Legendary Pink Dots

DRINK OPIUM TEA AND STARE AT THE CLOUDS.

Great title for the new album too, which I bought there -- Your Children Placate You From Premature Graves. Apparently there are at least two other new albums and the merch table had approximately 341334 vinyl and CDR and other goodies for sale and...

Dots On The Eyes C20
Only Dreaming C60
Premonitions C60
Chemical Playschool 1&2 2xC90
Kleine Krieg C90
Brighter Now LP
Atomic Roses C30
Apparition C30
Prayer For Aradia C30
Basilisk C60
Chemical Playschool 3&4 2xC90
Curse LP

plus a couple dozen compilation tracks and probably a tape or two I'm forgetting. The hit-to-miss ratio on all of this stuff is outstanding (even with extensive track duplication), the band has never quite scaled those heights since. Output remains quality for sure, though. The new Ka-Spel solo has really rocked my world and Your Children Placate You... is pretty damn good also.

one of my favorite bands, if it wasn't obvious already. glad you found that early stuff, Ned ;)

Yeah, there should be one!

glad you found that early stuff, Ned ;)

Same here!

"The Pleasure Palace" from the Princess Coldheart 12"/Crushed Velvet Apocalypse CD

"Premonition 16" from the Curious Guy 12"/Lovers CD, actually most of the "Premonition"s esp the one on the Legendary Pink Box.

Shadow Weaver (both Vol. 1 and Vol. 2 aka Malachai) as noted.

"Choke" from Chemical Playschool Vol. 4

By chance I've been able to find mp3s of the very first cassettes at long last.

that stuff's crazy good! my wife usually buys or barters for the reissues of their early stuff and it's all sooooo mad.

the second one (Malachai) is. Stapleton also produced Asylum iirc.

uh, speaking of reissues of their early stuff, there is a staggering new box set from Vinyl On Demand that has all of Kleine Krieg, the ridiculously rare Chemical Playschool 2 VERSION 2 which I have never heard, and a live show.

got a promo copy of Plutonium Blonde - lol @ "My First Zonee"

Crutis if we don't get a promo in to my station soon I may email you for help, I'd like to be able to air it before their Portland show on Oct. 17th.

Hey, in five years, no one has had anything nice to say about The Golden Age? Okay, I'll say I love that record. Just pulled it out last night and threw it onto my iPod.

the periodical reapparition of this thread is weird and very Dot-esque, considering that exactly yesterday I bought a copy of "Your children will placate you" (and found it good as always).

Golden Age is fantastic. I'm pretty sure there must be another legendary pink dots thread, because i thought i mentioned that before.

interesting so see so much love for Golden Age, at the time it was a bit of a personal letdown and I don't know if my perception of the record has recovered since (although I couldn't name a bad song from it if I tried). Any Day Now was such a monster tour de force of the mostly-original lineup and then the band fractured, Golden Age is the sound of a band in flux. As such, it contains some fairly drastic experimental moves that the Dots had typically reserved for their cassettes at that time as opposed to a high profile US release. The overall sound is similarly wide ranging, which I think has served it well over the eyars.

=years.

I mean, really, releasing "Blacklist" as a contemporary single? What a weird song. That is on the CD verson, right?

they killed it in Portland last night. Last time I saw them was 12 years ago (!!) and they are perceptibly older, calmer, more assured and in control. At this point the "new guy" has been with them for like twelve years as well. Last time was loud, lots of rock-band-esque striving and pushing, and this time they were completely focused and deliberate.

Also, excellent setlist and encore of "Just A Lifetime" and "Princess Coldheart". They did "Grain Kings"!

Damn, I guess I'm missing them this time. But yeah, their ability at really great performances tour for tour is impressive -- of the bands I've seen over the years the ones that would match them would be Acid Mothers Temple and, to an extent, Stereolab.

ha, just bumped the TC Shows thread for this tour, which comes through Minneapolis on Thursday. Can't wait.

How's the new album?

much more fucked up/weird/spacy than the last one, interspersed with a few pretty tunes to break it up. I like it a lot, but I'm fairly predictable about this band.

If you can get hold of their compilation of early tracks, Under Triple Moons, it's a wonderful and disturbing thing, from the era where they had a lot of magic but were not conscious of any audience. It's as weird as anything they've done - squat confessionals on a minimum of equipment. We've been playing it every so often for at least two years. It's a great one to bung on when people are getting nervous.

seconded, that one is fantastic!

awesome, will do! I don't think I've heard anything earlier than Crushed Velvet Apocalypse.

Agreed re: Under. The sheer amount of material now is too daunting to deal with easily but that's a gem.

Been in a major phase lately. And via Idolator this Amanda Palmer/Neutral Milk Hotel musical article contained this!

But sitting with the cast on the steps outside the school, listing the plays she and Bogart put on when she was a student there (one was based on the Legendary Pink Dots' 1985 album, Asylum)

US tour dates... I'll be in Portland!

don't think the new record (on ROIR) is out yet but there are tracks on the Myspace page.

15 October 2010 Vancouver, BC Biltmore Cabaret
16 October 2010 Seattle, WA El Corazon
18 October 2010 Salt Lake City, UT Club Sound
19 October 2010 Englewood, CO Gothic Theatre
21 October 2010 Minneapolis, MN Triple Rock Social Club
22 October 2010 Chicago, IL Double Door
23 October 2010 Columbus, OH Rumba Cafe
24 October 2010 Cleveland Heights, OH Grog Shop
25 October 2010 Detroit, MI Magic Stick
26 October 2010 Toronto, ON The Mod Club Theatre
28 October 2010 Cambridge, MA Middle East Upstairs
29 October 2010 New York, NY Le Poisson Rouge
30 October 2010 Washington DC DC9
1 November 2010 Philadelphia, PA The M Room
2 November 2010 Pittsburgh, PA Thunderbird Cafe
3 November 2010 Chapel Hill, NC Local 506
4 November 2010 Atlanta, GA The Masquerade
5 November 2010 Orlando, FL The Plaza Theatre
6 November 2010 Tampa, FL Orpheum
9 November 2010 Dallas, TX House of Blues
10 November 2010 Austin, TX Elysium
14 November 2010 Phoenix, AZ The Rhythm Room
15 November 2010 San Diego, CA The Casbah
16 November 2010 Los Angeles, CA EchoPlex
17 November 2010 Hermosa Beach, CA Saint Rocke
18 November 2010 Costa Mesa, CA Detroit Bar
19 November 2010 San Francisco, CA Cafe Du Nord
20 November 2010 San Francisco, CA Cafe Du Nord
22 November 2010 Portland, OR Doug Fir Lounge

Playing the Detroit Bar! Excellent, I'm all over that, that'll be a great show. I should look into an OC Weekly article...

they are playing as a trio with former guitarist Erik Drost, who was on Poppy Variations and The Whispering Wall. should be interesting, I've always seen them with at least four members.

Wow, that is a change. I'm actually v. intrigued for that reason, I always enjoyed the recent sets but there was a certain familiarity over time. Something to ask after in the interview!

(Well, assuming I get one, obv.)

the new album is very mellow

"No Star Too Far" ain't that mellow but on the whole yeah... really like the reworking of golden oldie "Hauptbahnhof".

Loving the new album and, as usual, this started a major rediscovery of my (too many?) LPD albums that got me thinking about how Edward Ka-spel is clearly one of the most underrated lyric writer ever.

There's also just the sense of inspiration coming from him -- he (and the Silverman of course) are just so constantly dedicated to keeping the partnership continuing but also to continue exploring the possibilities in their chosen approach. It's almost like the only English language band I could compare them to is the Fall, and even then it's the difference between one core figure and what surrounds him and, here, a duo.

Yes, I love the way they keep going endlessly, undeterred, oblivious to every fashion, somehow still amateurish 30 years after their inception, so single-mindedly devouted to their unseizable muse.
I hope someday a magazine like The Wire will dedicate them some attention, but I guess they're too pop, too weird, too peculiar.

Well said - really, the only difference between now and 1980 is the quality/sophistication of their gear (and a few different band members). Their entire aesthetic has barely changed at all.

Anyone seen this tour yet? Press photos have four members, I'm wondering who the 4th person is...

Also any setlist spoilers are welcome.

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.