Van Morrison - Album by Album discussion - PART THREE

Yeah, we're done, but I haven't posted anything about Keep It Simple yet. I'm planning to write something comprehensive to coincide with my first Van-the-Man live show in July.

Random thoughts on Van (live shows, et cetera) always welcome too.

 

nothing like "comprehensive" when dealing with "simple"...thats what I like about you Tom!!!!


and cause we're comprehensive.....there was also released around Pay the Devil time....a live album out called


Live in Austin

CD1
1. Back On Top
2. Big Blue Diamonds
3. Playhouse
4. Days Like This
5. Muleskinner Blues
6. In The Midnight
7. Bright Side Of The Road
8. Don't You Make Me High
9. Cleaning Windows
10. I Can't Stop Loving You

CD2

1. Real Real Gone / You Send Me
2. Saint James Infirmary
3. Moondance
4. It's All In The Game / You know What They're Writing About
5. Precious Time
6. Don't Start Crying Now
7. Wild Night
8. Brown Eyed Girl
9. Gloria

available only at shows and from Vanmorrison.com....I highly recommend it...I'm sure Curbach would shate all over it though....but if you like your Van live, this is a pretty good one....

 

It would be cool to hear some feedback on the upcoming remasters especially bonus cuts like the alternate version of "When Heart Is Open".

How much does the Van in Austin live album cost in American dollars? I have a hard time with converting from pounds to dollars online purchases.

When and if we're ready to cover Bang sessions and Them you can count me in!

 

live in austin cost me $25 at a concert...

on the website its 12 pounds...probably cost a bit over $30 with shipping...

 

I bought three when it was initially released. Two were for Christmas (2006) gifts for my younger sister and a friend who are both are fans of Van's music. I think it came to about $100 U.S.

 

That's good to know because William and I thought we were the last men standing in this thread.
I'm very curious about this next phase of the reissue program, and yes, the alt vers. of 'When Heart is Open' is one of the ones I'm honing in on. Unfortunately, the preorder prices are jumping at an alarming rate on Amazon.ca (were 14.99 a few days ago, now up to 17.99 or 18.99). They wouldn't price 'em that way unless they thought they could get that kind of dough for 'em. Looks like Van still has some clout.

I'll try to chime in on the Austin album soon, because I like that one.

 

yes its one of my favorite "official" live Van outings....

 

The live vers. of 'Big Blue Diamonds' was especially nice when I was playing it last night.
Van sounded...I dunno, almost tranquil...in a good way.

 

May be I would, may be I wouldn't I will say this: Despite never having seen Van before (and the rarity of his appearances in this part of the country), I made a deliberate decision not to attend his ACL Fest show. There was no way I was going to sit on a dusty field in 100+ degree weather to listen to Van play a bunch of country songs. Ironically, it looks like his ACL setlist ended up being better than the show I finally saw at Austin Music Hall a few months ago. So much for patience being rewarded

 

yeah its when you least expect it, he rolls into town with a killer show. but sitting outside in the heat is never a good time IMO...outdoor concerts....so over rated...

 

To: VAN-L@NIC.SURFNET.NL, Van-M@yahoogroups.com
Subject: A farewell to Van-the-Man.info
From: Hayward Michael <hayward@sfu.ca>
Date: Tue, 24 Jun 2008 21:28:10 -0700

When the "Van-the-Man.info" website was relaunched back in April I
thought that everything had been sorted out with Web Sheriff and Exile
Music. Just the other day, however, I received a message requesting
further changes to the site, changes that I simply could not agree to
without compromising my principles and the independence of the site.

And I realized that my heart's just not in this any more. So I'm
saddened to inform the Van fan community that I have decided to shut
down my Van-the-Man.info website for good; my apologies for the short
notice. Perhaps some day I'll write about how it's felt going through
this prolonged (and painful) process of disillusionment -- but I'll
need to get some distance first.

I want to thank Van fans everywhere for your patronage and support
during the past thirteen years; you're a great group. I've enjoyed
listening in on (and occasionally participating in!) the
conversations. But it's time for me to move on to other things.

...Michael


I was just looking up something on the site today.

 

Very gracious of Michael not to point the finger a little more vigorously.

 

This is so sad. It was so much more helpful and interesting than the "Official" site. A major blow to Van fans/scholars.

 

haha, very gracious indeed. Like we need to wonder who to point the finger at.

well good thing we're at the end of the thread...I, like Michael and our fantastic co host Tommy Boy...well, all are hearts are not in it any longer....

still this was a great experience for me to stick with one artist as a listen for nearly a year.....i know Tom has a few simple thoughts coming and maybe then we'll still get to Them, Bang and the Hits collections....

 

I can't even imagine what Van and/or his posse would find offensive on Michael's site. Such a shame it's gone. If anything, his site was responsible for me buying MORE of Van's work. I'm seriously leaning in the other direction now.

 

It's the heavy-handedness of it all that makes me weary and angry. The guy was trying to do something positive and he got shat upon.
Shame on Van and his henchmen.

 

Heh-heh, who knew you could say "shat upon" here?
I was expecting the "****".

 

From a legal standpoint he should have claimed Fair Use, because it was a scholarly resource, not merely a fan site. I think he could have had a good chance to prevail. But he would have needed deep pockets or pro-bono legal representation. His current message is restrained to say the least.

I never go to the Official Van site because it is only there to hawk merchandise. The whole thing leaves a bad taste in my mouth. It is Van's loss. Van should not listen to the ill advice of overzealous lawyers.

 

A Long Way From Vedon Fleece...

Wow, lost the plot for a while there, came back here to catch up and the shate has hit the van fan(s)... Having just read the last two pages of this thread, I'm saddened and dissillusioned as well... I never got to that site wot just shut down, but I know the feeling, and I have expressed here my dissapointment with Van's demeanor at the shows earlier this year. One can only hope Mr. T. July show is better... Sad to see the man and his clan of lawyers driving true loyal fan off... We're a far cry from when heart is open now Id suss...

FWIW, gents, I really enjoyed this thread from where I came in (part 3) and all the insight fool comments and witty banter, both from our co-host and curbach, sneaky pete and all the others I forgot... glad I won't have to read any more of drewslo's gushing, nauseatingly-all postive reviews of our man who can do no wrong morrison forum him... hopefully he won't bring him up during tennis today... oh wait, there's the doorbell, bet its him...

cheers all, and see ya round the forums, (and back here when and if...)

mrbill


PS: Keep It Simple, Keep It Real, Keep Your Heart Open...

 

I'm not big on fan websites anyway, so I won't miss this one much. I only went there a couple of times. But the whole thing is sad. So much OCD control-freak crap. But it's not news. The heart hasn't been open for a long time. Van is far too talented to not turn out good music, even when he is bitter and diminished. But he lost his faith a long time ago, and when he did, the Lion walked away and was replaced by the petty little bitch who whines about what a burden it is to be wealthy and legendary. He used to put out really good albums, accented by moments of holy, passionate brilliance. But for a couple of decades now, he has put out (sometimes) really good albums accented by moments of small, dark bitterness. There have been some great moments in these latter years, but sometimes I think I would rather have missed them, with Van in early retirement, so I could remember the Lion, the giant, not the sad, hard lump of coal that remains. Dark reflection of the diamond that was.

Tim

 

Very well put Tim... Sad, but true...

 

Tim, you've got the soul of a poet.

Incidentally, I'll be seeing the ol' lump of coal this coming Monday.

 

Soul of a poet? Isn't Tim the same guy who called me a doodyhead? Clearly a complex fellow

Enjoy the show, Tom. Hope he covers a little more ground for you than he did me.

BTW for those of you like me who are only interested in picking up Keep It Simple on the cheap (wouldn't want to overpay for 2 good songs and a lot of bellyaching), it was just added to the BMG club.

 

Keats' Ode on a Grecian Doodyhead was required reading when I was in school. Tim knows his poetic form and diction.

To be within the same four walls as Van (for exactly 90 minutes, no more, no less) will be enough to ensure my satisfaction.
The show itself is gravy for a first timer like me.

 

It was my first time, too, and basically I felt the same way. Yeah, it would've been nice for The Man to dust off a few gems from the back catalog, but it was still worthwhile.