Hard News by Russell Brown

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Hard News: You've got to listen to the music

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  • chris,

    Yeah you are right about Muse Russell, those fellows effectively built a career sucking the greenmeanies from Mr F. Mercury's post-party schnoz.

    Mawkland • Since Jan 2010 • 1302 posts Report Reply

  • Kebabette,

    I reckon Muse has a line in beautiful bombast that's appealing.
    the horrible end of the pomp spectrum is the emocraptrapism that is 30 seconds to Mars does it.

    I'm not going to BDO, but I am going to Rufus Wainwright. Yummles!

    Christchurch • Since Feb 2007 • 221 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown,

    Oh, and I forgot to put this in the post: it looks like Stroke has shipped 12,000 copies in NZ, making it gold.

    The US launch will be a gig in New York, featuring several of the acts who've contributed recordings. Nice.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • pollywog,

    jeez chris...a first with your first post. what a jammy bastard! i am sooo wobbling with jelly. nah j/k

    i'm well over the BDO and have been for years. i do have fond memories of nine inch nails, limp bizkit and fatboy slim back in the day.


    and heres some stuff i traklisted from last year that floats my boat ( with a nod to Tim F at ilx for the UK FNKY shit ;)

    1. Burial - Fostercare (5:32)
    2. vvv - e´meute (5:08)
    3. Boxcutter - Detrak (4:03)
    4. Lulu Rouge - Melankoli (Mungolian Jetset Wet version) (10:34)
    5. Hot Toddy - I Need Love (Morgan Geist Love Dub) (6:29)
    6. Caspa - Lon-Don City feat. Uncle Sam - Original Mix (4:22)
    7. Two Fingers - Whatuknowabout (Feat. Sway) (3:12)
    8. Major Notes - Holy Ghost (4:05)
    9. Busy Signal - Da Style Deh (2:35)
    10. Grand Puba - Get It (Toddla T Remix) (3:50)
    11. Dizzee Rascal - Bonkers (Produced By Armand Van Helden) (2:57)
    12. King Cannibal - Dirt Featuring Daddy Freddy (4:57)
    13. King Midas Sound - Cool Out (3:00)
    14. RSD - Depend (Lovas) (4:16)
    15. Reso - Hemisphere (6:10)
    16. Sean Paul - So Fine (Joker Remix) (4:35)
    17. Fuzzy Logik ft. Egypt - In The Morning (5:18)
    18. Rudenko - Everybody (Fingaprint remix) (5:04)
    19. Ellie Goulding - Under The Sheets (Pariah Remix) (4:50)
    20. Calvin Harris - I'm Not Alone (Extended Mix) (4:28)
    21. Wiley Feat. Emeli Sandé - Never Be Your Woman (Solo (UK) 'Loves Garage' Remix) (4:02)
    22. N-Dubz - Number 1 (ft Tinchy Stryder) (N-Dubz Remix) (3:33)
    23. Lil' wayne - I feel like dying (flying lotus mix)(2:39)
    24. Lil B - I'm God (4:36)
    25. Pill - Trap Goin' Ham (3:32)
    26. TQ - Diamond In The Back (4:34)
    27. Ryan Leslie - Gibberish (4:20)
    28. M-Swift - The Sun (Interlude) (1:00)

    might re encode em and up it as a mix cos they cross fade pretty well. the lack of guitar wank in the selection is not accidental.just not feeling the gat eh...

    somewhere else • Since Dec 2009 • 152 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown,

    i do have fond memories of ... limp bizkit

    That's it. You're banned.

    ;-)

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • Samuel Scott,

    I have to say that I am much more excited by the Laneways lineup than the BDO, and not just because its the one I'm playing at. Daniel Johnston, the Bunnymen, Surf City, 3D's. It is just more catered to my taste I think (the post 30 grumpus music snob demographic).

    I really enjoyed the BDO last year but my whole day was sprinkled with the happy knowledge that I was going to see Neil Young at the end of it. Without a draw like that the half dozen bands I like a fair bit (but would rather see at a small venue) are not that attractive a reason to be stuck in a sun baked sound prison for 10 hours.

    ...after seeing Ladyhawk at R'n'V last year I would highly recommend seeing her set. She knows how to rule a festival.

    I am really excited about seeing the 3Ds. Only saw them once, at my first BDO experience I believe. Their music has aged very well.

    South Wellington • Since Feb 2008 • 315 posts Report Reply

  • pollywog,

    That's it. You're banned.

    haha...well it was more sitting round the vip tent with the skaters and fred durst rolls up wanting a seat. so we all look at him like hes the gimp from pulp fiction before he strolls off with his huge ass tribal tattoed bodyguard in tow. the very same one who was pulling punters over the barrier when the moshpit collpased during their set and they had to stop the show.

    though minus fred they were a shit hot band i thought, as good as mudvayne and korn who also standout form the BDO memory haze

    somewhere else • Since Dec 2009 • 152 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown,

    I have to say that I am much more excited by the Laneways lineup than the BDO, and not just because its the one I'm playing at. Daniel Johnston, the Bunnymen, Surf City, 3D's. It is just more catered to my taste I think (the post 30 grumpus music snob demographic).

    Yeah, they've totally nailed that. I'm not sure what'm going to make of Florence and the Machine and the Xx -- most of their tunes that I really like are remixes.

    I really enjoyed the BDO last year but my whole day was sprinkled with the happy knowledge that I was going to see Neil Young at the end of it.

    There were a few good things along the way -- watching Pendulum drive the kids wild was great fun, and Hot Chip were brilliant. But yeah, noting really compares to Neil.

    ...after seeing Ladyhawk at R'n'V last year I would highly recommend seeing her set. She knows how to rule a festival.

    And yet ... I have a feeling about Kora. Damn.

    I am really excited about seeing the 3Ds. Only saw them once, at my first BDO experience I believe. Their music has aged very well.

    Indeed. I'm looking forward to seeing your band too. But shouldn't you be like, somewhere finishing your album? I mean, that kooky Christmas thing was all very well, but ...

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • 3410,

    Not sure how Laneway is going to work. That square is smaller than my house!

    Auckland • Since Jan 2007 • 2618 posts Report Reply

  • Geoff Lealand,

    I have to say that I am much more excited by the Laneways lineup than the BDO

    ..and, dare I say, I am looking forward to Al Green at the Civic on Jan 21 more than any of that...

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

  • philipmatthews,

    Oh, and I forgot to put this in the post: it looks like Stroke has shipped 12,000 copies in NZ, making it gold.

    Would be interesting to know if any Knox solo album has ever sold more?

    The US launch will be a gig in New York, featuring several of the acts who've contributed recordings. Nice.

    Apparently the US release has an extra track -- Jeff Mangum doing "Sign the Dotted Line". As it's off Weeville, it would go on disc 2 (yes, I'm still in the CD age). I guess it makes sense that the Americans seem to be doing more of the 90s Tall Dwarfs and solo stuff. But my current favourite on that record is Peter Gutteridge's "Don't Catch Fire". Lovely. Didn't know Gutteridge could sound like that ...

    Christchurch • Since Nov 2007 • 656 posts Report Reply

  • Geoff Lealand,

    Is that Jeff Mangum aka Neutral Milk Hotel?

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

  • philipmatthews,

    Is that Jeff Mangum aka Neutral Milk Hotel?

    Yep. Have to admit I don't really know his/their stuff, but a lot of people rave about him ...

    Back to the festival thread. As an older punter, Laneways tempts me more than BDO this year although I won't be making either. I was pretty sure that in their day -- c1992, 93, 94 -- the 3Ds were the best live band in NZ, largely thanks to the barely contained -- and sometimes not contained -- mania of the great David Mitchell.

    Christchurch • Since Nov 2007 • 656 posts Report Reply

  • Grant McDougall,

    The BDO line-up by and large leaves me cold, as does a lot of the Laneways line-up, other than the 3Ds and Dirty Three.
    Surely they could've got a far more exciting, relevant and substantial headliner than the clapped-out remains of Echo and the Bunnymen ?

    Dunedin • Since Dec 2006 • 760 posts Report Reply

  • jeremy gray,

    While we are on the subject of Chris Knox covers, how come the "Not Given Lightly: A Tribute To The Giant Golden Book Of New Zealands Alternative Music Scene" album didn't get more hype here? It is an album released by Morr music, who are releasing the new the clean album internationally, first disc all covers of old nz stuff by morr artists, second disc new morr stuff.

    I tried to buy a copy from real groovy for an mp3 impaired friend and they said "Oh, that sounds like something we would sell, but we have never heard of it".

    point chev • Since Apr 2008 • 44 posts Report Reply

  • lotech,

    After seeing Kora @ R&V my thought was that their live show has gone backwards from other times I've seen them. The standout set for me was Major Lazer this year. It's a shame as I didn't see much on the main stage to get excited about. Maybe we were just a little spoilt having sourced an amazing house that seemed to be better than the drunken teen fest that was R&V.

    As for BDO - Its both good and bad to see Dizzee going main stage. He certainly gets the crowds to deserve it but I do have one of my fondest BDO memories of him completely packing the Boiler Room to over capacity while I sweated over/into the trackpad of my laptop doing accompanying visuals.

    YAY Summer.

    AKNZ • Since Dec 2006 • 23 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown,

    Surely they could've got a far more exciting, relevant and substantial headliner than the clapped-out remains of Echo and the Bunnymen ?

    I've seen video of them playing last year, and it didn't do much for me. I'm surprised at how amped most oldsters I talk to are about it though. Or perhaps I'm not surprised ...

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • Caleb D'Anvers,

    Yeah, they've totally nailed that. I'm not sure what'm going to make of Florence and the Machine and the Xx -- most of their tunes that I really like are remixes.

    I'm with you on Florence and the Machine. It's like listening to Studio 99 covering P. J. Harvey. You keep asking yourself -- why does this thing even exist?

    London SE16 • Since Mar 2008 • 482 posts Report Reply

  • Peter Darlington,

    As I'll probably be in Auckland in January 2011 I'd like the BDO organisers to think seriously about King Midas, Darkstar, Nero, Mungolian Jetset and Andrew Weatherall. It's not too much to ask...

    Nelson • Since Nov 2006 • 949 posts Report Reply

  • Tony Parker,

    I really enjoyed the BDO last year but my whole day was sprinkled with the happy knowledge that I was going to see Neil Young at the end of it. Without a draw like that the half dozen bands I like a fair bit (but would rather see at a small venue) are not that attractive a reason to be stuck in a sun baked sound prison for 10 hours.

    My feelings too. It was my first and probably last BDO. The small venue/concert hall does it for me these days. That's why I'm looking forward to Marianne Dissard and Grant Hart at the Cabana here in Napier, Neko Case at the SFBH and Calexico at the Welly festival over the next couple of months.
    Oh and Mr Scott-it's time you played Napier again!!

    Napier • Since Nov 2008 • 232 posts Report Reply

  • Danielle,

    There are no more festivals in my future for the moment, which is rather a bummer. I would love to see the 3Ds again.

    I have a feeling about Kora

    Is that feeling 'meh'? Because that was my feeling seeing them at WOMAD a couple of years ago. :)

    Is that Jeff Mangum aka Neutral Milk Hotel?
    Yep. Have to admit I don't really know his/their stuff, but a lot of people rave about him ...

    I still think In the Aeroplane Over the Sea is really, really amazing. Warning: weird lyrics like 'semen stains the mountaintops' often pop into my head and are not things you can sing comfortably in public.

    ..and, dare I say, I am looking forward to Al Green at the Civic on Jan 21 more than any of that...

    Geoff, seriously. Oh. Em. Gee. I am so excited about Al Green I can't even handle it. (And high expectations are often a guarantee of disappointment, so I probably need to dial it down a notch.)

    Soul nerd note: Willie Mitchell, Al's producer for those classic 70s albums on Hi Records, died yesterday. Here's another one of his amazing arrangement/production jobs, Ann Peebles' 'I'm Gonna Tear Your Playhouse Down'. Swoon.

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

  • Matthew Littlewood,

    Aw yeah. Willie Mitchel is one of my favourites that Hi-sound is just...ineffable isn't- somehow finding a perfect middle ground between the brassy toughness of Stax/Atlantic and the silky sinuousness of Gamble & Huff/Philly soul in general. And Mitchell's arrangements were as much a part of that as the voices of Greene and Peebles, both of which would be among my favourite music.

    82 is a good innings, but it is sad. Didn't he also help out with Cat Power's excellent The Greatest , recently- I thought that record was a real coup, not quite Big Star's SisterLovers meets Dusty in Memphis, but so close that it didn't matter.

    Anyway, back to the BDO, I'll be going again (for the 8th time in a row) this year, but...

    The schedule for the Big Day Out 2010 is here, as a jpeg or a PDF. And on reading it, I'm a bit … ambivalent. In one sense, that's silly: a festival featuring Groove Armada, Lilly Allen, Dizzee Rascal, Peaches, The Veils, Dimmer, The Decemberists, The Horrors, Kora, Ladyhawke, Simian Mobile Disco and others playing in a single day ought to be much to my taste.

    I think the problem with that lineup is that good as it is, we've seen many of them at BDOs before. And while it's great that Dizzee is finally on the main stage after steaming up the boiler room twice before, I wonder whether he'll have the same intensity in an open area.

    Simply, the lineup doesn't really have an ace up its sleeze- whether it's Kraftwerk/Underworld in 03, Flaming Lips in 04, Stooges in 06 or Bjork /Arcade Fire/Clean in 08 or Neil Young last year. Still regardless of who's playing, it's always great fun.

    If anyone wants to meet up with me before or afterwards, or even there, (hey, I'm just offering!), let me know, I'm up in Auckland from the 13th to the 19th.


    Agree with RB about Muse, but I find their obsessive fanbase just...fascinating. They've clearly found their niche- not quite bogan enough for metalheads, not quite pseudy enough for indie aesthes.
    Edit: word to the wise- always remember, when working one piece, don't copy and past it into another accidentally

    Today, Tomorrow, Timaru • Since Jan 2007 • 449 posts Report Reply

  • Geoff Lealand,

    Geoff, seriously. Oh. Em. Gee. I am so excited about Al Green

    Just as long as he sings "Belle". I saw him on Later With Jools Holland a couple of weeks back and I thought his voice was straining a bit at the high notes. But any notes will be good.

    Happy to buy you a drink or two, if I run into you at the Civic.

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

  • bronwyn,

    After seeing Kora @ R&V my thought was that their live show has gone backwards from other times I've seen them.

    That would be a real step backward then - I still think that their 15 min long intro at Splore four years ago was one of the most exciting openings to a set I've ever seen, and I wasn't the only one by the way the crowd almost literally exploded when they finally all got on stage, and that carried through the rest of the set.

    I shan't be at the BDO this year (some of us have big gigs in Picton instead) but I can't say I'm especially disappointed - I have to really love a band, and know that the likelihood of me seeing them again in the next year or so in a better venue is small, to make it worth putting up with all the not-rad things about it. (see: Rage fans hating on Bjork, 14 year olds making the most of being out of the house without parents, people who are old enough to know better throwing beer at strangers just for a laugh etc. etc).

    tamaki makaurau • Since Nov 2006 • 86 posts Report Reply

  • Simon Grigg,

    I'm down with the Willie Mitchell fest. This live (in I think, Hi Studios) take of I Can't Stand The Rain is rather special:

    and Syl, who's often left in the Hi shadow of Al and Ann but is something else:

    I'd love to post it here, however the f**king laptop is in Nvidia hell right now and I can't find the link, but the original, Willie Mitchell produced take of The Only Flame in Town by Teachers' Edition, as covered by Elvis Costello, is one of those obscure old soul things you wander across sometimes and simply can't work out why it wasn't a worldwide hit.

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

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