Fave rats lp

Mike menzies · V Deep

Fave rats lp

Jules · The biggest Geldof fan in the world, bar none!

Mine is the debut album, The Boomtown Rats. So much energy and so many good tracks

suss · In the Long Grass

Mike. this will give you an idea of previous votes

http://boomtownrats.activeboard.com/t4180601/the-best-rats-album/

ArrGee · Back To Boomtown

I don't understand why anyone would see beyond A Tonic for the Troops. It is nigh on perfect. The debut album does improve on repeated listening, and In The Long Grass is more than decent, but in terms of the Rats finest hour (well forty or so minutes), A Tonic for the Troops is it.

From my blog, a slightly bigger sample. (Yes - they add up to more than 100% because multiple votes were allowed)

The Boomtown Rats 32 (28%)
A Tonic for the Troops 61 (54%)
The Fine Art of Surfacing 37 (33%)
Mondo Bongo 7 (6%)
V Deep 9 (8%)
In The Long Grass 14 (12%)

Votes so far: 111

ronthecabbie · Diamond Smiles

The rats first album blows all the others out the water,Tonic is for the commercial fans,the first is for the purists,and no you don't have to listen several times to get this album it gets you straight away,otherwise your ears need testing,long grass is rubbish,and 111 votes hardly constitutes a poll.lol

ArrGee · Back To Boomtown

ronthecabbie wrote:
no you don't have to listen several times to get this album it gets you straight away,otherwise your ears need testing

I wrote it improves, I didn't write that it was not good on first listen. Purists? FFS!

I suspect that for most people either A Tonic for the Troops or The Fine Art of Surfacing was the first Rats LP they heard. I agree with John Wilson who said at the Mastertapes recording that A Tonic for the Troops was a quantum leap from the first LP. It has better songs, they are played better and there is a confidence and swagger that isn't on the first LP.

That said, I think that listening to either of the first two LPs could make you fall in love with the band, whereas The Fine Art of Surfacing is harder to love with the over production and the over elaboration. Many people I know bought Surfacing and pretty much never played it again Sadly it's a charity shop staple. All of our three charity shops still have it, despite me nabbing one in near mint condition.

daggerrat · Never In A Million Years

I have to agree with Ron the cabbie, i think that every track is great on albums 1+2 . I guess it may alter depending on age of individuals when Rats first seen etc etc .

Album 1 shades album 2, i dont feel that fine art was a bad album , Mondo and Deep were good/different and have grown on me over the years but ITLG no no no

Mark L · Loudmouth

The Fine Art of Surfacing for me but only just. Occasionally, I listen to Tonic and think I like it better but more often than not, I go back to concluding Surfacing is marginally better. The key word is 'marginally' - Tonic is a superb album but Can't Stop is the filler track, whereas there were none on TFAOS. Up or Down is worse on ITLG being an '84 rewrite of Can't Stop.

Elsewhere on here, the erstwhile Mark Boyle writes brilliantly about Surfacing and I couldn't agree more with everything he says.

Time can change things and maybe one day Tonic will edge it permanently. Look at Jules. In 2005 she thought Grass was top of the pile and 10 years later, she sees the first album as her favourite.

If you are true lifelong Rats fan, 4 of their albums could jockey for the top spot. There is a sentiment amongst some Troopistas that says this album is king and they can't fathom a preference for one of the other 3.

It's natural for people to have different feelings, opinions, or approaches to things. Talking about these matters is fine, but it's just pop music and so no solution is needed. I know a Troopista from Nottingham whom you'd believe requires your total allegiance to Tonic and then the solution will have been found!

Jules · The biggest Geldof fan in the world, bar none!

Interesting how I've changed. My opinion may vary from month ton month, although I think the live shows have reinforced the debut album for me. Perhaps I'd not aired it so much back then? It was Dave that always drew me to ITLG.

I'm with you though Mark L, it is personal taste. Preferring one less popular over another doesn't make you less of a fan. Interestingly, Bob has often said that the later 2 albums were what the Rats were about.

ArrGee · Back To Boomtown

Mark L wrote:
Elsewhere on here, the erstwhile Mark Boyle writes brilliantly about Surfacing and I couldn't agree more with everything he says.

Wasn't he the ELO fan? Don't tell me you like those w@nkers...

ArrGee · Back To Boomtown

Jules wrote:
Interestingly, Bob has often said that the later 2 albums were what the Rats were about.

Yet live the set is pretty much the first two LPs and absolutely nothing off the last two. Rarely if ever does he play anything from those LPs in his solo act. Maybe there needs to be a third Rats act...

ArrGee · Back To Boomtown

Mark L wrote:
If you are true lifelong Rats fan, 4 of their albums could jockey for the top spot. There is a sentiment amongst some Troopistas that says this album is king and they can't fathom a preference for one of the other 3.
It's natural for people to have different feelings, opinions, or approaches to things. Talking about these matters is fine, but it's just pop music and so no solution is needed. I know a Troopista from Nottingham whom you'd believe requires your total allegiance to Tonic and then the solution will have been found!

Yep, I agree, total allegiance I like the other albums to varying degrees (even Mondo and V Deep), but A Tonic for the Troops just stands head and shoulders above them all. When people find out I like the Rats, normally about ten minutes into any boozy conversation, those that have bought the records say they loved A Tonic for the Troops, but didn't think much of Surfacing, with few having heard of any other album at all.

Quite often the first album you hear from an act can be your favorite and that is true in the case of The Rats for me. I suspect that if I had heard the debut album first, I may be of a different opinion. In a perverse way liking the less popular albums can be a badge of honour. Regarding Pulp, I would say that Different Class for a number of reasons in only my fourth or possibly fifth favourite Pulp album, yet it is probably the one most people have. I do like it a lot, but it's just that the other albums like Hardcore, Intro, His n Hers and We Love Life are more interesting to me. Likewise with Suede, I think Dog Man Star is far better than anything else, even though I was an early adopter.

Tango · In the Long Grass

ArrGee wrote:
Mark L wrote:
Elsewhere on here, the erstwhile Mark Boyle writes brilliantly about Surfacing and I couldn't agree more with everything he says.

Wasn't he the ELO fan? Don't tell me you like those w@nkers...

Yeuch. Definitely a band for Room 101.

On topic, has to be Tonic, possibly because it was the first one I heard, but it seems to be much more consistently excellent than the rest. Although I have a strange soft spot for Mondo that sometimes makes me doubt my taste.

noelindublin · Loudmouth

Mark L wrote:
The Fine Art of Surfacing for me but only just. Occasionally, I listen to Tonic and think I like it better but more often than not, I go back to concluding Surfacing is marginally better. The key word is 'marginally' - Tonic is a superb album but Can't Stop is the filler track, whereas there were none on TFAOS. Up or Down is worse on ITLG being an '84 rewrite of Can't Stop.
Elsewhere on here, the erstwhile Mark Boyle writes brilliantly about Surfacing and I couldn't agree more with everything he says.
Time can change things and maybe one day Tonic will edge it permanently. Look at Jules. In 2005 she thought Grass was top of the pile and 10 years later, she sees the first album as her favourite.
If you are true lifelong Rats fan, 4 of their albums could jockey for the top spot. There is a sentiment amongst some Troopistas that says this album is king and they can't fathom a preference for one of the other 3.
It's natural for people to have different feelings, opinions, or approaches to things. Talking about these matters is fine, but it's just pop music and so no solution is needed. I know a Troopista from Nottingham whom you'd believe requires your total allegiance to Tonic and then the solution will have been found!

I've never seen a similarity between Can't Stop and Up or Down, Mark. They sound pretty different to me. Up or Down was written by Crowe/Briqutte while Geldof wrote Can't Stop. I think Up or Down is the better of the two, love the frenetic ending with Bob singing and ad libbing. Infact I think Up or Down is rather good great lyics about 'nothing ever seems to change....

I think Tonic overall has an immediate impact if you were to try to get someone into the band 'in one go' as it were. In general I like them all ,and find them very consistent, full of great tunes with the odd disappointing one here and there.

In other posts I've said that with judicious swapping of some of the b sides both Mondo Bongo and V Deep could have had a bigger impact. Mood Mambo could have been left as a b side for example, though I rather like it, it is a bit of that over used word 'experimental'.

-- Edited by noelindublin on Wednesday 28th of January 2015 01:54:00 PM

-- Edited by noelindublin on Wednesday 28th of January 2015 01:57:48 PM

-- Edited by noelindublin on Wednesday 28th of January 2015 02:05:08 PM

Mark L · Loudmouth

I'm indifferent to ELO. The odd track appeals but I've nothing by them. I can't raise a strong enough dislike of them to dismiss them to Room 101 however or use Arrgee's description of them!

I'd put U2 in Room 101 though any day of the week.

I see a similar vocal freneticsm /screeching guitar approach in Can't Stop and Up or Down, regardless of who wrote the songs. Where I do agree with Noel is that UOD is a much better track. CS degrades ATFTT and is a poor b side at best.

noelindublin · Loudmouth

Mark L wrote:
I'm indifferent to ELO. The odd track appeals but I've nothing by them. I can't raise a strong enough dislike of them to dismiss them to Room 101 however or use Arrgee's description of them!
I'd put U2 in Room 101 though any day of the week.
I see a similar vocal freneticsm /screeching guitar approach in Can't Stop and Up or Down, regardless of who wrote the songs. Where I do agree with Noel is that UOD is a much better track. CS degrades ATFTT and is a poor b side at best.

The Diary of Horice Wimp always used be on the radio back in the day. One of their better ones. But any form of 'orchestral rock' is really just rubbish so I wonder why they bother? Maybe nice for these who are easily pleased. Were there ever any good bands from Birmingham?

-- Edited by noelindublin on Wednesday 28th of January 2015 03:52:02 PM

ArrGee · Back To Boomtown

Mark L wrote:
Can't Stop degrades ATFTT and is a poor b side at best.

I think it is alright, but would concede it the weakest track and it is not that surprising it was dropped along with Normal People for the US release. In terms of the track listing the US version is definitely better with Joey and Mary, but I always feel that something is missing without Can't Stop and Normal People.

I find that sometimes albums are greater than the sum of their parts like A Tonic for the Troops and in other cases that parts are better when removed from the sum. Someone's Looking is a great single yet for some reason didn't really stand out when I initially listened to the LP.

noelindublin · Loudmouth

noelindublin wrote:
Mark L wrote:
I'm indifferent to ELO. The odd track appeals but I've nothing by them. I can't raise a strong enough dislike of them to dismiss them to Room 101 however or use Arrgee's description of them!
I'd put U2 in Room 101 though any day of the week.
I see a similar vocal freneticsm /screeching guitar approach in Can't Stop and Up or Down, regardless of who wrote the songs. Where I do agree with Noel is that UOD is a much better track. CS degrades ATFTT and is a poor b side at best.

The Diary of Horice Wimp always used be on the radio back in the day. One of their better ones. But any form of 'orchestral rock' is really just rubbish so I wonder why they bother? Maybe nice for these who are easily pleased. Were there ever any good bands from Birmingham?

-- Edited by noelindublin on Wednesday 28th of January 2015 03:52:02 PM

Last Train to London is rather good too, don't worry I'm not getting soft in the head. smile

ArrGee · Back To Boomtown

noelindublin wrote:
Were there ever any good bands from Birmingham?

Dexy's Midnight Runners and The Editors are two.

UB40 were pretty good early on until they descended into cabaret reggae. Signing Off and Present Arms are very good records.

Mark L · Loudmouth

Across the border, Diary of HW, Mr Blue Sky appeal. Re good bands from Birmingham, agree with Arrgee and would add Slade (ok a bit down the road), Duran Duran, Fine Young Cannibals, Ocean Colour Scene to name a but a few.

Tango · In the Long Grass

Mark L wrote:
Re good bands from Birmingham, agree with Arrgee and would add Slade (ok a bit down the road), Duran Duran, Fine Young Cannibals, Ocean Colour Scene to name a but a few.

The Beat not a bad bunch of brummies either

suss · In the Long Grass

Perhaps unsurprisingly for the man with a soft spot for Boney M I used to really like ELO before new wave took over. Out of the Blue and a New World Record are high in my LP collection ranking. Interesting others quoted some of their later singles, when I found them a too lightweight (or maybe I'd outgrown my fondness by then). Happy to be in a minority in liking majest orchestral sounds...not so different from some Beatles stuff after all. Awful lyrics in the main I concede, salvaged by some amazing melodies and sometimes complex arrangement.

Back to topic, it's A Tonic for the Troops for me too, for some of the reasons mentioned. Was the one I first bought, being impressed by all the singles to date but not buying before She's So Modern. Age matters too, as I felt a little in awe (ok scared) of 'punk' and I was wary of anything in 77. Agree ATFTT is more 'commercial' but also more polished with slightly wider appeal than debut. The confidence exudes more, which transmits to listener. No surprise it was Maida Vale choice for me, even if debut album reflects more what band influences and tastes are.

Also spawned my favourite ever song to this day, Eva Braun, so has to be a favourite for that alone, not to mention Rat Trap and majority of rest. Agree Can't Stop is the wooden spoon track, and at the time (less so over time) I could take or leave Normal People. Arguably album 1 is more consistently strong, but the tracks of Tonic edge it for me. Rest of them the balance of great/good/poor shifts, with latter more prevalent on 4 and 5.

daggerrat · Never In A Million Years

Its wierd Suss , i never really enjoyed music before the Punk/New wave period and to be honest could not stand ELO or any similar bands the only other thing around at that time was Earth wind and fire, Chic , Boney M Etc Etc Etc.

I can remember hearing Mary while at the Youth Club and that was job done i was hooked. Loved the first album and as it has been mentioned the 2nd one is more polished i love it still but the first just edges it for me as it has that raw sound. The Clash, Ramones, Blondie etc all kept me happy latter part of the 70s

Many bands followed since then , Suede , Marion, ETC but none of them had the same lasting effect as the rats, like Argee i liked Pulp too but i was actually quite disapointed when i saw them live.

suss · In the Long Grass

Hi mate, hope all good with you.

I know what you mean - I still think it has to do with age a bit. I just liked the tunes I guess up to teenage, hence Beatles, Beach Boys, ELO appeal. Too immature to care much what song was saying, if anything.

Rats were first band that I started to identify with, plus Geldof has stood test of time for good lyrics so the appeal grew whether relevant to me or not. Back that with some stonking music and I was/am/always will be hooked.

Suppose Tonic for the Troops signalled a bit of a coming of age for me, plus it was new(ish) so that suddenly meant something too, making that transition from established bands. Probably another reason why it's that little bit more special to me.

Also followed a few bands since which appeal for various reasons - Pogues, for good lyrics but mainly bloody good fun live, Carter USM, similar reasons now I think of it, and many other bands in patches (i.e. 2 or 3 albums but not hardcore enough to seek out all releases).

I'd bet a large number of people will cite a band they grew up with in formative years, say 12-16, as their all time favourite, or at least when their favourite LP came out; maybe moreso from our generation though. So many great bands and albums between 77-80. Probably the same for teens in early 70s with Led Zep, Pink Floyd etc, though the attraction there has always escaped me.

manatthetop · In the Long Grass

suss wrote:
Hi mate, hope all good with you.
I know what you mean - I still think it has to do with age a bit. I just liked the tunes I guess up to teenage, hence Beatles, Beach Boys, ELO appeal. Too immature to care much what song was saying, if anything.
Rats were first band that I started to identify with, plus Geldof has stood test of time for good lyrics so the appeal grew whether relevant to me or not. Back that with some stonking music and I was/am/always will be hooked.
Suppose Tonic for the Troops signalled a bit of a coming of age for me, plus it was new(ish) so that suddenly meant something too, making that transition from established bands. Probably another reason why it's that little bit more special to me.
Also followed a few bands since which appeal for various reasons - Pogues, for good lyrics but mainly bloody good fun live, Carter USM, similar reasons now I think of it, and many other bands in patches (i.e. 2 or 3 albums but not hardcore enough to seek out all releases).
I'd bet a large number of people will cite a band they grew up with in formative years, say 12-16, as their all time favourite, or at least when their favourite LP came out; maybe moreso from our generation though. So many great bands and albums between 77-80. Probably the same for teens in early 70s with Led Zep, Pink Floyd etc, though the attraction there has always escaped me.

Have to say suss a very good insight. Well put. Have you ever heard of a wee group called Aslan they are from dublin best known song Crazy World which i have to say do a very good live version of this song

manatthetop · In the Long Grass

suss wrote:
Perhaps unsurprisingly for the man with a soft spot for Boney M I used to really like ELO before new wave took over. Out of the Blue and a New World Record are high in my LP collection ranking. Interesting others quoted some of their later singles, when I found them a too lightweight (or maybe I'd outgrown my fondness by then). Happy to be in a minority in liking majest orchestral sounds...not so different from some Beatles stuff after all. Awful lyrics in the main I concede, salvaged by some amazing melodies and sometimes complex arrangement.
Back to topic, it's A Tonic for the Troops for me too, for some of the reasons mentioned. Was the one I first bought, being impressed by all the singles to date but not buying before She's So Modern. Age matters too, as I felt a little in awe (ok scared) of 'punk' and I was wary of anything in 77. Agree ATFTT is more 'commercial' but also more polished with slightly wider appeal than debut. The confidence exudes more, which transmits to listener. No surprise it was Maida Vale choice for me, even if debut album reflects more what band influences and tastes are.
Also spawned my favourite ever song to this day, Eva Braun, so has to be a favourite for that alone, not to mention Rat Trap and majority of rest. Agree Can't Stop is the wooden spoon track, and at the time (less so over time) I could take or leave Normal People. Arguably album 1 is more consistently strong, but the tracks of Tonic edge it for me. Rest of them the balance of great/good/poor shifts, with latter more prevalent on 4 and 5.

1st ELO single i got was sweet taking woman. think this group are very good

ArrGee · Back To Boomtown

Mark L wrote:
... and would add Slade (ok a bit down the road)

mmm, I am not sure they would take too kindly to being called brummies.

Mark L · Loudmouth

I recall a 'guess the voice' competition on Beacon Radio years ago and the caller successfully identified Noddy, telling the DJ, 'it was easy, he's the only famous Brummie I know'. Thousands must have screamed at the radio their true Black Country identity.

Beverley Knight probably gets it all the time.

Mark L · Loudmouth

I must also confirm some Boney M tendencies years ago. Particularly like Belfast. Always thought it odd they should write about the troubles in Northern Ireland and then make it quite catchy at that.

ArrGee · Back To Boomtown

daggerrat wrote:
..., i never really enjoyed music before the Punk/New wave period and to be honest could not stand ELO or any similar bands the only other thing around at that time was Earth wind and fire, Chic , Boney M Etc Etc Etc.

I did like Bowie, Sweet, Roxy Music, Slade and T Rex but they were a fair while before, and at the time punk/new wave was kicking off I had more or less tuned out. I rarely watched TOTP as I was out on Thursday and Fridays nights and didn't really listen to the radio too much. The period from 1975-1977 is a musical black hole as far as I'm concerned. I remember at school that people were shocked that I hadn't heard the Elton/Kiki Dee song despite it being at #1 for ages.

In early 1978 someone brought Never Mind The Bollocks into school and then that summer I went on to discover The Stranglers, Sham 69, Blondie and The Rats among others. My "record collection" was mainly taped off others until I actually bought A Tonic for the Troops after seeing them on Rock Goes To College.

ArrGee · Back To Boomtown

suss wrote:
I'd bet a large number of people will cite a band they grew up with in formative years, say 12-16, as their all time favourite, or at least when their favourite LP came out; maybe moreso from our generation though. So many great bands and albums between 77-80. Probably the same for teens in early 70s with Led Zep, Pink Floyd etc, though the attraction there has always escaped me.

Up until the end of the 1990s that was true for me in that I had discovered pretty much all the music I liked by the age of 16. I suspect that was more due to the prevalence of synthesizers in pretty much everything in the 1980s.

However, nowadays I would say that more of my favourite bands come from the period 1989-2005 when I went to lots of gigs. I saw a number of bands in their early days playing small venues prior to any commercial success, so those bands mean more to me as I feel as if I personally discovered them.

At my school the fifth form there were mainly two camps. Those who liked punk/new wave and those who liked metal/prog (which included Led Zep/Floyd). And ne'er the twain did they meet.

ronthecabbie · Diamond Smiles

Argee why do you Diss everyone's opinion get a fcuking life man.

Mike menzies · V Deep

While otherson my estate were listening to new ram antics iwasblasting out deep and then in the long grass everybody thought I was weird listening to the rats while they listened to chart stuff but istyed true to the cause long live king Bob &Eco

ArrGee · Back To Boomtown

ronthecabbie wrote:
otherwise your ears need testing

And what the fcuk is that?

Jules · The biggest Geldof fan in the world, bar none!

ArrGee wrote:
daggerrat wrote:
..., i never really enjoyed music before the Punk/New wave period and to be honest could not stand ELO or any similar bands the only other thing around at that time was Earth wind and fire, Chic , Boney M Etc Etc Etc.
I did like Bowie, Sweet, Roxy Music, Slade and T Rex but they were a fair while before, and at the time punk/new wave was kicking off I had more or less tuned out. I rarely watched TOTP as I was out on Thursday and Fridays nights and didn't really listen to the radio too much. The period from 1975-1977 is a musical black hole as far as I'm concerned. I remember at school that people were shocked that I hadn't heard the Elton/Kiki Dee song despite it being at #1 for ages.
In early 1978 someone brought Never Mind The Bollocks into school and then that summer I went on to discover The Stranglers, Sham 69, Blondie and The Rats among others. My "record collection" was mainly taped off others until I actually bought A Tonic for the Troops after seeing them on Rock Goes To College.

I also have to admit to once liking Boney M . I still like ELO. **runs for cover**

what was no 1 was the most important thing in the world between 1975 and 1977. Even if there was a lot of dross in the charts. It's just the way it was at that age. Someone used to bring a radio in to school on a Tuesday lunch time, when the charts were announced. We'd huddle round listening.

daggerrat · Never In A Million Years

Christ its amazing how many of you guys were in to Boney M , i was going to check their website to see if you were on there.

It has amazed me the different types of bands that we all liked prior to the Rats !!!. I was a school leaver sitting on a river bank fishing and all i could hear was Boney M, Chic oh and earth wind and fire, suprised im still here as lost the will to live listening to that lot. Thank god for the turn around in music styles.

Jules · The biggest Geldof fan in the world, bar none!

I'd lose the will to live after hearing Chic and Earth Wind and Fire. Boney M now? Hmmm.. Yes. Take them or leave them. The Pistols, Stranglers etc yes please

.

noelindublin · Loudmouth

Re Birmingham bands The Wonderstuff were from Walsall I think, though that's really a motorway flyover in Spagetti Junction land. Great indie band Broadcast were from Brum and Stephen 'Tin Tin' Duffy. What was the song that went ' The New St train at plafform 8/Don't be late.....'? It was a long forgotten single The World at Large Alone. STTD was in the Lilac Time as well. 'Well cred' as they say.

Thanks ArrGee how could I forget Dexys. There There My Dear is just fantastic, maybe their best single.

-- Edited by noelindublin on Thursday 29th of January 2015 02:12:16 PM

ArrGee · Back To Boomtown

noelindublin wrote:
... how could I forget Dexys. There There My Dear is just fantastic, maybe their best single.

The first two LPs are brilliant, but I have to confess I haven't heard anything after that except the theme from Brush Strokes. Falls under my general lack of interest in music from 1983-1988. When I had a life.

noelindublin · Loudmouth

daggerrat wrote:
Christ its amazing how many of you guys were in to Boney M , i was going to check their website to see if you were on there.
It has amazed me the different types of bands that we all liked prior to the Rats !!!. I was a school leaver sitting on a river bank fishing and all i could hear was Boney M, Chic oh and earth wind and fire, suprised im still here as lost the will to live listening to that lot. Thank god for the turn around in music styles.

In America in the late seventes there was a big backlash against dance/'disco' music by those into rock.Hard to believe that some even went so far as to burn disco records in Chicago in 1979.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I1CP1751wJA

ArrGee · Back To Boomtown

daggerrat wrote:
Christ its amazing how many of you guys were in to Boney M , i was going to check their website to see if you were on there.

I did buy Showaddywaddy's greatest hits. I was only 12 at the time. More inexcusable was buying volume 2 in 1978 when I was 14.

There are some real shockers lurking in my record collection. Chas & Dave's Greatest Hits. FFS!!!

I need to donate them to Oxfam just in case I pop my clogs and the kids get to see them.

Jules · The biggest Geldof fan in the world, bar none!

Chas n Dave? That trip to Oxfam is pretty urgent

.

ArrGee · Back To Boomtown

noelindublin wrote:
In America in the late seventes there was a big backlash against dance/'disco' music by those into rock.Hard to believe that some even went so far as to burn disco records in Chicago in 1979.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I1CP1751wJA

I find that easy to believe. If they ever want a public burning of Phil Collins records, I will supply the petrol. Despite the other embarrassments, I don't have any Phil Collins records, though I do have a uneasy feeling there may be a Genecide single lurking somewhere in my storage room.

noelindublin · Loudmouth

ArrGee wrote:
noelindublin wrote:
In America in the late seventes there was a big backlash against dance/'disco' music by those into rock.Hard to believe that some even went so far as to burn disco records in Chicago in 1979.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I1CP1751wJA
I find that easy to believe. If they ever want a public burning of Phil Collins records, I will supply the petrol. Despite the other embarrassments, I don't have any Phil Collins records, though I do have a uneasy feeling there may be a Genecide single lurking somewhere in my storage room.

Burning records is like burning books. A sure sign of major fear and reactionary minds.It's a bit like the anti rave climate in the early nineties. Talking Heads aptly named album Fear of Music springs to mind.

There's lots of music I don't particularly care for, but the idea of banning or burning something I don't like is just crazy. I think those people is Chicago were more like the rock loonies brigade, most likely into the most conservative type of soft rock.Also there were fewer specialist stations around then ,so no doubt stations had to toggle between rock and dance/disco leaving neither party particularly happy.

ArrGee · Back To Boomtown

Jules wrote:
Chas n Dave? That trip to Oxfam is pretty urgent .

I know I didn't pay much for it, probably 50p or £1, but I don't know why I thought it was even worth that. Has it had those Spurs cup final songs I'd never have got it. Must admit, I am quite nervous they'll be back in the next week or two after last night's depressing event.

ArrGee · Back To Boomtown

noelindublin wrote:
Burning records is like burning books. A sure sign of major fear and reactionary minds.It's a bit like the anti rave climate in the early nineties. Talking Heads aptly named album Fear of Music springs to mind.

I understand, but surely you can understand why. Especially in the case of Phil Collins.

suss · In the Long Grass

daggerrat wrote:
Christ its amazing how many of you guys were in to Boney M

Think that's the key difference. Was never 'into' any bands before Rats.

I couldn't tell you when the Boney M formed, what their names are, even what LPs got issued. I just had about 3 ex juke-box singles (Sunny, Daddy Cool and Ma Baker from memory), all sourced from the corner sweet shop near me which fuelled half my singles collection at the time. The mere fact I had 3 of theirs and maybe just odd tracks by others simplistically shows I did favour their 'tunes'. With hindsight I liked the fact Ma Baker told a story too

Don't think I gave them a second thought after 78, probably until the time I mistakenly admitted I owned some of their material on her once a while back. I say mistakenly, but I'm still not ashamed I liked them, ELO, Two Little Boys, Ernie, My Ding A Ling, Billy Don't Be a Hero....etc. I was a kid after all. None of them shaped my subsequent music tastes or formed a lasting influence.

daggerrat · Never In A Million Years

Fare comment, you stay out of the Boney M appreciation society by the skin of your teeth

daggerrat · Never In A Million Years

Great to see i always argue with the misses telling her that his records sound like he is singing through an empty baked bean tin

manatthetop · In the Long Grass

Mark L wrote:
I must also confirm some Boney M tendencies years ago. Particularly like Belfast. Always thought it odd they should write about the troubles in Northern Ireland and then make it quite catchy at that.

Saying that. Fun boy 3 wrote a song about here, And Oliver's army is about here, along with Invisible sun. Stiff Little Fingers most of there songs about here. But then again they did come from Belfast

manatthetop · In the Long Grass

ArrGee wrote:
noelindublin wrote:
Burning records is like burning books. A sure sign of major fear and reactionary minds.It's a bit like the anti rave climate in the early nineties. Talking Heads aptly named album Fear of Music springs to mind.
I understand, but surely you can understand why. Especially in the case of Phil Collins.

Agree. Apart from the Rats being why up there other bands I like/listen too Undertones, SLF, Thin Lizzy, Aslan, Pogues, Elvis Costello and the attractions, ELO, Beatles, stones, Reef, I didn't get the Jam went right over my head But I did buy the single Eton Rifles best song in my opinion the ever did. And Down in the tube at midnight Any of yous remember a wee song call Nice legs shame about the face I used to think that was good along with Jilted John this was one of them songs when it got into your head was hard to get rid of I've been going out with a girl her name is. I Better stop now

Jules · The biggest Geldof fan in the world, bar none!

Ha ha, I remember those songs, especially Jilted John, give that's my name. Never actually been out with either a Gordon or a John though

.

suss · In the Long Grass

Nice legs etc was the Monks if memory serves me. Not checked tho.

And sory, in reply to earlier question, not familiar with Aslan.

ArrGee · Back To Boomtown

manatthetop wrote:
I didn't get the Jam went right over my head ...

I have to confess that The Jam and The Clash mostly passed me by in the seventies and it wasn't until the eighties that I started to listen to either very much.

A friend across the road had London Calling and Signing Off which I somehow managed to trade Sham 69's Adventures of the Hersham Boys for. Sadly he forced me to exchange them back once he heard how sh!t the Sham LP was. London Calling was a very good LP and led to me seeking out their earlier LPs. Did get Sandinista, but never bothered with Combat Rock nor Cut the Crap.

As for The Jam, I never bought a single or anything until Snap! came out. As a collection, it is a really good hits LP. Since then I have got everything on CD and mostly on vinyl (just missing All Mod Cons and In The City) and lots of Style Council along with Weller's solo material.

manatthetop · In the Long Grass

suss wrote:
Nice legs etc was the Monks if memory serves me. Not checked tho.
And sory, in reply to earlier question, not familiar with Aslan.

Yeah your right called Monks. funny what sticks in your head. Regarding Aslan you will get them on youtube some good wee songs But the best known one would be a song called Crazy world And they do a great live vision of this song

manatthetop · In the Long Grass

Jules wrote:
Ha ha, I remember those songs, especially Jilted John, give that's my name. Never actually been out with either a Gordon or a John though .

Yeah for some reason seemed to be a lot of one hit wonders coming out 78/79/80 What's that other one.Turning Japanese, yeah that's another one that sticks in your head. Bet your singing it now Ha ha

manatthetop · In the Long Grass

ArrGee wrote:
manatthetop wrote:
I didn't get the Jam went right over my head ...
I have to confess that The Jam and The Clash mostly passed me by in the seventies and it wasn't until the eighties that I started to listen to either very much.
A friend across the road had London Calling and Signing Off which I somehow managed to trade Sham 69's Adventures of the Hersham Boys for. Sadly he forced me to exchange them back once he heard how sh!t the Sham LP was. London Calling was a very good LP and led to me seeking out their earlier LPs. Did get Sandinista, but never bothered with Combat Rock nor Cut the Crap.
As for The Jam, I never bought a single or anything until Snap! came out. As a collection, it is a really good hits LP. Since then I have got everything on CD and mostly on vinyl (just missing All Mod Cons and In The City) and lots of Style Council along with Weller's solo material.

I did get them bands Call me Irish but they did go right over my head I didn't really like the 80s much not many good bands about. For some reason I did like the Thomson twins . I know don't asked

Jules · The biggest Geldof fan in the world, bar none!

Yes, I liked Turning Japanese .

-- Edited by Jules on Thursday 29th of January 2015 07:04:54 PM

Tango · In the Long Grass

manatthetop wrote:
Jilted John this was one of them songs when it got into your head was hard to get rid of I've been going out with a girl her name is. I Better stop now

Jilted John/John Shuttleworth/Graham Fellows is a killer for the catchy song. Highly recommend "Can't Go Back To Savoury" and "Two Margarines" for future earworms.

daggerrat · Never In A Million Years

Sounds like a lot of us appreciated similar, i went to see bands like Protex after they toured with the Rats at venues like the Bridge House Canning Town. A great venue if you wanted to fight , you could regularly find me hiding in a corner somewhere. Seriously though there were some great gigs from the likes of the Skids, the ruts , stranglers, clash, the damned the list goes on . Where are the bands now in any sort of number.?

Must admit i have taken a look at Rebellion this year may well attend

Mark L · Loudmouth

I'd stick Phil Collins in Room 101 and Genesis and Peter Gabriel and all derivatives. But really Arrgee, I am taking no lectures on ELO from a Chas and Dave Greatest Hits owner. Please tell me it was a gift wink

Mark L · Loudmouth

Tango wrote:
manatthetop wrote:
Jilted John this was one of them songs when it got into your head was hard to get rid of I've been going out with a girl her name is. I Better stop now
Jilted John/John Shuttleworth/Graham Fellows is a killer for the catchy song. Highly recommend "Can't Go Back To Savoury" and "Two Margarines" for future earworms.

Never thought I would hear a song articulating the nightmare of having two margarines on the go! A very funny almost Peter Kay-esque observation on something many of us must have encountered.

ArrGee · Back To Boomtown

Mark L wrote:
But really Arrgee, I am taking no lectures on ELO from a Chas and Dave Greatest Hits owner. Please tell me it was a gift

I wish it was, but in some ways that would have been worse that someone thought I liked them. I don't know why I got it. I can categorically say I really hate them now.

ArrGee · Back To Boomtown

daggerrat wrote:
Where are the bands now in any sort of number?

It comes and goes. Most of the contemporary bands I like (Arctic Monkeys, Kasabian, Arcade Fire et al) all popped up around 2004-2006 when the music scene was thriving. In the slipstream of The White Stripes and The Strokes from the US, you had Libertines, Franz Ferdinand, Razorlight, Kaiser Chiefs, Editors, British Sea Power, Bloc Party, Killers, Black Keys and others. Only new band I like are Royal Blood who are a throwback to The White Stripes. Generally I am indifferent to the general indie bands these days. Vaccines seem OK, but I don't know if I'd be bothered enough about them to see them live.

daggerrat · Never In A Million Years

Yes i guess that it goes in phases , the 80s were dead to me the 90s some great " Brit Pop " the 00s i didnt really like thank god the boys came out of retirement otherwise id be lost.

It has led to me playing a lot of my old Punky stuff and has bought back many happy memories. I guess that i dont listen to anything like as much radio now so i have little chance of picking up on the new stuff.

ArrGee · Back To Boomtown

daggerrat wrote:
I guess that i dont listen to anything like as much radio now so i have little chance of picking up on the new stuff.

I listen to XFM, but these days it is more like XFM gold. http://www.xfm.co.uk/playlist/

The last three songs were Bloc Party, Arctic Monkeys and The Cure. None from this decade. Not that I really am bothered, quite happy to hear The Stones, The Jam, Stone Roses, Radiohead, Killers, Kasabian, Muse Oasis .and Pulp

ArrGee · Back To Boomtown

XFM namecheck some Dubliners back in 1979...

www.xfm.co.uk/x-lists/indie-wonder-years/1979-best-albums-tracks/boomtown-rats-i-dont-mondays-1979/

daggerrat · Never In A Million Years

Crikey some gems there i even have a begrudging respect for the bands i didnt like there

Jules · The biggest Geldof fan in the world, bar none!

I'm just listening to the charts for this week in 1982. Guess what is on? Chas n Dave. Oh dear!!!

Stars Over 45 medley. Cringeworthy.

-- Edited by Jules on Saturday 31st of January 2015 07:18:38 PM

Lee · She's So Modern

TFAOS has been in my top three albums of all time for 35 odd years,so I'm amazed to find there's some Rats fans that don't rate it as that good.

suss · In the Long Grass

Like the Avatar Lee

You don't say whether you've heard the first two albums but I think many on here would say they're just better, not that TFAOS isn't also very good, in places at least. People's reasons are all over the forum so won't repeat, but intrigued to know how you rate the other albums by comparison.

Lee · She's So Modern

The first one is good but those Stonesy tracks are a bit dull for me.
ATFTT is the equal of TFAOS.
Mondo I was so disappointed by as a Rats loving teenager who thought they could do no wrong,but really like the two singles,especially Elephants Graveyard.
V Deep is even worse than Mondo,and ITLG is consistently good as an album without any real killer tracks and ranks number 4 behind the debut.

And I really do like Chas & Dave.

suss · In the Long Grass

Apart from me going with Surfacing third I'd agree with all of that, even the Chas n Dave bit. Welcome to forum btw.

suss · In the Long Grass

Oh and should say I like the R&B/Stones influence on debut more than you by sound of it

ArrGee · Back To Boomtown

Lee wrote:
And I really do like Chas & Dave.

suss wrote:
Apart from me going with Surfacing third I'd agree with all of that, even the Chas n Dave bit.

What next? Everyone coming out as Phil Colic fans!

Lee · She's So Modern

If you can't appreciate Ain't No Pleasing You Jules then you have no soul.

Rabbit.....

:)

Jules · The biggest Geldof fan in the world, bar none!

Lee, welcome . Have I already welcomed you? You can have Chas and Dave, I'll go off and listen to surfacing, which I love. .

I'm going to admit to liking Phil Collins. Does that make me unique?

-- Edited by Jules on Sunday 1st of February 2015 02:20:30 PM

Lee · She's So Modern

Thanks for the welcome Jules and suss.I've been lurking and reading the boards for weeks and thinking of joining but the anti Chas and Dave stuff really got my back up.

Yeah,liking Phil Collins is pretty wierd,but I do know a Cliff Richard fan in real life.

Jules · The biggest Geldof fan in the world, bar none!

I draw a huge line at Cliff Richard.

I saw Phil Collins live once

. We are probably equal on C&D and Phil Collins now. It's good being weird

.

Mark L · Loudmouth

Lee wrote:
Thanks for the welcome Jules and suss.I've been lurking and reading the boards for weeks and thinking of joining but the anti Chas and Dave stuff really got my back up.

Yeah,liking Phil Collins is pretty wierd,but I do know a Cliff Richard fan in real life.

Welcome Lee. Let it be water off a duck's back! Christ knows, I've had to develop a thick skin on skin since 1981 over my love of the Rats. Anyway, nice to see someone batting for Surfacing smile

ArrGee · Back To Boomtown

Lee wrote:
If you can't appreciate Ain't No Pleasing You Jules then you have no soul.

Rabbit.....

:)

Less of that sort of thing now, else you'll be banned!

After seven years of mercilessly slagging off Chas n Dave in this forum, I guess I need a new target...

Lee · She's So Modern

Cheers Mark.
I can't be doing with the reissue cd with episode 3 in the wrong place.What the hell were they thinking?
Fortunately,I nabbed cdrs of all the original cds from an ebay seller and they sound so much better.

manatthetop · In the Long Grass

We have al been here b4 The stand out album has to go tonic It's also in the irish top 50 albums to here b4 you die

Lisa · Mondo Bongo

I still can't choose between the first album and ATFTT - I heard Tonic first so I guess that slightly edges it to the top spot for me, but having "discovered" the first LP after Fine Art, I must say I thought it was brilliant and certainly when they play live the energy and passion of the tracks come through very strongly. I like the fact that it sounds less polished than Tonic and FAOS. I never really rated V Deep or ITLG as highly although I've got to say that having got the compilation CD - So Modern - and playing it pretty constantly in the car, I have come to like Never In a Million Years and Tonight more and more, as well as some of the others from these albums.

I really don't know what's happening to me, but I even find myself enjoying the Boomtown Rats chant!!! Funniest review on amazon: "two new, rather awful, tracks, "The Boomtown Rats" and "Back to Boomtown". " However, then another one really rating it: "After seeing them on Saturday i just loved the track called Boomtown Rats."

Interesting how you can sometimes just "get" a song and like it more, whether it just depends on your mood, or just repeated playing of it and then it hooks you.

jamieuka · House on Fire

What is the greatest movie of all time? I feel like I should say something worthy like Citizen Kane (1941). But my favourite films are actually L'Apartement (1996) and Barcelona (1994) because I would happily sit down and watch them just about any time (though I'm more likely to dip into a series such as Orange is the New Black or Parks and Recs).

Similarly, I feel I should agree that Tonic is the greatest Rats LP of all time. But my favourite is actually V Deep and again because I would happily listen to it all the way through and notice something new (but I'm more likely to just put my 'heavy rotation' playlist on shuffle and the chances of a Rats track turning up is 100 to 1).

P.S. Phil Collins is not to my taste either but there are plenty of musicians out there - also not to my taste - who were influenced by his music and not by tabloid stories in the 1980s (divorcing his wife by fax and all that nonsense), the fate of most successful entertainers in the UK. So I am very hesitant in dismissing his music as worthless. As a failed musician myself, I am utterly jealous of his talent as a musician and a composer. Haters gonna hate as they say.

P.P.S. I also like the ELO contributions to the Xanadu movie soundtrack so my tastes are definitely questionable :)

Mark L · Loudmouth

This is also where the eccentricities began to get into the way of the songs. "Please Don't Go" and the re-writing of "Under My Thumb" weren't really all that great to start with and haven't improved. "Fall Down" is almost Pink Floyd in temperament (and odd that a cover of Floyd's "Arnold Layne" is included). Scat singing on "Please Don't Go?" Yikes. There's something else I miss from all these CD's (since it was on the American LP) is The Rats' re-recording of "Up All Night." (Not the version on "V Deep" - the version I speak of is only available on an out-of-print American best of or Rhino Records "Just Can't Get Enough Volume 4.") But unlike others here, I don't have too much issue with the revised running order. "Mondo Bongo" was such an eclectic album that Geldolf's reorganizing the song sequence doesn't seem to really mangle the album's original mood.

Like on my review of "The Fine Art Of Surfacing," my main gripe about the new version of "Mondo Bongo" is the re-mastering seems to be too "hot." The drums on several of the songs compress out and distort to the point that, like on "Please Don't Go," the song clips off. Not a good thing.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I've scratched Mondo Bongo so am looking for a new cd. Came across the above as part of a USA customer review and set me wondering again about Up All Night. Like Dave, there seem to be a number of versions of this. Does anyone know definitively how many there are? Would like Just Can't Get Enough vol 4 but unless I buy it used, it's £30 on Amazon!

ArrGee · Back To Boomtown

Mark L wrote:

I've scratched Mondo Bongo so am looking for a new cd. Came across the above as part of a USA customer review and set me wondering again about Up All Night. Like Dave, there seem to be a number of versions of this. Does anyone know definitively how many there are? Would like Just Can't Get Enough vol 4 but unless I buy it used, it's £30 on Amazon!

Buy it used. Rarely are used CDs any different.

As for Up All Night, I am aware of five versions

Up All Night Mondo/7" 3:33
Up All Night 12" 5:30
Up All Night V Deep 3:38
Up All Night [Extended] B side Drag me down
Up All Night - Long Version ; remastered V Deep

Never heard Up All Night 12", but it is the Mondo extended mix, so will differ from the others.

Mark L · Loudmouth

On Just can't vol 4, track length given as 3.38.

Might get it used.

Mike menzies · V Deep

I have 12inch version of up all night it has banana &mood mambo as b side an plays at33rpm regards Mike