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

[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]

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.

[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]

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. :-)

[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.