Dear Wire fan,
Welcome to the newest edition of the Pinkflag mailing list, getting you all the latest Wire news first.
*"Pink Flag" By Wilson Neate*
As we mentioned in the last newsletter there are now two books recently published on Wire in 2009.
The first book, "Pink Flag" by Wilson Neate is on the subject of the group's debut album Pink Flag. Neate originally wished to write a book on the subject of the making of the third Wire LP "154", however, the author felt Continuum, the publishers of the 33 1/3 Series, would be more interested in a book on "Pink Flag" the better known album in the USA, his hunch proved to be correct.
Wilson interviewed the group members, Mike Thorne and their contemporaries at great length and in considerable detail. This was coupled with extensive background research and a diligent crosschecking of the different accounts and recollections of those involved and affected. This attention to detail gives the book factual veracity whilst strengthening a basis for Neate to develop, and expand his own theories and opinions. Neate's intention in writing the book, was to raise and spread the discourse on Wire and its work.
Wire, Mike Thorne and many of the interviewees have expressed their appreciation and enjoyment of the results of Wilson's labours.
It's a page turner!
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Pink Flag the book is available from
pinkflag mail order. You can read a conversation between Jon Savage and Wilson Neate about Wire on
The Quietus by following this
link.
*"Lowdown" By Paul Lester*
Pinkflag mail order will NOT, however, be carrying Paul Lester's book "Lowdown".
Mr. Lester was commissioned to write a book on Wire by Omnibus Press with or without Wire's help or approval. This was cause for concern in the Wire camp. After discussions, Paul Lester proposed and promised that the members of Wire would be given the opportunity to read and make any factual corrections they might find necessary in the final draft of the book before printing. Given this promise, the Wire members, pragmatically, agreed to make themselves available for a series of interviews to hopefully save the book from the miserable fate of most cut and paste pop-hack biographies.
Numerous interviews were held and as a result Paul expressed an increased interest in the subject of Wire. However, an uneasiness prevailed in Mr. Lester as his publisher pushed to enforce an unrealistic deadline. This had unfortunate and eventually fatal effects on the writing process and ultimately for the book itself, which was written and submitted to the publishers in chapters. With no apparent sub-editing there is a large amount of repetition in the book. The promise to Wire of having the possibility of reviewing the manuscript was not kept. The result is a highly inaccurate book. Mistakes are legion, arguments are presented on the basis of misquotes and often on complete misunderstanding. There has been no or little checking of sources or facts for accuracy or veracity. Nothing particularly bad is said about the group, but much is simply wrong and perpetuates past biographical errors.
Ultimately, this is not the "Lowdown" as promised by the title but a serious letdown, an opportunity wantonly missed. Johnny Marr provides an enthusiastic and glowing appreciation of Wire in the book's foreword (hint- you could read this in the newsagents whilst waiting for a train)..
*"Lowdown" by Frank Gerritz*
During the recent German Tour Wire had the opportunity to view the piece "Lowdown" (named for the Wire song) by the German artist Frank Gerritz in the
Weserburg Museum in Bremen . Gerritz's work is variously described as drawing, sculpture or installation . "Lowdown" is a site specific work commissioned as part of last year's solo retrospective celebration of Gerritz's work. The wall drawing is 1.6m. x 9m., executed in 9B graphite pencil on a specially prepared plaster surface. The piece's subtlety and power is resistant to capture by photography, one has to experience it in the space where the ever changing natural light animates the mirror-like surface, producing extraordinary depth and changes in color. Gerritz enjoys the position of being hard to classify, and in a coup for the Weserberg arranged to be photographed with the band in front of "Lowdown".
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a current selection of Franky's work can catch his solo exhibition at the
Gemeentemuseum in the Hague (also home to the biggest collection of Mondriaans in the world) which runs until the 5th of July.
*Upcoming Live Dates*
[image 2 200x200] [image 3 200x200] pictures by Frank Gerritz
For a year in which Wire are supposed to be playing less live shows (after last year's frenzy) Wire still seem to have managed 18 shows so far this year (more than in the whole of 2004 and almost as many as in the whole of 2003!).
There have been tours to Italy, Germany, Austria and Switzerland plus a smattering of festivals including our debut at The Camden Crawl (which according to the NME we co-headlined) and our 4th appearance at ATP which has "gone upmarket" from Pontins to Butlins. (NB click on image for youtube highlight)
[image 1 400x400]See the
gigography for more details -
There are a couple of confirmed dates for the next 2 months these are.
Jun 06: Whelan's, Dublin, Eire
Jul 04: Sundsvall City Festival, Sundsvall, Sweden
Some dates in Spain & Greece have been mooted for later in the year but the plan is to mainly concentrate on the writing and recording the next album once the summer has passed.
*Mail Order*
We regularly receive correspondence via our
feedback forms about items which are readily available via our mail order so just to make things clear
Pinkflag Mail order carries all pinkflag releases in whatever formats are currently available (early & rare releases are available in digital formats) as well as t-shirts, books etc. T-shirts especially tend to go out of stock pretty quickly so grab them while you can..
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And finally
This newsletter and the website are complimentary resources. To keep abreast of Wire and and all its doings, we recommend checking Pinkflag.com regularly as well as being signed up to this mailing list.
All the best,
Pinkflag
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