Rock the shack rocks!?

I've been visiting neworderonline for the past month or so now and I have to say that there are some real hardcore NO fans out there! However, could someone please shed some light as to why there seems to be a general concensus that Rock the Shack is shite? I think it's one of the best songs of the album!

Erm....... cause it's shite, thats why!!

Muffy, you normally provide an in depth response to most comments and I feel quite upset that you haven't with this one! More comments please.

Well, I like 'Rock The Shack'

Ah, so there is someone else that agree's with me! I was starting to get a bit worried for a moment.

I'm one of those who think RTS is not bad; not the best thing on GR by any means, but not bad.

What intrigues me is why they missed the obvious opportunity to title the song 'Rocking the Shithouse'... thus, adding grit, spit and vinegar to the song and the album.

Did you know that they were planning to release another song along similar lines called 'Scones in the Bell Tower'?

(come on Muffin... expand on your Shithouse post you little tinker)

Originally posted by Patrick I'm one of those who think RTS is not bad; not the best thing on GR by any means, but not bad.

I agree 100 % with Patrick on this one.

Scones in the Bell Tower. That sounds quite catchy don't you think?? Nah come on Mr Huntsman give us your thoughts as well. No passing the buck now.

Thanks, Klumpy.

Huntsy, Rock the Sockhouse is too many syllables.

I daren't post anything else otherwise Patty and Buster will use their heavy artillery and blow my little ship out of the water.

In a nutbox, its got as decent beginning (nice drums and guitar etc.), horrendous vocal melody line and appauling chorus. Unilke the other females, I hate the winey little punk noise on the second verse and all in all I think its the shits.

Player in the Nude or Run this River Rat would have been better... but there again, I'm not the picker of the selection box? (well, I will be on Christmas day).

Originally posted by Patrick Thanks, Klumpy.Huntsy, Rock the Sockhouse is too many syllables.

See what I mean. (disgusting attack there.. too many sylmosdn indeed).

Gavin, poor Huntsy has already speent countless hours on this board discussing the shack...

Fair enough. At least I now have a better understanding as to why people don't like it.

Originally posted by Gavin Dickson Muffy, you normally provide an in depth response to most comments and I feel quite upset that you haven't with this one! More comments please.

Well, in a nutshell, it's just not of the same pedigree as Sabotage or Player or Behind Diana Dors. Can't imagine what came over our heroes to include the offending article Rotten Snacks when there were other more tasty treats to offer our long starved pallets!

Originally posted by Geoff The Klump Gavin, poor Huntsy has already speent countless hours on this board discussing the shack...

Ah, in that case I'll pipe down! At least I now know that I'm not the only one. (That likes RTS)

Originally posted by Muffy > Originally posted by Gavin Dickson> Muffy, you normally provide an in depth response to most comments and I feel quite upset that you haven't with this one! More comments please.

Well, in a nutshell, it's just not of the same pedigree as Sabotage or Player or Behind Diana Dors. Can't imagine what came over our heroes to include the offending article Rotten Snacks when there were other more tasty treats to offer our long starved pallets!

Cheers.

I prefer RTS to Slow Jam anyway...

Yes, Klumpy, it's hard to understand why anyone would spend time attacking RTS when everyone agrees that Slow Death is the worst song of the last 250 years.

Originally posted by Patrick Yes, Klumpy, it's hard to understand why anyone would spend time attacking RTS when everyone agrees that Slow Death is the worst song of the last 250 years.

That is an interesting point that Patron. I think RTShithouse is offensively different, whereas Slow Cat is so insignificant its like water down the drain and/or plug hole. In that respect SDeath is worse!!! - I again agree with you... have you poisoned my water supply and hypnotised me?

Does that mean you like Slow Death?

That last was a response to Shimmo.

I should hope so P feet...

All right, Huntsy, is the point that people who once were capable of Throwing Bones (and still capable of Turn My Back) shouldn't be wasting their time with the type of thing that RTS is?

Originally posted by Patrick All right, Huntsy, is the point that people who once were capable of Throwing Bones (and still capable of Turn My Back) shouldn't be wasting their time with the type of thing that RTS is?

I 'reckon that's a pretty offensive thing to say that Patrick and I've withdrawn your corned beef rations as a matter of course. Obviously, certain songs complement certain moods. Out of all of the NO and JD songs only Slow Mouse and R T S House stand out as bad eggs... and in fairness, RTSH isn't bad enough to be a bad song... which leaves only Slow Crap as being the solitary 'bad' song ever done, which has to be a landmark achievement.

When I'm in the mood I'll stick a fast NO track on but I like to provoke sadness, which is a trait I've had all my lives.

Originally posted by Patrick That last was a response to Shimmo.

As it 'appens, I do,I think the lyrics are fantastic,I like the shuffly beat and the overdrive guitars alway's send me towards Lazyitis, perfick.Definitely better than 6 mops,smells like poo,Rick 'the sun' hack and Rot Wild

Gee, Huntsy, I really wasn't trying to be offensive. If I wanted to be offensive, I'd say something nasty about Regret, but I've promised myself not to do that any more, since that song means so much to you. I was just really trying to understand why RTS provokes such negativity.

Because I never ever wanted them to do a bad song and the eight year absence made me sweat like an over used donkey.

By the way, Huntsy, listening to Brotherhood in comparison to its two predecessors, I hadn't previously focused on how muddy it sounds.

Originally posted by Patrick By the way, Huntsy, listening to Brotherhood in comparison to its two predecessors, I hadn't previously focused on how muddy it sounds.

A valid point P. I glimpsed the cover and expected an absolute synth-fest of legendary proportions. Imagine my shock horror getting it home and playing side 1? - I couldn't believe it wasn't butter. Only being young I couldn't quite get my head around the gritty guitars and stuck with playing side 2 thinking it was the cat that got the cream. It was only with the passing of time that the Huntsman really began to appreciate such songs as 'Way of Life' and 'Has it was, should it has' and 'Weird Al Yankovich' etc. - it does beg the question, was their production style a reaction to the almost syrup based post-Low-Life 12" gloss-ball releases - or was it, what we all really know, a complete fluke as always.

The latter would make the band infinately more respectable to me anyway.

Even now, in 2001 - 15 years after its release.. I still get confused with some of side 1's titles. Broken Promise? - is that Way of Life or Paradise? - at the end of the day, I kinda like that.

I'm not saying I don't like Brothers in the Hood, Huntsy, I do, but the production style does kind of homogenize everything together. Apart from As I Was Telling You and BLT of course it is hard to remember which is which.

As I stated time and time again, I love Brotherhood, 1st album bought at the time of its release.

And brilliant idea, yhe acoustic side and the electronic side (those were the days of the vinyl)

B'hood was also the first NO album that I bought at the time it came out, Klumpy.

Well lads, we have something in common here... this was also the first NO album I got the day it was released!!! - I missed Low-Life by a couple of weeks so my official hard core NO life started here. It was December in the UK and I taped it for my WalkMan (ha! ha! ha!)... I used to get a train to work and I played it over and over and over whilst the snow fell outside. Vivid memories, very.

I seem to be having the kind of day where I don't have amazing coincidences with the on-line gang.Having bought Low-life when it came out and being slightly disappointed with it as the follow-up to the great one,when I finally got my leave and purchased Brotherhood imagine my horror when it had a load more guitars on it and to add insult to injury my vinyl copy had a scratch right at the end,so obviously that went right back to where it came from.

I guess you're not being serious about that scratch at the end done on purpose ?

Originally posted by Geoff The Klump I guess you're not being serious about that scratch at the end done on purpose ?

The guy in shop said to me "have you done that on purpose?" I'm innocente!

Do you mean you never listened to Brothehood again ? I mean, the scratch at the end of 'Every Little Counts' is even on the CD...

I didn't think you could scratch C.D.'s

Erm, I'm not sure we understand each other. At the end of 'Every Little Counts' last track on the album, there's a needle scratch simulation...

Rock the Shack is alright, it's not a classic track but it'll do if you want some "New Order's kicking ass and taking names, motherfucka!" music.

Originally posted by Ian Shimmin I didn't think you could scratch C.D.'s

Regardless of whether that's a subtle joke or not, that's the best laugh I've had all the day. In fact, I'm literally pissing myself at this very moment.

But Slow Jam is better!! One of the best tracks on the album, and it beats arithmetic!

Yes, I think every New Order album should have a comedy moment: The last words of "Your Silent Face" on PC&L, The beginning and end of "Every Little Counts" on "Brotherhood", "Liar" on Republic, and, of course Bobby Gillespie singing even more horrendously than Barney on ROTTEN SHAG. I don't dislike the track - the more I lsiten to it, the more hilarious it becomes.

Can't wait for the accapella mix (mentioned elsewhere).

Originally posted by Geoff The Klump Erm, I'm not sure we understand each other. At the end of 'Every Little Counts' last track on the album, there's a needle scratch simulation...

Geoff, I wonder if you knew of this: in later interviews after "Brotherhood" was released, Stephen was talking seriously about the band even thinking of having a different ending for each of the formats the album came in: so, besides the aforementioned scratch on the vinyl, the cassette version was to end with a simulated sound of the tape being mangled, and the CD was to end with the track skipping and stuttering manically back and forth.
This seemed like a brilliant idea, until when they realised that it wasn't that feasible to undertake.

They should have done it actually! That would have been a stroke of genius, don't you think??

Thanks for sharing this amazing anecdote.

No, I didn't know it and yes it would have been great.

Rock the Shack SUCKS! This should have been saved for live shows. Then we would all like it because of how "rare" it was (Love Juice) and the poor recording quality would actually mask some of it's flaws. Unfortunately, they put it on the album (did they think we didn't hear the Primal Scream album?) and now we have to suffer with the WORST neworder song ever. I do agree that it may be picked up as a bar anthem but that only adds to my disliking. Bar anthems are generally encouraged by the lowest common denominator and Rock the Shack will certainly appeal to those who shout for Free Bird or Mony Mony. Not good company if you ask me. The one good thing i can say about Rock The Shack is it saves Slow Jam from being the worst song Neworder ever put on Lp.

Originally posted by Muffy But Slow Jam is better!! One of the best tracks on the album, and it beats arithmetic!

My sentiments exactly....

Liv

I didn't think much of RTS when I first heard it too. I think mainly because people were bagging it before I heard it and assumed it was shit. But now that I've listened to it more I've grown to like. I wouldn't say it's the best track on the album though.

Originally posted by Geoff The Klump Well, I like 'Rock The Shack'

Me too

Well trodden ground, but I think it's a good'un

Crap on the album, sounded good live.