I forgot to tell you guyses the story of how grumpy Dave Thomas was when I saw Pere Ubu a week ago!

http://www.worth1000.com/entries/157000/157301bGIf_w.jpg

Mark Prindle's review of that new album is very very funny.

DeRogatis: And you are one of the most engaging frontmen in rock history.

Thomas: When I'm in a good mood.

DeRogatis: When you're in a bad mood, too, though! I mean, we've seen you stomp around and become possessed -- you're someone else.

Thomas: No I'm not! I'm just, just ... it's just a story!

Then again, I'd probably be irritable if I was fielding questions from DeRogatis, too.

Why don't you take a big squiggly shit in the foreground of every single track?

thomas's voice is...the same...whether that's "good" or not i guess is up to the listener. but i like it.

(He's a diabetic, btw, and as I am one too I sorta understand the varying-energy-levels/mood-swings thing.)

dub housing is better than modern dance, imo. at any rate it's very very good.

yeah, this all doesn't surprise me. ever been to pere ubu's web site?

Dub Housing has always been the next one I was going to get, just haven't got around to it...for 10 years.

I cast one more vote for Dub Housing.

My David Thomas story is, as usual, from decades past. he went absolutely balistic at having his, then new 12", being sold on a merch table, next to Diamanda's "Litanies of Satan".

When I read the thread title I thought, "what else is new", but the story rose above.

I especially applaud the use of "guyses" BTW.

The insane rider demands are here: http://www.ubuprojex.net/protocols.html

Yeah, that's his M.O. He was doing that at a Rocket From The Tombs show a couple years back (only with whatever drink he had loaded up in a hip flask)

In-Store Appearances
Please note the following guidelines for in-stores. These are not meant to discourage in-stores, simply to ensure that they're successful as well as being enjoyable for all concerned.

Definitions:

IN-STORE means band members make an announced appearance at a record store.
MEET & GREET means band members make "private" appearances.
Note that Pere Ubu does not do in-store performances as a full band.

1. Please remember that all in-store appearances must be approved in advance.

2. Mr Thomas gets nervous when the record store owner / manager offers free cds or merchandise. Should the record store want to make a gift the transaction shall be handled by a third party (the Record Company rep). The third party shall approach Mr Thomas discreetly, describing what gift is offered. Mr Thomas will then okay a formal presentation at which brief, formal speeches of presentation and acceptance are made.

3. The Record Company representative must do the following:

Immediately on arrival introduce Mr Thomas to as many people as possible, pointing out interesting facts & aiding the flow of conversation. Do not let Mr Thomas stand around like a lemon.

IN-STORE ONLY: As soon as possible Mr Thomas must be guided to a chair from which he may play his accordion & dominate the immediate space in an absolutist manner.

Mr Thomas should not be referred to as "Dave" or touched in an overly familiar way. His name is "David." Shaking hands is all the physical contact that should be needed.

4. The record store MUST NOT play any Pere Ubu recordings for the duration of Mr Thomas' visit. It is simply too embarrassing, draws undue attention to his presence & most importantly forces him to withdraw into a protective shell of weird uncommunicativeness. This is not desirable.

5. Please remember that the first 30 seconds of arrival in-store sets the tone for the entire episode. If Mr Thomas is allowed to slip into an Outcast Lemon Mode you will have an unsatisfactory experience. INTRODUCE HIM. ENCOURAGE CONVERSATION. TAKE UP ANY SLACK. If you know a fan who wants to meet him then by all means introduce them. Mr Thomas prefers ordinary people. He wants to be approached. He wants to talk.

Mr Thomas can be the most charming & exciting personality if very simple steps are taken to avoid awkwardness. Once he gets rolling there are no problems, you can sit back, relax & observe a professional smarming his way into the hearts of all around him. The initial stages, however, are critical.

MEET & GREETs are not a problem because of the informal nature of the event.

forces him to withdraw into a protective shell of weird uncommunicativeness

No tips for preventing him from turning into a confrontational dickhead?

I can imagine the scenario.

DT turns up, record shop staff go "oh my god, the deity is here, I'm scared" meantime DT is cast back to his childhood and enters 'loner' mode. etc.

People don't generally know how to talk to 'stars' or even other people quite often. This list gives them a straightforward 'in' and how to approach the god.

Fair play to it, I say.

so no groupies offering blowjobs ey?

i saw about 15 minutes of a PU show, didn't really excite me enough to stay for the rest of it. i mean, shit, i like pere ubu but the guy's an ass.

also - has he got autism or something?

Funnily enough, I was at a local radio football match, the kind where they used to give out records at half time. (and my mate was a sucker for a freebie). Anyway, this DJ handed a family a copy of "The Modern Dance" Pere Ubu lp (Mercury, back in 1977). "Ooh, lovely, I like disco" said the wifey. I could have told them, they wouldn't have believed me...

what have you got against people with half a brain? fwiw, one of my oldest and dearest friends has aspergers so i'm not doing any slagging off, just suggesting a possibility.

Go straight to Terminal Tower, then Modern Dance. The Datapanik box is good but huge and expensive. Dub Housing is the last Pere Ubu album I can truly enjoy as a whole, although Tenement Year and Ray Gun Suitcase have their moments.

*kills everyone*