Garbage - Version 2.0

The second Garbage album – Version 2.0 - was released 10 years ago today.

This is one of my “desert island” discs and id say it would also be on many music fans top album lists. It went quadruple platinum and was nominated for 4 Grammy awards in the first two years of its release.

I have Jason Newsted to thank for my love of this band. When he and James Hetfield were here in Sydney to promote the Metallica album “Load” album back in May 1996 they programmed the music video show RAGE. For those that don’t know the show, its a Fri/Sat night TV music video show that goes for about 8 hours. Friday night is new release videos from that week and some artist specials, and Saturday night has a guest programmer playing their favourite videos for about 4 hours, followed by the entire music video history of the band. Anyway, Jason played Garbage’s Vow clip as part of his set that night. Even though id heard Garbage’s self titled debut album a few times at friends houses and the first few singles on the radio – I hadn’t paid a lot of attention to it. I was way more into the new Faith No More, Bon Jovi, Biohazard and Red Hot Chili Pepper albums at the time. But that night I really paid attention to the video and noticed these amazing drum sample sounds, looping guitars, and a bass line that just blew me away. And then there was the vocal track. Man that girl can sing. And she is mighty easy on the eye as well. I taped that nights RAGE and replayed it over and over in the next few days. I got me the album shortly after that and the band have been a constant player in the car, MiniDisc player, iPod, CD player, etc ever since.



That first album has some amazing tracks on it. For the uninitiated, id recommend Dog New Tricks, As Heaven Is Wide, Not My Idea and Only Happy When It Rains as the best mix to get a good feel for the album. Milk is good to hear a slower song with some trippy loops in the background. But if I had to pick one track to play at a mix party it would have to be Stupid Girl. That fucking amazing (and often sampled) Clash drum sample at the start of the song sets it off on a journey that to this day still takes me to happy places.

But im here to talk about Version 2.0.....

The first half of 1998 was a bit of a weird time musically for me. I’d done the infamous Metallica tour of New Zealand and Australia and I was a bit “over” heavy music for a while. U2’s POP album was a constant player at home and I was more into Public Enemy and that sort of turntable/sampled style of music. So Version 2.0 was released in the May and I got it immediately. I’d heard the lead single “Push It” a lot on the radio and on TV and I loved the production sound. With three producers in the band it would be hard to not have a good sounding record. One of them in particular – Butch Vig – is my favourite producer of all time. Well second favourite. Ok – maybe third. Fuck it – Butch, Brendan O’Brien, Rick Rubin, and Bob Rock are my favourite producers. Shit – I forgot Quincy Jones too.....






















Anyway......... I really got into this album. I played it non stop and every single song rocked my world. Musically, lyrically and of course the production – it just rocks. I love the drum beats, the samples, the looping guitars, the vocal effects, the pop sounds on some songs, the eerie vocal on some songs, the pumping bass lines – it’s all there. And lyrically it is the bands best work. From what I’ve read about the band, Shirley was a little introverted during the making of the first album, but totally came out of her shell during the 2 year world tour to promote the album and then the subsequent writing of Version 2.0.

It starts off with probably the weakest track off the album – Temptation Waits. It’s a bit over trip hop to me, but that’s just me. Other Garbage fans probably rate it higher than I would. Second single “I Think I’m Paranoid” really kicks the album off for me. The bass line is really simple at the start and then the guitars and real drums kick in before the start of the chorus. It’s the line at the end of the chorus that made me (and a few million other males) fall in love with Shirley

Bend me
Break me
Anyway you need me
All I want is you

Oh what i would have done to be the recipient of a bit of Shirley Manson circa 1998.....

“When I Grow” up was also released as a single. The song confuses me – it sounds a bit too “pop” and really fits better when played mixed in with tracks from their third album Beautiful Garbage. And Shirley doesn’t look as cite in the video – boo. “Medication” has an almost “Milk” feel to it – i really dig the way Shirley sings the chorus:

Somebody get me out of here
I'm tearing at myself
Nobody gives a damn about me or anybody else

And the way she sings the line after the chorus (at the 2min 15sec mark for those playing along at home) just totally owns me. The synth sounds create an eerie vibe to the end of the song

And still you call me co-dependent
Somehow you lay the blame on me

If this song was written chronologically, I think the guy on the receiving end of the awesome “Bend me, break me” line is in a bit of trouble.

“Special” is up next and had a very cool video promo clip. Great guitar sound and again a pounding bass line throughout the song. I really like the lyrics here “Do you have an opinion? A mind of your own? I thought you were special. I thought you should know” Shirley’s Scottish accent really comes out in the song. And the vocal harmonies right after the chorus (that sound double or triple tracked to me) just really make the song perfect. I can only imagine how much fun Steve, Duke and Butch would have in their studio producing a song like this. And I’m sure they would have some way cool Pro Tools rig. This is the sort of album I’d love to see made into a BBC Classic Albums documentary.

“Hammering In My Head” would get me raving my glowsticks if I was at a Rave party. I like the piano and effects towards the end of the song. Reminds me of some of the effects in Milk, and to me shows how great Shirley’s vocal range is. Her voice fits with dance, pop, rock and slower/easier tracks. I haven’t ever heard the music she made with Angelfish – her first band, but I’d be interested to see if her Garbage vocal style is the result of the work with three great producers or is natural.

I briefly mentioned the production quality of the next track “Push It” above, but I really do marvel at just how great this track. From the Brian Wilson “Don’t Worry Baby” vocal sample to the whispering effect on the line “push it” throughout the track. If you haven’t heard it I recommend listening to it using good can style headphones as I did on one of the first times i heard it from a CD. This track also has a really cool video.

One of the bands most chilled out tracks is next – “The Trick Is To Keep Breathing”. I’ve listened to this on repeat for over an hour once and still didn’t get bored of it. I like the cello sample in the background throughout the chorus, to the acoustic drum sound, to the bass line to the soothing keyboard to the occasional guitar chords. And again, Shirley’s voice just blows me away– it makes what would be a good song into a great song. Not their best promo video, but a good live version of the track is here.

“Dumb / Sleep Together / Wicked Ways” are all great tracks, but they sort of blend into one for me. Wicked Ways being the best of the three. My problem is when I listen to the album (and its an album that should be played in its entirety instead of a track here and there in my opinion), I listen to the brilliant “The Trick Is To Keep Breathing and then I know there’s three good but not as good as the previous track songs to come before I get to what has to be my favourite ever Garbage song – “You Look So Fine”


Back in 2002 when I was working on the original The Audio Project mix CD this was probably the easiest song for me to put on to the album. I love this song that much that it closes the album – above Foo, above Bruce, above Jovi, above Satch, above Metallica. It embodies everything I love about this band - lyrics, music, production. I won’t dribble on again about harmonies, drum effects, bass lines, synch sounds, etc. Just listen to the song and read the lyrics.

You look so fine

I want to break your heart
And give you mine
You're taking me over

It's so insane
You've got me tethered and chained
I hear your name
And I'm falling over

I'm not like all the other girls
I can't take it like the other girls
I won't share it like the other girls
That you used to know

You look so fine

Knocked down
Cried out
Been down just to find out
I'm through
Bleeding for you

I'm open wide
I want to take you home
We'll waste some time
You're the only one for me

You look so fine
I'm like the desert tonight
Leave her behind
If you want to show me

I'm not like all the other girls
I won't take it like the other girls
I won't fake it like the other girls
That you used to know

You're taking me over
Over and over
I'm falling over
Over and over

You're taking me over
Drown in me one more time
Hide inside me tonight
Do what you want to do
Just pretend happy end
Let me know let it show

Ending with letting go

Let's pretend, happy end

It is one of the bands and director Stephan Sedanoiu’s greatest video’s. Stephan has done some great Bjork and Red Hot Chili Peppers videos and I totally love his DVD in the Directors Label box set that I have. Here is a fucking awesome live version of the track. What I like about this version is that it clocks in at about 7 minutes – 3 minutes of extra Garbage goodness


Enjoy what has been one of my favourite albums of the past 10 years.

ab