wire: document and eyewitness etc

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we've had a few threads about wire, but i don't think there's been any discussion of the stuff from 76-79 floating around that's not on the main 3 albums - behind the curtain, live at the roxy etc. what's good? are any of the bootlegs worth hunting down?

― toby (tsg20), Tuesday, 3 June 2003 11:34 (twenty-two years ago)

I have Behind the Curtain, although I probably haven't listened to it in about two years, so I can't be of much help. I don't remember being particularly impressed by it. I'll pull it out again and give it a listen and let you know.

― NA. (Nick A.), Tuesday, 3 June 2003 11:51 (twenty-two years ago)

Behind the Curtain is more illuminating/fascinating than strictly good--a lot of that stuff first appeared on a bootleg called _Not About to Die_ that I like a whole lot better (the muddy sound improves it, plus its best tracks didn't get included on BtC, esp. a screaming high-speed Pink Flag-ified version of "French Film"--"second LAAAAAANGUAGE! LAAAAAAANGUAGE!").

As for other stuff: I deeply love both versions of "Our Swimmer," esp. the fact that the fast dissonant version ("Second Length") was recorded later. Also, the Big Three albums don't include "Dot Dash," which is pretty essential.

There's some 7" bootleg that includes a version of "Another the Letter" from a period when they were trying to get through the entire thing in 20 seconds. Awesome.

― Douglas (Douglas), Tuesday, 3 June 2003 12:26 (twenty-two years ago)

Eels sang lino!

― Dr. C (Dr. C), Tuesday, 3 June 2003 12:53 (twenty-two years ago)

I've had Document & Eyewitness since it first came out ('80 / '81?) but I don't think I've played it more than a handful of times and not at all in the last 15 years.... maybe I should give it another go.

The Peel Sessions album is definitely worth tracking down.

― Stewart Osborne (Stewart Osborne), Tuesday, 3 June 2003 12:57 (twenty-two years ago)

The Peel Sessions album is definitely worth tracking down.

yeah, i was listening to that earlier. i really like "crazy about love".

― toby (tsg20), Tuesday, 3 June 2003 13:03 (twenty-two years ago)

My version of Pink Flag has Dot Dash on it, plus another couple of good extras.

― NA. (Nick A.), Tuesday, 3 June 2003 13:12 (twenty-two years ago)

I've got all of the above mentioned albums and have to say they don't get much playing but are enjoyed when I do play them. if you come across them and they're reasonably priced buy em. probably not worth trawling for though. the 3 lps, our swimmer and dot dash 7"s are what you need to own.

― simon 803 (simon 803), Tuesday, 3 June 2003 13:14 (twenty-two years ago)

Document/Eyewitness - I listen to 5/10 and the MC intro to 12XU all the time. It's some of the best 6 minutes ever pressed to vinyl.

I rarely listen to any of the rest of the record/s.

― dave225 (Dave225), Tuesday, 3 June 2003 14:11 (twenty-two years ago)

i love wire - i think 'document and eyewitness' might be my favorite wire release! it just totally rips and shows how far they were pushing themselves before splitting up. 'turns and strokes' is less good, because the sound quality is abysmal. there's still some great moments on that too. of course i swear by the 3 albums, but the extra releases just show how many ideas were kicking around, and it's dizzying and inspiring every time i listen.
'behind the curtain' is totally amazing! it needs to be reissued.

― j fail (cenotaph), Tuesday, 3 June 2003 14:19 (twenty-two years ago)

Peel sessions, Behind the Curtain, On Returning (as being the easiest way to get "Dot Dash", the longer piano version of "Outdoor Miner", and the live "12XU") are all essential stuff.

As for the "Document and Eyewitness" stuff, I always preferred the versions done later on the solo records (mostly by Colin Newman), but there's also that other compilation with the green and/or red "X" on it who's name I forget which has the unedited version of that very final (and extremely detuned) performance of "12XU", which is just incredibly acerbic and relentless.

― donut bitch (donut), Tuesday, 3 June 2003 14:49 (twenty-two years ago)

second douglas' mention of the fast version of 'our swimmer'. hands down my favorite early wire song that isn't on one of the albums, it's glorious.

originally it came out as the b side of the 'crazy about love' 12", which is compiled intact on the otherwise patchy compilation 'turns and strokes'.

― jl, Tuesday, 3 June 2003 17:30 (twenty-two years ago)

there's also that other compilation with the green and/or red "X" on it who's name I forget

yar, that's 'turns and strokes' (swiping the original cover & design for the 'crazy about love' 12" wholesale) I'll have to go back and check out the detuned 12XU.

― jl, Tuesday, 3 June 2003 17:39 (twenty-two years ago)

"doc. & eyew." is pretty awesome. yeah nearly up there w. the good missionaries or the and band & the perfect strangers!...punk rockers were such squares!

― duane, Tuesday, 3 June 2003 23:08 (twenty-two years ago)

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