Album: Chairs Missing
Artist: Wire
Born: Watford, London
Released: August 1978
Genre: Art Punk
Influenced: Joy Division, REM, Low, The Clientele, Bloc Party, Mogwai, Liars
Music journalists prattle on endlessly about the Sex Pistols, despite the band releasing just a few good singles in the late 70s, but few focus on Wire, a far more talented and innovative group. One of several bands inspired by Dr Feelgood, Wire formed in Watford in 1977 and released one of the best punk albums (there really weren't that many) in the shape of Pink Flag. I don't like the genre label post-punk, because it overstates the importance of punk and it's quite vague, but art punk gives the sense of how Wire harnessed the energy of the punk movement but brought art school sensibilities that pushed them to really experiment (in hindsight, the Sex Pistols were quite a conventional rock band). Similarities with Television are quite striking, especially the innovative, angular guitar playing. Wire also had a manic energy when playing live, and Chris Newman was clearly influential on Ian Curtis, his vocal delivery and jerky movements entirely captivating. On Chairs Missing, there are also hints of that English gothic sound that Joy Division and The Cure would evolve further, as well as the desire to create tension with a live audience. This album saw the band move beyond the minimalist approach of Pink Flag to add synths, with renowned producer Mike Thorne instrumental in the album's unique sound. There's also an under-appreciated sense of humour in Wire's songs (especially Graham Lewis' witty and weird interjections, as shown in this brilliant live footage from 1979).
Practice Makes Perfect encapsulates that angular sound perfectly, putting the rhythm section at the front of the mix and creating an eery, detached sense of space. The first time I heard it I was struck by how influential this sound has been on so much music, from REM to Mogwai. There's the repetition of Kraftwerk, the aggression of Dr Feelgood and the space of early Pink Floyd, but something entirely new too. French Film Blurred starts off sounding like Astronomy Domine and then shifts into a wall of guitars. Another The Letter is one of the shortest songs on the record at just over a minute, but is no less powerful for it, and you can trace its guitars & synths influence on bands like Bloc Party. Marooned and Being Sucked In Again both have wonderfully dark atmospherics, while Heartbeat has an unforgiving minimalism that's reflected in the sound of bands like Low. The most straightforward pop moment on the album is Outdoor Miner, a brilliant slice of late 70s British psychedelia with its incredibly catchy and softly song choruses. The fact the song is surrounded by two of the album's more experimental tracks, Mercy and I Am The Fly, gives it added pop emphasis. I Feel Mysterious Today is the funniest moment on the record, brilliantly exploring the sensation of a bad trip in song. That music this modern and experimental was made in the 70s is still hard for me to fathom.
Music journalists prattle on endlessly about the Sex Pistols, despite the band releasing just a few good singles in the late 70s, but few focus on Wire, a far more talented and innovative group. One of several bands inspired by Dr Feelgood, Wire formed in Watford in 1977 and released one of the best punk albums (there really weren't that many) in the shape of Pink Flag. I don't like the genre label post-punk, because it overstates the importance of punk and it's quite vague, but art punk gives the sense of how Wire harnessed the energy of the punk movement but brought art school sensibilities that pushed them to really experiment (in hindsight, the Sex Pistols were quite a conventional rock band). Similarities with Television are quite striking, especially the innovative, angular guitar playing. Wire also had a manic energy when playing live, and Chris Newman was clearly influential on Ian Curtis, his vocal delivery and jerky movements entirely captivating. On Chairs Missing, there are also hints of that English gothic sound that Joy Division and The Cure would evolve further, as well as the desire to create tension with a live audience. This album saw the band move beyond the minimalist approach of Pink Flag to add synths, with renowned producer Mike Thorne instrumental in the album's unique sound. There's also an under-appreciated sense of humour in Wire's songs (especially Graham Lewis' witty and weird interjections, as shown in this brilliant live footage from 1979).
Practice Makes Perfect encapsulates that angular sound perfectly, putting the rhythm section at the front of the mix and creating an eery, detached sense of space. The first time I heard it I was struck by how influential this sound has been on so much music, from REM to Mogwai. There's the repetition of Kraftwerk, the aggression of Dr Feelgood and the space of early Pink Floyd, but something entirely new too. French Film Blurred starts off sounding like Astronomy Domine and then shifts into a wall of guitars. Another The Letter is one of the shortest songs on the record at just over a minute, but is no less powerful for it, and you can trace its guitars & synths influence on bands like Bloc Party. Marooned and Being Sucked In Again both have wonderfully dark atmospherics, while Heartbeat has an unforgiving minimalism that's reflected in the sound of bands like Low. The most straightforward pop moment on the album is Outdoor Miner, a brilliant slice of late 70s British psychedelia with its incredibly catchy and softly song choruses. The fact the song is surrounded by two of the album's more experimental tracks, Mercy and I Am The Fly, gives it added pop emphasis. I Feel Mysterious Today is the funniest moment on the record, brilliantly exploring the sensation of a bad trip in song. That music this modern and experimental was made in the 70s is still hard for me to fathom.
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