What
they said about it:
Reviews
of This Thing
Most of these are transcribed exactly as printed. I’ve noted any relevant details such as inaccuracies, or points that needed more context to make sense.
RF Feb22,2002
Richard Rowberry, Nelson Daily News, Thurs. Apr. 5, 1993.
Richard Fordham’s music is heady stuff – heady in the richness and exuberance of its sound, heady too in the way it creates musical combinations you wouldn’t think could possibly work – but somehow excitingly do . Imagine big band punk jazz, if you can. I can’t – but I know what I mean after listening to “Watery Love” the third cut on his band’s locally - produced demo. Soaring, atonal vocals, impossible to anticipate chord changes and a tight confident rhythm linking episodic, melodic adventures. Listening for the first time a couple of days ago and several times since, I liked it a lot – the way I like Frank Zappa and Laurie Anderson – because they surprised me made me smile in recognition – and also in acknowledgement to the fact that I had never heard anything like that before.
I appreciated this review not because it was positive.
One needn’t say good things about me to be on my good side. I liked it simply
because he had enough knowledge of the sources we were drawing from. This
may seem academic, but so many cultural artifacts get killed upon birth simply
because the reviewer is ill suited to the artifact in question.
I didn’t actually type out the whole article. I
might add the rest of it later.
When I made the migration across the ferry to proctor to see Richard Fordham’s “This Thing,” I was prepared for an unusual evening.
The eight-piece band has a great horn and flute section, keyboards, drums, bass and lead guitar. Top this off with Sara Zacharias’ powerful voice and you’ve got an unparalleled combination ready to embark on “space/time manipulations.”
The trip started early on with “Junk Sculpture Monument,” where notes seemed to hang in the air forever, erasing one’s preconceived ideas of a stereotypical song.
“Dashboard Venus de Milo” is a very catchy sort of groovy-country tune. My pick of the many and varied originals was “All You Want.” It was evident that the selection of originals and covers was planned to make use of, to maximum effect, the entire band.
I found a few of the cover tunes a bit obscure, however, all were done with the signature and flair of the band’s style. From The Beatles to Aretha Franklin, from Pink Floyd to Sting, the songs blended and complimented “This Thing’s” musical style and theme.
All up, I’d say This Thing facilitates a fun, unique evening and lends its own new meaning to the phrase “escape for the night.” The band is worthy, as well as worthwhile, to support. Check them out, if you get the chance.
Tony was one of the 3 people in the audience at
our little known Proctor gig. He had been one of the Stompers
At the
“Experiments in Time/Space Manipulation” Manifestation, in December of 92. He
also published a book of poetry, and contributed regularly to the SWORD. One
thing baffles me now. How did he get to know our song titles so well? Did he
write them down as I announced them before the count in? I know this sounds trivial, but since we had
no album out at this point, ready references didn’t abound.
I took the reference to “Time/Space Manipulation” form an essay by Igor Stravinsky. I’ll
detail it in Relics and Mythologies.
One glitch
exists. The “Sting” cover was actually the Police song “Synchronicity ll.” It
was written by Sting, but recorded with the Police.
It’s
interesting to me that Tony liked “All You Want.” I did too. Eric Moon actually wrote and arranged it. I don’t know
if he’s done anything with it since then. You’ll have to ask him.
Dave Brooks, The Sword, Oct. 1994
Saturday, Oct. 1, The DTSS Reading Series was honoured with the presence of This Thing. Fronted by Richard Fordham, this ever-evolving band continues to improve. With addition of a new drummer, James Chatterton, the sound is eclectic and highly polished. They provided background music for the poets throughout the evening. Timothy Shay was the featured reader for two sets. He is an established Kootenay writer and the strength of his words and power of his voice, with the band just as tuned and strong, made for a final product that was stimulating and unique.
The third set featured two of the area’s most talented young writer, Willow Enewold and Andrea Palframan, and another established local writer, Daniel Johnson. The musical accompaniment was mostly improvised yet right on the mark. Richard’s sensitivity to the words and conductor like control of the band, as he waved his bass guitar through the air like a baton, was excellent and innovative.
The SWORD was the David Thompson Student
Society’s newsletter/cultural magazine. Along with the SUB Pub, and the
ever-continuing efforts to speak as a voice for post secondary education in the
region, the DTSS was a vibrant force in the community. The SWORD helped
maintain the DTSS’s profile - and galvanize the membership - at a time when its
place was beginning to shift within the local cultural scene.
Dave Brooks was editor of the SWORD for quite a
while. He also did a feature article on us at one point.
Heather Hutchinson, Kootenay Weekly Express. Wed. June 15, 1994.
A happening type of band, This Thing’s album “False Idols, Holy Wine and The Big Picture,” just might be the most original album to come out in the Kootenays this year or it just might be the album you love to hate. Clearly not geared to the commercial market, it is most reminiscent of The Mothers of Invention. It’s a mixture of songs, soundscapes and what I would call radio theatre.
Despite its apparent non-commercial value the album has come up a winner. This Thing, under Richard Fordham’s creative leadership, is one of the winners in a contest sponsored by radio station CFOX, the Pacific Music Industry [Association] and Shaw Cable. As a result they get a trip to Vancouver on July 9 to make a video recording of one their songs. The video will air as part of Shaw Cable’s Discovery series. By the way, they are the only band out of the lower mainland to win. Congrats, guys and gals.
This review actually has a few technical glitches.
This was mainly my fault. I gave her a copy of False Idols to review, at the same time as
I told her of the CFOX contest results. The lesson here is always type up
a press release; don’t count on them to remember everything they hastily scribble
as you babble.
The tape that
we won with was actually the 3-song demo that we recorded with the very first
line-up. The album was still in pre-production when we entered the contest.
This tape contained Dashboard Venus de Milo, Thing Stomp, and
Watery Love. Another glitch
was the actual "video” It was not a music video in the sense most would
think of it. It was actually an appearance on a TV show. As we had 12 minutes
to put our stuff in, we played 3 songs. We did toy with the idea of one long
song. I’m glad we didn’t do that.
In all fairness,
I think this was a case of the reviewer not matching the artifact. Over the
years that I worked with her and hassled her for media coverage, Ms. Hutchinson
always proved quite supportive of our efforts, and indulgent of me in general.
However, in her heart of hearts I think she found us somewhat annoying. We
simply weren’t her idea of a good time. Still, I’m more than grateful for
her encouragement and advice over the years. She could have easily buried
us under a pile of Folk.
Steve
Pellerine, West Kootenay Entertainment Magazine, Feb. 24-Mar.23,
1994
A different kind of sound from this group. It’s like the Jazz/Blues meet a somber new age Andy Warhol. I see this band playing in a den in New York with an over-educated waiter serving me a vegetarian burger. The song “Dashboard Venus de Milo” is the strength on this album with an early Kinks sound and, again, quirky intelligent and intelligible lyrics.
This review wins my award so far. I’ve never actually
met this person. His Andy Warhol” comment showed me that he truly GOT IT.
I never understood the Kinks’ comparison, though.
Scrutinies
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Judgements.
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