Isabelle Gall wrote:Whatever, it genuinely aggravates the piss out of me to see such a wonderful and intelligent group of people endlessly venerating this band en masse.

What group of people is this?

Since 1976 or so, I've seen a lot of bands. Really, a lot. Like, more than anybody reading this. If anybody reading this gets three of his most-band-seeingest acquaintances together, I've probably seen more bands than all of them put together. That's a lot of goddamn bands I've seen. And good ones in their prime too, like the Birthday Party, Cramps, Husker Du, Die Kreuzen, Naked Raygun, the Butthole Surfers, Cheap Trick, Killdozer, the Wipers, Gang of Four, Einstrxldpzx Neubxtlplzx, Test Department, PiL, Kraftwerk... A lot of goddamn good bands.

The Jesus Lizard at their peak were the best band I've ever seen. No band personified the racket in my head better. No front man better encapsulated the often simultaneous comedy and madness of being aware of one's condition.

If that's not your thing, okay, but they were incredible and I miss them.

steve wrote:Since 1976 or so, I've seen a lot of bands. Really, a lot. Like, more than anybody reading this. If anybody reading this gets three of his most-band-seeingest acquaintances together, I've probably seen more bands than all of them put together. That's a lot of goddamn bands I've seen. And good ones in their prime too, like the Birthday Party, Cramps, Husker Du, Die Kreuzen, Naked Raygun, the Butthole Surfers, Cheap Trick, Killdozer, the Wipers, Gang of Four, Einstrxldpzx Neubxtlplzx, Test Department, PiL, Kraftwerk... A lot of goddamn good bands.

When and where did you see The Birthday Party? Did they ever come to the states?

steve wrote:Since 1976 or so, I've seen a lot of bands... Einstrxldpzx Neubxtlplzx, Test Department...

If you don't mind me asking, how were Einsturzende Neubauten live? I've wanted to see them since I was 12.

Brett Eugene Ralph wrote:When and where did you see The Birthday Party? Did they ever come to the states?

They played Chicago in 1981 and 1982, Once at COD or Space Place (which I missed) and once at Tuts, which I saw and was incredible.

Skronk wrote:If you don't mind me asking, how were Einsturzende Neubauten live? I've wanted to see them since I was 12.

They were pretty exciting in 1984 or whenever it was I saw them. They about set the old Exit on fire. The sound was fantastic (they were still using actual machinery and metal, not samples) and it was one of a very few shows I've seen where people were actually frightened by what happened on stage. Real good.

steve wrote:

Skronk wrote:If you don't mind me asking, how were Einsturzende Neubauten live? I've wanted to see them since I was 12.

They were pretty exciting in 1984 or whenever it was I saw them.

Einstürzende Neubauten and especially Blixa Bargeld have shown what happens when you take this "artist" thing too seriously: you start taking yourself too seriously. As a consequence, you become what the EA community calls a "douchebag". Your former impressive output becomes something that fits into the Goethe Institutes of this world: arty-farty-crap.

Oh...wait...this isn´t an Einstürzende Neubauten thread...

The Jesus Lizard were the greatest band ever. No matter how lame "Blue" was... they are the only band that I really have the dream about they could reunite...

I really can't think of another punk rock band that featured three musicians as talented as Sims, McNeilly and Denison were. I grew up on the Misfits and Black Flag, and when I heard the Jesus Lizard, it was like being introduced to a whole 'nother phenomenon altogether. These are gentlemen who understood very well how to play their instruments; after all, Duane hasa degree in classical guitar. All of the volume and intensity of punk, but with the musicianship of jazz and classical music. The only other bands I could say this about are the Minutemen and Television.

I love how Duane threw in these beautiful little guitar breaks, like that lilting section in the middle of "Lady Shoes" and those adagio-like, mournful arpeggios in "Bloody Mary". Outstanding guitar player. He reminds me very much of the early Paul Leary, who also hid beautiful melodies within a screeching roar of noise. Duane was also a mean slide guitarist; check out "Zachariah" and "Nub".

I once met a guy who learned how to play the acoustic guitar solely so that he could play Duane's material on it.

Also, Yow's lyrics are basically genius. He uses Biblical imagery only to pervert it with crass sexual jokes and stories of sadistic brutality. That's what growing up in Texas will do.

kerble wrote:

Sly Bug wrote:How could 5 people vote crap?

TJL was the second best band on earth, just after Shellac.

I'm sorry, Sylvain, but this is just bullshit.

shellac is absolutely nowhere near how good Jesus Lizard were live. never have been. Not once in the nine times I've sat through shellac have they even come within sniffing distance of the worst Jesus Lizard show I've seen.

now Brainiac on the other hand.....

Hey Faiz!
I have never seen The Jesus Lizard live. I only watched videos on youtube. I wouldn't doubt your word. I have most of their albums but I still prefer Shellac's records.

Am i the only person who sort of likes 'Down'?

I mean, there are songs on that album that I really can't stand, a good amount of them. However, when they are ON on that album, they are the most, i don't know, "advanced" band I think I've ever heard.

I've yet to hear another band go farther than they did, at their best, on 'Down.'