Thomas Dolby Live - "The Flat Earth" @ Largo, 2012
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- čas přidán 12. 09. 2024
- This is one of a series of songs recorded live (and low-tech!) during Thomas Dolby's Spring 2012 Time Capsule Tour.
Comments from Thomas Dolby (vocals, keyboards):
I start this with a loop I made years ago with a Roland JP8. It always reminds me of the Masai Mara in Kenya. I add a bass, which gets looped into Logic, and then a marimba pattern. The choruses are played on a Logic ES2 through a plugin called Camelspace, which 'gates' the chords-basically, it opens and closes them in time to the tempo of the song, so all I have to do is hold down the chord and they play a repeating rhythm.
In the bridge I trigger samples of Martin Luther King, somewhat slowed and truncated. You've heard this speech a thousand times before, but it's still pretty evocative.
Comments from Kevin Armstrong (guitar):
I love this tune. At 1:29 I have to play those little highlife African riffs that were really influenced by listening to Fela Kuti, The Bhundu Bays and Thomas Mapfumo. I have to sing a bass counter melody at the same time and this is extraordinarily hard to do. It's like splitting your brain in half. My hands are trying to dance over those figures in C# high up on the guitar and I'm trying to sing those low notes in tune slow and steady. I'm still working on it and I must have done it a thousand times.
Comments from Mat Hector (drums):
What a beautiful tune. I love this track. It's a joy to just sit on the groove and listen; as the drummer I have the best seat in the house. For drums this track is all about creating the drum machine vibe, specifically the 808 drum machine which was used on the original recording. As you can see from the video I'm triggering 808 samples from my 2box drum brain via the Roland spd-30 sample pad (that's the thing I'm hitting!) so it's the actual drum sounds from the original track that you're hearing. For me it's all about locking with the sequence bass and playing as consistently as possible, trying to replicate the machine like groove of the drum machine.
The two notable points for me on this tune is firstly the use of something that can be considered corny sometimes - the bell tree. At 3:48, as the Martin Luther king sample talks about the daybreak, I trigger a bell tree sample - on this occasion perfect and apt. The second point of interest is as the song nears the end you'll notice me starting to embellish the groove with the side stick sample - this is to give the groove and song a little more movement in line with the sequenced bass (being careful to do this in between the vocal rather than over it) - building to the gentle crescendo as the groove drops out and the song ends.
I got hit by a car when I was 16 and was in the hospital for a couple of weeks. My best mate at the time brought me this cassette and a mini-cassette player and I listened to it over and over. This song reminds me of youth and friendship.
God bless you . To your health .
The Flat Earth by Thomas Dolby is one of those artists (along with the Blue Nile and Prefab Sprout) that coloured the youth I was and were formative in the man I am today. Blessings to the Holy Triumvirate of musical bards, Thomas Dolby, Paul Buchanan and Paddy McAloon! ps- Wendy Smith is my "Caroline 452". Born a day after me the same year and the angelic voice of Prefab Sprout. I've given up on ever telling her this as time waits for no "pray forsooths" but what we could have been!
Bought this cassette at Kmart along with Purple Rain. Two equally important albums for my adolescence in 1984.
I wish I woulda known about his discography back then. So many hits.
The title track of Thomas Dolby's best album, and 4 people vote down... 28 years after the original version. This is an amazing version.
Still have this cassette!
I love this haunting circle of sound. And yes, for me, the Earth is Flat!
this song/album was one of a few that defined a golden age of music for me ...
mans a genius -totally underestimated !
It was a great show. And amazing to see Thomas after over 20 years and still looking fantastic!
One of my favorite songs.
Who replaced Thomas Dolby with John Malkovich? Just kidding. We (Americans) love you, Thomas Dolby! You're smart, talented, funny and kind-hearted; a true artist. Keep doing what you do.
❤✌Love this song. Makes you think just how simple your mind can make your life . Look into your own heart for your FIRST love.You are first to love you ...no one else. ✌
I'm just fascinated and awed by how he builds songs!
didn't discover this song until 2016 or so and man it is just one of the best things of all time musically.
If I had to choose a song and video to live by it would probably be this. ❤️
DYNAMICS KINGS! AMAZING MUSICIANSHIP
Beautiful!
Absolutely with you on this. The album version of the tune can still raise the hair on my arms. Would love to hear it with three female backup singers...
It would sound equally genius if a reggae singer was to cover it.
I like this and studio version very much but I still feel like there's a better arrangement out there somewhere. Backing choir type thing would be cool. I really like the guitar on this one.
This is the cooolest Dolby song.... Thank you Mr. D 👍❤ The master of compsynth.
one of the best smooth bass lines ever. simple and it allows those keys to shine. So nice!!
This song... So many memories. A mixture of new wave and soul.
absolutely great the genius of Mr. Dolby!! Thanks!
I’ve been a Thomas Dolby fan since the 80’s and I think Mat Hector is a great drummer. Just so you know: Roland SPD-30 is not a sample pad, Roland SPD-SX is a sample pad. I can recommend both of them, though.
*sigh* Why did I pass on seeing this show again? This might even be better than the album version.
I did see him twice on the "Sole Inhabitant" tour, though, which was great.
T.M.D.R. The Man.
Absolutely gorgeous!
Awesome!
....pure genius
This was such an amazing concert to see live and Thomas always tells some of the most entertaining stories. I've been a fan since "She Blinded Me With Science" and have loved every album since.
Beautiful in every way! When will you tour your home counties Tom, maybe a show in Bury St Edmunds please??????
Thanks for putting this up! Shocked its here!
I still have my copy of "The Flat Earth" on cassette.
Me too. And I got it signed by Mr. Dolby in 2011!
Genius
Another great song, from a great album.
Great vid of this song. This show must've been awesome .👍✌👏👏👏👏👏🎶🎶🎶🎶🎶🎶🎶❤
muero cada vez que lo escucho
a+
It's just wonderful.
So , so awesome. Beauty .🌹
all my life I have waited
to be given any word
it was screaming to be heard
please remember
The Earth can be any shape you want it...
...But dont you point that Ray Gun at me!
Un genio ..!!
I don't know where these songs come from inside him but it must be a sweet place.
101 Depeche tour. Thomas Dolby opened the night. After OMD. The Americans learnt music those days.
The Flat Earth... Brilliant!
Tom knew 🔥 #FE
The father mixing tracks right here
Phenomenal.
OH!!
Nice remix
what's that word that people like to use for certain songs ... epic?
❤🔥
Pen. Pez❤❤❤
Rather have the CD version.
Why do audiences (always mainly American by the way) ruin performances by shouting "Yeeeeaaaahhhh!" and "Woooo!" at every opportunity during quiet moments of a performance?
1. It ruins the song for everyone else.
2. Nobody cares that you can make childish noises whenever you feel like it.
3. If you must, Keep your moronic expressions of joy until the end of the song.
Thank you! It really is a nuisance!
And IF love….
The Earth is most certainly Flat. Research flat earth please.
Boris Johnson plays a mean drum set
bellboy is there no end to the man’s talents?
Point.
IMAGINE IF YOU KNEW THE EARTH IS A LEVEL PLANE
The More You Know
Cultivons notre jardin... en attendant le renard.
the earth is flat and thats a fact
Earth is not flat
00001 member Of Flat Earth Society 😊
Genius