Tim Booth

[iainjclark]

I always knew George W Bush was only joking about being President...

Well, it amused me anyway. (I found it on author Peter David's weblog.)

In other news, I ordered the new solo album by Tim Booth, former James frontman, today. James somehow passed me by in their heyday, but I've got really into them recently - mainly the classic albums Laid and Seven, which have some outstandingly good tracks on them. Hope his solo stuff is, well, any good.

I'm very bad at buying new albums, and especially at buying artists I haven't tried before. For some reason I have a near pathological fear that I won't like them, and will therefore end up with a crap CD in my collection. No idea why this should be an issue - half my collection is crap already. :-)

Comments

[immortalradical.livejournal.com]

I never liked James very much until I saw them live for the first time, a little after their commercial peak, at V2000. Brilliant - kinetic, inspirational, joyful stuff. I also caught them on Tim's last tour with them - again, it was really, really great. Timmy's a bit bonkers, it must be said, and I wouldn't be at all surprised if his solo album consists of his chanting tonelessly to some dance track ... but it would probably still be charismatic.

I'd be really interested to know what you think about it when you listen to it. :)

('Whiplash' is also rather good.)

[coalescent.livejournal.com]

a little after their commercial peak, at V2000.

Dude! I was there!

*head spins*

[iainjclark.livejournal.com]

I never liked James very much until I saw them live for the first time, a little after their commercial peak, at V2000.

I missed them live. In fact, frustratingly I had the chance to see them with the excellent Ben Folds in Newcastle, but I didn't go because I was only just getting into James at the time. Nowadays I'd pay real money to see that gig. :-(

Timmy's a bit bonkers, it must be said, and I wouldn't be at all surprised if his solo album consists of his chanting tonelessly to some dance track

Oy! I did mention my pathological fear of buying new albums, didn't I? Well you're not helping! :-)

('Whiplash' is also rather good.)

Haven't got that one. We did try Pleased to Meet You, which I *sort of* like. May take a few more listens.

[immortalradical.livejournal.com]

I suspect you were at the silly southern version, though. I'm right, aren't I? AREN'T I?

[coalescent.livejournal.com]

I was at Weston Park, because I had a friend who leaved just outside Telford and that was the easiest for him to get to. I never found out where the other one is, so I don't know if Weston counts as northern or southern.

[immortalradical.livejournal.com]

... I was there, too.

My head joins yours in the spinning.

[immortalradical.livejournal.com]

Oy! I did mention my pathological fear of buying new albums, didn't I? Well you're not helping! :-)

I'm just saying ... he's been known to teach seminars on the healing properties of certain types of dance. (He was actually hired by James originally as a dancer, after they saw him prancing in Manchester Uni's student bar.) He's not beyond being odd like that. Having said that, I'm sure the album will be great. :)

And 'Whiplash' has 'She's A Star' on it = essential.

[coalescent.livejournal.com]

I'd just got into James through Richard, who made me buy Millionaires. They played a great set, I thought.

This is fantastically cool. And I'm sure there's an alternate history story in it somewhere...

[immortalradical.livejournal.com]

WHAT IF ... Dan and Niall had met through music instead?

Set of that weekend for me was the Flaming Lips mind-blowing show in the tent.

[coalescent.livejournal.com]

My god. I might be a filthy muso.

Flaming Lips were excellent. Beth Orton was also good, as I recall.

Actually, we wouldn't have met because I also went to Coldplay and Richard Ashcroft... ;)

[immortalradical.livejournal.com]

I saw both of them, as well. :) Coldplay while they were still joyfully humble were good. Richard Ashcroft thought he was Jesus and needed shooting.

This is very strange. :P

[coalescent.livejournal.com]

I love 'Spies'. I'm not ever going to apologise for that. I will apologise for enjoying Richard Ashcroft. In my defence, I never saw the Verve and I really wished I had.

It's all very very strange indeed. I'm this close to scaring up a map of the campsite and working out where we were both based...

[immortalradical.livejournal.com]

Ah, well, you see ... since one of our group lived not far away, we were in a nice, comfortable house. Muhaha.

[mattia.livejournal.com]

Oy! I did mention my pathological fear of buying new albums, didn't I? Well you're not helping! :-)

Dude, THIS is what 'illegal file downloading' is for. Checking out albums to see if they're worth le cash.

[iainjclark.livejournal.com]

Right. I do that as well, but often I find the albums that really grab me do so a few listens in, so it doesn't help much unless I listen to the downloads for ages, whihc I don't like doing. Hey, I'm neurotic in so many ways. :-)

[iainjclark.livejournal.com]

I'm just saying ... he's been known to teach seminars on the healing properties of certain types of dance. (He was actually hired by James originally as a dancer, after they saw him prancing in Manchester Uni's student bar.

I'd kind of gathered that he's bonkers, and his dancing certainly is....

Having said that, I'm sure the album will be great. :)

It's no use trying to mollify me now with your feeble reassurances. The damage is done! ;-)

[mattia.livejournal.com]

Eesh.

Alternately, check out archive.org, see if there be any artists that grab you there. Free and legal live show downloads. I reccomend Jason Mraz, personally. Look for the highest rated show you can find, and give it a try. Big files, but legal. Has made me go buy albums, it has.

[iainjclark.livejournal.com]

Promising site, thanks. I think I tried a bit of Jason Mraz but I can't remember much about it! I might give him another go.

I did try sampling some Damien Rice via download. However, my efforts
were totally undermined when I promptly forgot I'd ever tried him, and bought the album based on the reviews on the cover thinking I was being marvelously spontaneous. Maybe it worked on a subconscious level. :-)

I also bought some Matt Nathanson stuff based on downloading a few tracks. His early stuff is great and he's very funny live, but he's increasingly producing tracks that wouldn't sound out of place on Smallville.

[mattia.livejournal.com]

I also bought some Matt Nathanson stuff based on downloading a few tracks. His early stuff is great and he's very funny live, but he's increasingly producing tracks that wouldn't sound out of place on Smallville.

He too is available for download. Who else can get a crowd to chant 'Mullett', eh? And I find that's a problem I have with a lot of artists' albums; the latest John Mayer pales in comparison to his underproduced pre-label release, and definitely compared to his Live stuff. Mraz Live is better than Mraz in the studio as well.

I mean, occassionally I'm in the mood for some very slick, produced stuff. But I prefer it a little more on the raw side.