Jack Ladder

''he interests me''... that is indeed glowing praise when compared to every other comment i have heard about his performance...

Poor Jeff.

wow, i almost feel like defending the guy. he was boring as and played seemingly forever, don't get me wrong, but he did come after a night of pavement and fuckin' dinosaur jr. the guy didn't stand a chance.

should've got a stabs or witch hats to play at that time of the day.

Where do you find a ''small, smoky club'' these days?

Dunno. Part of the problem, I guess.

ps- my socks were dry.

Dicks bar, Preston

Ladder and his band seem intent on keeping it cool

think you're onto something there, blocky.

he supported the drones at the small, formerly smoky, annandale last week.

arrogance is fine, if only he had the songs to back it up.

and congratulations on the socks.

as we left his set we walked passed someone from our campsite. I asked her what she thought. her response was insightful.

''What a stupid arsehole''

says it all, really

maybe it's nerves disguised as arrogance?

Someone in the other thread said he was 'trying too hard'. I think maybe that's how I felt about the set. I saw him about six months ago (I left halfway through) and, aside from his voice, the sound was completely different. I respect that he seems to be trying something new for him. Just don't know that it worked.

Am curious about how many people have listened to his records? Coz, it's surprising nobody's mentioned how little resemblance his songs reinterpreted live bear to the recorded versions. They would literally be unrecognisable if it wasn't for the lyrics in many instances - and I don't mean to exaggerate. I'm thinking that's pretty important to mention. And as for the last album, it's a matter of opinion obviously, but mine is its up to its ears in great songs.

If that gig is your first exposure/experience though, man, what a different impression he must make.

I enjoyed the gig for the fact the interpretations of the songs were so lateral and for the fact that such sinister noise at such an early stage of the day put the fear of god into me.

I'm curious to know why he hasn't used a drummer the last two times I've seen him live though and why he's totally got off side with the original form of his songs.

Yep, posted this before seeing lessmore's.

was he doing the noisy guitar/drum machine/groovy guitar & bass set? if it was anything like the time i saw him in a dingy bar i bet it was great fun

very interesting and considered opinion albert, cheers for that.

So he's trying something new and constantly reinventing. Whether it works or not, kudos to him. More people should be so bold.

I've seen him live maybe 3 times, and each time the crowd has been bored by him. sorry.

times ive seen him people danced. dude makes fun music

Out of curiosity I've been listening to some of his recordings on myspace. It's true - they bear very little relation to what I heard at GP. I'm always up for being challenged by a performer, so now I wish I'd given JL a bit more time last weekend, rather than just assuming he was ripping off Nick Cave's vocal and putting it to some half-arsed Jeffrey Lee Pierce guitar wailing, as it seemed to me back then. It makes sense reading that he digs Scott Walker and John Cale.

i hadnt seen him in a couple of years. used to be more an alt.country crooner. and he has got a great voice.

but the other night, it all just seemed a bit trying too hard. down to the 'drums and effects pedal song' that he finished with. the cave aping, even if he has shyness issues, had just been done before.

and nobody on or off the stage seemed to be having much in the way of 'fun'.

i think it's worth noting that he had kirin j callinan (ex-mercy arms) on guitar. kirin solo was one of the better/more interesting things i saw live last year.

Most of their gear got left at Sydney Airport, so they were kind of winging it a little.
Knowing how heavy Kirin goes on the pedals, for him to play without all his stuff must have made it a bit of a challenge, and certainly must have effected how much fun they were having onstage.

before he played i said (based on the songs i had heard on the radio) that he was ''on the rockier side of folk-rock, i guess''. but at the end of the set we all agreed that he was ''on the mopier side of shit''. did not connect with us at all.

i saw him a few times a few years ago - once solo acoustic, once with a band on the folksier side of things - was pretty likeable i thought (without being unmissable)

haven't a few acts struggled in this ''first thing sunday'' spot at meredith/golden plains - ? i remember something falling savagely flat a year or two ago. was it jane badler/sir?

the great thing about the ladder/kirin collaboration is jack's groovy soul guitar and kirin's hilariously over-the-top psychedelic/noise playing. i reckon if the guy didn't have his gear it would have effected it. anyway i wasn't even there. just defending the music and reckon you should give him a go if he's playing in your town. 'cause the last two times i've seen him i've had such a great, great time. i rarely hear pop/rock in australia like this. everyone's so serious/lazy/characterless. JL is on to something. dancing at a rock show is the best

kirin needs to play solo a lot more, and/or start his own band. he's wasted talent playing with this guy.

It felt like I was like being forced to listen to Bryan Ferry have it off with Nick Cave only to realise it wasn't consensual...on either party's part. Dissapointing and disturbing. I felt sullied.