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Mike Joyce and Andy Rourke in Washington DC with Specter

posted by davidt on Monday June 11 2001, @08:45AM
arthur gentileschi writes:

I do not know whether or not people are interested in hearing about this, but I thought it might be to some. Last week I saw Jason Specter play at the Velvet Lounge in Washington DC. His rhythm section is Mike Joyce and Andy Rourke. Specter is a songwriter/guitarist/singer from Manchester, and his songs are good. A few really stood out. However, my opinion is that Rourke and Joyce, as a rhythm section, were even better now than they were while they were in the Smiths. Rourke was incredibly fluid and melodic and kept his hands quite busy, while Joyce beat the hell out of his kit. Before their set, we met them hanging out at the bar next door, Kingpin (legendary local bar), and they were both very nice. Rourke was quite shy but was happy to sign my cigarette box, while Joyce was the talkative one. I told him that I love his drumming, and asked him a few questions. He said that his favorite drum sound is on the "Shoplifters" single, and that they recorded it in some hall of the actual studio where they were supposed to record it. He said that "Nowhere Fast" is among his favorites, that he prefers the "bouncy beat" "What Difference Does it Make?" (BBC session, Hatful of Hollow) to the "straight-ahead beat" take (single, The Smiths LP), and said that he's curious to see Morrissey live. I did not ask him about the court case of a few years back, but he actually brought it up, and seems to have handled the whole thing very well. He bought me a beer, and I felt honored to give him my last cigarette. Joyce and Rourke are both very nice, and I recommend seeing them with Jason Specter is you have the opportunity.
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  • I met Andy Rourke a couple of years ago and he was well into his project with Aziz Abraham (can't remember if that's the real surname... probably not! but anyway...), but it looks like none of that material is going to come to light now. I'd love to know why. He was very complimentary of it.

    Well, I hope this works out for them both.

    It's great that they are still playing in bands isn't it?
    swallow_on_my_neck <United Kingdom.> -- Monday June 11 2001, @09:01AM (#12720)
    (User #2115 Info)
  • Well, I very much doubt you were there! I saw Specter at the Roadhouse here in Manchester and yes Mike Joyce was top of his game but Rourke (who played again with Jeep last week) was his usual under achieving self. Jason Specter writes poor middle of the road, soft rock efforts. It just so happens he has two out of four Smiths onstage with him.
    Anonymous -- Monday June 11 2001, @03:32PM (#12768)
  • Thank you for sharing your experience with us. I'm glad to see that Mike Joyce isn't embittered towards his past experience with The Smiths and speaks so frankly about the old tunes. I hope he and Andy find continued success in music, as they are of the great ones. Thanks again.
    dewdrop -- Monday June 11 2001, @07:21PM (#12784)
    (User #2326 Info)
  • I have to be honest here folks - Sadie stole the show right from underneath Specter's feet! I went to the shows eagerly anticipating seeing Mike and Andy taking the stage with Specter, but after Sadie's amazing set at Don Hills, I doubt any band could have followed up an energetic set like that! Sadie was so much fun to watch, and they've really come so far since I saw their first show. Now that their awful old bass player is gone (wasn't he also the Salford Lads' guitar player?), their new one really makes a world of difference.

    Myself, and more than half the crowd decided to leave about midway through Specter's set. Their mediocre rock, a la the Goo Goo Dolls just wasn't for me!
    Asa Gray -- Tuesday June 12 2001, @06:29AM (#12795)
    (User #2824 Info)
  • well, i must say that i was very impressed with Sadie, except for the lead singer. The musicians were great and i enjoyed hearing them very much, but i just did not enjoy the singer at all. If he was trying to be like Morrissey, then he missed it all together. He tried too hard at complex melodies and sang too many words...he seemed to have a fine voice, but....all the songs sounded the same...as for Joyce and Rourke, they were great, but i must agree that i was not very impressed with Specter's writing...i enjoyed it, but it wasn't anything special...i met Rourke after the show and he was a bit shy, but very nice all the same...
    JESUSFREAK -- Tuesday June 12 2001, @07:40AM (#12799)
    (User #1718 Info)
  • I said it once and I'll say it again, Mike Joyce is one of the nicest people I have ever had the pleasure of talking to, or listening to my buddy talk to ;) PS, I got pictures if you want em, buddy or "arthur"
    Anonymous -- Tuesday June 12 2001, @08:35AM (#12800)
  • Isn't that nice that Morrissey bought you a beer. Make it a Corona.

    OUT!!!
    Jim Rome -- Tuesday June 12 2001, @11:33AM (#12818)
    (User #720 Info | http://www.jimrome.com/)
    ...and how?
  • if i was Joyce i would have been bored about talking about anything Smiths by now.....14 years later...
    Anonymous -- Tuesday June 12 2001, @12:26PM (#12825)
  • I can't believe they are reduced to performing in that shithole! With the 9:30 right around the corner! Sad...
    cakesy -- Wednesday June 13 2001, @06:23AM (#12855)
    (User #2266 Info)
  • I can't remember the last time I saw a band put on a show like Sadie did that night. Have any of the above seen The Make Up? Do you think Ian tries too hard? I can image someone who isn't involved in the music scene thinking something silly like that, but for someone like myself, whose seen a lot of bands, this was a band worth catching. Granted, the vocals got lost at some points, but overall, I though they blew Specter off the stage.
    Anonymous -- Wednesday June 13 2001, @11:33PM (#12895)

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