Sunday, 28 February 2010
The last few weeks revolutions and revelations
Black Daniel video recording was amazing fun. Drinking guiness all day with interesting people and waring surgical masks was brilliant.
Rehearsals with the french electric are going very well, we now have 3 finished songs and a 4th on its way.
Angry Bees, we don't talk about. If you are not there you will never know.
Bass playing, I love.
Last 18 Carat Gig 10th April Guided Missile, bring it on bring it on.
New job, great.
Drugs, at 33 2/3 years old, 1/3rd of a revolution too late, I have decided that I am totally 100% bored and sick and tired, of synthetic drugs and everything to do with them. They are all very well at the time, they all do pretty much the same thing on the way up, but they destroy friend ships, alienate people, cause psycosis and almost always denial of psychosis, and eventually cause heart attacks, strokes and slow, painful lonely deaths. Not to mention paranoia and discomfort directly afterwards. Clinging on to something that is always going to be running away from you. After personal experience of most of the above, I ask the question, is it worth it, the answer, no. They are not banned to stop people having fun. I'll just have a pint, cheers.
Rehearsals with the french electric are going very well, we now have 3 finished songs and a 4th on its way.
Angry Bees, we don't talk about. If you are not there you will never know.
Bass playing, I love.
Last 18 Carat Gig 10th April Guided Missile, bring it on bring it on.
New job, great.
Drugs, at 33 2/3 years old, 1/3rd of a revolution too late, I have decided that I am totally 100% bored and sick and tired, of synthetic drugs and everything to do with them. They are all very well at the time, they all do pretty much the same thing on the way up, but they destroy friend ships, alienate people, cause psycosis and almost always denial of psychosis, and eventually cause heart attacks, strokes and slow, painful lonely deaths. Not to mention paranoia and discomfort directly afterwards. Clinging on to something that is always going to be running away from you. After personal experience of most of the above, I ask the question, is it worth it, the answer, no. They are not banned to stop people having fun. I'll just have a pint, cheers.
Thursday, 18 February 2010
Rebekah brilliant
It is always nice when you go to see a bunch of friends perform in their relatively new bands and they are all pretty excellent.
I have to take my hat off to Rebekah Delgado, who performed a solo show with a few guests, one being our own Steve Horry, the others also excellent, a special mention to Sara on the Saw.
Rebekah, the songs that she sung were real, honest, saddening and sometimes down right funny. She was totally brilliant. Her lyrical observations on situations kept the entire audience captivated, some wondering (and wishing) that the songs were directed at them, some knowing what she means about certain situations and others, who didn’t empathise, definitely sympathised. It is not often that I see someone perform something that could quite genuinely change their lives. Top marks.
Keith, you know you are brilliant. You get no review.
Nicky, well, I was impressed. The Owls were definitely not what they seemed. They were a darn sight better. Hell those songs are depressing though, but again, honest, real and sometimes so close to the bone that you can feel them making contact. Adele you are not, funny, you definitely are.
I have to take my hat off to Rebekah Delgado, who performed a solo show with a few guests, one being our own Steve Horry, the others also excellent, a special mention to Sara on the Saw.
Rebekah, the songs that she sung were real, honest, saddening and sometimes down right funny. She was totally brilliant. Her lyrical observations on situations kept the entire audience captivated, some wondering (and wishing) that the songs were directed at them, some knowing what she means about certain situations and others, who didn’t empathise, definitely sympathised. It is not often that I see someone perform something that could quite genuinely change their lives. Top marks.
Keith, you know you are brilliant. You get no review.
Nicky, well, I was impressed. The Owls were definitely not what they seemed. They were a darn sight better. Hell those songs are depressing though, but again, honest, real and sometimes so close to the bone that you can feel them making contact. Adele you are not, funny, you definitely are.
Rebekah brilliant
It is always nice when you go to see a bunch of friends perform in their relatively new bands and they are all pretty excellent.
I have to take my hat off to Rebekah Delgado, who performed a solo show with a few guests, one being our own Steve Horry, the others also excellent, a special mention to Sara on the Saw.
Rebekah, the songs that she sung were real, honest, saddening and sometimes down right funny. She was totally brilliant. Her lyrical observations on situations kept the entire audience captivated, some wondering (and wishing) that the songs were directed at them, some knowing what she means about certain situations and others, who didn’t empathise, definitely sympathised. It is not often that I see someone perform something that could quite genuinely change their lives. Top marks.
Keith, you know you are brilliant. You get no review.
Nicky, well, I was impressed. The Owls were definitely not what they seemed. They were a darn sight better. Hell those songs are depressing though, but again, honest, real and sometimes so close to the bone that you can feel them making contact. Adele you are not, funny, you definitely are.
I have to take my hat off to Rebekah Delgado, who performed a solo show with a few guests, one being our own Steve Horry, the others also excellent, a special mention to Sara on the Saw.
Rebekah, the songs that she sung were real, honest, saddening and sometimes down right funny. She was totally brilliant. Her lyrical observations on situations kept the entire audience captivated, some wondering (and wishing) that the songs were directed at them, some knowing what she means about certain situations and others, who didn’t empathise, definitely sympathised. It is not often that I see someone perform something that could quite genuinely change their lives. Top marks.
Keith, you know you are brilliant. You get no review.
Nicky, well, I was impressed. The Owls were definitely not what they seemed. They were a darn sight better. Hell those songs are depressing though, but again, honest, real and sometimes so close to the bone that you can feel them making contact. Adele you are not, funny, you definitely are.
Wednesday, 17 February 2010
Well I never
I had no idea that Doug Yule sang lead on some of my fave Velvet Underground songs, what avoice that man has!
1968–1970
When Lou Reed fired bassist John Cale from The Velvet Underground in 1968, Yule (who had befriended the band in 1967) joined as Cale's replacement. He made his first studio appearance on their third album, The Velvet Underground (1969), playing bass and organ, as well as singing lead vocals on the ballad "Candy Says". Yule's contribution to the LP was considerable, and his vocals would later come in handy on the road. When Reed's voice became strained from touring, Yule would sing lead on several songs. While Cale had been a more experimental bass player, Yule was more technically proficient on the bass than Cale and his distinct melodic style suited Reed's desire to move into a more mainstream direction. On the band's fourth album, Loaded (1970), his role became even more prominent, singing lead vocals on several songs on the LP ("Who Loves The Sun", "New Age", "Lonesome Cowboy Bill", and "Oh! Sweet Nuthin'"), and playing six instruments (including keyboard and drums). Yule's brother, Billy, also joined in on the sessions as a drummer, as Maureen Tucker was pregnant and, therefore, absent for most of the recording
1968–1970
When Lou Reed fired bassist John Cale from The Velvet Underground in 1968, Yule (who had befriended the band in 1967) joined as Cale's replacement. He made his first studio appearance on their third album, The Velvet Underground (1969), playing bass and organ, as well as singing lead vocals on the ballad "Candy Says". Yule's contribution to the LP was considerable, and his vocals would later come in handy on the road. When Reed's voice became strained from touring, Yule would sing lead on several songs. While Cale had been a more experimental bass player, Yule was more technically proficient on the bass than Cale and his distinct melodic style suited Reed's desire to move into a more mainstream direction. On the band's fourth album, Loaded (1970), his role became even more prominent, singing lead vocals on several songs on the LP ("Who Loves The Sun", "New Age", "Lonesome Cowboy Bill", and "Oh! Sweet Nuthin'"), and playing six instruments (including keyboard and drums). Yule's brother, Billy, also joined in on the sessions as a drummer, as Maureen Tucker was pregnant and, therefore, absent for most of the recording
Bill Hicks was right. People have forgotten how to judge. Completely!
Mumford and Sons, if you read the reviews are “A good band.”
May be it is me that has forgotten how to judge, but to me it sounds like a bunch of fiddle de dee foppish bedwetting second rate over serious rubbish, and most of all, they are boring, dull, DULL, DULL , surely no one really cares about this sort of music, and if they do, why in Gods name do they? If you want to listen to “folk” music listen to traditional “folk” music produced by “folk” not “Faux” lk music or Fauxlk if you will, they are like a band of James Blunts, and not the side of James Blunt that is the comedy posh twat who was quite funny once on top gear, the side of James Blunt that had thick people singing “Your Beautiful” at each other everywhere you went before bursting into a chorus of “The way to Amarillo”. Am I right?
Mumford and Sons, if you read the reviews are “A good band.”
May be it is me that has forgotten how to judge, but to me it sounds like a bunch of fiddle de dee foppish bedwetting second rate over serious rubbish, and most of all, they are boring, dull, DULL, DULL , surely no one really cares about this sort of music, and if they do, why in Gods name do they? If you want to listen to “folk” music listen to traditional “folk” music produced by “folk” not “Faux” lk music or Fauxlk if you will, they are like a band of James Blunts, and not the side of James Blunt that is the comedy posh twat who was quite funny once on top gear, the side of James Blunt that had thick people singing “Your Beautiful” at each other everywhere you went before bursting into a chorus of “The way to Amarillo”. Am I right?
Tuesday, 16 February 2010
Ian Art Brut is playing guitar on the radio with Frank Black
Now that really is amazing and exciting.
Ian I am jealous and amazingly proud all at the same time
Ian I am jealous and amazingly proud all at the same time
Death of a love affair....
Last night heralded the death of a love affair, the 18 Carat Love Affair to be precise. The key to music is to form a band. Play some great gigs and some great songs to lots of people, to get played on the radio. To be loved by everyone you play too and love it yourself. At the point where any one of these things isn’t happening, take a cutlass and slice it to pieces and make sure that every one of those pieces is too good to play the Half Moon in Putney on a Monday night.
We will play one last gig, it will be fun, lots of fun. Never no fun with the 18 Carat Wreck Affair.
We will play one last gig, it will be fun, lots of fun. Never no fun with the 18 Carat Wreck Affair.
Monday, 15 February 2010
All "safe" bets are off.
Three strategies;
The “safe bet” has been the strategy of many a record company for the last few years.
Strategy one “People like The Editors and bought their records. So, all we need to do is find a band that sound a bit like them and through a tonne of cash at them. Do this enough times, throw enough sh*t at the wall and some of it will stick.
The second strategy, “This band are from Shoreditch/ New Cross, Shoreditch/New Cross is cool, lets give them a little money, not a lot, not enough, and get some photos of them into a classy twatty style magazine looking moody with some good hair.” A conversation Emily and I had with Stephen Malkmus, (see the name drop there, 10 million indie points) on the subject led him to say that this approach gives us two good songs and thousands of great photographs. I think two good songs is a bit of an exaggeration on his part. I can’t think of one.
Strategy three, pluck them straight out of BRIT school, give them a fake “cutsie cockerney” voice, dress them up in vintage and lie about their age, this has been the most successful strategy of the last few years and my god has is produced some dross.
None of these strategies will land us with a band that anyone actually will really ever care about for any length of time, the record companies, many of which are now in dire straits (they wouldn’t be if they had a Dire Straits) have failed to provide good new music to the people.
The “safe bet” has been the strategy of many a record company for the last few years.
Strategy one “People like The Editors and bought their records. So, all we need to do is find a band that sound a bit like them and through a tonne of cash at them. Do this enough times, throw enough sh*t at the wall and some of it will stick.
The second strategy, “This band are from Shoreditch/ New Cross, Shoreditch/New Cross is cool, lets give them a little money, not a lot, not enough, and get some photos of them into a classy twatty style magazine looking moody with some good hair.” A conversation Emily and I had with Stephen Malkmus, (see the name drop there, 10 million indie points) on the subject led him to say that this approach gives us two good songs and thousands of great photographs. I think two good songs is a bit of an exaggeration on his part. I can’t think of one.
Strategy three, pluck them straight out of BRIT school, give them a fake “cutsie cockerney” voice, dress them up in vintage and lie about their age, this has been the most successful strategy of the last few years and my god has is produced some dross.
None of these strategies will land us with a band that anyone actually will really ever care about for any length of time, the record companies, many of which are now in dire straits (they wouldn’t be if they had a Dire Straits) have failed to provide good new music to the people.
Saturday, 13 February 2010
Bands to look out for in 2010
Most bands are absolutely rubbish. They are serious, pretentious and not at all entertaining. These bands are enjoyed by people who are serious , pretentious and not at all entertaining.
Other bands are bandwagonesque, see almost every band that take influence from the liberstrokesdivisionorder. You are boring, go home, thank you, well not thank you, but good night. Don't get me wrong, I like Joy Division, I even have to admit that I quite like the libertines but as Eddie Argos wisely said, and many people missunderstood, "I can't stand the sound of the velvet underground, the SECOND time around". Now this is the 5th time around.
This is only my opinion, but it is the right one.
There are however , a few bands that aren't like this. At the moment, the best of these are Helmholtz Resonators, Black Daniel and White Witches.
Other bands are bandwagonesque, see almost every band that take influence from the liberstrokesdivisionorder. You are boring, go home, thank you, well not thank you, but good night. Don't get me wrong, I like Joy Division, I even have to admit that I quite like the libertines but as Eddie Argos wisely said, and many people missunderstood, "I can't stand the sound of the velvet underground, the SECOND time around". Now this is the 5th time around.
This is only my opinion, but it is the right one.
There are however , a few bands that aren't like this. At the moment, the best of these are Helmholtz Resonators, Black Daniel and White Witches.
Friday, 12 February 2010
The birth of the french electric
As some of you are aware, I was once in a band called Rhesus with Wayne Owens. Wayne and I have just formed a new band with Jimmy 2 Shoes on vox, Ciaran Mcnamee on Drums, Wayne on Guitar and keys and me on bass.
We have around 4 finished songs. So far so good. It woudl all fit nicely on the lost boys soundtrack. Some of it would sound ok on Raw Power.
I like playing the bass. I will be doing this a lot more, I intend to become the Arran Goodchild of bass players.
We have around 4 finished songs. So far so good. It woudl all fit nicely on the lost boys soundtrack. Some of it would sound ok on Raw Power.
I like playing the bass. I will be doing this a lot more, I intend to become the Arran Goodchild of bass players.
Noise Band Terrified Intoxicated Starry Eyed and Bollock Naked
Earlier in the week Steve Horry, Ciaran Mcnamee and myself formed a 3 piece noise band called the angry bees.
With in 20 mins we have two gigs confirmed.
The idea was born when I borrowed Liam Black Daniels distortion pedal last Sat night and accidently turned it up to 11. When I switched it on 60 japanese people shit with excitement.
I thought if we form a band where we all just do that for 30 mins without stopping we will be huge in Japan. I like japanese food and beer. Job done.
With in 20 mins we have two gigs confirmed.
The idea was born when I borrowed Liam Black Daniels distortion pedal last Sat night and accidently turned it up to 11. When I switched it on 60 japanese people shit with excitement.
I thought if we form a band where we all just do that for 30 mins without stopping we will be huge in Japan. I like japanese food and beer. Job done.
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