[kj] (Partially OT) Zilch

[Jim Harper]

The 3.2.1. album was excellent, contained some of Hide's best material. The English-language versions of 'What's Up Mister Jones', 'Doubt' and 'Pose' are as good as the Japanese ones. The band spent 2 years trying to interest US labels in releasing the album, but most complained that Hide's vocals sounded too foreign (despite the lyrics being in English). By the time the album finally emerged, Hide had recorded new versions in Japanese. 'What's Up Mister Jones', was a track from Hide's other band, speed/prog-metal icons X Japan.

The problems came when Ray McVeigh (The Professionals) decided that he wanted to keep Zilch going after Hide's death. Raven said no, because Zilch were Hide's band and it wasn't right to contain without him and accused McVeigh of trying to squeeze more money from his musical legacy. That happened a lot; Hide's label began releasing anything he'd ever played on, including a succession of naff singles and several atrocious live albums, all lapped by Hide's legion of fans.

After Raven split, McVeigh's new line-up released a new Zilch album, called 'Skyjin'. It's bollocks. Instead of Jaz and Geordie on 3.2.1., we have Ian Astbury and Billy Duffy, as well as anyone else McVeigh could pay to be on the album. Needless to say, Japanese fans weren't interested in an album that didn't feature Hide.

Even today Zilch are referred to as an 'American band', even though the leader of the band was Japanese and Raven and McVeigh were both English. Only the drummer was actually American.

I'll stop waffling now! ;)

Jim.

--------------------------------------------
On Fri, 12/12/14, adrianwason at btinternet.com <adrianwason at btinternet.com> wrote:

 Subject: Re: [kj] (Partially OT) Zilch
 To: "A list about all things Killing Joke \(the band!\)" <gathering at misera.net>
 Date: Friday, 12 December, 2014, 19:05
 
 Sorry Jim,
 I can't help, but I loved the remix album
 and one of our generous Gatherers sent me the original.
 I hope you find it M8.
 ----Original message----
 From :
 jimharper666 at yahoo.co.uk
 Date : 11/12/2014 - 21:23 (GMTST)
 To : gathering at misera.net
 Subject : [kj] (Partially OT) Zilch
 
 Evening all!
 
 Something I wanted to ask the
 assembled company. Many years back a photo of a letter
 circulated on the Gathering. IIRC, it was a letter written
 by Raven to Ray McVeigh and/or the rest of Zilch,
 effectively stating that he was definitely not interested in
 continuing with the band and squeezing a few more pennies
 from the legacy of late guitarist Hide.
 
 I'm doing some work in the same field at
 the moment, and I was wondering if anyone on the list still
 had a copy of the letter/photograph? I'd very much
 appreciate it if you could send a copy my way!
 
 Cheers,
 
 Jim.
 
 
 NOW AVAILABLE: Flowers From Hell: The Modern
 Japanese Horror Film, by Jim Harper (Noir Publishing).
 
 "Fascinating overview of
 the Japanese horror boom... Comprehensive, in-depth and
 slickly presented."- DVD Monthly.
 
 Available from Noir Publishing, Amazon.co.uk,
 Waterstones and all good bookstores.
 
 --------------------------------------------
 
 _______________________________________________
 Gathering mailing list
 Gathering at misera.net
 https://pairlist4.pair.net/mailman/listinfo/gathering
 
 _______________________________________________
 Gathering mailing list
 Gathering at misera.net
 https://pairlist4.pair.net/mailman/listinfo/gathering