six year gap

dadascot · Post by **dadascot** » Fri Apr 20, 2012 3:25 pm

There is something that I have never seen fully explained. It took six years between TLT and Brutal planet. What was the reason for this Hiatus? It's been well documented that the three year gap Dada and Constructor was due to Alice's recovery but there has been little or no explanation as to why there was a gap of twice this length between those two records. Especially as TLT was such a successful album! Can anyone shed any light?

A_MichaelUK · Post by **A_MichaelUK** » Fri Apr 20, 2012 5:43 pm

>but there has been little or no explanation as to why there was a gap of twice this length between those two records.

There was no requirement for him to make an album, so he decided to wait until he really wanted to.

Toronto Bob · Post by **Toronto Bob** » Fri Apr 20, 2012 9:11 pm

Looks like when Epic dropped Alice, he couldn't really find anyone to take him inor give him a deal that Alice wanted. The whole Bob Pfiffer (sp?) debacle probably set things back a couple of years, and then producing the most mediocre of material with that Bob Marlette guy would definitely not land you a good deal with a big company.

A_MichaelUK · Post by **A_MichaelUK** » Fri Apr 20, 2012 10:11 pm

>Looks like when Epic dropped Alice,

That is incorrect. He asked to leave that company when the gentleman you refer to left to join Hollywood Records.

>to he couldn't really find anyone to take him inor give him a deal that Alice wanted.

That is incorrect. He joined Hollywood Records. What is "the deal that Alice wanted"?

> The whole Bob Pfiffer (sp?) debacle probably set things back a couple of years,

Not really as Alice was constantly writing during that period in any case, but a lot of it didn't meet his requirements.

homerx · Post by **homerx** » Fri Apr 20, 2012 11:57 pm

I think in someways he goes with the place that allows the most freedoom no more of the 2 albums a year and non stop touring. then again things have changed so much in music. seems to be all about the one hit wonder pop stars now. manufactured on TV by Idol

Toronto Bob · Post by **Toronto Bob** » Sat Apr 21, 2012 3:16 am

Alice probably has as much artistic freedom as he wants nowadays because commercial expectaions for any new material are likely very low. For such a long layoff Brutal Planet didn't really seem worth the wait. Mind you if I knew back then what future albums would be like I may have appreciated BP a bit more. Looking back, BP isn't half bad.

Railwayman · Post by **Railwayman** » Sat Apr 21, 2012 9:42 am

I think you are being a bit harsh here Bob. I thought BP was terrific, a really intense album that blew me away. The accompanying tour and show were excellent.

Toronto Bob · Post by **Toronto Bob** » Sat Apr 21, 2012 12:54 pm

Railwayman wrote:I think you are being a bit harsh here Bob. I thought BP was terrific, a really intense album that blew me away. The accompanying tour and show were excellent.

By comparison to the next few albums that were to come, it is a much better album. I remember at the time of its' releasing thinking it was good but sounding a bit Marilyn Mansonish, and when the original starts imitating the imitator - well I just don't think it's a good place to be is all. Great title track though and yes, the tour was excellent - I think I caught 2 or 3 shows from that tour, something I don't often do.

wind_up_toy · Post by **wind_up_toy** » Sat Apr 21, 2012 2:02 pm

Brutal Planet and Dragontown sit proudly alongside each other as a great era of Alice's career, at least if you ask me they do.

A_MichaelUK · Post by **A_MichaelUK** » Sat Apr 21, 2012 4:32 pm

>but sounding a bit Marilyn Mansonish, and when the original starts imitating the imitator - well I just don't think it's a good place to be is all.

It is rather unrealistic to expect "the original" to still be "original" after approximately thirty years, though. After all, it's not that much different to David Bowie making an album that had some Nine Inch Nails influence in it.

cooperrocks · Post by **cooperrocks** » Sat Apr 21, 2012 5:19 pm

Brutal Planet is one of Alice's best albums ever in my opinion.

In regards to the six year hiatus, there are several other possible factors as well. One, the musicial climate had really changed. I know that people don't buy physical albums much anymore, but the 2000's was sort of a comeback decade for Alice and some of the other garage bands that were still around. In the mid 1990's the climate was not as good. Second, Alice did still tour. Some of the theatrics were toned down during this period, but there still was a fairly extensive amound of touring.

Lastly, there were a lot of ups and downs regarding the release of the boxset. It had been rumored for years and kept getting pushed back.Trying to get the set released may have played a factor and he did release a live album with one new song on it.

A_MichaelUK · Post by **A_MichaelUK** » Sat Apr 21, 2012 5:36 pm

>Lastly, there were a lot of ups and downs regarding the release of the boxset. It had been rumored for years and kept getting pushed back.Trying to get the set released may have played a factor

No, that was something entirely separate. After all, "The Last Temptation" came out during the delay in the box - set being released.

recoop · Post by **recoop** » Sat Apr 21, 2012 7:04 pm

Just another opinion..Sonora would have been very young in 1994 and so Alice would have had other priorities..if you look back to mid eighties when other rest period, Calico and Dash very young..I have definitely no inside knowledge but would expect the private Alice is very family oriented...also I recall an interview in the mid to late 90s when Alice said there was enough AC product out there and to release more at that time was like competing with himself...I think we the fans can look at it just from the artist point of view and not see the personal constraints (Im certainly talking about myself here as I was very frustrated with lack of new stuff in mid -late 90s and worried 84/85 as thought that was it-also thought that was it when Lace and Whiskey released LOL!)

dadascot · Post by **dadascot** » Sun Apr 22, 2012 3:35 pm

I take on board everything that has been said and there is probably a bit of truth in all of them, and as the private family man that Alice is, I guess we'll never really know, just seemed strange that the Dada-Constrictor gap was so well documented and this one seldom commented on. I could fully understand Alice taking time off to regroup after the poor sales of SF/Zipper/Dada and to come back with a new direction, but to take a six year gap after the success of TLT when I was expecting him to push on was very disapointing and I just wondered if there was an underlying reason other than just no great desire to release more. My personal opinion is that BP was a big disapointment, I didn't like that industrial metal phase although BP was better then Dragontown (IMO), certainly not worth a six year wait.

A_MichaelUK · Post by **A_MichaelUK** » Sun Apr 22, 2012 4:39 pm

>just seemed strange that the Dada-Constrictor gap was so well documented and this one seldom commented on.

No, I think it was. It is just that you're not aware of those interviews where it would have been mentioned.

dadascot · Post by **dadascot** » Sun Apr 22, 2012 6:31 pm

ok, hands up those who have read a lot on this six year gap? Anyone other than Andy? What about you lot at the back? No? I didn't say it wasn't ever commented on, I said 'seldom'.

Railwayman · Post by **Railwayman** » Sun Apr 22, 2012 7:03 pm

I'll offer that I really enjoyed TLT, one of his best in my view and just waited patiently for the next piece of output. Didn't really have access to many sources at the time but thinking about it now, I am interested to learn more about what was going on in Cooperworld during that time. For a start I'll have a peep in the press records on this site.

A_MichaelUK · Post by **A_MichaelUK** » Sun Apr 22, 2012 8:37 pm

>I didn't say it wasn't ever commented on, I said 'seldom'.

But that still isn't true. It wasn't exactly a question that was always asked but "seldom" isn't true either. As I already said, it is just that you're not aware of those interviews where it would have been mentioned.

Greenie · Post by **Greenie** » Mon Apr 23, 2012 4:15 pm

dadascot wrote:There is something that I have never seen fully explained. It took six years between TLT and Brutal planet. What was the reason for this Hiatus? It's been well documented that the three year gap Dada and Constructor was due to Alice's recovery but there has been little or no explanation as to why there was a gap of twice this length between those two records. Especially as TLT was such a successful album! Can anyone shed any light?

Only Alice knows for sure. If you listen to his radio show, send him an email, maybe he will answer your question.

dadascot · Post by **dadascot** » Mon Apr 23, 2012 7:52 pm

cheers for that Greenie that's a good sugestion.

six year gap

six year gap

Re: six year gap

Re: six year gap

Re: six year gap

Re: six year gap

Re: six year gap

Re: six year gap

Re: six year gap

Re: six year gap

Re: six year gap

Re: six year gap

Re: six year gap

Re: six year gap

Re: six year gap

Re: six year gap

Re: six year gap

Re: six year gap

Re: six year gap

Re: six year gap

Re: six year gap