Isn't it frustrating, that at their absolute peak NO only managed 9 songs and a couple of duff B-sides. Are these the laziest musicians in the World or what?
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Technique Peak
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they are artists. you cant measure what they do in terms of productivity, nor can they.
were they in the studio everyday, on the road every year and writing every week, they may have been a better band, or may not.
maybe clubbing and partying till 6am, getting out of it, etc, and having a fun time, and enviable lifestyle contributed as much to technique as long days mixing and playing.
also, by 1989, they had 6? albums, and a shitload of fantastic singles (at least 2 albums full) already released. thats comparable to any band, radiohead etc.
Originally posted by Keith Hughes Isn't it frustrating, that at their absolute peak NO only managed 9 songs and a couple of duff B-sides. Are these the laziest musicians in the World or what?
This should start a lively debate
I agree that album wise Technique was the pinnacle, but you'll get plenty of people on here that will disagree with you mate. It's not really disappointing they've always come back with classic tracks (Regret, World, Crystal) the disapponiting aspect is the fact they split twice and they ain't giving us any gigs to look forward to.
For once I agree with Conor, the back catalogue before Technique isn't that bad is it
Originally posted by Keith Hughes Isn't it frustrating, that at their absolute peak NO only managed 9 songs and a couple of duff B-sides. Are these the laziest musicians in the World or what?
Even lazier, they've only managed two 'classic' tracks in the fifteen years since - IMO, Regret and Crystal.
Relatively speaking they were still motoring along in 1988!
Would hate to hear "Don't Do It" referred to as 'duff' though. As good as anything from that era!
By the time Technique arrived I was somewhat jaded - the highs of PCL and lowlife have never been bettered IMO - a superb range of singles up to and slightly beyond these album masterpieces - to True faith - with a FEW exceptions. Some truly innovative stuff - even on Movement, then egg, what about going from Murder to The Perfect Kiss - what band could have swung from one extreme to the other in 2 glorious sweeps of sound?
Brotherhood - I echo detweilers previous comments.
By 1989 their sound had become much less innovative and more mainstream - the latter not neccessarily a bad thing but not what I though NO were about.....
In hindsight, Technique is an OK album but back then we were spoiled by their then back catalogue.
We can argue all day about what we think is their peak, but lazy? Maybe, actually I don't think so - but so what? They've done what they've done - most of it great, and hopefully there's more to come. Most bands have a few years, maybe 5 max, where they define who they are, do their best work and say all they have to say. I'd say that NO did this from maybe 81-85. After that, if they keep going, usually they morph in to some extent with what else is going on - others define 'the new' and the former pioneers follow. Few have the energy to consistently innovate. That's not to say that what follows the initial burst of creativity is *bad* - it can be fantastic e.g Technique, Electric Cafe, Let's Dance... it just isn't as *different*.
And...if you're not trying to change the world anymore, it's kind of understandable that you'll do less work - the imputus to force it out into the world is less, you've proved yourself, maybe earned some money etc etc. Also band members grow apart.
Agree that Technique was their peak, can't go along with the duff B-sides comment though. At least we still got a new song back in then rather than a remix of the main track. Don't Do It and Best & Marsh are sumptious. The Making Out Mix of Round & Round was worth the £2.49 spent on the CD single alone. Even MTO has a certain charm.
Also the point about Murder / TPK isn't quite valid. Murder is an outtake from the PCL recordings, so is really a good couple of years older than TPK.
*removes pedantic hat*
As DC mentioned I dont think so much them as lazy from a innovative point of view, you cant be constantly inspired and expect to churn out a new hit ever month for 25 years straight 
Besides I think with the new album round the corner some may well be re-evaluating their judgement on this thread ;)
Originally posted by Keith Hughes Isn't it frustrating, that at their absolute peak NO only managed 9 songs and a couple of duff B-sides. Are these the laziest musicians in the World or what?
No - what about boston!
but yes, don't do it is well up there in the pantheon of greatness. have a soft spot for the evil dust remix too which was around then...
I agree Technique was a great time for the group,but i cant help thinking an album around the time of True Faith,1963,Touched By The Hand Of God late 87,early 88 would of been up there too.
Sure, studio wise long play. Sure, subperb production yada yada yada. But in terms of live music 1984 was the peak. The Technique and post Technique gigs lost the innovation and charm of the earlier years.
Technique is the first album inwhich the songs were not forged live. Well, some of Brotherhood was but compared to their first 3 albums Technique was totally studio bred.
