We’re not worthy
Let’s Active
Truly a band of prominence, they played at the Mad Monk, and opened for REM at Trask Colisseum. Peter D adored them, so the scene was mostly on his stereo.
Mitch Easter’s DIY aesthetic must have launched a thousand (what would later be called) indie-rock bands. The band had a lot going for it, intelligent lyrics, intricate yet bold arrangements, kind of otherworldly yet so much on the ground. Great for catching a buzz and contemplating, or dancing.
Though the band ceased and the albums went out of print, Easter continued producing and collaborating. He has a brand new solo album Dynamico.
2003 brought a tribute album “Every Word“, which featured Jay Manley’s band Velvet.
February 10th, 2007 at 8:01 pm
I am having an actual deja vu reading that and writing this. OK.
Heard “Room With A View” on the Mondo Montage Compilation. Stunned. The way forward. Devoured all releases. “Big Plans For Everybody” I must have ground up, melted, and injected. It became part of my DNA, and spoke to me a lot when the Squirrels crashed.
February 12th, 2007 at 1:54 am
Synapse Fire: Danny made a cassette label for the 2-track demo showing a ski jump looking down from the top-it was called “Long Way Down” which I think came from the Let’s Active song “Last Chance Town”.
I saw Let’s Active in Greensboro a couple of times, once at a club and another time at the University. They were really good. I really liked “Every Dog Has His Day” album.
October 5th, 2007 at 10:29 am
Also check out the band Shalini comprised of Shalini Chatterjee, Mitch Easter, and Eric Marshall. They have three albums to their credit and have a great new one “The Sparkle And The Shine”. Shalini’s voice and lyrics are so cool. Much of my favorite Mitch guitar work and production lives on these records.
http:/www.interbridge.com/shalini
November 11th, 2007 at 10:20 pm
I’m late with a correction: “Last Chance Town” on “Big Plans for Everybody” by Let’s Active came out in 1986 so it could not have been the inspiration for the “Long Way Down” title for the 2-track demo back in 1983. Let’s Active played a surprise show at a club in Greensboro in the spring of ‘86 in support of the album-the place was packed.
December 12th, 2007 at 1:10 pm
I never saw Let’s Active in Wilmington (except when they opened for REM), but they were one of my faves at Premiums, the new music bar in Greenville. Fast forward to 2006, I was poking through a pile of beat-up vinyl records at the downtown Goodwill here in St. Louis, and found a vintage, brand-spanking-new-looking copy of “Cypress” that looks like it’s never been played. SCORE!!! I was stunned to find that here in Missouri, because I guess I just always thought of them as a southern regional band. Does anyone know how extensively they toured?
December 13th, 2007 at 8:22 pm
I think they were a “national act”, but obviously never had success like REM did. There are a lot of Let’s Active videos on YouTube.