The Blue Aeroplanes Mailing List

I only picked up Fruit a year or two ago, played it a couple of times, didn't think all that much of it, and it got neatly filed away with all the other Aero's albums, and when I've been back to play Aero's stuff since there has always been something else I've wanted to hear more.

So, following PV2's e-mail, I took up the challenge and dragged it out again. To be honest, its not quite as bad as I remembered, but its not great. Its a bit lack lustre, and that's the last thing you accuse the Planes of on stage. I think I may have said before on here that it seems unbelievable that there weren't better live versions available of most of the songs (Broken & Mended stands out as the worst - the sound mix is really all over the place).

Maybe with our memories of the band being so good live, our expectations were (justifiably?)raised for a live album that really captured it, and this falls short of that. However, I don't think they could ever really be met - you've got to be there after all.

Nitpicking now: Very annoying thing on the cover. The venues and years are identified and given little symbols, which one would assume would be played next to the track titles to indicate which track was recorded where. I can only presume they forgot to do it, so you've got no idea where each track was recorded, much less which line-up is playing on it! Not that I'm looking to apportion blame for the quality of certain tracks of course....

PV1

From: "Paul Vearncombe"

Reply-To: blueplanes@st...net

To:

Subject: Re: [Blueplanes] Western Stars

Date: Tue, 3 Feb 2004 19:07:08 -0000

I've had this myself. Everybody loves them live, but not so much on record. Which might open a new debate - is is just me, or is 'Fruit' a big bag of poo, and not representative of the live experience at all?

PV2

----- Original Message -----

From: gordon

To: blueplanes@st...net

Sent: Tuesday, February 03, 2004 1:02 AM

Subject: Re: [Blueplanes] Western Stars

Absolutely DrDx

We saw the lads and lassies two or three times after the first exposure on fri/sat live on 4? before I could find the bottle to sample them on vinyl. Camden Town

by the canal and it was Beatsongs, and a couple of 12"s with Pony Boy and the You one with Sweet Jane and World view blue. They transfer definitely. But *LIVE* is best.

----- Original Message -----

From: Drdaeve@ao...com

To: blueplanes@st...net

Sent: Monday, February 02, 2004 11:10 PM

Subject: Re: [Blueplanes] Western Stars

Friendsloversplanes,

I love 'Hard Object' and the other AO single 'Showing Off to Impress the Girls' as much as anything recorded under the BA flag - & I still owe somebody (I know who, just don't want to start a deluge) a scoop or three for providing me with a CD burn of Bagpipe Music. I find it much easier to listen to than Bop Art...when the Art Objects morphed into the Blue Aeroplanes I really couldn't spot the join, particularly when seeing them perform live....the Art Objects are the greatest live rock'n'roll band I've ever seen, except for the Blue Aeroplanes, who are just as good...they don't call him Greatest Living Englishman for nothing, you know!

My boss loves the Blue Aeroplanes but has never seen them live, which is interesting...I've always introduced virgins to the BAs via the live performance, not had the same success by playing people the records...

take care sisters & brothers

DrDx