The 'What Were They Thinking' Thread

[Vanni]

No, this is not a thread for artists like Judas Bobby D who decided to ditch soppy acoustical folk in order to play electric rock, or artists like the Mac who made the very wise decision to stop playing blues and release chart topping pop albums like Rumours and Tusk instead. Neither does it refer to artists who released some truly terrible stuff like Radio Gaga, Don't Stop Believin', Eye of the Tiger or Simply the Best. No Sir!

This is for those alternate or demo versions which in your esteemed opinion are much better than the finished article. I'm aware that demos are generally only meant as a rough guide for artists to lay down the foundations of their tunes, before they start adding or removing bits here and there in a an effort to improve the final product. This usually means that the polished track we then hear on the artist's record is way better than the rough demo. But this is not always the case, hence the reason for my thread and the 'what were they thinking' part'. Naturally, this doesn't mean that I don't like the 'proper' song, it just means I consider the demo to be better.

Example 1 - The Cure's Hanging Garden.

The demo version -

Example 2 - Live From The Stage by Team Sleep (a side project of Deftones' Chino Moreno)

Demo version,recorded under a different working title -

 

[Stevencc]

Good idea for a thread.

Demo/live version...

LP version...

I love both versions, but prefer the demo.

 

[When In Rome]

Agreed - nice idea for a topic. I'm listening to The Hanging Garden demo now which I have not heard before. It's one of my favourite Cure songs but I'm disabled by the fact that whatever song I hear first is usually what I like best.

I'd wager I can't offer too many examples then but one sprang to mind...

STUDIO RELEASE

DEMO

The demo wins it for me everytime though Red House Painters are very much an acquired taste so I don't mind expecting the 'oh what a dirge' reaction!

 

[Vanni]

Agreed - nice idea for a topic. I'm listening to The Hanging Garden demo now which I have not heard before. It's one of my favourite Cure songs but I'm disabled by the fact that whatever song I hear first is usually what I like best.

I'd wager I can't offer too many examples then but one sprang to mind...

STUDIO RELEASE

DEMO

The demo wins it for me everytime though Red House Painters are very much an acquired taste so I don't mind expecting the 'oh what a dirge' reaction!

Massive RHP fan here, in fact, if pushed hard enough to name my fav ever band I'll most probably say RHP. Will never forget how much their music helped me during tough times. TBH, I don't hear that much of a difference between both versions of Uncle Joe, with the most obvious difference being the poor mixing job they did on the proper version. But it's nowhere near as bad as that Youtube video either, it sounds much better especially when listening to the vinyl version. That YT vid almost makes it sound like a mono record.

Re. RHP's recorded works, I don't think I have many complaints bar a couple. IMO, Waterkill should have made their debut album in place of Lord Kill The Pain, which is quite frankly awful. I also don't like their attempt at covering I Am A Rock, which is the only weak track on the Bridge album IMO. If only they'd recorded their cover of Don't Fear The Reaper instead! But apparently they only started playing Reaper some 18 months after Bridge was recorded.

Still, the biggest regret I have is that Mark Kozelek chose the acoustic version of Have You Forgotten for the band's fifth album. The electric version, which some believe was recorded during the same album sessions, is much much better!

Acoustic -

Electric -

 

[When In Rome]

I'm with you then Vanni if pushed hard enough I might say RHP might be my favourite band but sometimes when I'm in that zone, I wonder if I love Sun Kil Moon just as much?

Like you, RHP helped me through some darker aeons and the lyrics as much as the guitars and the overall sound attracted me - some favourites...

Brockwell Park

Things would be better than this
There's an angel by the ocean I miss
And trips on the train
Before our lives changed

Katy Song

By the forest of our spring stay
Where you walked away
And left a bleeding part of me
Empty and bothered
Watching the water
Quiet in the corner
Numb and falling through
Without you what does my life amount to

Wop A Din Din

And somehow when I sleep
She'll end up at my feet
And if I roll and kick her out
I might knock her to the ground
But she'll come back anyhow

It was only recently that I became aware he was writing about his pet cat! I'd say overall with RHP that Old Ramon is my favourite LP. It used to be the Rollercoaster when there was less material to compare.

I once made a pretty neat music video for Grace Cathedral Park, haven't got it now but I could easily make it again.

I guess my top three songs would be Byrd Joel, San Geronimo and Song For A Blue Guitar (I love singing that) - but the line-up could change on any given day, right?

What I love about Uncle Joe is that desolation and bitterness in the voice; I think the retrospective demo is better, like you say they made a bit of a mess on the proper version.

Not a fan of cover versions at all generally so I'm not taken by any of theirs and as a huge fan of Yes, Long Distance Runaround was like... yeah, why?

But you mention Have You Forgotten there, another favourite, yes I've heard the acoustic and others, I rely on the album version only.

Well I've rattled on somewhat and can apologise but clearly excited about conversing with another apprecianado of Kozlek.