kamera Posted August 15, 2006 Share Posted August 15, 2006 I just saw the documentary about TVZ and was interested in checking out his music...Where should a newbie begin? Also, do you have a favorite TVZ song? Thanks in advance! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
rghammo Posted August 15, 2006 Share Posted August 15, 2006 "High, Low, and In Between" and "The Late, Great Townes Van Zandt" are available packaged on one CD. That would be the best start imo. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Synthesizer Patel Posted August 15, 2006 Share Posted August 15, 2006 I just saw the documentary about TVZ and was interested in checking out his music...Where should a newbie begin? Also, do you have a favorite TVZ song? Thanks in advance! I assume you live in america, so you'll have to wait a bit for this to arrive, but just get this: Boxset It's got his first 7 albums plus a few bonus cuts and some live tracks from the Live at the Old Quarter Houston Texas album. Although it's a little bit more than purchasing one album, you'll thank me in the long run as they are all great. If you don't want to do this then go for what rghammo said - my favourite album is High, Low and Inbetween, and The Late Great Townes Van Zandt is another great one too. EDIT: You can get this from Amazon in America, but it is $39, so make sure you get it from the UK, where it is only Quote Link to post Share on other sites
LouieB Posted August 15, 2006 Share Posted August 15, 2006 "High, Low, and In Between" and "The Late, Great Townes Van Zandt" are available packaged on one CD. That would be the best start imo.Yes...that and Live at the Quarter is good as well. LouieB Quote Link to post Share on other sites
DrNo Posted August 15, 2006 Share Posted August 15, 2006 Yes...that and Live at the Quarter is good as well. LouieB 2nd vote for Live at the Old Quarter. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
zoom Posted August 15, 2006 Share Posted August 15, 2006 2nd vote for Live at the Old Quarter. Yep, start with Live at the Old Quarter. Rear View Mirror is a good live overview too. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
LouieB Posted August 15, 2006 Share Posted August 15, 2006 I have always thought that the Old Quarter is probably the best representation of what Townes was like in person. The Tomato records are all good, but sometimes mared by over-arrangement. Some of the later material is mared by Townes' premature aging due to alcholism. Either way there is lots to choose from in his catalogue. LouieB Quote Link to post Share on other sites
M. (hristine Posted August 15, 2006 Share Posted August 15, 2006 When I went looking for Live At The Old Quarter earlier this summer, I found it nowhere on line. Someone here at VC explained that all of the Tomato Records catalogue of Van Zandt were out of production. I found a new copy at an old indie record store. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
LouieB Posted August 15, 2006 Share Posted August 15, 2006 When I went looking for Live At The Old Quarter earlier this summer, I found it nowhere on line. Someone here at VC explained that all of the Tomato Records catalogue of Van Zandt were out of production. I found a new copy at an old indie record store.Very cool. My vinyl copy is rather worn out sadly. Some of the Tomato catalogue is in print in some way because the twofer mentioned above was originally released on Tomato. Edit- Okay I did an Amazon search and it does appear that much of it is out of print and selling for high prices, although some is still available used at a reasonable cost. I bought 4 or 5 of the original Tomato LPs as cut outs many many moons ago (at $3 a piece), back when Townes had not yet become in vogue, but was also no longer really of that much interest to most people after his intital recording flurry. Strange how all this happens. There is much material out there from him on other labels, both early and late, but the Tomato stuff doesn't seem readily available. LouieB Quote Link to post Share on other sites
nettles Posted August 15, 2006 Share Posted August 15, 2006 The only one I own is "The Nashville Sessions" I dig it alot and recommend it. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
jahilia Posted August 15, 2006 Share Posted August 15, 2006 Also, do you have a favorite TVZ song? To Live is to Fly is my favorite. We all got holes to fillThem holes are all that's realsome fall on you like a stormSometimes you dig your ownThe choice is your to make Time is yours to takeSome dive into the seaSome toil upon the stoneTo live is to fly, low and highSo shake the dust out of your wingsand the tears out of your eyes Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Synthesizer Patel Posted August 15, 2006 Share Posted August 15, 2006 To Live is to Fly is my favorite. We all got holes to fillThem holes are all that's realsome fall on you like a stormSometimes you dig your ownThe choice is your to make Time is yours to takeSome dive into the seaSome toil upon the stoneTo live is to fly, low and highSo shake the dust out of your wingsand the tears out of your eyes My favourite too. It was apparently written about Janis Joplin - someone I don't really like, but at least she inspired a great song. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Synthesizer Patel Posted August 15, 2006 Share Posted August 15, 2006 When I went looking for Live At The Old Quarter earlier this summer, I found it nowhere on line. Someone here at VC explained that all of the Tomato Records catalogue of Van Zandt were out of production. I found a new copy at an old indie record store. They are all available and pretty cheap as a boxset, as I pointed out earlier ( Quote Link to post Share on other sites
oceanman Posted August 15, 2006 Share Posted August 15, 2006 I started with a few of his live shows,that way ya get wide range of material for next to no $$$$ at all. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
LouieB Posted August 15, 2006 Share Posted August 15, 2006 What is the name of the box set?? LouieB Quote Link to post Share on other sites
DrNo Posted August 16, 2006 Share Posted August 16, 2006 What is the name of the box set?? LouieB I believe it's called Texas Troubadour, but I could be wrong. I found it for $25 at a Virgin once and snagged it. Best $25 I ever spent. Live at the Old Quarter is simply without compare though. The new Live at Union Chapel, London, England is good, too. Live Townes is definitely the way to go for a newbie. His stories and jokes are part of the charm. P.S. I think my favorite Townes song right now is "Don't You Take It Too Bad" Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Synthesizer Patel Posted August 16, 2006 Share Posted August 16, 2006 Yeah, it's called Texas Troubadour. It was released as one of those large boxsets first, which goes for a lot of money now, but then they did it again with cardboard covers etc... and made it cheap to buy. I think it was only released in England, which is why it's a little harder to find in America, but certainly not impossible and also it's pretty quick and easy these days to import it from here (I normally have to do it the other way around, and never have to wait long or have a problem). Also, if anyone is having a problem buying Live at The Old Quarter, that too is cheap and easy to find in England (either through amazon.co.uk or some other method) rather than paying a lot for it from America. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
delmarkurt Posted August 16, 2006 Share Posted August 16, 2006 I would suggest Live at the Old Quarter and Rearview Mirror. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Atticus Posted August 17, 2006 Share Posted August 17, 2006 A good friend of mine played his album "Documentary" for me one time and I was blown away. He gives several commentaries and background stories about songs and then plays them. Here's a link to it: Townes Van Zandt "Documentary" Quote Link to post Share on other sites
kamera Posted August 20, 2006 Author Share Posted August 20, 2006 Thanks for all of the terrific information and suggestions! I picked up Live at the Old Quarter and will definately build a collection! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
KNevitt Posted August 20, 2006 Share Posted August 20, 2006 You can get a bunch of his stuff, mostly the Tomato Records, through his website. Townes Van Zandt I ordered the Live in Amsterdam VHS from there years ago and got a free copy of Rear View Mirror as a bonus and a hand written note from his wife, Jeanene. Looks like they still do the RVM freebie, but it is the cassette now. Oh and Tecumseh Valley is my favorite by far. "So she turned to whoring out on the streets with all the lust inside her." Everytime I hear it it is like getting hit in the stomach. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Albert Tatlock Posted August 21, 2006 Share Posted August 21, 2006 A public thankyou to Jimmy Jimmy for first bringing his name to my attention in the NP thread a few months ago (though I'm assuming that Pancho & Lefty is the song I know from Emmylou), and BBH for the heads up on the box set - Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Albert Tatlock Posted August 21, 2006 Share Posted August 21, 2006 Snow Don't Fall Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Synthesizer Patel Posted August 21, 2006 Share Posted August 21, 2006 BBH for the heads up on the box set - Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mybenito Posted August 22, 2006 Share Posted August 22, 2006 The soundtrack to that new DVD, Be Here To Love ME, is a great place to start. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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