T.V. Smith’s Explorers “The Last Words of the Great Explorer”

sfilzen — Mon, 14 Dec 2020 19:40:55 +0000

T.V. Smith’s Explorers “The Last Words of the Great Explorer” 1981. Singer T.V. Smith’s power pop/new wave band after the break-up of The Adverts in 1979 (The Adverts ‘77 song “Gary Gilmore’s Eyes” is still considered one of the best punk singles ever). The Last Words of the Great Explorer was the band’s sole release and I’m pretty sure it didn’t chart or really even make a dent in the public consciousness at all. Smith has a great voice, really perfect for the new wave sound, but the record is kinda blah…Allmusic’s review says, “he [T.V. Smith] briefly flirted with a now badly dated new wave synthesizer sound that unfortunately was mixed way too high in an already over-produced record.” I do like the title track “The Last Words of the Great Explorer” and “The Unwelcome Guest” but a couple of the tracks are just way over-blown in sound, length and strained earnestness like “Imagination” and “The Easy Way.” This was in our pile of “should it stay or should it go” records and my vote is it should go.

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The Adverts “Gary Gilmore’s Eyes”

sfilzen — Fri, 18 Dec 2015 16:14:45 +0000

The Adverts “Gary Gilmore’s Eyes” b/w “Bored Teenagers” 1977. Anchor Records. Brit punks in the mode of The Damned (with whom they toured, promoting the tour with the slogan “The Adverts know one chord, the Damned know three. See all four..”) and the Buzzcocks, “Gary Gilmore’s Eyes” was the first Adverts single to chart, reaching #18 in the UK, its controversial lyrics helping to propel interest. (Gilmore was an American murderer executed by firing squad in 1977, his famous last words “Let’s do this.”) “Bored Teenagers” became an anthem for the band and for young punks everywhere.

We’re talking into corners
Finding ways to fill the vacuum
And though our mouths are dry
We talk in hope to hit on something new

Tied to the railway track
It’s one way to revive but no way to relax

We’re just bored teenagers
Looking for love or should I say emotional rages
Bored teenagers
Seeing ourselves as strangers

We talk about the whys and wherefores
Do we really care at all?
Talk about the frailty of words
Is rarely meaningful

When we’re sitting
Watching the planes
Burn up through the night
Like meteorites

We’re just bored teenagers
Looking for love or should I say emotional rages
Bored teenagers
Seeing ourselves as strangers

Bored teenagers
Bored teenagers
[On the TV]
Bored teenagers
Bored teenagers

We’re just bored teenagers
Bored out of our heads
Bored out of our minds

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T.V. Smith’s Explorers “The Last Words of the Great Explorer”

The Adverts “Gary Gilmore’s Eyes”