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Unsung Forum » Drifting away from Cope and trying to get back |
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braindonor 184 posts |
Jan 18, 2020, 17:28
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When interpreter came out (and prior to that), I cared about little else other than Mr. Cope. But, ever since then, I've tried to stay loyal and worked at being as engaged in his music as I once was. Sadly, I have never regained that enthusiasm. I have bought most of his releases over the years to try and keep up the momentum but I worry that I've lost the plot a little here. I just ordered Skellington 3, John Balance Enters Valhalla, and Self Civil War to try and rekindle my love and passion for his work. I hope I can do so. Is there anyone else here who has had this crisis of faith? If so, any suggestions for finding the groove again? I feel like I'm losing my Copey mojo and it makes me sad. When I think about it, my interest started to wane when audience with the Cope 2000 came out and never really reached the previous heights. I worked at it though, buying release after release; Braindonor too. I wonder if if was the loss of Thighpaulsandra or just that he created Peggy Suicide, Jehovakill, and Autogeddon and no artist could top that - maybe I'm struggling with expectations of my own and a phase that I loved that cannot be revisited (and possibly shouldn't be). The releases I didn't buy were the black sheep ones (except for Christophe's solo cd), Dark Orgasm, Psychedelic Revolution, Unruly Imagination, and Drunken Songs. Citizen Cain'd, You Gotta Problem, and Revolutionary Suicide all have wonderful moments but as far as albums as a whole go, I'm just not feeling it. The last one that really grabbed me was Barrowlands, but that's just a live gig from the era I love the most. Oh, and I love the Dope releases, and the Vesuvio with Stephen O'Malley. But that is a very different kettle of fish. Maybe it's just me. I don't really get Blade Runner either. Thanks for listening. Any input or advice is greatly appreciated.
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Howburn Digger 986 posts |
Jan 18, 2020, 17:52
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Forty years have told me that it is difficult to top "Poppies" or "Treason" but I've stuck it out since. I loved the first two solo lps - then the 2 car garage band phase kinda waned a little for me - but the triumvirate of Peggy/ Jehovahkill and Autogeddon securely nailed The Drude forever in the way that "Poppies" and "Treason" had. I've kept up with most of Mr Cope's work since, with only everyday budgetary restraints and family distractions causing me to skip a few. I've always found a few gems on each album which is a good thing. I also like how Cope's consistent artisan approach means what comes out - is what he is content with. The Trip Advizer compilation is very, very good to my ears. I also like how his old keyboard (the Casio MT40 he bought off Balfey for £40) still pops up in songs. A bit like an old familiar pal, or as Jason Molina described so sweetly "The constellations and Comiskey's lights Two old friends in the night Who always knew they would if they could Meet one last time in the old neighbourhood." I say, you can't love everything, but find what you like. Keep digging The Drude.
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Wah - Wah 22 posts |
Jan 19, 2020, 10:48
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I have been trying to get back for more than 20 years. I`d really love to. He is so different in such an extraordinary way. I am into things I wouldn`t be into without him. He changed my life when I was 18, 19. But for me it`s basically since he lost his record contract, he has not been my cup of tea anymore. He should have a proper producer. A proper band. His recordings should be mixed and mastered properly. He`s been using the same awful sounds for 20+ years, in a time where anything is possible without having to record at Abbey Road. I don`t buy his stuff anymore. The new two songs played on that radio show recently sound as awful as they have sounded for 20 years. When I heard about his new contract with Warner, I was hoping for a good new album, properly recorded etc. I was wrong again. It will never be like 1995 again. I must accept that, he can do and release whatever he wants. You don`t need a record company anymore these days. There are still so many good older artists out there, Nick Cave, Spiritualized etc. I am a happy guy listening to them.
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Wah - Wah 22 posts |
Jan 19, 2020, 10:54
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By the way,Moon-Eye,where are you? Thighpaulsandra? Donn-Eye? KR Frost? You were an incredible band. The only one who is still doing great stuff is Doggen. And I was really sad and sorry to hear about Rooster Cosby last year.
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Captain Starlet 1110 posts |
Jan 19, 2020, 13:19
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Totally with you on this, I usually find a few tracks on almost all albums I enjoy, Self Civil War bring no exception, apart from Drunken Songs which I genuinely can’t abide. I think everyone has their own ‘Cope’ for many of us it was 80s or 90s (for me 90s) and I suppose it’s fair to say that we’d like that Julian back, although it’s not going to happen. I suppose I keep buying the albums as I’m an eternal optimist though and I still like the fact he’s putting out music after all these years, but agree with what others have said about needing a good producer etc.
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phallus dei 583 posts |
Jan 19, 2020, 15:22
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Cope's a different guy than he was during the time of the Trilogy. I'm sure we're all quite different, too. It's not reasonable to expect that a new Cope release will affect us the same way as his albums did from the early '90s. Maybe we will get flashes that remind us of that special time, but mostly, it's a whole new thing. If you dig it, or parts of it, cool. If not, that's fine, too. There shouldn't be a pressure to "get" his new albums out of a sense of loyalty to an irretrievable past. For me, classic Cope was the period of Droolian through Interpreter, followed by another great stretch of You Gotta Problem through Kiss My Sweet Apocalypse. Everything else was hit or miss, though most of what I've heard (I've skipped a lot of the Dope stuff) has enough to warrant a few dedicated listens. And there's been some unexpected hits, too, like Neon Sardinia, Drunken Songs, and John Balance Enters Valhalla. Haven't yet made up my mind regarding the new release, though I've been enjoying my spins so far. Some Cope releases also improve greatly over time, like Rome Wasn't Burned in a Day.
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radagast 264 posts |
Edited Jan 19, 2020, 17:48
Jan 19, 2020, 17:47
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Experienced similar feelings after "Interpreter". Cope vanished from my radar, and even though I tried to keep up, there were too many side projects or obvious emergency releases like "Audience.." for me. My rediscovery of Julian started with "Rome", an album that virtually came out of the void for me. Since then there were ups or downs, but I never gave up entirely on Cope and was thoroughly rewarded. Thus I'm curious about the new one - still hasn't arrived here, but it can only be days... On the other hand some of my erstwhile favourites like "20 Mothers" have suffered substantially in my opinion. Still not a bad album, but more or less a rather untogether collection of songs of quite different quality. The album that has ever grown on me since it came out is "Autogeddon". "Jehovahkill" was a killer from the start. Peggy took a while to unfold its funky glory on me, but no album took longer to bloom than the mentioned 3rd album of the trilogy. We all change - and so does Julian, and so does his music. Thankfully so.
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Mocked Turtle 8 posts |
Edited Jan 19, 2020, 21:56
Jan 19, 2020, 21:54
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No, you’re not alone. In fact, I’ve often thought about writing a similar post. I got into the Teardrops in late ‘82, i was only 14. I’d played Wilder & Kilimanjaro to death, so was incredibly excited about their next release You Disappear From View, which ironically was to be their last. A year later Julian announces his new album WSYM & tour. Oh, happy days. My recollection of the Hammersmith Palais gig is happier than his! I was right at the very front of the stage central, what a show/finale. WSYM & Fried are my favourite Copey albums, along with Wilder. Loved SJ too, was pleased he was getting plenty of airplay & he seemed happier. Peggy & Jehovakill of course were epics, I was living in Scotland at the time, the shows were immense. I started to wane a little with Interpreter. Anything since the mid 90s has left me pretty disappointed tbh, even though I’ve dutifully bought all new releases, seen him live countless times etc. That said, there are absolute gems every now & again. He’s done it again on Self Civil War! Early days, I’ve only listened to it a few times, but I think this(for me) is his best release for a very long time. He says he was hoping 25% of Teardrop fans would stay loyal(for his first solo tour) & was very wrong. I wonder how many are left these days? Not too many! Regardless, the guy is a legend. Roll on 7th Feb, Brighton Concorde 2...
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Citizensmurf 1703 posts |
Jan 20, 2020, 14:56
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I have the opposite quandary. I got into Cope post-Peggy, and only now have I slightly warmed up to his TX and early solo albums. I vastly prefer the experimental and always changing Cope and his wide array of side projects. Ironically it is the poppier songs from the last couple albums which turn me off. That said I'd much rather have Cope churn out new songs that I don't like rather than no new songs at all.
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Zariadris 286 posts |
Edited Jan 20, 2020, 15:37
Jan 20, 2020, 15:31
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This discussion reminds of the old Bob Dylan gone electric controversy! I remember guys that could still never forgive him for it! Personally, as a once and future headbanger and krautrocker, I'm naturally a huge fan of the loooong - indeed, ongoing - period of Cope's work following TMA from around L.A.M.F, Brain Donor, his collaboration with Sunn (My Wall), Rome (Shrine of the Black Youth, Eccentrifugal Force), Citizen Cain'd (a total masterpiece - Livin' in the Room They Found Saddam In, Feels Like a Crying Shame, Gimme Head, etc. - phew!), on into the Black Sheep trip (that live at BBC album just blows my mind), and Revolutionary Suicide (the Armenian Genocide is like sacred music to me). I'm really digging Self Civil War (Seth Man nailed it), and love the way it challenges me, pushing me in and out of my comfort zones, expanding they way I see - and listen. Black Math? Bring it on! I've long since backtracked and discovered the earlier stuff I'd missed which you guys hooked up with in real time, and I certainly love that too (Jehovahkill is a stone cold desert 'island' disc, pardon the pun). But his later work is key and no less essential, and should, I believe, be seen as both a natural progression (not a break) and part of a wider creative trip that includes his writings, activism, the side projects (am I the only fan of the Black Sheep VC?!), the Unsung/Address Drudion posts, and 131 with its ingenious tie-ins. In the final analysis, Cope's whole thing is greater than the sum of its considerable parts, as fine as those parts are: it's an eclectic, mythopoeic and open-ended worldview that invites us to engage with it, and expand upon it, on our own terms. Very few artists will give you that.
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