I was reading a music mag from last year (these days, I let them mature in a pile then come back to them later) when I found a feature on a particular band. Of course, I spotted an interesting turn of phrase from the present day journalist, along with an old quote from a band member – back from when they started getting coverage.
Can you work out which band was featured?
‘(Band name) are not rock in the rock-solid sense – they are liquid, gaseous, evanescent. Nor are they rock in the blood and thunder, guts and passion sense.
“The sound literally isn’t all there. It’s the opposite of rock ‘n’ roll,” said (Band Member). “There’s no guts, just the remnants, the outline. The sound is an after-effect.”’
I’d say Radiohead
Suede?
That was my first thought too
Some think of them so easily.
Freddie and the Dreamers?
…if wishing made it true…
The Barron Knights
…another, if wishing made it true…
America
Milli Vanilli?
Swell Maps.
This Heat.
Rush.
Dumpy’s Rusty Nuts?
Soft Machine
Spinal Tap?
Some interesting suggestions, in amongst the satire…
The Guess who?
Roxy Music
If it’s not Suede, then this is a good shout.
Aki Streeter (and his Big Band).
Damn. You beat me to it!
Tools You Can Trust
Cockney Rejects?
I thought of Main or another of those post-rock Loop offshoots, but they probably aren’t big enough to get the attention of a music mag after their heyday, as much as there was one. Someone bigger, probably.
Something draped in layers of reverb. Daniel Lanois? Cocteau Twins?
Mogwai
Einstürzende Neubauten
I’ve seen “liquid, gaseous, evanescent” used to describe Bryan Ferry.
But to bring things up to date, I wonder whether both descriptions are of … the 1975.
I didn’t know Bryan has bowel problems.
It would explain the constant pained expression.
Both Ends Burning, Windswept…the clues have always been there.
…although he waits until the midnight hour.
Evanescence?
My Bloody Valentine
And we have a winner, ladies and gentlemen!
MBV is the right answer!
Diddley carried from the field on the shoulders of his co-players…
Well done me.
Farrrkkk! I genuinely thought that’s who it was when I first read the post a few days ago but very obviously did nothing about it
Well done, Diddley.
Mornington Crescent
Curses, I’m in Nidd!
I had a mate who was a massive Motörhead fan who finally got the chance to see them live. I asked him if it was as amazing as he hoped. He said it was difficult to enjoy as it was so incredibly loud: “they were halfway through the Ace Of Spades before I recognised it”, he moaned.
Some years later he went to see My Bloody Valentine and he assured me they were quite a bit louder than that. Up to the threshold of painful… so, “gaseous”, “evanescent”, with a sound that “literally isn’t all there” would not have been his description, I feel.
MBV are one of those Anglo-Irish bands we over here are eager to claim as “Irish” (despite the stick we give those English broadcasters who are quick to label Scottish and Welsh athletes as British once they start winning).
On that note, it’s Choice Music Prize night tonight in Dublin and I happened to notice, while browsing nominees from previous years, that Cornwall’s own Aphex Twin was nominated for Syro (didn’t win) on account of being born on this accursed sod..
Pulp
Eh?
Is it Flux of Pink Indians?
Like the Q.I. blue whale, if I keep repeating it, it must be the right answer eventually.
You know the answer has been posted, Mr F?
It’s not My Bloody Valentine, is it?
Well….
…yes. See above.
You and Fents are joshing me, aren’t you?
I don’t know, are we?
I don’t know…
…are you?
… Gonna Go My Way?
Is it Sid Vicious?
I have no regrets.
My rugrats are also no longer (on 4 legs)