Tag Archives: song-walking-the-ghost
The Gathering Sound
Summary
The Gathering Sound delivered a stunning anthology of James’ long musical career. It contained all the studio albums up to its release 13 years ago, plus many rarities and demos, a DVD, booklets, stickers and badges.
Track List
As well as four rarities and live discs, all the tracks from the following studio albums are included (and non-album tracks from the listed compilations) on a USB:
- Stutter
- Strip-mine
- Gold Mother
- Seven
- Laid
- Wah Wah
- The Best Of / Unhinged
- Millionaires
- Pleased To Meet You
- Fresh As A Daisy – The Singles
- Hey Ma
- The Night Before
- The Morning After
Rarities Disc: Willow / Say It With Flowers / Just Hipper / Mosquito / Left Out of Her Will / Doubts / Count Your Blessings / Weather Change / Pressure’s On / Jam 1 / Jam 2 / It’s a Fine Line / Hedex / Long To See / Scratch Card / I Thought You Were / All My Letters / Dust Motes
Live Disc: Folklore / Announcement / Burned / Hymn From a Village / Hang On / Maria’s Party / America / Sit Down / Sound / Honest Joe / Come Home / Johnny Yen / What For / Stutter / Fine / Bubbles / At The Seams
DVD – Come Home Live: Come Home / What’s the World / Whoops / Lose Control / Sunday Morning / Ring the Bells / Bring a Gun / Government Walls / Walking the Ghost / Next Lover / God Only Knows / What For / Sit Down / How Was It For You / Stutter
Vinyl: Sit Down / How Was It For You / Gregory’s Town / Ring Those Bells
Details
Release Name: | The Gathering Sound |
Artist Name: | James |
Release Date: | 10th December 2012 |
Format: | Compilation Box Set |
Catalogue: | B01G7OHLC2. Barcode: 602527531298 |
The Gathering Sound is a stunning anthology of James’ long musical career. It contains all the studio albums up to publication, many rarities and demos, a DVD, booklets, stickers and badges.
The studio albums are: Stutter, Strip-mine, Gold Mother, Seven, Laid, Wah Wah, The Best Of / Unhinged (Compilation), Millionaires, Pleased To Meet You, Fresh as a Daisy – The Singles (Compilation), Hey Ma, The Night Before, The Morning After
The music is spread over a USB back-catalogue, three CDs or rarities and live recordings, a DVD and 12″ Vinyl. All the studio albums are on a unique J-shaped USB stick apart from The Morning After The Night Before, which is on CD (as a single album as the US import version was).
Also included are a 6-page A5 booklet featuring personal contributions from each of the band members and those associated with the group, including One Of The Three curator Dave Brown.
There is a 12″ scrapbook featuring previously unseen and rare photos, memorabilia, cuttings and many other items straight out of James personal archives including a complete timeline of James’s career annotated by the band.
And finally postcards, badges and sticky satin replica backstage passes, all in a 12″ presentation box.
- 72 :2008
- Afro Lover :1999
- Alaskan Pipeline :2001
- All My Letters :2010
- America :1993
- Announcement :2012
- Arabic Agony :1994
- Are You Ready? :1988
- At The Seams :2012
- Basic Brian :1994
- Billy’s Shirts :1986
- Black Hole :1986
- Boom Boom :2008
- Born Of Frustration :1992
- Bottom Of The Well :1994
- Bring A Gun :1992
- Bubbles :2008
- Building A Fire :1994
- Burn The Cat :1994
- Burned :1989
- Chameleon :2007
- Charlie Dance :1988
- Come Home :1989
- Count Your Blessings :2012
- Crash :1999
- Crescendo :1990
- Dead Man :1994
- Destiny Calling :1998
- Don’t Wait That Long :1992
- Doubts :2012
- Dream Thrum :1993
- Dumb Jam :1999
- Dust Motes :2010
- DVV / Jam R – Beefheart Jam :1994
- English Beefcake :2001
- Everybody Knows :1993
- Fairground :1988
- Falling Down :2001
- Fear :2010
- Fine :2001
- Five-O :1993
- Folklore :1983
- Frequency Dip :1994
- Gaudi :2001
- Getting Away With It (All Messed Up) :2001
- Give It Away :2001
- God Only Knows :1990
- Gold Mother :1990
- Gospel Oak / Who Is Gospel Oak (rehearsal jam) :1994
- Got The Shakes :2010
- Government Walls :1990
- Gregory’s Town :2012
- Hammer Strings :1994
- Hang On :1990
- Heavens :1992
- Hedex :2012
- Hello :1999
- Hero :2010
- Hey Ma :2008
- Honest Joe / Jam Q :1994
- How Was It For You? :1990
- Hymn From A Village :1985
- I Know What I’m Here For :1999
- I Thought You Were :2012
- I Wanna Go Home :2008
- It’s A Fine Line / Jam P (Fabulous Melody But Unusual Bass) :2012
- It’s Hot :2010
- Jam 1 / Unknown Track 8 :2012
- Jam 2 / Chicken Goth / Never Forget :2012
- Jam J :1994
- Johnny Yen :1986
- Junkie :2001
- Just Hip :1986
- Just Like Fred Astaire :1999
- Justhipper :1986
- Kaleidoscope :2010
- Knuckle Too Far / Bruce Jam :1993
- Laid :1993
- Laughter :1994
- Lay The Law Down :1994
- Left Out Of Her Will :1988
- Live A Love Of Life :1992
- Long To See :1999
- Lookaway :2010
- Lose Control :1990
- Low Clouds :1994
- Low Low Low :1993
- Lullaby :1993
- Make For This City :2010
- Maria / Maria’s Party :1994
- Medieval :1988
- Mosquito :1988
- Mother :1992
- Next Lover :1992
- Not There :1988
- Oh My Heart :2008
- One Of The Three / You Were Born :1993
- Out To Get You :1990
- P.S. :1993
- Pleased To Meet You :2001
- Porcupine :2010
- Pressure’s On :1994
- Protect Me :1992
- Rabbit Hole :2010
- Rain Whistling :1994
- Really Hard :1986
- Rhythmic Dreams / Jam D (Rhythmic Dreams alt) :1994
- Riders :1988
- Ring The Bells / Ring Those Bells :1992
- Runaground :1998
- Say It With Flowers :2012
- Say Say Something :1994
- Say Something / Carousel :1993
- Sayonara :1994
- Scarecrow :1986
- Scratchcard :2012
- Semaphore :2008
- Senorita :2001
- Seven :1992
- Shooting My Mouth Off :1999
- Sit Down :1989
- Skindiving / Falsetto :1993
- Skullduggery :1986
- So Many Ways :1986
- Someone’s Got It In For Me :1999
- Sometimes (Lester Piggott) :1993
- Sound :1991
- Space :2001
- Strangers :1999
- Stripmining :1988
- Stutter :1983
- Summer Song :1986
- Sunday Morning (cover) :1990
- Surprise :1999
- Tell Her I Said So :2010
- The Shining :2001
- Tomorrow :1994
- Top Of The World :1990
- Upside :2008
- Vervaceous :1999
- Vulture :1988
- Walking The Ghost :1990
- Waterfall :2008
- We’re Going To Miss You :1999
- Weather Change :1990
- What For :1988
- What Is It Good For? :2001
- What’s The World :1983
- Whiteboy :2008
- Who Are You? :2007
- Whoops :1989
- Why So Close :1986
- Willow :2012
- Withdrawn :1986
- Ya Ho :1988
- You Can’t Tell How Much Suffering (On A Face That’s Always Smiling) :1990
Not found on Spotify.
- Born Of Frustration
- Come Home (Flood Mix)
- Come Home (Original)
- Destiny Calling
- Getting Away With It (All Messed Up)
- Honest Joe
- How Was It For You?
- I Know What I’m Here For
- Just Like Fred Astaire
- Laid (Version 2) (Clean)
- Laid (Version 3) (Explicit)
- Lose Control
- Ring The Bells
- Runaground
- Say Something (US Version)
- Say Something (Version 1)
- Seven
- Sit Down
- Sit Down ’98 Apollo 440 Mix
- Sit Down (Original)
- Sit Down ft. Joe Duddell & String Quartet
- So Many Ways
- Sound
- Tomorrow
- We’re Going To Miss You
- What For
- Boxset: The Gathering Sound
- Promo: The Gathering Sound
- Promo: The Gathering Sound
- The Gathering Sound Signed Print
- The Gathering Sound Advert
- The Gathering Sound Advert
- Haldern Festival – 9th August 2013
- Belladrum Festival – 3rd August 2013
- Interview With Tim Booth – Hymn From A Village
- The Gathering Sound Boxset Trailer
- The Gathering Sound Boxset Preview
- Lisbon Rock In Rio Festival – 3rd June 2012
- Danger USB : The Story Of The Gathering Dust James Boxset – Even The Stars
- Belfast Belsonic Festival – 24th August 2013
- Dublin Olympia – 23rd August 2013
- Stafford V Festival – 18th August 2013
- Chelmsford V Festival – 17th August 2013
- Haldern Festival – 9th August 2013
- Poolbar – Altes Hallenbad, Feldkirch, Austria – 8th August 2013
- Belladrum Festival – 3rd August 2013
- River Party, Nestorio, Kastoria, Greece – 1st August 2013
- Benatska noc 2013, Mala Skala, Liberec, Czech Republic – 27th July 2013
- Abersoch Wakestock – 10th July 2013
- London Wembley Stadium – 22nd June 2013
- Thetford Forest High Lodge – 13th June 2013
- Manchester Arena – 26th April 2013
- Birmingham Academy – 25th April 2013
- Leeds Academy – 23rd April 2013
- Bournemouth Academy – 22nd April 2013
- London Brixton Academy – 20th April 2013
- London Brixton Academy – 19th April 2013
- Bristol Colston Hall – 17th April 2013
- Sheffield Academy – 16th April 2013
- Newcastle Academy – 15th April 2013
- Glasgow SECC – 13th April 2013
- Stirling Tolbooth – 12th April 2013
- Stockton Weekender – 5th August 2012
- Kendal Calling – 29th July 2012
- Margate Quex Park Sound Island Festival – 28th July 2012
- Athens Ejekt Festival – 27th June 2012
- Cheltenham Wychwood Festival – 9th June 2012
- Lisbon Rock In Rio Festival – 3rd June 2012
- Giffordtown Big Stooshie Festival – 6th May 2012
- Club Niceto, Buenos Aires, Argentina – 2nd May 2012
- Sao Paulo Cine Joia, Brazil – 30th April 2012
- Teatro Caupolican, Santiago, Chile – 28th April 2012
- Mexico City Arena Ciudad de Mexico – 26th April 2012
- Monterrey Arena – 25th April 2012
- Coachella Festival – 20th April 2012
- San Diego House Of Blues – 19th April 2012
- Tucson Rialto Theatre – 18th April 2012
- Tempe The Marquee – 16th April 2012
- Las Vegas Hard Rock Cafe – 15th April 2012
- Coachella Festival – 13th April 2012
- Los Angeles El Rey Theatre – 12th April 2012
- San Francisco Independent – 11th April 2012
- Portland Roseland Ballroom – 9th April 2012
- Seattle Neumos – 8th April 2012
- Vancouver Commodore Ballroom – 7th April 2012
The Gathering Sound (full promo)
Summary
Full set of promos of 3 x cd and 1 x dvd from The Gathering Sound box.
Track List
Rarities Disc: Willow / Say It With Flowers / Just Hipper / Mosquito / Left Out of Her Will / Doubts / Count Your Blessings / Weather Change / Pressure’s On / Jam 1 / Jam 2 / It’s a Fine Line / Hedex / Long To See / Scratch Card / I Thought You Were / All My Letters / Dust Motes
Live Disc: Folklore / Announcement / Burned / Hymn From a Village / Hang On / Maria’s Party / America / Sit Down / Sound / Honest Joe / Come Home / Johnny Yen / What For / Stutter / Fine / Bubbles / At The Seams
DVD – Come Home Live: Come Home / What’s the World / Whoops / Lose Control / Sunday Morning / Ring the Bells / Bring a Gun / Government Walls / Walking the Ghost / Next Lover / God Only Knows / What For / Sit Down / How Was It For You / Stutter
The Morning After The Night Before : It’s Hot / Crazy / Ten Below / Porcupine / Shine / Dr Hellier / Hero / Got The Shakes / Dust Motes / Tell Her I Said So / Kaleidoscope / Rabbit Hole / Make For This City / Lookaway / Fear
Details
Release Name: | The Gathering Sound (full promo) |
Artist Name: | |
Release Date: | 1st September 2012 |
Format: | Promo Box Set |
Catalogue: | n/a |
Four discs in foldout plastic sleeve with full tracklisting. Does not include tracks from the vinyl or the USB.
- 72 :2008
- Afro Lover :1999
- Alaskan Pipeline :2001
- All My Letters :2010
- America :1993
- Announcement :2012
- Arabic Agony :1994
- Are You Ready? :1988
- At The Seams :2012
- Basic Brian :1994
- Billy’s Shirts :1986
- Black Hole :1986
- Boom Boom :2008
- Born Of Frustration :1992
- Bottom Of The Well :1994
- Bring A Gun :1992
- Bubbles :2008
- Building A Fire :1994
- Burn The Cat :1994
- Burned :1989
- Chameleon :2007
- Charlie Dance :1988
- Come Home :1989
- Count Your Blessings :2012
- Crash :1999
- Crescendo :1990
- Dead Man :1994
- Destiny Calling :1998
- Don’t Wait That Long :1992
- Doubts :2012
- Dream Thrum :1993
- Dumb Jam :1999
- Dust Motes :2010
- DVV / Jam R – Beefheart Jam :1994
- English Beefcake :2001
- Everybody Knows :1993
- Fairground :1988
- Falling Down :2001
- Fear :2010
- Fine :2001
- Five-O :1993
- Folklore :1983
- Frequency Dip :1994
- Gaudi :2001
- Getting Away With It (All Messed Up) :2001
- Give It Away :2001
- God Only Knows :1990
- Gold Mother :1990
- Gospel Oak / Who Is Gospel Oak (rehearsal jam) :1994
- Got The Shakes :2010
- Government Walls :1990
- Gregory’s Town :2012
- Hammer Strings :1994
- Hang On :1990
- Heavens :1992
- Hedex :2012
- Hello :1999
- Hero :2010
- Hey Ma :2008
- Honest Joe / Jam Q :1994
- How Was It For You? :1990
- Hymn From A Village :1985
- I Know What I’m Here For :1999
- I Thought You Were :2012
- I Wanna Go Home :2008
- It’s A Fine Line / Jam P (Fabulous Melody But Unusual Bass) :2012
- It’s Hot :2010
- Jam 1 / Unknown Track 8 :2012
- Jam 2 / Chicken Goth / Never Forget :2012
- Jam J :1994
- Johnny Yen :1986
- Junkie :2001
- Just Hip :1986
- Just Like Fred Astaire :1999
- Justhipper :1986
- Kaleidoscope :2010
- Knuckle Too Far / Bruce Jam :1993
- Laid :1993
- Laughter :1994
- Lay The Law Down :1994
- Left Out Of Her Will :1988
- Live A Love Of Life :1992
- Long To See :1999
- Lookaway :2010
- Lose Control :1990
- Low Clouds :1994
- Low Low Low :1993
- Lullaby :1993
- Make For This City :2010
- Maria / Maria’s Party :1994
- Medieval :1988
- Mosquito :1988
- Mother :1992
- Next Lover :1992
- Not There :1988
- Oh My Heart :2008
- One Of The Three / You Were Born :1993
- Out To Get You :1990
- P.S. :1993
- Pleased To Meet You :2001
- Porcupine :2010
- Pressure’s On :1994
- Protect Me :1992
- Rabbit Hole :2010
- Rain Whistling :1994
- Really Hard :1986
- Rhythmic Dreams / Jam D (Rhythmic Dreams alt) :1994
- Riders :1988
- Ring The Bells / Ring Those Bells :1992
- Runaground :1998
- Say It With Flowers :2012
- Say Say Something :1994
- Say Something / Carousel :1993
- Sayonara :1994
- Scarecrow :1986
- Scratchcard :2012
- Semaphore :2008
- Senorita :2001
- Seven :1992
- Shooting My Mouth Off :1999
- Sit Down :1989
- Skindiving / Falsetto :1993
- Skullduggery :1986
- So Many Ways :1986
- Someone’s Got It In For Me :1999
- Sometimes (Lester Piggott) :1993
- Sound :1991
- Space :2001
- Strangers :1999
- Stripmining :1988
- Stutter :1983
- Summer Song :1986
- Sunday Morning (cover) :1990
- Surprise :1999
- Tell Her I Said So :2010
- The Shining :2001
- Tomorrow :1994
- Top Of The World :1990
- Upside :2008
- Vervaceous :1999
- Vulture :1988
- Walking The Ghost :1990
- Waterfall :2008
- We’re Going To Miss You :1999
- Weather Change :1990
- What For :1988
- What Is It Good For? :2001
- What’s The World :1983
- Whiteboy :2008
- Who Are You? :2007
- Whoops :1989
- Why So Close :1986
- Willow :2012
- Withdrawn :1986
- Ya Ho :1988
- You Can’t Tell How Much Suffering (On A Face That’s Always Smiling) :1990
- Promo: The Gathering Sound
Newcastle Academy – 6th April 2010
Setlist
Hang On / Hymn From A Village / It's Hot / Dr Hellier / Ring The Bells / Hup-Springs / Shine / Porcupine / Walking the Ghost / Ten Below / Destiny Calling / Crazy / Johnny Yen / God Only Knows / Tomorrow / Sound / Sit Down / Getting Away With It (All Messed Up) Sometimes / LaidSupport
Unkle BobMore Information & Reviews
None.
Edinburgh Corn Exchange – 5th April 2010
Setlist
Sit Down / Hang On / Hymn From A Village / It's Hot / Dr Hellier / Seven / Shine / Ten Below / Walking The Ghost / Lullaby / Stutter / Destiny Calling / Crazy / Hup-Springs / Johnny Yen / Tomorrow / Sound / Say Something / Getting Away With It (All Messed Up) / Sometimes / LaidSupport
Unkle BobMore Information & Reviews
The opening night of the Mirrorball tour, and without the benefit of a warm-up show to acquaint ourselves with the new songs from The Night Before in the live environment, there’s finally a sense of excitement once the long wait in the boiling hot Corn Exchange gets punctuated by Larry’s acoustic guitar. The lights go up at the back of the arena as the familiar opening strains to Sit Down start up, but it’s just Larry, Saul and Tim bathed in white light, starting the song on the raised wheelchair ramp area. Facing a boozed-up Bank Holiday crowd, it’s a genius start. The biggest hit, the best known song, but in a new way. After the first verse they make the journey down to the stage through the adoring crowd.
What happens next is unexpected. There’s been some curveballs to the past thrown in since the reformation, but resurrecting Hang On, a track ditched from the re-release of Gold Mother, to accommodate Sit Down, is one of the widest to date. Truth is of course is that most bands would kill for a song this good. Next is the strident, twenty-five plus year old Hymn From A Village, still as fresh and fraught as ever. As with the Hey Ma tours, leg one is clearly about James present with unexpected elements of the past. It’s great.
Two new songs follow. It’s Hot is stripped of a lot of the electronic background and as a result the start is a bit muted, but the guitars kick in and rescue the song, which focuses around Tim’s vocals as it reaches its climax. A different take on a new classic. Dr Hellier is a much straighter take on the album version, but doesn’t suffer as a consequence. What’s clear now is how much the band are focused and into this show, the excitement and the adrenalin of the new and not so familiar old is what has driven the reformation, and this setlist has both in spades. Seven is a case in point. Pretty much completely discarded in 1992 after the acoustic tours, it flits back in and out of the setlist (remember it opened the first Hoxton just over three years ago) but never fails to stand out, particularly as it gives Andy chance to roam the stage and puncture the air with the song’s trumpet calling card.
Shine is the best of the new songs tonight. It’s rocked up from the record and the climatic “when you’re gone, your songs outlive your story” build like all the great James live “classics”. Ten Below sees Andy on the “Bubbles drum pad” – what’s clear tonight is the joy the band are getting out of the new songs as well as those they haven’t played for decades.
A black cloth near the drums is removed to reveal a huge mirrorball with a glass platform over the top of it, which Tim climbs onto as the first bars of Walking The Ghost pierce the red-hot atmosphere in the venue. The mirrorball sparkles as Tim stands bolt-upright against a black and silver backdrop and orange lighting, almost touching the roof. Sensing there might be some unrest in parts of the crowd, Tim asks if it’s the Edinburgh crowd that’s come to listen to sophisticated songs or the Greatest Hits crowd. The roar says the latter, but to be fair, the crowd had responded wonderfully to the more obscure elements of the set. Tim promises the next song will be the last that might stretch them. Lullaby is as jaw-droppingly beautiful and aching as Walking The Ghost before it.
Tim comes down from the platform and tells the crowd he lied and that they’re going to play a really old song. Stutter just can’t be described adequately. It’s the best part of thirty years old, it’s never been released in studio form, and it’s one of the most tumultuous, ecstatic, absolutely bonkers live tracks. Saul goes from drums to banging Larry’s guitar with his sticks, Tim loses himself in the cacophony of noise the band creates and the lighting, whilst simple, just adds to the madness on stage.
Having indulged themselves and those of us who would die happy with this set, they throw in Destiny Calling, to the groans of the man stood next to me. His point that this was throwaway pop compared to what has gone before is possibly a valid one, but of that genre, it’s one of the best. The Edinburgh pogo society votes with their feet and arms and the temperature in the venue goes up many degrees.
Tim introduces Crazy as the new single and tells the crowd that they need to make it a hit. Mark’s electronics get slightly lost in the mix, but it sits proud and tall along most of the rest of James’ singles catalogue, despite Tim acknowledging to the front row at one point that he hasn’t quite nailed down all the words yet. But it’s James, that’s how they are. Get over it.
The biggest surprise of the evening is the inclusion of early b-side Hup-Springs. It is almost staccato, Tim almost chanting his way through the song as the band keep up the frenetic pace. Twenty years ago, performances like this made the “business” sit up and recognise James as the finest live band in the country. This, if anything, was more fierce and invigorating than that.
Having started with a bang, the run-in to the end of the set and the encore is a mini-Greatest Hits run-through, which leaves the crowd going out of the doors, happy, begging for more, and maybe forgetting that they might yet not be that keen on the songs in the middle that they haven’t had the chance to listen to and learn to love.
Johnny Yen is greeted as if it’s a number one single and has benefited from being put on the shelf for a while. Tomorrow reduces the front of the crowd to a heaving mass before the opening bars of Sound signal the end of the main set. Andy takes his place on the platform to blast out his trumpet, Saul, Jim and Larry converge and Tim loses himself completely in the music. There’s no extended outro tonight, which has a sense of relief as it is taken for granted by many that this is how it goes with the song and it’s good to see that they’re not afraid not to do it. The reception at the end is immense.
The encore starts with Say Something. Tim comes down to the barrier in a couple of places and stands on there only held up by fans and security as he balances and sings the song. It’s the one point of the night that feels like James-by-numbers. Other hits over time get new treatments but Say Something hasn’t. Not that most people actually care as they sing along to every word and jump and wave.
Getting Away With It has the crowd singing along before Tim even opens his mouth. It’s become an anthem as much as anything else in the set and there’s the first crowd-surfer of the night carried out.
Sometimes is introduced as the last song, and the end induces a singalong of the chorus at which point the band stop playing and just stand and watch and listen, Larry taking pictures. It’s inevitable now that this crowd isn’t going to go anywhere until they hear Laid, and it’s the long drawn-out trumpet-laden version that has the crowd from front to back of the venue going absolutely wild. It might have been an easy ending to throw in, but you cannot deny the power that it has, something that most of the big bands of today wish they could bottle and use because they can’t compete with this bunch of old-timers when they’re on this type of form.
So very little in terms of opening night nerves, some very pleasant surprises in the setlist, most of the new record (Porcupine surprisingly absent and Hero maybe needing more practice) and a set-list dreamed up by some form of genius that gives something for everyone – the die-hards get the old songs plucked from the back catalogue, the more casual fans get the fantastic opening, the hits laden ending and an opportunity to discover there’s more to James. And the band? Well they look they had an absolute whale of a time. Tim never seemed to stop beaming between songs, the looks on the faces of the seven at the end blown away by the response coming back from the crowd.
Rock n razzle.
Gold Mother (Simply Vinyl white label)
Summary
White label promo for heavy vinyl reissue in 2002
Track List
Come Home (Flood Mix) / Lose Control / Government Walls / God Only Knows / (You Can’t Tell) How Much Suffering (On A Face That’s Always Smiling) / How Was It For You? / Sit Down / Walking The Ghost / Gold Mother / Top Of The World
Details
Release Name: | Gold Mother (Simply Vinyl white label) |
Artist Name: | |
Release Date: | 1st January 2002 |
Format: | Promo Album |
Catalogue: | SVLP144 |
Test pressing of reissue of Gold Mother on heavy vinyl in 2002.
- Come Home :1989
- God Only Knows :1990
- Gold Mother :1990
- Government Walls :1990
- How Was It For You? :1990
- Lose Control :1990
- Sit Down :1989
- Top Of The World :1990
- Walking The Ghost :1990
- You Can’t Tell How Much Suffering (On A Face That’s Always Smiling) :1990
- Promo: Gold Mother
Newcastle Telewest Arena – 4th December 2001
Setlist
Say Something / Waltzing Along / Sometimes / Laid / I Know What I'm Here For / God Only Knows / Protect Me / Walking The Ghost / Hymn From A Village / Tomorrow / Space / Born of Frustration / Getting Away With It (All Messed Up) / Destiny Calling / Ring The Bells / Someone's Got It In For Me / Sound / Out To Get You / Sit DownSupport
Turin BrakesMore Information & Reviews
Johnny Yen
I finally arrived at the venue half an hour before James were due to take the stage, I missed most of Turin Brakes but from what I have heard of the band this is not a bad thing. The Telewest arena is a modern arena and not a bad venue apart from the little Hitlers running security.
I had read the reviews of the previous nights shows and wondered what tonight’s show would throw up.. Would Andy or Larry turn up, would they deviate from the usual “Best of” setlist by much. would they play any B-sides from their new B-sides album Ultra? I was anticipating a top show and knew James would not disappoint.
I was hoping they would kick off with Come Home, but not to be, they took the stage and almost straight away burst into Say Something, followed by Waltzing Along, Sometimes and Laid. A “Best of” start if I ever heard one, but I expected this and they did sound fantastic especially Sometimes. If these 4 tracks together did not get the crowd moving, nothing would, “I know what I’m here for” followed, although this is not one of my favourite James tracks it does sound good live, The crowd seemed to be enjoying it anyway.
A few of the crowd at the front were taking the mick out of Tim’s tea-cosy hat, He replied with “Are you questioning my fashion sense? Well it’s better than your shirt.”
God Only Knows took anybody old enough to remember the late 80s / early 90s shows on a time trip, The light show was amazing. The energy of the song sweeping around the arena like an elecrtic charge. Protect Me slowed things back down again.
For me the highlights of the night followed next, One thing I love about James is their ability to surprise, This was one such a moment. The opening haunting bars of Walking the Ghost struck up, I never expected this, and loved every minute of it. Gold Mother was the first James album I bought and the tracks from that era were what got me into them in the first place. A girl next to me was shouting for Hymn From a Village, It would be nice I said but I doubt it, as the words left my mouth they broke into it, I was in heaven. The last time I had heard this live was at Alton Towers. It still sounded as fresh as ever. Watching Saul, he seemed miles away playing for his life, Jim next to him just seemed to be enjoying the occasion and as relaxed as ever
Tomorrow dragged me back to my senses and Space even further. The crowd seemed a bit restless during Space probably because not many of them had heard it, although Getting Away With It got a good reception during this Pleased To Meet You mini phase. I was hoping they would play Fine but not to be… They finished the main set with Ring the Bells which got the crowd moving again.
This did not sound like a band on the verge of a major split. Tim’s leaving just left my mind as I was swept away with the evening till they decided to bring it back to me. They arrived for the first encore and Someone’s Got It In For Me. Tim’s singing was amazing, this was one of the best live songs I have ever heard, the emotion and power in Tim’s voice was incredible. While he was singing I thought how can a band this good not get the recognition it deserves and just disappear into the night, even if they get a new lead singer and or a new name they will not be the same band. An epic version of Sound followed which echoed that thought even further..
They came back on after a very short break and Out To Get You, the crowd were restless but patient, waiting for the inevitable Sit Down. It would have been funny if they had not played it to be honest, but probably cruel as half of the crowd seemed to wait all night for Sit Down alone.
Anyway just as they were about to break into it, Tim stopped proceedings, “Can’t we start this with a different intro?” he asked the band. They looked at him and each other for a few seconds, not seeming to know what to do. This was a surreal moment that seemed to last forever till Tim sang the first line himself with no music. Then the crowd joined in, then the band. This was the liveliest I had seen the crowd all night. The people in the seats even decided to move and it tied up the night nicely. It seemed to be over too quick and that was it – the band were gone.
On reflection this was a special gig for me. The Gold Mother tracks and Hymn From a Village made it something else. The crowd was not the wildest in the world but seemed happy enough. The setlist was mostly expected but the inclusion of certain unexpected tracks was a nice surprise. No Larry or Andy was a disappointment and I wished they had played Come Home or Top of the World but you can’t ask for everything can you?
I have been to many James gigs over the years and this was not the best I’ve seen but it was a great performance. The band were in good form and Tim’s voice exceptional and the fact they played Hymn From a Village made the ticket price worth it alone. It’s a shame that all good things must come to an end, and who can replace James as the best live act around? Your guess is as good as mine. No British groups come close. I am just glad I have seen them play live. Every gig I have seen has been unique and I have some fantastic memories of some very special nights.
Gold Mother (reissue CDR)
Summary
CDR promo of reissue of Gold Mother album including bonus tracks,
Track List
Come Home (Flood Mix) / Government Walls / Lose Control / God Only Knows / You Can’t Tell How Much Suffering (On A Face That’s Always Smiling) / How Was It For You? / Sit Down / Walking The Ghost / Gold Mother / Top Of The World / Hang On / Crescendo / Lose Control (live) / Sit Down (live) / Come Home (Weatherall Mix)
Details
Release Name: | Gold Mother (reissue CDR) |
Artist Name: | |
Release Date: | 1st December 2001 |
Format: | Promo Album |
Catalogue: | n/a |
CDR promo of reissue of Gold Mother album including bonus tracks.
- Come Home :1989
- Crescendo :1990
- God Only Knows :1990
- Gold Mother :1990
- Government Walls :1990
- Hang On :1990
- How Was It For You? :1990
- Lose Control :1990
- Sit Down :1989
- Top Of The World :1990
- Walking The Ghost :1990
- You Can’t Tell How Much Suffering (On A Face That’s Always Smiling) :1990
- Gold Mother 2001 CDR
New York Irving Plaza – 15th February 1994
Setlist
Sometimes / Heavens / Low Low Low / PS / Five-O / Come Home / Goalies Ball / Walking The Ghost / Skindiving / Lullaby / Laid / Say Something / Honest Joe / Sit Down / Protect Me / Chain Mail / Out To Get You / Born of Frustration / SoundSupport
n/aMore Information & Reviews
None.
Milwaukee Marcus Amphitheatre WOMAD – 12th September 1993
Setlist
Pressure's On / Sit Down / Sometimes / Honest Joe / Walking The Ghost / Ring The Bells / Laid / Born of Frustration / SoundSupport
n/aMore Information & Reviews
None.
Manchester Free Trade Hall – 17th December 1992
Setlist
Out To Get You / Ring The Bells / Seven / Come Home / Goalies Ball / Riders / Sit Down / Next Lover / How Much Suffering / Maria / Top Of The World / Walking The Ghost / Protect Me / What's The World / Sound / Johnny YenSupport
SpaceheadsMore Information & Reviews
Andy Spinoza, Manchester Evening News
James have been touring the world for three months, including supporting American giant Neil Young in the States, and as lead singer Tim Booth suggested, with some Yank inflexions in his voice, “he’s taught us how to play acoustically.”
Billed as an acoustic set, the term applies more to the style of music than a lack of electric amplification – classic James songs like Sit Down, Poison, Johnny Yen and Walking The Ghost gained from being stripped down to bare essentials, thought the quieter moments tended to be lost among the youthful audience, out for a pre-Christmas night of boistrous fun. Though without departed trumpeter Andy Diagram, the band – ranged in a line across the stage with the drummer far left – looked like a bunch of seasoned travellers returned home with stories to tell. These emerged in new songs which sounded terrific on first hearing, including a powerful hook in a song in a epic-sounding number about America.
Tim Booth’s voice, as ever, is the keynote of the live set, as strong and rich as ever, able to swoop across the fertile terrain of guitars, violin, and a variety of keyboard instruments.
Add to the formula a stunning layout of modern art and light images on three rectangular backdrops, and this was one of the most impressive gigs, from a band approaching their swollen stadium status with control and maturity, that I’ve seen this year.