Standing Before King Everything

This was of course the kind of thing I would give my life for: Two nights in a row of Guided by Voices’ classic lineup in the two best places on Earth.

The first night at Los Angeles’ Wiltern Theater was a special occasion as I was joined not only by fellow GbV devotee Paul Igaz, but by two newcomer friends of ours (including a true Pollard). After a number of canned American macrobrews we were ready to head down the street for the show. Doors were at 7 that night and we arrived at almost 8:30. Missing Times New Viking was an unfortunate but doable sacrifice, but what was surprising was that had the schedule been followed to the T we would have missed some of Guided by Voices set. They started not much later, but as Uncle Bob and company entered the stage with “A Salty Salute,” we learned where out lateness was a mistake. Paul and my attempts to get closer were met with unpermissive security forced us into be the most enthusiastic fans in the middle sea of Hollywood poseurs.

However, as Mitch led us into “Shocker in Gloomtown,” the reassurance that we would have another chance the next night was enough to let it go. The band continued to lead us through all the classics from the obvious “I am A Scientist,” “Motor Away”) to the obscure (“My Impression Now”) with fantastic showmanship not only from the Fading Captain himself, but equally from cohorts Mitch Mitchell and the fantastically dressed Greg Demos. Staging hit its peak with the Tobin Sprout cuts – particularly the ones in which he was joined by Pollard and “Cut-Out Witch” (one of the few Under the Bushes Under the Sttars cuts played.) Bob hit us with all his classic moves – the windmills, the kicks, the hops, yet kept them in check to give his band the credit they deserve.

At San Francisco’s Warfield even more friends joined me after an invigorating drive across the Bay Bridge. This time Times New Viking confirmed their importance as one of today’s best bands leaving me, unlike the rest of my crowd speechless. They evoked not only their all-encompassing home state, but some of the cosmic power of Young Marble Giants with Beth Murphy reminding me of an awkward Chrissie Hynde and Adam Elliott as the greatest singer songwriter to sit behind a drum kit.

Then it really started. Was this show better than the one in LA? It is impossible to say, but what I can say is this: Being much closer to the stage surrounded by people who know every word to “Gleemer (the Deeds of Fertile Jim),” “Smothered in Hugs,” and the symphonic high of “Don’t Stop Now” one can only think of commercials for Christian rock compilations for comparison. You know, the ones where the massive audience throws their collective hands towards the sky in transcendent ecstasy. It was like that, but with a lot more motion in the body, a bit hard to stay on your feet, well, and beer, obviously. Likewise the new proximity to the stage allowed me to finally witness the legendary “crazy Kevin face” which was all its cracked up to be possibly due to, or perhaps despite the fact that Mr. Fennell had aged particularly well in spite of the worst substance abuse.

While the songs were the same, some things differed between the shows. Perhaps this was only due to the location of my party, but the SF show was much more male-dominated, yet despite all your outsider sneering had no apparent gay element to it. Obviously Guided by Voices, right? On a similar note, The Los Angeles show featured a long string of banter between Pollard and Mitchell on the topic of Los Angeles pussy, which I am sure was enjoyed by all single members of the group particularly Mitch. The Los Angeles show also featured a great rush to the stage on “Motor Away,” in which at least 30 people joined the band onstage to everyone’s delight. This was not repeated, but neither was Pollard’s improvisation on “Lethargy” which reminded us that no one in the band gives a fuck, so why should we?

With all the songs intact the band changed it up a little bit by switching from two encores into three, but both ended the same way. First a sing-along epic rendition of “Johnny Appleseed,” and the closer to end all closers “Weedking” in which Uncle Bob sends his fans home early with the right idea I am sure almost all of us followed.

That’s right you will be home early to give your own neighborhood a taste of the Monument Club where you can watch your newly initiated friends transform from child to Official Iron (Wo)Men. That’s all you’re getting. Gotta leave some surprises for you suckers on the East Coast.

But here’s one they certainly won’t be swinging in Boston: Mitch has maintained the cigarette with unfathomable constancy and at many point, so does Pollard.

When I Saw You There I Saw The Best Part of Me Was Yourself

As a true Official Iron Man, I would, of course consider Robert Pollard the greatest songwriter ever. Beyond that, I would say the other contributing member of GbV and father of their lo-fi sound Tobin Sprout is the second. Anyone who has fairly listened to their records Propeller through Under The Bushes Under The Stars need not question why. After all where would those albums be if not for classics like "Ester's Day," "A Good Flying Bird," "Little Whirl," "14 Cheerleader Coldfront," or "To Remake the Young Flyer" Slightly less deserving as the greatest records of all time, that's where. Well, here's an entire album of that kind of thing.

This album, release concurrently with Pollard's Not In My Air Force, the initial reaction to Sprout's now out-of-print album was more favorable than Pollard's unexpectedly experimental piece. This one fits in noticeably more with the prior three GbV releases than that album does. In fact, one of the most recent album's standout tracks, "It's Like Soul Man" is re-recorded here - actually with a more clean and professional recording. Luckily it's not even the best song as "My Beloved Martha" and "E's Navy Blue" manage to outdo that GbV masterpiece. that is not to say they are the only two. Really this album is as solid as most of GbV's LPs and to be frank, maybe even better than average. It is the perfect for anyone who ever wished for just a bit more of "You're Not An Airplane."


Tobin Sprout - Carnival Boy (1996)

Blasting Off To Jimmy's House!

All great things start somewhere. The greatest thing in Rock 'n' Roll started right here in 1987.

Well, maybe not since Guided by Voices did release an EP, Forever Since Breakfast prior, but this is the first whole album. Pollard started off his prolific career with a series of scarcely available (essential you had to know the band personally) albums, most of which are quite good - though obviously not up to the transcendent beauty of the later work. This really is a noble debut despite that Pollard and cohorts had not yet found their exact voice and at times the songs are noticeably (to the untrained ear) a little derivative. R.E.M. in particular is an undeniable influence, especially on the albums two best cuts "Hey, Hey, Spaceman," in which Pollard's vocals are unusually Stipe-esque and the DIY anthem of "Hank's Little Fingers." The whole album really does forshadow the band's whole career with exellence in songwriting and eccentricities such as the remarkably short lengths and stylistic splicing. Unlike some other early albums, this one even got some presence on the career-spanning best of with closer "Captain's Dead." Pollard's exploration into a more diverse oeuvre is even evident in the epic "Portrait Destroyed by Fire" and instrumental "Crux." The Lo-Fi art was only in its nascent stages here perhaps due to Tobin Sprout's temporary absence (he was living in Florida, but had already passed through the ranks), but considering the commonality of cheap recording by the time this was made widely available, that is negligible.

Do not be put off by the band's obscurity at the time of its release - this is just as worthy as any other GbV album and has enough classics to keep it in rotation. It is available only as part of Box. The question "What keeps Big Daddy happy?" is in reference to Jimmy Pollard's pet rooster on the cover (great story about the photo). It is the same line from "Don't Stop Now."


Guided By Voices - Devil Between My Toes (1987)

Selling Out Never Sounded So Good!

...but that is to admit that this album actually is a sell-out. Robert Pollards collaboration with Ric Ocasek actually works. Yeah, it's a more over-the-top sound than ever before - but GbV was always sort of over-the-top, right?

It's cleaner and there's a little more multi-tracking than usual, and a lot more keyboards, but it succeeds. Some may complain about how the band did not really do anything new, but who cares? It's Guided by Voices, arguably at their peak. I can see how it may have been off-putting in 1999, but knowing their improved-quality records of the present decade it does not seem out of place. Additionally, this album is the first of the true new loose incarnation of the lineup after the "Guided by Verde" era. In every way, really the band is not waning, despite some filler tracks. The big sound of "Teenage FBI," "Things I Will Keep," and "Wrecking Now" are some of their best songs. With 16 tracks there is no shortage of classics - even the much maligned "Hold On Hope," which was featured on Scrubs (not just any episode, but one featuring Brendan Fraser) is a great one despite what may be said in Hunting Accidents. The album also includes many songs on die-hard Official Iron Man Stephen Soderbergh's top tracks. Ocasek's production really lends to what could be added to GbV's sound and a lot of it reccurs in subsequent albums and Pollard's better solo work.

Bottom line: Despite what you may have heard about this record, it is great, and I think, perhaps a decent starting point for Guided By Voices.


Guided by Voices - Do The Collapse (1999)

Be Thankful Every Day

We all know that Robert Pollard is the god of Rock 'n' Roll. No person has understood what it's all about and is the second most prolific songwriter in the genre after R. Stevie Moore. Admittedly, he has not lived up to the work he has done with GbV as a solo artist, but this record is the closest he has come to it. That's a lot to say considering this is a double LP (one CD, but whatever, dead format.). Also, this is the first thing he put out after the demise of the greatest band of all time.

Synths are more prevalent than on any GbV release making his New Wave/postpunk and prog influences more apparent than ever. The lyrics never falter and stand up to the stuff he was writing even on Bee Thousand and Alien Lanes. The biggest difference is the song lengths. There is nothing like "Cigarette Tricks" on here with no song clocking in at under one minute. More epics. It is clear that Pollard's songwriter has gotten to the transcendent level here. He is re-inventing song structure rather than simply mastering it. He produces swirling arrangements that slowly build and build while going through complex changes, ultimately building to an orgasmic peak. This kind of structure is possible only with the unworldly understand of rock music that Pollard has. What comes to mind is Built to Spill's Keep It Like A Secret which showed that you could be epic in a mere four minutes. Pollard can get a bona fide epic into a mere 2 1/2 minutes. Any GbV fan would know he is capable of that and here it is. The best tracks are "Dancing Girls and Dancing Men." "U.S. Mustard Company," and "Light Show," but let's be serious here, this is Bob Pollard.

I think comedic genius and former member of Superchunk Jon Wurster plays on this, but I am not sure.

For strong lions only.


Robert Pollard - From a Compound Eye (2006)

Here's some pics I took when I saw Bob with Boston Spaceships here (in Boston) at the Paradise Rock Club this fall with my buds Alex Halatsis and Brock Ginther. Needless to say that was a great show. I still have the empty bottle of Miller Lite that Pollard handed me during the all-GbV encore. I also got a swig or two of his tequila.:


Bob in top form


The Keene Brothers as they are known.

I have more, but why overload? That night Pollard put it all best when he said, "This is how you have a great rock band - you gotta be drunk and tight! It's really hard. Drunk and tight. Now I'm not advocating the abuse of alcohol...

...but yes I am!"