Your Favourite Magazine album - {POLL} & General Appreciation (Buzzcocks,Devoto)

Giving their catalogue an
overdue listen .

 

Tough call but I chose 'Real Life' over 'Correct Use of Soap', but I love all of their music. I got into Magazine about 12 years ago.
I also own the 'John Peel Sessions' and 'Play'. Also bought the CD/DVD-'Real Life & Thereafter' set. A little expensive(think I paid around $40 at the time), but had to have it. 'No Thyself' was a good recent album. Hope Devoto releases another album. I still need to get his solo music.

 

The Correct Use Of Soap
Real Life
Secondhand Daylight
Magic, Murder & The Weather
No Thyself

 

Real Life for me. I like the early synth sounds. Definitive Gaze and The Light Pours Out Of Me. Sounds very glam rock to me. Saw them live in London a few years ago, but missed the first half hour cos I was working late. They were really good. Can't ever get bored with Boredom from Spiral Scratch.

 

Real Life but The Correct Use Of Soap comes a close 2nd

 

Ah Magazine!!! Often overlooked, brilliant band.

I agree with jimod99's order for the studio albums, but I really like them all.

Haward Devoto's 80s solo album "Jerky Versions of a Dream" is also worth seeking out.

Never got to see them live first time round but saw them several times when they reformed. Devoto is a mesmeric front man and Barry Adamson just has to be the coolest bassist around.

Speaking of which, his solo stuff is well worth seeking out too. I remember playing some to my late great friend, who said "this is great movie soundtrack stuff, he should do a Bond theme". I replied, "funny you should say that" and played him
"007, a Fantasy Bond Theme" - he loved it.

 

'Secondhand Daylight' for me.

The last track, 'Permafrost' is one of the creepiest songs ever.

 

Bloody hell, that's a difficult question!
I have favourite moments on each of the first three albums, "Definitive Gaze" and "Burst" on 'Real Life', "Rhythm of Cruelty" and "Permafrost" on 'Secondhand Daylight', "Because You're Frightened" and "Philadelphia" on 'The Correct Use of Soap'. I can't choose!

"Magic, Murder and the Weather" has great moments too, but McGeoch's departure knocked the band sideways. I reckon it would also have been a far better album if Robin Simon had stuck around for the recording of it, I reckon he was the only guitarist at the time that could've filled John's shoes, he performs excellently on "Play"! It also suffers from a terrible production/mix, some really odd choices considering how well" The Correct Use of Soap" came out with Martin Hannett.

 

And I'm really hoping for another tour as I was just getting into the band at the last point they toured and didn't quite realise how important they'd become to me!

 

I have to go with Real Life because Life Pours, Shot by, and Motorcade are such amazing songs. Although, the first three albums are all great.
Devoto's solo album Jerky Versions of the Dream is worth listening too. The single "Rainy Season" is some great new wave.

Wholeheartedly agree with this bleachershane. Robin Simon also did great guitarwork on the John Foxx Ultravox albums as well as the first few John Foxx solo albums.
Too bad they didn't get to take better advantage of his skills.

 

Real Life for me.

 

One of my favourite bands - loved them at the time but only saw them live a few years ago.

I went with Real Life as although the next two were as good (and with SD maybe better) it's the debut which is still my favourite. A mate of my brother's had it and lent it to me - I'd already bought the single SBBS when it came out. Amazing now to realise that it was released in mid-1978 - the music scene was moving so quickly.

This is my favourite from RL.

 

voted for Real Life but Secondhand Daylight & Correct use of Soap are almost as good. Spiral Scratch remains one of my all time favourite recordings by anyone but I was disappointed when Shelley & Devoto reunited for Buzzkunst. Devoto's solo album Jerky Versions Of The Dream has some great moments. I saw Howard Devoto live with Luxuria approx 1988 - fantastic show

 

I genuinely can't think of another guitarist around that time and scene that could've stepped into McGeoch's shoes (which are terrifying shoes to try and fill anyhow) and I really do think 'Magic, Murder and the Weather' would've almost matched the first three albums if Simon had played on it. His work on Ultravox's Systems of Romance" is great (just listen to the atonal solo on "Slow Motion" and tell me who on earth would've chosen to do something like that, barring McGeoch and Simon himself).

I'm not sure if I've ever read what Simon's reasoning was behind leaving Magazine after the tour and before the recording of of the fourth Magazine album. If anyone knows better, chime in!

 

For all its missteps, Magic does include the sublime "About the Weather."

 

Real Life and Secondhand Daylight are the peaks for me. Unlike most people, I was slightly disappointed with The Correct Use of Soap. I don’t think they really survived McGeogh leaving.

I feel lucky to have seen them live twice - an amazing experience. Early concerts always seemed to start with “Give Me Everything”, which isn’t really an obvious opener, then again Magazine were not in the business of predictability or giving the audience what they wanted. That said, at the first Magazine concert I saw (in Lancaster 1978 or early 1979, I think) I was amazed that they played “Boredom”, a completely unexpected look backwards (this was before the Peel session recording). The new material really stood out at that gig – the show stopper was “Back To Nature” getting an early airing. I saw Magazine again in 1980 when they were recording live at the Russell Club in Manchester (a professionally recorded show that has yet to see the light of day in full).

I’m in favour of any thread that gets Magazine more widely appreciated - thanks Scope J!

 

Play wasn't included - I was in the audience at Festival Hall, Melbourne.

 

Snap

 

1. The Correct Use Of Soap

2. Real Life

3. No Thyself

4. Secondhand Daylight

5. Magic Murder And The Weather

But 1-4 are so good it is sometimes hard to separate them. Magic... always brings up the rear though.

 

Brilliant band, can't add much to what has been said above but I would also recommend the cover of Holocaust by This Mortal Coil, it is one of my favourite Devoto vocals, absolutely beautiful and stark and moving.

 

I was there too!

I voted for The Correct Use Of Soap simply because it contains Song From Under The Floorboards. I think I want that song played at my funeral!

Qwerty, do you remember if the Models and Flowers were also on the bill? I can't and it's driving me crazy!!

 

"Never seen it before but I know exactly where it is - etched into my memory. It's a Spanish tv show we did in Barcelona. We must have done at least a dozen takes. The crew were all over the shop. Kept getting the wrong camera angles, bumping into us, tech problems in the control room - incompetence beyond belief. But somehow because they were relaxed and very nice to us, it was sort of good fun. We got a little bit silly that night, ending up with some stunning local transvestites pursuing us through the back streets off the Ramblas......."

Well worth a look if you've never seen this clip before!

 

And 35 minute or so section of their Roundhouse show from 2009 as broadcast on the BBC:

 

I like the cd's that come with Uncut.