Robert Forster -- The Candle and the Flame

As usual with Forster I'll probably need 6 months to absorb these songs. Perhaps especially so with the arrangements being pared right back a lot of the time. But I *think* this is probably quite good?! :)

Yes indeed.

Great album. I love this man.

Was about to listen to this but then I saw that covers album I never listened to before so checking that out first.

Really just needed to hear his version of “2541” again, that one I have heard before.

His show at the Bell House may have been the last one I saw before lockdown. Great venue to see him, it was an excellent show, and he was very kind and generous with his time afterwards, offering to meet anyone who wanted to chat or get something signed. The whole experience made him very happy and he posted about it the next day, so I hope he tours again here soon.

― birdistheword, Wednesday, October 19, 2022 11:07 AM (three months ago) bookmarkflaglink

so i went to this show. i was drinking with a scottish friend of mine didn't have much dinner before lol. anyway, if you heard someone loudly shouting the lyrics to "head full of steam" or "dive for your memory," that was me.

i did speak to him after the show and my friend took a picture - i look soused, he looks bewildered. fun night, good show.

*and didn't

anyway, excited to check out the album

And my piece is live:

https://daily.bandcamp.com/features/robert-foster-candle-and-the-flame-interview

Terrific, Ned. This quote got to me:

“’When I was a young man, like 21, I wrote songs. I was unsung,’ When I wrote that, I went, ‘Got it, got it.’ It’s right at the beginning, before all the strands and all the history and all of that comes in. Maybe I was just wanting to avoid that and go right back to this [starting] point. But it was a very easy song to write—I’ll always want to play the song on stage, because I really love it. It’s one of those songs where you go, ‘Was I good enough to write that?’”

Yeah the whole chat was in ways like that -- a sense of engaging/reengaging the past not to dwell in it but to use it as a series of building blocks and ways to keep looking forward. I constantly was getting a sense of continual interest in things. There was a digression where I brought up his forthcoming novel and that led to me recommending Mat Osman's The Ruins and our own JCLC's work (he was especially interested what I described of the latter's most recent novel and took notes for reference -- perhaps he's reading it now!).

was he familiar with The Mountain Goats?

Aware of them, definitely.

so long as we're posting links: https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/robert-forster-the-candle-and-the-flame/

His show at the Bell House may have been the last one I saw before lockdown. Great venue to see him, it was an excellent show, and he was very kind and generous with his time afterwards, offering to meet anyone who wanted to chat or get something signed. The whole experience made him very happy and he posted about it the next day, so I hope he tours again here soon.

― birdistheword, Wednesday, October 19, 2022 11:07 AM (three months ago) bookmarkflaglink

so i went to this show. i was drinking with a scottish friend of mine didn't have much dinner before lol. anyway, if you heard someone loudly shouting the lyrics to "head full of steam" or "dive for your memory," that was me.

i did speak to him after the show and my friend took a picture - i look soused, he looks bewildered. fun night, good show.

― sault bae (voodoo chili)

It was a similar experience for me.

My wife and I traveled from Minnesota for that show. I'm not much of a drinker at all these days, but after an early start and a hectic rush to find the venue after an issue with our Air BnB, I drank way too much and didn't exactly play it cool when I met him. Trying to get my brain to function when he asked who he should sign my records and book to was all too much for me (I struggled to pick between going with Jonathan or Jonny). I shook his hand, I thanked him for the music and told him how my wife and I got together in Sydney where The Evangelist was the first gift my wife ever bought me. He was very kind and gracious. I wish I'd been more sober.

I've never cried at a show before but did during Spirit and Demon Days (a combination of alcohol and thinking how much we listened to him especially when we got together). I watched some footage of the show afterwards and I'm convinced it's me that starts the Surfing Magazines singalong. A magical night though. Not just because I finally saw and met one of my heroes. It was one of the last times things felt normal and more carefree considering what happened not long after.

"when i was a young man" really hits me in the chest. "she's a fighter" too

hit in different ways, but still, great songs both