Marsupialized wrote:

Bernardo wrote:I mean, listen to anything Duane did after the Lizard (Tomahawk´s material is all his, isn´t it), what does that tell you?

The last Tomahawk record with all the native American songs on it is awesome, it really is.

I tried that one, doesn´t work for me, I guess. I´m very much not into their whole choice of electronics / samples, too.

Fugazi wrote songs from the perspective of a regular, actual human being, covering a huge breadth of complex and occasionally conflicting feelings and emotions. It is fantastic self-determinism music, and very generous of spirit.

I cannot personally discern any content within the songs of The Jesus Lizard other than a sort of vague mush of mumbling, ineffectual misanthropy about nothing in particular.

Mark Prindle wrote:However, I saw Fugazi twice and they sucked both times! I hate to say that about a band I love so much, but live they just meandered and dragged songs out forever with these stupid jams and it was a real drag.

So if I were going by live shows, I guess I'd pick the Jesus Lizard because, predictable or not, at least they played all their great songs tight and showed respect for their audiences. Fugazi seemed more about doing what they wanted to do, which is great and well-earned and all but didn't make for the most exciting shows - at least the two that I attended.

I'm lucky enough to have seen both bands many times. I first saw Fugazi on the Repeater tour, and I first saw TJL opening for Sonic Youth.

I'd take a great Fugazi show over a great Jesus Lizard show, but I'd take an average Jesus Lizard show over an average Fugazi show.

I, for one, liked the "stupid jams" that "dragged songs out forever" when Fugazi played their older songs. "Promises" and "Suggestion" were far better (and far longer) live than on record. Same for "Two Beats Off" and "Shut the Door." Strangely, I never thought that other would consider those performances indulgent. It's a matter of personal taste, I guess.

The only real variable at a Jesus Lizard show was Yow. The rest of the band always played very well. They didn't deviate much (if any) from the recorded arrangements of the songs. Again, that's not in itself a good or a bad thing.

Hey it's Mark Prindle posting on the PRF. I have read your entire site about five times over the years. Thanks for the laughs.

Also, you are correct. The Argument is a great record.

Well thanks!

Yeah, I don't really understand why some people find "The Argument" to be a let-down. Just because it's not as explosive as their early records? I think it's tremendously creepy and pretty and smart and all those other things you'd like an album to be. But yeah, it doesn't "rock" or anything.

Marsupialized wrote:The last Tomahawk record with all the native American songs on it is awesome, it really is.

i've only heard the song "sun dance", but it was uncontestedly the worst song i heard in all of 2007. i even made other people listen to it all the way through just so we could bond over its awfulness. i mean, duane is still an interesting guitarist, but by enrolling in the mike patton school of songcraft, he is using is powers for evil. and not the good jesus lizard kind of evil.

Hey Mark,

This is Zach English, I wrote some reader review sections for your site, like, over ten years ago! All the way back in 1997 and 1998, back when you hadn't yet blown up. Congrats on all of the publicity and I'm glad the site is doing really well. I'm sorry that my reviews sucked so bad back then -- I was only fourteen/fifteen years old! But your reviews were instrumental in getting me interested in lots of cool music.

I remember you not liking Sonic Youth so much and I also remember that you were crazy about the Thinking Fellers and Pavement's "Wowee Zowee." Correct on the latter two topics, sir.

Zach English? You should work for MI5.

NerblyBear wrote:your reviews were instrumental in getting me interested in lots of cool music.

There's a bunch of great bands I might never have listened to without that site. These bands include Wire, who I love in the same way that I love having legs. Cheers, Mark!

And I pick Jesus Lizard. Mostly because Fugazi can be a little more earnest than I'm comfortable with, me being too cool and cynical to have 'feelings'.

big_dave wrote:Zach English? You should work for MI5.

I hope this is a secret spy agency. I was thinking the same thing if it is.