Shelter

Btw - I wonder if there will be anything in the book explaining this...

and the way he works that morgue, right

Nah, let's just drop it. "Desptie"? What does that even mean anyway...

Exactly. I can very much relate to that. It's just that sometimes it's the same thing.. Sometimes new dimensions in the material or the recording are opened up from learning biographical stuff. Especially when really hooked on something (pun, but no fun) and having a lot of keys and background already informing your decoding of things, if only in the margins and minor emotional hues. Then again, it's not always beneficent to your free and vivid imagination to know too much, so.. this certainly id one of the most tricky trade-offs for me. I am really not at all interested in the tabloid aspects of most of my "idols" for the sake of it. Ah, yes.. Thanks! That's fantastic! (Equally fantastic to me - but in a sad way - how those guys are deemed "hard core", simply cause they recognized an Echo song. I know it's meant to be ingratiating, but really now? Or is the remark to be understood strictly in the live context, whereas being aware of anything outside of the greatest hits list per definition make you qualify as hard core? Either way, how come TP finds it strange that their fans know their stuff? How low do they really think of themselves? I'm just glad - Echo or not, private ghosts or not - that occasionally they play for the bunch of us called "fans", bringing stuff like this out, that their "normal" crowds are clueless about. Pure gold!)

All these speculations of ours. As if it wasn't already decided and announced that the album is gonna come out. The reason I started to ask for a date in the first place (and in the second place, third place and so on.. and that was even when the calender still had 20th anniversary as the basic idea, some almost two years ago..) was that it was announced that it's gonna happen. Not that there was a fat chance it would happen one of these years. I mean let's not kid ourselves. These guys know what they do. All level guys involved, that is. If they can flog a commercial harakiri live 12" EP with Mudcrutch, they sure can make a decent archival release of something as mammoth, comparatively speaking, as a Tom Petty heydays Wildflowers kin happen. Seriously guys - I get to hear this all the time (I even read about it just hours ago, in the Warren Zanes article, on the upcoming TP bio book - that btw has a date since a while back - November 10!!) - TP has "too many hits", he's "too commercially successful and popular" to play "serious" (that is deep and mixed) live sets focusing on other things than all those hits, or to even be granted a "serious" legacy (that is achieve substantial praise from certain critics) in rock history. The guys is the freaking IT of who's the most loved and respected man in classic rock, among fans and especially among musicians.. And now it's like he's also way too obscure? Here we are pondering whether or not his label believe in him enough to release the archival stuff that he proudly wants to share with us? Hello! So, as if Hypnotic Eye didn't prove anything in terms of popularity, then what? So what he has an older and partly different audience than Taylor Swift or Avicii? As if the aging rock fans aren't the ones sitting on all the dough anyway (buying all of Dylan's 18-discs box sets and all that)? Like it wasn't a customer profile group in high demand? As if one disc by TP would be a chanllenge? Hello. I don't know. These guys are professionals, so they should know what they are doing. They should be in control of this multiple steps, several years, nightmare of an album marketing campaign. Seems fuzzy to me. Usually, on this level - unless you are Axl Rose, and let's ask ourselves if he really is on this level anyway - once you speak of upcoming and even have a title, you deliver. With that logic if the live album that's been more vaguely talked about won't happen - which it serioulsy won't, right? - that's sad and a shame, but somewhat understandable at this point (besides, it may come in other shapes or forms later). Even if Dos Mudcrutch won't happen (perhaps the sessions didn't amount to anything, it's way too early to tell, just theoretically, there is no way of knowing before recording and mixing are done, is there) that would have to be what it is. But in the case of All The Rest compilation (or "album"), there's been so much talk about it, first what it could be, than what it is and what it's called even, there's been a single "from the upcoming album", so if there is one issue on which we are entitled to request a date soon (since after the date announcement, there are usually months before the actual release) it's this one. So again - date please!

I don't know if surprising is the word. The gravity of it may come as news from some angles, but then again, not that much is said here, but what's not grave about heroin? Let's not get naive here. My eyes and ears always understood the history thusly: the mid 80s saw the first noticeble destructive drug impact on TP, then it happened again in the pre millenium years. The first of which seemed mostly.. grandiously confused.. to a bystander, while the latter carried a whole lot darker and more menacing qualities, what with divorce, Echo and Howie casting long shadows over the valley of the up 'til recently great wide open. As TomFest says, it is interesting to ponder the causality of divorce and addiction here, the impact on the songwriting, from what point in time, and so on. Although the article seems to suggest it was divorce and time to think that made him slip deeper into dragon chasing and gloating alike, rather than the other way around. (Speaking of chasing dragons, the 1991/92 tour already had some interesting subtext in this respect too.. "Don't look into his eyes!!". And yet, seemingly, within a few years, he looked.) May add, interesting also to perhaps finally learn a bit more on to what extent Howie's arrest and passing really landed with TP in the light of all this. Was it a wake up call? Was TP already out of his woods when Howie got terminally lost in his, or did Howie's tragedy somehow help to pull him out? And yes, as been noted around here before, Zanes' book will be "inzanely" interesting, with Stan being part of it and all.. I really like how TP leveled authorized with bull. Great thinking. Thanks for posting article!

Oh, good. Look at that. Here I might add though - as I understand Shelter on this issue - that this obviously true statement has a few more quirks than meets the eye, and can be read somewhat in reverse. That is: while it's sometimes a collection of good songs does not make a good album, sometimes a collection including lesser songs will sufice. Of course those can't be really bad songs, mind you, but it's been known to happen that certain half-*ssed songs do fit their album context quite well. That they even lift the vibe of an album, while in themselves, out of context so to speak, may not be particularly great songs. I think the two titles you mention and YGGI are one of the prime examples in the TP cataloge of this concept. Hard to specify perhaps, but while I agree those two songs may be regarded filler in some sense, I still usually hold the album in my top five, and usually think it more exciting, bold and interesting than both its predecessor and its successor. Actually. A clear case of the total sometimes being greater than its parts.

^ I always figured the Simpsons was a documentary, chronicling the strives and wicked ways of modern man. Comedy. Such a time- and place bound concept. Seeing how I have no humor anyway, I may not be the best person to judge, but some good ones are Seinfeld, Father Ted, The Office (US version)

Indeed, it IS hard not to mention the Beach Boys. Also among my all-time absolute favorites - perhaps more in the goose bumps vein than the jaw dropping vein - would be Ira and Charlie Louvin of the Louvin Brothers. And - yes, thanks for mentioning them - TP and Howie Epstein. Not only because we're here.. but because.. because. (As recently mentioned by yours truely, listening to Something In The Air for example, or numerous 80s or 90s live appearances for that matter, makes me wish TP&TH had made more prominent use of that magic TP vs HE effect in the studio than they did.) Good question! Thanks for asking

^ Yeah, right?

^^ Yeah, I'd all but forgotten about that one.. Really great stuff! Thanks for posting!

Abroad? Really? Jeez... On board. Indeed, so it is. Great stuff. Something In The Air is a piece they should try live again sometime. Even without Howie it could be good. Very groovy. Also the versions of Easy Rider and 13 Days that they played a lot around that time are really, really great IMO. (I know how much you love the covers...! )

Slim Harpo

As for the "blues moniker" - perhaps I should add - or specify - that to me it's not a problem that/if TP&TH play blues, are influenced by blues (if they sound like blues, write various degrees of blues structure songs, tune their guitars in weird blues tuning, write more or less authentic blues style lyrics or behave like dusty old blues men in general..). The style itself is not a problem. I'm a huge blues fan. What bothers me (well, bothers is a strong word) is that I don't find, whatever you want to call it.. the blues tendencies.. on Mojo to be very succesfull. I find them somewhat posing, like utterly skilled show casing of an image of a style. (That is, after all, meant to be a lot more flattering than simply calling them "a travesty of a mockery of a sham of a mockery of a travesty of two mockeries of a sham" like a more Woody Allen:esque blues fan perhaps would have called them.) It's not that they don't play well - they always do - it's just that I don't feel it the way blues should feel. What's more - I don't find it to be overpowering or characterizing enough as an imprint for Mojo as an album. Like you say - and like I've been saying often times in the past - there are a lot more to this album, it's a for most parts well crafted mix in fact, not totally uncharacteristic for the average TP&TH album experience from the past (let alone with a tad heavier, more organic and mature sound, and with one or two blues "parodies", if I may be so bold, as icing on the already rich cake. These two things being the case - to me - makes the deliberate official pitching at the time, of Mojo as a blues album, and how this has become a truth in the minds of the careless, feel slightly annoying. People should listen to Mojo again, like you just did apparently, and then again if needed, and then try to tell me there is not all kinds of things happening there the way there always is and always was on a Heartbreakers album. Mojo is at best, or worst, depending on preferences, one quarter blues. If that is what you want to call it. Granted.

Well.. thanks for your further interest. Surely Mojo, as does most titles, gets mentioned here and there in various threads, from various angles, over the years. But, by all means, repetitative as it may turn out.. you might find some discussion of ours on the topic from last year, if I'm not mistaken, in the Least Favorite Album thread. Not that Mojo is that - but if you scroll to page 4 and ctrl-F the word "Mojo, things will start popping.. speaking of surprises!

I'd make sure to enjoy my sandwich..

You made it through!! I have shared my views on Mojo before, in depth, from various angles and multiple times, but in general I find most of what you say agreeable. If I shall comment further on some things that I haven't aldready beaten to death (like the great sound, the fantastic playing, the pitfalls and prejudices of the "blues" aspect, how it's too scattered and long to quite work as an album - all of which you deal with anyway)... ...it would be that if there is one thing I would change, or be more careful with, in terms of the otherwise fantastic sound, it would be the filter put on TP's voice here and there. Not pretty. ..and.. Indeed it is. For people who likes this kinda thing, there is always Dylan's "Together Through Life" to check out, much of which are based around exactly the same type of sound and "insistent and annoying" riffs, played by MC there as well and put way up front in the mix. Not my forte. At all. If anything I feel insulted. Oh, no no.. Poor Bob! Generally, I agree with you on most of the highlights here. And since the album is too long, to weight down by filler and at least one really great, rocking song (Mystery of Love) is left off the album, I would probably grade Mojo in the top five had they kept it down to 10 or 11 songs, used the known outtakes instead of some of the lamer moments they went with and thus have themselves a more wickedly effective, punching and dynamic album. For example: 01. I Should Have Known It 02. Running Man's Bible 03. First Flash of Freedom 04. No Reason To Cry 05. Little Girl Blues 06. High In The Morning 07. US41 (But it would take a lighter, more floating and de-voicefilter:ized version, if so.) 08. Mystery Of Love 09. Trip To Pirate's Cove 10. Something Good Coming 11. Good Enough Yes. I always thought Good Enough is a briliant song and a brilliant closer. "Hard living is killing me". That though, always cracks me up. Priceless, considering..

Right. Pitiful. That's all I'm saying. Real pitiful.

So, what you are saying is, the label cares a lot, but they don't really care. As for TP, he boasts and flogs, but deep down he doesn't really care either. I think you might be on to something here! It will be out, I know. I think. Just that... eh, nevermind. That's last years discussion really.

I too have been meaning to toss some cents towards this Greatest Hits album topic. Obviously a great compilation. Not to say a virtual treasure. It is what it's called, pretty much. What's not to like, in other words. The disc is nicely sequenced (LP is a bit more problematic, perhaps, but that's for another discussion - this title was clearly made for CD). And focused on the big sellers. All the albums' lead off singles, save the odd left-out Jammin' Me. (I agree - really, wtf?) Of course there are plenty of other singles that could have been included (Louisiana Rain, Rebels, Straight Into Darkness to mention a few, Stop Draggin.. added for resequenced reprint as mentioned and so on..). But considering how they, at least marginally, missed such a mark even on Anthology - hence they obviously never had such ambitions anyway - I think GH is the most effective and amazing collection of their most known music. A great introduction for newbies or the most casual "fans". Other than for those with a completist collector's ambition, however, the two additional then-new songs are the only reason that I can think of, to purcase this disc. I myself, being close to buried in hundreds of versions (total) of most TP albums and singles, have long since chosen to rid myself of all my prints of this title. For one thing, I rarely - let's say never - feel like listening exclusively and back to back to this worn and torn bundle of songs. To me, I find their deeper qualities - let's say I stand this material better these days, when tucked in their original context or made part of other, different, sometimes weirder and wilder contexts of self made compilations. So.. Mary Jane's Last Dance and Something On The Air I have kept - them being two of the best songs in all of the cataloge - in various single versions, like the rest of the material on the disc. Worth mentioning, yes, thank you: Something In The Air has to be one of the most underrated and next to lost gems in all of the cataloge. Agreed. Not only is it one of a kind (almost) being a studio recorded cover song not put on an external compilation or tribute album but on one of their own titles* As mentioned above the singing of TP and Howie is also among the most wonderful and powerful, yet delicate vocals I've ever heard. This song, to me, showcases Howie at his finest. A dimension often times heard live during his years with the band, but oftentimes - much like been discussed w/r/t Stan - Howie's singing, and the otherworldly harmonic blend he made with TP, was rarely used to it's fullest in the studio, the way it was in Something In The Air. I really love that sound and wish I could have more of it.** --- *And a Greatest Hits album at that. Clearly a case of idiocy - contractual filler is a curse, the record label showing it's drewling beast self (sure they got a winner with MJLD, which was fluke and in hindsight only serves to make SITA an even more odd piece.). But a brilliant, wonderful recording never the less! I always thought it would have been a better way had they switched SITA for Jammin Me (and why not add on Rebels or something as well) on the actual album. Then -as a promo stunt- highlight three older hits, as reissued singles along with the lead off venture Mary Jane. That way the treats and "obscure" would be kept on the side for the die-hards that care, and there would have been the coolest package of four CDsingles (yes, this was 1993 after all), on each of which they could've put an alternative and/or live take of the hit and an exclusive studio recorded cover song as two b-sides each. (Then pack them with a back-stage souvenier pass for an 70s, 80s, 90s, tour respectively. That way, in the best of worlds, the album would have been an even more more fair display, it would get some promo help (that it might not have needed, but still), the hardcore fans would have more of a treat and the record label would be likely to sell. Then maybe we could've had three more awesome covers released from those sessions. Anyway. Just an idea. And perhaps this type of thinking is why I don't work for TP. Clearly he prefers - to this day and despite all he's been through -the old-fangled, defective ways of the old school 1900s style big label haven, over cooler, cleaner and more morally supreme alternatives. That said, I guess 1993 was really about clearing the old contract and at least thus far, it's hard to to say anything other than, yes it's an awesome compilation. ** I know it's different sessions, but if anything on All The Rest - in case it ever gets released - sounds even remotely like SITA and /or feature Howie in the same way, it will be a hit and will be more than worthy as a legacy of the 92-94 period.

I've been pondering both these options too. And in their own different ways they make me think. Where does that leave me, one may ask? Why naturally with a feeling there is really no hope for human kind. And a with really bad fluoxetine habit. Whichever it is, all things considered, how last Christmas (not to be confused with the Wham! song) was a "finally" option too, the procrastination suggest, if ever there were doubts, "Joe" is now calling the shots with the TP pawn, or at least that any message that may have felt fresh and honest in 2002 have long since turned obsolete in a haze of miserable greed and lies. So what if the actually at least fairly popular Somewhere Under Heaven doesn't "perform" well enough in the books. If this or "All The Rest" are such a tough nuts to crack for a hopelessly tardy and backwards label like TP's, I think we may have held our breaths in vain in terms of hoping for any current era live album or even a new Mudcrutch album. They treat these things as such utter obscurities.. Now, til that date comes, if it comes, where is my box of pills...??

^ Must say.. that is quite vigorously and eloquently put. Agreeing with most of it helps too. Seriously - We all have opinions, but I like the almost thesis like, the sub context or whatever, the view on the big picture development long term and what have you, that I think I can discern in various posts of yours lately. I like big thinking, theories well argued, as it were. That, for example, is a way to put it that'd never occured to me. That is, I known it to be true to some extent, or from certain angles, but still.. That's some great fascinating wording, and a very interesting way to put it, in terms of what the 90s onwards was to become. Keep it coming. We need more of the kind.

So you're an audiophile I take it.

double post, sorry

Really it's code for "All The Resting This Music Will Be Doing On The Shelf Of The Record Company For All Eternity". Sometimes misspelled "Rusting" on the label. I know, it's a long title, but it's one of the most aptly named albums to ever sit on the shelf of the record company for all eternity. Bear that in mind. Nah. Come on, you suckers, give us a date already!