Legendary Pink Dots

Saw 'em tonight and it was plush. Dude they've got playing guitar now is fantastic. The Photographer was mesmerizing live, Just a Lifetime was my favorite from their back catalog. Don't miss them!

Been listening to Pages of Aquarius, wanted to hear more stuff featuring Erik Drost (current incarnation's guitar player) since he was so good live... reminds of me Magician Among the Spirits-era Church, spaced-out and low-key, with pretty guitars. Naturally there's another dozen or so releases from the era to investigate. Fun!

yeah he's been playing with them for quite a while now! starting with Poppy Variations iirc

Watching the World Series with the TV on mute and 12 Steps off the Path and 10 to the Power of 9... going deep with LPD this week

New to me
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2F1Xq83diEE

https://kittysneezes.com/category/reviews/music/lpd-project/

that's pretty cool!

band-compiled overview of their last ten years:

https://legendarypinkdots1.bandcamp.com/album/the-last-10-years-a-compilation-for-the-courageous

This collection is an overview of The Legendary Pink Dots in the years 2010 to 2020. It's primarily aimed at those who recently discovered The Dots, but are terrified by the enormous discography (like the character on the cover for instance) and those who perhaps stopped listening a couple of decades ago but are curious. Dive in, enjoy and prepare yourself for the BIG rollercoaster ride.

(technically, this covers 2012-2019)

Thanks for the tip!

New album's great! So I wrote about it, in the context of this overall guide/introduction to their remarkable career

https://theshfl.com/guide/legendary-pink-dots

That's very interesting to me as I only really know their records up to 1990. But is there meant to be any significance to the order of the entries, or is that the point of "theshfl"?

No significance, the guides are intentionally not rated, and the order changes each time the page is refreshed. Worked with the site founder for about a year now and he's a good egg, and this is very much part of his idea of random discovery that's not algorithmic but driven by critical writing and work.

Great guide, Ned, and yes, the new album is so good. I know I'll only ever scratch the surface of the LPD / Ka-Spel discography but every time I do dig in I am rewarded with such joy that I wonder why I don't do it more.

I'm determined to catch a date on their 2023 tour.

Thanks, and as well you should! Caught them now...you know, I'm not sure. I think five times, but definitely four at least, the last being the 40th anniversary tour stop in fall 2019, which I'm obviously grateful for.

I have just seen them the one time in 2011, in Belgium. Sadly they have almost no following in the UK so rarely play here, and if they do almost never outside London.

thanks Ned!

the order changes each time the page is refreshed.

this is a cool trick that I had not noticed

they really have never made a bad "proper" album, it's impressive

Truly!

also, please note that they just released US tour dates today! See ya in Portland OR on Oct 22nd!

they have almost no following in the UK

this is so weird to me

they had a Bandcamp sale to help fund the tour, not sure if some things are still discounted or not but I picked up a bunch of excellent miscellaneous things (like Seismic Bleats Of Quantum Sheep) that I had not heard

Does there exist any kind of like 2cd anthology/overview of these guys? Or have any of you guys assembled one for your own use? I know next to nothing about them but i have a feeling I’d take to them…

they do have something like that!

https://legendarypinkdots1.bandcamp.com/album/the-stone-age-1980-89
https://legendarypinkdots1.bandcamp.com/album/a-ticking-clock-1990-99
https://legendarypinkdots1.bandcamp.com/album/a-string-of-zeroes-the-legendary-pink-dots-2000-2010

also see Ned's "theshfl" link above for a good overview of individual albums

What do you think these shows will be like? Debating whether to shell out the $65.

Who has seen them?

I've seen them several times, always worth it imo (altho $65 seems very high compared to the $27 face charge in Portland!

Normally they slip in a few reworked versions of oldies in their set, which otherwise typically consists of songs from their most recent album or two, whatever they are touring on.

Every time I've seen them has been very involved and fascinating. And as with any truly veteran band like this, who knows how many more chances you might get, so...

uh

A chapter closes and another begins as Phil - The Silverman - has decided to retire from live performances with the Pink Dots, while our long term friend, Randall, is joining the band.

In reality it’s a story we’ve known for many months inside The Dots as we plan for our first long tour since early 2022, but it was the sheer physical demand of such an adventure that led to Phil making his decision.
Do wish Phil well in his choice of a path - it’s been a glorious four decades.

Randall is no stranger to life on the road with The Pink Dots having opened with his own project, Orbit Service, on many tours ( and he will be delivering a set on the forthcoming outing). Still, we’re excited to welcome an old friend into the band, composing new music with him as well as exploring some new corners of the planet together.

this is... not great as far as I am concerned, sorry to the band

Oof, yeah, would have to agree. I'm very glad I caught them on the anniversary tour in late 2019 now. I do have tickets for next month but I'm a touch unsure now. But I'm not going to begrudge Phil's choice to call time -- it's a hard life on tour, and that's a hell of a run.

yeah for sure. I do wish this had been announced before tickets were sold.

Well, maybe it was a half play by ear situation. But after the Soft Cell tour transmogrification as well, a bit disappointing.

sad!

if you still go, please do report back on how the phil-less LPD are.

oh I'm totally going still, had tix for a while, just surprised at this (and how bummed out I am, maybe just shock of the new)

otoh I do like Randall's work and it will be interesting to see a different approach. I wonder if he's using any of Phil's gear?

for years I missed Stret Majeste Alarm's guitar sound in the band, but these days I have fully come around to Erik, so I can definitely adjust

also re: Randall, Orbit Service played at my house once, good lord I just looked it up and it was 17 years ago

i.e. he is a lifer as well

Merry Christmas, of course

https://legendarypinkdots1.bandcamp.com/album/the-legendary-pink-dots-christmas-special-2022

so freaking excited to read this book covering them through the 80s

https://legendarypinkdots1.bandcamp.com/merch/close-your-eyes-you-can-be-a-space-captain

Ah, thanks for that -- just snagged one of the last two copies there!

cheers!!

it looks like Soleilmoon.com has copies for the US market as well if anyone else is looking

i just snagged the very last one opn bandcamp. thanks sleeve.

how was the recent gig?

not as loose as they were with Phil, much more of a regular setlist on the shows from what I saw, no improv section, but the sound was great and they all seemed to be enjoying themselves. they brought out "Grain Kings" for the encore and also played "Rainbows Too" which I guess counts as an oldie now, my god 14 years since 2008.

ok! thanks.

so pleased that Ned and stir got those last two copies of the book! I am ridiculously excited for it, apparently it is done oral history style

Hey that's pretty cool -- Edward K has put up the actual first ever LPD home recorded tape on Bandcamp, with full liner notes:

https://legendarypinkdots1.bandcamp.com/album/only-dreaming

A lot of familiar tracks from compilations and reissues but here's the actual thing.