Smith and Burrows - Tom Plays "I Want You Back in My Life" on Studio Brussel March 2021
The story behind this acoustic take of I Want You Back In My life is sure to reduce your beating heart to a shimmering puddle of warm loveliness. The general gist is that Studio Brussel do a segment on their morning show that aims to bring a little sunshine into folks' lives. For this one, they surprised a lady called Eline. Her husband Alexander was due to celebrate a birthday alone while she was working away, and part of the treats on offer was this clip of Tom playing a song especially for the two of them. Smooth moves, and a lovely gesture. Enjoy ;)
Filmed on the first night of their two shows at Alcatraz in Milan, here's Tom playing The Weight of the World on his acoustic guitar. This was another video provided to the Archive by YouAreTheLaw, and many thanks again to you for your kindness. If you'd like to hear the entire show that was broadcast live on Italian radio at the time, head over to the blog using the link below. Enjoy the music ;)
https://lemmingarchive.blogspot.com/2020/02/m-o-n-s-t-e-r-s-milan-11th-february.html
For more Editors stuff, drop by the Archive
https://lemmingarchive.blogspot.com/2017/03/the-archive-index.html
brought to you with lots and lots of lemming-love ) x
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sbabtFd0ETk
This is one of 10 videos I'm sharing as part of a highlights collection for Editors' January 27th 2010 gig at Monto Water Rats. You can avoid the obligatory fan-rambling by just watching the clips here at the Archive on YouTube, but if you're a curious kitty that consistently craves context:-
https://lemmingarchive.blogspot.com/2016/01/xfm-sessions-monto-water-rats-january.html
For more Editors stuff, drop by the Archive
https://lemmingarchive.blogspot.com/2017/03/the-archive-index.html
brought to you with lots and lots of lemming-love ) x
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4UuzZHIsr4Y
This is an interview with Tom and King Leetch from the backstage area of the Barrowlands in Glasgow, recorded the day after the In This Light and On This Evening album was released in October of 2009. It wanders down various conversational avenues, including the motivating factors that led to the electronic leanings of that album and the role of No Sound But the Wind in it all.
Most Editors fans seem to have their own preferred version of that track, and it certainly polarized fan opinion back in the day. But to hear that it was also a component in changing the band's entire attitude to recording their third album is amazing.
There were various tracks from the album played at points during the interview, so in keeping with the Archive's policy of not ripping the band off by releasing commercially available materials, they've been removed leaving only the chatter. And yes, it does sound like the interview ended abruptly but that was the way it aired at the time, unfortunately. Enjoy ;)
For more Editors stuff, drop by the Archive
https://lemmingarchive.blogspot.com/2017/03/the-archive-index.html
brought to you with lots and lots of lemming-love ) x
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TaqONlb0wM8
It's Editors first trip to Australia, and as part of the promotional duties Tom and Chris stop by with JTV for a brief and precarious window-ledge interview. They cover all the hot topics of the day; Jacknife-Lee as a producer, playing Glastonbury and indulging in studio-based games of hide and seek while recording AEHAS. Apparently all the lights were turned out, and then the 10 people playing got busy trying to be the most effective hider. No, really. Are you curious as to who won and how? Check it out ;)
For more Editors stuff, drop by the Archive
https://lemmingarchive.blogspot.com/2017/03/the-archive-index.html
brought to you with lots and lots of lemming-love :) x
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g5zkPGOLKe0
In my limited experience, there are tapers in the world who record gigs and then sit on the recordings. They rarely see the light of day outside of their private collection and as an outsider, you might never know they existed. Then there are the kinds who record things and then put them out into the world to find their audience. The Archive's friend and contributor, Sven, falls into the latter category. He very generously decided to pass along some old recordings that he's made over the years as a fan in the crowd and oh my goodness, it's good stuff. Huge thanks again to you, sir for making this available. I appreciate it.
This gig is a fantastic opportunity to take another listen to a part of the band's history you may have missed if you're a newcomer to the Editors shindig. The sound is wonderful and the crowd are ready to sing along. And I will say that this version of Bones is superb. Not quite as perfect as the Hultsfred 2006 one, but damn close. For the fans of Editors related comedy, there's a moment after Escape the Nest where it becomes apparent how hard hitting a percussionist Ed is, and how much he throws himself into his playing as he manages to break his drum stool. Powerful Ed Lay!
This is the band's appearance at Pier 2 in Bremin, on the 24th of April 2010. This was during the ITLAOTE touring campaign when they were still a 4 piece with Mr Urbanowicz. The setlist is amazing, not least because it contains Last Day.
Before I go on, and as a disclaimer, I have no insider knowledge of the band and this is purely speculation on my part.
In my mind there are a trilogy of songs with Chris' involvement, at least that we know of, that could have been a strong indicator of which direction Editors were heading during the preliminary stages of the aborted E4 sessions. They were Last Day, The Sting and Two Hearted Spider. Of course, two of those songs were recorded and redone after he was gone, but Last Day was completed and released as a 7" single for the Record Store Day celebrations on April 17th 2010, exactly a week before this gig. One thing the 3 tracks have in common is that electronic influence which underpins them which really guided the direction of things during ITLAOTE, and this lyrical and atmospheric sense of something really ominous happening. It's easy to say that now, knowing what we know about how things dissolved and fractured from this point until April of 2012 when it was announced that Chris was gone. It's possible that the gradual estrangement between the principal songwriters was beginning to seep into the songwriting earlier than this, which would explain the claustrophobia and tension present on the ITLAOTE album, but there's something unsettling about those three songs in particular that seems now to be a red flag. Perversely, they are also extremely beautiful to listen to.
The Sting - "I see my old friend disappear.....I'm in the corner with the wasp sting in my throat"
2HS - "I'm just a fucking mess for you."
Last Day - "This is my last day alive."
At the time it could have been written off as "Editors just being Editors", with their reputation for being dark and gloomy but with the advantage of distance from the event, it may have been an indicator of some very worrying things going on. I have to agree with Mr Smith, who has said in the past that the "tortured artist" thing is bullshit, but I am a firm believer in dynamic tension and the occasionally great things that can result from it. Chris, Tom, Russell and Ed had undeniable musical talent, chemistry and ability when they played together. Last Day may be the final complete, recorded proof of that before the wheels came off and the creative discord between them proved to be unsustainable. This live version is a fitting sister to the studio counterpart. Enjoy the music ;)
The Setlist
ITLAOTE 0:00
Lights 4:10
An End Has a Start 6:44
You Don't Know Love 10:38
Bones 15:25
A Life as a Ghost 17:49
ERM=BD 23:51
Blood 28:43
Escape the Nest 32:51
Last Day 38:37
Bullets 41:50
The Big Exit 45:23
The Racing Rats 50:00
Munich 54:24
Smokers 59:58
No Sound but the Wind 1:07:12
Bricks and Mortar 1:11:24
Papillon 1:17:55
Fingers in the Factories 1:23:21
For a collection of MP3s to download from this show:-
https://lemmingarchive.blogspot.com/2015/11/bremen-pier-2-24th-april-2010-audio.html
For more Editors stuff, drop by the Archive
https://lemmingarchive.blogspot.com/2017/03/the-archive-index.html
brought to you with lots and lots of lemming-love ) x
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GZlFOsdzW6Y
Recorded in October of 2019, here's Russell appearing as a guest on Matt Royal's Sending Signals podcast. As you'll hear from his Barry White vocal tones, he was in the midst of a cold when he was interviewed. He's a soldier to the promotional campaign.
Given that this was captured on the day Black Gold got released, the majority of the conversation is centred around that. There's a segment towards the end where Matt picks three songs, and has Russell give some background information on them. It's an unusual thing because this sort of task is often assigned to Tom. Aside from Justin and Elliott on John Kennedy's excellent Tape Notes podcast, you rarely get to hear Ed or Russell talking in depth about the songs.
If you'd like to see the show that Russell mentions when discussing the "weird" hairstyle photo from his wikepedia page (although he's perhaps being overly harsh towards himself) it's here:-
https://youtu.be/LdjvzaJHBE0
The original Sending Signals episode that featured Russell and includes an interview with Danny Mcnamara of Embrace is here, as well as previous episodes:-
https://twitter.com/signalspodcast?lang=en
For more Editors stuff, drop by the Archive
https://lemmingarchive.blogspot.com/2017/03/the-archive-index.html
brought to you with lots and lots of lemming-love :) x
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y7OLPsQ7u2s
This is some bonus material from a larger post detailing Editors' appearance at Benicassim in 2006. It's some skecthy footage shot from the press pit of an incident that took place during their set at the Spanish festival, something that you couldn't really see properly on the TV broadcast. For more information as well as all 10 songs they managed to play on the day, go here:-
https://youtu.be/Ri3ELpjPCxg
And for more Editors stuff, drop by the Archive
https://lemmingarchive.blogspot.com/2017/03/the-archive-index.html
brought to you with lots and lots of lemming-love :) x
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z8LzDU-ihho
Up next is another song in the series you never knew you wanted, but as an Editors fan is probably now one of the happiest points of your week. The Slow Motion Soundtrack acquired another addition to its ever increasing setlist. This time Tom went back 14 years to An End Has a Start and selected When Anger Shows as his tune of choice. In keeping with the rarity/scarce dynamic, I don't believe we've ever had this song in this form before. It's so good and once again, I really appreciate the gesture from Tom of not just digging out the classics and going for the easy win. This is shaping up to be the kind of setlist that hardcore weirdo folks would put together and I should know, because we can smell our own.
I will admit that I miss those drums from Ed, which I remember reading at the time were extremely difficult to get recorded. Actually, I miss all the other members of the band. That's no slight on Mr Smith, far from it. These intimate interludes have been amazing, but it only subdues the longing for the full Editors experience. It doesn't fully eliminate it. There's an MP3 available using the link below, enjoy the music ;)
MP3
https://lemmingarchive.blogspot.com/2021/03/when-anger-shows-live-on-instagram-27th.html
For more Editors stuff, drop by the Archive
https://lemmingarchive.blogspot.com/2017/03/the-archive-index.html
brought to you with lots and lots of lemming-love ) x
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AEaJ31DEvAA
This is the second of two videos originally shot by Sebbepojken during Editors' 2007 show at Debaser Medis, Stockholm on the 27th Nov 2007 In the original clips the audio was distorted, so as well as updating the links to the recording of the whole show I have at the Archive, I reworked the sound on the clips. The idea is to try and keep Editors' history alive for present and future fans in the best form possible. You can check out the source clip here if you're in the mood for comparing and contrasting:-
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JUXzRmwlzjA
If you'd like to listen to the entire show:-
https://lemmingarchive.blogspot.com/2012/12/debaser-medis-stockholm-sweden-27th-nov.html
For more Editors stuff, drop by the Archive
https://lemmingarchive.blogspot.com/2017/03/the-archive-index.html
brought to you with lots and lots of lemming-love ) x
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MCnAZcOa-C0