NMA - The antithesis to a greatest hits tour

[andydrbeard]

Great post, as already stated NMA are simply the greatest band. When I look at a lot of the bands that have been coming out of the 80s woodwork and touring lately I can't help but think "that's another lot where the pensions have crashed".  I truly doubt there's another band that has produced such a high standard of work on a continuous basis over the same time period as NMA. Yet another why they are unique.

[Anna Woman von NRW]

Nice thread Magnus - hello 

I don't think there is an NMA Greatest Hits setlist. Except for a brief period early on, charting Singles and wider exposure have been hard to come by in the UK at least and so there isn't the 1 or 2 obligatory songs from each album that would add up to a hits setlist. And that's a brilliant thing because there is so much depth and texture across the whole back catalogue that it don't really matter what you hear at a gig - it's gonna be good. Obviously over the years some songs have become almost greatest hits but other than that there's a few hundred (and counting) others to choose from.

I think Guillaume got it right:

I guess NMA will do their Greatest Hits Tour when it will be the time for their Farewell Tour  

Exactly, Greatest Hits tour is either an empty band with nothing new to say or a celebratory goodbye. NMA ain't empty - they're still Stoned Fired and Full of Grace 

I don't see a problem with any band taking a hits tour on the road and making some money from their work. People get a good night out listening to some band they like(d), everyone's a winner so what's not to like about that? It's good. And it probably plays an important part in the economics of keeping live music venues going. But it's entertainment not music as a evolving creative expression. The day an NMA gig became entertainment would be the day I said Ta-Ta, won't ever happen though 

Haha, you can call me a fan girl now, but I think one of the main reasons is authenticity. There is simply no bullshit, and no wish to follow fashion and "produce music" to sell. It´s about making music, and doing something one loves And this is something rare, and real in our weird world full of layers and layers of detached and artificial desires.

And this transpires, on the albums, during the gigs

ummm........ nothing else to say is there, perfect.  I will call you a fan girl now - we recognise each other 

[Ava Enturin]

Uh, thank you Anna. It´s just how it is  

[JohnnyM]

I used to go & watch the levellers quite a bit 90-92 and then went for many years with maybe seeing them once or twice. Then by chance I saw them a few times in the last couple of years and most of the set was from the few few albums. its a a bit sad that they havent really written anything to compete with those old tunes in over 20 years.

Although the last few NMA albums havent really clicked with me, I'm glad that they're not just peddling a greatest hist of the 80s package like many of their contemporaries - there's not many bands from the 80s who are not still relying on past glories - and long may it continue.

[Master Ray]

I used to go & watch the levellers quite a bit 90-92 and then went for many years with maybe seeing them once or twice. Then by chance I saw them a few times in the last couple of years and most of the set was from the few few albums. its a a bit sad that they havent really written anything to compete with those old tunes in over 20 years.

Although the last few NMA albums havent really clicked with me, I'm glad that they're not just peddling a greatest hist of the 80s package like many of their contemporaries - there's not many bands from the 80s who are not still relying on past glories - and long may it continue.

I love the Levs and they seem to be a band to who play exactly what they want... seen 'em live about 10 -20 times... I've seen them play a 'greatest hits' set and I've seen them play nothing but rareties, not a single 'hit single'... when they're toured in support of their last album, there was a pretty decent chunk of 'Static On The Radio'...

A band I will always watch if I get chance.

[rick a.]

I think the anniversary tour was probably the closest we'll get to a "greatest hits" tour. Being from the states and only ever hearing one song "the hunt" on the radio, who decides what are the greatest hits? And they have so many great tracks that I've come to appreciate anything they do. The quality is so much better than 90% of what's out there.

[Spudthemariner]

I'm off to the leveller's greatest hits gig in many and whilst it will be ok I am not looking forward to it as much as their previous gigs - hope I'm wrong!

Interestingly, I'm rather looking forward to the upcoming Levs show (in Glasgow) purely because it is a 'Greatest hits' show. I'd rather gone off them of late due to not particularly getting the last couple of albums and the fact that they generally always (seem to) play the majority of a certain couple of albums. So the fact that they are airing some other great stuff from their catalogue is for me a real plus.
I don't have a problem with 'greatest hits' tours per say, not every band has quite the back catalogue of NMA or indeed the constant forward looking drive (inspiration?) to keep producing new stuff with different angles/styles. The idea that 'greatest hits' tours are only to rip off fans is one that I can't agree with. Musicians still need to work and fill the fridge even if they have no new 'product', and lets face it, you could hardly accuse the Levs of acting like the likes of Kiss... 

[mudgeek]

Haha, you can call me a fan girl now, but I think one of the main reasons is authenticity. There is simply no bullshit, and no wish to follow fashion and "produce music" to sell. It´s about making music, and doing something one loves And this is something rare, and real in our weird world full of layers and layers of detached and artificial desires.

And this transpires, on the albums, during the gigs

I've seen JS in an interview (I think it was at Sonisphere) where he says - about bands touring under an entire album - "Absolutely not. We're not in the nostalgia market". That may answer a lot of questions about authenticity. 

[rick a.]

I'm not sure about that. I've seen bands (Buzzcocks) that played entire albums start to finish and it was great. They can still play current material too. It's just great to hear songs that the band themselves might not always want to play. If there is one thing I've learned over the years is that bands are not always the best judge of their own songs.

[huwcamden]

Well said rick a, i'm off to see the manic street preachers doing "the holy bible" nostalgia tour at camden roundhouse and i can't wait, they are doing two sets the second set being stuff from there new album "futureology". I would love a "vengence"nostalgia tour, they could do a second set with new stuff in it, infact the xmas shows may turn out to be something similar.

[Master Ray]

Well said rick a, i'm off to see the manic street preachers doing "the holy bible" nostalgia tour at camden roundhouse and i can't wait, they are doing two sets the second set being stuff from there new album "futureology". I would love a "vengence"nostalgia tour, they could do a second set with new stuff in it, infact the xmas shows may turn out to be something similar.

So jealous that you got tickets for the Manics / Holy Bible thing...   

Such a magnificent album...