I've lived there for several years, and have never met a Hungarian who's heard of them. That sounds fantastic though, what you saw.
― Freedom, Friday, 17 January 2014 18:32 (ten years ago) link
I like them.
But I'm a Sean O'Hagan fanboy.
Also, I like 39 Minutes...
― afriendlypioneer, Friday, 17 January 2014 18:46 (ten years ago) link
xpost(? I'm not sure how these work...I posted it in the Stereolab thread): http://www.southlondonhardcore.com/2013/12/episode-96-sean-ohagan.html
fuck
do i have to now dig out 'valhalla avenue' from the archive ..
don't think i have ever listened all way through the album.
at one time i have all three cd singles (and box !) of the big hit ..
― mark e, Friday, 17 January 2014 18:47 (ten years ago) link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jq_F0SKFHHo
Song puts a big smile on my face.
― afriendlypioneer, Friday, 17 January 2014 18:48 (ten years ago) link
have = had
― mark e, Friday, 17 January 2014 18:50 (ten years ago) link
btw anyone that decides they are rubbish after listening to one album once is a fool.
― OutdoorFish, Friday, 17 January 2014 19:53 (ten years ago) link
Love Your Enemies is on spotify, for anyone who was not aware
― Dolly Dilly Dally (soref), Friday, 17 January 2014 19:56 (ten years ago) link
crustaceanrebel, do you remember which Microdisney songs were performed in the cabaret act? I would have loved to have seen that
― Dolly Dilly Dally (soref), Friday, 17 January 2014 19:59 (ten years ago) link
How's the sound quality on the recent reissues? I recall being appalled by the very thin sound on the 1996 remaster of Clock...
― doug watson, Friday, 17 January 2014 20:03 (ten years ago) link
have cherry red taken them from the original tapes? their reissues are normally spot on cos they work from the fan's perspective.
― OutdoorFish, Friday, 17 January 2014 20:14 (ten years ago) link
Mondays I go clubbing,Just outside of Leipzig in a pin striped suit,And a bunch of roses,Strolling through the vestry being beaten up,By those English b-boys, Soho tea-boys.I forgive them all because they are really into what they do.
Love that verse.
― afriendlypioneer, Friday, 17 January 2014 20:16 (ten years ago) link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VFXheatfJ7E
Video really does it for me for some reason.
Man, I couldn't really get into The Fatima Mansions as much as I would've liked to. "Blues for Ceausescu" is pretty great, though...
― afriendlypioneer, Friday, 17 January 2014 20:18 (ten years ago) link
al the stuff i posted above was on virgin and its all gold. i wonder if some people would regard it differently if it were released on rough trade, an infinitely cooler label.
― OutdoorFish, Friday, 17 January 2014 20:20 (ten years ago) link
fatima mansions did some good stuff, but it's different. and mostly not as good as microdisney, a delberate reaction against the subtle nuances, cathal sick of being ignored, musically far more rudimentary.
― OutdoorFish, Friday, 17 January 2014 20:25 (ten years ago) link
Definitely to interesting to see/observe just how different the two creative minds were. It'd be nice if they could hook up again someday.
― afriendlypioneer, Friday, 17 January 2014 20:41 (ten years ago) link
i love the contrast between cathal and bono. one is just real you believe every word he says, the other is bono.
― OutdoorFish, Friday, 17 January 2014 21:53 (ten years ago) link
The new reissues are taken from the master tapes, with the exception of two tracks - "Harmony Time" and "Money For The Trams," for which master tapes could not be found. They sound good, though, and they weren't on the previous CDs. "Everybody Is Fantastic" was meant to have eight Peel session tracks instead of four, but suitable masters could not be found. Sound quality is better than the 1996 ones, for sure. And the liner notes - brief interviews providing the contextual backdrop(s) of the recordings - are good, too. And of course, you get a handful of Peel session tracks that weren't even on the Peel Sessions album.
The Budapest singer was . . . odd. She seemed like she'd probably lived through hard times. Kind of attractive but cold and somewhat feral. I was meeting some friends at a rundown bar, paid no mind to the cabaret standards, until I realized, hey, I know those songs. (Well, half of them maybe.) It took me a while to realize the source. The tunes were pretty different (Brecht / Weill -styled) but entire verses and choruses were identical to Microdisney lyrics. She did some similar stuff in Hungarian, which I can't say anything about. Of course, I was intrigued - there were maybe twenty people in the bar, most of them solitary sad alcoholic kinda guys. I paid my respects during a break. She said she'd been singing these songs every Tuesday (or whatever day it was) for twenty years and shrugged when I asked about their origin. I wish I would have gotten to the bottom of it but she wasn't too friendly and I don't even know that her English was that good. All the songs were from the early period - "We Hate You South African Bastards" and "Everybody Is Fantastic." I remember "Sun" and "Before Famine," but there must have been half a dozen others. There was a weird song in English about the national anthem, but I don't know where that came from. If anyone knows about her, please let me know. It's kind of haunted me!
― crustaceanrebel, Saturday, 18 January 2014 00:25 (ten years ago) link
truly bizarre, but yeah fascinating
― OutdoorFish, Saturday, 18 January 2014 00:36 (ten years ago) link
"Everybody Is Fantastic" is my favourite, along with the "In The World" EP. Could never really get into "Clock" despite liking the songs, I think because I always find the cheap-sounding keyboard they used on it a bit distracting.
Sad to hear(from a Quietus interview) how badly Cathal was fucked over by record companies in the 90s.
http://thequietus.com/articles/10815-cathal-coughlan-microdisney-fatima-mansions-north-sea-scrolls-interview
Also quite surprised that he and Sean did have a one-off reunion as Microdisney some time back, but it seems like it was just that, a one-off.
― Pheeel, Saturday, 18 January 2014 01:10 (ten years ago) link
shame :(
― OutdoorFish, Saturday, 18 January 2014 01:39 (ten years ago) link
I know nothing about this band but what a great name
― calstars, Saturday, 18 January 2014 01:46 (ten years ago) link
crustaceanrebel, that sounds really creepy and incredible. I'd love to bring that story up to Sean or Cathal.
― afriendlypioneer, Saturday, 18 January 2014 02:09 (ten years ago) link
Dug em! Had a chat with Cathal at WFMU once, in the Fatima Mansions era.
― eclectic husbandry (Dr Morbius), Saturday, 18 January 2014 02:11 (ten years ago) link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TWMauvNnI5s
― afriendlypioneer, Sunday, 19 January 2014 23:07 (ten years ago) link
That's one of the ones where the Peel version is...different. Check the ending...https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gnbbG4Pd-0U
― dlp9001, Sunday, 19 January 2014 23:24 (ten years ago) link
Compared to many bands, a lot of those Peel sessions are different enough that you do need to hear. I'd aver that most are better than the "official" studio versions, though it's all good.
― crustaceanrebel, Monday, 20 January 2014 02:14 (ten years ago) link
Cathal's spoken outros were brilliant.
― doug watson, Monday, 20 January 2014 13:57 (ten years ago) link
https://www.nch.ie/Online/Microdisney-02Jun18?utm_source=fb&utm_medium=fbpost&utm_campaign=Microdisney&utm_content=announce
― Freedom, Monday, 27 November 2017 15:06 (six years ago) link
That's great news.
This might also be of interest: https://soundcloud.com/ucc98-3fm/iron-fist-in-velvet-glove-the-story-of-microdisney
Iron Fist in Velvet Glove – the story of Microdisneyproduced by Paul McDermottIron Fist in Velvet Glove – the story of Microdisney is a 60 minute radio documentary produced by Paul McDermott for UCC98.3FM and funded through the television licence fee under the BAI’s Sound & Vision scheme.The documentary details how Cathal Coughlan and Sean O’Hagan met in Cork in 1980 and formed Mircodisney. The duo moved to London in 1983 and released four critically acclaimed albums for Rough Trade and Virgin records before disbanding in 1988. Microdisney’s 1985 album The Clock Comes Down the Stairs topped the UK Indie Charts upon its release and regularly features at the top of “the best Irish album of all time” list
Iron Fist in Velvet Glove – the story of Microdisney is a 60 minute radio documentary produced by Paul McDermott for UCC98.3FM and funded through the television licence fee under the BAI’s Sound & Vision scheme.The documentary details how Cathal Coughlan and Sean O’Hagan met in Cork in 1980 and formed Mircodisney. The duo moved to London in 1983 and released four critically acclaimed albums for Rough Trade and Virgin records before disbanding in 1988. Microdisney’s 1985 album The Clock Comes Down the Stairs topped the UK Indie Charts upon its release and regularly features at the top of “the best Irish album of all time” list
― afriendlypioneer, Monday, 27 November 2017 15:16 (six years ago) link
i got a ticket! it sold out pretty fast actually
― Well bissogled trotters (Michael B), Wednesday, 29 November 2017 15:08 (six years ago) link
AHH FUCK why didn't see this two days ago?? I've had Microdisney on my mp3 player all week as well, really feeling them at this time of year.
This is probably never going to happen again, is it.
― Pheeel, Wednesday, 29 November 2017 23:00 (six years ago) link
https://www.barbican.org.uk/whats-on/2018/event/microdisney
― Freedom, Thursday, 14 December 2017 19:19 (six years ago) link
I wonder what a new Microdisney album would sound like. Probably a bit mind-blowing?
― afriendlypioneer, Friday, 15 December 2017 14:41 (six years ago) link
probably never going to happen
i'm just imagining an extremely well produced album full of very lush string arrangements
and it sounds really weird in my head
― afriendlypioneer, Friday, 15 December 2017 19:20 (six years ago) link
According to that documentary mentioned upthread, the unrecorded fifth album would probably have been produced by Don Was! What could've been, eh.
― afriendlypioneer, Friday, December 15, 2017 7:20 PM (one hour ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink
Some as yet unheard middle-ground between the Wilson-esque opulence of the Llamas and the stripped-down starkness of Cathal's solo material? I'm not sure what that would be like, but I do want to hear it.
― Pheeel, Friday, 15 December 2017 21:08 (six years ago) link
I love almost all of Cathal's work, and you can't maintain that level of anger without burning yourself up, but I miss the sheer bile and spleen-venting of Fatima Mansions.
― Gerald McBoing-Boing, Friday, 15 December 2017 21:49 (six years ago) link
Realized the song "Genius" probably comes close to what I'm imagining.
― afriendlypioneer, Monday, 18 December 2017 16:32 (six years ago) link
I find this band fascinating for some reason. They're a little less refined than their peers, their hooks don't always work, and there's a couple duds on every album, but I find myself wearing out each of their albums when I'm in the my Microdisney mood.. I've noticed they have their share of diehard fans who truly believe they were that one in a million band, too. Sure, every band has them, but I've noticed they have a particularly devoted fanbase.
― afriendlypioneer, Tuesday, 19 December 2017 16:19 (six years ago) link
There was a weird song in English about the national anthem
Bit late to reply to this now but "National Anthem" was an early Microdisney track from when they were a five piece post-punk act based in Cork, and called Micro Disney. Funny that these reunion gigs should come up because I'd been reliving my indie kid youth and listening to a lot of Microdisney and Go-Betweens, who were probably my favourite bands of that period but I hadn't listened to either in centuries. I must admit I ended up listening to Microdisney a lot more than the Go-Betweens, for reasons that I should probably post on a Go-Betweens thread. Anyway, yes, a flawed band, all of their albums are compromised by poor choices over production and arrangements - the Peel session versions are pretty much always superior (but then I think the same is true of the Fall). They were brilliant live, as were the Go-Betweens, again probably better than their recordings.
― Whiney Houston (Tom D.), Tuesday, 19 December 2017 17:28 (six years ago) link
Cathal and Sean performing 'Dolly' in the Barbican Exhibition Halls.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZnudQE0Oi4Q
― Portsmouth Bubblejet, Friday, 11 May 2018 18:48 (five years ago) link
That's really...pleasant. I like it!
― afriendlypioneer, Friday, 11 May 2018 19:04 (five years ago) link
I wouldn't put it past them to show up the night of their reunion show in that format. I'd love it, but would all their loyal fans love it?
― afriendlypioneer, Tuesday, 15 May 2018 14:14 (five years ago) link
Good reports from the NCH show last night. Anyone going to the Barbican next Saturday?
https://amp.irishexaminer.com/breakingnews/lifestyle/culture/review-triumphant-return-for-microdisney-in-dublin-846709.html
― Brainless Addlepated Timid Muddleheaded Awful No-Account (Pheeel), Sunday, 3 June 2018 16:40 (five years ago) link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zG2Nsw5OWIY
― Brainless Addlepated Timid Muddleheaded Awful No-Account (Pheeel), Sunday, 3 June 2018 19:40 (five years ago) link
I'll be there.
― Poisoned by Johan's pea soup. (Tom D.), Sunday, 3 June 2018 19:42 (five years ago) link
I was at the gig last night too. It was excellent. Cathal's voice is in fine fettle. They played the album and then followed it up with the "hits" (and oddball instrumental "Michael Murphy")
― Dark Mavis (Michael B), Sunday, 3 June 2018 22:15 (five years ago) link
I've heard nothing but good things. Chances of a new album?
― afriendlypioneer, Monday, 4 June 2018 13:49 (five years ago) link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eKkmNAzgSR0
Man, Cathal's voice hasn't aged at all.
― afriendlypioneer, Monday, 4 June 2018 14:07 (five years ago) link
― afriendlypioneer, Monday, 4 June 2018 13:49
I've heard O'Hagan and Coughlan are writing some new stuff but it wont be under the Microdisney moniker
― Dark Mavis (Michael B), Monday, 4 June 2018 14:55 (five years ago) link
Four years ago, and it feels a lifetime away now.
― "Spaghetti" Thompson (Pheeel), Tuesday, 31 May 2022 13:26 (one year ago) link
“464” has been blowing me away lately. What a marvelous, weird song.
― afriendlypioneer, Thursday, 7 July 2022 01:31 (one year ago) link
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m001x9fs
― koogs, Wednesday, 13 March 2024 14:06 (two weeks ago) link
^ documentary on bbc4 this weekend
― koogs, Wednesday, 13 March 2024 14:07 (two weeks ago) link
Thanks for that.
― man in suit and red tie raising his fist (Tom D.), Wednesday, 13 March 2024 14:19 (two weeks ago) link
(specifically Friday at 10 and then iPlayer i guess)
― koogs, Wednesday, 13 March 2024 14:28 (two weeks ago) link
https://www.rte.ie/entertainment/2024/0314/1437812-new-microdisney-film-is-raw-and-tinged-with-sadness/
― afriendlypioneer, Friday, 15 March 2024 15:31 (one week ago) link
I loved the doc. Full marks, and I say that as a Microdisney agnostic, so for the believers it must be quite something.
― stirmonster, Saturday, 16 March 2024 19:15 (one week ago) link
I havent seen it but apparently there's a clip of me and my mate Ray at their Cork gig on the documentary. Anyway to see this for people who don't have BBC in Ireland? Maybe ze torrentz?
― Saxophone Of Futility (Michael B), Saturday, 16 March 2024 19:17 (one week ago) link
I saw most of the doc last night, I was delighted and amazed it existed, I don't think it was any good tho really, which is a general observation about music documentaries
― Morris O’Shea Salazar (Noodle Vague), Saturday, 16 March 2024 19:19 (one week ago) link
I presume that this was the final show in 2019 and not one of the early ones.
― Dan Worsley, Saturday, 16 March 2024 19:28 (one week ago) link
(xp) Agreed. It wasn't very well made but I'm so pleased Cathal and Sean got at least some of the attention they deserved - at long last.
― man in suit and red tie raising his fist (Tom D.), Saturday, 16 March 2024 19:44 (one week ago) link
Yeah that
― Morris O’Shea Salazar (Noodle Vague), Saturday, 16 March 2024 20:17 (one week ago) link
I was out with a friend tonight who also loved this who is also not particularly into Microdisney. Perhaps the less one is into them the more likely it is they'll like it? I thought their story was really fascinating even if it was the usual talking head formula.
― stirmonster, Sunday, 17 March 2024 00:53 (one week ago) link
I enjoyed it a lot, fairly standard talking heads, cut and paste old footage format. Some great clips, lolled at their appearance on the Tom O’Connor show. Pedant nitpicking, I was mildly annoyed that they were talking about 83-85 era indie but used clips of 77 punk singles to highlight this.
Found a clearly unwell Coughlan talking about his regrets for his behaviour really moving. I hope he found peace before he died.
― Dan Worsley, Sunday, 17 March 2024 08:09 (one week ago) link
Enjoyed the documentary as well despite the fairly standard format. If nothing else, the positive feedback might encourage someone to make Microdisney's albums available again. Crooked Mile and 39 Minutes have been out of print for ages and the cheapest used copy of the 2013 re-release of Everybody is Fantastic is going for £75 on Amazon. Even the 2-disc Daunt Square to Elsewhere anthology is now as rare as hen's teeth.
― Wry & Slobby (Portsmouth Bubblejet), Sunday, 17 March 2024 13:25 (one week ago) link
Crazy to think that the only Virgin era CDs are the original 1980s editions. Hopefully someone like Cherry Red or LNTG will look at getting expanded editions done.
― Dan Worsley, Sunday, 17 March 2024 13:47 (one week ago) link
Also the complete Peel Sessions, which is the best music they ever recorded.
― Tom D (the first British Asian ILXor) (Tom D.), Sunday, 17 March 2024 14:00 (one week ago) link
Agree with that. There were unfinished sketches such as 'Half a Day' on the Peel Sessions which it would be nice to hear again.
― Wry & Slobby (Portsmouth Bubblejet), Sunday, 17 March 2024 14:20 (one week ago) link