I heard you play Vagabond with Todd and Dean at Chicago’s Lincoln Hall when you were supporting Pussycat.
I love TAAG! Vagabond and Failure were my favorites. The day my mom started hospice, I was in Virginia waiting in the car to pick up lunch for her and dad. Both of those songs struck me. It struck me how you can fail at something while still doing the hard work… I could give my mom all the love and care she needed, but the end was dying… still, I kept loving and caring. Something about that song reminded me that it was important to stay present and mindful of the little things. Thank you 🙏!
My favorite part in Vagabond is the line “But the fire won’t start” where it seems like you don’t perfectly hit the low notes and there’s a slight dissonance; and yet, it makes it sound more lonesome and melancholy somehow. It’s interesting to read that you struggled with it, but any imperfections add to the song’s character.
I was reading an interview with (I'm pretty sure) Tom Petty, talking about recording with the Wilburys. He said Roy Orbison would come in to lay down his vocals, and he'd sing barely above a whisper, hardly audible to anyone in the room. Then Roy asked to hear it back. Tom and Jeff Lynne looked at each other confused, thinking he was just warming up or recording a rough guide vocal, but when they turned up the level, there IT was, THAT Roy Orbison voice.
Maybe you already knew this trick, but I thought it might be helpful in the future if you didn't.
My biggest score of 2025 was finding a vinyl copy of this album. I didn't even know that any of the Ye Olde Records were released on vinyl - it was hard enough to find the CD version of this.
Reading the back story really adds to the experience.
Were you the one who purchased the £100 copy on eBay? I contemplated buying that LP, but I wanted a signed copy, preferably along the sainted Hatfield forearm - like the CD!
Yeah, that was me. I splurged on it just because it was such a shock to me to even see it. It took me years to find the CD at a decent price, so I felt like I would never even see the LP offered again ever.
I have to believe that the self-titled pink LP is even harder to find, because I found that to be the hardest to find on CD.
Hey, you could be in luck! I just checked Discogs, and an NM/VG+ copy has just arrived! Unfortunately, they don't ship to England, but if $100 isn't too stiff, I'd get in there, if I were you!
Because the French title is entirely different (and the British release evidently used a translation of the original, as "Without Roof Nor Rule"), the IMDb web site back in the 1980s would offer an entirely different film as first response if you searched "Vagabond". I noticed that several user reviews and ratings were posted to that other film but clearly belonged with the Vargas. I convinced them to move some on the basis of internal evidence, such as mentioning "the episode where she stays with the Arbologist". Anyhow I think the issue is now corrected and a search for "vagabond" may give the Varda film first. (Nope! It is second..)
So interesting to hear that the fragility / different style of vocals on that track wasn't an initial choice, and that you decided to keep it. I love the honesty in that type of creative process, and it's something that really speaks to me about your and others' music. Thanks, as always, for sharing your vulnerabilities and processes.
I heard you play Vagabond with Todd and Dean at Chicago’s Lincoln Hall when you were supporting Pussycat.
I love TAAG! Vagabond and Failure were my favorites. The day my mom started hospice, I was in Virginia waiting in the car to pick up lunch for her and dad. Both of those songs struck me. It struck me how you can fail at something while still doing the hard work… I could give my mom all the love and care she needed, but the end was dying… still, I kept loving and caring. Something about that song reminded me that it was important to stay present and mindful of the little things. Thank you 🙏!
My favorite part in Vagabond is the line “But the fire won’t start” where it seems like you don’t perfectly hit the low notes and there’s a slight dissonance; and yet, it makes it sound more lonesome and melancholy somehow. It’s interesting to read that you struggled with it, but any imperfections add to the song’s character.
I was reading an interview with (I'm pretty sure) Tom Petty, talking about recording with the Wilburys. He said Roy Orbison would come in to lay down his vocals, and he'd sing barely above a whisper, hardly audible to anyone in the room. Then Roy asked to hear it back. Tom and Jeff Lynne looked at each other confused, thinking he was just warming up or recording a rough guide vocal, but when they turned up the level, there IT was, THAT Roy Orbison voice.
Maybe you already knew this trick, but I thought it might be helpful in the future if you didn't.
My biggest score of 2025 was finding a vinyl copy of this album. I didn't even know that any of the Ye Olde Records were released on vinyl - it was hard enough to find the CD version of this.
Reading the back story really adds to the experience.
Were you the one who purchased the £100 copy on eBay? I contemplated buying that LP, but I wanted a signed copy, preferably along the sainted Hatfield forearm - like the CD!
Yeah, that was me. I splurged on it just because it was such a shock to me to even see it. It took me years to find the CD at a decent price, so I felt like I would never even see the LP offered again ever.
I have to believe that the self-titled pink LP is even harder to find, because I found that to be the hardest to find on CD.
Plus it was my birthday!
Hey, you could be in luck! I just checked Discogs, and an NM/VG+ copy has just arrived! Unfortunately, they don't ship to England, but if $100 isn't too stiff, I'd get in there, if I were you!
I love that film. Such a great evocation of ennui and the metaphor of not belonging anywhere.
I love that film too!
Because the French title is entirely different (and the British release evidently used a translation of the original, as "Without Roof Nor Rule"), the IMDb web site back in the 1980s would offer an entirely different film as first response if you searched "Vagabond". I noticed that several user reviews and ratings were posted to that other film but clearly belonged with the Vargas. I convinced them to move some on the basis of internal evidence, such as mentioning "the episode where she stays with the Arbologist". Anyhow I think the issue is now corrected and a search for "vagabond" may give the Varda film first. (Nope! It is second..)
Your song in its quietness perfectly captures the mood of the film.
Very excited for a TAAG reissue!
So interesting to hear that the fragility / different style of vocals on that track wasn't an initial choice, and that you decided to keep it. I love the honesty in that type of creative process, and it's something that really speaks to me about your and others' music. Thanks, as always, for sharing your vulnerabilities and processes.
Wow. We’ll never listen to that song the same way again!