What if THC, TGA and MATZ were all the same band?

Say Gaslight Anthem had released Elsie as their own record, and all these other songs Brian has done in side-projects were Gaslight Anthem, would they not be one of the top bands in the world?

I feel the breadth and depth of such a catalog would make a strong case for them being an amazing band because they're able to span genres and toy with different sounds, and be whoever they want to be whenever they want.. A true artistic expression of a number of different visions...

Thoughts?

Or hypothetically, adding another layer to it, what if they had only recorded the "best" of all three bands songs and released 4 records (like TGA has) but made up of the top stuff?

Agree completely, I always said that I wish Brian had had the guts to not do THC and just make that the next Gaslight record. There was even an interview where he admitted that the guys in the band said after the fact something along the lines of "you know, we would've been down to go that route with you"

i totally agree on this would have made a much more stronger 4th record.

But i think it was a personal decision by Brian to not do this stuff with TGA but go the solo-way. Especially Elsie being some kind of Friendship-project between him and Ian and really importend for Ian personally (at least thats what i thought of this record since i watched this interview: around 3:00
)

I was actually thinking about this recently. And Elsie should have been TGAs "strange" record. Granted though it may not have been well received by the general TGA fandom.

To put it this way, I'd say most people who originally liked and followed The Horrible Crowes were the die hard TGA fans that followed, and would follow, Brian where ever he went. So separated from the general TGA fans it was able to grow and be accepted as it is - an original, amazing, sounding album.

If TGA had done it, it might have done worse for being "too different" and suffered being compared to TGAs earlier works. Almost a "this isn't the band I remember or got into"

But honestly I'd rather them take that risk. If it ended up being a record only the more "die hard" fans liked. What ever. But I'm optimistic to think it would have done very well as a TGA record.

Now Molly and The Zombies... I'm going to say no. Mainly because it actually feels like a real band. The personalities of the members and the way they get along is awesome. It really brings something different to a show than TGA would.

With Ian playing in TGA now (even if only as a touring/performing member), for so long, there's no reason TGA can't incorporate the THC stuff.

None of the M&TZ members play in TGA and as long as they continue to play together, which it seems like they will, I don't see any reason to move that's stuff over. If M&TZ stopped playing together. Then yes I would want TGA to get those songs because they are awesome.


Basically Brian should play all of his songs no matter what because they rule! *cough misery *cough*

eagles1139 wrote:

Agree completely, I always said that I wish Brian had had the guts to not do THC and just make that the next Gaslight record. There was even an interview where he admitted that the guys in the band said after the fact something along the lines of "you know, we would've been down to go that route with you"

I remember hearing that. And I also remember hearing he did ask them if they wanted the songs and they said no. Maybe it was a hind sight thing. Like "we should have taken those songs"

Or maybe I'm remembering wrong...that too.

i dunno. i think Elsie is pretty awesome, and i'm not sure if it would have turned out the same way if it was a Gaslight album because Brian would have had less control over it.

but for sure, Gaslight would be a stronger band if they had released Elsie. i don't really care though.

and yeah, MATZ sounds different than Gaslight and thats cool. it's cool to see Brian making music with a more laid-back vibe and playing with people who can sing. the same sound couldn't be achieved in Gaslight.

Debonair wrote:

With Ian playing in TGA now (even if only as a touring/performing member), for so long, there's no reason TGA can't incorporate the THC stuff.

I've been looking for a time to say this.
I think they need to consider Ian an official member of the band now. He's played on the last two records (I'm considering the new one here), and has toured for years.  I would have LOVED to see him on the Handwritten cover. When he was signing my copy he had to flip to the inside to find himself. The Gaslight Anthem is now, in my mind, a 5 piece band.

Debonair wrote:

eagles1139 wrote:

Agree completely, I always said that I wish Brian had had the guts to not do THC and just make that the next Gaslight record. There was even an interview where he admitted that the guys in the band said after the fact something along the lines of "you know, we would've been down to go that route with you"

I remember hearing that. And I also remember hearing he did ask them if they wanted the songs and they said no. Maybe it was a hind sight thing. Like "we should have taken those songs"

Or maybe I'm remembering wrong...that too.

I've definitely heard both of these. When it first came out, the story was that Brian asked if they wanted to do these songs, they said no because they deviate from TGA's sound but he could go for it with Ian and they wouldn't mind. Then recently it came out about how they would've done the songs. Who knows how it really went down, but I've always figured he asked them in a way that made it sound like he figured they wouldn't want to go that way. "Like you guys care if I do these songs with Ian? I just figure they're not really Gaslight songs, so unless you guys want them..." and they figured, "well that's what he wants and they are kinda different, so yeah sure, you probably should do them separately." But maybe they realize now that they could've been easily talked into it.

I'm kind of hoping that whatever is "different" about the new album, works as a kind of bridge between THC and TGA. Honestly though, I don't care what they do as long as I one day get to hear those songs live. It's a crime that they were only played live twice (apart from a handful of them played acoustically on the Revival Tour).

zerb012345 wrote:

Debonair wrote:

With Ian playing in TGA now (even if only as a touring/performing member), for so long, there's no reason TGA can't incorporate the THC stuff.

I've been looking for a time to say this.
I think they need to consider Ian an official member of the band now. He's played on the last two records (I'm considering the new one here), and has toured for years.  I would have LOVED to see him on the Handwritten cover. When he was signing my copy he had to flip to the inside to find himself. The Gaslight Anthem is now, in my mind, a 5 piece band.

I agree completely, Ian deserves it! But from various interviews it's not going to happen. I always remember Brian and Ian being interviewed on the radio one time (THC years) and basically he felt it would be weird to have a 5 piece. But Ian will always have his place. If it doesn't happen with this next record - I don't think it will.