ttd

August 18, 2005 10:11 PM

Terence Trent D'Arby If you're of a certain age, you might remember a brief period in the late eighties when this two-hit wonder was all over the radio; unavoidable. Now, he's...a fish.
posted by bunglin jones (60 comments total)

Scroll down about halfway on the second link for the fish bit, BTW
posted by bunglin jones at 10:12 PM on August 18, 2005

I can't read a damn thing with that background image.

I'll say this. The Hardline According to ... was a fine album (to a 14-yr-old), regardless of winning a grammy.

I'm glad that he's not dead. He's always seemed to be such a naive guy. This certainly affirms that.

I'll certainly listen to his music for free. Though I'll never visit that site again.
posted by mrgrimm at 10:23 PM on August 18, 2005

And the point of this post is... some singer found religion? He uses not-so-stellar metaphors to explain it?
posted by signal at 10:24 PM on August 18, 2005

Ironic--- his follow-up to Hardline was "Niether Fish Nor Flesh"

I enjoy D'Arby's talent.
"As Yet Untitled"
(accapella)
Astounded me and still does to this day.

May he find the rocker he has fallen off.....


Peace Out.
posted by TangerineGurl at 10:31 PM on August 18, 2005

um... ok, each can have their own for there is truth in all are parts of the greater whole. Good on him.
posted by N8k99 at 10:32 PM on August 18, 2005

very 60s vibe musically, except for that metamorpheus song which is a bit more modern ... but the melodies kind of wander ...
posted by pyramid termite at 10:34 PM on August 18, 2005

Didn't he proclaim at the height of his 80s career that he was bigger than Jesus...? He seemed pretty talented back then...but upon seeing this New & Improved version of D'Arby, I'm pretty bummed out. If he was hoping for a revival and more sales, he should have partnered with Arby's. Seriously.
posted by davidmsc at 10:56 PM on August 18, 2005

He was a talent. Good for him for still being engaged and productive and promoting roast beef.
posted by mert at 11:11 PM on August 18, 2005

Mad as a box of frogs.
posted by seanyboy at 11:29 PM on August 18, 2005

I swear there's a line he wrote on there somewhere on that site, to the effect that what the world needs is less Al Qaeda and more Al Green. That was a classic.
posted by raysmj at 11:38 PM on August 18, 2005

'All unauthorized use is not encouraged.' The guy will never make it in the music business, although I suppose I didn't need to read that gentle cautionary note against piracy to be certain.
posted by rebirtha at 11:39 PM on August 18, 2005

I have a fleeting memory of a daytime talkshow back in the late 80's that had Gary Coleman as a guest. That was weird in itself, as at the time no one had heard from him since Diff'rent Strokes, but in the middle of the interview (with Regis?), Coleman starts talking about his new best friend, Terence Trent D'arby, and pulls him onstage. This was just before he hit it big. D'arby (or whatever his name is) seemed very shy, not like the egomaniac you'd hear quotes from later on.

I wonder if the two still hang out together.
posted by zardoz at 11:50 PM on August 18, 2005

...."Sign Your Name" is by any definition a pretty badass song.

Pretty tough to accept considering the source, I know.
posted by sourwookie at 12:11 AM on August 19, 2005

What's a "monasteryo?" Apparently that's what his website used to be called, and he uses it in one of his songs - "In my Monasteryo your love ran hot or cold." I thought it was a spelling error at first, since he also writes that he's "priviledged" to share his observations.

I loved "Sign Your Name" too - now it's going to be stuck in my head for the NEXT...OMG. It's been 18 years.
posted by Liosliath at 12:23 AM on August 19, 2005

I think he was lead singer for INXS for a while.
posted by uncanny hengeman at 12:26 AM on August 19, 2005

Maybe I should have spent an extra 5 seconds Googling for this link before I hit 'Post Comment'?

INXS Regroups With Terence Trent D'Arby For Stadium Show
posted by uncanny hengeman at 12:29 AM on August 19, 2005

Darby who? Was he a part of Funky See, Funky Do?

Anyway, nuts to this guy, I prefer it when my washed-up ex-celebrities take the hint already, and realize that there is no God.
posted by dgaicun at 12:54 AM on August 19, 2005

dgaicun: This bit is funny, though:

To me, the Iliad offers more insight into human character and lessons than the Bible. You know, like Jesus was angry a lot. When he turned all those people into pigs and made them run off a mountain, it was so hateful, not just to people but to pigs. I felt upset for the pigs!

Talk about getting your mythology mixed up.

I can't take seriously people who make a big deal out of becoming an atheist, really. What's the big deal? I mean, finding religion, I can see how that can seem like a big deal (even if it's a delusion). But becoming an atheist? That's just (or should be) the natural state of things.
posted by Joakim Ziegler at 1:03 AM on August 19, 2005

I am proud that he lives in my city now -- he's a very talented artist, a great voice. "Hardline" is a classic, all of it, "Holding on to You" is one of the sexiest songs of the last 25 years, and even his new music has a lot of interesting ideas -- whether he calls himself Terence, Sananda, or whatever, I don't care.
posted by matteo at 1:32 AM on August 19, 2005

My mother is a fish.
posted by jay.jansheski at 2:31 AM on August 19, 2005

You wanna piece of Terence? Check out "She Kissed Me," his ode to a blowjob, from Symphony or Damn. The lead guitar solo is like a tongue doing pilates in your ear canal. ("Aural sex"?)
posted by hal9k at 2:54 AM on August 19, 2005

March 15, 1962: Birth of Terence Trent Howard in Manhattan, New York.
When his mom married Reverend J.B. Darby his last name changed and later he completed it with the apostrophe.

"Completed"? Poser asshole.
posted by alumshubby at 3:18 AM on August 19, 2005

He seems to like himself.
posted by fire&wings at 3:36 AM on August 19, 2005

No change there, then.
posted by asok at 4:00 AM on August 19, 2005

Terence Trout D'Arby?
posted by Flitcraft at 4:46 AM on August 19, 2005

"She Kissed Me" is rad. Agreed.
posted by bardic at 5:11 AM on August 19, 2005

Shit. Am I "of a certain age" already? I was hoping for another 5-6 years before that happened. I remember "Wishing Well", but not much else, I'm afraid.
posted by psmealey at 5:15 AM on August 19, 2005

I was just wondering about D'Arby. I loved Hardline when it came out, which is saying something, since I think the only other thing I listened to was The Clash.
posted by OmieWise at 5:29 AM on August 19, 2005

"My mother is a fish."

Get back in the wagon.
posted by OmieWise at 5:31 AM on August 19, 2005

There's enough issues here to keep Oprah on TV for the next 500 years.
posted by nervousfritz at 5:36 AM on August 19, 2005

Maitreya? Sounds like someone is having a manic episode.
posted by Diamornte at 5:41 AM on August 19, 2005

I thought he was a one-hit wonder with Wishing Well, and appropriately relegated to French radio/TV in perpetuity.

I couldn't read this site much, either.
posted by Busithoth at 5:42 AM on August 19, 2005

Whoops, is this the Maitreya he thinks he is?
posted by Diamornte at 5:43 AM on August 19, 2005

Just think of the crazy babies he and Macy Gray could have. They seem made for each other.
posted by papercake at 6:07 AM on August 19, 2005

I am a D'Arby apologist. I don't think this will hurt my cause, though, because kids today don't remember him anyway. Some of Symphony or Damn holds up, I'm telling you.
posted by rainbaby at 6:23 AM on August 19, 2005

I always get him mixed up with this guy.
posted by Floydd at 6:26 AM on August 19, 2005

If he was hoping for a revival and more sales, he should have partnered with Arby's

Insert jaded reference to davidmsc owing me a new keyboard
posted by Emperor Yamamoto's Eggs at 6:34 AM on August 19, 2005

Didn't he proclaim at the height of his 80s career that he was bigger than Jesus...?

Actually, the Beatles (or one of there members) said they were bigger than Jesus. What Terence Trent D'Arby said was that he was bigger than the Beatles.
posted by internal at 7:03 AM on August 19, 2005

I think his early megalomania was caused by the discovery of cocaine. This was before weblogs provided a safer alternative.
posted by mecran01 at 7:13 AM on August 19, 2005

Paris, New York, London and Milan
Perfume bottle towns where funky girls make the rounds
Babes on babes sticky sticky finger wave
If you're not a girl I'll never let you touch my pearl

She said flame fame flame fame flame fame flame
Supermodel sandwich can I join your game?

posted by matteo at 7:15 AM on August 19, 2005

I bow to a superior man
posted by matteo at 7:18 AM on August 19, 2005

Whatever he is, wow, he is still pretty damn hot.
posted by JanetLand at 7:49 AM on August 19, 2005

He should fined large sums of money for that unreadable damned site. Why can't people understand that making unreadable websites makes them unreadable? It seems so simple.
posted by fenriq at 7:49 AM on August 19, 2005

He inherited a body born March 15th 1962, in Harlem-Manhattan-New York City

Sounds more like a case of Multiple Personality Disorder.
posted by Secret Life of Gravy at 7:51 AM on August 19, 2005

Whoops, is this the Maitreya he thinks he is?

I think it'd be cooler if he thought he was Atreyu. He could rescue the princess from the mighty back of his Shitsu Dragon. (or whatever the hell that thing was)
posted by Debaser626 at 8:08 AM on August 19, 2005

Sananda Francesco Maitreya, (Artist Name: Sananda Maitreya)

Worst clarification evar.
posted by gramschmidt at 8:47 AM on August 19, 2005

The artist formerly known as....
posted by WaterSprite at 8:50 AM on August 19, 2005

"I wish... I wish... I wish I were a fish... 'cuz fishes have a better life than peeeeeople!"
posted by miss lynnster at 8:52 AM on August 19, 2005

I saw him in concert years ago. He had only one album out at the time and he was still freakin' AMAZING!
I believe "Neither Fish Nor Flesh" is a classic, it's just one of those records you really have to give your full attention to.
I think the record companies thought they had another Prince Rogers Nelson on their hands, and gave him too much free reign.
With an iron-willed producer, TTD coulda ruled the world.
posted by black8 at 9:07 AM on August 19, 2005

davidmsc, I seem to recall that he said his debut album was better than "Sgt. Pepper's....," which, I suppose, is close enough.
posted by kimota at 9:14 AM on August 19, 2005

.
posted by crunchland at 9:36 AM on August 19, 2005

What Terence Trent D'Arby said was that he was bigger than the Beatles.

Did he? Oh, well, that was before Oasis came along, so, it doesn't count.

Babes on babes sticky sticky finger wave
If you're not a girl I'll never let you touch my pearl

She said flame fame flame fame flame fame flame
Supermodel sandwich can I join your game?

Now we know why he moved to Milan.
posted by funambulist at 9:42 AM on August 19, 2005

It's so sad when someone that hot turns into a fish.
posted by Specklet at 10:28 AM on August 19, 2005

Who is/was Terrence Trent D'arby? Did he ever tour with Alice Cooper?
posted by davy at 11:07 AM on August 19, 2005

I always thought the apostrophe in D'arby meant he was born or conceived in an Arby's.
posted by hellbient at 1:35 PM on August 19, 2005

that "wishing well" song was great! i admit i didn't realize he'd become a fish.
posted by jcruelty at 2:09 PM on August 19, 2005

"Didn't he proclaim at the height of his 80s career that he was bigger than Jesus...?"

"Actually, the Beatles (or one of there members) said they were bigger than Jesus. What Terence Trent D'Arby said was that he was bigger than the Beatles."

Sacrilege by the transitive property. Sneaky.
posted by dgaicun at 2:26 PM on August 19, 2005

Joakim Ziegler: I can't take seriously people who make a big deal out of _______.

Well, you've never drifted out of fame then, now have you?
posted by dgaicun at 2:27 PM on August 19, 2005

"If You Let Me Stay" is underrated. : )
posted by SisterHavana at 10:42 AM on August 20, 2005

came to this thread sooo late and was just thinking about this guy because the song "Sign Your Name" came up in my head recently. It's stuck back in there because it gives me chills down my spine and reminds me of a summer long past where the magic of women was still new (and still observed from afar... i was a painful 16 at the time)

The video for this song was banned by MTV for being too hot. One of the few times they did show it, my mom walked in and shut it off. That was the last chance I had to see it. I can't even find it on the P2P networks now...
posted by Lectrick at 10:54 PM on August 29, 2005