Stereolab: Classic or Dud

No "Brigitte" or "Blue Milk", but they added "Crest". "John Cage" moved to second encore; otherwise a similar set list to 1st Ramsgate show.

Hey Jeff were you near the front in a Cavern of Anti-Matter shirt? If so I saw you but chickened out of saying hello because I wasn’t sure.

Friend sent me a clip of Metronomic Underground - goosebumps! Still pissed I missed it but at least he bought me a lousy t-shirt

Yes, Tim. That was me. I looked for you (but also didn’t want to lose my spot if you know what I mean, not being particularly tall). I’m back in Blighty now. Enjoy Brussels if you’re still there.

Ah, sorry to have missed you. Brussels excellent as ever, but we’re on a train to Berlin now (NB not Stereolab-related).

It was good to see them in London earlier this week. I've never seen them before. From reports, it seems they have their current set more rehearsed than previous tours.

Peng! Is such an amazing album, you guys.

a reunion should be a bit more polished. not that they need to justify their continued existence to me, i'd go see them do anything, but it's great to know they will knock it out of the park

https://imgur.com/gallery/GMuGzom

i never contributed to this thread? that's unpardonable. i was really into their early krautrocky stuff around 1990/91. at that time i didn't know krautrock really. and i always loved the voice of laetitia sadier, the matter of fact way she sings with her french accent i always found endearing. i saw them live a couple of times, they weren't a live band, especiallly later on when they lost the motorik vibe and verged towards soundtracks and elevator music they lost me. for many years the last cd i had bought was "transient random-noise bursts with announcements". then after more than ten years they came back (for me) with "margerine eclipse", a great return to form.

moka you are right peng! is so great.

I just had an epiphany while revisiting their back catalog: all my favorite Stereolab songs have prominent Mary Hansen vocals. Her counter melodies on songs like "Brakhage" and "Fluorescences," to name just two examples, really make those songs for me. Such a shame she died so young and so tragically.

This is very true. It really sucks because she was starting to be featured more and more.

anybody mention/find it interesting that they're not doing these recent shows with a female back-up singer? Mary was a great part of the band obv but they had other singers, and the female harmonies is such a great part of their sound.

I wish they'd consider it. Perhaps it's just too expensive to add a 6th person.

The times I saw them post-Mary they had a horn player filling in the harmony parts. Not the same, but it kinda worked live.

I think their keyboard and bass players provide some vocals now, but it's not the same

I was thinking of someone like Morgane Lhote

The OG Mary (Gina Morris, was in the groop 1990-1992) is still around, but now lives in Australia (ironically where Mary was from):

https://i.imgur.com/GyAQZTM.jpg

(far right)

nonsense, we all know Leticia is the far right one

Lol

she still (blue) milking that red bull ca$h

I don't think this has been mentioned anywhere else? From Minneapolis' Surly Brewing:

https://untappd.akamaized.net/photos/2019_07_07/16ffa89655efde4a254d0a73175d66fc_640x640.jpg

Surly only looks out for one guy.

well, that was extremely stressful but between Duophonic and Bleep, I was able to get all 3 limited editions. can't believe how quickly Dots and Loops sold out.

Managed to be on my email this AM, so I got all 3 via Duophonic. Pretty psyched.

Also v v v psyched that Bitchin Bajas is opening much of the US tour. Two favorite bands in one place!

Clear vinyl editions of ETK, Dots, and Cobra up here: https://flashlightvinyl.com/

Snagged a copy of Cobra, only 500 copies afaik

IDGI are these pre-orders? nobody will actually have them in stock until Sept. 6th, right?

right

my understanding from the bleep pre-orders was the obi-strip versions (ultra-deluxe?) sold out, and they only had black vinyl left for pre-order

whatever this shit is confusing

hope i didn't get ripped off

well $30 is a great price for a 3xLP regardless

My understanding was 500 copies for the obi strip versions, 2000 for the clear vinyl with scratch card. The 500 copies mentioned by Flashlight might be set aside for US distribution, or maybe it's just an error. Regardless, it's cheaper than getting them from the UK for us Yanks!

Clear vinyl editions of ETK, Dots, and Cobra up here: https://flashlightvinyl.com/

Did anyone here order and receive these Stereolab LPs from Flashlight Vinyl? Their website is down. I emailed them yesterday and am awaiting a response.

same thing happened to me. emailed them weeks ago and no response. looks like a record store that went out of business

seems like they were bought by Hellcat Vinyl based on a quick google, if it’s the store in Minneapolis.

*sighs*

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UZ03P-DjLy8

Watching this concert from 1994, when they were at the peak of their rock phase, and thinking about how cool Mary Hansen was and how much I miss her. Remarkably good video quality for such an early show.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OGEbvWltruE&t=2732s

Take 2

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

Gah! It sucks that I'm getting so paranoid that when a band I love gets bumped up on ILX I fear that it's because a member has fallen ill.

Just a heads-up, I know we love our physical media but in the current Bleep sale, the Stereolab expanded editions are included in their very cheap digital deal. If you buy 10 albums (mp3, lossless, 24 bit even for some) you get them for £30 / €35 / $US35, I picked up all 7 EEs and some Broadcast / LoneLady (OK I did two ten-fer deals and got a bunch of other stuff too).
But for me, who bought all the OG releases and was unsure if the extras on the new versions were worth it, it's the right price to satisfy my curiosity without piracy.

imo the sound alone on the new ones is worth it, but yeah I get the rebuying reluctance

in other news, the bonus 7" of demos is fantastic, lots of Mary vocals

i read that david pajo was briefly in stereolab, got me very curious. anyone know further details or know of video? guessing he wasn't on any studio material

apparently it was for a few months in 1996 between eTK and fluorescences, from after duncan brown left until richard harrison joined

I recently saw a classic group pic of the 'Lab circa Pajo's tenure (1995):

https://www.instagram.com/p/CBBv9MoCttA/

Must have been very brief because Richard Harrison was with them on the ETK tour.

Full show video with Pajo on bass here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VnW7EyTnFmA

oh hey i was at that show, pretty amazing setlist

Martin’s posted an image of a new Duophonic Super 45s release on Instagram - he’s such a tease

That must've been an epic tour, they didn't make it to Boston until 8 months later. Can't find any info about exactly how long Pajo played with them.

usenet groups probably had all the info on this (times like this is where i miss the old internet).

I thought maybe koly would, but no dice.