Bands/artists you stick by through thick and thin

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Simon Reynolds said something once in an old piece he did on Morrissey (it's in the Blissed Out anthology, if you can find it) about how some artists you stick by, even if they put out a string of dodgy records, in the same way that you don't suddenly turn your back on your best mate. You remain loyal to them.

I feel that way about New Order, and even if their imminent new album is rub I will still buy it and listen to it, just like I dutifully took in all those Revenge and Monaco and The Other Two and late-period Electronic records because, well it's New Order ("Their music has always been part of our lives" to adapt the misnomer of a slogan currently being used to advertise Neil Diamond gigs) and they once were Joy Division and, sucker that I am, I will follow them anywhere.

What artists/bands make you feel the same way?

― Marcello Carlin (nostudium), Monday, 14 March 2005 11:57 (twenty years ago)

Paul Weller, I guess. Although I didn't buy his recent one, and the 2 previous were in sales...

God, I should have several. But I'm 4 fall albums adrift, 2 New Order ones, Public Image ltd hardly count.

― mark grout (mark grout), Monday, 14 March 2005 12:07 (twenty years ago)

I gave up w/new order after the last album, whatever it was called. About the only "thick & thin" artist, by which I mean, I still pick up their albuma whenever I see them is IQ, the semi-obscure neo-progressive band. I still like them a lot. Everybody else can fuck off, it's a case-by-case basis.

― Pashmina (Pashmina), Monday, 14 March 2005 12:14 (twenty years ago)

I quite like the three new New Order tracks I heared.

― mark grout (mark grout), Monday, 14 March 2005 12:28 (twenty years ago)

Will Oldham

― hmmm (hmmm), Monday, 14 March 2005 12:34 (twenty years ago)

New Order, Human League and that's it. There are v.few artists that I have everything by - I'm not that loyal and get bored easily. I know I'm probably missing out on good stuff by familiar artists, but I usually prefer to take a punt on somebody new.

― Dr. C (Dr. C), Monday, 14 March 2005 12:40 (twenty years ago)

I tried to do it with Tricky, but gave up after "Blowback".

Still do it with Prince though.

― Jedmond (Jedmond), Monday, 14 March 2005 12:58 (twenty years ago)

Well, duh, he's got purple rain to spare.

― BARMS, Monday, 14 March 2005 13:04 (twenty years ago)

Madonna I suppose. I buy all her albums but it's never been that much of a chore, I've always liked or found something interesting in those albums. But I'm not a completest or super-fan by any means. I mean, Revenge??? Bleedin' hell fire, I buy the albums but I would't go and see poxy, naffin' Swept Away, you know what I mean?

― David Merryweather (DavidM), Monday, 14 March 2005 13:11 (twenty years ago)

All of them

― A Viking of Some Note (Andrew Thames), Monday, 14 March 2005 13:16 (twenty years ago)

KILLING JOKE, and lemme tellya, there've been plenty of hills and valleys.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Monday, 14 March 2005 13:54 (twenty years ago)

Oh yes, Human League as well.

― Pashmina (Pashmina), Monday, 14 March 2005 13:55 (twenty years ago)

Anything Tom Barman (dEUS, Magnus, solo,...) does. Even if he'd make a recording of farts, I'd probably still buy it in every format. I just need to hear/see/read what he's done. And no matter what, I still find it good even if I realize deep down it's not.

― nathalie barefoot in the head (stevie nixed), Monday, 14 March 2005 14:06 (twenty years ago)

Autechre and Radiohead.

― dog latin (dog latin), Monday, 14 March 2005 14:21 (twenty years ago)

sonic youth.

a lot of people hated me playing them nyc g+f.

― acidmouth (acidmouth), Monday, 14 March 2005 14:40 (twenty years ago)

http://www.danripley.com/Jason/indiana45s/mx80hardattack.jpg
I feel as though I STILL owe these guys, especially for this LP: the ratio of "Pleasure personally derived from a record" to "price paid for said record" ($1.00 CDN) was never topped. (Never equalled?)

― Myonga Von Bontee (Myonga Von Bontee), Monday, 14 March 2005 15:28 (twenty years ago)

Tori Amos.

The thin is happening right now. I should stop buying her records, really.

― The Lex (The Lex), Monday, 14 March 2005 15:29 (twenty years ago)

Used to be that Neil Young & Lou Reed were in this category for me .. but when the catalog gets to a certain size, you don't really need any more half-baked Lou/Neil records.

I'll stand by you (even though none of your records have been that bad)
-Pretenders

― dave225 (Dave225), Monday, 14 March 2005 15:35 (twenty years ago)

John Cale. Although awful names like "HoboSapiens" can momentarily turn me off.

― monia.l (monia.l), Monday, 14 March 2005 15:46 (twenty years ago)

New Order (the new one is great, Marcello!), Depeche, Cure, Moz, Siouxsie/Creatures -- my flagbearers in many ways. Marc Almond and the Walkabouts as well. There are others.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Monday, 14 March 2005 15:51 (twenty years ago)

I seem incapable of maintaining an unrelenting devotion to one act.

Bands who’ve come close were all youthful affections: Cocteau Twins, New Order (again), Prefab Sprout, Sisters of Mercy (what a let down that was).

― stevo (stevo), Monday, 14 March 2005 15:52 (twenty years ago)

Prince
The Cure
Orbital (*sniff*)
The Prodigy
My Life With The Thrill Kill Kult
Severed Heads
A Tribe Called Quest/Q-Tip
De La Soul
Nine Inch Nails
Massive Attack

― The Ghost of Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Monday, 14 March 2005 15:56 (twenty years ago)

David Bowie.

but i seem to find i like even the so-called thin stuff.

― mark e (mark e), Monday, 14 March 2005 15:58 (twenty years ago)

Bowie, yes - even the utter horror of Black Tie, White Noise didn't turn me away. (btw - let no one slag off the magnificent Never Let Me Down) Although I only get the new ones when they're about £3 in Recd and Tape Exchange, and I still haven't bothered with Reality yet.

― Dr. C (Dr. C), Monday, 14 March 2005 16:04 (twenty years ago)

Yeah, Bowie as well -- though to be honest I just ripped all the 82 to 93 stuff to sell back, since I actually listen to those albums once in a blue moon. (The Buddha of Suburbia is good though.)

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Monday, 14 March 2005 16:08 (twenty years ago)

NIN (The Downward Spiral's sonic influence on me as a youngin' was incalcuable, and unlike a lot of other people i actually thought The Fragile was actually pretty good, too, so i've been pretty loyal throughout the years.)

― latebloomer: damn cheapskate satanists (latebloomer), Monday, 14 March 2005 16:43 (twenty years ago)

massive attack: fortunately they don't release too much. every new album by them is a kind of revelation.

yo la tengo: i like how they have evolved. from roots via noise to atmospheric.

lambchop: for the love of music and the warmth. i don't think they can make a bad album.

sonic youth: didn't get nyc+g but i think i ahve everything else. i got bored very much after dirty and before sonic nurse. they did surprise me in a good way with the new one.

joni mitchell: i doubt she'll do another real album. anyways she has disappointed me for the last 20+ years. but still i would always buy a new joni album.

neil young: he is still making quite good records (the last two were ok). there were long periods though where he bored me to death.

new order: i am not such a great fan like some of you but still i'd always get their latest. cause of joy div and what happened after. the new one is very good song-wise.

― alex in mainhattan (alex63), Monday, 14 March 2005 16:46 (twenty years ago)

(btw - let no one slag off the magnificent Never Let Me Down)

And with a great whooooooooosh, Dr. C was relieved of the burden of credibility from this point forward.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Monday, 14 March 2005 17:11 (twenty years ago)

None. They always let me down and release several albums that I don't like so I can buy a few and then realize that they are dead to me.

― Ken L (Ken L), Monday, 14 March 2005 17:13 (twenty years ago)

http://www.smartalecmusic.com/fishbone_logo.gif
I'VE BEEN LISTENING TO THIS BAND FOR ALMOST TWENTY YEARS NOW...MOST PEOPLE DON'T KNOW THEY ARE STILL RELEASING SHIT

― nickalicious (nickalicious), Monday, 14 March 2005 17:14 (twenty years ago)

Echo and the Bunnymen - The post-Electrafixion path was initially rocky, but their last two records have been surprisingly good.

― Steve Gertz (sgertz), Monday, 14 March 2005 21:48 (twenty years ago)

MOST PEOPLE DON'T KNOW THEY ARE STILL RELEASING SHIT

That's because the key word in that sentence is "shit"! Hahahaha , I kid, I kid.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Monday, 14 March 2005 21:50 (twenty years ago)

uh, just off the top of me sleepy head i' say
that
hm,
after their live show in january, r.e.m.
.

― t\'\'t (t\'\'t), Monday, 14 March 2005 21:53 (twenty years ago)

Einsturzende Neubauten. Granted, I've gotten the last few in the mail for free, but I'd have bought them if I hadn't.

― pdf (Phil Freeman), Monday, 14 March 2005 22:01 (twenty years ago)

Nick Cave (nearly bailed at 'Boatman's Call')
Tom Waits (nearly bailed with the new one)
PJ Harvey (haven't considered bailing yet)
Bowie (nearly bailed like 6 times)

― PeopleFunnyBoy (PeopleFunnyBoy), Monday, 14 March 2005 23:04 (twenty years ago)

YES. Union rulez, ya'll fulez.

― o connoisseurs of thirst, Monday, 14 March 2005 23:16 (twenty years ago)

yeah, simon reynolds. you wouldn't turn your back on your best mate. but would your best mate charge you to see him for an hour, and then tell you all the same stories he's already told you, year in year out? and then charge you even more for a recording of said stories? your favorite bands are (almost 100%) not your friends.

― ken taylrr (ken taylrr), Monday, 14 March 2005 23:38 (twenty years ago)

Nick Cave (I almost bailed after Nocturama)
Sadly, I can't say PJ...I jumped ship for a while after Yield came out.

― VegemiteGrrl (VegemiteGrrl), Monday, 14 March 2005 23:43 (twenty years ago)

Well, I did buy "Calling All Stations" by Genesis in 1997....

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Tuesday, 15 March 2005 00:17 (twenty years ago)

Will Oldham

ditto.

― giboyeux (skowly), Tuesday, 15 March 2005 00:56 (twenty years ago)

-- ken taylrr (or...), March 14th, 2005.

You're purposely missing the point.

― Marcello Carlin (nostudium), Tuesday, 15 March 2005 08:09 (twenty years ago)

You know, either post to this thread in the spirit intended or fuck off.

― Marcello Carlin (nostudium), Tuesday, 15 March 2005 08:10 (twenty years ago)

ILxors are (almost 100%) not my friends (and the "almost" is highly negotiable) but I still post here for reasons even I can't fully fathom.

So, you know, play the game.

― Marcello Carlin (nostudium), Tuesday, 15 March 2005 08:11 (twenty years ago)

Tom Waits

― dronez are not ours to eat, dronez are not ours to wear (smile), Tuesday, 15 March 2005 08:12 (twenty years ago)

Julian Cope!

― fortunate hazel (f. hazel), Tuesday, 15 March 2005 08:59 (twenty years ago)

The Spacemen 3 axis (Spectrum, Spiritualized, E.A.R., etc)

The Church

― Elvis Telecom (Chris Barrus), Tuesday, 15 March 2005 09:19 (twenty years ago)

Fugazi. They just made the right impact at the right age, and I've liked pretty much everything they've released. They're the only band whose personal lives I actually ponder or discuss ("Joe's a Dad now," "I hope Guy is ok since his mom just died,") I've driven a couple hundred miles to hear them play live.

― Hurting (Hurting), Tuesday, 15 March 2005 15:30 (twenty years ago)

i've been buying records by m.gira and lawrence heyward since the early 80's and it has been all thick. never thin.

― scott seward (scott seward), Tuesday, 15 March 2005 15:53 (twenty years ago)

even that album they did together?

― fortunate hazel (f. hazel), Tuesday, 15 March 2005 19:12 (twenty years ago)

man, i'd pay serious money to hear something like that.

― scott seward (scott seward), Tuesday, 15 March 2005 20:13 (twenty years ago)

I have watched and bought a vinyl copy of "Hearts Of Fire".

― Acme 2, Thursday, 17 March 2005 18:19 (twenty years ago)

Cocteau Twins, pas question. The only thing of theirs I haven't heard is the Otherness EP, for some reason.

― Quit glaring at Ian Riese-Moraine! He's mentally fraught! (Eastern Mantra), Friday, 18 March 2005 12:54 (twenty years ago)

I think Cocteaus are a lot easier to be loyal to than most bands, though.

I'm gonna nominate Morrissey here. Prior to 2004 I hadn't paid any attention to him for like 10 years.

― Bimble... (Bimble...), Friday, 18 March 2005 14:29 (twenty years ago)

Saying "no-one" seems to be against the spirit of the thread. A year ago I'd have said Belle and Sebastian, but it's not technically true any more. It's yet another symptom of falling irrevocably out of love with music.

― Markelby (Mark C), Friday, 18 March 2005 15:45 (twenty years ago)

one month passes...

Chris Whitley. Full stop.

― rogermexico (rogermexico), Monday, 25 April 2005 03:01 (twenty years ago)

Courtney Love. Nick Cave. PJ Harvey. Only PJH I was rather let down by was Stories from the City, Stories from the Sea which still had some great moments, and sounded terrific live at the 9/10/01 show I saw in Washington DC. Seem to recall having "Big Exit" in my head when trying to get out of downtown the next day.

Also, another vote for NIN due to influence of Downward Spiral, and I really heart the new record. What can you do.

I love every single Pavement album to bits but haven't bought a single one of Malkmus' solo records. Not sure why, really.

Depeche Mode would make this list but it's not quite fair as I didn't pay attention to them until after Exciter, and then I bought and liked just about all of their older records.

― daria g (daria g), Monday, 25 April 2005 03:37 (twenty years ago)

Sonic Youth, I suppose. Except for Experimental Jet Set, I've found at least 50% of every one of their albums enjoyable, and some lesser percentage of each HUGELY enjoyable. Their last two have been very good indeed.

― box.of.rox, Monday, 25 April 2005 03:51 (twenty years ago)

Bis.

They've had a name change to 'Data Panik' (after the Pere Ubu album), but their new single is sublime!

― Chewshabadoo (Chewshabadoo), Monday, 25 April 2005 08:41 (twenty years ago)

Stereolab comes to my mind first and foremost, they always wax and wane but I give 'em far more berth than I do most bands.

In the mid to late '80s when a lot of 1st/ 2nd wave "punk" bands were first reunionining, I tried so hard to psyche myself up to really enjoy the Wire's comeback stuff like the "Ideal Copy." So much of it was projecting what I felt about them earlier onto them later -- the way you do towards the end of a relationship you really don't want to end, you know? Of course, in retrospect, you can say "Man that SUCKED!" As happened with fIREHOSE, of course... I shudder whn I think how much I liked that band, when really what I liked is that Mike and George were playing together. Shit, sorry to get so off point--yeah, Stereolab.

― Michael J McGonigal (mike mcgonigal), Monday, 25 April 2005 08:50 (twenty years ago)

Bailing on Tori Amos as we speak. I even liked her covers record but both albums after it are just dire.

― joseph cotten (joseph cotten), Monday, 25 April 2005 13:30 (twenty years ago)

Beck, Stereolab and Belle & Sebastian are my main three stalwarts. Almost jumped off all of those bandwagons, but each of their latest albums are among my favorites they've ever done. Also: anything related to YMG, Raincoats or Pastels. I thought I was over Sleater-Kinney, but I know I'll end up buying The Woods.

― mike a, Monday, 25 April 2005 16:46 (twenty years ago)

I'm not so fond of Ideal Copy either but I just bought Send and it's fantastic..

I gave up on Tori Amos after Choirgirl, which I love - the stuff after that just doesn't get me at all, aside from being sometimes whimsical and harmlessly catchy. Not good.

― daria g (daria g), Monday, 25 April 2005 16:53 (twenty years ago)

I would always buy a new Cocteau Twins release, although I was disappointed by Four Calender Cafe and initially by Milk & Kisses (thought it was too CT by numbers, but I love it now.)

Same with the Pet Shop Boys except they have never disappointed. Nightlife came close though.

I don't know if I'd buy a new Cure album, and I never thought I would say that. I liked Bloodflowers but Wild Moon Swings had 3 good songs and the last one was very uneven. Plus the vocals are mixed way too loud nowadays. Give me all those reissues though!

― Seb (Seb), Monday, 25 April 2005 22:25 (twenty years ago)

one year passes...

Heh, now to bring loathing down upon me...

The Levellers - the very frist band I loved... And haven't stopped in the 12+ years since...

The Offspring - does anyone else find themselves liking their fav bands worst albums just because "it may not be them at their best, but it's still them" ?

Ocean Colour Scene - To be fair I wasn't there from the start, but I'm making up for lost ground, and also, no bad albums that I've heard as yet...

Feeder - Wow. Great band. recently spent Â£50 on their B-sides collection off eBay...

― Rohan Chadwick (thelevellers), Monday, 31 July 2006 22:11 (nineteen years ago)

R.E.M. (bailed at Around The Sun, after actually convincing myself that REVEAL was a decent album)
Tori Amos (even learned to love her covers record, but the last two were just too much)
Luke Haines (time will tell - may bail if the new solo record is as bad as its single)

― joseph cotten (joseph cotten), Monday, 31 July 2006 22:22 (nineteen years ago)

the gories
modey lemon
kardinal offishall
ken ishii
robyn
public enemy
eve

― Euai Kapaui (tracerhand), Monday, 31 July 2006 22:31 (nineteen years ago)

Blur, and all its derivatives - Graham Coxon, Gorillaz, and Wigwam. Although mostly loyalty, also partially to spite a Blur-hating best friend. But never ventured into Mali Music or Democrazy - I pretended those never existed.

― danzig (danzig), Monday, 31 July 2006 22:41 (nineteen years ago)

probably Stereolab and Tom Waits. They've both been good to me anyway but I'd stick around for a few shit albums thinking I was the problem and not them. such is faith. Belle and Sebastian I love but I've disavowed an EP or two before, so I could do it again, and if they fall I believe they're gonna fall hard.

― tremendoid (tremendoid), Monday, 31 July 2006 22:41 (nineteen years ago)

Robyn Hitchcock. Love him to pieces even if he can't make an entirely successful album.

― EZ Snappin (EZSnappin), Monday, 31 July 2006 22:58 (nineteen years ago)

i take it yr getting gories albums from some alternate universe where they play together still?

― Igor Adkins (Grodd), Monday, 31 July 2006 23:01 (nineteen years ago)

The Neils - Young and Hagerty. I pretty much pre-order everything they do, sight unseen. If it's a good record, I usually then try to buy the vinyl version too.

― Law & Order Was My Least Favorite Show (Roger Fidelity), Tuesday, 1 August 2006 01:53 (nineteen years ago)

[i]Feeder - Wow. Great band. recently spent Â£50 on their B-sides collection off eBay...[/i]

The horror...

― Louis Jagger (Haberdager), Tuesday, 1 August 2006 02:03 (nineteen years ago)

you bleeding hypocrite

― electric sound of jim [and why not] (electricsound), Tuesday, 1 August 2006 02:06 (nineteen years ago)

None really.

The closest ones are Neil Young, Todd Rundgren and maybe John Prine.

― jim wentworth (wench), Tuesday, 1 August 2006 02:26 (nineteen years ago)

For me, Stereolab, Rush, and Frank Zappa (though there are maybe a few Zappa releases that I resisted buying).

― Matt Olken (Moodles), Tuesday, 1 August 2006 02:27 (nineteen years ago)

igor - the luv extends 2 demolition dollrods, blacktop, dirtbombs, etc!

― Euai Kapaui (tracerhand), Tuesday, 1 August 2006 02:43 (nineteen years ago)

neil young-its unreasonable

― Susan Douglas (Susan Douglas), Tuesday, 1 August 2006 04:07 (nineteen years ago)

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