Howdy all. Occasional lurker, first time poster. Just noticed the mid 90s Richard Thompson tribute album Beat the Retreat is up on spotify. Very Afterword friendly. Best track for me is REM doing Wall of Death. I seem to remember the CD was in the flimsiest cardboard ever made. Shawn Colvin, David Byrne and Bonnie Raitt also give it a go along with some for the Where are they now file.
Beat the Retreat. Songs by Richard Thompson
I like it too, Edgar. Wall of Death is great. And I’m very fond of Bob Mould’s version of Turning of the Tide – it’s nice when you get a track on a tribute album by someone you might not expect to be a fan of the subject of the tribute.
Top tip. Added to the holiday listening!
I note it doesn’t include Patty Loveless’s stonking take on “Tear stained letter”
Or indeed the bluegrass Grammy winner version of “1952 Vincent Black Lightening.”
Whilst I appreciate that few Americans will have ever heard of the majestic and awe inspiring Box Hill, casting its mighty shadow o’er the sweeping, delicate Surrey vineyards just outside Dorking, I am quietly outraged that the bluegrass version wipes it off the map and crudely replaces it with the unlovely city of Knoxville, famous for nothing other than, er, that episode of the Simpsons where Bart wants to see the World’s Fair 30 years after it closed. Who do I complain to?
And warm greetings, Mr. Davids. Loved your work at Barnet.
Yes I wholeheartedly agree. And although he doesn’t say it they undoubtedly went to Ryka’s for a mug of tea and a chip butty when they got there.
Edgar Davids in the House! What with him and Junior Wells and (billy) Bob Dylan and Keef and (Robin) Askwith it’s turning into Stella Street round here.
And I agree – Beat the Retreat is one of the better ‘songs of’ tribute albums I’ve heard.
Welcome on in, Edgar. It is a cracker: I especially love Mike Mills’ piano in the middle eight break before it returns to the last verse.
I have that somewhere – haven’t played it for years. Must have a look for it. Turning of the Tide is perhaps my favourite RT song – I don’t recall the Bob Mould version so may have dismissed it at the time. I do however concur re Wall of Death.
Anyway a question – do I spend my cash on the Richard and Linda boxset Hard Luck Stories or Prince’s Sign O’ the Times? I have the RT/LT albums but the unreleased stuff is tempting plus I can buy the Fleetwood Mac box as well and still be quids in. However the Prince set might become unavailable quickly.
Decisions eh?
Prince. And I’m a RT fan who doesn’t much like Prince.
Anything but the ludicrously overrated Prince. (ducks…)
Agree. I have the vinyl of it and never play it. I just don’t get him at all. OOAA.
Bob Mould performed that rousing version of Turning Of The Tide at RT’s 70th birthday concert at the Albert Hall.
HUGE solos on that! This was my view from the gods.
Similarly, the Leonard Cohen tribute from around the same time, I’m Your Fan, is excellent.