Mike Heron - Smiling Men With Bad Reputations

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I just got this and so far am sort of disappointed, though maybe cause I wanted something a little more ISB-ish (and also cause my copy skips, fucking Rockit Scientist). Anybody have any thoughts on this one?

― Daniel DiMAGGIO (Daniel DiMAGGIO), Sunday, 20 June 2004 23:07 (twenty-two years ago)

this isnt mike heron as in the underground semi-known NYC hip hop producer is it?

― dickvandyke (dickvandyke), Sunday, 20 June 2004 23:08 (twenty-two years ago)

nah. The guy who used to be in Incredible String Band. This album is actually pretty good, Im just at the end of the first side now.

― Daniel DiMAGGIO (Daniel DiMAGGIO), Sunday, 20 June 2004 23:09 (twenty-two years ago)

sounds interesting.

― dickvandyke (dickvandyke), Sunday, 20 June 2004 23:16 (twenty-two years ago)

I didn't like it when I had it years ago. Are there any really good songs on it?

― Tim Ellison, Sunday, 20 June 2004 23:54 (twenty-two years ago)

I remember it being utter crap. Then, I was always more of a Robin Williamson guy.

― roger adultery (roger adultery), Monday, 21 June 2004 00:30 (twenty-two years ago)

i'm sure that it has perplexed many a string band fan.

― scott seward (scott seward), Monday, 21 June 2004 00:46 (twenty-two years ago)

i just got hard rope and silken twine lp which i had never heard before and i like it quite alot..especially the side long tribute to ITHKOS greek island..its mostly a heron affair

― dan bunnybrain (dan bunnybrain), Monday, 21 June 2004 02:29 (twenty-two years ago)

"Then, I was always more of a Robin Williamson guy."

Mike had some incredible songs, though: "Chinese White," "A Very Cellular Song." I like his children's songs on 5,000 Spirits and his stuff on Wee Tam and The Big Huge is all good.

― Tim Ellison, Monday, 21 June 2004 02:35 (twenty-two years ago)

ha ha "incredible"

― Tim Ellison, Monday, 21 June 2004 02:35 (twenty-two years ago)

No, I agree - I love "Puppies" more than anyone else in the world. I just think Heron was the Paul to Williamson's John.

Some of Robin's songs - "Ducks on a Pond," "The Half Remarkable Question," "Three is Green Crown" - are some of my all time favorite songs. Heron always seemed to be coming more from a 'rock' tradition, where Robin seemed to have an almost Fahey-esque knack for distilling so many obscure influences into his own unique style. The man was pretty close to a genius, IMHO.

― roger adultery (roger adultery), Monday, 21 June 2004 02:44 (twenty-two years ago)

I'm listening now to his rock song "The Letter" on the ISB's I Looked Up album (the one after Changing Horses--this predates the solo album). The riff with the harpsichord part is nice, but the vocal parts just really ramble.

― Tim Ellison, Monday, 21 June 2004 03:15 (twenty-two years ago)

Impressed to see all the disdain towards this record. I think it's wonderful, and the song "Audrey" is classic.

― Salvador Saca (Mr. Xolotl), Monday, 21 June 2004 03:41 (twenty-two years ago)

five years pass...

"Feast Of Stephen" on random play is the perfect late Saturday night comedown song. Surprisingly exuberant for 1971 - predating by several years everyone else's comedown albums that either sank with cocaine excess or paranoid retreating. Understated classic - file next to Thunderclap Newman.

― Elvis Telecom, Sunday, 15 November 2009 10:57 (sixteen years ago)

"Feast of Stephen" is the best song on the album, I think. As I said on the ICB thread this week, I'm pretty sure Joe Boyd wrote in his memoir that it was recorded the same day as Nick Drake's "Fly" and something off Nico's third album. Or maybe I read it elsewhere. Anyway, it's a great song.

― Yah Kid A (Euler), Sunday, 15 November 2009 11:00 (sixteen years ago)

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