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Black Sheep @ the Bristol Festival
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IanB
IanB
6761 posts

Edited Sep 26, 2009, 15:18
Re: Black Sheep @ the Bristol Festival
Sep 25, 2009, 22:26
This was the first Cope gig within travelling distance that hasn't at least been put in the diary just in case we could make it. It's the records that put me off - "Unruly" I like a lot, the rest has been three spins and out for the most part.

That said Landells' photos look brilliant and my heart will always go out to a band that really knows how to dress up. So I wish I had seen that and soaked up the Black Sheep vibe but I doubt it would have me running back to the albums.

For me, and as Mooncat points out elsewhere, it is the quality of humour that is lacking. The BS records seem to be trying to be witty and tough and rousing and point-scoring and genuinely communal in spirit and Cope can be really funny (more often between songs than actually in them) but he isn't Bill Hicks. He's not Ed Hamell for that matter. Play Hamell's "Terrorism of Everyday Life" live album and that does the job - it rocks, makes all its political points with originality, the acoustic assault is thrilling and you end up crying with laughter. A little like those old Cope solo bootlegs.

I need more Doggen and less doggerel. You can still do the Keats in Leather Trousers thing and be political too but unless you are a bona fide comedy genius political songs should be subtly persuasive. Shouty is for Sham and TRB. "Problem" and most of the BS related releases feel like harangues. The music is kind of hectoring too. Never liked marching bands. Or uniforms for that matter.

Anyway, I'll definitely be making an effort to make the next one as anything that looks this good must have something going for it. My mind is open cos the whole thing is in its infancy but my wallet is probably going to need prising open with substantial force when it comes to the next BS cd.
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