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Mark Lanegan - Houston: Publishing Demos 2002


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This is already out - couldn't find it elsewhere here.

 

 

Mark Lanegan first rose to fame with his band the Screaming Trees in the '90s. Like other noted artists Lanegan has carved out a strong identity of his own as a vocalist and songwriter informed by the blues but willing to take his darkly poetic sensibility wherever his muse was pointing him, from hard rock to electronica.

 

At the time, The Screaming Trees had recently disbanded and Lanegan was in the early years of his solo offerings (at this point he had released a mere five solo albums). The songs on Houston (Publishing Demos 2002), were written, recorded, then shelved until now, with the release of this12-song collection of previously unreleased demos via Ipecac.


 

Seems to be available pretty much everywhere though it is supposed to be limited.

 

 

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It is a fantastic record.   I'm a big fan of his 90's solo albums with Mike Johnson,  so it was great to hear MJ playing on a Lanegan record again.  

The track 'When It's In You' is a particular highlight,  as this would go on to become 'Methamphetamine Blues' on the Weird Chill EP.  

 

Can't fault the pressing either,  sounds great.

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I admit that I'm a massive Lanegan fan and I can't wait to hear this record.  Haven't received my pre-order yet and I'm avoiding all the songs clips on ITunes and whatnot.

 

For those that follow Mr. Lanegan, it bridges a gap in time between the end of the Screaming Trees, being a solo artist and the start of semi-permanent member in Queens of The Stone Age...and is really the start of all his collaborations.

 

Although I haven't heard it yet, I get the feeling that this recording is one of those sessions that was smartly held back until now.  Had it been released then or turned into something other than what is presented as demos, the world wouldn't have understood or accepted it.  It seems like his path at that time lead him in a new direction and these songs wouldn't have been well received as what was released that same year...... 

 

When you have Queens of the Stone Age releasing Songs For The Deaf in the same year as this recording, you can see why it was shelved, but it also makes me respect the music that much more.  Field Songs came in 2001 (absolute shame this isn't available on vinyl), then these unreleased sessions happened...and then Songs for the Deaf was released in late 02, followed by Bubblegum in 04, Ballad of the Broken Seas with Isobell Campbell in 06, you can see why the man is the jack of all trades and just an all around amazing artist.  Such diversity rarely seen in any artist.

 

Simple question, if you recorded these "demos" and then starting recording with QOTSA with Dave Grohl on drums, which project would you get onboard with?  I was lucky enough to see QOTSA tour Songs for Deaf with Dave on drums and Mark singing in a concert venue of about 200 people in Seattle and it is easily one of the most memorable shows I've seen.

 

As a side note, I also think that it is totally awesome that Mark Lanegan has extremely limited pressings (usually no more than 300) of live shows on vinyl for sale at his shows.  I've got them all and they are the treasures of my collection.

 

I digress...

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I admit that I'm a massive Lanegan fan…

 

Count yourself lucky that you live in a city that he plays regularly, then. I would love those live LPs. I met him on the SFTD tour (with Joey, not Dave) and he was the embodiment of cool. The set Has God Seen My Shadow? has some of the Field Songs tracks, but I would love a proper vinyl release of that one. 

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It seems like Mark tours Europe more than anywhere else these days, which makes it hard to get a hold of those live LP's. Those in the Seattle area be sure to check out the Macefield Fest in Ballard this year with Mark headlining. I'm hopeful he'll have merch but the last time I saw him opening for Tom Waits he had nothing. 

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