Um, that's not what I was meant, but...yeah, me too!

But speaking of Indian belles, remember Simi Garewal from Siddhartha?

Alison seems to have arrived in Asia, looking at her Instagram feed.

Excuse me, this is out of topic but doesn't she have her radio gig today, she's gonna do that from India? :D

I think people missed my point. I didn't imply that age meant they would lose their drive or meant they would be in the 'doldrums'. Being over 40 is a real release for some creative people as that desperateness and energy of being young may create some real surges in creativity ...but it's also exhausting. When you are older you don't have to prove yourself and you have a vaste experience of knowledge and mistakes. It means you really have an idea of what you want and where you want to go. For Frapp it means they have the time and money to do things exactly what they want. It will be more enjoyable and satisfying to create than ever before. They don't have to keep changing styles to keep their audience (and more importantly their critics) interested.

The flip side, as demonstrated by many classic break up albums and records made when artists were on the breadline, hard times create a real energy and edge that we all treasure musically. These are the albums in our top 10s that often make an artists reputation for life. The pain of the artist = our love of the music, equation I often think about. That is the problem many artists face in years after seeing sucess especially when trying to get record deals even though they are at the height by of their ability.

I guess Alison still has the same creative drive but she looks pretty happy with life these days, which is great. But Bowie had to go back to his most critical period (Berln) to find that connection again outside his diehards. But then when you get to his age you start to really look at you life so that can produce real classics.

All just thoughts, not meant to be bashing The Frapp. Still love them, just not as excited as seeing something totally new. The exception is Chris Corner (who I have mentioned a few time recently). That edge is still their but also he is really not happy. Always a moral dilemma. Do we want great life affirming music or happy artists.

tattmaylor said:

I think ..............
or happy artists.

Great post - it's a very interesting (and ever ongoing) conversation indeed.

Many of the best albums I hold dear have come from troubled, sad, drug-addled, bitter or otherwise downtrodden eras that artists have been through and the thought of wishing that on a favourite in order to get that sort of transcending work from them is a real double-edged sword. We'd want that album (we would, if we're honest) but would we really wish that on them to get it?

Well, with any artist I guess it's intense emotion that's being translated. Emotion others connect with. There is a myth of the "tortured artist." Even though Head First may have had some fun moments- there was a deep anger happening too. I don't necessarily think suffering creates great art- but I believe it's something, on a human level, that everyone can relate to. So whatever it will be, it will be intense. I know on a personal level, I connect with their more melancholy and sensual work. Could Goldfrapp possibly ever make a "happy" album? I'm not sure. I'm hoping the next will be wise though.

To me, Seventh Tree was their happy album. Well, at least it leaves me feeling happier at the end than most of the others. Only others that I'd consider to be overall happy would be Supernature and Head First, but only because of their pop content.