― Squirrel_Police (Squirrel_Police), Monday, 3 March 2003 01:58 (twenty-one years ago) link
― roger adultery, Wednesday, 5 March 2003 07:56 (twenty-one years ago) link
Unless yer into sub-Syd Barrett whimsey.
― Jess Hill (jesshill), Wednesday, 5 March 2003 18:47 (twenty-one years ago) link
Then how come Katrina & the Waves were such crap?
― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Wednesday, 5 March 2003 18:56 (twenty-one years ago) link
― Jess Hill (jesshill), Wednesday, 5 March 2003 18:58 (twenty-one years ago) link
― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Wednesday, 5 March 2003 21:50 (twenty-one years ago) link
― scott m (mcd), Wednesday, 5 March 2003 22:01 (twenty-one years ago) link
Plus I think that the entire K&W album w/ "Walking" is pretty good, I certainly enjoy it as much as any RH album.
That said, I certainly enjoy RH when someone plays it. I believe I have the LP version of "Mossy Liqour" or "Moss Elixir" or whatever here, and "Heliotrope" is quite a nice song.
― Jess Hill (jesshill), Wednesday, 5 March 2003 22:41 (twenty-one years ago) link
― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Thursday, 6 March 2003 01:44 (twenty-one years ago) link
― Stewart Osborne (Stewart Osborne), Thursday, 6 March 2003 09:22 (twenty-one years ago) link
― Wandering Boy Poet, Thursday, 6 March 2003 11:01 (twenty-one years ago) link
Oh god, please, someone help me. The "Live Death" promo thing, please. I can't find it. I don't want to have to search through all my cassettes only to find I don't have it please please please someone help me.
― Disruptor of Morals (Bimble), Saturday, 25 April 2009 18:50 (fifteen years ago) link
There's some good stuff on Goodnight Oslo, btw. The title track especially.
― dlp9001, Saturday, 25 April 2009 19:40 (fifteen years ago) link
yeah can't help you with a digital version of Live Death, but it is great! Agree about Goodnight Oslo -- didn't think I liked it the first couple times around, but it has grown on me in a big way! All of Robyn's charm but without being by the numbers either. Interested parties should check this recent show put up on Archive.org: http://www.archive.org/details/robynhitchcock2009-04-08.aud.flac.16Venus 3 are quite a band these days, and it's got excellent sound/setlist.
― tylerw, Saturday, 25 April 2009 19:53 (fifteen years ago) link
I'll add to the chorus proclaiming that Goodnight Oslo is a major grower!
― Dave Depper (Davey D), Saturday, 25 April 2009 19:53 (fifteen years ago) link
Goodnight Oslo is a pretty solid album. 'Your Head Here' is one of his best songs, terrific.
― zeus, Saturday, 25 April 2009 21:32 (fifteen years ago) link
annoyed that he's once again touring pretty much everywhere in the US except for Colorado -- I still haven't seen the Venus 3, and it sounds like they're killing it these days. Love that they're playing a fair amount from Black Snake Diamond Role, sometimes my fave Hitchcock record.
― tylerw, Saturday, 25 April 2009 22:09 (fifteen years ago) link
I finally got Live Death! Also have downloaded the link here, thanking yooooooz. I've got a friend who says he's got more live Robyn than he has ever been able to burn properly to disc.I understand people who are obsessed with Hitchcock, I really do. I understand.
― Disruptor of Morals (Bimble), Sunday, 26 April 2009 13:51 (fifteen years ago) link
what's the link? i wouldn't mind having this on something other than tape ...
― tylerw, Sunday, 26 April 2009 16:50 (fifteen years ago) link
Me too! Glaring hole in my collection.
― EZ Snappin, Sunday, 26 April 2009 17:34 (fifteen years ago) link
Live Death you mean?
― Disruptor of Morals (Bimble), Sunday, 26 April 2009 18:10 (fifteen years ago) link
God, I've fallen in love with not one but two men I shared Hitchcock with. He's pretty goddamn sacred to me at this point. I'll share anything with anyone who wants it.
― Disruptor of Morals (Bimble), Sunday, 26 April 2009 18:19 (fifteen years ago) link
Actually, make that three men. Thanks.
― Disruptor of Morals (Bimble), Sunday, 26 April 2009 18:20 (fifteen years ago) link
yeah Live Death -- did you find it online?
― tylerw, Sunday, 26 April 2009 20:34 (fifteen years ago) link
Yeah I found it. Man, I tell ya, sometimes I remember songs of his all of a sudden in the bright light of sober day, without any warning. Today it was Raymond Chandler Evening, just out of the blue in my head. Just out of nowhere, you know? BTW, Live Death is awesome.
I heard that song "Arms of Love" in my head again, too, after over ten years...just out of the blue, I heard something of it in my head about two weeks ago. But I only wanted the live version, hence my search for Live Death. I don't care for the album version at all.
― I was still more rock and roll than anyone needed for the album (Bimble), Saturday, 9 May 2009 08:42 (fourteen years ago) link
I once found a deposit of like six or seven records by both Robyn Hitchcock and the Soft Boys in a local thrift store (along with about 12 other cool records by the likes of Roky Erickson, the Elevators, the Jam, whole bunch of stuff; a total gold vein in a town like that). Half off, a quarter each. Never got to listen to any of them more than once, I was so overloaded. Total shame.
― SQUIRREL WITH A PEOPLE FACE (╓abies), Saturday, 9 May 2009 12:46 (fourteen years ago) link
Roky Erickson!!! holy shit
― I was still more rock and roll than anyone needed for the album (Bimble), Saturday, 9 May 2009 12:48 (fourteen years ago) link
I wound up getting like $40 dollars for the Rok record. Once found Godz 2 at a Salvation Army sandwiched in a bunch of xmas and children's albums...a pretty wtf sorta find in the little nothing college town I lived in.
― SQUIRREL WITH A PEOPLE FACE (╓abies), Saturday, 9 May 2009 12:55 (fourteen years ago) link
Sort of weird/intriguingThe Graham Coxon Power Acoustic Ensemble featuring Robyn Hitchcock and Friends announce three special UK dates: 11th November - Manchester, Royal Academy of Music 12th November - Edinburgh, Queens Hall 28th November - London, Barbican Hall Assembling many of the musicians who feature on his current album "TheSpinning Top" (Transgressive Records), Graham Coxon has expanded his powertrio into The Graham Coxon Power Acoustic Ensemble, and together with guest appearances from fellow exponents of the British folk scene, they will beplaying the record in its entirety plus some of the songs that inspired itscreation at this series of special concerts. Telling the story of one man's journey from birth to death, "The SpinningTop" is somewhat of a departure from Graham's previous solo work, featuringthe talents of Robyn Hitchcock and Danny Thompson, and sees Grahamexploring his love of British folk music.
In Graham's own words: "The album is mainly an acoustic journey althoughthere is, of course, some explosive electric guitar action. I wanted toshow how exciting acoustic instruments can be, how dynamic and rich and heart - thumpingly raw they can sound at a time when acoustic music seemseither too cute or too soppy. Obvious influences here are the amazing Martin Carthy, the late, great Davey Graham and the late, great John Martyn".
For the Manchester (Nov 11) and Edinburgh (Nov 12) shows, the Ensemble willbe joined by Robyn Hitchcock plus more guests to be announced. On Nov 28 at The Barbican show The Graham Coxon Power Acoustic Ensemble will be joined by Robyn Hitchcock,Martin Carthy, Natasha Marsh and Max Eastley plus more guests to be announced. For this date only, the show will also feature projected visuals and films by Chris Hopewell, who is knownfor his previous work with Radiohead, as well working with Graham on the video for "In The Morning" and the currentvideo for "Dead Bees."
www.transgressiverecords.co.uk | www.myspace.com/transgressiverecords
― tylerw, Tuesday, 10 November 2009 16:22 (fourteen years ago) link
sometimes when i'm lonely baby then i'm only you
― kamerad, Friday, 15 January 2010 02:04 (fourteen years ago) link
...if I touch you on the chest, you will crumble like dust...
― Gerald McBoing-Boing, Friday, 15 January 2010 02:55 (fourteen years ago) link
...please don't call me reg...
― hellzapoppa (tipsy mothra), Friday, 15 January 2010 04:23 (fourteen years ago) link
said it on one of the other RH threads, but the Dream of Trains live thing that came out last year is worth it! Absolutely fantastic.
― tylerw, Friday, 15 January 2010 04:46 (fourteen years ago) link
I just put together a nifty playlist of 35 Robyn rarities from various sources, thought y'all might enjoy it:http://www.divshare.com/download/9066599-c48
― Gerald McBoing-Boing, Saturday, 16 January 2010 03:31 (fourteen years ago) link
Too kind!
― Ned Raggett, Saturday, 16 January 2010 03:35 (fourteen years ago) link
am I correct in thinking I have to sign up to Divshare in order to download that file?
― sleeve, Saturday, 16 January 2010 03:43 (fourteen years ago) link
nope!
Thanks Gerald McB-B!
― EZ Snappin, Saturday, 16 January 2010 03:51 (fourteen years ago) link
thanks! heard some of this but not all ... looking forward to those Richard Thompson covers!
― tylerw, Saturday, 16 January 2010 15:55 (fourteen years ago) link
I'm sad to say I'm enough of a Robyn nerd to have all this already. Nicely curated collection!
― EZ Snappin, Saturday, 16 January 2010 16:15 (fourteen years ago) link
ez, you have any soft boys live stuff? i've been trying to track down some, with little luck. i've got that 1980 maxwell's show and the portland arms lp but that's it ... don't know much there is of the band's first run.
― tylerw, Saturday, 16 January 2010 16:30 (fourteen years ago) link
The only other I can think of is the "Lope At The Hive" tracks collected on Two Halves For The Price Of One. I didn't even have the Maxwell show before you shared it.
― EZ Snappin, Saturday, 16 January 2010 16:39 (fourteen years ago) link
Found Rout of the Clones, which I think is a live comp: http://just-add-cones.blogspot.com/2009/09/soft-boys-rout-of-clones.htmlthat blog has a ton of hitchcock rarity kinda things
― tylerw, Saturday, 16 January 2010 17:01 (fourteen years ago) link
urgh rapidshare is kinda sucking these days isn't it ...
― tylerw, Saturday, 16 January 2010 17:12 (fourteen years ago) link
anyway, i think i'm going to put together a little comp of Robyn's best work in the 00s -- a pretty strong decade overall. maybe the only weak link is Luxor, and even that has its moments. And Nextdoorland isn't quite a great Soft Boys album (compared to the originals) but I still like it.
― tylerw, Saturday, 16 January 2010 17:14 (fourteen years ago) link
Cool find! Rapidshare is best early morning or late night EST; they basically hamstring non-members during daylight hours.
I agree this has been a particularly good decade for him, despite Luxor. Please don't forget the amazing stuff off A Star For Bram.
― EZ Snappin, Saturday, 16 January 2010 17:16 (fourteen years ago) link
actually was thinking about leaving out star for bram, since it's 90s material (outtakes from Jewels for Sophia) was it released in 2000? i love that disc, though, maybe more than Jewels ...
― tylerw, Saturday, 16 January 2010 17:22 (fourteen years ago) link
maybe the only weak link is Luxor, and even that has its moments. And Nextdoorland isn't quite a great Soft Boys album (compared to the originals) but I still like it.
I concur with this. "Luxor" has some nice instrumentals but otherwise I've got no memory of it, it's the only outright disappointing album he's released. And "Nextdoorland" is about half great (especially "Mr. Kennedy") and half merely mortal.
I put together that oddities comp for someone I knew wasn't as obsessive as folks like EZ, Jon Lewis and I are. But if there's anything y'all are in search of, post it and I'll share if possible.
― Gerald McBoing-Boing, Saturday, 16 January 2010 17:53 (fourteen years ago) link
I'd put "Solpadeine" on a RH best of 00's comp.
― itchy rainbolt (clotpoll), Saturday, 16 January 2010 18:03 (fourteen years ago) link
well, since you asked ... do you have those live van morrison covers that were on the b-side of some 12-inch single ...? i remember playing them back when i had a college radio show, but never tracked down digital copies ... also, is there a different version of Ghost Ship floating around (different from the one on You & Oblivion, I mean)? Could've sworn I've heard it, but don't know where.
― tylerw, Saturday, 16 January 2010 18:07 (fourteen years ago) link
yeah, i like "solpadeine" and "idonia" from luxor -- and the instrumentals are nice, too, i agree.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=52DUrv1gCUw
― EZ Snappin, Tuesday, 3 June 2014 16:18 (nine years ago) link
From the press release:
The Man Upstairs sees Hitchcock uniting with legendary producer Joe Boyd (Nick Drake, Fairport Convention) for one of the most unique recordings of his already quite idiosyncratic career. Rather than simply record a new selection of songs, Boyd suggested what he called 'a Judy Collins album' such as Elektra would have released in 1967 - part well-known favorites, part personal discoveries, and part originals. The multi-tiered approach offered Hitchcock the rare opportunity to record as a performer, not "just another singer-songwriter laying their freshest eggs."
Thus, modern standards like Roxy Music's "To Turn You On," The Doors' "The Crystal Ship," and The Psychedelic Furs' "The Ghost In You" are interlaced with lesser-known gems from such pals as Grant-Lee Phillips ("Don't Look Down") and I Was A King ("Ferries"), the latter featuring harmony vocals and guitar from the Norwegian indiepop combo's own Anne Lise Frøkedal. Meanwhile, new Hitchcock originals like "Trouble In Your Blood" and "Comme Toujours" stand among his most fragile and heartfelt, his stark vocal and guitar cast by Boyd against simple, autumnal backing from longtime collaborators Jenny Adejayan (cello), Charlie Francis (piano), and the aforementioned Frøkedal (harmonies).
"I've always wanted to make a folk record produced by Joe Boyd," says Hitchcock, "and now I have: thank you, universe!"
― curmudgeon, Tuesday, 3 June 2014 16:21 (nine years ago) link
ha, he's been doing "ghost in you" for what ... 25+ years? sounds nice!
― tylerw, Tuesday, 3 June 2014 16:24 (nine years ago) link
and i've heard him do "the crystal ship" elsewhere -- probably like him doing it more than the doors.
― tylerw, Tuesday, 3 June 2014 16:25 (nine years ago) link
Finally a release date! The album was recorded in about a week according to some comments I saw from Boyd. Let's hope this one breaks RH's two album slump. I mean it has to, right? A Witchseason production of Robyn Hitchcock! I love the Elektra LP conceit. Maybe I'll make some fake RH Elektra albums in anticipation.
I'm amazed he didn't choose one of the several Roxy Avalon cuts he's had in his repertoire for decades.
― Khamma chameleon (Jon Lewis), Tuesday, 3 June 2014 16:44 (nine years ago) link
yeah, just got out his old covers session bootleg from 1993, some great stuff on there.
― tylerw, Tuesday, 3 June 2014 16:46 (nine years ago) link
"The Main Thing" in nyc on halloween 2003 was v memorable (also a spine-tingling "Chinese White" that night).
― Khamma chameleon (Jon Lewis), Tuesday, 3 June 2014 16:50 (nine years ago) link
2. San Francisco Patrol
Somehow managed to misread this as "San Francisco Panini".
― cwkiii, Tuesday, 3 June 2014 16:55 (nine years ago) link
Erik I know we've been through this before but side A of Luxor is slow deep water satisfaction in a style unique in his discography. It's side B that blows.
― Khamma chameleon (Jon Lewis), Tuesday, 3 June 2014 17:41 (nine years ago) link
I refuse to revisit Luxor to find out if you're right.
― EZ Snappin, Tuesday, 3 June 2014 17:52 (nine years ago) link
xp really? I'm a big fan of Solpadeine.
― JoeStork, Tuesday, 3 June 2014 18:04 (nine years ago) link
I've always loved his version of "The Ghost In You". I think he's an excellent interpreter of his favorite songs.
― Gerald McBoing-Boing, Tuesday, 3 June 2014 23:37 (nine years ago) link
@RobynHitchcockMount Rainier - Haile Selassie - The Smurfs: the parade goes on. Is there anything that has no name?
what is with this guy
― polyphonic, Tuesday, 17 June 2014 22:27 (nine years ago) link
(he replied to my answer!)
― Mark G, Tuesday, 17 June 2014 22:55 (nine years ago) link
Nice!
― polyphonic, Tuesday, 17 June 2014 23:02 (nine years ago) link
mmm
― Mark G, Tuesday, 17 June 2014 23:10 (nine years ago) link
the man enjoys conversation. i once elicited a look of slight dissapointment on his face when, after a sonic youth show, i stupidly did a "hey, you're robyn hitchcock!" and kept right on walking rather than strike up a polite chit-chat. i was super young but there's no excuse really.
― Yarli Simon (rattled), Tuesday, 17 June 2014 23:20 (nine years ago) link
I once saw him outside the Virgin Megastore talking to a friend of his, "Well, maybe it's in the Soul section" he said. Cool dude, quite tall.
― Mark G, Wednesday, 18 June 2014 07:05 (nine years ago) link
I don't have any stories about encounters with Robyn Hitchcock but I used to see him play in London in the '90s and there was this superfan who would always be at the front at every gig. One time at the Jazz Café I overheard two other people discussing this bloke. One turned and said to the other, "He thinks he's Robyn Hitchcock's best mate but in fact Robyn Hitchcock wouldn't piss on him if he was on fire."
― goth colouring book (anagram), Wednesday, 18 June 2014 07:37 (nine years ago) link
I never spoke to him but I saw him play an intimate acoustic set accompanied only by violin at my college (Oberlin) and as an encore he pulled out the electric guitar and played Autumn is Your Last Chance, one of my favorites of his and one of the saddest songs ever, and something you would've assumed he'd just use the acoustic for.
― dan selzer, Wednesday, 18 June 2014 12:36 (nine years ago) link
always seemed super nice -- though i do remember a look of slight terror when a superfan approached him after a show with a huge stack of vinyl and memorabilia for him to sign.
― tylerw, Wednesday, 18 June 2014 14:39 (nine years ago) link
since the announcement of the new album i've been on hitchcock kick -- always good to be reminded how great fegmania! is. production is so odd (in a good way) -- at times it sounds like there's a really noisy rock record lurking somewhere beneath the glossy surfaces.
― tylerw, Wednesday, 18 June 2014 14:40 (nine years ago) link
There is! I saw him on that guitar and violin tour in 95 and when he played Fegmania / Element songs with just an electric guitar he rawked!
― Gerald McBoing-Boing, Wednesday, 18 June 2014 16:30 (nine years ago) link
he is one hell of a guitar player. this is sometimes overlooked.
― fact checking cuz, Wednesday, 18 June 2014 16:34 (nine years ago) link
yeah i think in a lot of ways he's my favorite guitar player.
― tylerw, Wednesday, 18 June 2014 16:36 (nine years ago) link
i think of Fegmania as a sibling of The Top, Fried and Purple Rain, just these giddy weird 84-85 paisley pop records with a phosporescent burn to them.
― shameless pureyors of slop-on-plate (Jon Lewis), Wednesday, 18 June 2014 17:53 (nine years ago) link
robyn is such a unique guitarist, especially when he plays unaccompanied Tele.
what album does "Fried" refer to?
― polyamanita (sleeve), Wednesday, 18 June 2014 19:25 (nine years ago) link
Julian Cope's album, Fried.
― EZ Snappin, Wednesday, 18 June 2014 19:26 (nine years ago) link
Robyn is to guitar as Victor Borge was to piano - brilliant masters of their instruments who preferred to play off-beat material which hid their proficiency. But when they each played standards, you could see their talent.
― Gerald McBoing-Boing, Wednesday, 18 June 2014 20:29 (nine years ago) link
http://diffuser.fm/johnny-marr-robyn-hitchcock/
― Kibbutzki (Jaap Schip), Wednesday, 6 August 2014 05:04 (nine years ago) link
Robyn doesn't seem to know the Morrissey part too well…
― goodoldneon, Wednesday, 6 August 2014 05:15 (nine years ago) link
http://danecdotes.com/post/100810120299/the-soft-boys-only-the-stones-remain-live
― dan selzer, Friday, 24 October 2014 12:20 (nine years ago) link
Great post, Dan. The Soft Boys material seems to have gotten better with age and musical experience for me. Hearing the source material I didn't know at the time only enhances their psych-punk fusion.
― Gerald McBoing-Boing, Friday, 24 October 2014 20:29 (nine years ago) link
Yeah, I just can't believe the Beefeartiness of so much of it. I had never heard Beefheart at the time. Same with the Byrds, I mean I knew the two hits but I wasn't the scholar I am now (ok, I have that 5000 page book but I haven't read it yet). I would say I hear More John Lennon, Beefheart and the Byrds than I do Syd in most of that material.
― dan selzer, Friday, 24 October 2014 20:47 (nine years ago) link
saw robyn for the first time in over a decade last week, and he remains an amazing performer. bunch of songs i'd never heard him do before, too -- "luminous rose," "one long pair of eyes," "52 Stations" ... crazy that he could've done a completely different setlist and i would've gone home just as happy. the guy has a deep catalogue of fantastic songs at this point.
― tylerw, Monday, 6 June 2016 14:24 (seven years ago) link
to say the least
― the world over the crotch. (contenderizer), Monday, 6 June 2016 14:26 (seven years ago) link
I should see him again so he doesn't have to act in more Demme films
― we can be heroes just for about 3.6 seconds (Dr Morbius), Monday, 6 June 2016 15:00 (seven years ago) link
ha, does he still keep popping up in those? i remember him in the manchurian candidate and the wedding one ...
― tylerw, Monday, 6 June 2016 15:02 (seven years ago) link
He did not appear in the Streep rockstar one or A Master Builder -- but in non-Demme thesping he played "Mad Reg" in this US indie I have not seen:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1754786/combined
― we can be heroes just for about 3.6 seconds (Dr Morbius), Monday, 6 June 2016 15:20 (seven years ago) link
Did he have his new squeeze with him? Not too keen on the single they put out.
― Gerald McBoing-Boing, Monday, 6 June 2016 15:32 (seven years ago) link
she came out and sang on a few songs -- not exactly the right combo on some of it, but there were some parts that worked pretty nicely.
― tylerw, Monday, 6 June 2016 15:35 (seven years ago) link
So the irregular Robyn/Yo La Tengo perform Black Snake Diamond Role show hit SF last night -- very good indeed! I shouldn't be surprised. Standout from the album songs itself was probably "Acid Bird" thanks to Robyn's astonishingly great solo -- really something remarkable. The second half/encore selections were good fun too -- a cover of "Going Down to Liverpool" among them, as was an encore including Pink Floyd's "Lucifer Sam" and a concluding "Element of Light." (Also did VU's "Run Run Run" earlier.)
― Ned Raggett, Saturday, 30 September 2017 21:01 (six years ago) link
Yeah the RHYLT show I saw in Brooklyn a little while ago was super super great. Robyn's frenzied wah pedal work - the soberly excellent ylt choir on do policemen sing - Georgia harmonies and ira faux-backward solo on Airscape (it's like baba o'riley ned - not titled the way you think it should be)
― harbinger of failure (Jon not Jon), Sunday, 1 October 2017 12:34 (six years ago) link