A collection of mp3s, videos, reviews, essays and observations of all things music. From traditional bluegrass and country all the way through to the indie rock/pop explosion going on at the moment. mp3s are a mixture of released albums and singles and hard to find studio and live bootlegs. Come have a look but don't forget to leave a comment. Debate is healthy!!
The 'very special' Gobs bootleg I spoke about was a recording of the last Go-Between's show prior to the split in Dec.1989. It was recorded at Max's in Sydney. I was actually at the show and for years I had a tape that was recorded off the desk. Somehow over the years I lost it and I lived with the 'guilt' of losing the only recording of the last Go-Betweens show. The guilt was lessened when they reformed and evaporated when a fellow from LA that I have conversed with on the Gobs message board sent me over this mp3. Turns out its the same recording. Guess more then one copy was made. Fans have dubbed the show "The Last Stand"...enjoy.
For those from Brisbane Robert Forster makes his first foray into serious live performing since Grant's death. "The Four Ages Of Robert Forster", is to be held over four very special nights at Brisbane's Powerhouse from July 25-28th. It looks at four phases of Robert's career from 1990 till today. The first three nights will feature Robert performing his solo records with the musicians that played and/or produced each record (or closest practical option). On the final evening Robert will perform Go-Betweens tracks from the three reformation albums. Personally the highlight will be the first night when joined by Bad Seeds' Mic Harvey and Thomas Wydler, Robert will perform 'Danger in the Past'. Its probably my favourite Robert work, with or without the Go-Betweens. Dark and moody performed with the Forster nuance and beautifully put together by Mic Harvey. The full program is as follows. Its being presented by the Queensland Music festival who finally have a director that is presenting an engaging program. The Pig City show is an amazing achievement. A reformed Saints and more. I'll talk more of this in coming weeks.
Wed 25 July - DANGER IN THE PAST (1990) Robert Forster Mick Harvey Thomas Wydler
Thu 26 July - CALLING FROM A COUNTRY PHONE (1993) Robert Forster Glen Thompson Dave McCormack John Bone
Fri 27 July - WARM NIGHTS (1996) Robert Forster Adele Pickvance Glen Thompson
Sat 28 July - GO- BETWEENS (2000-2005) Robert Forster Adele Pickvance Glen Thompson
Welcome to the Greatest Rock'n'Roll site in the World. As you may of guessed the title comes from the famous announcement introducing the Rolling Stones arrival on stage at Madison Square Gardens in November, 1969. It's captured on the 1970 live album "Get Yer Ya-Yas Out". Its very garbled and sounds as if 2 or 3 announcers are speaking at the same time, as best I can decipher here's the text -> " Where sorry for the delay is everybody ready, lets really hear it for the next band, the biggest band to visit New York in a long time, be cool and have a fantastic time, THE GREATEST ROCK'N'ROLL band IN THE WORLD the Rolling Stones, the Rolling Stones !!"
So to the announcer(s) thanks for the title.
I'm an Australian (from Brisbane) who has worked in music and with bands for the last 20 years - my entire working life. I hope that in the coming weeks, months and years (??) to share and educate you in music according to me. There will be a healthy splattering of mp3's, but rather then it simply becoming an mp3 dispensary like some other music blogs I'll also attempt to impart some of my ideas and theories about music and popular culture in general. This will be via essays, reviews and some pieces that I write for a number of magazines (a hobby, I have no intention of making it anything more).The mp3s will not only be studio records and singles, but also hard to get live and studio bootlegs. I have many thousands of vinyl records and CDs, and slowly I'm tackling the huge task of transferring them all to the electronic format. Obviously whats presented will represent my taste, thats an eclectic cocktail though. Everything from depression and beyond country and bluegrass through 50s rock and rockabilly, 60s, folk, pop and rock, New York 70s punk, english punk, 80s alt.rock, grunge, brit pop up to the American indie pop and rock of the last few years. Finally after years of mundane I think music over the last couple of years is interesting again. After 20 years working with music and 30 listening to it, it takes something special to pique my interest. North American Indie rock is strong at the moment, especially in NYC. I have a theory that if NYC is musically (and culturally in general) happening then it means that the state of music generally is healthy or at least its a precursor to what's about to come. (More about that in coming post) Ideally (if people can find this site - my amoeba on the arsehole of the 'net), then I'd hope we can get some debate and discussion going. Discussing the merit of 'X act' over 'Y act' or this album vs that album is one of life's great joys
Being from Brisbane the music being presented here will have a slight Australian bias. There's nothing wrong with that, for many years this country has produced outstanding Rock'n'Roll to adulation from Australians and empathy or worse, ignorance, from the rest of the world. Let me start with one of the greatest acts Australia ever produced, The Go-Betweens. They formed in 1978 at the University of Queensland by singer/song writers Robert Forster and Grant McLennan. Throughout the 1980s they produced some of the greatest pop records ever made. They were the quinesential critics darlings. Robert Christgau, the music editor of the Village Voice and arguably the most influential music critic of all time called them 'the most important songwriting partnership of the time'. U2 and REM lauded them as did more contemporary acts such as Belle and Sebastion and Franz Ferdinard. Despite all of this, commercial success evaded them and after six magnificant records, they disbanded under acrimonious circumstances in December 1989. If ever a band deserves the 'could of been, should of been, would of been' tag its the Gobs. Collapsing record companies, poor decisons and plain bad luck were the enemies.
Throughout the first half of the 90s both Grant and Robert produced brilliant but occasionally patchy solo records. In the mid 90s Les Inrockuptibles, the premier French music weekly listed the best bands of the 80s, the Gobs came in third (behind REM and the Smiths). As a celebration of this Forster and Mclennan were asked to perform at the magazines anniversary party. It was a step that would lead to reformation. Infrequent shows and even small tours followed. It was not without controversy as the reformed band did not include 80s stalwarts drummer Lindy Morrison and multi instrumentalist Amanda Brown. Despite this the shows were recieved rapturously almost without exception. In 2000 the band cemented the reformation with their first studio record in 12 years. It was followed by another in 2003 and the wonderful "Oceons Apart" in 2005.
On May 6th, 2006 Grant McLennan died suddenly of a heart attack aged only 48. It marked the end of the Go-Betweens. Grant's death has left an unfillable hole in this city. Far from the exclusive star Grant was omnipresent in this city. He wrote of this town (and state) like no one ever had before (or probably will again.) It wasn't a glamourised narrative, in fact in many cases the opposite was true, it was a reaction to his surrounds, a visceral response that gave it its Brisbane ness. He used evocative metaphor, honesty, beauty and a self depricating sense of humour to create an atmosphere of life in Queensland. He achieved this despite spending the majority of the first Go-Betweens incarnation living in the UK.
Professionally I owe the Gobs a lot because they took chances with me in the early days of my carrer. Personally Grant was a friend and I miss him dearly. A sweet man who always took the time.
This is an mp3 blog, however I'm coming towards the months end and as such I'm having bandwidth issues. So forgive me for posting videos. In early June I'll put up a very special Gobs bootleg. But for now enjoy from from 1987s Tallulah, 'Bye, Bye Pride' and from the 2000 comeback record, The Friends of Rachel Worth, 'Going Blind'. (recorded live on the UK show, Later with Jools Holland). Both Grant penned songs - enjoy.
Going Blind (Live on Later with Jools Holland, 2000)
All mp3s ripped at a minimum of 192kbps unless otherwise indicated. If you like what you hear PLEASE purchase the CD. Music is meant be held as well as heard!
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