Clive

[Light]

Does it piss you off when people continue to ecstatically rave about one particular Arena album, without giving *too* much heed to those before or after?  I mean, perhaps it's a refreshing change from the whole "the current/next album is the most wonderful thing ever" brigade... but... what's *your* favourite?

[Simtere]

Interesting question!

I for one had always assumed that any artist would pretty much always think the latest album was their best work, otherwise they are admitting to simply pushing out work that they don't feel is up to standard in which case why bother?

I think I'd be pretty pissed off if despite years of slaving away on new projects the public still thought my first album was my best work.  That was pretty much what led Nick Drake to suicide as I uderstand it (although I am bound to be corrected if wrong   )

I'm quite keen to see the maestros response as I don't mean to put words into anyones mouth here.

[Clive]

I don't really mind, as long as people are enthusiastic about something Arena have done....
I do tend to find that for listeners, the laster album is never the best... not until it isn't the latest any more.
How can I have a favourite? Should a father favour one of his children? 

[Deenfan]

Shouldn't, maybe, but inevitably sometimes, he will...

I'm lucky enough to have just one. Kid, that is. And album, for that matter...

[keyboardistmatt]

Perhaps it's intersting to note that for me, the latest album is my favorite.
This applies to most bands, because more often than not, it shows that the artist is taking a new direction.  This may also be because I am a musician myself, and generally musicians/bands are proud of the album they have just produced -I am, even though there might be tracks that I am not so proud of ("Dark Eyed Woman" springs to mind from my first...!) 

As an exmple, when Paradise Lost relesed their 'Host' album, most people, even their fans snubbed it because it was a huge change in direction for the band. But I really liked it because it was a huge change in direction for them! Even though I like the stuff before.

I think that any band should change their direction now and again, because it keeps the band's sound fresh -whatever genre the music is.

[keyboardistmatt]

I think that any band should change their direction now and again, because it keeps the band's sound fresh -whatever genre the music is.

...and IMHO, Arena seem to have a wonderful habit of sounding fresh! 

[Herben]

Hello Clive

About people who always want to hear a certain album, I know such a thing from the Moody Blues who got sick of playing the song Nights in white Satin, and Marillion who are always supposed to play Kayleigh. But there are also fans from Marillion who went to see Fish playing Misplaced Childhood, and surprisingly the fans went up to get beer when Kayleigh was playing, they said we heard it too often and we are sick of it. The DJ's are still thinking that the people are still waiting for songs that were played too often, but they never check out if this is really the case. And every song has it's own lovers. The most People don't take the time to listen to the music so they all get stuck in the simple songs like Kayleigh is. I like The more compicated songs, one of my favourite Marillion song is Grendel, much different sorts of music in it You even hear a church organ in it. One of my favourite Arena song is Moviedrome, but it's impossible to let it heard on the radio, 17 minutes, would be nice though.

[marcello]

I have 2 questions,
On Peppers ghost, what is the song "Purgatory Road" meant to be about (its a really cool song by the way)? And also, one day, do you think the other band members will register in the forum?

[Clive]

It's a song about delusions....

Mick's on the forum as well.... 

[Deenfan]

That was a typical Clive response to "What's this song or album about?"

Short, and all you need to know!