Brian Eno - C or D?

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already embarrassed about my grumbly post. if I ever say anything about the 90's output, it's only because the 72-85 stretch is so bafflingly inspired. if I ever lost my record collection I'd be buying most of these back first.

(Jon L), Thursday, 22 January 2004 20:37 (twenty years ago) link

I mean, "The True Wheel"--that song has _four chords_ in it, and it sounds like the lushest deepest most complicated thing ever.

"Uh-oh!"

Ned Raggett (Ned), Friday, 23 January 2004 02:44 (twenty years ago) link

Strange, I've just sung through "The true wheel" in my head and can only count three... oh, just got to the end part where the fourth chord comes in. Sorry. My God, what a song!

"Ding ding!"

Rob M (Rob M), Friday, 23 January 2004 08:41 (twenty years ago) link

Anyone that even cosiders sayind "dud" is loco. Amazing, influential, smartest man in music, etc. I want him to be my dad.

anode (anode), Friday, 23 January 2004 12:27 (twenty years ago) link

five months pass...
One thing I don't think I've said about Taking Tiger Mountain by Strategy is that I got a copy* around the time that I had just about lost my belief in Christian doctrine, so it took on kind of a heavy symbolic weight of the scarey, uncertain, world of religious disbelief. (Obviously I hadn't only listened to Christian music up until then. That's not the point.) I want to exmphasize, this is a symbolic purpose I was giving it: I don't think it has much to do with the album itself (although it is kind of interesting in light of some things I've read by him essential outlining an anti-fundamentalism--of whatever source--stance). Just the cover itself took on a certain weight, and I wasn't totally happy about it. It didn't look like an especially happy world (and I've never been unambivalently attracted to hipster jadedness, if I've ever been attracted by it at all), but it seemed somewhat inevitable that I would be joining it. Graphically, it was: the cover of Taking Tiger Mountain vs. the dull blue cover of Cornelius Van Til's Defense of the Faith (given to me by my brother-in-law). I think I was more visually oriented then. Anyway, book covers or album covers could easily become suffused with an emotional coloring.


*I can't remember if I bought a copy or received it as a gift, but probably the latter. I used to get my older brother to buy me "weird"** records for my birthday and Christmas.

**I think he thought it was weird anyway (judging by his response to what I listened to on the radio), but I think he was a little amused to watch me growing up and getting into punk and new wave, and new bands he hadn't heard of, or other stuff that seemed esoteric to him. I think he may have bought me this album, the first Psychedelic Furs album, and Fripp's Let the Power Fall, and some a John Coltrane collection, all at my request. Now I'm getting all sentimental about my older brother. I miss being close to my family, and it's all Brian Eno's fault--well, not exactly.

Rockist Scientist, Wednesday, 21 July 2004 01:42 (nineteen years ago) link

Inspired by o. nate, sort of.

Rockist Scientist, Wednesday, 21 July 2004 01:46 (nineteen years ago) link

Classic!

James Slone (Freon Trotsky), Wednesday, 21 July 2004 02:32 (nineteen years ago) link

that was a great post, rockist. thanks.

M@tt He1geson (Matt Helgeson), Wednesday, 21 July 2004 02:36 (nineteen years ago) link

xpost Interesting story rockist. Still, Taking Tiger is Brian Eno at his worst/most/annoying (lyrically) to me. What about the lyrics hit home for you?

artdamages (artdamages), Wednesday, 21 July 2004 02:38 (nineteen years ago) link

It wasn't the lyrics, it was more the entire package (literally). I don't have a functional copy of the album right now, so I haven't heard it for a while.

Possibly the fact that I often couldn't make out the lyrics or didn't know what he was talking about contributed to my liking the songs. "With Burgundy, Tizer and Rye/Twelve sheets of foolscap: don't ask me why." I'm still largely in the dark about these lines, for example. I think I only found out what foolscap is in the last few years and I've already forgotten the details.

I kind of like the lyrics to "True Wheel." I am looking at a lyrics page now, and I find myself saying, oh, is that how it goes? I really am not even hearing what he's saying a lot of the time.

Rockist Scientist, Wednesday, 21 July 2004 02:51 (nineteen years ago) link

The lyrics are not the first thing I noticed about TTM(BS) either. I mean some of the lines (e.g., "burning airlines give you so much more") kind of stick in my mind, but I think that's more a function of being wedded to a good melody. I was in a bar where this guy I know works and he was playing songs from his iPod over the stereo. At one point I asked him, Is this the Thinking Fellers? And he said, no it's Brian Eno. Then later another song came on, and I asked him if it was the Swell Maps. Again it was Eno. It turns out both songs were on TTM(BS). That's when I knew I needed to hear the rest of the album.

o. nate (onate), Wednesday, 21 July 2004 03:28 (nineteen years ago) link

wow, yeah, hearing eno (after soo much indie stuff) really is amazing (and it seems like he just pulled half of it out of his ass) xpost

artdamages (artdamages), Wednesday, 21 July 2004 03:33 (nineteen years ago) link

Classic, for all his instrumental music from the start to the end, and for 'A year With Swollen Appendices' (in my opinion anyway)

the music mole (colin s barrow), Wednesday, 21 July 2004 03:36 (nineteen years ago) link

I'm curious: is there anyone reading this thread who's never listened to Eno? Anyone been inspired to after all the hosannas here?

Douglas (Douglas), Wednesday, 21 July 2004 04:27 (nineteen years ago) link

I really haven't heard enough !!

Sonny A. (Keiko), Wednesday, 21 July 2004 04:51 (nineteen years ago) link

I find "Put A Straw Under Baby" hilarious (as a fallen catholic). Taking Tiger Mountain is the only of his solo/pop records I like. for his ambient work - Music For Airports, Discreet Music, and the Fripp/Eno ones are great.

sherm, Wednesday, 21 July 2004 15:31 (nineteen years ago) link

i have two eno records.

music for airports = nice but forgettable, put aside after a couple of listens.

apollo = stunningly beautiful, one of my most played albums in recent times.

with this in mind, what next?

weasel diesel (K1l14n), Wednesday, 21 July 2004 15:42 (nineteen years ago) link

I had only heard some of his ambient stuff up until a few months ago! (not couting roxy music!)

artdamages (artdamages), Wednesday, 21 July 2004 16:47 (nineteen years ago) link

x-post

try no pussyfooting, with fripp.

peter smith (plsmith), Wednesday, 21 July 2004 16:50 (nineteen years ago) link

I rate his first 4 rock LPs classic. "Tiger Mountain" contains some of the best words I know. "Before and After Science" is very strong, esp. the "rhythm" side. As for the later stuff, I like "Nerve Net" and his collab with Cale "One Way Up." Not such a big fan of a lot of his ambient music, fine as it is. I'd put "Green World" and his Jon Hassell collab from '80 at the top of the list myself. Reading his diary I do get the impression he's a pretentious little guy, but he's done a lot so I suppose he earned it.

eddie hurt (ddduncan), Wednesday, 21 July 2004 16:57 (nineteen years ago) link

Classic, for most of the reasons already stated. If you're interested, there is an excellent, but long, article by Lester Bangs on Eno. You can read it here:

http://www.furious.com/perfect/bangseno.html

erv (Abe Froman), Wednesday, 21 July 2004 21:04 (nineteen years ago) link

classicclassicclassicclassicclassicclassicclassicclassicclassicclassic

a musical genius, the godfather of Ambient, the mastermind of warm synthesis, although the cause of a lot of shit (ie damp snares in 80s music from Low) still one of the true heads!

A let me emphasize his Ambient series - i don't understand why anyone hasn't yet. On Land, man! and lets not mention the second side of Day of Radiance with Laraaji (the first side i admit being...well). Most of my feelings on Before and After Science, Another Green World have meen mentioned.

And on a last note, My Life in the Bush of Ghosts is fucking ingenius record :)

Rob McD (Rob McD), Thursday, 22 July 2004 04:58 (nineteen years ago) link

1st three solo albums are indespencable, punch your mom in the throat and steal money from her purse to buy these records, you need them. solo album #4 before and after sicence was an over considered creative disaster and not worth your hard earned record money, this record was why he stopped making rock records. after this you need anything he did with Harold Budd, you need Low by David Bowie, Oh Jesus Christ do you need Low by David Bowie, rob a bank get Low by David Bowie, pilfer from the sunday collection plate, knock over an old lady, buy a copy of Low by David Bowie, assasinate George W for Al Queda bounty money, decapitate a government contractor... whatever you need to do, get a copy of Low by David Bowie, you need Ambient 4: On Land, and Apollo, AM2 Plateau of Mirrors. Buy copies of Brian Eno and the vertical color of sound by Eric Tamm, and A Year With Swollen Appendices by Brian Eno, as these books will make your life infinitely more mysterious and interesting and delicious. Do what you need to do, I cannot force your hand, but seriously get the books, you will thank me later.

Disco Nihilist (mjt), Thursday, 22 July 2004 08:24 (nineteen years ago) link

christ, I drink a bunch of alcohol and then a bunch of coffee, and all of a sudden I cannot spell.

seriously, listen to the title track from Taking Tiger Mountain or the first track on Warm Jets and get back to me, you will be a convert y0.

Disco Nihilist (mjt), Thursday, 22 July 2004 08:27 (nineteen years ago) link

You know what else I think? I think Kate Bush's The Dreaming bears a strange resemblance to Taking Tiger Mountain, thematically (all the secret agent drama, the Asian references). The lyrics aren't goofy the same way as Eno's, and the albums certainly don't sound the same, but the imaginary scenarios seem a bit similar (even if Eno's are more indeterminate).

Rockist Scientist (rockistscientist), Thursday, 22 July 2004 20:29 (nineteen years ago) link

I think I like The Dreaming again. I like almost everything at the moment. My brain may be overheated.

My neighbors must wonder what's up when they walk by my apartment door and hear me playing music with English lyrics.

Rockist Scientist (rockistscientist), Thursday, 22 July 2004 20:35 (nineteen years ago) link

I don't understand how anyone could be so hostile toward before and after science. I don't much like the first couple songs but c'mon, the second side is beautiful. julie with? by this river? these are undeniable!

kyle (akmonday), Thursday, 22 July 2004 21:10 (nineteen years ago) link

absolutely, anthony. the second side of before + after science is the music i'd like to hear in my dreams.

alex in mainhattan (alex63), Thursday, 22 July 2004 21:16 (nineteen years ago) link

and you forgot the climax. through hollow lands. there we arrive in a land where nobody has ever been. between dream and enlightenment. i could listen to this for the rest of my life on repeat.

alex in mainhattan (alex63), Thursday, 22 July 2004 21:18 (nineteen years ago) link

There's a new Fripp/Eno CD

dleone (dleone), Friday, 23 July 2004 13:32 (nineteen years ago) link

That's right, I remember reading that one was in the works. I'm not too optimistic about it, but as soon as anyone hears it, please give a response.

Rockist Scientist, Friday, 23 July 2004 13:40 (nineteen years ago) link

I don't understand how anyone could be so hostile toward before and after science. I don't much like the first couple songs but c'mon, the second side is beautiful. julie with? by this river? these are undeniable!

It is the only 70's eno record I do not care for. I just felt the production was not quite up to snuff, he polished it too much. Everything Eno did no that record he did better on previous albums. I found it funny that I did not care for the record, and unbeknownst to me Eno actually echoed my complaints when he discussed that record in interviews in the late 70's.

It isn't a horrible record, it is just that he has a lot of material from that period of time and your money is better spent elsewhere in the back catalogue. And while I am thinking about it, you should probably pick up Cluster and Eno because that it good stuff.

Also, has anyone ever heard that the live The 801 bootleg from 76?

Disco Nihilist (mjt), Saturday, 24 July 2004 01:10 (nineteen years ago) link

I have a half hour video of Paul Morley interviewing Brian Eno that went out on Channel 4 about ten years ago, it's fucking brilliant. I'll be BitTorrenting it as soon as I can devise a way of getting video tape into my iBook.

retort pouch (retort pouch), Saturday, 24 July 2004 01:45 (nineteen years ago) link

Nobody's mentioned the first Ultravox record and that's probably the one he'd like to forget too. Imagine if "My Sex" had been done by Japan, tho

dave q, Saturday, 24 July 2004 03:42 (nineteen years ago) link

"Why astigmatism?" I wondered.

"I'm terribly attracted to women with ocular damage."

Classic.

latebloomer (latebloomer), Saturday, 24 July 2004 04:06 (nineteen years ago) link

Also, has anyone ever heard that the live The 801 bootleg from 76?

that's an official live album, is it not? i bought it a few months ago, it's great! the sound of the live recording is amazing. some terrific renditions of songs from another green world and taking tiger mountain (by strategy).

willem (willem), Saturday, 24 July 2004 10:12 (nineteen years ago) link

I'm afraid I will have to get the new Fripp & Eno thing.

Rockist Scientist, Saturday, 24 July 2004 13:00 (nineteen years ago) link

Actually listening to it right now. Fripp is playing really delicately on this, not sure I've heard him sound exactly like this before. "Lyra" is great. So far, not a disappointment at all.

dleone (dleone), Saturday, 24 July 2004 14:22 (nineteen years ago) link

Utter classic. A lot of what I'd talk about has been covered, but if you can find the self-titled Cluster/Eno record, it is a BEAUTY.

Clarke B. (Clarke B.), Saturday, 24 July 2004 17:14 (nineteen years ago) link

fuck it, just get the Cluster records w/out Eno. They were much better w/out his influence.

Joseph Pot (STINKOR™), Saturday, 24 July 2004 17:28 (nineteen years ago) link

The Cluster Thread

Fripp / Eno : The Equatorial Stars

(Jon L), Saturday, 24 July 2004 20:47 (nineteen years ago) link

(not to short-circuit further conversation about either subject on this thread, by any means)

(Jon L), Saturday, 24 July 2004 20:49 (nineteen years ago) link

two weeks pass...
So, this thread did inspire me to get some Eno, in answer to Douglas' question above. I've never heard any before, and am not even familiar with most of his production work.

I've downloaded Taking Tiger Mountain, Warm Jets, and Another Green World. The first two are still keeping me at a distance. Another Green World came through without a track order, so I listened to it at first in alphabetical order, without knowing that it wasn't the correct version. I LOVED it; a wonderful album. Then I discovered that it was mixed up and resorted the songs; I HATED it! blech. Starting with Sky Saw, St Elmos Fire at the start... it didn't work for me.

I'm really happy with my version, though. Try it; I'd love to know what people who know the real version think of the reorder:

Another Green World
Becalmed
Everything Merges With the Night
Golden Hours
I'll Come Running
In Dark Trees
Little Fishes
Over Fire Island
Sky Saw
Sombre Reptiles
Spirits Drifting
St. Elmo's Fire
The Big Ship
Zawinul/Lava

derrick (derrick), Monday, 9 August 2004 01:06 (nineteen years ago) link

Isn't that just alphabetical order?

Andrew (enneff), Monday, 9 August 2004 02:06 (nineteen years ago) link

Incidentally I have listened to it in that order and the original ordering (and the only 'correct' order IMO) is much more satisfying to listen to.

Andrew (enneff), Monday, 9 August 2004 02:07 (nineteen years ago) link

one year passes...
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/06/04/magazine/04funny_humor.html?_r=1&oref=slogin

man like simon reynolds linked to this. it's v funny. i don't think the people in it are rockists.

Enrique IX: The Mediator (Enrique), Tuesday, 6 June 2006 09:20 (seventeen years ago) link

Funnily enough, I was in the pub last night and somebody put one of the bonus tracks on Love's "Forever Changes" on the jukebox. This was like 15 minutes of the band trying to play "Your Mind and We Belong Together". This consisted of the band playing the opening bars to the song and Arthur Lee stopping them and getting them to do it again and occasionally berating the guitarist - by the 7th or 8th time this happened, people in the bar were beginning to get pretty annoyed

Who Are You... The Nerve... I Wanna Get Out, I Wanna Get Out (Dada), Tuesday, 6 June 2006 09:28 (seventeen years ago) link

Classic up to and including "Before And After Science" and his work with Bowie. Dud thereafter (but still classic as a composer, and on his collaboration with David Byrne)

Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Tuesday, 6 June 2006 09:36 (seventeen years ago) link

Ew I hate Brian Eno, he ruins everything he touches (equatorial stars is actually okay, even if only obviously because of fripp).

Also Reynolds in utterly misunderstanding a simple concept shockah. What exactly do you suppose a Lester Bangs puff piece is the hallmark of?

Dan I. (Dan I.), Tuesday, 6 June 2006 09:45 (seventeen years ago) link

xpost I rest my case!

Dan I. (Dan I.), Tuesday, 6 June 2006 09:46 (seventeen years ago) link

My Squelchy Life was officially released with the reissue of Nerve Net, iirc.

Josh in Chicago, Wednesday, 27 December 2023 16:43 (three months ago) link

Under is one of my favorite Eno tracks.

Josh in Chicago, Wednesday, 27 December 2023 16:47 (three months ago) link

"The Harness" is great too

out-of-print LaserDisc edition (sleeve), Wednesday, 27 December 2023 16:59 (three months ago) link

yeah I recommend just getting My Squelchy Life, it's a very good album and good companion to Nerve Net even with the duplicated stuff.

That Sydney show sounds amazing; will have to look for some recordings of that

I? not I! He! He! HIM! (akm), Wednesday, 27 December 2023 17:08 (three months ago) link

box set is the easy place to get Seven Deadly Finns though

I? not I! He! He! HIM! (akm), Wednesday, 27 December 2023 17:14 (three months ago) link

And Lion Sleeps Tonight. But not his cover of Ring of Fire. Is that on the Wrong Way Up reissue? I think the only Eno vocal rarity I've never heard, afaict, is a cover of White Light/White Heat.

Josh in Chicago, Wednesday, 27 December 2023 17:17 (three months ago) link

I didn't know he did either of those (ring of fire/white light), off to slsk.

I? not I! He! He! HIM! (akm), Wednesday, 27 December 2023 18:26 (three months ago) link

Yeah ring of fire is on wrong way up reissue, it’s sort of in the style of the river from that album

Boris Yitsbin (wins), Wednesday, 27 December 2023 18:34 (three months ago) link

I think that VU cover may have been recorded for charity, with one copy made. Eno said whoever bought it can release it, but so far nada.

Josh in Chicago, Wednesday, 27 December 2023 18:59 (three months ago) link

yeah i can't find it online anywhere

I only got the Wrong Way Up reissue on vinyl so this was a nice surprise.

I? not I! He! He! HIM! (akm), Wednesday, 27 December 2023 20:48 (three months ago) link

I was delighted when a local dealer/friend bpught a collection including a pristine "Seven Deadly Finns" single, no pic sleeve but he sold it to me for like ten bucks. the b-side "Later On" is an edit of "No Pussyfooting" that afaik has never been reissued.

out-of-print LaserDisc edition (sleeve), Wednesday, 27 December 2023 21:08 (three months ago) link

“Seven Deadly Finns” never fails to crack me up.

Cow_Art, Wednesday, 27 December 2023 22:06 (three months ago) link

three weeks pass...

I might have misread, but I could have sworn I just saw that the Eno documentary is generative, and shuffles or reorders itself every time you watch it.

Josh in Chicago, Friday, 19 January 2024 15:19 (two months ago) link

which one?

I? not I! He! He! HIM! (akm), Friday, 19 January 2024 16:23 (two months ago) link

New doc, just premiered at Sundance.

https://variety.com/2024/film/reviews/eno-review-brian-eno-sundance-1235876569/

Josh in Chicago, Friday, 19 January 2024 16:46 (two months ago) link

I had a really tough day, just a fucking flailing everything-is-20x-as-hard-as-it-needs-to-be-because-my-brain-is-wired-wrong day. Eventually I stopped trying to do anything productive because everything I tried to do devolved into fiasco, and sitting with Mrs HD talking after, we listened first to Apollo and then to Discreet Music, and it was just so thoroughly healing, exactly what I needed.

lethbridge-pfunkboy (hardcore dilettante), Sunday, 21 January 2024 06:47 (two months ago) link

<3

ꙮ (map), Sunday, 21 January 2024 16:33 (two months ago) link

I listen to the 1-hour An ending (ascent) in loop whenever I'm anxious, it helps me so much

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=alo3KFRfLvE

fpsa, Sunday, 21 January 2024 17:24 (two months ago) link

best bit from the article: https://www.theringer.com/music/2023/12/26/24014289/brian-eno-tour-career-retrospective

Eno has a cold that won’t quit.

you think he has it bad, you should see frank sinatra!

Kate (rushomancy), Sunday, 21 January 2024 18:19 (two months ago) link

I just wish there was a Nico version of I’m Set Free.

lethbridge-pfunkboy (hardcore dilettante), Tuesday, 23 January 2024 19:17 (two months ago) link

three weeks pass...

Was listening to the Kinks this morning, and it suddenly clicked that "Lazy Old Sun" reminded me of something that could have been on "Here Come the Warm Jets"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nnXjxtfKFDM

Six-degrees-ing it a little, there are some other Kinks connections. Eno et al. covered "You Really Got Me" with 808:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6-S6d_JJOPo

And then, allegedly, Lou Reed once called "Lazy Old Sun" his favorite Kinks song, which is another loose connection to Eno (as VU acolyte).

The song also reminds of stuff like the Tall Dwarfs, too, who themselves sometimes remind me of early Eno.

Josh in Chicago, Wednesday, 14 February 2024 20:21 (two months ago) link

Lazy Old Sun is seriously druggy. I totally get the Dwarfs/Eno thing. Slippery vocal?

Reeves Gabrels' Funko Pop (majorairbro), Friday, 16 February 2024 08:47 (two months ago) link

one month passes...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U9D2BJ5tv8o

sawdust lagoon, Saturday, 16 March 2024 19:01 (one month ago) link

The reminiscing in twilight years reminds me a bit of Bowie's Where Are We Now

sawdust lagoon, Saturday, 16 March 2024 19:03 (one month ago) link

Lovely. I wish that nerd would sing more.

Josh in Chicago, Saturday, 16 March 2024 19:06 (one month ago) link

love it, I too wish he hadn't taken so much time off from doing vocal records

Eno says he doesn't think he can sing that well but I dunno, he's better than a number of his contemporaries I feel

frogbs, Saturday, 16 March 2024 21:23 (one month ago) link

aaaaaaah how can I get this in FLAC/lossless??

I painted my teeth (sleeve), Saturday, 16 March 2024 21:29 (one month ago) link

It's included in the doc soundtrack, which is out in April

sawdust lagoon, Saturday, 16 March 2024 22:59 (one month ago) link


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