portishead documentaire - welcome to portishead diffusé en avril 1998 interviews (beth gibbons, geoff barrow, adrian utley, dave mcdonald), extraits de concerts et de répétitions.
Portishead is one of those "once in a lifetime bands" there is nothing more haunting than Beth's voice over the amazing music Geoff,Adrian,Clive, Dave and Jim created
Yeah. I’ve spent some time looking for something similar but can’t quite. The closest I’ve gotten is Hooverphonic’s album, “A New Stereophonic Sound Spectacular”
Each of their songs are masterpieces and are recognized through their creative process. 8 months for a single song it is hallucinating precision and retouching, I understand why all their albums are perfect from end to end. Unfortunately, we do not do that today. It is so rare, this explains why they take a long time to release a record, each work at his own pace with a rather solitary atmosphere. Dive into the darkness to collect the stars ... As for the character of Beth, I do not think it's cold, she looks reserved, perfectionist. It is a person who must cut out every moment of her life to write deep pieces. She seems to me mostly a simple person in life, far from the showbiz (I do not think she really set foot in it), realistic, worried. It is a person who needs air and loneliness to live, I understand this feeling. The dark, retired, misty countryside of England suited her perfectly.
After listening to them for almost 30 years, since their debut album Dummy....I have to say I never get sick of it. So much feeling from inside...and thank you for making this doc. Been so interested as to who she is since 1994, and now after seeing this, I'm glad to see that she a true brilliant songstress......true to the music and nothing else matters. After seeing this, as someone else also said....I think I just fell in love with her. She's a true Siren, given an amazing gift from God.
I have to visit portishead every couple of years. No where better to understand why this band made such dark hauntingly beautiful masterpieces.. This band has been the soundtrack to my life... Love and loss every emotional juncture has had me listening time and again to them!
Dear people of this forum, I get so damn touched when I see all this comments about this great banbd PORTISHEAD. Here from Mèxico and from the persoective of a Mexican person can say that this kind of music is way difficult to be found, listened and appreciated. Thamk's to share your feeling and emotions about this commun idea called Portishead and its music! Fuck I love them!!!! What about the min 20:20?....i melt from feet to head!
Wandering stars for whom it is reserved, the darkness the blackness forever......Dig that screwdriver work on the guitar. I always loved the music, but now I think I've fallen in love w/ her.
They were one of the best live act's out there. It feels so genuine. I guess that's Art for me. Disillusionment with a purpose. That part at 11:00 is pretty funny too...
Mine too Mark. First discovered them from the cult TV series from around 1996.. This life. One of the characters Anna used to play Glorybox in her room.
I really love the piano version of Mysterons, makes a change to the ghostly noises, not saying the ghostly noises are bad but it's a nice change anyway. Thanks for uploading this :)
Thanks so much for uploading this. Such a great band. Unique and true masters of the trip hop sound. Would really like to visit Bristol one day to experience the vibe. Respect to Portishead and the other Bristol acts like Massive Attack, Tricky, Roni Size, Kosheen, Smith and Mighty. And now the newer acts like Allflaws and Dub Mafia
... and one of the few bands who became legend within 2 albums (and a half - the Roseland one) AND beeing still alive. After years of listening to them i'm still fascinated by their accuracy (the better german word is "Akkuratess") and discipline.
I think the best instrument that fits their wandering star performance is theremin. They needed a theremin there. Albeit she can have the voice of a theremin...
2 of my favourite bands, that both have a similar name, it's just fate. And now Portishead's drummer has been going on tour with Radiohead. It's awesome
Portishead really was just a stepping stone to Beth's greatest achievement with Paul Webb (Talk Talk) as "Beth Gibbons and Rustin Man - Out of Season" - a masterpiece, but not for kids.
You're joking right... I mean its pretty because it's Beth but the Rustin Man stuff doesn't hold a candle to any of the Portishead albums... @laughingstock is a fitting name...🤣
It's almost as if Beth didn't want to be a successful singer, given that's what would have happened if her business plan was accepted. Odd. Great video by the way.
Roads is hands down their best song. This documentary was really cool and I think I can understand why these guys made such good music together, and why they weren’t more famous. First, their purpose wasn’t at all to be famous, but to write and perform music that was incredible and meaningful - something the mainstream will never want. Secondly, it seems to me that the band’s dynamic can best be explained by nature, and more specifically, in the way a storm comes about. When you have high pressure and low pressure, or hot and cold air coming together, you’re going to get some form of a high level of disturbance. It seems to me that the rest of the band members are sort of the warm part and Beth is the cold, and together they clash to create this sound that mixes so well. Their personalities seem the exact same as what I’ve described as well, I mean, her lyrics are so lonely and dark, it’s hard to believe it can mesh with such a happy group of guys, but somehow it does. Brilliant.
They NEED to release a new album.or unrealeased material album or a remix album would be dope too. I hope their new music has the amazing beats like the first two albums,not like 'Third'
I wonder why they filmed on Dartmoor, there was a signpost for North Tawton (Ted Hughes and Sylvia Plath used to live there)...I know carrying the name has resonance, but Portishead's music really reflects the area; ethereal but pretty fucked.
Love is their work, and mine in life. 59 in May 2021... dear Portishead and to my Beloved Paula Connolly here in Oz. Bless ye Portishead and ye ancestors!!! Iiiiiiii! aaah! Ha! Haaaaa!!!!KIWI IN Oz.
THE COMPANY HEDZ AT BISCUIT HEAD RECORDS PUT ME ON WAY BACK WHEN THESE CATS FIRST JUMPED OFF.....I NEVER LOOKED BACK FROM THEN ON.....THANKS BRUNO....SALUTE THAT WAS THEE SPOT IN THE DAY.
they either put an inordinate amount of work into the production or they just have other shit to do. maybe both. But Beth IS mysterious. Considering she could easily slip into the "sex symbol" category (I think she's sexy, anyway), I imagine she must remain aloof to some degree. Too much exposure could ruin the whole vibe.
A lot of it is because Portishead are by nature reclusive and don't really like chasing the spotlight, it's about the music first. Which also explains why they only release so many albums in a decade...
nun was sollte man sagen, eure Kunst fehlt, mal etwas altes aus euren Archiven würde die Fans auch erfreuen, alternative Versionen eurer Studioalben, eure soundboards von 1995 bis heute, die vielen Kameraeinstellungen eurer Konzerte, denkt ihr auch machmal an die Menschen welche euren Wohlstand geschaffen haben.... seid kreativ, Einnahmen kann man auch spenden.Well what should one say, your art is missing, something old from your archives would also please the fans, alternative versions of your studio albums, your soundboards from 1995 to today, the many camera angles of your concerts, do you sometimes think of the people who are your wealth have created .... be creative, income can also be donated.
I watched this video just by curiosity, and also because I thought that maybe I would get Beth Gibbons better. Actually, it's even worst. I find the guys very sympathetic, sincere, saying the truth about themselves and not hiding where they come from, and when they talk, it is actually very interesting to discover how it is in Bristol, or in this part of England, and what they think. They are simple, natural and seem very nice. I wouldn't mind have a little chat with them. For the singer, it is another story. She only speaks about the mask she is wearing all the time and how she is actually like everybody. But she is working very hard to wear this mask every second and to create a kind of myth. It chiefly makes her not trustworthy at all. The guys at the beginning say that they never manage to get her, because she is changing all the time. O surprise! I am a woman and I don't understand what is that? Or rather who is she? A whole documentary which allowed me to discover who these guys of Portishead are, and I did discover who they are, and I liked what I saw. But about Beth Gibbons, obviously she is playing a role. The problem is that I don't know which one. Listen to her lyrics, and you will get the same meaning that you feel by watching her. I am really amazed how far some artists can go by giving so little. She has a nice voice, it's true (by smoking? Help!) but the Love is not there. I don't know what is there, it's a pity. I may sound harsh and I am sorry about that, but when I listen to music, I really need to feel a connection with the human being who is behind the microphone, and here, it is pretty hard to connect.
***** I find her okay as a singer, it is more the personal part which disturbs me. You love her and you are free to do so, but can you tell me who she is? Do you feel a lot of warmth towards you when she sings or talks? I am curious.
Yes, I recognize she has a nice voice. It is just that I think that the personality is as important as the voice. It is difficult for me to appreciate an artist if I don't understand the personality. I may like or not like the personality, but I must get at least a little of the person. I like Portishead in general. But it doesn't go directly to my heart, because of her. It's a pity because she could get even more admirers by acting differently. I like sincere people, not the ones who play a role.
+Yael Bolender I don't think that she is pretending something, wearing a mask or playing a role. I dont think that you understood anything what she is talking about. To me it seems that she is shy but her conciousness is highly developed. She explains in a few sentences what others never will be able to get in a whole lifetime.
+sonja bonk First of all, no need to be insulting, secondly being shy doesn't mean that you must be unpleasant with the journalists, even if they are morons and even if they were themselves unpleasant, which is not the case here. I am sorry, but she doesn't say much in this interview. Take a true shy artist like Mark Hollis. At least, when he is angry or upset, he is considerate enough to say why he is. Any person who refuses to answer interviews just because, shouldn't even consider being an artist. The world doesn't turn around this woman. And I'm sorry, but she is wearing a mask, probably because she's very uncomfortable in these kinds of situations. But I want to tell her: figure out what is the problem, and fix it. People are her audience, a little respect towards them, please. She is not shy when it is about making a living from her sales. So being a little professional wouldn't hurt. Ok, I spent enough time on her.
+Yael Bolender You think she was kind of acting when singing and performing? I¨d say, to avoid going completely insane, she would have to. I think to be able to write the heavy lyrics of Portishead, one would have to be an exceptionally sensitive human being. You could say that about both actors and poets, but while an actor is interpreting the words and emotions of another person, these words are her own. Musicians have a natural urge to carry out these feelings that we all experience in our daily lives to us in a connecting way, so we can all share it. And there you have the difference between Lady Gaga and a true artist. She is repeating what she felt that day. If she was not wearing a mask to avoid exposing herself too much, she was being very brave but would not last long. “You don’t want to make an aura round anyone, because it’s just not fair on that person. It’s unfair and unrealistic and it makes the audience stupid. It only happens out of ignorance and because the media wants things that way; and I think the audience should be told that it’s not like that.” - Beth
