Tiles: Off The Floor (has anyone picked this up yet?)

[ProgScape]

Not a ton of talk around here about the new "live" album from Tiles, called OFF THE FLOOR. I've been listening to it a lot recently and was wondering what others were thinking of it. I reviewed the album when it first came out over at the Examiner (link: http://www.examiner.com/review/off-the-floor-provides-an-outstanding-and-look-at-the-tiles-back-catalog) but was curious what the PE universe thought of it.

Happy Thanksgiving!

- mike.

[Luis Nasser]

I assumed this band was no more. I was really NOT into Fly Paper, or whatever their last one was called. This is a band I REALLY want to like, but just can't. Herin is a super nice guy too. I hope they do well.

[FrippWire]

I picked it up but am not totally in love with it. Like Luis Nasser said, Herin is a nice guy. But in my estimation this release is far from essential. I think they need to bring Pat Deleon back on drums.

[The Letter M]

I haven't picked it up yet, but I have heard bits of it. It is good for what it is, but I'd rather hear a new album from these guys. Their last studio album Fly Paper wasn't as impressive as their previous albums, especially Window Dressing, so I'm hoping a new studio album will be a few steps in a better direction than FP was.

-Marc.

[ProgScape]

Curious - what was so "off" that you all thought Fly Paper was? To me, I thought it was a return to form and Window Dressing was the abnormality (as it were).

[The Letter M]

I'm not sure. Maybe I thought they were going to go more in the direction of Window Dressing. Perhaps over the next few days, I'll revisit FP and see how I feel about it now. Sometimes time has a way of changing perspective.

-Marc.

[Chris Herin]

Well, as a rule I've not had good luck chiming in on artistic discussions regarding my own music..., so I won't :up. But besides a quick thanks for the "nice guy" compliments, what struck me was the "...thought Tiles was no more..." (para) phrase. Although I will say there's some evidence out there that would lead to that conclusion! Our 2008 mini-tour of the midwest was a disaster - and we'd hadn't fared so well at a couple festival appearances. So it's been a challenging 5+ years.

But what I want to say is that over the past few years I've developed an almost pathological aversion & dislike for the constant self-promotion musicians are always spewing these days. "This is our greatest album ever." "This music is so heavy it will melt your face off." And other such hyperbole. Even one of my favorite bands of all time says Clockwork Angels is the best thing they've ever done. But they said that about the previous album - and the one before that, etc... (which they now have complaints about!). Besides, who can even know such a thing?

Anyway, my point is... we in Tiles had made a purposeful effort to steer clear of bombastic claims or self-annointed greatness (Roine Stolt's essay in the Whirlwind still cracks me up) -- or the kind of over-the-top press release I recently read for Neal's Momentum CD (no offense gentlemen) -- or issue a steady stream of semi-meaningless tidbits to add to an already overloaded information age.

Anyway, my real point finally is... if people think the band is "no more" than the old proverb "out of sight out of mind" is truer than ever - and I was wrong to think we should buck the marketing-by-ad-nauseum trend!

So....

Off the Floor kicks ass!! Buy it! Visit the mini-site - read the stuff I wrote. Listen to the energetic performances, extended jams, bits of new music, and occasional clams (yeah, they're mine)... http://www.tiles-music.com/offthefloor/

Really, Off the Floor is a fun little "stop gap" before we hit the studio in the next few months to start recording Tiles #6 in all its concept album glory. It's heavy, it's sometimes not heavy, it's got some techno grooves (really), it's moody, it's occasionally dreary, it's melodic, and may have myriad special guests to bring something new to the table... plus we're getting old. It may be the last one, so we're going to have fun!

So stay tuned... and remember: buy Off the Floor and plenty of our other stuff so we can record another CD!

Chris

:)

[JIF]

I haven't picked it up yet, but I have heard bits of it. It is good for what it is, but I'd rather hear a new album from these guys. Their last studio album Fly Paper wasn't as impressive as their previous albums, especially Window Dressing, so I'm hoping a new studio album will be a few steps in a better direction than FP was.

-Marc.Good to see some love for Window Dressing. This is the only Tiles cd that I own(the cover art drew me in). I wonder if this is the same Tiles I read about in Rolling Stone(was that the mag??)? I remember many years ago reading about a band called Tiles that took their name from Led Zepplin's Out On The Tiles.

[JIF]

Not a ton of talk around here about the new "live" album from Tiles, called OFF THE FLOOR. I've been listening to it a lot recently and was wondering what others were thinking of it. I reviewed the album when it first came out over at the Examiner (link: http://www.examiner.com/review/off-the-floor-provides-an-outstanding-and-look-at-the-tiles-back-catalog) but was curious what the PE universe thought of it.

Happy Thanksgiving!

- mike.Why is live in quotes?

[Garden Dreamer]

Wasn't intrigued enough by Live Off The Floor to get it, but looking forward to a new studio album. "Fly Paper" didn't wow me like "Fence the Clear" and "Presents of Mind" did. I'm always wavering on "Window Dressing" - there's some very good tunes there but the production throws me for a loop, very un-Tiles-like with a raw, unfinished sound.

[PiscesPraematurus]

Presents of Mind is a gem.

[JIF]

Wasn't intrigued enough by Live Off The Floor to get it, but looking forward to a new studio album. "Fly Paper" didn't wow me like "Fence the Clear" and "Presents of Mind" did. I'm always wavering on "Window Dressing" - there's some very good tunes there but the production throws me for a loop, very un-Tiles-like with a raw, unfinished sound.I hope what Chris said is correct and the next one will be a concept album. I hope Matthew Parmenter will guest on that one? Get some 'Tron on, perhaps?

[Chris Herin]

I'll see if I can answer a few questions that came up in the discussions...

(1) Yes, our story has always been that "tiles" was lifted from the Zeppelin tune "Out on the Tiles." We were looking for something more concise than the "Standing Pavement" (or briefly Hanover Fist) names we previously labored under. During our stint with Simmons Records one of the bits of advice Gene gave us was to "go short" ala Kiss, Yes, Rush, etc... so we did! We didn't use "tiles" in tribute of LZ, but it's where the word came to our attention...

(2) "Off the Floor" was recorded live, but not in a traditional setting (i.e. in front of an audience). We recording at a soundstage with just a few people keeping an eye (and ear) on us. As believers in "truth in advertising" we hesitated to call "OtF" live because of this. It sure would have been easier though! Please buy it... we need the $$ to record the next studio album ;). We priced it "low-ish" and you may decide it offers enough uniqueness to keep your interest. Matthew Parmenter sings and plays violin on "Changing the Guard" - and plays mellotron on a new arrangement of "The Wading Pool." Plus there are a few bits of new music, some extended jams, and Terry Brown pulled together some really good mixes. There's lots of energy...

(3) Yeah, some of the stuff on Window Dressing wasn't quite done yet - I agree. Our decision to get a bit lo-fi was not well-received and responsibility rests with me. Personally, I'm disinterested in the generic "out of the box" over compressed drum and guitar sounds. So I used lots of vintage gear. But some of the arrangements needed fleshing out and some of the sounds didn't work. The irony is we spent too much money on something people don't think sounds good! Anyway, the whole experience was difficult for all of us (even Terry) due to a variety of life-issues going on. The whole project didn't ever seem to have a synergy or develop positive momentum. I'm tempted to rework a few tunes and release a 10-year anniversary edition, but I'm not sure there's enough demand (?).

(4) I still stand by "Fly Paper" though. In my mind we righted a lot of the wrongs Window Dressing suffered. Certainly, the songs themselves are subject to people's likes/dislikes (rightfully so); but if "Fly Paper" was the last Tiles CD then I'd be ok with it as a final statement (more so than "Window Dressing").

(5) The next Tiles CD is most definitely a concept album - structured in the well-worn tradition established by Pink Floyd, Tull, et.al. (nothing "progressive" about this decision!) and recently delivered to great effect with PT's "The Incident." The lyrics tell the story of the protagonist discovering, reacting and adapting to unpleasant and unexpected life events (hence, "Other Arrangements"). Musically, there are separate songs but we have a variety of recurring themes and interludes -- not unlike the Wall, or A Pleasant Shade of Gray... We are lining up a few special guests of which one will hopefully be Matthew Parmenter (he works cheap: for his "Fly Paper" stuff all he wanted was a dinner of liver and onions (it's true!)).

In fact, in keeping with my new policy of "spilling more beans about what's going on," here's a sneak peak of the track listing (as it stands now):

758

[The Letter M]

Chris! Thanks for the words and updates!!! I cannot wait for "Other Arrangements" next year, and now that I know proceeds from "Off The Floor" will go to the making of the new album, I shall endeavor to purchase it ASAP so you guys can be on your way to creating and releasing a wonderful album in 2013!!! The track list looks interesting, and adds up to a solid hour of proggy goodness, I'm sure!

-Marc.

[Garden Dreamer]

Chris! Thanks for the words and updates!!! I cannot wait for "Other Arrangements" next year, and now that I know proceeds from "Off The Floor" will go to the making of the new album, I shall endeavor to purchase it ASAP so you guys can be on your way to creating and releasing a wonderful album in 2013!!! The track list looks interesting, and adds up to a solid hour of proggy goodness, I'm sure!

-Marc.

Ditto!!!!!!

[3RDegree_Robert]

But besides a quick thanks for the "nice guy" compliments, what struck me was the "...thought Tiles was no more..." (para) phrase. Although I will say there's some evidence out there that would lead to that conclusion! ...But what I want to say is that over the past few years I've developed an almost pathological aversion & dislike for the constant self-promotion musicians are always spewing these days.

Hey Chris-Robert from 3RDegree. Nice to see you here. I'll tell you in this day & age, somebody in the band has got to be out there pressing the digital flesh or else it's kind of easy to fall off the radar, having people wondering what happened to (insert band name here)? Even with festival calibre bands like yours and mine. Even though I'm not too familiar with Tiles, your self refection on your previous albums was really cool to read. You rarely hear bands pick apart their own music like you just did. Good going!


now that I know proceeds from "Off The Floor" will go to the making of the new album, I shall endeavor to purchase it ASAP so you guys can be on your way to creating and releasing a wonderful album in 2013!!! -Marc.

Marc-I could tell you unless you're one of the 70's bands, Marillion or Steven Wilson, that's basically how it goes. None of us are putting our kids to college selling prog albums. ;)