Hard News by Russell Brown

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Hard News: Revival

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  • Danielle,

    yes, alright, the saxophone spoiled the party a little bit

    I am not against saxophones, per se. But I am fully against that particular guy and his Giant Associated Sphere of Cheese. His obsession with 'soulfully' expressing his own awesomeness made me want very many bad things to happen to him.

    Charo World. Cuchi-cuchi!… • Since Nov 2006 • 3828 posts Report Reply

  • Nik Dirga,

    Yes, I thought the Stuff review was nonsense. I'm sure some punters expected nothing but Jam songs but I loved the eclectic mix of old, new, punk and pop. Great show. I wish I'd done Cohen as well but couldn't swing the cash!

    Auckland • Since Jan 2009 • 26 posts Report Reply

  • 3410,

    Sort of "Your Latest Trick" meets "Baker Street", was it?

    Auckland • Since Jan 2007 • 2618 posts Report Reply

  • Chris Bell,

    The Julien Temple film about Paul Weller, 'Find The Torch', was on the Documentary Channel the other night, featuring interviews and his band playing songs from 'Wake Up The Nation'.

    It was worth watching, good television and Weller came across as a modest, no-nonsense diamond geezer, as I expected him to. The sort of grumpy old man any male might aspire to be, assuming he was the Modfather.

    I lost touch with Weller's music after 'Stanley Road', so it's heartening to see him still aiming to be different with his music, even if he has kept roughly the same haircut.

    I was a fan of The Jam's singles and loved The Style Council's 'Cafe Bleu'. A short time before that was released I saw him walking along Oxford Street in the direction of Marble Arch in the late 1970s, with tourists and passers-by oblivious. For no apparent reason that memory has stuck with me.

    I've started buying songs from 'Wake Up The Nation'.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 49 posts Report Reply

  • 3410,

    Not this Chris Bell?

    Auckland • Since Jan 2007 • 2618 posts Report Reply

  • Tony Parker,

    Ha - another Big Star fanatic I see. If we're talking baby boomer acts resurfacing then the remaining members of Buffalo Springfield's gig at Neil Young's Bridge Concert last week takes the cake really. Listening to a download of it now.

    Napier • Since Nov 2008 • 232 posts Report Reply

  • Jackie Clark,

    I have liked most of Weller's songs to a point, but his more experimental stuff that he's obviously made for the joy it it, not so much. I didn't want to go to his concerts solely because of that (well, that, and let's face it, I'm an 80's whore and a whole couple of hours of Style Council would have been orgasmic, and I knew he wouldn't do that, so oh well). I am enjoying the plethora of artists coming down here, and of course in summer, you get more locals touring. We're going to Phoenix Foundation, and that I'm looking forward to. Except the probably standing up bit. I'm not really into standing around at concerts, even if it's dancey music. I'd rather sit down and be comfy. But the Powerstation didn't do comfort in the old days, and I'm fairly sure that hasn't changed.

    Mt Eden, Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 3136 posts Report Reply

  • Sofie Bribiesca,

    I have liked most of Weller's songs to a point, but his more experimental stuff that he's obviously made for the joy it it, not so much.I didn't want to go to his concerts solely because of that .

    Hush that mouth right there girl. Tonight will be glorious.

    here and there. • Since Nov 2007 • 6796 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown,

    I lost touch with Weller's music after 'Stanley Road', so it's heartening to see him still aiming to be different with his music, even if he has kept roughly the same haircut.

    Like Nik said, the eclectic nature of the set list was one of the good things about the gig. It was great that the same band that played 'Shout to the Top' could also play a bustling power-pop song like 'Eton Rifles' and then trip right out on 'Pieces of a Dream'.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown,

    We're going to Phoenix Foundation, and that I'm looking forward to.

    See you there!

    Except the probably standing up bit. I'm not really into standing around at concerts, even if it's dancey music. I'd rather sit down and be comfy. But the Powerstation didn't do comfort in the old days, and I'm fairly sure that hasn't changed.

    There's no sitting when it's as full as it was last night, but it's not bad. Timing my arrival for the start of the show and spending 90 mins on or about the dancefloor works for me. Got no love for standing around for an hour before the show starts these days.

    But again, I find a decent pair of earplugs handy on the dancefloor at that venue.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • Geoff Lealand,

    Good to be honest about--wedged upright in the King's Arms for nearly 4 hours, for the Lil' Band 'o Gold, was a bit of a trial.
    Hoping for a Waikato win tonight, of course, but they do have a history of mucking it up at the last post.

    Any chance of Arcade Fire or Mumford and Sons or The Felice Brothers touring here?

    Screen & Media Studies, U… • Since Oct 2007 • 2562 posts Report Reply

  • Danielle,

    Sort of "Your Latest Trick" meets "Baker Street", was it?

    Hey, I *like* 'Baker Street'. No, it wasn't the notes so much as the gesturing, grimacing, and mugging to which I thoroughly objected. You know when a rockin' guitarist does solo-face? It was like that, but with a saxophone (and various other instruments).

    Not this Chris Bell?

    I could have told him that telling yourself you're the cosmos every night is not a cure for depression. But it is such a lovely album...

    There's no sitting when it's as full as it was last night, but it's not bad.

    If you get there early enough it is possible to sit reasonably comfortably up against the wall on the backs of the side-couches and still see the stage. (If, for example, one had issues with standing for any length of time because one was due to have a baby that very day.)

    Charo World. Cuchi-cuchi!… • Since Nov 2006 • 3828 posts Report Reply

  • Chris Bell,

    That's right: not that Chris Bell. We are many. Some would say too many, but then apparently we are the Cosmos.

    Try telling Stephen Hawking that.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 49 posts Report Reply

  • Chris Bell,

    I recommend '7 + 3 Is The Striker's Name' from the 'Wake Up The Nation' sessions.

    Nice video to go with it on iTunes.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 49 posts Report Reply

  • Simon Grigg,

    I'm jealous Russell. I own every Weller album (some of the solo ones only because I was able to snaffle them from the label) but I've not seen him live since The Style Council in London in '83 on the Our Favourite Shop tour.

    The mid 90s onwards were patchy as he tried reinvent himself as a kind of latter day Stevie Marriott, but the last few albums have been rather good in a warm and fuzzy way, with some gorgeous ballads on each.

    The BBC sessions from a few years back is quite thrilling in places. I love the killer take of Marvin's What's Going On where he turns that seventies anthem into a sixties Motown mod stomper with swirling Hammonds and all.

    And it's only a fiver now I see.

    Just another klong... • Since Nov 2006 • 3284 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown,

    And it's only a fiver now I see.

    But $33.99 on iTunes NZ, 74 songs. Can you recommend two or three killer tracks?

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • Neil Morrison,

    I haven't been to the Power Station for a while but whenever I'm gone its been great. Nice size, gets a good atmosphere.

    One of the greatest shows I've seen was Dread Zeppelin playing there. Tortelvis got on the drums and did When the Levee Breaks. Never heard such a great drum sound before or since.

    Since Nov 2006 • 932 posts Report Reply

  • Neil Morrison,

    oops, that's a freudian slip

    Since Nov 2006 • 932 posts Report Reply

  • Simon Grigg,

    Can you recommend two or three killer tracks?

    The aforementioned Marvin, a acoustic version of Sister Sledge's Thinking Of You (much better than the version on his very patchy covers album) which accentuates what a wonderful composition the Rogers/ Edwards penned song is. All I Wanna Do is a terrific power ballad (yeech, I know, but ignore the instinctive warning bells in your head that the phrase triggers) from the second to last album. Just Like Yesterday sounds like early Style Council without the pretensions.

    There's a 34 track Best of the BBC Session on iTunes too, which is half the price.

    Just another klong... • Since Nov 2006 • 3284 posts Report Reply

  • Craig Ranapia,

    I own every Weller album

    Weller's a bit like Miles Davis -- if you say you like all of it, you either have astoundingly catholic tastes (and a genius for repressing painful memories), or you're lying. But, in the end, I'm more interested in someone who is willing to over-reach and fall on his arse then be dully competent year after year.

    North Shore, Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 12370 posts Report Reply

  • Simon Grigg,

    dully competent year after year.

    I think Weller is at his most dull when he does his workman dad-rock stuff. And even though it was almost unlistenable in places I was fascinated to see what he was trying to do towards the end of The Style Council.

    The worst part about many legacy acts is the bi-annual announcement of 'a new album' which, for many, just means another album that fits seamlessly into a dreary sequence. I kinda like that people like Weller, Costello, and, yes, even Paul McCartney don't do that. It must be so fucking boring to be most rawk acts after album 10.

    Just another klong... • Since Nov 2006 • 3284 posts Report Reply

  • Tony Parker,

    I kinda like that people like Weller, Costello, and, yes, even Paul McCartney don't do that

    I'd put Neil Young (even if some of his recent stuff has been less than stellar) and Richard Thompson on that list too. Probably Robert Plant at the moment too.

    Napier • Since Nov 2008 • 232 posts Report Reply

  • Petra,

    I try to avoid feelings like envy...
    But in this thread, I feels it.

    Rotorua • Since Mar 2007 • 317 posts Report Reply

  • Ross Mason,

    After going to the other side of the world in August for two weeks in Zagreb and as we drove from the airport I saw a poster for Leonard peforming there on Sunday 29th (I think), I cheered....until I realised we were flying out in the morning of the concert. AAGGGGHHHH.

    But....I have tickets for Monday in Wgtn. YEEEEAAAAAA!

    ...................I have waited a long time.

    Upper Hutt • Since Jun 2007 • 1590 posts Report Reply

  • Geoff Lealand,

    Bloody hell. That was close--Auckland deserved to win but Waikato sneaked in, in the final seconds (except that we didn't see much of it as Sky coverage crapped out). Final score: Waikato 38 Auckland 37

    Screen & Media Studies, U… • Since Oct 2007 • 2562 posts Report Reply

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