Howe Gelb, carismatico leader della band texana Giant Sand mette la parola fine al progetto dopo 30 anni di attività. In sintesi estrema “30 years seems an adequate number to aptly utter ‘I kinda quit”. La band è stata e rimarrà un punto di riferimento per il country alternativo dell’america di oggi. Una storia fatta di decine di dischi e centinaia di concerti in tutto il mondo, degnamente celebrata con un box di triplo vinile dal nome non casuale “The Sun Set“. Di seguito riportiamo in orginale la commovente nota divulgata dallo stesso Howe. La band ha recentemente suonato al Biko a Milano con quasi due ore di set che ha stregato tutti i presenti, sotto i video.
“30 years of giant sand
way back when it seemed like a long spans. but no. just a blink of the eye.
the flutter of the lid seems like it’s in a slow-motion wow, but any motion is in fast-forward compared to still life.
albums live on a shelf like a still life collection collecting decades and dust.
what do we have here, collectively speaking ? musings set to motion. here in rewind and some in fast forward.
we know there’s no comfortable category to place it all. perhaps because there is no categorical comfort.
the forefathers of this output have been set in rock: david bowie, john lennon, jimi hendrix, bob dylan and neil young.
the forefathers set in ivory are probably responsible for what’s coming next.
but as far as rock erosion is concerned, with this collection of mega dust, this giant sand, it’s high time to call it a day.
30 years seems an adequate number to aptly utter “I kinda quit”. there’s plenty enough here. more than imaginable.
i’m very eager to see what the next blink will bring. piano for now. songs forever.
so here’s to the next 30 years of plunk rock. a circle of fifths in black and white blur. getting on a plane with no guitar bag slung. maybe a hat. .. bolo tie too”
thank you so very much for your participation in all of this. I will never thank you enough because I can’t.
we are a fabric. a stitch in time. sonic threads woven by our space age muses.”
Eccovi le ultime date per vedere dal vivo la band.
04-06 Ljubljana, Slovenia – Kino Siska ^
04-07 St.Pölten, Austria – Cinema Paradiso ^
04-08 Geislingen, Germany – Rätschenmühle ^
04-09 Brussels, Belgium – Le Botanique *
04-10 Amsterdam, Netherlands – Paradiso-Noord Tolhuistuin *
04-11 London, England – Village Underground *
04-12 Gateshead, England – Sage Gateshead *
04-13 Dublin, Ireland – Whelanslive *
04-14 Cork, Ireland – Cyprus Avenue *
04-15 Galway, Ireland – Roisin Dubh *
04-17 Brighton, England – All Saints Hove *
04-18 Bristol, England – The Lantern / Colston Hall *
04-19 Paris, France – Le Trabendo *
^ Brian Lopez and Gabriel Sullivan
* with Jason Lytle
Mi racconto in una frase:
Gran rallentatore di eventi, musicalmente onnivoro, ma con un debole per l’orchestra del maestro Mario Canello.
I miei tre locali preferiti per ascoltare musica:
Cox 18 (Milano), Hana-Bi (Marina di Ravenna), Bloom (Mezzago, MB)
Il primo disco che ho comprato:
Guns’n’Roses – Lies
Il primo disco che avrei voluto comprare:
Sonic Youth – Daydream Nation
Una cosa di me che penso sia inutile che voi sappiate ma ve la racconto lo stesso:
Ho scritto la mia prima recensione nel 1994 con una macchina da scrivere. Il disco era “Monster” dei Rem. Non l’ha mai letta nessuno.