zphage
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Re: Great Commercial Suicide Albums
May 11, 2011, 16:03
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Sinead O'Connor's Lion and Cobra went Gold in '89
I Do Not Want went 2x Platinum in '90
Her covers album, Am I Not Your Girl, was not what people were expecting, then of course, the scrap over the pope and the national anthem, pretty much stopped her momentum dead.
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Kid Calamity
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Re: Great Commercial Suicide Albums
May 11, 2011, 16:14
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keith a wrote: Macy Gray's second plotted a similar course.
The tour that followed the release of her debut album didn't help much, either. I organised a big works outing to see her and was embarrassed by the whole thing. First up, her management set up huge venues that killed her rough edged image stone dead. The NEC is the worst venue I've ever had to go to. Every time I vow never to return to that rubbish shed.
She didn't help, though - by doing all the dividing the audience to do call and response lame showbiz shit, either. Extended solos... yada, yada, yada...
I still can't bare to listen to it, after all these years.
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IanB
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Re: Great Commercial Suicide Albums
May 11, 2011, 16:15
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Kid Calamity wrote: keith a wrote: Macy Gray's second plotted a similar course.
The tour that followed the release of her debut album didn't help much, either. I organised a big works outing to see her and was embarrassed by the whole thing. First up, her management set up huge venues that killed her rough edged image stone dead. The NEC is the worst venue I've ever had to go to. Every time I vow never to return to that rubbish shed.
She didn't help, though - by doing all the dividing the audience to do call and response lame showbiz shit, either. Extended solos... yada, yada, yada...
I still can't bare to listen to it, after all these years.
Have you heard Henry Rollins' stand up routine on Macy Gray's live show? It's part of "It's Kiss!". He felt your pain.
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Kid Calamity
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Edited May 11, 2011, 16:26
Re: Great Commercial Suicide Albums
May 11, 2011, 16:24
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No, not heard it, but not surprised. It was just so awful. I really loved that album. She was gonna be a huge new star, IMO. The black Janis Joplin, or something. Instead it was... well, crap.
I also remember seeing another tip for mega stardom. Lenny Kravitz. First album was astounding. The big gig at Brixton launching the okay 2nd album was awesome. Then, he got all showbiz rockstar. Started shagging around behind Lisa Bonnet's back and soon after started releasing formulaic rock career suicide albums.
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Moon Cat
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Re: Great Commercial Suicide Albums
May 11, 2011, 16:45
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Pulp's "This Is Hardcore" seemed to have a bit of a WTF? effect with it's morose musings and dark-side of fame outlook, following on from the post Common People Brit-Pop larks. Good album though.
KISS's mighty "(Music From) The Elder" of course. Much loved by some sickos like me (and Paradox) but a concept album with orchestra is not the most obvious move for them.
Primal Scream followed the pilled up experimental euphoria and bliss of Screamadelica with a smack-addled return to Stonesy rawness with "Give Out But Don't Give Up" which seemed to shock some of the the day-glo masses that came aboard after "Loaded".
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FifePsy
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Re: Great Commercial Suicide Albums
May 11, 2011, 17:31
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I suppose another bunch would be the Lennon/Ono albums. Two Virgins, Life With The Lions & Wedding Album. (Although wouldn't call them great)
I suppose Wilko's Yankee Hotel Foxtrot is almost the reverse. An album that the record co refuse to release and when its eventually picked up by another label becomes their biggest seller.
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Moon Cat
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Re: Great Commercial Suicide Albums
May 11, 2011, 17:45
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It's interesting that Radiohead's "Kid A" could so easily have been a career suicide album but ended up making them bigger if anything!
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Squid Tempest
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Re: Great Commercial Suicide Albums
May 11, 2011, 17:54
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Fripp and Eno's No Pussyfooting? Not sure how much commercial success it had, but it certainly gave me a WTF moment when I first heard it in a record shop. I thought their 'phones had broken! Never having come across anything as minimal as that, and expecting a cross between Crimso and Warm Jets it took me completely by suprise. By all accounts the early live performances had the same effect on the audiences. It was a couple of years before I heard it again and went "aha!"...
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FifePsy
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Re: Great Commercial Suicide Albums
May 11, 2011, 17:59
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Nico's The Marble Index after the relatively folky Chelsea Girl
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Piquiod
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Re: Great Commercial Suicide Albums
May 11, 2011, 18:02
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Ray Charles- Country & Western albums...it didn't hurt him in the long run, but at the time his bosses were mighty scared.
Muddy Waters - Electric Mud...either unifying the blues w/ the 60's kids, or alienating from his older mainstream base...wild album
Pat Boone - In a Metal Mood
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