Old Liquidator - The Minus 5

You know you have made the transition from fondness to obsession of a band when you start to buy up the side projects of the members of that band. Usually without any consideration as to whether you are going to like it or not.

The Minus 5's 'Old Liquidator' is one such album- they are a loose collective of musicians and one which frequently featured Peter Buck from R.E.M. "Ahhh....so that's why" I hear you say. Yes I got the R.E.M. bug so bad that I started buying side projects and albums featuring members of the Athens quartet.

I really want to like this album, I really do, but I just can't. I bought the album on the 18 February 1995 from Jumbo Records in Leeds - I know this because I left the receipt in the sleeve notes - this was a habit of mine which I pleased to say has since stopped. I realised that I was getting far too anal about keeping information on where and when I bought music. Yes I have kicked that particular habit.... now instead I log them on a database along with the label, bar code, running time, cost, distributor and a picture of the cover art. Yes I really pleased that I am much less anal than I used to be!

I think I have only played this CD twice since I bought it - I was so disappointed that I couldn't face playing it again. When I parted with my £13.99 (It's also on the receipt) I was expecting another version of my beloved R.E.M. but instead I got off-the-wall songs about finding severed fingers accompanied with really challenging and sparse musical arrangements.

So today I placed this album in my CD player with much trepidation. Will the intervening years and my increased maturity help me get along with this record? Well... not really. I think I understand it more and can relate to some of the more bizarre arrangements but it is not my cup of tea. Buck's trademark Rickenbacker guitar is only present on one track and this is, not surprisingly, the best track. I don't hate the album as it does have some merit but it is not an easy listen. It does get better during the final few tracks but it is a real effort to get that far.

So let this be a lesson to any budding obsessives out there - by all means explore solo outings and side projects of favourite bands.... just do it carefully and with some consideration or you might just end up with an Old Liquidator sitting on your shelf, glaring at you and laughing as your obsession takes hold. You have been warned!

Next week Vent 414 from the (then) ex-Wonder Stuff frontman Miles Hunt......