Gavin Bryars' "...Titanic" C/D?

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I just listened to Aphex Twin's remix of this for the first time and I'm now anxious to hear the Bryars original. Is it available? What's the ILM consensus on it?

― Jay Vee (Manon_70), Friday, 24 January 2003 16:27 (twenty-three years ago)

Without really knowing much of Bryars' work, I enjoyed it very much indeed, both calm and dark at the same time. Feels very much like an endless descent into the depths.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Friday, 24 January 2003 16:46 (twenty-three years ago)

There are two versions of this, one released on Philip Glass' Point label in the 90s. A good version, and the most readily available. The original was released on Eno's Obscure label in the 70s with "Jesus' Blood Never Failed Me Yet" on the opposite side. This is by far the superior of the two "Titanic" recordings available. Reissued by Virgin UK in the late 90s. Way out of print again, but worth tracking down.

― Luke Buckman, Friday, 24 January 2003 16:51 (twenty-three years ago)

don't know it,but i do love jesus' blood never failed me yet,the version with tom waits is exceptional...

― robin (robin), Friday, 24 January 2003 17:18 (twenty-three years ago)

Absolutely classic. I listen the Point Music reissue of this at least once a month, haven't been able to track down the original/Virgin version. Admittedly, haven't tried that hard...

― Chris Ott (Chris Ott), Friday, 24 January 2003 17:38 (twenty-three years ago)

"the version with tom waits is exceptional"

PLEASE PLEASE tell me you are joking.

― Paula G., Friday, 24 January 2003 17:40 (twenty-three years ago)

not at all
whats not to like?

― robin (robin), Friday, 24 January 2003 18:43 (twenty-three years ago)

Oops, just did a little research and found that the version you mentioned probably was the version I heard. Still, the whole set up is f'n preposturous, isn't it...working with (in Bryars' words) "a tape of an old tramp singing a fragment of a religious song" and then bringing in a PROFESSIONAL "old tramp" to sing back up.

But hold on, didn't a hooker give birth to baby Waits on a lonely train car after bedding down with a wise old hobo? I take it all back...

― Paula G., Friday, 24 January 2003 19:01 (twenty-three years ago)

i don't think there is anything inherently wrong about the idea of a tape of an old tramp singing a fragment of a religious song backed up by tom waits and an orchestra (in fact i downloaded because i liked the idea of it)but when i heard it it was even better than i expected...
cynicism about tom waits "image"/schtick is nothing to do with the track,even if you do accept that musicians should be "authentic" or whatever is implied in the last sentence...

― robin (robin), Friday, 24 January 2003 19:09 (twenty-three years ago)

Sorry, I didn't make myself clear: what I heard, and liked, was probably the same Bryars thing you're talking about, which proves your point Robin: "there is[n't] anything inherently wrong about the idea of a tape of an old tramp singing a fragment of a religious song backed up by tom waits and an orchestra." You're right, you're right, you're right. Obviously I wasn't offended by what I heard. But if I'd known Waits was there, who knows what I would have thought of it. Probably less. I admit it, my dislike for Waits has become a full fledged prejudice.

Still, don't say my dislike for Waits' schtick is cynical. What I find absurd about his image are the same things I hate about his (mature) records. More than any other artist, his music and his image are inseparable. All those creaky theatrics, the romanticizing of tired images, the shallowness pretending to depth, and most of all the lack of a sorely needed sense of humor. He is basically asking to be mocked, hence my last sentence. I could care less about authenticity, Waits' schtick simply bores me.

― Paula G., Friday, 24 January 2003 19:31 (twenty-three years ago)

Bryars' 'Sinking of the Titanic': simply classic. The version i have is the one that was on Eno's label, with the original 'Jesus' Blood' as the other epic piece. Poignant, and moving that one is... 'Sinking of the Titanic' is perhaps even better; a wonderfully dank tapestry of sound... fragments of music that were played as the ship went down, semi-unintelligible spoken word parts... it's a great piece.

― Tom May (Tom May), Saturday, 25 January 2003 16:19 (twenty-three years ago)

nine months pass...

Also worth seeking out is his cello concerto, A Farewell To Philosophy, a stunningly moody piece of music.

― Jonathan Z., Thursday, 13 November 2003 16:26 (twenty-two years ago)

Better than any of Eno's ambient pieces, I dare say.

― Chris Ott (Chris Ott), Thursday, 13 November 2003 16:43 (twenty-two years ago)

that's a real apples-and-oranges comparison if ever I've seen one.

― hstencil, Thursday, 13 November 2003 17:51 (twenty-two years ago)

two years pass...

i think the 'sinking of the titanic' and 'incipit vita nova' recordings put rachel's' music to shame. 'the sinking of the titanic' recording is just beautiful. i read somewhere that it was recorded in a metal water tower. the action of the reverberating sounds makes for a magical mesh of the overall room sound.

― rssl, Saturday, 31 December 2005 06:07 (twenty years ago)

rachel's is wallpaper, bryars is "serious music."

― Special Agent Gene Krupa (orion), Saturday, 31 December 2005 07:05 (twenty years ago)

four months pass...

http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0000269VM/202-7110979-0851821

Doesn't look out of print now.

― PJ Miller (PJ Miller 68), Friday, 5 May 2006 07:44 (nineteen years ago)

fantastic...the cover looks like the same processes Virgin did to the original sleeve when the reissued Michael Nyman's Decay Music. Maybe they'll reissue the whole series?

― Dan Selzer (Dan Selzer), Friday, 5 May 2006 13:17 (nineteen years ago)

I've never really forgiven Gavin for allowing Tom Waits to desecrate "Jesus' Blood"

― Vitbe... *pause*... Is Good Bread (Dada), Friday, 5 May 2006 13:21 (nineteen years ago)

In his Derek B biog, Ben Watson has some very harsh things to say about the Waits version (and by extension, about Waits).

― Marcello Carlin (nostudium), Friday, 5 May 2006 13:26 (nineteen years ago)

Good old BW!

― Vitbe... *pause*... Is Good Bread (Dada), Friday, 5 May 2006 13:28 (nineteen years ago)

Bailey is also quoted as saying: "I've had more drinks bought for me on the strength of that record than anything else I've ever done!"

― Marcello Carlin (nostudium), Friday, 5 May 2006 13:35 (nineteen years ago)

zorn is hosting a derek bailey tribute night at the barbican in june w/ gavin bryars, bill asswell and milford graves (which is of course v. exciting but did bailey and graves ever actually record/play together?)

― Ward Fowler (Ward Fowler), Friday, 5 May 2006 13:53 (nineteen years ago)

oh and also george lewis and tony oxley, according to the barbican's website

― Ward Fowler (Ward Fowler), Friday, 5 May 2006 13:55 (nineteen years ago)

I'm sure Bailey and Graves did at least one gig together, but to my knowledge never recorded together.

― Marcello Carlin (nostudium), Friday, 5 May 2006 14:35 (nineteen years ago)

ten months pass...

Hommages - also by Gavin Bryars, a bit different to this but also fantastic.

― admrl, Friday, 30 March 2007 21:15 (eighteen years ago)

one year passes...

True, what admrl said (listening to the LTM reissue of it just now).

I still have yet to hear the version of Titanic that was done a few months back but I gather it was v. good.

― Ned Raggett, Monday, 28 April 2008 14:57 (seventeen years ago)

The new version of Titanic is fantastic.

What's the consensus on the Aphex Twin remix?

― Stewart Osborne, Tuesday, 29 April 2008 14:59 (seventeen years ago)

Is this the new version you're referring to?

― Daniel, Esq., Tuesday, 29 April 2008 15:30 (seventeen years ago)

What's the consensus on the Aphex Twin remix?

I liked it when it came out, but now it doesn't sound like anything special. I think it was just the "wow" factor of "cool, Aphex is working with an actual composer!!"

Looking at it in reverse ... Philip Glass' orchestration on the "Donkey Rhubarb EP" blows away virtually every remix that Aphex ever did.

― NoTimeBeforeTime, Tuesday, 29 April 2008 16:38 (seventeen years ago)

Is this the new version you're referring to?

Yup.

― Ned Raggett, Tuesday, 29 April 2008 16:39 (seventeen years ago)

Is LTM reissue's sound actually improved? The old disc had a lot of what sounded like tape damage.

― matinee, Tuesday, 29 April 2008 23:59 (seventeen years ago)

re: Hommages

― matinee, Wednesday, 30 April 2008 00:00 (seventeen years ago)

"Is this the new version you're referring to?"

I think it must be, although mine looks like http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41jhV1QmcUL._SL500_AA240_.jpg rather than like http://www.emusic.com/img/album/111/594/11159453_155_155.jpeg

― Stewart Osborne, Wednesday, 30 April 2008 15:37 (seventeen years ago)

five years pass...

Do people still rate 'Jesus Blood Never Failed Me Yet'? Only heard it for the first time the other day. It's very nice, if rather long.

― 1 pONO 3v3Ry+h1n G!!!1 (dog latin), Thursday, 24 April 2014 15:07 (eleven years ago)

And as much as I like Tom Waits, there's no reason for him to be on the revised version.

― 1 pONO 3v3Ry+h1n G!!!1 (dog latin), Thursday, 24 April 2014 15:09 (eleven years ago)

i guess so, and people say that, as though it was 'commercializing' the piece, but I like it.

― akm, Thursday, 24 April 2014 15:35 (eleven years ago)

Like the original plenty. Dont like the Waits version, kind of turned me off Waits in general also

― anvil, Thursday, 24 April 2014 15:36 (eleven years ago)

three years pass...

this record is so good

― nice cage (m bison), Wednesday, 19 July 2017 06:06 (eight years ago)

six months pass...

I have a ticket for the last performance of A Man in a Room, Gambling tomorrow at cafe oto, but I'm knocked out with this shitty throat infection & won't make it :-( would anyone be interested? It's £18. I like these as much as titanic/jesus and am gutted to miss it.

― scrüt (wins), Thursday, 1 February 2018 23:19 (eight years ago)

No takers eh

― scrüt (wins), Friday, 2 February 2018 10:37 (eight years ago)

five years pass...

This Sunday:

https://www.kingsplace.co.uk/whats-on/contemporary/gavin-bryars-at-80/

Followed by:

https://www.kingsplace.co.uk/whats-on/contemporary/eliane-radigue-exploring-occam-rhodri-davies-friends/

― The First Time Ever I Saw Gervais (Tom D.), Friday, 29 September 2023 12:41 (two years ago)

"Titanic" was awesome. Gavin himself played bass on a Fluxus inspired closing piece from the early 70s where the musicians onstage had headphones on so they couldn't hear each other.

― The First Time Ever I Saw Gervais (Tom D.), Sunday, 1 October 2023 17:39 (two years ago)

Hell yeah

― ian, Monday, 2 October 2023 12:20 (two years ago)

Just dropping in to say I've finally listened to this (OG and Waits versions) and, yes, it is very good. ;)

― SQUIRREL MEAT!! (Capitaine Jay Vee), Monday, 2 October 2023 19:40 (two years ago)

the live performance sounds amazing

the website tone glow has an interview up with bryars, i’ve only read a portion of it so far

― sknybrg, Monday, 2 October 2023 19:43 (two years ago)

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