9november2024
The League Of Gentlemen…
1980
The League Of Gentleman were a second-division touring new wave instrumental dance band. A cooking live band, which failed to make a record.
The recording, at Arny’s Shack in Parkstone, was compromised by Johnny Toobad’s health problems. After three days in the studio, Johnny returned to London to see his dealer, leaving the album about 70% finished.
Indiscretions, voices recorded in informal situations, and a vocal by Danielle Dax were added to make up the difference. Indiscretions and the DD vocal on Minor Man had nothing to do with The LofG. Some critical comments were made at the time within the band and also by respected commentators.
In 2022, for the Exposures box set, I chose to accept the original recordings from Arny’s Shack and remove all the non-LofG elements. Simply, it is what it is.
My primary criterion for judgement: does this convince me, now in 2022?
Mark Mushet: Minor Man was a favourite track with the Dax vox and I could not understand why, in a box set with so many outtakes and alternate versions tacked on, there was not a version where the original (as released) was included…
RF: I listened to Minor Man (in 2022) and was unconvinced. Discussing my choice at the time, I noted that nothing goes away: anyone sufficiently interested would be able to access the original LofG + Indiscretions + DD version, as I have today.
Mark Mushet: I like that you are willing to entertain unpopular positions…like remaining silent on genuine questions about why Danielle Dax’s vocals were axed from the otherwise exhaustive and excellent Exposures box set. Whatever you do, don’t answer that!
RF: As above, I listened to Minor Man in 2022 and was unconvinced.
Mark Mushet: I prefer the studio recording because I wasn't there for the concerts.
Chris Smith: At the time, the LoG album was the closest one could get to being at one of their gigs when there wasn't one - which was far too often for my taste, since the band could blister paint at live shows. The original vocals remain like the original Blade Runner voice-over to me; perhaps not right with hindsight, perhaps (with Blade Runner) done for compromised reasons - but it's what we fell in love with, and that doesn't change.
RF: I agree with Mr. Smith: our first experience of anything tends to be defining.
David Beardsley
I can hear the band better with instrumental versions…
Mark Mushet
I also love the new clean, unadorned mix.
David Lewis
…because it placed the focus back on to the music.
RF: My view in 2022.
Peter Giaquinta: So glad this record is getting some discussion here...
RF: This interest in The LofG is a surprise to me, and the greatest expression of interest in The League Of Gentleman album that I recall.
Jim McManus: It struck me as odd, that Ms Dax's vocals were removed but the lyrics she sang were printed in the book.
RF: I agree. I didn’t catch this.
Mark Mushet: My feeling was that there might have been some circumstantial / personal regret around the time of creating the music that may have coloured the decisions around including things…
Christopher Keep: Most plausible explanation: "… one thing absolutely missing were these Indescretions. I suspect that it may have something to do with Ms. Walton’s death in the Lockerbie bombing incident in 1988 and Fripp’s ill ease at having these cavalier snatches of conversation representing her memory." (https://postpunkmonk.com/.../record-review-robert.../...)
RF: There were personal elements involved, and two of the Indescreeters are no longer with us, but Ms. Walton is not involved here.
Primarily, my choice to return to The LofG elements, unadorned, was directed by my dissatisfaction with the original.
Mark Mushet: Partly, for me, it's also nostalgia, which I'm mostly suspicious of.
RF: Agreed. I don’t do nostalgia.
Walter Rovere: ...but I would say that from the point of view of both fans of the League of Gentlemen LP (to me one of new wave's masterpieces)…
RF: A generous assessment, and one that I don’t recall reading before.
Walter Rovere: …that could have happened for a number of reasons:
1. the artist not being happy with the record and wishing to change it:
RF: That resonates with me.
Walter Rovere: very problematic I would say from a music history point of view...
RF: Highly problematic. Fortunately for me I’m not a music historian.
Mark Mushet: …but the Exposures box offered such a great sounding and complete-ish collection (at an absurdly low price considering the effort) that having it not included obviously remains glaring for a smallish number of us.
RF: The Exposures box, as with all DGM / Panegyric box sets, failed miserably to keep to any conventional commercial criteria for compiling boxes.
Mark Mushet: The autograph thing is an odd one. I only ask if there is a meaningful interaction of some kind.
RF: There can be meaningful interactions where autography brings together the parties IMO. But that discussion is not for this post.
David Beardsley: accountability demanded!
RF: How could it be otherwise?
Eric Tamm’s Chapter Eight has informative comments on The LofG, and my thinking at the time, for anyone interested…
https://web.archive.org/web/20120303085040/http://www.progressiveears.com/frippbook/ch08.htm
https://web.archive.org/web/20120404061258/http://www.progressiveears.com/frippbook/ch09.htm
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_League_of_Gentlemen_(band)
"Remain in hell without despair."
