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I realise this was talked about in another thread- but things seemed to divert off the subject a little :)
2017 really does need a new The Boomtown Rats record- I'm in my 20s. I never got to see them in their early years. But I've seen them 11 times since they've reformed at their own concerts and at festivals where they have consistently been the best live band on the bill.
There are good younger bands around musically, lyrically I think the Rats still have a huge edge and if they wrote aggressive new songs about contemporary issues I feel there is a huge market.
Ultimately, very few records are sold these days in comparison to the past. But I hope the artists in them kick in, and I for one would be fascinated to hear what a 2017 Rats record sounds like. (I know the new EP fell a little flat- but I think maybe 'The Boomtown Rats' words as like a mantra wore a little thin. But they were finding their feet after a long break. And I'd still rather they make new music than stop bothering. ) A new 2017 album- with sharp political lyrics and the band at full tilt would be something to see.
I agree maybe the setlist needs freshening up. And let's freshen it up with new material. I'm looking forward to it
2017 really does need a new The Boomtown Rats record...
... and if they wrote aggressive new songs about contemporary issues I feel there is a huge market.
As much as I'd like to hear a good new album (by anyone really) I don't think it is needed nor do I think there would be a huge market for it. Matching the sales (one week at #40 in the charts) and acclaim of Alone by The Pretenders would be as good as it is likely to get. Peers like The Stranglers with a far stronger fan base get one week in and then gone.
PS Sorry about threads veering wildly off topic, normally my fault
I do agree- in terms of record sales few artists however big sell in any meaningful numbers at all.
I agree as well that critical acclaim is likely to be the best hoped for result as oppose to huge record sales.
Live at festivals (and I know people have differing views about the festival experience in general, but they are consistently the best live band on the bill, even when there has been grumblings and scepticism in the crowd before the set began). They are uniquely powerful on stage.
However, I do think they are capable of really making extraordinary new records if they really work hard at it. I think an external big name producer might be a wise move, Pete Briquette does a great job- but sometimes an external ear is useful and can help to filter out some of the weaker ideas. A big name producer could stand up to the band a bit, and with a band like The Boomtown Rats maybe a little contention in the studio might create better work.
I guess I'm speculating a fair bit, but I have a huge faith in the Rats, and 2017 is one hell of a messed up year. It'd be great for them to write about it
I do agree- in terms of record sales few artists however big sell in any meaningful numbers at all.
I agree as well that critical acclaim is likely to be the best hoped for result as oppose to huge record sales.
Live at festivals (and I know people have differing views about the festival experience in general, but they are consistently the best live band on the bill, even when there has been grumblings and scepticism in the crowd before the set began). They are uniquely powerful on stage.
However, I do think they are capable of really making extraordinary new records if they really work hard at it. I think an external big name producer might be a wise move, Pete Briquette does a great job- but sometimes an external ear is useful and can help to filter out some of the weaker ideas. A big name producer could stand up to the band a bit, and with a band like The Boomtown Rats maybe a little contention in the studio might create better work.
I guess I'm speculating a fair bit, but I have a huge faith in the Rats, and 2017 is one hell of a messed up year. It'd be great for them to write about it
I must take some blame for off-topic work. Sorry. It is great to have you on the forum, especially as you're younger than the 50 somethings frequently frequenting these parts. You have great taste. What's your favourite Rats album out of interest?
they are consistently the best live band on the bill, even when there has been grumblings and scepticism in the crowd before the set began. They are uniquely powerful on stage.
Well from someone who was there back in 1978, 1979 and 1980, they were far and away the best live band of all their peers. Watch Rock Goes To College and Hammersmith 1978 to get some idea of how awesome they were, but only if you were there could you really appreciate it. I have seen a few bands down the years, but their shows at Hammersmith and The Rainbow are up there with the best I have ever seen. It's a shame they never did an equivalent of Live & Dangerous at the time. It would have been a smash!
Yes those were the days, i can remember going to numerous Tonic for the troops gigs or tonic for the turkeys as i seem to remember they called it.
Been to many many gigs before and since but i have to agree that nobody can match them. Blondie, U2 , the main Britpop bands thru the 90s etc.
Kind of mixing threads here Arrgee but i think that is why i prefer albums 1+2 to anything else they did, TFAOS next best i know i have said it on a few occasions and you seem to quite like certain aspects of it but i just do not like or get ITLG at all.
Rock goes to college, that also brings back some memories as do the Peel sessions , great times
...nobody can match them. Blondie, U2 , the main Britpop bands thru the 90s etc.
Kind of mixing threads here Arrgee but i think that is why i prefer albums 1+2 to anything else they did, TFAOS next best i know i have said it on a few occasions and you seem to quite like certain aspects of it but i just do not like or get ITLG at all.
Pulp more than match them live, but that's another story I heard most of Tonic live before I bought the record, and think as good as the album is (IMHO probably the best album by anyone ever, I don't expect everyone to agree with that) almost all the songs were better live at the time.
Like you, I prefer the first two LPs and there are diminishing returns after I Don't Like Mondays. But I can forgive them being less than perfect as most of it was still very good with some individual tracks matching the perfection of 1977/1978.
Now getting back on track with the thread, a new album that matches either of the first two LPs would be manna from heaven.
Arrgee, i liked pulp, i think some of the lyrics were second to none but i really didn't have them in my top 5 bands live, strange but again individual taste i guess. I went to one gig in London can't remember the venue but it was a theatre, the back up was some naked lady dressed in a clear bubble outfit, i enjoyed the gig it was ok but no Rats
...nobody can match them. Blondie, U2 , the main Britpop bands thru the 90s etc.
Kind of mixing threads here Arrgee but i think that is why i prefer albums 1+2 to anything else they did, TFAOS next best i know i have said it on a few occasions and you seem to quite like certain aspects of it but i just do not like or get ITLG at all.
Pulp more than match them live, but that's another story I heard most of Tonic live before I bought the record, and think as good as the album is (IMHO probably the best album by anyone ever, I don't expect everyone to agree with that) almost all the songs were better live at the time.
Like you, I prefer the first two LPs and there are diminishing returns after I Don't Like Mondays. But I can forgive them being less than perfect as most of it was still very good with some individual tracks matching the perfection of 1977/1978.
Now getting back on track with the thread, a new album that matches either of the first two LPs would be manna from heaven.
I watched the full Rock Goes To College gig the other night in preperation for the Dublin gig this weekend. They really 'murdered' the final section of Joey.Fingers brilliant piano you hear on the record was swamped by a cacophany of guitar than in no way matches the majesty of the detail you hear in the recorded version. The Peel version of Joey is great but the Rats have a habit of butchering all the inticate melodies you hear on the records. Geldof's rapping his way through Rat Trap on the Stephen Nolan programme again just points to the shoddiness than can on occasion be displayed.When you make a record the tendency is to get all the details right, including the passion and energy, the melody and all the little details. With live gigs all this can go out the window.In lots of ways Andy Partriidge was right when he said the recording to him are supreme over live gigs.Funnily XTC made a habit of buthering their records when they played live too. But they're still the second best band in the world.
Same too with the ending of Diamond Smiles, that lovely little flourish just before the end. Missing and replaces by interminable na na na's. Lots of other examples too of Geldod riding roughshod over the melody of his own songs. If there was only the choice of one live recording or the actual record I would choose the record in almost all cases. Live you do get the energy and passion but there always has been a certain 'flattening' of the tunes.
That said on College Livng On an Island sounded really good live the other night,as did Rat Trap.
-- Edited by noelindublin on Monday 20th of March 2017 01:31:55 PM
How did you manage to watch rock goes to college ? do you have it copied somehow or is there something that i can click on to watch it.
It(RGTC) seems to come and go on Youtube. Up there now on fairly good definition.I normally copy stuff to usb drive incase it suddenly vanishes from YouTube. I'm got the Japanese concert and some live gigs on memory sticks. Not sure if you've seen the full German 1978 gig.I think that's a really good one, better than RGTC in my opinion, and shows the Rats exploding onto the scene. I call ISO the incredibly slow option, cause it takes me so long to figure how to do it.
I recently bought a smartphone after years of 'just' having one that could text and call people. I've taken to it quite well,esp photography, but there's another part of me thinking there's more to life than the latest waste of time app. Luckily I can put it down and not suffer withdrawal symptoms.
-- Edited by noelindublin on Wednesday 22nd of March 2017 12:53:06 PM
That said on College Livng On an Island sounded really good live the other night,as did Rat Trap.
Yep, the Tonic for The Troops tracks sound better live! At Maida Vale, the band said the album didn't reflect their sound. You can appreciate why they thought so when you hear the live versions.
Getting this topic back on track Sir Bob has said he has 182 new songs on his phone and they will take 15 tracks for a new album.They are in the recording studio after the 2 concerts this weekend.
I heard most of Tonic live before I bought the record, and think as good as the album is (IMHO probably the best album by anyone ever, I don't expect everyone to agree with that) almost all the songs were better live at the time.
