Magazine - Real Life (1978)

I found a beautiful 4 c.d. clamshell boxset at tower records titled i believe "IS IT OKAY TO BE FRIGHTENED YET" that had studio/singles/live/peel session cuts. There was also a stand alone 1 c.d. version.....both sets are amazing!!!

 

One of my faves for sure. Solid album all the way through. Secondhand Daylight is almost as good + they had a few great songs on the records that followed. Howard Devoto's Jerky Versions Of The Dream is also excellent. I saw Howard Devoto live approx 1986 (pre Luxuria) and it was one of the best concerts I've seen.

 

It's not anymore. In a world where I'm constantly hearing CD is dead and no one wants them, I've added Magazine to the massive list of artists and albums I would buy if a) new copies were readily available online and / or b) used copies weren't for sale at the price of an average family saloon car. It's frustrating to say the least.

I only have Magic, Murder and The Weather on original Virgin LP currently. I did have The Correct Use Of Soap on cassette in 1980 but it got damaged way back when.

I would like Real Life and TCUOS on 2007 remastered CDs. I'm not paying over £15 each for used copies though or £80 for new vinyl.

Can anyone please post a link to better online sources than what I'm currently looking at?

 

I’m still wondering why the song titles on Real Life are almost all references to the JFK assassination...anyone have any idea?

 

To create the mystery and maintain interest?

 

There was a lot of JFK assassination stuff going on at that moment, I never actually read the lyrics while listening to it until right now, need to look some more--my guess is it's a METAPHOR!

 

I think you got that title a little wrong!

 

Has anyone heard the 2018 repress? My OP has an unfortunate scratch...

 

Yes I know I did.....i don't have the set in front of me at the moment but I will correct it asap....it really is a great collection though!

 

"MAYBE IT'S RIGHT TO BE NERVOUS NOW".....This is the correct use of the title....no pun intended!

 

I love the fourth album! Not quite as great overall as the three that preceded it, but I do think it has moments that are as great as anything else they did: "About the Weather," "So Lucky," "Honeymoon Killers," "Great Man's Secrets," "Suburban Rhonda," etc., all of which I think are outstanding.

I don't hear a substantial change in direction - just incredibly creative and sometimes quite catchy music. McGeoch is missed here, of course, but I do think the new guy holds up his end well most of the time. Martin Hannett's excessively tinny and brittle mix is a bit of a bummer, but ultimately, I never understood the disdain and/or indifference so many seem to have for the album.

Edit: I also love No Thyself - an incredibly strong comeback album that still stands up well today, nearly a decade after release.

 

Definitely the weakest of the four core albums is likely why. I have an OP and the sound is indeed an excessively brittle-sounding mix.

 

Well, the weakest of the four, perhaps - but certainly not weak, in my opinion.

It kinda reminds me of how Television's second album Adventure always seems to get short shrift. Sure, it's not Marquee Moon, but it's still an outstanding album.

 

Well, after that brief one-album solo "career," Devoto did attempt to make a go of it with Luxuria, which put out two albums before throwing in the towel. But you're right - it seems like he was destined for more, and it never happened. I suspect his lyrics were a little too cerebral for mass consumption, his voice likely wasn't for everybody, and he's never been what you'd call a heartthrob.

 

Mine too. Been listening to it a lot again recently - seems somewhat appropriate right now! (Apologies for drifting away from the album that this thread was intended for, which is equally brilliant).

 

To me it was all rather cinematic, fairground-like and quite repetitive. Definitely the runt of the litter.

 

The songwriting is as good as the first three, IMO. Musically, there is a more playful and dance-oriented vibe which apparently turns many off.

Perhaps the same crowd that dislikes Gang of Four when they went in a dance-oriented direction as well?

 

I'm known for being anti-change!

But having revisited Magazine, coincidentally GOF are next on my list.

I am not sure how much dance stuff they did, I'll find out when I get there but I remember loving the extended 12" I Love A Man In Uniform!

 

Thank you for reminding me of this great album. Must dig it out later. The Light Pours Out of Me is wonderful.

I wonder - was the band's name a reference to a thing you read or a thing that holds bullets? Given the lyrical theme I guess it's the latter.

 

I first got into Magazine early 1980 after a mate of mine had bought the first two albums, which I then taped, but for some stupid reason I never got my own copy of Real Life.
Anyway I saw them at Birmingham Digbeth Civic Hall in May 1980 which was a brilliant (and very loud gig), I got The Correct Use of Soap soon after, then got Play and MM&TW on vinyl both on day of release.
So that was that for years for me. I was gutted when they split up.
So fast forward many years later, I got my own CD copies of SD, then Rays and Hails compilation, Play+ and finally the compilation Touch And Go.
I am gonna have a listen to a few of them later, but do wish I had a copy of Real Life, it needs a re-release.

 

Sorry to hear that SteveM. I only found out the other day from SHF that the Miles Davis Sony mono box which was cheap and plentiful on release is out of print now. I agree it is odd that apparently cd is dead but prices for pretty standard cds are going up and up on the second hand market. The only advice I can offer which you probably are doing is keep searching ebay and discogs. Might be worth a trip to a local Record Fair if and when they reopen. Good luck.
Sometimes the lovely Japanese card sleeves although expensive can be not much more in cost than a second hand jewel case version from Europe/USA.
I am a fan of Magazine who were on Virgin which is all now part of Universal so again I am surprised they are not in print.

 

I just looked at Real Life on Discogs, and the original cd is available at £4odd and the remaster at £10odd.

 

Yes just looked on ebay and saw £35 for a second hand Real Life. Same as another favourite band of mine Television an awful name for online searching does not help matters. Loads of stuff comes up. Gobsmacked by these prices!

 

I picked up the first three albums on the 2007 remastered CDs after I saw them perform 'The Light Pours Out of Me' on Later with Jools Holland when they reformed. Real shame to see they have all been discontinued now. Used to be able to pick them up for a fiver each in Fopp.

For me, that trio of albums is one of the greatest runs of albums by any band. But Magazine often gets overlooked behind Gang of Four, Wire, and other post-punkers. Perhaps they were too clever, Devoto too odd a front man for many to warm too.

Losing McGeoch was the turning point and the reason why the fourth album was only just okay. Martin Hannett's very odd sound/mix choices on 'Magic, Murder and the Weather' also ruined the sonics of the album, I'd like to hear it completely stripped down and remixed some day. 'About The Weather' and 'Vigilance' were my two favourites on that record. I wish Robin Simon had stuck around with the band for the recording of this album as he was about the only guitarist from that post-punk who was interesting enough to step into McGeoch's shoes.

But back to 'Real Life', I'm one of those that prefer the album version of 'Shot By Both Sides', mainly because I wasn't around to have any attached any sentiment to the single version. Bloody happy the remasters included the bonus tracks though. Brilliant debut, 'Burst' might be one of my favourite tracks, McGeoch's mournful guitar solo is sublime. Start to end brilliant debut.

 

I'd want the remastered CD and the £10 copy is only used VG. "On your bike, sunshine," is something a Yorkshire bloke might say over here.

When people are claiming to be unloading CD collections and / or only buying CDs for cents, it's just not happening!

PS the £4 original is in Thailand and other copies are in Italy. That's precious little good to me. By the time they arrive it would have been cheaper for me to get the band to reform and to play and re-record the albums in my living room!