Super Furry Animals : Goodnight Vienna?

*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

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?

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!

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.

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?'

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

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

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.

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.

and sex with bands.

and new socks. man, I love new socks.

but I don't have sex with them.

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

SOCKS WHY DON'T YOU CALL ME

'The man don't give a sock'

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.