Squeeze Thread

KingLouieLouie76 · Post by **KingLouieLouie76** » 18 Jan 2018, 17:04

Always been among my faves... In fact... they were the first band I ever saw in concert and I was merely 8 at the time! This was recorded around that time and Tilbrook did an excellent job on vocals! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w5PbbZZC5xE" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; Anyone else on here a Squeeze fan?

AdvertBreak · Post by **AdvertBreak** » 18 Jan 2018, 19:39

Fantastic band with one of the best songwriting duos in history

Time to shoehorn in a wikipedia page written by yours truly, for a later day underrated gem https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Some_Fantastic_Place" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

KingLouieLouie76 · Post by **KingLouieLouie76** » 19 Jan 2018, 10:08

AdvertBreak wrote:Fantastic band with one of the best songwriting duos in history

Time to shoehorn in a wikipedia page written by yours truly, for a later day underrated gem https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Some_Fantastic_Place" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Excellent write-up.... I must admit I haven't checked out their later albums (including "Some Fantastic Place", but I should!

"Cosi Fan Tutti Frutti" was such a brilliant effort and the album they were supporting when I saw them live. Was wonderful that Jools returned in time for both that album and tour because he always added that certain something, but I enjoyed Carrack whenever he joined in.

They deserve to be inducted into the Rock N Roll HOF....Criminally overlooked at times... Tilbrook and Dillford agreed are one of the best songwriting duos ever and love that they're still even together today after all these years!

Mallard No. 22 · Post by **Mallard No. 22** » 23 Jan 2018, 06:19

They were always likely to come up with good songs. Sometimes they chimed with the New Wave era in which they emerged, other times they very definitely harked back to the 60s-70s.

I saw them live at a local venue in 1995 - Vic Reeves, who was from the area, was visiting and he joined them on stage as a guest.

IIRC they did 'I'm A Believer' which was Vic's hit single at the time (with EMF).

KingLouieLouie76 · Post by **KingLouieLouie76** » 23 Jan 2018, 18:05

Mallard No. 22 wrote:They were always likely to come up with good songs. Sometimes they chimed with the New Wave era in which they emerged, other times they very definitely harked back to the 60s-70s.

I saw them live at a local venue in 1995 - Vic Reeves, who was from the area, was visiting and he joined them on stage as a guest.

IIRC they did 'I'm A Believer' which was Vic's hit single at the time (with EMF).

Yeah.. I saw them in 1985 after their brief lay-off and they were EXTREMELY outstanding! Tilbrook, Jools, and Dillford were in such top form and the rhythm section of Lavis/Wilkinson really held their own. They definitely had several music influences and do an excellent job of covering them. Again, people tend to think of "Tempted" as their only worthwhile song, but they had several others that didn't receive proper recognition or get much airplay today. At least here in the States!

Mallard No. 22 · Post by **Mallard No. 22** » 30 Jan 2018, 07:49

Louie - their UK top ten hits were 'Cool For Cats', 'Up The Junction' and 'Labelled With Love'.

They had quite a lot of UK hits, though on checking many of them stayed in the lower reaches of the chart, e.g. 'Tempted' only got to no. 41. They never really went away, though slipped back in the public consciousness.

They were not the first or last to be "the new Lennon & McCartney" though I don't think they gained the huge success anticipated. They were 'traditional' within the emerging synth pop and I suspect this went against them.

Around the time I saw them live in '95 the song 'Last Summer' fitted-in with Britpop. It received secondary airplay and wandered in and out of the top 30 twice.

KingLouieLouie76 · Post by **KingLouieLouie76** » 31 Jan 2018, 15:01

Yeah, I always loved those three songs you mentioned! I just wonder if their music was too sophisticated for the masses? I know they're still touring today (only Tilbrook/Dillford) remain, but only their true hardcore fans attend their shows. But yet, here in the States we only hear "Tempted" all the time and some believe Paul Carrack had more to do with the band and perhaps dismiss them otherwise not realizing how vital Jools was to the band.

Mallard No. 22 · Post by **Mallard No. 22** » 06 Feb 2018, 07:22

Jools Holland was with them for their early successes - I particularly remember him in the video for 'Another Nail In My Heart'. He left early and was presenting 'The Tube' (prime-time TV music show) from 1982, thus he quickly moved towards where he is today in this respect.

Paul Carrack was a good replacement and being there longer than Jools he was a key member. He sang lead vocals on 'Tempted'.

I don't think their sound was too sophisticated - indeed their strength was straightforward, melodious songs.

Rather than the synthesized 80s, their songs suited the (pre-punk) 70s - indeed the scene of that time was where they came from, as did Paul Carrack (albeit he was from Yorkshire).

Their output was quite sporadic as the 80s progressed - though 'Hourglass' was very much a song of its time, and quite a big hit in both UK and USA.

Foggy · Post by **Foggy** » 09 Jun 2018, 11:09

I know the greatest hits, but that's about it, so I've decided to start at the beginning, so I'm playing their album on Spotify.

It's less slick than I expected, but it's a bit of an eye opener. They were great from the off.

Surely on Blur's list of influences?

https://open.spotify.com/track/5Bk4pGGZ ... hx9n_MfD7w" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Mallard No. 22 · Post by **Mallard No. 22** » 14 Jun 2018, 05:06

I would say that Blur could draw influence from them.

Squeeze tended to be more 'kitchen sink' in their song lyrics than Blur.

Though this was only in keeping with the period in which they emerged.

AdvertBreak · Post by **AdvertBreak** » 16 Jun 2018, 21:14

Mallard No. 22 wrote:I would say that Blur could draw influence from them.

Squeeze tended to be more 'kitchen sink' in their song lyrics than Blur.

Though this was only in keeping with the period in which they emerged.

I wouldn't say Squeeze's 'kitchen sink' lyrics were trendchasing at all

Costello and Squeeze were very much the kings of this in the late 70s and early 80s, albeit with very different writing styles I find. Other sort of pub rock/Stiff-style names like Joe Jackson and NicK Lowe perhaps come quite close too.

Gilbert O'Sullivan was - I'd say - the main precedent for this sort of thing as far as the 70s went (obviously in the 60s you had other examples).

Mallard No. 22 · Post by **Mallard No. 22** » 20 Jun 2018, 06:42

Squeeze came through at the time of New Wave - The Jam, The Specials etc.

There was a tendency to write about real life experiences (Down In The Tube Station, Strange Town, Ghost Town etc).

'Up The Junction' was e.g. in keeping with this.

Foggy · Post by **Foggy** » 21 Jul 2018, 21:25

As for Squeeze influencing Blur, I wondered if it was more the other way round by the mid 90s.

This, for instance:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0rY5506sboQ" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Glenn had even bought himself a yellow Tele. You may disagree, but he sounds a bit Conxonesque to me there. He's also covered There's No Other Way live.

Mallard No. 22 · Post by **Mallard No. 22** » 26 Jul 2018, 04:49

Interesting point - Squeeze did a Britpop-type sound to have a chart hit in that period.

I can imagine The Boo Radleys or The Bluetones doing that song.

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