Comments on: Soundcheck radio interview and session http://bibbly-o-tek.com/2006/07/27/soundcheck-radio-interview-and-session/ the Scritti Politti source Sun, 11 May 2008 23:14:45 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3.1 By: russell http://bibbly-o-tek.com/2006/07/27/soundcheck-radio-interview-and-session/#comment-796 russell Mon, 31 Jul 2006 15:10:56 +0000 http://bibbly-o-tek.com/2006/07/27/soundcheck-radio-interview-and-session/#comment-796 I'm sure he did. But it's interesting that in his new 'simple' songs, little word shifts like this can shade meaning. Like the lovely, deliberate interchangeability of the words 'winter' and 'London' in the same song. Or, indeed 'snow' and 'sun'. A very nice lyric. 'I should have worked and I should have known'. I'm 49, and this definitely speaks to me.:-) I’m sure he did. But it’s interesting that in his new ’simple’ songs, little word shifts like this can shade meaning.
Like the lovely, deliberate interchangeability of the words ‘winter’ and ‘London’ in the same song. Or, indeed ’snow’ and ’sun’.
A very nice lyric. ‘I should have worked and I should have known’. I’m 49, and this definitely speaks to me.:-)

]]> By: Ron http://bibbly-o-tek.com/2006/07/27/soundcheck-radio-interview-and-session/#comment-795 Ron Mon, 31 Jul 2006 13:21:58 +0000 http://bibbly-o-tek.com/2006/07/27/soundcheck-radio-interview-and-session/#comment-795 I think he probably just forgot the words. I think he probably just forgot the words.

]]> By: russell richardson http://bibbly-o-tek.com/2006/07/27/soundcheck-radio-interview-and-session/#comment-791 russell richardson Sun, 30 Jul 2006 15:39:49 +0000 http://bibbly-o-tek.com/2006/07/27/soundcheck-radio-interview-and-session/#comment-791 Did you notice how on one of the radio versions of 'Snow in Sun', Green slips up and says not 'Seen those dark clouds coming in', but 'kept those dark clouds coming in'? I sort of like that... ambiguity... towards stress and edginess. Darkness as motor of creativity. Interesting, a propos of Derrida's belief that decostruction is implicit in even the most polished and layered work. Did you notice how on one of the radio versions of ‘Snow in Sun’, Green slips up and says not ‘Seen those dark clouds coming in’, but ‘kept those dark clouds coming in’?
I sort of like that… ambiguity… towards stress and edginess. Darkness as motor of creativity. Interesting, a propos of Derrida’s belief that decostruction is implicit in even the most polished and layered work.

]]> By: Marco Raaphorst http://bibbly-o-tek.com/2006/07/27/soundcheck-radio-interview-and-session/#comment-790 Marco Raaphorst Sun, 30 Jul 2006 07:29:23 +0000 http://bibbly-o-tek.com/2006/07/27/soundcheck-radio-interview-and-session/#comment-790 During the interview Green uses the word 'Ambiguity'. That word makes such a perfect match with the person Green and his work for me. During the interview Green uses the word ‘Ambiguity’. That word makes such a perfect match with the person Green and his work for me.

]]> By: Richard W http://bibbly-o-tek.com/2006/07/27/soundcheck-radio-interview-and-session/#comment-788 Richard W Sat, 29 Jul 2006 22:26:27 +0000 http://bibbly-o-tek.com/2006/07/27/soundcheck-radio-interview-and-session/#comment-788 Yeah, it was in the Guardian Travel supplement! With a small pic I don't think I'd seen before of Green with eyes closed against a verdant backdrop and a much larger pic of (presumably) the river he mentions in the piece. Yeah, it was in the Guardian Travel supplement! With a small pic I don’t think I’d seen before of Green with eyes closed against a verdant backdrop and a much larger pic of (presumably) the river he mentions in the piece.

]]> By: russell richardson http://bibbly-o-tek.com/2006/07/27/soundcheck-radio-interview-and-session/#comment-787 russell richardson Sat, 29 Jul 2006 21:43:21 +0000 http://bibbly-o-tek.com/2006/07/27/soundcheck-radio-interview-and-session/#comment-787 This snippet appeared in today's Observer, or the Guardian, dunno which, where they ask musicians to say which albums they associate with summer. or something like that. The footnote shows the publicity value of the Mercury prize. Green Scritti Politti One of the nicest places I've been to recently was Hay-on-Wye to play at the festival. The whole drive down into the Black Mountains and the Brecon Beacons was beautiful, and the morning after the gig everyone was swimming in the river. It was idyllic, and everybody decided they wanted to move there. That journey was partcularly enlivened by listening to an album called Product Placement by DJ Shadow and Cut Chemist. It's just fantastic; it would cheer anybody up: two DJs and 129 45rpm records blended live. It's one fantastic beat after the next, cut up with something else that kept us smiling for most of the way from London to Hay. I'm generally not encumbered by reminiscences, which I think is a good thing. But if you're travelling anywhere in the summer, it'd be hard to beat taking Brian Wilson's Smile with you. I was stuck on the tarmac at JFK for three hours the other day because of lightning strikes, and a bit of Sufjan Stevens's Come on Feel the Illinoise and Brian Wilson's Smile, and I just about managed not to assault anybody. Those'll help your day out. · Scritti Politti's latest album, White Bread, Black Beer, has been nominated for the Mercury Prize best album of the year. This snippet appeared in today’s Observer, or the Guardian, dunno which, where they ask musicians to say which albums they associate with summer. or something like that.
The footnote shows the publicity value of the Mercury prize.

Green
Scritti Politti

One of the nicest places I’ve been to recently was Hay-on-Wye to play at the festival. The whole drive down into the Black Mountains and the Brecon Beacons was beautiful, and the morning after the gig everyone was swimming in the river. It was idyllic, and everybody decided they wanted to move there. That journey was partcularly enlivened by listening to an album called Product Placement by DJ Shadow and Cut Chemist. It’s just fantastic; it would cheer anybody up: two DJs and 129 45rpm records blended live. It’s one fantastic beat after the next, cut up with something else that kept us smiling for most of the way from London to Hay.

I’m generally not encumbered by reminiscences, which I think is a good thing. But if you’re travelling anywhere in the summer, it’d be hard to beat taking Brian Wilson’s Smile with you. I was stuck on the tarmac at JFK for three hours the other day because of lightning strikes, and a bit of Sufjan Stevens’s Come on Feel the Illinoise and Brian Wilson’s Smile, and I just about managed not to assault anybody. Those’ll help your day out.

· Scritti Politti’s latest album, White Bread, Black Beer, has been nominated for the Mercury Prize best album of the year.

]]> By: Richard W http://bibbly-o-tek.com/2006/07/27/soundcheck-radio-interview-and-session/#comment-786 Richard W Sat, 29 Jul 2006 16:32:43 +0000 http://bibbly-o-tek.com/2006/07/27/soundcheck-radio-interview-and-session/#comment-786 Enda, yeah I know what you're saying but to my knowledge he rarely put that cerebral, philosophical side of himself across on TV or radio whereas music journalists would see him as some sort of intellectual challenge and steer the conversation in that direction. Most of Green's appearances I remember on British TV and radio in the 80s and 90s were not really straight interviews but varied, silly and often fun things like contesting the 'sandwich quiz' with Sandi Toksvig on no.73, reviewing the week's new singles with the Hairy Cornflake, yodelling in Montreux, having his portrait done by artist Larry Rivers, being Muriel Gray's agony uncle giving advice on spots, having his tarot cards read (by Craig Charles of Red Dwarf and Coronation Street - must share the transcript with you all one day cos it's very entertaining!) and he usually came across to me as quite chilled. Maybe he was hiding his discomfort but I imagine that the interviews he had with U.S. Radio K.R.A.P. or Japanese daytime telly was more responsible for his retreat from the music business.. I notice someone just put up a couple of Japanese interviews on youtube and he, David and Fred understandably look like they'd rather be anywhere else. It is nice to hear Green relaxed. A lot of these recent interviews are awfully repetitive, though. Not really Green's fault (and of course in the age of the Internet we're hearing stuff that in another era would have been heard mainly by people that know virtually nothing about the man). But I miss the days I'd settle down with a copy of the NME, Melody Maker or whatever, thesaurus at the ready for Green's views on pretty much anything. I wish he'd do another webchat - I'm sure we could think of some original questions! Sam - I'm just nitpicking really. You have to bear in mind I'm the kind of person who instinctively shudders when I hear the word 'unplugged'. So it's actually sort of a compliment that I think it's OK rather than terrible! Enda, yeah I know what you’re saying but to my knowledge he rarely put that cerebral, philosophical side of himself across on TV or radio whereas music journalists would see him as some sort of intellectual challenge and steer the conversation in that direction.

Most of Green’s appearances I remember on British TV and radio in the 80s and 90s were not really straight interviews but varied, silly and often fun things like contesting the ’sandwich quiz’ with Sandi Toksvig on no.73, reviewing the week’s new singles with the Hairy Cornflake, yodelling in Montreux, having his portrait done by artist Larry Rivers, being Muriel Gray’s agony uncle giving advice on spots, having his tarot cards read (by Craig Charles of Red Dwarf and Coronation Street - must share the transcript with you all one day cos it’s very entertaining!) and he usually came across to me as quite chilled. Maybe he was hiding his discomfort but I imagine that the interviews he had with U.S. Radio K.R.A.P. or Japanese daytime telly was more responsible for his retreat from the music business.. I notice someone just put up a couple of Japanese interviews on youtube and he, David and Fred understandably look like they’d rather be anywhere else.

It is nice to hear Green relaxed. A lot of these recent interviews are awfully repetitive, though. Not really Green’s fault (and of course in the age of the Internet we’re hearing stuff that in another era would have been heard mainly by people that know virtually nothing about the man). But I miss the days I’d settle down with a copy of the NME, Melody Maker or whatever, thesaurus at the ready for Green’s views on pretty much anything. I wish he’d do another webchat - I’m sure we could think of some original questions!

Sam - I’m just nitpicking really. You have to bear in mind I’m the kind of person who instinctively shudders when I hear the word ‘unplugged’. So it’s actually sort of a compliment that I think it’s OK rather than terrible!

]]> By: Sam http://bibbly-o-tek.com/2006/07/27/soundcheck-radio-interview-and-session/#comment-784 Sam Sat, 29 Jul 2006 10:56:40 +0000 http://bibbly-o-tek.com/2006/07/27/soundcheck-radio-interview-and-session/#comment-784 Aw Richard W I love all the acoustic versions. I really liked the earlier radio interview versions because they were so much faster! I prefer them to the release versions! Aw Richard W I love all the acoustic versions. I really liked the earlier radio interview versions because they were so much faster! I prefer them to the release versions!

]]> By: Enda P http://bibbly-o-tek.com/2006/07/27/soundcheck-radio-interview-and-session/#comment-783 Enda P Sat, 29 Jul 2006 10:49:23 +0000 http://bibbly-o-tek.com/2006/07/27/soundcheck-radio-interview-and-session/#comment-783 Richard, you're absolutely right about his intellect being intimidating. As an impressionable youth, I had an image of Green agonising (without breaking a sweat, of course) over how to make designer music (C&P), yet have intellectual depth (those lyrics!) while remaining fiercely serious (I doubt if Smash Hits asked him if his mother plays golf). And when I hear him speak now, I get the impression that it was a huge effort to sustain all of that. Happily, he seems to be enjoying it a lot more now. 'Politics is prior to the vagaries of science': I remember hearing the Madness version of Sweetest Girl first and thinking 'WTF?" and then being soooo impressed. Of course, I hadn't a clue what he was on about (still haven't, but it sounds good ;) Richard, you’re absolutely right about his intellect being intimidating. As an impressionable youth, I had an image of Green agonising (without breaking a sweat, of course) over how to make designer music (C&P), yet have intellectual depth (those lyrics!) while remaining fiercely serious (I doubt if Smash Hits asked him if his mother plays golf). And when I hear him speak now, I get the impression that it was a huge effort to sustain all of that. Happily, he seems to be enjoying it a lot more now.

‘Politics is prior to the vagaries of science’: I remember hearing the Madness version of Sweetest Girl first and thinking ‘WTF?” and then being soooo impressed. Of course, I hadn’t a clue what he was on about (still haven’t, but it sounds good ;)

]]> By: Richard W http://bibbly-o-tek.com/2006/07/27/soundcheck-radio-interview-and-session/#comment-776 Richard W Fri, 28 Jul 2006 08:27:32 +0000 http://bibbly-o-tek.com/2006/07/27/soundcheck-radio-interview-and-session/#comment-776 Enda, I'm sure he is more chilled these days but to be honest Green rarely appeared icy or intimidating to me in his TV and radio appearances over the years - he was invariably charming, even during the promotion of 'Provision' where he was clearly suffering some inner turmoil. Sometimes in earlier print interviews he could come across as a bit arrogant and defensive - and no doubt intimidating some journalists because of his intellect. Having said that, Simon Reynolds didn't like Green when he met him for his 1988 Melody Maker interview, apparently finding him smug, arrogant and aloof, but completely changed his opinion after meeting him again in 2003. There is an evil part of me that would quite enjoy hearing Green having a strop for once. I can't exactly remember what it was but there was something said in that recent French interview where I wouldn't have blamed Green for giving the guy a slap! Then again, I haven't quite reached that age of wisdom and serenity. Enda, I’m sure he is more chilled these days but to be honest Green rarely appeared icy or intimidating to me in his TV and radio appearances over the years - he was invariably charming, even during the promotion of ‘Provision’ where he was clearly suffering some inner turmoil. Sometimes in earlier print interviews he could come across as a bit arrogant and defensive - and no doubt intimidating some journalists because of his intellect.

Having said that, Simon Reynolds didn’t like Green when he met him for his 1988 Melody Maker interview, apparently finding him smug, arrogant and aloof, but completely changed his opinion after meeting him again in 2003.

There is an evil part of me that would quite enjoy hearing Green having a strop for once. I can’t exactly remember what it was but there was something said in that recent French interview where I wouldn’t have blamed Green for giving the guy a slap! Then again, I haven’t quite reached that age of wisdom and serenity.

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