Woozy With Cider

FAC off

2010-06-06T16:10:00.001+01:00

I read with bemusement bordering on amusement the Guardian endorsed FUC51 blog. http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2010/jun/05/ian-brown-peter-hook-51 that sites Manchesters musical past as an 'albatross around the city's neck'. The berks.

The first thing that sticks out like a sore thumb is the slagging off of member of New Order/The Stone Roses yet no bemoaning of Morrisseys playing of the MEN arena or Old Trafford. Funny that, could it be that old Moz is en vogue and Ian brown isn't?

Secondly, the kicking of Peter Hook. Now, i will admit i love the Factory story. I think its more romantic than Romeo and Juliet. And like most people i don't enjoy seeing it belittled and sold off. I see that on Ebay that you can get Tony Wilson t-shirts, Zippo's and , heaven preserve us, wrist watches. This, like Ian Curtis tours of Macclesfield, leaves me feeling uncomfortable. But Manchester's trouble is it cannot help but sell its myths. How people and can sit and watch 24 Hour Party People and Control and then moan that they draw people to the city is beyond me. And, us much as i hate it, there is money in the Factory/Hacienda name. And who is more deserving of a slice of that than Peter Hook? For gods sake, the worst that's happened is the city has gained another venue. Hardly something to sulk about is it? If you want to see a city crippled by its legacy look at Liverpool. They've based a tourist trade on it.

Thirdly, and this is what really pisses me off, is the whining about the Ian Brown gig. So fucking what? I don't fancy going to watch it either, so why not take advantage of the dozen or so gigs/nights/films etc that the city has to offer on the same night? Outside perhaps Glasgow, Manchester has the best venues, the best bands, the best records shops, the best crowds and the best attitude. It also has by far the most eclectic taste in Britain and the widest choice. Do me a favour and and spend a weekend in Crewe, or Shrewsbury, or Stoke, or Coventry or even a 'big' city like Bristol or Birmingham. You will, pretty soon, realise how spoiled for choice you are. Sitting and typing and moaning is not the Manchester way is it? If you don't like the gig, fine, put on your own. There's loads, fucking LOADS, of bands, venues and people to make it happen.

There was (maybe still is) a Northern Soul night on at the Thirsty Scholar on a Friday night, and every Friday night this bloke, a big fella, would go dressed exactly like Joe Strummer circa Combat Rock. He wouldn't do anything, he would just sit there with his missus and a pint of lager and just watch the people dancing. Now, im not going to judge him on what he does with his weekend, so why should i judge some middle aged man going Platt Fields hoping he does 'where Angels Play'?.

Honestly, Mancs. Don't know there born.

DOWNWARDS/SANDWELL DISTRICT BLOG>>>>>

2010-06-06T10:54:00.001+01:00

http://wherenext.tumblr.com/

TomTom-Teenage Terraces forever

2010-05-20T00:44:00.003+01:00

Most of you will have no idea who Tomtom is, but his passing has been felt deeply within the Teenage Fanclub family.

Tomtom was a poster on the TFC forum, who represented everything thats perfect about the music that we adore. A bright, funny man who would bend over backwards to turn you on to new music, often going WAY out of his way to do so. He was a guy who adored music, a gentleman and a true fan.

He was one of those guys, the sort you would see at every gig, a passionate man who loved nothing better than making you a CD to introduce you to a new artist, a new avenue, a new adventure.

We are quite spoiled, i think, in the world of indiepop in that we are lucky enough to rub shoulders with artists we admire. Its almost taken for granted that we can meet with/drink with/talk with the people who make our little world a better place, and its easy to forget the people who go out of their way to make that gig and to introduce us to certain bands.People like Tom are the lifeblood of our little corner of the music spectrum, and its crucial that people like him are not forgotten.

But, like i said, most of you will not know Tom, so i ask that you look at this thread, learn the lessons and strive to be a bit more like him. I wish our scene was full of people like Tom, but of course it isnt. But i think we should try to take a tiny piece of what he (and, essentially us) stood for into the future. God rest you ya eejit. You wont be forgotten
http://www.teenagefanclub.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=41635

TG: A Psychic Rally In Heaven

2010-04-10T20:02:00.000+01:00

Rube Goldberg Machine? Ok, Go!

2010-03-03T20:01:00.001Z

Wow. Great video.
The hammer to the TV playing their old video is a nice touch :)
Cheers for the headsup about this Ylva!

OK GO - THIS TOO WILL PASS

The Missing Chums- How Come?

2010-02-11T15:50:00.001Z

Now then, to be absolutely chrystal clear and whiter than white honest, im not a huge fan of this song. Its very nice, very catchy and im sure the band will do very well, but its a bit Starsailor for my tastes, BUT the video that accompanies the song is something else.
Its a trimmed up short story by Krzystof Kieslowski, him of the 3 colour trinity, and its one of those things that finds you and walms the old ticker and inspires the mind. Wonderful.

http://brilldream.blogspot.com/

The needle and the damage done and done again

2010-01-28T16:12:00.000Z

In 2002, a band from North London called The Libertines released their debut album, Up the Bracket. The LP was appreciatively received by young music fans, who no longer had to put the with the out dated, luddite lager-rock of Oasis and by critics, who finally had something interesting to write about after desperately clinging to The Strokes for inspiration, a band for all their twangy riffs and ultra studied sub-CBGB cool, still came across with the collective charisma of Bill and Ted in a collerless leather jacket.

Eight years later, Robyn Whitehead, a promising film maker and photographer was found dead amongst drug paraphernalia in a flat owned by Pete Wolfe, co writer of number one hit 'For Lovers' , in Hackney, East London. The cause of death is a suspected drug overdose. She was 27 years old.

The story between the two events you probably know. A sordid tale of drugs and super models, of men being thrown to their death off balconies. A book of broken dreams, broken bones, break ups, and break ins. We followed the story from hoping he would turn to gigs, to hoping he would write good songs again to hoping people would stop dying. It should have been so different.

Initially, The Libertines, and in particular Pete Doherty, caused something of a renaissance amongst British youth. For all the critics of Doherty's music (and there are plenty, Ive seen many a level headed music fan turn apoplectic with rage when the sobriquet 'genius' has been used to describe him and his songs), for all the people fed up to the high teeth of the 'Potty Pete' stories, what is undeniable is the effect he had over his admirers. He made music romantic again.
He inspired people. I have met people who have started bands, set up record labels, write poetry, put on nights, promoted live music, because of the ethic of The Libertines. Ive met people who have became writers, musicians, fashion designers, artists, reviewers, blogers, travellers, thinkers, because the saw a twinkle in Pete Dohertys eyes and thought 'i can DO something. I can be different'. Hearts are won, the arrow ascends.

Then, of course, with broken hearts, the arrow falls. The pied piper effect reveals its down side. When the piper himself sinks into a seedy world of drug dens and addiction, there are people who will follow him into his rank lifestyle.

Manchester has a reputation for being a drug city. Mancs will trip over themselves to tell you how many pills they have popped, they will gaily drag you into a toilet cubicle for a cheeky line, they will stink out the top decks of their buses with the acrid fug of skunk smoke. But with heroin and crack cocaine comes a sense of shame. They are drugs that are frowned upon, because they are killers, and they know it. In London, in a certain scene, smack and crack share a sense of almost idle bohemia. People nod out in dens thinking they are the reincarnation of absinthe swigging french poets in the 1800's. This of course, is bollocks.

You can wave the Bill Hicks argument that all great music is created by people on drugs. Or that Keith Richards made 'Exile on Main Street' as a smack head. But like Neil Young, who slowly watched his band die one by one through overdoses, i would argue that addiction kills not the heroes, like Keef, Nick Cave or Shaun Ryder, but the hangers on, the people who get sucked into the scene. All three will tell you that, when it comes to heroin and crack, you either clean up or die.

There's lots of thing i find disgusting about the tragic death of Robyn Whitehead, a bright funny young woman who posted on the same message boards as me, and attended the same gigs i went to. I'm disgusted by the tragic waste of a young life. I'm disgusted that Doherty, a man who is happy to lead people into his fucking horrible crack den world, can merrily skip away when people are killed through it. I'm disgusted that a man who obviously has no intention of getting clean can be found in a UK court with thirteen wraps of heroin and be released back into his little day dream world. I'm disgusted for myself, for falling for his spell, for defending him and his 'artistic nature' in the face of common sense, and the fact it took a young girls death to finally, finally wake me up to that fact. I'm disgusted that the poor girls death has been dragged into the perverse world of tabloid journalism. I'm most disgusted that her death wont be the last. Something has to change.

originally posted by shaun tomkiss on brilldream

Why?

2010-01-13T14:13:00.002Z

Happy New Year everyone.

Being back in Manchester after three weeks is exciting, I'm already planning to blow all my student loan on gigs at the Deaf Institute.

Listen to this, it's brilliant. Props to Lucy for putting this on her lastest compilation she made for me xxx

just joans

2009-12-03T15:45:00.005Z

There comes a time in every break up of a relationship were you start to listen to really, really sad songs because they make you feel sadder, which somehow makes you feel better. Its like picking at a scab, the pain is easier to take when you control it. So you spend night after night alone in your room playing the same sad songs again and again. Then, eventually, there comes a time when you realise you've made a bit of a fool of yourself weeping into barmaids blouses and thinking every corny, shite love song on the radio was written about you. At this point, you want to listen to something thats as poigniant as it is angsty, something that will give you hug then bark at you to pull yourself together. The Just Joans could have been created for this stage of introspection.

The motherwell 6 piece are masters of writing songs that both lie in awe of the fucked up-ness of relationships and at the same time take the piss out of it. Take, for example 'I wont survive', an ode to the joy and liberation of finding new love, with a chorus that warns of immediate self destruction should the said relationship sour.
'If you dont pull' is like a baby cousin of The Smiths's 'How soon is now?', a tale of a lonely man in a terrible nightclub who realises that as hideous as the place may be, it might be the only place he will find love.
'Hey boy..youre oh so sensitive!' is a perfect little piss take of the fey indie boy that lurks in all of us, the part of us thats convinced liking Woody Allen and carrying a book of poetry around with us will make us irresistible to the opposite sex.
Perhaps the most heartbreaking of them all is 'What do we do now?' a song about about growing older, losing friends and being alienated from your hometown. Full of achingly misplaced nostalgia, its like someone closing the indie club of your youth and holding a microphone up to it.

"what do we do now/now were are ten years older?/the bands we loved are dead/i'll always think of you/whenever i smell cider/but it wont be the same/again."

heartbreakingly real.

brilldream.blogspot.com/

http://www.myspace.com/thejustjoans

what do we do now?

hey boy...youre so sensitve

Dean McPhee

2009-11-13T17:15:00.004Z

Last night, Didsbury's tiny boho-hipster cafe, the Art of Tea was the slightly unlikely but very welcome venue for one of the best gigs of the year. The unassuming, self effacing and unbelievably brilliant guitarist Dean McPhee was launching his new 12" record Brown Bear (Hood Faire Records). This guy really has to be heard to be believed. Post John Fahey, post Loren Connors mesmerising solo guitar brilliance. Plugging his Telecaster through a couple of delay pedals (I don't know exactly what he was using cus I couldn't see his feet) and into a Fender Hotrod amp, he created the most beautiful and hypnotic sound you are ever likely to hear. He picked up an Ebow at one point, but apart from that, it was all gorgeously understated finger picking. The set must have only been about 30 minutes, but he could have easily gone on all night and I would have sat there quite happily. The Art of Tea is a pretty nice venue for a gig too - with about 25 people in there it was seriously intimate, and felt a bit like someone's front room. In a good way. Basically, you need to buy his new record, and when his album comes out next year, you need to buy that too. Go and see him live too if you get the chance.

www.myspace.com/deanmcphee

www.hoodfaire.co.uk

www.boomkat.com/item.cfm?id=236274

I like Noise.

2009-10-07T13:52:00.002+01:00

Really into all this churning noisy guitar music of late...

The Horrors - Mirror's Image

Health - Die Slow

^^^^^^
Off to see these guys at the Deaf Institute tonight!

Tying Tiffany - Slow Motion (Nic Endo Remix)

Woo! Always good to hear Nic Endo's productions :)

Jizz In My Pants

2009-09-29T22:42:00.001+01:00

Groovy Proggy Krautrocky....

2009-09-29T19:59:00.007+01:00

DAVES MIX - DOWNLOAD HERE

UKF

2009-09-29T19:40:00.005+01:00

What the Fish!?

I stop reading the blogs for like, 2 weeks...
then i hear this! (Keep with it at least until the vocals change at about 3mins...)

UK Funky just got interesting :)

MAJOR NOTES - HOLY GHOST

Oh, by the way - it's got nothing to do with the band Holy Ghost...who, while we're on the subject, got me really confused because i thought the techno Holy Ghost (tresor!) had made a comeback...

Sunshine Lollypops

2009-09-24T11:03:00.003+01:00

Hi there,

Things that have been buttering my crumpet>>>>

SWEDEN

GANG GANG DANCE

I've had loooads of trouble trying to describe these guys to people.
You can tell these guys were an improv band; their crazy loose tracks have elements of all kinds of genres stabbing or floating in and out of them...drum machines sit alongside tribal drumming, swirly guitars and psychedelic synths and are peppered with effected vocals...or, more like screams and yelps. They are wicked :) Also, they're on Warp, so if that ain't a healthy endorsement i'm not entirely sure what is.

I went to see these guys live in manchester a couple of weeks ago..
recommended! the amount of kit they managed to cram onstage at the deaf institute was impressive. The lead singer is an absolute mistress; she whacked hell out of pretty much every percussion instrument in her reach. Her voice is brilliant! And points go to Mr Synth man who was running about like a chicken with his head cut off prodding all manner of synths, effects units, drums machines and percussion. A great show. Loose and Primal.

KRIKOR & THE DEAD HILLBILLIES - GOD WILL BREAK IT ALL <

I LOVE this song.
Makes me dance about. Think Electronic Body Music like Nitzer Ebb or Throbbing Gristle, but more lighthearted.

TERROR DANJAH - ZUMPI HUNTER (SWINDLE REMIX)

Planet Mu just keep churning out amazing electronic music, and are really on the pulse with the party scene at the mo. I heard this Swindle Remix of Terror Danjah's Zumpi Hunter and instantly pictured 'Skate' from Streets of Rage II moving on a level into a grime party, skanking along to this tune while beating the shit out of bitches with electrical whips. Sass.

SYNCHRONOISE

This chap makes great electro, and gives it away for free! Check him out on Soundcloud (the link above).

Disco Mix!

2009-09-01T17:13:00.004+01:00

Here's a mix. It's DISCO. Enjoy!

http://rapidshare.com/files/274320841/discomix.mp3.html

Cine city, Manchester

2009-07-06T15:34:00.007+01:00

I was reading through the excellent blog by Laura Skilbeck(http://lauraskilbeck.blogspot.com/ well worth a look) when I stumbled across the sad news that the derelict Cine City cinema had been knocked down to make flats. It opened in 1912 as the Scala, only the third cinema to open in Britain. Can you imagine how electrifying it would have been to be taken to see you first film there, the air still rich with the smell of sticky wet paint?

I knew nothing of its history before looking it up today to be honest. I haven't been near there since 2003. To me it was a really cool looking building that I looked at from the top deck of the bus, on the way to visit a friend in Didsbury. But I was fascinated with this building. It looked cool enough to be on a record sleeve. I even went on a mission to take some photographs of it(arty black and white jobs, you know the drill), a plan scuppered by a pair of gentleman-of-the-street sitting on the steps drinking what suspiciously looked like a bottle of port,who kept asking strange questions about my trousers, and became enraged when I got my camera out, mistakenly thinking I was photographing them.

Whats really interesting to me, is that I dug up some pics someone had taken after breaking in the place. Initially, I was pissed of as I thought it would be shots of chavy ‘erberts pissing up walls etc. but actually, the are hero historians. Without them, I would have no idea what the inside of the building would of looked like. it’s a funny old world isn’t it? Now, pass the popcorn.

cool pics-

http://www.28dayslater.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=28157
http://www.28dayslater.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=21211

http://brilldream.blogspot.com/

Wee pop! records.

2009-07-03T18:44:00.002+01:00

Being a fan of a music is sometimes testing. Every now and then you have a crisis(usually after hearing the latest ’hit’ by the Kaiser chiefs) You know the drill. ‘all new music is rubbish’, ‘its all so commercial’, ‘I cant believe that singer/band/label/the NME has sold out’. the last time that happened to me, Wee pop! Came to my rescue. Its quite hard to put into words how much I love this label. Its single handedly put my faith back in music and indie labels as a whole. it’s the anti-Amazon.
When you receive you cheaply priced record (£3 for 3” CD,£4 for a 7” single), the love and attention put into it takes your breath away. Its more like getting a birthday present than record shopping. Each little CD comes in a hand crafted , beautifully designed sleeve. With it you get lovely hand written note of thanks from the lovely Camila, a wee pop! badge and, if you’re really lucky, a sweet(I was thrilled beyond words to receive a humbug with a CD ordered around Xmas time). Music isn’t just about money, its about love. Its about care. Its about a DIY attitude and keeping the faith. With people like a Camila and wee pop! Around, music is in safe hands.

http://www.weepop.net

http://www.myspace.com/weepoprecords

The pains of being pure at heart

2009-07-03T18:36:00.000+01:00

I feel a little bit silly writing this post, because I was certain everybody had fallen in love with this band already. It would appear I was wrong. The new york four piece deserve your time. Their self titled album is something to cherish. Imagine the perfect soundtrack for a real, heart stoppy, lollipoppy crush. Its that good. Or the thrills but really, really good. With sweetly fuzzy guitars, pounding indie rock drums, sweeling organs(ooh er) and mumbley vocals, the songs have a remarkable quality of sounding loud and hushed at the same time. Critics have described them as wearing their C86 heart on their sleeves, and whilst Ride and JAMC are obvious influences, the over all feel is more of a teenage fanclubesque pop rush. Single ‘young adult friction’ is hyper active, not so much a toe tapper as a leg pumper, with classic boy-girl vocals, a middle 8 to hand clap too and sweet teeny lyrics(‘in your old sweatshirt and your mothers old skirt, its enough to turn my studies down’)that recall big star, and chant-along outro to boot. Other cuts include ‘this love is fucking right!’ , an anthem with the slightly dodgy line ‘youre my sister and this love is fucking right.’ and ‘a teenager in love’, which wouldn’t be out of place in a john hughs film. Really, do yourself a favour and buy this record, get giddy with it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B4itzHRpltQ

http://www.thepainsofbeingpureatheart.com/

http://www.myspace.com/thepainsofbeingpureatheart

didi noel-let the music play

2009-07-01T16:50:00.002+01:00

i recently had a bit of a debate with my girlfriend about 'suedehead' by morrissey. to cut a short story shorter, her viewpoint was that it was so sad because it sort of 'gives up'. i didnt share her idea, but i know what she meant. 'let the music play', on the surface, is a northern soul stomper. but the vocal lends this air of meloncholia. it makes me sad and i dont know why. i kind of like that. sometimes a song doesn't need to be a call to arms or a weepy or a dancer. sometimes a song, like a life, can be a weary sigh.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tz1QYI3S6t8

Virtual Reality

2009-05-21T14:25:00.004+01:00

I'm going to be playing real music in a virtual club.
I think my brain is going to explode.

If you know all about second life, then come to this night!

Lineup:
11am - 12pm SLT / 7-8pm UK: Olaf Quintessa
12pm - 1pm SLT / 8-9pm UK: Prgrm (Live) (TBC - Pending sound check)
1pm - 3pm SLT / 9-11pm UK: Smashback and Teutonic Kaboom

Venue: The Drome in Second Life

Me & Smashypoos have been asking to play in a club in Second Life - a virtual erm, second life. From what i can gather, it's a bit like an onine Sims game.
You can create an avatar and dance away in this virtual club listening to the sounds of me and Edd. But we ARE real.
Aren't we?

here's all the info. i'm getting confused.

More Info Here

Second Life website

We'll be recording the endeavour and posting it up for all to hear on our pages, so if youcan't join us. Catch up then. :)

Start the Riot!

2009-05-04T20:55:00.004+01:00

I've fallen out with NIN for playing only Arena gigs in the UK to finish off a huge worldwide tour. Trent Reznor's a hypocrite. He told us he'd never do that. What's worse is that this will be the last UK appearance for some time.
I really don't like arena gigs.

Soo, with Nine Inch Nails being in my bad books at the moment (Shock Horror!) I have been trying to fill that Trent Reznor void in my life.

I went to see Alec Empire at Satan's Hollow on Saturday.

What a hero!

His stage presence is huge. He launched himself into the crowd, encouraged everyone to shout, scream, and hurl abuse...he climbed up the pillars. It was LOUD, apocalyptic, and there were liberal amounts of strobe flashing. I fell in love.

For anyone who doesn't know about Mr Empire...(taken from Wiki)

Alec Empire's body of work spans a range of electronic styles. His earlier releases for Force Inc. were influenced by the rave scene in his native Berlin, and included Acid house, Techno, Hardcore, Punk and Breakbeat. On creating DHR his solo recordings for that label consisted largely of the digital hardcore staples of breakcore and later experimental noise, while his work during the same period for Mille Plateaux saw him experimenting with minimal techno (Pulse Code), ambient (Low on Ice) and musique concrete (Les Étoiles des Filles Mortes).

He's most well know for his output with band Atari Teenage Riot...

After the demise of Atari Teenage Riot, Empire's major releases for DHR sought to continue in the guitar-based, punk-influenced vein of the band. Intelligence and Sacrifice utilised live guitars, breakbeats, noise, sampled cinematic dialogue and Empire's trademark spoken/shouted English vocals, while Futurist saw a more obvious return to his punk roots and consequently sounds as if it were largely recorded using all live instrumentation, even though it was electronically produced. The creation of the Eat Your Heart Out label saw a move to a much more electronic-sounding approach with comparatively subdued vocals over synthesized sounds and beats.

His latest album 'The Golden Foretaste of Heaven' is great.
It's a departure from the breakcore/industrial rock stuff he's known for. It's a bit more synth driven, but never lacks power. Take a listen.

Alec Empire - Ice

Alec Empire - New Man

And this one is a fave of mine - a collaboration between Mr Empire and Handsome Boy Modeling School (Prince Paul & Dan the Automator), ft El-P

Handsome Boy Modeling School - Megaton B-Boy 2000

...Oh yeah, and while i'm bumming Alec Empire i shall now harp on about his mate Patrick Wolf!

I think Patrick now has four albums under his belt at the tender age of 25...i have no idea why, but I only just realised his genius about 2 weeks ago.

To be free of any record company shackles he's managed to set up a bandstocks account so that he can fund his musical explorations via donations made by fans. Investors get all kinds of perks including invited to private shows and freebies.

If you want to invest, go here

His latest album 'The Batchelor' features the nob-twiddling talents of Mr Alec Empire, and is a wonderful blend of acoustic and electronic music - violins and dirty drum machines sit side by side and the result is, well, ace. I'm not really very good at describing this kind of thing. Just listen and decide for yourself. I just love it - if this is what pop music sounds like in 2009 then i'm really rather impressed.

This video really reminds me of 'Sin' era Nine Inch Nails...it's an acquired taste, for sure - but this track sounds like an amalgamation of NIN, Soft Cell and Depeche Mode. And I love all three of them.

Here's another of my faves from 'The Bachelor'

Patrick Wolf - Hard Times

So then, Trent. It's time to sort yourself out. You've got competition.

MAY DAY, MAY DAY!

2009-04-28T00:02:00.002+01:00

1st May - ELECTRODE MAY DAY PARTY @ The Palace
*******************************************

SCANONE (LIVE)
*************
"Perhaps best known for his work with Combat Recordings, Jude Greenaway aka “ScanOne” is a London-based producer, DJ and visual artist who has been making, playing and releasing music for over a decade. In that time he has managed to develop a sound that skirts around the lunatic fringes of a myriad of underground genres, from bass-heavy electro and techno to glitched-up IDM and techy, brooding, dubstep"

A true innovator, we've been wanting to get ScanOne on at Electrode for as long as we've been going - check this link for an interview and a taste of what to expect from ScanOne's live set:

Interview

WARLOCK
*********
"Together with Noyeahno, Warlock runs the uncompromising Rag & Bone label which aside from their own releases has seen cult material being unleashed by the likes of Aaron Spectre, Drop The Lime, King Cannibal and Blackmass Plastics. Expect dirty dancefloor business all the way"

At the centre of the London dubstep scene with a regular show on Ill FM Warlock never fails to bring the party. We welcome him back to grace the decks at Electrode.

Check this mix out:

Warlock - Out on the Lash mix

DUNCAN WHITELEY aka MR SUSHI (Botchit & Scarper)
*******************
"Music all too often seems to be dumbed down, regarding the importance of image over musical experimentation.
Duncan Whiteley walks down the latter path...
An alias of sorts, under his former (and still active...) guise he has been soaked in the world of music for over ten years.

His famously eclectic dj sets can't be categorized, known for all manner of genres... Provoking adverse audience reactions, crafting an unpredictable performance is always the key foundation.
When it comes to remixes Duncan has been luckily enough to get his hands on the musical parts of M.I.A, Huoratron, Various Production, ILS, Bonobo, Si Begg, The Ravenottes, Product. 01, Fil Okay and Loose Cannons"

Support on the night comes from *SEX WITH ROBOTS*, and ELECTRODE RESIDENTS.

10PM - 3 AM. £7.

Wednesday's Child is full of Wob.

2009-04-27T23:19:00.007+01:00

It's been an amazing couple of weeks. I've been rather a busy girl.

I wanted to talk about Wednesday 22nd April, and what a great Wednesday it was.

YEAHYEAHYEAH'S @ Manchester Academy

Anyone who hasn't listened to the new Yeah Yeah Yeah's album "It's Blitz" should sleep no longer. It's a departure from their earlier more garage-rock output...but this new sound is gooooood.
David Sitek from TV on the Radio was involved in the production, and guitarist Nick Zinner tried his hands at playing a load of synths...this is more than enough to get me salivating. Get this album.

I'd been too skint/too slow about organising tickets to see the YYY's...and was feeling really rather upset about it.
My luck changed, however, when I managed to wangle a free ticket to this SOLD OUT show (Nice One Adam!)

I'd heard really good things about their live performance. To get to see Karen O in the flesh was a treat in itself; to behold her and her getup! (my favourite item being some kind of glittery cape thing)
They sound amaaaazing. Really rather good. Opening song 'Heads Will Roll' seemed to get everyone off on the right foot - the crowd seemed to be really up for this gig. Plus, they did a cover of the Cramps' Human Fly!
There were confetti/glitter explosions, the stage was kitted out with a huge eyeball, a la the cover of their latest album It's Blitz, there were costume changes, long, tension-building intros to songs to keep everyone simmering...wicked gig. '

Here's set list:

'Heads Will Roll'
'Black Tongue'
'Human Fly'
'Phenomena'
'Dull Life'
'Gold Lion'
'Miles Away'
'Skeletons'
'Soft Shock'
'Down Boy'
'Zero'
'Y Control'
'Maps'
'Date With The Night'

DISTANCE - Format @ The Ruby Lounge

I've been listening to Distance's album 'Repercussions' for months now. It's a winner. It's one of my 'most played' on itunes. A very dark affair (Dubstep and powerchords!? Yes, it WORKS.), it's eerie and brooding and doesn't suffer the problem some dubstep long-players seem to have of being just plain old boring/samey-same-same.
Go listen to/buy it and see why everyone had it on their Best of 2008 lists!

Listen to Repercussions

As for Format; I wasn't disappointed. Great atmosphere! I came for Distance, to be honest...but MC Chunky was actually NOT irritating (i'm easily annoyed by MCs), support from Jakes was pretty badass. The Ruby Lounge is a great venue, and save a few of those inevitable Rewind moments one will probably ALWAYS encounter at a Dubstep night this was a flawless evening. Wob!

Distance - Misfit

2009-04-22T13:50:00.001+01:00

Free Palestine — End Israeli Occupation —
End the Arms trade

JOIN US TO MAKE THIS THE BIGGEST DEMONSTRATION FOR PALESTINE IN THE UK

Called by:
Palestine Solidarity Campaign, Stop the War Coalition, British Muslim Initiative and Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament, Palestinian Forum in Britain

Supported by:
Action Palestine, Amos Trust, Arab Media Watch, Association of Palestinian Communities UK, Britain-Palestine Twinning Network, Campaign Against the Arms Trade, Friends of Al-Aqsa, Friends of Lebanon, Friends of Sabeel UK, The Green Party, Israeli Committee Against House Demolitions UK, Jewish Socialists’ Group, Jews for Justice for Palestinians, Midlands Palestinian Community Association, Muslim Association of Britain, NUS Black Students Campaign, UNISON, Pax Christi, Public and Commercial Services Union, Rail Maritime and Transport Union, Viva Palestina, War on Want, Zaytoun.

Leaflets are available from the PSC office — please save the date and start organising transport now!

Please contact the PSC office for more information:
Tel: 020 7700 6192
Email: info@palestinecampaign.org
Web: www.palestinecampaign.org

MIX!

2009-04-08T10:49:00.005+01:00

Here's a mix I did. It's sort of dark electronic/ambient/drone/weirdness. Click on the link below to download and enjoy!

http://www.mediafire.com/download.php?yecmmzmd5tu

ELECTRODE APRIL 3rd, Manchesterrrrr

2009-03-24T12:37:00.002Z

oh yes, and while i'm here...

ELECTRODE 3RD BIRTHDAY PARTY!!!
******************************

FEATURING:

CURSOR MINER (LIVE)
******************
"Cursor Miner's live sets reveal a completely deranged electronic lunacy with the odd occasional punk tendency, which he also applies to professional sound-design for Radio One and relentless and severely warped breakbeat / electro punishment on numerous labels like Lo Recordings, Combat Recordings, Uncharted Audio, Seed, Noodles and so on."

....Yes mate!!

KANJI KINETIC
************
"Already being championed globally by the likes of Drop The Lime, Tayo, Rico Tubbs and Starkey. After a short period of drum & bass production, Kanji began creating high-energy 4x4 and dubstep beats with influences ranging from oldskool rave, drum & bass and chiptune, united by monstrous basslines."

With recent releases on some of our favourite labels – Coin-Operated and Rag'n'Bone – we're well excited to have Kanji playing at Electrode.

Check this mix for an idea of what to expect:
http://www.zshare.net/audio/12743468d4746e62/

STORMFIELD
***********
"Stormfield's sound could be described at the result of dark, fierce and strange noises getting absorbed, chopped up, mutilated and spat back out again in dancefloor form, what he loosely calls "fierce bassbin electronics".

Always a favourite at Electrode, we look forward to the return of the Combat Recordings boss, who always leaves us feeling happy, but at the same time also a little bit sick.

£6 before 11. £7 after.
Not to be missed!!!

Yes, i've missed you too!

2009-03-24T11:40:00.004Z

Shame on us for not writing for a while!
I have had a very busy few weeks, and so i should now splarge about them on this here blog...

ATOMIC JAM (7th March)
Many of you will know the Jam to be the biggest techno night in the UK, the lineup always being a big roster of techno's laaargest players.
This month we saw titans Dave Clarke, OVR (Ruskin & Regis) and Adam Beyer pulverising attendees at the Que Club under the wash of the biggest and best Lite-Brite i have ever seen (make's Berlin's Watergate lightshow look, well, pants.)

Highlight of the evening for me was Adam Beyer :)

Our lot ELECTRODE and bezzie mates Noodle hosted the 3rd room, showcasing the best in UK electro, ravestep and UK Bass...of course i'm going to be biased, but we rocked it!

check it out for yourselves by downloading one of these mixes recorded on the night...

Paul Blackford @ Atomic Jam by matthew-t-hinton

Glove:r @ Atomic Jam by matthew-t-hinton

Ally Reilly @ Atomic Jam by matthew-t-hinton

That's the stream, but you can right-click and save the set below...
Teutonic Kaboom - Atomic Jam Set 070309

BLOC Weekender (13-16th March)

Hooo-wee! Wow, i love this festival. Everyone knows that UK festivals can be spoiled for some people by the weather.
What better way to combat the moaning silly Billies who forget their wellies than to hold the event in a Butlins!

The lineup for this was SICK, just SICK.
I can't believe i missed AFX, but then again i'm not really a huge fan...
There was no way i would have fit in everyone i wanted to see, even if i hadn't drunk a drop of alcohol.

My heroes of the weekend were

Drums of Death, who's stage presence is
amazing. Takes the laptop set into a new comicbook dystopian realm.

Ebola (who kicked off festival with some wicked gabba at 6pm in the evening. That's the way to do it!),

Appleblim, who played some ace 4x4 dubby step business

Alexander Robotnik, who at 59 years of age technoed the PANTS off Carl Craig (who was a bit of a yawnfest)

Heartbreak, who i must admit i've been a bit slack on getting into. Anyone who loves 80's synthpop and italo should get their album Lies RIGHT NOW

DJ Godfather, who delivered topnotch Booty Bass using Serato Scratch. There's nothing like some fast misogynistic electro to fill a room with slutty vibes. I love it.
They were giving away this Promo CD, so i've uploaded it for you :)

I-F
awww, i've been waiting SO LONG to hear this man DJ. I love him. His "Space Invaders are Smoking Grass" pretty much kickstarted the Electroclash genre, and introduced thousands of electro/techno fans to young to remember to Italo disco.

If anyone reading this has not heard his Mixed up the Hague series...Download them now!
I-F - Mixed up in the Hague Vol 1

I-F - Mixed up in the Hague Vol 2

The two mixes are a journey through Italo, Electro boogie and disco. They're in my top 10 mixes of all time.

phew! now that's a lot of tunage to be getting on with for the time being, eh?

Hehe, i found this animation of a human Space Invaders game...

Feeling Empowered.

2009-03-02T12:15:00.010Z

Last Thursday (Feb 26th) I went to see An Audience With Tony Benn at Shrewsbury's new Theatre Severn. Ever since he retired as an M.P. in 2001 Benn has made it his mission to tour around the country and try and embolden people to make the most of their democratic right and awaken them politically. He attempts this by returning to a basic format as old as the hills - being the focal point of a mass discussion amongst normal people, with no politicking and no polemic. Therefore the debate is driven by the audience, with Benn there to offer his (not inconsiderable) wisdom on the subjects raised. What ensued was a debate that got to the very heart of democracy.

Benn is noted as being one of the great orators of the 20th century but it was still a pleasant surprise to discover that he has a keen sense of humour, and with 50+ years in politics he has plenty of anecdotes! The night begins with him talking for 15-20 minutes, before inviting the audience to ask questions. His passion for motivating people to engage in their democratic rights soon becomes apparent and, at 83 years of age, is frankly awesome. When someone questions the point of voting, suggesting that in his view all governments are corrupt, Benn slaps him down immediately. As he points out, he bought and read Hitler's Mein Kampf aged 11 and quotes Hitler as saying that all governments are corrupt and that he should be given total power to run the country and rid it of corruptible politicians. It is, as he says, extremely dangerous to abandon democracy.

A lot of the night is taken up with debating the role we all have to play in the immediate political future with a deep recession looming. When the rise of the BNP and their will to exploit people's fears amidst hard times is brought up Benn recalls that Oswald Mosely (the II World War leader of the British Fascist Party) was a labour MP before switching to fascism as an example of how extreme circumstances can have radical effects on a person's ideology. But this is no reason to abandon democracy, instead - and this is an opinion I wholeheartedly share - the only way to deal with extreme politics is to tackle it head on. If the far right (and their politics of fear and intimidation) become prominent in the coming months and years it is the responsibility of all of us to confront it - not to ban it. With the BNP looking like it may well win seats in Parliament if it's current growth continues (something that Mosely's lot never achieved) then we will truly be in new dangerous territory.

However, it was the optimism of a lot of the night that I most connected with. For instance, he says most normal people will look at the billions of pounds being poured in to banking system and quite reasonably ask 'why can't we put this money into building schools, houses, hospitals etc?' He then talks about the politics of fear and governments scaring us into obedience. Which makes one wonder, why not? Why can't nationalise the banks? Why can't we put all the money into the infrastructure of the country - thus creating jobs, taking people out of poverty, creating a better educated population. If you try and suggest this politicians will ridicule you, this is one of their tactics of control. The politicians want to stop you pursuing ideas that would shift the power back to the people - they want to maintain the status quo. It has always been this way, but the next few years are a chance to say that we want a change - we don't want to be dictated to by the free market. Banks are there to keep our money safe, this is a public service - just like the Fire Service, Police, Royal Mail. And you wouldn't privatise those (well, not unless you're Brown or Mandelson). But whether or not you agree with this the point is that we should not be scared of our own ideas and more importantly, we should act on them. Change may not happen quickly, but it nearly always comes in the end. But only if we act to bring it about.

In the last year Tony Benn has done 169 of these shows. He is 83. Whether or not you agree with his ideology is not important - we should all follow his lead and make sure we make the most of the power that is ours and that generations of people, from the Tolpuddle Martyrs to the Suffragettes, fought to gain.

Stewart Lee

2009-02-26T17:51:00.006Z

A couple of weeks ago comedian Lee Hurst, the Kojak-alike who used to be on They Think It's All Over, was convicted of criminal damage after smashing the mobile phone of an audience member because he suspected his act was being filmed with the intention of material being stolen. This resulted in a Phil Jupitus article in the Gaurdian the following week questioning the frequency of joke theft, you can find the article here:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/theguardian/2009/feb/18/comedy-joke-theft-lee-hurst

This got Shaun and I thinking about a Stewart Lee performance we saw a few years ago, in which he lambasts Joe Pasquale in quite superb fashion for stealing fellow comedian Micheal Redman's joke. Always good to have an excuse to show some Stewart Lee, so here it is:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0YE9Kthyaco

I have recently bought Stand-Up Comedian - Stewart Lee's first live DVD - taken from his 2005 set and performed in Glasgow. It is isanely funny and intelligent in equal measure, catching Lee at his finest - I strongly recommed you get yourself a copy.

My favourite Stewart Lee purchase though came through the post just today and is my new favourite thing in the whole wide world. Fact. It is a 10" vinyl of his reworking of Edward Lear's The Owl And The Pussycat. Called Pea Green Boat, Lee's droll, monotone delivery is perfect for the dry comedy as he shapes the story around the literal detail of the original. The owl's attempts at learning and subsequently playing the guitar are side-splittingly funny. There's only 500 copies so make sure you get one and treasure it. Find it at:

http://www.gofasterstripe.com/cgi-bin/website.cgi?page=videofull&id=1891

there's only one peach with the hole in the middle

2009-02-20T01:22:00.004Z

I was very pleased to receive the latest email from the lovely HYPONIK Bass Bleeps and Beats guys and find out about this linky>>>>>>

PEACHES AND DRUMS OF DEATH MIXTAPE

Hot property Drums of Death and filthy mistress Peaches have become pallymates and created this wicked 40min mixtape that includes:

*a couple of new tracks from the Peach with the Hole in the Middle
mixed up with
*some old faves that have been given the DOD makeover,
*a Desert Sessions style cover version of 'Rockshow'
and peppered with
*loops, samples, and randoms talking about Peaches herself...my fave is the first guy who confesses that Peaches helped him be more open with women about sex :)

for those of you who aren't familiar with Peaches, check out this vid. i like this because it kind of shows you what to expect from her live shows too.

and as for DOD, well, i'll have to give you my verdict on his live performance when i come back from BLOC. i'm always up for a bit of dressups, and his strange Brandon Lee-from-The-Crow image is a good start. and his tunes!
here's one of my faves...

Drums of Death - Cursed by Magick

love the oldskool electro-rap, and the laser noises too :)
his style is varied though, check out his myspace for a broader taste.

ELECTRODE parties; Spring Collection '09

2009-02-16T12:53:00.005Z

Woo!

Boring old hibernation skintamundo January/February is soooo over.
Grab your filofaxes and start scribbling down the following dates in your glitteriest party pen!

07/03/09 - ATOMIC JAM!

March sees myself and the rest of the ELECTRODE crew hosting the back room of the UK's biggest and best techno event; the ATOMIC JAM, held in a big old church in Birmingham; the mighty Que Club.
Start warming up your jackin' arm...now.

After the excursion to Brum we return for two months of parties in Manchester...

17/04/09 ELECTRODE host the back room at Shrewsbury's DUBCLUB

Dubclub returns to the Buttermarket for an easter extravaganza featuring b'ham heavyweight system 'KING EARTHQUAKE! Expect a evening of ground-shaking dubplates and roots reggae classics from this top quality roots sound system. The legendary reggae star, WINSTON 'sugar cane' FERGUS will also be making a guest appearance and providing sweet live vocals throughout the night. Dubclub’s Room 2 will once again be occupied by Mancunian wobpeddlers ‘Electrode’. The ever successful outfit will taking a break from hosting The Jam’s back room and will continue to probe the limits of electronic music by unleashing their distinct blend of dubstep, techno and breaks!

keith's japanese photo-diary

2009-02-15T18:53:00.026Z

Have you ever wondered what it's like to tour Japan with your very own rock and roll band? Well wonder no more. Thanks to this exclusive photo diary of Keith's visit to Japan, you can almost smell the sushi yourself.

www.keiththeband.com

Mexican Institute of Sound / Joe Europe

2009-02-14T20:22:00.010Z

Sometimes I'll start listening to an old album out of the blue and not stop playing it over and over for a week or two (this may be slightly manic behaviour, I'm not sure - perhaps I should be a little concerned). So it is that this week I've been immersing myself in the glorious Pinata, the second album from Mexican Institute of Sound from 2007. I must admit that his mix of hip-hop beats with rumbas, slasa's and a general latin feeling goes right up my flagpole for a salute (ooh-er). Katia, Tania, Paulina Y La Kim, with it's sampled harp and Futurama bells (believe me, it works!) is a tune I can listen to again and again and again and aga..oh you get the idea. There's a warmth to the grooves and the tracks tickle you rather than kick you up the jacksie - (nearly) always a plus in my opinion!
Anyway, with this total immersion having brainwashed me (in a wholeheartedly lovely way you understand) I decided to check out the previews of his new album, Soy Sauce, which is due for release in Spring. I have to say that the four tracks that were available to listen to were dissapointing. Whilst still maintaining a latin influence there seems to be much heavier use of guitars, live drums and more raw vocals. Rather than making for a more intimate sound He seems to have lost the charm from the music. The tracks also sound a little confused, too many ideas and influences and no recognisible thread linking the sound together. My advice is buy Pinata rather than Soy Sauce, skip the first two tracks, then let the album burrow into your mind.

So, feeling a little dissapointed I wanted to treat my ears before leaving the cyber world. Thus it is that I wound up listening to an archive download of Joe Europe's Borderline radio show. Well pickle my plums, this was a much more satisfying venture. I must admit that Mr Europe is a close friend of team Woozy, but trust me - there's no favouritism at play here. His show is a blend of techno, disco, broken beat, breaks and pretty much anything that operates in that sphere of music. I must admit that I have already gone on to buy some of the tunes that I heard and if he continues to pluck tunes of this quality for our listening pleasure then I may have to get a second job. Anyway don't take my word for it, have a listen yourself...

Borderline 01

http://www.zshare.net/audio/5373852292f9158e/

Disko! (You don't care) - Superpitcher
Supernova (Pezzner rmx) - Rocca
Psycho (Audio Jack rmx) - 20:20 vision
Smile for Me (Chaim rmx) - Sei A
Love on the Line (Unabombers rmx) Crazy P
Thumper (Joe Europe rmx) - Manta Electrica
Bad Runner - Brodinski
My Friend Roland - Joe Europe
Moved - Audio Werner
Hey Consuelo (Samin rmx) - Piere Bucci
Crazy Dog Biscuit (Kink rmx) - The Bulgarian ft. Spoek
Bash Head - Joe Europe
Lets Get Over - Deetron
Skyhook 2 - Phil Kieran
Better Living Through Distortion

Borderline 02

http://www.zshare.net/audio/547507005b75eb32/

1. Zou Zou - DJ Koze
2. Moon Song (Weird Knights Mix) - They Came from the Stars When I Saw Them
3. La Roquette - Chateau Flight
4. I'll Lick Your Spine (Repeat Repeat Mix) - Let's Go Outside
5. BBBoot - Bionic Bump Band
6. Kodo Verano - The Per Eckbo Orchestra
7. Keep On (Stimming RMX) - Dan Berkson & James What Feat. Robert Owens
8. Sulo - Joe Europe
9. Business Acumen - In Flagranti
10. Impulse - Santos Resiak
11. Everybody's Talkin - MyMy
12. Jolly Joker (DJ Koze Mix) - Alter Ego
13. Serpent (Murat Kilic Mix) - Solead
14. Stranjah from my Scanner (Acid Mix) - Tripmasterz
15. Bar a Thym (Foremost Poets Mix) - Kerri Chandler
16. Doesn't Matter (Kasper Bjorke Mix) - Kasper Bjork feat. the Pierces

Borderline 03

http://www.zshare.net/audio/55416391f2b0660f/

1. Kes - Barrakas
2. Waterpark - Baobinga and ID
3. The Strange Things I'll Remember (Jet Project rmx) - Mirror Music
4. Blacklight - Peace Division
5. Naomi (Dirt Crew rmx) - M.A.N.D.Y.
6. 4 Weeks in Poverty - Bearweasel
7. Elenor - Decimal
8. Apetite - Chin Chin (Chicken Lips Dub)
9. Master of One - Sei A
10. Slackjaw - JoeEurope
11. Nut Disco - Prztz
12. Working Title - Vlad Sokolov
13. Doodles - Droido
14. Zoo - Kleep
15. Wit Me Na - Raz Ohara

Garmanbozia

2009-02-03T14:52:00.002Z

I scare myself.

My brother and I spent Saturday watching harrowing films that made me feel all scared.
The icing on the cake was Twin Peaks - Fire Walk With Me.

I'd accidentally found out who killed Laura Palmer (Thanks a lot, frikkin "100 Best TV Endings" or whatever the fahk it was called...thanks) before getting to the end of Twin Peaks Season 2, so when I saw Fire Walk With me in FOPP for £3, i was like, yeeeeahh. Why not.

I'm not even going to attempt to describe the film....It's directed by David Lynch.
:)

Since watching this harrowing, uncomfortable, mind butt-fuck of a film i've been listening to David Lynch film soundtracks, and Angelo Badalamenti's stuff pretty much non-stop.

I've entered this world. And i cannot go back. I would like to drag you all down with me...

I want all of my garmanbozia.
David Lynch - The Pink Room

Angelo Badalamenti - Drug Deal Blues

Keith Tour Dates.

2009-02-02T21:12:00.004Z

With their second album Vice and Virtue in the shops very soon, our friends Keith will be touring the UK on the following dates:

17th February - York, Fibbers. 14+
18th February - Leeds, Cockpit 3. 14+
21st February - Manchester, Night & Day. 18+
22nd February - Cardiff, Barfly. 16+
24th February - London, Hoxton Bar & Kitchen. 18+
26th February - Derby, The Royal. 14+
27th February - Barrow-in-Furness, The Canteen

Also, Keith bassist and general good-egg Wadders will be posting a diary from their recent Japanese tour up here very soon.

Bad Vibes, Good Book.

2009-02-02T16:05:00.007Z

A few weeks ago I glimpsed a review of a book by Luke Haines entitled Bad Vibes: Britpop And My Part In It's Downfall. I have admired Haines' songwriting on and off for many years (although I prefer his Black Box Recorder output to his earlier work that this book covers) and in the early 90's his ascent to glory seemed assured - he was "the new girl in town that everyone wants to fuck". His band, the Auteurs, were feted by the press and nominated for the Mercury Music Prize (an event he describes, with winning disdain, as a "feeble-minded sports day for the music biz") before their burgeoning career was pretty much flattened by the juggernaut of Britpop. Bad Vibes is his recollection of the next few years, but it could easily be a comic novel.

In his introduction Haines is at pains to make it clear that he bears no ill will towards those mentioned, "most of whom I don't think about very often", before going on to insult just about everybody who played a part in the most egotistical and truly stupid 'movement' the British music industry ever foisted on an ever-gullible public - myself included. A born contrarian, Haines has long been a Southern middle-class equivalent of Mark E Smith. He describes himself as a "reformed egomaniac" and attempts to portray himself as an unashamed elitist, but it isn't his forte - he is much more entertaining when reverting to type as a grumpy, acerbic misanthrope. He is unreservedly vile in his treatment of most people he meets (he despises his own cellist and hires a rhythm guitarist on the strength that "The Cellist pompously loathes him") and his obliviousness to his own obnoxiousness is what makes Bad Vibes such an entertaining read.

As funny as he is grumpy it is however not his bilious condemnations of his contemporaries but his recollections of being on tour that really hit the sweet-spot. Often sailing close to Spinal Tap territory it is a mixture of the comic (playing to 17 people in a 950 capacity venue, going on before a comedian whilst supporting The The) and the tragic (lost in a haze of dope smoke and alcohol, he heard voices that goaded him to leap from a 15-foot wall on to concrete. He broke both his legs and spent months in a wheelchair). As becomes apparent as the book goes on, Haines has a rather big self-destruct button that he likes to press quite often.

I did find this book hugely entertaining, but still felt a little frustrated at the end. Haines luxuriates in his role as pantomime villain, but there's an undercurrent of misdirection in what he writes. The real Luke Haines is missing. He gives only the barest details of his personal life or history and, as a consequence, this reads more like a comic novel than a memoir. Despite his contrary ways, it's painfully apparent that Haines's political views are a matter of style, not substance. As Baader Meinhof he wrote an album, an "ogre-funk opus, in praise of 70s terrorism", and in place of a press release, sent out photocopied pages from The Anarchist Cookbook, detailing how to construct a nail bomb. Unsurprisingly, the response was mixed. He was accused of being obscure, of wilfully concealing any moral point. But he's waited until now to confess that there was no point. He simply had the hots for the iconography: Patty Hearst posing with an AK-47, Andreas Baader with his long hair and Ray-Bans. "Terrorist chic," he writes. "You got to love it." Indeed, Haines loved it so much that he had his drummer dress as a member of the Provisional IRA during TV performances. He can also be contradictory - in one section of the book he chastises the members of various northern rock groups chanting "two world wars and one world cup" whilst at a European festival, yet later remembers himself touring Germany and blasting the theme from The Great Escape at every rest stop. It is also true that much of his snideness about other bands seems to be schoolboy score-settling.

I would recommend this as a humorous take on life in a b-list band - nothing more, nothing less. Enjoy it for that and you will not be disappointed.

Compassion in World Farming

2009-01-24T02:23:00.001Z

Right, im going to make this brief, because im going to sound like a right-on twat, but PLEASE have a quick look at this site. Its fucking horrific how these beautiful creatures are treated like shit so we can all blindly eat bacon butties. I actually stopped eating meat at the start of the year, as I couldn’t go on scoffing carcasses with a clear conscience. I don’t expect you to do that, but if your are going to eat meat, at least the poor bastards are treated with at least minimal kindness before they reach your plate. Go on-line, sign some petitions, lobby some lazy politicians and eat your pork bap with a clear heart.

http://www.ciwf.org.uk/about_us/default.aspx

Casiotone for the Painfully Alone

2009-01-23T23:57:00.003Z

The brilliantly, brilliantly named Casiotone For the Painfully Alone is the project of Chicago’s Owen Ashworth, a sometime film maker whos hushed, craggy, regret filled vocals are supported by a drum machine and various keyboards that combine to make bedroom symphonies of strange beauty. Imagine a fax machine telling you about his divorce over an Erasure backing track being played at 22rpm. At 4am. In the dark. His instrumentals are where he really sound interesting. Take ‘Town Topic’ which is the perfect soundtrack to a wistful, nostalgic daydream abut the seaside in 1954 or ‘Young Shields’ which sounds like something a Legoman would have on his car stereo on a road trip. Be warned, his singles take some tracking down, but out his albums the brilliantly titled ‘symphonies for a lonely subway car’ and ‘Etiquette’ are well worth tracking down.

Caz Mechanic

2009-01-22T14:57:00.003Z

‘The drummer out of Seafood’ sounds like an insult bandied about by the NME circa 1999. Caroline Banks (aka Caz Mechanic) is your actual drummer from Seafood. Describing her sound as ‘Moe Tucker-knickerless’, its more accurately described as a cross between Its Jo and Danny and Laura Marling. Its eccentric, dreamy, lo-fi folk, with all manner of beautiful and bizarre sounds floating in the back ground. Its perfect music to listen to whilst writing a letter, or staring out of the window with shades on, waiting for your lift to turn up on a nice summers day. ‘Go home’ in particular is a treat. It sounds like The Sundays in a K-hole. Her album, the revealingly titled ‘The Secret Life Of The Wife Of The Captain Of The Ship In a Bottle On The Mantle Piece’ is out now on Big Potato records, but I would recommend trying out her 7” EP ‘Go Home’ first. She’s quite an acquired taste. Bless her.

http://www.myspace.com/cazmechanic

http://www.cazmechanic.com/

14 tracks

2009-01-22T00:57:00.002Z

i thought i'd share a website with y'all.

14 tracks

this online download store, bought to you from the lovely people at Boomkat, one of my favourite record stores, has a great idea behind it.

every couple of weeks the kids at 14tracks.com compile a group of 14 songs that all follow a common theme...for example 14 Tracks;

...deep into Surgeon
...unstrung; the cello
...that made you wish you played the piano
...of urban gamelan
...of drone pop

they group up the tunes and sell 'em for a lovely £6.86 {or 99p each}

i just think that it's a great way of discovering new music, and i love the friendrock/mixtape vibe about it. everyone likes to receive a compilation off their friends...it's just that usually they don't make you pay for it...

:)

The School

2009-01-20T16:07:00.002Z

The school are a 7 pronged star of pretty, dancey, indie-pop from Cardiff. Fronted by former Love Liz White, The School are lazily(if, to be far, accurately) lumped into the B&S/Camera Obscura basket. But their sound offers a respite from the grey and drizzle of pre-spring. Imagine The Supremes dancing dizzily at a birthday party after eating too many cola cubes. With trumpets. Fun huh?

With an LP being promised for release this year, get yourself behind them before everyone else does. Debut single ‘All I wanna do’ (released on limited edition bubble gum pink vinyl. My kind of band.) is a gentle, dreamy shangra la through such ruminations as drunken chums, shit jobs, and being in love. it’s a sweet treat that wont ruin your appetite.

‘Let it slip’ is jump up and down/drunk too much tizer type of record, combining northern soul with caramel baking vocals and a chorus you will be humming in your sleep. Its impossible not to dance to this song. You may even find yourself doing handclaps. If you break your furniture by twirling dizzily too it, don’t come running to me.

All I wanna do
http://http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=zdarcOe5L2k

Let is slip
http://http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=xrBF2nsjeaE&feature=related

http://www.myspace.com/theschoolband

B-sides about suicide-The Indie single PART 1

2009-01-15T16:29:00.001Z

Limited edition,gatefold sleeeve,diecast,handpanited,numbered sleeve,promo only,exclusive b-side,live b-side,white vinyl,clear vinyl,pink,blue,green,brown,splattered glittered vinyl. Free postcard, free badge, etched disc,pictured disk. The indie single. don’t you just love it?

Like a fondness for bitter and daydreamy women, the indie single came into my life aged 15 and refused to leave. As much as I appreciate books, cinema, art etc., nothing makes time stand still like the two seconds of the needle hitting the 7” and the blast of the genius awaits. From the call to arms of a Sex Pistols 45 to the warm cuddle of a Morrissey b-side, no art form delivers its message as effectively as the short-sharp-shock of a well made 7” single. Nothing. Im still taken with the idea behind Start! By the jam. The fact that a whole manifesto can be delivered to a whole country -the whole world-by sitting in your room and putting a record on.

Indie singles took off in 1986,after the release of the NME’s legendary C86 cassette tape. Young music fans, bored with the faux glamour say-nothing stylised fuckwits typified by bores like Duran Duran and Wham! Et al, decided to form their own bands and write their own songs. With a Tory assisted 3 million people unemployed, there was plenty of time to practise. But what to do about a chart filled with synthesised poseurs and the unsympathetic ears of Stock, Aitken and Waterman? Easy. Beg, steal, borrow the cash to release the record yourselves. Labels like Glasgows Postcard records and Bristols Sarah records, released limited runs(usually between 50-100) of brilliantly catchy, cheaply recorded 7” singles. Full of wit, heart, and humour, with a knowing eye towards socialism and a die hard, amost punk, DIY ethic, where records not just to play,but to pull to your chest like badge of honour. At last, here were records you could actually LOVE. Take, for example, Velocity Girl by Primal Scream. Long before their, strutty, stones-y riffing incarnation, they released a single of such pure, sugar rushing perfection, it was almost instantly stolen by Stone Roses for Made of Stone. Almost no-one bought it, but those who did were smitten. Thus, the indie cult of cult over cash, heart of chart ethos was born.

I knew I was an indie boy when a single I bought, aged 15, called Leave them all behind by an Oxford band called Ride made it in to the top 40. In the pre-Oasis days of indie,the was heady stuff. I felt,by just making a self conscious purchase from Rainbow records, I had somehow helped a mini reveloution. I wasn’t far wrong. The celebratory appearance on Top Of The Pops followed. I sat watching those skinny lads with fringes of pure perfection belt out that intoxicating, daydreamy, lemon and honey soaked racket in awe. It sounded like a dream carved from mercury.
“whats this shit?” my dad said
“he needs to get his hair cut. Lout”. it was a perfect, perfect, perfect pop moment. The next day I bought Animal Nitrate by Suede in my school uniform. There was no turning back now.

B-Ware The Death Of The B-Side

2009-01-15T15:03:00.021Z

From last Sunday (January 9th), Hit40UK - the chart used by Britain's commercial radio stations - will base the chart on airplay and downloads only. So it would seem that the CD single will become obsolete. Whilst there is nothing surprising about this it does bring to the fore once more the question of the b-side and what implications this will this have for it. Whilst it is true that amongst indie bands the 7" has had a resurgence, the demise of the cd single format and tendency for people to download only single tracks means that that there is now no pressure on artists to record / release any more than the single itself. Whilst I have no intention of sounding like a technophobe I do believe that we may now lose many songs that would have made it on to a b-side, with bands choosing to put out only what they consider their very best recordings. But a look at the list of great b-sides suggests that this could result in many lost gems.

Hound Dog by Elvis, Revolution by The Beatles, How Soon Is Now by The Smiths, Unchained Melody by The Righteous Brothers, No Fun by Sex Pistols - all of these were originally b-sides thought not good enough to be released as a single or put on an album. But it is the b-sides of lesser-known bands that have a special place in my heart and are most at risk of not being replicated by modern bands (even if 7" sales are healthy you can only fit one or two songs on each side and the propensity of remixes these days means even less original output). When you consider that over the past decade (on average) weekly sales of 20,000 will get you a top ten hit then a minor hit obviously is not shifting thousands of units and a single in the lower reaches of / outside the chart not a great number at all. For me this has meant that discovering a gem of a b-side has always felt special as, whilst most people will buy an album they like, they are unlikely to buy all / any of the singles - therefore leaving great tracks to be unearthed and treasured.

Thus it is that Brutality by Black Box Recorder, Won by The Beta Band and Calimero by SFA (from which I take my dj pseudonym) form part of a collection of songs that always stir that little something else when listened to. I hope that vinyl sales keep up this fine tradition as I fear that the next generation of music-buyers may be missing out on something if not. For as good as it is to have so much music so widely available on the Internet, discovering a great b-side has always meant investing that little bit more (emotionally as well as monetarily) in a band.

My favourite b-side of all time is Birds Of Paradise Farm by Divine Comedy, off the Something For The Weekend single (closely followed by Songs Of Love off the same single, but that also appeared on the album - Cassanova - so it doesn't count!) . It features Neil Hannon crooning and swooning his way through three minutes and fifty seconds of pop-perfection. This was the time of three b-sides on a single and it still offers great value for money as all three, as well as the single, are first-rate songs that have been lovingly crafted. And for that I will always love it, and them. Which is another thing about b-sides, they are a good pointer as to the respect a band have for their fans. If a band puts in the effort to produce great b-sides then it is a show of appreciation to the fans who buy them, like doing a couple of hours work after everyone else has gone to the pub. A lot of bands will stick a demo and a remix on the b-side, this suggests they either can't be arsed or they haven't got enough material - neither a satisfactory outcome. The latter can be argued of The Charlatans, although they have produced many good singles their b-sides have always fallen short of matching the a-side.

I'm sure there will be some bands who continue to put the effort in and release singles on 12" with two or three b-sides but they will probably be few and far between...I hope I'm wrong.

Give Me My Life Back

2009-01-13T16:06:00.002Z

I have spent the last couple of weeks trying to think of a way of summing up the bumper crop of albums and songs that burrowed their way into my head over the last 12 months. And my conclusion is I can’t. Everything just came out as trite garbage and if I’m going to write trite garbage it might as well be trite garbage that hasn’t been in every magazine or paper this side of the moon. So I have knocked up a CD available to anyone interested, un-mixed as I don’t yet have the technology and I will leave the end of review subject well alone as of now.

So instead I am going to have a quick(ish) videogame rant. I find myself more often than not becoming a wee bit obsessed by a game. I try to keep myself busy and social etc and usually stay on top of lending my life to a series of moving pixels of polygons. But every now and then something comes along that will insist on making me late for appointments, stay up ‘til stupid o’clock in the morning and contemplate whether it’s better to finish the next level than go out and actually talk to people. I am not proud of this and do try to avoid slipping into this state as much as I can. I do have an incredibly short attention span and as a result the length of most new games kills off my interest before the hooks take hold. The current glut of big budget, bombastic productions coming out of most of the major developers has given me back my life and for that I am happy.

Geometry Wars & Crayon Physics Deluxe

Then I discovered the wonderful array of low cost, short but unfeasibly addictive games that have become available on various places on the web and on both Xbox and Sony’s online networks. Games like Braid, Geometry Wars, Puzzle Quest and The Last Man are ruining all the hard work I have done of pulling myself out terminal geekdom. They hark back to when games were immediate and instinctive grabbing by the throat after the opening few seconds and refusing to release their grip until you have either finished them or gone blind and arthritic trying. They are sadistic and evil and I love them for that.

The latest one to hook me in is far more tranquil than the usual fare but has started stealing hours of my life from under my nose without me even noticing. The game is about getting a ball across the screen to a star avoiding obstacles and all you have to achieve this is a wax crayon. Said wax crayon will make whatever you draw on screen materialise in the gameworld as physical object. Very simple. For example if you need to move the ball over a large gap you could draw a hammer on pivot and knock it over, draw a bridge and then a car and drive it over or any other means your brain will allow you conjure up. It is an amazing game and I hate it for that very same reason.

But the sucker punch that these games give me is in their completion. When, or if, I ever complete one of these games there is an extraordinarily hollow feeling of satisfaction. Yes, I may have bested the designer’s best curve ball but soon there is a wash of, “What did I actually achieve out of that?” Have I bettered my life? No. Could I have used those 20 odd hours more constructively? Definitely. Will I ever receive any kudos for it outside of the flashing ‘Well Done’ on the centre of the screen? Unlikely. Will I do it all again when the next interesting set of pixels bob their way onto one of my systems? Almost certainly.

So in an attempt to make myself feel better by virtue of bringing more people down to my level, here is the link to Crayon Physics Deluxe and some other life destroying games.

http://www.crayonphysics.com/

http://braid-game.com/

http://www.bizarrecreations.com/games/geometry_wars_retro_evolved/

http://www.puzzle-quest.com/

http://www.jeffwu.net/games/ngame.swf

Of course I’m sure almost everyone else has a much stronger constitution than me and wonder what the hell I’ve been banging on about.

I'm Still Here!!

2009-01-07T16:34:00.000Z

Hello and happy new year to you all, unfortunately my computer is currently poorly (it went down almost exactly the same time as me, maybe we have a symbiotic relationship that I was unaware of until now) and so I've been unable to post for a while. I have a few things to say but I only have a couple of minutes right now so they shall have to wait. But whilst I'm here I must bring up the situation in Gaza. I wouldn't dream of trying to precis my thoughts on such a complex issue so I shall have to leave it for now. However if you are in opposition to the actions of Israel then please make an effort to attend the following...

Stop the Massacre : Israel Out of Gaza National demonstration Saturday 10 January

Assemble 12.30pm Speakers Corner, Hyde Park

March to Israeli Embassy, High St Kensington, London

Sub Zero Fun

2009-01-07T12:31:00.000Z

Hello all,

i made a mix today; it's a bit wintery.
please grab your hot chocolate, don your woolens...and jig to keep warm :)

teutonic kaboom - subzero070109
[right-click and 'save as']

or just stream with this little bugger directly below...

kid sister - pro nails (smd remix)
blackdown & dusk - focus
boxcutter - brood
elemental - deep under
rustie - jagz the smack
cloaks - too on top
sol_dat - solace of the shadows (loop)
monolake - alaska (substance rmx 1)
audion - snap into it
the martin brothers - rocket surgery
claro intelecto - only yesterday
martyn - vancouver (loop)
elemental - blob
2562 - channel two
female - cally
elemental - raw material
seth troxler - love spray
radial - moeilijik
ion driver - elemental
gaiser - apology
bitstream - open sesame
brothomstates - jak got stuck in canada...
2 dollar egg - turnout
radial - camouflage

New Year, New Pants, New Attitude!

2009-01-05T17:51:00.000Z

Here's hoping your New Year's celebrations were swell and gay.

I went down to London to see my very best matey, and she took me to a place called 42 Fieldgate Street.

This place is pretty much someone's studio flat in London. He's moved the sofas to the back, installed a bar/a stage/some speakers and turned the ol' place into a club...
It's an intimate affair...there's no door tax, you can smoke!, we were offered absinthe jelly on arrival, and there's quite a random music policy. I heard that the last party had a dub band on, there are definitely pictures of brass instruments on their Facebook page, and Oliver Ho pops down on occasion whenever he's in London, like.
The DJs on NYE were playing a crazy mix of styles...from reggae to Bon Jovi, GnR to Garage...it was fitting for the evening and the atmosphere...random... [At one point in the evening my friend Joe asked us all "Can anyone smell toast?"]
Another big plus was that I got to chat to friendly strangers and dispelled the opinion that London is full of heartless knob'eds that don't smile and are rather rude. And that's always good.

The highlight for me was a girlcore 4-piece called The Berettas
Who RAWKED the first set of the night in the most amazing leggings i have ever seen in my life. Loads of energy - think Juliette & the Licksy/Gossipy/Peachesy-ness...

(forgive the dodgy camerawork)

Their myspace page has only one track on the player, which is a bit of a shame because i WANT MORE and they haven't released anything yet :(

My heart fills with glee to think that all this talk of Credit Crunk is going to bring about a new attitude to music. It's going to get interesting, and free parties are sure to start thriving. Let's hope there will be more places like 42 Fieldgate Street...VIVA LA (free) RAVE!

Merry Christmas, Get Hype!

2008-12-24T21:01:00.000Z

just one more thing...

Merry Christmas, Get Hype!

Math Head - Get Hype

Math Head on Myspace

we should go down to the mall, look at people, judge them all. judge them before they judge us and leave there feeling bad.

2008-12-24T20:55:00.000Z

hahahaaaaaaaa i nearly just did a wee.

oooh, mercy. i've got one of those rather nice hangovers where everything is a little bit wonky, and i have nothing i really need to do so i'm quite enjoying it :) plus i had some proper coffee wot made me go a bit strange :S

my brother showed me the following on youtube, and i laughed so very hard i thought i might have needed some Tena Lady.

merry crimbles everyone, i'm having a gay old time swanning about my hometown being merry and drinking lovely cider.

i drank too much last night and now my teeth feel soft. whoops!

i'm getting in the festive mood this morning by listening to music really loud and singing (badly) - at this very moment in time my sister is listening to the mighty Take That, which is grand but that's not what i wanted to share with everyone.

what has been creeping into my psyche and becoming part of my brain is something quite different; a band called The Organ.

imagine if The Cure and The Smiths were one superband...and they were all girls. Haunting, tender, uplifting, sad, gorgeous, penetrating, ace ace ace. That's the only way i can describe The Organ.

the band are an all female fourpiece from Vancouver who, sadly, don't exist anymore. They released Grab That Gun in 2004 and broke up in 2006...(although they released an EP earlier on in the year, as a kind of goodbye)...
although there is a lack of back cat to get excited about and collect, and no new material to look forward to, this means that they will never get old, change/dilute their sound or go a bit crap. they are immortalised in this album.

i'll let you decide for yourself, but this band are my best. i bless Ben Parry for letting me know about this band. he said to me "you can live inside this album"...and i do.

arrrgh i can't choose which track to upload! they're all great - hmmm...
>...>>....>>...>>>..>>>>..>>>>>.>>>...>.......>>>..... - some people who follow The L Word might recognise "Brother"

The Organ - Brother

The Organ - Basement Band Song

i'm going to post a link to the whole album, as the record in it's entirety is magic...and the guys at Let's Share Music are doing a great thing by letting people download it.

The Organ - Grab That Gun LP (from the letssharemusic blog)

Heroes

2008-12-23T23:57:00.000Z

So Heroes has reached the mid-point of season 3 and the end of ‘Volume 3’. It was definitely a vast improvement on the malaise of the previous series and seems to have got some direction back, but where do we go from here?
Personally I think it has reached cross-roads where it can either choose to kill-off characters and expand the plot or carry on along the road of characters seemingly dying but always returning. I am a big fan of the show (so much so that I don’t download it in chunks as I like to enjoy it every Wednesday night as ‘event’ television) but I do fear that it may just become a parody of itself and go down the same road of utter nonsense as Lost, a show which must surely be the most garbled, directionless tosh ever screened. With the ending of Volume 3 seeing Nathan Petrelli going ‘overground’ to the President of the US (who bears an uncanny resemblance to Barack Obama – did they shoot the scene with a John McCain lookalike too?) it is an opportunity to expand the horizons of the show. Since it started the characters and plotlines have always been very introspective, concentrating on the ‘heroes’ relationships with each other and the battles with the ‘villains’. This has served them well for the most part as it is their battle to save themselves and stop the manipulation of their powers that is the core of the programme – they ARE the story so it is right to concentrate on them. However I think now is the time to ramp it up to the next level – bring them into the open, kill off characters that have run their course and most of all be brave with the writing. I avoid spoilers as much as possible so I don’t know, maybe this is what is going to happen...I sure hope so.

One thing I do really believe should be done is to wave goodbye to Sylar. It remains a constant source of annoyance to me that a show that can attract actors of the calibre of Malcolm McDowall and Christopher Eccleston has Zachory Quinto as it’s main villain. During season 3 the writers have worked to add layers to the character of Syler and create an awkward empathy with a man who has been manipulated and shaped by the actions of others. This is an act for which they should be commended, the problem is that Quinto does not have the acting ability that is needed to make Sylar a truly legendry screen villain. With him seemingly dead it would be an ideal time for the writers to move on to new storylines and characters, casting better actors as they do it. Unfortunately it is unthinkable that he will not return for Volume 4, especially with Angela Petrelli yet to reveal the true identity of his parents. But this is my point, Heroes can forever regurgitate it’s characters and I get the idea that this is what it will do – play it safe by never killing anyone off. Am I really the only one who doesn’t mind a culling of key characters every now and then?

That said Heroes has been one of the television highlights of the year for me and I can’t wait for the start of Volume 4...may it be all that I hope for.
I’ll try and get the track-listing for the Winter Warmer up before Christmas Day but if I don’t, here’s to lots of merry-making and festive fun!

2008-12-17T19:33:00.000Z

“It’s just like Woodstock ’99 but without the gang rape.” Neil Hamburger, ATP 2008.

Recovery is almost complete and the haze is lifting off the weekend where Mike Patton and The Melvins thrust their favourite bands and musicians through my face and jammed them noisily in my cerebral cortex. I have mulled over the best way to report my musings on the festival for some time now and it's a near impossible task. There is danger everywhere in trying to translate the happenings of such a weekend into a readable bloggy chunk. This problem is probably why I don't write professionally. Anywho, here is an attempt to put some structure to the bubbles popping out of my brain by writing down some facts I have learned.

The Melvins play the scariest version of My Generation I have ever heard.

Israel has a very interesting band that plays on the crowd rather than in front of it. (Monotonix)

Lead singer of the Butthole Surfers is not averse to slapping a woman when being told to leave an eatery at 4 in the morning after passing out with a bottle of JD.

Gypsy folk bands can cause more moshing than Mastadon.

Tron style suits look very cool on stage.

81 was the age of the oldest performer. And his name sounded like an Italian cheese, Bernard Parmegiani. Mmmmm Parmegiani.

It doesn't matter how much you plan you will never see all the acts you want or intend to see.

More festivals should feature metal, hip hop, country, folk and electronica.

King Buzzo from The Melvins allegedly inspired Side Show Bob's haircut.

I can sleep standing up for several minutes before collapse or being woken up.

A waterpistol shaped like a penis is not a good toy to give to a drunk.

Kool Keith is insane. Not in a nice, "wow, he's crazy," kind of way, more of a, "wow, where is his carer?" kind of way. Yet is still amazing, until he freestyles, then not so good.

Rahzel has actually got some new parts to his set and they’re good.

It is possible to fuse Jazz and Grindcore and make it listenable.

Air hockey is better than table football.

I realise there was not much in the way of saying which bands tickled my fancy or which bands

were a wet fart three miles from home. So for those who want to know, check out if you haven't already - Fennez, The Melvins, Fantomas, Kool Keith (particularly his Dr Octogon stuff), Teenage Jesus and the Jerks, White Noise, The Locust, Junior Brown. I was not overly impressed with Mugisen, Isis, Kill Me Tomorrow and Farmers Market. But then what do I know?

My biggest recommendation is that if you haven't gone to an ATP festival make a considered effort to do so. Regardless of who is hosting it and who is playing they are a treat worth savouring. Enjoy watching bands you've never heard of, enjoy the beach, enjoy sleeping in a bed and having a chalet with toilet. The ATPs I have been to have shown me that I love listening to music live, it doesn't matter what type and can enjoy music that I would never buy when put on stage. Actually that's rubbish, there is loads of tossy music I would never listen to just because it's live. I'm not going start a music hate rant now but I was just trying to make the point or be a bit misty eyed about the whole thing. It would probably be better to say that there is a whole load of great music nestled in genres that I would normally avoid.

Mmmm, Minehead

There are two more taking place in May, one hosted by The Breeders and one with the bands picked by the ticket buyers. Go, stop reading this and book tickets. Now.

2008-11-26T12:55:00.000Z

There are not many things in life more annoying than having your hopes built up only to see them knocked down within an instant. I feel cheated. Whilst starting to jot down a few ideas for this 'ere blog I was listening to Vampire Weekend, their eponymous album has been a contender for my 'album of the year' since it's release in January. Having missed their first British tour and their sold-out second tour I was extremely excited to see that they had pencilled in a few dates for early 2009. Upon discovering this I made a point of informing everyone I could think of in an overly-excited manner, only to have egg-on-my-face a few moments later on discovering that the dates I'd 'discovered' were in fact for 2008 not 2009. Like I said, very annoying - why would you put the dates of shows for January 2008 directly under dates for December 2009 as if they are following on. Grrr.

However, I cannot stay mad for long because it is fair to say that I have not been hooked on an album this much since my teenage years. I know they have been all over blogs for a year now, but this is only my second post so I'm going to add my two-pennies-worth.

Similarly to Belle and Sebastien they make the type of music that should be labelled 'pop', if only that phrase hadn't been hijacked over the years by majors out to make big-bucks with branded pop-stars. But that is an argument for another day.

When I first read about VW I thought their mixture of indie and African pop sounded like it could be disastrous. But these guys have obviously listened to a lot of old West-African records and are doing it for the love, rather than lazily shoe-horning it into their sound for effect. Indeed, some of the tracks are free of the clean guitar, perky keyboard and tapped-out rhythms and sound more like Is This It-era Strokes. However, it is this African influence which stands them apart, leaving Vampire Weekend with that rare quality of having an instantly recognisable sound, as well as a record of near-perfect pop sensibilities. I know I may be a bit late with this lamenting of them, but I wanted to give them a mention before 2008 was out. Now if only it could start again so I could get those tickets...

ladytrump

2008-11-25T23:39:00.000Z

I went to see Ladytron on Monday.
Having always liked their music, I've never really rated them as a live band, although this was the third time I've seen them, as they supported the almighty Nine Inch Nails on their last UK tour... I always felt a bit cheated.

Their wicked electropop is bangin' enough to create a really energetic atmoshpere live, yet it never quite does...there seems to be a Kraftwerk-style seriousness to them. Maybe that's what happens when bands use lots of vintage [expensive] synths that just can't be knocked or kicked or prodded with too much gusto...

As a result of their lack of energy on stage, the audience never really gets going either.
Now, maybe this is just me - but if i pay £13 to see an act for ONE hour, I want the chance to really get some exercise and dance about and generally Git Daooown...

The played for just under an hour, which included the three-song encore. They didn't play ANYTHING from 604 [my fave album] ...How rubbish is that?

I did dance, and I did enjoy myself, I'm impressed by their new stuff and will get their new album, and the sound quality was really good...

it just wasn't as good as The Faint gig last Wednesday.

If you're going to financially support this band, I'd spend your money on their music [like, buy it rather than download for free] instead of going to their gigs...unless you want to gaze at their beauty [sponsored my MAC] in the flesh, which I admit is actually quite good fun. :)

Ladytron - Destroy Everything You Touch

look! they don't really move - and this was their Big Tune!

Eddie Izzard & Finders Keepers

2008-11-22T11:44:00.000Z

First things first: IF ANYONE HAS TICKETS FOR STEVE COOGAN'S TOUR BURN THEM NOW AND SAVE YOURSELF THE BOTHER.

Well, where to start? I suppose the only place to begin, seeing as I have spent probably 75% of my 'music kitty' on their products is Finders Keepers Records. In the past 12 months I've become hooked to their glorious re-issues of psych, funk, prog, folk, avant-garde and whacked-out movie soundtracks. Like Trunk Records, you not only get the music but also an exhaustive biog of the band / artist and the record in question...always a treat and something that oher labels of similar ilk overlook. They are singularly responsible for opening my ears up to a whole new world of music and I plan to share some of the gems I have found along the way in future mixes.

Take a trip to their online shop where you will discover 'Japanese choreography records, space-age Turkish protest songs, Czechoslovakian vampire soundtracks, Welsh rare-beats, bubblegum folk, drugsploitation operatics, banned British crime thrillers and celebrity Gallic Martini adverts'...amongst other things. If that doesn't at least intrigue you enough to pop in and cock an ear than I give up!

As you may have realised by now Miss Kaboom and I come from two different spheres as far our musical tastes are concerned. One (of many) things we do share a love of though is Mr Eddie Izzard. Despite his Stripped residency at London's Lyric Theatre selling-out months in advance I was lucky enough to obtain tickets for one of a handful of warm-up shows he performed last week. Now, I was a little sceptical as to whether the 2008 model would stand-up favourably next to his cross-dressing vintage. However, I can honestly say that his wild flights of fancy and vivid imagination are still as fantastically entertaining as they always were. Less a comedy show and more of an abstract and fanciful lecture, how you wish all your teachers at school had presented the wonders of the world to you.

Whilst some may regard him as narcissistic and self-aggrandising, this is part of what makes him special. Admittedly, speaking latin, french, german etc at various points during the show can seem a little like showing-off. But beneath it is a gift for personalising his chosen subjects with great affection...and it is hard to play out his gag about the latin language (one of the highlights of the show) without actually speaking it!

In a world in which the brain-dead, negative stereotyping of Little Britain exists I for one will always forgive Izzard a little vanity for the enchanting positivity of his stand-up routines. All-in-all, I think that Stripped is a fantastic show and am delighted the (not so) big man has still got it.

jam faint gun of bass

2008-11-21T20:55:00.000Z

Well well well... it's been rather an exciting few weeks for me.

November has been simply chock full of lots and lots of good music.

The first weekend of November was drunkenly taken over by The Electrode Warehouse Party.

A resounding success, and a great venue that we're hoping to use again once they've obtained a proper music license.

After that, the Bass Gun night at Jabez Clegg saw the very best in UK underground electro

{Synapse, Paul Blackford, Smashback, Darkmode, Bass Junkie, DJ 3000} congregate under one roof to teach people the meaning of a snappy snare. The place wasn't as busy as it should have been, but by jove the place rocked. The in house soundsystem in there is pretty damn fine - i'm glad to see some venues in manchester note the importance of a kickin' rig :)

Then, earlier this week i went to see one of my faaaaave bands; The Faint!

Yes mate.

Due to a streaming nose and pounding head I thought it best to lay off the sauce for the week - and i'm glad I did to witness this fine band [Because for once, i remember the whole gig!].

I love them...i mean, sure, i'm not really that enamored with the new stuff on wax (The Geeks Were Right and Forever Growing Centipedes are pretty cool though...) but their body of work is just brilliant. Check out Blank-Wave Arcade and Danse Macabre for your first tastes if you haven't already.

My fave tune at present>>>> [zshare]

The Faint - Take Me To The Hospital

The night was filled with catchy synth-pop songs and hooks, Duran Duran tendencies, banging, techno-inspired jacking, rock-outweirdness fronted by a nu-skool Willy Wonka begoggled lead singer in a labcoat.

I was in heaven. I bought a tshirt. I smiled all the way to Sale. I took a video of Dropkick The Punks with my crap phone.

Here it is.

Tonight I very eagerly await ATOMIC JAM.

3o-something of my friends from Manchester are to pile onto a private hire coach to be carted to Birmingham for one of the most overdue and exciting nights of all time (?) -

Atomic Jam's return to The Q-Club *squeal*

I used to make the quarterly techno pilgrimage from the age of 17 until the place finally shut down in 2003 - The Jam was never really the same in venues like the Medicine Bar or Air...

So five years down the line - we're going back to our roots. Huzzah!

Not only do we get to have a right old thrash about to some amazing 4/4 techno, but dirty boy WARLOCK [Rag & Bone] is playing in the breaks room!

Anyone who hasn't heard his sinful poisonous brew of bassfuck breakstep should get themselves learned right here.

In preparation for the weekend i've made a mix - hopefully to listen to on the bus - but mainly just to bang it out in my room - to give my jacking arm a warm-up.

roadtoatomicjam>>>>>>>>>>>>>201108

***right click and save***
Teutonic Kaboom - roadtoatomicjam 201108

rustie - zig zag
mazulla - traaaance bitch
female - cally 1
zomba - strange fruit
hemingway - machine
teutonic kaboom - sito
n-ter - runner
sol_dat - speed demon (mazulla rmx)
? - work
smashback - push me harder (ardisson rmx) [tk edit]
babylon soundsystem & noah d - examination of time
dst - csillag
debasser - fat girls (teutonic kaboom rmx)
oliver $ & gantman - zds edit
go hiyama - geometric
luke's anger - war
clarke - new year storm
goth trad - electrical
trode - keep going
mark hawkins - 13 years of raving

Another thing floating my musical boat***********************

Amanda Palmer in general... and her new video for Leeds United.

I want her jacket.

That's probably enough garbage for one post, innit. Roll on the Jam!

Does Disco Dubstep Exist?

2008-11-13T18:37:00.000Z

I've been trying to find Disco Dubstep...trying to make it too. I reckon that in this ever-evolving dubstepmania there MUST be room to marry two of my favourite genres.

Trawling through the blogs earlier i found this amaaaazing track called Machine by Hemingway [thanks www.discoworkout.com] that, upon hearing the first few seconds I was sure my search was over.

Turns out it's not, but this tune is brilliant anyway. Dark, punchy, steppy rhythms with spatterings of slap bass and disco tinged synths. Phwoar.

Hemingway - Machine

When I played this to Dave, he said "That bit of slap bass 47 seconds in sounds weeeellll like a bit of this song..."

"In the year 2525, If man is still alive, If woman can survive, They may find..."
Great future-paranoid disco.

The Twins -
In The Year 2525

So yeah...the quest goes on. Anyone got any discodubstep?