The Gathering

Hmm. Many bands have had a "classic" line-up. For example, the Rolling Stones were never the same again after Brian Jones died. I'm perfectly well aware that towards the end of his time, Brian might as well have quit because drug abuse had left him in such a mess (don't forget that I'm old enough to have watched all this happening), but that doesn't take away the atmosphere that surrounded the band with him in it.

Like so many other bands throughout history, TG need to recapture some of that glory, and I'm sure we all hope they will. No doubt it all has to be done through change, because unless you can go back to the exact same formula, there's no alternative.

Arguably, after the departure of Syd Barrett, Pink Floyd came back stronger than ever. It was a slightly different Pink Floyd, but it worked - and that provides a rare precedent.

_________________

I actually like the post Barrett ear of the Floyd better than the Barret era...

_________________
Maybe i'm paranoid, yeah that's my problem
You almost have to be when you look like me

My only regret is: been mad with Anneke, for joined the band, but I started to love her since 1997 for make me think different about the music, I think there is nothing to regret.
I LOVE YOU! Anneke, I'm grateful, for all the music you did with TG.

It's a crazy world...

_________________
Well well, how can I heed you?
I wish you did not exist..

The Warchild auction!!!

I had my eye on two of them, the pics are in the Superheat booklet. I let one slip away 30'' before ending and I choked ga-damned. Now I would have gone much higher.

_________________
Well well, how can I heed you?
I wish you did not exist..

they were some pretty good pictures indeed!

_________________
Maybe i'm paranoid, yeah that's my problem
You almost have to be when you look like me

except my neverending pj mania, i'm realizing today how this era will always be the best to live and to be to me.

in 30 years, when i am 60, maybe i won't have this same opinion. maybe i'll be deaf too. ehehe... we have to enjoy it as much as we can!

No regrets at all about the Anneke era except that it is over. I like her singinnng in English. I think it has a smoother flow to it. Having said that I love the new album and am just being positive about the band. I have been listening to music for 35 years and of all the bands I have come across the Gathering are my favorite band in the world.

Gods... asking this question to a Gathering crowd is asking for long answers. Because most of us can probably share so many thoughts about this.

Mostly, I regret being Canadian during that era. I wish I had more chances to see the band in person. I saw them once in Montreal in 2006. I wish I was in the Netherlands or Germany to have seen them on a regular basis. To me, listening to The Gathering's best albums is the best way to feel great, emotional and alive. They always had great sound, but they achieved their best with Anneke.

So, I wish I had the chance to see them with Anneke on tour more than once. It was such a joy to see them. I would have paid 10 times the price of the ticket I bought at the time, and I would never have regretted it.

Another regret about the Anneke era might be the level of experimentation the band went through. I can't get myself to listen to Souvenirs. But I can't easily get a weekly helping of Mandylion, Nighttime Birds, If Then Else and Black Light District. Ultimately, the first two were the crème de la crème. Imagine, had the band come up with more material like that...

I like this new singer. West Pole brings an interesting sound and it is a bit of a miracle that the band has managed to reinvent itself despite having lost Anneke. I wish them the best, but if they decide to reunite with Anneke at some point and produce other great material, I'll become mobile to go see them once again!

The fact that they haven't been to the UK all that much really upsets and annoys me. Exposure at Glastonbury or even on the Jools Holland would be great for the band.

_________________
"You Think It's Magic? No! I'm Not A Magician."

They played at Glastonbury in 2003, I think, but on a Sunday morning. I had a chat with Anneke about it. The protective covers were being taken off the TV cameras during their set, but the actual coverage didn't start until later.

Which brings us to Later ... I think there's some odd kind of "clique" thing going on with Mr Holland. To really get on, you have to be a 90-year-old blues musician, a crap mainstream British band or a fairly familiar world music artist. Either any of those or Richard Thompson.

_________________

Ha, yeah pretty much. The format of the programme is good and the sound always seems to be nice and clear, it's just a shame there's so much crap on it. Plus Jools Holland is so annoying, I just want to slap him
But Metallica totally kicked ass when they were on.

IS it that show where you have about 4 or 5 stages on one tv set and bands plays after one another?
I just saw that on the BBC and I thought this concept should be exported...

_________________
Maybe i'm paranoid, yeah that's my problem
You almost have to be when you look like me

That sounds about right. Jools introduces all the bands/artists at the beginning and then they all take turns to play. There's nothing wrong with the format ... It's just the question of who appears and who doesn't. World music aside, the show seems rather too Anglo-American for my tastes. That only reinforces the old idea that the USA and then the UK were the places where rock 'n' roll began, and are still the two nations that do it best. I don't subscribe to that.

I don't watch the show regularly, so if anyone knows of any continental European bands/artists who've been on lately, I'd be interested to know who they were.

_________________

we're bit drifting from the topic here, but it's always like that with big "show hosts" I dont get why they just dont take the opportunity to present some stuffs they like but which doesnt reach the mainstream media coverage...

_________________
Maybe i'm paranoid, yeah that's my problem
You almost have to be when you look like me

Let's shift back on topic by saying that I regret that the TG line-up including Anneke and Hugo didn't get a chance to break through on British TV.

_________________

Of course Anneke is my fav singer ever.

but I think Silje is a very good replacement.

and TWP is far better than Home (which was good but not a masterpiece)

Well,

I really like the West Pole cd, very good music, but listening to the live versions of the Anneke era is like listening to a highschool cover band.
Feels the same as back in those days Fish parted with Marillion, when Steve Hogarth sang Heart of Lothian I had to laugh at the pityness.

Marillion soon realised that they will never be able to recover the spirit of the old songs and moved on and stopped playing them live.

The Gathering should do that very quickly too, it hurts in my ears to listen to those magical songs with the voice of the new singer.
No offense, she can sing, but she is one among a thousand females that can sing, nothing special about her voice.

Always

I've seen 10 live shows with Silje, and strongly disagree with "...Always... "
They are able to recover the spirit of the old songs, such as In motion I, Leaves, and even the TG classic: Travel.
I've almost forgotten Anneke, TG was and is definitely more than just a singer. Silje's doing great and keeps improving.

I wouldnt go as far as forgetting Anneke... she was part of the band and still the records remain...
But live, I dont miss anything... definitely not! the band rocks more the cabash they have done in the past 5 years!

_________________
Maybe i'm paranoid, yeah that's my problem
You almost have to be when you look like me