SOUNDTRACK: WIRE-Tiny Desk Concert #976 (May 27, 2020).
I feel that it is something of a failure on my part that I never really got into Wire.
Although I don’t know why, I will never forget that their 1988 album is called A Bell is a Cup … Until It is Struck (I was working at a radio station when it came out and “Kidney Bingos” was a minor hit). But I never really followed through with them.
Bob Boilen, on the other hand, is a huge fan.
For me, it was beyond surreal to watch Wire performing at my desk, in broad daylight, in 2020. I spent many an evening over the past 40 years, listening to their original, artful bursts of noise and imagery, seeing them in dark clubs in the ’80s and beyond. From the time I first heard them in 1977, few bands have encapsulated my musical aesthetics like Wire.
There have been some hiatuses for Wire since their debut in 1977 (from 1981-1985 and 1993-1999) but each time they reunited, it was the original four person lineup.
It was only ten years ago that guitarist Bruce Gilbert officially left the band. But at the Tiny Desk,
there they were, with three original bandmates: Colin Newman, singing his enigmatic poetry, and those driving rhythms of Graham Lewis on bass and Robert Grey (aka Robert Gotobed) on drums. Matthew Simms was the “new” bandmate, having now played with the band for the past 10 years.
Thankfully, Wire plays four songs (they still only play for 15 minutes and they are Bob’s favorite band).
What’s most remarkable is how the sound of songs such as “Cactused” from their 17th album, Mind Hive, sit so well next to “French Film Blurred” from their 1978 album — and one of my favorite records ever made — Chairs Missing.
“Cactused” has a cool chugging rhythm and bass. Newman sings in his deadpan, almost spoken delivery. Newman plays the little guitar leads while. It stops on a dime. This band is tight.
“Be Like Them” is also new. I love this song. It’s got a slinky guitar riff which is accompanied by three loud thumps (drums and bass) to accent the verses. Simms plays a really cool noise-filled “solo” (really just some noisy chords) in the middle of the song. Newman is once again kind of deadpan reciting his lyrics.
“French Film Blurred” is from 1978. It’s got an unusual riff and Newman sings a bit more than speaks, although he is still restrained. They make great use of the two guitars with Simms adding all kinds of sounds while Newman plays the main melody.
Everyone tunes and then Newman says they’re going to play “an obscurity from the 80s that we revived into the current set.” “The Offer” is from 1989’s ITABA. It’s slower and rather quiet. There’s even some gently picked guitar parts from Simms. But as it nears the end the song gets louder and louder with Sims adding a distorted and a flanging guitar. The songs seems like it’s over, but while everything is ringing out, Newman pays a few ending chords.
Try and imagine your favorite artist today, playing a concert in someone’s office in 2062 and still having an emotional impact with extraordinary new songs. As I said, it’s beyond surreal and genuinely thrilling.
Wire played their Washington DC show on March 9, so that’s probably when this concert occurred (and therefore MUST have been the final Tiny Desk Concert before the quarantine]. Wire were playing Philly on March 10. I had considered going but I had a lot of other shows to see in March so I didn’t want to overload.
This set was so good, I wish I had gone to see them. Maybe they’ll be back in 2021.
[READ: May 20, 2020] Five Years #10
This is the final issue of Five Years (I think).
It was supposed to be released during the Coronavirus epidemic. But Abstract Studios offered a special cover (so I don’t know what the proper cover looks like yet).
NEWS: We’re going to release a tiny print run of Five Years #10 for subscribers, & anyone who wants one really. This is for those reading the single issues who don’t want to wait months to read the final chapter. If not a subscriber, you can pre-order a copy in our store now. Just CLICK HERE.
The rumor is Diamond Comics will reopen this summer and we will be able to stagger release issue 9 and 10 to the general public then. 9 is sitting in their warehouse, waiting like a rodeo bull. For the small number hooked on the single issues, we feel you deserve 10 now, because without your monthly support the series couldn’t have happened at all.
So I bought the limited edition cover because I wanted to finish the series. I didn’t think he could possibly end the series with this issue as it seemed like there was too much up in the air. (more…)
I have seen Trey Anastasio once solo at Newport Folk Festival (amazing) and with the Trey Anastasio Band (super fun). I didn’t expect him to tour so soon because Phish is playing in Atlantic City this summer. So it was great to see that he was going to do two shows this summer.
I Just Read About That... 