Moon Duo ,Mazes ,

[BzaInSpace]

Ha ha ha.... done!

14 May - Saturday night? I'm gonna try my best - cheers!

[Kurious Oranj]

A Gilded Eternity? Nah mate. I bought it 2nd hand on tape years ago and never got around to upgrading it to CD basically as it's pish. Did nothing for me then and I suspect that won't have changed. There's more "psychedelic menace and power" in my sock drawer, and it sounds fuck all like Wooden Shjips so I think I will go and see them if I get a chance, thanks all the same.

yeah it actually sounds good

[runcible]

No... they come from the same late 80`s psychedelic/noise scene along with MBV and to list them together is understandable ,your point is rubbish,why you would argue otherwise I`m f8cked if I know,

They are listed together because they played together and without the Spacemen Loop would never have initially sounded like they did.

nd yeah - I'll go with PK's thoughts on the matter over yours - he was there after all.

the man was in a drug fug ,take his recollections as gospel if you like ,his body might have been their but ....

Another of the most idiotic and, quite frankly, insulting posts I have ever read here. PK was in a 'drug fug' so his thoughts don't count? That means we should dismiss his AND Jason's points of view, and their music too. Because they were in a 'drug fug'. Listen mate - I was there too. I was a Loop fan initially. Why? Because Loop were all over Sounds and Melody Maker and were the darlings of the noise press in last 1987. A lot of the Spacemen press was very negative. This is why PK got pissed off. Loop pinched the sound and the sleeve imagery and got more credit for it. That happened! I remember it! So PK was right and you are wrong.

A Gilded Eternity? Nah mate. I bought it 2nd hand on tape years ago and never got around to upgrading it to CD basically as it's pish.

whether you think its "pish" or not is neither here nor their ,and plenty would disagree ,the reason I mentioned it is because its so far from Spacemen 3 as to level you and Sonics accusation of plagarism as complete shite!!

And here you shoot yourself in the foot. Barry said to lump these bands together is 'lazy' and that's spot on. Gilded Eternity sounds little like Spacemen 3 so why lump them together so readily? On the other hand early Loop sounds just like Spacemen 3 so you're wrong again. Go and listen to 'I'll Take You There', or 'Deep Hit' and tell me it's not linked. Those songs, fantastic though they are, are pure Spacemen tributes.

By the way I asked Ripley in person when I met him in Tilburg and he hadn't heard any Loop at that time but The Heads were trying to turn him onto them. He knew about Spacemen 3 though.

[angelsighs]

He knew about Spacemen 3 though.

would have thought so, they have covered them haven't they?

seems like I bought the wrong Loop album, I got A Gilded Eternity a while back and couldn't see what all the fuss is about.
Heaven's End is still on my wishlist though.

[nickh]

Not going to comment on the Loop/Spacemen 3 thing again but I agree with Runcible here, I heard of Loop before Spacemen 3 and was a fan of theirs first if only for the reason that Loop were being praised to high heaven and Spacemen 3 were getting a pretty bad press at the time. I saw Loop a good six months before first seeing Spacemen 3.

A Gilded Eternity, like all Loop albums, has its moments. For a Loop newbie though I think it’s a non-starter and certainly the least accessible of all their records. I can think of songs from all their records which I loved then and now, there is also quite a lot of aimless stuff which I really don’t have the patience for...

I thought some of their covers were great too, Rocket USA (from Wolf Flow especially), Thief of Fire, Mother Sky are all excellent interpretations. The Burning World, Arc Lite, Black Sun, The Nail will Burn, Straight to your Heart are also all big favourites of mine.

Loop had a shelf-life though and never the time-less quality of the Spacemen which is why Loop have been more or less forgotten and Spacemen 3 often have the words “the legendary” preceding them now.

Back to topic: Loving Mazes!

[TheWarmth]

I mentioned this to Runcible the other day, but figured I'd post my throughts there, too. Ripley is certainly a talented guitarist and I love his tones. Mazes has a fantastic sound to it and is the band's best recording to date. However, when I listen to Moon Duo (and Wooden Shjips, for that matter), I can never shake my frustration that they could be doing so much more. How is it that they can continue chugging along using the same formula with little to no variation between songs? They get compared to S3 frequently, but the amount of variety that you get on any S3 album makes those records so much more rewarding than anything MD/WS have given us so far. Based on interviews I've read, Ripley and co. have no plans to expand their sound, either. Don't get me wrong, I understand the appeal of MD/WS and especially Mazes, but I can't really see myself buying anything else from them unless they do something different to keep me interested.

[niamhm]

Another of the most idiotic and, quite frankly, insulting posts I have ever read here. PK was in a 'drug fug' so his thoughts don't count? That means we should dismiss his AND Jason's points of view, and their music too. Because they were in a 'drug fug'.

maybe If I try to be a little less flippant when discussing Sonic ,then you could be a little less precious when someone critisizes him, to ,I never said his thoughts don`t count but I suspect they were clouded, due in no small part to all the drugs being consumed,if your willing to take his thoughts as gospel thats up to you , as for dismissing Jason and their music ,thats your leap of reason,not mine.

Listen mate - I was there too. I was a Loop fan initially. Why? Because Loop were all over Sounds and Melody Maker and were the darlings of the noise press in last 1987. A lot of the Spacemen press was very negative. This is why PK got pissed off. Loop pinched the sound and the sleeve imagery and got more credit for it. That happened! I remember it! So PK was right and you are wrong.

I was their to pal-and liked both at the same time ,buying 16 Dreams and Transparent Radiation(an NME single of the week I seem to remember,an example of their very negative press?)12" on the same day,and they sound nothing ,or look f8ck all similar to each other at all, IMO, maybe you think different ,its a free country.

And here you shoot yourself in the foot. Barry said to lump these bands together is 'lazy' and that's spot on. Gilded Eternity sounds little like Spacemen 3 so why lump them together so readily? On the other hand early Loop sounds just like Spacemen 3 so you're wrong again

[/quote]

ah see ,your trying to have your cake and eat it here ,one minute its lazy to lump them together ,when it patently isn`t ,the next your having early Loop sounding just like them and playing shows together ,why wouldn`t, a reasonable person,lump them together , your logic s all over the place man,its no me thats shooting myself in the foot.

I think I should leave this alone now ,but I didn`t start on about Loop.,

the first track ,Seer,is awesome totally brilliant piece of music.

[runcible]

Not going to comment on the Loop/Spacemen 3 thing again but I agree with Runcible here, I heard of Loop before Spacemen 3 and was a fan of theirs first if only for the reason that Loop were being praised to high heaven and Spacemen 3 were getting a pretty bad press at the time. I saw Loop a good six months before first seeing Spacemen 3.

You must have been in a 'drug fug' then Nick!

I was their to pal-and liked both at the same time ,buying 16 Dreams and Transparent Radiation(an NME single of the week I seem to remember,an example of their very negative press?)12" on the same day,and they sound nothing ,or look f8ck all similar to each other at all, IMO, maybe you think different ,its a free country.

Eh? Try playing Starship or Things'll Never Be The Same and say there's no similarity with Loop! Really? Seriously - come on! And of course the covers of Spinning and 16 Dreams don't look in any way like Sound of Confusion or Walkin With Jesus do they? Are you sure you aren't Josh in disguise? At the time he was a Spacemen obsessive (that's a fact) and then has denied liking them at any point ever since.

As for the NME. When Perfect Prescription came out they said in a live review that the people responsible's 'mental health should be in question'.

This argument goes on forever. My point about dismissing Jason is the fact that in your eyes anyone taking drugs back then can't be trusted to remember the facts. That would include Jason. And Josh for that matter. And most of the audience.

Feel free to criticise Pete K all you like. But get the facts right. Which you haven't.

[runcible]

He knew about Spacemen 3 though.

would have thought so, they have covered them haven't they?.

Indeed they have - and a great cover it is - but this was in July 2008 when they played with The Heads at Tilburg's 013 venue. Some time before that was released.

[nickh]

Not going to comment on the Loop/Spacemen 3 thing again but I agree with Runcible here, I heard of Loop before Spacemen 3 and was a fan of theirs first if only for the reason that Loop were being praised to high heaven and Spacemen 3 were getting a pretty bad press at the time. I saw Loop a good six months before first seeing Spacemen 3.

You must have been in a 'drug fug' then Nick!

[runcible]

I played most of Moon Duo's catalogue last night and Mazes is by far the best thing they've done - sounded fantastic. Curiously it actually reminded me more of Loop than the Spacemen (Niamh will will like that I think!) whereas I hear more of the Spacemen in Wooden Shjips. Despite Sp3's influence on Loop there were, of course, subtle differences in the early stuff in the same way that Moon Duo and Wooden Shjips have subtle differences.

[johnnyboy]

Quite liking the mixes on the bonus disc. Played it first thing on the train this morning and the Sonic Boom one was lovely, same goes for the Psychic Ills one too. Liking that Cave mix as well. The Purling Hiss one gets a bit too squealy after a while but still OK.

As for the main album.......get's better with every listen! I think I'll be going along to the Corsica Studios gig for a bop, it's great dance music, it really is. Can't help but get wrapped up in it and groove along. People should cut loose at their gigs a bit more........hehehe, I'm picturing some 60's San Fran 'happening' style vibes going on when I listen to them.

[purespace]

Their gig in Ann Arbor last weekend was amazing, LOTS of people bobbing/nodding and quite a few {{{{dancing}}}} The venue was a cool loft and right across the street from the annual Hash Bash festivities on the University of Michigan campus. It looked like a fog had rolled in until you got a whiff

[johnnyboy]

{{{{dancing}}}}

Hehe, love it. That gives the perfect impression of dancing to Moon Duo!

The London date clashes with Spectrum playing at the Lexington. Bummer. Torn between the two but a good chum is convincing me that Spectrum will be the winner. Not seen Sonic play since the MBV dates at the Roundhouse so he's due his turn. Saw Moon Duo in Dec with the Shjips.

Small-ish interview with them in the new Stool Pigeon http://www.thestoolpigeon.co.uk/blog/ne ... ished.html , not sure if it's online to view yet but that's the new cover for it anyway.

[runcible]

Some of the faster droning Stereolab also noticeable in this album I am finding. That's another band I know Ripley and co. got into late.

[olan]

Got back this morning from a rushed visit to the UK to find this waiting for me. #148/150, so I nearly missed out! First impression: Great Stuff!

Am a bit worried about smashing up the wax seal thingo on the outside cover of the LP. As an aside the limited edition packaging is very nice, if almost surely destined to fall to bits. Personally, I don't get Loop vibes on this as much as the Stereolab thing, which is excellent anyway IMHO.

[johnnyboy]

Not sure if I've posted this already........http://thequietus.com/articles/06072-mo ... erview-mix

Great mix from Moon Duo. Never heard of the majority of it and it's all great......apart from the second song.

[Alex English]

I am looking forward to seeing them tomorrow. Here is another interview in which Ripley discusses their move to Colorado and gear: http://blogs.westword.com/backbeat/2011 ... _sound.php

[toomilk]

I saw them on Wednesday. Great show, but not that many people and the guitar could have been much louder. Still drone-y and mind-blowing. All those phasers going off at different rates and coming together at random points in live songs is an incredible thing to witness.

[TogetherWeCan]

For anyone that can get to London on 17th May we have Moon Duo playing Corsica Studios for what will be their last UK show for sometime. Erik ‘Ripley’ Johnson reconvenes with the rest of the Wooden Shjips guys in the summer. Saw the thread and thought some of you guys might be interested. I’m absoloutly loving the new Mazes album. Posted a few videos of theirs up on the facebook event too.

Full details here:

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=162749403781549

http://www.myspace.com/togetherwecanwalkonwater

Hope to see some of you there as we welcome in the summer sun.

[KingHarry]

For anyone that can get to London on 17th May we have Moon Duo playing Corsica Studios for what will be their last UK show for sometime. Erik ‘Ripley’ Johnson reconvenes with the rest of the Wooden Shjips guys in the summer. Saw the thread and thought some of you guys might be interested. I’m absoloutly loving the new Mazes album. Posted a few videos of theirs up on the facebook event too.

Full details here:

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=162749403781549

http://www.myspace.com/togetherwecanwalkonwater

Hope to see some of you there as we welcome in the summer sun.

That's the same date as Spectrum at The Lexington?
Shambolic scheduling!

[TogetherWeCan]

Shambolic scheduling!

Bad luck some would say. Unfortunately Moon Duo were booked over 5 months ago before listings for the date were anywhere near published. Gutted because I usually head to Spectrum myself, but guess they'll be back again soon anyway.

[niamhm]

Moon Duo in Glasgow last night ,very good ,what a guitarist ,man when he lets one off those solos fly, awesome in a cosmic kinda way and what the hell is that guitar he plays ? a thing of beauty any way .
Highlights for me ,a kinda wicked, understated version of Motorcycle ,I love You, Seer ,In The Sun and Set It On Fire rounding thing off,Its theoretically quite a limited framework they give themselves ,but once you accept what they do ,there`s a lot going on , very rock`n`roll a lot of folks dancing away enjoying it good style , some nice merch.picked up a nice t-shirt for £10 so a pretty good night all round.

[flokie]

I was at the Glasgow gig too, that was brilliant, probably gig of the year so far for me - didn't expect to enjoy them quite so much as I did, and to be dancing so much too