[Article] Flagpole - NKOTB for the 90s, May 3, 1995 - Negative Throwing Copper/Live review Options

[dangum]

Here's a very negative article about Live from when the band was at their peak commercially in the US. The reviewer has a very biased opinion of the band and doesn't hold back.

Thanks to brianblank for finding the article and sending me a copy.

I have used OCR software to transcribe the article - you can read the original article via the link at the end of this post. There is also a scan of the paper as well.

As a simple kid from Pennsylvania, I feel overqualifled to comment about the bloated, adolescent music organization Live.

These four snot-nosed, country club brats and I share the same podunk hometown of York, Pa. Let me preface this by saying that York is probably the dullest and most unremarkable town for anybody under the age of 60, um less you're 25 and permanently retired in a nursing home.

As students at the local college, we'd go to see what-ever local bands we could, only to break up the monotony and streaks of utter boredom that York was so good at har-vesting. There was a hangout called Big City where every Sunday there would be two or three local bands playing their own personally flavored version of "alternarock" to a crowd composed mostly of their friends.

Back in '87 and '88, there was this band called Public Affection that played there frequently. We called 'em Pu-bic Infection — heh, heh, heh, that still cracks me up. I merely thought of them as annoying. They'd play lousy cover versions of U2 and R.E.M. tunes along with a scattering of, and this is pushing it, original material. For York, I guess these guys were hot shit.

They always had nice looking equipment (dare I say BRAND NEW), and with all of them still wearing their diapers in the confines of the York County Education Sys-tem, their soft, supple hincys had yet to know what it was like to work, or more importantly, to earn money. Their crowd would be predominantly their girlfriends/toadies and (I say this with quite a measure of confidence) they sucked like a black hole.

That never stopped their parents from being positioned in the front row of their shows with VHS cameras in hand.

Now let's jump ahead three years. By this time, I had just finished my graduate work out at UPict, and I came back to York to start a career. Just as something to do, I'd go up to the office of WVYC 88.1 FM, the college radio station in York where I worked when I was a student at York College.

Upon my return, VYC's collective taste in music was be-ing dictated by a bony-assed twerp named Billy Walton. Now Billy dressed like a more effeminate version of Monisey (if there is such a thing), and thought that every jock should be playing the new Ned's Atomic Crapbin CD on the hour, every hour. He and I never quite saw eye to eye. I thought the Jesus Lizard, Bitch Magnet and the Dustdevils had a lot more to do with "college programming" than Bill's agenda, which was nothing more than MW poop. So when I would be in the control booth, spinning the newly released Dope Guns Volume Three, I'd get these calls from teens asking me to play something off the new Live CD. Live? What the hell is Live?!?!

Apparently, that crappy band Public Affection went and changed their name, re-corded with a Talking Head (not Byrne, one of the crappy ones) and got signed to a major label. Pd always tell these Live fans that would call up that I couldn't play "Operation Spirit" because the CD cabi-net was locked up, which it invariably never was. Up at the station, there was a huuuuuuuuge mound of CD singles of Live's first CD, which the program manager had instructed the jocks to give away every other hour. Eeeep! The fact that Live had become a college radio phenom with little to no effort made my skin crawl.

Their un-original, completely radio/MTV friendly "look" (toad: packaging) had endeared them to the eggheads at the radio station and-mall rats nationwide. However, I know different. OK, it'd be easy to discuss the fact that Live is prima-rily a talentless band. Just looking at the drummer play is like watching an asynchronous version of Moe Tucker. And Live's music is contrived, freely plagiarizing other musicians.

Rather, I'd like to focus on the fact that Live is noth-ing more than a sham. In the four mid years they've been around, they've somehow managed to convince "alter-native" radio stations from coast to coast that they're something that they're not. Their new CD, Throwing Copper, appears to be pretty popular. I say "appears." be-cause I invariably hear it blasting from many of the over-priced autos owned by the Duckheatl/workixxx crowd in town. But to put a fine point on it. Live has rapidly be-come this generation's Journey — sort of a sing-songy, watered-down version of everything else you hear on the radio — a nice, bland filler until the next piece of radio pap kicks in.

Smashing Pumpkins. Oasis, Suede, Springsteen, Bon Jovi, whatever... it's all crap. And Live has been conned into be. lieving that they're kings of this mound of crap — something that I'm sure folks back in York are a might proud of. But in 10 years, when they're back at the bottom, without a friend in the world, not even being able to get on Star Search, or as a judge at a Mr. Tight Buns competition, the reality may have sunk in. Too bad this reality has hit me way before them. I won't say I told you so. but....

Henry Owings

Link to article: https://gahistoricnewspapers.galileo.usg.ed...03/ed-1/seq-20/



(click on image for higher resolution)

[andymbj]

What a smug, pretentious asshole. His arrogance is breathtaking. And he's dead wrong. Throwing Copper era Live kicked serious ass.

[Voodoo Lady]

What a smug, pretentious asshole. His arrogance is breathtaking. And he's dead wrong. Throwing Copper era Live kicked serious ass.

I would venture to agree the writer probably has smug, pretentious asshole qualities. For the record, I also think Throwing Copper is a serious kick ass masterpiece.

However, let it be noted here, you did specify “Throwing Copper era.” What if the writer states some truths about Līve having it easy (“snot nosed, country-club brats”). This article really made me think, and perhaps it might explain a lot? I’m just playing the devil’s advocate right now, and asking us all to think about it. Besides, I’ve seen it discussed in this very forum, how they might just be “a sham,” and their music “contrived.” I’ve also seen Ed blamed here for plagiarism (while I may not agree with that opinion). He uses the word “talentless”, and while I wouldn’t go that far, they do have some weak areas, no?

What REALLY sticks out to me the most is this. —Look at what the writer says here...

But in 10 years, when they're back at the bottom, without a friend in the world, not even being able to get on Star Search, or as a judge at a Mr. Tight Buns competition, the reality may have sunk in.

Yes, it’s written in an abrasive way, but basically didn’t he predict the future? Isn’t that what has happened to our beloved band? After all, it’s what we complain about here, pretty much all the time. Anyway, I read that and said, “wow.” This article is for sure something to discuss. Great find, brianblank.

[san_sao]

Yes, it’s written in an abrasive way, but basically didn’t he predict the future? Isn’t that what has happened to our beloved band? After all, it’s what we complain about here, pretty much all the time. Anyway, I read that and said, “wow.” This article is for sure something to discuss. Great find, brianblank.

Well, no - he didn't. Their reunion got in Rolling Stone and they mounted tours with Counting Crows, Bush, etc. They've been all over radio interviews, etc. They went overseas to play on multiple continents. They're certainly not on top anymore , but they're hardly in the scenario described here either (though maybe closer to it than I would like).

Did they have it easy? Maybe, and that's a more interesting discussion.

This post has been edited by san_sao: Apr 25 2020, 12:45 pm

[Voodoo Lady]

Well, no - he didn't. Their reunion got in Rolling Stone and they mounted tours with Counting Crows, Bush, etc. They've been all over radio interviews, etc. They went overseas to play on multiple continents. They're certainly not on top anymore , but they're hardly in the scenario described here either (though maybe closer to it than I would like).

Did they have it easy? Maybe, and that's a more interesting discussion.

Fair enough, fair enough. If you tack on ten years to the article, that’s 2005, and wince, yikes! Look at where they were then. Pretty telling, if you ask me. Can you admit that Līve reunion was featured in Rolling Stone, and they mounted those tours because of the fan base’s age, and nostalgia factor having set in? We can, all of us who have the opinion that alternative is good music, recognize the thumbprint Līve has on the genre, and want that back. The band’s greatness is going to be recognized, and sought to be relived by people in their 30’s, and 40’s (the people going to concerts and buying Rolling Stone).

I do think they might have had it easy, and yep, it’s an interesting discussion, too. Carry on, guys....

[san_sao]

Fair enough, fair enough. If you tack on ten years to the article, that’s 2005, and wince, yikes! Look at where they were then. Pretty telling, if you ask me. Can you admit that Līve reunion was featured in Rolling Stone, and they mounted those tours because of the fan base’s age, and nostalgia factor having set in? We can, all of us who have the opinion that alternative is good music, recognize the thumbprint Līve has on the genre, and want that back. The band’s greatness is going to be recognized, and sought to be relived by people in their 30’s, and 40’s (the people going to concerts and buying Rolling Stone).

I do think they might have had it easy, and yep, it’s an interesting discussion, too. Carry on, guys....

Ha, I wondered if you were referencing 10 years from the article, rather than just the current state of things. 2005 was around when they signed with Epic and were recording SFBM, right? Not my favorite time for them either, and yes - I readily admit that nostalgia played a part in their ability to do what they're doing now, but that's a far cry from what the author was predicting, which was really all I was trying to say.

[Voodoo Lady]

Ha, I wondered if you were referencing 10 years from the article, rather than just the current state of things. 2005 was around when they signed with Epic and were recording SFBM, right? Not my favorite time for them either, and yes - I readily admit that nostalgia played a part in their ability to do what they're doing now, but that's a far cry from what the author was predicting, which was really all I was trying to say.

I understand you.

[Hoodstock]

Wow, that's a harsh slam piece. Sounds like he really hated the guys from Live in school.

[Lakini's Juice]

This sounds pretty bitter and jealous. It's almost an hilarious cliché tbh.
He's from the same place and he has seen them in their formative state and probably hated it.
I remember seeing bands before they hit it big in my hometown and a handful of em made it (at least for a while) nationally. People around me and i must admit, even myself have been dismissing shit because i hated the first impression i had of the "artist" before they made it "big". And being a frustrated "artist" myself i hated the fact these fuckbags did make it and i didn't. xD
Even bitching about the moms recording in the front row, seriously? Isn't that another cliché?
Didn't all bands start somewhere? In shitty bars, with a small audience (mostly relatives and friends)?

This article reeks of all that. This is retaliation at it's most bitter. Poor guy.

[Bob]

Just for kicks, I'm 99% sure I found him on Facebook. He's a huge REM fan, yet he doesn't mention them in this article, which I find interesting, since Live were huge REM fans back when Henry likely saw Live.

In 1992 he liked a band called Synthetic Flying Machine, which he describes as "Minutemen fronted by Syd Barrett", and I think I know all I need to know.

I'm intrigued by the question of if Live "had it easy" coming up. They played a lot in their youth, and we all know the story of how DOAD was made. That's no easy feat when you're ~16 years old, and regardless of the quality of musicianship, it was all original music, which got the attention of labels once they started hitting the NY clubs hard, and they were signed to Radioactive.

IMO, it was the right time in the right place and a bunch of hard work. They were hungry, they put in the work that 99% of other bands don't, and they were rewarded. I just wish they still had that hunger. We'd likely be in a different place, even if they aren't at the top of the charts anymore.

[mfitz804]

Pubic Infection was kinda funny.