Cat Power ENTIRE US TOUR CANCELLED

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I really just wanted to be the first one to post it. Here's the message from Matador:

02/06/06 ‹ US tour canceled
We regret to announce that Cat Power's entire US tour has been canceled due to health reasons. Out of respect for Chan's privacy, we can't give more detailed information, but we hope and assume that you'll respect her privacy during this time as well.

There will be information about refunds available imminently, and the tour will be rescheduled as soon as possible.

Chan is a good friend and a dear member of the Matador family, and when we have news about future performances, we'll be certain to share it with you here.

― Major Ding-Dong, Monday, 6 February 2006 23:53 (nineteen years ago)

oh man, sad day. :( hope she's okay.

― sean gramophone (Sean M), Tuesday, 7 February 2006 00:00 (nineteen years ago)

900 new "nervous breakdown" and "rehab" posts by morning

― having fun with stockholm cindy on stage (Jody Beth Rosen), Tuesday, 7 February 2006 00:14 (nineteen years ago)

"Chan is a good friend and a dear member of the Matador family, and when we have news about future performances, we'll be certain to share it with you here." - this seems bizarre though...unless something really bad happened.

― Susan Douglas (Susan Douglas), Tuesday, 7 February 2006 00:16 (nineteen years ago)

I have to believe that, in this day and age, if "something really bad happened," it would leak out pretty quickly. Still, hope she's okay.

― Mitya (mitya), Tuesday, 7 February 2006 00:19 (nineteen years ago)

health reasons = the paying public have finally figured out how terrible she is live and not wishing to pay to see her fumble through 3 hours of trying to remember what she's doing

― simon 803 (simon 803), Tuesday, 7 February 2006 00:30 (nineteen years ago)

For those of you who didn't see it, here's the latest (two weeks ago) article about Chan.
http://newyorkmetro.com/nymetro/arts/music/15528/index.html

After reading this, it's hard to imagine it's anything other than her not being able to face her biggest tour yet. (Reminds me a bit of Madeline Peyroux, who vanished herself for weeks last year rather than promote her album.)

― Mitya (mitya), Tuesday, 7 February 2006 00:31 (nineteen years ago)

WHO.

GIVES.

SHIT.

ANYMORE.

― don weiner (don weiner), Tuesday, 7 February 2006 01:28 (nineteen years ago)

more details here

― j blount (papa la bas), Tuesday, 7 February 2006 01:29 (nineteen years ago)

you hittin' that blount?

― don weiner (don weiner), Tuesday, 7 February 2006 01:32 (nineteen years ago)

― j blount (papa la bas), Tuesday, 7 February 2006 01:36 (nineteen years ago)

i hope i'm wrong (or, for the sake of chan's health, right), but this clearly seems like a publicity stunt

― lesbian stepford (Roger Fidelity), Tuesday, 7 February 2006 02:06 (nineteen years ago)

I hope I'm wrong, but her career sometimes seems like a publicity stunt.

― don weiner (don weiner), Tuesday, 7 February 2006 02:27 (nineteen years ago)

maybe she's pregnant. kitten power.

― Thea (Thea), Tuesday, 7 February 2006 02:27 (nineteen years ago)

I know Chan, and while I haven't talked to her recently, I'm quite sure this is no stunt. I hope she finds herself in good health soon.

― Thomas Tallis (Tommy), Tuesday, 7 February 2006 02:42 (nineteen years ago)

Shannon Wright could step in to be the new Cat Power, if only she'd act crazy.

― Erick Dampier is better than Shaq (miloaukerman), Tuesday, 7 February 2006 03:20 (nineteen years ago)

jeez, guys.

I really like her music and hope she gets better. I don't see why you all get so wound up every time she's mentioned..

― dar1a g (daria g), Tuesday, 7 February 2006 03:52 (nineteen years ago)

yeah, at least hold off on baiting her until you hear more about what happened.

― having fun with stockholm cindy on stage (Jody Beth Rosen), Tuesday, 7 February 2006 03:54 (nineteen years ago)

hopefully it's just 'exhaustion', i was actually looking forward to seeing her (still haven't heard the record, i'm a bit skeptical - the last was too flush and filled in as is, this is more apparently) - i caught a show around moon pix where she held it together and it had that pindrop drama (good drama, not 'nobody. make. a. move.' like some of her other shows) of smog or smoke or someone who don't start with 'smuh'. i've never heard anything about her personally that made her seem dislikeable, 'spotty performer', 'unprofessional' or 'not my bag' are pretty pardonable, common offenses.

― j blount (papa la bas), Tuesday, 7 February 2006 04:23 (nineteen years ago)

Once I wanted to be the greatest
No wind of waterfall could stall me
And then came the rush of the flood
Stars of night turned deep to dust

― gordo heavyfoot (van dover), Tuesday, 7 February 2006 04:29 (nineteen years ago)

xpost to blount

agreed, having seen one fall-apart show (Eugene Oregon 1998, Jim White walked off stage eventually) and one hanging-on-a-thread show (Bumbershoot '99). and fwiw, I like the new one a lot more than You Are Free.

― sleeve (sleeve), Tuesday, 7 February 2006 04:31 (nineteen years ago)

her parents have money or something, right, which is why she gets away this shit, and people care too much?

― grundrisse, Tuesday, 7 February 2006 04:56 (nineteen years ago)

she's got you posting on her thread, she's got you hooked.

― gear (gear), Tuesday, 7 February 2006 04:59 (nineteen years ago)

so she is tanning in miami in a bikini instead. cool!

― kephm (kephm), Tuesday, 7 February 2006 05:13 (nineteen years ago)

all i can say is that i was at the first show of her brief fall tour and:
a) she was sober
b) she cried from about 20 minutes into the show until the end
c) yes, she doesn't know what she's doing with the piano or the guitar. but if you don't like her voice then you're clearly an asshole who knows nothing about good singing.

― Thomas Rees (treesessplode), Tuesday, 7 February 2006 06:29 (nineteen years ago)

i have no info in front of me to substantiate this, but i don't think she has some sort of benefactor or anything. i saw her after moon pix came out. it was the first show i ever went to by myself. she played a couple songs with her back to the audience but it was absolutely one of the best shows i've ever seen in my life. that particular band and those songs are still magical to me in a way that very few things i was listening to at that time still are. i hope that it's "just" nerves, and not some physical health issue. if it bothers her so much, she should just stop touring. her recent output is much less amazing to me, but i still eagerly await each new record.

― firstworldman (firstworldman), Tuesday, 7 February 2006 06:31 (nineteen years ago)

CREEPY DUDES

― A BOLD QUAHOG (ex machina), Tuesday, 7 February 2006 06:39 (nineteen years ago)

meatloaf overdose

― latebloomer (latebloomer), Tuesday, 7 February 2006 06:49 (nineteen years ago)

What a spectacularly unpleasant thread, do please keep it up

― DJ Mencap (DJ Mencap), Tuesday, 7 February 2006 09:43 (nineteen years ago)

OTM. blech.

― sean gramophone (Sean M), Tuesday, 7 February 2006 09:52 (nineteen years ago)

http://photos.friendster.com/photos/73/09/129037/895376906371l.jpg

― dan bunnybrain (dan bunnybrain), Tuesday, 7 February 2006 14:20 (nineteen years ago)

Aw, she's lovely. I hope she's feling better soon.

― suzy (suzy), Tuesday, 7 February 2006 14:25 (nineteen years ago)

that's a lovely photo.

― sean gramophone (Sean M), Tuesday, 7 February 2006 14:33 (nineteen years ago)

she played a couple songs with her back to the audience but it was absolutely one of the best shows i've ever seen in my life.

Wow...I'd say this is a pretty clear indication of how far standards for live performance have fallen. And I LOVE Moon Pix.

I've never seen her live, but I can imagine a lot of hushed intensity/drama; this shouldn't be confused, however, with contempt for the audience.

― Lawrence the Looter (Lawrence the Looter), Tuesday, 7 February 2006 14:44 (nineteen years ago)

im not gonna get too sappy,but i have spent time on and off stage w chan and she always makes it hard to think anything other than what a sweet and amazing and creative and funny and sexy and thoughtful and caring woman she is..her stage fears are exactly that,and to think that she would cancel a tour that included some of her southern soul heroes must have been a painful decision,she digs those guys alot...she plays live because she wants her fans to have that experience even if she is not up to experiencing it,and that says alot to her loyalty to th audience.her more um..colorful nights she can anger,disappoint and baffle the best of em and more power to em..live audiences often have it way too easy and need a jolt of SOMETHING to make them feel as if they are not staring at a flat screen.get well,it's hell.

― dan bunnybrain (dan bunnybrain), Tuesday, 7 February 2006 14:46 (nineteen years ago)

If she has legitimate stage fright (which I totally believe she does) then she should get help until she can actually reward her fans with a good show. There's nothing wrong with going that route, and her fans will be very forgiving.

― don weiner (don weiner), Tuesday, 7 February 2006 14:56 (nineteen years ago)

"Getting help" usually involves sum harried shrink makin prescription after prescription until he finds th one that doesn't make u feel as if u r bein electrocuted when u touch a doorknob..Some performers are also leery of nosejobs because they think they will sing differently..Endure any live spectacle at your own peril,at your own expectations

― dan bunnybrain (dan bunnybrain), Tuesday, 7 February 2006 15:06 (nineteen years ago)

dan bunny otm.

it's almost ridiculously stupid, but pls no more bullshit speculation ("but hey that's what ilm does best," they protest!).

― hstencil (hstencil), Tuesday, 7 February 2006 15:39 (nineteen years ago)

What I find really sad and weird is that almost no one in this thread seems willing to even consider that she may have health problems that have nothing to with her mind. I mean, I get why people jump to the "she's lost it again!" conclusions, but where's the benefit of the doubt, especially when a physical ailment is about as likely?

― Matthew C Perpetua (inca), Tuesday, 7 February 2006 15:46 (nineteen years ago)

For what it's worth, I saw Cat Power once in 1999 and she just came out and played eight or nine songs on an acoustic guitar and it was just totally normal. She did "You May Know Him" and "Sea Of Love" and it was nice.

― Matthew C Perpetua (inca), Tuesday, 7 February 2006 15:49 (nineteen years ago)

yeah i've seen her a half-dozen times without any of the probs. was really looking forward to the town hall gig.

― hstencil (hstencil), Tuesday, 7 February 2006 15:53 (nineteen years ago)

Saw her play in VA in '96 and she had one of those bad nights. Hard to watch.

― BlastsOfStatic (BlastsofStatic), Tuesday, 7 February 2006 16:05 (nineteen years ago)

Who's the boy in that photo?

(Chan Marshall

― owen moorhead (i heart daniel miller), Tuesday, 7 February 2006 16:06 (nineteen years ago)

cat power is good.

people seem to get real mean when they talk about her.

― M@tt He1geson (Matt Helgeson), Tuesday, 7 February 2006 16:15 (nineteen years ago)

Wow...I'd say this is a pretty clear indication of how far standards for live performance have fallen. And I LOVE Moon Pix.

if by this you mean that having some illusion of eye contact with a performer is what makes a show enjoyable for you, then i think it's probably you that needs to reconsider your standards for live performance. it's not as if i went to see cat power hoping that she'd do a handstand and play a solo with her feet.

― firstworldman (firstworldman), Tuesday, 7 February 2006 16:24 (nineteen years ago)

im a late convert to cat power [one day about 3 years ago her music hit me like a brick] but even in the years where i didnt "get" her, id still find some of the comments here awful. i hope she gets better, whatever she's going through. in my reading of that article, it seems like she relocated to miami to get away from a lot of stuff. perhaps touring dredged a lot of it back up and maybe she doesnt know how to deal/confront/etc it?

― maria tessa sciarrino (theoreticalgirl), Tuesday, 7 February 2006 16:25 (nineteen years ago)

live audiences often have it way too easy and need a jolt of SOMETHING to make them feel as if they are not staring at a flat screen.

i agree with this!

― maria tessa sciarrino (theoreticalgirl), Tuesday, 7 February 2006 16:27 (nineteen years ago)

I'm not sure that something is "someone with stage fright" though.

― Eppy (Eppy), Tuesday, 7 February 2006 16:28 (nineteen years ago)

two shows for me:

1. post-moon pix, brilliant and mesmerizing. you could see jim white getting worried/frustrated at times, though.

2. post-covers record, painful. she got quieter and quieter, the crowd got louder and louder. i felt really bad for her.

― mookieproof (mookieproof), Tuesday, 7 February 2006 16:33 (nineteen years ago)

When I saw her play she ran around the audience giving people strawberries. It was lovely, and a great fun show.

I hope she's alright.

― Suedey (John Cei Douglas), Tuesday, 7 February 2006 16:38 (nineteen years ago)

Quite a conclusion to jump to! Hooray!

Intensity doesn't automatically mean loud or brash or eye-contacty or hammy or any of those things. Which is why I said (and you apparently didn't read, but we still love you) "I can imagine a lot of hushed intensity/drama."

My standards for live performance are pretty basic: I assume a performer wants to be on that stage. If they don't, it communicates a fundamental disrespect of/to the audience. One does not have to do jumping jacks to overwhelmingly illustrate that there's no place they'd rather be than on that stage at that moment. Anyone who was lucky enough to see John Fahey or Bill Dixon could tell you that.

So, you know, it's a pretty knee-jerk drastic-ass oversimplification to equate complaining about contempt for the audience with wanting to see lots of flailing arm movements. Baby.

― Lawrence the Looter (Lawrence the Looter), Tuesday, 7 February 2006 16:40 (nineteen years ago)

miles davis played with his back to the audience and bob dylan played with contempt for the audience but everyone knows they sucked right lawrence? better a true showman like bryan adams or har mar superstar - now that's music!

― j blount (papa la bas), Tuesday, 7 February 2006 17:08 (nineteen years ago)

blount -- you forgot robbie williams.

― Sterling Clover (s_clover), Tuesday, 7 February 2006 17:20 (nineteen years ago)

what a showman! : D

― gear (gear), Tuesday, 7 February 2006 17:20 (nineteen years ago)

lawerence, is it not enough to assume that if i thought it was a great show that there was probably something i found there to "make up for" the fact that her back was turned for a couple of songs? how does fear = contempt, btw?

― firstworldman (firstworldman), Tuesday, 7 February 2006 17:21 (nineteen years ago)

TWO WORD IN SHOW BUSNISS
1: SHOW
2: BIZNESS

― senseiDancer (sexyDancer), Tuesday, 7 February 2006 17:23 (nineteen years ago)

THAT'S TWO WORDS!

― mark grout (mark grout), Tuesday, 7 February 2006 17:34 (nineteen years ago)

yes.

― Sterling Clover (s_clover), Tuesday, 7 February 2006 17:37 (nineteen years ago)

I was really looking forward to seeing her at SXSW, as I think The Greatest is the greatest.

On a less selfish note, I hope she gets better, whatever that entails, and makes plenty more gorgeous, meaningful records.

― Brooker Buckingham (Brooker B), Tuesday, 7 February 2006 17:57 (nineteen years ago)

The question is why does she book tours in the first place. There's no law that says she has to perform live, or go from place to place.

Lots of musicians tour because that's the only way they really make money and build their careers. Marshall has a pretty significant fan base, so I don't think she has to show up in person to establish that. And my impression is she isn't relying on her ticket and merch sales to support herself. Maybe she is, I don't know.

Is it because her audience "demands" it? That idea -- artist who hates live performance tortures herself to madness to appease adoring (but merciless) fans -- would have made a great opera. It isn't a serious reason to tour.

Personally, I have a problem paying $100 and up (taking into account transportation, drinks, etc.) to go see an artist I like, often in shitty, uncomfortable circumstances, and then have the artist be all "I don't feel like putting myself out tonight. I'm here; I got my guarantee. Fuck you." Some people obviously enjoy the uncertainty of not knowing whether they'll get an actual performance. Not I; I can see incompetent, mentally troubled people for a lot less money and trouble, and feel less troubled myself afterward. I guess I can't complain if an artist with a reputation for blowing off shows can still sell tickets to people who are willing to pay to see if they can be there for a meltdown, but I won't be there. Too much like hockey or NASCAR for my taste.

If this cancellation is because of stage fright (and I hope it's nothing worse than that, although I'm sure that is serious enough for a musician), I respect Marshall a lot for cancelling. Taking the money and not performing is either fraud or putting on a freak show with herself as the freak, and neither is very attractive. The only really sad thing is that Ticketmaster won't be giving back its fees.

― Vornado, Tuesday, 7 February 2006 18:31 (nineteen years ago)

there's a bootleg of her doing most of "the greatest" solo in paris and it's great. she apologizes after every song, for no apparent reason. i was never that interested in her before, but i really think this new record is fantastic. hope she's well.

― Fritz Wollner (Fritz), Tuesday, 7 February 2006 18:40 (nineteen years ago)

i think i'm going to stop on the way home and pick up the greatest, you are free, and moon pix

― gear (gear), Tuesday, 7 February 2006 18:46 (nineteen years ago)

You have raised missing the point to an art form. And for that, I applaud you.

At no point did Miles Davis make it seem like he really didn't want to be there, regardless of whether or not he turned his back to the audience. Bob Dylan, for all of his contempt for his audience, did not have contempt for those who came to hear his work (as distinct from those who came to boo him) at a concert. It's not about a performer turning his or her back to the audience per se; it's about performers *wanting* to present their work in a live setting. Sometimes this entails quiet reflection and turning your back on the audience; sometimes it entails inflatable peni.

I love Cat Power and I totally respect her work. But if she doesn't want to play live, not only does she not have to, but she really shouldn't, nor should she take her dislike of live performance (at whatever moment) out on the audience.

See above.

― Lawrence the Looter (Lawrence the Looter), Tuesday, 7 February 2006 19:40 (nineteen years ago)

She's Cat Power, not Barbara Streisand. She has a significant fan base because of the work she's done to promote her music. I really don't think she's in a position to say to herself (or her record company), "Well, I'm a success, I can stop touring and doing press now." I imagine she's losing a decent chunk of income from ticket, merch, and album sales by cancelling the tour.

FWIW, I've seen her twice, once in '98 and once in '00. Great shows, no freakouts, the worse she did was trail off and stop playing a couple songs. If I found her recent material as strong as her earlier material, I'd go to her shows, threat of a freakout or not.

And I've *never* taken her behavior as a sign of contempt for the audience - maybe 'cause people who have mental illness in their families take a different view of these things.

― Edward III (edward iii), Tuesday, 7 February 2006 20:02 (nineteen years ago)

I WANT MY DOLLAR'S WORTH, BY GOD.

― senseiDancer (sexyDancer), Tuesday, 7 February 2006 20:11 (nineteen years ago)

Liz Phair battled stage fright for a long time. If that's Marshall's problem, then hopefully she can overcome it. If not, then it will be much harder to promote her work and she will suffer the consequences just like anyone else. Streisand (and Carly Simon and anyone else you want to name) left millions on the table for not being able to perform live over the years.

It's funny how people on this thread are now trying to pretend that Marshall hasn't earned her reputation for being a spotty live act. It's even more funny that she is getting any sort of comparison to Davis or Dylan.

Whatever. I never liked any of her records until The Greatest.

― don weiner (don weiner), Tuesday, 7 February 2006 20:17 (nineteen years ago)

whatever

― gear (gear), Tuesday, 7 February 2006 20:21 (nineteen years ago)

I am still sorry I started the "You Are Free" thread a long time ago consisting of just her New Yorker picture; I love Cat Power.

I saw her a couple of years ago where she finished her set by lipsynching to "Rad" by Smoosh, and she seemed to be having a blast.

― T/S: Pinks/Oki Dog/Scoobys/Tail o' the Pup (Bent Over at the Arclight), Tuesday, 7 February 2006 20:21 (nineteen years ago)

That turned out to be a great thread though, Ben!

― Tracer Hand (tracerhand), Tuesday, 7 February 2006 20:31 (nineteen years ago)

"it's not as if i went to see cat power hoping that she'd do a handstand and play a solo with her feet."

If she did that, I'd go see her. (In my head, I've double-booked her with Anton Newcome...)

While I enjoy some of her music, I've never really understood the capital-L LOVE for her. And I can't imagine getting all that much out of one of her shows. Again, maybe that's why I don't bother to see her (nice person as she apparently is...)

― js (honestengine), Tuesday, 7 February 2006 20:56 (nineteen years ago)

I assume a performer wants to be on that stage. If they don't, it communicates a fundamental disrespect of/to the audience.

I completely disagree. I don't believe the inverse is true myself, but I see a lot more merit in the argument that Andy Partridge disrespected XTC's audience by not dealing with his stagefright than Chan was by doing her best.

― Brian O'Neill (NYCNative), Tuesday, 7 February 2006 21:40 (nineteen years ago)

If you have a problem with seeing someone with stagefright, one would assume that it would be easy enough to avoid cat power shows. her rep for falling apart onstage was the first thing i ever heard about her, and that must have been a decade ago. it put me off seeing her, which i kind of regret.

― Fritz Wollner (Fritz), Tuesday, 7 February 2006 21:56 (nineteen years ago)

i don't get the love for the greatest. it starts off well with that full memphis studio sound but after 5 or 6 songs it is all over. when she starts to sing more barren songs like in the early times (from where is my love onwards) she somehow doesn't pull it off anymore. where is the thrill gone?

― alex in mainhattan (alex63), Tuesday, 7 February 2006 22:28 (nineteen years ago)

i've been holding back love, alex, for what it's worth!

― sean gramophone (Sean M), Tuesday, 7 February 2006 22:30 (nineteen years ago)

Cat Power live = 8 bucks down the drain. Shouldn't everyone be happy now that your local venue will now have an extra night to book a real band who wants to be there and entertain you and not some indie rock princess playing the whimpering psycho card?

― adam (adam), Tuesday, 7 February 2006 22:34 (nineteen years ago)

i understand why people don't like "where is my love", it's kind of flaky. and "islands" is similarly half-baked. the rest is just perfect to my ears. i'm not sure why, but it is. i suppose it's nice to hear the soul sidemen play outside of their usual box, and to hear the indie rock singer outside of her usual box to whatever degree that is true - but that isn't what i love about the record. it's just think its a beautiful thing, kind of murky and ambiguous at times and clear as daylight in others. and i'm no cat power fan, she's never captured my interest before for her music or her rep.

― Fritz Wollner (Fritz), Tuesday, 7 February 2006 22:38 (nineteen years ago)

And I've *never* taken her behavior as a sign of contempt for the audience - maybe 'cause people who have mental illness in their families take a different view of these things.

This is OTM. In fact, I'd say the opposite: that considering her apparent (And I have no reason to think she's faking it) horror of the stage, she's exhibiting a great deal of respect toward her audience by ever playing live at all, and I admire her courage. If anyone is showing contempt, I'd have to say it's some of the posters who gave this thread its initial unpleasant tone.

I've seen her only once, by the way, in 2003, and that performance was along the lines of blounts description: hushed, intense, warm, human.

― David A. (Davant), Tuesday, 7 February 2006 22:39 (nineteen years ago)

I dunno, I kinda feel like people who have mental illness in their families might romanticize it less and have more of a "deal with your shit, don't put it on other people" kind of attitude toward things. But I probably shouldn't get into this.

― Eppy (Eppy), Tuesday, 7 February 2006 22:42 (nineteen years ago)

xpost

I have a hard time seeing how anyone can blame Patriduge for "disrespecting" his audience. He hated performing live and he stopped. Chan should stop, too.

― Mitya (mitya), Tuesday, 7 February 2006 22:53 (nineteen years ago)

the other songs in the second half of the greatest i don't care about too much:

the moon: the best of the 2nd part. rather minimalistic though.
after it all: it doesn't work at all. the throwaway whistling, the background vocals, the bar piano. that's not her world, it's so obvious.
hate: going nowhere. annoying and pointless.
love & communication: starts gloriously with the rocking guitar and then falls off spectacularly. just turning around itself. lifeless.
bonus: just embarrassing. i'd prefer her reading the phone book to singing this tuneless song.

― alex in mainhattan (alex63), Tuesday, 7 February 2006 23:11 (nineteen years ago)

I haven't read that much about her but does she actually hate performing live or just find it incredibly difficult? Perhaps when it goes well she feels fantastic, as does the audience, judging from some posts above.

um, from "Say" on Moon Pix: If you're looking for something easy you might as well give up

― Thea (Thea), Tuesday, 7 February 2006 23:25 (nineteen years ago)

Temporary thread derailment: Eppy, you're partly right, but it's more complicated than that. You're very much OTM re: romanticizing it less, but the second part of what you said is too simplistic.

― David A. (Davant), Tuesday, 7 February 2006 23:30 (nineteen years ago)

Yeah, no, you're right. It's something I should keep in mind probably.

― Eppy (Eppy), Tuesday, 7 February 2006 23:31 (nineteen years ago)

"does she actually hate performing live or just find it incredibly difficult?".......................it's the latter,she likes the idea of it all,but when its go time it can be a lil paralyzing.She grew up in a very concert oriented atmosphere what w Mothers Finest changing their platform boots in th hallway and such

― dan bunnybrain (dan bunnybrain), Tuesday, 7 February 2006 23:47 (nineteen years ago)

I find the people going "seeing her live is a rip off, I want my money's worth" to be sort of odd considering that her reputation for flakey live shows goes back quite a long time now and is hardly a secret. Anyone paying money to see a Cat Power show really ought to know at this point that there's a good chance of the show not being very professional and keep that in mind before getting a ticket.

― Matthew C Perpetua (inca), Tuesday, 7 February 2006 23:53 (nineteen years ago)

and just so u know she cancelled one other show in her career(which I rescheduled)where she hurt her finger playin basketball..so to cancel less than 10 shows is really no crime..howe gelb cancelled last week here in hudson cux he added a festival date in france where im sure he got paid more munny and couldnt fly back in tyme for th show,,,blahblahblah

― dan bunnybrain (dan bunnybrain), Tuesday, 7 February 2006 23:54 (nineteen years ago)

Well, yeah, and I was also wondering how many of her shows are considered "disasters"? Is this (partly) a word-of-mouth or media thing that is disproportionately highlighting the tiny amount of signal at the expense of mostly noise (or is it the other way around, whatever)?

(Eppy, no worries: I wasn't offended or anything.)

― David A. (Davant), Wednesday, 8 February 2006 00:01 (nineteen years ago)

lol heroin

― gogo, Wednesday, 8 February 2006 00:05 (nineteen years ago)

i've seen her twice and both were fine. (great, even.) although she did seem unhappy and/or drunk.

― sean gramophone (Sean M), Wednesday, 8 February 2006 00:11 (nineteen years ago)

gosh, I was actually thinking it could possibly be drugs. it must suck though, having all these people saying oh its this, its that, so much speculation going on.

― xgurggleglgllg (xgurggleglgllg), Wednesday, 8 February 2006 00:16 (nineteen years ago)

I love Cat Power, & have seen all kinds of shows Chan's done, from her first New York show (when there were 8 people in the band, I think) onward. Last time was about a year and a half ago, and she was fantastic: confident, engaged, charismatic as anything, singing gorgeously. (And another one of those shows--it might've been the same one--where she ended by lip-synching that Smoosh song.)

― Douglas (Douglas), Wednesday, 8 February 2006 00:16 (nineteen years ago)

god. what i used to like so much about ILM was the general absence of bullshit like this! i mean, i love dylan and some davis but fuck this "how dare you mention a mere woman in the same breath as our immortal mojo-enshrined idols" shit.

― J.D. (Justyn Dillingham), Wednesday, 8 February 2006 00:23 (nineteen years ago)

guard that canon, son!

― gear (gear), Wednesday, 8 February 2006 00:25 (nineteen years ago)

Have the Beatles been mentioned yet? As in "She should just 'do a Beatles' and stop performing live."

― Redd Harvest (Ken L), Wednesday, 8 February 2006 00:34 (nineteen years ago)

I was thinking about that the whole time that I was reading this thing.

― xgurggleglgllg (xgurggleglgllg), Wednesday, 8 February 2006 00:38 (nineteen years ago)

Might as well make the questions explicit then:

1) Is Marshall consciously engaging in the same sort of audience-baiting techniques as Dylan and Davis were?

2) If she's not consciously doing so but the audience is being baited nevertheless, does it matter?

― Eppy (Eppy), Wednesday, 8 February 2006 00:38 (nineteen years ago)

anyone see her at the knitting factory nyc in 96(?) when she screamed through the end of water of air? amazing. i've also seen shows where she does nothing but medleys and ask for the lights to be turned down, and cough, and ask where people are from , and so on. its not that confusing, it is called stage fright. i also have a bootleg of when she had the unfortunate luck of playing portland maine the same night the new england patriots first won the superbowl and there were drunk homeless punks yelling at her and she howled through werewolf and got everyone to howl along. the wierd thing is the saem people who were antagonizing her were taping the show! was this for that comp of 'catpower meltdowns' that was going around (funny how this board has changed there tune) all i really want to see her play is buffalo tattoo/roam but not the hooker cover from you are free, that version is missing so many choice lyrics from when she does it live. if you compare her to dylan she will just laugh in your face. and yeah i remember hearing about a misguided lay up back in 2002.

― no bones, Wednesday, 8 February 2006 00:54 (nineteen years ago)

Still enough unpleasant morons on here to keep this topic afloat. Good work!

― DJ Mencap (DJ Mencap), Wednesday, 8 February 2006 10:23 (nineteen years ago)

The last time I saw her (Bumbershoot '01), she was completely "normal." A spare and quiet performance, but nothing even close to a meltdown.

― mike a, Wednesday, 8 February 2006 14:25 (nineteen years ago)

yeah man, back in the good olde days when ILM was just keepin' it real! Back in the day, ILM used to be kewl and there weren't any unpleasant morons who hated on Cat Power for unsubstantiated reasons!

― don weiner (don weiner), Wednesday, 8 February 2006 14:50 (nineteen years ago)

i bought the greatest last night. damn good! i'll be buying more of her stuff soon.

― gear (gear), Wednesday, 8 February 2006 18:40 (nineteen years ago)

People have said it before, it is a good thing that she has cancelled the tour. She spares us from a performance like the one when I saw her last in the summer of 2003. From my blog:

Cat Power's current guitarist Coleman Lewis to Chan Marshall last night in Frankfurt: "You're not part of the solution. You are part of the problem. And that is our problem."

I do not want to write about last night's Cat Power show at the Mousonturm. Just two or three sentences. It was the most pitiful, disgraceful and abominable concert I have ever seen in my life. Not really a concert, more a performance gone terribly wrong. Chan Marshall was totall drunk and certainly on other drugs as well. Her band left her alone on stage after maybe thirty minutes of very badly performed songs by her. Then she was talking drunkard's gibberish mixed with many insults to the audience and didn't manage to play one song on her own. I regretted not having taken a video camera to film her and to give her the tape as a present to show her her face this night.

― alex in mainhattan (alex63), Wednesday, 8 February 2006 18:52 (nineteen years ago)

maybe she was just imitating grace slick.

― hstencil (hstencil), Wednesday, 8 February 2006 18:55 (nineteen years ago)

cat power reminds me of Marilyn Monroe.

― Susan Douglas (Susan Douglas), Wednesday, 8 February 2006 19:13 (nineteen years ago)

Is Smog JFK or Arthur Miller?

― jaymc (jaymc), Wednesday, 8 February 2006 19:23 (nineteen years ago)

i don't know anything about smog, but i'm sure they fit in somewhere there

― Susan Douglas (Susan Douglas), Wednesday, 8 February 2006 19:27 (nineteen years ago)

joe dimaggio.

― hstencil (hstencil), Wednesday, 8 February 2006 19:27 (nineteen years ago)

smog is def.lee harvey oswald
from what i've heard

― dan bunnybrain (dan bunnybrain), Wednesday, 8 February 2006 19:38 (nineteen years ago)

"someone should have smacked her into(sic) the face to wake her up."-alex in mainhattan (alex63@bigfoot.com), ........im pretty sure that doesn't work that well on people vis a vis revelation.

― dan bunnybrain (dan bunnybrain), Wednesday, 8 February 2006 19:42 (nineteen years ago)

divas be actin up, y'all

― senseiDancer (sexyDancer), Wednesday, 8 February 2006 20:38 (nineteen years ago)

― Special Agent Gene Krupa (orion), Wednesday, 8 February 2006 20:42 (nineteen years ago)

She wasn't shy and tender and fragile enough to avoid showing her box in that pretentious New Yorker piece some time ago.

She's got some limited talent and a great voice, but she's also a self-important boob who holds little to no regard for her fans, as has been proven time and again.

All you "gee- I hope she's ok" people remind me of the secretaries in my building who pick up the latest issue of People in the check-out line and say THE EXACT SAME THING about the "How Jennifer is Coping Without Brad" cover story.

Go watch you some Orpah you SHEEP.

― Giles Manius (jsoulja), Wednesday, 8 February 2006 20:52 (nineteen years ago)

Orpah

― T/S: Pinks/Oki Dog/Scoobys/Tail o' the Pup (Bent Over at the Arclight), Wednesday, 8 February 2006 20:53 (nineteen years ago)

Arp?

― Sterling Clover (s_clover), Wednesday, 8 February 2006 20:56 (nineteen years ago)

p.s. jennifer is doing just fine.

― Sterling Clover (s_clover), Wednesday, 8 February 2006 20:59 (nineteen years ago)

You took that in a direction I did not expect it to go I must say.

― Eppy (Eppy), Wednesday, 8 February 2006 20:59 (nineteen years ago)

Go watch you some Orpah you SHEEP.

New meme instituted 08/02/06.

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Wednesday, 8 February 2006 21:00 (nineteen years ago)

Re: Wop Tact, Cat Power

― senseiDancer (sexyDancer), Wednesday, 8 February 2006 21:00 (nineteen years ago)

i'm amazed at how angry people get at her "box". i just want to yell at it!! (not really).

― Susan Douglas (Susan Douglas), Wednesday, 8 February 2006 21:03 (nineteen years ago)

RISD on a H.C. Chan O.D., sir.

― senseiDancer (sexyDancer), Wednesday, 8 February 2006 21:04 (nineteen years ago)

bros, he's RIGHT

Oprah Winfrey was born poor and black in Mississippi in 1954, when poor and black meant no flush toilets, no shoes, and no real chance to get ahead in the world. She was supposed to be "Orpah" Winfrey, named for the Biblical Ruth's sister-in-law (see Ruth, chapter 1), but the name was spelled wrong on her birth certificate, and soon everyone was calling her Oprah. She learned to read at home, and skipped kindergarten to go straight into first grade. She skipped second grade, too. At 17 she was working as a reporter for a local radio station. She was a bright kid.

― gear (gear), Wednesday, 8 February 2006 21:05 (nineteen years ago)

Pwned. But seriously, how IS Jennifer coping without Brad?

― T/S: Pinks/Oki Dog/Scoobys/Tail o' the Pup (Bent Over at the Arclight), Wednesday, 8 February 2006 21:07 (nineteen years ago)

Ruthless.

― senseiDancer (sexyDancer), Wednesday, 8 February 2006 21:08 (nineteen years ago)

also, there are many who use controlled exhibitionism to explore insecurity/intimacy/vulnerability/power issues. and its also possible that she doesn't consider her "box"/sexuality a point of vulnerability. i'd say she's much more worried about showing her eyes.

― Susan Douglas (Susan Douglas), Wednesday, 8 February 2006 21:08 (nineteen years ago)

i'm also grossed out that i'm participating in this. GROSS! I am gross

― Susan Douglas (Susan Douglas), Wednesday, 8 February 2006 21:08 (nineteen years ago)

giles manius is scared of womens' fun bits

― gear (gear), Wednesday, 8 February 2006 21:09 (nineteen years ago)

so, it's tactless, but Chan is fucking gorgeous.

― Cameron Octigan (Cameron Octigan), Wednesday, 8 February 2006 21:11 (nineteen years ago)

Marshall, Allah's ram.

― senseiDancer (sexyDancer), Wednesday, 8 February 2006 21:13 (nineteen years ago)

I just got to see a free Cat Power show at a park near the Brooklyn Bridge in summer 2004. She opened for Double Leopards.

I was a bit bored by the performance, but I don't think she was "off" that day by any means... I just wasn't into what she was playing, and that should just be chalked up as a musical opinion of mine and nothing more. Things got a little weird, when during her last number, she put down the guitar, and start getting "al' FONKEE and FREAKEE" karaoking to a song while sidesteppin' and makin' moves walking near the front of the audience. I think I was there with hstencil and others, and we were all WTF? It turned out to be her karaoking to that Smoosh song "Rad". So, at least for a moment, Chan Marshall was highly entertaining!

But the Double Leopards performance right after was much better.

― Dom iNut (donut), Wednesday, 8 February 2006 21:15 (nineteen years ago)

WORD UP!!!
http://www.artnet.com/Magazine/people/smith/Images/smith11-17-41.jpg

― senseiDancer (sexyDancer), Wednesday, 8 February 2006 21:16 (nineteen years ago)

turgid

― Susan Douglas (Susan Douglas), Wednesday, 8 February 2006 21:20 (nineteen years ago)

http://worldofwonder.net/image1/oprah_winfrey_web.jpg

― dan bunnybrain (dan bunnybrain), Wednesday, 8 February 2006 21:21 (nineteen years ago)

i like to think that this thread illustrates our love (and attention) in one form or other.

― Susan Douglas (Susan Douglas), Wednesday, 8 February 2006 21:34 (nineteen years ago)

the whistling in "After It All" rules my world.

― sleeve (sleeve), Wednesday, 8 February 2006 21:40 (nineteen years ago)

"She wasn't shy and tender and fragile enough to avoid showing her box in that pretentious New Yorker piece some time ago."

You sound like someone who's never actually seen a real live pussy.

― js (honestengine), Wednesday, 8 February 2006 21:43 (nineteen years ago)

She's an alcoholic.

― shookout (shookout), Wednesday, 8 February 2006 22:07 (nineteen years ago)

Cat Power played before Double Leopards at that East River Park Amphitheatre show because Chan had another show to play in Prospect Park that evening (a Neil Young tribute), and had to leave early.

I put that afternoon's show together, and Chan was very gracious and accommodating.
+ her performance was great !
I hope she's allright.

Russ

― Russell (Russell), Wednesday, 8 February 2006 22:12 (nineteen years ago)

I hope she's allright.

FUCK OFF AND DIE CONSUMER SHEEP

― DJ Mencap (DJ Mencap), Wednesday, 8 February 2006 22:26 (nineteen years ago)

I guess this doesn't bode well for that Hanging on the Telephone cover being releaesd anytime soon, eh?

― Mitya (mitya), Wednesday, 8 February 2006 22:49 (nineteen years ago)

"She wasn't shy and tender and fragile enough to avoid showing her box in that pretentious New Yorker piece some time ago."
You sound like someone who's never actually seen a real live pussy.

-- js (roc...), February 8th, 2006.

I actually appreciate this, because it's a charge I've used on ILM myself in the past, when things get ugly and personal, knowing that most people with serious relationships and a job do not have the kind of time to post as much as some poeple around here.

That said, I know enough about women to know many don't like the p-word reference, and I have enough respect not to use it unless I'm intending to insult someone in a particularly nasty fashion. That's why I called Chan a boob instead. Only slightly offense, in an eye-rolling way, which is exactly how I perceive her live show dramas.

The fans who buy into it? Douche bags.

― Giles Manius (jsoulja), Wednesday, 8 February 2006 23:06 (nineteen years ago)

FUCK OFF AND DIE CONSUMER SHEEP

I worked at Matador for a few years in the 90s, and worked with Chan on a few occasions.
I'm not saying that I knew her very well, or that I'm close to her at all (I'm not), but she was always nice.
also, I like her music.

IS THAT SO WRONG ?
you are an asshole.

I only came on this thread to clarify that Cat Power did not "open" for Double Leopards...that the order of bands at that show was just a matter of circumstance.

― Russell (Russell), Wednesday, 8 February 2006 23:09 (nineteen years ago)

lol @ the virgin gil manius

― gear (gear), Wednesday, 8 February 2006 23:09 (nineteen years ago)

(I think he was just making a joke Russell, referencing Giles' ridiculous Orpha reference and belabored People analogy)

― T/S: Pinks/Oki Dog/Scoobys/Tail o' the Pup (Bent Over at the Arclight), Wednesday, 8 February 2006 23:12 (nineteen years ago)

http://www.mancosre6.edu/PageMill_Resources/pie.jpeg

― Russell (Russell), Wednesday, 8 February 2006 23:17 (nineteen years ago)

Please read more carefully (though I'm glad someone got my Orpah-Oprah ref) before responding.

Not calling into question the music. Not even saying that people who like her music are bad in any way. I like some of her music. I'm calling into question her regard for her fans and the false perceptions they have about her live show issues.

(Anyone call feel free to question my virginity, but Gear- you can suck me off. It wouldn't be the first time for me, nor you I'm sure...)

― Giles Manius (jsoulja), Wednesday, 8 February 2006 23:23 (nineteen years ago)

lol gil, there's nothing wrong with being gay is there, it seems like you think so

― gear (gear), Wednesday, 8 February 2006 23:25 (nineteen years ago)

how come i never get in on the hot ILM suck-off action.

― Tracer Hand (tracerhand), Wednesday, 8 February 2006 23:26 (nineteen years ago)

i like how it's ok to say "box" but not "pussy."

― hstencil (hstencil), Wednesday, 8 February 2006 23:35 (nineteen years ago)

No gay issues here, at all, just being rude, Gear.

I've never once heard a girl complain about a "box" reference, but I've heard many say they're offended that a word associated with their privates is also a term for weakness.

....to which I always ask "But what about when someone's acting like a dick?"

See- we're all assholes. Ok I'll stop now.

I only wanted to point out that if you all stop going to her shows for a while, maybe she'll give you all a little more respect.

― Giles Manius (jsoulja), Wednesday, 8 February 2006 23:42 (nineteen years ago)

Well, seeing as there aren't going to be any shows...

(had to be said)

― Mitya (mitya), Wednesday, 8 February 2006 23:49 (nineteen years ago)

its like she anticipated us cancelling on HER and cancelled on us first! pussy's always gotta be in control.

― Susan Douglas (Susan Douglas), Thursday, 9 February 2006 00:04 (nineteen years ago)

I guess this doesn't bode well for that Hanging on the Telephone cover being releaesd anytime soon, eh?

according to some folks, there was never a full cover recorded in the first place -- just that snippet for the commerical.

― maria tessa sciarrino (theoreticalgirl), Thursday, 9 February 2006 00:09 (nineteen years ago)

i always did have trouble thinking outside the "box"

― |l|l|l|l|l|l|l|l|l|l|l|l|l|l|l|l|l|l|l|l|l|l|l|l|l| (eman), Thursday, 9 February 2006 00:15 (nineteen years ago)

i hope to god her depression is not as bad as this thread

― Susan Douglas (Susan Douglas), Thursday, 9 February 2006 00:40 (nineteen years ago)

I have more trouble thinking inside the "box."

― Brian O'Neill (NYCNative), Thursday, 9 February 2006 01:24 (nineteen years ago)

i have trouble not thinking of crustaceans squirming inside a temperature controlled tank when i read the words real live pussy.

― Susan Douglas (Susan Douglas), Thursday, 9 February 2006 01:27 (nineteen years ago)

Giles: There might even be women reading this thread! They could give you all sorts of data points about box v. pussy. You know, outline the 1-2-3-step for your Mr. Sensitive dance.

― js (honestengine), Thursday, 9 February 2006 01:47 (nineteen years ago)

Since when did pubic hair constitute the box?

― Eazy (Eazy), Thursday, 9 February 2006 01:54 (nineteen years ago)

Eazy: That's what led to my "Hasn't seen pussy" theory.

― js (honestengine), Thursday, 9 February 2006 01:58 (nineteen years ago)

yeah its euphed box for a reason..cuz of the four "sides" of pulsing womanness..hair is just called "hair"

― dan bunnybrain (dan bunnybrain), Thursday, 9 February 2006 02:02 (nineteen years ago)

Why doesn't anyone care how I'm doing without Jennifer? Shitty, real shitty. Thanks for asking, assholes.

― Brad (s_clover), Thursday, 9 February 2006 03:42 (nineteen years ago)

Scoop: Brad is now dating Bennifer!

― |l|l|l|l|l|l|l|l|l|l|l|l|l|l|l|l|l|l|l|l|l|l|l|l|l| (eman), Thursday, 9 February 2006 03:53 (nineteen years ago)

so it's more like she's showing the lid, not the box, right?
(currently awaits insults about how I know nothing of genitalia slang)

― xgurggleglgllg (xgurggleglgllg), Thursday, 9 February 2006 06:54 (nineteen years ago)

I think everyone who hangs out on ILM is a real woman, js.

― Giles Manius (jsoulja), Thursday, 9 February 2006 08:22 (nineteen years ago)

thank you! :)

― Susan Douglas (Susan Douglas), Thursday, 9 February 2006 08:22 (nineteen years ago)

This thread reminds me of that one time when some newspapers ran cartoons depicting the prophet Muhammed.

― Ian Christe (Ian Christe), Thursday, 9 February 2006 18:57 (nineteen years ago)

hey those cartoons were THA BOMB!

― Giles Manius (jsoulja), Thursday, 9 February 2006 20:49 (nineteen years ago)

http://stream.qtv.apple.com/qtv/bbanquet/http/matador/livingproof_ref.mov

― dan bunnybrain (dan bunnybrain), Sunday, 12 February 2006 17:16 (nineteen years ago)

you know I like her and all and totally love any sort of crazy show, so her crying or playing with her back to the audience or leaving halfway through -- none of that bothers me at all. however, I do feel if this is in fact her realizing how big this tour is and freaking out seems kind of like b.s. to me. before she decides she wants all of her fans to run out and buy tickets she should think long and hard about how big this is going to be and what it entails. but again, I'm speculating so who knows. in any event GOD DAMN IS SHE ATTRACTIVE. GOD DAMN

― man with a mouth, Sunday, 12 February 2006 18:28 (nineteen years ago)

maniushatesdirtycooters.com

;)

― john clarkson, Sunday, 12 February 2006 18:39 (nineteen years ago)

i hope everything is alright! she is one of my idols and i've never seen her live so this is sad for now, but tomorrow is a whole lotta time.
stay sweet you guys :)
p.s. there will be more tours!

― jaime m., Thursday, 16 February 2006 07:47 (nineteen years ago)

That video is great. Cool to see Harmony K back in the game.

― senseiDancer (sexyDancer), Thursday, 16 February 2006 15:59 (nineteen years ago)

four months pass...

The saga continues.

― don weiner (don weiner), Wednesday, 21 June 2006 13:49 (nineteen years ago)

um, nope. not when it's a month-and-a-half ago. she was fantastic in new york two weeks ago.

― hstencil (hstencil), Wednesday, 21 June 2006 14:42 (nineteen years ago)

That blogger forgot to mention that about halfway through that SF show, Chan raised her arms up above her head and yelled "Sober! Whoo!"

It pays to pay attention sometimes.

It also pays not to keeping switch tenses during reviews, I was getting carsick reading that.

― Steve Shasta (Steve Shasta), Wednesday, 21 June 2006 15:39 (nineteen years ago)

three months pass...

chan is way, way hot in that lived in bars video.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dxHRG6TyM-4

― napkinman (napkinman), Monday, 25 September 2006 05:07 (nineteen years ago)

way hot?

http://www.drudgereport.com/siren.gifALERT DON WEINERhttp://www.drudgereport.com/siren.gif

― mr. brojangles (sanskrit), Monday, 25 September 2006 11:50 (nineteen years ago)

I'd hit it.

― don weiner (don weiner), Monday, 25 September 2006 12:47 (nineteen years ago)

NOW WE KNOW

― Jimmy Mod's Champion Erotic Fantasy Team 2006 (The Famous Jimmy Mod), Monday, 25 September 2006 13:09 (nineteen years ago)

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