GBV's Greatest Hits - What would yours be?

[cungar]

With the announcement of the upcoming Greatest Hits, list what you would put on this to have the most appeal to the casual listener. Someone who is interested in the band but not quite ready for the more experimental stuff. Limit it to 25 songs

Here's mine:

Weed King
14 Cheerleader Cold Front
Wandering Boy Poet
Hardcore UFO's
Tractor Rape Chain
Goldstar Mountaintop
Watch Me Jumpstart
Game of Pricks
My Valuable Hunting Knife
Offical Ironmen Rally Song
Don't Stop Now
Drag Days
Not Behind the Fighter Jet
Jane of the Waking Universe
Surgical Focus
Things I Will Keep
An Unmarketed Product
Perfect This Time
Glad Girls
Twighlight Campfigter
Chasing Heather Crazy
Christian Animation Torch Carriers
Storm Languages
Universal Truths and Cycles

[Radamez]

Earful o'wax
Long Distance Man
Paper Girl
How Loft Am I?
Indian Was an Angel
Let's Ride
Hey Hey Spaceman
Where I Come From
Weed King
Tractor Rape Chain
Goldheart Mountaintop
I am a Scientist
Game of Pricks
My Valuable Hunting Knife
Watch Me Jumpstart
Red Men and....
Acorns & Orioles
Bulldog Skin
Dragon's Awake
Sister I need Wine
Twilight Camp...
Glad Girls
Brides Have Hit Glass
Christian Animation
Storm Vibrations

...Just off the top of my head

[cle-rat]

Sticking to the Matador releases and Prop/VoT:
01) Mesh Gear Fox
02) Weed King
03) Quality of Armor
04) Shocker in Gloomtown
05) Wondering Boy Poet
06) If We Wait
07) Tractor Rape Chain
08) Hot Freaks
09) Echoes Myron
10) Gold Star for Robot Boy
11) I Am a Scientist
12) A Salty Salute
13) Game of Pricks
14) Motor Away
15) My Valuable Hunting Knife
16) Cut-Out Witch
17) Official Ironmen Rally Song
18) Acorns and Orioles
19) Don't Stop Now
20) Get Under It
21) Psychic Pilot Clocks Out
22) Bulldog Skin
23) I Am a Tree
24) Jane of the Waking Universe
25) Subspace Biographies

[cle-rat]

and for the b-sides/ep's comp, I'd love to see this:

01) Motor Away (24-track version)
02) Color of My Blade
03) Deaf Ears
04) Why Did You Land?
05) June Salutes You!
06) Systems Crash
07) Catfood on the Earwig
08) The Who vs. Porky Pig
09) A Life in Finer Clothing
10) The Worryin' Song
11) Subtle Gear Shifting
12) Finks
13) The Singing Razorblade
14) Now To War (electric version)
15) Manenequin's Complaint (Wax Dummy Meltdown)
16) Do They Teach You To Chase?
17) Ascended Masters Grogshop
18) I'll Name You The Flame That Cries
19) My Thoughts Are a Gas
20) Running Off with the Fun City Girls
21) None of Them Any Good
22) Choking Tara (Creamy Version)
23) Aim Correctly


...this skips the songs from the Tigerbomb ep (since it's available on cd with the U.K. release of UtBUtS) and Sunfish Holy Breakfast (since it's 10 songs sort of stand together as a mini-lp of sorts). This also assumes there was some creative negotiations to release the bonus trx from the japanese releases. Just my two-cent.

[johansen smith]

this is the tracklisting of the GBV mix I made to turn my friends onto GBV. it does contain some Solo work from both Pollard and Sprout and has more than 25 tracks. but eat me, it's a good mix.

subspace biographies
the brides have hit the glass (demo)
to my beloved martha
top chick silver chord
mushroom art
far out crops
picture me big time
hey aardvark
orange jacket
to remake the young flyer
color of my blade
off the floor
time machines (Lexo version)
flings of the waistcoat crowd
ester’s day
cruise
i can see it in your eyes
scissors
soldiers of June
dusting coattails
long way to run
unshaven bird
black ghost pie
the big make-over
mute superstar
just say the word
a life in finer clothing
messenger
girl named captain
crutch came slinking
planet’s own brand
dodging invisible rays
blue moon fruit
dancing with my gun
how loft am I?
soul flyer
circling motorhead mountain
back chorus

[portablefire]

i don't understand the point of the b-sides/ eps disc.

is it that, theoretically, i only have some of that stuff on vinvyl?

[Jason]

Theoretcally, a lot of people don't have that stuff at all. Or they don't have all of it at least. And a lot of the singles and EPs are out of print. I think I have all the b-sides and EPs in one form or another cuz I'm a psycho, but it'll nice to have all that stuff on one disc.

[impossible]

I haven't heard nearly as much GBV as most of you, but one track really sticks its neck out (to me).

Hot Freaks from Bee Thousand. How no one has acknowledged that, I do not know! I guess that just means that I need to hear way more GBV!

[gelgis olowana]

off the top of my head and in no particular order ...
1) Liar's Tale
2) Surgical Focus
3) Game of Pricks
4) I Am a Scientist
5) Storm Vibrations
6) Time Machines
7) Back to Saturn X
8) Girl Named Captain
9) Twilight Campfighter
10) Slick as Snails
11) I Am a Tree
12) Motor Away
13) Drag Days
14) Official Ironman Rally Song
15) Your Name is Wild
16) Not Behind the Fighter Jet
17) Secret Star
18) Little Whirl
19) Picture Me Big Time
20) The Enemy
21) Christian Animation Torch Carriers
22) Tractor Rape Chain
23) Avalanche Aminos
24) Choking Tara (creamy)
25) Stifled Man Casino

Originally posted by impossible
I haven't heard nearly as much GBV as most of you, but one track really sticks its neck out (to me).

Hot Freaks from Bee Thousand. How no one has acknowledged that, I do not know! I guess that just means that I need to hear way more GBV! probably not in my top 1000 bob songs

[curly]

Hot Freaks might just be the sexiest song ever. It's definitely in my top 25.

[johansen smith]

"Hot Freaks" is a pretty awful song, but I like the ten second loop of the beat that plays before "Off the Floor."

[Radamez]

I think Hot Freaks is a great song--in the top eight on Bee Thousand.
And I think Gold Star for Robot Boy is the most overrated song in Bob's canon. Everyone seems to think it's a great song but I just don't see it. I like Want One better.

[cungar]

Why was the "Earthquake Glue was not very good" thread closed? King Shit who started the thread had even changed his mind and said he liked it.

[Patrick]

Honestly, it's just bumming me out to see a thread entitled "Earthquake Glue is not very good" hogging space at the top of the forum, especially when the bulk of said thread (assuming someone bothers to open it) is actually defending the album and saying it is good.

Feel free to continue that discussion in a new thread.

Patrick

[cungar]

Well you could have changed it to Earthquake Glue is not very good (but wait, I like it now after a bunch of listens)

[Scott Frost]

Originally posted by Patrick
Honestly, it's just bumming me out to see a thread entitled "Earthquake Glue is not very good" hogging space at the top of the forum, especially when the bulk of said thread (assuming someone bothers to open it) is actually defending the album and saying it is good.

Feel free to continue that discussion in a new thread.

Patrick I thought this was a place for a free exchange of ideas. I didn't realize the opposite was true. I shall never post here again and I am deleting every thread I started.

Good day.

[portablefire]

are you resuming your career as an option quarterback trapped in a safety's body for the new york jets?

[Patrick]

Crazy!

Patrick

[impossible]

I threw Bee Thousand in tonight. Clicked on this thread and HOT FREAKS rolls out its sly rhythm. The jangle of the guitar hides the bass line well. I love it. Talk it out. Shout it out.

Somewhat of an Arab Strap tang going on here. I haven't heard much Arab Strap though.

GBV has definitely grown on me. I remember when I first bought this album at the demand of board members here, and a good friend of mine who is all about Pollard. I just didn't hear it. Tonight it is sounding good. St. Pauli Girl is 9.45 a 12 right now too.

[nmalis]

The main point of a greatest hits collection is not to make old fans of the group happy, but to draw in new listeners. With that in mind, here are 25 classics that'll certainly get neophytes to the GBV section of their record store...

A Salty Salute
Bulldog Skin
Chasing Heather Crazy
Don't Stop Now
Echos Myron
Cheyanne
Everywhere With Helicopter
Game of Pricks
Hold on Hope
I Am A Tree
I Am A Scientist
Lethargy
Motor Away
My Valuable Hunting Knife
Queen of Cans and Jars
Smothered in Hugs
Cocksoldiers and Their Postwar Stubble
Striped White Jets
Teenage FBI
Tractor Rape Chain
Official Iron Man Rally Song
Goldheart Mountaintop Queen Directory
Glad Girls
Hank's Little Fingers
Weed King

[Patrick]

Wow nmalis, that would be close to my selection too for the purpose your mention - which is of course one of the purposes of the collection.

Maybe a couple more "Propeller" tracks for me. And No "Wished I Was A Giant"? or a couple of the Toby tracks from "UTBUTS"? Actually more "UTBUTS" in general?

"The Queen of Cans & Jars" is one of my all-time underrated GBV songs.

Of course, my selection isn't Bob's selection - which is the other purpose of the collection - to showcase his favorites.

Patrick

[captain]

25 songs:

Hey Hey Spaceman
Earful of Wax
How Loft I Am?
Red Gas Circle
Over the Neptune/Mesh Gear Fox
Expecting Brainchild
Perhaps Now the Vultures
Tractor Rape Chain
I Am a Scientist
Gold Star For Robot Boy
Game of Pricks
My Son Cool
Cigarette Tricks
Closer You Are
Man Called Aerodynamics
Office of Hearts
Beekeper Seeks Ruth
If We Wait
Sad If I Lost It
The Finest Joke Is Upon Us
Avalanche Aminos
Unspirited
Skills Like This
Universal Truths and Cycles
Zap

[nmalis]

Glad you like my selections. But, since most CDs can take 80 minutes of music and those 25 songs only take up about 63 minutes, there's room for more. Here's what I'd add:

Atom Eyes
Big Boring Wedding
Blimps Go 90
Quality of Armor
Wished I Was a Giant

With those 5 extras, the CD clocks in at 78 minutes and has 30 tracks.

Sounds pretty perfect to me.

[johansen smith]

Originally posted by nmalis
Glad you like my selections. But, since most CDs can take 80 minutes of music and those 25 songs only take up about 63 minutes, there's room for more. Here's what I'd add:

Atom Eyes
Big Boring Wedding
Blimps Go 90
Quality of Armor
Wished I Was a Giant

With those 5 extras, the CD clocks in at 78 minutes and has 30 tracks.

Sounds pretty perfect to me.

and add "Hey Aardvark" and "Off the Floor" to fill the time left.

[Ladt]

Originally posted by Patrick


"The Queen of Cans & Jars" is one of my all-time underrated GBV songs.


Patrick
Wow, I hardly ever see this song mentioned, I love it, it's as good as most of the well acknowledged B000 songs IMO, and also agree with your Tobin and UTBUTS comments, it'll be interesting to see which songs bob picks from that album because only the official ironmen rally song and Cut OUt Witch were singles. Yout Name Is Wild? God, i hope so- what a fantastic song.

[portablefire]

does anyone already have Forever Since Breakfast? I've downloaded only 2 of the songs from it i think: Let's Ride and Fountain of Youth and they're both great.

[Patrick]

nmalis - yup, that would make a pretty perfect collection.

Ladt - I remember urging Bob to play "Queen of Cans & Jars" at a Maxwells show back in '94, when you'd have thought it would still be pretty new to him, and he was like, "Oh yeah that song!" hummed a few bars and said, "That's a great song!!" almost like he was talking about someone else's work. I don't think they played it though.

And you might be interested to know that "Your Name Is Wild" was under discussion as a third single from "UTBUTS", but it never came to anything. It even got assigned a cancelled OLE number - OLE-228.

Patrick

[nmalis]

You know, it never even occured to me that this song could be overlooked. The first time I heard B000 that song grabbed me. I've come to regard it as one of Bob's absolute classics. Who knew it was so unappreciated?

[Ladt]

Yeah, when they play Name is wild on Jelly fish reflector bob says "that should be our next single" or something. Any reason why this was not realeased?

[Lanky D]

A Salty Salute
Fair Touching
Don't Stop Now
Secret Star
Burning Flag Birthday Suit
Skills Like This
I'll Replace You With Machines
Weed King
Downed
I Am a Scientist
Official Ironman Rally Song
Teenage FBI
Tight Globes
Pop Zeus
Office of Hearts
Atom Eyes
Tractor Rape Chain
Little Lines
Buzzards and Dreadful Crows
Postman Ate My Rabbit
Edisons Memos
Now to War
If We Wait
Sad if I Lost It
I Drove a Tank

I haven't even heard Downed, but ya know it's gonna rock, and one of these songs isn't even a GBV song, but which one is it? And fuck them having to be official GBV released songs. Thaz juz bule-sheet. The official release will undoubtedly be a tremendous let-down unless it is exactly this (of course minus the fictional song) I think this covers all the bases with the best covers. To top it off-hidden track studio version of "Baba O'Riley". Whatever happened to hidden tracks anyways? They're so 95.

[Ladt]

I start every GBV compilationn with A man called aerodynamics and follow it my Teenage FBI. I always end with Liars TAle followed by Motor away. Other thatn that, it's a freeee reigns in my drunken opinion.

[bmmello]

I either start with Over the Neptune / Mesh Gear Fox or Maggie turns to flies.

[johansen smith]

got to start with "Subspace Biographies"

[cungar]

A Salty Salute is a natural opener... the club is open.

[James Riot]

My lo-fi mix always starts with Long Distance Man, my hi-fi with Teenage FBI

[debaser]

i cant imagine a gbv best of on a single disc, they just have too many excellent songs and not enough that really stand out above the others

[cungar]

You'd always be banging your head saying, "why didn't I include that" but it could be done. You could make a great sampler. It just wouldn't be comprehensive.

[lester1/2jr]

glad to see "things I will keep" from someone. I had totally forgotten about this amazing song.

[Ladt]

I love that song, Do The Collapse would be half the album it is without it.

[GregF]

Heh.. I've already got my greatest hits. It's called "Bee Thousand." :)

Greg

[interrust]

just made a 2-disc compilation of gbv stuff for my girlfriend, it looks like this. 68 tracks in all:

one
hit / big boring wedding / buzzards and dreadful crows / watch me jumpstart / the enemy / sadness is to end / back to the lake / game of pricks / much better mr. buckles / apology in advance / everywhere with helicopter / things i will keep / father sgt. christmas cardmy valuable hunting knife / you're not an airplane / bulldog skin / my kind of soldier / universal nurse finger / skills like this / beat your wings / man called aerodynamics / smothered in hugs / mushroom art / i am a scientist / fine to see you / mute superstar / zoo pie / mag earwhig! / take to the sky / gold star for robot boy / alright / request pharmaceuticals / learning to hunt / pretty bombs

two
a crick uphill / girl from the sun / for liberty / the ash gray proclamation / cut-out witch / a salty salute / dragons awake! / as we go up, we go down / mix up the satellites / always crush me / car language / evil speakers / twilight campfighter / chicken blows / a trophy mule in particular / colossus crawls west / eureka signs / underwater explosions / best of jill hives / dig through my window / an unmarketed product / frostman / now to war / universal truths and cycles / don't stop now / the old grunt / teenage fbi / skin parade / demons are real / hot freaks / echos myron / ester's day / motor away / fair touching

-- rust

[johansen smith]

Originally posted by interrust

zoo pie

the fuck?

[Ladt]

In his defence he did put underwater explosions on there.

[interrust]

i don't know, but here, i feel like not such a great fan, cause you guys speak of songs i've never even heard of. i only have certain albums, certain ep's, some fcs stuff, etc. had to fill it with something.

-- rust

[quando quando]

i stand by zoo pie & the guy who liked it. its not one of my absolute faves (see parts of fast japanese spin cycle/b000/alien lanes/tower in the fountain of sparks/king shit & the golden boys/static airplane jive/suitcase/harold pig ok i stop now) but it cruises along nicely. shurely if someone said 'gift' off suitcase then i'd be going you are wickety wickety wack. maybe someone should put together the worst 25 gbv songs, that would be easier. it would definitely include the bela version of if we wait

[quando quando]

actually i dont think gbv hav 25 bad songs in em. i can think of gift, hold on hope, shit midas (good irony value but) & a few circus devils instrumentals. maybe song or two off life starts here? used to not like early lps that much but have fallen for their goofy charm in the main

[cungar]

Originally posted by interrust
i don't know, but here, i feel like not such a great fan, cause you guys speak of songs i've never even heard of. i only have certain albums, certain ep's, some fcs stuff, etc. had to fill it with something.

-- rust

Don't feel bad. I've downloaded 300 songs off Kazaa (unreleased gems, demos, live cuts, obscure limited releases) and I own all the available releases and I still constantly see songs I've never heard on people's Best of lists!

[curly]

A few months ago I decided to make myself a best-of gbv tape so I told myself I'd just write down the tunes I absolutely LOVE from the dozen or so discs I had in front of me, which included all GBV full lengths from Propeller to UTAC, plus maybe 3 Bob solos. Well, 78 songs later I was like, fuck it, i'll just listen to Alien Lanes, which is my all-time, all-mood default disc--the ultimate argument settler, if you will (ever hear Rock, Rot & Rule???)

I have no idea how they were able to keep it limited to one disc/30 songs--I can't wait to hear what he picked.

[curly]

Another thing about this thread that cracks me up is that no one's best of list is ever good enough. I learned about GBV from a friend that gave me a comp with about 25 songs on it and I was all, this is great!!! After I knew more about them, I ripped him and his comp bigtime for not including x, y, and z.

[captain]

just for the record, I think "Zoo Pie" is great (so don't feel bad) and "Shit Midas" is collassal.