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Solo forums => John Lennon => Topic started by: Kevin on February 26, 2005, 12:01:40 PM

Title: Life With The Lions, twoi virgins  etc
Post by: Kevin on February 26, 2005, 12:01:40 PM
Just wandering if anyone has actually listened to these?
Title: Re: Life With The Lions, twoi virgins  etc
Post by: on February 26, 2005, 03:36:32 PM
Yes. I have an original Two Virgins and a beautiful Japanese import of Life With the Lions, actually the only beautiful part about it is the vinyl. Got them for the collection, curiosity gets the best of you and its just bad stuff. Hooray for experimentation and being avant garde and all that, but, um, no. Gastric accidents in stereo, 12 minutes of fiddling around with a radio dial, chanting newspaper articles about themselves, and side 2 of LWTL would be an experiment to test yourself to see how much you can take. That's what we should have: a contest to see who lasts the longest listening to the second side of that album. Rolling Stone said it best when they said Yoko sounds like a severely retarded child being tortured.
Title: Re: Life With The Lions, twoi virgins  etc
Post by: Ydoll Gwyn on February 26, 2005, 09:16:18 PM
Quote from: kevin_b
Just wandering if anyone has actually listened to these?

Of course. Here's my take on these albums:

Two Virgins: Interesting for a couple of listens because it's so unusual. But there's no dramatic tension, or light and shade, so there's nothing new to discover on subsequent listens.

Life With The Lions: The best of the Unfinished Music series. Side 1 needs listening to under "special" conditions, and is not as awful as some claim. I'm not claiming anything special for it, but it's not so dreadful. However, Side 2 is very listenable. Yoko's attempt at a chant on "No Bed For Beatle John" doesn't fail too badly. It's another attempt at a "Ballad of Joko". Radio Play is very good, imo. You try doing what Johnny does here, and keep it interesting.

Wedding Album: Not as in-your-face as the other two albums, and thus quite bland. The album is a sign that Joko are on a slide into domesticity (blissful or otherwise, depending on whose hype you believe).
Title: Re: Life With The Lions, twoi virgins  etc
Post by: pc31 on February 27, 2005, 04:27:08 AM
yeah i have the zapple release of life with the lions...its only been played twice...
its different.
i had the two virgins album.i think this was their greatest collaberation not just the album but the whole thing,concept and all i applaud this effort.its honest and up front.
Title: Re: Life With The Lions, twoi virgins  etc
Post by: Ydoll Gwyn on February 27, 2005, 04:36:06 AM
I like the silver "Zapple" written across the stndard green apple.

Joko and George have one Zapple release each, for their more eccentric efforts. Pity the other two didn't have a Zapple album.

Hey, maybe the label could be resurrected: Paul's THRILLINGTON could be released on Zapple, or one of his Fireman albums. Ringo could go with a collection of his very rarest: for example, Just A Dream (B-side of Drowing in the Sea of Love), Mr Doubleitup, the tracks from his aborted 1987 album, etc etc. Or: go with the best of STOP SMELL ROSES and OLD WAVE. A combo of these two albums would have produced a great Rino Starr album. Maybe too good for Zapple, come to think!
Title: Re: Life With The Lions, twoi virgins  etc
Post by: pc31 on February 27, 2005, 05:00:07 AM
yeah i have electronic sounds too.no wonder zapple failed...
Title: Re: Life With The Lions, twoi virgins  etc
Post by: on February 27, 2005, 10:39:44 AM
well i have wedding album, which i bought in new york, and life with the lions, wich i bought in edinburgh, scotland...i prefer wedding alb. best though;i dont know why.