so these guys have finally, after all these years, officially announced their split. citing the iraq war as the main reason.
from NME....
The Montreal post-rock innovators have called it a day, but not for the reasons of 'musical differences' cited by many retiring bands.
Instead, founder Efrin Menuck declared that the band had become untenable due to ''an existential freakout'' relating to the Iraq war.
Menuck told Drownedinsound: ''The last American tour that Godspeed did was in the run up to the current war in Iraq. For what Godspeed did, it was very difficult for us to work out a way to communicate directly with the audience about what was going on.''
He continued: ''We could talk to people after the shows, or we could make announcements from the stage, but so much what Godspeed was, was one-way communication, and I had an existential freakout about that, that those tactics aren't valid anymore.
''People didn't need a rock band pointing in the direction of (how the world was at that point). Maybe what they needed is some clumsy words, a presentation that was a little more human.''
But Menuck hinted that personal issues between the members also played a part in the decision to split: ''On a personal level I now find (Godspeed) to be inappropriate. There's a complicated back story. I reached a point whereby I was no longer willing to contribute to the steering of the ship; it was like, 'Okay now, someone else point the direction, I love you all, but I need to ride shotgun for a while'. I think that bands do have a short shelf life.''
Godspeed You Black Emperor formed in 1994 and released six albums and EPs, culminating in 2004's 'Tiny Little Hammers'. Since when they have been on 'indefinite hiatus'.
Changing the world through post-rock!
Then what the fuck is he doing continuing A Silver Mt Zion then?
i dunno fastcanoe, i kinda read that as him being frustrated with the wordless nature of gybe. before he says he was frustrated that he couldn't communicate more directly with the audience.
anyway, this is funny because I loved gybe but somehow completely missed all their press/interviews etc and didn't realise they were such a sensation at the time - and didn't know much about their politics etc.
I say we all chip in and grab Aidan for a Bakunin's Bum tour then.
Well there last attempt at an album was an entirely sample free event if I recall, this in itself was rather unexpected as the means of interpretation was left purely to the obvious nature of the artwork. Personally I enjoyed the politics via an indirect means, had a nice anthropic feel tom it or something.
Press wasn't much of an area for them on the whole, I only know of one interview scored from an Australian zine for instance.
I think they had great ideals and ideas, I did like their politics and the way it was presented (like fasty says). I just feel real power comes from the barrel of a gun, the ballot box or the newspaper headline.
yeah, it wasn't until Yanqui U.X.O. that I really understood where they were coming from, I guess because I had most of their stuff on dubbed cassette and - apart from the Slow Riot EP - they're fairly oblique without the cover art acting as some indication.
Fastcanoe - i think i recall Efrim doing an interview with some journalist who was pissed that he didn't get a promo copy of the album the band had just released. there was a bit of a slinging match going down between that writer and the Constellation website. it was pretty petulant but obv entertaining.
can everyone please make sure whale is all right ;-)
I know the interview, can't find it currently. The OOR interview and Efrims response were also entertaining.
haha why on earth would they even bother! didn't everyone assume they'd never do anything again four years ago?
Yah, it does seem rather silly.
this does suck a lot, though. i wanted to see them.
Hmm, interesting. On a tangent can I just say the new A Silver Mt Zion album is pretty fucking great
really? I haven't listened properly but the first track was kind of dull. I guess I've lost interest in SMZ/Constellation artists in general. there was severe drop in quality control around the time bands like Molasses and RE: were releasing stuff
f# a# infinity is an incredible album - i love that opening monologue.
arcade fire = poor man's gsybe?
Who does he think he is, telling us what he thinks we need? Personally, I need to hear GYBE more than I need to hear another ''rock personality'' ranting about the pointlessness and injustice of war.
I thought Yanqui UXO was their last release. Did I miss one?
oh a instrumental band are disappointed that their political scrawlings and pretentiously long track names on the albums they've released on an indie label and the majority of listeners likely pirated didn't stop the war, get a fucking grip boys
that said I really like F#A#infinity and their other stuff too but I thought they were on hiatus forever anyways
i don't think it's about the expectation that their music would 'stop' the war. i think the guys were just upset about it.
djbollocks, I've never heard of that. If you look at the NME page someone posts a comment along the lines of 'do some research, that EP doesn't actually exist'.
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do tell
Yes; please do. The google-machine provides nothing.
No way
December tour
link for deets?
whaffuck!!! please be true
be watching this East Hastings vid a lot lately
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5gmxBRkQd70
it's very hussssssssssssssh at the mo so no details
in that case, they're playing at mine next week, don't tell no one.
rad
Two of the three times I saw them play they were horrendous.
Although to be fair, the first time was so good it just about made up for the other two.
they're playing at my house too. Its a secret show.
rad
rad
brilliant rumour.
rad
I wouldn't be suprised to see them out here, they are playing regularly these days.
(I have seen them 3 times now (they were all amazing shows))
Dudes can believe what they want, I'm just telling you what I heard
Meredith?
i believe i'm going to strike it rich today and that honey is really liquid gold.