It seems as if Lydon's post 1988 music career is what happens when you reach a point where you dont listen to ideas anymore. There something there with a lot of his output, but the ideas arent expanded on and he wont allow anyone to disagree with him. Hence you get that disjointed solo album and all those newer PIL releases. Lydon is quite a wordsmith, his best albums. They were all collaborative. Never Mind the Bollocks with Glen, Steve and Paul. First Edition and Metal Box with Wobble and Levene. Album with the likes of Steve Vai and Ginger Baker. World Destruction with Bambaataa. Open up with Leftfield. Animal Speaks with Golden Palaminos.
He turned down Albarn a few years back, who wanted him on a Gorillaz album. Probably right to do that in fairness. But the days of collaborating with new ideas seem to be over. They were over 30 years ago, in fairness. Now you have no hope of good music out of him.
I'm not sure I agree with this, or at least all of it. The problem of the McGeoch-era PiL was that, if anything, he was listening to what the trends were in alternative pop at the time. If PiL, once upon a time, sounded distinct from what was happening, post-Album the group sounded like any number of indie guitar-dance groups. The strange thing about the the rebooted PiL is that it's arguably the best set of musicians he's ever had to work with, yet the music itself is uninspired. Maybe as a group they aren't effective songwriters or maybe writing around him just doesn't work, but I'm surprised that the results of the music itself is rather meh.
The first reunion album is quite good, I think, but they peter out after that. I'd be curious to know if you thought McGeoch-era PiL was aping anyone (or any collection of groups) in particular. I can definitely see what you're saying about their change in direction and what "inspired" it, but they still sound unique enough to me—that is, I can't think of another group they sound like. Although thinking more on it, I can hear a little touch of DM in there from time to time.
New Order comes to mind a bit, Wire was chasing a similar sound in the late 80s, the Banshees, a little Depeche Mode, yes. Maybe INXS or, because Marky invoked them, Simple Minds. I don't think there was a conscious effort to sound like these bands, but they were all chasing a similar audience.
I can see it. I wouldn't have thought NO, but I'm not familiar with any of their work beyond Technique.
The sound isn't out and out techno, but clearly dance rhythms to go with that late 80s indie guitar. Songs that were really easy (often lazily so) to extend for a 12" single. Killing Joke's Brighter Than a Thousand Suns is another example of this ideal (not a bad album per se but a very questionable Killing Joke album).
edit: I've started writing a long simmering essay that involves Jesus Jones, so there's another example.
Nguyen, you can't spend your whole life worrying about your mistakes. You fucked up. You trusted us! - Richard Nixon to Nguyen Van Thieu, 4 January 1973
I'm not sure I agree with this, or at least all of it. The problem of the McGeoch-era PiL was that, if anything, he was listening to what the trends were in alternative pop at the time. If PiL, once upon a time, sounded distinct from what was happening, post-Album the group sounded like any number of indie guitar-dance groups. The strange thing about the the rebooted PiL is that it's arguably the best set of musicians he's ever had to work with, yet the music itself is uninspired. Maybe as a group they aren't effective songwriters or maybe writing around him just doesn't work, but I'm surprised that the results of the music itself is rather meh.
The first reunion album is quite good, I think, but they peter out after that. I'd be curious to know if you thought McGeoch-era PiL was aping anyone (or any collection of groups) in particular. I can definitely see what you're saying about their change in direction and what "inspired" it, but they still sound unique enough to me—that is, I can't think of another group they sound like. Although thinking more on it, I can hear a little touch of DM in there from time to time.
New Order comes to mind a bit, Wire was chasing a similar sound in the late 80s, the Banshees, a little Depeche Mode, yes. Maybe INXS or, because Marky invoked them, Simple Minds. I don't think there was a conscious effort to sound like these bands, but they were all chasing a similar audience.
I can see it. I wouldn't have thought NO, but I'm not familiar with any of their work beyond Technique.
The sound isn't out and out techno, but clearly dance rhythms to go with that late 80s indie guitar. Songs that were really easy (often lazily so) to extend for a 12" single. Killing Joke's Brighter Than a Thousand Suns is another example of this ideal (not a bad album per se but a very questionable Killing Joke album).
edit: I've started writing a long simmering essay that involves Jesus Jones, so there's another example.
The first reunion album is quite good, I think, but they peter out after that. I'd be curious to know if you thought McGeoch-era PiL was aping anyone (or any collection of groups) in particular. I can definitely see what you're saying about their change in direction and what "inspired" it, but they still sound unique enough to me—that is, I can't think of another group they sound like. Although thinking more on it, I can hear a little touch of DM in there from time to time.
New Order comes to mind a bit, Wire was chasing a similar sound in the late 80s, the Banshees, a little Depeche Mode, yes. Maybe INXS or, because Marky invoked them, Simple Minds. I don't think there was a conscious effort to sound like these bands, but they were all chasing a similar audience.
I can see it. I wouldn't have thought NO, but I'm not familiar with any of their work beyond Technique.
The sound isn't out and out techno, but clearly dance rhythms to go with that late 80s indie guitar. Songs that were really easy (often lazily so) to extend for a 12" single. Killing Joke's Brighter Than a Thousand Suns is another example of this ideal (not a bad album per se but a very questionable Killing Joke album).
edit: I've started writing a long simmering essay that involves Jesus Jones, so there's another example.
Ah yes, my favorite genre—grebo.
I've never heard the term before. Or, no, I think I have but never understood it as referring to a sub-genre.
Nguyen, you can't spend your whole life worrying about your mistakes. You fucked up. You trusted us! - Richard Nixon to Nguyen Van Thieu, 4 January 1973
New Order comes to mind a bit, Wire was chasing a similar sound in the late 80s, the Banshees, a little Depeche Mode, yes. Maybe INXS or, because Marky invoked them, Simple Minds. I don't think there was a conscious effort to sound like these bands, but they were all chasing a similar audience.
I can see it. I wouldn't have thought NO, but I'm not familiar with any of their work beyond Technique.
The sound isn't out and out techno, but clearly dance rhythms to go with that late 80s indie guitar. Songs that were really easy (often lazily so) to extend for a 12" single. Killing Joke's Brighter Than a Thousand Suns is another example of this ideal (not a bad album per se but a very questionable Killing Joke album).
edit: I've started writing a long simmering essay that involves Jesus Jones, so there's another example.
Ah yes, my favorite genre—grebo.
I've never heard the term before. Or, no, I think I have but never understood it as referring to a sub-genre.
I can see it. I wouldn't have thought NO, but I'm not familiar with any of their work beyond Technique.
The sound isn't out and out techno, but clearly dance rhythms to go with that late 80s indie guitar. Songs that were really easy (often lazily so) to extend for a 12" single. Killing Joke's Brighter Than a Thousand Suns is another example of this ideal (not a bad album per se but a very questionable Killing Joke album).
edit: I've started writing a long simmering essay that involves Jesus Jones, so there's another example.
Ah yes, my favorite genre—grebo.
I've never heard the term before. Or, no, I think I have but never understood it as referring to a sub-genre.
Please cite me in your essay.
"As the World's Biggest Jesus Jones Fan™ explained …"
Nguyen, you can't spend your whole life worrying about your mistakes. You fucked up. You trusted us! - Richard Nixon to Nguyen Van Thieu, 4 January 1973
New Order comes to mind a bit, Wire was chasing a similar sound in the late 80s, the Banshees, a little Depeche Mode, yes. Maybe INXS or, because Marky invoked them, Simple Minds. I don't think there was a conscious effort to sound like these bands, but they were all chasing a similar audience.
I can see it. I wouldn't have thought NO, but I'm not familiar with any of their work beyond Technique.
The sound isn't out and out techno, but clearly dance rhythms to go with that late 80s indie guitar. Songs that were really easy (often lazily so) to extend for a 12" single. Killing Joke's Brighter Than a Thousand Suns is another example of this ideal (not a bad album per se but a very questionable Killing Joke album).
edit: I've started writing a long simmering essay that involves Jesus Jones, so there's another example.
Ah yes, my favorite genre—grebo.
I've never heard the term before. Or, no, I think I have but never understood it as referring to a sub-genre.
Hello,
Remember this?
No? Pop Will Eat Itself were the biggest grebo group (or at least for me).
I can see it. I wouldn't have thought NO, but I'm not familiar with any of their work beyond Technique.
The sound isn't out and out techno, but clearly dance rhythms to go with that late 80s indie guitar. Songs that were really easy (often lazily so) to extend for a 12" single. Killing Joke's Brighter Than a Thousand Suns is another example of this ideal (not a bad album per se but a very questionable Killing Joke album).
edit: I've started writing a long simmering essay that involves Jesus Jones, so there's another example.
Ah yes, my favorite genre—grebo.
I've never heard the term before. Or, no, I think I have but never understood it as referring to a sub-genre.
Hello,
Remember this?
No? Pop Will Eat Itself were the biggest grebo group (or at least for me).
I remember most of those bands (now that I know the umbrella term). Some was okay, but never really surpassed okay for me.
Nguyen, you can't spend your whole life worrying about your mistakes. You fucked up. You trusted us! - Richard Nixon to Nguyen Van Thieu, 4 January 1973
Nguyen, you can't spend your whole life worrying about your mistakes. You fucked up. You trusted us! - Richard Nixon to Nguyen Van Thieu, 4 January 1973
Interesting. If you 'enter' by logging in to your Ticketmaster account you get a page offering tickets at £67 each (ouch) Max two per person.
Then you wait to see if you're lucky, and get charged I suppose.
Interesting. If you 'enter' by logging in to your Ticketmaster account you get a page offering tickets at £67 each (ouch) Max two per person.
Then you wait to see if you're lucky, and get charged I suppose.
And I think if I read the terms and conditions, you're obligated to purchase the tickets if you're picked.
God, what a mess, on the ladder of success
Where you take one step and miss the whole first rung
