@spinglasshydra

10 months ago

I'm a self-professed music snob, but not the douchebag type of person, but when I realized Greg Gonzalez (lead vocalist, acoustic guitar), Randall Miller, and Jacob Tomsky play ― I was swept out of my body. I've been a Cocteau Twins fan for 41+ years; so yes, I'm that much older than a majority of their fan-base, but I was simply washed out to sea, with everything this band has achieved in such a short length of time. I'm a music review editor for Sony/Paramount's Music Division ― As a Dream-pop, Shoegaze, as well as a Dark-wave music enthusiasts, who has used the Cocteau Twins as my personal standard-bearer by which all is compared against. Nobody has ever surpassed them, but Cigarettes After Sex has come, as a close as an equal that's even possible.

Greg Gonzalez was heavily influenced by the guitars stylistically embellishments of Robin Guthrie, who developed and invented so many uniquely complex rifts, but most notably the cascading reverberations flow down into your ears and goes directly into the brain, but also right into your spirit. Just like "The Voice of God" ― Elizabeth Fraser uses deeply personal lyrics, which marks the autobiographical nature in the lyrics, even though most people don't understand what Elizabeth is saying, but it's not on purpose. The same passion is there nevertheless, albeit Greg's vocals are as crystal clear and flow with every strum and pluck that's played. He's the master of those frozen moments of time, we all eventually have and hold onto, because they are painfully sweet and they strongly define ourselves.

No matter who you are, whether you're a guy or a girl ― into whomever you desire to spend your time and effort with, but we need to have at least one failed relationship within your lifetime. Please take the advice of an older man, that we all need to experience this in order to have a little regret and some sorrow to become whole. Nothing is perfect, but try to remember these words ― You're not alone, even when we think we are. Depression and sadness is always temporary and there will always be things you can't control, because that's the definition of life. So music, like Cigarettes After Sex will always be here for you, a faithful friend who's not to busy, an outlet to absorb your difficulties, and definitely a cushion to land on when you fall. Don't beat yourself up all the time, because life will do all the beating you'll ever need, so why waste the time.

Always be good to yourself, as well as each other. Don't copy your friends, but just be yourself. When your self-assured people will naturally be attracted to your personality, which eventually will make you a great leader.

Greg Gonzalez has openly said his favorite song is "Apocolypse", but everything he does is wonderfully ethereal ephemera, what he calls "Bedroom music" and that's nothing to be ashamed about. His secret is in this quote:

“If you’re intimate with someone, you wouldn’t be speaking in the voice I am now. It would be quiet and gentle and mellow. That’s the voice of Cigarettes."
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This is Separately Noted:

If anyone decides to extrapolate this music apart, then there are several key elements, like: The bass-cello instead of a bass-drum, as well as those metal brushed drum slides are a Jazz feature; Soft synthesizer sweeps are there to arrange your ears around other features for cohesion; Nonetheless, the most prominent feature is focused on Greg's velveteen voice, which has no awkward transitions, because most singers use many different inflections within their vocal's and there are none here. This formulary is the same type of arrangement's the Cocteau Twins used, along with classical instruments like a piano, tenor saxophone, and as always they were famous for using the "beatbox", where most bands will make use of 808's and 909's for a dependable bass (drummer's are notoriously flaky) ― Yet, the lead guitar takes on most of the most prominent encryption and it holds the entire load.

The Cocteau Twins have influenced so many different bands throughout the 90's all the way even until today.

One clarification for anybody who's read this far, that it was definitely Elizabeth Fraser coined the term "Dream-pop". Please don't be fooled by Wikipedia, as well as even the 4AD "Official Website" for true information. I understand it's difficult for a generation who's been dependent on the Internet for all your research and quick knowledge for reference, but the Internet is notoriously unreliable, because the Cocteau Twins never allowed themselves to cater to the media, especially the Internet.

Alex Ayuli is a one hit wonder from the 80's band AR Kane, who worked as a copy editor for 4AD's Ivo Watts-Russell, who created one of the first independent Label who represented some of the most influential bands of the 80's. What that really means is Alex was a glorified spellchecker; however, he attempted to create some obnoxious records he originally called "Experimental Music", but it was so hideous that eventually Ivo asked if Robin Guthrie could help Alex. Along the way, Robin dropped the term he had gotten from Elizabeth, but no amount of help could save AR Kane. Ivo dropped both Alex Ayuli and Rudy Tambala altogether.

All three members of the Cocteau Twins stayed at a country loft-space Ivo had rented for the band, while they assembled together the Treasure album, because Elizabeth was extremely shy and became so anxious that she couldn't sing; Robin became so involved with the audio editing room that he notoriously would yell and throw out 4AD's Audio Engineer's ― Consequently, this loft-space was equipped with all the recording equipment so they could record together as a band, or, individually, if, necessary and at whatever time they wished. Later, Ivo told the members to attend the 4AD Label Release Party in London to unveiling of their new album. The pressure was on, because the first album went number 1, and the second went to number 2, on Europe's Independent Label Charts.

Again Elizabeth was easily embarrassed and not very confident, so she took a seat at a table in the back of the room and waited until ithe event t was over; however, a magazine editor found her hiding and stood where she needed to exit from the booth. This was a pivotal moment, where she started to have a panic attack and the editor insisted she answer his questions, asking: "Do you think you can fool the public by making gibberish vocal's?", "Why don't you pronounce your lyrics properly?", "What does the Cocteau Twins have to really offer popular culture?" Elizabeth was dumbfounded and needed to escape, but she kept looking at the floor and the tears began to well-up in her eyes, but she was also angry, so made an automatic response:

"My music is like walking through a dream."
"I dream about music."

Elizabeth is a quick thinker and as like most people who are genius's, she raised her head and looked this editor directly in the eyes and yelled:

"It's Dream-pop you stupid bastard .....!!!!"

Robin came to her rescue and escorted her out of the venue, but never again would Elizabeth do media interviews without either Robin, or Simon at her side. Nevertheless, the die-was-cast and all the music industry leaders from all the big labels heard her yell out her music was "Dream-pop", but this was well over five years before Alex Ayuli repeated the same term. The book "How Soon is Now?: The Madmen and Mavericks who made Independent Music 1975-2005
By Richard King" incorrectly took the reference out of context, which angered Ivo Watts-Russell blatantly said:

"Dismiss Alex Ayuli 's claims he invented Dream-pop. As usual he takes credit for something Elizabeth Fraser had clearly stated, so take his claims with a 'tongue-and-cheek' manner. He'd also will say I offered him to sing 'Song of the Siren' on my This Mortal Coil album, which was entirely Elizabeth's idea. She chose that song specifically, since she began singing it as a teenager and she mastered it to the point where I've watched grown men cry. That ridiculous book 'How Soon is Now' has been debunked and its author had the audacity to take my interview out of context. Alex keeps makes sure to guard this claim, but he never said it first, when Robin tried to help him on those tremendous failed albums."

When people ask how I do know? I edited the "Cocteau Twins" movie script, but after the death of Leesa Beals, Elizabeth lost interest and revoked her authorization. I attempted to return the corrected script back to Robin who said "Just keep it, but never release it to the public." That's a promise I've kept, so it's locked in a bank vault and nobody has read it, not even my wife has either. Robin, Elizabeth, and Simon are extremely private people; however, it would make a wonderful book and set the record straight.

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