wire the band

[soundslike1981]

of the rock bands i've liked shellac, fugasi etc there is an element of that, there are lots of compelling and dramatic things you can do within this kinda set up.

If you like stuff like that--well, Wire are their parents, basically (though I prefer them to any of the angular 90s stuff, myself). I'll be curious what you think of them. And do try to give Dome's 3 a listen--I'll do a YSI if you're interested.

 

[Buick6]

Yeah I agro, I think that 'Pink flag' is a shithouse, dated crappy album with no ideas. Spastic playing, redundant chords, bad singing, like a retarded Oi! record for oppressive men that live a lie. I think they got better as they became more 'arty' and challenging and used more gated drum sounds and had a bigger dub influence. (geez, I am sounding like Patrick Bateman!)

But 'Another the letter' is the most fantastic post-punk track ever, and 'map ref 41N 93W' is one of the most perfect modern pop songs ever.

I think I'll have to have another session in the sauna with that sexy Indian boy.

 

[Lichen]

ce. (geez, I am sounding like Patrick Bateman!:

LOL

A more than passable impression. Wasn't it Genesis, among others, that he critiqued like that?

 

[Grievous Angel]

"Map Ref. 41ºN 93ºW" (I didn't remember that off the top of my head) which I remember being really good . both off 154.

Map Reference is THE Wire tune for me (not that I know much about them). Pure avant pop brilliance.

 

[fandango]

I always disliked them - "I AM THE FLY I AM THE FLY" - f uck off!

apparently it was their taking the piss out of what punk had become (marketed & commodified, far from dangerous) song. With that in mind, true or not, I find it pretty hilarious!

 

[John Doe]

Just reading this thread and stumbled across this on YouTube:

Wire: Heartbeat (1979) And this:

Pretty cool I reckon

 

[alo]

A touch late, and perhaps unessessary but i'll throw my 2p in anyway.

Yeah, couldn't help feel a little disappointed hearing Pink Flag after the Jon Savage compilation On Returning, and then Chairs missing, both of which are absolutely brilliant, hands down. Even on the pretext of it being lots of short sharp tunes strung together really well...
Chairs Missing is imaginative, interesting, confounding, well sequenced, complete. Meaningless lyrics never sounded so good.

Still need to get hold of 154 though....

 

[Buick6]

LOL

A more than passable impression. Wasn't it Genesis, among others, that he critiqued like that?

Yeah and Iggy Pop and REM - sheeit, he could almost be a dissensus contributor!

 

[soundslike1981]

Also, more people should hear Colin Newman's mid-80s work, especially 'Commercial Suicide'. Whereas Gilbert/Lewis went all loops/texture as a kind of danceable post-punk Reich; Newman also travelled in "loops" of a sort, but of a decidedly melodic (if not quite pop) bent. From my limited understanding, most of the songs on 'Commercial Suicide' could in fact be descibed loosely as canon form: a leading melodic motif "looped," with immitative/harmonic melodic "loops" slowly coalescing toward a crescendo. Really beautiful, unassuming stuff, formed of vocals, electronics, and orchestral instrumentation.

Listening at the moment, I'd say I acutally favour Colin Newman's post-early-Wire solo output and the best Dome tracks over all but the most abstracted Wire (and except for 'Chairs Missing' in total). I forget how good the Dome is sometimes.




Here's a YSI of Dome's '3'--seems like a real Dissensian winner, as I think about it (OOP so don't feel guilty):

http://www.yousendit.com/transfer.php?action=download&ufid=785513AD1F4B939A



Here's a YSI of Colin Newman's 'Commercial Suicide':

http://www.yousendit.com/transfer.php?action=download&ufid=1451B5BF43361189

 

[subvert47]

i've just heard pink flag and it's mostly really awful shouty punk - this lot are mean't to be good aren't they ?

it's very original punk though. I liked it then and I still like it now

their lyrics are meaningless rubbish bordering on the genuinely vacant

yes, but they're conciously meaningless rubbish, experiments with words – deliberately since most rock bands' lyrics are either trite or meaningless rubbish anyway

I was dissapointed by Pink Flag in more or less the same way. It does improve with repeated listenings, but it's nowhere nearly as good as Chairs Missing and 154, which are among the very best post punk albums.

yes, but these are post punk records (new wave as it was called back then). Whereas Pink Flag is a punk record and amazing for 1977, way ahead of most punk back then. And it still sounds energetic and fresh.

I do find it a bit annoying that Pink Flag is usually recommended as their best work

dunno. most people seem to rate 154 as their best record.