Guided By Voices/Robert Pollard.
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URL: http://www.progarchives.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=91587
Printed Date: November 22 2024 at 14:42
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Topic: Guided By Voices/Robert Pollard.
Posted By: Ady Cardiac
Subject: Guided By Voices/Robert Pollard.
Date Posted: January 18 2013 at 10:54
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hello.....seeing that i only know 1 person apart from myself in real life who love this band......it seems i've stumbled upon a couple of people on here that love them too. so..wasnt sure where to put this post so any admin lot you are quite free to move this if necessery. so just curious how those that do like them discovered them?......for me when i was working in a record shop the cd "alien lanes" came in......thought wow loads of tunes on this cd ( not realiseing how short most of the songs would be).......i liked the cover and was into ( and still am) into all sorts of guitar stuff.....this was 1995......anyways....got it.....got home.....fell in love with it.......i dont have everything they have nor do i have all of robert pollards......most valued to me though is "box"....first 4 albums and a cd of extras.....would like to here from ya GBV lovers....
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Replies:
Posted By: HolyMoly
Date Posted: January 18 2013 at 11:30
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Hello Hello Tanner (The Truth) actually started a GBV thread long ago (of course, he and I were the only participants), though I can't find it now (does this search function ever work?), and I don't think it's been used for close to a year now. My GBV adventure began probably about 1993. I subscribed to Spin Magazine, and read a little blurb about them, not much else. A little while later in Tower Records (RIP), I found an EP of theirs called "Japanese Spin Cycle", and bought it just because I was curious. I think it just preceded the landmark "Bee Thousand" album, but I missed all that hubbub because I didn't really like this EP that much to follow them further. It's about 10 minutes long with 8 songs, and only a couple of them really sounded good. Fast forward a couple of years, circa 1996, The album "Under the Bushes Under the Stars" came out, and -- get this -- my local "alternative rock" station played one of the songs on the air, called "Look at Them". I thought it was a cool song so I went and got the album. It was much better than the EP, but I still wasn't fully converted into a fan. The next album "Mag Earwhig" came out, and I got into that one a lot more. I guess I liked the more conventional rock sound it had (I loved "Bulldog Skin"). I lent it to a friend, and he was impressed enough to go out and buy "Bee Thousand", which he then lent to me. Then was I converted? No, not yet. I thought Bee Thousand was kind of a drag, actually. I love it now, though. But then my friend lent me "BOX". I remember my job at the time had me going to an office about a one hour drive away, for a couple of weeks. I had a 120-minute cassette containing 4 of the 5 discs of "BOX" (yes, it all fit except for one or two songs). I listened to that tape every day in the car on that drive and I was totally hooked on it. Hard to even explain why (I did have some herbal assistance for the ride home, though), but to this day it's my favorite stuff of theirs. Eventually I started buying up all their albums, even the cumbersome "Suitcase" 4 disc set of 100 unreleased tracks. Although, each successive album after "Mag Earwhig" seemed to impress me less and less. I much preferred the early stuff up to and including "Alien Lanes". There are exceptions of course; I play in a band and "Glad Girls" is one of the first songs we learned, and we still play it today. So right now I've got every GBV studio album (incl 1 vinyl), several EPs, and about 4 Pollard solo albums, 2 Boston Spaceships, 1 Circus Devils, and a partridge in a pear tree. I like the latest GBV releases quite a lot, too. ------------- My other avatar is a Porsche It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle if it is lightly greased. -Kehlog Albran |
Posted By: Ady Cardiac
Date Posted: January 22 2013 at 10:41
wow i didnt know about the unreleased stuff.......going to check out on spotify.......over here in the UK does anyone know when this EP is out? |
Posted By: The Truth
Date Posted: January 22 2013 at 11:34
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^ The street date was today but I had preordered through Rockathon Records so I got it a good week early. They have really made a wonderful comeback recently, 5 news singles go on sale at the start of February through Rockathon, I suggest you order through them because they will all ship immediately whereas you get the one-by-one throughout the month otherwise. I've got way too much GBV and Pollard related stuff, I've probably got every GBV album, every Pollard solo album, every Boston Spaceships album, every Circus Devils album as well as assorted side-projects here and there. ------------- http://blindpoetrecords.bandcamp.com/" rel="nofollow">  
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Posted By: Ady Cardiac
Date Posted: January 22 2013 at 14:47
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wow to have all their stuff is cool......so much!.....not even heard of the other 2 bands mentioned there......so looks like in future a few further investments.
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Posted By: HolyMoly
Date Posted: January 22 2013 at 14:58
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I get dizzy just thinking about it.
------------- My other avatar is a Porsche It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle if it is lightly greased. -Kehlog Albran |
Posted By: The Truth
Date Posted: January 22 2013 at 16:22
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Definitely go for some Boston Spaceships.
------------- http://blindpoetrecords.bandcamp.com/" rel="nofollow">
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Posted By: Ady Cardiac
Date Posted: January 23 2013 at 11:52
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just noticed alot of stuff on amazon US is ridculously cheap compared to UK site.........thanks to you two for puttng up album covers in the "what you listening to " section it has respurned my love of GBV/ robert pollard......going t listento some right now
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Posted By: Topper
Date Posted: January 24 2013 at 06:53
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Hello All, ...Or at least GBV/Pollard fans. I just signed up for this site based on seeing some people who are into GBV from the UK. Cool. As was mentioned, Boston Spaceships is a really cool side project of Pollard's. Not sure how many albums they have release but you can find them all over youtube. Pollard is such a prolific songwriter he needs to have 2 or 3 bands on the go at once just to get all his songs out there. Wanted to mention something that may be of interest to GBV fans in the UK. There was an event last year around April I believe in London called EuroHeedFest. It was an allday celebration/bbq of all things GBV/Pollard. They had tribute bands, GBV Karaoke, and all sorts of stuff for fans of GBV. If it is going to happen this year I plan on going and figured I would let some of you guys know about it if you wanted to go also. Well, that's about it for this post. My first post on this board. Talk to you later. Cool. Felix |
Posted By: HolyMoly
Date Posted: January 24 2013 at 07:00
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Hey Felix, thanks for signing up! Cool that the UK has a special event just for GBV/Pollard, I wasn't aware that they had that many fans outside the US. The thought of GBV karaoke sounds fun. I'll bet you there's at least one geezer every year that pulls his hamstring from trying to do a "Pollard high-kick" move. Stick around. ------------- My other avatar is a Porsche It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle if it is lightly greased. -Kehlog Albran |
Posted By: Topper
Date Posted: January 26 2013 at 10:47
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Thanks HolyMoly, Yeah, it kinda surprised that there was that much interest in GBV here in the UK. Cool stuff. OMG!! The Pollard leg kicks...That is funny. They probably have to have the Paramedics on standby waiting for pulled hamstrings and torn cruciate ligaments. Site looks cool. I'll poke my head around. Thanks. |
Posted By: Ady Cardiac
Date Posted: January 26 2013 at 16:59
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hi topper....i'm just down the road near oxford.........ya i adore GBV.......but i didnt know they are not that well known in UK.....liked them now for about 18 years.......but only just rediscovered them again
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Posted By: DisgruntledPorcupine
Date Posted: January 26 2013 at 23:32
| Fantastic band. Bee Thousand would make my top 20 favourite albums of all time. |
Posted By: Topper
Date Posted: January 27 2013 at 05:56
Hey Mate, Yeah, just down the road. Cool. Let me know if you ever want to grab a pint or catch a gig. I used to hang in Oxford quite a bit. I remember the Bullingdon Arms and Far from the Madding Crowd Pub. I also was into GBV on the 90's but, for whatever reason, stopped buying their newer releases and sort of fell behind. Just a few years ago I got back into them and really glad I did. To be honest I am listening to a lot of 90's music and bands I was into. For instance Dinosaur Jr. Loved them in to 90's and they have released two great albums in the last few years that are great. In fact, I was debating whether or not to go see them in Feb. What debate?? LOL!! So anyway, I l am listening to Sebadoh, Yo La Tengo, Pavement, Fugazi, Neutral Milk Hotel, Teenage Fanclub. It's not all 90's though. Some of the "Newer" bands I like are TV on The Radio, Grizzly Bear, Sea Wolf, War on Drugs, and Real Estate. Pretty cool bands in my opinion. Cool man...And I agree with whoever said "Bee Thousand" was in their top 20. Definitely. Take care. |
Ady Cardiac wrote:Posted By: HolyMoly
Date Posted: January 27 2013 at 08:44
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Yo La Tengo and Pavement are two more of my very favorites from the 1990s. And Yo La Tengo just seems to get better and better. Still need to get their brand new one.
Fugazi's hard to beat, too. I kind of lost track of them after their first 3 albums but just recently caught myself up. Sebadoh's a band I only got into in the last couple of years, but they're very cool too. ------------- My other avatar is a Porsche It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle if it is lightly greased. -Kehlog Albran |
Posted By: DisgruntledPorcupine
Date Posted: January 27 2013 at 13:12
Love all those bands.
Yo La Tengo's newest is a fine album. I Can Hear the Heart Beating As One is my favourite still though. |
Posted By: HolyMoly
Date Posted: January 27 2013 at 13:32
------------- My other avatar is a Porsche It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle if it is lightly greased. -Kehlog Albran |
Posted By: Ady Cardiac
Date Posted: January 28 2013 at 05:43
| saying of pavement i've been fortunate to see them twice......once in the mid '90's in oxford and then again at ATP festival a few years ago.....both great gigs......got eveything pavement have done includeing some rare singles.....yeah was a bit of a grunger and still do lovr bands like mudhoney, tad , nirvana......pretty much anything on 4AD label......fugazi.........then again love alot of brit stuff like the fall and the the.......i could go on and on...... |
Posted By: Topper
Date Posted: January 28 2013 at 06:22
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Oh yes, Pavement are one of my faves. Most definitely. Saw them a few times back in the day including a couple times at Reading Festival. Malkmus has continued to make great music solo and with his band The Jicks. I think he has 4 or 5 non-Pavement releases and they are all great. Saw Fugazi at Brixton Academy in the 90's. That was a great show. It's funny all this 90's talk has me looking back at all my ticket stubs and flyers for gigs. I put a bunch of them up on Facebook a while ago. Some great gigs. A few other great bands from back then just off the top of my head are Swervedriver, Jesus Lizard, and Afghan Whigs. Cool. |
Posted By: HolyMoly
Date Posted: January 28 2013 at 06:54
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I never got to see Pavement, but then again, I didn't really like them until just a few years ago when they clicked with me big time. In a way, I was fortunate to get into them so late, just as the deluxe 2 disc versions of their albums were getting released. There's some amazing stuff in those "bonus tracks", including a full early show at Brixton Academy. As for Malkmus solo, I really love the "Real Emotional Trash" album, just some amazing guitar work on that one. I saw Fugazi in 1990 I believe, touring on their "Repeater" album. Incredible show. The opening band was just 2 guys with acoustic guitars, sitting on stools singing low key songs. Someone told me one of them used to be in Dinosaur Jr. I didn't know it at the time, but it turned out to be Sebadoh. I think it was just Jason and Lou, no Eric. I didn't get into them until much much later, but it was cool to have seen them that early, even though I don't really remember it much. Topper mentioned the Jesus Lizard too. Wow, now there's a band. I saw them around the same time as the Fugazi show, opening for Sonic Youth ("Goo" tour). I didn't know anything about Jesus Lizard at the time, but boy I sure remember that show. David Yow is one intense guy. I helped hold him up at he leaned way off the front of the stage, sweating, growling, and screaming, looking like he was trying to hurt himself. It took me several years to pick up one of their albums, but I was an instant fan then, and have them all now. I see this becoming the long awaited Indie Rock thread. ------------- My other avatar is a Porsche It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle if it is lightly greased. -Kehlog Albran |
Posted By: Topper
Date Posted: January 28 2013 at 10:58
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Not sure I could pick a fave solo Malkmus record. If pushed into a corner I would have to go for "Pig Lib". That has some great tunes on it. "Ramp of Death", "Vanessa from Queens", "Dark Wave", and "1% of One". Let's see...When I saw Fugazi at Brixton Academy the opening group was a Hip/Hop act from South Africa called "Prophets of da City", or something like that. They were pretty good and I remember the crowd was cool to them. Great show anyway. David Yow of Jesus Lizard is pretty wild. He must be getting a little too old to be diving into crowds. Glad to see there are some fans of the 90's bands I was into. Cool |
Posted By: Topper
Date Posted: January 28 2013 at 14:32
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This is for the handfull of GBV/Pollard fans living in the UK. EuroHeedFest III will take place on 20th April Saturday 3:00 pm. EuroHeedFest is an allday celebration and BBQ in honour of all things GBV/Pollard. There will be bands and Karaoke with a live band. Tickets are £6 and that includes BBQ. Takes place at the Windmill Pub, 22 Blenheim Gardens, Brixton, London SW2 5BZ Just to be clear, I am in no way associated with this event but I thought it would be of interest to the few UK fans on here. I will be going for sure. Hopefully a few others from the site can make it also. Cool. |
Posted By: Topper
Date Posted: January 30 2013 at 04:21
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Another interesting side of GBV/Pollard is their songs that have been used in TV and FIlms. I can think of two instances at the moment. In the TV series "Scrubs" they use the song "Hold On Hope" in a scene. In the UK a program called "The IT Crowd" GBV are namechecked a few times and some of their songs are overheard. I'll try to come up with some others. Anybody know of any? Cool. |
Posted By: DisgruntledPorcupine
Date Posted: February 01 2013 at 03:36
| I Am A Scientist appears playing in the background in an episode of How I Met Your Mother. |
Posted By: Topper
Date Posted: February 01 2013 at 04:07
Cool. I didn't know about that one. |
Posted By: Ady Cardiac
Date Posted: February 01 2013 at 05:48
| dont really do american sitcoms as i find them not funny.........anyone on facebook worth adding robert pollard to your likes......lots of links to recorded gigs and write ups you wont find anywhere else without digging. |
Posted By: HolyMoly
Date Posted: February 01 2013 at 06:48
Speaking of "I Am a Scientist", does anyone else think that the single version on the I Am a Scientist EP completely blows away the Bee Thousand version? I never particularly cared for the song (good but not great) until I heard that amped up version on the EP, now it's one of my favorite songs. ------------- My other avatar is a Porsche It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle if it is lightly greased. -Kehlog Albran |
Posted By: DisgruntledPorcupine
Date Posted: February 01 2013 at 14:21
Yeah, I took notice a month or two ago. It's in the episode "How I Met Everyone Else" if you're curious. As for the single version on the EP, I've never heard.  I Am a Scientist is possibly my favourite by them though so I'm curious.
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Posted By: HolyMoly
Date Posted: February 01 2013 at 14:24
And just for comparison, here is the album version, with its accompanying video. This one does have more lo-fi charm, but lacks the power of the EP version. ------------- My other avatar is a Porsche It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle if it is lightly greased. -Kehlog Albran |
Posted By: DisgruntledPorcupine
Date Posted: February 01 2013 at 14:29
That was really cool  Nice to hear another take on the song. I love them both.
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Posted By: Topper
Date Posted: February 03 2013 at 09:20
| Have to admit, I like the lo-fi version myself. Both are great but, in general, I like lo-fi. |
Posted By: Topper
Date Posted: February 13 2013 at 10:27
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Another interesting bit of information I recently found out. Legendary Country singer/guitarist Glen Campbell did a cover version of the GBV/Pollard song "Hold on Hope" for what will be his last album. Campbell is ill with Alzeimer's Disease and decided to record one last album while he can. For a performer like Campbell to think that highly of a Pollard composition is pretty cool. Well, I thought it was pretty cool. |
Posted By: HolyMoly
Date Posted: February 13 2013 at 12:53
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It really illustrates how much GBV has permeated the mainstream consciousness, even if they're not and never have been a mainstream act. They seem to represent more of a legend, an ideal, an icon of independence in music, that even mainstream circles take notice of.
------------- My other avatar is a Porsche It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle if it is lightly greased. -Kehlog Albran |