Rapid Eye Movement

[DGP00666]

Some days ago I read somewhere a Greek interview with Mr. Eldritch. I've been having nightmares since I know Von would like his band to be compared with R.E.M. once they disappear. Honestly, I like songs like "Man On The Moon", The End Of The World", "Stand" and a few more. I find, however, insulting, to say the least, how Eldo can compare his band to these tedious individuals. I prefer when he says his band is more related to Motörhead or Black Sabbath though.

Please refrain from making comparisons between both frontmen, thank you.

[Dark]

I can't see many similarities between the Sisters and Motörhead. They may both do some type of rock, but they're poles, and decibels, apart.

[DGP00666]

I can't see many similarities between the Sisters and Motörhead. They may both do some type of rock, but they're poles, and decibels, apart.

Hey, maybe I was wrong and "Something Fast" is the twin sister of "Everybody Hurts".

[Badlander]

I can't see many similarities between the Sisters and Motörhead. They may both do some type of rock, but they're poles, and decibels, apart.

In the early days, Craig's bass sound was veeeery much Motörhead-esque.

And I do like REM. The trouble is everybody seems to like that band, including the most annoying and tasteless morons. You can't not like that band, and that is boring.

[DGP00666]

Badlander... If you remember that radio session where they combined Floorshow with Teachers and so on, that sounded like "No Sleep 'Till The Chemist"

[Dark]

And I do like REM. The trouble is everybody seems to like that band, including the most annoying and tasteless morons. You can't not like that band, and that is boring.

I don't like all their songs. Bad Day, Imitation Of Life and Stand are good, but otherwise, they don't really do much for me.

[Badlander]

I don't like all their songs. Bad Day, Imitation Of Life and Stand are good, but otherwise, they don't really do much for me.

But you have nothing against them either, do you ?
REM is consensual, immensely consensual, to a point that's almost frightening. And yet they're pretty clever and pretty talented. Things that usually don't go hand in hand.
So when someone tells me that he/she likes REM, I can't help suspecting it's for the wrong reasons. I know it's sad.

[weebleswobble]

Please refrain from making comparisons between both frontmen, thank you.

Nope




Wouldn't dream of it





Not from me








oops

[James Blast]

REM = extremely naff

The Sisters Of Mercy = Rock Action!

Next!

[Francis]

I like REM. I like the Sisters. I also like Supertramp. Hang me.

[canon docre]

I also like Supertramp. Hang me.

Cripes, you'll be hanged at dawn if it was up to me. How can you? Next you'll be saying you like Dire Straits.

[Dark]

I don't like all their songs. Bad Day, Imitation Of Life and Stand are good, but otherwise, they don't really do much for me.

But you have nothing against them either, do you ?
REM is consensual, immensely consensual, to a point that's almost frightening. And yet they're pretty clever and pretty talented. Things that usually don't go hand in hand.
So when someone tells me that he/she likes REM, I can't help suspecting it's for the wrong reasons. I know it's sad.

I'm not sure I have anything against them. I think some of their songs are a bit bland, but if they have talent, good for them.

[Ramone]

In Leeds one afternoon, many years ago, at a Mishun rehersal watching them play 'Floorshow' , Craig was wearing his Metallica shirt. Ok, the Sisters did indeed have 'metal roots' . For instance, using the name 'Speedkings' for secret shows back in the early '90's, a name taken from a Deep Purple song to Eldritch's apparent love Motorhead and the Ramones. Yet - I've never heard it any of there songs - however hard I've tried. And God knows I have. Now,with his glory days behind him, his final epitath is to compare himself to an artist seen to most as more Radio 2 friendly pop act meets A.O.R may seem beyond idiotic. OK. we all know he took the p*ss in nearly all of his interviews, and if you where gullible enough to believe every single word he's ever uttered. From saying he wanted to build washing machines back in 1984 to this, then you need your head feeling. But this time, I think his words may actually, for once hold some merit.

The Sisters leant on a lot of musical influences, some more clearly than others, and some for pure fun (Hot Chocolate, Abba, the Bee Gees,Pink Floyd..) . But I would never say they were a pop act, as much as I would never say they where a rock band.

If you read between the lines, I think the idea of being associated with REM is more on a level of that of an artist rather than musically. REM, have alway escaped the pidgeon holes of music bestoed by the media, yet they've become a huge act but without much compromise.

Nearly every major band 'Jumped the shark' From the cartoon likes of U2 to the mighty Guns n Roses or even the Stones, all huge acts in their time ,and to compare yourself to acts such as these, opens yourself up to ridicule. But to announce; ' I wanna be remebered like REM' leaves the door open for yourself. Stripe (Stipe or whatever his name is) is seen as some sort of musical enigma. (A man of few words, a good ear for a tune and everyone in the music buisness appears to listen when he speaks - Which is beyond my comprehension) and is yet to be globally panned for any of his work. But instead, admired and universally aknowledged by the music crtiics since the dawn of time. So, in my mind, doesn't it make more sense to line yourself up next to some one like R.E.M - rather than say the Beatles or even The Macc Lads!! And be for ever damned ?

[Badlander]

The Sisters leant on a lot of musical influences, some more clearly than others, and some for pure fun (Hot Chocolate, Abba, the Bee Gees,Pink Floyd..) .

I don't see much fun in the Floyd reference.
The Girls' cover version of Comfortably numb sounds extremely respectful to me. Maybe even a bit too much : the early (92) versions are far from impressive, because of the absence of a good enough axeman. I think it was then Andreas Bruhn who was in charge of the solo, and he only played about half the notes from Dave Gilmour's original work.
Other covers, whether it be Hot Chocolate, Abba, The Stones, Kylie Minogue, The Rubettes, etc. are clearly way, way more inconoclastic and it that sense more fun. That Floyd cover is still very close to the original, it's one of the few The Sissies didn't make "their own".

As for the Girls' "metal" aspect, I'll stick to my point : Craig's bass sound in the early days speaks volume.

[weebleswobble]

That Floyd cover is still very close to the original, it's one of the few The Sissies didn't make "their own".

I'm sure I've heard a version that seques into Some Kind of Stranger, now that is sissified..need to look through some old CD's

[aims]

If I remember rightly, in CN/SKOS it's the SKOS segment that seems floydified, rather than vice versa.

[Badlander]

If I remember rightly, in CN/SKOS it's the SKOS segment that seems floydified, rather than vice versa.

I've never looked at it that way but I must say you're totally right.

[GMC]

In the interviews thread the quote is:

Q: What is your opinion about bands like the Nephs, garden of delight,elusive?

AE - i could tell you my opinion about REM, Neil Young or Motorhead.
i dont know these bands you re telling me.

Maybe there was something else. Neil Young and Motorhead are respectable. And REM isn't precisely -bad- they're just alarmingly generic, and don't always seem to realize it. Nothing funnier than rock and roll guys taking themselves too seriously (hi bono...).

Anyway, I suspect AE said whatever he said about REM if it wasn't just the above as a semi-joke targeted to annoy the living daylights out of the FotN crowd. He couldn't have picked a more basic pop-rock act...

[Gimme_The_Ring]

That Floyd cover is still very close to the original, it's one of the few The Sissies didn't make "their own".

I'm sure I've heard a version that seques into Some Kind of Stranger, now that is sissified..need to look through some old CD's

I've got it on my desktop if you get stuck.

[markfiend]

That Floyd cover is still very close to the original, it's one of the few The Sissies didn't make "their own".

When they opened with it at Birmingham in '92, no-one around me seemed to know what it was, never mind see the funny side.

A man with Eldritch's (largely self-created) reputation opening a concert with a song about being unable to go on stage without chemical assistance? Genius.

Didn't Adam say something somewhere about being paid to do Dave Gilmour impressions being his dream job?

[Quiff Boy]

That Floyd cover is still very close to the original, it's one of the few The Sissies didn't make "their own".

When they opened with it at Birmingham in '92, no-one around me seemed to know what it was, never mind see the funny side.

A man with Eldritch's (largely self-created) reputation opening a concert with a song about being unable to go on stage without chemical assistance? Genius.

Didn't Adam say something somewhere about being paid to do Dave Gilmour impressions being his dream job?

a fledgling adam pearson once had something approaching a day job that was basically tw*tting about in a studio doing sisters impressions...

as a budding sisters-fanboy guitarist he had a pastiche/p*sstake band that would do morphed out versions of sisters songs and call them their own material.

can you imagine his surprise when unclce andy asked him to join the band and do impressions of good sisters guitarists *for real*?



@ ramone: i never realised thats where the name "speed kings" came from! nice one

[mugabe]

Anyway, I suspect AE said whatever he said about REM if it wasn't just the above as a semi-joke targeted to annoy the living daylights out of the FotN crowd. He couldn't have picked a more basic pop-rock act...

R.E.M. are not that far from The Sisters. Especially the Green and Automatic for the People albums, both excellent ones, btw. The latter being one of my all-time favourite records, incidentally. A song like "Driven like the Snow" wouldn't be out of place on that.

[czuczu]

Numb/Stranger at Loreley was one of those moments when people waving lighters actually made sense! It's a perfect cover - try listening to the original now, the vocals just don't work...

I'm sure there was an interview (during his 'meek' 92-93 period) where he was giving REM a pat on the back for 'Drive'..

[RobF]

Von mentioned a liking for REM as far back as 92 as far as I remember, some Swedish TV interview and MTV's 120 minutes, describing them as: "Consistently intelligent, which is refreshing" and also commenting that it was very difficult to persuade record company marketing departments that: "...I am Michael Stipe, not Ozzy Osbourne".

The fact that that some of you are surprised, is, erm, surprising.

[czuczu]

Yep - brain cells are starting to kick in now - he also thought 'I Was Wrong' would have been a hit with the 'REM type crowd' in the US...