Electronic appreciation and revival?

Hey guys, I love Electronic and think it's even better than New Order. Their self titled album, Raise the Pressure and the B-sides are excellent. They were underrated, but does anyone here like these songs as much as me?

I wonder if they can reform. Johnny Marr has said that he would reform as Electronic. Bernard doesn't seem to be considering it as he's said there's no plan B when it comes to working in New Order. The main reason I am bringing this whole subject up is Music Complete is a bit like Electronic. Barney has a big say in what happens in New Order these days. He writes and performs the vocals, and does most of the synths. What's the difference between Electronic and new New Order? Guitars are done by Phil, Tom, and Bernard. In Electronic they're done by Marr and I would say he does them better. New New Order is mostly bernard, why not create and perform as Electronic? They don't even record music in the same room. Stephen's drums are replaceable, digital drums might even sound better. Who needs Phil & Tom? They don't even create tradition NO sounding riffs. Bernard could reform Electronic and continue to tour as New Order.

What does everyone think of this? What would be more welcomed, another New Order or an Electronic album?

If you disagree with my proposal of more Electronic music than New Order, please explain your reasoning.

Sage_ wrote: New New Order is mostly bernard, why not create and perform as Electronic?

No, New New Order really isn't mostly Bernard… the lyrics may be all his… but, a lot of us keep listening despite the lyrics, not because of them. Probably an unfair comment actually, very few clangers on the new album. Anyway, dismissing the contributions of the other four suggests you really haven't been listening that closely to Music Complete.

Marr has suggested he's wrapping up his touring band and solo career for a bit, with his next project being with the Pet Shop Boys, and then a break away from what he's been doing. I'd like to hear some more Electronic, and knowing how much they looked to mix things up between albums, I wouldn't be suprised to hear more Johnny vocals and Sumner guitars if they did. I'm sure they'd only do it if they felt they could do something new, as well as good.

I have great memories of when the first album came out in May 91. It felt at the time, as some hack said of it, the greatest album ever made. Each song was an absolute gem. I remember being stupidly young and in Blackpool for a weekend a few days after I bought the album and driving up and down the seafront promenade with the album blasting out of the car stereo (oh dear, the spirit of youth eh?). Not so great memories of Raise The Pressure and Twisted Tenderness though both albums have their moments . I'd argue the statement New Order 2015 is mostly Bernard though I get the bit that Tom & Phil don't produce classic New Order sounds though that doesn't really spoil my enjoyment of Music Complete . Thought Bernard's "no plan b" thing was him meaning making music in general- he's kept and will keep making music because there's no plan b. I didn't interpret it as there's no plan b if there's no New Order. He'll keep making music be it NO , Electronic or whoever. I don't get the feeling he'll be reviving Electronic anytime soon though. I think it's a project he wanted to do at that stage of his life but these days not so much. I've enjoyed a lot of Electronic's music in the past but can't say I'm itching for Bernard and Johnny Marr to do some new stuff together . I think it's done and gone .

Elecronic is better than their peers of the 90's. And New order has more great songs than anyone in music. Bernard added a voice and words and interesting guitars and synths while always crediting everyone for the music. He is the most valuable living musician, if there is more from him and his mates expect the best .

keepitcoming wrote: Elecronic is better than their peers of the 90's. And New order has more great songs than anyone in music. Bernard added a voice and words and interesting guitars and synths while always crediting everyone for the music. He is the most valuable living musician, if there is more from him and his mates expect the best .

Have you been smoking Ele-Chronic?

I thought the first lp was good, but infind it hard to take Neil Tennat seriously. He is an annoying twat. That said inam going to listen to some Electronic today ( the ones without Tennant on em).

Sage_ wrote:

They were underrated,

Yes they were. http://www.feeleverybeat.co.uk/albums/melodymaker25may1991.jpg It's interesting the 'Lec were never definitively closed like Revenge. They even suggested a future in the form of instrumentals but I doubt it. I once read Electronic must be the only band to START with a Best Of.

NotAMod wrote: Yeah Electronic were great... the début is almost universally regarded as their finest hour followed by choice tracks from the remaining LPs. They also wrote some of the strongest b-sides (Free Will 12" anyone?) of any band I've known. I don't think they'll come back though, New Order seems to be Bernard's thing now and I imagine it will stay that way for the foreseeable future. Plus Johnny Marr seems to be content in his solo career and occasional film scores.

I don't normally agree with posthumously revising albums - Morrissey is especially guilty in this area, desecrating more than a couple of his solo reissues with random, self-indulgent track lists and ruined artwork - but I really do feel that Raise The Pressure is ripe for such an edition. If you took a pool of the individual songs from Raise The Pressure (18 in all) you could very easily whittle down a core of 10 or 11 really strong tracks and consign the remainder to bonus content. Ironically, a fair amount of the original LP would end up in the bonus category for me with many of the b-sides such as Imitation Of Life and I Feel Alright being swapped in. The edit of Imitation Of Life included on the 2006 Best Of lops off the clanging outro and also Second Nature's outro could do with a bit of a shave as the backing vocals get a tad excessive after a while. There is a pretty snappy US promo edit out there which fulfils that purpose. Finally, swap out the original version of Until The End Of Time and replace it with Bernard's own Fluffy Dice Mix which was labelled as the 12" Version on the vinyl promo anyway.

We've probably done it before years ago but it would be an interesting idea for a thread; how would you revise Raise The Pressure into your ideal form?

If You've Got Love has to stay. It's a classic Kraftwerk-by-way-of-New Order (with bonus Bartos) track up there with the likes of Your Silent Face and Mr. Disco.

I'm sure this's been brought up before but both RTP+B-sides and Sirens-Lost Sirens would yield a good album apiece. I never got the poptastic Feel Alright (sic, actually sick) but All that I Need and Imitation of Life kick serious butt while most of the album was pappy and sappy. Out Of My League proved popular and was even played on TV but I always thought it was pure Eurovision. Zzzz.

Saw em at Cities In The Park in August 91 and Wembley Exhibition Hall 1 in December the same year.Memory vague but i'm sure they opened the Wembley show with a great instrumental that they never put down in recorded form as far as i know.And no it wasn't Soviet i'm sure.Though i'm sure someone will post a tracklist of that gig and prove me wrong.Tennant turned up at the Wembley show and they did Disappointed (6 months before it was released). Dunno though, they were never that essential live.Right down at the front for Happy Mondays' headline slot at Cities In The Park was a far better craic, fcuking amazing they were that night.

edit: just found the set list for the Wembley Dec 91 show and they did open with Soviet so that's my memory gone for a bollock then

found this old review online Wembley Hall 1 Review, Melody Maker

Had tickets to see them in San Francisco in 1992 but they cancelled the tour.

A friend of mine was at one of the Dodger Stadium gigs in 1990 and never let me forget it.

Andy wrote: Had tickets to see them in San Francisco in 1992 but they cancelled the tour.

A friend of mine was at one of the Dodger Stadium gigs in 1990 and never let me forget it.

I reckon that Dodgers show in 1990 would have been much better than any of the shows in 91.Never heard a boot of it ( if indeed there is any). Would have been great to hear the tracks in more initial form before the album came out in 91.Would have had to make sharp exit before Depress Mode( read that moniker today somewhere and thought it was brilliant) came on though.

edit: Did they ever do some gigs around Raise The Pressure or Twisted Tenderness? Can't honestly remember now.I know they did a few tv spots (Jools Holland ,TFI Friday in 96 and Jo Whiley and TFI again in 99) for each of those albums but don't recall gigs or maybe i wasn't paying much notice around that time as wasn't that excited about those albums.

All this being said, I don't expect an Electronic reunion (barring rare guest spots at gigs if possible) any time soon - if ever. New Order didn't spend the last few years working on Music Complete and it's accompanying gigs just for Barney to drop out and hook up with Johnny again.

Frankly, I think it's ridiculous for fans to entertain the idea just as New Order have answered their prayers with this album. Are you expecting the grass to be greener?

Fotzepolitic wrote: Saw em at Cities In The Park in August 91

I didn't.

Fotzepolitic wrote: Wembley Exhibition Hall 1 in December the same year.Memory vague but i'm sure they opened the Wembley show with a great instrumental that they never put down in recorded form as far as i know.And no it wasn't Soviet i'm sure.Though i'm sure someone will post a tracklist of that gig and prove me wrong.Tennant turned up at the Wembley show and they did Disappointed (6 months before it was released).

Yes apart from the opener. It WAS Soviet. I remember cos (a) this was before booze, (b) I was a trainspotter, (c) they were hardly knocking out the hits, and (d) I had a boot somewhere. I assume 'Disappointed' was held back cos it was Summery? Bernard told Peel the Pets were far more precise and precious than he was.

Fotzepolitic wrote: hey were never that essential live.Right down at the front for Happy Mondays' headline slot at Cities In The Park was a far better craic, fcuking amazing they were that night.

Yes again. I enjoyed the Wembly gig but the reviews were lukewarm. You shouldn't go by reviews, but in retrospect I guess part of the fun was the fact it was my first ever gig and I was still a superfan. It's significunt the CITP vid took three Happy Mondays tracks and just one by Electronic. Oh, and Revenge. Ewwww.

Andy wrote: Had tickets to see them in San Francisco in 1992 but they cancelled the tour.

A friend of mine was at one of the Dodger Stadium gigs in 1990 and never let me forget it.

i still have my ticket from 1991 for their solo show(that they cancelled) at Universal Amphitheatre and i went to the Dodger Stadium show. don't remember them advertising a show or tour in 1992 though.

Fotzepolitic wrote: I reckon that Dodgers show in 1990 would have been much better than any of the shows in 91.Never heard a boot of it ( if indeed there is any). Would have been great to hear the tracks in more initial form before the album came out in 91.

my friend recorded the show on cassette and i've seen other boots of it out there.

spooky wrote:

Andy wrote: Had tickets to see them in San Francisco in 1992 but they cancelled the tour.

A friend of mine was at one of the Dodger Stadium gigs in 1990 and never let me forget it.

i still have my ticket from 1991 for their solo show(that they cancelled) at Universal Amphitheatre and i went to the Dodger Stadium show. don't remember them advertising a show or tour in 1992 though.

Fotzepolitic wrote: I reckon that Dodgers show in 1990 would have been much better than any of the shows in 91.Never heard a boot of it ( if indeed there is any). Would have been great to hear the tracks in more initial form before the album came out in 91.

my friend recorded the show on cassette and i've seen other boots of it out there.

I didn't save my ticket but clearly it was the same cancelled tour. I do remember that it was to be at The Warfield with Stereo MC's as support.

I also had tickets to see Bad Lieutenant in S.F., but the volcano debris took care of that.

Yeah I too remember, some fine day in 91 or 92, Reality fabulously blasting out on the car stereo at a rather mundane occasion… unable to tear myself away, I had to listen right to the end and be late for my appointment. For me anyway, the original tracklistings of Electronic albums should never be changed - too many memories attached with it. However the original album of Raise The Pressure was accompanied by loads of associated songs such as the b sides from the Disappointed, Forbidden City and For You singles, the Until the End of Time and Second Nature remixes (including one called Second Nation, I don’t know if that’s a mistake or not, can’t remember where it came from) at least some of which maybe could fit on a second disc? PCL and Technique I think have had this makeover I noticed the other week in HMV.

There is/was a Best of Electronic album, with a DVD of videos of the singles in the limited edition version, still there on Amazon but getting a bit expensive now, which gives the impression of finality so I doubt there will be any more, considering what the conditions were when Electronic was in existence.

I would love to see Electronic do some shows again. I rediscovered them a couple of years ago and listened to their albums a lot. It would be interesting to see what sort of demand there would be for the shows. Even if Bernard did a few shows on his own it would be great to hear those songs in a venue.