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@JERO – Good question, but I have to laugh. You really do seem to have a hard-on for knocking the ‘proggies’ from ‘back in the day’.
It seems hardly three or four of your posts go by without taking a swipe at them Most of the types of musically emotional moments that you speak of happened to me years ago listening to other bands/artists – Joni Mitchell, Neil Young, CSN/CSNY, The Who, the Sex Pistols, Stevie Wonder, REM, PiL, the Waterboys, belting out the songs of other artists (and a few of my own) while hammering at my six-string acoustic, a very angry and cathartic period in 2002/3 listening to a lot of Eminem, and then a whole bunch of songs here and there from artists like Ani di Franco, Lauryn Hill, Tracey Thorn, Jane Siberry …
Probably the biggest emotional responses I’ve had to music though have come in the form of ecstatic highs from bands like Yes, King Crimson, Genesis, Pink Floyd, Zeppelin, Magma, Anekdoten, Solstice, and loads more – highs that come from riding the wave of the musical movement, letting my thinking and emotional self transcend into the music. I’ve had, of course, the same response to the other bands/artists listed above (Mitchell, Young, the Who, the Waterboys etc.), and from music that’s prompted me to dance – be it reggae, Bhangra, fusion, soul … From most music, in fact.
Motorpsycho, for me, in the 18 months that I’ve been listening to them, have in the vast majority evoked the latter response – ecstatic transcendence. If I were to pick out one song though, from which I could really pinpoint an emotional reaction, it’d have to be Upstairs/Downstairs. I don’t have any kids of my own, but my step-daughter had a son four years ago, and Snah’s delivery of the somewhat saccharine but still heart-tugging lyrics always prompt a little water in the eyes. Indeed, Snah’s fragile vocal delivery on its own is sometimes enough to move me that way.
@Punj Lizard; yeah, I get that (upstairs?downstairs), nice. As for me having a hard-on for knocking the proggies: I used to listen a lot to Yes, KC (still do), Tull, even to cassette-tapes of Camel, Asia and whatnot, shared with some classmates, end 70's beginning 80's. For a lot of it I've lost interest but that's not what gives me "softy"! What I've come to dislike is the endless blabbering of proggy-friends of the past not about the music-experience, but about bandmembers, gear, statistics etc, as a cult in itself. Listening to impressive music, and then guys shouting out above the music things like: "you know, he's using these so and so strings here"… I just can't stand that. So therefore it may seem like I condemn all things prog (which I don't). :roll:
And; I'd just like us as forum members to not only sum up, but to express as well.
@JERO I hope to do some expressing with you in Groningen in May
@Punj Lizard Looking forward to that, Punj, not only can we wig out to MP side by side, but hopefully discuss Snah's strings and equipment as well a lot! :lol:
@JERO Noooooo. I'm actually not that type of prog fan. I did used to take in a lot of information off album covers but I was never that kind of what we call an anorak or trainspotter. And the information only ever served to help me connect musicians and producers etc. It was always what went in my ears that interested me first. The rest was just helpful in taking me to the next musical high. This was more so the case once I fell under the spell of the dreaded weed [shock, horror] :smoke:
@Kid A
Haven’t caught up w this thread before now, but, man, you’re telling my own story with MP much more eloquent then I could myself. Spot on. I’m with you on just about everything. And yes, that moment after IALC, after the “pop†records – GEB leaving – the heart of MP in many ways (sorry Bent!) – and after the last record, yes, it really was a crush. It’s good they soldiered on. And I think, as you point out, it’s important to read this in the context of the time, of our commitment to this band, the three piece, the triangle, of the expectations of each record, and of their releases up to that point, and their significance. After that I really feel it was a different time. And, yes (my username being a testament) I also returned to this forum after the Tower. My old account I left in, hm, 2009. The Tower is really an echo of everything I loved, with a new patina.
And even though I’m somewhat on the fence about the Crucible, I’m sure we’re in for some great new things.
Let the good times roll indeed!
And – yes – those heavy psych-pop shows from the early 00s, with an at that time mature MP, I guess captured on various YouTube videos: just amazing, and a somewhat nice final sortie for what had been.
And Punj, thanks for the reply, I’m abs *not* aware of all their references (and yes they abs referenced stuff before LTEC) – they’ve always been standing on the shoulders of giants and contemporaries. And they’ve always made it their own. Since the very start. I guess I’m just not a fan of a lot of what they’ve been referencing and exploring the last decade(!) but I still feel it, feel them, feel Bent! and Snah! and now Thomas!, feel an urgency, feel their exploration, even if it’s changed. This is what makes them unique (unlike Yes as you explain them): there’s no laurels in sight! Only exploration, and I guess we all drop in and out, according to our inclinations, but there’s always *something* there.
@ Punj – Thank you for starting this thread, and thank you for digging deep into the MP oeuvre and telling us about your journey! You have inspired me to attempt to do the same. I had knee surgery today, and I'm medicated. Seems like a good time.
You could call me a newbie. I am American and have lived all of my 57 years in America. I was not aware of MP early enough to catch one of their few US gigs. I have never seen them live. I have also never heard one of their studio albums. A quick word on that later.
My discovery of Colour Haze around 2010 led to my discovery of MP. I was downloading CH shows from DIME, and I noticed Spacebandit's comments about CH being his second favorite band after MP, I started downloading MP shows. At first, I could not quite get into the music, but I sensed there would be a reward in time. It was the variety in the setlists that captured my imagination. I was especially enamored of the idea of a band who could cover the Grateful Dead and Motorhead on the same night and played 'Light in the Black' as a tribute to Ronnie James Dio.
Audience recordings are probably not the best way to get into a band, but I kept at it. I grabbed every MP show on DIME and all the new ones that showed up as time went on. One day, in 2012 or 2013 while making a six-hour drive, I heard 'All Is Loneliness' for the first time. I don't remember which show I was listening to. That did it. I was hooked. I could see the band on stage, and I could feel the magic in their music. I heard a room full of people chanting after the band had let their music fade away, and I understood that there was a whole community of people who felt it too.
@JERO – You should be able to deduce that this was an emotional connection for me. 'All Is Loneliness' is not a song to think about. It is a song to feel, and I felt it. I felt it speak to me on a soul level.
I do not think about music. I either feel it, or I don't. I feel music that is 'heavy'. I cannot articulate what heavy is, but I know it when I hear it. Heavy has many hues, and MP is the only band I know with the ability to create such a wide range of songs with heaviness in them. I hear it in songs as diverse as 'Un Chien', 'Starhammer', and 'Vortex Surfer'.
Let it be said, though, that man cannot live on heavy alone. There must be soul. Someone once said, "You don't have a soul. You ARE a soul, you have a body." If I could explain how that concept relates to MP music, I would consider my exploration of this music complete.
So, why have I not listened to any studio albums? I could say that I am waiting to possess enough disposable income to purchase it all, which is true. I could make an excuse about why I don't just listen on Spotify or similar. The truth is, I don't want to hear the studio recordings, yet. I might even be a little afraid of losing something special. As it is now, my relationship to each song is not bound by a 'definitive' version. Hey, it's the trip I'm on, and I'm gonna hang onto it! At least a little longer…
Finally, my favorite era of MP is happening right now. In fact, I think I will even purchase 'The Crucible' on vinyl. Why not do it right now?
@bionaut – Your story seems unique to me. I can't imagine there are many people who get to know a band through only their audience recordings, without at some point (or first) getting into their studio albums. I assume you don't have any of their live albums either. However, I have an old school friend who has always prioritised seeing bands live over buying their records. The first gig I ever attended was with him – we were 13 years old at the time and his mum had managed to get us front row tickets to see 10cc at the Hammersmith Odeon. This was in 1975, so it seems you and I are the same age (57). This friend always saved his pocket money to go to gigs instead of buying albums. And continued the practice when he started work. By then he could afford both, but still prioritised gigs. If someone would ask him if he'd heard a band, or if he'd be interested in a new band, his first question was "when are they playing?" not "which albums should I listen to?"
I hope that, if you do start to listen to the albums, you continue to find in them the soul you feel in the live recordings. And I hope that one day you get the chance to see them live, whether in the States or by somehow making it to Europe. I'm sure you'll have plenty of psychonauts welcoming you with open arms.
Funny you should mention Colour Haze as about an hour before I read your post I bought the albums In Her Garden and Live Vol 1 Europa Tournee 2015 (and am listening to the first of those as I write this). I saw them a couple of years ago when they were supported by My Sleeping Karma, who were the band I wanted to see that night (I'd never heard of Colour Haze before then). CH were amazing, but I was not tempted to buy any albums. Then a couple of days ago I read a 5-star review for In Her Garden and after listening on Spotify yesterday, decided to buy it. But I wanted that live vibe too, so bought the Europa Tournee 2015 album too. And to top it off I decided to get a ticket to the Sunday of Desertfest (London), where both Colour Haze and Earthless (among others that I need to check out) will be playing. That's in May, a couple of weeks before I head to mainland Europe for couple of MP shows.
@Punj – The internet and DIME (and Motortrades) have enabled my unusual education about MP. More importantly, I owe great thanks to the tapers! Perhaps, I am a little bit like a guy living in Europe discovering the Grateful Dead after 1972.
It is true that I must see a band live before I am fully connected. Perhaps that is why I am so focused on listening to live MP shows. I will eventually start purchasing the music on vinyl. I will probably go with Stickman releases, because I think they offer vinyl and download code together. That package interests me the most. I don't think it matters where I start, because I will end up owning it all.
I am envious of all the shows I am missing, MP and so many other acts that don't play in America. I would move across the Atlantic tomorrow if my wife would get on board! My boys are too young (three and two) for me to organize even a short trip to catch any shows for now. I am sure my chance will come one day.
Tournee 2015 covers a lot of Colour Haze bases, but you might explore more CH music. I would listen to 'Colour Haze' and 'Tempel' for sure. My favorite aspect of CH is probably the lyrics. I especially connect with the song 'Love'. I would not be surprised to learn that there is an anthroposophical background.
It is interesting that you and I have grown up in the world 'together', and here we are connecting through MP. They are like a beacon!
Amazing to read you guys share your MP stories and music stories in general
I dont talk or write about music much anymore, I simply listen to what I like. But it is really nice to read stories that are similar or match my experiences, with Motorpsycho or any music that really sticks with you and touches you for a long time to come.
For me, I've known MP since around the Phanerothyme release and followed their output ever since. I've seen Motorpsycho live only a handful of times over the years but each time was special.
@bionaut – Thanks for the CH recommendations. Funnily enough, the two albums you mentioned were the next two on my list anyway! Freaky. It must be a sign!
Wow, this thread is amazing. Thanks to everyone, sharing their feelings, especially the newbies and the ones that were discontent at times. It's good to hear your voices, too!
@ Punj – This is what hooked me on Colour Haze…
Also, since this is a MP forum, don't miss this…
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