Super Furry Animals : Goodnight Vienna?

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a twenty minute live version of "The man don't give a fuck" as a single, followed by a greatest hits package (CD and DVD)

Is this it?

― mark grout (mark grout), Tuesday, 3 August 2004 20:58 (nineteen years ago) link

They've just got back from Spain, where they've just tied up the recording of a new album, so they're certainly not planning on turning in quite yet. I'd guess that the label just want to make a spot of money back from a band that have been a money-pit (albeit a consistently entertaining one).

― Jason J, Tuesday, 3 August 2004 21:20 (nineteen years ago) link

It seems like their labels release tons of their stuff all the time CDs and DVDs w/ all sorts of crap for their last two releases. surely they must make some money for their label if they release all this crap.

― bill stevens (bscrubbins), Tuesday, 3 August 2004 21:39 (nineteen years ago) link

they could join the betas in the 'bands wot split up having failed to deliver on their potential' club.

― weasel diesel (K1l14n), Tuesday, 3 August 2004 21:50 (nineteen years ago) link

I can see how RATW would've cost some huge bucks to make, but Phantom Power's production seemed rather spartan and home-cooked (and suffered dearly for it - what a crappy album).

― Sansai, Tuesday, 3 August 2004 21:50 (nineteen years ago) link

Weasel OTM - I thought about mentioning that.

― Sansai, Tuesday, 3 August 2004 21:51 (nineteen years ago) link

I'd have thought that SFA were a steady, if unspectacular, cash cow for their label? Little publicity needed, always guaranteed a top 20 single and soldout crowds at gigs... kinda like an indie Beautiful South.

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Tuesday, 3 August 2004 21:55 (nineteen years ago) link

True, Dom, but they also go in for 40ft tall inflatable animals, customised tanks, and fucking expensive production jobs on their records.

― Sick Mouthy (Nick Southall), Wednesday, 4 August 2004 06:36 (nineteen years ago) link

I certainly think they have delivered on their potential...

― mark grout (mark grout), Wednesday, 4 August 2004 06:50 (nineteen years ago) link

I picked up the two DVD albums for a fiver each at the Quayside market in Newcastle.

They are a bit dudley in that there isn't a 'play all' facility for the video renditions. Or the remixes.

― mark grout (mark grout), Wednesday, 4 August 2004 06:52 (nineteen years ago) link

Actually, as far as I know, 'Rings...' - with its dozen DVDs, surround sound, glossy production - cost an enormous amount of money and probably will never recoup. But now I think the Furries basically work from what's effectively a mobile home studio so they may actually start making albums that break even. 'Mwng', of course, was extremely profitable, given what they'd spent on it.

― Jason J, Wednesday, 4 August 2004 08:05 (nineteen years ago) link

they could join the betas in the 'bands wot split up having failed to deliver on their potential' club.

They've sold more records than almost any of us could ever hope to and stuck some pretty gnarly sounds on their albums which they've then flogged to unsuspecting indie kids. What do you want them to do, exactly?

― DJ_Mencap, Wednesday, 4 August 2004 08:07 (nineteen years ago) link

Wot Kilian means is that they've never made a record he's REALLY loved.

― Sick Mouthy (Nick Southall), Wednesday, 4 August 2004 08:25 (nineteen years ago) link

Ah, the old fact/opinion crosspollination... carry on

― DJ)Mencap, Wednesday, 4 August 2004 08:38 (nineteen years ago) link

I atke it as read that EVERYTHING I ever see on the internet or in print anywhere or hear coming out of anybody's mouth not exists purely and only at that precise junction of those two roads.

― Sick Mouthy (Nick Southall), Wednesday, 4 August 2004 08:45 (nineteen years ago) link

Now not not.

― Sick Mouthy (Nick Southall), Wednesday, 4 August 2004 08:45 (nineteen years ago) link

Now not not? how does that square with existing only at that juncture?

― mark grout (mark grout), Wednesday, 4 August 2004 08:49 (nineteen years ago) link

Redux:

I take it as read that EVERYTHING I ever see on the internet or in print anywhere or hear coming out of anybody's mouth now exists purely and only at that precise junction of those two roads.

― Sick Mouthy (Nick Southall), Wednesday, 4 August 2004 08:53 (nineteen years ago) link

As someone who occasionally gets paid for reviewing records and live musical entertainment, I find that junction cosier than my own home

― DJMencap0))), Wednesday, 4 August 2004 09:16 (nineteen years ago) link

As do I!

― Sick Mouthy (Nick Southall), Wednesday, 4 August 2004 09:19 (nineteen years ago) link

nick otm

"stuck some pretty gnarly sounds on their albums which they've then flogged to unsuspecting indie kids"

although i have to say this "achievement" is highly questionable, in every sense.

― weasel diesel (K1l14n), Wednesday, 4 August 2004 10:37 (nineteen years ago) link

Why? They've been given the freedom to put that sort of thing on there when a lot of similarly-sized bands would have had it beaten out of them by their record label, and as far as I'm aware they've had a consistently good time doing it. You not liking it doesn't really undermine their achievement, does it?

― DJMencap0))), Wednesday, 4 August 2004 10:51 (nineteen years ago) link

adding a few bleeps and clicks to otherwise unremarkable set of rock reference points hardly qualifies as achievement, particularly when they never managed to balance their qualities effectively across a full-length album (though radiator comes close)(of course my reservations about the band will make me question their "achievements!) and i hardly think those unsuspecting indie kids' minds were blown wide open by the occasional BOC-style interlude amid many many wibbly beach boys/roxy music songs.

― weasel diesel (K1l14n), Wednesday, 4 August 2004 13:49 (nineteen years ago) link

and i quite enjoy many of those songs, but really.

― weasel diesel (K1l14n), Wednesday, 4 August 2004 13:50 (nineteen years ago) link

Is the general consensus that Phantom Power was a disappointment? I have to admit, while I did finally warm up to it, it took a while...

― Naive Teen Idol (Naive Teen Idol), Wednesday, 4 August 2004 13:56 (nineteen years ago) link

*shrugs* Becoming pretty damn popular and not getting fucked around and mopey, while doing whatever they want, is the achievement. My idea of it anyway. Your opinion of the records is another matter entirely

― DJMencap0))), Wednesday, 4 August 2004 13:56 (nineteen years ago) link

SFA are true professionals and smart as hell. I think the band is an excellent template for any upcoming band who actually want to sustain a financial living as well as an artisitc career out of music for more than 3-5 years. They've been making money and music for over 10 years. Many times with the odds stacked against them (Creation's demise and inability to properly push Guerilla, the continued nightmare of their overseas distribution, etc.) However, all of their albums have profited and recouped(including RATW - just barely) for Creation, Sony and Placid Casual, et all. Their business and music strategy is/was far different to that of the Beta Band. This upcoming release is actually titled "Singles Collections Volume One", not just a greatest hits. No doubt in another ten years you'll get Volume Two. This is no indie band, this is a pop band. Their next studio album is being mixed and Gruff Rhys probably has the next two albums stored in his head. I think Sony pushed this hits thing both to make some money and because the band have been wanting an effective way to get their old stuff available in the America. (SFA are one of the few UK bands to actually take the time to tour the US again and again and it's paid off in their US album sales, which have consistenly and steadily grown) I don't see how you can fault this band. They continue to play (and benefit for and on)on majors while at the same time playing their own game with Placid Casual (a label over which the band have complete and equal ownership), which has made the band significant money off MWNG and Phantom Phorce and will make money off the new AM BYTH by Ffa Coffi Pawb (Rhys' and Ieuan's old band). And all the while their creative spark has never wavered. SFA, OK?

― Dewi, Wednesday, 4 August 2004 15:05 (nineteen years ago) link

SFA are one of the few UK bands to actually take the time to tour the US again and again and it's paid off in their US album sales, which have consistenly and steadily grown

One small problem -- every time I've seen them live (three times now) they've proven dully competent in concert rather than, you know, really good. The films were nice but they had zilch stage presence.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Wednesday, 4 August 2004 15:08 (nineteen years ago) link

I think SFA are one of those bands that many people like, without realising how much they actually love the band. A bit like Radiohead, they have enough of the experimental bits to keep the indie fans happy, and enough pop songs to sell to everyone else.

Oh and I'm going to see them in a 400 capacity venue in a few weeks' time!

― jellybean (jellybean), Wednesday, 4 August 2004 15:11 (nineteen years ago) link

they could join the betas in the 'bands wot split up having failed to deliver on their potential' club.

christ, if the Furries have failed to deliver on their potential I'd love to see a band that actually delivers.

― DV (dirtyvicar), Wednesday, 4 August 2004 16:55 (nineteen years ago) link

to be fair - the greatest hits collection will be killer. provided they do a sensible tracklisting, i may well be forced to eat my words.

― weasel diesel (K1l14n), Wednesday, 4 August 2004 21:25 (nineteen years ago) link

Tracklist according to nme.com:

'Something 4 The Weekend'
'It's Not The End Of The World?'
'Northern Lites'
'Juxtapozed With U'
'Slow Life'
'Fire In My Heart'
'The Man Don't Give A Fuck'
'Hermann Loves Pauline'
'Play It Cool'
'Ice Hockey Hair'
'Do Or Die'
'(Drawing) Rings Around The World'
'God! Show Me Magic'
'Ysbeidiau Heulog'
'Demons'
'Golden Retriever'
'The International Language Of Screaming'
'Hello Sunshine'
'Hometown Unicorn'
'If You Don't Want Me To Destroy You'
'Blerwytirhwng?'

― Simon H., Thursday, 5 August 2004 01:38 (nineteen years ago) link

otherwise known as "the first SFA album I won't need"

I like exactly three english-speaking groups and they're one and they don't even speak english all the time

"exactly" is a slight exaggeration

― Begs2Differ (Begs2Differ), Thursday, 5 August 2004 01:43 (nineteen years ago) link

A twenty minute live version of "The Man Don't Give a Fuck" released as a single is one of the best ideas I've heard in a long time

― Sonny A. (Keiko), Thursday, 5 August 2004 01:52 (nineteen years ago) link

I think SFA are one of those bands that many people like, without realising how much they actually love the band.
On the other hand, NME reviewed an SFA Xmas gig a few years back and referred to them as the "best band to have never changed anyone's life" (or something to that effect). As much as I enjoy SFA's music, I have to agree wholeheartedly with that statement.

― Barry Bruner (Barry Bruner), Thursday, 5 August 2004 02:07 (nineteen years ago) link

any time I've thought that a band changed my life, I was being dramatic. bands don't change lives, people do. well, and sex with people.

― Begs2Differ (Begs2Differ), Thursday, 5 August 2004 02:38 (nineteen years ago) link

and sex with bands.

― Begs2Differ (Begs2Differ), Thursday, 5 August 2004 02:40 (nineteen years ago) link

and new socks. man, I love new socks.

― Begs2Differ (Begs2Differ), Thursday, 5 August 2004 02:41 (nineteen years ago) link

but I don't have sex with them.

― Begs2Differ (Begs2Differ), Thursday, 5 August 2004 02:41 (nineteen years ago) link

well, once. but it didn't change my life or anything.

― Begs2Differ (Begs2Differ), Thursday, 5 August 2004 02:42 (nineteen years ago) link

SOCKS WHY DON'T YOU CALL ME

― Begs2Differ (Begs2Differ), Thursday, 5 August 2004 02:42 (nineteen years ago) link

'The man don't give a sock'

― Billy Dods (Billy Dods), Thursday, 5 August 2004 07:08 (nineteen years ago) link

I don't know if I've ever said a band 'changed my life'. Forced to pick one I'd pick SFA. I love very few bands, but I LOVE this band. See you at the Zodiac show jellybean.

― Lola, Thursday, 5 August 2004 11:55 (nineteen years ago) link

ten years pass...

Farewell tour?

― Mark G, Friday, 27 February 2015 09:31 (nine years ago) link

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