Interesting points Bob. I never thought that Green would tread the boards
again. But then I got this from a Vic Goddard news letter tonight (The
Bitter Springs are a sometime Vic backup band):
"BITTER SPRINGS
The new springs lp THAT SENTIMENTAL SLUSH (and very good it sounds too)
Release date is Monday February the 13th
Harvey records through cargo distribution,catalogue number Harvey CD001
GIG
Brixton Windmill on Saturday 7th of Jan
with support from .....oddly enough Geen from Scritti Politti's new band
Double G & The Traitorous 3"

Wow!! I think I may have to make the trekdown to Brixton for thisne.
Tried googling the ban name, but it only came up with this gig!!

Andrew T


>From: Bobeira G <rcgaulke@...>
>Reply-To: Scrittipolitti@yahoogroups.com
>To: Scrittipolitti@yahoogroups.com
>Subject: [Scrittipolitti] A Few Points
>Date: Fri, 30 Dec 2005 22:25:42 -0800 (PST)
>
>Hi Richard,
>
>A few thoughts come to mind...
>
>1. A&B was probably Green's last shot on a major
>label.
>
>Looking back, it was amazing it was made at all. I
>think the biggest reason it tanked was Virgin America,
>which probably had no knowledge/interest in the
>record. It would have been a no-brainer for them to
>market the album through hip-hop channels, as
>Mos-Def's star was in ascendancy at the time. Instead,
>the album appeared in 1 dollar bins across the States
>with a sticker on it saying something like, "Hey!
>Remember those New Wave Guys who wrote Perfect Way?".
>
>2. I doubt the "Early" compilation sold more than a
>few thousand, worldwide.
>
>There is no reason to think any future Green product
>will do any better as it has been more than 20 years
>since Green had a hit.
>
>How many Britons under 30 know what a Scritti Politti
>is?
>
>Geoff Travis probably has an advertising budget
>smaller than my bank account. If the new album sounds
>like the new track, it will not interest many people
>outside of this list. A Mojo article and some
>interviews might add a few thousand to his sales, but
>will not expand his fanbase significantly.
>
>3. Green has a few options left.
>
>A. Negotiate a greatest hits package with Virgin. He
>hasn't done this yet, probably a good idea he hasn't.
>He'll want to call it "Late", but they will insist on
>calling it "Greatest Hits". He could license a track
>and make some money as well.
>
>B. Play Live. Pharmaceuticals have come a long way in
>20 years. Perhaps there's now a pill for stage fright.
> Playing live is still the only way to build a fan
>base. His work can be admired by Paul McCartney, he
>can number Joni Mitchell amongst his acquaintances, he
>can disparage the work of Elvis Costello, but these
>artists have all stayed in the public's mind because
>they have stayed on the road.
>
>Even if the album is just middling, songs come to life
>when you play them and arrange them with other
>musicians.
>
>C. Retire. How many other songwriters of his
>generation are still going? How many still have hits?
>How many do you care about? Not many. The
>Anglo-American music system is dying and I'm happy as
>it has not nurtured any significant new talent in the
>last two decades. Green will be in his mid 50's if he
>puts out another record. Who will buy it?
>
>Well, many other things could happen. Technology is
>always creating new things. He could fall in love hard
>and gain a lot of new inspiration. Who knows? Fingers
>still crossed.
>
>Bob G
>
>--- Richard Wallis <rjwallis__@...> wrote:
>
> > Thanks to all who discovered this and made it
> > available. When Green
> > talked in 1991 about the stuff he'd been demoing in
> > his cottage this
> > is the sort of thing I might have expected. After
> > the 'no-synths'
> > policy of A+B (which is probably my favourite of his
> > 4 albums) it's
> > a bit of a surprise. I think you make a really good
> > point, Bob - I'm
> > also a bit worried about Green playing everything
> > (even though I do
> > love his guitar-playing). He's always been so great
> > at getting the
> > best out of other musicians. I know he no longer has
> > a major label
> > behind him but surely it can't just be a financial
> > decision. Maybe
> > he just wanted to find a less stressful way to make
> > a record.
> >
> > I wonder if this is the finished version. The main
> > melody sounds OK
> > if a bit pedestrian punctuated by a brilliant
> > passage "To the beat,
> > to the beat, to the beat..." Then, towards the end,
> > it's like an
> > Andy Partridge (XTC) melody has been grafted on
> > "I'll wait til
> > December, baby". In fact it sounds so like him I
> > wouldn't be shocked
> > if it turned out he co-wrote it!
> >
> > I can't imagine that this won't be a 'decent' album
> > - I'm just
> > thrilled to hear from him again.
> >
> > Richard
> >
> > --- In Scrittipolitti@yahoogroups.com, Bobeira G
> > <rcgaulke@y...>
> > wrote:
> > >
> > > Hi John,
> > >
> > > Thanks for posting the song. What did you think of
> > it?
> > >
> > > I am probably in a minority on this list in
> > thinking
> > > "A&B" as one of Green's best.
> > >
> > > In this new song, he seems pretty depressed
> > actually;
> > > there seemed to be a bit of depression creeping
> > into
> > > his last album.
> > >
> > > Also, he is recycling the nursery rhyme bit,
> > something
> > > he did on "Sugar & Spice".
> > >
> > > My worry is that since he is playing all the
> > > instruments himself, the music will be dull. He is
> > a
> > > fantastic songwriter, but I don't think he would
> > claim
> > > to be a skilled musician.
> > >
> > > There is a temptation with all the new technology
> > for
> > > artists to do everything themselves. I think they
> > like
> > > the feeling of control it gives them.
> > >
> > > Have you tried Garageband? It's pretty easy to
> > make
> > > something yourself, in fact, the BBC did a piece
> > on
> > > their website recently about how most people are
> > now
> > > trying to make their own a/v entertainment. I
> > think
> > > it's basically a good thing, but it creates a
> > dilemma
> > > for an artist like Green; he has make the meal we
> > > can't make at home.
> > >
> > > To me, the new scritti song sounds like a demo.
> > >
> > > Let's hope he's got some new tricks up his sleeve.
> > >
> > > Happy New Years,
> > >
> > > Bob G
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor
> >
> >
> > : : : :Green is the word, he's the word that you
> > heard, he's got groove he's got meaning: : : :
> > Yahoo! Groups Links
> >
> >
> > Scrittipolitti-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
>
>
>
>
>
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