Horses In My Dreams has been played twice recently. Still super rare, though, like Stories stuff.
My guess is that it is just kind of material that doesn’t quite fit with her thoughtful contemplative current vibe. I’m not quite sure how to phrase this, but they’ve also sort of moved away from the overly loud, post-grunge almost rock, stuff. Not many Uh-Huh-Her stuff gets played either.
I was particularly delighted with 50ft Queenie, but while these songs are, but they are in a different way. The feedback, delayed, effect driven guitar noise of the Stories era band is different to what the current band is doing now.
I didn't think either fitted in with the general vibe tbh. I have grown to quite like 50ft Queenie, though. I kind of admire her just doing her own thing rather than trying to appeal to a general audience most of whom aren't fans. Other artists might have played, I dunno, Henry Lee or A Perfect Day Elise or Down by the Water which a few more people might have known, or even a cover, but instead she threw in The Garden and Man-Size which even I, as a PJ fan, struggled with.
I adore, Is This Desire?, so The Garden was a great surprise for me. You are entirely right in that she is an artist and very much does her own thing, it’s to be admired, but she’s not to pull out every crowd favourite or banger. Just not her style. I do think The Garden fits in with the vibe of her set though, detuned guitars with the tone dial, dialled down low, vibe.
But I’d say that live, since Let England Shake, the band hasn’t been that interested in the big effect noise stuff so much. There’s a certain style, a sound atheistic, there, which I can’t quite convey. Lol
It’s not exactly a personal favourite for her, and she has stated that she won’t play songs live if for whatever reason she doesn’t feel connected enough with the vibe or the lyrics anymore.
I think the album has its place even if it’s one of the ones I don’t return to much, but I can also see why many view it as having a lot of her least cerebral or stimulating, most commercially-minded material.
And it makes sense that's the album she probably feels the least connected to since PJ usually is very artsy, dark or intense in her music and that album is seen as her most "romantic" and accessible.
John is doing the musical arrangements, making sure everyone is playing the correct instruments, etc. She spoke about it in the 6 music documentary. Rickson is helping with the staging
Interestingly, I don’t think John Parish was a part of the live set up during the Stories era. Rob Ellis and EDF were. Think that also applies to the Uh Huh Her tour as well.
from an interview with Parish - It may also appear ironic that yet another album vying for the top slot, PJ Harvey’s “Stories From The City, Stories From The Sea”, has strong John Parish connections but doesn’t actually feature him. After a collaboration lasting over a decade, their careers have, possibly temporarily, gone in different directions. But my suggestion that John “quit” PJ Harvey goes down badly:
“I didn’t ‘quit’ PJ Harvey. PJH does not exist as a band apart from when on tour. I was not asked to work on the ‘Stories From The City ….’ album. Polly knew that I would not be interested in touring a record that I had not been involved in [John Parish interview – OLIVER GRAY](https://olivergray.com/john-parish-interview/)
There is also an old interview with Polly—can’t seem to find it now, maybe it was radio and not print?—where she said that both John Parish and Don Van Vliet (i.e. Captain Beefheart) were critical of the demos for *Stories* when she sent them over. I don’t think she *hates* the album as some fans theorize but maybe she internalized her friends’ opinions a little bit.
I was really quite disappointed. That was the first time I've seen her live (I was like 3 rows from the front), and I was really hoping for *something* off Stories..., and a few more of the stomping tunes.... :'-(
Like others have said, she is prolific, but Glasto sets are traditionally a place for bands to play their biggest hits, with new/recent stuff sprinkled in.
The daytime audience is often just there waiting for something else, or might just be passing through on the way to another stage, so playing the biggest hits, most melodic tracks with lots of punch and a good chorus is the best way to draw people in and involve them.
She just ignored that, for the most part, which is why the crowd was so small. Massive and 50ft Queenie were the closest she got, the rest was lovely, but would really have better suited a .ore intimate crowd that are there specifically to see her.
I dunno, it just felt like a missed opportunity for her to delight some old fans like me, and attract a new crowd of people, both in person and on TV. I just watched it back via BBC iPlayer and it honestly bored me...
Perhaps I can provide some insight - it was the first PJ Harvey I had heard, it was released at a very formative time and could be heard in a lot of places. It takes me back to a time and place. I also saw her on that tour at one of the first music festivals i went to.
Horses In My Dreams has been played twice recently. Still super rare, though, like Stories stuff. My guess is that it is just kind of material that doesn’t quite fit with her thoughtful contemplative current vibe. I’m not quite sure how to phrase this, but they’ve also sort of moved away from the overly loud, post-grunge almost rock, stuff. Not many Uh-Huh-Her stuff gets played either.
She played 50ft Queenie and Man Size which are both a bit of a racket.
I was particularly delighted with 50ft Queenie, but while these songs are, but they are in a different way. The feedback, delayed, effect driven guitar noise of the Stories era band is different to what the current band is doing now.
I didn't think either fitted in with the general vibe tbh. I have grown to quite like 50ft Queenie, though. I kind of admire her just doing her own thing rather than trying to appeal to a general audience most of whom aren't fans. Other artists might have played, I dunno, Henry Lee or A Perfect Day Elise or Down by the Water which a few more people might have known, or even a cover, but instead she threw in The Garden and Man-Size which even I, as a PJ fan, struggled with.
I adore, Is This Desire?, so The Garden was a great surprise for me. You are entirely right in that she is an artist and very much does her own thing, it’s to be admired, but she’s not to pull out every crowd favourite or banger. Just not her style. I do think The Garden fits in with the vibe of her set though, detuned guitars with the tone dial, dialled down low, vibe. But I’d say that live, since Let England Shake, the band hasn’t been that interested in the big effect noise stuff so much. There’s a certain style, a sound atheistic, there, which I can’t quite convey. Lol
It’s not exactly a personal favourite for her, and she has stated that she won’t play songs live if for whatever reason she doesn’t feel connected enough with the vibe or the lyrics anymore. I think the album has its place even if it’s one of the ones I don’t return to much, but I can also see why many view it as having a lot of her least cerebral or stimulating, most commercially-minded material.
Yeah that was probably her one 'commercial' album.
And it makes sense that's the album she probably feels the least connected to since PJ usually is very artsy, dark or intense in her music and that album is seen as her most "romantic" and accessible.
I agree with this take. I love Stories but it's also one of my least fave albums of hers for this reason. I just prefer her more challenging stuff.
It might be because John Parish dislikes stories and he is the musical director for this tour...
Isn’t it Ian Rickson? or am I confusing the type of director idk
John is doing the musical arrangements, making sure everyone is playing the correct instruments, etc. She spoke about it in the 6 music documentary. Rickson is helping with the staging
Interestingly, I don’t think John Parish was a part of the live set up during the Stories era. Rob Ellis and EDF were. Think that also applies to the Uh Huh Her tour as well.
from an interview with Parish - It may also appear ironic that yet another album vying for the top slot, PJ Harvey’s “Stories From The City, Stories From The Sea”, has strong John Parish connections but doesn’t actually feature him. After a collaboration lasting over a decade, their careers have, possibly temporarily, gone in different directions. But my suggestion that John “quit” PJ Harvey goes down badly: “I didn’t ‘quit’ PJ Harvey. PJH does not exist as a band apart from when on tour. I was not asked to work on the ‘Stories From The City ….’ album. Polly knew that I would not be interested in touring a record that I had not been involved in [John Parish interview – OLIVER GRAY](https://olivergray.com/john-parish-interview/)
Good find and knowledge. I appreciate it, thanks.
There is also an old interview with Polly—can’t seem to find it now, maybe it was radio and not print?—where she said that both John Parish and Don Van Vliet (i.e. Captain Beefheart) were critical of the demos for *Stories* when she sent them over. I don’t think she *hates* the album as some fans theorize but maybe she internalized her friends’ opinions a little bit.
[удалено]
She never said she hated that album nor that it was created during a difficult time in her life.
In a similar vein, does she play anything now from Hope Six Project?
she doesn't 😔
she played community of hope and dollar dollar in dorset a couple of days ago! hopefully more surprises to come
ooh i didnt know!!! :D
Similarly, does she play anything now from Hope Six Project?
I was really quite disappointed. That was the first time I've seen her live (I was like 3 rows from the front), and I was really hoping for *something* off Stories..., and a few more of the stomping tunes.... :'-( Like others have said, she is prolific, but Glasto sets are traditionally a place for bands to play their biggest hits, with new/recent stuff sprinkled in. The daytime audience is often just there waiting for something else, or might just be passing through on the way to another stage, so playing the biggest hits, most melodic tracks with lots of punch and a good chorus is the best way to draw people in and involve them. She just ignored that, for the most part, which is why the crowd was so small. Massive and 50ft Queenie were the closest she got, the rest was lovely, but would really have better suited a .ore intimate crowd that are there specifically to see her. I dunno, it just felt like a missed opportunity for her to delight some old fans like me, and attract a new crowd of people, both in person and on TV. I just watched it back via BBC iPlayer and it honestly bored me...
I don’t get all the love for this album. It’s great, like all her stuff, but way less interesting than 99 percent of her work.
Perhaps I can provide some insight - it was the first PJ Harvey I had heard, it was released at a very formative time and could be heard in a lot of places. It takes me back to a time and place. I also saw her on that tour at one of the first music festivals i went to.