What I love about this video is that it starts out sounding ridiculously, stereotypically 80's. But then Dave Thomas starts singing, pulling it all together and it culminates into noisy punk rock awesomeness. Fucking brilliant.
@@alanwilson8407 Hey, I've actually got a real Cleveland Indians shirt now; a relative was at student change years ago. When I told them about Pere Ubu and Cleveland I got this T!
@@jublaim~ The Land of CLE is rapidly gentrifying. Get here while you can still enjoy the grime!! I saw Pere Ubu live ( at the Phantasy, for those in the know) during this era. Just incredible, David was a whirlwind. ♥️
You're flipping through the channels late at night and just come across live performances by Philip Glass, Debbie Harry, and Pere Ubu. WHAT. Wish I was alive in '89!
I get so happy watching this! Saw them live at Swedish television shortly after this record was out, they were brilliant! David Thomas, what a showman:-)
I discovered this amazing talent through a music magazine that had a cd of the months best music. The song woolie Billie from the album Pennsylvania which absolutely blew my mind. Avant Garde that captain beefheart would have been proud of. I have been a fan ever since and I can't help but think how had I not heard this band previously.
STPZ, are you sure it wasn't her performance on The Midnight Special in 1979? That blue dress. For 13yr old me, it was the first time I was truly mesmerized by a woman.
I was obsessed with Chris Farley to some degree in my early teens back in the early 90's. Later in my early 20's my friend played Pere Ubu for me and I was hooked, one of the best bands ever, and had a miracle chance to see them live and it was harder and more incredible than any other avant/rock/punk/no wave whatever than almost anything else I've ever seen. But, I'm sorry to admit, when my friend played Modern Dance for me for the first time, I couldn't stop thinking of this sort of fat guy like a Chris Farley type in a suit and tie being the vocalist. Then I saw Urgh Music Wars and realized, wow, I was "kind" of right. No joke, true story.
"Welcome to Mars, we're open all hours!" Still one of my favorite opening lines to a song, ever. Great performance, even though Little Debbie does kind of lose it during the last chorus. There's actually an mp3 of this floating around.
That opening guitar riff before the sax really shows Verlaine and Television's influence to me. Kinda sounds like a saxier "See No Evil". Great pipes, Dave.
Dude this band got back together because they saw talking heads at (I think the agora in Cleveland ) and were like “we need to come back we can do better than this”
Seen Pere Ubu in The Venue in Edinburgh in the '80's when Chris Cutler was also drumming with the band, a truly awesome gig ! Half way through some girl gets on stage (it was a wee place !) and pulls her shirt up flashing her all. DT doesn't say a thing, just walks off stage in the middle of the song, and walks right out the door( it was right next to the stage, like I said it was a wee place !) into the street and doesn't come back until she fucks off ! No one upstages David Thomas !
I knew Jim Jones and Scott Krauss. Scott was the 1st person I talked to about the film Koyaanisqatsi, so it must've been great for him to be on a stage with Philip Glass.
In truth, Dave was probably doing blow with Debby Harry backstage before this performance, regardless his vocals are more on point here than the studio version, very strong and soulful when he required, and playful when appropriate. Truly one of the great post punk performances.
I would kill to see them in Cleveland next month. Or anywhere for that matter. David Thomas is really one of a kind as a songwriter, orchestrator, singer.....
i have just discovered pere ubu after 42 years of being on this planet!!wow!!this has put me on a new journey of musical discovery thankyou for posting,youtube can be a fantastic educational tool i am now listening to stuff from sixties and seventies which absolutely blow the living shit out of anything made today!!
Is it possible for a song to get better with each play????yes, here's one.............and the sax just adds 2 this piece of musical magic.....thank U all......and please...............turn it up!!!
God. I think i was only 3 when this happened. Here I am 32 years later and wishing I could go back. I have faint visions of seeing stuff like this on tv and remember my dad always shutting it off when he caught me watching.
I saw them at The Hot Club in Philly around 1979 --- Non Alignment Pact and The Modern Dance album featuring heavily..... I was hooked then. Still am: Saw them at The Royal Festival Hall last year... Brilliance!!
Good story thanks for sharing! If latter-day live Dylan is any indication I think you made the right choice! Even a mediocre Ubu gig is better than most band's "good gig".
- "Pere Ubu sobre "Música de noche". Un antiguo programa nocturno de música y entrevistas presentado por David Sanborn. ¡A ellos se unen Sanborn y Debbie Harry de Blondie!" -
That whole thing he does right before he starts singing is great. And the laugh after that first chorus...awesome. And truly one of the best first lines in popular music. "Welcome to Mars, we're open all hours..."
I found, "Waiting For Mary," purely by accident on a latter Pere Album. I thought they were played out, and then I heard, "Waiting For Mary." The rest of the album was also great. How can you not like this guy...! I understand though??
