Mike Odlum for Wolves?

noelindublin · Loudmouth

Mike Odlum for Wolves?

suss · In the Long Grass

I believe the intention is that Mike does bass and vocal at Wolves and Peter won't be there. Poster for Wolves gig only lists Mike along with Garry, Darren and Simon.

Wes[Wolverhampton] · House on Fire

Mike is indeed doing the gig.Would be great to see you there Noel and some of the rest of you.Be there at the start of a new era.You can get tickets off me--going fast £7

noelindublin · Loudmouth

Wes[Wolverhampton] wrote:
Mike is indeed doing the gig.Would be great to see you there Noel and some of the rest of you.Be there at the start of a new era.You can get tickets off me--going fast £7

I hope to get to see them at some stage. Silly as it might sound I need to practice my drinking as I don't really drink that often and when I do I get a really bad hangover so I'm a bit out of practice in terms of going out to gigs and making a night of it as it were.

I call this 'fitness to drink'. Conversely I'm a lifetime jogger/runner and go out running about three times a week for general fitness. I just need to be able to handle a few pints without being totally wrecked the next day!

Lisa · Mondo Bongo

Got my tickets - and looking forward to the gig

Should be good - anyone else going?

Wes[Wolverhampton] · House on Fire

Any doubters of the new Rats--garryroberts.com and audio

ArrGee · Back To Boomtown

Wes[Wolverhampton] wrote:
Be there at the start of a new era...

Has Pete Barton moved on? Would be very interested to see the third lead singer, but won't be in Wolverhampton. Maybe they will do a few more gigs before the end of the year.

suss · In the Long Grass

My guess is that Peter's hectic schedule with Animals meant some gig opportunities for Rats had to be declined, so either an alternative or replacement singer gives them more opportunities.

The fact that Mike also happens to be a long time friend and apparently they were all in a school band together has a certain romantic and sort of full circle appeal I suppose.

Would also guess Peter will still manage them as future gigs (well into next year) are posted on RAM, and I wouldn't be surprised if he plays occasionally as well seeing as Mike has to travel from Ireland every time. That fact might increase likelihood of a homecoming gig though; good news for Noel and poss a few others on here.

Eagerly awaiting Wolverhampton to see how Mike gets on. Hope to post some sort of 'review' in a week or so.

noelindublin · Loudmouth

If only the replacement singer was Bob Geldof! I've no idea how Mike Odlum is as a singer. One thing about Pete Barton is that he did a good job and the live sound was more or less a straight rendition of the records, wheres Geldof had a tendency to ruin a lot of the live versions. That prolonged na na naing on Diamond Smiles live version for example. Equally there are magnificent live versions which sometimes do the opposite and exceed the recorded version.

Yes come to think of it I really admire Pete Barton's singing as he gets it more or less right and the songs tend not to ramble and to be straight to the point. So much emotional information can be carried in a singers voice and its so hard for any replacement singer to replicate that exact feel or tone. Its like an actor stepping into a role when we have grown up accustomed and 'lived' the songs in their earlier incarnation.

I was thinking of going over to Wolverhampton but am saving up for Amsterdam so I have to prioritise. Its cheap enough if one books a few weeks in advance to get to anywhere but planning ahead is not my forte!

ArrGee · Back To Boomtown

noelindublin wrote:
Yes come to think of it I really admire Pete Barton's singing as he gets it more or less right and the songs tend not to ramble and to be straight to the point.

I must confess that when I saw and heard Pete Barton doing his own stuff (or The Animals) I didn't expect much, but he really brought a lot to the songs. His voice is more rocking and powerful than Geldof's whose vocals could be nasally. I think his renditions were as good as many of the live Geldof performances I have heard. Diamond Smiles and Mondays are the only exceptions. The former just because the song doesn't seem right for the new Rats and the latter because it is a very different version.

noelindublin · Loudmouth

Geldof may not be the most technically perfect of singers but I've always found a hard to explain sort of emotional tone to his singing which has always appealed to me. Singing is as much about imparting feeling as just hitting the right notes and lots of my favourite singers probably don't rank in what is considered note perfect performers.

Once I think it was Mick Jones of The Clash unkindly described Geldof's voice as 'like a bagpipes at half speed'. What did he bloodly want Placido Domingo or Pavarotti singing the songs?

Definitily one of my fav singers is Peter Perrett of The Only Ones

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4JgpsTl5Tks&feature=related

ArrGee · Back To Boomtown

noelindublin wrote:
Geldof may not be the most technically perfect of singers but I've always found a hard to explain sort of emotional tone to his singing which has always appealed to me. Singing is as much about imparting feeling as just hitting the right notes and lots of my favourite singers probably don't rank in what is considered note perfect performers.

I agree, most of the singers I like are generally flawed and reedy. In recent years, Geldof's voice when he sings the older songs is very much on the wane. I think he would find it difficult to do a set comprised of the first two albums these days.

noelindublin · Loudmouth

Ian Mccullough of Echo and the Bunnymen did have a wonderful voice but I've noticed in the last ten years it has lost a lot of its seductiveness and has become raspy, possibly to overuse and also too smoking to many cigarettes.

Scott Walker's last two albums have seen significent changes in his vocals, getting higher all the time.

Leonard Cohen can barely sign anymore- his voice is much reduced and make me dislike his last few albums- he now has got a very limited range.

Bob Geldof's voice may have changed a little but it is still recognisable very readily as BG. I think its in pretty good shape. I think a lot of the earlier numbers won't get too many live airings in the future, but that's a very different thing to disowning them. Its more a matter of largely living in the present so we who still hang in there take what we get. And yes, some of it is good!

Anybody who doesn't like Bob I will accuse of siding with Louis Walsh!

-- Edited by noelindublin on Tuesday 30th of August 2011 01:11:22 PM

Lisa · Mondo Bongo

Just thinking it would have been a good idea to advertise this gig as the Boomtown Wolves to get lots of local interest! Then to continue the theme, maybe get gigs in Catterick, Dogmersfield - the possibilities are endless!

OK, it seemed a great idea in the early hours, but maybe sticking to the Rats might be best ........

Wes[Wolverhampton] · House on Fire

Nice one Lisa lol.Look forward to seing u later.Gona be a good night me thinks.Quite a few tickets gone.A few left in the varsity and i still have a few but a lot of promises to pay on the door also so i suggest if anyone is still interested to be early or get a ticket beforehand--cheers Wes

Lisa · Mondo Bongo

Looking forward to seeing all you guys later. I take it I can pick up my tickets on the door by just giving my name/showing my paypal email receipt ....I don't need any special codes/passwords do I? Don't think I can manage anything too complicated - the paypal thing was difficult enough

Wes[Wolverhampton] · House on Fire

All sorted Lisa--no worries

noelindublin · Loudmouth

Lisa wrote:
Just thinking it would have been a good idea to advertise this gig as the Boomtown Wolves to get lots of local interest! Then to continue the theme, maybe get gigs in Catterick, Dogmersfield - the possibilities are endless!

OK, it seemed a great idea in the early hours, but maybe sticking to the Rats might be best ........

That gave me the idea to check Uk towns beginning with the word Rat and there are quite a few.....

Ratby, Leics

Rattery, Sth Devon

Rattlesden, Suffolk

Ratlinghope, Shropshire

Ratho, Nr Edinburgh

Rattray , Perthshire

Rathen, Aberdeenshire

Somehow I can't see a themed concert emerging!

http://www.qype.co.uk/uk/city_cloud/R