Hi all,

it's now pretty much exactly ten years since I first listened to Alasdair Roberts, starting with his collaboration with Jason Molina and Will Oldham as The Amalgamated Sons of Rest and continuing with the second album under his own name, "Farewell Sorrow" (which guided me through some dark, dark months along with Songs: Ohia's "Magnolia Electric Co." and said collaboration). I totally fell for him and his voice, and with a short hiatus of about a year never stopped listening to him. My love rose up again when I bought "Spoils" (quite a while after it came out), and at the moment I try to get every little thing he's ever published, spend loads of money on some folk compilations, try to get limited Appendix Out singles (his first band) and so on, nerdy fan stuff.

Recently he digs deeper into his scottish folk music roots and neglects his own songwriting a bit, which I think is a pity, for his own songs are far better than the traditionals he plays, but this has the effect that I start getting into traditional scottish folk music as well as into recent because of the few compilations I already have.

Tomorrow, he's finally coming back to Southern Germany, not for a gig but for playing puppet theatre at some cultural festival around here, and I really hope he also plays some songs (which he probably will, as his homepage states). I'm very excited seeing this guy live tomorrow whose music I love so deeply.

Now, why this long story?

First, I just wanted to tell all of you how incredibly beautiful his music is, and second: Would you ask him for an autograph on a 7" or some other vinyl (or both), or is this too nerdy? Would you rather leave him alone?

I kind of feel as ridiculous as a teenager having his first date.

Do you know him? Do you like him? Do you know more scottish music I may like?

Cheers, Doc

never heard of him but you have intrigued me. will check him out.

also, definitely get the signature. he will almost certainly be grateful for the admiration, and even if not, you will never know until you try. better to try and feel silly than not to try and regret it.

---

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

ditto.

I haven't ever heard of him but you'll end up kicking yourself if you don't at least ask for the signature. Plus, how often does he come to your town?

Also the only other Scottish band I'm familiar with is Franz Ferdinand but I don't think they play the same kind of music Alasdair does.

---

I've got big plans. ◊ Talking Blanket ◊ Yay, Butts! LOL!

Certainly liked him much more than Newsom when he opened during the Ys tour.

I say go for it.

---

1840 - Hounds in Sonora, Mexico, invent music, write bogus "History of Music" to preserve anonymity.

Laughin Out Loud



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/20/2012 10:35AM by Mr Glass.

Saw him when he did those UK dates with tMG, Emmy The Great & Micah P. Hinson and enjoyed him more than I thought I'd enjoy a Scottish folky violinist.

Never really investigated him further though. Might seek some out on your recommendation.

---

"You know it is, it really is."

Quote
dollabill

Also the only other Scottish band I'm familiar with is Franz Ferdinand...

Wow, really? You need to sort that out sharpish. Teenage Fanclub, Primal Scream, Jesus & Mary Chain, Mogwai, King Creosote, The Beta Band, Belle & Sebastian...

Just make sure you avoid an awful group called something like My Bloomin' Valentine. Shocking.

---

"You know it is, it really is."

I was rocking out to Mogwai at work the other day, and someone came by asking if I was listening to Slayer.

Quote
maffj
Just make sure you avoid an awful group called something like My Bloomin' Valentine. Shocking.

ok now that I've seen that list of bands I should revise that last post. I don't know specifically where a lot of the "UK" bands I listen to come from.

---

I've got big plans. ◊ Talking Blanket ◊ Yay, Butts! LOL!

Oh, come on mike, it's just noise.

---

"You know it is, it really is."

it's not JUST noise.

Quote
maffj
Just make sure you avoid an awful group called something like My Bloomin' Valentine. Shocking.

You're thinking of Mae Bloody Valentine, the Scottish tribute band. My Bloody Valentine are about as Scottish as whiskey.

So, here is how it went (and it went good).

My girlfriend and I came to this very strange "festival". It was an annual celebration of a colony of artist's studios, kind of wannabe highbrow. The audience were people with enough money who'd obviously thought, "Hey, let's get ourselves some real culture." I'm pretty sure none of them in the audience had ever heard of Alasdair Roberts as a musician, let alone of, say, Drag City (his label). Entrance fee was high, everything was very clean and sober, but the people there were very friendly. The youngest in the audience except for the sons and daughters of some elderly teacher-like couples were my girlfriend who is 30 and the journalist girl who was twenty-something. Long story short, it was some arty-fartsy provincial happening with nice people but a strange athmosphere. And it was raining like shit, which is not too good for an outdoor happening.

Alasdair Roberts played the narrator of an half hour long puppet theatre piece played by a guy called Shane Connolly, and it was simple but funny, and this Connolly guy played his puppets incredibly well. There was a little singing, playing and dancing, too. It all happened in one studio where 20 people max fit in, so it was very familiar and nice.

After the show I approached Roberts and asked him for an autograph, and when I pulled out two 7-inches, he approvingly said "Oh!" and blushed a little bit. How sweet! We couldn't talk that long, but the best part is that I not only got my autograph, but also his email, because I hope to get him booked here in my hometown next January when his new album comes out. Yay! I even wrote him and got an answer yet, he'd love to play in Tübingen if they, quote, get a string of European dates together.

I somehow felt pretty strange meeting this guy whose music is so close to me since ten years, but whose music is also rather belonging to some dream realm, if you know what I mean. tMG songs are kind of there, you know, but Roberts' songs float around in the air, very dreamy, often like the soundtrack to some fairy tales. Strange thing.

So, well, yeah, I have my autograph, have his email and hope to book him next January for a show two streets away from the place where I live. That'd be so cool...

Now I gotta go check and out more Scottish music, thanks for the list, maffj! Today, the "Weirdlore" compilation was in the mail, so there's more fine music to discover today!

Cheers, Doc

Quote
Johnp

Quote
maffj
Just make sure you avoid an awful group called something like My Bloomin' Valentine. Shocking.

You're thinking of Mae Bloody Valentine, the Scottish tribute band. My Bloody Valentine are about as Scottish as whiskey.

You know I thought I'd got away with it too. Serves me right for trying to be a smartarse. I may never show my face here again due to the shame.

Mind you,I guess it goes to show how little I care for MBV.

---

"You know it is, it really is."

A steady diet of Max Boyce and Bryn Terfel for you for the next 7 days... Wicked lush!

Also, way to go, Doc! Hope you get to put on the show.

I'm in love with him now thanks to this thread. Thanks so much Doc. Anyone have any ideas where i can find tabs? i've looked everywhere

You're welcome, and I'm happy to have convinced you, Colin. All respect to JD, but Roberts has something otherworldly on him that simply makes you love him (like JD's being so close to his fans makes you fall in love with him - two sides of the same coin of awesomeness).

Tabs however are very hard to find, if they even exist. I've been searching for years now, and all I found was some random chord progressions here and there. Maybe this has to do with the tunings he uses. In most of his records he notes down how he tuned his guitar for each song, but I have no idea where to put my fingers on the strings once I tune my guitar like that. But his tunigns sound beautiful, they turn the simple G-C-D progression into something new and wonderful...

Anyway I at least think I found out some chords (or something close to them) to his songs on "Farewell Sorrow", so if you want to, Colin, I will write them down here.

Cheers, Doc