Shelter

Interesting topic, good questions! I think it’s great! If not quite as great as it could have been. I like the sleeve.. Especially the vinyl original, needless to say. And the inner. Apart from that, I like the underlying sense of ambition that I, despite the fact that it fails in so many ways, feel is all over the place on this somewhat underrated masterpiece. I like the absolute fantastic level of songwriting, imagination and concept on titles like Rebels, Best of Everything, Spike, Dogs on The Run and, of course the title track. All of which would be – and are - a great core selection for any imaginable “South” themed album. (I even kinda like Mary’s New Car, although those lyrics.. well.. they.. never mind.) I don’t like how the initial concept and aim (in general terms, as I understand it, and as loose as it may have been) could have been so absolutely brilliant, but got sort of derailed in many ways. Something both TP and Stewart have expressed more or less frustration or sadness over. As great as the album’s core song selection is, as totally out of context, sync, even character are the filler and a whole lot of the general production. Seemingly less wise decisions on all levels. (Although I hear about Dave sporting real life elephants, free spoons and flamboyantly dancing little people at his LA home parties during this period, there is little proof none of that helped creativity. Or dignity. I suppose those red swollen eyes behind his shades all through the 80s, were not only due to him being sad after all...) To specify, I generally don’t like the pop offerings It Ain’t Nothing and Me or Make It Better.* I almost like Don’t Come Around Here No More, but not really.** No. Some of those sounds make me feel old.. But, yeah.. the album does more, but also less, to me now than it did when I first heard it in its entirety in the late 80s. Some remarkable songs. A beautiful yet humbling album, in many ways. A reminder that oil and water don’t mix.. That TP already in 1985 was a great, charismatic, mature and imaginative songwriter, but that TP&TH is another species all together from the likes of Eurythmics, Bob Geldof and Feargal Sharkey.*** Also what wild1forever says: Those were days when new stuff got played live, before all the slots were already taken, dedicated to the holy hits selection. Good point, and times sorely missed, if only from that perspective. Not really, no. Well, in parts it does.. I don’t know. Was there ever enough decent material (or focus) to actually make this a double album? If there was, it’s even less flattering to their respective egos that they couldn’t make a more coherent single disc. Given that there are a few more decent outtakes in the vault, switching those and Trailer for It Ain’t Nothing and Make It Better (as well as perhaps leaving the Mary’s New Car for a b-side, since it’s not great but still a tad underrated musically) would most certainly have rendered this an absolutely stunning single disc album, as I see it. One of the best in the TP catalog even. Let's just say.. I can't imagine he was the best choice. I don’t know who is the most “responsible” of the lot, but I would guess that some of TP’s ideas, on a more elaborate level, were beyond comprehension for Stewart. And vice versa, for that matter. Playing at making a smash hit pop album does not necessarily match well with being a rock’n’roll band, let alone one with a southern vision. It seems to me they were just trying to do too many things at once. Some of which were not even that well conceived to begin with. The decision to abandon the double album may be thanks to Iovine – as it stands, it seems like the obvious one anyway. All things considered, the biggest surprise is not that this never became a double disc masterpiece, but rather how well some of the material prevail trough the muck and still today, 30 years later, work as well as they do. And maybe that is the angle? The good moments on SA make us think how great a double album of that standard would have been, but in reality I doubt if neither vision, focus nor the amount of material were ever anywhere near making it a double. Not only is it well deserved of such treatment, in its’ best moments it begs and cries for redemption. But as I’ve implied, I’m not sure it was that thoroughly conceived to begin with. If TP had all the material needed, the vision crystal clear and his head screwed on right when the time came to hit the studio, I very much doubt he would’ve went with Stewart to begin with, or that he would’ve ok:ed some of those ideas or choosen some of these songs. Even in 1985 something slightly different must have been possible to imagine, if not easy to arrive at, apparently. But even if the vaults are stuffed full of great outtakes and untouched masters of the album tracks – which is another thing I very much doubt - it’s hard to imagine a 2015 SA related release, complete with a largely alternative song selection and at least in part re-produced and/or remixed – the way I would personally love to hear it. So, to me the question of a 30th Anniversary release is rather rhetorical. Is there really, and was there ever, an original concept album to be had out of this?? However – much in line with Dylan’s Bootleg Series concept, I would love for TP to do something along the same lines. Perhaps a little like they did for Damn The Torpedoes Deluxe Editon, but optimally with a lot less rehashing. (If the point hasn’t been made – I hate repackaging!) A neat Southern Accent era box with acoustic versions, whatever great outtakes there might be, perhaps a good demo or two, a complete 1985 live show, and the beautifully entertaining SA documentary and the Pack Up The Plantation films, both remastered. Sure, why not?! I’d love it!!**** That said, they seem to have enough on their hands, getting the Wildflowers 20 Anniversary “All The Rest” album out in time for the 21st Anniversary (before it’s 22 years already), putting the lid on the rumored Live album and cutting a new, exciting and much awaited Mudcrutch album. Times are tight. Adding a SA Anniversary release to the mix.. well.. nah.. ----- *To me it’s almost absurd – given that there really was all this disappointment and frustration about how the initial theme got blurred and how the recording process fizzled into something they did not necessarily go for or even wanted - that Make It Better then got to be a single and even a video, while the title track, Dogs on The Run or Best of Everything did not get highlighted at all and songs like Trailer even got left out all together. Seems to me that the supposed failure of this album is not only about a lack of focus and gravity in terms of material, it’s rather that whatever gravity there was, knowingly got shushed for the benefit of some state of the art sounds and pop posing. Priorites and marketing seem to have been at least as confusing as was reportedly the making of the album. **Especially I don’t like how it feels and sounds in the context of this album. I must say though, it has got something groovy and rather special going. And I do believe it would have been a decent record - not to say excitingly oddball and actually kind of fun - had it been released as a 12” single-only, perhaps as a tribute song to those Stewart parties mentioned, why not.... someone got to pay the powder bill, after all. I don’t see how it fits the flow – the intended or the actual flow - or for that matter how it fits in most TP&TH live set lists, then and now. No. I don’t. *** I know, I know.. Stewart today tries to be, and somehow succeeds in being not only a demon producer and super star of 80s pop, but also an acclaimed serious songwriter and artist with roots, depth and authentic qualities in his own right. Good for him. But this was 1985. Which makes this the equivalent of 2015’s TP having Shellback produce TP&TH. Doesn’t strike me as particularly desirable. But then again.. this was the mid 80s and everybody was out of their heads for the time being.. **** Much like I would love for the same thing to be done to other eras and or albums in the catalog.

Ha! That is a fun one. Very creative video!

THE Zombies!! How cool! I would love to see that line up. But.. am I confused? Are they gonna hit it with two bass players n two drummers??

That really IS quite extraordinary! If that was on a whim, it's a fantastic call by Grohl, and he's insanly lucky with it as well, considering how many half bad, home cooked drummers there are likely to be in an average FF crowd. Seems like planned stunt to me, but who knows. Really cool as it plays out beautifully, must say! That said- this general drive of pulling Average Joes up on stage to have hugs, teaddy bears signed, to sing some horrid vocals or to get the Holy Communion or whatever, seems to be spreading like the plague in our "interactive" day and age, all the way from Nobody's Garage to Sir Paul. It really isn't doing much good when it's all about collecting thumbs-up, IMO. (I know it's been done since Leif Erikson days, but not on the level and at the frequency of later trends.) I shall not expand on this too much further, but it just seems to me a real anti-music move to make, a circus element, snake charming style, all cooked up by the biz-wizards. Another sour example of "swag value", if you like.. (Seems like a very KISS thing to do. And we all know KISS is primarily famous for their music and musical skills, right?!? But sure, the case at hand goes to show, at least it can be done in a not totally undignified manner: they play music and the guy does it well.) This all make me wonder if I - or perhaps a randomly choosen Geocaching Winner dude from the TP facebook site - can somehow get to play the triangle on the upcoming Mudcrutch album? Would be really awesome, right!! Both for the person (getting the kick and the royalties) and for the rest of the fans (getting the "it could had been me" moment). This according to many contemporary managements apparently. Somehow, I wish TP management stop way short of this type of mediocracy.

You almost had me there for a sec. Some praise. Kudos! To me, what you say about the ending of it, is what's really striking about this song. For one thing, I agree that the "enjoyable chaos" part remains it's great merit. Very cool and fascinating stuff, considering. The other good part about the ending, is that it ends the song. Apart from that, while you've got that many interesting things to say about this song, the word that most accurately nails it in my view, would be.. "confused".

Babydoll, good point! I wouldn't mind that scenario myself. I like the idea of doing nothing (rather, something else!) for one's birthday. Pretty cool. If somehat wtf?:ish for Steve, Scott and especially Ron.. if they don't have anything to do for the big 40. Perhaps the three of them could play some Tom Petty tribute shows to mark the occation?!

^ & ^^ Indeed. Some most well put thoughts on the subject! Of course, that may be just because these things are so utterly obvious to me.If anything, I get dizzy from trying to grasp all the elaborate arguments frequently voiced against this logic. Like you, I don't get it. And I doubt there is much to get, cept lack of will or inspiration. Or perhaps some 'inner aspects' of a more vague and unspecified quality. Either way, what I really don't get is why they would want to speak contrafactually then. Why they would want to keep our hopes up, time and time again. As if this "dig deep" was an image thing, so important to them that reality don't even matter, or as if they actually have view of reality that just don't compute.. And when I say 'them', I suppose I mean TP. For all the fantastic greatness and all the beauty of the TP&TH guys, story and music, this aspect to me remains the disturbingly, even increasingly, strange one. And I guess that is why I - and we - come back to it time and time again. Can't let go, can't stop waiting for the legend to come full circle, like it should. Not only is their approach half-*ssed. It's against better judgement, seemingly. Moreover - it's just unecessarily untrue and unfair to their poor rock'r'roll hearts. As I see it, they're at some kind of threshold at this stage of the career - in terms of playing live. It's either skip three or four of the hit revue stuff each night, in favor of going places, moving on, staying Contemporary, creating something and/or visit places or dimensions in the catalogue or elsewhere. OR - it's skipping the two or three "deep cuts" or album tracks that gets choosen and played each tour, the stuff that tells them from other fullblown nostalgia bands and for TP&TH too to travel the board walk circuit, keeping all the semi drunks in wife beaters on the same page for as many years they feel up for it. Drastically speaking. Most of what I'm trying to say is between the lines here, so don't shoot the messenger. I know this was harsh. But it's wake up time, isn't it. On the other hand - I should be fair and say that as long as they keep delivering absolutely briliant albums like Hypnotic Eye, I guess that's the most important thing. I could live with that. Suppose I'll live, even if they won't play any of it live. Even if they decide that they can't possibly shake it up, even if do keep at the current quotas of predicability, or even if they stop playing live all together - I hope at least they will keep being as prolific, imaginative and creative in the studio as they have been up til now. Yes!! That's always been my view. Grab the ingnorants by the balls and charm the fans alike by five or six huge hits each night. For the rest of it, they could and should just use their unique genius to explore, excite and enjoy.

Oh..! I see! That good hearted sarcasm of mine was all for nothing then.. But still.. Let's just file this under "Will-bury", shall we.. Let's pretend it never happened. It will soon be buried in the mix. Thank you kindly! I try. So are yours, btw - even when I misread them.

But I write so many of them. You must understand, some convolution is bound to take place. Jokes aside - granted it was a joke, which at least in some ways it all is (here I go again.. convoluting matter) - isn't it a waste of perfectly good eyes to have them melt over a mere discussion anyway? When the reality discussed is what really hurts to the bone. After all, the one thing more tedious than dicussing certain sorry state of afairs that you care about, are the sorry state of afairs themselves. It's all very philosophical in some ways. But, yeah, what can I say? It really DOES have effect on me when substance becomes swagger. You are right. (I even like to think that being wired that way, could be part of the many reasons why I got switched on to TP&TH in the first place. The no BS factor, let's call it. Again, this could be perceived as a tad philosophical, or at least somewhat ironic. Then, of course, we have the fact that English isn't really my language. I ususally talk Gibberish. Other than that. Good then. We really ARE on the same page. Let's turn it.. But why? Isn't that a bit harsh? How the songs are played, the very musicianship, the performance, is never anything less than fantastic with these guys, the way I see it. To me all it would take to turn me on big time, are fairly minor adjustment to their approach - like has been discussed, mentioned, convoluted. To me it would suffice if...* So, I am just surprised that you don't like their thing more - or perhaps I should say, that you dislike the hits so much, even more than the sameness itself? - that you wouldn't even enjoy a general mixed, varied and slowly everchanging type show enough to go. If an album themed show in general, and only FMF in particular, is the only thing that would get you back with the herd.. well then.. Some grim prospects. * Just for your reading pleasure - careful with your eyes now - and to avoid being accused of forcing this type of experimental and extremist thinking on any involuntary public, I put my conclusion down here. To me, the whole set list issue, isn't quite that grave. I would be happy if - other than a bunch of nice hits, of cours - I would get a bunch of unusual but predictable songs each tour (unusual in the sense they have not been frequently played over the last few years, predictable in the sense they could be at least semi-foreseen from reading up on current events at setlists.fm - these are songs "on for the tour", so to speak). Apart from that, it would also be useful if a few genuinly unpredictable songs gets rotated in and out of the set each night, as surprise moments of excitement pitch to the die hards. Songs that hence don't get played more than twice or so each during a tour. That way the TP&TH show would still be - basically - a greatest hits show. But one that does provide quite a few gems that tells one tour from another, and more importantly a show that is truly alive, that changes both from tour to tour and from night to night, sufficiently enough to always keep both the band, the core fans and the ticket buying hang arounds on our toes and happy. No desperate need for obscurities-only shows, or album-theme shows to get things moving. Oh, sorry.. I know, we've been through this back and forth. I just don't see how what I just described would not be enough with musicians like this. To me it would be heaven! Both to experience and, as a fan, to know about. That things are kept real and ideals realized. Good thing I put this in a footnote, wouldn't you say.

Wait what? You mean to say that my own point (not sure which one exactly) makes my own brain melt? Oh, the self inflicted harm of it all! Eh, but if, perhaps, you just meant nicely to confirm what I already stated - that people not putting their act where their mouth is, causes me severe headaches - well, then.. OK! Maybe my brain really has melted, but from what I can tell you and I are on the same page - perhaps not the very page that TP speaks of trying to keep everybody on - but on the same page in general terms as far as these discussions go. (Cept perhaps about the full merits of album themed shows, but I personally find that to be a very stylish disagreement.) No reason to melt any brains over that.

^ Hm.. indeed! Quite understandable if the plate is pretty ful right now, what with the Dos Mudcrutchitos, the "Wildflowerer" (good one, MJLD!), and the earlier discussed plans on releasing some kinda live album, and stuff. And perhaps they simply don't know how and what just yet. But since the subject of playing live came up in the article, it would've been interesting if any plans or ideas for the upcoming "Big 40th" would have been mentioned, or at least addressed by the interviewer(erer). And I do agree with you - if, again, only in part. The part about them coming over to Europe, more specifically. To see all the devoted fans over here who haven't got many chances to see the band over the years. (And perhaps then especially the northern parts, where TP sales and hype always been well above the radar, comparetively.) Such a move, as part of a 40th Anniversary celebration, would be great news! As of venues, settings and/or set lists, I don't think any of that would matter much here, as long as they just come. That is exciting enough for most. As sorry a level of ambition it may be, it will still be enough for profit and success, I'm sure. All I know is that a certain hit angle would be unavoidable - and great, of course - and perhaps that the imagined album theme show idea is even less likely to come true over here, than over states side. You won't get rich putting a bet on for another round of the usual parade, I guess, but it will still be great having them here. Where we differ then? Well, I for one would mind the set. Sad to say. That is, I've reached the point in my life where I see no reason to go see "the show" any more times unless it goes somewhere. I've experienced a certain degree of total variation and a not totally unfair total number of songs since 1992 - but that is in 23 years - and the bulk of the set that stays the same has increased with the years, the core grown stiff with the "mandatory" section, and to me it would take for them to start acting on what they all - even TP - talks about in terms of digging and spreading, so to speak.* In five or ten years, if they are still at it (and if I'm still at it) I might again feel the urge for a fix of the "usual core" kind. But for now, until I get sufficient evidence that something is actually starting to happen to the approach, I'm on hiatus. (I wish them saying how stuff will happen would be enough, but all that does is reminding me of the story of the boy who cried wolf, if a bit more like the boy who cried cake.. eh.. ? Anyway. ) But never mind me, really. I'm just a guy. Let's have them over here any shape or form! Most fans here are still starved since the last 20+ years period of missing out, on European soil the set up may not even seem that tired yet.. So, by all mean - a few European dates for the Big 40? Yes, please! Not to mention how they need to go down under!! Those fans I really feel kinda sorry for. Might be overly straining, but perhaps a real World Tour is what next year should be. Just a little one --- *Ah, this, as you know, has been discussed to an irksome degree, sure (sorry!), but I myself have many times pointed out how very little it would take to get this b*stard of a legend rolling, how it would not take the bore revolution many seem to be so afraid of, how it wouldn't effect the band member's financial fortunes all too negatively (or even at all) and how much it would all seemingly delight everybody, insiders and outsiders that keep this venture close to heart, alike. Every time I think it will be the last that I bring this up, but I'm sure it will be more times, that's how insanely obvious the argument is to me. How sickening it is fitting the image and statements with reality. But never mind that now.

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You have some really good points there! For one thing, I don't think 'dull' is the proper word for it, even if one, like I very much do, agree with TP's stand that there actually is an important and delicate difference between constructing an album and constructing a live show. 'Strange' would be a better word. Also, certainly the unheard songs argument and the argument that this does not have anything to do with selling tickets. Agreed! Even the commie listening experience argument is a good one. Still TP's main concern, as I see it, still stands. The whole concept seems to me a bit like a runaround, compared to simply playing a varied, well constructed set that fathoms different eras and aspects of the catalog in ever changing new ways, so that those unheard songs gets played anyway, in a less forced manner. Btw - I suppose the incentive for BS to do album themed shows it is that he, much unlike TP, already did the mixed up approach so thoroughly, he even made an art of playing long and winding shows that has everything (cept good music ), that he perhaps, somewhat perversly, got so tired of all the spontanity and started to wonder, where to go from there. Perhaps the time had come when he wanted things to be a bit more predictable and conceptual - a brand new experience for him and his audiance to actually know what song would come next! Imagine the thrill of knowing the whole set, once you've heard three songs and detected the theme at hand. That can't even be done at a TP show, mind you, unless, of course, you sneak a peak at setlist.fm to see what they did yesterday. Ok. Again, I'm being overly sarcastic here, but perhaps you catch my drift. Perhaps this set up makes more sense to BS, I'm not sure. To me it does just make sense in minor parts. Well, yeah. That. Only - as has been mentioned - what he wants and what he says he wants does not necessarily compute, from what it seems.. But perhaps in this case it does. Like you say, nevermind - with music like his, it sure will be "fine" anyhow.

Cutting back to the intimate venue means losing money argument for a second. I think what TP implies should only make sense in the context of hitting small venues within the frames of a larger tour. Obviously the big venue, big tour, equipment and entourage cost a lot of money. Numbers I dare not even think about. Thus bringing the 20 big trucks to the back lot of the Troubadour does not only mean clogging up the parking situation, even if you tuck all the unnecessary and/or oversized stuff, the menagerie and so on away on some huge parking lot in Burbank, while you are busy having the time of your life with a camper full or two worth of equipment and people in that small venue, it could of course possibly also mean having a haywiring expense account for all the excess stuff and people that you have no use for. (Not to mention what the odd 500 people crew and their families would do to some 500 people capacity room.) All in all this scenario leaves very little room - literally and symbolically - for paying guests and even less for any profit. It must mean losing money. If contracts were actually written like that, with payrolls that don't match the layed out itinerary which I very much doubt. This is all speculations anyway, just trying to get my head around it. However - I am thinking - cutting the expenses, adjusting the whole concept to fit a small show (or a tour of small shows), not paying any freeloaders, not keeping unnecessary crew in general - that is keeping it tight, simple and small scale - should make the calculations balance out better, one would think. It would mean lesser gross profit, I think that's beyond a doubt. But that, after all, is not the same as losing money. Just saying. I am having a hard time believing that all these acts that travel the small venue cirquit prefessionally and quite successfully do this year in and year out on their own expence. But who knows.. It is supposedly a lot of fun, so..

Oh, that? I was merely being sarcastic. Call it a defense mechanism, in the face of a severely crippled sense of basic logic. All this talk far and wide of what they are about and what they love to do, still so very little to show for it. As far as I know, there is no law like the one I mentioned. I was just being drastic. It's just words anyway, right. It's not that they have to be literal or that I have to deliver on anything I say. Deal?

Oh, they look around, from what I gather they really do. But again, they say what they want, then they do something opposite anyway. That's how it is. And that is as far as mixing up the set goes. Not sure how it will work when they say they don't want something (an album theme for example). I suppose that means it will actually happen.. great..

I don't know if anyone did NOT know this. But yeah.. They mention what they want to do. Too bad there is a law against it.....

Full Moon Fever you say? Isn't that a bit close to what they actually do play each night anyway??

Like I said - I would enjoy any of them, if only for the reason mentioned. And I would, again, perhaps especially enjoy any of the first five, out of which LAD is one, if I'm not mistaken But by all means, even if it wouldn't be an optimal show, I would perhaps go for LAD if you put a gun to my head (and TP's then), should they ever go for a concept like this. You might be right about that.

I lean towards TP's own view on this. An album - no matter how well crafted - does not automatically lend itself to what is required of a good concert. However, I can imagine that any of the first five albums would have made for a decent main set, or core of a longer set. At least on paper. As for the rest of them, I suppose Last DJ is the one that comes closest. It would - and did - work alright as a show. At the same time, to me, that also really exposes some of the weakness and shortcomings of the album as a supposed "concept album". It would take a more thoroughly carried out concept to begin with, that is. -- Perhaps even accompanied in the live situation with some video displays following the score along nicely on screens, tying it together and exapanding on the experience (like an art-video version of a rock opera, if you see what I mean... not an actual movie to fit the music to). I could see something like that working, but then again, that is speculation and rather hypothetical - since the album in that actual concept shape does not exist. (As it stands, I suppose ITGWO could be presented in a live show setting as as much of a concept as LDJ - The Adventures of Eddie Rebel and all that..) Still, of course I would enjoy almost any album themed live show with TP&TH. For the sake of all the forgotten gems that such a show would bring forth, if nothing else. If a good and really varied mix of material just can't be had, I suppose some "album shows" would at least mean some excitement, but it's not on the top of my list, no.

That's nice! Thanks

I would consider b ) . But no, actually, every now and then it's nice to hear them in an original as possible shine, so Im ok with it too. That said, I would welcome reworked version, reinterpretations and so on too, bringing old songs into the current realm of the band. Would be very interesting to see them twist stuff and adjust to their contemporary ideas, sounds and suitable keys. Not that they don't do this to so e extent, but still.. Could be done a lot more! One thing does not preclude the other I suppose and after all, using "magic" is less optimal and less r'n'r than not using it so.. it's a bit of a trade-off and a thing I'd rather they used with caution and as an exception.

Thanks so much for sharing! A most interesting read! It is indeed great news that the Mudcrutch plans are confirmed thusly. Let's hope they get quickly and smoothly into their magic groove once more, arriving at some cool material and nail the recordings, so we get to hear it before the end of the year. (Here's to hoping that Leadon snaps up and brings better stuff than the GoGo Girls to the table this time.. ) Yes, good to hear that being confirmed more in detail like this. When most previous rumors have been up for interpretations and guessing, this was pretty clear. And pretty darn exactly what I too was hoping for, seemingly. That would be a most sad two years delay from first revealing the plans. Especially worrysome I find what TP says about it all being done and ready, just waiting on the shelf basically without even a set date or a plan. After all the rumors, speculation and press this album has got (I try to think of any other TP release that has gotten this much pre-hype) - and still there is actually no actual masterplan for it? Amazing. And a little worrysome, even my own anticipation taken aside.. Moreover - a left over material album from the early 90's, like this one, would be a most weird way to celebrate the 40th anniversary I think. It's at the same time both a too important release in it's own right - which the TP quotes seems to imply that the office think as well - to be mixed up in some other schemes or themes and too unworthy (random, arbitrary, if you like) or just too specific, to be made a rear view release or a symbol for the 40 years passed. I really hope they know to separate the two in tasteful way. Most of all I hope they have it out asap, at the very latest for Christmas. No questions asked. That quote.. As much as I agree with and admire those sentiments from the bottom of my heart, TP and I seem to differ quite a bit on the rich variety of possibilites in terms of how to achieve that keeping of "a lot of people on the same page", that is what the actual "art" consists of. Still, everytime I come to terms with this disagreement, make peace in my heart with all the lost possibilities and fading dreams and hard dying hopes.. he goes.. Oh man........ how it hurt my brains when he does that..

thanks for sharing!

I'd say it means pretty much that, yeah. To call an audible is usually that if something should happen, how it will be done, or when, is due to last minute decisions, yeah. "Perhaps I feel like making them clap." "Perhaps I just go 'Whoooaa, whooooaa'". In this context this sounds awefully spontaneous and totally out of character. Until you stop and think about what it means. The fact that you even script a "clapping" section, no matter how "audible", is.. well.. let's just say it's paradoxical. Cute, is the word that comes to mind. By all means - maybe some on-stage or off-stage personel need a reminder that there could be a bit of a "moment", side-steppinging the pre-set program at any time, that this set list, despite of appearance, is no robot manual. "Hey.. Steve.. wake up! Be ready to mute those drums at any time, yeah.. don't just sit there boom:ing away all night, will you!!" Rock'n'Roll!!