AD observer Martin Aston reveals one of the greatest stories of the British independent era yet to be told.

To celebrate the publication of 'Facing The Other Way: The Story of 4AD' by Martin Aston, publishers The Friday Project and your hosts Rough Trade East present a unique Q&A session with legendary designer Vaughan Oliver, Matt Johnson (The The) and Miki Berenyi (Lush) on the night. Author Martin Aston will also be avilable to sign copies and meet fans of the label.

The evening will feature an exclusive live DJ set from Dominic Appleton of 4AD super group, This Mortal Coil.

Author's Twitter avatar is the Rema-Rema EP, which prompted me to say to hell with it and pre-order the UK edition (out several weeks prior to the US edition).

Probably haven't had that same conflicted ugh!/yes! feeling since buying Ask Me Tomorrow as an import a few months before the US release.

there's supposed to be a limited edition that comes with a 2 CD compilation of 4AD stuff, but Harper Collins is taking their sweet time with the pre-order process.

isn't there also a limited limited edition, like £100 worth? or is that the same one? i thought it was one of their art things, hadn't heard of the cds...

it's the same one

it's 4AD-related, so of course there are, at the minimum, four editions.

Dorian L's review in the Graun:
http://www.theguardian.com/books/2013/sep/12/facing-other-way-4ad-aston-review

preorders now up:

https://facing-the-other-way.myshopify.com/

I remember when "Lonely is an Eyesore" came out in that gorgeous sleeve and we got free postcards! I decorated my bedroom walls and later my cubicle at work with them. One guy I know bought more than one copy so he could have extra postcards.

Once I had a dream I visited a 4AD museum and they had all these crazy box sets, artwork, posters t-shirts.

read through about a third of this so far... can't put it down, really! some puzzling errors in song and album titles. terror couple kills colonel, twisted shadows. come on. they got tiny dynamine right though!

best 4ad band : wolfgang press.

('question of time' has just dropped on the playlist and reiterated how brilliant they were ... )

So many little what ifs. What if they had licensed those Ministry and Divine singles?

Gas face to Ian Masters for slapping Miki Berenyi.

Probably my favorite anecdote:

"Mention Lonely Is an Eyesore to Guthrie and his response is typical: 'I've never had a royalty statement for that album,' he claims, 'which is interesting.' Guthrie also says he never received one of the hundred limited edition versions, a wooden (American beech) box designed by Vaughan Oliver to house vinyl, CD, cassette, and video versions plus a booklet and two art prints by Terry Dowling. 'All this by little 4AD,' says Oliver, whose commitment to design was second to none. (One of them can be found in London's Victoria and Albert Museum's permanent collection, evidence of 4AD's place in British design.) Guthrie takes pleasure in recounting that Martyn Young -- who WAS sent a box set -- turned his into a cat litter tray. 'I saw it round his house!' Guthrie smirks. 'But then Martyn is a very obtuse character.'"

Enjoying this, so far:

https://www.nts.live/shows/80srampwalk/episodes/80s-rampwalk-4ad-special-13th-august-2018

No idea who 80s Rampwalk are.

Reminds me: used to have that tube of 4ad posters, with the best stuck to my (childhood) bedroom wall. They'd be in frames now. Anyway, I think my mum threw them out many decades ago.

there were a couple, i think. yes

1991 poster pack
XAD23 (1991)

Package of 15 promo posters in A2 size. Has «Gigantic», «Here Comes Your Man», «Velouria», «Bossanova», «Dig For Fire» (from Pixes), «Ultra Vivid Scene», «Joy 1963-1990» (from UVS), «Aion» (Dead Can Dance), «Livonia» (His Name Is Alive), «House Tornado» (Throwing Muses), «Scar», «Mad Love», «Sweetness and Light» (Lush), «Comforts of Madness» (Pale Saints) and «Pod» (The Breeders). Most of the posters are similar to the releases listed, but «Livonia» is completely different.

and

v23 (posters) volume two
FAD23 (1993)

12 A2 (594mm x 420 mm) poster pack released in a cardboard tube. Sleeve by Vaughan Oliver, Chris Bigg, Paul McMenamin, Simon Larbalestier, Jim Friedman, Dominic Davies, Kevin Westenberg, Nigel Grierson, Chris Gorman (Belly) and Shinro Ohtake. Posters from «Home Is In Your Head», «Love», «Heidi Berry», «Frank Black», «Star», «Cobalt Blue», «Safari», «Trompe Le Monde», «Blood», «Blow», «Down Colorful Hill», «For Love». Initial quantities of this set (first presented at the 13 Year Itch) included a 13 Year Itch poster.

and a couple of calendars. one of which was the same size, the other half that,

I had that first poster pack, given to me by a record store friend. Lost it in a move somewhere down the line.

Yeah, the 1991 pack. Think Ultra Vivid Scene, Dead Can Dance, one of the Throwing Muses and possibly Pale Saints made it onto the wall.

i actually won one of the deluxe calenders in an NME competition - like a proper answer this question on the back of a postcard and mail it to... type comp. I think I was 13-14) (i don't know if there was a non deluxe version tbh but i do remember that you couldn't buy it).

^ Excellent.

Anyway, that NTS show has fulfilled a need.

Trying to decide whether I just managed to not hear about the Bing & Ruth album or whether I heard (some of) it and dismissed it.

there were three calendars from what i can tell, 1990 (XAD0001), 1993 ("Anatomy", 2020) and 1996 ("Modern", MINTY 23). could've sworn i only had two of these but they all look very familiar.

i've just checked, i do have all three. and a copy of This Rimy River.

There's also the WAD23 poster set from 1986, but it came in a folio, not a poster tube.

Yeah, slightly before my time. First thing I bought was probably Pearly Dewdrops. But my completist years ran from 89 to the middle of 96 or so, those heady days of 4ad-l, which is how I know you 8)

Ironic, or maybe not, that the thing that's appreciated the most in that time are the calendars rather than the music. (One is listed for 150 quid on eBay ATM, I can't immediately think of anything else from those years that will go for anywhere near as much. Wooden eyesore? Rimy River ltd edition?)

(discogs is saying £1.3k for a wooden eyesore but think those were mega expensive to start with, limited to just 100)

ha, 4ad-l ... I was there 1993? - 1997, it was fun.

wooden eyesore is exceptionally rare, you almost never see them for sale and rarely for under a grand.

I really love that compilation! It has Muscoviet Mosquito!

FWIW, I bought a damaged copy in 2011 for $400 (from Discogs).

Made a 4AD compilation last night (had horrific insomnia). It wasn't particularly thought through but made me listen to some neglected records.

Most of the 4AD stuff I own is from what I think of as their "middle-period" - after the goth/post-punk stuff but pre-Ivo's departure. Anyway, it was sounding good and then I realise I ruined it by cramming later stuff on there (Ruined through lack of coherence rather than crapness).

There's a flyer in one of the 4AD albums I own that lists the catalogue as:

Air Miami
Bauhaus*
Belly
The Birthday Party
Frank Black
The Breeders
Michael Brook
Cocteau Twins
Colourbox
Dead Can Dance
Tanya Donelly
Dif Jux*
Lisa Germano
Gus Gus
Kristin Hersh
His Name Is Alive
Lush
MARRS
Modern English*
Mojave 3
Pale Saints
Pixies
Red House Painters
Rema Rema*
Scheer
Tarnation
This Mortal Coil*
Throwing Muses
Wolfgang Press
Ultra Vivid Scene
Unrest.

It could well be inconsistent time-wise but I tend to think of this as when I listened to 4AD (The ones marked with a * I think as "before my time".) Anyway, what are the best compilations that capture prior to this list? And/or anyone want to make a CD-R in return for an end of year comp or similar (eg. a drunken 4AD best of)?

A kinda not entirely obvious "Rough Guide to 4AD" was posted in 2004 on The Rough Guide Two.... Every act on the comp except for Clan of Xymox and In Camera (which both certainly belong to the era you mention) are in the list you quote.

It's Dif Juz with a Z, btw.

(a kind of take on the word "diffuse" iirc)

THat biography Facing the Wrong Way was an interesting read. it was in FOPP as one of their 2 for £5 items at the beginning of last year i think.

djh, you want the Natures Mortes - Still Lives comp, for early-era 4AD stuff

xp actually book is called Facing the Other Way: The Story of 4AD by Martin Aston

Thanks - Hadn't seen that (entertaining) Rough Guide to ... thread before..

Posting it here so I can find it speedily:

The Rough Guide to 4AD Records:

1. Bauhaus: Double Dare
2. Throwing Muses: Call Me
3. This Mortal Coil: Song to the Siren
4. The Birthday Party: Nick the Stripper
5. The Wolfgang Press: Kansas
6. Belly: Seal My Fate
7. Dead Can Dance: Anywhere Out of the World
8. Clan of Xymox: After the Call
9. Pixies: Where Is My Mind?
10. In Camera: Fragments of Fear
11. Lisa Germano: ...a psychopath
12. His Name Is Alive: Why People Disappear
13. The Breeders: Hellbound
14. Lush: Scarlet (Scar version)
15. Ultra Vivid Scene: Mercy Seat
16. Red House Painters: New Jersey ("Rollercoaster" version)
17. Dif Juz: No Motion
18. Unrest: Make Out Club
19. Pale Saints: Time Thief
20. Cocteau Twins: Frou-frou Foxes in Midsummer Fires

"Natures Mortes".

And, ta, I was pondering this.

also the CD version has five more tracks than the vinyl

^that's a weird list.

Since This Mortal Coil were basically the 4AD house band you could do a lot worse than just listening to the three TMC albums. Filigree & Shadow is my favourite and one of my favourite albums of all time.

The Rough Guide?

Yes, although I guess every list would be weird.

I guess that song choices are very subjective ... I think, more generally, it misses out on the early years, though.

With the first track of 4AD's first ever album ("Double Dare"), plus another EP track from the label's first year ("Fragments of Fear"), I'm not sure I can agree with that. Not that I have any interest in defending or promoting this particular weird list from other potential or actual weird 4AD lists, mind.

The Rough Guide threads are indeed very entertaining! I'd not thought of them for years when your request jogged a neuron. :-)

And for some reason I feel a strange urge to listen to Dif Juz I've not had for even more years.