This months interview goes back to the Crash era. Not the most informative interview as a new record in short answers is set, but there's still a few bits and pieces of interest.

http://www.the-black-hit-of-space.dk/menu.htm

Hmmmm

He comes across as a right knobhead!

What I do find interesting is that he stated 'the band' wanted INYL released. Phil has always stated that they were forced into INYL and that they wanted Love On The Run released. Someone is telling lies...

I managed to get to 3 gigs on the Crash tour Liverpool (my first ever League gig), Dublin & Tralee. Tralee was the most memorable for all the wrongs reasons as my dad drove me down and while we were there he had a heart attack. Those were the days!

MemberD wrote:

almost a non-interview, but thanks anyway!

I know, but hang in there, next month will be a bit more special

Can we kill the myth than grunge scuppered Romantic? Romantic? came out in September 1990, Nevermind, arguably the album that broke grunge, came out a whole 12 months later.

I don't actually remember Romantic being promoted at all, rather like Secrets.

EastWest did a very good job with Octopus: Top of the Pops, Radio One and I remember that some of the BBC DJs played the singles, especially the remix edits at night.  Obviously the quality of the music and production also played a big part.

Lets hope Wall of Sound do a good job for the forthcoming singles and album.  We can only hope that the songs are good enough to register with the record buying public.

Is this piece in the wrong thread?

SubHuman wrote:

DJ Ian Aitch wrote:

Can we kill the myth than grunge scuppered Romantic? Romantic? came out in September 1990, Nevermind, arguably the album that broke grunge, came out a whole 12 months later.

OK Ian so what did scupper Romantic, was it poor production, I've always thought that Kiss The Future sounded a bit odd?

Can I open a can of worms?

IMO... Part of it was timing and part of it was direction.  Half of Romantic was avant garde (HLAW, Rebound, TSAGO); the other half pop (MAD, GIRTT, LGTA).  Their sound was back compared to Crash, but different producers didn't make the production solid.  HLAW (interesting song & production) theme went over a lot of peoples head at the time.  It wasn't revealed until later that it was about the Gulf War.  The song had verses that related to war.  But how did it relate to a Heart Like A Wheel?  Confusing. The songs that were hits at that time, were more disco, bouncy, pop songs (Paula Abdul, Rick Astley, Snap, Milli Vanilli, etc .). Maybe they should have released Get It Right This Time or Lets Get Together Again...

Last edited by Kevin Caywood (05-04-10 13:51:49)

karnsculpture wrote:

Personally, I think Octopus was also a stronger album than Romantic? but a few tracks on the latter are as good as anything they've ever done (HLAW especially).

I agree on Octopus & Secrets

I can't stand Heart Like A Wheel. It's just a naff song with naff lyrics. Romantic? had really poor production. It could have been so much better with the right producers - or just 1 producer. I even think S/A/W would have done a great job with it. Certain tracks still get plenty of plays from me (MAD, Rebound, Stars & Get It Right) but it's not an album that I would sit and listen to from beginning to end. I played it in the car last week and Mister Moon came on and the other half (who's sick to death of me playing The League) asked was it a new song. That's how often I play certain songs from it.

Two words to you and the second one is 'off'.

Yeah that's it! Hat off!

Kevin Caywood wrote:

Some of the unreleased stuff?  You mean the new songs????

loads of older unreleased stuff - check Panzer's site.

Don't let him fool ya - he's got a promo of the new album.....

I think Romantic was basically average as an album, same as Crash.  I didn't really like the style of Crash but some of the songs are good and I didn't really like the songs on Romantic but the style was getting back on track.  Octopus is only cringeworthy in a few places but you can definitely tell it's a more together album and deserved to do better although it did have a good singles run.  Here's hoping for the next album whoever is producing it - Eye Monster, Richard X or even Philip.  I reckon all three.