80s, Cavaliers

[suzzell at wsgfl.org.uk (suzzell)]

The seventies as the most diverse period of music the World
has ever seen ? I find that rather baffling. It just comes
down to matters of tastes in the end. Personally, I think
the 80s are severely under-rated and much more influential
as a decade, when you consider the Smiths, REM, Talking
Heads, Pixies. But that's probably because I grew up
listening to Road to Nowhere and not All The Young Dudes.

But what I really wanted to discuss was the sheer brilliance
of Cavaliers, the Aeroplanes undisputed masterpiece, I
reckon. The stinging guitar, the crunch, that moment in
track 3 when he says, 'Orson Welles...see what they think.' 
It's pure pyschedelic punk, a world away from the smooth
edges of Swagger and Beatsongs, and all the better for it. 
It puts me in mind of Julian Cope's Peggy
Suicicde/Jehovakill, the Fall, Sonic Youth, Fairport
Convention...

One thing, can anybody explain the Civil War references to
me ? I mean, I know the history (well, a bit). But is their
a conceptual narrative in the the song cycle that I'm
missing ? Does anyone have the lyrcis available ?

Have a good weekend everyone,

Steve.



----- Original Message -----
From: "gordon" <dwilhelmi at tiscali.co.uk>
To: <john at creativeict.co.uk>, "A Discussion list for The
Blue Aeroplanes" <blueplanes at blueaeroplanes.org>
Subject: Re: [BluePlanes] Harvester
Date: 09-Jun-2007 01:53:49 +0100

>   Now that IS harsh.
>   The Seventies music scene represented just about the
> most diverse period in popular music the World has ever
> seen.
>   Even taking into account the availability of 'World
> Music' today, a lot of the rest of the one paced wonders
> doing the rounds now are a sad immitation of the real
> thing. Even Gerard, I'm sure, doffs a respectful hat now
> and again to the wonderful experimentation of the time.
>   Even the record companies had a vague inkling of the
> spirit.
>   Was it all good ?
>   Of course not.
>   But very little of it was dodgy by comparison with some
> of the sh*t we are fed today.
>   'Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Old Oak Tree' versus
> saturday night panel wonders and boy band reunions ( fer
> chrissakes ! ) perhaps.
>   The underground was truly that, and what didn't suit the
> next generation of tostesterone fuelled museos spawned the
> counter revolution within the same decade, in '77, surely.
> 
>   Ho Hum....
> 
>   G
> 
>   PS  Sorry I called you Shirley.
> 
> 
>   ----- Original Message ----- 
>   From: <john at creativeict.co.uk>
>   To: "'A Discussion list for The Blue Aeroplanes'"
> <blueplanes at blueaeroplanes.org>
>   Sent: Thursday, June 07, 2007 12:01 PM
>   Subject: Re: [BluePlanes] Harvester
> 
> 
>   > I think what it proves above all else is that the
> seventies was full of
>   > dodgy bands and even dodgier songwriting.
>   >
>   > John
>   >
>   > -----Original Message-----
>   > From: blueplanes-bounces at blueaeroplanes.org
>   > [mailto:blueplanes-bounces at blueaeroplanes.org] On
> Behalf Of Phill Merchant
>   > Sent: 07 June 2007 11:26
>   > To: blueplanes at blueaeroplanes.org
>   > Subject: Re: [BluePlanes] Harvester
>   >
>   > I also believe the comments to be harsh but, having
> not actually heard the
>   > album yet, probably from a more theoretical point of
> view.
>   > Aren't all cover versions (debatably) worse than the
> originals, in the same
>   > way that all movie adaptations are worse than the
> original book? Well, your
>   > position probably depends on which you were exposed to
> first, and whether
>   > you really liked it. You want examples? I loved the
> Blue Aeroplanes' version
>   >
>   > of "Sweet Jane", but had not heard the Velvets version
> at that time. I
>   > played it to a friend who loved the Velvets in an
> attempt to introduce him
>   > to the Aeroplanes and he hated it. Probably put him
> off Gerard & co for
>   > life. Following the same rule I loved Aeroplanes
> versions of "Big Sky", "I
>   > Wanna Be Your Lover", "Breaking In My Heart", but was
> left cold by "Bad Moon
>   >
>   > Rising" and "The Boy In The Bubble". The exception to
> the rule is where the
>   > cover version is dramatically different to the
> original - but, in general,
>   > Blue Aeroplanes covers have not been this - usually
> turning out to be
>   > stripped-down versions of the originals, with maybe a
> couple more guitars
>   > and Gerard's inimitable delivery.
>   > What I want to know (especially as I am not familiar
> with most of the
>   > original versions) is - is there a departure from this
> trend with the covers
>   >
>   > on this album? What does someone unfamiliar with the
> originals think? If
>   > Gerard had written all the songs would this be a great
> album? Why aren't I
>   > hard at work instead of writing this....? Ooops.
>   >
>   >                                         
> Phill...........
>   >
>   >
>   >
>   >
>   >
>   > >From: Rockerq at aol.com
>   > >Reply-To: A Discussion list for The Blue
>   > >Aeroplanes<blueplanes at blueaeroplanes.org>
>   > >To: blueplanes at blueaeroplanes.org
>   > >Subject: Re: [BluePlanes] Harvester
>   > >Date: Wed, 6 Jun 2007 18:58:24 EDT
>   > >
>   > > > <<I can only conclude that EMI are planning that
> having heard these
>   > > > versions we'll all go on to iTunes and download at
> the new special price
>   >
>   > >of 99p (for
>   > > > tracks that aren't quite as ridiculously
> compressed as before) the whole
>   > > > caboodle by the original artists.
>   > > > Surely every track on the new album sounds worse
> than the original?
>   > >What is
>   > > > going on?>>
>   > > >
>   > >Bit harsh there mate.
>   > > >
>   >
>   >
>   > >_______________________________________________
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>   > >BluePlanes at blueaeroplanes.org
>   > >http://www.blueaeroplanes.org/
>   >
>   >
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> 
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