There are certain books I feel I should have read.
Certain films I think I should have seen.
Not necessarily for entertainment purposes but more out of a sense of cultural enlightenment. However misplaced a sentiment that may be, I always feel I should strive to broaden and enrich my reference points by reading and watching things that are out of my comfort zone. That are culturally, historically or critically important. Or maybe I just mean worthy. Because yes, I guess there’s a certain degree of snobbery to it. In fact, no, I know there is. I admit it. It's the same thing that makes me judge people on trains when I see them reading trashy novels or autobiographies by so called celebrities. I know it's good that people are reading, but really, with so many amazing novels to choose from, why read that trash? Why bother making the time and effort to read, if you're only going to read shite like that. It's badly written junk. Poorly constructed and cynically conceived to cash in and prolong a so called celebrity's celebrity. Yes it's pure escapism. Yes it's an easy read. And yes, it passes the time. But so does fantasising about killing everyone on the train and no-one goes around encouraging or excusing that kind of behaviour.
Anyway, the point I was aiming to make before I took a taxi to tangent town, was that as well as books and films, there are certain bands I feel like I should have listened to. Important bands, whose music has either influenced bands I like or who are referred to so often, that my ignorance of them seems strange. Among them I'd place the likes of Gang Of Four, Built To Spill, Wire, and Husker Du. But for today's post, I'm concerning myself with Guided By Voices. One of those hugely influential bands whose name crops up too many times to avoid any longer. A band who also seemed to release virtually everything they wrote or recorded leaving a back catalogue so vast, it really offers no obvious entry point. A couple of years ago I bought a best of record which attempted to cherry pick some starting points but, in honesty, left me just as, if not even more confused. The recording quality and if Im honest song quality varied to such an extent that I couldn't really get a grips on what the band was about. One of those instances where a best of is absolutely no help whatsoever. So if anyone can suggest a starting point, do tell. In the meantime, here's their Peel Session from 1996. There's every chance I might have incorrectly identified a couple of the titles so do tell if they're wrong.
Guided By Voices – bright paper werewolves / lord of overstock (Peel Session 18/06/1996)
Guided By Voices – cut out witch (Peel Session 18/06/1996)
Guided By Voices – man called aerodynamics (Peel Session 18/06/1996)
Guided By Voices – party/white striped jets (Peel Session 18/06/1996)
mp3 / music / guided by voices
Tuesday, August 05, 2008
I wish she'd change this wrong into a right
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2 comments:
My favorite album is Under the Bushes, Under the Stars. It's in my top 5 albums ever. It's instantly catchy and the recording quality is good, not all four-track stuff . This was my starting point for them, now one of my favorite bands. Once you get this album you can work yr way back and you'll be able to appreciate the badly recorded stuff but still great songs. I still remember gettting "Box" in the mail at college. It's their first five (i think five) albums in a box set. I could go on and on...
I'd say to start a little further back, and then branch out slowly in both directions at once. Start with Alien Lanes and Bee Thousand - then while you work forward towards Under The Bushes, work back towards Propeller, and keep going until infinity. The middle years were the strongest, but interesting how the earliest stuff and the last stuff is not disimilar. Also listen to Tobin Sprout's solo work: masterful.
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