Facing the Other Way by Martin Aston

Author:Martin Aston
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
Published: 2013-09-04T16:00:00+00:00

chapter 15 – 1991

Fool the World

(BAD1001–CAD1017)

In Ivo’s mind, the turning point of his disillusionment was discovering that running a record label had evolved into running a record company. But 4AD was unable to release music in a vacuum. There was the nature of relationships – between artist and label, artist and manager, label and manager, between band members, everyone with their own agenda, and complicated by the lure of filthy lucre. Money didn’t have to ruin everything: it could help move an artist out of a squat, or build their own studio for greater independence, or buy time to write and make the perfect record. However, in the independent music sector, where principles were treated as part of the art, and the business, money was often a corrupting force.

Outside of the hot house of egos, ambition and self-esteem issues, larger cultural and technological changes were afoot. Ecstasy and the less quantifiable desire for something more hedonistic and escapist after the often-bruising Eighties saw a new generation turn to clubbing as well as gigs. Sampling and the art of the remix attended to the needs of that crowd, while in America, grunge was providing a headbanging kind of freedom. The climate of 1991 was unrecognisable from that of, say, 1981, when 4AD could almost operate without such considerations, or even 1986 when Throwing Muses had first emerged.

The band was trying to steer a path that was as open, authentic and artistic, and the relationship between band and 4AD was uncomplicated and mutually beneficial. Yet in almost every other department, Kristin Hersh was struggling. The custody case over her son Dylan had forced her to share parental duties with his father, and her fevered mood swings had finally been diagnosed as bipolar disorder.

At least the business end was in better shape. The band had separated from manager Ken Goes after they’d suggested he handle the contractual side while Billy O’Connell act as the ‘people person’. ‘Ken was socially strange,’ says David Narcizo, ‘whereas Billy could sell you your own shoes. Ken freaked out when we suggested it. We weren’t sad to see him go.’ Part of the agreement was that the band couldn’t talk freely about Goes, who continued to manage Pixies.

They were much sadder to accept Leslie Langston’s resignation. ‘Leslie didn’t pursue the band as much as the rest of us, so it wasn’t a huge surprise,’ says Narcizo. Fred Abong, a friend in Newport, took over on bass, and joined the Muses in LA to record the band’s fourth album. Pixies was recording Bossanova in a nearby studio, and both bands stayed at the same apartment complex, swapping stories by the pool.

Perhaps the Californian heat was wilting these east coast kids, because as Bossanova was relatively undercooked, so was Throwing Muses’ The Real Ramona. While Pixies had settled down with Gil Norton, the Muses had been trying out yet another producer. On paper at least, Dennis Herring had seemed a good fit, having worked with folk-punk renegades Camper Van Beethoven.

‘I

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.