TS: Pere Ubu vs. Wire

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I agreed with David Thomas 'Invisible Jukebox' statement about English people and rock. I also think that Colin Newman is more rock than David Thomas who is the least rock person ever to come from the Mistake by the Lake

― dave q, Friday, 10 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Whenever bands cover Wire or Ubu songs it's always terrible, because the 'original' bands prided themselves on taking left turns with every step and never doing the same thing twice etc., so doing faithful covers of their stuff just seems misguided. (Except if you're chosen by Wire to be opening tribute act of course). Minor Threat got away with it, evry pub band who ever did a note-for-note rendition of "Final Solution" didn't

― dave q, Friday, 10 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Colin Newman was pretty dadrock at ATP - Bruce Gilbert was grandadrock - Graham Lewis - wackyunclerock.

TS: 'Heart of Darkness' by Mission of Burma vs. 'Ex-Lion Tamer' by Henrietta Collins and the Wife Beating Child Haters.

― Andrew L, Friday, 10 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Um, this is damn close. I listen to both a lot, but I'm thinking I put on Wire just a little more so I'll narrowly give 'em the nod. Wire also get extra points for quitting at (or near) their peak (they both have reunited so neither loses--or gains--any points for that).

Out of curiosity what was David Thomas Invisible Jukebox statement about English people and rock??

― Alex in SF, Friday, 10 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

I don't understand how you can compare things which already exactly alike.

― alex in hacknyc, Friday, 10 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

HONOUR THE HIDDEN INTENTION!!

― *sigh*, Friday, 10 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

For me, very little to choose between them on record, but as someone who saw both in the '70s, I give the edge to Wire for their live brilliance.

― Martin Skidmore, Friday, 10 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

There've been a few inspired Wire covers, I think, esp. Band of Susans' "Ahead." I also like Fischerspooner doing "The 15th" as brittle synth- pop. And Big Black's "Heartbeat."

And the 2K edition of Wire playing "Another The Letter" three times as fast, though that probably doesn't count.

― Douglas, Friday, 10 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

DT: Well, the problem is, I have to work with a bunch of foreigners cos I'm living in England. But, you know, I keep beating on 'em, and they become more and more American as we go along.

that's prolly not what dq was thinking of it, but it seems to suit anyway.

the answer is ubu, natch. (what science did you use to determine this jess? fuck off.)

new wire record in 2002!

― jess, Friday, 10 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Ubu, barely. Ubu's reunion albums leagues beyond Wire's.

― J Blount, Friday, 10 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Actually, Swedish rock sensation BOB HUND did an amazing cover of "Final Solution" on one of their singles.

I'm going with Wire just based on the science of "well, I have more Wire records than Ubu, and I'm therefore I'm more familiar with them".

― Brian MacDonald, Friday, 10 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Ubu because TMD has emotional punch after all these years while Pink Flag is an object d'art.

― Sterling Clover, Friday, 10 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

even though I love Ubu, Wire cos Gilbert's "Blessed State" shits on everything ever, from a great height

― Paul, Friday, 10 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

I only have both bands' "classic albums" (records from 1977-79. Well, '80 in Ubu's case), but The Modern Dance, Dub Housing, The Art of Walking and the early singles are better than anything on Wire's first three LPs.

― Vic Funk, Friday, 10 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

paradoxically, the last 3 statements are all true!

― Paul, Friday, 10 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

it's a close call, but i vote wire over ubu because i am still young and foolish

― geeta, Friday, 10 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Those are two bands I always wanted to love but it never happened. In theory I adored both of them. Though I hardly know any Pere Ubu, David Thomas voice has been putting me off a little. I loved his last album with the Two Pale Boys nevertheless. Wire never touched me emotionally. Their short punky songs work best for me but as Sterling said "They are 'objets d'art'".

― alex in mainhattan, Saturday, 11 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

huh. it's the opposite for me alex in m. - to me wire and ubu both have so much raw emotional content it's hard not to connect - and 154 is to me one of the most poignant and beautiful albums evah

― geeta, Saturday, 11 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

four months pass...

well ubu are going to have to pretty fucking amazing next week to top wire last night (i can't believe i didn't bring any wire albums with me to boston - i'm seriously considering going out and buying pink flag + 154 again this afternoon).

actually has anyone seen pere ubu live recently? i'm planning on seeing them next week but might not if they're going to be totally rub...

― toby (tsg20), Wednesday, 18 September 2002 12:09 (twenty-three years ago)

appleton's "fantasy" is an ubu cover

― mark s (mark s), Wednesday, 18 September 2002 12:22 (twenty-three years ago)

wire wire wire. i got nothing against ubu but wire wire wire.

― Fritz Wollner (Fritz), Wednesday, 18 September 2002 12:24 (twenty-three years ago)

OK and gang of four vs. wire vs. pere ubu anyone?

― Fritz Wollner (Fritz), Wednesday, 18 September 2002 12:25 (twenty-three years ago)

still ubu.

― jess (dubplatestyle), Wednesday, 18 September 2002 12:26 (twenty-three years ago)

wrong!

― Fritz Wollner (Fritz), Wednesday, 18 September 2002 12:41 (twenty-three years ago)

I saw Ubu at the 25th anniversary show at the RFH and they were grebt. Don't know how typical this was though.

― RickyT (RickyT), Wednesday, 18 September 2002 13:20 (twenty-three years ago)

Both were great in their prime but Wire did some great and interesting stuff in the 80's whereas Ubu signed to a major and tried to whore themselves to the record buying public with slick sounding garbage like "Waiting For Mary" or whatever it was. So screw them.

I belive DT's comments in the Wire's Invisible Jukebox were along the lines of British people are culturally incapable of understanidng rock music and so should not play it or listen to it. It's an American artform and only Americans can appreciate or practice it.

― tigerclawskank, Wednesday, 18 September 2002 14:00 (twenty-three years ago)

''I belive DT's comments in the Wire's Invisible Jukebox were along the lines of British people are culturally incapable of understanidng rock music and so should not play it or listen to it. It's an American artform and only Americans can appreciate or practice it.''

scandal!

― Julio Desouza (jdesouza), Wednesday, 18 September 2002 14:48 (twenty-three years ago)

grr i have so far been unable to find any wire albums to buy!! although admittedly i have only tried two shops.

but anyway the gig last night was way better than i'd expected (it's quite a while since i've listened to them on record, and i'd forgotten why i liked them); one of those shows that made me jump around lots and then walk home with a big grin on my face and tears in my eyes, all the more affecting for being so unexpected.

i guess that's not really a very useful contribution to the discussion.

― toby (tsg20), Wednesday, 18 September 2002 20:21 (twenty-three years ago)

useful enuff since jumping around is good!

― Julio Desouza (jdesouza), Wednesday, 18 September 2002 20:25 (twenty-three years ago)

that Beatles photographer thought so!

― Paul (scifisoul), Wednesday, 18 September 2002 21:08 (twenty-three years ago)

toby, did they only play stuff from the first three albums or stuff like "the drill" too?

― jess (dubplatestyle), Wednesday, 18 September 2002 21:40 (twenty-three years ago)

jess i am pretty ignorant but i *think* they played some stuff off the new ep and i *think* they played "the drill" to start with (i've never heard "the drill" - though actually i bought a copy 5 mins ago - but the first thing they played sounds how i imagine that sounds).

geeta is seeing them right now i think so probably she'll be able to give a much more informative response...

― toby (tsg20), Thursday, 19 September 2002 01:17 (twenty-three years ago)

Tie.

― hstencil, Thursday, 19 September 2002 03:25 (twenty-three years ago)

I can't decide, but I do know that the first time I heard Ubu I thought it was very good and the first time I heard Wire it KICKED MY ASS.

― Aaron A., Thursday, 19 September 2002 03:37 (twenty-three years ago)

eight years pass...

revive this thread because i'm listening to new picnic time and wondering whether it would be totally out of line for ilx to do a pere ubu tribute. once the 77-second comp is done, of course.

― 808s and Hatebeak (get bent), Saturday, 2 October 2010 20:47 (fifteen years ago)

i love em both, but for fairly different reasons, never really picking up on any obvious ties between the two.

to answer the question i'd say wire, based on them having a greater volume of incredible songs.

― charlie h, Saturday, 2 October 2010 20:58 (fifteen years ago)

i love them both too but ubu gets me more on a visceral level.

― 808s and Hatebeak (get bent), Saturday, 2 October 2010 21:10 (fifteen years ago)

It comes down to Final Solution vs. Blessed State for me.
I refuse to choose.
The three Ubu shows I've seen in the last six years were all fantastic.
Never have seen Wire.

― Trip Maker, Saturday, 2 October 2010 21:40 (fifteen years ago)

Wire, due to personal tastes. And that anything after Pere Ubu's "classic" albums is shit.

― Ain't Gonna Play Sim City (King Boy Pato), Saturday, 2 October 2010 22:02 (fifteen years ago)

Not true^
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1hYqvtHzr48&p=14FA89167E4DE3C0&playnext=1&index=7

― Trip Maker, Saturday, 2 October 2010 22:06 (fifteen years ago)

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