Today's challenge; can I work a Barry Manilow reference into this post which is almost totally about Editors?
Keeping up and collecting Editors' media in October, was like trying to lay a table for dinner using paper plates in the middle of a hurricane. I've said it privately but thanks a lot to Gary for the assistance and especially to Hannah, for managing to keep up with the high pace that was set and still spread the word during those hectic 31 days. It's appreciated ;)
Between the 15th and 22nd of October I wasn't around at all in the Editors universe, so any Instagram stories that happened between those dates got missed unfortunately. Aside from that, I managed with the help of other devotees (see above) to pretty much get everything else.
Keeping up and collecting Editors' media in October, was like trying to lay a table for dinner using paper plates in the middle of a hurricane. I've said it privately but thanks a lot to Gary for the assistance and especially to Hannah, for managing to keep up with the high pace that was set and still spread the word during those hectic 31 days. It's appreciated ;)
Between the 15th and 22nd of October I wasn't around at all in the Editors universe, so any Instagram stories that happened between those dates got missed unfortunately. Aside from that, I managed with the help of other devotees (see above) to pretty much get everything else.
October belonged to Black Gold which was released on the 25th, acting as a monument to the culmination of 15 years of hard, hard work by Editors. It's their first Greatest Hits collection (if you discount the Unedited box which annoying, hardcore contrarians like myself won't stop going on about), and they made a rare exception to their own don't-ever-look-back rule. Not only did they commit to releasing the album, something they'd been reluctant to do, but they also embarked on a media trek that is still going on as I'm putting this post together in early November. I imagine this will only stop when they disappear to begin rehearsals for the 2020 tour schedule. There have been acoustic shows, interviews and a piece of fan interaction that perfectly sums up the relationship they have with their audience. Even though it's scarily intense at times, there's a mutual respect and fierce loyalty present there.
Congratulations to the band and to Team Editors.
Congratulations to the band and to Team Editors.
Without delving too deeply into each individual appointment they kept in October, because that would turn this into a post even more lengthy than the ones I usually put out, here's a list of all the ones I have here at the Archive and you can check them out yourself if you wish:-
Having digested all of the interviews and appearances made in October, there was no firm commitment to a new record...but no absolute last word on there never being one either. There were hints, teases, but nothing concrete. It was rightly indicated that Tom has an album coming out with Andy Burrows, and that after many years of always being on the road in the summer, this year might be a little different for Editors. It's also been said a couple of times that after the three Jacknife Lee tracks there are "no more songs", so any hopes of more Editors music being made public seems unlikely, at least right now. However, we did get some clarity on past statements that they had "3 or 4" songs for the Jacknife Lee Sessions. We're all aware of Frankenstein, Black Gold and Upside Down but Tom confirmed recently that there was indeed a fourth track. It's progress as a piece of work is totally unknown; we don't have a title, a musical style or even know if it was just a very basic idea that they went in with the intention of fleshing out. All that is clear is that as well as those 3 songs we've heard, there's one we haven't.
Late into the month the band unveiled The Black Gold Archives, which was set up as a space for the band and their fans to post their own personal recollections relating to some of the songs on that greatest hits album. They also attached a competition to it where you can win tickets to any show on the 2020 tour, as well as travel and accomodation. From the official site:-
"From the dates of 18 October 2019 – 01 December 2019, we’ll be running a competition to find the best Editors fan memories out there. We know Editors fans, and we know there are so many gems of stories that we don’t know about - yet. We want to know!"
Late into the month the band unveiled The Black Gold Archives, which was set up as a space for the band and their fans to post their own personal recollections relating to some of the songs on that greatest hits album. They also attached a competition to it where you can win tickets to any show on the 2020 tour, as well as travel and accomodation. From the official site:-
"From the dates of 18 October 2019 – 01 December 2019, we’ll be running a competition to find the best Editors fan memories out there. We know Editors fans, and we know there are so many gems of stories that we don’t know about - yet. We want to know!"
So head on over, drop some lines about your Editors experiences and take some time to read other fans' writing. It's a lot of fun because some of the stories that are already on there are joyful, sad and occasionally a little bit crazy.
In all the fanfare about marking 15 years of Editors' music, it didn't feel fully complete. Something was missing, or rather, someone...
There's a story about how Barry Manilow (told you I'd find a way to do it) used to keep two seats empty at every one of his live shows, just in case Frank Sinatra ever decided to come along and watch him perform. Such was his admiration for Old Blue Eyes. The point I'm making is that as much as we can evaluate and appreciate the past 15 years and all the accomplishments made by Editors, it felt like there was an empty seat at the celebrations for a guest that couldn't make it. I have to confess that after reading through the Black Gold Archives, and seeing what the music I love meant to the people who made it, I found myself really wanting to hear Chris' memories from his time as a member of the band. Ever since the split he has retained an impressive silence on the matter, and to be honest an autopsy of the break-up isn't what I'm interested in. That's entirely between him and his former bandmates. However, what I would 100% love to hear about is how he experienced the music he made, and what life was like for him as an artist in the years prior to The Back Room until his departure. What was it like writing songs like Munich and The Boxer? Is he happy with what he helped to create, maybe even proud of it?
He should be, as should they all.
I understand that it's likely he's just moved on, and decided to leave that part of his life behind. Even so, things like the Tape Notes podcast only made increased my curiosity about this. I'm the kind of guy that could sit for hours listening to musicians I admire describe the process involved in bringing their creations to life, and I think that a format of really drilling down to the core of what he was looking for when he was part of the making of In This Light.., for example, would be amazing. Alas, I suspect that it's the slimmest of odds that it will never happen. Even though the band themselves acknowledged his contributions in the sleeve notes of Black Gold, there's also a feeling that those may be the final words on the subject.
In all the fanfare about marking 15 years of Editors' music, it didn't feel fully complete. Something was missing, or rather, someone...
There's a story about how Barry Manilow (told you I'd find a way to do it) used to keep two seats empty at every one of his live shows, just in case Frank Sinatra ever decided to come along and watch him perform. Such was his admiration for Old Blue Eyes. The point I'm making is that as much as we can evaluate and appreciate the past 15 years and all the accomplishments made by Editors, it felt like there was an empty seat at the celebrations for a guest that couldn't make it. I have to confess that after reading through the Black Gold Archives, and seeing what the music I love meant to the people who made it, I found myself really wanting to hear Chris' memories from his time as a member of the band. Ever since the split he has retained an impressive silence on the matter, and to be honest an autopsy of the break-up isn't what I'm interested in. That's entirely between him and his former bandmates. However, what I would 100% love to hear about is how he experienced the music he made, and what life was like for him as an artist in the years prior to The Back Room until his departure. What was it like writing songs like Munich and The Boxer? Is he happy with what he helped to create, maybe even proud of it?
He should be, as should they all.
I understand that it's likely he's just moved on, and decided to leave that part of his life behind. Even so, things like the Tape Notes podcast only made increased my curiosity about this. I'm the kind of guy that could sit for hours listening to musicians I admire describe the process involved in bringing their creations to life, and I think that a format of really drilling down to the core of what he was looking for when he was part of the making of In This Light.., for example, would be amazing. Alas, I suspect that it's the slimmest of odds that it will never happen. Even though the band themselves acknowledged his contributions in the sleeve notes of Black Gold, there's also a feeling that those may be the final words on the subject.
Lastly, as this month has been all about nostalgia, how about the fact that In Dream turned 4 years old on the 2nd October? Feeling old yet? You will...
Editors Instagram October 2019
Editors Instagram October 2019
download here or download here
For all of Editors' previous Instagram posts, go here.
brought to you with lots and lots of lemming-love :) x
