10,000 Maniacs - My Mother The War [Secrets of the I Ching] | jt1674

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10,000 Maniacs - 1987-11-09 - Leicester, UK (SBD) | So Many Roads

10,000 Maniacs - 1987-11-09 - Leicester, UK (SBD)

10,000 Maniacs

1987-11-09

University of Leicester

Leicester, UK

Soundboard Recording

01. Hey Jack Kerouac (cuts in)

02. Maddox Table

03. A Campfire Song

04. Planned Obsolescence

05. Gun Shy

06. Just As The Tide Was A-Flowing

07. Can't Ignore The Train

08. City Of Angels

09. Like The Weather

10. What's The Matter Here?

11. Don't Talk

12. My Sister Rose

13. Cherry Tree (cuts in)

14. Verdi Cries

15. My Mother The War

well despite what Speedy posts here it sure doesn’t sound like a soundboard but hey its worth a listen and download for sure, I don’t normally post links to the guys posting audience recordings as you all know but this says its not so here ’tis! Posted mostly because its from Leicester where I went to college and had such fun (at least on the town) and thanks to my tutors historian Fred Orton and composer Gavin Bryars and some friends a few of whom are still in touch round about Christmas time

1987: In July 1987, 10,000 Maniacs released their 2nd album, In My Tribe, which was more pop oriented than than previous work. The disc proved to be their big breakthrough, staying on the Billboard charts for 77 weeks, peaking at No. 37. The album included tracks such as Like The Weather, What's The Matter Here, Hey Jack Kerouac, and a cover of Cat Steven's Peace Train, all of which received extensive play on FM radio and MTv. The album would be certified double platinum early the following year. This soundboard recording captures the band on tour in support

10,000 Maniacs with Michael Stipe - To Sir With Love | Top Hat Crew's "Live Music Archives"

 To Sir With Love - 10, 000 Maniacs and featuring Michael Stipe

Top Hat Crew's "Live Music Archives"

"Don’t Talk” : 10,000 Maniacs TV debut on Letterman 1987

On this month in 1987, 10,000 Maniacs made a memorable TV appearance, performing “Don’t Talk” on Late Night with David Letterman. The track came from their recently released third album In My Tribe, which saw the band finally garner mainstream success. While the Jamestown, New York group had built a cult following, In My Tribe marked their breakthrough to a larger audience.

Formed in 1981, 10,000 Maniacs originally included vocalist Natalie Merchant, guitarist John Lombardo, and a rotating cast of musicians. Their mix of melancholy melodies and socially conscious lyrics gradually earned them notice. But after two indie albums, Lombardo left the band in 1986, with Merchant taking greater control of the songwriting.

For In My Tribe, Elektra Records brought in acclaimed producer Peter Asher, who steered the band toward a more radio-friendly sound. Though initially resistant, the group embraced Asher’s vision. The polished yet poignant results made In My Tribe their first major hit.

The Cat Stevens cover “Peace Train” was originally the lead single, but later removed from the album due to controversial remarks by Stevens. Instead, the majestic jangle-pop of “Like the Weather” became the breakout track, making the Top 40. Anchored by Rob Buck’s chiming guitar lines, Merchant’s lyrics poetically evoke seasonal depression.

Equally impactful was the haunting “What’s the Matter Here?”, tackling the sensitive issue of child abuse. Merchant adopts the perspective of a conflicted neighbor witnessing domestic violence next door. Meanwhile, the lush “Gun Shy” examines the dichotomy between civilian and military life.

Throughout In My Tribe, 10,000 Maniacs perfected their blend of beautiful melodies and thought-provoking words. Songs like “Don’t Talk” and “City of Angels” confront alcoholism and homelessness with empathy and intelligence. Even when singing about darker themes, Merchant’s maternal voice provided reassurance.

In My Tribe ultimately went platinum and was praised by critics, including Rolling Stone. Robert Christgau applauded Merchant’s “deprivatized metaphors” that say something profound about social issues. The album cemented 10,000 Maniacs as top college rock contenders, while hinting at wider popularity to come.

In the following years, 10,000 Maniacs issued more acclaimed albums before Merchant left for a solo career in 1993. But In My Tribe remains their definitive work, beautifully balancing gravity and accessibility. On gorgeous yet socially conscious songs like “Don’t Talk,” 10,000 Maniacs achieved a thrilling synthesis that deservedly resonated with legions of thoughtful listeners.

10.000 Maniacs: Original Album Series 1985 - 1993 + Hope Chest (The Fredonia Recordings 1982 - 1983) - URBANASPIRINES

Well Kostas over at Urbanaspirines has done it again and is always worth subscribing to or keeping an eye on as to what he is posting and today is no different in covering the first 5/6 albums from a firm favourite 10,000 Maniacs. I love this band and loved Natalie Merchant too (I think I have bought all her solo work and have most if not all the Maniacs' albums) So once again this is well worth the read and avail yourselves of any lost ones you may have missed . . . . . . . she has worked with Michael Stipe, Billy Bragg, David Byrne and others and remains a powerful interesting voice and writer. The band with Mary Ramsey on vocal now have reformed again in 2007 and continue  . . . . . . . 

10000 MANIACS - Original Album series - Urbanaspirines

In Memory of Arthur Labinjo-Hughes [aged 6]

 “What's The Matter Here?"

That young boy without a name anywhere I'd know his face. 

In this city the kid's my favorite. 

I've seen him. I see him every day. 

Seen him run outside looking for a place to hide from his father, 

the kid half naked and said to myself "O, what's the matter here?" 

I'm tired of the excuses everybody uses, he's their kid I stay out of it, 

but who gave you the right to do this? 

We live on Morgan Street; 

just ten feet between and his mother, I never see her, 

but her screams and cussing, I hear them every day. 

Threats like: "If you don't mind I will beat on your behind," 

"Slap you, slap you silly." 

made me say, "O, what's the matter here?"

I'm tired of the excuses everybody uses, he's your kid, do as you see fit, 

but get this through that I don't approve of what you did to your own flesh and blood. 

"If you don't sit on this chair straight 

I'll take this belt from around my waist and don't think that I won't use it!" 

Answer me and take your time, 

what could be the awful crime he could do at such young an age? 

If I'm the only witness to your madness offer me some words to balance out what I see and what I hear. 

Oh these cold and lowly things that you do I suppose you do because he belongs to you and instead of love and the feel of warmth you've given him these cuts and sores don't heal with time or with age. 

And I want to say "What's the Matter here?" 

But I don't dare say. . . . . . . . . . . 

Natalie Merchant/ Robert Buck

Arthur Labinjo-Hughes was a little six year old boy killed by his father and his partner who both tortured and abused him until he died. The girlfriend has been given 29 years life sentence for murder and the boy's father 21 for manslaughter. This little six year old boy was given into the 'care' of his father after his mother was sentenced for stabbing someone. Arthur was tortured, beaten, starved and bullied to death. (he had 137 bruised injuries when he died that the judge described as commensurate with a high speed car crash) they filmed his abuse.

When his so called carer, the girlfriend of his father said he was being a pain his father texted back “End him!”

She blamed the little boy! Neither have expressed any remorse! They called 999 and blamed the little boy who had been filmed saying “Nobody loves me.”

He was frequently forced to stand for hours (sometimes up to 14) by the front door, he had his food laced with salt and enough to poison him. On one occasion before his death, Arthur told his father: "I am in danger with you, dad".

The case had two unique aspects that I noted. The jurors were told such was the nature of such harrowing evidence that they would never have to serve on a jury ever again for the rest of their lives. The jury in response asked for a minutes silence in advance of the convictions for Arthur which has never been heard of before in a court of law. 

The judge granted them their wish

Please be warned these accounts from the BBC contain extremely distressing details about this little boy's short life:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-birmingham-59489765

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-59522243

For little children lost to us by the hands that should have been caring, nurturing and loving them . . . . . . . . . these songs always struck me

• Like many songs on the album, "What's The Matter Here?" is a powerful piece of social commentary, in this instance about child abuse. Natalie Merchant sings from the perspective of a woman how lives near a family that is abusing their young son. She deplores the abuse, but isn't sure what to do about it. Afraid to take action, she wants to confront the family and ask, "What's the Matter here?" but she doesn't dare.
  
  The Suzanne Vega hit "Luka," from a year earlier, has similar subject matter.
• Natalie Merchant explained the inspiration for this song during her 1998 VH1 Storytellers performance: "It was a song I wrote about a little boy who was neglected and abused. In my neighborhood there was a house that was one of these houses that had kind of a black aura about it - you would walk on the other side of the street so you didn't have to walk in front of it. It had a garbage-strewn yard; broken windows stuffed with rags; a large, vicious dog on a short leash that had dug a circular circumference into the yard over years of running in circles; a battered upholstered couch on the porch.
  
  But at this particular house there was also a little boy. A very beautiful, harmless, innocent child. I'd see him playing on the front steps with a broken toy or maybe digging in the dirt with a spoon - he liked to do that. But every time I would walk by the house I would hear this voice coming out of the open door screaming obscenities at him. And I never really understood why - I mean, what can he do?"
• Merchant wrote this song with the band's guitarist Robert Buck. They collaborated on several tracks for the band, including "Hey Jack Kerouac," "Cherry Tree" and "City of Angels." They would write by Buck coming up with some music with the band, and then Merchant forming a vocal melody around it. She would then rough out the lyrics, which Buck referred to as "tone poems," since she was working from the musical tones. Once she had a story and a structure, she would flesh out the lyrics. According to bass player Steven Gustafson, they often didn't know what the song was about until they started recording it.
  
  
  
  

Suzanne Vega  - Luka

Tom Waits - Georgia Lee

why wasn't god watching . . . . . . . . why wasn't god listening . . . . . why wasn't god there for Georgia Lee

(in memory of Georgia Lee Moses)

and finally  . . . . . . again