Hey all,

right now I almost finished reading "Will Oldham on Bonnie Prince Billy", edited by Alan Licht, and I was wondering if anyone of you also has read that book.

I find it pretty interesting, especially the parts about the early years, how it all started, and the stuff with the Chicago scene and so on, but it also gives me a new insight in Bonnie's recent work. Although I still buy every single thing he publishes, I kind of lost track after the "Greatest Palace" album and didn't like the recent albums very much. But reading this book gives me a pretty deep understanding of his approach in opposite to the (more loved) Palace records. So I'm strting to listen to all the albums again, trying to use my new knowledge for my listening experience.

Anyway, have you read it? Do you want to read it? Do you even like Bonnie?

Just curious, Doc

I like bonnie, but not THAT much.

I borderline love Ease Down The Road and All Most Heaven, and he has some other good stuff, but haven't been very enthused with his work the past few years. Still would like to get more of his older records, but, you know, money.

In conclusion, he's overall decent, and I haven't read the book (though it sounds interesting).

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Why's everyone in this thread a f***ing Mountain Goats fan?!

Kirkeby Kritikk • Kvitter

never heard of the book, but will now certainly track it down.

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The first thing that distinguishes a writer is that he is most alive when alone. - Martin Amis

Hey,

yeah, I totally understand why one doesn't like his recent work. I really do love the Palace stuff, for it's so unstable, always almost breaking apart, which was pretty exciting and somehow "real", while Bonnie Billy is more solid and thus (at least so I think) more boring.

I really fell in love with him because of "I see a darkness" which I still consider his best record ever. But I had the impression that the more records he published, the further away from the listener he got. You know, becoming more secure made him becoming more elusive in a negative way, if that makes sense. But reading the book I kind of understand now how Will oldham hiding behind this artificial character Bonnie "Prince" Billy, and this explains why he feels further away. You can't expect this confessional young man singing these sad and beautiful songs, when it's an artificial figure that sings. And this also explains why I like his collaborations on 7" (Young Widows) or on 10" (e.g. the wonderful "Among the gold" with Cheyenne Mize) more than his solo albums - because there it often is Will Oldham playing, and not Bonnie.

Anyway, the book is quite interesting, historically and also philosophically when it comes to talking about making music, about songs, about gigs. Yes. And it's pretty entertaining, too.

I'll happily stand up for the recent stuff. Wolfroy hasn't grown on me yet, but the three before it were stellar. e.g. Wonder Show Of The World gave us these:

[www.youtube.com]
[www.youtube.com]

Wolfroy has not struck me at all; almost too distant.

I love Oldham. I think his Palace stuff (Viva Last Blues, Days in the Wake, etc) is tremendous and top-notch. Saw that re-issues of the "Lost Blues" Palace Music record on vinyl and was SO CLOSE to buying it, but they wanted like 21 bucks for it...

As far as Bonnie is concerned, I See a Darkness, or course, and The Letting Go take the cake for me. I'm not a fair-weather Oldham fan either; he's a deep love of mine, on the Bill Callahan + JD level in my heart. He definitely hides behind that moniker, for sure. I've longed to understand that more intimately; as Oldham is SO hard to pin down. Perhaps that's what fuels my strange (careless?) love for him. His live performances of old Palace songs are always the best; no doubt in my mind about that. I'm definitely cold to the "BPB sings Greatest Palace" record, as it strikes me as a bit sterile in places. ...but hearing "Pushkin" live?! SHIVERS, man. Prickles of ecstasy.

Longing to read this, now that I've seen three things about it in the past 48 hrs or so. My goodness. I NEED to read that.

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[www.last.fm]

Having read the book I've been busy listening to the newer Oldham records the past few days, and wow, how great "The sounds are always begging" and "Go Folks" are. I've been listening to these two songs one thousand times, and I really started loving them. So yeah, he's still got it. Wolfroy will be the next project, and the album and e.p. by Bonnie and the Trembling Bells which I've been listening to quite a few times now but still am puzzled about what music this is. Wonderful melodies, strange production.

Myopic, I'd almost agree with you about the Greatest Palace record for the new versions of "Gulf Shores" and "West Palm Beach" have nothing of the originals, but the version of "Horses" is so incredibly beautiful...

I'm very happy that Oldham came back to me after Palace and "I See A Darkness" and a few years of feeling disappointed by him.

BTW, have you heard "Among the Gold" with Cheyenne Mize? Beautiful, just beautiful!

YES! Nigel on the board and I are going crazy about BPB lately; and the "Among the Gold" EP is one of my favorites! Great call on all you said. Oldham is a great, great man.

Pre-ordered that book; as it's not due in the US until Sept. 16th, apparently! But I'm super excited.

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[www.last.fm]

Quote
myopic mirror
Pre-ordered that book; as it's not due in the US until Sept. 16th, apparently! But I'm super excited.

Oh, this is strange, I somehow thought that the book originally came from the US.

[5 Seconds later]

But, no, now I see it's published by Faber & Faber in the UK.

It really is so good to get Bonnie back. He was such a huge part of my life a few years ago and guided me safely through many dark times (esp. his sinister, obscene humour), and I was pretty sad to have lost him somehow. But now, yeah, I found him again! Praise the Prince!!!

And now it's time for a list. My favourite BPB songs today (in no order at all):

The Sounds Are Always Begging
Go Folks
I See a Darkness
Nomadic Reverie
(End of) Traveling (the 1st Palace Song I ever heard)
Horses (the Greatest Palace version)
Another Day Full of Dread
Idea and Deed
Disorder
64
Rich Wife Full of Happiness
Antagonism
Southside of the World
Fall again
Grand Dark Feeling of Emptiness
Gulf Shores
West Palm Beach
Sheep
New Partner
Old Jerusalem
My Home is the Sea
Trudy Dies

But, well, actually all of them.

I think it's an interesting idea and something I plan on reading. I came to Oldham through BPB (still need to hear some of the Palace stuff) so I'm intrigued as to how parts of it came about or why he weaved certain ways with his output and sound in that time.


Oh, and I hear The Marble Downs is pretty damn great, anyone else share that feeling?

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We are the ones who don't slow down at all...

Hi, SaveMeASeat,

The Marble Downs is a pretty strange record, but I really like it. I think it's somehow totally over the top and kitschy, but incredibly beautiful. Very different from the other WO stuff, for it's british folk music, but I'm getting into that anyway recently. It reminds me of christmas every time I listen to it, and I wish I had had it one and a half years ago when we had a totally white christmas here in Germany.

What I found the most interesting about this record is that The Trembling Bells are Alex Nielson's band who is a brillant and very interesting drummer, but the drums are so far back in the mix, so behind this wall of sound that you have to pay much attention to get what he's playing. That's irritating at first, but somehow I understand why this is so. And one has to like Lavinia Blackwall's voice, which I didn't at first listen, but I got used to her (especially in "My husband's got no courage in him", where she sounds so dirty it really rocks).

The only thing I don't like is the overall sound, it's too blurred in a way, but that may be my old record player needle.

If you can, also try and get The Duchess E.P. with Muldoon's Picknick joining The Trembling Bells on the a capella B-Side.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/04/2012 10:22AM by Doc Sanchez.