I think it's very sad. "Do as you're told or you're dropped". There are too many stories like these in the music industry. Local H (who said this song on their first album was dedicated to "Liz Phair who's a rock goddess") weren't asked to change but were dropped right in the middle of a tour, when Island Records was merging with Def Jam/Universal. It killed their third album who was having good reviews and a pretty good start commercially.
Thanks for your input. It’s been going on for years and has illicited good conversation. Sorry that you’re so put off by that fact.
It’s a valid point. I’m well aware of Manhattan Beach. A song about getting Zico at the nearest Ralph’s Fresh Fare just wouldn’t make a great song. All artists lose their muse and drive and there are various reasons why that happens. Getting married, moving to an affluent neighborhood, having a kid is obviously going to change your perspective and could zap your creative juices.
I love her first two records but she ain't no tragedy. Listen to Judee Sill if you want to hear a music industry tragedy
When I started this thread years ago at some point I had to point out that the thread title was hyperbolic. She is obviously not a tragedy, but the fast decline of quality music, the apparent disregard of her fan base (which was very rabid in the early days), her decisions, whether forced or not, regarding producers and songwriters, etc, is pretty disappointing.
She wasn't exactly selling pencils on the street corner to get by when she wrote all the stuff with that sweet, sweet indie cred.
Good band... pathetic how they we mishandled... I used to own Pack Up the Cats... but I lost my copy... either that or it was fat fingered by a friend...
In some ways, a huge fan base needs to be established for continued commercial success. Example: Pearl Jam. Huge success right out of the starting gate (give or take a few months)....massive sales for the first 3 albums...and then...because of their enormous fan base...highly successful tours, decent per-album sales, and epic-length concerts on those tours. They built their legendary status by staying alive, not over-doing the touring, and giving the audience everything every night. Liz Phair? Not sure what happened with her and her audience. But I wish her the best!
Pearl Jam handled their career well, but that means nothing for us who don't even like the band. Good for them.
OK - just relistened to Guyville. Change that 3 to 10. Don't know what I was thinking the last time. I've gotten much more open in the ensuing years. Maybe I was in a bad mood back then.
Like many musicians (who sometimes pretend otherwise). Instruments are costly (obviously). So it shouldn't come as a surprise
I like Funstyle, play it as often as the "classics". My problem with her is that she is not very prolific. Maybe she needs to spend some time with Robert Pollard to fix that.
Apparently she wrote a lot in the early days, with many songs from her early cassettes used on her early albums. And then...a dryer spell?
OK, now I'm halfway through whitechocolate... and there's not a track I haven't wound up adding to my playlist. What was with me? Say what you will about this thread or this community, but this is the beauty of this place. We talked about it so much for so long in such absolute, strident terms on either side that I had to listen again. The kicker will be if I listen to S/T again in full and hate everything this time.
I try to revisit albums every once in a while and often find I enjoy them better than I remember. WCSE is an album I found this to be true of. It is quite inventive... lots of interesting tracks to rediscover
Yes I have. Even stayed there for a night about three years ago. So what is your point with asking me that?
It really is not a valid point IMO. Any change in an artist's life is a potential for new material from new sources. Happens all the time to artists.
There are just so few albums. I feel if she produced more output, even if those efforts sold modestly, she would in-turn energize fans to turn out to see her, and that's where the money is these days.
The thing that blows holes in your theory is the fact that Phair has stated that most of the songs on Guyville were not about her. I guess if someone starts living in a cave alone, they might not have any material to be able to write about relationships and such but from what I saw, Manhattan Beach has people and I assume relationships.
I remember her blatantly dismissing her fans right before the Whitespace...album. I was taken aback, thought it was a strange stance. Bought the new album the day it came out and was disappointed. Production was crap. It was too long, etc.
