Between the years 1999 to 2003,
I had the good fortune of not only seeing the band many times,
but getting backstage and hanging with Bob and the band backstage.
I had conversations with Bob about music, old bands or whatever.
This was after he released the Nightwalker album.
I was telling him that I thought the idea of Fading Captain Series is great,
just release anything, I’ll buy it, even Nightwalker.
I told him he should just release anything and everything
he ever put on a tape deck, that’s gold to us fans.
He said he has a “Suitcase” of cassette tapes he wants to do something with.
Fast forward some months later,
the band returns on the second leg of the “Do The Collapse” tour
through Southern California.
Once again I’m lucky enough to speak to Bob,
I say, “Hey Bob, what about Suitcase?”
He answered, “Yeah that’s right, Suitcase.”
Not knowing exactly what that meant.
A few months later “Suitcase” is announced.
Suitcase: Failed Experiments And Trashed Aircraft
is a four cd, one hundred track box set with a thick booklet.
The box features all of the different GBV line-ups,
Bob on his own or anyone that happens to be around.
Each of the songs are credited to different bands,
which is basically Bob using his list of imaginary bands.
This is by no means leftovers or throwaways,
there are plenty of gems to mine, like,
“Shrine To The Dynamic Years (Athens Time Change Riots)”, “Bunco Men”,
“I Can See It In Your Eyes”, “Our Value Of Luxury”, “The Kissing Life”,
“My Feet's Trustworthy Existence”, “Turbo Boy”, “Cruise”, “James Riot”
and “Supermarket The Moon.”
Plus different versions of old classics like, “Spring Tigers”, “Ha Ha Man”,
“Damn Good Mr. Jam”, “Pantherz”, “Buzzards And Dreadful Crows”,
“Why Did You Land?”, “Rocking Now” and a beautiful version of “Wondering Boy Poet.”
Boston Spaceships will go on to rerecord “Meddle”, “A Good Circuitry Soldier”,
“Exploding Anthills”, “Pluto the Skate” and “Trashed Aircraft” for their
2009 album, “Zero to 99.”
Suitcase: Failed Experiments And Trashed Aircraft
is a very worth while trip for those Guided By Voices fans
that must have anything and everything Bob has ever committed to tape,
even if it’s from an old cassette tape. |
