Themes For Grind

[withahip]

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00000 ... e=&seller=

Ok, I am sure Red and Mr. Bri know about this, maybe some others - but this is news to me. And I want it. Would be willing to buy a new turntable, too. Will solo album from way back.


Track Listings
1. Scene I
2. Scene II
3. Scene III
4. Scene IV
5. Scene V
6. Scene VI
7. Scene VII
8. Scene VIII
9. Scene IX
10. Scene X
11. Favourite Branches

[withahip]

Is it worth 50 bucks?

[Mr.Sparkle]

Is it worth 50 bucks?

Oh yeah, this is probably one of the most underrated and under appreciated albums of the last 30 years. Although I'm not sure if underrated is the right word since most people don't even know it exists.

I'd love to get a vinyl version of it, but $50 is pretty high. It all depends on how much you want it, and vinyl is definitely different than digital.

[withahip]

Oh yeah, this is probably one of the most underrated and under appreciated albums of the last 30 years. Although I'm not sure if underrated is the right word since most people don't even know it exists.

I'd love to get a vinyl version of it, but $50 is pretty high. It all depends on how much you want it, and vinyl is definitely different than digital.

50 for a brand new cd- and I loved Curvature.

I will get it. When, I dunno. Bu it is definite.

Mr. Sparkle - let's hear a review of it from you.

[Mr. Brian]

I had this on vinyl once but an ex girlfriend made off with it. I'm still pissed about it. I have the CD reissue. I don't know if it's worth 50 bucks but I like it fine. Way ahead of it's time for 1982 but not like Curvature at all. This is much more atmospheric as I recall whereas Curvature had proper chord changes and all, as Will has said. I have not listened to it in ages. You have to be in a certain mood for this.

You can get it on LP on eBay for 12 bucks or on gemm.com for 15 or 16 bucks. I couldn't get the url to post here right, just do a search for Will Sergeant. Not sre why the CD is going for so much, maybe it is rarer but I would think the LP would be the one going for that price.

[Red]

there are 2 cd versions......one on spiFFing...and one on Ninety-Two Happy Customers. (that's the one you want, it's Will's own label.) i have both.

i can't remember if i have the vinyl.

i like it, but as i have always said, i like anything solo that Will does. i like weird stuff. it's weird. (experimental is probably the more proper term)

speaking of Will's solo stuff, i've been playing Space Age Freak Out in my car for the last 3 days!

[Red]

i dunno why those cds on Amazon are so much. they're the spiFFing ones. i think the 92 happy customer ones would be more valuable. (they do seem to be more rare) i had the spiFFing one first, and Will told me i needed the 92 happy customer one!

here's someone's review: (for those who didn't go to amazon)

Insanely brilliant, May 15, 2004
By Doc Doom "Vic" (Latveria) - See all my reviews

It's no wonder this album sort of fell off the face of the earth, since it's such a weird offering, in more ways than one.
Musically, it's an odd one, because it's not the sort of music that fits into any genre. I don't mean in the pretentious, "Niravna wasn't REALLY grunge and it wasn't REALLY Nu-Metal" sort of rhetoric crap. I mean it doesn't fit anywhere, sort of like Fred Durst in a social situation (ka-zing). It's not New Age, because it's not spiritual or intentionally relaxing. Also, it doesn't tick me off, as New Age music innately tends to.

The closest you can come it instrumental, because what it REALLY is happens to be something it actually isn't. Doesn't make sense? It's a SOUNDTRACK. To a movie that doesn't exist. Will's target statement is stated clearly in the liner notes. "Grind is a film character without a film." Each track is a different "Scene", has different tone, but falls within the same spectrum of sound as the others. For instance, John Williams on Star Wars: the Imperial Death March sounded imposing and loud, the Main Titles are sweeping and grand, the tender moments bewteen characters are subtle and sweetly inflected, but the whole style is operatic. Simliarly, "Themes for Grind" is haunting. If there was a film for this, it would probably be a very dark, film-noir-ish offering, with many moments of silence from the character. I glean this just from listening.

It's also weird in that, for master-guitarist Will Sergeant, there's no face-melting licks, no solos, no hooks, no guitar to speak of. A risk move, but it illustrates Will's creativity and his heavy contirbution to Echo and the Bunnymen. Like Mac with his superlative vocals, I always consider Will to be top of the department in guitar playing, right up there with Jimi and Keef (though a markedly different sort of badassness). I wondered what a solo guitar album would be for Will and thought this might be it. Still, interesting.

Is this album worth your time? Well, sort of like that old adage, the one that goes "You don't have to be crazy to work here, but it helps!" (HAHAHAHA! SO FUNNY!), you don't HAVE to be a Bunnyman fan to enjoy this, but it helps. There are 3 reasons to buy this:

1. If you're a completist and like the Bunnymen. Do the math. Don't forget Mac's solo work too!

2. If you want a completely unique album.

3.If you want some decent background music.

Sadly, if you're only a music dabbler, this isn't for you and isn't worth your time seeking out. Pick up the Jet album instead, or the FIght Club soundtrack, if you really want something instrumental. It's sad to see such promising album phase out of existence when I have to put up with the dreck on the radio nowadays (Even the "Classic Rock" station here plays Tesla and crappy upstart local bands which hurt my head. They're "Classic Rock" because they play a Rolling Stones/Led Zeppelin/ACDC song once a day and then pound you with 23 hours of shock-jocks and purile music. I'm sorry, I digressed.).

What would I like to see done with this album? Honestly, as a tribute to the unique nature of the music, I think it would be completely (and insanely) awesome to see a movie written for the music, sort of a backwards imagining of the movie making process. It will never happen, but one can dream. Perhaps Bunnymen.com could offer a contest or something about making a student film with the soundtrack. More likely, it'll just fade away under the tide of Drowning Pool and their ilk.

~~

and another review:

unforgettable, August 5, 1999
By A Customer

Amazing sidetrip by Echo and the Bunnymen's Will Sergeant. As an owner of an original vinyl copy, I could not believe my ears after hearing the brilliantly upgraded CD edition which contains a bonus track. The members of band PAVEMENT listed this recording as one of their all time favorites and so do I.

[Mr. Brian]

ps - you can buy it on amazon too....

http://www.amazon.com/Themes-Grind-Will ... B00000595P

but those are the spiFFing ones, tho.
(i had that one first, and Will told me i should have the other one.)
[i notice no one has that one for sale tho...]

I don't think there is any difference between the spiFFing and 92 happy customers ones as far as tracks is there? Isn't the 92 happy customers one distributed through Ochre for the UK and the spiFFing one was for the US release? They are both with the double cardboard sleeve too correct?

I have not been able to find a 92 happy customers one online for sale either (that's the one I have), just the spiFFing one.

[Red]

I don't think there is any difference between the spiFFing and 92 happy customers ones as far as tracks is there? Isn't the 92 happy customers one distributed through Ochre for the UK and the spiFFing one was for the US release? I have not been able to find a 92 happy customers one online for sale either (that's the one I have), just the spiFFing one.

heh.....you quoted my post before i changed it.

i'm looking at them both...

the 92 happy customer one doesn't have a track listing.
(but it does say that it includes 'favourite branches')

the major difference is the packaging. they're totally different. one cd has little sad faces all over it with no writing whatsoever, the other has the building from the cover on it.

the spiFFing one has a liner note page, written by Bill Butt. at the end it says: Grind is a film charactor without a film. Fucking sad really.

[Mr. Brian]

heh.....you quoted my post before i changed it.

i'm looking at them both...

the 92 happy customer one doesn't have a track listing.
(but it does say that it includes 'favourite branches')

the major difference is the packaging. they're totally different. one cd has little sad faces all over it with no writing whatsoever, the other has the building from the cover on it.

the spiFFing one has a liner note page, written by Bill Butt. at the end it says: Grind is a film charactor without a film. Fucking sad really.

The Ninety-Two one has a sad face character on the sleeve and the disc, is that the sad face on the actual spiFFing disc?

Thanks for all this by the way, I'm updating this entry in the discography

[Red]

Isn't the 92 happy customers one distributed through Ochre for the UK and the spiFFing one was for the US release? They are both with the double cardboard sleeve too correct?

sorry, missed reading part of that.

no, the spiFFing one does not have the double cardboard sleeve. it's a jewel case. (with the liner note page as the front cover)

where did you get yours? because the 92 happy customer one isn't on the Ochre website. yes, i know it's out of print, but everything they've ever released is still on the website, even if it's not available, it just says 'deleted' after it. (it looks like their quality of packaging, tho!) i got mine directly from Will, so i never knew where it was released from. the spiFFing one isn't on the website either.....only the remix 12 inch.

[Red]

The Ninety-Two one has a sad face character on the sleeve and the disc, is that the sad face on the actual spiFFing disc?

yeah, that exact little sad face...it's on the back of the cd sleeve, inside the liner note page (only much bigger) and all over the spiFFing disc...(i don't think there are 92 of them tho.... )

and you're welcome.

i can scan them for you, if you wish? (in fact, i'm sure i promised you some other scans a while back.....damn if i can remember what they were. (too busy lately) but one of these days i will check out your discography again and see what you're missing.

[Mr. Brian]

sorry, missed reading part of that.

no, the spiFFing one does not have the double cardboard sleeve. it's a jewel case. (with the liner not page as the front cover)

where did you get yours? because the 92 happy customer one isn't on the Ochre website. yes, i know it's out of print, but everything they've ever released is still on the website, even if it's not available, it just says 'deleted' after it. (it looks like their quality of packaging, tho!) i got mine directly from Will, so i never knew where it was released from. the spiFFing one isn't on the website either.....only the remix 12 inch.

I must have ordered it through Ochre. I don't remember. I'm not sure where else I would have bought it. I know that Chris Adam's book says it was released by spiFFing and Ochre.

[Mr. Brian]

yeah, that exact little sad face...it's on the back of the cd sleeve, inside the liner note page (only much bigger) and all over the spiFFing disc...(i don't think there are 92 of them tho.... )

and you're welcome.

i can scan them for you, if you wish? (in fact, i'm sure i promised you some other scans a while back.....damn if i can remember what they were. (too busy lately) but one of these days i will check out your discography again and see what you're missing.

Scans would be great!

[Mr. Brian]

It is listed here as an Ochre release