Living colour

[Guillaume]

What is your opinion about this band?

I used to listen to their records when i was in high school, they were quite well known in the early 90's, a fine band..."Vivid" and "Stain" are good albums, catchy songs with social issues, and they were great musicians!
I haven't seen them live, unfortunately, they looked like a great live band:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RSCgxx7fqx0



Here are some of their best songs, "cult of personality":

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7xxgRUyzgs0


"Open letter to a landlord":

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6V5VkMqM07s

"Glamour boys":

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e7FX6sAL0Zw

"Nothingness":

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=59C11L5pVB8

[Rusco]

Well, they were quite multitalented guys. I remember the Cult of Personality and Vivid songs and think it was some sort of phenomenon then. Quite liked it. But I think their music maybe suffered a bit of time later on. It would be nice to hear some new stuff from them...

Vernon Reid was also involved in jazz scene and made a project album with Bill Frisell which is a hard to get experimental recording these days.

[Guillaume]

But I think their music maybe suffered a bit of time later on. It would be nice to hear some new stuff from them...

I've just checked their site and good news they are on tour and they are releasing a new album next spring!! :

http://www.livingcolour.com/news/

I've only listened to their early albums ("Vivid", "Time's up" and "Stain") and they don't release often albums it seems...some of their early songs and lyrics are just great and still relevant today...i hope to see them live next year!

Vernon Reid was also involved in jazz scene and made a project album with Bill Frisell which is a hard to get experimental recording these days.

Vernond Reid is a very good guitar player...his solo in "Cult of personality" is, wow!
I also like their bass players.

[Master Ray]

Not familiar with them, vaguely remember 'em but can't recall a single tune.

I will rectify that on your recommendations.  Where to start?

[Guillaume]

I will rectify that on your recommendations.  Where to start?

Give a chance to VIVID...

http://allmusic.com/album/vivid-mw0000195531

In 1988, few heavy metal bands were comprised of all black members, and fewer had the talent or know-how to inject different musical forms into their hard rock sound (funk, punk, alternative, jazz, soul, rap) -- but N.Y.C.'s Living Colour proved to be an exception. Unlike nearly all of the era's metal bands, the group's music has held up over time, thanks to its originality and execution. Living Colour leader/guitarist Vernon Reid spent years honing his six-string chops, and was one of the most respected guitarists in New York's underground scene. He couldn't have done a better job selecting members for his new rock band -- singer Corey Glover, bassist Muzz Skillings, and drummer Will Calhoun -- as their now-classic debut, Vivid, proves. Though the album was released in mid-1988, it picked up steam slowly, exploding at the year's end with the hit single/MTV anthem "Cult of Personality," which merged an instantly recognizable Reid guitar riff and lyrics that explored the dark side of world leaders past and present (and remains LC's best-known song). The album was also incredibly consistent, as proven by the rocker "Middle Man" (which contains lyrics from a note penned by Glover, in which he pondered suicide), the funky, anti-racist "Funny Vibe," the touching "Open Letter (To a Landlord)," plus the Caribbean rock of "Glamour Boys." Add to it an inspired reading of Talking Heads' "Memories Can't Wait," the Zeppelin-esque "Desperate People," and two complex love songs ("I Want to Know" and "Broken Hearts"), and you have one of the finest hard rock albums of the '80s -- and for that matter, all time.


...and STAIN, Master Ray! both being very good albums in my opinion (i haven't listened to their second album TIME'S UP in years, and i haven't listened to their 2000's songs too!)

http://allmusic.com/album/stain-mw0000096093


After wrapping up their stint with Lollapalooza '91, Living Colour took some time off to decide what to do next. Shortly after, bassist Muzz Skillings and the rest of the band decided to part company and was replaced by session ace Doug Wimbish (whose credits included work with Jeff Beck, Madonna, Mick Jagger, etc.). Produced by Ron "Bad Brains" St. Germain, Living Colour's Stain showed the band's darker side even more, as samples were now added to the sonic mix. The tracks were more focused and streamlined when compared to the all-encompassing compositions on 1990's Time's Up, but were just as hard-hitting and thought provoking. The pessimistic viewpoint evidenced in such past tracks as "Type" can be found again in such tracks as "Go Away," "Ignorance Is Bliss," and "Never Satisfied," while "Postman" pulls no punches in its depiction of a deranged killer. The explosive "Auslander" was one of the album's best tracks, as was the melodic rocker "Leave It Alone" and the superb ballad "Nothingness," which deserved to be a hit. Although some of the songs miss the mark ("Bi," "This Little Pig," etc.), Stain was another engaging release from Living Colour. Although the album made the Top 40 and just missed going gold, the group would disband a year after the ensuing tour (citing "musical differences").

There are also some live cds/dvds, and also a not bad "Greatest hits" named "Pride".
Let us know what you think of Living Colour when you will have listened to them, Master Ray      

[Pol]

I've just listened to Stain and yes I did enjoy it.
First impressions are definite hints of Faith no more and early chilli peppers and maybe some Josh Homme in the guitar but still with lots of originality. Ignorance is bliss and never satisfied were my two favourite songs so far.

[Guillaume]

Ignorance is bliss and never satisfied were my two favourite songs so far.

I also like "Go away", "Leave it alone", "Auslander" and "Nothingness".

[Tony S]

Oooh, I'm a bit late to this discussion, but I've always loved this band !!  Vivid, Time's Up and Stain are the three classic early albums, and they're all great in different ways. One of the stand out tracks for me is This Is The Life, the closing song on Time's Up.  I saw them live once back in the day (probably on one of their early UK shows) at the Brixton Academy. Can't remember exactly when that was though.   And then last year, they played a one off gig at the Koko in London in March 2013. They followed the trend lately of playing the whole of the Vivid album, plus some other stuff. There are some clips on Youtube. There was one moment when Corey Glover lept off the stage, and more or less collided with me in the front row !  It was a fantastic gig.

I'd highly recommend their Collideoscope album from 2003, which was their comeback album after a ten year hiatus. This was recorded in the wake of 9/11, and there is a strong theme running through it relating to post 9/11 America, and the atmosphere of those times. Superb album.

[Guillaume]

And then last year, they played a one off gig at the Koko in London in March 2013. They followed the trend lately of playing the whole of the Vivid album, plus some other stuff. There are some clips on Youtube. There was one moment when Corey Glover lept off the stage, and more or less collided with me in the front row !  It was a fantastic gig.

I really hope they will do one gig in France next year for the release of their last album, they seem great live...here's their whole Paris gig of 2007:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bD5KoWX8X0A

One of the stand out tracks for me is This Is The Life, the closing song on Time's Up.

Indeed...and here's the closing song of the "vivid" album, still relevant, 26 years later!:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VufacXIcHuA

I'd highly recommend their Collideoscope album from 2003, which was their comeback album after a ten year hiatus. This was recorded in the wake of 9/11, and there is a strong theme running through it relating to post 9/11 America, and the atmosphere of those times. Superb album.

I must admit i've listened it only once and it didn't strike me being as catchy and inspired as "Vivid" or "Stain", but now reading your review i surely missed something!
and what about their last album "the chair in the doorway", released in 2009, is it good?

[Rusco]

I have to say, Living Colour are a band that should get even more attention than what they've got. But I feel a bit ashamed because I never really got close enough with their music. I can just name few of their songs, but know they're a classic and have large fan basis.

Did they have btw any connections with the Bad Brains? Couldn't find source from wiki articles...

[Tony S]

I must admit i've listened it only once and it didn't strike me being as catchy and inspired as "Vivid" or "Stain", but now reading your review i surely missed something!
and what about their last album "the chair in the doorway", released in 2009, is it good?

Yeah, one of the songs on Collideoscope, Flying, is very moving, as although it is fictional, it is imagining two people in the World Trade Centre on that fateful day, and it ties in with what some poor people had to do to escape the intense heat. I'd give the album a few more listens, as I think like a lot of bands' music, it tends to grow on you with repeated listens and familiarity.

I do have Chair In The Doorway too, and I like it, but I haven't played it as much as Collideoscope, and the earlier albums - yet !   I am looking forward to hearing the new album when it comes out, and I thank you for your post, because I was unaware of it before now 

I also really like some of Vernon Reid's solo stuff, and albums with his other band, Masque.
His debut album, Mistaken Identity, is one of my favourite albums by anyone. It's a crazy mix of styles, with some mad humour, sublime guitar playing, and all manner of weird samples and stuff. It's genius !
http://www.discogs.com/Vernon-Reid-Mistaken-Identity/release/1538050

[Guillaume]

I thank you for your post, because I was unaware of it before now 

 

I also really like some of Vernon Reid's solo stuff, and albums with his other band, Masque.
His debut album, Mistaken Identity, is one of my favourite albums by anyone. It's a crazy mix of styles, with some mad humour, sublime guitar playing, and all manner of weird samples and stuff. It's genius !
http://www.discogs.com/Vernon-Reid-Mistaken-Identity/release/1538050

I need to listen to it ASAP, he's really a brillant guitar player.
I remember seeing at the time the cover of this solo album.

[Guillaume]

Yeah, one of the songs on Collideoscope, Flying, is very moving, as although it is fictional, it is imagining two people in the World Trade Centre on that fateful day, and it ties in with what some poor people had to do to escape the intense heat.

Tony, i just gave a listen to "Flying" and wow, it's a great song!!:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b_f_8Wqb2SY

Beautiful...now i really have to give another listen to "Colleidoscope"!

[Tony S]

Hi Guillaume. How did you find Collideoscope after another listen or two ?

[Guillaume]

Hi Tony,

Sorry but i haven't listened this album again yet (in fact i've sold the cd two months ago )
I'll update this thread when i'll get to listen to it on the whole again