Rowland S. Howard

[blacktiger]

Just finished listening to I'm Never Gonna Die Again (again) and the fact that Nick became an international superstar while Rowland languished in obscurity just goes to show that there really is no justice in this world.

[windmill]

Nick Cave was living in Brazil, frightened he would lose his "creativity" if he gave up heroin. He became an international superstar after he kicked the drugs, in the film he looked in rude good health.

Rowland didn't kick the drugs till they had ruined his health.

The scene in the film where he says about the amount of time wasted by drugs, as mentioned before, has just so much pathos it almost brings tears.

Everyone makes choices in the life, not everyone realises the consequences.

[blacktiger]

He was bigger than Rowland ever was even before he kicked drugs. I've been a fan of the Birthday Party/Rowland/Nick/Mick for a few decades and the more I get to know about Nick Cave, the more I think his sole objective was always to be famous and the "art" was just a vehicle to get him there. That never seemed to be Rowland's drive and I doubt if he had gotten clean 20 years ago that his career would have been all that different. I think that the regrets about losing his life to drugs were mostly personal, not professional.

[BlixaFan]

hey guys!
so my dvd came in today first thing that I think is most important is that the dvd is region free! so there's no need to worry about getting region 4 dvd players or anything like that.

the dvd itself is in a regular DVD snapcase. it includes just the disc itself, with no booklet or anything. that said, the disc has some pretty cool extras included, including a little featurette on the blue box! there's some cool shots of Rowland's jaguar as well. i have yet to see what else the DVD has to offer, but I'm pretty glad i can watch it anytime now

[daydreamdelay]

Good to know! I've been meaning to email jb hifi to ask about that.. I watched it a couple weeks back and absolutely loved it, was so well done. I'd love to find out they stuck some live stuff on the DVD

Been enjoying Harry's new album quite a bit.. was just loaded onto spotify

[BlixaFan]

there's definitely some live stuff added on right on! i'll have to check out Harry's album when i get a chance!

[wrath]

Just finished listening to I'm Never Gonna Die Again (again) and the fact that Nick became an international superstar while Rowland languished in obscurity just goes to show that there really is no justice in this world.

I don't think that's entirely fair.

Nick Cave became an international superstar due to his own drive and ambition, matched with the talent to boot.

Howard is a wonderful muscian, but he made his own bed with his life choices.

[blacktiger]

I don't know if being unwilling to compromise your artistic vision is a bed to lie in, but my point is that you have two guys of comparable talent from the same background and one ends up an international star and the other dies in obscurity. Yes, Nick busted his ass to sell himself, but from the standpoint of relative artistic merit alone, there's a pretty shocking disparity there. Nick wouldn't have died waiting for a donor, I'm pretty damn sure of that.

[del]

mercy. "dead radio" and "sleep alone"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2I8gYQiqzNo" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
"pop crimes" is fantastic offset reprise.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-HgjwFtX2Lk" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
"(i know) a girl called johnny"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WswWWFPAVUc" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
well done, sir, well done.

[del]

with the advent of the new squier jaguars, lets reflect on rowland for a bit. mercy. what great guitar sounds.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oG77hEX06QA" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

~del

[DrOctagon]

Could you guys recommend some listening material of his? Favorite albums and such.

Seeing how much he's respected around here I'm a little embarrassed to not know more about him. I wasn't around in the 80s, I guess that might explain some of it but I'm not sure. I've listened to a little Birthday Party but not much. What I've heard of his I really like and he seemed to influence or be a part of a lot of things I listen to so does anyone know a good place to get started for a relative RHS noob?

[FrankRay]

You could do worse than start here;
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4LyANVY1fwg" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Rowland stalking the stage in Wim Wenders' Wings Of Desire. Awesome movie, too
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Byz2F78fUqg" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
the song that started the whole cocteau twins/bauhaus guitar sound
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ckymeO6qWcQ" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
from his first solo album
and http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L7ChSy6FhxQ" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
a late live version of his most famous song, written when he was a teenager.

Hope this helps

[FrankRay]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uqMuavjw ... re=related" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
forget to mention this....

[shadowplay]

if anyone wants to check out Rowland in an atypical setting hit up.
A.C. Marias Time Was

Though you should really go and buy the AC Marias album One of Our Girls Has Gone Missing which is amazing.

D

[del]

Could you guys recommend some listening material of his? Favorite albums and such.

Seeing how much he's respected around here I'm a little embarrassed to not know more about him. I wasn't around in the 80s, I guess that might explain some of it but I'm not sure. I've listened to a little Birthday Party but not much. What I've heard of his I really like and he seemed to influence or be a part of a lot of things I listen to so does anyone know a good place to get started for a relative RHS noob?

I recommend starting with his first solo album, from 1999, Teenage Snuff Film.
It's available on Spotify.
Searching for "Rowland S. Howard" - with the period after "S" - returns his two solo albums.
Searching without the period returns the single he did with Lydia Lunch.

~del