The poster pasted on the walls of New York and shared in social networks, in raw black and white fanzine punk, showed the band to imitate, of comically amateur way, any scene of an infested Romero movie zombies . “LCD Soundsystem back from the dead” . It was under this title that in March, it announced the first concert of the band from that, surprisingly, James Murphy announced that, after all, farewell forever, 2011, marked by an epic concert at Madison Square Garden, sold out in 18 minutes it was not after all, forever. The farewell was, incidentally, quite short.
“Five years is the time it takes a few bands to record an album. When the end and start gigging not call her ‘return’, is it? “Asks Rui Maia, musician, producer and DJ who met X-Wife, signing as Mirror People or in his own name, echoing the cries of indignation that swept the internet when it was announced the return. It is understandable.
LCD Soundsystem were the band that best represented in sound and speech, the state of the music since it was announced the twenty-first century. Demolished, finally and without kicking hypothesis, the boundaries that surrounded the rock and electronic, the avant-garde music made and cantarolável sweetie, yesterday’s times and the contemporary pulse. And they did it while Murphy, already trintão when he became former drummer of punk bands, former roadie, former producer and editor exclusively in unlikely star, reflected and questioned the musical world and the people who inhabited it. He did it with a speech given to the sarcastic look and mood self deprecating, mixed Woody Allen indie and grouchy employee desk of “High-Fidelity”. First touched all hearts of music lovers glorious “music maluquinhos”. Then, when the pop appeal of his songs became inescapable, they became unavoidable – you could ignore the band’s name, but everyone knew how to dance “All my friends”
In 2011, “. obituaries “reflected the status the band reached. The Pitchfork published a collection of essays – one for each song edited by the band. The Onion, the end of a genius to cry-or rather, the genial Saint James Murphy. “I did as Godard, criticizing the art to make better art. (…) Not given us no choice but to love the LCD, because you built the band in a way that made it impervious to criticism. ” Until James Murphy blurred painting.
Do not miss with impunity the word. Not in the case of a band that had always been governed by the sacred rules, but rarely met, pop ethics. They parted at the top, after three albums undefiled [ "LCD Soundsystem", 2004; Sound of Silver , 2007; This Is Happening , 2010], each a masterpiece of its time. They parted as we like the bands farewell when still no signs of creative decay and gentrification. They could not return. Much less a mere five years later. Much less after the event which was the farewell concert documentary followed, Shut Up And Play The Hits . Much less when, as close in time as April 2014, released The Last Goodbye , farewell concert record at Madison Square Garden in luxury edition five vinyls, putting up just the way before suspicions of commercial exploitation of the poor fan, so you do hear disheartened sighs, the usual street political commentary, but here applied to rock’n’roll circus, “that they are all equal.” But are?
Electronics and rock’n’roll
The next Vodafone Paredes de Coura is, as has been customary in recent years, a celebration of some of rock (and its tributaries and family) more vibrant today. The electro-punk minimalism of British Sleaford Mods, the essential garage-rock of Thee Oh Sees, psychedelia (now) funky Unknown Mortal Orchestra, the energetic Cage The Elephant, folk sweeping views of Riley Walker, the good news Australia represented by King Gizzard & amp; The Lizard Wizard (see interview in these pages), the funk-soul-hip hop collision of Black Ear or Captain Fausto in grace. Has official start scheduled for August 17 and long party to precede it:. Between 13 and 16 there will be daily concerts in the village, starring bands with Handle Monster Bellrays, Duchess or Quelle Dead Gazelle
Much of the attention, however, will be focused on day 18 night, the return of LCD Soundsystem. It was in that same scenario that debuted in 2004, in a concert on the stage “After-Hours”. They played below the heads of Motorhead poster, which, it is said, very pleased James Murphy, big fan of Lemmy Kilmister trio. It was the beginning of the band’s history with Portugal. The following year, already with the same name released debut album and the attention focused on them, played at the Music House, down to Lisbon for two dates in Lux, and months later, continued to walk south to hit the Southwest.
Rui Maia was in the House of Music and recalls a concert “the great energy on stage and be a hypnotic concert with a mirror ball spinning very long songs and all a bit chaotic. A lot of people on stage, nothing pretty straight forward. They live much energy. In this sense too, they end up being very attached to punk. ” Isilda Sanches, journalist and broadcaster who can hear now on Antena 3, remembers well that initial impact. “I saw them for the first time in Lux and touched the Throw Carl Craig [historical name of the Detroit techno]. I’ve never heard that song played live. ” The feeling was happy surprise: ” ‘? What is going on here’ was magical. They won right there a mythical dimension. Spent very little I saw them in the Southwest and the phenomenon began to grow, “he recalls.
Two years later, with Sound of SIlver , the second album, to increase them the role, “guilt” of songs like congregadora All my friends or explosive “North American scum”, jumped to the main stage of the Super Bock Super Rock. James Andrew, the actívissimo DJ A Boy Named Sue, “the rock’n’roll time machine” was there, but more interested in then returned Jesus & amp; Mary Chain. “LCD Soundsystem appeared at a time when all the time we wanted to foist the new best shit this and that. The Coral, Jet … When a band goes from zero to hype an instant, a person always suspicious. ” Thus, James never paid them much attention. Everything changed that night in 2007. “After seeing that electronic sound created organically, with such authenticity and Ghana, I was convinced. In theory was listening to electronic dance music, but for me it was quite rock’n’roll “.
We would go back to see them in 2010, then Optimus Alive, the last concert of the European tour promoting the This is Happening . For the first time, the LCD Soundsystem limited to a competent concert without the usual infectious energy. Days earlier, in an interview with Epsilon, James Murphy implied that the end was near. “I mean, I’ve done 40 years,” he was justified. “I do not want to be a professional rock and house disappear for however many months. It does not mean we can not record. But this format on tour one year, make videos and that sort of thing does not interest me. It’s tiring”. I wanted James Murphy? “I want to be me, just that. I want to devote myself to the production, DJ sessions, gardening, whatever. “
Less than a later, on April 2, LCD Soundsystem said goodbye with a more than three-hour concert duration, broadcast worldwide via YouTube. Isilda Sanches followed by the net and recalls have accompanied him excited. “It is the last, but are ending up in big.” Pedro Fradique, Lux programmer who, over the years, has been creating a close relationship with James Murphy – even before the LCD Soundsystem, welcomed Murphy as DJ in the cabins club in Santa Apolonia, “playing music for almost anyone” – was at Madison Square Garden and two of the four concerts that the band gave in anticipation in the small new York space Terminal 5. a week later, reminded the audience a concert “touching”: “you’d torn between looking at the stage or the public. There were people crying … I started back and I ended up front. It made me feel a teenager. ” Not in the sense of a return to the past. “We’re older, but listen to that music is not an artificial extension of youth. It is the reconfirmation of music to get people together and transcend their time, “he said then. The band had played like no other music without boundaries that the XXI century become standard disappeared with a bang. There was the party, who cried tears, wiped them. It was the work. I just do not.
show up or hide in
Ana Duarte, who works today in the press office of the Centro Cultural de Belém, did not at first. In 2007, with 15 years and a few weeks to open in summer festivals in Paredes de Coura, online found a collection of indie music. Among the bands included catrefada stood out one. His name was LCD Soundsystem. “He had the Daft Punk is playing at my house and had an immediate impact on me,” he recalls. “We were at a time when he still felt a lot of segmentation in music. There were the Arctic Monkeys, there was talk of brit-pop, indie, lo-fi. Categorized themselves too. The LCD touched at all points. I realized that a little revolutionized the world of music, which splintered into a thousand different things. Ceased to be important to identify a gender. ” In 2007, Ana Duarte was until the beginning of Paredes de Coura waiting to hear the news of the cancellation of any band – in the hope that the LCD Soundsystem were advertised as band replacement. Not seen them this year, did not see them in 2010. He followed with attention the return of the announcement, the controversy, subsequent explanations of James Murphy to have gone back to the word.
On January 5, a long letter posted on Facebook of the band, James Murphy was justified. At James Murphy, ie fun, wordy and sincere way of disarming way. He wrote that he continued to make music after the end of LCD Soundsystem, as does since adolescence and that at a certain moment, he turns with several songs considered acceptable in hands. Before them five chances. Has listed them: “1. Make music with your friends [the core of the band formed by drummer Pat Mahoney and keyboardist Nancy Whang] and call it something else, which sounds hilarious (Everteen) or egocentric to dawn sociopathy (a solo album of James Murphy); 2. Making music, but consciously exclude your friends because of the horrors exposed in option 1; 3. Make a LCD of the album with your friends, who want to make the said album, and deal together with any discussion born there; 4. Do not make music, to avoid the horrors of everything written above; 5. Do not make music and, you know, hide it somewhere. “
Even before the explanation, Ana Duarte had already chosen his side in the barricade. “I wanted to know polemics. although back yet. Since it has been honest, I do not know his reasons. No one need be offended. The concert will be the celebration of a great band that stopped a while, but that has influenced and continues to influence many and still have a lot to show. “
When you read the open letter from Murphy, James Andrew put the controversy behind him. “May there always be very involved marketing, but it seemed to me sincere and honest. The way it puts before us, naked and say what you will in the soul made me believe him. I could put myself in his place. ” On the night of Christmas Eve, LCD Soundsystem released a new song, Christmas will break your heart , haunted by the spirit of Lou Reed and Roxy Music (and bells to Phil Spector). “Dropped me perfect. I heard it about 20 times in a row, “says James.
Isilda Sanches, in turn, dropped a laugh to know that reborn from the dead. It immediately reminded of an interview that James Murphy had given him shortly after the announced end of the band, when a passage while the DJ Lux. “I asked him if LCD Soundsystem ever would return and he assured me that not. He told me ‘if we ever come back, they can give me a punch in the trunks’. And I felt I was being totally honest at that time. ” The curious thing is that, when finished, Isilda thought this was the right decision. When he learned of the return also.
“I’m me marimbar to the controversy of return.” Of course there will be a lot of money to be paid to the band to return to touring, but Pedro Fradique is direct. “I saw three of farewell concerts. There were concerts and amazing and clear days the whole atmosphere gained another density for the unrepeatable judge, but the return will not take me that live there. Weight the question of artistic inconsistency with the gain that will have, remember that we all live full of inconsistencies and conclude that power back to see them makes me very excited. There is another Beat Connection [B side of the first single, Losing my edge , published in 2002] to last this long? I want to hear it “
Even Rui Maia, skeptical before the decision to resurrect the band. -” Seems to be a bit of lack of respect for the fans “- he says he would like to rediscover on stage. “I’m sure that will give a great concert. They are very good live and are still not a nostalgia exercise. It’s still not the same thing as going to see Duran Duran. Despite being a bit against this return, “reaffirms,” when you leave the new album will buy it as bought all the others. ” There is a reason for the potentially controversial return, and would always be controversial in any way, as it is controversial in some corner of the world that breathes through social networks, now seem fairly peaceful theme. Let’s descend.
lose the advantage
The start is a furious discharge noise with guitars and a bratty battery collision, sound plus electronic noise and further distorted by good rascality studio. Ten seconds later, all the noise is sucked and disappears to emerge in its place a beat and minimal synth line. They will join shock plates and snare drum of an organic house, it is to merge this dance floor with another dance floor, the rock’n’roll which also dance. And while all this happens, you hear a voice singing and talking kids Ray says that think they know everything, that drew all disks that interest last week and know all about them. Kids live a “borrowed nostalgia for the unremembered 80s.” physical music – all concentrated in rhythm. Music is also totally, that generational despair manifest in James Murphy, he is singing, it will imply. The joke is also on.
Soon the beginning, there was already the mood not without anguish that would picture Murphy brand. We heard it and we dance, we smile with transparency displayed. He was there when the Can gave the first concert in Cologne. He was there in 1974 when the Suicide rehearsed in a loft in New York. He was the first guy playing Daft Punk to the rock kids. He never cheated. He worked in a record store and took all the discs before everybody. He is being exceeded, finally confess. “I’m losing my edge / to better looking people / with better ideas / and more talent / and they’re Actually really, really nice.”
“When I heard what James Murphy was saying in song was almost disturbing, “recalls Isilda. ” ‘Who is this guy and why is he saying those things, heart in hand, and put the guts out here?’” He wondered. Losing my edge has become a landmark for the way reflected in personal record easily shareable, a changing world. Let’s put things in perspective. We are in the early 2000. “The first time the 2 Many DJs [Belgian duo that also forms the band Soulwax] came to Lux were something never seen: Nirvana went after Carl Craig, then Peaches,” recalls Pedro Fradique . “This time coincides with the advent of them.” Rui Maia puts on the table another name, the Rapture, their single House of jealous lovers , which inaugurated the reign of “cowbell” as the coolest instrument in the universe, and the album which would be included, “Echoes “produced by James Murphy. “I consider this song, and the album, most important at the time that the LCD Soundsystem own, in the way post-punk conjugavam and electronics.” Moreover, emphasizes, it was the one single that prompted the creation of the DFA, the now historic New York publishing house founded by Murphy and the British Tim Goldsworthy. “It was this sequence that appeared a number of other bands, like us, the X-Wife, as LCD Soundsystem own” – when the Rapture abandoned the publisher, Murphy and Goldsworthy considered important to have a similar band on the label; not having any, created on them.
We can find the main reason for the birth of LCD Soundsystem in recent statements. In 2014, in an interview with Q, James Murphy spoke of governing their creative impulses. “I do not want to write a book in order to be written, I write to feel that there are issues on which I want to write. This is the beginning of everything: ‘This is a shit? And it is not a shit, you need? ‘ I like to do things that, in a way, feel like you are missing, things that feel good and honest. ” In the early twenty-first century, as good music lover obsessed with history, ruffled his record collection and mixing all created music that felt missing your time. “In a sense, are almost a tribute band,” causes Isilda Sanches. “Right at ‘Losing my edge’ say where they come from and what their references are. Much is almost modeled on the past. There are songs mentioning bands directly to the The Fall. The most obvious example is the 45’33 ” [edit digitally recorded for Nike in 2006], that even in the title recalls the E2 E4 Manuel Göttsching ( 1984) “. And the LCD did not merely make the party references. “At the same time I discovered them, I found the Hot Chip,” says Ana Duarte. “Even the thought similar, but LCD Soundsystem is highlighted. It’s party, as are Hot Chip, but have something more introspective, more profound. “
In the years that opened the process of” Retromania “the journalist and writer Simon Reynolds would book in 2010 – “the 2000s were very year of nostalgia, all we returned ago,” recalls Isilda – LCD Soundsystem gave the step forward to join the loose ends of various past, linking them firmly through voice and talent of a trintão, without any speck of rock star, but able to create an unexpected stardom through self-irony, comment aware of his surroundings and sincere delivery to the songs – those that Rui Maia or James André pass in their DJ sets and continue causing happy surprises on the dance floor. As Maia, James Murphy “is the normal type that makes music but at the same time, is the king of the ‘cool’, the kind that any indie musician wants to be. A relaxed and simple dude, that makes his music, which turns out to be welcomed, a man who is excellent in producing and you can do whatever you want. “
In a report last Primavera Sound in Barcelona where LCD Soundsystem gave their first concert in Europe after the meeting, the Upsilon realized a performance in which energy remained the same as before. “The only difference,” he wrote, “is that most temporal distance intensified the idea that many of his songs have become generational anthems for those who saw them grow in the 2000s.” But who was not there, paraphrasing the song that started it all, “Losing My Edge”, want to be now and does not want to generational conflicts. Traveling the comment boxes videos of LCD Soundsystem on YouTube, it’s not hard to find a French writing “I have no more than 19 years and therefore love this song.” Or people who, until now, remained, who knows how, ignorant of the band but, from now on, it will take up the lost time. “I’ve never heard of them. Luckily, I stumbled on them in the Open’er Festival in Poland … Best concert I attended in my whole life, “he wrote last month someone named Erik Trefftz. “It happened to me the same in Roskilde [Danish festival],” replied one Stig Olsen
In 2005, the first finished album edit, James Murphy told the Upsilon:. “It’s hard being away from home and projects I want to achieve, make music, produce it, create it, act as a DJ, read books, go to the movies … [...] Repent would life if you were not doing this, but I can not, of clearly say that I am love. It is an endless struggle. ” That continues. But now we have it back, after a pause in which he held to be a father, to imagine the sound design of the New York subway, create a coffee aroma, to produce the Arcade Fire, to collaborate on the last disk David Bowie, to sign-soundtracks for plays on Broadway, working with director friend Noah Baumbach or manage the DFA, the publisher that, long, long time, was the epicenter of all this adventure.
There is a concert to reach us. There is a new album to be prepared. We would be foolish if not aproveitássemos resolution (momentary?) Of the eternal conflict of James Murphy. Come then the LCD Soundsystem. We need them.
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