They are a stupendously good band
Utterly original and completely deranged. There's a superb DVD of them that really gives the flavour of what they were about.

CLUE: absolutely SHIT-LOADS of LSD.

Gibby Haynes is a unique man. Love them.
( Monty Boyce, My cheese game is strong, Wed 13 Jan 2010, 10:52, 1 reply, 16 years ago)

This sounds more intriguing
After hearing the name and reading a couple of less than flattering reviews, I'd written them off as just another snotty american punk band. Shows what I know, eh?
(LongJohnBaldry, Wed 13 Jan 2010, 10:58, Reply)

It's not easy listening but well worth sticking at.
Genuinely experimental - I can't think of another band that they sound remotely like. Part of this is due to their technical incompetence but that very lack of traditional skill makes for some really weird music that technical session musicians could never make no matter how hard they tried.
( Monty Boyce, My cheese game is strong, Wed 13 Jan 2010, 11:05, Reply)

Hahahahaha!
Have you any idea how bollox that statement is?
( girlinthehole, Wed 13 Jan 2010, 11:07, Reply)

is the answer 'not in the slightest'?
I'm of medium ability on the guitar and trying to work out what the fuck they're doing on their records is completely beyond me.
( Monty Boyce, My cheese game is strong, Wed 13 Jan 2010, 11:08, Reply)

we should totally get mashed and jam
I reckon we could create some outrageously awesome noise
( Vipros. clever got me this far, then tricky got me in, Wed 13 Jan 2010, 11:12, Reply)

Don't forget
Scouse Patsy on BVs ;)
( Roota zweeeeeoooooowm, Wed 13 Jan 2010, 11:12, Reply)

as if I could!

( Vipros. clever got me this far, then tricky got me in, Wed 13 Jan 2010, 11:17, Reply)

*yodels*

( Roota zweeeeeoooooowm, Wed 13 Jan 2010, 11:18, Reply)

I agree. It would be excellent.
Maybe I'll head west sometime and annoy you in your natural habitat...
( Monty Boyce, My cheese game is strong, Wed 13 Jan 2010, 11:25, Reply)

that'd be the best plan
that way we would have access to my full compliment of instruments and amps.

you could guest on the red squirrel / grey squirrel scenario part 2
( Vipros. clever got me this far, then tricky got me in, Wed 13 Jan 2010, 11:27, Reply)

I would be honoured.

( Monty Boyce, My cheese game is strong, Wed 13 Jan 2010, 11:30, Reply)

it rocks quite a lot more than the other one
so far at least. and it has a good industrial metal / drum and bass bit going on
( Vipros. clever got me this far, then tricky got me in, Wed 13 Jan 2010, 11:33, Reply)

Sounds splendid

( Monty Boyce, My cheese game is strong, Wed 13 Jan 2010, 11:41, Reply)

I think it's down to the way it's worded
I can see what you're getting at, viz, trained session musicians would have learnt all the standard "rules" of music and therefore that kind of thing wouldn't have come to them naturally.

But Blousey's got a point - I do remember one of those "backing singers" from The Human League being interviewed about her vocal on their one hit, where she manages to come out with "the best singers don't always have the great voices." Seriously. Without a hint of irony.
(LongJohnBaldry, Wed 13 Jan 2010, 11:13, Reply)

Great vocalists are not always great singers....
...would be a truer statement.

And for that matter great singers are not always great vocalists.

(My paradox glands hurt.)
(Tugnut Ex of this parish, Wed 13 Jan 2010, 11:56, Reply)

It would.
John Lee Hooker is testament to that. Amazing voice, but would be advised against trying anything technically challenging.

Tom Waits is a more contentious one: very capable singer who chose to rough up his voice and sing like a drunkard, I'd say, but many might disagree.
(LongJohnBaldry, Wed 13 Jan 2010, 12:17, Reply)

Isn't technical incompitance just another way of saying they can't play their instruments?
Or do they not play their instruments well in such a way that makes them unique?
( girlinthehole, Wed 13 Jan 2010, 11:13, Reply)

lack of technical skill doesn't necessarily translate to not being able to play
Hendrix wasn't a technical player by any means. whereas someone like Dave Gilmour is all about precision and technicality. both great guitarists (shut up monty) in completely different ways
( Vipros. clever got me this far, then tricky got me in, Wed 13 Jan 2010, 11:17, Reply)

I get your point now.

( girlinthehole, Wed 13 Jan 2010, 11:21, Reply)

Gilmour is an excellent guitarist
and a perfect example to make your point.
( Monty Boyce, My cheese game is strong, Wed 13 Jan 2010, 11:29, Reply)

I was going to suggest Joe Satriani or Steve Vai
but thought I'd better go with someone who people are likely to have heard of. Plus, I fucking love Dave Gilmour's style.
( Vipros. clever got me this far, then tricky got me in, Wed 13 Jan 2010, 11:32, Reply)

He's the best thing about that band post Barrett
He also did amazing things to help Barrett out when he lost it - a really good unselfish human being.


Waters, however....
( Monty Boyce, My cheese game is strong, Wed 13 Jan 2010, 11:37, Reply)

I need to read a biog of him really
sure it would be interesting

waters is a tool of the first order
( Vipros. clever got me this far, then tricky got me in, Wed 13 Jan 2010, 11:43, Reply)

And he was instrumental
in launching the career of sultry songstress, Kate Bush.
(Cancer Joy was short lived, Wed 13 Jan 2010, 11:47, Reply)

if you made them sit a music exam they would fail utterly
but similarly a technically skilled musician would have the so-called 'rules and regulations' of music so ingrained in them that they would find replicating that style as impossible as the Buttholes would in trying to pass an exam.
( Monty Boyce, My cheese game is strong, Wed 13 Jan 2010, 11:22, Reply)