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Pete Atkin >> Music >> Eye of the universe
(Message started by: Jan on Today at 12:43)

Title: Eye of the universe
Post by Jan on Today at 12:43
Ages ago :

on 08/09/04 at 23:08:04, Alan_Manton wrote :
how about The Eye Of The Universe in the guitar version which appeared on the Seventh Album Demos?  This is perhaps the only one of Pete's songs which, in my humble opinion, has lost some appeal in its final arrangement on The Lakeside Sessions.  Just a thought...


I'd agree with Alan on that. The Lakeside Sessions version seemed to me to have changed the nature of the song completely from the hard, angry version to something a lot more resigned making it easier listening but nothing like as powerful. It wasn't helped for me by the keyboard tones.
I seem to recall that the guitar version Pete performed at SoD was yet another variation, but closer to the version in the clip on the web. I'd chosen the song as my number one selection having never heard the whole song but been captivated by that 56 seconds.
I'd love to hear the song live again, in whatever version.
Jan

Title: Re: Eye of the universe
Post by MBC on Today at 21:17
I completely agree. I first heard Eye of the Universe at Buxton, when Pete played it on electric piano, but it was still a hard, driving, storming song that captured me immediately. In fact, I asked Pete afterwards about recording it in that form, and he said he imagined it as having a full band backing.

When The Lakeside Sessions was announced, I was eager to ask if EOTU was included and delighted when Pete confirmed this was the case, but this gentle, jazzy, almost lazy arrangement of the song has never come close to equally for me that few sensational minutes in Buxton.

Martin Crookall

Title: Re: Eye of the universe
Post by Noam Greenberg on 06.10.04 at 16:58
I completely disagree.  Pete said at times that one of the things he learned over time is that he didn't have to press hard to produce a powerful effect. Eye of the Universe is perhaps the best example of this. I liked the earlier versions, but I find that the new version does an even better job at conveying the violence and tension which are the heart of this song. It is turbulent and fills me with dread; Pete doesn't need to shout it, just let it crawl from between the cracks and get hold of the listener.



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