ADVOCACY - a thread for the criminally neglected
Posted by: Sloop John B on 28 November 2007
I'm sure we all have favourite artists and we cannot understand why they are so ignored and little known considering the excellence of their output.
For me the most criminally neglected artist I know is Pierce Turner.
A Wexford lad he went over to America like so many before and had his first album (It's a Long Way Across) produced by Philip Glass. Many of you will know the song "Among the Wicklow Hills" from this album which Christy Moore did a version of on "Ride on". (Indeed Christy has a song on his box set titled "I love the way Pierce Turner sings")
Pierce recorded 2 other albums for Beggar's Banquet The Sky and the Ground and Now is Heaven. Latterly his releases are on his own label the 2001 3 minute world and the 2006 "the boy to be with". All his albums are of a very high consistent standard and his latest has a wonderful heartfelt tribute to Rory Gallagher which I know would bring a tear to JWM's eye but the one I want to focus on is
Now is Heaven
This is an outstanding album and deserves a place in all NAIM connoisseurs collections. From the wonderful bastadisation of "here comes the night" to the heartfelt "Moonbeam Josephine" about his father's Alzheimer's disease this is an album of high art and emotion - with some great tunes. This is one of the albums I keep going back to among my collection as fresh today as it was in 1991. Yet it's quite possible that I'm the only one on the NAIM forum with a copy of it?
There are audio samples onPierce Turner .com and all his cd's can be purchased from the site
SJB
For me the most criminally neglected artist I know is Pierce Turner.
A Wexford lad he went over to America like so many before and had his first album (It's a Long Way Across) produced by Philip Glass. Many of you will know the song "Among the Wicklow Hills" from this album which Christy Moore did a version of on "Ride on". (Indeed Christy has a song on his box set titled "I love the way Pierce Turner sings")
Pierce recorded 2 other albums for Beggar's Banquet The Sky and the Ground and Now is Heaven. Latterly his releases are on his own label the 2001 3 minute world and the 2006 "the boy to be with". All his albums are of a very high consistent standard and his latest has a wonderful heartfelt tribute to Rory Gallagher which I know would bring a tear to JWM's eye but the one I want to focus on is
Now is Heaven
This is an outstanding album and deserves a place in all NAIM connoisseurs collections. From the wonderful bastadisation of "here comes the night" to the heartfelt "Moonbeam Josephine" about his father's Alzheimer's disease this is an album of high art and emotion - with some great tunes. This is one of the albums I keep going back to among my collection as fresh today as it was in 1991. Yet it's quite possible that I'm the only one on the NAIM forum with a copy of it?
There are audio samples onPierce Turner .com and all his cd's can be purchased from the site
SJB
I guess this is all a matter of degree - but for my money the most criminally neglected band I know are Marah.
I know there are a few other Naim owners who are fans but these guys in no way get the recognition they deserve.
For example, last week I watched them play in front of 50 people in Bristol. They were electrifying live - there is no other band I would like to see more. It seemed such a shame they travelled all the way from Philly and so few people turned up.
I am not great at articulating how the band sound (imagine the Pogues covering Springsteen) but this is a great summary with a brief history:
Description
Notwithstanding their relative obscurity they do have some high profile fans including Stephen King, Steve Earle, Bruce Springsteen and Nick Hornby (they are included in his 31 Songs books). Nick's thoughts are here:
Nick Hornby on Marah
The small group of people who have discovered them are fanatical.
Plenty of material on YouTube if you fancy checking them out.
In terms of albums, their best are:
Other great albums are:
The boys are playing their last date on their UK tour at the Islington Acadamy in a few hours - what I would give to be there...you still have time if you fancy it.
Marah I salute you.
worm
I know there are a few other Naim owners who are fans but these guys in no way get the recognition they deserve.
For example, last week I watched them play in front of 50 people in Bristol. They were electrifying live - there is no other band I would like to see more. It seemed such a shame they travelled all the way from Philly and so few people turned up.
I am not great at articulating how the band sound (imagine the Pogues covering Springsteen) but this is a great summary with a brief history:
Description
Notwithstanding their relative obscurity they do have some high profile fans including Stephen King, Steve Earle, Bruce Springsteen and Nick Hornby (they are included in his 31 Songs books). Nick's thoughts are here:
Nick Hornby on Marah
The small group of people who have discovered them are fanatical.
Plenty of material on YouTube if you fancy checking them out.
In terms of albums, their best are:
Other great albums are:
The boys are playing their last date on their UK tour at the Islington Acadamy in a few hours - what I would give to be there...you still have time if you fancy it.
Marah I salute you.
worm
Professor Gerhart Hetzel
Hmmmm ..... 
Maria McKee
Absolute belter of a voice. I hate the term diva for every 5 minute sensation these days but it definitely applies here. I think from memory her publishing company is called Little Diva.
Started out with Lone Justice in the mid-80s - acclaimed as the next big thing, famous fans (Dylan) - impossible to live up to expectations and so folded after a couple of good country-rock albums.
She wrote Fergal Sharkey's No 1 - "A Good Heart" and has only now released her own version on her latest album "Late December" and which I haven't got yet
She's been solo since 1989 releasing only about 10 albums in this time but they are all good in their own way. My favourites would be her first Maria McKee from 1989 followed by You Gotta Sin to Get Saved then Peddlin' Dreams from 2005.
Never seen her live yet - that must be rectified.
Cheers
Scott
Just came across this on The Times online site.
Freedom from the fame game
Absolute belter of a voice. I hate the term diva for every 5 minute sensation these days but it definitely applies here. I think from memory her publishing company is called Little Diva.
Started out with Lone Justice in the mid-80s - acclaimed as the next big thing, famous fans (Dylan) - impossible to live up to expectations and so folded after a couple of good country-rock albums.
She wrote Fergal Sharkey's No 1 - "A Good Heart" and has only now released her own version on her latest album "Late December" and which I haven't got yet
She's been solo since 1989 releasing only about 10 albums in this time but they are all good in their own way. My favourites would be her first Maria McKee from 1989 followed by You Gotta Sin to Get Saved then Peddlin' Dreams from 2005.
Never seen her live yet - that must be rectified.
Cheers
Scott
Just came across this on The Times online site.
Freedom from the fame game
Blues option!
Can I add one, divisive and hard to get album, "King King" by the Red Devils:
It's simply a fantastic raw blues album hard to get but well worth the effort.
I was given a copy some years ago and it has stuck with me as being one of the best live albums - along with maybe Van's "Too late to stop now" - as being undervalued to listeners the world over.
This album will make your day.
Buy it, if you can get your hands on it and not just because Lester Buttler (a great harp player) has past away etc.
Can I add one, divisive and hard to get album, "King King" by the Red Devils:
It's simply a fantastic raw blues album hard to get but well worth the effort.
I was given a copy some years ago and it has stuck with me as being one of the best live albums - along with maybe Van's "Too late to stop now" - as being undervalued to listeners the world over.
This album will make your day.
Buy it, if you can get your hands on it and not just because Lester Buttler (a great harp player) has past away etc.