Godspeed You! Black Emperor, I miss! you
My friend Quinn likes to tell me about the Godspeed You! Black Emperor show he saw in Vancouver back in 2001 or 2002. I was not there for some reason I can’t recall now. Stupidity most likely. Anyway, whenever Quinn speaks of the show – usually at my urging – I can’t help but feel I missed my chance and that I will never see GY!BE live. I truly hope I’m wrong, but it has been pretty damn quiet in the Godspeed camp the past few years. Yanqui U.X.O., their last album, was released almost exactly four years ago. There have been rumours of some commotion at the Hotel2Tango involving Godspeed in the studio…but they are nothing more than that: hopeful rumours. And, of course, I do love A Silver Mt. Zion but they’ve never been able to reach the heights of Godspeed’s finest moments (‘Moya’, for instance).
Like many other Godspeed fans I’ve been hooked up to a verrrrrry slow I.V. drip of two unreleased Godspeed songs that they played live in 2003 before scrapping a planned tour of western North America, announcing an indefinite hiatus, and disappearing into side projects. ‘Albanian’ is a monster of a track that eclipses anything off Yanqui…even shitty recordings can’t hide the sheer ferocity of this song.
Download: Albanian (live in Nantes)
Another new song, ‘Gamelan,’ while less immediate, does embody a lot of what Godspeed were/are about. In fact, if the band went into the studio, put just those two songs down and put it out I’d be thrilled. You can download ‘Gamelan” and the complete show this ‘Albanian’ recording was taken from (and another show) here courtesy Dead Flag Blues.
October 24th, 2006 06:41
i miss godspeed too, i always make sure i listen to f#a# every now and then. dead flag blues still gives me shivers especially when the train whistle comes in.
October 24th, 2006 07:10
It also pains me that I have never seen them live.
October 24th, 2006 09:48
GYBE are a special band…its been a while between drinks
i agree about ‘moya’ being one of their finest moments, honestly it is one of the most astounding songs i have ever heard. the dynamics are incredible…10 minutes of bliss
October 24th, 2006 09:51
i’m with ya, Sean, and these guys too.
Sadly, I highly doubt they’ll tour again…
October 24th, 2006 15:22
Hey, thank you *SO MUCH* for the heads up on this recording, and, for that matter, Dead Flag.com. Consider it a great service inasmuch as the one provided by what the members of Godspeed did/do with their collective hands.
Take care!
October 24th, 2006 17:18
no problem pavael.
October 24th, 2006 22:04
i feel wierd posting on your blog (some strange reason), but ill post to say that i share you desire for more gy!be. they were my favourite band for a long time, and i still rate their records VERY highly.
and i’d add steve reich to the list of songs they should record on album #4, but i think that song is even more lost than gamelan and albanian.
October 26th, 2006 21:15
sadly, i remember guys from GY!BE frowning slightly everytime someone asks about a new release whenever they tour as ASMZ.
gladly, i saw them twice on their last europe tour.
i’ve never seen at the drive-in or fugazi on stage, though.