The long overdue Gordons and Bailter Space thread

I listened to Robot World a lot when it came out. May have to dig it out as I've been in a monolithic guitar phase lately and 18th Dye are still finishing up their reunion album (and I've been overdoing Band of Susans). Will have to go through the boxes in my basement, but I'm pretty sure I owned everything from Robot on, so am disturbed that I can't remember much about these.

Robot World rules - as original as 'ok computer' in a lot of ways and out four years before hand. The guitar just kills. I have a soft spot for Vortura and Wammo too.

The Gordons first EP and album is simply numbing in both it's wall-o-guitars as well as vocal delivery. Their second album, never released on CD, is not nearly as good but it's been so long since I heard it I can't even remember it. The first EP and two albums from Bailter Space continue the barrage but somehow add melodic elements that make it less noisy. _The Aim_ is possibly their finest hour, 4 perfect dirty, messed-up pop songs. But starting with _Robot World_ they toned down the ugly bits and I lost interest. There are good bits on all subsequent albums but they never held together for me like their material from 88-92.

I'm listening to Solar 3 now (1998), and I' surprised at how good it is. I get the feeling a lot of people lost interest after their Thermos / Robot World peak in the late 80s / early 90s, but this is really quite something. Punishing and pretty in equal measures. Less treated vocals, and more rhythmic experimentation than, say, Wammo. Anyone else heard it?

I know I have -- did I write the AMG review, I wonder. Was thinking about them last night, serendipity!

"BE on time..."

Still kicking it as well:

http://www.myspace.com/bailterspace

And a slew of old and some new videos here:

http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.channel&ChannelID=57749782

Thanks Ned. Will check this out! Did you ever see them live, btw?

Ned.

Slightly off topic.

Have you heard Monsterland's version of the Bailter Space song 'Fish Eye'?

Worth seeking out. It has a 'gaze' vibe. The guitar is sublime.

Never caught them live, alas.

Don't know about this Monsterland cover! Will investigate.

Monsterland not represented on here.

I liked them a lot. Certainly had *that* guitar sound going off. Yeah that one. Honest!

Wasn't there a funkmetal band that covered "Adults & Children"?

I swear St3v13 sent me an mp3 of this! (as well as a pop-punk cover of Verlaines' "Death & The Maiden" and a glam pop metal cover of The Chills' "I Love My Leather Jacket")

Hahah, fine songs all which I listened to last night. Flying Nun retakes over the world starting...now.

Hey Br14n - haha, yeah, it was Pumpkinhead. I'll re-up them for people's, uh, "edification".

Pumpkinhead - Adults & Children (Gordons cover)

... eh, why not?
Elemeno P - Death & the Maiden (Verlaines cover)

Push Push - I Love My Leather Jacket (Chills cover)

bailter space were the mightiest live band around in the early 90s, watching john halvorsen rip his guitar or bass to shreads while alistair parker just stayed kinda cool the entire time was fantastic. they were almost efficient, i remember seeing them in dc, talked to alistair while the ropers played and he was so calm and collected then they went on stage and blew everything up. so awesome. vortura was the peak, been disappointing ever since, they lost a lot of their menacing side after vortura.

So did anyone make it to the gig at the Bowery Ballroom over the weekend? Apparently Halvorsen is gone (moved back to NZ)

I wonder what an MBV/Bailter Space tour in 1992 would have been like.

I'm listening to "Shadow" by Bailter Space and I've got to say it is beautiful!

I kinda gave up on them after the incredibly great "The Aim" EP. I had the next couple of albums but they felt too monochromatic to me. I've been meaning to check out the later picks on their best-of.

Vortura is a pretty great album; I gave 'X' a bunch of points on the shoegazer poll--but not enough, unfortunately. :( I was kinda shocked it didn't make it, considering that three diff't poster tried to nominate it.

What the!

http://www.brooklynvegan.com/archives/2012/06/bailterspace_re.html

Huh! Wonder if they'll play any NZ shows on the back of this.

This is awesome! Big fan of Robot World / Vortura / Wammo era - hope this sounds as good!

I wonder what an MBV/Bailter Space tour in 1992 would have been like.

MBV are playing 'ATP - I'll be Your Mirror' in Melbourne, Feb 2013. Bailter Space put out their first record in 13 years and NZ is just over the ditch.

Planets are aligning....

....and Strobosphere is a GREAT record.

would be v happy if BS played ATP here

i love The Aim ep so much

cool, i'm gonna check out the new bailter space. the one song i've been listening to ("no sense") is rull good.

Couldn't find the new album because it's spelled "Bailterspace" on Spotify, where all their others are two words... Sounds like them, thus far.

Yeah I assumed this is the same band.

Ha! Was just listening to this right now. Title track is my fave so far.

Setlist from the Wellington show last night (minus two song encore) via FB:
http://i50.tinypic.com/2pskdft.jpg

42-minute John Halvorsen interview:
http://www.radiolive.co.nz/John-Halvorsen-of-The-Gordons-Skeptics--Bailter-Space/tabid/506/articleID/33104/Default.aspx

Also, someone's writing a book on the Gordons/Bailter Space!
http://30kwattpa.wordpress.com/2011/07/02/bailter-space-a-resource-for-live-dates-sessions-etc/

Nice!

I just picked up the self-titled Bailter Space best of compilation!

New album out next month. SIngle out now: http://thecorner.co.nz/2013/08/08/bailterspace-announce-new-album-release-new-single/

And I am looking forward.

dajl;fejrew;rear out of NOWHERE:

https://bailterspace.bandcamp.com/album/concret

whaha!?

Spoiler: it's great.

best ever nz band?

In my own biased opinion...FUCK YEAH!!

Just picked up the Wammo reissue

US tour just announced:

2023 TOUR DATES
4/21 - Bottom of the Hill, San Francisco

4/22 - Zebulon, Los Angeles

4/23 - Artifice, Las Vegas

4/26 - Johnny Brenda’s, Philadelphia (on sale 2/3 at 10am EST)

4/27 - DC9, Washington DC (on sale 2/3 at 10am EST)

4/28 - Mercury Lounge, New York City (on sale 2/3 at 10am EST)

Goddamn that was a good show.

i salute ned for choosing them over underworld (and i love underworld)

what a band

I mean, no regrets! Now that I'll be seeing Underworld in a few months, best of both worlds.

https://bailterspace.bandcamp.com/album/fused

1991 live set from Germany!

Thanks for reminding me about that -- should get that next week when Bandcamp Friday rolls around again!

where do we stand on bailter space vs. bailterspace

i love them but kinda feel like they're fucking with me with the latter

agreed

I saw Bailter Space in 1989 in Boston, with The Bats at TT The Bears. I think we had to leave during the Bats set to catch the train/subway back to where we were staying. Used to be a big fan of the Nelsh EP, sadly I sold it years ago. Their new stuff is GREAT and I am on board for all of this activity.

Ah man. Brent McLachlan has died after a lengthy illness, per posts on his FB page.

RIP, Bailterspace were one of the loudest bands I ever saw, just overwhelming and amazing

Great band.

Awww, RIP. The two Skeptics albums he recorded/engineered have a claim to being the two best-sounding NZ albums ever.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KVDOe_J-nrs

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W_y62IRICJI

https://www.witchdoctor.co.nz/2012/amplified-streetnoise/