Just browsing last.fm to see if anyone's mentioned the David Devant gig at the 100 Club (and they haven't), but I see this top ten of their tracks most listened, by users of last.fm. Who have installed the software, that monitors what you're listening to. It's not a chart of goodness, but no charts are. It's not even close to their tracks that I listen to most (which would be the only true chart of goodness), but since the computer died and all my data went with it that is possibly lost. Here's my (woefully inaccurate) analysis anyway:
Contact (1239 Listeners) Extrapolating up this must be the David Devant song that has been heard by the most people, so probably actually been their biggest single then, I would not put it in my top ten though, and would not say it's the best representation of the band. Not bad, a dreamy spacey feel to it, but honestly, not as good as anything off Work, Lovelife, Miscellaneous anyway. I don't remember where this fits into the discography of the band, I think I only have it on a CD single, some time around the second album I suppose. I could look this up couldn't I? Some great guitar on this that reminds me a bit of Jack. I think this was the band trying to be a bit more serious and a bit less cabaret.
Ginger (366) What I would have said (before I saw this list) was the closest thing they had to a big hit, a brilliant tune, a big tune, but seemingly just chirpy enough to have people dismiss them. I don't get it, they're great, this should have been enormous. Was probably only just edged out of the "side one, track one" conversation in [abe]High Fidelity[/abe].
Lifeline (248) - b-side / extra track to the Contact single. More people probably have the Contact single than own the first album! It is probably quite rare.
Parallel Universe (227) Part one or part two? The second entry for the first album in this chart.
This Is For Real (226) Should have been a big hit from the first album, was released as a multi part single, but did not set the charts alight.
I'm Not Even Going To Try (216) Auntie Mabel! A live favourite. Only on the album I think, and as a semi-live version. Unfortunately the Water Rats show it was recorded at was not one of the squillions I attended, so you can't hear my tuneless bellowing on this version.
One Thing (210) Another b-side / extra track to the Contact single, hence the high placing.
Miscellaneous (198) Now we're down to actual album owners, this is the first one not to be on a single, not one that I own anyway. The number of plays are very close now, this is equal
Light On The Surface (198) Kind of spooky, as befitting the occasional supernatural theme the band followed. They made a short film of this name12, I have it on VHS somewhere, and it's not available on youtube, how's that for a rarity?
Ballroom (197) The Cluedo themed one, super dramatic, not a traditional pop tune but a marvel nonetheless.
I Think About You (187) A kind of love song, that's how I see it anyway. I think we had this one played at our wedding.
Lie Detector (178) Released as a double pack single and available in an array of remixes. Hey I must type the word array a hundred times a day, but I never use it in real conversation.
Goodnight (177) Ends most of the gigs (at least those back in the day) and also the first album, and also this top ten, isn't that handy?
That's just the band listed by number of plugged in listeners, not number of plays of their tracks over a period, which actually is available here. That can be skewed by one person playing a track on repeat, and I think that happens a lot with crazy fans of a band. Or is it just me that's thought about putting something I like on and going out, just to get the count up on last.fm?
Might revisit this later, I really love this band and I don't give them enough time these days.
Whole lot of David Devant on youtube, including all their appearances3 on the near-mythical never repeated Asylum (starring Simon Pegg, Julian Barratt, etc). devant.info4 for all your other Devant needs, and Mikey / Vessel's solo stuff is here.
See you at the 100 Club I hope. Here's my favourite of the singles:
Removed old youtube.com/results?search_query=david+devant+%22light+on+the+surface%22 link here.
Light On The Surface
Removed old youtube.com/results?search_query=asylum+david+devant link here.
devant.info used to be a David Devant fan site, it seems to be domain squatted now.
Paul Clarkeʼs blog - I live in Hythe in Kent. Married + father to two, I'm a full stack web developr, + I do js / Node, some ruby, other languages etc. I like pubs, parkrun, eating, home automation and other diy jiggery-pokery, history, genealogy, Television, squirrels, pirates, lego, and TIME TRAVEL.