Wilder (album)
Encyclopedia
Wilder is the second album by neo-psychedelic Liverpool
band The Teardrop Explodes
, and the final completed album released by the group.
In 2000 former Teardrop Explodes leader Julian Cope
gave his blessings to re-release Wilder with a selection of bonus tracks, mainly single b-side
s, plus original artwork, a remastered sound, and full lyrics and essays.
expanded his songwriting by incorporating a myriad of experimental approaches.
Wilder featured a far greater use of synthesizer arrangements and loop experiments than Kilimanjaro, predominantly at the instigation of keyboard player David Balfe (who acted as Cope's principal creative foil in the studio). By now Cope had mostly abandoned his role as group bass player (with many tracks on the record featuring session bassist James Eller) and shared some of the guitarist role with Troy Tate, as well as dabbling in piano and organ. Some tracks featured a full group sound as featured on Kilimanjaro (most notably "Passionate Friend", the only single release and album track to feature the band's ill-fated US touring members Alfie Agius and Jeff Hammer) but in general the album broke away from the West Coast/beat group sound of the debut as well as having a noticeably more downbeat and troubled atmosphere. Some Wilder tracks featured little or no guitar, avoided the standard drumkit or set Cope's voice against solo synthesizer only.
While these approaches resulted in an album of diverse styles and revealed that The Teardrop Explodes
was a far more flexible band than previous releases had suggested, it also lost the group many of the fans of the more straightforward Kilimanjaro. Although the single "Passionate Friend" charted reasonably, the album failed commercially. The band released one further EP, "You Disappear From View", which was added to the 2000 reissue of Wilder (following a previous release on Everybody Wants To Shag ... The Teardrop Explodes
, the band's posthumous release of post-Wilder demos and late tracks).
with
and
Liverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
band The Teardrop Explodes
The Teardrop Explodes
The Teardrop Explodes were an English post-punk/neo-psychedelic band formed in Liverpool in 1978. Best known for their Top Ten UK single "Reward" the group originated as a key band in the emerging Liverpool post-punk scene of the late 1970s, the group also launched the career of group frontman...
, and the final completed album released by the group.
In 2000 former Teardrop Explodes leader Julian Cope
Julian Cope
Julian Cope is a British rock musician, author, antiquary, musicologist, poet and cultural commentator...
gave his blessings to re-release Wilder with a selection of bonus tracks, mainly single b-side
A-side and B-side
A-side and B-side originally referred to the two sides of gramophone records on which singles were released beginning in the 1950s. The terms have come to refer to the types of song conventionally placed on each side of the record, with the A-side being the featured song , while the B-side, or...
s, plus original artwork, a remastered sound, and full lyrics and essays.
Background
Wilder was recorded following a turbulent period in the band's career involving the success of their debut album Kilimanjaro, several line-up changes and a fraught, drug-fuelled American tour. For Wilder, the group's leader and principal songwriter Julian CopeJulian Cope
Julian Cope is a British rock musician, author, antiquary, musicologist, poet and cultural commentator...
expanded his songwriting by incorporating a myriad of experimental approaches.
Wilder featured a far greater use of synthesizer arrangements and loop experiments than Kilimanjaro, predominantly at the instigation of keyboard player David Balfe (who acted as Cope's principal creative foil in the studio). By now Cope had mostly abandoned his role as group bass player (with many tracks on the record featuring session bassist James Eller) and shared some of the guitarist role with Troy Tate, as well as dabbling in piano and organ. Some tracks featured a full group sound as featured on Kilimanjaro (most notably "Passionate Friend", the only single release and album track to feature the band's ill-fated US touring members Alfie Agius and Jeff Hammer) but in general the album broke away from the West Coast/beat group sound of the debut as well as having a noticeably more downbeat and troubled atmosphere. Some Wilder tracks featured little or no guitar, avoided the standard drumkit or set Cope's voice against solo synthesizer only.
While these approaches resulted in an album of diverse styles and revealed that The Teardrop Explodes
The Teardrop Explodes
The Teardrop Explodes were an English post-punk/neo-psychedelic band formed in Liverpool in 1978. Best known for their Top Ten UK single "Reward" the group originated as a key band in the emerging Liverpool post-punk scene of the late 1970s, the group also launched the career of group frontman...
was a far more flexible band than previous releases had suggested, it also lost the group many of the fans of the more straightforward Kilimanjaro. Although the single "Passionate Friend" charted reasonably, the album failed commercially. The band released one further EP, "You Disappear From View", which was added to the 2000 reissue of Wilder (following a previous release on Everybody Wants To Shag ... The Teardrop Explodes
Everybody Wants To Shag ... The Teardrop Explodes (album)
Everybody Wants To Shag ... The Teardrop Explodes was the third album by neo-psychedelic Liverpool band The Teardrop Explodes. When the band reconvened to record their third album, they were reduced to the trio of Cope, Dwyer and a reinstated Balfe....
, the band's posthumous release of post-Wilder demos and late tracks).
Original 1981 Track Listing
- "Bent Out Of Shape"
- "Colours Fly Away"
- "Seven Views Of Jerusalem"
- "Pure Joy"
- "Falling Down Around Me"
- "The Culture Bunker"
- "Passionate Friend"
- "Tiny Children"
- "Like Leila KhaledLeila KhaledLeila Khaled is a member of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine . She is currently a member of the Palestinian National Council...
Said" - "...And The Fighting Takes Over"
- "The Great Dominions"
2000 Re-Issue
- "Bent Out Of Shape"
- "Colours Fly Away"
- "Seven Views Of Jerusalem"
- "Pure Joy"
- "Falling Down Around Me"
- "The Culture Bunker"
- "Passionate Friend"
- "Tiny Children"
- "Like Leila Khaled Said"
- "...And The Fighting Takes Over"
- "The Great Dominions"
- "Window Shopping For A New Crown Of Thorns"
- "East Of The Equator"
- "Rachael Built A Steamboat" (Cope, David Balfe)
- "You Disappear From View"
- "Suffocate"
- "Ouch Monkeys" (Cope, David Balfe)
- "Soft Enough For You" (Cope, David Balfe)
- "The In-Psychlopaedia" (Cope, David Balfe, Gary Dwyer)
Personnel
- Julian CopeJulian CopeJulian Cope is a British rock musician, author, antiquary, musicologist, poet and cultural commentator...
- vocals, guitars, bass guitar, piano, organ - Troy TateTroy TateTroy Tate is a musician and record producer who was a member of several bands including The Teardrop Explodes and Fashion as well as working as a solo artist.-Biography:...
- guitars - David BalfeDavid BalfeDavid Balfe is most notable for playing keyboards with The Teardrop Explodes, founding the Zoo and Food record labels, signing Blur and for being the subject of their number one hit - "Country House".-Biography:...
- keyboards, synthesizers, loops (except on "Passionate Friend") - Gary Dwyer - drums
with
- Alfie Agius - bass guitar (on "Passionate Friend" only)
- Jeff Hammer - keyboards (on "Passionate Friend" only)
and
- James Eller - bass guitar
- Luke Tunney, Ted Emmett - trumpets
- Clive Langer - additional guitar
- Colin Fairley - engineer
- Martin AtkinsMartin AtkinsMartin Clive Atkins is an English drummer and session musician, best known for his work in post-punk and industrial groups including Public Image Ltd., Ministry, Pigface, and Killing Joke...
- artwork - Chalkie Davies - photography