[Everyneurotic]

Originally Posted by Dead-Air

You are honestly always a pleasure to argue with, because you at least have interesting ideas about music rather than resorting to lame name calling as some do.

(danke) and i like you because you actually like discussing things instead of playing the namedrop game.

That said...

I like the Melvins major label albums a lot. Houdini and Stoner Witch are both classics with great songs and cool experimental bits too. I don't know that there was anything "controversial" about that phase except if you were the Atlantic A&R fool who signed them because of the Nirvana connection and then realized what you'd got. Houdini was liked enough by the band themselves that they did it as their ATP set. The Melvins are every bit as much of an example as Sonic Youth of a great band that didn't compromise when they got signed to a major label, the only difference is they got kicked back to the indies, arguably by intention.

i think i had a lapsus, i meant the late 90's (when they did the maggot, the bootlicker, etc.), which aren't their top game and i think they did it on purpose to get rid of the pressure and expectations (not to mention label interest).

i too love houdini and stoner witch.

LPD and Girl Trouble both never signed to majors, but I still think that to keep a band consistently putting out awesome records and shows for coming on three decades is a remarkable accomplishment. Many would argue that doing it without ever getting big label backing is more of an accomplishment, and most bands really do cave under just that pressure.

i can't argue with this at all, all true. the thing is, i don't see where there's pressure here, lpd never had the weight of pleasing anybody because nobody expected anything out of them (except good music). these are pressure free bands and actually, it's admirable that they have remained like that for so long.

You rather contradict yourself in calling Suicide a nostalgia act and then saying you don't like their new records. The very fact they make new records that are challenging to their own fan base (which you didn't say you were part of, but you get what I'm saying) is a strong case for them not being a nostalgia act. They certainly couldn't remake the first record if they even tried, but they're hardly stuck in the Ocasec new wave phase either. You might even be blown away by their next record, in another seven or eight years when they get around to making it...

well, def leppard are still releasing albums with new songs, yet one can't call them anything but a nostalgia act today (maybe "crap"...smartasses). i know they still have an experimental edge but isn't it part of the package? isn't that what we always expected from messers vega and rev? would we care if they didn't go off the deep end, as they understand it? of course it wouldn't be suicide if they didn't. and well yeah, i look forward to their next record, i look forward for them to do something awesome (i'm yet to listen to the vega/pan sonic joint but i'm interested). yet, how many people go to see them for their new stuff and not for "rocket usa" and "ghost rider"?

still, it makes me wonder about their band chemistry though. perhaps everytime they feel the pressure, alan and martin decide to take time off to do their respective shit and once things cool out, they get back together.