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  • Topic: Them

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    • October 17, 2011 7:35 PM CDT
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      Is the post-Van Morrison stuff as good as/better than when he was in the group? I personally love Van's early vocals and the stuff on 'The Story of Them.' It's like a good mix of freak beat and soul. I was gonna shell out some cash for 'Belfast Gypsies' but wanted to know the best post-Van record to start with.
    • October 19, 2011 3:58 PM CDT
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      Mole ,

      My mistake , not mentioning there's a version of "I Happen To Love You" on "Now...and Them" (Yeah , really. Nice one , Tower.). "Dirty Old Man" was re - recorded and released on Ruff , if I'm not mistaken. EVERYONE was covering "But ,It's All Right " by J.J. Jackson (If they were'nt doing "Mercy , Mercy , Mercy".) , but , yeah , the Van - less Them did do a good version. I don't know if the name was just considered public domain , or what. I don't think even Pete Frame would have tried to run down all the different versions of the group .

      Mole said:

      Van and post-Van Thems are two very different entities; Belfast Gypsies adds another dimension to the story. I like all 3 - there are high and low points but all 3 have something valid to offer. The first post-Van LP, 'Now And Them' [great title Tower - NOT!!!] has a killer take of 'I Happen To Love You' [Prunes] and a Doors-y thing called 'Square Room' which is pretty neat. 'Walking In The Queen's Garden' is a good uptempo rocker too. Some good 45s too - 'Dirty Old Man', 'But It's Alright', worth seeking out.
    • October 19, 2011 1:53 PM CDT
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      Van and post-Van Thems are two very different entities; Belfast Gypsies adds another dimension to the story. I like all 3 - there are high and low points but all 3 have something valid to offer. The first post-Van LP, 'Now And Them' [great title Tower - NOT!!!] has a killer take of 'I Happen To Love You' [Prunes] and a Doors-y thing called 'Square Room' which is pretty neat. 'Walking In The Queen's Garden' is a good uptempo rocker too. Some good 45s too - 'Dirty Old Man', 'But It's Alright', worth seeking out.
    • October 19, 2011 12:47 PM CDT
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      Second that... the Gypsies vocals are on par with Morrisons own efforts (or at least not far off) as far as I can remember.

      joe said:
      get the belfasy gypsies . its pretty good stuff


    • October 17, 2011 10:47 PM CDT
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      get the belfasy gypsies . its pretty good stuff
      John Battles said:

      Hey , Nick.

      I would'nt say any of it is as good as when Van Morrisson was in the group , just as I would'nt saw Van Morrisson was ever as good again , after he left the group (He has his moments , in my opinion.).

      Belfast Gypsies and Them were never one and The same , though we've all been told that. Ugly Things ran an interview , explaining that Belfast Gypsies were two members of an ever changing lineup in the band , during Morrisson's tenure as a singer. The name "THEM" was put on their LP sleeve without their consent. That much said , Belfast Gypsies' CD (Or LP , if you can find it.) is really good , raw killer R'n'B in the Them /Animals vein , but not nearly as tight a band as Them .  Good singer , obviously trying to sound like Morrisson or Burdon , and coming up sounding Punk as fuck.

      "Now...and Them" , one of two LPs they did on Tower Records (Them tried to conquer America around 1966 -7 , on the strength of their past hits , but , again , with only one or two actual members of the classic lineup.) , is pretty good , it's uneven , but it has some good rockers on it.....Later , still , they recorded some singles and a COUPLE OF LPS ON LABELS LIKE RUFF  ( Out of Texas.) and Happy Tiger , I think it was....oN THE LATTER, THEY RECORDED GOOD COVERS OF CHARLIE RICH'S "LONELY WEEKENDS" and The Electric Prunes' " I Happen To Love You", in a more "Garage /Psych" mode...Some of the original or semi - original members reconvened in 1969(?) and did an album with Psychedelic versions of "Gloria" and "Baby , Please Don't Go". But , the lineup continued to shift , well into the late 70's , when they did one reunion 45 , which is'nt bad , but , there's no telling who's on it.  I even saw an add saying THEM was playing some 60's fest in Germany just a few years ago. There's probably a version of the band , with no original members , floating around Europe , somewhere.   Nothing I've heard , post - Van , has been BAD , as long as you don't hold it up to the Them/ Them Again era recorded input.    I'd start with Belfast Gypsies, and see what you think , after that.

    • October 17, 2011 7:57 PM CDT
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      Hey , Nick.

      I would'nt say any of it is as good as when Van Morrisson was in the group , just as I would'nt saw Van Morrisson was ever as good again , after he left the group (He has his moments , in my opinion.).

      Belfast Gypsies and Them were never one and The same , though we've all been told that. Ugly Things ran an interview , explaining that Belfast Gypsies were two members of an ever changing lineup in the band , during Morrisson's tenure as a singer. The name "THEM" was put on their LP sleeve without their consent. That much said , Belfast Gypsies' CD (Or LP , if you can find it.) is really good , raw killer R'n'B in the Them /Animals vein , but not nearly as tight a band as Them .  Good singer , obviously trying to sound like Morrisson or Burdon , and coming up sounding Punk as fuck.

      "Now...and Them" , one of two LPs they did on Tower Records (Them tried to conquer America around 1966 -7 , on the strength of their past hits , but , again , with only one or two actual members of the classic lineup.) , is pretty good , it's uneven , but it has some good rockers on it.....Later , still , they recorded some singles and a COUPLE OF LPS ON LABELS LIKE RUFF  ( Out of Texas.) and Happy Tiger , I think it was....oN THE LATTER, THEY RECORDED GOOD COVERS OF CHARLIE RICH'S "LONELY WEEKENDS" and The Electric Prunes' " I Happen To Love You", in a more "Garage /Psych" mode...Some of the original or semi - original members reconvened in 1969(?) and did an album with Psychedelic versions of "Gloria" and "Baby , Please Don't Go". But , the lineup continued to shift , well into the late 70's , when they did one reunion 45 , which is'nt bad , but , there's no telling who's on it.  I even saw an add saying THEM was playing some 60's fest in Germany just a few years ago. There's probably a version of the band , with no original members , floating around Europe , somewhere.   Nothing I've heard , post - Van , has been BAD , as long as you don't hold it up to the Them/ Them Again era recorded input.    I'd start with Belfast Gypsies, and see what you think , after that.

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