I said, "Kiss me, you're beautiful.. These are truly the last days"
April 9, 2010 5:30 AM Subscribe
It's official, post-rock giants Godspeed You! Black Emperor were only mostly dead, and will curate and play at the next All Tommorow's Parties, then on for a European and US tour.
Oh, ATP, I'm of such mixed minds about you. On one hand, it's great that you're able to bring all these slumbering bands back together. On the other, I'm not sure I can justify flying out to see said reunited bands if they seem to inevitably come around to me. I end up going from journeying to the ends of the earth to, say, see Dinosaur Jr. to not being able to throw a rock without beaning J Mascis.
Still, ATP was the only time in my life I was not the whitest dude at a Ghostface Killah show.
posted by robocop is bleeding at 5:58 AM on April 9, 2010
Still, ATP was the only time in my life I was not the whitest dude at a Ghostface Killah show.
posted by robocop is bleeding at 5:58 AM on April 9, 2010
You know what sucks about not paying attention to the forms and content of popular culture? Not being able to tell WTF that entire website is all about. Are they bands? Are they selling music? Wheat futures in designer envelopes? T-shirts? All of the above?
It may also be my lazy web self needing the usual cues and not finding them. Where's the "Explain This" button?
I think I have one pirated GYBE track, which goes on for about 52 minutes and reminds me a bit of something Eno would make with an avenging angel.
But, well, what do I know?
posted by clvrmnky at 5:59 AM on April 9, 2010
It may also be my lazy web self needing the usual cues and not finding them. Where's the "Explain This" button?
I think I have one pirated GYBE track, which goes on for about 52 minutes and reminds me a bit of something Eno would make with an avenging angel.
But, well, what do I know?
posted by clvrmnky at 5:59 AM on April 9, 2010
I think I have one pirated GYBE track, which goes on for about 52 minutes and reminds me a bit of something Eno would make with an avenging angel.
I'll bet that it's dead flag blues, the one that starts "The car's on fire and there's no driver at the wheel..."
posted by Pastabagel at 6:20 AM on April 9, 2010
I'll bet that it's dead flag blues, the one that starts "The car's on fire and there's no driver at the wheel..."
posted by Pastabagel at 6:20 AM on April 9, 2010
It'd be so sweet, to see the audience at ATP lifting their skinny fists like antennas to heaven.
posted by UbuRoivas at 6:35 AM on April 9, 2010 [3 favorites]
posted by UbuRoivas at 6:35 AM on April 9, 2010 [3 favorites]
You know what sucks about not paying attention to the forms and content of popular culture? Not being able to tell WTF that entire website is all about. Are they bands? Are they selling music? Wheat futures in designer envelopes? T-shirts? All of the above?
It may also be my lazy web self needing the usual cues and not finding them. Where's the "Explain This" button?
I think I have one pirated GYBE track, which goes on for about 52 minutes and reminds me a bit of something Eno would make with an avenging angel.
I know it's not super-mainstream content, but it's pretty clear the ATP site is a music festival et cetera. Sure, you don't know GY!BE (nor should you, they purposely avoid publicity), but Belle and Sebastian? Matt Groening (The Simpsons?!) The Flaming Lips?
GY!BE and post-rock in general is a bit of a different sound, and they don't do the radio-friendly 3-minute tracks, but then again, there are plenty of other genres that don't receive nearly as much flak for it. No one complains about 9-minute symphonic movements or 7-minute jazz songs with 3 minutes of improvisation. Somehow, putting it in the context of rock, using electric guitars with distortion, and it's worth of disdain. Why are some styles venerated while others get labeled as musical jerk-off-ery?
Or maybe I mistook your comment, and "something Eno would make with an avenging angel" was supposed to be a compliment. On second thought, I almost certainly did mistake your comment, because that does sound like a great idea.
posted by explosion at 6:55 AM on April 9, 2010 [3 favorites]
It may also be my lazy web self needing the usual cues and not finding them. Where's the "Explain This" button?
I think I have one pirated GYBE track, which goes on for about 52 minutes and reminds me a bit of something Eno would make with an avenging angel.
I know it's not super-mainstream content, but it's pretty clear the ATP site is a music festival et cetera. Sure, you don't know GY!BE (nor should you, they purposely avoid publicity), but Belle and Sebastian? Matt Groening (The Simpsons?!) The Flaming Lips?
GY!BE and post-rock in general is a bit of a different sound, and they don't do the radio-friendly 3-minute tracks, but then again, there are plenty of other genres that don't receive nearly as much flak for it. No one complains about 9-minute symphonic movements or 7-minute jazz songs with 3 minutes of improvisation. Somehow, putting it in the context of rock, using electric guitars with distortion, and it's worth of disdain. Why are some styles venerated while others get labeled as musical jerk-off-ery?
Or maybe I mistook your comment, and "something Eno would make with an avenging angel" was supposed to be a compliment. On second thought, I almost certainly did mistake your comment, because that does sound like a great idea.
posted by explosion at 6:55 AM on April 9, 2010 [3 favorites]
I am wondering if I can afford to see them on this tour. I open up my wallet, and it's full of blood.
posted by shakespeherian at 6:57 AM on April 9, 2010 [12 favorites]
posted by shakespeherian at 6:57 AM on April 9, 2010 [12 favorites]
clvrmnky, I had much the same response to that site until I happened to scroll alllll the way down to the bottom and find a "What is ATP?" link in the footer. It's a music festival, with lineups chosen by various Interesting People; GY!BE is both headlining the next one, and choosing the rest of the lineup.
posted by egypturnash at 7:00 AM on April 9, 2010
posted by egypturnash at 7:00 AM on April 9, 2010
That's not an avenging angel...it's the anti-Budd himself!
posted by UbuRoivas at 7:06 AM on April 9, 2010
posted by UbuRoivas at 7:06 AM on April 9, 2010
This is pretty cool. I was hugely into GYBE back in the day. Although in some ways they haven't aged well for me...the sort of big, slow, ponderous, you-can-see-it-coming-from-miles-away hyper-emotional baroque histrionicism + fuzzy politics thing they deal in doesn't really get the same hooks into me at 30 as it did at 20, I'd totally go see them live again.
posted by anazgnos at 7:36 AM on April 9, 2010
posted by anazgnos at 7:36 AM on April 9, 2010
This is spectacular.... I just found out that I'm going to be able to see A Silver Mt. Zion again in May as well! ::glee::
posted by FatherDagon at 7:54 AM on April 9, 2010
posted by FatherDagon at 7:54 AM on April 9, 2010
A response from my friend when I texted him about this at 11:30PM last night:
"minutes before it ends this became the best day all year"
I used to be really into GYBE and ASMZ. Although a little bit after they were around. I was 12 when they went on hiatus, and I got into them when I was 13. I basically listened to exclusively the montreal post-rock scene for most of high school. I don't know how I got bored with it.
I am really excited to see ASMZ this May, and hopefully GYBE will be playing somewhere near me soon.
posted by azarbayejani at 8:06 AM on April 9, 2010
"minutes before it ends this became the best day all year"
I used to be really into GYBE and ASMZ. Although a little bit after they were around. I was 12 when they went on hiatus, and I got into them when I was 13. I basically listened to exclusively the montreal post-rock scene for most of high school. I don't know how I got bored with it.
I am really excited to see ASMZ this May, and hopefully GYBE will be playing somewhere near me soon.
posted by azarbayejani at 8:06 AM on April 9, 2010
I wonder if they still have dreadlocks. On the bright side, at least one of them has had to turn to acupuncture to make a living.
posted by Joseph Gurl at 8:08 AM on April 9, 2010
posted by Joseph Gurl at 8:08 AM on April 9, 2010
SO EXCITED!!!
I've seen Godspeed You! Black Emperor four times and every show was magic. Here's hoping they swing through Providence, though I'll go see them anywhere in New England.
explosion: Or maybe I mistook your comment, and "something Eno would make with an avenging angel" was supposed to be a compliment.
How can that not be a compliment?!
posted by Kattullus at 8:15 AM on April 9, 2010
I've seen Godspeed You! Black Emperor four times and every show was magic. Here's hoping they swing through Providence, though I'll go see them anywhere in New England.
explosion: Or maybe I mistook your comment, and "something Eno would make with an avenging angel" was supposed to be a compliment.
How can that not be a compliment?!
posted by Kattullus at 8:15 AM on April 9, 2010
I always wander through the used bookstore (it sells cds too) and buy random things that look interesting. One day I was wandering through and saw a cd with the band name Godspeed You! Black Emperor. I always look at that point at the instruments played to figure out if I would actually want to hear it, and observed that there was a glockenspiel and a slide guitar. What the heck is this? I thought to myself, and hied myself to the counter to purchase said intriguing item. It was a wonderful discovery.
I have heard, though obviously have not experienced for myself, that their live shows are fantastic. Hopefully one of the US dates will not entail a trek across multiple states to see.
posted by winna at 8:17 AM on April 9, 2010
I have heard, though obviously have not experienced for myself, that their live shows are fantastic. Hopefully one of the US dates will not entail a trek across multiple states to see.
posted by winna at 8:17 AM on April 9, 2010
A big fan. This is excellent. Love listening to them late at night. Plus the cover art always kills.
posted by Ironmouth at 8:32 AM on April 9, 2010
posted by Ironmouth at 8:32 AM on April 9, 2010
Wait a minute? I thought you were talking about Godspeed You Black Emperor!. Godspeed You! Black Emperor is totally lame.
Damn.
posted by Ironmouth at 8:35 AM on April 9, 2010
Damn.
posted by Ironmouth at 8:35 AM on April 9, 2010
I've been kicking myself all day after booking a 4-berth chalet for Bowlie 2 when that was announced last week and is happening the following weekend, and have been weighing up whether I can afford to do both of them (short answer: no, but I'm very tempted to try...).
posted by anagrama at 8:43 AM on April 9, 2010
posted by anagrama at 8:43 AM on April 9, 2010
I've told this anecdote on MeFi repeatedly, but why not one more time?
I was at the first American A Silver Mt. Zion show, in Brooklyn (ASMZ is/was a band formed from the ashes of GY!BE with a similar outlook but a different style.) While someone was tuning between tracks, Efrim decided to take questions...
"When will Godspeed go on tour again?"
"Godspeed You! Black Emperor have reformed as the Arcade Fire. You can catch them play Fashion Week."
posted by griphus at 8:51 AM on April 9, 2010 [4 favorites]
I was at the first American A Silver Mt. Zion show, in Brooklyn (ASMZ is/was a band formed from the ashes of GY!BE with a similar outlook but a different style.) While someone was tuning between tracks, Efrim decided to take questions...
"When will Godspeed go on tour again?"
"Godspeed You! Black Emperor have reformed as the Arcade Fire. You can catch them play Fashion Week."
posted by griphus at 8:51 AM on April 9, 2010 [4 favorites]
TSMZ's new album is actually pretty great. I, too, don't like GYBE the same way I used to, but this new one is very listenable.
Also, count me in on pre-ordering Eno + an avenging angel's next album.
posted by Threeway Handshake at 8:55 AM on April 9, 2010
Also, count me in on pre-ordering Eno + an avenging angel's next album.
posted by Threeway Handshake at 8:55 AM on April 9, 2010
Also, I have to say I applaud both of their constant band name changes to make a complete clusterfuck out of Last.fm and similar tracking sites.
posted by Threeway Handshake at 8:56 AM on April 9, 2010
posted by Threeway Handshake at 8:56 AM on April 9, 2010
Also, a few months ago I found a breakcore remix of "Moya" (off Slow Riot) on YouTube. At first I nearly laughed myself to death but after listening to it, it's actually a pretty good track.
posted by griphus at 9:03 AM on April 9, 2010
posted by griphus at 9:03 AM on April 9, 2010
Efrim decided to take questions...
I checked out ASMZ at ATP NY the year before last. I've never really liked ASMZ, I felt like they amplified the things I liked least about Godspeed. I still didn't like them at ATP, but Efrim's frequent banter/heckler management was expert and hilarious.
posted by anazgnos at 9:15 AM on April 9, 2010
I checked out ASMZ at ATP NY the year before last. I've never really liked ASMZ, I felt like they amplified the things I liked least about Godspeed. I still didn't like them at ATP, but Efrim's frequent banter/heckler management was expert and hilarious.
posted by anazgnos at 9:15 AM on April 9, 2010
Godspeed promise a tour consisting of "a handful of British and European shows, and then nine American shows."
Thanks. [/disgruntled Canadian]
posted by jokeefe at 9:30 AM on April 9, 2010
Thanks. [/disgruntled Canadian]
posted by jokeefe at 9:30 AM on April 9, 2010
Houyhnhnm: I will drive to wherever I need to drive to see them when they come to America.
Same here.
posted by joedan at 9:52 AM on April 9, 2010
Same here.
posted by joedan at 9:52 AM on April 9, 2010
...they don't sleep on the beach anymore...
posted by anoirmarie at 11:23 AM on April 9, 2010
posted by anoirmarie at 11:23 AM on April 9, 2010
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
ATP, a handful of British and European shows and 9 American towns.
posted by kuujjuarapik at 1:49 PM on April 9, 2010
ATP, a handful of British and European shows and 9 American towns.
posted by kuujjuarapik at 1:49 PM on April 9, 2010
COUGH kuujjuarapik, that's already linked in the post COUGH
If they don't play L.A., I imagine I'll fly anywhere up the West Coast to see them. I never had the chance to before.
posted by eyeballkid at 2:28 PM on April 9, 2010
If they don't play L.A., I imagine I'll fly anywhere up the West Coast to see them. I never had the chance to before.
posted by eyeballkid at 2:28 PM on April 9, 2010
well. I'll be damned. cough.
posted by kuujjuarapik at 2:43 PM on April 9, 2010
posted by kuujjuarapik at 2:43 PM on April 9, 2010
Yeah, I saw them in 03 and it was one of the most intense and beautiful shows of my life.
posted by saul wright at 4:03 PM on April 9, 2010
posted by saul wright at 4:03 PM on April 9, 2010
I saw them in 01 and it was one of the most pointless shows of my life.
posted by Joseph Gurl at 7:34 PM on April 9, 2010
posted by Joseph Gurl at 7:34 PM on April 9, 2010
You're welcome jokeefe!
posted by Joseph Gurl at 9:32 PM on April 9, 2010
posted by Joseph Gurl at 9:32 PM on April 9, 2010
GY!BE live shows at Archive.org. I particularly like the 2003-05-14 one at l'Olympic.
posted by wobh at 6:00 AM on April 10, 2010
posted by wobh at 6:00 AM on April 10, 2010
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