is the RATW era supposed to have had studio outtakes beyond the b-sides? I always thought RAtW sounded like a curated sampler pack from a more sprawling record.
― wayne trotsky (Simon H.), Wednesday, 14 November 2018 20:13 (five years ago) link
I believe there are a couple tracks that showed up later on, like this Hey Venus!-era B-side:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_NkXSd2scaY
I recall seeing the title on an early pre-release RATW track list.
They also claim 'Bing Bong' was conceived around then.
― afriendlypioneer, Wednesday, 14 November 2018 20:14 (five years ago) link
Yeah bit this is the bobble hat that broke the camel's back
― PaulTMA, Wednesday, 14 November 2018 20:32 (five years ago) link
For Rings Around the World, I seem to recall that they recorded all the B-sides and album tracks in the same sessions, and then the final running order was a compromise. Every band member had a different preferred track order and even a different idea of what the LP was supposed to be. Again, Gruff wanted it to be an excessive 90+ minute experience but others in the band disagreed.
― Le Baton Rose (Turrican), Wednesday, 14 November 2018 20:49 (five years ago) link
There were outtakes: 'Aluminium Illuminati' (as mentioned before), 'Sanitizzzed', 'The Undisputed Truth' etc. Some of these were released as B-sides later.
― Le Baton Rose (Turrican), Wednesday, 14 November 2018 20:51 (five years ago) link
Yeah bit this is the bobble hat that broke the camel's back― PaulTMA, Wednesday, November 14, 2018 3:32 PM (twenty-one minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink
― PaulTMA, Wednesday, November 14, 2018 3:32 PM (twenty-one minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink
Not quite, but it's a touch cynical for a band that was always boastful of their anti-materialist views.
― afriendlypioneer, Wednesday, 14 November 2018 20:53 (five years ago) link
It's alright, though. You guys can have your bobble hats. I've been following them for years and I've just sort of given up on the hope they're a real band anymore.
― afriendlypioneer, Wednesday, 14 November 2018 20:55 (five years ago) link
It'd been nearly a DECADE since Dark Days/Light Years came out. This band used to release an album almost annually...
― afriendlypioneer, Thursday, September 27, 2018 6:08 AM (one month ago)
bands often release fewer new records after they split up
― Betting Eighty Hams (sic), Thursday, September 27, 2018 6:32 AM (one month ago)
standing by this
there was one guy wearing a SFA bobble hat at the Gruff/Kliph gig in Seattle last month. presumably the audience for new ones is people that still like their music, have disposable income and live somewhere cold.
― Bing The Mighty Seat (sic), Wednesday, 14 November 2018 21:01 (five years ago) link
The BBC comp is out. Had a listen to the first part on Spotify and I’ve got to admit it’s really excellent.
― afriendlypioneer, Friday, 23 November 2018 22:13 (five years ago) link
Few more comments:
"God! Show Me Magic" on the tracklist three or four times somehow doesn't bother me. Song is as great as it's always been.
"DX Heaven" is completely disposable and I have to skip it every time it comes on.
My wife ruined "Calimero" for me. It borrows heavily from DK's "California Uber Alles." Ok, I still think "Calimero" kicks ass and will take it over the DKs song anyday.
Live bass on "Drawing Rings Around the World" is phenomenal.
The Mwng stuff sounds incredible.
― afriendlypioneer, Monday, 26 November 2018 16:37 (five years ago) link
Oh, and why the hell do they always blow guitar solos when they play live? They don't even do the greatest tiny solo of all time on the "Hometown Unicorn" recording.
― afriendlypioneer, Monday, 26 November 2018 16:38 (five years ago) link
My wife ruined "Calimero" for me. It borrows heavily from DK's "California Uber Alles."
It took you until recently to realise this? I thought this was common knowledge!
(I prefer 'Calimero')
― Le Baton Rose (Turrican), Monday, 26 November 2018 18:37 (five years ago) link
Nope. Had no idea. My wife told me immediately that it sounds like this 'California' song she knows and I kinda figured it out through a process of elimination. Knew it couldn't be RHCP...
― afriendlypioneer, Monday, 26 November 2018 18:56 (five years ago) link
They're really not that similar.
― resident hack (Simon H.), Monday, 26 November 2018 20:20 (five years ago) link
Gruff admitted the influence of that track on 'Calimero' decades ago.
― Le Baton Rose (Turrican), Monday, 26 November 2018 20:23 (five years ago) link
The whole song's not the same, but the 'Calimero calimero' bit is IDENTICAL to 'California Uber Alles.'
― afriendlypioneer, Monday, 26 November 2018 20:25 (five years ago) link
it's not even the same vocal melody!
― resident hack (Simon H.), Monday, 26 November 2018 20:26 (five years ago) link
like yeah it's clearly a reference but let's not get carried away
― resident hack (Simon H.), Monday, 26 November 2018 20:27 (five years ago) link
I was being tongue in cheek about it ruining the song cuz 'Calimero' is clearly the superior song. I just never caught the reference until someone mentioned it to me.
I was similarly shocked when I found out the main guitar hook in 'The Roman Road' is a sample.
― afriendlypioneer, Monday, 26 November 2018 20:28 (five years ago) link
Oh yeah, the Beefheart sample. The thing that amazes me about that is that they got the rest of the track (their original parts) to blend in so well with it.
― Le Baton Rose (Turrican), Monday, 26 November 2018 20:32 (five years ago) link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nHQnSeFAGTg&feature=youtu.be
speaking of copying
one of the most blatant, and odd, examples i've ever heard
how did they/he even come across the song they ripped off?
― afriendlypioneer, Wednesday, 5 December 2018 16:18 (five years ago) link
whoops...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nHQnSeFAGTg
/Oh, and they just released a new bobble hat. Not kidding.What happened to this band? :(/don't look now, but this might not be the first item of merchandise they have ever released
― lefal junglist platton (wtev), Sunday, 30 December 2018 08:45 (five years ago) link
speaking of copyingone of the most blatant, and odd, examples i've ever heard how did they/he even come across the song they ripped off?
― lefal junglist platton (wtev), Sunday, 30 December 2018 09:03 (five years ago) link
Saw this bumped and instinctively knew it would be bobble hat-related
― PaulTMA, Sunday, 30 December 2018 13:29 (five years ago) link
Just to clarify, the Chinese song came out after 'Dim Bendith.'
― afriendlypioneer, Friday, 4 January 2019 21:25 (five years ago) link
The 'Dim Bendith' riff was clearly inspired/influenced by 'I'm Mandy, Fly Me' anyway.
― Le Baton Rose (Turrican), Saturday, 5 January 2019 18:49 (five years ago) link
Think the influence of 'Dem Bendith' on the Eason track goes further than the riff.
― afriendlypioneer, Thursday, 10 January 2019 15:22 (five years ago) link
i've been listening to this band for the first time this week and i'm really amazed at how brilliant they are and that i'd somehow never bothered to listen before. only listened to radiator through to rings around the world so far but all of those are excellent. guerilla and rings especially remind me of cornelius' fantasma which is an album i love and had always wished i had more music that sounded like it - fuzzed out psych pop with lush arrangements and 90s electronic production is such a great sound
― ufo, Saturday, 26 January 2019 11:18 (five years ago) link
That period was definitely their peak but there's still plenty to enjoy on later albums
― groovypanda, Saturday, 26 January 2019 11:50 (five years ago) link
Don't sleep on the B-Sides too, lot's of great stuff there once you get around to them.
― MaresNest, Saturday, 26 January 2019 12:57 (five years ago) link
They're not wrong! Fantasma a good comparison
― imago, Saturday, 26 January 2019 13:04 (five years ago) link
Groovypanda OTM, although I would extend their peak period to include Phantom Power, which is one of their finest.
There's some great stuff pre-Radiator and some excellent tracks on the post-Phantom Power albums, but 1997-2004 they were on an incredible run of unbeatable stuff.
― Le Baton Rose (Turrican), Saturday, 26 January 2019 21:09 (five years ago) link
Also - yes, check out the b-sides and non-album stuff. There is a b-sides compilation (Out Spaced) which is put together and sequenced like it's a "proper" studio album with segues and everything, however it only covers 1994-1998 and does not include everything - they left a lot of the shorter, poppier moments off it like 'Calimero', 'Waiting to Happen' ... it does include essential stuff like 'Arnofio/Glô in the Dark' and 'Dim Bendith', though!
― Le Baton Rose (Turrican), Saturday, 26 January 2019 21:13 (five years ago) link
It's funny you should mention Fantasma. The way I remember getting into SFA is through HBO's Reverb. The particular episode I remember featured both Cornelius and SFA. If I remember correctly, this was around the time Guerrilla and Fantasma came out. Commonalities between Guerrilla and Fantasma: Sean O'Hagan worked on at least one track on both albums. Sean O'Hagan... one of my all-time favorite musicians. It's such a small world of music.
Cian just dropped a new track with his non-SFA band. Pretty average, but not bad:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DgEfPRxct4M
― afriendlypioneer, Monday, 28 January 2019 14:49 (five years ago) link
And of course Fantasma is probably one of my Top 10 records and totally formative to a newly-teenaged afriendlypioneer. So good.
― afriendlypioneer, Monday, 28 January 2019 14:50 (five years ago) link
Things afoot at Pledge Music it appears
https://www.pledgemusic.com/projects/space-monkeys-new-album/updates/103268
https://www.billboard.com/articles/business/8494827/pledgemusic-crowdfunding-owes-artists-thousands-late-payments
― groovypanda, Thursday, 31 January 2019 08:39 (five years ago) link
Dark Days/Light Years officially came out 10 years ago on Saturday.
:(
― afriendlypioneer, Monday, 18 March 2019 20:23 (five years ago) link
I guess this means it's 16 years since their last truly great record!
― Le Baton Rose (Turrican), Monday, 18 March 2019 20:37 (five years ago) link
The further away we get from their last record, the more I'm convinced that it was the best time for them to stop.
― Le Baton Rose (Turrican), Monday, 18 March 2019 20:42 (five years ago) link
They must've felt the same way!
It's just weird to think it's been so long. They released on such a regular scheduled for 13 years.
― afriendlypioneer, Monday, 18 March 2019 20:48 (five years ago) link
It felt weird when they didn't put out a new album in 2011, which they probably would have done if they hadn't made the decision to stop. It doesn't feel weird to me now - after ten years I've got used to it.
Still, ten albums (Out Spaced included) is enough.
― Le Baton Rose (Turrican), Monday, 18 March 2019 22:34 (five years ago) link
I don’t really disagree. Moved on, myself, though I’d still listen to a new album if it ever came out. Burned out on pretty much all they’ve done at this point and have very minimal interest in any further reissues. Still blew my mind it’s been a decade since their last. That was my final year of college and feels not so long ago...
― afriendlypioneer, Monday, 18 March 2019 23:23 (five years ago) link
New Zefur Wolves is a really big improvement over the first album.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hvPPOSFUHyA
Good use of fuzz and feedback throughout. Some nice songwriting as well.
― afriendlypioneer, Monday, 1 April 2019 14:05 (four years ago) link
When Creation Records signed Super Furry Animals, Gruff Rhys hand wrote me a list of every song he'd written up to that point ... pic.twitter.com/y9KYB73uix— Andy Saunders (@mrasaunders) March 30, 2019
Never would've suspected 'Lazer Beam' was written pre-Fuzzy Logic.
― afriendlypioneer, Wednesday, 3 April 2019 18:17 (four years ago) link
Perhaps a 'single pulled out of the bag'
― PaulTMA, Wednesday, 3 April 2019 18:48 (four years ago) link
If indeed it is the same 'Lazer Beam' and not a different song with the same title. I'm very skeptical as 'Lazer Beam' is heavily based on a Cian demo that came later.
I'm most surprised to see 'Missunderstanding (sic)' on there.
― Le Baton Rose (Turrican), Thursday, 4 April 2019 02:46 (four years ago) link
I’ve heard fairly substantiated rumblings they’re working on a new album, but that Gruff is either not involved at all or featured in a diminished capacity. Not exactly what I would’ve dreamed of, but we shall see...
― afriendlypioneer, Tuesday, 7 May 2019 15:50 (four years ago) link
I guess I got off the bus at the right time, then!
― Le Baton Rose (Turrican), Tuesday, 7 May 2019 16:11 (four years ago) link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bEwPfg5eVnY
― afriendlypioneer, Wednesday, 8 May 2019 14:31 (four years ago) link