"An arbitrary succession of more or less irritating sounds"

Tuesday 9 December 2008

Despite the shoes



You might be forgiven for having a few reservations towards Richard Barbieri - what with Japan being somewhat dubious, in both their glam rock & preen pop phases, & his Porcupine Tree stuff being dull. Moreover, I once saw him perform in possibly the dodgiest pair of shoes ever cobbled.

But there's definitely more to the man. For one thing, he's often played with The Bays - the non-recording, non-rehearsing, improvising electronica quartet billed here previously (before it got too embarrassing to be this pompous...) as 'the most important band in the world'. 

Most recently, he was part of most of last month's high-stakes live collaboration with The Heritage Orchestra (covered by LMYE here). 

For another, he's made some good stuff solo & in collaboration with fellow Japan alumni Mick Karn & Steve Jansen. Check out stately, scratchy Drops of Mercury from his first solo album, Things Buried (buy here) - which features the mighty Bays drummer Andy Gangadeen & legendary bassist Percy Jones. 

TB's squelchy, frantic Light on Glass is also a giveaway, by the way. 


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