I am flabbergasted that Courage has been around since before WLAS. I’m so glad you decided to break with tradition and give it a place on an album - it’s such a beautiful song. It feels like there could be an argument for an entire album of detritus. I would absolutely pay money to listen to your discarded songs!
This demo is really interesting. It doesn’t feel like a link between the other two versions to me but sort of comes out of left field. It’s almost like you recorded a Sous La Mer version and then just left it off the album! Either way, I like it very much.
* I, for one, would *love* to hear Keith Carne’s favourite track, currently consigned to history in the W.A.S. archive. I’m a huge fan of Megaplex, admittedly. I loved the Lycans version. I also respect your general rule about not resuscitating old material for future releases, however, I am just biased in that I’ve never really heard a W.A.S. demo, rough draft, unfinished song, etc. and *not* liked it. There are very few, if any, bands for whom I could legitimately say the same.
- Related to the above point, but perhaps something that divides opinion within the band (I’m not sure?), but will we ever see Safety, Fun and Learning (In That Order) uploaded to streaming services or am I opening Davy Jones’ Locker with that question? I am not sure if I have used that metaphor correctly come to think of it…
- I’m with Keith M on the solo acoustic gig experiences as opposed to seeing a full band performance etc. I never really enjoy them half as much as seeing the full band. I love The Gaslight Anthem, for example, and their singer-songwriter, Brian Fallon, but I could just never get into the whole single-person-playing-an acoustic-on-stage thing. I appreciate the artistry and craft, but always felt I needed the energy of a full band to enjoy a gig.
- I really enjoyed this version of ‘Courage’. You guys said it better than I could regarding the merits of each version of the song. It’s nice to complete the ‘Courage Trilogy’, so to speak, and each track has its’ own unique style and charm. I have it on repeat this afternoon in sunny (I know! This never happens here!) Ireland. :)
Some solo acoustic sets work well, JimBob from Carter does a really good acoustic set, but I've seen a couple of acoustic sets with half the band that I've not gotten into, the Frank and Walters spring to mind as one where I just didn't feel anything for because they work so well as a full band.
I wonder if part of it comes down to how much fun people appear to be having on stage? Often the interaction of the band members is a big part of the appeal of a live performance.
I think the interaction can have something to do with it, whether it's between the band members themselves or with the audience, which is part of the pull of live music for me. But in some, limited, cases the stripped back version just hasn't worked for me. On a more positive note, I saw Echobelly last month and Sonia did an amazing acoustic version of Insomniac which was one of the highlights of the gig for me.
All I took away from this was The Yum Yums, and wondering if I have a shop nearby 🍩
This post also reminds me of what I tell fellow writer: you can always REVIVE your work. And I’m sure glad Courage was resurrected. It’s a fucking masterpiece in all of its iterations ✨
I’ve actually done some extensive listening to all three versions today now (shocker, I know!) and I really love how much there is to compare and contrast. The changes made to the guitar and the addition of the piano and just the way the song builds make the final album version my favourite (good work!) but listening to two other, very enjoyable versions has really helped me to pin point the things about it that resonate with me. Thanks for sharing.
So that, one day, it could be released on a whole album of echoey treats? 🤞It has a stronger travelling through time/space sound to it, worthy of being on a mothership full of it's own kind🛸👽
I really like this version and the echo effects. I've enjoyed hearing how the demos differ from their final versions. What did suprise me was the age of the song since it sounds quite different to your other songs of a similar age, referring to the tracks on SFL (ITO) as the comparison point.
Yes, I was thinking the same thing. Stylistically it sounds very different to anything else I’ve heard from that period although I could easily believe the demo on Business Casual was recorded in the early aughts as vocally it sounds more like WLAS than TV (unless it was not actually recorded then, in which case the gremlins of suggestion are just getting to me!)
I am flabbergasted that Courage has been around since before WLAS. I’m so glad you decided to break with tradition and give it a place on an album - it’s such a beautiful song. It feels like there could be an argument for an entire album of detritus. I would absolutely pay money to listen to your discarded songs!
This demo is really interesting. It doesn’t feel like a link between the other two versions to me but sort of comes out of left field. It’s almost like you recorded a Sous La Mer version and then just left it off the album! Either way, I like it very much.
Totally agree, I'd happily throw more of my money in the direction of WAS for a collection of songs from the cutting room floor.
I have a few thoughts from reading the above:
* I, for one, would *love* to hear Keith Carne’s favourite track, currently consigned to history in the W.A.S. archive. I’m a huge fan of Megaplex, admittedly. I loved the Lycans version. I also respect your general rule about not resuscitating old material for future releases, however, I am just biased in that I’ve never really heard a W.A.S. demo, rough draft, unfinished song, etc. and *not* liked it. There are very few, if any, bands for whom I could legitimately say the same.
- Related to the above point, but perhaps something that divides opinion within the band (I’m not sure?), but will we ever see Safety, Fun and Learning (In That Order) uploaded to streaming services or am I opening Davy Jones’ Locker with that question? I am not sure if I have used that metaphor correctly come to think of it…
- I’m with Keith M on the solo acoustic gig experiences as opposed to seeing a full band performance etc. I never really enjoy them half as much as seeing the full band. I love The Gaslight Anthem, for example, and their singer-songwriter, Brian Fallon, but I could just never get into the whole single-person-playing-an acoustic-on-stage thing. I appreciate the artistry and craft, but always felt I needed the energy of a full band to enjoy a gig.
- I really enjoyed this version of ‘Courage’. You guys said it better than I could regarding the merits of each version of the song. It’s nice to complete the ‘Courage Trilogy’, so to speak, and each track has its’ own unique style and charm. I have it on repeat this afternoon in sunny (I know! This never happens here!) Ireland. :)
Some solo acoustic sets work well, JimBob from Carter does a really good acoustic set, but I've seen a couple of acoustic sets with half the band that I've not gotten into, the Frank and Walters spring to mind as one where I just didn't feel anything for because they work so well as a full band.
I wonder if part of it comes down to how much fun people appear to be having on stage? Often the interaction of the band members is a big part of the appeal of a live performance.
I think the interaction can have something to do with it, whether it's between the band members themselves or with the audience, which is part of the pull of live music for me. But in some, limited, cases the stripped back version just hasn't worked for me. On a more positive note, I saw Echobelly last month and Sonia did an amazing acoustic version of Insomniac which was one of the highlights of the gig for me.
All I took away from this was The Yum Yums, and wondering if I have a shop nearby 🍩
This post also reminds me of what I tell fellow writer: you can always REVIVE your work. And I’m sure glad Courage was resurrected. It’s a fucking masterpiece in all of its iterations ✨
I’ve actually done some extensive listening to all three versions today now (shocker, I know!) and I really love how much there is to compare and contrast. The changes made to the guitar and the addition of the piano and just the way the song builds make the final album version my favourite (good work!) but listening to two other, very enjoyable versions has really helped me to pin point the things about it that resonate with me. Thanks for sharing.
I really really really really like this version. Touching on what Lou said – is there a reason why it (or something of this ilk) was left off UTS? 🐷💄
So that, one day, it could be released on a whole album of echoey treats? 🤞It has a stronger travelling through time/space sound to it, worthy of being on a mothership full of it's own kind🛸👽
Yeah it sounds back to front somehow!
Perhaps we should try playing it backwards....check we haven't missed some important communications from WAS HQ
I’m guessing that is the ‘backward masking thing’ referred to, although I have no idea what that actually means 🤷♀️
I really like this version and the echo effects. I've enjoyed hearing how the demos differ from their final versions. What did suprise me was the age of the song since it sounds quite different to your other songs of a similar age, referring to the tracks on SFL (ITO) as the comparison point.
Yes, I was thinking the same thing. Stylistically it sounds very different to anything else I’ve heard from that period although I could easily believe the demo on Business Casual was recorded in the early aughts as vocally it sounds more like WLAS than TV (unless it was not actually recorded then, in which case the gremlins of suggestion are just getting to me!)