Hard News: Believe the Hype
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Cheers for the VU boot link, RB- I remember it being mentioned on another (music and film) messageboard I frequent, but it's pleasantly surprising that it's such a good, energised set. Someone should get the rights and reissue it properly, like they did with the (excellent) Quine Tapes a few years back.
RB, seeing you're a fan of Jenny Lewis, what do you make of Rilo Kiley? I must admit, I've only been able to totally get behind them on the last record (the one their "diehard" fans were nonplussed by), precisely because it puts Lewis right at the forefront, musically and lyrically. Not sure what it was- there was something rather precious and self-consciously introverted about their earlier stuff, whereas their last record, brazen and occasionally clumsy as it occasionally was, at least went for the jugular.
That said, I like Jenny Lewis's incarnation as a "cool-and-knowing-but-rootsy female singer-songwriter", though sometimes I think Neko Case does the same thing with more heart and even more bite.
Anyway, curiously, I think I've spent less on music this year than any other year, but the TV on the Radio, MGMT, Luke Budha and Santogold, have all got extensive play, while what I've heard of by London Zoo by "The Bug" sounds super-awesome: abrasive, filthy, ridiculous, but undeniably invigorating.
Nice interviewer with the BDO promoter- his comment about Metallica reminds me that of the seven BDOs I've been to, that was the most unpleasant in terms of atmosphere. It really felt like there were 35,000 there to solely see one band and bugger the rest of the minority who were keener to catch the stuff around it. Still, it was worth it for the Flaming Lips' performance that year, for sure.
However, something's wrong with that quote:
"We kind of went to Metallica and said, `well, we are going to have to spend a lot of money to make it not about Metallica and you are going to have to work with us on that.
"And they did, that was the condition of it. They didn't force us too hard on the fee because we needed to get the Strokes and Flaming Lips and Joe Strummer..."
In case I'm misremembering it, didn't the great Joe Strummer perform at the BDO in 2000? He had passed away by the time Metallica headlined the BDO in 2004.
Btw, the Strokes performance that year was one of the more insufferable I've seen from an act there precisely because they only gave exactly what the audience wanted- no more or less. For all their spontaneity they may as well have been miming to the actual records. Certainly the renditions were note-for-note.
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Oh, and speaking of John Cale. Russell, have you heard the Cale version of LCD's All My Friends?
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stumbled on this version, recently at youtube, absolutely love what John Cale's doing on the piano, real tender, lou's last great swig of hippiedom before his metamorphosis into the prized faggot he portrays in 1974
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the SMH's photos of the year isn't bad.
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It's a little pluggy, but perhaps appropriate - myself and others', some you may have heard of, top albums of the year. I'd do the proper HTML thing if it would work, but it won't for some reason.
http://www.3news.co.nz/tabid/418/articleID/84930/cat/55/Default.aspx
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Oh, and speaking of John Cale. Russell, have you heard the Cale version of LCD's All My Friends?
Oh yes. Better than the original, IMHO.
And that reminds me: LCD Soundsystem at the Big Day Out would have been pretty close to my show of the year.
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Oh Kebabette, I love that Neon Neon album!
fave gig: first Sharon Jones and the Dapkings soulfest at Womad
Agreed. That was incredible - probably the closest I'll get to seeing something like the Stax Revue (barring the invention of a gig-going time machine). I also really enjoyed Mavis Staples, particularly when she was all 'and this was Dr King's favourite song of ours' and I thought 'OMG, I am standing 50 feet from someone who was *friends with MLK*. Holy shit'.
I also really liked the Phoenix Foundation at the zoo. And LCD Soundsystem at the BDO. And Kraftwerk. And the New Pornographers. Plus this is the coming summer of shows! Big Day Out (Neil Young!), Fleet Foxes, Stereolab, Neil Finn and Every Musician in the World... I'm pleased.
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A music-related item from Charlie Brooker's Screen Burn Awards in The Guardian:
The Most Stomach-Churning Wholesale Disregard For Basic Human Dignity was flaunted by the DFS commercials, in which blameless out-of-work actors were forced to mime along to Nickelback's Rockstar - the musical equivalent of the last hot drips of salty diarrhoea to drip from your arse during a particularly violent bout of food poisoning. I've seen news footage of atrocities that managed to be less upsetting. Years from now, the participants will still be in therapy.
Two words: Evil and genius.
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On Friday night I finally had that big night out I've been saving for when I don't have so much bloody work to do.
We went to the new Cassette 9 venue in Vulcan Lane to see the Reduction Agents. It was a madhouse and all the cool kids were there: ie, Finn from the Veils, Jacob from the Checks, and lots of Auckland scenesters not personally known to me.
The Reduction Agents finished with 'Waiting For Your Love', whereupon there was a minor stage invasion that saw Liam Finn jump up out of the crowd to sing on the choruses and it was general sweet bedlam.
I decided I'd go the extra mile and pop up to the Turnaround Christmas party at Khuja, where Manuel Bundy was playing up a funky storm. I had a dance.
My body still hurts.
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I decided I'd go the extra mile
And... looked like you and Damien were starting the extra early also. It is always nice to hear bursts of laughter that reflect the intention of said evening. Cheers :)
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And... looked like you and Damien were starting the extra early also. It is always nice to hear bursts of laughter that reflect the intention of said evening. Cheers :)
Was that on Thursday at Galbraith's? We'd just recorded the final Public Address Radio for the year. The other people at the table were David Slack and Craig Ranapia.
You should've said hello!
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You should've said hello!
Hey, yes maybe next time. I think my man did the honours . You guys were havin' fun, as many were . I got there in enough time to greet Damien and wish him well on what will be a fine journey. My Dad just got in from a year hiking around South America and he made it to Galbraiths also, hence I became a wee bit involved with that, but must admit Ranapia would be fun. :-) and Mr Slack would be a pleasure, including yourself Mr Brown. Merry Xmas and Happy (birthday for me )new year to all out there.
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I once told Paul Holmes that while I might on occasion disagree mightily with his words or actions, I had never doubted his authenticity. In a world where so many empty vessels make noise, he is what he is; sometimes maddening but rich and real. On the day of his final breakfast radio broadcast, I wish him all the best.
Jesus Russell you're generous - up until the last sentence I thought he'd popped off and that was something you'd knocked up for the state send-off.
While I dont begrudge the old chap his olive oil etc, when it comes to Holmes I'll go with Chris Knox - "the gnome of banality".
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A music-related item from Charlie Brooker's Screen Burn Awards in The Guardian:
Heh... much as I love Charlie Brooker -- and Dead Set just goes to show what a complacent poseur George Romero is nowadays -- what the hell would he do for a living if the media was full of regard (basic or advanced) for human dignity?
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