When a band opens a show with two of their best known numbers you begin to wonder how they're going to be able to wind up a show on an appropriate high. Squeeze did this tonight with Take Me, I'm Yours followed by Up The Junction - songs that have previously featured at the other end of the bands sets.
However, as they pepper their set with familiar songs and you realise that there's still a considerable range of superb songs left to choose you realise that you are listening to a band with a back catalogue of songs of considerable merit. They eventually finished after one hour and fifty minutes still playing hits - the last one being Another Nail In My Heart.
Glenn Tilbrook and Chris Difford are another couple who have found the unfortunate facts of rock'n'roll life - that when you've had an illustrious past like them that the public will flock to see you together when they wouldn't whilst you remain apart. Last time I saw Tilbrook he was playing King Tut's Wah Wah Hut (approximate capacity of 300) whilst Difford was seen supporting Elvis Costello. Tonight the reformed Squeeze played a packed Carling Academy which holds 2,500. The math is as compelling as it's obvious.
Two of the reformed band are from Glenn's solo band whilst the bass spot is filled by the returning John Bentley who played on the three albums before the bands' first split in the early 1980's.
The set was filled with just about every song you might expect and a good few that you wouldn't - Slightly Drunk, I Think I'm Go-Go, Melody Motel and Messed Around being good examples. Only down point was the inclusion of Frank's Love Circles which I've always thought an extremely poor example of their songwriting craft (or, less politely, it's shite!). Tillbrook remains one of the most gifted singers around, and his songs are able supported by Difford's excellent lyrics.
When introducing the band Glenn said "he's back for good" when introducing Bentley. I'd like to think that means there will be some kind of future for Squeeze. If nothing else, tonight showed how much I'd missed them in the relatively short time they've been away
Thursday, 29 November 2007
Wednesday, 28 November 2007
Music Review : Runnin' Down A Dream
Tom Petty always had an element about him of being the luckiest man alive. His music (which I've always enjoyed) never seemed to be remotely cutting edge, but was based on the old fashioned values of good playing and good songs. Which is more than fine, but there are other artists that you can say the same about - but they never got to play with Bob Dylan, Johnny Cash, George Harrison, Roy Orbison amongst others. The converse, of course, is that these guys ain't mugs and wouldn't be consorting with Mr Petty unless they had a pretty high impression of him.
An entirely seperate question would be if the career of Mr Petty was worth a four hour documentary. Runnin' Down A Dream is just such a beast directed by Peter Bogdanovich (still best know for the classic The Last Picture Show and for being by far the worst actor in the Sopranos!!) albeit that it's split over two discs allowing a comfort break in between.
Four hours on anyone sounds like more of a threat than a promise but it has to be said that having sat through it tonight that it makes more than a fair stab at painting Tom as a pretty crucial figure of the past thirty years. It would probably be fair to say that he's more important to Americans than he might be those of us in Europe (although he's unquestionably a major player in these parts as well) but the documentary tells the tales well through interviews (current and past) alongside loads of vintage footage. I think the best compliment it can be paid is that it held my attention for the duration.
Does it change my view of Petty? Yes, I think it does. He's never been greatly innovative as a songwriter or a performer but the quality of his songwriting has stayed at a consistently high level for the full length of his career. He's also taken some pretty significant stands against the music industry along the way and it's clear that his integrity is important. There's also a terrific piece of footage from the sessions for Roger McGuinn's album Back From Rio where Petty lays into the producers who are trying to get McGuinn to record what Petty feels is a substandard song for someone of his stature to be recording. McGuinn acknowledged that he was being submissive and would have gone along with the request without Petty's intervention; and that Tom was absolutely right in doing what he did. Needless to say, the song in question never appeared. And the continual piling up of songs that you recognise and enjoy begins to make its own very persuasive case.
As with all these things, if you don't like Petty there's probably little in the documentary to change your mind but for commited fans or those like me who have enjoyed his work it might be a worthwhile investment.
In addition to the show, the DVD set also comes with a complete concert recorded in Tom's hometown of Gainesville which celebrated the 30th anniversary of the band, as well as a CD with a selection of complete songs from otherwise unreleased performances that are used in the film. I got this online for about £22 so it's very good value package.
An entirely seperate question would be if the career of Mr Petty was worth a four hour documentary. Runnin' Down A Dream is just such a beast directed by Peter Bogdanovich (still best know for the classic The Last Picture Show and for being by far the worst actor in the Sopranos!!) albeit that it's split over two discs allowing a comfort break in between.
Four hours on anyone sounds like more of a threat than a promise but it has to be said that having sat through it tonight that it makes more than a fair stab at painting Tom as a pretty crucial figure of the past thirty years. It would probably be fair to say that he's more important to Americans than he might be those of us in Europe (although he's unquestionably a major player in these parts as well) but the documentary tells the tales well through interviews (current and past) alongside loads of vintage footage. I think the best compliment it can be paid is that it held my attention for the duration.
Does it change my view of Petty? Yes, I think it does. He's never been greatly innovative as a songwriter or a performer but the quality of his songwriting has stayed at a consistently high level for the full length of his career. He's also taken some pretty significant stands against the music industry along the way and it's clear that his integrity is important. There's also a terrific piece of footage from the sessions for Roger McGuinn's album Back From Rio where Petty lays into the producers who are trying to get McGuinn to record what Petty feels is a substandard song for someone of his stature to be recording. McGuinn acknowledged that he was being submissive and would have gone along with the request without Petty's intervention; and that Tom was absolutely right in doing what he did. Needless to say, the song in question never appeared. And the continual piling up of songs that you recognise and enjoy begins to make its own very persuasive case.
As with all these things, if you don't like Petty there's probably little in the documentary to change your mind but for commited fans or those like me who have enjoyed his work it might be a worthwhile investment.
In addition to the show, the DVD set also comes with a complete concert recorded in Tom's hometown of Gainesville which celebrated the 30th anniversary of the band, as well as a CD with a selection of complete songs from otherwise unreleased performances that are used in the film. I got this online for about £22 so it's very good value package.
Friday, 23 November 2007
Concert Review : 30 Years On
Wishbone Ash to the Sex Pistols? No problem to me!
Last Sunday saw me at the SECC in Glasgow to catch the Sex Pistols on the last of their 30th Anniversary gigs. I saw them in 1996 when they first reunited in the wake of the successful outcome of their lawsuit against Malcolm McLaren. I got the impression that they felt that they had a point to prove, and that was they were far from being the puppets that McLaren has revelled in painting them as. And as far as I was concerned, they accomplished that mission very successfully.
Another eleven years on, the original quartet are back again. There's nothing new to play short of the entire Bollocks album plus the pick of the B-sides and covers that they played in their heyday. Unfortunately, this didn't include Satellite, the flip of Holidays In The Sun and of which I'm rather fond. But everything else was present and correct.
The classic troika of singles (excluding Holidays which isn't really in the same league) of Anarchy In The UK, God Save The Queen and Pretty Vacant are up there with the best and the muscular live renditions were more than enough to have me sharpening up (and down!) my pogoing skills. Submission was one of the great tracks on the album and was just as impressive in a live setting. And their cover of Iggy's No Fun was simply immense - it's one of these riffs that when the band get into that groove they could play it all night long without complaint from me.
Forget all the "they can't play their instruments" nonsense - that's just McLaren's big lie. This is a superb rock band from top to bottom and one more than worthy of placing amongst the greats. They might not be able to play with the virtuosity of, say, Yes. But I'd reckon that Yes couldn't play with the power and drive that the Pistols exhibited last Sunday night.
Last Sunday saw me at the SECC in Glasgow to catch the Sex Pistols on the last of their 30th Anniversary gigs. I saw them in 1996 when they first reunited in the wake of the successful outcome of their lawsuit against Malcolm McLaren. I got the impression that they felt that they had a point to prove, and that was they were far from being the puppets that McLaren has revelled in painting them as. And as far as I was concerned, they accomplished that mission very successfully.
Another eleven years on, the original quartet are back again. There's nothing new to play short of the entire Bollocks album plus the pick of the B-sides and covers that they played in their heyday. Unfortunately, this didn't include Satellite, the flip of Holidays In The Sun and of which I'm rather fond. But everything else was present and correct.
The classic troika of singles (excluding Holidays which isn't really in the same league) of Anarchy In The UK, God Save The Queen and Pretty Vacant are up there with the best and the muscular live renditions were more than enough to have me sharpening up (and down!) my pogoing skills. Submission was one of the great tracks on the album and was just as impressive in a live setting. And their cover of Iggy's No Fun was simply immense - it's one of these riffs that when the band get into that groove they could play it all night long without complaint from me.
Forget all the "they can't play their instruments" nonsense - that's just McLaren's big lie. This is a superb rock band from top to bottom and one more than worthy of placing amongst the greats. They might not be able to play with the virtuosity of, say, Yes. But I'd reckon that Yes couldn't play with the power and drive that the Pistols exhibited last Sunday night.
Thursday, 22 November 2007
Concert Review : Sometime world...
It's been a few weeks since I've been able to add to this. A family illness has curtailed my activities and I've not been able to (or, to be honest, wanted to) devote the relatively small amount of time needed to keep a regular flow going here.
In the meantime, I have been exhibiting all my usual characteristics of supporting young, up and coming bands. Let's see - I caught Wishbone Ash at The Ferry in Glasgow. What do you mean, they don't qualify!!
I have a particular bond with Wishbone Ash as their first album was one of the first two albums I bought with my own money. The other was the eponymous T. Rex album (the one with the fold-over picture of Marc and Micky on the cover). I don't think they ever really fully fulfilled their potential and, after the excellent Argus, their albums became more uneven for various reasons. Wishbone Four had some excellent songs, but was appallingly produced and Locked In simply stank to high heavens - of the others, Just Testing is probably the best but they all had a little something that stopped them from being absolutely top notch.
They are also one of those bands where there is now a couple of version of the band to choose from. The "official" version is led by Andy Powell (who certainly has the chronological right to the name) which Martin Turner leads his own version (who go out as Martin Turner's Wishbone Ash) who, in my opinion, probably contain the spark that made the band so special.
It was the Andy version that I saw and they gave a fine show as they have always done. There's a spattering of newer material but the set is based largely around some Argus favourites plus a varying range of other back catalogue songs. They've been active on the new album front but I must confess that their latest "The Power Of Eternity" is just the wrong side of mediocre.
I would love to see Martin' version of Ash. They've put out a couple of live albums (including some tracks featuring original guitarist Ted Turner - no relation) which suggest that they are harder hitting than their namesakes and feature Martin's distinctive singing and bass-playing. They also have a more esoteric on the back catalogue as well.
It would be good to think that differences could be buried and Martin and Andy join forces to really take Wishbone Ash to a higher level even at this stage of their career but it does appear that bridges have been well and truly burned with little prospect of any kind of reunion.
Anyway, Universal have just issued a 35th anniversary edition of Argus so if you've got a hankering after twin lead guitars and great songs then check it out
In the meantime, I have been exhibiting all my usual characteristics of supporting young, up and coming bands. Let's see - I caught Wishbone Ash at The Ferry in Glasgow. What do you mean, they don't qualify!!
I have a particular bond with Wishbone Ash as their first album was one of the first two albums I bought with my own money. The other was the eponymous T. Rex album (the one with the fold-over picture of Marc and Micky on the cover). I don't think they ever really fully fulfilled their potential and, after the excellent Argus, their albums became more uneven for various reasons. Wishbone Four had some excellent songs, but was appallingly produced and Locked In simply stank to high heavens - of the others, Just Testing is probably the best but they all had a little something that stopped them from being absolutely top notch.
They are also one of those bands where there is now a couple of version of the band to choose from. The "official" version is led by Andy Powell (who certainly has the chronological right to the name) which Martin Turner leads his own version (who go out as Martin Turner's Wishbone Ash) who, in my opinion, probably contain the spark that made the band so special.
It was the Andy version that I saw and they gave a fine show as they have always done. There's a spattering of newer material but the set is based largely around some Argus favourites plus a varying range of other back catalogue songs. They've been active on the new album front but I must confess that their latest "The Power Of Eternity" is just the wrong side of mediocre.
I would love to see Martin' version of Ash. They've put out a couple of live albums (including some tracks featuring original guitarist Ted Turner - no relation) which suggest that they are harder hitting than their namesakes and feature Martin's distinctive singing and bass-playing. They also have a more esoteric on the back catalogue as well.
It would be good to think that differences could be buried and Martin and Andy join forces to really take Wishbone Ash to a higher level even at this stage of their career but it does appear that bridges have been well and truly burned with little prospect of any kind of reunion.
Anyway, Universal have just issued a 35th anniversary edition of Argus so if you've got a hankering after twin lead guitars and great songs then check it out
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