My nomination.
Step forward Mr Gerard Love ex of Teenage Fanclub. Gerry was in the Fannies for 29 years. It’s true that they released 10 albums during that time which is not bad going (though 7 of those came during the first 10 years). But due to them fortuitously having three songwriters in the band he only had to supply around 35 of those album tracks, slightly more than one a year, and enough for 3 albums on their own. He also released a solo album as Lightships in 2012.
So that makes for 4 albums worth of material in 29 years. That’s Blue Nile levels of inactivity. Since leaving the Fannies 7 years ago – reportedly over his disagreement with their (not very heavy) touring commitments – he’s released precisely zero new music. So that’s 4 albums worth of music in 36 years and counting.
A quick Google shows he’s played 9 gigs in the last 4 years – 6 of them in his hometown of Glasgow. He’s clearly decided it was time to take it easier after those strenuous TFC years.
To declare an interest, he’s my favourite songwriter, and taking it easy has meant he’s kept the quality control very high, if you like that kind of thing. But, bloody hell man, pull your finger out! Would a new album this decade be too much to ask for?
As an aside, what on earth does he live off?
Any more for anymore?
Kate Bush: 2 albums of new material in last 32 years. 22 gigs in last 46 years
Ms Bush probably accrues a few more royalties.
I think she gets by. Wish she would release more music though
Gerry Rafferty does bugger all nowadays.
I have heard there are quite a few daisies that he has been pushing up in recent years. That must take considerable effort.
Whilst on permanent gardening leave no doubt.
Iron Maiden’s Dave Murray – 9 credits in 44 years
Adrian Smith – 29 in 43 years
Nicko McBrain – 1 in 41 years
Wilco’s John Stirrat, a vital member of the band on bass and backing vocals, but 1 lead vocal in 25 years, and it was a good one (Not sure if he has any co-writing credits with Tweedy) . He does have another band though (Autumn Defense), but they are hardly prolific
Wilco is a touring and recording machine, and he also plays with a touring REM tribute.
I know, was talking specifically about his one lead vocal. Probably not his choice though
Milli Vanilli, innit?
I don’t think someone in a band who writes songs, however few, can be the laziest person in pop. I think someone who only plays an instrument is likely to be lazier, or a non-musician, vibes generator like Bez. I suppose he was pretty active in the area of recreation.
Vashti Bunyan. 3 albums. First one in 1970, second one 35 years later (2005), third and best one, imho, 9 years later (2014). Still waiting for the fourth. What does she live on, indeed?
If she has enough stamps, her old age pension. I suspect she has also kept down day jobs.
If she has enough stamps, her old age pension. I suspect she has also kept down day jobs.
Possibly true, the first part, for Mr Love.
STOP PRESS: nope, he’s a positively youthful 57!
Roddy Frame does pretty much fuck all so far as I can tell. In the 30 years since Aztec Camera split, the work-shy fop has managed to produce a grand total of four albums and played 58 gigs. So an average of two gigs a year and an album every seven or eight years. Don’t strain yourself, mate.
Radio shows and yearly commissions at Celtic Connections.
Coincidentally enough, I was mulling over starting a thread on artists effectively “missing in action”, i.e. no records or shows for X years, and Roddy Frame (along with Andy Partridge and Paddy McAloon, notwithstanding their well-publicised personal/medical issues) was in line to be an example…
I asked the same question on here about Hazel O’Connor when she was in the news for the first time in decades after some terrible medical news. She had a couple of big, but UK only, hits in the early 80s and very little since. She wrote as well as performed the hits, but was that really enough to effectively retire on in her mid 20s?
I only live about half a mile from Paddy McAloon, I believe – I’m always surprised I’ve never seen him wandering around Consett. It’s not like he’s easy to miss, after all.
He’s often seen at the Metro Centre, the Sprouts group I’m part of often has pics of him having a chat and a cup of tea with fans there !!
I think Paddy McAloon gets a let off given his health issues and the fact there is still such an incredible body of work. I was listening to the last release Crimson/Red just the other day – it’s a fantastic album.
Aztec Camera had a huge worldwide hit with Somewhere In My Heart though, and it was licensed to loads of compilations too. Maybe he just doesn’t need to do that much. I also can’t help thinking that might be a bit fortunate…for me, his last couple of solo albums were a bit on the ordinary side.
Roddy is the one I always wonder about. Was lucky enough to see one of the 58 gigs. Just him and a guitar. Sounded great, looked fine… maybe he just doesnt need the money? I’d love to see him again.
Many of these people have actual jobs, and fit recording and touring into evenings and annual leave. The difficulty in finding enough free time is the main reason these musicians have low output.
Scott Walker worked as a painter and decorator, for example.
Must admit I assumed that in his case but as recently as 2019 he was interviewed saying he’d always managed to fend off getting a ‘proper’ job through music. Might have changed of course.
Carmel, of err, Carmel, worked at M&S.
Indeed – the ladies lingerie department of my local store. Never seen her there but then I tend not to hang around the lingerie department…
Not even “by mistake” while “looking for the toilets”?
That’s my defence when the court case opens next month…
And famously did a cameo performance in a Britvic ad
What? Wore a plastic jockstrap? Word Up indeed!
Very good
Jerry Dammers? He’s recorded two The Specials albums, one The Special AKA album between 1979 to 1984. Played on a couple of Madness tracks, provided one number for the film ‘Absolute Beginners’ in 1986 and some other tune for a 2009 compilation. He fannied around with a short lived Sun Ra tribute project called The Spatial AKA Orchestra in 2006. He disappointedly didn’t rejoin the original line up of The Specials in 2009 for various reasons.
The rest of the time over the past forty years he’s been an esoteric club DJ spinning old lounge music, library albums with the occasional Blue Beat single.
To be fair, what Jerry has given the world was 2Tone, informed most of us who Nelson Mandela was and composed arguably the best UK No 1 of the eighties with Ghost Town, so he owes us nothing. Still a shame though. I think it was the making of ‘In The Studio’ that broke his brain.
His silence is quite something. . I have long wondered if there are lifestyle issues.
Elvis Presley – no new material, recordings, or live shows since 1977
On a more encouraging note, no massive cheeseburger binges either.
He must surely have lost a fair bit of that timber he was carrying by now.
Hopefully also his famous fried peanut butter and banana sandwich isn’t available!
https://doyouremember.com/116176/elvis-favorite-sandwich-recipe
He can sleep almost indefinitely, is probably the laziest person in England. “Physically lazy,” he said. “I don’t mind writing or reading or watching or speaking, but sex is the only physical thing I can be bothered with any more.”
quoth John Winston Lennon in 1966 in his “We are more popular than Jesus tm” profile with Maureen Cleave. While The HJH cranked out a lot of gigs and tunes in the 60s it’s often said that Lennon had trouble matching Macca’s breezy fertile songwriting prowess and would often turn up with half-written, dozy music.
One of which: Mr Kite was composed when he looked above his piano and copped the lyrics word-for-word from a Victorian poster advertising a local fair. So inert was he, he just lifted his head and started writing a tune around the first thing he saw.
Later that day, dazed on some that hip 60s acid, he saw this advert on one of his 57 TVs and, seizing on it thought ‘If I write around this it’ll do for one of me tunes on Macca’s new concept piece Sgt Pepper’.
Also managed A Day in The Life, LSD, Walrus, All You Need is Love (lazy lyrics there) and others in 67 though and was pretty prolific in 68
—-He can sleep almost indefinitely, is probably the laziest person in England. “Physically lazy,” he said. “I don’t mind writing or reading or watching or speaking, but sex is the only physical thing I can be bothered with any more.” ——
quoth John Winston Lennon in 1966 in his “We are more popular than Jesus tm” profile with Maureen Cleave. While The HJH cranked out a lot of gigs and tunes in the 60s it’s often said that Lennon had trouble matching Macca’s breezy fertile songwriting prowess and would often turn up with half-written, dozy music.
One of which: Mr Kite was composed when he looked above his piano and copped the lyrics word-for-word from a Victorian poster advertising a local fair. So inert was he, he just lifted his head and started writing a tune around the first thing he saw.
Later that day, dazed on some of that hippie 60s acid, he saw this advert on one of his 57 TVs and, seizing on it thought ‘If I write around this it’ll do for one of me tunes on Macca’s new concept piece Sgt Pepper’.
As ideal a situation as the scenario in this ad may (or may not) be, I can’t recall a single time when growing up that the entire family were sat at the table for breakfast.*
Was this a common tableau in anyone’s home when growing up?
*There were eight of us, getting everyone to fit around the table for dinner was enough of a squeeze
Gerry Love can do what he likes. He wrote some of the most glorious, uplifting guitar pop put to record. He was forced to leave TFC because he didn’t want to tour internationally, and who knows? Health might be something to do with it. I’m guessing he got enough when CDs were a thing to pay off the mortgage and is of a certain age. The best of luck to him. We’ll always have Star Sign. And Ain’t That Enough. And Sparky’s Dream. And the rest.
I wholeheartedly agree. The original post was meant somewhat in jest and as a conversation starter, whether it came across that way or not is another matter. But as I do point out in the op he’s my favourite songwriter so I’ll always be grateful for those songs you mention and plenty more. I just bloody hope he’ll release some more music.!And of course above all wish him well and hope he’s OK.
Sure, and of course I take the OP in the manner in which it was addressed, but wanted to give props to Gerry who, in the real world, I do not see as being in the top 1,000 lazy musicians. My top musical slugabeds? The Stone Roses between 1989 and 1995. A shit-ton of money and all they could do was piss most of their legacy away.
A ‘shit-ton of money’?
I do enjoy this bizarre perception of hits and fame!
While they probably didn’t get the money they were due from Silvertone for the first album (hence the protracted legal business) they did, famously, get an advance of about £5M from Geffen to make the second. That’s a fair amount of wedge, even split four ways, in the mid nineties.
Any Reni claims that having agreed to reform he went to check his bank balance when shopping and suddenly found there was £2million in it…
So, a few quid.
(Is this a place to bemoan again the fact that Ian Brown doing a show as Karaoke was the worst show I have seen)
Amy Winehouse… two albums in eight years.
Any stand-alone singles? You tell me.
Erm, OK, I think Tintern Abbey released more!
After a fashion I’d suggest Adele… she’s been releasing records since 2007, so just 4 albums (around 50 songs) in 18 years (lest we forget, over twice as long as the HJHM were extant), and at just 37 she’s already into her Vegas residency years… of course none of us would turn the cash down, but it’s hardly a Stakhanovite work rate…
Faaaaaaaaaaakin’ lazy caaaaaaaa!
There is a BBC doc that came out around an anniversary of her death a few years back. Not knowing much about AW beyond the lurid tabloids headlines and a few hits, I watched – what a talent she was. And she might not have ascended the dizzy heights of Tintern Abbey (whose Vacuum Cleaner is a total banger) but she worked her socks off.
Lee Mavers.
What a great album though.
Chris Dean.
What a great album though.
Jayne Torvill?
Back in the 90s, there were always rumours in the NME that Lee Mavers had a stack of songs ready to record. I wonder what the true story is? Even if he decided that recording wasn’t for him, I dare say someone, over the years, would’ve co-written with him or done one of his songs.
And what about Leapy Lee?
The dust wasn’t the correct dust so they weren’t released.
What about Cliff?
I am not denying he’s released a lot of records…but he’s not a songwriter, doesn’t play anything and he’s not really involved in the creative process. I don’t remember interviews where he discusses the music or art or fashion. If you asked him about his album covers, I bet he’d shrug and say “Crumbs! Fucked if I know”.
He’s just given songs and he sings them. Lazy!
He’s probably more focused on his calendars and cards.
https://danilo.com/collections/cliff-richard-collection
And wine.
And mistletoe…
Tee hee!
I can’t imagine Cliff saying “Fucked if I know.”
😀
Enya – after leaving the rock n roll lifestyle of Clannad, she just released the same album (with different titles) every 5 years or so and hasn’t even done that for the past 10-20 years (my dates may not be totally accurate)
On that basis, AC/DC also qualify.
I remember Enya being interviewed in Q (the glory years) and she basically said she hated writing & recording and found it utterly tortuous, but every few years someone from Warners would turn up at her door with a massive cheque and she couldn’t say “no”…
Maybe she could have tried experimenting and recorded an album with consonants in?
I vote me. I always wanted to be a rock star. Had a few drum lessons. Bought a guitar. Sang once with some musician friends.
Using the 10,000 hours of practice to be good theory, ai did about 5 hours.
If it’s not me then it’s The Blue Nile isn’t it? 4 perfect albums in 20 odd years. I would have loved 4 more.
Beth Gibbons, 3 Portishead albums, 1 with Rustin’ Man and now 1 solo album (and 1 classical). Portishead were formed 34 years ago.
We’re probably not going to a Beth Gibbons x The Blue Nile collab are we? It would be good though….
We sort of got Cocteau Twins x The Blue Nile on that album Peter Gabriel did (too late) for the millennium dome.
Speaking of lazy sods… Liz Fraser.
Liz Fraser, good call! Especially bearing in mind she’s a serial collaborator, who must have a whole Rolodex full of names who’d happily write & produce material for her…
My Vitriol – one brilliant album in 2001, a collection of B-sides and rarities soon after, and then 15 years before another album. Since then, most of what they’ve released has been covers. I’m looking forward to album 3 in 5 years or so.
This remains a great track.
Kevin Shields of MBV led one of the greatest, original rock bands IMO, and so is entitled to do as much or as little as he likes (and “lazy” is in any case unkind to someone who seemed compulsively perfectionist), but other than that stint with Primal Scream stint, he remains quiet.
“Quiet” isn’t the word that first springs to mind when KS is mentioned 😁
Sometimes I prefer a “lazy” artist to the over-prolific kind, it’s easier to keep up with their output and you don’t run the risk of losing interest (I’m looking at you, King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard)!
The Sex Pistols.
If I remember correctly, they only released one LP and that was essentially a collection of singles and B sides they’d already issued.