It's all over for Guided By Voices - NME

[Screaming Lord Byron]

http://www.nme.com/news/108298.htm

Who's gonna tell Random Koolzip?


GUIDED BY VOICES have announced they are to split after almost 20 years.

The band have announced on their website that the release in August of 'Half Smiles Of The Decomposed’ will be their last album.

A statement reads: "After almost 20 years, assorted lineups, and countless albums, EPs, singles, triples, stolen bases, misdemeanor convictions, and broken hearts, Dayton, OH's fortunate sons are taking leave of your senses.

"'Half Smiles Of The Decomposed' to be released August 24 on Matador Records, will be the final album from Guided By Voices, one of the most acclaimed independent rock bands of all time.

[Loonman]

1. Ya don't say....

[vi5]

2. I guess Pollard finally accepted what everyone else realized...

That he's never going to be as big and famous in real life as he is in his head.

[Forkboy]

3. 10 years too late

[ChavezSpeakstheTruth]

4. I will break it to RKZ - best he hear it from an old mate , sigh

This won't be easy.

[Screaming Lord Byron]

6. Thanks, CSTT.

[Philostopher]

5. Oh, no ...

Does that mean every time I go out to a bar in Dayton now, I'm gonna have to watch out for Bob Pollard and make sure I'm not in the vicinity when the bartender cuts him off? Damn.

And I'm not gonna slag their music -- I like some of it. I cut my teeth on British Invasion rock, so I'm bound to find something I like in some of the hundred thousand issues of Pollard. Although I reserve the right to laugh at Pollard for thinking every sneeze and twitch deserved to be recorded, whether I like some of it or not.

[chrisesq]

10. Seriously. when was the last time you ever saw him out.

They never even play in Dayton, let alone hang out at the usual indy music haunts.

[Philostopher]

14. I've only seen him at performances

To be honest. It was a joke -- though they do play Canal Street periodically. They played there three years ago, on New Year's Eve, that's where the song 'How's My Drinking?' came from.

I meant that if GBV quits, all Pollard's going to have to do is hang out in the bars and wait to get 'cut off.'

[chrisesq]

17. You're right. He can also go the Kim Deal route

and go to the Southern Belle loaded on whatever the chemical du jour may be.

[Whitacre D_WI]

19. Ding! Ding! Ding!

Though I think Bob's chemical-du-jour has always been beer. That's all I've seen him partake of (in my early-mid '90s Dayton bar days).

[chrisesq]

24. That whole band drinks heavily.

I saw Nate, one of the guitar players, put away about 3/4 of a bottle of Jack Daniels during a show a couple of years ago.

[Fenris]

7. "one of the most acclaimed independent rock bands of all time."

According to whom? That's sort of an opinionated statement. I expect so much more from NME. ;)

[Screaming Lord Byron]

9. Now, now Fen. We must console RKZ in his hour of grave need.

;-)

[Fenris]

11. Well, I suppose. If we must.

;)

[RandomKoolzip]

8. NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!

Actually, this is good news. Maybe Bob will FINALLY go into rehab and come back with a bunch of good tunes....after all, he is addicted to songwriting. I don't expect this to be really true, after all I'm in the denial stage right now. There's no way Bob can stay away from music. Maybe the BAND will break up, but I doubt that'll keep Bob happy. Like I said: denial.


I think I need a hug.

[Screaming Lord Byron]

12. Well, I'd do it, but it'd be an awkward straight guy hug.

(man, why isn't there a smilie for that?)

[RandomKoolzip]

13. Thanks, awkward straight guy!

And I'm KEEPIN' MY AVATAR, GOD DAMMIT! (This is the anger stage, I believe.)

[ChavezSpeakstheTruth]

20. I've hugged you before and I'd do it again

Man love or no man love

[Whitacre D_WI]

21. Post pictures!

The FReepers would LOVE to see that!

[RandomKoolzip]

25. Equal rights for straight guys who aren't afraid to hug other

straight guys!


Okay, not much of a slogan, but try chanting THAT at your next demo and see who comes up to you asking for a brochure.....

[RandomKoolzip]

22. Ah! My old friend!

I'm gonna need a hug and some time with your Cubbaface software soon. (Where's Paul? I think he's mad, he won't call me back.)

[ChavezSpeakstheTruth]

26. Hey sends me filthy e-mails at work all the time

Mostly with pics of Eric Estrada and Adrian Zmed.

I'll get him!

[Whitacre D_WI]

15. Haven't they broken up numerous times already?

I mean, Pollard is the only continuity, and he sure as hell isn't going to stop recording.

I suppose he could just be retiring the name.

[RandomKoolzip]

16. I bet that's what's gonna happen.

I mean, GbV might break up, but he's still got Circus Devils, Ricked Wicky, Styles We Paid For, Airport 5, the Needmores, Ben Zing, Nightwalker, Lifeguards, Go Back Snowball, Ghost Fart, etc. with whome he can make music. It's probably just the name.


The guy's literally ADDICTED to songwriting; there's no WAY he'll just STOP.

[Whitacre D_WI]

18. Of course, he also has "Robert Pollard."

Some of my favorite stuff of his has been his solo work.

[RandomKoolzip]

23. Yeah.

"Speak Kindly of your Volunterr Fire Department" was the best GbV album since "Alien Lanes" and it's technically a solo album with Gillard.


Seriously, the last GbV rec was great.....Pollard never lost it, IMO.

[Brotherjohn]

27. Yeah, it's just the name. The above post about how he "finally realized..

... what everybody else already knew"... I thought they were going to say "That GBV was just him, anyway, so what's the point?"

Why keep adding and subtracting musicians and continually calling it "Guided by Voices", when "Robert Pollard" is the only link? Even as a fan, I thought it became a little ridiculous after the first 10-15 or so albums.

[RandomKoolzip]

28. At first I thought that GbV was for the REAL songs and

all the other names were for the filler. But then I started noticing crossover on both counts.

Still.....Bob's last band line-up was fanatastic. Doug Gillard was a genius and the perfect foil for Pollard.

[Whitacre D_WI]

29. I am a Sprout fan.

Ever heard his "white album?"

[RandomKoolzip]

30. No, the Sprout songs were the ones I always skipped over....

Didn't follow his career after "Moonflower Plastic."

[mitchum]

31. Why, did someone misplace the recipe for beer?

[Westegg]

32. Well I'm actually bummed...

...It seems I appreciate GBV more than many here.

Though I do think they started going downhill after their 96th album. Or was it their 234th EP? Oh well, I still have 8,621 GBV songs to keep me company. I shall listen to them all this afternoon!