Why do you think this is out of interest?
Orbital vs Underworld
- Thread starter beesonthewhatnow
- Start date
I dunno - I guess when you're young and on the scene there's a creative exchange going on with what's happening now that's less easy to maintain when you're old and more isolated from it? Plus once you have an established fanbase who want you to play the hits, there's a commercial imperative to play the hits (and things that sound like the hits) which will stop you being too adventurous... Or maybe it's just whatever it is that makes most people mostly listen to the music that they loved when they were a teenager rather than seeking out new stuff as they get older?
Spandex
A crazy bulbous punchbag of sound
Also - for some bands, once they've made a career out of their music, it becomes their job. Making music and releasing albums and going on tours is what they do, regardless of whether they have any fantastic new ideas or not.
Yeah. Do you think most or a lot of artists have one great idea or period of creativity? Cos I was thinking that logically you’d expect the older or longer the more exposure to different music/ideas and the more mature and skilled they’d get, so you could think you’d expect most brilliance to come in later middle age but that’s not the case.
Steel Icarus
we move
I think it's hard once you've done it for a while to keep going for many reasons, a major one being that you run out of things to say musically and lyrically. A lot of people will have one or two good records in them, not many will have ten
Spandex
A crazy bulbous punchbag of sound
That does happen too.
To pick an example - congolese soukous band leader Franco released hundreds of records from the 1950s until he died in 1989 and his absolute peak was probably the early 80s, 25 years into his band's career when he'd perfected what he did.
There's people like Johnny Cash or Bowie, who after mid-career wilderness years found their thing again in their final years.
Then there's bands that just keep on doing their thing for so long people stop paying attention and they fade into the background, so only hardcore fans notice that their 13th album is one if their best.
I don't know - I'm listening to quite a bit of orchestral music atm and usually find composer's later work is more rich and complex in that world - but I suppose mastery of composing for an orchestra is probably something it takes a lifetime of work to get to?
I think most of the music we're thinking about here is essentially pop music, which requires something other than skill and experience for it to really take flight - the energy of youth is quite difficult to replicate once you aren't a youth...
ska invita
back on the other side
Yes proper chart topping pop music cant wait to eat you up and spit you out as it works on selling novelty
This can be a painful experience for the popstars themselves who find themselves dropped by the machine even with a lot more to give
People like Madonna who reinvent and reinvent themselves to stay in the novelty market understand that and have learned to manipulate the machine for their own ends, but its a hard thing to pull off
This can be a painful experience for the popstars themselves who find themselves dropped by the machine even with a lot more to give
People like Madonna who reinvent and reinvent themselves to stay in the novelty market understand that and have learned to manipulate the machine for their own ends, but its a hard thing to pull off
Mind you, I guess with orchestral music it's the greats that make it down to us - I suppose for every Beethoven or Bruckner who carried on rolling out increasingly complex and exciting symphonies there was probably hundreds of lesser composers ploughing the same furrow they'd nailed in their 20s who've since faded into obscurity.
Ranbay
The same rules apply
bought myself this
orbital.tmstor.es
also off to see them at Stoaway in August
Orbital - The Green Album
Fully remastered & overseen by Phil and Paul Hartnoll for the very first time, available to pre-order now on 4LP Box Set, 4CD Box Set, Black and Coloured 2LP, 2CD, and Cassette. Featuring the original album, remixes, rarities and previously unheard tracks.
orbital.tmstor.es
also off to see them at Stoaway in August
skyscraper101
0891 50 50 50
Been listening to loads of Orbital and Underworld recently. For me the main difference, and why I prefer Underworld is I fnd them more enjoyable to dance to and the beats are generally more consistent and thumping. Their live sets from back in the day flow with the energy of some of the best live mixes I ever heard.
Not saying Orbital didn't put on a great show too and have cracking tunes, but I always found it a more genteel experience, better for tripping to and waving hands around in front of your face, than the pure fist punching the air experience of Underworld.
Not saying Orbital didn't put on a great show too and have cracking tunes, but I always found it a more genteel experience, better for tripping to and waving hands around in front of your face, than the pure fist punching the air experience of Underworld.
Ranbay
The same rules apply
bought myself this
Orbital - The Green Album
Fully remastered & overseen by Phil and Paul Hartnoll for the very first time, available to pre-order now on 4LP Box Set, 4CD Box Set, Black and Coloured 2LP, 2CD, and Cassette. Featuring the original album, remixes, rarities and previously unheard tracks.
also off to see them at Stoaway in August
This and myself will me coming tomorrow
spitfire
Walty McWaltface
Slight detour (owing to police on the line).
This is a fine album in very much the same vein as this track. One of my faves of last year. It doesn't break too much new ground but it's a lovely listen.
planetgeli
There's no future in England's dreaming
Score draw? I didn't like Underworld's first couple of albums (and actually there's no Orbital record I'd say that about) but then we saw them live on good drugs and they were excellent. And then we saw them several more times live on good drugs and they were always excellent. Same applies to Orbital (and I think we may even have seen them at the same festival once) but we just saw Underworld live more and so they have a special place in our household.
Plus Rick Smith is from down the road (as, weirdly, is John Cale - who'd have thought a crappy little South Wales town could produce two such stellar music stars AND that woman off The One Show) and my gf used to work with the mum of the child who was indeed 'Second Toughest In The Infants' - as Rick's nephew came home and announced one day and an album title was born.
Plus Rick Smith is from down the road (as, weirdly, is John Cale - who'd have thought a crappy little South Wales town could produce two such stellar music stars AND that woman off The One Show) and my gf used to work with the mum of the child who was indeed 'Second Toughest In The Infants' - as Rick's nephew came home and announced one day and an album title was born.
bellaozzydog
rolling turds in glitter
I’m sure Sleaford Mods, idles and Mike Skinner amongst others have said it’s quite hard to find things to write about passionately when you have a private chef
skyscraper101
0891 50 50 50
Not a bad track that. It would be even better if it didn't have that knobber from Sleaford Mods on it.
friedaweed
Me and me girl named Jane
Choon.
Nowt wrong with our Jason.
Nowt wrong with our Jason.
Johnny Vodka
The Abominable Scotsman
The new Leftfield album is pretty good.
Ranbay
The same rules apply
Tonight Brizzle
Orbital !
Amazing, set was best in ages, took my 12 year old lad, he loved it.
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