― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Sunday, 1 May 2005 23:23 (nineteen years ago) link
Also, much to my amusement, trawling around the main fan site turned up this news item from last June:
http://www.virginprunes.com/news/prunes_at_i_love_music.html
!
― Ned Raggett (Ned), Sunday, 22 May 2005 00:40 (eighteen years ago) link
― DV (dirtyvicar), Friday, 3 June 2005 21:43 (eighteen years ago) link
― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Friday, 3 June 2005 21:47 (eighteen years ago) link
― DV (dirtyvicar), Monday, 6 June 2005 18:52 (eighteen years ago) link
― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Monday, 6 June 2005 18:54 (eighteen years ago) link
― DV (dirtyvicar), Monday, 6 June 2005 19:00 (eighteen years ago) link
― Zack Richardson (teenagequiet), Monday, 6 June 2005 19:10 (eighteen years ago) link
― Alex in Doncaster (Alex in Doncaster), Monday, 6 June 2005 19:56 (eighteen years ago) link
It recently occurred to me that every NYC music venue I ever saw Gavin Friday perform in -- CBGB, Sin-e, The Bottom Line and The Westbeth -- is gone. :::sigh::::
― Alex in NYC, Saturday, 23 February 2008 13:44 (sixteen years ago) link
arrrggh I cannot believe I have missed this thread.
My favorite, and in my opinion the most essential of, the allstar cast of Rough trade records circa 1980-83.
The New Form Of Beauty series deserves an entire essay that I don't have time to write this evening. Some of my all time favorite records, marrying theatrical excess and sonic experimentalism with song structure in a way that not much else has since.
They were on Touch & Go, for the last studio LP.
All the stuff was reissued by Mute on a series of double CD's a few years back ad should be findable, in order of amazingness:
New Form Of Beauty If I Die, I Die Over The Rainbow (includes Heresie and early singles iirc) The Moon Looked Down And Laughed (Touch & Go LP)
There were also some excellent DVDs that went around on the net a while back, much welcomed because this was in many ways a live/visual band.
― sleeve, Sunday, 24 February 2008 01:41 (sixteen years ago) link
well I ripped my Mute reissues and by chance took a look in the wave editor, these CDs are ruined by a truly astonishing amount of clipping and overmodulation. really really disappointing, my vinyl rips sound way better.
― sleeve, Tuesday, 20 September 2011 04:50 (twelve years ago) link
Don't think "Come To Daddy" was nominated in the 10minutes plus poll. Such a fucking great song.
― Robert Adam Gilmour, Sunday, 17 May 2015 14:03 (eight years ago) link
Some of their cds are going for crazy prices. I don't think the early singles are on any of them except Artfuck and some reissues have different bonus tracks. They really need a box set.
― Robert Adam Gilmour, Friday, 4 August 2017 00:44 (six years ago) link
What the hell does Gavin Friday even do these days? Adam n Eve and Shag Tobacco are pretty neat albums.
― Josh in Chicago, Friday, 4 August 2017 01:25 (six years ago) link
those Mute reissues are clipped garbage, see my post above. avoid at all costs. that might explain why other CDs are going for more, though.
― sleeve, Friday, 4 August 2017 01:26 (six years ago) link
one of my favorite bands ever, at least before they "lost the ability to fly" to quote the Heresie 2x10" reissue liner notes
― sleeve, Friday, 4 August 2017 01:27 (six years ago) link
I've got the Mute versions and the sound fine to me. These are becoming a bit scarce and expensive too.
― Robert Adam Gilmour, Friday, 4 August 2017 01:40 (six years ago) link
if you look at those files in a WAV editor you can see the clipping, it's not just an audiophile issue. thousands of samples per song are flatlined.
― sleeve, Friday, 4 August 2017 01:42 (six years ago) link
I'll try and listen out for that next time.
― Robert Adam Gilmour, Friday, 4 August 2017 01:44 (six years ago) link
like, I grant you that the Rudimentary Peni remasters we discussed don't sound THAT different, but this is truly egregious overcompression, worst I've ever seen, and just lazy negligence on the part of whoever oversaw the reissues.
― sleeve, Friday, 4 August 2017 01:45 (six years ago) link
whomever, argh
― sleeve, Friday, 4 August 2017 01:46 (six years ago) link
I only bitch about this because I love these records so much. Also a total outrage/tragedy that the original artwork for the New Form series was apparently lost.
― sleeve, Friday, 4 August 2017 01:47 (six years ago) link
All the albums on Amazon's mp3 store appear to be the same Mute releases
― Robert Adam Gilmour, Friday, 4 August 2017 01:50 (six years ago) link
of course (cries)
― sleeve, Friday, 4 August 2017 01:50 (six years ago) link
Man, I tried and tried to like this band . I was working at Tower when the reissues came out and bought them all. If I Die was alright and The Moon Looked Down Laughed had a couple okay songs, but overall, it was audio performance art and I wasn't into it.
Now, on the other hand, Gavin Friday's solo catalogue is awesome.
― he doesn't need to be racist about it though. (Austin), Friday, 4 August 2017 01:51 (six years ago) link
Shag Tobacco is one of the clearly overlooked classics of the '90s imo
― nomar, Friday, 4 August 2017 01:51 (six years ago) link
man I don't know that shit at all, I like the fearless art/noise vibes a lot more than the cabaret overdose that I imagine he got into later
that being said, I should listen.
Austin, the New Form records are where it's at
― sleeve, Friday, 4 August 2017 01:59 (six years ago) link
If I die I Die is relatively straightforward and totally amazing. The transition from "Ulakanakulot" to "Decline and Fall" is sublime.
And the part in "Come To Daddy" that goes "I told you not to wear that dress" to him shouting "NO ONE CARES ABOUT MUMMY" is just incredibly awesome. So many other great things about it too.
― Robert Adam Gilmour, Friday, 4 August 2017 02:06 (six years ago) link
I bought this one when it came out: https://www.discogs.com/Virgin-Prunes-A-New-Form-Of-Beauty/release/1159366
It was my least favorite of that remaster campaign.
― he doesn't need to be racist about it though. (Austin), Friday, 4 August 2017 02:07 (six years ago) link
That's the one I've got. I think it's been heavily abridged?
― Robert Adam Gilmour, Friday, 4 August 2017 02:14 (six years ago) link
It's missing the live side of the Part 4 tspe
― sleeve, Friday, 4 August 2017 02:24 (six years ago) link
Colin Newman's fingerprints are all over "If I Die", which is what makes it their most consistent album.
Gavin's "Each Man Kills The Thing He Loves" is such a special record. A blend of his Scott Walker love and a touch of his Virgin Prunes weirdness. Totally slept on.
― Gerald McBoing-Boing, Friday, 4 August 2017 14:00 (six years ago) link
Like I said, I love Gavin Friday's solo discography. You want to talk about overlooked, but brilliant, his album Catholic from a few years back was fantastic and it was totally ignored.
― he doesn't need to be racist about it though. (Austin), Saturday, 5 August 2017 19:22 (six years ago) link
Really impressed by The Moon Looked Down And Laughed (the Baby label version, not Mute), so many great songs and Gavin's voice is so wonderful. As much as I would have liked more of the early savage stuff, it has it's own fascinating strangeness and odd touches like Gavin sounding like he's buzzing with electricity at the end of "Love Lasts Forever". "Betrayal" is gorgeous, I think maybe it should have ended with that because it packs much more punch than the actual last track. I'm in two minds over whether they should have milked the "my whole world is on fire" part for longer. A beauty.
― Robert Adam Gilmour, Friday, 23 February 2018 20:00 (six years ago) link
The old irish guy voice on Heresie is brilliant. Second track is like a subway nightmare.
― Robert Adam Gilmour, Friday, 2 November 2018 18:50 (five years ago) link
I think The Moon Looked Down And Laughed is my favourite now, even though it doesn't really represent their usual style.
― Robert Adam Gilmour, Friday, 2 November 2018 18:53 (five years ago) link
one of the more beautiful soundtracks i own is the Gavin Friday/Maurice Seezer score for THE BOXER. Very moving and haunting and moody, mostly, and an impressive achievement for guys who afaik haven't done much in the way of film scoring. it has some film dialogue mixed in sparingly, on a few of the tracks. it can probably be found for a couple bucks on ebay.
― omar little, Thursday, 22 August 2019 17:45 (four years ago) link
I'll keep it in mind.
― Robert Adam Gilmour, Friday, 23 August 2019 20:53 (four years ago) link
Dude, the live album (The Hidden Lie, I think it's called) is my favorite thing by them. Got it in the cut-out bin years ago, was totally blown away. Lost my records in a devastating home situation and I truly miss this.
― Seething, Pathological Hatred of Oldies Radio (I M Losted), Saturday, 24 August 2019 20:18 (four years ago) link
Have to admit I was getting nervous at remembering the song titles "Caucasian Walk" and "White History Book" but the former seems to be a dystopia in which black slavery is allowed and there isn't much I can read into the latter song.
There's a quote here that suggests the former song doesn't really mean much at all...https://songmeanings.com/songs/view/3530822107858552956/
― Robert Adam Gilmour, Saturday, 24 August 2019 20:19 (four years ago) link
i played "Caucasian Walk" in a disco last week for the first time since the 80s. it sounded incredible. i have never understood the lyrics so figured it was ok to play.
― stirmonster, Sunday, 25 August 2019 04:17 (four years ago) link
Some amazing stuff on Over The Rainbow (2 disc version). Gavin's voice in "King Of Junk" is hilarious, "Greylight" is beautiful, "Revenge" is a great horrory track.
But what on earth is that secret track after "Love Lasts Forever"? Cant find anything about that. Gorgeous song that must have been from Moon Looked Down And Laughed era.
― Robert Adam Gilmour, Saturday, 21 September 2019 13:41 (four years ago) link
Some real surprises in Gavin's discographyhttps://gavinfriday.com/discography/score-get-rich-or-die-tryin/
― Robert Adam Gilmour, Saturday, 21 September 2019 13:42 (four years ago) link
Classic. This almost went in The Irish thread.
https://www.rte.ie/archives/2019/0916/1076206-virgin-prunes-theme-for-thought/
― Let them eat Pfifferlinge an Schneckensauce (Tom D.), Sunday, 6 October 2019 15:26 (four years ago) link
Nice
― Robert Adam Gilmour, Sunday, 6 October 2019 16:23 (four years ago) link
their glory days, it just wasn't the same without Guggi :(
eons ago in college a friend had a bootleg cassette tape of a show where they did "Moon Looked Down And Laughed" tracks but with the 5-piece (6 if you count Dav-Id) lineup, wish I could find that somewhere
― sleeve, Monday, 7 October 2019 20:47 (four years ago) link
(sorry for revive, no news) How is there so much 1983 live footage from them on Youtube? Not complaining though, amazing
― StanM, Wednesday, 12 May 2021 17:36 (three years ago) link
Ohohoh! Seen an expanded remaster of If I Die, I Die today! I think that's the only album reissue so far, some vinyl single reissues, and seemingly everything is available digitally.
Lots of new stuff on youtube, mini podcasts and video projectshttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NdvpXJq5vis
― Robert Adam Gilmour, Saturday, 12 November 2022 20:27 (one year ago) link
thanks!
― sleeve, Saturday, 12 November 2022 20:34 (one year ago) link
It would appear that "Fádo" from the 2004 reissue is different than "Fado (rough mix)" on the new release. The piano-driven second half of the former in particular doesn't appear in the latter.
― Gerald McBoing-Boing, Thursday, 8 December 2022 03:50 (one year ago) link
Enjoyed that youtube series. I learned there's another 2 parts of A New Form Of Beauty that might yet be released (Gavin wouldn't tease us without delivering would he?), I was surprised that his favorite release was Heresie
― Robert Adam Gilmour, Saturday, 24 December 2022 17:16 (one year ago) link
If you can, find "The Hidden Lie".
It's a live album that I picked up at the old cut-out store in Old Town in Chicago.
It's my personal favorite Prunes album. Beautiful sound quality.
― Picture of Chairman Mao (I M Losted), Tuesday, 27 December 2022 03:03 (one year ago) link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hU9s85pTlz0https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yEbSSn2meuMhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ujlhMEHLrsE4 part doc, on a channel with a treasure trove of Prunes/Gavin Guggi videos
― Robert Adam Gilmour, Tuesday, 27 December 2022 22:47 (one year ago) link
thank you! gee I'd love to hear those other New Form parts before I die, or Gavin dies...
― sleeve, Tuesday, 27 December 2022 23:19 (one year ago) link
but hey, if I die, I die, right?
Okay, that documentary is badly cropped so I can't see the names of some of the speakers and there's more parts that I can't find, it obviously had longer to go
― Robert Adam Gilmour, Wednesday, 28 December 2022 01:15 (one year ago) link