My verdict? (like any of you care): ROCK ACTION as a title (despite having the innate coolness of being named after Stooges drummer, Scotty Asheton's nick name) is a woefull misnomer.
Mogwai are one of those bands that I honestly *REALLY WANNA LIKE*, but it just never seems to happen. I love what I read about them, I like their austere aesthetic, they're Scottish, but this is the second album of theirs I've shelled out ambitiously for (the first being COME ON DIE YOUNG) and again I'm left largely cold & clammy.
Track number five, "You Don't Know Jesus," is suitably "rockin'," but don't come to me saying it's all forward-thinking, cutting-edge, "post-rock," because it's nothing those much maligned-shoegazers in Ride weren't doing ten years ago (and they were tagged with the epithet "retro").
Perhaps I need to be more patient and let it grow on me. Or not.
What are your thoughts about them?
― alex in nyc, Monday, 23 April 2001 00:00 (twenty-two years ago) link
― , Monday, 23 April 2001 00:00 (twenty-two years ago) link
― Sean Carruthers, Monday, 23 April 2001 00:00 (twenty-two years ago) link
― dog latin, Monday, 23 April 2001 00:00 (twenty-two years ago) link
― DG, Monday, 23 April 2001 00:00 (twenty-two years ago) link
― Sterling Clover, Monday, 23 April 2001 00:00 (twenty-two years ago) link
― Mark, Monday, 23 April 2001 00:00 (twenty-two years ago) link
Also, I casually wish flaming death on anyone who ever again compares the *TENDENTIOUSLY BORING AND OBVIOUS MOTHERFUCKERS* in Godspeed You Fucking Black Emperor to Mogwai ever again, or at least sentence them to listening to the Swans' "I Was a Prisoner In Your Skull" and realizing where GYBE got their schtik from, right down to the found- sound man-on-street sample. They're at least starting to have two moods instead of one, but still. Sigur Ros I'll let live because they sound like they appreciate the shoegaze.
Back in September 1999, I had the chance to see GYBE and Mogwai at two separate shows the same week. Mogwai had this little thing called 'dynamics,' which among other things meant, say, not playing the same damn song over and over again and again, including the encores. Now guess how quickly I feel asleep at the GYBE show -- standing ten feet from the stage, I should note. Labradford blew them off the stage while playing at one/one-hundreth of the volume level.
As it is, Labradford excepted, the likes of Timbaland create more dramatic and unique work than all of these bands, but I know where my allegiances lie nonetheless...
― Ned Raggett, Tuesday, 24 April 2001 00:00 (twenty-two years ago) link
― dog latin, Tuesday, 24 April 2001 00:00 (twenty-two years ago) link
― Josh, Tuesday, 24 April 2001 00:00 (twenty-two years ago) link
― gareth, Wednesday, 25 April 2001 00:00 (twenty-two years ago) link
― Ned Raggett, Thursday, 26 April 2001 00:00 (twenty-two years ago) link
I don't understand how people could say that the early singles were their best, as many seem to say.
― Josh, Thursday, 26 April 2001 00:00 (twenty-two years ago) link
In all seriousness, I'm forming theories on this in my own head, and also incorporating my "whichever album you heard first is the one you'll treasure" theory. Consider Mogwai (a good choice considering the thread): I love love love Come on Die Young, but it's obvious to me that most Mogwai fans that have been there from the beginning prefer Young Team as an album. Is Young Team necessarily better? I don't know, and I'm not convince. I much prefer CODY because it was my entry point (although I heard Kicking a Dead Pig first, I discount it because it was not what I was expecting at the time, and it just slid off my mind like an egg off of T-Fal).
I think Mogwai is a victim of their own success with a certain group. Young Team was obviously a great record, and it set up unreasonable expectations for the followup, thus the fact that many people don't really like CODY all that much. And also thus, many people don't think Rock Action measures up. I personally like Rock Action just fine the more that I listen to it, even with the vocals. Over the past two years, there have been a host of albums that I thought were just not up to snuff, because the previous releases set such high expectations: David Sylvian's last one. The last Godspeed (sorry, Ned). The new Nick Cave (and the jury's still out). And now this one.
― Sean Carruthers, Thursday, 26 April 2001 00:00 (twenty-two years ago) link
― Clarke B. (Clarke B.), Sunday, 9 May 2004 14:44 (nineteen years ago) link
― Ned Raggett (Ned), Sunday, 9 May 2004 14:49 (nineteen years ago) link
Fucking knob. No wonder you don't chart.
― CRW (CRW), Sunday, 9 May 2004 14:59 (nineteen years ago) link
x-post -- Calum, "Blur: Are Shite" implies that not only the band but the individual members of the band are shite, which is far more effective than your proposed alternative. And since when have Mogwai given a fuck about being pop stars? It's a non-issue.
― Clarke B. (Clarke B.), Sunday, 9 May 2004 15:02 (nineteen years ago) link
― doomie x, Sunday, 9 May 2004 15:17 (nineteen years ago) link
― stevem (blueski), Sunday, 9 May 2004 15:26 (nineteen years ago) link
― Mark (MarkR), Sunday, 9 May 2004 15:43 (nineteen years ago) link
― Clarke B. (Clarke B.), Sunday, 9 May 2004 15:50 (nineteen years ago) link
― Ned Raggett (Ned), Sunday, 9 May 2004 15:57 (nineteen years ago) link
― latebloomer (latebloomer), Sunday, 9 May 2004 23:44 (nineteen years ago) link
― Tim Finney (Tim Finney), Monday, 10 May 2004 00:40 (nineteen years ago) link
I still post like that!
― @d@ml (nordicskilla), Monday, 10 May 2004 00:45 (nineteen years ago) link
Tim, what does it for you with Rock Action? I think it's a fantastic record, but it doesn't give me the glazed eyes quite like Young Team or parts of Ten Rapid. It's more consistent, maybe, but less intense. The slower, prettier tracks on Rock Action have a deliberateness, a literalness about them, whereas early "ballads" like "Tracy" or "Helicon 2" are gauzier, dreamier, more enveloping. That's just me.
― Clarke B. (Clarke B.), Monday, 10 May 2004 00:57 (nineteen years ago) link
I'll answer your question a bit later Clarke when I've thought about it more.
― Tim Finney (Tim Finney), Monday, 10 May 2004 03:09 (nineteen years ago) link
― Ned Raggett (Ned), Monday, 10 May 2004 04:24 (nineteen years ago) link
― gygax! (gygax!), Monday, 10 May 2004 04:50 (nineteen years ago) link
― gygax! (gygax!), Monday, 10 May 2004 04:52 (nineteen years ago) link
― alex in mainhattan (alex63), Monday, 10 May 2004 04:58 (nineteen years ago) link
― Debito (Debito), Monday, 10 May 2004 05:02 (nineteen years ago) link
― g--ff (gcannon), Monday, 10 May 2004 05:06 (nineteen years ago) link
― Leeefuse 73 (Leee), Monday, 10 May 2004 05:18 (nineteen years ago) link
― jaymc (jaymc), Monday, 10 May 2004 05:21 (nineteen years ago) link
― Leeefuse 73 (Leee), Monday, 10 May 2004 05:22 (nineteen years ago) link
― Alex in SF (Alex in SF), Monday, 10 May 2004 05:24 (nineteen years ago) link
Gygax's comments re: Young Team are completely otm. I've never understood the fawning over that record. Yes, there are intense moments on YT that can't be found on any of their other albums, but there's a load of filler too. Once I discovered live Mogwai bootlegs I discovered I didn't need YT to get my Mogwai Fear Satan fix anymore.
― Barry Bruner (Barry Bruner), Monday, 10 May 2004 05:32 (nineteen years ago) link
― Sick Nouthall (Nick Southall), Monday, 10 May 2004 05:55 (nineteen years ago) link
― jack cole (jackcole), Monday, 10 May 2004 05:59 (nineteen years ago) link
― Matt DC (Matt DC), Monday, 10 May 2004 08:25 (nineteen years ago) link
I never listen to CODY, incidentally. Love the EP in between CODY and Rock ActioN though.
― Tim Finney (Tim Finney), Monday, 10 May 2004 11:13 (nineteen years ago) link
That would be me! And the new one too, though I don't listen to it anywhere as much.
― Ned Raggett (Ned), Monday, 10 May 2004 11:59 (nineteen years ago) link
― scott seward (scott seward), Monday, 10 May 2004 12:16 (nineteen years ago) link
― scott seward (scott seward), Monday, 10 May 2004 12:22 (nineteen years ago) link
― Ned Raggett (Ned), Monday, 10 May 2004 13:06 (nineteen years ago) link
― kyle (akmonday), Monday, 10 May 2004 13:23 (nineteen years ago) link
CODY released 20 years ago the day
― ( ͡☉ ͜ʖ ͡☉) (jim in vancouver), Friday, 29 March 2019 19:38 (four years ago) link
"Helps Both Ways" came on shuffle the other day and it brought me back to my fair youth!
― Jersey Al (Albert R. Broccoli), Saturday, 30 March 2019 04:18 (four years ago) link
Reckon they’re all probably into eurorack now.
― fields of salmon, Monday, 15 April 2019 22:05 (four years ago) link
Rather like the new one.
― Ned Raggett, Sunday, 21 February 2021 00:36 (three years ago) link
ROFL
― Adoration of the Mogwai (Deflatormouse), Sunday, 21 February 2021 00:51 (three years ago) link
All true!
― Ned Raggett, Sunday, 21 February 2021 00:58 (three years ago) link
Fwiw I saw both of those shows in I think the same week of Sept. 99 as well (presumably on the opposite coast, at Maxwell's in Hoboken) and that is a hilariously immoderate reaction. The wording, the indignation... It's all very funny
― Adoration of the Mogwai (Deflatormouse), Sunday, 21 February 2021 00:59 (three years ago) link
I think "Mogwai had this little thing called 'dynamics'" and "now guess how quickly i fell asleep" were my favorite parts
― Adoration of the Mogwai (Deflatormouse), Sunday, 21 February 2021 01:00 (three years ago) link
'blown off the stage by labradford' is the saddest of all epithets
― mookieproof, Sunday, 21 February 2021 01:01 (three years ago) link
Out of the two shows I would say Ganger played the weakest set, but it's true that Labradford were better than GY!BE
― Adoration of the Mogwai (Deflatormouse), Sunday, 21 February 2021 01:02 (three years ago) link
I think that was the same week as the Matador 10th anniversary show at Irving Plaza where some guy yelled "DON'T DO IT!!" over the silence just as Stuart Braithwaite was about to kick the distortion on for the loud part of 'Like Herod' and *the entire place* including Stu erupted in laughter.
― Adoration of the Mogwai (Deflatormouse), Sunday, 21 February 2021 01:08 (three years ago) link
single sounds like Snow Patrol
― PaulTMA, Sunday, 21 February 2021 01:11 (three years ago) link
lol xp
― imago, Sunday, 21 February 2021 01:19 (three years ago) link
Dying at “DON’T DO IT!”
― circa1916, Sunday, 21 February 2021 02:50 (three years ago) link
awesome
― mookieproof, Sunday, 21 February 2021 03:16 (three years ago) link
Re: one/one-hundredth of the volume level tho. Idk, I distinctly remember being surprised and disappointed that GYBE were soooo quiet. Only time i've seen them live.
― Adoration of the Mogwai (Deflatormouse), Sunday, 21 February 2021 04:02 (three years ago) link
At the Matador 10th show Mogwai's set was followed by the Cornelius Group who I wouldn't say blew them off the stage exactly but it certainly would have been a little sad if Mogwai had followed them instead.
― Adoration of the Mogwai (Deflatormouse), Sunday, 21 February 2021 04:06 (three years ago) link
it probably doesn't, but dear god i wish a bootleg of that "don't do it!" show exists.
relistened to ROCK ACTION recently and damn if "you don't know jesus" isn't an easy top 3 mogwai cut for me.
― Western® with Bacon Flavor, Sunday, 21 February 2021 06:13 (three years ago) link
Genuinely the loudest act I ever saw live.
― Tsar Bombadil (James Morrison), Sunday, 21 February 2021 06:32 (three years ago) link
gigography link to that Irving Plaza show with a comment about the Don't Do It as well - doesn't say if it was recorded/is being traded or not - http://youngteam.co.uk/brightlight/eng/gig230999.php
― StanM, Sunday, 21 February 2021 07:32 (three years ago) link
("the show was webcast on cdnow" though)
― StanM, Sunday, 21 February 2021 07:33 (three years ago) link
it must be out there somewhere - this is from that show https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XNVua-kot5A
― StanM, Sunday, 21 February 2021 07:36 (three years ago) link
new one is great. Ceiling Granny is basically a Siamese Dream-era pumpkins track minus vocals. not sure if they would enjoy that comparison but it's undeniable?
― Hmmmmm (jamiesummerz), Sunday, 21 February 2021 10:12 (three years ago) link
Yeah really good new album. Really enjoyed the recorded gig the other night as well. A truly immersive experience although i'd had a few ales, the light show got me.
― kraudive, Sunday, 21 February 2021 18:55 (three years ago) link
Saw them in Cologne in 97 or 98 and was the loudest show ever. Later gigs didn't quite achieve that ear splitting volume.
― Duke, Sunday, 21 February 2021 18:56 (three years ago) link
oh I LOVE that clip of Xmas Steps, Stuart jumps like he's been shot when the bass comes in
― assert (MatthewK), Sunday, 21 February 2021 21:19 (three years ago) link
I'd like to hear some Snow Patrol sounding that good. Not being snide, I'd genuinely appreciate a recommendation.
― locked in a death spiral of vindictive gatekeeping (viborg), Sunday, 21 February 2021 22:59 (three years ago) link
gigography link to that Irving Plaza show with a comment about the Don't Do It as well
Heh, it's the first thing anyone would mention who was at that show.I was talking to a friend I didn't know until years later and it transpired that we were both in attendance... And immediately like, we just looked at each other grinning and shouted out "DON'T DO IT!!" in unison.
i was disappointed too that they only played 4 songs
Well tbf, all 4 of them were 10 minutes long.
I probably saw more shows in September 1999 than any other month which is kinda crazy b/c I was 15 years old at the time. I think the Mogwai/Ganger and Godspeed/Labradford shows were a few days before school started, but the Matador 10th show was on like a Monday or Tuesday night and I had a history test the next day. Relatedly, this was right around the time I started failing out of school.
― Adoration of the Mogwai (Deflatormouse), Monday, 22 February 2021 03:34 (three years ago) link
Anyway some quick thoughts.
― Ned Raggett, Monday, 22 February 2021 18:06 (three years ago) link
That song sounds like M83
― Jersey Al (Albert R. Broccoli), Tuesday, 23 February 2021 07:09 (three years ago) link
Very nice message just sent out via their Bandcamp:
It is 25 years this week since the release of our first single Tuner/Lower, the first release on Rock Action Records. We started the label (named after Stooges drummer Scott Asheton) with a loan of £400 from my sister Victoria’s boyfriend (now husband) Jared. Martin’s folks generously helped us out by paying for the studio to record the songs. We folded the record sleeves up one by one in my bedroom at my parents house. I had every expectation that most of them were going to be hard to get rid of and would remain in a pile in my bedroom for some time. Thankfully that wasn’t to be the case.We didn’t start the band or the label to get in to charts. That would have seemed insane. We were just kids that wanted to make an amazing noise and get our record played on John Peel. Amazingly John did play the record, and one thing led to another to get us to the point we’re at now. Its been an incredible journey making music together over the last quarter century, taking us to places we never dreamed of and getting to play our music to more people than we ever imagined. None of us ever envisaged either the band or the label being in a position where having a number one record would be a possibility.As it stands our new album As The Love Continues is number one in the UK charts. It's something we’re amazed by. We’re taken aback by everyone’s support, kindness and generosity. It means so much to us and would be incredible if we could hold on to remain number one when the chart comes out on Friday. For that to happen we need everyone’s help by buying the record and streaming it as much as possible. We are so grateful for all the support we’ve received so far and with just a few more days of it we can do something pretty amazing.If you've bought the album via Bandcamp but haven't yet downloaded, the UK charts will only register the sale once it's downloaded so if you can...it'd be appreciated.Cheers!StuartMogwai
We didn’t start the band or the label to get in to charts. That would have seemed insane. We were just kids that wanted to make an amazing noise and get our record played on John Peel. Amazingly John did play the record, and one thing led to another to get us to the point we’re at now. Its been an incredible journey making music together over the last quarter century, taking us to places we never dreamed of and getting to play our music to more people than we ever imagined. None of us ever envisaged either the band or the label being in a position where having a number one record would be a possibility.
As it stands our new album As The Love Continues is number one in the UK charts. It's something we’re amazed by. We’re taken aback by everyone’s support, kindness and generosity. It means so much to us and would be incredible if we could hold on to remain number one when the chart comes out on Friday. For that to happen we need everyone’s help by buying the record and streaming it as much as possible. We are so grateful for all the support we’ve received so far and with just a few more days of it we can do something pretty amazing.
If you've bought the album via Bandcamp but haven't yet downloaded, the UK charts will only register the sale once it's downloaded so if you can...it'd be appreciated.
Cheers!StuartMogwai
― Ned Raggett, Thursday, 25 February 2021 17:48 (three years ago) link
They just tweeted Ricky Gervais asking to plug their album then deleted it
― PaulTMA, Thursday, 25 February 2021 17:54 (three years ago) link
I still don't know why more people weren't talking about ZeroZeroZero, an international drug trafficking drama on Amazon Prime that was so great, but anyway Mogwai did the soundtrack and it works really well in the show
― Blues Guitar Solo Heatmap (Free Download) (upper mississippi sh@kedown), Thursday, 25 February 2021 17:57 (three years ago) link
Limmy has given them a plug! And he doesn't plug just anyone
― imago, Thursday, 25 February 2021 18:00 (three years ago) link
As it stands our new album As The Love Continues is number one in the UK charts.
holy shit. hope they pull it off!
― Adoration of the Mogwai (Deflatormouse), Thursday, 25 February 2021 18:18 (three years ago) link
been loving the full on twitter party re this.if it happens then the poor buggers cant even go to the pub and celebrate.
― mark e, Thursday, 25 February 2021 18:23 (three years ago) link
Never had them down as a band who’d beg people to buy their album to get a number 1 but fair fuck’s to them if they pull it off
― PaulTMA, Friday, 26 February 2021 15:35 (three years ago) link
I would not have expected it either, but then I also never would have imagined they'd even have a shot! So good on them, really.
― soaring skrrrtpeggios (jon /via/ chi 2.0), Friday, 26 February 2021 15:37 (three years ago) link
Next step, Christmas #1
Why are post-rock bands so...inconsistent with their volume levels? Mogwai plays Atomic was polite where it should have howled, while GYBE's last tour was simply deafening
― theo, Friday, 26 February 2021 16:15 (three years ago) link
Great success
“It’s been an incredible journey...” Mogwai (@mogwaiband) score their first Number 1 on the Official Albums Chart with As The Love Continues ❤️ https://t.co/xwNrF1Agwv— Official Charts (@officialcharts) February 26, 2021
― Ned Raggett, Friday, 26 February 2021 17:06 (three years ago) link
ah that's nice for them
― himpathy with the devil (jim in vancouver), Friday, 26 February 2021 18:49 (three years ago) link
BOOM. Stuart was just on Scottish TV news talking about it. I had a wee lump in my throat.
― stirmonster, Friday, 26 February 2021 19:09 (three years ago) link
it must be pretty exciting to be in with a chance of having a no. 1. More power to them i say.
― stirmonster, Friday, 26 February 2021 19:10 (three years ago) link
i don't keep up with them that much these days but thinking back to 20 odd years ago when it was so cool to me that barry burns' girlfriend's gran lived in my street, stuart had went to my high school, and that my pop punk band "the dirty lovers" (that never played a gig) practiced at the same place where they had recorded young team it does really warm the heart to see them achieve this milestone
― himpathy with the devil (jim in vancouver), Friday, 26 February 2021 19:15 (three years ago) link
Mogwai (@mogwaiband) score their first Number 1 on the Official Albums Chart
Never had them down as a band who’d beg people to buy their album to get a number 1
they can totally pull it off because it's such an unlikely #1, it's a shared victory
Mogwai plays Atomic was polite where it should have howled, while GYBE's last tour was simply deafening
Precisely the inverse of the Sept 99 gigs lol. "Polite where it should have howled" describes that GYBE set perfectly.
i don't keep up with them that much these days
I've heard all of 2 tracks they've done since Rock Action tbh
They were one of my favorite bands in 97-98, CODY was a bit disappointing. YT sounds amazing, hiring Dave Fridmann to make a Steve Albini record was a misstep imo.
― Adoration of the Mogwai (Deflatormouse), Friday, 26 February 2021 21:38 (three years ago) link
rock action is my favorite mogwai album lol, all killer no filler
― stimmy stimmy yah (Simon H.), Friday, 26 February 2021 21:40 (three years ago) link
i liked ex-cowboy but it feels unfinished structurally or something. my favorite pieces of theirs were things like Summer and Katrien where Dominic leads
I liked the track with Gruff Rhys the most on Rock Action, SFA were my other fave then
― Adoration of the Mogwai (Deflatormouse), Friday, 26 February 2021 21:44 (three years ago) link
"barry burns' girlfriend's gran lived in my street"can I get your autograph pls
― StanM, Friday, 26 February 2021 23:04 (three years ago) link
onya fellas
listened to a few songs off the album, file under enjoyable
― Pre-Raphaelite Brah (King Boy Pato), Saturday, 27 February 2021 04:22 (three years ago) link
I'm a big fan still and love the new album. Really pleased for them.
― brain (krakow), Saturday, 27 February 2021 13:27 (three years ago) link