jff Posted October 14, 2009 Share Posted October 14, 2009 This is the thread in which we discuss Tin Machine. Other acceptable topics of discussion include, but are not limited to: Soupy Sales; children of famous people; famous rock/pop stars attempting to become somewhat anonymous by forming a band with a group of semi-obscure musicians; Iggy Pop's "Lust For Life"; Todd Rundgren's "Runt"; bands who release one killer album and follow it up with a terrible album; using battery powered vibrating devices on your electric guitar; bands who wear expensive suits; mirror finished headstock-less Steinberger guitars. I'll get us started. As a teen, Tin Machine's "Heaven's in Here" was my favorite song to play along with on the drums. Also as a teen, I made a stencil and spray painted "Tin Machine" on a tie-dyed t-shirt. I still have what I believe to be every Tin Machine performance aired on network television (in the USA) on VHS tape. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Sir Stewart Posted October 14, 2009 Share Posted October 14, 2009 Well alright!"Tin Machine, Tin Machine, take me anywhere."I think this project (the first album anyway) was a little overlooked/underappreciated as it followed Bowie's widely panned Glass Spider tour, and the album that it was promoting. Looked at the time like Bowie'd run out of ideas and 'rocking out' was a calculated effort to get back some respect. Wrong.Never did pick up the second release, but the first one is excellent. You already mentioned Heaven's In Here, which is epic, and Under The God, Crack City, etc. all are brimming with wild bombast and a cool touch of danger.Thanks for the thread! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Analogman Posted October 14, 2009 Share Posted October 14, 2009 There was also a live album released (Tin Machine Live: Oy Vey, Baby). I recall seeing them on TV, but never cared for the music they made. Of course, I am not really much of a Bowie fan outside of his 60s-1973 output. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
jff Posted October 14, 2009 Author Share Posted October 14, 2009 There was also a live album released (Tin Machine Live: Oy Vey, Baby). I recall seeing them on TV, but never cared for the music they made. Of course, I am not really much of a Bowie fan outside of his 60s-1973 output. Yeah, Oy Vey, Baby. I still have that. That one gets panned pretty much across the board, but as live albums go it's ok. It suffers from all the bad 2nd album tunes, especially the boring blues song that Hunt Sales sings. If your band includes David Bowie, why let the drummer take a lead vocal? Lots of good stuff on the first album, though. I remember back in the day my friend told me Tin Machine was suppsed to do a co-headlineing tour with Janes Addiction. My response was that Tin machine would blow Janes Addiction off the stage. I really believed that. In hindsight, I was probably wrong, but it would have been a fun show if it had happened. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Analogman Posted October 14, 2009 Share Posted October 14, 2009 I believe I have an issue of CREEM (when it came back out in the large size format) that has an extended interview with Tin Machine. What was the other controversy? Something about a record sleeve with naked dude statues on it? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
jff Posted October 14, 2009 Author Share Posted October 14, 2009 This was my first exposure to the band when I was in 11th grade, and I was 100% sold: Tin Machine at the "Elvis Awards" (I remember the Replacements and Keith Richards also performed): (Hope this link works.) Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Analogman Posted October 14, 2009 Share Posted October 14, 2009 Working Class Hero (I forgot they did that song.) Quote Link to post Share on other sites
bjorn_skurj Posted October 14, 2009 Share Posted October 14, 2009 That first album ripped it up. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
jff Posted October 14, 2009 Author Share Posted October 14, 2009 I believe I have an issue of CREEM (when it came back out in the large size format) that has an extended interview with Tin Machine. What was the other controversy? Something about a record sleeve with naked dude statues on it? I still have the Creem with them on the cover. The controversy was that the statues on the cover of their second album were anatomically correct. On the censored USA version the statues are castrated. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Analogman Posted October 14, 2009 Share Posted October 14, 2009 I still have the Creem with them on the cover. The controversy was that the statues on the cover of their second album were anatomically correct. On the censored USA version the statues are castrated. That's it. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
LouieB Posted October 14, 2009 Share Posted October 14, 2009 Can't really comment on Tin Machine much except that they changed the cover art because of the penis pictures. LouieB Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Sir Stewart Posted October 14, 2009 Share Posted October 14, 2009 This was my first exposure to the band when I was in 11th grade, and I was 100% sold: Tin Machine at the "Elvis Awards" (I remember the Replacements and Keith Richards also performed): (Hope this link works.) I remember that show for two other things: Living Colour winning and Vernon Reid saying the award could have been called The Chuck Berry, and Eric Clapton introducing Keith Richards as having "never sold himself down the river" referring (I thought) to Clapton's recent Michelob ad. I think they were from that show, those things. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
LittleSavage Posted October 14, 2009 Share Posted October 14, 2009 Not much constructive to add, but the first post in this thread is about 50 kinds of awesome! That first album was pretty great Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Wild Frank Posted October 15, 2009 Share Posted October 15, 2009 Off on a tangent a little bit but......What exactly is Bowie up to these days. I kind of liked his nineties output (Outside/Earthling etc), especially songs like 'Heart's Filthy Lesson' and 'Hello Spaceboy'. He seems to have gone very quiet in recent years. Bowie is someone have have never managed to see live and I would like to rectify that in the near future. I don't listen much too him nowadays but I feel, if you listed his top twenty or so songs it becomes apparent that he compares very well with almost any other artist in rock history. p.s: Tin Machine were S**t. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
jff Posted October 15, 2009 Author Share Posted October 15, 2009 I brought Tin Machine 2 with me to work today, and I will attempt to listen to it all the way through. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Sir Stewart Posted October 15, 2009 Share Posted October 15, 2009 I brought Tin Machine 2 with me to work today, and I will attempt to listen to it all the way through. > Quote Link to post Share on other sites
jff Posted October 15, 2009 Author Share Posted October 15, 2009 > Yeah, I'm procrastinating. Right now I'm listening to the Wilco book cd, which I haven't heard in a long time. Maybe it would have been wiser to warm up with some Loverboy, or something. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
jff Posted October 15, 2009 Author Share Posted October 15, 2009 OK, I'm five songs in. My computer crashed after a few songs but now it's back up. The cover of Roxy Music's "If There is Something" was pretty good. "Amlapura" was nice sonically, but didn't go anywhere as a song. So far, it's not as horrific as I remembered, but it's not something I'll be listening to again any time soon. I'm expecting the second half to have some real dreck. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ms. yvon Posted October 15, 2009 Share Posted October 15, 2009 tin machine performed "if there is something" on tv. it was terrific! the only person who can credibly cover roxy music is david bowie. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Moss Posted October 15, 2009 Share Posted October 15, 2009 The first Tin Machine is yet another one I only own on cassette so never really listen to anymore. I regret never getting to see them in concert. Only time I have seen Bowie was Glass Spider which was pretty bad. I just remember cranking the holy living hell out of "Crack City" and trying to figure out how to play it. I'm a big fan of Reeves' guitar style. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
uncool2pillow Posted October 16, 2009 Share Posted October 16, 2009 I remember when Tin Machine 2 came out Musician magazine did a cover story raving about it. I liked the 1st album, I still like much of it. 2 sucked crap. I don't know what they were thinking about Musician magazine. Let's remember, people, that the Sales Bros. rhythm section also gave us "Lust for Life", and for that alone, they belong in the rock and roll hall of fame. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
larryt Posted October 16, 2009 Share Posted October 16, 2009 Off on a tangent a little bit but......What exactly is Bowie up to these days. I kind of liked his nineties output (Outside/Earthling etc), especially songs like 'Heart's Filthy Lesson' and 'Hello Spaceboy'. He seems to have gone very quiet in recent years. Bowie is someone have have never managed to see live and I would like to rectify that in the near future. I don't listen much too him nowadays but I feel, if you listed his top twenty or so songs it becomes apparent that he compares very well with almost any other artist in rock history. p.s: Tin Machine were S**t. hey Wild Frank just to let you know that Bowie had a heart attack a couple of years ago and has been laying low ever since......its doubtful that you will see him live in the near future, which is a shame. I have'nt missed seeing him since 1973! larryt Quote Link to post Share on other sites
jff Posted October 16, 2009 Author Share Posted October 16, 2009 hey Wild Frank just to let you know that Bowie had a heart attack a couple of years ago and has been laying low ever since......its doubtful that you will see him live in the near future, which is a shame. I have'nt missed seeing him since 1973! larryt Damn, I didn't know that. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.