Spiritualized

I would imagine this band are right up the street of many here. this is superior drone/space rock music, a lot of drone stuff can get boring but FSA always manage to hold my attention.

what album should I get next, I've got the s/t album (nice smudgy production on there), Further (some folky influences, acoustic guitars through delay pedals, nice!) and New Lands (slightly more electronic sounding maybe.. i love the first track!).

impressively I learned recently that not only are the band basically the work of one man (David Pearce) but the albums were recorded at home on a 4 track. anyone know what he is up to now?

A nice blast from the past here! I loved the s/t album and Distance but I got bogged down in a lot of the other stuff as I found it too samey. Live they were very hit and miss. I saw one gig on a moored boat on the Thames where the opening song - Soaring High I think - was so appalling my jaw dropped in astonishment, yet they somehow pulled it together to be excellent by the end of the set.

I'm not sure what Dave Pearce is up to. The Bristol scene is fairly small so people I know down there are all aware of the guy but not what he's doing. I had a long chat with him at one of Dominic's Enraptured nights many years ago and he was adamant FSA would never perform live again. There used to be 3 or 4 of them on stage.

Not sure if it was all recorded in Dave's bedroom on a 4 track but I was told that he used to add hiss to the FSA CDs such was his obsession with vinyl!

what they were live was another thing I was wondering actually. I would imagine sound quality would play a pretty big part. did they even do many gigs?

I saw them twice.

First time was supporting Stereolab at the Electric Ballroom in London in July 1994. They played a 30 minute ambient piece that moved around in intensity and volume. It was really good I have to say.

The second was on that boat - The Cam Leopard on Battersea Wharf - at a thing called Loose Lips Sink Ships. They had Quickspace Supersport supporting who were very good from memory. FSA had endless delays as they weren't that used to playing live and Rachel from the band kept appearing at the door and apologising for how long it took. Then their set opener was so bad it was embarrassing - I thought it was going to be a disastrous night but they pulled it out of the bag and by the end they were superb.

Sounds intriguing. What would you all recommend as a good starting point for FSA?

Thanks.

First s/t album is superb - it curiously features a cover of Suede's 'The Drowners'. Also the compilation album Distance is really excellent. That's sort of where I stopped - I found Further and Chorus too dull and shoegazey for my tastes - both on my bought and sold list. I need more action than they presented.

interesting that people have said they don't like 'further.' that was the first one of theirs that really pulled me in. i used to put that on at home a lot after a long day at work- beautiful record. i could understand people saying it's a bit samey, though. 'new lands' is really great too but very different to 'further' and the self-titled one. i got into flying saucer attack because the reviews of my band's first record all compared it to them.

I dipped my toe into the FSA pool via New Lands and found myself drawn in deep. FSA rewards with every listen and it has been a while. I'm off to give those another spin

Further was the first one I got and I still really like it.
But I guess the s/t would be the most logical place to start.

runcible wrote:I saw them twice.

First time was supporting Stereolab at the Electric Ballroom in London in July 1994. They played a 30 minute ambient piece that moved around in intensity and volume. It was really good I have to say.

I was at that too. Thought i was the only one who enjoyed them as the rest of the audience seemed completely indifferent. Don't even think there was any applause at the end of their set. Prolapse and Drive Like Jehu also supported that night if my memory is correct.

As for what albums to get, i'd say all of them. Always partial to Further and New Lands myself.

sunray wrote:
I was at that too. Thought i was the only one who enjoyed them as the rest of the audience seemed completely indifferent. Don't even think there was any applause at the end of their set. Prolapse and Drive Like Jehu also supported that night if my memory is correct.

Spot on! There was silence at the end of FSA although I loved it and applauded loudly. I didn't like either Prolapse or Drive Like Jehu at all but I thought Stereolab were incredible that night - possibly my favourite gig if theirs.

well who would have guessed it! they're back! first album in 15 years

http://www.factmag.com/2015/06/02/brist ... -15-years/

I was actually playing them about two days ago, pa blues. I'm glad Dave is back pouring some more stuff out.

i was going to post about the new album- the new track is really great.

i'd really love it if dave did another collaboration with jessica bailiff- that clear horizon record is staggeringly good.

Excellent news

First Listen: Flying Saucer Attack, 'Instrumentals 2015'

http://www.npr.org/2015/07/08/420824395 ... 2015?sc=tw

Really enjoying it. Always liked his stuff.

Have fun!


M

resurrecting this thread to say there is a new live album coming out. from the sounds of it they were a quite different proposition in the live arena as compared to the records.

https://www.normanrecords.com/records/1 ... -of-spaces

Funny seeing this thread pop up on here. I got into FSA because of you evangelising about them when I was buying some records from your stall at Reading Festival in 1995, runcible. Checked them out and liked them a lot.