[Music] The The

[Herr Tubthumper]

I bought some tickets to see them next month and have started listening to their back catalogue again. I have discussed a few specific songs on this site, @Weststander may remember, but thought I'd broaden this out. I have been concentrating on Soul Mining, Infected, Mind Bomb and Dusk.....and in short I had forgotten what a great band (if they can be called a band as it's mainly one guy Matt Johnson) they were/are. One of the those rare bands where their albums lack any filler, cross a few musical boundaries, push a few others and do not always follow standards yet are still hook laden. They also still sound vitally fresh 40 to 30 years on.

I was late to this party, and only heard Soul Mining for the first time in 1990 when I was driving across the US as a backpacking student and a girl I shared the car with had this on cassette.

 

[Cheeky Monkey]

Didn't realise they were touring. Soul Mining is a classic, the Infected film fantastic. A friend who saw them back in the late 90s said Matt Johnson's voice wasn't great live, but here's hoping.

 

[Guinness Boy]

Simply one of my favourite acts ever. Ever.

Listen to Mindbomb and he could be talking about today. It was recorded 35 years ago. Or take Jools' piano solo on Uncertain Smile. One of the greatest parts of a piece of music I know.

My greatest achievement is to get my son into them just from playing some tracks on Sunday cooking playlists. He actually interrupted me to ask who they were. After I told him I described them as 'meaningful and depressing lyrics with a tune that the postman can whistle'.

 

[hans kraay fan club]

Another fan here.

As ever, anything Jonny Marr touches, is always going to be worth paying attention to.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

Simply one of my favourite acts ever. Ever.

Listen to Mindbomb and he could be talking about today. It was recorded 35 years ago. Or take Jools' piano solo on Uncertain Smile. One of the greatest parts of a piece of music I know.

My greatest achievement is to get my son into them just from playing some tracks on Sunday cooking playlists. He actually interrupted me to ask who they were. After I told him I described them as 'meaningful and depressing lyrics with a tune that the postman can whistle'.

This is a great way of putting it.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

Didn't realise they were touring. Soul Mining is a classic, the Infected film fantastic. A friend who saw them back in the late 90s said Matt Johnson's voice wasn't great live, but here's hoping.

His voice has had a long rest so hopefully it's a bit better, I'll report back.

 

[GrossTurn]

For ages I only really knew Soul Mining but then gave Infected a go (incidentally while on holiday in Seville, so it immediately takes me back there whenever I listen), and realised it features as many belting tracks as the former, if not more.

This being my favourite:

 

[hans kraay fan club]

Listen to Mindbomb and he could be talking about today. It was recorded 35 years ago.

Really?

You think referring to TODAY's youth as being "reared on a diet, of prejudice and misinformation" would be valid?

Surely not!

 

[Weststander]

I'll never forget first hearing Uncertain Smile, an older brother introduced me to it. Magical, very unique vocals and lyrics. Matt Johnson's a creative genius.

Hope you have a great night.

@Herr Tubthumper ... fond memories of the US trip? You mentioning that reminded me of this quality movie :
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0090103/

 

[AIT76]

The ten minute 12" version of Uncertain Smile is outstanding.

 

[herecomesaregular]

Bought Mindbomb as a 16 yo on vinyl and haven't listened to it since I got rid of my vinyl, urghh, in the 2000s. Might have a relisten again to see if I had great taste at 16...

 

[DJ NOBO]

She was lying on her back
With her lips parted.
Squealing like a stuffed pig
I was going through the motions
Faking the emotions,
And wriggling around like lizard in a tin.
Trying so hard to cleanse myself,
I was turning into somebody else.

 

[London Irish]

Wriggling around like a lizard in a tin

Hell of a ride that video

 

[JamesAndTheGiantHead]

You pull back the curtains
And the sun burns into your eyes
You watch a plane flying
Across a clear blue sky
This is the day, your life will surely change
This is the day, when things fall into place

 

[HH Brighton]

Looking forward to the Brixton gig, been a fan since Infected but never seen them live before

 

[Si Gull]

'Discovered' him/them when Infected was released, Soul Mining slipped by me, despite my younger sister being a fan Infected is an absolutely brilliant album and I played it nonstop for months, especially in the car, at full volume. Thought Mindbomb a little weaker, despite JM's input.

Going to listen to Infected tonight for the first time in many years!

 

[Sorrel]

I liked them a lot as a teenager - played them an awful lot in the mid-1980s, so I can do most of the lyrics without trying. In the 1980s when we had "bring a tape into work" day in the place I worked, I brought in a tape of them, forcing everyone to listen to Uncertain Smile and This is the day. The infected album was my favourite, though.

You can see old Eastbourne (where I was at the time) in this (really bad) video:

I'm not so interested in them now, though; I think because I listened to them so much then it feels a bit awkward and teenage. Not their fault, of course, but no longer my thing...

 

[Rowdey]

Like others, got really into Infected, and went back to Soul Mining, but that was it - Saw they were at Ally Pally and got tix ages ago - Wish i'd waited for Brixton as only live couple miles away.

 

[atomised]

thanks for the reminder. just booked for brixton

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

I have the first 3 on CD. Very good.