Third Uncle
| "Third Uncle" | |
|---|---|
| Song by Brian Eno | |
| from the album Taking Tiger Mountain (By Strategy) | |
| Released | November 1974 |
| Recorded | September 1974 |
| Studio | Basing Street Studios, London |
| Genre | |
| Length | 4:48 |
| Label | Island Records |
| Songwriter(s) | Brian Eno, Brian Turrington |
| Producer(s) | Brian Eno |
"Third Uncle" is a 1974 song by the English musician Brian Eno, released on his second solo album Taking Tiger Mountain (By Strategy).[2] The song was recorded at Basing Street Studios in Notting Hill, London, in September 1974, and produced by Eno. It has been highly influential and covered by many artists, most notably by Bauhaus in 1982.
The song is based around a bass guitar riff by Brian Turrington, which borrows from Pink Floyd's "One of These Days" in its use of delay. Behind this are two rhythm guitar parts, one by Eno and one by his former Roxy Music bandmate Phil Manzanera, each playing frenetic, staccato chords.[2] Eno's vocals are sung in a near-monotone.[3]
Along with the title track of his 1974 debut album Here Come the Warm Jets, "Third Uncle" remains one of Eno's best-known and most influential songs. A live recording featuring Eno and Manzanera appears on supergroup 801's 1976 album 801 Live;[4] this version has been cited as a forerunner of punk rock, and described by AllMusic writer Dave Thomas as "furious...positive madness."[2]
Bauhaus cover version[edit]
| "Third Uncle" | |
|---|---|
| Song by Bauhaus | |
| from the album The Sky's Gone Out | |
| Released | 22 October 1982 |
| Recorded | 1982 |
| Studio | Rockfield Studios, Monmouthshire, Wales |
| Genre | |
| Length | 5:14 |
| Label | Beggars Banquet |
| Songwriter(s) | Brian Eno |
The song was covered by the English gothic rock band Bauhaus for their 1982 album The Sky's Gone Out.[5] Describing the basis for the cover version in 2017, Pitchfork wrote that "Eno..contributed...to goth’s sonic DNA, especially in his love for synthesizers and abstract instrumentation. His pre-ambient solo career is full of aggressive, gleefully perverse proto-goth songs."[3]
Personnel[edit]
- Brian Eno – vocals, electronics, electric guitar, keyboards
- Phil Manzanera – electric guitar
- Brian Turrington – bass guitar
- Freddie Smith – drums
- Robert Wyatt – percussion
References[edit]
- ^ Rogers, Jude. "Brian Eno – 10 of the best". The Guardian, 25 January 2017. Retrieved 28 October 2023
- ^ a b c Thompson, Dave. "Third Uncle Review". AllMusic. Retrieved 28 October 2023
- ^ a b "The Story of Goth in 33 Songs". Pitchfork, 25 October 2017. Retrieved 28 October 2023
- ^ Weisbard, Eric; Marks, Craig. Spin Alternative Record Guide. Vintage Books, 1995. p. 129
- ^ Blistein, Jon. "Bauhaus Close Reunion Run With Rare Cover of Brian Eno’s ‘Third Uncle’". Rolling Stone, 2 December 2019. Retrieved 28 October 2023
Sources[edit]
- Sheppard, David. On Some Faraway Beach: The Life and Times of Brian Eno. Chicago Review Press, 2008. ISBN 978-1-55652-942-9
External links[edit]
- 801 Live, Queen Elizabeth Hall, UK, 1976
- 2008 live version by Built to Spill