The La`s

History and music of Liverpool
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scotty
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The La`s

Post by scotty »

Fond memories of a group that were just amazing thought id be best to post this in my mate Kiras section seen there from Liverpool.The La's formed in 1983, with original member Mike Badger claiming the band name occurred to him in a dream, as well as it being Scouse for "lads", and having obvious musical connotations. The band existed briefly as an arthouse / skiffle-type outfit with a few tracks included on local compilations.The La's attracted the attention of several record labels after a series of performances in their home town of Liverpool in 1986, and Bootleg demo tapes copied from a session at the Flying Picket rehearsal studio in Liverpool began circulating. Several record labels heard these and offered recording contracts. The band chose to sign with Go! Discs.

The band's first single ("Way Out", released in October 1987 on Go! Discs , was mixed with producer Gavin MacKillop, but attracted little notice. It broke in to the top 100 and was praised by The Smiths' frontman Morrissey in the music magazine Melody Maker, but otherwise went generally unnoticed. Five thousand copies were pressed, making it a sought-after item for La's record collectors. This was the beginning of The La's music career, which would last for little more than four years until the band slipped away from the limelight in 1992.All too soon.........

The La's is the only album by the band of the same name, released in 1990.The album was re-released as a deluxe edition on 7 April 2008.
However, recognition, at least critically, came for The La's in 1990 when the self-titled album, The La's, was released. The album reached #30 in the UK charts and received a Silver certification, but the album did not fare as well overseas.The album included, among new material, re-recorded versions of all the previous singles, including a remixed version of "There She Goes" which was then re-released as a single. This time around, the song reached number 13 in the UK singles chart and remains the most visible and enduring of all the band's songs.

After his split of the band, John Power had great success with his band Cast. Drummer Chris Sharrock (who was a band member only briefly) also had high-profile post-La's gigs as an official member of World Party, The Lightning Seeds, Oasis, and Robbie Williams' backing band. Other ex-members of the band generally pursued their own musical directions, though none achieved the same sort of success as Power or Sharrock.

The La's- Timeless Melody

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PhiLpQqbO5E

Lee Mavers himself, however, never appeared comfortable with media attention or with the results of all his recording sessions, and did not reciprocate interview requests made by music journalists after the band broke up. His uninterested attitude to the press no doubt contributed to the "Mavers as recluse" personality as portrayed by music publications, and rumours persisted about him that were left undenied in his absence, ranging from perceived eccentricity to drug abuse.

However Mavers and an impromptu configuration of The La's did play some low-key shows again in the mid 1990s. Mavers played hastily-organised, short-notice support slots with Dodgy, Paul Weller and Oasis in 1994 and 1995, although he has since claimed this was to raise funds owing to a merchandising debt from their 1991 US tour, as opposed to staging a full-blown comeback. After these dates, nothing concrete was heard from or about Mavers for a number of years, and it was unknown what, if anything, he was going to do with his unreleased songs.

interestingly The band was denied another unexpected comeback in November 2008 when it was revealed that the planned new single was just a recording of Mavers on the bog.Erm maybe put that down to toilet talk....
anyway thanks for letting me in the liverpool project Kira,keep up the good work.
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kiramdear
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Re: The La`s

Post by kiramdear »

Wow, thank you so much for that, Scotty. I'd heard mention of them several times and was on the verge of investigating for myself, so your post is very well-timed for me.

I really enjoy this song on first viewing and find them worth spinning a couple more times so I can take in the song fully. They have an attractive style and the video is well made, including some classic animated bits from the period.

The La's played at and supported the Picket Club, I believe.

It doesn't seem to me that Liverpool is exactly lacking the means to pull off a new music boom era.
All I wanna do is rock!
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iamthebassman
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Re: The La`s

Post by iamthebassman »

Got to see them in Austin at Liberty Lunch during the early 90s, they made it a point, repeatedly, to insist that we should NOT buy their new album, the one with the eye on the cover. Don't know why.
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1a12
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Re: The La`s

Post by 1a12 »

Any of you, I know my humble request sounds corny but... 8) just sit with someone and take turns trading off the parts of the main riff and chords of There She Goes!...there is something magical. let it rain on you!! Perfect pop! :mrgreen:
I never get sick of this album, and my fav tunes are Son of a Gun and I can't sleep!!

Saw them live in the early 90's in NJ. Mavers in a green Addidas suit!! Commanded it! So inspirational !
Oh and I think Mavers hated Lillywhites mixes, he thought it was to slick and polished. But Lillywhite was the XTC boy guru! All subjective...but in my opinion the recordings are a wonderful snapshot in time!
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scotty
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Re: The La`s

Post by scotty »

Well Adam,Happens to be a fav of mine too!
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gellkeller
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Re: The La`s

Post by gellkeller »

Scotty, you keep coming up with the goods.

I love the La's. I have their "Legendary Album" which has 25 previously unreleased tracks including the Mike Hedge's album, radio sessions and archive recordings.
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winston
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Re: The La`s

Post by winston »

Thanks for the education once again mate.........btw I fixed your youtube link for ya laddie.
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scotty
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Re: The La`s

Post by scotty »

winston wrote:Thanks for the education once again mate.........btw I fixed your youtube link for ya laddie.
Erm i dont think so! :lol: its not embedding! thats why i just posted the link.
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1a12
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Re: The La`s

Post by 1a12 »

Scotty, guess your familiar with this Cast tune!?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CCWx3sOc ... re=related

Wonderful clip you posted there...never saw it. Blinding beauty in that simplicity. Me thinks Mavers knew he was quite good, and prolly a bit snotty and misunderstood...but I really think he really really knows how good he was. I'm also quite fond that he and John Power finally recognize they are a Jagger Richards/ Lennon McCartney/ Lloyd Verlaine caliber coupling!
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winston
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Re: The La`s

Post by winston »

scotty wrote:
winston wrote:Thanks for the education once again mate.........btw I fixed your youtube link for ya laddie.
Erm i dont think so! :lol: its not embedding! thats why i just posted the link.
Weird!!! Its' back to the way it was now mate.
“We can't solve problems by using the same kind of thinking we used when we created them.” - Albert Einstein

"You do not really understand something unless you can explain it to your grandmother" - Albert Einstein
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scotty
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Re: The La`s

Post by scotty »

1a12 wrote:Scotty, guess your familiar with this Cast tune!?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CCWx3sOc ... re=related

Wonderful clip you posted there...never saw it. Blinding beauty in that simplicity. Me thinks Mavers knew he was quite good, and prolly a bit snotty and misunderstood...but I really think he really really knows how good he was. I'm also quite fond that he and John Power finally recognize they are a Jagger Richards/ Lennon McCartney/ Lloyd Verlaine caliber coupling!
Yup! great tune and i may also add that The white room was a brilliant music show that i always enjoyed when it was on.
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Re: The La`s

Post by jdogric12 »

I've always thought the La's version of TSG beat the pants off that wimpy Sixpence version.

And how funny, Sixpence None the Richer, a Christian band, covered that song without realizing it was about heroin. Shallow morons, I say, if that's all true.
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Re: The La`s

Post by 1a12 »

I can't listen to their version all the way through. Certainly they can't be faulted to have exquisite taste, its also hard to truly wreck a good tune. It is whimpy, like for sher in that ethereal Sarah/4ad/shoe gaze kinda way...but her voice annoys me....just like those guys doing the theme from Friends (rick users) ah yes the Rembrandts...Im sure Rembrandt is turning...well whatever. Shallow morons is a bit harsh....maybe ignorant and lazy and not picking a good cover to record, like well, the Rembrandts!!
As far as content...the genius of the writing of perfect pop, is that it can work on so many levels. Simple/complex/profound/ Simple .....For me, I have assigned it to Human contact and the effect of one on another...kinda like the Kinks "this strange effect". I could give two...about the drugs, I see it, but don't mean much... doesn't Genesis 1:29 give freedom to heroin use? or am i just goofy!?
I always say if I could pen one like this one, Id quit! hahaha (not even for $ either) :lol: :mrgreen:
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Re: The La`s

Post by gellkeller »

1a12 wrote:It is whimpy, like for sher in that ethereal Sarah/4ad/shoe gaze kinda way...
Did someone say shoe gaze? Rick content too...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CrDHXLBtIA8
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Re: The La`s

Post by jimk »

gellkeller wrote:
1a12 wrote:It is whimpy, like for sher in that ethereal Sarah/4ad/shoe gaze kinda way...
Did someone say shoe gaze? Rick content too...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CrDHXLBtIA8

Geez, these guys look like they're sleepwalking through the video. Or are they that bored with their music? I thought making music was supposed to be fun. You'd never know it watching these guys. Too bad the name The Zombies has already been taken. It would be appropriately descriptive. :roll:

JimK
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