Most miserable albums of all time

1. Lou Reed - Berlin. The only album I don't think I could ever put myself through again
2. Joy Division - closer.
3. Neil Young - 0n the beach

What have got ATD'ers?

Much as I love REM, I always found Automatic for the People to be a touch on the depressing side

Nebraska by Bruce Springsteen. My personal favourite but miserable as feck.

Sabbath were not known for their positivity in their early days.A bit of Portishead was always beneficial for assisted suicide attempts and listening to limited amounts of Hank Williams never did have the same effect as a course of happy tablets.Come to think of it,there are quite a few candidates-honourable mentions for the Doors and the Smiths for some wonderfully melancholic anthems.

My love for Jimmy. by the knobber Nool Band, an absolute Classic.

Hugh Watt wrote:

1. Lou Reed - Berlin. The only album I don't think I could ever put myself through again
2. Joy Division - closer.
3. Neil Young - 0n the beach

What have got ATD'ers?

Love 'on the beach' but get where you're coming from.

I'll go for anything by these masters of morosity...

Leonard Cohen

Tom Waits

Morrissey

Van Morrison's music takes some beating. It should carry a health warning.

Portishead's THIRD album makes the first two seem rather cheery.

THE RIP is my fav from the album.

early Ryan Adams/ Whiskeytown can be pretty dour.

Suicide Handbook

I have loads of RA bootlegs if anybody feels the urge.

Les Miserable wrote:

Hugh Watt wrote:

1. Lou Reed - Berlin. The only album I don't think I could ever put myself through again
2. Joy Division - closer.
3. Neil Young - 0n the beach

What have got ATD'ers?

Love 'on the beach' but get where you're coming from.

I'll go for anything by these masters of morosity...

Leonard Cohen

Tom Waits

Morrissey

I do. Tonight's the night is also pretty bleak, I don't think he was having much fun at the time. Amazing it resulted in such great music.

Songs of love and hate by Leonard Cohen also deserves a mention. Dress rehearsal rag isn't something you'd put in at a party

Hugh Watt wrote:

Les Miserable wrote:

Hugh Watt wrote:

1. Lou Reed - Berlin. The only album I don't think I could ever put myself through again
2. Joy Division - closer.
3. Neil Young - 0n the beach

What have got ATD'ers?

Love 'on the beach' but get where you're coming from.

I'll go for anything by these masters of morosity...

Leonard Cohen

Tom Waits

Morrissey

I do. Tonight's the night is also pretty bleak, I don't think he was having much fun at the time. Amazing it resulted in such great music.

Songs of love and hate by Leonard Cohen also deserves a mention. Dress rehearsal rag isn't something you'd put in at a party

Have you read McDonoughs book on Young? gives some insight into his mindset during the ditch trilogy period and also a cracking account of the night they recorded TTN, depressed about losing close friends and completely wasted on tequila among other things, it's about as raw as it gets. Sure I read it in Shakey but may have been elsewhere.

I haven't Les but I will. I've read Shakey, I found his constant mention of his music streaming test ice grating but it was a good read.

He's back on Spotify now I see.

Hugh Watt wrote:

I haven't Les but I will. I've read Shakey, I found his constant mention of his music streaming test ice grating but it was a good read.

He's back on Spotify now I see.

A lifetime of smoking the weed can be detrimental to ones mental stability, whilst being beneficial in other areas..........so I'm told.

I've heard CSNY's 1974 tour was one of the most debauched in history.

Have you seen Scorseses last waltz where Young plays an entire song wth a very visual 'coke booger'

Is that 'The Bands' farewell concert? If so yes, some top talent there that night iirc.

Ps...Crosby was a grade A party animal 24/7.

Les Miserable wrote:

Ps...Crosby was a grade A party animal 24/7.

He got stopped by the police in 1982 trying to freebase whilst driving, easy you steer the car with your knees.

this is a good read explains how bad that tour was. Neil young avoided much of the craziness though

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A good read.

Particularly enjoyed these quotes...

Drummond: "We had a shitload of songs. Neil was the greatest. He'd just pull one of out his ass or his hat and the rest of them would grab and hang on. That's what made it so fresh and exciting. It wasn't rehearsed or any of that shit."

Nash (From his 2013 book Wild Tales): "Crosby took two beautiful women with him on tour… Often I would knock on his hotel door, which he kept propped open with a security jamb, and he'd be getting blown by both of these girls, all while he was talking and doing business on the phone and rolling joints and smoking and having a drink."

Where did it all go wrong

Kind of reminiscent of John Entwistle's death.

I suppose dropping dead in a Vegas hotel room lacks glamour but the huge pile of cocaine and couple of hookers who were with him definitely makes it very rock n roll.

I guess it's what he would've wanted.

Leonard Cohen has to be the High Priest of miserabilism though which is odd because many of his songs are really beautiful. Jennifer Warnes did a whole album of Lenny covers (Famous Blue Raincoat) and it is absolutely gorgeous - especially Bird On A Wire. Well worth tracking down even if you don't go much on Cohen because if you didn't know they were his songs you'd never guess.

Shakey? The book his dad wrote (Neil and Me) is really good and is well worth a read; I've never found On The Beach depressing at all; I've never got on with Tonight's The Night: I've got it on vynyl and will have to dig it out and re-appraise because I don't think I ever played it more than once or twice.

Echo and the Bunnymen were/are gloriously miserable - especially Heaven Up Here.

Most depressing? Got to be Closer by Joy Division. That's a whole different level of gloom. Even Leonard Cohen must have been impressed.

Sir Francis Drake wrote:

Kind of reminiscent of John Entwistle's death.

I suppose dropping dead in a Vegas hotel room lacks glamour but the huge pile of cocaine and couple of hookers who were with him definitely makes it very rock n roll.

I guess it's what he would've wanted.

Leonard Cohen has to be the High Priest of miserabilism though which is odd because many of his songs are really beautiful. Jennifer Warnes did a whole album of Lenny covers (Famous Blue Raincoat) and it is absolutely gorgeous - especially Bird On A Wire. Well worth tracking down even if you don't go much on Cohen because if you didn't know they were his songs you'd never guess.

Shakey? The book his dad wrote (Neil and Me) is really good and is well worth a read; I've never found On The Beach depressing at all; I've never got on with Tonight's The Night: I've got it on vynyl and will have to dig it out and re-appraise because I don't think I ever played it more than once or twice.

Echo and the Bunnymen were/are gloriously miserable - especially Heaven Up Here.

Most depressing? Got to be Closer by Joy Division. That's a whole different level of gloom. Even Leonard Cohen must have been impressed.

If in good condition and unwanted in the Drake residence I'd be more than happy to offer it a good home. PM if interested.

Pink Floyd / The Final Cut. Brilliant but dour.

A fitting thread to announce this I suppose.....Leonard Cohen RIP.

Frank Bullitt wrote:

Nebraska by Bruce Springsteen. My personal favourite but miserable as feck.

Just found this one amongst my cd's, tis very good.