Why In The Name Of All That Is Holy Does Anyone Like The La's?

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This is actually a classic or duds thread spinning out of the Kirsty one.

― Tom, Thursday, 28 December 2000 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Because of one, finely crafted, beautiful little gem of a song that makes me weep and remember and lament what I missed by this much, and how I, if only for that one instant, could be that perfect, then I would still have a reason to believe. THAT is why I like the La's.

― J.M., Friday, 29 December 2000 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

A more appropriate question would be "After The La's why on earth does anyone bother with Cast?". Having said that, I don't think anyone does bother with Cast these days, do they? I take from the incredulous tone of the question that you deem it irrational and incorrect to like The La's. Why? Because they are responsible for an album's worth of excellent songs (including, I feel confident in saying, at least one immortal classic)? I thought feelings about music were supposed to be irrational - people like The La's because they just do. Perhaps before I buy my next album I'll chair an impromptu focus group amongst my friends to debate whether it is "appropriate" to listen to that artist. We can all pick holes, we can all be clever. I think most people who listened to a lot of music in that era would think The La's were one of the best.

― Captain Adams, Friday, 29 December 2000 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Phew, where to begin, Captain? A classic old-school music newsgroup posting - bogus appeals to posterity and to what 'most people' think, kneejerk anti-intellectualism ('we can all be clever'), proclamations about what music is 'supposed to be', and the assumption that not liking a band as 'timeless' as the La's must be some kind of measured, post facto response* rather than a knee-jerk reaction to some bleedin' tedious music. I still feel intense resentment at paying for their tiresome album, lo these ten years gone ("Doledrums" and the one about the bloody ship are particularly awful). If liking music is supposed to be irrational then great - I hardly think the tone of my question was rational, eh?

*not that talking to your mates about what music is good or not and getting ridiculously OTT about it isn't one of the great pleasures of pop. We call it a focus group for a joke, yes?

― Tom, Friday, 29 December 2000 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Thanks for placing me so snugly into my pigeonhole. By the way, I didn't know you called anything a focus group! Have I hit a nerve? OK though - I will admit to a slight case of rosy-coloured glasses syndrome. I guess that the memories and feelings evoked by your "first bands" (the likes of The Wolfhounds in my case) can put the music up a few levels. I know I would dismiss some of my most-loved records from the late 80s were they released now.

― Captain Adams, Friday, 29 December 2000 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

I can't really say that I like The La's, but "There She Goes" is an exquisite, wonderful gorgeous song and I'm glad that the group brought it into existence.

― Dan Perry, Friday, 29 December 2000 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

As it is, I'm glad the Boo Radleys covered "There She Goes," as it enables me to listen to the song without listening to the La's. ;-)

― Ned Raggett, Friday, 29 December 2000 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

If i hear "there she goes" ONE MORE TIME i will rip my own fucking ears off and stuff them down my own throat, thus choking myself but at least happy in the knowledge that i'll never have to hear that weak pissy sub-merseybeat janglewank EVER AGAIN. It is officially number 1 in the most overplayed songs of the 90s chart which i'l get round to putting on my regularly (ha!) updated personal website at some point. Mind you it's still better than cast (choking on your own ears that is).

― carsmilesteve, Sunday, 31 December 2000 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

I was never that big into "There She Goes" when it came out but I just bought the the album recently on a friend's advice and I quite like it. All of the rest of the songs are actually significantly different from that hit single and I like them much better. A pleasant surprise.

― Tim Baier, Wednesday, 3 January 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

one month passes...

Bloody scousers. The NME gave them about 10/10 recently (the album which is always in HMV sales has been reissued), so they MUST be good. Hmm.

― DG, Monday, 12 February 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

two weeks pass...

I'm afraid I agree with the pro-'There She Goes' and anti-'Carsmile' faction. I still think it is heavenly, sublime, and perfect, as these things go. And as pop music that one likes often is, it's mixed in with memories, times, places and so on: I don't know (in the terms introduced by the 'Captain' geezer) whether that's 'rational' or not.

As far as their other material goes, it's weak by comparison; most things would be. 'Timeless Melody' stands out, I think; 'Feeling' and 'Son Of A Gun' are OK... but no, it's not a tale of crowning glory. On the other hand, I don't find it offensive as Tom does, and I bought the album too (on tape!).

The other great thing about 'There She Goes': the inspirational role it played in Grant Morrison's 1990 comic 'St Swithin's Day', before I'd ever even heard the song. That the song didn't disappoint is remarkable after a build-up like that.

― the pinefox, Wednesday, 28 February 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

two years pass...

Why indeed?

― Tico Tico (Tico Tico), Friday, 20 June 2003 09:23 (twenty-two years ago)

duh! the la's are the captain rock of liverpool. gruff psych beat-blues that still remains chilling and relevant nearly 12 years to the day!

― captain doom-e, Friday, 20 June 2003 09:33 (twenty-two years ago)

I remember this thread as being longer. I also forgot that I look a bit of a twat on it. But I still hate the La's.

― Tico Tico (Tico Tico), Friday, 20 June 2003 09:34 (twenty-two years ago)

"A pile of shit. The worst. There is not one good thing I have to say about them."

― l mavers, Friday, 20 June 2003 09:35 (twenty-two years ago)

'better than the brazen hussies, i doff my fisherman's cap and sing a sea shanty to all the lee mavers in the world'

― captain doom-e q, Friday, 20 June 2003 09:37 (twenty-two years ago)

Ho ho, I actually wrote a short defense of the La's a few months back, but it never ran. Let me go find it.

― nabisco (nabisco), Friday, 20 June 2003 16:03 (twenty-two years ago)

tom i wish you were like that more often!

― jess (dubplatestyle), Friday, 20 June 2003 16:38 (twenty-two years ago)

Crap: I can't find it. The idea was basically that you Brits are all ruined by thinking of it too politically, a throwback album annoyingly hailed by the "real tunes" brigade. Whereas from the apolitical American perspective, it's just a country-rock weirdo with an idiosyncratic ear for pop songs getting locked up in the studio for what sounds like about a weekend, and laying down a lot of really tight, interesting songs. Not even "There She Goes," not the "perfect pop" aspect -- I tend to hear the guy almost more like Daniel Johnston, just an oddball with some good tunes. One thing his 60s-throwback mentality lends him is way more interesting rhythms than most bands of the era; the unfinished demo-roughness keeps him from sounding as full of himself as he probably was; all that twang comes out sounding pretty likeable. He had a good oddball singer-songwriter voice, too -- lines like "I am the captain of the love brigade" are probably going to be ringing around my head forever, and while I'm sure you pity me for that, it's really not so bad. Granted, his ambitious moments were weak -- that last song on the album stopped sounding good when I turned 14 -- but when it was just loose-limb boogie-rock and Magic Bus redux I think it worked damn well. "Son of a Gun," "Way Out," and "Failure" are all terrific, I think -- the sorts of songs that if some random guy I knew had written them and played them on guitar for me, I'd think he was sort of a genius. (All about the rhythms and the melodies: "Son of a Gun" with those lurching beat gaps and the hard twists of the vocal, which he could toss off like it was nothing; "Way Out" with its swaying "Piano Man" three-beat going all evil in the middle; "Failure" with the honky-tonk stomp getting all desperate.) (Note: I typed this post in my email program and the "moodwatch" feature has underlined "honky" to tell me this paragraph is inappropriate.)

― nabisco (nabisco), Friday, 20 June 2003 16:40 (twenty-two years ago)

yer perspective, defined what i thought was undefinable about lee mavers, nabisco. very cool! thanks.

― doom-e, Friday, 20 June 2003 16:50 (twenty-two years ago)

The main problem with the La's is that "There She Goes" is actually the WORST song on the album! Check out the Holy Trinity of "Son of a Gun," "Timeless Melody," and "Liberty Ship" for some of the greatest pop music you'll ever hear in your life.

And "Looking Glass"? Yeah it might be a little too long, but damn if that guitar intro riff isn't one of the most beautiful melodies I've ever heard.

So screw y'all La's haterz.

― Evan (Evan), Friday, 20 June 2003 19:01 (twenty-two years ago)

I was gonna say that it's a bit nuts to classify "There She Goes" as "worse" than "I.O.U.," but then I remembered that "I.O.U." has the "on the farm" breakdown and that guitar solo. (One of the bonus tracks on the re-released edition uses that guitar solo as a riff, which sort of reaffirmed my whole idea of Mavers as a grab-bag guy: not using that song? Might as well pick out the good bit and shoehorn it in somewhere else.)

― nabisco (nabisco), Friday, 20 June 2003 19:46 (twenty-two years ago)

oh Tom don't tell me you hate Kirsty MacColl!

― James Blount (James Blount), Saturday, 21 June 2003 08:02 (twenty-two years ago)

"Son Of A Gun" is grebt.

― Chris Barrus (Chris Barrus), Saturday, 21 June 2003 08:26 (twenty-two years ago)

Tom doesn't hate Kirsty MacColl.

― N. (nickdastoor), Saturday, 21 June 2003 11:18 (twenty-two years ago)

nine months pass...

because they are the classic, untouchable, original guitar pop band

― will barrowclough, Sunday, 11 April 2004 15:27 (twenty-one years ago)

case closed then

― keith m (keithmcl), Sunday, 11 April 2004 16:14 (twenty-one years ago)

It's funny how Nabisco was writing about the La#s, on my birthday, la.

― the lafox, Sunday, 11 April 2004 16:38 (twenty-one years ago)

What's not to like about the La's? They're pretty inoffensive.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Sunday, 11 April 2004 17:01 (twenty-one years ago)

I like that album. It's got some cool weird songs on it. It reminds me of julian cope in some places. (i know absolutely nothing about the La's. maybe it's common knowledge that they were huge teardrop/cope fans. i play it at least once a year.)

― scott seward (scott seward), Sunday, 11 April 2004 17:09 (twenty-one years ago)

There are some excellent songs on the album. Sure, maybe Mavers is whacked in the head, but big deal. A good record is a good record.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Sunday, 11 April 2004 17:19 (twenty-one years ago)

UPDATE: I still love "There She Goes".

― VengaDan Perry (Dan Perry), Sunday, 11 April 2004 17:41 (twenty-one years ago)

UPDATE: "There She Goes" is STILL the worst song on a fantastic A+ guitar pop record.

― Mr. Snrub (Mr. Snrub), Sunday, 11 April 2004 18:50 (twenty-one years ago)

My favorite song on the album is probably "Feelin'".

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Sunday, 11 April 2004 20:12 (twenty-one years ago)

I just wish people would give Timeless Melody some love too.

― The Rebukes of Hazard (mjt), Sunday, 11 April 2004 20:22 (twenty-one years ago)

four months pass...

6:30: I turn on the radio and 'There She Goes' is starting!

Thanks, Maconie.

― the dreamfox, Friday, 27 August 2004 16:25 (twenty years ago)

Followed by Kim Wilde's 'You Came'!

― the bellefox, Friday, 27 August 2004 16:28 (twenty years ago)

It's the way he sings "complai-ai-ain" dudes.

― sexyDancer, Friday, 27 August 2004 16:32 (twenty years ago)

Maconie is now playing the theme from Minder.

Sung by Dennis Waterman!

― the bellefox, Friday, 27 August 2004 16:50 (twenty years ago)

Weird that all these really old threads are turning up today.

I want to say this every time this thread gets revived and now I will: sorry, "Captain Adams", for being such a prick upthread.

I will never like the La's.

― Tom (Groke), Friday, 27 August 2004 16:53 (twenty years ago)

No?

Did you enjoy reading the FIGHTING FANTASY thread again, featuring you on SORCERY!?

― the dreamfox, Friday, 27 August 2004 16:54 (twenty years ago)

three months pass...

I like the La's.... I think There She Goes is not bad but I've heard it so many times it's just bloody annoying. Timeless Melody is the sound of perfection.

― pete d, Friday, 24 December 2004 19:47 (twenty years ago)

I can still tolerate their big hit after all the continued exposure so although I didn't like 'em much the first time, they've slowly grown in stature.

― Ken L (Ken L), Friday, 24 December 2004 19:54 (twenty years ago)

There She Goes is still very very close to perfection. The crappy covers just made it sound better.

There's rumors that Mavers and John Powers are rehearsing in Liverpool but that doesn't mean much of anything right?

― Aaron W (Aaron W), Friday, 24 December 2004 19:54 (twenty years ago)

shit, I love the La's. Then again, I'm a 16-year-old girl and a sucker for anything pretty.

"Timeless Melody" is great.

― babyalive (babyalive), Friday, 24 December 2004 20:56 (twenty years ago)

I for one hope The La's remain in memory of the public for a long time. Their brilliance doesn't come along but once every...25 years? It seems to me if they'd made one more album they might actually get talked about half as much as The Stone Roses.

― Bimble..., Saturday, 25 December 2004 00:18 (twenty years ago)

eight months pass...

Trackback revive! (Sorry tom). I've never got round to listening to this album. I don't quite know how I feel about "there she goes". I mean, it's nice northern early 90s jangle pop...but they're SCOUSERS! I'll see if I can find it tonight (the album), and I'll see.

― JimD (JimD), Tuesday, 20 September 2005 22:51 (nineteen years ago)

its fucken grate man the nme said so and i would suck conor mcnicholls off for a job

― dom-e, Tuesday, 20 September 2005 22:54 (nineteen years ago)

Smack. And cloth ears.

― I Oppose All Rock and Roll (noodle vague), Tuesday, 20 September 2005 22:54 (nineteen years ago)

After seeing 'So, I Married An Axe Murderer' on Sunday... A film where 'There She Goes' is PLAYED NO LESS THAN FIVE FUCKING TIMES I never want to hear their irritating twee pop again.

― Sasha (sgh), Wednesday, 21 September 2005 00:41 (nineteen years ago)

i really liked the album when it came out. when i listen to it now it seems to me to be a tad dated. i don't mind it i guess. not five times in a row though.

― gem (trisk), Wednesday, 21 September 2005 00:44 (nineteen years ago)

x post

Akshully that's a Boo Radleys cover version, Sasha. Is it really 5 times? I don't remember it being that omnipresent.

― I Oppose All Rock and Roll (noodle vague), Wednesday, 21 September 2005 00:50 (nineteen years ago)

wow, this is a really old thread.

― kidnapping and blackmail (dymaxia), Wednesday, 21 September 2005 03:08 (nineteen years ago)

six months pass...

Whoa, the pinefox and I share a birthday?

― Michael Daddino (epicharmus), Sunday, 9 April 2006 22:29 (nineteen years ago)

one year passes...

jesus pisses me around, and, i love the la's.

― andi, Thursday, 6 September 2007 04:12 (seventeen years ago)

two years pass...

Hmmm, There She Goes (which never really blew me away) and all the hostile things written about them here had kind of scared me off of this band, and then they turned up on Rhapsody and suddenly I discover that they're awfully Shack-y. Timeless Melody is my favorite thing of the past few weeks. Gotta stop listening to critics...

― dlp9001, Friday, 30 October 2009 18:54 (fifteen years ago)

i saw them live around 1991 and didn't understand what the fuss was about. they sounded like a beatles cover band who didn't remember the songs they wanted to cover. but they knew how to play to sound like the beatles. does this make sense? there she goes to me always sounded like a lost song by the velvet underground.

― alex in mainhattan, Friday, 30 October 2009 19:18 (fifteen years ago)

You should check out Pearl Jam's cover of "Timeless Melody."

― lihaperäpukamat (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Friday, 30 October 2009 19:21 (fifteen years ago)

If you love the La's, and it's likely you do if you're reading this thread, then Good God, Man! Buy the BBC session disc! It's revelatory!

― Gerald McBoing-Boing, Friday, 30 October 2009 19:35 (fifteen years ago)

I love the La's and I have not heard the BBC Sessions, nor the 2-disk version that came out recently with the original mix. I ought to get around to that!

"Feelin'" is a great song. The vocal melody sounds like a guitar solo to me, the way it bobs around.

― Euler, Friday, 30 October 2009 19:40 (fifteen years ago)

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