Pursued By Trees
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Yesterdays Ubu Interview
Mar 20, 2015, 23:22
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http://read.tidalhifi.com/article/i-dont-look-back-david-thomas-unedited/
Most Ubu fans will be familiar with what happens when interviewers don't do their homework before attempting to interview David Thomas. First answer takes the opportunity to re-iterate the latest shift in the Ubu landscape:
"Since the American Federation of Musicians has blocked us from performing in America, we have renounced not only our American ‘citizenship’ but also our American past. We’re not from Cleveland. Pere Ubu was formed in Leeds, England, in 1975. We are an English band. I don’t know anything about Cleveland. Sounds like an interesting place. I may visit there one day."
A fuller version of this statement can be found on the Amazon page for the Pere Ubu Moon Unit album. Apparently if the "specially convened congress of the members of Gang of Four, Sisters of Mercy, Soft Cell, The Mekons and The Wedding Present" don't offer Pere Ubu asylum in Leeds then Port Talbot is to be petitioned next.
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Monganaut
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Re: Yesterdays Ubu Interview
Mar 20, 2015, 23:50
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Ha Ha, that's genius. Gotta love ole DT, he's a cantankerous old sod.
Saw PU live a coupla years back, and he humphed and hooed after the gig at the merch stand. Hell, you'd think he didn#t wanna sell me a t-shirt. ( Also hollered at the band a lot during the gig for marching outta time. Poor drummer Steve Mehlman seemed to get the brunt, though he took it in his stride, smiled, gurned and ignored him, guess he'd heard it all before.
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Stevo
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Re: Yesterdays Ubu Interview
Mar 21, 2015, 10:46
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He's just allowed Ubu tracks to be released on the Souljazz Punk 45 Cleveland set. Might slightly undermine what he's saying there. Just saying like.
But does sound like an interesting direction to take.
Stevo
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Pursued By Trees
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Re: Yesterdays Ubu Interview
Mar 21, 2015, 18:38
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Monganaut wrote: ...Also hollered at the band a lot during the gig for marching outta time.
Now that's interesting.
I first saw Pere Ubu at the Reading Festival back in '90, and have caught them and Two Pale Boys a few times over the years.
The thing that struck me when I saw the (ahem) 'new' line up on the Lady From Shanghai tour was that, apart from largely remaining seated and refilling a glass from a bottle of red throughout the gig ... DT was not constantly signaling to and directing the band, instead just let them get on with it.
I did wonder whether he just has this lot so well trained that he doesn't feel the need anymore ... but that sounds more like the DT of old.
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thispoison
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Edited Mar 21, 2015, 22:34
Re: Yesterdays Ubu Interview
Mar 21, 2015, 22:31
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Thanks. Didn't know about the 'Moon Unit ' CD (I'll buy anything they / Thomas releases.
Seems to depend what sort of mood you catch Thomas in. He freaked at the Edinburgh gig last year and gave the audience a bit of abuse. He apologised later though. I was down the front about three feet from his face so it was a little uncomfortable. He was in a much better mood when I saw them the year before.
Thought it may be related to his state of health which doesn't look too good these days. But he's always had a temper, hasn't he?
BTW, Pere Ubu are on fire at the moment- on record and live - the current line-up is outstanding in every 'position' (to use football terminology!) - don't miss them if they play near you. Thomas' health is not to the detriment of their performance in any way whatsoever. Maybe Mark E. Smith should try and catch them (or the Nightingales). He might learn something about taking pride in your work and/or self-respect.
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Monganaut
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Re: Yesterdays Ubu Interview
Mar 21, 2015, 23:49
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The gig was a frm the Long Live Pere UBu tur, a musical reprisentation of the Jarry story of Ubu Roir (least I think it sas) The band were acting out various parts and pieces, dressing up etc. He was mighty pissed with everyone that night, that's fer sure.
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Pursued By Trees
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Re: Yesterdays Ubu Interview
Mar 22, 2015, 00:12
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Ditto with the anything and everything!
Unfortunately the nearest to me that anyone plays these days is Exeter (I moved to Cornwall a little over a year ago) ... which can be somewhat cost-prohibitive. It would have taken me around £100 in travel and necessary staying-over costs etc to see Ubu when they played there last November ... which I simply couldn't justify at the time.
On the upside I got one of my long-sought-after grails for Xmas from the ever vigilant Sangelus. The Worlds In Collision die-cast badge, which I've hankered after for the longest time. It's a bit bigger than you might expect.
Pretty much all my stuff is still packed away in boxes but somewhere I have a few DVD's that may interest you ... feel free to e-mail me as I'm always happy to share such things (assuming I can find them that is).
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elegant chaos
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Edited Mar 22, 2015, 13:14
Re: Yesterdays Ubu Interview
Mar 22, 2015, 13:13
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"I was never in Rocket From The Tombs". So - when I played with ATV at the Punk Kongress in 2004 in Kassel - and we supported "Rocket From The Tombs" - who was that frontman with them - was it a David Thomas lookalike?
I cannot dispute the fantastic output that Pere Ubu have managed over the years - but I can't be one for excusing his behaviour.
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Popel Vooje
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Re: Yesterdays Ubu Interview
Mar 22, 2015, 16:23
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elegant chaos wrote: "I was never in Rocket From The Tombs". So - when I played with ATV at the Punk Kongress in 2004 in Kassel - and we supported "Rocket From The Tombs" - who was that frontman with them - was it a David Thomas lookalike?
I cannot dispute the fantastic output that Pere Ubu have managed over the years - but I can't be one for excusing his behaviour.
Yeah, he can be a dick at times. On the last two occasions I saw him he was in great form the second time, but the first time he was clearly pissed off at being expected to play "The Modern Dance" in its entirety, and that that part of the show got a better response from the audience than his new material did (which makes me wonder why he agreed to do it in the first place).
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elegant chaos
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Re: Yesterdays Ubu Interview
Mar 23, 2015, 13:46
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Have PM'd ya.
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