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Top 10 Albums 2007

2008-01-11T19:32:00.000-08:00

1. Spoon - Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga
2. Blonde Redhead - 23
3. Interpol - Our Love to Admire
4. The National - Boxer
5. Radiohead - In Rainbows (CD 1 + 2)
6. Okkervil River - The Stage Names
7. LCD Soundsystem - Sound of Silver
8. Black Francis - Bluefinger
9. The Good, the Bad & the Queen - The Good, the Bad & the Queen
10. Deerhunter - Cryptograms/ Fluorescent Grey EP

Mixtape this time in T

2007-12-15T06:19:00.000-08:00

Talking Heads - Life During Wartime

Tapes 'n Tapes - Insistor

Teardrop Explodes - Passionate Friend

Teenage Fanclub - Sparky's Dream

The Thermals - No Cultural Icons

They Might be Giants - Ana Ng

Tom Waits - Whistlin' Past the Graveyard

Townes Van Zandt - No Lonesome Tune

Tubeway Army - Are Friends Electric

TV On The Radio - Wolf Like Me

Television - Venus

Turbonegro - All My Friends Are Dead

Enjoy.....

Movie Review

2007-12-06T18:44:00.000-08:00

Head over to the movie review section to read my review of the Ian Curtis biopic 'Control'. Its great and to celebrate I've uploaded the relatively rare Joy Division complete Peel sessions. For both the download and the review clickhere.

Another mix tape, this time in 'D'....

2007-11-26T03:27:00.000-08:00

Been really busy of late so apologies for lack of attention. To tie things over here's another mixtape, this time with acts starting with 'D'. Though it may appear that I've stopped writing for this blog I haven't, new pieces will be up soon. They include a celebratory piece on the reformation of My Bloody Valentine and a similarly themed observance of the Died Pretty reformation. They will be performing their classic 'Doughboy Hollow' album as part of the Australian 'Don't Look Back' shows throughout Australia in January.
Anyway for now enjoy the Ds....

The Damned - Smash it Up

Dandy Warhols - Heroin is so Passe

David Bowie - Quicksand - Demo version, a bonus track on the CD of Hunky Dory.

David McComb & Adam Peters - Don't Go Home With Your Hard-On

De La Soul - Eye Know

The Decemberists - The Crane Wife 3 - The Crane Wife is a wonderful (if not a little disturbing) Japanese traditional tale. A naive illustration of the story can be found here.

DEVO - Uncontrollable Urge - a very rare live version recorded at Brisbane's Livid Festival in 1997

Died Pretty - Blue Sky Day

Dinosaur Jr - Almost Ready

Donovan - Hurdy Gurdy Man

The Drones - Jezebel

Dusty Springfield - Son of a Preacher Man

Dead Kennedys - California Uber Alles

And finally the hilariously bad first single from Dee Dee King's (nee Ramone) ill fated hiphop career. Dee Dee himself later admitted its awful, though very funny.

DeeDee King - Funky Man

A mixtape in S

2007-11-16T22:42:00.000-08:00

To follow a bunch of random songs from acts whose name begins with "S". I seem to have a disproportionate amount of "S" acts so picking these was a little difficult. Is it just me or there or are there a lot of "S" bands out there?
Anyway enjoy......

Screamfeeder - Wrote you off

The Saints - Private Affair

Smudge - Don't want to be Grant McLennan

Sebadoh - Skull

Secret Machines - Nowhere Again

Siouxsie & the Banshees - Hong Kong Garden

Sleater Kinney - I Wanna Be Your Joey Ramone

Sly and the Family Stone - Everyday People

The Shins - Kissing the Lipless

Sonic Youth - Youth against Facism

Special aka - Free Nelson Mandella

Stiff Little Fingers - Tin Soldiers

Straightjacket Fits -Sparkle that Shines

The Stranglers - Nuclear Device

Squeeze - Up the Junction

Suede - Animal Nitrate

Swervedriver - Never Lose That Feeling/Never Learn

Spoon - Rhthm & Soul

Sunnyboys - Happyman

Follow up on Oink.....

2007-11-04T02:02:00.000-08:00

Sorry have been really slack of late bunch of stuff going on.....

Just a quick post following up on Luke's comments below about the demise of Oink. I share his sentiments (though with a more family friendly adjoining image!!) its terribly sad that Oink has folded, I'm sure it won't be long till an alternative springs up (The Pirate Bay people are starting up a new site called 'Boink' though at this stage I know none of the details).

Record companies are the major losers in the digital age. I have little sympathy for them, they had the opportunity years ago to restructure their outdated business model, but they chose instead to chase after kids downloading in their bedrooms. Of course it would be easier to sand bag a Tsunami. Arrogance, complacency and stupidity were the catalyst for their downfall.
If your told that bands are suffering financially don't believe it. It makes a mockery of the Lars Ulrich (Metallica) led musician coailition of a few years back. These over paid rock stars leading the charge to sue downloaders was a gluttonous, embarrassing sham which highlighted the participants lack of understanding of the business they are in. It was greed pure and simple and did none of their reputations or their fan's support any favours. They may be losing revenue from record sales but the increased exposure their output is recieveing has other equally (or greater) rewarding consequences. Placement opportunities for the music is now immense. Seminal American act DEVO recently were given millions to record a song for a Dell computers ad, this despite not putting out a new record for over 15 years. As a consequence of the ad they were offered a new deal with interscope but knocked it back as 'pointless'. Radiohead released 'In Rainbows' to the 'net with a donation box as the payment method. Sources have reported that they had over a million downloads in the first 3 days with the average donation being four pounds. Retail in the UK is about 8 pounds and after the record company, retail, distributors etc have put their hands out there is no way the band would of collected 4 pounds. Radiohead are not a great example however, they are one of the biggest bands on the planet and have a fiercely loyal fan base and though the experiment should be commended it was always likely to succeed. Further they have just announced they have signed a deal with XL to release the CD version of the record. A curious development, one I'm sure retailers are applauding, I would of thought a purer spirit of independence would of seen them do some sort of mailout service.

Of course band income is not limited to extra publishing opportunities. The largest and most demonstrable benefit to bands is the strength of live music and the subsequent extra revenue. Obviously peoples access to the music is now at a an unthinkable level from just 10 years ago. I've been working in live music for almost 20 years and crowd numbers bands are enjoying now is like nothing I've seen. In fact its probably twice as strong now then it was 10 years ago. Club shows are now selling out with ease, bands who previously would of played clubs have graduated to theatres, theatre acts to halls or exhibition centres and bands who would of played halls are now playing arenas...it really is staggering. Simply, the old excuse when a band comes to your town 'I've never heard of them' or 'I don't know there music' is now superfulous as their music is a click away. (or at least streamed via myspace). On a more obvious level the more people that hear your music the more people that will enjoy your music and wish to see it live. Further the old economic chestnut of supply and demand has allowed acts to increase ticket prices disproportionalty to other sectors vying for the entertainment dollar, far outstripping the normal market CPI rate. Of course merchandising sales, will also benefit from increased exposure. Don't discount the financial benefits of successful merch. In all its guises its lucrative. We may see more and more knew lines of merch. (Maybe my Ramones lunchbox will finally have a companion!)

So I suppose the million dollar question is where to for the multinational record companies. As shown with their attacks on Oink they are still chasing the long dissipated genie, embarrassingly trying to replug the bottle. A significant clue of the rest of their long term stratergy had emerged in the UK over the last few months. Universal Music, have tried to diversify their operations. They have identified live music as a growth sector (geniuses!). They recently purchased one of the more significant live music agencies in England and are currently in negotiations to purchase a relatively large festival. This at least shows they are trying to think out of the box however their actions could have sinister outcomes. How will a company that has worked in recorded music for 50 years approach the live medium.....more then likely with the unscrupulous, monopolistic attitude that they have created an empire on. In practical terms what this means is that record companies will still sign bands, but rather then just signing them for recording they'll also be after control of their live schedule, the merchandise and even management, effectively creating a monopoly over an acts career. One of the benefits of having a team of people involved is varied input by a group of people whose personal success is linked to the acts so there is tangible motivation to have the act work. Personally I think it will only work in the realms of the top 40 chart fodder acts, all but the most insipid of acts will diversify their management structure and maintain a true sense of independence afforded to them with the help of technology. Getting signed to a label was the dream of millions of bands slogging it away in their parents garage, in times gone by it should of been. Record companies offered money to record, an established distribution, contacts in media that helped in getting your record played. I never really got the cry of 'they've sold out' when bands signed to a major, to me it was subversive for cool bands to be signed to a major, my favourite band reaching a much wider audience all from inside the belly of the corporate beast. I was generally delighted that a band I was into found success (Presuming they didn't drastically change to make it happen). Signing in the future under the model I proposed seems not only pointless but detrimental. Live music isn't dominated by big companies in many cases its small(er) business who get into music because they are passionate. If the multi nationals attempt a move into live music they'll be successful to a degree but with many festivals and live agents they will find strong resistance. When you build something from the ground, risking your meagre resources and brain cells to create successful business you become staunchly protective about its survival. Also for an act who have been with such an agency loyalty is major factor. Despite opinions to the contrary the rock business is generally a loyal endeavour. Based on this I doubt the multi national has the street smarts to compete in live music.
The rest of what is offered on a contract of the future looks equally irrelevant. Recording is no longer the enormous expense it once was, technology has advanced so much that many are now preferring the home studio option and recording to their PC's hard drive. The record company offer distribution into retail etc however their established network is a far cry from the internets efficiency to do the same thing. Record companies offer a promtional team and campaign another role the digital age offers an alternative to. The Arctic Monkeys are the poster kids for the new way of approaching publicity and promotion. From nowhere they launched an International career using predominately myspace and other net based promotions. A few years ago promoters wanting their events to be cool talked of a 'street' campaign to promote their event, now this grass roots promotion has been trumped by the incredible power of myspace, facebook, youtube etc.

The future looks bleak for the multi national record company and the blame is theirs. Their inability to reinvigorate the business model and themselves has proved their great undoing. Of course an idea maybe hatched that re-ignites them but if this is to occur they have to give up on trying to kill the internet. The opportunity to take a leading role in the the way music and the internet co-existed has well and truly past. The incredible amounts of energy and money they are blowing on this farce needs to be redirected immediately into a plan for tomorrow. There is no doubt that music fans owe the big companies a lot, they've been instrumental in introducing us to great music, I doubt that music fans of the future will echo such an utterance.

Vale OINK!

Come Back Little Piggy!

2007-10-26T18:37:00.000-07:00

With the demise of the greatest music download site in the world over the last week my life has fallen into utter turmoil. OiNK was not just a fantastic download/upload site it also ensured excellent quality and a strict ratio that ensured everybody shared. The quality(nothing less than 192kbps) was exceptional which has been highlighted by Radiohead's latest release, In Rainbows. Radiohead have tried to move with the times and release their latest album online for a voluntary fee but stupidly released it at an inferior quality so as to ensure that the obsessed listener buys the better quality CD. Dickheads - if you're going to do it do it properly and don't piss people off. I waited while the download took what seemed like hours - at OiNK a 70MB album could download in less than 2 minutes - only to receive a crackly piece of poo. FUCK OFF! Don't insult me like that and I'm sure there are many listeners out there of the same ilk.

I have being buying music since I was 8 years old(I'm now 41) and I have experienced many music revolutions but none has affected me like this latest gambit on behalf of the major labels. Sure OiNK was technically illegal but so was taping music when I was a kid. So was taping movies from the TV. So was listening to bootlegs. It goes on and on. The new music I heard through OiNK was exponential. I would travel through complete catalogues of bands and then buy those I really loved. I have bought hundreds of CDs because of OiNK as I like to feel and look at something when I'm listening but never again. I WILL NEVER BUY A CD AGAIN. I WILL NEVER PAY FOR A DOWNLOAD AGAIN. I will only buy CDs or pay for downloads when I know the money is going directly to the musicians. Music is primarily for listening and those who wish to continue to manipulate the system so as to make a squillion have had their day. I encourage everybody to do the same so the major labels have their teeth extracted by us, their consumers. We are the frontline of music distribution and therefore, we have control and like OiNK it will only work if we do it together.

Read this excellent article to get a more detailed grip on this farce: The Future of Music

Bit of fun even though I'm very pissed off:The Beatles - Piggies

Radiohead's Latest.

2007-10-25T18:10:00.000-07:00

Radiohead have returned with their first album in four years. They have produced their finest work since .... See the rest in our Record Review Section.

Sunday Morning in B….

2007-10-06T19:22:00.000-07:00

It’s Sunday morning, feeling very sensitive. Australia got booted out of the Rugby World Cup and I had a few to many ‘drowning my sorrows’ ales. So here’s a mix of Sunday Morning hungover tunes….I didn’t get any further then the letter B on my itunes so all the songs are from acts starting with B…enjoy.

Band of Horses - The Funeral

The Bats - Smoking her Wings

Belle & Sebastian - The Model

Billy Bragg and Wilco - Way over Yonder in the Minor Key

Bob Dylan - One more cup of Coffee

Bill Withers - Ain't no Sunshine

Bob Mould - Heartbreak a Stranger

Brian Eno - On Some faraway Beach

Bright Eyes - First Day of my Life

Box Tops - The Letter

Buffalo Springfield - For What its Worth

Buffalo Tom - Tail lights Fade

Got It Covered - The Top 40 Covers

2007-09-26T08:46:00.000-07:00

For every great cover there's 20 awful ones. What exactly it is that makes a great cover is hard to say. If it improves or reinterprets the original it's a good start. The cover is often scoffed at but as I realised while assembling this list there are a lot of great covers out there. I originally wanted a list of 20, but I kept remembering more until reducing it to 40 was a real challenge. Putting the songs in order was difficult and in many cases it was close enough is good enough. The criteria was more about how the song worked as a cover, rather then the songs artistic merit.
All songs are available for direct download.

40. Nico - The End : Nico's take on the Doors epic.

39. Camper Van Beethoven - Pictures of Matchstick Men : Great version of Status Quo's first hit.

38. Oasis - Cum on Feel the Noize : The brothers Gallagher's fun take on Slade's mid 70s monster.

37. Soft Cell – Tainted Love : Originally recorded by Englishwomen Gloria Jones in '64. Its been many times including four times before Soft Cell (including the Blue Oyster Cult)

36. Camera Obscura - Super Trouper : A particularly melancholy reinterpretation of the ABBA hit. Tracyanne Campbell's vocals are as beautiful of any women in music today.

35. David Bowie - Sorrow : Originally recorded in 1962 by Indiana band the The McCoys. In '66 UK band The Merseybeat had an Englsih top 5 hit with it.

34. John Lennon - Stand By Me : Originally written by Jon King in 1961. He wrote it for the Drifters but when they passed on it he released it himself. Its been covered many times since (including Otis Redding, U2, Marvin Gaye, Green Day, Isley Brothers, Sam Cooke and the Fugees). Lennon's version was released on his covers album 'Rock'n'Roll'. If any readers are unaware of the dramas Lennon had with Phil Spector while recording this its worth the research!

33. Pixies - Winterlong : Neil Young's Winterlong from 1977s triple album Decade gets the Pixies treatment

32. Urge Overkill - Girl You'll be a Women Soon : Neil Diamond's 1967 hit. Recorded by Urge for the Pulp Fiction soundtrack

31. Lemonheads - Different Drum : Written by Mike Nesmith, it was first recorded in 1967 by the Stone Poneys, Linda Ronstadt on lead vocals.It was her first hit.

30. The Rolling Stones - Route 66 : Originally recorded by Nat King Cole in 1946. The Stones rework appeared on their debut record - The Rolling Stones.

29. White Stripes - I Just Don't Know What To Do With Myself: Burt Bacharach classic, most famously recorded by Dusty Springfield.

28. Sonic Youth - Superstar : Oddly to some (myself included) the original version of this song was not the Carpenters, it was actually recorded a few times before that. The Sonic Youth take on it is in keeping with the Carpenters version. Thurston's vocal pushing the songs original theme, a tale of groupies.

27. Shonen Knife - Top of the World : Japan's wonderful all girl, power-pop trio redo The Carpenters.

26. Siouxsie and the Banshees - Dear Prudence : Siouxsie Sioux's dramatic goth pop take of John Lennon's classic.

25. Husker Du - Eight Miles High : The Huskers awesome punk rock rework of the Byrds classic.

24. Aztec Camera - Jump : Aztec Camera recorded their version of Van Hanlen's Jump in 1994. A radical reinterpretation, V.H's version makes you want to jump in air, Roddy Frame's jump off a cliff.

23. Futureheads - Hounds of Love : The futureheads amazing re working of Kate Bush.

22. Gary Jules - Mad World : Gary Jule's transformed Tear's for Fears early 80s new romantic hit into an emotive ballad. Recorded for the Donnie Darko soundtrack.

21. Johnny Cash & Joe Strummer - Redemption Song : a moving rework of Bob Marleys reggae classic. Interestingly both Joe and Mr. Cash had recorded versions of this individually before doing it together

20. Ryan Adams - Wonderwall : Ryan Adams introduces a level of emotion not evident in Oasis's original. Noel Gallagher a fan of Adam's version, has since performed the song live in keeping with Ryan Adam's cover.

19. Talking Heads - Take me to the River : Talking Heads rework the Al Green classic. It first appeared on More Songs About Buildings and Food, but it became a hit for the Talking Heads after appearing in 1983 concert film, Stop Making Sense.

18. The Specials - A Message to You Rudy : Originally by Jamaican Reggae/Ska pioneer Dandy Livingstone. On release by The Specials it became an instant ska classic.

17. Cowboy Junkies - Sweet Jane : Canada's Cowboy Junkies, redo the Velvets classic. A beautiful version

16. Patti Smith - Gloria : Patti Smith's cover of Van Morrison. A great version of an oft covered song.

15. Butthole Surfers - Hurdy Gurdy Man : San Antonio's bent rocker's reinvent the Donovan's hit. Awesome!

14. The Clash – Police And Thieves : The Clash's classic version appears on their eponymous debut. It was originally released by Jamaican reggae performer Junior Murvin who wrote it with legendary Jamaican producer Lee Scratch Perry.

13. The Cramps - Goo Goo Muck : I often forget just how much I love the Cramps. Here they take an obscure 60s garage song by Ronnie Cook & The Gaylads and for all intensive purposes make it there own.

12. DEVO - Satisfaction : A DEVOlved cover from Akrons finest spuds. A brilliantly bent version of the Stones' classic.

11. Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds - In the Ghetto : In the Ghetto was written by Mac Davis for Elvis in 1969. Nick Cave's version was recorded during the From here to Eternity sessions. Its a lot darker and more sinister version of what was a bleak song to start with.

10. The Fall - Victoria : Ah, Mark.E.Smith, the worlds most lovable miserable git. Here he gives The Kinks Victoria The Fall treatment with spectacular results. A superb version.

9. Elvis Presley - Blue Suede Shoes : The song was written and originally recorded by Carl Perkins. It was the first thing Elvis recorded in 1965 after having his Sun contract bought out by RCA. Perkin's version was released only a short time before the Kings and was actually considerably more successful. As with most of Elvis' songs it oozes cool.

8. Dirty Old Town - The Pogues : This Pogues classic was original recorded by the Dubliners in the 1950s. Weirdly considering the two acts who had the most success with it was written by a Scotsmen, Ewan MacColl.

7. Nirvana - Man Who Sold the World : Bowies early classic gets the Kurt treatment. Nirvana recorded it for the MTV unplugged show. Its not dramatically different to the original showing that a dramatic reinterpretation isn't always necessary to create a great cover.

6. Aretha Franklin - Respect : Written and recorded by Otis Redding in 1965. He had moderate success with it. Aretha Franklin's huge voice made the track a world wide no.1 hit in 1967. Its now one of Aretha's signature tracks, R-E-S-P-E-C-T.

5. Johnny Cash - Hurt : Mr.Cash pulls out all the stops on this wonderful re work of the Nine Inch Nails song. Its said that when Trent Reznor first heard it he was in the studio and was so moved that he couldn't continue with the days session. Mark Romanak's video is perhaps the best ever made

4. John Cale - Hallelujah : People often talk of Jeff Buckley's version of the this Leonard Cohen classic. They obviously haven't heard John Cale's take on it. Its without doubt the definitive version.

3. This Mortal Coil - Song to the Siren : An amazing take on Tim Buckley's song. Cocteau Twin's Elizabeth Fraser's vocals deliver an ethereal and haunting interpretation.

2. I Heard it Through the Grapevine was originally penned by Motown staff writers Norman Whitfield and Barrett Strong and was first recorded in 1967 by Gladys Knight and the pips. It's been covered dozens of times, three of which share the no.2 spot on my countdown. A great example of how individual acts can stamp their own style on a cover.
a) I Heard it Through the Grapevine - Marvin Gaye : Recorded in 1967 Marvin Gaye's version was a number one hit. A beautiful smooth, soul take.
b) I Heard it Through the Grapevine - Creedance Clearwater Revival : Creedance's version is an 11 minute psychedelic rock epic. Vastly different from previous takes its a classic.
c) I Heard it Through the Grapevine - The Slits : The Slits were an all girl UK post punk band. Their version of Grapevine was dub heavy punk rock interpretation. Once again it was far removed from the previous recorded takes.

1. Jimi Hendrix - All along the Watchtower : I've never been a great fan of Hendrix but to me this is the most startling cover of them all. It shows the cover can make a strong artistic claim. Bob Dylan originally recorded it on 1967s John Wesley Harding. Dylan's version is typical of the time with acoustic guitar and harmonica solos playing off a lyric full of biblical and apocalyptic references. Hendrix replaces the harmonica with intense guitar solos and even wah wah interludes. Its force brings more venom to the song and adds an almost demonic overture to Dylan's lyrics. Dylan said on hearing it that it was a far superior version to his own. Dylan's own live versions of the track are now a lot closer to Jimi's then his original version.

Came close but no cigar songs :

The Flying Burrito Bros - Wild Horses, Youssou N'Dour - Chimes Of Freedom, Dead Kennedy's - Viva Las Vegas, The Sports - All the Tired Horses, The Clash - I Fought the Law, The Stranglers - Walk on By, The Beat - The Tears of a Clown, Jim Reid - (I'm) Stradard. A lot of Me First and the Gimme Gimmes tracks which I chose to ignore as picking one was to difficult

A few videos of some of the tracks...

Camera Obscura - Super Trouper. Live in Berlin

The Futureheads - Hounds Of Love

DEVO - Satisfaction - Live on Saturday Night Live, 1978.

Movie Reviews

2007-09-24T17:12:00.000-07:00

Movie Review Section.....

Today we are going to start including a few movie reviews. Its not my intention to do a lot of movie reviews, only ones that are deemed relevant. Today its 'Joe Strummer : The Future Is Unwritten'.The link to the movie page is
here
Enjoy

New York I Love Ya But Your Freakin' Me Out...part 2.

2007-09-20T23:41:00.000-07:00

Continues from Part 1 below.....

Disco was the punks arch nemesis, it was despised by the alternate crowd as much as it was loved by the club culture. Disco genesis was 60s soul and motown, the sound was urbanised and moved inside the New York and Philadelphia clubs. I don't pretend to me an expert on all things Disco but the little I know backs up NYC role in its development. Giorgio Moroder the influential Italian producer had been working an early form of disco in the early 70s creating a buzz in the European club scene. His development of the genre didn't reach full potential until he begun working with American acts, most notable NY native Donna Summer. From 1974 she had a run of Moroder produced hits : 'Love To Love You Baby', 'I Feel Love' and 'MacArthur Park' to name a few. Perhaps NYC's most overt influence was John Travolta's 'Saturday Night Fever', a film designed to showcase the disco culture. Set in New York and featuring music by the Bee Gee's 'Saturday Night Fever' solidified disco as a cultural phenomena. Though in its self a significant movement perhaps discos most important legacy is its roll in the rise of the 'D-J' and the club culture that mirrored the DJs rise. Suddenly the the DJ was no longer an anonymous face behind the console. The DJ now became a bonifide star, an attraction in his own right, drawing huge audiences to each 'performance' and demanding large salaries. Their rise also heralded the dawn of the super club, massive clubs with huge sound and light systems. Perhaps the most famous was Manhattan's 'Studio 54'. Made possible by disco's popularity Studio 54 had a capacity of 5000 people. It was one of forerunners in the super club phenomena that still dominates club culture today. Without disco one would doubt that the impetus would of existed for the explosion of house and techno in the 80s and 90s. Its influence of hiphop was significant also.

Hip Hop developed into music genre in New York in the mid to late 1970s. It began by taking the percussion beat out of disco tunes and mixing that sound with Jamaican rhythms. Finishing the sound is an MC who raps over the top. Lyrically it rarely strays from discussing the plight of African American issues and lifestyle. Gil Scott-Heron a New York based poet who started recording in 1971 is often credited as being one of the pioneers of hip hop. His jazz fuelled beats are the perfect foil for his politically charged spoken word. 'The Revolution will not be Televised' is perhaps his best known piece. Many say that fellow New Yorkers Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five were in fact the first true exponents of hip hop with their 1981 song 'The Message'. Hip Hop by its nature is fiercely urban, what better breeding ground could there be then the worlds leading metropolis. During the 80s hip hop developed and then flourished in NYC, a great many of the genres greatest names residing there. Public Enemy, LL Cool J, Run DMC and the Beastie Boys were some of earlier players. All these acts were signed to Rick Rubin's incredibly influential Def Jam Records. Rubin was a significant player in getting the music heard. Eventually hip hop metamorphosed to the west coast leading to the infamous clashes between the rival coast.

Commercially the 1980s was a vacuous musical time, big production and even bigger hair dominated. As is often the case the alternate scene rallied against the mundane and in contrast to the mainstream was socially and artistically buoyant. Across the US scenes developed everywhere. Minor Threat and Bad Brains (Washington), The Replacements & Husker Du (Minneapolis), The Minutemen (San Pedro), Dead Kennedys (San Francisco), REM (Athens Georgia), Black Flag (LA) and the Pixies (Boston) were some active acts in the 1980s. In New York City Sonic Youth lead the charge. Formed in 1981 Sonic Youth were originally exponents of the no wave genre, drawing influence from a diverse collection of artist including, The Stooges, the Velvets and Patti Smith through to Krautrock and the more avante garde work of John Cale. Sonic Youth's staying power and influence has proved immense. Musically the influence of their guitar driven angsty rock is everywhere. Perhaps nowhere more prominently displayed them in the grunge movement of the early 1990s.

More then a musical influence Sonic Youth have developed an almost religious persona amongst the American alternate rock scene. As survivors and role models to the the new 'youth' coming through they have proved invaluable. Thurston Moore especially is renowned for his advice and generosity of time. This is beautifully highlighted in 'The Year that Punk Broke' a Moore created doco showing the Sonics on tour through Europe with Nirvana, Dinosaur Jr, Babes in Toyland, Mudhoney and others. Through the film and beyond it its obvious the respect which the younger acts hold Thurston and his fellow sonics. Conversely a very real solicitude radiates from Moore, especially towards Kurt Cobain. Cobain spoke often about the influence Sonic Youth had on him both musically and personally. Sonic Youth are a great band, their records (Daydream Nation especially) are some of the best ever recorded but their influence is an equally significant part of their legacy.

The late 90s wasn't a great time for lovers of guitar music. Electronic music was the vogue. Big Beat, Drum and Bass, Trip Hop, Jungle and other variations were the popular sound of the day, with acts such as the Chemical Brothers, The Prodigy, Fatboy Slim and The Crystal Method some of its most popular exponents. Further what seemed to pass for rock'n'roll during this time was the nauseating rap/metal sounds of Korn, Limp Bizkit and Linkin Park. Guitar music needed a scene to develop to re establish its position. It should be of little surprise that that movement developed in NYC. The Strokes released their debut album 'Is this It' in 2001, with a level of hype unseen for a significant time. I recall a line from the Melbourne Age review claiming that "the Strokes have been sent to save Rock'n'Roll". The Strokes write clever songs with a strong garage influence. Rock was interesting again. As is often the way a scene developed around them. The Walkmen, TV on the Radio, Interpol, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, We Are Scientists and The Bravery are some of the prominent NYC indie rock acts playing today.

Dance music is not my strongest suite, much of it I find soulless and unsatisfying. There are exceptions a significant one is my final case study on New York. Electro Punk is the title given to the sound of LCD Soundsystem. 'LCD' is the vehicle employed by James Murphy. Murphy is a former drummer in New York guitar bands and a comedy writer who once turned down a job writing for Seinfeld as he didn't think it would be successful. Although vocally his 'borrowing' of the Mark.E.Smith delivery can become unnerving, LCD Soundsystem are one of the more interesting acts performing today. Vital records with interesting structure and intelligent, witty lyrics as well as being a dynamic live act. The title of these two articles "New York I Love Ya But Your Freakin' Me Out" is a line from the final song on LCD's 2nd album 'Sound of Silver'. Murphy is also one of the directors of DFA records a record company specialising in like minded acts. Probably the most significant of these (other then LCD) is fellow New Yorkers 'The Rapture' who along with LCD Soundsystem are the leading lights of the genre.

It may not be a complete theory but none the less I believe its a compelling arguement to justify New York's place at the head of the table in relation to musical influence over the last centuary. I started the article by saying its hard to imagine contemporary music without NYC, writing the two pieces has only enhanced the original synopsis, I hope you agree.

To downlaod : Sonic Youth's Goo, LCD Soundsystem's Sound of Silver and for direct download Gil Scott Heron's 7" masterpiece The Revolution will not be Televised. Also some videos of the acts discussed in this piece....enjoy!

Sonic Youth's Goo

LCD Soundsystem's Sound of Silver

Gil Scott Heron's The Revolution will not be Televised (4meg)

A Saturday Night Fever Medley

Sonic Youth's amazing video for Teenage Riot

The fantastic clip for Interpol's Evil

LCD Soundsystem live on Letterman - North American Scum

New Review

2007-09-06T17:42:00.000-07:00

The Pixies frontman, Black Francis has released a new album. Check out what we think in the Record Review Section.

New York I Love Ya But Your Freakin' Me Out...part 1

2007-09-03T03:15:00.000-07:00

Its hard to imagine contemporary music without New York City. Its seems that the big apple has trail blazed just about every musical innovation in modern music. A strong argument can be made that a healthy New York scene is imperative for contemporary music to flourish. From the early days of Jazz, through to the Greenwich Village Folk clubs, the CBGBs punk rock scene, disco, rap and hip hop to later day Indie rock have all found, if not their origins, then their leading lights in NYC. The image of New York City as the most vibrant city in the world has proved irresistible to the culturally aware and curious.

The origins of Jazz can be traced to the late 1800s in America's south, particularly New Orleans and Louisiana. In its purest form it combines traditional African and European sounds. During the first 1/4 of the 20th century it grew into a legitimate and influential movement. It was not until the 1930s that it started to fracture into its various sub genres. The Big Band sound, BeBop and Swing are a few exaplmes. Jazz had reached New York and through a combination of New York natives and migrants it flourished.The swing sound was the first to prosper. Swing is generally characterised by a strong rhythm section, usually double bass and it has a distinctive more upbeat style then traditional jazz. Almost all of the major exponents of swing lived in NYC. Duke Ellington, Count Basie, Cab Calloway, Artie Shaw, Coleman Hawkins, Louis Armstrong, Jelly Roll Morton, Chick Webb (to name a few) all spent the vast majority of their working lives in New York.

The frenetic improv that is BeBop also can trace its roots to New York. All the major players, Thelonious Monk, Dizzy Gillespie, Charlie Parker and Bud Powell all worked out of New York. Miles Davis and John Coltrane the genre busting exponents of modal jazz also spent most of the careers in New York. The hauntingly beautiful Jazz vocals of Billie Holiday and Ella Fitzgerald spent their careers as New Yorkers.
The genesis of Jazz may belong to the south but it took NYC for it to explore its diversity and reach its potential

The concept of New York being the precursor to all things music is not a complete theory and a resounding exception to the rule is the birth of Rhythm and Blues and ultimately Rock'n'Roll. The Blues was almost exclusively a creation of the black underclass of the south. Early bluesman like Robert Johnson (Mississippi), Blind Blake (Florida) and Blind Willie Johnson (Texas) never ventured far from their birth place. When the white folk got involved in the mid '50s they to were predominately from the Southern States. Elvis (Tennessee) and Jerry Lee Lewis (Louisiana) are but two examples. However it shouldn't be forgotten that Jazz (especially BeBop) played a significant role in the formation of the Rhythm and Blues sound. Further there is a theory that rock'n'roll lineage can in fact be traced back to 1850s at the notorious 5 point slum district in Manhattan. It's said that it was the first time that African rhythms were fused with European melodies, specifically those associated with the Irish Jig.

The 1950s were dominated by the explosion of Rock'n'Roll. Elvis, Buddy Holly, Jerry Lee Lewis, Chuck Berry and Bill Haley to name a few erupted into the worlds consciousness. NYC was a bit player in the paroxysm, its under belly was moving in a very different direction.
Greenwich Village had for some time been known as the avant-garde capital of the US but it was the emergence of the 'beat' scene in the 50s that solidified its reputation. 'Bohemians' from America wide converged on the Village. Some of the most important contemporary writers in America traded their wares in the village. Jack Kerouac, Charles Bukowski, Alan Ginsberg, William Burroughs, E. E. Cummings, Neal Cassady, Diane di Prima amongst others became known as the 'beat poets'. Coffee houses became performance spaces and the bars became the nightly venue for debate and parley. The Village scene was not limited to poets it was also the centre of the bourgeoning folk scene attracting many of the genres most important protagonist. Pete Seeger, Woody Guthrie, Tim Hardin and Dave Van Ronk were a few of the growing scene. As in the tradition of American folk they spoke of the times, highlighting the issues pertinent to their environments. As a culture movement the Village Beats of the 50s was truly significant, their cultural legacy is still strong today but for many their most lasting legacy was the magnetism that drew the 1960s generation to the Village.
Joan Baez, Phil Ochs, Andy Warhol and Bob Dylan were amongst the early 60s wave. Of these Dylan was the most significant. I've written more on Bob Dylan then anyone would care to read over the course of this blog but the Greenwich Village scene was a vital piece of what followed in the 60s and Bob was its leading light. Its almost impossible to truly qualify his musical, social and political relevance. Without Dylan's early landmark songs such as "Blowin' in the Wind" (1962), "Masters of War" (1963), "Talking World War III Blues" (1963), "Only a Pawn in Their Game" (1963), "A Hard Rain's A-Gonna Fall" and "The Times They Are A-Changin'" (1964) would the 60s still have galvanised as they did. They were anthemic speaking of the times. Were they prophetic rallying cries motivating people to the cause or were they simply a portrait of the world that already existed. Certainly the themes of which he spoke were not at the mass protest point at the time of recording them. That this question can even be posed is testament to his lyrical power. Musically his influence is equally contentious. Would the Beatles have progressed from "I want to hold your hand" or would the Beach Boys have remained at "Surfin' USA". As I said its impossible to properly qualify this, its undeniable the influence was immense and that 60s would of been at least somewhat different without his recorded output.
In fact the entire Village scene was vital in creating the 60s, Dylan migrated there to meet his idols and once there adopted their philosophy for mass consumption.
Later 60s New York certainly benefited, Leonard Cohen, Tim Buckley, Peter, Paul and Mary, Joni Mitchell and Simon and Garfunkel were just some of the acts.

Jimi Hendrix was another immensely influential musician who lived his creative life in NYC. Without Hendrix would we of got Sabbath and Led Zeppelin? Without those two acts would we have heavy metal today?

Of course New York also produced Andy Warhol's factory scene. The Velvet Underground were its musical stars. They are probably the most oft acknowledge band in the world. Never has a band been so influential and sold so few albums. In a time of LSD and flower power they wore leather and wrote songs of heroin, bondage and despair. A direct link between the Velvets and the mid 70s CBGBs scene is easily exposed (all be it via the Stooges in a few cases). Their overall influence is almost impossible to gauge - garage, punk, indie rock and pop would of been very different if not for the Velvet Underground.

With a few notable exceptions the first half of the 70s was dominated by acts who had created profile in the 60s, English Glam Rock and awful prog/art rock bands. Through the early 70s NYC was relatively quiet musically. This was to change by the mid 70s, a change that would alter popular music forever. The Country, Blue Grass, and Blues club (CBGBs) was opened in the Bowery district of Manhattan by Hilly Kristal in 1973. As its name implied, Kristal intended the bar to feature Country, Bluegrass and Blues music, in actuality the bar played host to a very different musical genre. It became famous as the birthplace of the punk movement. Ramones, Television, Mink Deville, Suicide, Patti Smith, The Dead Boys, The Heartbreakers, The Dictators, The Fleshtones, Blondie, and Talking Heads were all major players in the CBGBs scene. For a club that can lay a very serious claim to being the most important live music club ever, the reality was it was dump. It was tiny (in its original incarnation only holding 250 people), graffitied and crumbling. That aside from 1974 until '77 it played host to a remarkable scene. The first 'alternative' gig there was a one off by Suicide in late '73. It didn't really solidify into an alternative venue until March '74 when Television were given a weekly Sunday night residency. The NYC punk scene spread to England primarily via the efforts of Malcolm McLaren. In '74 he spent time in New York, during which time he managed the New York Dolls and made an ill fated attempt to manage an early incarnation of Television. On his return to the UK he recruited the sex Pistols and the rest is history.
It was reported that Hilly Kristal actually died last week at age 75. New York Times tribute can be read here. Rolling Stone's tribute is here . It includes this great Patti Smith quote : “Hilly dying made a flood of things come back to me. On that last night [at the club], he knew that we loved him. He stood up and we saluted him. I’m not trying to romanticize anything because in some ways it was a shithole. The sound was crappy, there was always things breaking down and glasses breaking and people vomiting and the rats scurrying around in the back, but it was our shithole and that was the greatest thing."

Tomorrow : Part 2 - NYC gives us Disco, rap and hip-hop, Sonic Youth and relaunches the Indie rock guitar music with The Strokes, Yeah Yeah, Yeahs, Interpol etc. Also electro can be cool - LCD Soundsystem, The Rapture.

To Download : The wonderful Ella Fitzerald's two disc set 'Recordings from 1936-37' and Television's seminal 1997 album 'Marquee Moon'

Ella Fitzgerald (Disc 1 of 2), Recordings from 1936-1937

Ella Fitzgerald (Disc 2 of 2), Recordings from 1936-1937

Television - 'Marquee Moon'

Some Videos :

Miles Davis & John Coltrane - 'So What'

Woody Guthrie from 1946

The Velvet Underground - 'Sunday Morning'

And 'Venus in Furs'

Patti Smith performs 'Elegie' at the final night of CBGBs, October 15, 2006

The Gun Club: Dressed up like an Elvis from Hell.

2007-08-21T21:28:00.000-07:00

{When reading this article - download and then listen to this music at maximum volume}
Run Through the Jungle - The Gun Club
Fire of Love - the Gun Club
Carry on Home - The Gun Club
Devil in the Woods - The Gun Club
Sex Beat - The Gun Club
Fire Spirit - The Gun Club
She's like herion to me - The Gun Club
For the Love of Ivy - The Gun Club

The Gun Club evolved from the mind of Jeffrey Lee Pierce and the punk scene of early 80's L.A.. This highly under-rated band forever seemed to be in the wrong place at the wrong time, always a step in front or behind the recognition they deserved. It wasn't until the advent of the web and the extraordinary availability of music that the howling excess of The Gun Club became a must for every serious collection. A new generation has caught the bug and people are starting to discover one of the greatest voices in rock music. Sure, The Gun Club could be construed as punk, rockabilly, punk/blues and country/punk but essentially they are just a great rock outfit. Even though the line up was like a checkout at the supermarket there was always the man with the enormous ego thrashing about out front. That man and that ego belongs to one of music's greatest fans, Jeffrey Lee Pierce. This short, half mexican with the flamboyance of beached goldfish was once a music journalist for the L.A. punk rag, Slash and president of the Blondie fan club. A music tragic without doubt. He took his love of music and convinced himself, as well as Kid 'Congo' Powers (The Gun Club, The Cramps and The Bad Seeds), to begin a style of music that would rip the guts out of the tradition of American music. This band was doing covers of the old master himself, Robert (sold his soul at the crossroads)Johnson, when most in the alternative music scene had never heard of him. It wasn't exactly smooth sailing for The Gun Club as JLP was a difficult customer, to say the least, and the band's personnel changed as regularly as JLP's moods. JLP had a difficult time being professional as he had a wee problem with the booze and drugs and consequently his live performances are best described in this New York Times article by Robert Palmer:

Members of the audience were angry, and saying so, because for people who follow the Gun Club, the band has always been special. They were particularly incensed that Mr. Pierce was making slapstick comedy out of "Preachin' the Blues," an old Mississippi blues song recorded by Son House and Robert Johnson, and given new life by the Gun Club's version on the band's first album, "Fire of Love" (Ruby Records, 1981). Mr. Pierce's arrangement of the song, which alternates sinister pauses and sudden bursts of wildly flailing slide guitars and drums played at a manic tempo, is already a rock classic, and when listeners began to complain that it was not being performed seriously, Mr. Pierce stopped and squinted out at the crowd. "Oh, you want us to be serious," he said, and as he kicked into the next verse, howling like a banshee, it was evident that tonight, at least, "Preachin' the Blues" was going to be as serious as the Gun Club could make it. It was a wailing, inspiring performance, the sort the Gun Club is capable of giving every night.

Unfortunate but true - The Gun Club were under-achievers. This doesn't exclude us from buying a copy of Fire Of Love or Miami and sitting back and falling in love with the energy that JLP had in his singular voice or the great guitaring of Ward Dotson on these first two albums. They were a band that led you to unexpected places. The vibrating tremelo of JLP's voice moving steadily out of time with the slide guitar is unique and once heard will never be forgotten. I can play The Gun Club to people who haven't listened to them for twenty years and they immediately remember and a smile returns to their faces as they realise they are back in the fold. Back on the train because that's what listening The Gun Club is like. You feel as though you're travelling through the freak shows of a badly-run circus or the seedy underbelly of any overpopulated city. Amidst this unsettling ride there is always the lurking feeling that you have no control over your destination yet realising that it is most probably hell.

The band started under the name of Creeping Ritual (which pretty much describes their music) but under the influence of Keith Morris (The Circle Jerks) they changed their name to The Gun Club. After an arduous apprenticeship in L.A.'s alternative club scene and then losing Kid 'Congo' Powers to The Cramps, the band managed to string together enough songs for their debut album, Fire Of Love. Surely, one of the most significant debut albums of the 80's. A timeless piece of distorted blues and a platform for JLP's distorted personality. He wails and moans in orgasmic throes to Ward Dotson's singular guitar work. The train-like beat set by Terry graham (drums) and Rob Ritter (bass) give the album a sense of journey as each song moves seamlessly into the next. We are being led to the dark side but only to meet JLP and his voodooesque lyrics. When he sings "Bury way down deep in hell" or "Buy me a graveyard on my own" in one of the finest songs on the album, For the Love of Ivy, we get the feeling that perhaps he's not joking. Each song on this album stands alone. From the imminently danceable Sex Beat to the vicious but sweet She's like Herion to me (one the greatest titles for a song) this band achieved well deserved cult status. (It should be noted that the cover art was different in Australia).

The second album released by The Gun Club was Miami. It was another piece of murky brilliance and the band had extended their cult status with a beautifully crafted piece of mayhem. Miami was more subdued than Fire of Love but no less an album. JLP's links to Blondie become immediately evident when we notice that the producer was Chris Stein and that the background vocals are attributed to D.H. Lawrence jr. a.k.a. Debbie Harry. Billy Idol apparently based his huge hit White Wedding on the last track of the album, Mother of Earth - bit of a stretch but interesting. There are many questions surrounding the production of this album but it remains a favourite with The Gun Club fans. Their version of Creedence's Run Through the Jungle is superb and guaranteed to blast the wax from your ears. Miami was recorded in New York and the band continued its strange separation from its fan base which was situated firmly in L.A.. The critical reception of this album was less than brilliant and the band once more fell under the vicious spell of JLP's fluctuating personality and experienced yet another personnel change. Exit Ward Dotson and Terry Graham. Dotson describes the relationship in an interview:

Jeff kicked us out of the band because I could no longer tolerate his idiotic behaviour. He could be charming when he wanted to or when he had to, but that would make me resent him even more. He was also a huge liar; sometimes he'd lie just for the hell of it. This may all sound whimsical or romantic, but you try being in a van with someone like that and you're going to start dreaming of killing him. I don't care how good a songwriter he was.

Enter Jim Duckworth (guitar) and Dee Pop (drums). Unfortunately, this line up wasn't to last very long either. This manifestation of the band recorded one E.P., Death Party, and went their separate ways. The clip below is from this E.P. and highlights the singularity of JLP's voice and rollicking rhythm of The Gun Club. The Lie is the best song on the E.P. and an impressive example of what JLP could do considering his half-arsed approach to just about everyhting except booze and drugs. The worm was boring its way to the heart and the band or JLP was a quickly fading force.

Although the band had a new label and were receiving some well-earned critical success there was to be an inevitable change to the line up. Exit Duckworth and Pop. Re-enter Kid 'Congo' Powers and Terry Graham with the new addition of Patricia Morrison on bass. This all happened accidentally as the band was booked for an Australian tour but Duckworth and Graham refused to hop on the plane with JLP due to his exasperating behaviour and the band was reformed with the help of the Australian support band of the tour, The Johnnys. JLP put out a distress call to Kid 'Congo' Powers and the tour went ahead with Powers staying until the band's split in 1984. The band returned to L.A. and recorded their next album, The Las Vegas Story. A strange mixture of Gershwin come Creedence, the album pales in comparison to their earlier work. The dark edge seemed more artificial on this record but, nonetheless, still worth a listen. There are some great tracks here, particularly, JLP's version of My Man's Gone Now from the Gershwin opera, Porgy and Bess. Only JLP would think of covering America's seminal opera work under the guise of swamp influenced rock music. During their farewell tour in London JLP was introduced to Romi Mori by The Scientist's front man, Kim Salmon. Mori was to become the love of his life and she joined the band in the reformed line up in 1986.

It was end for The Gun Club although they released Mother Juno in 1987. Again this album had none of the force of Fire of Love or Miami but there are still some great tracks. Lupita Screams and Araby are indicative of The Gun Club at their best. They struggled on devoid of any purpose for a few more years and released Pastoral Hide and Seek(1990), Divinity E.P.(1991) and their final album, Lucky Jim(1993). The front man had become an unworkable mess and the covorting, moaning and screaming were a fading reminder of what might have been. This was a band that had the ability to transport their audience. JLP was a master of the macabre and his life was the performance he should have saved for the stage. It is not uncommon to read reports of JLP's extreme dress sense whether it be drag or mock-military, he was not a man to pass by unnoticed. After a couple of solo works and some spoken word works JLP's body had had enough and packed it in in 1996. He left us with his predominantly fictional memories in his book Go tell the Mountain and a wonderful body of work which seems to be gaining new momentum. I often look through the greatest album lists of all time and am continually amazed that The Gun Club never get a mention. I feel it is only a matter of time because something this good can't remain a secret forever. If JLP hadn't been such a self-destructive mess this band would have their due kudos many years ago. Yet, I can't help but feel that they never would have been what they were if it wasn't for the unpredictability of Jeffrey Lee Pierce.

New Reviews

2007-08-18T23:54:00.000-07:00

Check out the record review section for new reviews from Okkervil River and the Yeah Yeah Yeahs....

Whoops forgot The Hardest Working Man in Rock'n'Roll

2007-08-13T21:27:00.000-07:00

I did say that I probably forgot a lot in my greatest live albums list below but how I forgot James Brown's 'Live at the Apollo' is beyond me. It can be argued it deserved to top the list.

The set was recorded at the Apollo Theatre on October 28th, 1962 and released the following year. It's the Godfather of Soul at his dynamic best. The album spent almost 70 weeks on the US charts peaking at #2. It was said that the only reason it didn't hold the #1 one spot is because its success was unexpected and stores simply couldn't supply the demand. Prior to 'Live at the Apollo' Brown had solidified himself on the R&B charts with a number of charting songs but was still to find wide spread success. 'Apollo' changed that an enhanced his growing reputation as the most electrifying performer in the country.

Brown was signed to 50s music honcho Syd Nathan's King Records. Nathan was one of the first American entrepreneurs to invest in 'Black' music. James Brown and Famous Flames had a less then stellar beginning for King's label with their first 9 singles failing to make an impact on the charts. It wasn't until 1958 when he released 'Try Me' did Brown and the Flames finally taste success. What followed for Brown was a string of successful singles. His reworked live outfit 'The James Brown Revue' solidified their standing as the greatest live act in America with Brown as the genres finest front man. Brown wished to reinforce his live reputation with a live recording but was meet with resistence from Nathan. In typical fashion Brown took matters into his own hands and paid for the album himself.

The recording predates many of the chunky grooves that would become Brown's trade mark instead presenting a collection of his earlier more 'conventional' hits. the building blocks of his pioneering sound are all here in high-octane live versions of 'I'll Go Crazy', 'Think' and especially the frantic closing performance of 'Night Train', while the ten-minute-plus rendition of 'Lost Someone' captures the sound of Brown baring his soul with an almost unbearable intensity, which drives the audience into a manic chorus of shouts and screams.

Brown would do 4 live records at the Apollo, 'Live at Apollo Vol. 2' was released in 1969, 'Revolution of the Mind: Live at the Apollo, Volume III' was released in '71 and 'Live at the Apollo 1995'. Fittingly his final show at the famous venue was his memorial service following his death on Christmas Day last year. A memorial like none other, an open casket was placed in the middle of the stage as his later day band the Soul Generals (this day featuring one time Brown band member Bootsy Collins) ran through a series of his hits with some of America's most prominent black performers guesting on vocals. It was a James Brown memorial!!
As an historical piece 'Live at the Apollo' is an invaluable reference to the soul/funk genres genesis, as a live record by the greatest live performer of them all its magic.

James Brown Live at the Apollo is available for download below. Further a few youtube videos of the great man at work.

James Brown Live at the Apollo

2007-08-07T05:55:00.000-07:00

Record Review Section

Record reviews section is now in place. Link to the page is here
Reviews are updated every Friday with latest reviews, links and ratings listed in the top right hand corner of this page....enjoy!!

'Alive She Cried' - the 15 greatest live albums...

2007-07-30T21:21:00.001-07:00

There seems to of been a movement away from the live album since the formats illustrious days in the 1970s. Back then albums like 'Kiss Alive', Neil Diamond's 'Hot August Night' and Peter Frampton's 'Frampton Comes Alive' were among the biggest selling albums of the decade. Today they seem to be more after thoughts or contract fillers. To celebrate the genre and highlight that live albums can be significant musical statements in their own rights here's a list of my 15 favourite. To make the list they have to be official releases. Oh and despite the title the Doors missed the cut!

15. Stage - David Bowie

'Stage' was originally released in 1978. Bowie was at the height of his Eno inspired Berlin soul period and this live set captures it beautifully. It was recorded during the '78 tour of the US.

14. The '68 Comeback Special - Elvis Presley

This is probably better known as a TV special/video then as an album, but its stands up on vinyl incredibly well. The television show was aired in the US in December 1968. It was Elvis's first live show since 1961. In the interim his reputation had taken a pounding following years of disney B grade movies. Dressed in full leather and looking fit, tanned and healthy the show was a triumph. It marked a musical reawakening for the 'King', but as we all know it wasn't to last very long.

13. Big Time - Tom Waits

This is probably not where someone new to Tom Waits should start. It's a challenging collection of songs as only Waits could deliver. It was (much like Waits himself) a divisive records with many critics writing it off. It was released as a movie - part concert footage, part play and all odd!!

12. 1969: The Velvet Underground Live

'The Velvet Underground Live' was recorded to 4 track over the last months of 1969 in Dallas and San Francisco. It eventually surfaced in 1974. There are probably better bootleg recordings available (see 'The Basement Tapes') but as far as official releases go this is the best. The two album set is probably most notable for the previously unheard tracks that appeared on it ('We're Gonna Have a Real Good Time Together', 'Over You', 'Sweet Bonnie Brown — It's Just Too Much') as well as a number of other songs that had only been heard as Lou Reed solo outings.

11. From Here to Eternity Live - The Clash

I both love and am frustrated by this collection of live tracks from The Clash. Its the Clash, one of greatest live rock bands ever and the performances of this record are stellar. I just find that as a collection of tracks recorded live over 5 years that the track listing could of been stronger. That being said. Its still the Clash and its still great live versions of awesome songs.

10. The Name of This Band is Talking Heads - Talking Heads

Others may argue that the wildly popular 'Stop Making Sense' was a better live record but for it me its not a scratch on 'The Name of this band is the Talking Heads'. A double album released in 1982 it captures the band at their two creative peaks - The first album is the 4 piece performing between 1977-79 (songs from '77 and More Songs About Buildings and Food) and the second record is an expanded 10 piece outfit (including Bernie Worrell and Adrian Belew!) - including tracks from 'Fear of Music' and 'Remain in the Light'. I sometimes forget just how good the Talking Heads were, a quick spin of this record is a thudding reminder.

9. Kick Out The Jams - MC5

'And right now it's time to... KICK OUT THE JAMS, MOTHERFUCKERS!' - with that line introducing the albums title track singer Rob Tyner, created one of the most famous live utterances in the history of live rock'n'roll.
Not to many bands put out a live album as their debut but then not to many bands are the MC5. Along with fellow Detroit natives "The Stooges' they were the punk rock God Fathers. 'Kick out the Jams' was recorded live in in late October '68 in Detroit and released the following year.

8. Rock 'n' Roll Animal - Lou Reed

The classic Lou Reed live album. It demands inclusion for the version of 'Sweet Jane' alone. It was recorded in New York in Dec, 1973 and released in '74. The original vinyl version only consisted of 5 tracks, but with three of them 'Sweet Jane' (7.57), 'Heroin' (13.16) and 'Rock'n'Roll' (10.08) all in extended versions it had no trouble filling an album. The remastered version included two extra tracks.

7. It's Alive - The Ramones

The Ramones famously played 2263 live shows. 'It's Alive' was a recording of one of those shows, on New Years Eve 1977. It was released a few months later in April' 98. In typical Ramones fashion the double album rips through 28 songs with many of them failing to break the 2 minute barrier before Dee Dee jumps in with "1234!" heralding the start of the next song. A punk rock masterpiece!

6. Live at Carnegie Hall - John Coltrane & Thelonius Monk

Its hard to see how the Thelonious Monk and John Coltrane's combined talents could produce anything except genius and this live set recorded at Carnegie Hall on November 29th, 1957 doesn't do anything to dispute the notion. Monk the piano playing 'father' of bebop and Coltrane the saxophonist who is often credited with inventing modern Jazz were both at the top of their game. Spectacular!

5. Get Yer Ya Ya's Out - Rolling Stones

Those who have read this blog from its inception will realise its from this album I stole the blogs title. 'Ya, Yas' is a recording of a live Stones show recorded at Madison Square Garden in November, 1969. I love the cover, not often you see Charlie Watts having such a good time!!

4. At San Quentin - Johnny Cash

Of his two recorded prison shows, Folsom and San Quentin, the later is the most impressive. Cash was urged by Columbia Records and close associates not to do the show for fear of becoming typecast. Instead he had the project filmed and funded by Granda Television for documentary release. Johnny was at the height of his power when the show was recorded in '69 and it shows. Cash shows a deep understanding and empathy for his audience and riles the prison authorities with humorous innuendo. Significantly it marked the first performance of 'Boy named Sue' and 'San Quentin' (its said that Cash wrote San Quentin in a matter of minutes the night prior to the show). Columbia did release the album initially as a 10 song vinyl album eventually releasing the show in its entirety a few years back

3. Unplugged In New York - Nirvana

'Unplugged In New York' was recorded in November, 1993 as part of the MTV unplugged series. I personally always thought Nirvana were a great band and Kurt Cobain a great song writer but it took hearing this to truly understand the extent of Cobain's genius. Nirvana run through some of their classic material drastically reinventing them for the unplugged format. Kurt's voice cries with a haunting beauty allowing the scope of his lyrical prowess to come to the for. It also includes a memorable version of David Bowie's 'The Man Who Sold the World'.

2. Live Rust - Neil Young & Crazy Horse

'Live Rust' was recorded on October 22nd 1978 at the Cow Palace, San Francisco. Its an outdoor venue and during the early stages of 'The Needle And The Damage Done' thunder and then rain can be heard pelting down. Neil humourlessly implores the audience to 'think really hard' to get the rain to stop. 'Live Rust' features Young at his acoustic best and as the rocking leader of the powerful Crazy Horse. When on song few bands can claim the power of crazy horse and this set sees them at their peak.

1. The Royal Albert Hall Concert - Bob Dylan

For so long the holy grail of bootlegs The Royal Albert Hall show was finally released as Volume 4 of the official Bob Dylan Bootleg series. Far more then just a gig it represents one of the most significant moments in contemporary culture. Dylan goes electric and rock music is changed forever. 1000s upon 1000s of acts may of never formed or at least been vastly different if Dylan had never picked up the electric guitar and got the Hawks (later The Band) to back him. Of course everyone knows the story, Dylan plays the first half of the show acoustic, returns to the stage for the 2nd set with the hawks in tow, plugs in and an audience member yells out 'Judas'. Dylan retorts and then turns to the band and says 'play it fucking loud!' before exploding into a rocking version of 'Like a Rolling Stone'. The strangest thing about 'The Royal Albert Hall Concert' is that it was actually recorded in Manchester at the Free Trade Hall. Early bootleggers made the mistake and history and Dylan himself have maintain the illusion. Despite that oddity May 17, 1966 should be a day commemorated by fans of rock music as its one of its most significant dates.

*Honourable Mentions -
George Harrison - Concert for Bangladesh
Bill Withers - Live at Carnegie Hall,
The Fall - A Part of American Therein, 1981
The Jam - Dig the New Breed
Japan - Oil on Canvas
Otis Redding - Live in Europe
King Crimson - Absent Lovers
The Band - The Last Waltz
Live Seeds - Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
Bird at Birdland - Charlie Parker
My Funny Valentine 1964 - Miles Davis
The Who - Live at Leeds
- and probably 100s I've forgotten......

For Download below 3 albums :
1. Thelonious Monk Quartet with John Coltrane
2. Ramones - It's Alive
3. MC5 - Kick Out The Jams

Thelonious Monk Quartet with John Coltrane

Ramones - It's Alive

MC5- Kick Out The Jams

House keeping

2007-07-26T20:58:00.000-07:00

Few little house keeping announcements here at The Greatest Rock'n'Roll Site in the World...

Firstly we have a new contributor, Luke. His first post is below. He looks at the riff, that magical note that makes a song. Hope you enjoy his enlightened observations. More contributors will be coming on board over the coming weeks.

Also over the next few days we'll be launching a review section. First up will be the new Interpol and Spoon records so look out for that. Thanks and keep reading...Cheers, Peter.

The Greatest Riffs of All Time.

2007-07-26T19:56:00.000-07:00

A great riff captures everybody, every time. If you’re standing at the bar, waiting at a red light, walking across a bridge, sitting at your computer, digging for a beer at a party or sipping a cup of tea in the morning the great riff will transport you. It will grab you by the lapels and shout in your face and demand your attention AND it will never be forgotten. That first experience is bottled and put away in the recesses of your mind. Each time the guitar explodes from the speakers you relive that first experience and (unfortunately) the imaginary plectrum appears between your thumb and forefinger, your jaw stiffens, your top lip lifts into a Sid Vicious sneer and you start playing against your lower thigh. Just because you’ve never played guitar before in your life means nothing. You're a God! The great riff can do that to you without blinking an eye. You'll be up on stage prancing around like Jimmy Page or methodically working the strings like Joey Santiago. It will possess your soul and, suddenly, you will become a dickhead.

Here is a list of what I consider to be some of the greatest riffs of all time. A couple of provisos were: no particular order and Guns and Roses were not considered because I hate them. I also doubled up on a couple because I couldn't decide which was the better riff from that particular band.

1. No Fun - The Stooges

2. Wild Thing - The Troggs

3. All the day and all of the night - The Kinks

4. M - The Cure

5. Money - Pink Floyd

6. Day of the Eagle - Robin Trower

7. Queen Bitch - David Bowie

Cracked Actor - David Bowie

8. Houses of the Holy - Led Zeppelin

Heartbreaker - Led Zeppelin

9. The Changeling - The Doors

Peace Frog - The Doors

10.Kundalini Express - Love and Rockets

11. Sunshine of your Love - Cream

12. Can't you hear me knocking - The Rolling Stones

13. The Passenger - Iggy Pop

14. Sex Beat - the Gun Club

Run through the jungle - The Gun Club

15. Vicious - Lou Reed

16. Smells like teen spirit - Nirvana

17. Another girl, another planet - The Only Ones

18. Two States - Pavement

19. Debaser - The Pixies

Where is my mind? - The Pixies

U-mass - The Pixies

20.Bohemian Like You - The Dandy Warhols

21. Enter Sandman - Metallica

22. Teenage Lust - The Jesus and Mary Chain

23. You only live once - The Strokes

24. Youth against Facism - Sonic Youth

25. Seven Nation Army - The White Stripes

The Return of Robert Forster - Danger in the Past

2007-07-26T15:24:00.000-07:00

Robert Foster, one half of Brisbane's Go-Betweens made his return to the stage last night (25/7/07) as part of a 4 night series, 'The Four Ages Of Robert Forster'. Wednesday nights show was a rendition of his superb first solo outing 'Danger in the Past'. 'Danger' was recorded in 1990, a year after the initial breakup of the Gobs. It was his first full live show since the death of his Go-Betweens' cohort and great friend Grant McLennan in May last year.
Shortly after the bands initial demise Robert relocated to Germany and along with his new wife Karin Bäumler-Forster moved into a Bavarian farm house. A number of the songs that appeared on the first solo outing were intended for inclusion on what would of been the 7th Go-Betweens album 'Freakchid'. Of course that album never happened. The band disbanded, Grant went on to record the over produced 'Watershed' with Dave Dobyn and Robert recorded 'Danger in the Past' with the Bad Seeds' Mic Harvey at the helm. 'Danger in the Past' is certainly Robert's strongest solo outing and there is an argument to be mounted that its the strongest collection of songs that Robert ever recorded.
The concept of the 'Four Ages of Robert Forster' is 4 nights of Robert playing three of his solo albums (DitP, Calling From A Country Phone and Warm Nights with the fourth night being the best of the Go-Betweens from 2000 until 2006). To add authenticity each album is to be played with the musicians who appeared on the record (or as close as humanly possible).
This of course meant that for last nights show Robert was joined by Bad Seed's Mic Harvey and Thomas Wylder.
The show opened with an understandably nervous Forster giving the audience an outline of the machinations that led to the album's creation before inviting the various musicians on stage to join him. Harvey (piano, keyboards) and Wylder (drums) were joined by later day Go-Between Adele Pickvance on bass. Harvey and Wylder were a revelation. The venue (Brisbane Powerhouse) is relatively intimate. In the predominately seated mode as it was last night the capacity would of been around 400. It allowed the audience to get a look at the talents of the two Bad Seeds that under normal circumstances larger venues would prevent. Nick Cave is one of rocks great front men and as such he demands attention at a Bad Seeds show often at the expense of his fellow band mates. Wylder especially is often over looked, as Robert said when introducing him he is one of the great drummers in world rock and after seeing him last night its hard to argue the point.
Robert chose not to play the album in the order they appeared on the album, rather in an order that "would work better in a live setting".

The live order was :

Robert introduces the album
The River People
Is This What You Call Change
Leave Here Satisfied
Baby Stones
Justice
Danger In The Past
I've Been Looking For Somebody
Heart Out To Tender
Dear Black Dream

Encores :

Lime Tree Arbour (Nick Cave)
The Prisoner (The Saints)
German Farmhouse (The Go-Betweens)

Robert has settled into the elder statesmen role with dignity and style. Watching the show I couldn't help thinking about Forster fronting the Go-Betweens in the 80s. The over the top stage antics and costumes. His mid eighties 'Prince' stage. In fact Robert jokes that Prince stole his image. During the late 80s Robert often appeared on stage in dresses with full make up. Infamously Australian Music honcho Michael Gudinski went up to Grant McLennan during the REM/Go-Betweens tour of Australia in 1989 and said "Great riffs man but dump the dude in the dress!!" No idea!
The Robert Forster of today and indeed since the the 2000 reformation of the Go-Betweens is a more circumspect performer. What's impressive is that the idiosyncrasies are still there today they're just a little less obvious. Present day Robert dressed in a dark suit can do with a dart of the eye and subtle mouth pouts what he achieved in the 80s with costumes and makeup.

Danger in the Past is a wonderful record and last nights performance of it was a truly memorable. The return of Robert Forster was an historic moment and Bobby delivered on the Hype!

Danger in Past is available for download below as well as the video for Baby Stones the albums only single...enjoy.

Danger in Past

Baby Stones Video :

The Decade of the Triffids

2007-07-15T06:59:00.000-07:00

Australia was blessed with some great indie rock bands in the 1980s and 90s. The Triffids were amongst the very best. The band was formed in Perth, Western Australia in the late 70s, the most isolated city in the world. This isolation and insulation had a profound effect on the development of the band and its members. Its remarkable that bands can so completely encapsulate their environment, a trait they can hold onto long after departing the city for greener pastures. In an early post I spoke of the Go-Betweens and Brisbane and it was a very similar scenario for Perth and the Triffids.
The band grew from the ashes of an early David McComb outfit 'Daisy'. It also featured fellow Triffid Alsy MacDonald and Black Eyed Susan Phil Kakulas. Following the release of a 'tape' release the band disbanded and McComb put together the Triffids. (obviously the name was adopted from the sci-fi classic 'The Day of the Triffids'.) In the early 80s McComb relocated the band to Sydney and the lineup settled. McComb (guitar, vocals), his brother Robert (guitar and violin), Martyn Casey (bass), Jill Birt (keyboards), 'Evil' Graham Lee (pedal steel, guitar) and Alsy MacDonald (drums). By the time they arrived in Sydney they had developed their distinctive lofi postpunk jangle with McComb's unique voice developing into a powerhouse. There was a definite Bob Dylan and Television influence in their music but more significantly was the Velvet Underground, a band which the Triffids covered constantly as part of their live set.
While in Perth the band had released a number of cassettes and a solitary vinyl 7" 'Stand Up/Farmers Never Visit Night Clubs'. Though 'Stand Up' was unmistakably the Triffids, it was musically naive (not necessarily a criticism) with a 60s bubble-gum feel. It wasn't until they reached Sydney that their releases started to show the maturity and beauty that would soon become synonymous with the Triffids. The first single was a 4 song outing released in early 1982 featuring Reverie / Place in the Sun // Joan of Arc / This Boy. To this day Reverie remains one of my favourite tracks from McComb and co, a beautiful song a testament to a band beginning to reach its potential. Later in '82 the delightful Spanish Blue single was released followed in '93 by 'Bad Timing and other Stories'. 'Bad Timing' was another 4 track ep, apart from 'Bad Timing' the other standout track was the fantastic 'Being Driven'.
'Treeless Plain' the debut album for the Triffids was finally released in late 1983. 'Treeless Plain' refers to the Nullabor Plain, a desolate area between Perth and Adelaide a trip that the Triffids would of done more then once. Nullabor is an Aboriginal word meaning no tree. Its more a record of great promise rather then a great record. It certainly has some great tracks though, 'Red Pony', 'My Baby Thinks she's a Train', 'Rosevel' and a great cover of Bob Dylan's 'I Am A Lonesome Hobo'

One of the first NMEs I ever bought and one I hold dear till this day.......

More singles followed 'Treeless Plain' they included some of my all time favourite Triffids' songs - 'Beautiful Waste' and 'Raining Pleasure'. It also marked the Triffids' relocation to the UK. They followed in the footsteps of The Birthday Party, Go-Betweens, The Moodist, The Saints and more in what was one of the most significant cultural exodus in Australian History. For McComb, still in his early 20s, it was the beginning of a great (and ultimately tragic) adventure.
Their first gig in the UK was supporting the Go-Betweens and as Robert Forster later noted they were brilliant and in fact blew a lacklustre Go-Betweens off the stage. It was the beginning of a great friendship and an unspoken rivalry between the two bands. It was late 1984 and the Triffids were at the precipice, 1985 was to prove the bands best and it couldn't of begun better then with NME making them cover stars and declaring that the year would be theirs. (see above).
The band quickly established themselves on the live circuit, they started playing festivals and toured with Echo and the Bunnymen. They also released the monumental psychodrama 'Field of Glass'. It was another multi tracked single with the lead track being an epic 8 minute cacophony unlike anything else being released at the time. It was a delicious appetiser for the bands classic album 'Born Sandy Devotional' which they spent the last half on '85 recording. 'Born Sandy Devotional' was released in 1986 to rapturous reviews. As an Indie rock band they had two unique intruments, Evil Graham Lee's Pedal Guitar and Robert McComb's violin (extra string musician were included on the sessions) and its was a clever use of these instruments that pushed what would of been an otherwise great album into a masterpiece.

The Masterpiece 'Born Sandy Devotional'. Cover art shows a spectacular aerial cover photograph of Mandurah Township

Whereas 'Treeless Plain' used its title to set a geographical context, 'Born Sandy Devotional' establishes it with cover art. It shows a photograph of the Mandurah Township, some 80km south of Perth. Its set alongside the Peel-Harvey Estuary, bordering the Indian Oceon. Manddurah is an Aboriginal word and is roughly translated as the meeting place. Lyrically the album is dark, tales of love, loss and despair, it shows McComb's coming of age as a lyricist. Many of the songs paint pictures of the West Australia of his youth. To pick out highlights is lessening the albums overall impact, but the songs that I personally keep returning to include : 'Seabirds', ' Estuary Bed', 'Tender Is the Night (the Long Fidelity)' and the single (and semi hit) 'Wide Open Road'. For a record that was recorded in the UK, 'Born, Sandy Devotional' is a true 'Australian' record and its one of the greatest records Australia has produced.

In 1986 the band returned briefly to Australia, specifically to a remote West Australian Woolshed and in a 24hour period recorded their follow up, 'In the Pines'. Rumour has it that the total album budget was just over a $1000, $350 of which was spent on booze. Recorded onto an eight track it sees the band incorperate what ever instrumentation was on hand, brooms, water tanks, tin cans and even the floor boards. Understandably the album is a lo fi affair but it holds up surprisingly well. '25 to 5', 'Better off this Way', 'One Soul Less, 'On Your Fiery List', 'Once a Day' and the title track, a disquieting love song that with an unusual provenance are highlights. Weirdly for me the albums finest moment is 'Born Sandy Devotional' a haunting piece, lasting less then a minute, it was obviously meant for the bands previous effort with which it shares its title. Though the record was approached with a sense of fun, its holds up and it sits comfortably with their other releases. David McComb himself never really understood why fans liked the album so much, explaining the band had songs and time off and 'In the Pines' was the result. Genius can be hard to hide.

1987 saw the Triffids finally sign to a major, Island Records. It came a little to late though. By this stage the band were facing issues with almost constant poverty, burn out, alcohol and drug abuse. McComb though still a young man as the band leader was said to be its greatest victim. 'Calenture' was their first release for Island. If the band were suffering from burn out they still managed to push out a great record. Major label meant more money and more responsibility. Craig Leon who had worked with The Fall, The Ramones and Blondie to name a few was drafted in to produce the record. The sessions were as Robert McComb later claimed 'a waste of time', more preciously they were a disaster. Leon actually requested of Island that the rhythm section of Casey and MacDonald be fired. Eventually sanity prevailed and the band returned to former producer Gil Norton to complete the sessions. Calenture is an attempt to develop the sound established on 'Born Sandy Devotional". The string section is larger then 'BSD' and the sound is lush and textured. 'Bury me Deep in Love' was the leading single and was another almost hit for the band. 'Hometown Farewell Kiss' is an ode to McCombs love/hate relationship with his hometown of Perth (its actually a reworking of 'One Soul Less on Your Fiery List' which appeared on 'Pines.) 'Kelly's Blues', 'Holy Water' and 'Save what you can', are the albums other standouts.

1989s "Black Swan' would prove to be the bands swan song, it was also their weakest record. The black swan is the official animal of Western Australia it's featured on the Western Australian flag and their Coat of Arms. They were a band in decline, with a number of its members battling demons. Its a less symphonic affair then its predecessor. 'Goodbye Little Boy', was the single and saw Jill Birt return to vocal duties. My problem with 'Black Swan' is its attempt to genre hop. Traditional Triffids' territory was joined by attempts at Jazz, hip hop inspired naratives and even a Synth/Beat attempt. Amazing if it can be pulled off but unfortunately it fails here. Critics were generally unimpressed when compared with previous efforts. (Though we are talking about a pretty high bench mark here). Its not without highlights though, 'Blackeyed Susan' and country-flavored ballad 'New Year's Greetings' are the Triffids at their very best.

The band disbanded in late '89. Alsy MacDonald is now a lawyer and is married to architect Jill Birt. Robert McComb teaches at Melbourne State High School. Martyn Casey joined the Bad Seeds, Evil Graham Lee joined the Black Eyed Sussans and for the last ten years has dedicated vast amounts of his time to keeping the Triffids' flame burning.
After the band disbanded David McComb returned to the UK unsuccessfully attempting to launch his solo career. Returning to Australia in late '92 he performed with the wonderful Black Eyed Susans and formed Coaster. He saved most of his best post Triffids work for his next band, The Red Ponies, a band that included Warren Ellis (Dirty Three/Bad Seeds/Grindermen, etc). He also returned to University in Melbourne, studying Art History.
In 1996 after battling ill health for a while David McComb was diagnosed with cardiomyopathy, a heart condition that was seen to be a direct result of alcoholism and heroin and speed abuse. He successfully under went a heart transplant shortly after diagnosis. Three years later on February 19th, 1999 he was involved in a car accident and was hospitalised over night and released. Doctors believed his injuries were of a minor nature. Three days later McComb was dead. In February the following year the State Coroner of Victoria handed down his findings The West Australian Newspaper reported "McComb's mental and physical condition had deteriorated after his accident but his death was due to heroin toxicity and mild acute rejection of his 1996 heart transplant". He was only 36.

Due in no small part to the efforts of Evil Graham Lee the Triffids legacy is immense.
*Australian broadcaster SBS is about to run a series entitled 'The Great Australian albums', they've selected five of which 'Born Sandy Devotional' is one.
*A few years back the Australian Performing Rights Association compiled the 20 greatest Australian songs of all time, 'Wide Open Road' was included.
*In 2006 the entire back catalogue of Triffids Albums was re-mastered and re released, all selling well.
*A plaque commemorating the band, specifically 'Born, Sandy Devotional' was unveiled in 2006 at the Mark Angelo studio in Farringdon where the album was recorded.

To download below is the incredibly rare 'Jack Brabham' tape. Only 50 copies of the tapes were produced and were sold by the band at Perth shows on the 19th and 20th of December 1988. To quote the sleeve notes - "Ninety minutes of rare (and under cooked) snippets of tunes allegedly attributed to the Triffids. Beware of wildly fluctuating recording and performing quality."
Its a treasure chest of wonderful songs, some released in alternate versions some never heard before or again.
An odd thing about the Triffids is that some of their best songs were only ever released as singles, in recognition of this I've included a few for download below.
I've also included a number of clips for your viewing pleasure.

Jack Brabham Tape Side A

Jack Brabham Tape Side B

And some early singles:

Reverie

Spanish Blue

Being Driven

Beautiful Waste

From 1983s 'Treeless Plane' - 'Red Pony'

The 1982 single - 'Spanish Blue'

From the 1986 'Australian Made' concert tour - 'Wide Open Road' live - from the 1986 studio album 'Born Sandy Devotional'

Neil Young - Chrome Dreams

2007-07-08T19:22:00.000-07:00

The old expression, "One man's garbage is another man's gold" has never rung truer then with Neil Young's 1976 bootleg 'Chrome Dreams'. Neil Young was at creative peak at this time. The last three albums Young had released 'Time Fades Away', 'On the Beach', and 'Tonights the Night' were some of his darkest and best work. Then came the return of raw Crazy Horse rock in 1975 with the LP Zuma. Chrome Dreams was slated to be its successor. Its a combination of rock and acoustic. - one reviewer claimed, "it was Harvest after a visit by the Darkside". In effect it was a collection of songs that Neil recorded but for whatever reason decided not to release. Lots of these songs would remain unheard by the public until quite a while later, but by late ’75, Neil had already written and recorded versions of such future classics as Like A Hurricane, Powderfinger, Sedan Delivery, Pocahontas and Ride By Llama. It also feature's some classic tracks that until the acetate's discovery in 1992 remained unheard.

The acetates accompanying paper work (click to enlarge).

In truth there was a lot about this period that till this day remains a mystery. Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young were supposed to be returning to the studio to record what would later be the Stills/Young 1976 release 'Long May You Run'. The sessions were said to be tumultuous with rumours that Crosby and Nash snuck into the studio and wiped their respective vocals.
At the same time Neil was supposed to be readying a triple album greatest hits collection entitled 'Decade'. It even went as far as displays in record stores and press releases and advance copies being sent being sent out to media. When the October release date came and went a rumour spread that Young had died of an over dose. In contradiction to these rumours 'Rolling Stone' magazine ran an article in their November '76 edition that Neil was in fact putting the finishing touches on a new album to be entitled 'Chrome Dreams'. However both 'Decade' and 'Chrome Dreams' failed to materialise as the slated Christmas release period came and went (Decade eventually appeared in October, 1977).
'American stars n bars' was release in June 1977 and many assumed that this was the album previously known as 'Chrome Dreams' - in fact a number of the songs do appear on both (Will to Love, Star of Bethlehem, Like a Hurricane, Hold Back the Tears and Homegrown)

A run through of the tracks :

1. Pocahontas: The same take as heard on Rust Never Sleeps, minus overdubs. An acoustic tale of massacred Indians. American Star 'N' Bars back cover shows an Indian women, perhaps indicating that this was originally slated for inclusuion as no other tracks have an Indian theme.

2. Will To Love: Released as is on American Stars N' Bars. An almost creepy atmospheric love song.

3. Star of Bethelem: Same take and track as on Decade.

4. Like A Hurricane: As heard on American Stars N' Bars.

5. Too Far Gone: A stripped down version of the track that wouldn't appear for on 11 years on Neil's 1988 album Freedom.

6. Hold Back the Tears: A more slowed down bluegrass version of the song heard on American Stars N' Bars.

7. Homegrown: This take is the same as the one on American Stars N' Bars but it is a different mix. The guitars crunch more, emphasizing Neil's love of the domestic life.

8. Captain Kennedy: Eventually was released on the album Hawks and Doves in 1980.

9. Stringman: 'Stringman' didn't see the light of day until a 1993 unplugged session. This is a touching piano ballad caught live about the loss of the old ways taken over by the counterculture. Beautiful song, incredibly emotive.

10. Sedan Delivery: Totally different version then the one that appears on 'Rust Never Sleeps'. One review describes it as - "This version is less cow-punk and more slowed down country metal. Even its whole tone is different in that sounds less like the dumb Buford punk rock we know it as and more like a heavy slap from a biker."

11. Powderfinger: An acoustic version of the song later electrified on Rust Never Sleeps. The story of a boy shot down as he protects his family. The acoustic version empowers the lyrics to a much greater degree then the "Rust Never Sleeps' rock version. Australian band 'Powderfinger' tell a story of playing the Fuji Rock Festival in Japan which Neil and Crazy Horse headlined, Neil discovered a band named after one of his songs were on the bill and not only did he play it (something he rarely does of late) but he dedicated it to them...career highlight or what?!?!

12. Look Out For My Love: Later heard on 'Comes A Time' - a beautiful track of love and lament.

In many ways Neil Young is the unrecognised 'soul' of the Northern American working man. He's remained relevant and rarely has his work faltered. His approach to his music has been unconventional. Holding onto tracks for years often releasing them in live takes. It makes him even more exceptional. 'Chrome Dreams' is available for download below, its a must have for any Neil fan.
Also a number of Neil clips from over the years with loads more at the this blogs youtube site.

Chrome Dreams

Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young - Down by the River

'Old Man' - From Harvest - Live 1971

'Rockin' in the Free World' - Live on Saturday Night Live

With Crazy Horse - 'Hey Hey, My My (Into The Black) - From Rust Never Sleeps

Let's Impeach the President

All the way with the USA!

2007-07-03T22:57:00.000-07:00

Fourth of July tomorrow, America's Birthday.....hmmm how sweet. Here's a mix of 25 songs inspired by the good ol' US of A. No rhyme or reason for selection, though I stayed away from acts I've blogged about before. Available as single downloads or grouped together at the bottom...enjoy.

1. Living in America - James Brown

2. Help Save the Youth of America - Billy Bragg

3. North American Scum - LCD Soundsystem

4. ifwhiteamericatoldthetruthforonedayitsworldwouldfallapart - Manic Street Preachers

5. I'm So Bored With the USA - The Clash

6. Young Americans - David Bowie

7. Radio America - The Libertines

8. Ashes of American Flags - Wilco

9. The American Ruse - MC5

10. America Is Waiting - Brian Eno & David Byrne

11. Amerika - Rammstein

12. Little America - REM

13. When the President Talks to God - Bright Eyes

14. The Ugly American - Big Black

15. Independence Day - Elliot Smith

16. Democracy - Leonard Cohen

17. 'Merican - Descendents

18. We're An American Band - Yo La Tengo

19. American Trilogy - Elvis Presley

20. The body of an American - The Pogues

21. The American - Simple Minds

22. Last Great American Whale - Lou Reed

23. Kids In America - The Muffs

24. Bleed American - Jimmy Eat World

25. Look Inside America - Blur

And a bonus track....fuck yeah!!

America, Fuck Yeah - Team America

Alternate Download -

Fourth of July Mix, Disc 1 Songs 1-13

Fourth of July Mix, Disc 2 Songs 13-26

His Bobness 1997- ??? - The Second Golden Age - The Word becomes Art - Part 2

2007-06-30T22:21:00.000-07:00

(Follows on from Part 1 Below)

Bob Dylan talking to the world is a revelation. His songs are the most analysed and debated in the history of rock music but Dylan has to a large extent remained an enigma. A notoriously tough interview (he's spent large chunks of his career refusing them). Its little wonder he's suspicious of interviews, his experience with them in the early 60s was remarkable. The footage of press conferences in 'No Direction Home' and elsewhere in the sixties shows journalist with a remarkable ignorance of the man and his music. Bob plays with their ignorance with amusing candour but you feel his frustration. He's constantly asked to explain his work, his role in the 60s protest movement and Bob's favourite his position as the 'voice of a generation'. Even the 'hip' publications of the time often didn't get what was needed to engage Dylan in intelligent dialogue.
At the height of his fame he disappeared, moving to the country (Woodstock, NY) to raise his young family.
For someone who plays 100 shows a year and is so often seen he is rarely heard. On stage banter is for the most part non existent at a Dylan live show. Even with today's 'culture of fame' mentality Dylan manages to remain free from the media focus.

Chronicles Vol.1 is the first in a promised 3 part series of Dylan's autobiographies. It's without peer the most remarkable autobiography of a cultural identity I have read. To quote once again from Robert Forster's 'Monthly' article of October last year, "Chronicles: Volume One (2004), that astonished with its candour and wild poetic force. Chronicles ranks as one of Dylan’s greatest triumphs, as revolutionary and evocative as his best album, the almighty Blood on the Tracks." That's a huge call by Robert and not one I think I could match but I see why he makes the claim. I think more then anything this book told me how little I knew of Dylan. Preconceptions developed over 20 years of being a fan were shattered. Its an autobiography so of course its a personable book but it takes it further then that. I've tried and failed to explain what I mean by this with friends so forgive my clumsiness...when I read Chronicles I did it in the most part in one sitting (over a weekend anyway) I found at times as if I was having a one on one conversation with Bob. This was especially the case in the main section of the book dedicated to his early days in New York, feeling his way through the Greenwich Village folk scene. I'd be sitting on my couch, just me and Bob, Bob telling me about NYC 1961. The conversation chugged at furious pace because 'Chronicles' is eminently readable. Often I'd have to stop Bob because I had just realised the poetic scope of what I had just read. So caught up in the tale and the flow the beauty of the prose, the subtle working of a metaphor, exquisite detailing of even the mundane slipped me by. I'd go back and re read the paragraph or page and be gob smacked at its beauty. Its not a classical style, it's more a beatnik of the street dialogue a tone very much in harmony with the subject. If it can be compared to anything it would Kerouac circa 'On the Road' He manages to weave the style into the narrative like he does with with his lyrics and music. To further the analogy with his music, Dylan's best songs are enjoyed equally for their melody as they are their lyrics. You can tap your feet to his music oblivious to the lyrics, with the book you can read it captivated by the tale and miss the beauty in the stories delivery.

Chronicles Vol1 isn't a 'I was born Robert Zimmermen in May 1941' type of biography, those looking for specific answers to certain Dylan related questions probably won't find them. Its less a biography more a series of vignettes. It concentrates on three distinct episodes rather than delivering a linear narrative. Through out the book he describes hundreds of past acquaintances and experiences with stunning detail. The first (and last) and by far the largest section deals with a young Dylan arriving in NYC.

Dylan's ability to ground himself within a larger historical and cultural context throughout the book is one of the standout features. It works chiefly as a result of Dylan's modesty. Many of the books highlights had nothing to do with Dylan more the surroundings and personalities he associate with. He was a fan, his recounting tales of meeting some of the leading lights of the 'Village' scene were honest and you felt his excitement echo through the pages. It was what made the work so (the word I keep using) personable. Incredibly Dylan was like me at that age. Fueled with the ambition and guile, a time when ignorance is a tool not a defect, an attitude that is the realm of the young. It's not often you are given the opportunity to acknowledge a common bond of such significance with someone you revere so highly.
Its not that he didn't have ego, he did. He also had talent and determination but it was tempered by respect for those had come before.

We are given a look at life on the Woodstock farm during his late 60s sabatical. Its a look at a young husband and father. It's about life after the near fatal motorbike accident but typical to the book the bike accident is given one line. Details of that nature are not what this autobiography are about.

The book moves to 1989 and to the recording of 'Oh Mercy' with Daniel Lanois. Its a fascinating insight into Dylan's recording process. I'm sure Dylantologist would of preferred to know of the 'Highway 61' or 'Blood on the Tracks' session but its the unexpected that makes this biography work. What makes 'Oh Mercy' so interesting is Dylan acknowledges his career is on the wane and wonders whether this maybe the last time he enters a studio. Its another example of the uncompromising honesty the book delivers.

Though on release the book was generally praised (not to mention awarded) he did manage to upset some critics with the books style. I read these reviews and could only think of the 60s interviewers asking him inane questions like what's 'blowin in the wind' really about or 'what's it like to be the spokesmen of a generation'. Though no one could of picked that Dylan's autobiographical triliogy would start like this in retrospect its pure Dylan and I for one could ask for no more.
I find myself wondering what to expect from Vol 2 & 3...the answer of course is no idea.

Dylan's autobiography has been rumoured for years but that he was going to do a radio show was a complete surprise and 'Theme Time Radio Hour with your host Bob Dylan' is no ordinary radio show. As the title suggest 'Theme Time Radio Hour' is a weekly radio show centred around a specific theme. It was commissioned by the XM Satellite network in the US. The first season lasted an amazing 50 weeks and Dylan has just signed for a further two years. When it began Bob stated his aim with the show was to take the listener back to when he was a boy listening to the radio. A time predating the mass acceptance of television when the radio stations broadcast 'shows'. When listening to the show you can imagine a young Dylan 50+ years earlier huddled around his radio soaking in the sounds of Hank Williams, Elvis, Robert Johnson, Buddy Holly & Woodie Guthrie to name a few.

The show begins each week with with a Dylan penned monologue read by sultry female voice (Ellen Barkin as it turns out is the voices owner). It's usually loosely tied to the shows theme, but it always announces that for the next hour your radio is going to sound very different. Bob's voice is a broken glass and gravel rasp rather then a slick radio sound. It adds to the experience, offering a level of authenticity. Dylan chooses the music to play around the specific theme from his own collection. Its an eclectic mix. As you would expect there is lot of early folk, blue grass country and blues and a heavy 60s influence. However Bob shows that he's kept in touch musically and often throws a contemporary song into the mix.
Hearing Bob's choice of song is fascinating but the most compelling moments of the show are the minutes in between songs. It's the 'Word' and its brilliant. Its funny, informative and most important, revelatory. It's hard to explain its style as there's nothing out there to compare it with. Perhaps its easier just to share some quotes. (these are transcribed not copied so forgive me if not 100% accurate).

From the Devil episode : "The man who they say knew a little bit about the prince of darkness. According to legend Robert Johnson made a deal with the devil at the crossroads of highway 61 and highway 49 in Clarksdale Mississippi, he traded his soul, that's what they say, this is his song me and the devil blues"

From the Weather episode - "West coast weather is the weather of catastrophe, and the Santa Ana winds are the winds of the apocalypse"

From The Train episode - (introducing the Monkee's 'Last Train to Clarksville' - I didn't know it was anti Vietnam song) - “I’ve always felt the first rule of writing a subversive song is not to tell anybody that it’s subversive.”

From the Friends & Neighbours episode - "A song from the swingin’ ’60s. I don’t mean the swingin’ ’60s like Carnaby Street; I mean the swingin’ ’60s like, we have a party, and the men put all their car keys in a hat, the wives pick out a car key, they put on a Trini Lopez record, and everybody just swings.
Now, I’ve never been to a party like that myself, but I hear those kind of things happen."

After re reading these quotes I see that they are poetic, funny and/or informative, BUT they really don't translate well, to really 'get it' you need to hear them presented by Dylan's 'riding the rail carts' voice.

These shows really are wonderful, I implore you (even if you don't think its your thing) to download one and have a listen.
The amount of research that goes into each episode must be considerable. Coupled with all the other things Bob has going on its even the more remarkable. XM satellite radio network has provided him with equipment so that he can record his thoughts as they strike him at home, or on his frequent tours, so at least it doesn't require being in a studio weekly. The show is pre recorded.

For the first time in his illustrious career Dylan is allowing us to get to know him not just through his songs. A man who faced his mortality a decade ago and realised there was so much more that he wanted to achieve. Perhaps he's thinking of his legacy. Really the motivation matters little, the result has been as surprising as it has been rewarding to Dylantologist the world over.
Bob Dylan's 66 now, he's recorded more than 600 songs, released 44 albums, selling more then more than 57 million copies and played 2000 + shows. Remarkable. I changed the post title in part two of this post to read 1997 - ??? because this phase that Bobs in is showing little sign of slowing, long may it continue!!

Gotta love Bob...I do.

A list of Theme Time Radio Show Subjects

2.1 Episode 1: Weather
2.2 Episode 2: Mother
2.3 Episode 3: Drinking
2.4 Episode 4: Baseball
2.5 Episode 5: Coffee
2.6 Episode 6: Jail
2.7 Episode 7: Father
2.8 Episode 8: Wedding
2.9 Episode 9: Divorce
2.10 Episode 10: Summer
2.11 Episode 11: Flowers
2.12 Episode 12: Cars
2.13 Episode 13: Rich Man, Poor Man
2.14 Episode 14: The Devil
2.15 Episode 15: Eyes
2.16 Episode 16: Dogs
2.17 Episode 17: Friends & Neighbors
2.18 Episode 18: Radio
2.19 Episode 19: Bible
2.20 Episode 20: Musical Map
2.21 Episode 21: School
2.22 Episode 22: Telephone
2.23 Episode 23: Water
2.24 Episode 24: Time
2.25 Episode 25: Guns
2.26 Episode 26: Halloween
2.27 Episode 27: Dance
2.28 Episode 28: Sleep
2.29 Episode 29: Food
2.30 Episode 30: Thanksgiving Leftovers
2.31 Episode 31: Tennessee
2.32 Episode 32: Moon
2.33 Episode 33: Countdown
2.34 Episode 34: Christmas/New Year's 2 Hour Special
3 2007
3.1 Episode 35: Women's Names
3.2 Episode 36: Hair
3.3 Episode 37: Musical Instruments
3.4 Episode 38: Luck
3.5 Episode 39: Tears
3.6 Episode 40: Laughter
3.7 Episode 41: Heart
3.8 Episode 42: Shoes
3.9 Episode 43: Colors
3.10 Episode 44: Texas
3.11 Episode 45: Trains
3.12 Episode 46: More Trains
3.13 Episode 47: Fools
3.14 Episode 48: New York
3.15 Episode 49: Death and Taxes
3.16 Episode 50: Spring Cleaning, 2 Hour Season One Finale

Below to download - All 50 episodes of 'Theme Time Radio Hour with your host Bob Dylan'. There are 50 individual downloads. I guarantee if you download and listen to one you won't stop there (thanks to patrickcrosley.com for hosting.)

- 'Chronicles Vol1' as read by Sean Penn - I've never been a fan of the recorded novel but Sean Penn's rendition of 'Chronicles' is sensational. Each of the 6 sections is 40meg. Well worth the download if you have read the book or not.

- Bob Dylan and George Harrison - 'Unreleased Columbia Studios Recordings' - One last bootleg. In May, 1970 George Harrison joined Dylan in a New York Studio. The results were never officially released. This is a copy of those sessions. Enjoy.

For your viewing pleasure - A few more Bob clips to enjoy. Remember there's over 80 Dylan clips on the The Greatest Rock'n'Roll Site in the World youtube channel

Downloads :
Theme Time Radio Hour with your host Bob Dylan - 50 x 65mg mp3s of each of the hour long broadcast - each available as individual episodes.

Chronicles Vol.1 as read by Sean Penn - Part 1
Chronicles Vol.1 as read by Sean Penn - Part 2
Chronicles Vol.1 as read by Sean Penn - Part 3
Chronicles Vol.1 as read by Sean Penn - Part 4
Chronicles Vol.1 as read by Sean Penn - Part 5
Chronicles Vol.1 as read by Sean Penn - Part 6

Bob Dylan and George Harrison - 'Unreleased Columbia Studios Recordings'

'Ballad Of A Thin Man' - 'Eat The Document' Outake - Live Copenhagen April 1966

'Keep a good head and always carry a light bulb' - My favourite Dylan Quote

'Positively 4th Street' - An unused promotional video for Bob Dylan - It was originally recorded during Highway 61 Revisited but was not included on the record.

Bob Shows his love of interviewers - Time Magazine Interviewer, London 1966

An on the street interview Vienna 1981- Bob shows how not to answer questions.

His Bobness 1997- 2007 - The Second Golden Age - Part 1

2007-06-29T12:41:00.000-07:00

Bob Dylan throughout the sixties. Bottom shot with Johnny Cash - 1969 'Nashville Skyline' sessions.

For as long as I can recall I have been a fan of Bob Dylan. Growing up I had the musical advantage of older brothers. Before I was ten I was well versed in not only Dylan but Bowie, Lou Reed (and the Velvets), Neil Young and the Stones (not to mention the Punk Rock scene that had taken over : Ramones, Talking Heads, Buzzcocks, The Saints, Pistols etc). It was a foundation that was to serve me well as all of these acts are still on high rotation at my place. To pick a favourite from this lot would be near impossible. I've listened to them countless times. I would say without hesitation that I'm more likely to hear something new in a Dylan song then any of the others. This is remarakable considering a huge number of them are pre electric and limited to Bob with an acoustic guitar. Its testament to the depth of the man's work that I say this.

I've tried to verbally explain some of the theories that I'm going to attempt to extrapolate over the next couple of posts to a few friends of late and have found myself frustrated with my inability to give clarity to my thoughts. With luck I will find the written word a more responsive ally.

The 1960s will forever be remembered as the decade of Dylan's songs. From his arrival in New York in '61 through the early masterpieces, the 1966 'electric', the bike accident right up until the release of 1969's 'Nashville Skyline', Dylan gave voice to politically motivated and culturally aware men and women of the 1960s. Dylan flatly rejected the 'voice of a generation' claim but his music spoke to the times. This was sometimes adopted sometimes planned. In August 1963 he performed at the Lincoln Memorial at the 'March on Washington' rally, a 'support act' to Martin Luther King, Jr. King delivered the 'I have a Dream' speech to 250 000 supporters. It was a defining moment of the civil rights movement and Dylan placed himself in the middle of it. His early songs ('blowing in the wind', 'times they are a changing' etc) became the anthems of the 60s counter culturalist. He captured the spirit of the times in his songs like no one else could. History will forever remember Dylan's music as the soundtrack of the 1960s.
If Nashville Skyline was his swansong never too be heard of again his greatness would of assured him a place beside the likes of Picasso and Hemmingway as the most significant forces in 20th Century Culture. Of course Bob did move past the '60s many argue his best didn't arrive until '75s 'Blood on the Tracks'. From the mid 70s until 1997 Dylan remained productive but his output fell well short of his best. Personally I believe that Dylan's last great album of his golden period was 1976's 'Desire'. It marked the end of a run of 16 albums from 1961. I cannot think of another artist who could come close to matching this feat.
What followed were years of wilderness were Dylan threatened to fade into irrelevancy. His follow up to 'Desire', 'Street Legal' was a bombastic cabaret sounding affair. A full rock/pop ensemble were assembled including female backing vocalist. Elvis may of been able to pull off Vegas but it didn't work for Bob. In 1979 he announced to the world his conversion to Christianity with the release of 'Slow Train Coming', the first of a what proved to be a trilogy of Christian albums. To say it left Dylantologist confused was an understatement. A stint of devout Judaism followed as did a series of poor records. There were a few minor exceptions, 1989's 'Oh Mercy' certainly has moments but in truth it appeared as if his passion had been lost. I often think that through this period he doubted his relevance. Its the only explanation I can reach as to why he believed it necessary to bring 'the latest thing' musicians and often producers to work on his records. Lyrically he was still Dylan so he still produced some powerful pieces but it it was as if he was distracted, almost bored. The songs were dull and weirdly orchestrated. Dylan was quoted in 1991, "there was a time when the songs would come three or four at the same time, but those days are long gone...Once in awhile, the odd song will come to me like a bulldog at the garden gate and demand to be written. But most of them are rejected out of my mind right away. You get caught up in wondering if anyone really needs to hear it. Maybe a person gets to the point where they have written enough songs. Let someone else write them."
It was an attitude that he certainly harboured through the 1990s. In '90 he released the awful 'Under the Red Sky' (featuring Slash on guitar - Bobby what were you thinking!!) he didn't release an original composition until 1997. Instead he released two albums of (somewhat interesting) traditional and folk covers.

Dylan in 2004

The original purpose of this article was to look at Dyaln's foray into new artistic endeavours over the last 10 years rather the concentrate on Dylan's musical re-emergence but its incredibly difficult to mention the trilogy of records that began with 1997s 'Time out of Mind' as simply a passing comment. Not even the most optimistic Dylan fan could of imagined that Bob was about to release the 1998 winner of the Grammy Award for Album of the Year. Dylan actually wrote most of the songs that would appear on 'Time Out Of Mind' in 1996 but had no intention of recording them. Dylan's belief in the quality of the songs was the catalyst for a change of heart. In January 1997, he booked a studio in Florida with Daniel Lanois sitting in as producer. He actually demo'ed the tracks, a process that was almost unique for Dylan. What made the resurgence all the more remarkable was more then being a continuation of a bygone career it was a reinvention. Dylan takes great care not to push his voice beyond its limits, its almost a speak/sing with his ageing voice sounding coarse and worn. In effect it creates a blues soaked cover to Dylan's folk/rock roots. Lyrically by and large, the songs are bitter and resigned, Dylan's new vocal delivery adds a real despair to his dispirited observations. In 1997 Dylan said of the songs on 'Time Out of Mind' - "they naturally hung together because they share a certain skepticism. They're more concerned with the dread realities of life than the bright and rosy idealism popular today." Following the albums release and subsequent success Dylan admitted that a number of the songs on 'Time out of Mind' pre dated the accepted writing period of 1996. He said, "the first album I've done in a while where I've protected the songs for a long time." Of course in his prime he was the king of this, often holding songs over for years before finally releasing them. The only other contemporary song writer as adapt at doing this is Neil Young - although I think he learnt the trick from Dylan.
Robert Forster, who of recent times has developed into a magnificent music/arts reviewer, wrote in the 'Monthly' of the reinvigorated Dylan in July 2006 - "Old age suits him. It suits him the way being young did. It’s a natural fit, for both are the traditional places where wisdom can flower: the fired minds of the young and the dusty, wily utterances of the old. It’s all the time in between that’s the trouble. Dylan, though, survived all the crashes and the madness of his years, and survived well enough to leave himself fully stocked for a fruitful and significant late period." Its a beautiful summation on the 'new' Dylan.

The album was released on the 30th of September, 1997 but before then and his legion of followers were unnerved by news of a sudden and serious downturn in Dylan's health. In late May '97 he was diagnosed with histoplasmosis, which causes swelling of the sac that surrounds the heart. Its a condition relatively rare in modern medicine, the disease gestates in bird excrement. (Ironically Dylan's great friend Johnny Cash wrote the humorous 1991 track 'Beans for Breakfast' - "Caught a cold with the window open, Crow droppings on my window sill, Prob'bly got histoplasmosis, If I had a gun I would kill those crows, Beans for breakfast once again"). Reports vary as to how ill Dylan actually was but his condition was exasperated by a late diagnosis. He spent a number of weeks in hospital and months recuperating. A European tour was cancelled and the new record release date postponed. The general consensus seems to be that Dylan was gravely ill and was forced to face his mortality. On Time out of Mind's release many speculated that the illness was the spark that reinvigorated him. The album however had been completed two months earlier. In years to come it would have a profound effect on his creative output.
"Love and Theft' was released on Sept 11, 2001 and despite its ominous release date it saw a refreshed Dylan release a another masterpiece. Its lyrically, loose, warm and and at times 'laugh out loud' funny. It's Dylan at his most engaging. The title was taken from Eric Lott's book, 'Love & Theft: Blackface Minstrelsy and the American Working Class'. In contrast to 'Time out of Mind's' bleakness 'Love and Theft' celebrates life and all its idiosyncrasies and characters. As suggested by the title of the book whose name it shares it looks at America and its people, specifically delving into the culture of the South. Remarkable its a stronger work then its predecessor and to me is one of the greatest blues-roots records ever recorded. Most striking is Dylan's change in outlook. It doesn't seem to an outrageous a suggestion to think his illness realigned his perspective.
The most recent of the 'new' Dylan records was released in August, 2006. Somehow Bob was able to produce what was for me was the strongest work of the three. 'Modern Times' is put simply a masterpiece. Like its predecessor Jack Frost takes over the production (Dylan's production pseudonym) Its a 'wise' record. Dylan is comfortable in his role of elder statesmen and uses his circumspection to acknowledge and comment on the 'Modern Times'. Its a personable piece many of the tracks written in the first person. As I type this (and it'll change) 'Workingman's Blues #2' is my favourite Dylan track, full stop. Huge call I know. Personally this record has become intrinsic to me since its release, its hard to explain. Its almost like its been my personal soundtrack for the last 12 months.
To a Dylan fan of my age these records have been a revelation. I'm to young to remember the records from Bob's first golden age being released (in fact I wasn't born for most of their releases). So prior to '97 all I knew of Bob's new work was his third rate output of the 80s and first half of the 90s. For a Dylan fan the thrill of a new release is once again magical and for the first time I'm old enough to experience it.
Before moving on to follow is a quick recap of the facts and figures associated with the trilogy of recent releases:

* Grammy awards - 'Time out of Mind' - Album Of The Year (Dylan's first), Best Male Rock Vocal Performance for 'Cold Irons Bound', Best Contemporary Folk Album.
- 'Love and Theft' - Best Contemporary Folk Album
- 'Modern Times' - Best Contemporary Album, Best Solo Rock Vocal Performance for 'Someday Baby'

* Sales and Chart Position - All three albums had platinum sales in the US (ie Sales in excess of 1 million copies). All three were top 10 records in the US ('Time' # 10, 'Love' #3, Modern Times # 1). Though Dylan has had a number of #1 albums 'Modern Times' was his first to debut at 1 (it achieved the same result in Australia). It was his first #1 record in 30 years.

* All three albums topped the Village Voice's hugely influential Pazz & Jop (best of) year ends critics poll. (ie 'Time out of Mind' in 1997, 'Love and Theft' in 2001 and 'Modern Times' in 2006).
All three albums appeared prominently in the various critics 'album of the year' charts.

* 2000 Academy Award winner - Best Original Song - "Things Have Changed" from Wonder Boys - the song was released as part of bonus disc to Modern Times (as well as the Movie Soundtrack)

If the 1960s are forever joined to Bob's songs I believe an arguement can be mounted that last 10 (1997-07) be remembered as Dylans decade of the word - both written and spoken. On first reading this it may appear ludicrous, Bob's always been about words, his lyrics have resonated with us for decades and it seems to contradict the gushing paragraphs dedicated to his last 3 records. However in the last 10 years Dylan has attacked new mediums with the same conviction and talent that he brings to his music. Primarily I refer to the first of his autobiography's 'Chronicles, Vol. 1' and his weekly radio show on XM Satellite network in the US (& the BBC in England) 'The Theme Time Radio Hour'.
In general the last 10 years has been the most prolific of his career :

*The 3 records

*The autobiography

*He co-wrote and starred in the comedic drama 'Masked and Anonymous' (A movie whose cast far out shone the actual film)

*Some forty years after it was filmed 'Eat the Document' was finally given an official (DVD) release. Filmed by D. A. Pennebaker and directed and edited by Bob, it captures footage of the 1966 electric tour as well as great footage of Bob and Lennon and Johnny Cash amongst others.

*Martin Scorcese's superb 'No Direction Home'. A BBC commissioned 3 and 1/2 hour documentary. It chronicles Dylan's career from 1961-66. It borrows a lot of footage from Eat the Document and features the most revealing interviews Bob has ever done. (A bit of NDH trivia - Scorcese and Dylan have never meet)

*'The never ending tour' as fans have labelled it continues unabated. Dylan has averaged over a hundred live shows a year since 1990.

Bobby meets his rival for the title of 'God on Earth' September 1997

*In September 1997, Bob was personally asked by Pope John Paul II to perform at an Italian Eucharistic Congress in Bolonga in Italy's north. 300 000 Catholic delegates were in attendance. John Paul (this isn't a joke) was said to be a fan of the acoustic era Dylan. In fact after Bob's show a mass was performed, John Paul based his sermon on 'Blowin' in the Wind'. The current Pope Benedicat has criticised John Pauls decision to get Dylan to perform, its the only public criticism he has ever levelled at his predecessor. Benedict appears to make John Paul look like a radical - "Pope Benedict has said that rock music is the work of Satan and last year he cancelled the fundraising Christmas pop concert at the Vatican, which under John Paul II had run for 13 years"

*'I'm Not There' is the name of the new Dylan biopic. It's the first that he has officially sanctioned. Its to be directed by Todd Haynes and is due for release boxing day, 2007. In true Dylan form it seems far from conventional. 6 different actors represent Dylan at various stages of his career including Cate Blanchett and young black actor, Marcus Carl Franklin.

A female and a black Dylan!

*** Part 2 of His Bobness 1997- 2007 - The Second Golden Age Tomorrow - 'Bob's Word becomes Art' ***

Today's Downloads :
To keep you going until then a couple of very special Dylan bootlegs.

- 'Blood on the Tracks - The New York Sessions' - Just days before the monumental 'Blood on the Tracks' was due to be released Bob was convinced by his brother David Zimmerman to re-record the album in Minneapolis. This is the original recording vastly different to the released version. Playing the two versions back to back is remarkable. The NY sessions band is pushed to the background giving the record an almost acoustic feel. Many rate this as Dylan's best record (not me) so the re recording was a history making decision. There is no way the two records would of been received equally. Its a must have for any Dylan fan.

- 'The Dylan/Cash Sessions' - in 1969 Dylan was recording 'Nashville Skyline' he invited Johnny Cash down to the studio. The following Bootleg was the result. One song "Girl From The North Country" - a remake of an earlier Dylan track (off the 'Freewheelin' Bob Dylan') was included on Nashville Skyline. Another must have for any Dylan (or Cash) fan.

- 'Workingman's Blues #2' - Stand out track from 2006's 'Modern Times' (9mg)

For your viewing pleasure a number of Dyaln videos. There are over 70 Dylan clips (plus many more of all the acts discussed in this blog) on the The Greatest Rock'n'Roll Site in the World youtube channel covering music videos, live performances, interviews and general raves from various times of Dylan's career.

Blood On The Tracks - NY Sessions

The Dylan/Cash Sessions

Workingman's Blues #2

An 81yo Gregory Peck presents Dylan with Kennedy Centre Honours. A heart felt and moving speech - 1997

'Like a Rolling Stone' - Play it Fucking Loud! - Manchester Trade Hall, 1966

Classic Dylan - the original rapper - Looking for a place that will collect, clip & return your dog - hilarious extract from 'No Direction Home'

Bob Dylan/ Johnny Cash- 'Girl From The North Country' - Live on the 'The Johnny Cash Show' May 1969"

Tune in tomorrow for Part 2 - Bob's Word becomes Art

Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan Bootlegs

Ever get the feeling you've been cheated?

2007-06-23T19:45:00.000-07:00

The Sex Pistols....its hard to write anything meaningful that hasn't been written a million times before. Below is a bootleg of the last show, famously ending with Johnny Rotten declaring, "Ever get the feeling you've been cheated?". It was January 14, 1978 The Pistols were performing at San Francisco’s Winterland. Ending amid chaos and acrimony, the show heralded the finale of an ill fated US tour, the bands first outside of Europe. Malcom McLaren had deliberately booked the band into venues in the South and predictably chaos ruled.

Rather then writing an essay to follow are 25 facts that you may or may not known about the Pistols. (they appear in no chronological or thematic order...enjoy)

1. Sid Vicious was named after his pet hamster. A finger-biting creature named Sid the Vicious.

2. During the Pistols' heyday the band was slated to star in Who Killed Bambi?, a film directed by Russ Meyer and written by Roger Ebert, but the project eventually fell apart.

3. The Sex Pistols evolved from The Strand, a band formed in 1972 with Jones on vocals, Cook on drums and Wally Nightingale on guitar.

4. In December 1976, EMI arranged a series of concerts for January 1977 at the Paradiso in Amsterdam. But before boarding the plane at London Heathrow Airport, the band reportedly spat on each other and verbally abused airport staff. Witness's describe their behaviour as being to 'disgusting' to repeat. It's generally believed Jones had been vomiting on old ladies in the preflight lounge. EMI released them from their contract two days later. On hearing the news Rotten remarked, "I don't understand it, all we're trying to do is destroy everything."

5. In December '76 when the Pistol's made their ill fated appearance on Bill Grundy's Today program they were actually last minute replacements for Queen.

6. On 10 March 1977, at a press ceremony held outside Buckingham Palace, the Sex Pistols signed to A&M Records. They later went back to the A&M offices for what would become an unruly party. Sid Vicious trashed the managing director's office and vomited on his desk. Under pressure from its own employees, artists and distributors, A&M broke contract with the Pistols six days later.

7. Glen Matlock was kicked out of the band in Feb.1977 (reasons vary from 'his liking the Beatles' to 'he washed his feet to often'). 'Never Mind the Bollocks' however wasn't recorded until March that year. Matlock was redrafted as a session musician to compensate for Vicious' lack of musical ability. According to Jones: "Sid wanted to come down and play on the album, and we tried as hard as possible not to let him anywhere near the studio. Luckily he had hepatitis at the time".

8. As a teenager, Steve Jones was a kleptomaniac who accumulated 14 different criminal convictions and was the subject of a council care-order. He spent a year in a remand centre, which he says was more enjoyable than being at home, and has said that the Sex Pistols saved him from a life of crime.

9. Following his departure from the Pistols Rotten was stranded in the US. He eventually telephoned head of Virgin Records Richard Branson, who agreed to pay for his flight back to London, via Jamaica. In Jamaica, Branson met with members of the band, Devo, and tried to install Rotten as their lead singer. Devo declined the offer, their recollections of this meeting are hilarious. Neither Devo nor Rotten knew what Branson had planned.

10. After the Sex Pistols broke up in 1978, Steve Jones and drummer Paul Cook co-founded the hard rock outfit The Professionals. They released one album, but disbanded after a serious car crash while on tour in the US in 1981. Ironically, the title of The Professionals' debut album was 'I Didn't See It Coming'.

11. Sid Vicious was the original drummer of 'Siouxsie and the Banshees'

12. On October 12, 1978, Sid Vicious allegedly stabbed Nancy Spungen to death in room 100 of NYC's famous Chelsea Hotel. The room has since been dismantled as hotel management needed to put an end to a seemingly endless pilgrimage of young Punks.

13. Sid's mother Anne Beverly who had a history of heroin abuse herself, scored the heroin that Sid fatally OD'ed on in February, 1978.

14. The Malcolm McLaren / Vivienne Westwood shop SEX situated in King's Rd, Chelsea was originally a Teddy Boy shop called 'Let it Rock'. McLaren changed it after visiting New York in 1974/75. The new incarnation sold bondage and fetish clothing as well clothes catering for the new punk fashion. This is interesting as the new generation of Teds became the arch-enemies of the Westwood and McLaren-inspired punk rockers.

15. While in New York Mclaren briefly managed the New York Dolls. He also tried unsuccessfully to manage The Neon Boys an early incarnation of Tom Verlaine and Richard Hell. (soon to become Television). They turned him down.

16. After the Pistols breakup McLaren managed Adam & the Ants, sacking Adam after a few weeks, recruiting a new singer and turning them from bleak post-punk into the colourful and percussive Bow Wow Wow. Bow Wow Wow were fronted by the 14 year old Annabella Lwin.

17. Steve Jones played on Lisa Marie Presley's 2005 album, Now What.

18. Paul Cook produced Bananarama's 1982 debut album 'Deep Sea Skiving'

19. Steve Jones is now a teetotaller who campaigns against swearing on television.

20. Johnny Rotten is now a 51-year-old US property investor with a portfolio worth more than eight figures.

21. Joseph Corre, son of Vivienne Westwood and Malcolm McLaren, is the founder of lingerie brand Agent Provocateur.Agent Provocateur is a well known lingerie brand based in the United Kingdom. It has three stores in London, a concession in Selfridges London, a store in Leeds and three stores in the United States. The first shop was opened in 1994. Celebrities like Paris Hilton, Christina Aguilera, Kate Moss and Carmen Electra, are among their VIP clients

22. On December 21, 1988 Johnny Lydon and his wife were due to be on the doomed Pan Am Flight 103. Pan Am Flight 103 was the Pan American World Airways transatlantic flight from London's Heathrow to New York's JFK International Airport. On December 21, 1988 the flight exploded and the remains landed in and around the town of Galloway, Scotland. Forensic experts determined that about a pound of plastic explosive had been detonated in the airplane's forward cargo hold. Rotten claims that they missed the plane due to delays in his wifes packing.

23. On the album 'Live Rust' during the song 'Hey Hey, My My (Into The Black)' Neil Young crowns Johnny Rotten 'The King'.

24. Lydon appeared on Judge Judy fighting a suit filed by his former tour drummer Robert Williams. Lydon won the case, and the judge called Williams a "nudnik"; although she did advise Lydon to keep quiet several times.

25. In 2006 The Pistols signed over the rights to their back catalogue to Universal Music Publishing Group. The did so knowing that Universal were going to exploit its commercial possibilities. Range Rover and British Airways are believed to be interested in using Sex Pistols songs in their ads. It gets worse. There are reportedly also plans for Sex Pistols action figures, a Sex Pistols musical and Sex Pistols ringtones. - (Ever get the feeling you've been cheated?)

To download January 14, 1978 The Pistol's final show recorded live at San Francisco’s Winterland.

The Sex Pistol's Live, Winterland San Francisco, 14/1/78

To view a number of clips and interviews.

Sex Pistols

Watt you talkin' about....

2007-06-22T04:54:00.000-07:00

Mike Watt is one of rock's great bass players. His contribution to American Alternative Rock is immense.
Trouser Press describes Watt as "A blue-collar hero in an art-school world, bassist and working-joe conceptualist Mike Watt has been a titanic presence on the avant-rock scene since the dawn of the '80s." Its apt, Watt is a walking advertisement for substance over style. Punk rock is his music, not his fashion. His image is he has no image. He could easily be the guy that just fixed your car, rather then the guy whose bands blew up your car stereo on the way to the garage. A common thread throughout his career is the acts he has played with have been trail blazers, unafraid to push musical boundaries. He's played in some of the most important acts of the genre including the Minutemen, fIREHOSE, Ciccone Youth, Porno for Pyros, The Stooges, Dos and J.Mascis and the Fog to name but a few. He's also done studio session work with Sonic Youth, Stan Ridgeway, Juliana Hatfield and Kelly Clarkson (!?!?)
Watt was born in 1957 in Portsmouth, Virginia. His father was a sailor in the Navy who specialised in working in nuclear powered submarines. Military life meant that his family moved constantly as he was growing up. In 1967, with the Vietnam war on, Watt's dad needed to be near the Pacific. The family moved to San Pedro, California.
The Minutemen was where it all began for Watt and to this day it remains his most important contribution. The Minutemen were Watt, Guitarist/Vocalist D.Boon and drummer George Hurley.
Watt famously meet (Dennes Dale) D.Boon when a teenage Boon fell out of tree and landed on him in a suburban San Pedro park. An auspicious beginning to what would become one of the great pairings in alternative rock. The two became firm friends almost immediately. Though they claim they were musically naive they both shared a love of what they knew. Watt's mother actually taught D. to play the guitar and encouraged Watt to learn the bass.

Mike Watt points to the tree that D.Boon fell from during shooting of the Minutemen documentary 'We Jam Econo'

In 1973, as 15 year old boys they formed their first band, the 'Bright Orange Band.' Over the next 6 years Boon and Watt formed and disbanded a number of bands (Starstruck and The Reactionaries were two) before eventually settling on the Minutemen in Jan. 1980. George Hurley eventually joined them on drums. Their first gig was in July of that year supporting Black Flag.

The Minutemen quickly became one of the leading players of the American Underground punk scene. Though it can be argued that what they played wasn't punk at all (although there was elements of it). I'm sure they would dispute the title 'art rock' but it was close. They definitely skirted the boards of the avant-garde/experimental. Boon played small lightning flash guitar parts, while singing political fused lyrics. Watt's bass was flushed with jazz inspired melodies and though Hurley's long blond fringe looked conspicuously out of place his strong drum beats rounded out the trio perfectly. Boon's guitar had a high treble sound which worked off Watt's bass. The sound acknowledge Beefheart as much as did the Punk stuff that had come before it. They often refused to stick to the conventional verse/chorus rules of songwriting and rarely did a song clock in at over 90 seconds. Lyrically the band was the most politically charged of the movement and they can lay claim to having some of the funniest song titles in rock. (Political Song for Michael Jackson to Sing, God Bows to Math, Bob Dylan Wrote Propaganda Songs, Mutiny in Jonestown, The Roar of the Masses Could be Farts and Jesus and Tequila are a few).
Signed to Greg Ginn's SST label The Minutemen recorded four studio albums and numerous mini albums and singles. Few could argue their classic was 1984's double album 'Double Nickels on the Dime'.
Double Nickel is CB radio slang for a speed limit of 55mph and The Dime is the nick name for the highway running from LA to San Pedro. The album cover shows Mike Watt behind the wheel of his VW Combi van, the speedo set to 55 about to hit the San Pedro turn off.
Originally conceived and recorded as a single album, the band recorded a second disc after learning that SST label mates Husker Du were set to release the double album 'Zen Arcade', not to be out done the Minutemen returned to the studio and in an all night session recorded the 2nd album. On the inside sleeve the band have gleefully printed, "Take that, Huskers!" Its an intelligent record filled with an unshakeable conviction. Musically its expansive covering a wide genre range from punk to folk and funk to pop (via Jazz), all played in the distinctive minutemen style. Highlights include, 'It's Expected I'm Gone', 'Corona', 'This Ain't No Picnic', 'Political Song for Michael Jackson to Sing', 'Cohesion', 'Nature Without Man' and 'History Lesson Part 2'.

Mike Watt & D.Boon early, '84

Tragically on December 22, 1985, D.Boon was killed in a van accident in Tucson, Arizona. Boon sick with fever was sleeping in the back of a van being driven by his girlfriend. It ran off the road and Boon was thrown through the vans back doors breaking his neck on impact. It brought a tragic end not only to a great band band but also an endearing friendship.
The lyrics of 'History Lesson Part 2' went from a joyous celebration of Boon and Watt's friendship to its tragic eulogy.

"our band could be your life
real names'd be proof
me and mike watt played for years
punk rock changed our lives

we learned punk rock in hollywood
drove up from pedro
we were fucking corndogs
we'd go drink and pogo

mr. narrator
this is bob dylan to me
my story could be his songs
i'm his soldier child

our band is scientist rock
but i was e. bloom and richard hell,
joe strummer, and john doe
me and mike watt, playing guitar"

D.Boon obituaries can be read here.

Following Boon's death Mike Watt (and George Hurley) were understandably devastated. Both intended to give up on music. Friends encouraged Watt to reconsider. Sonic Youth involved Watt in the Ciccone Youth project as well as inviting him to play bass parts on their 1986 album 'Evol'. It was an unexpected knock on the door that was the real catalyst in motivating Watt to continue. A 22 year old Ohio native and devout Minutemen fan, Ed Crawford (Ed fROMOHIO as he would be known), found Watt's address in the phone book and successfully pleaded with him to continue. The result was fIREHOSE, Hurley continuing his role behind the drums. Watt choose the the name after watching the clip for "Subterranean Homesick Blues', specifically the line "Better stay away from those that carry around a fire hose" - Dylan holds up a card saying firehose.
In many ways fIREHOSE were an under appreciated band. Maybe it was because they differed significantly from the Minutemen. They did share common elements. Watts bass sound was still a very prominent feature for one, but they lacked the experimentation of the minutemen. Ed probably had a better voice then Boon, but his lyrics lacked the political bite. Over a five album career they did produce many great tracks and their 1987 album 'if'n' deserves to be remembered as a classic.
As with the Minutemen's Double Nickels Husker Du are again name checked on the cover, this time with a photo. The album showed the benefit of the band having played together for over 18 months and was a more cohesive recording then the debut 'Ragin' full On'. Though the songs can hardly be called traditional they do fit the mould more so then the Minutemen did. 'Anger' is a violent explosion of rage, with George Hurley's drums taking centre place. 'For the singer of REM' is a devastating parody of REM. It's a very REM sounding piece (deliberately so). Watt has since been quoted as saying that he believes REM were light weights, but its a little surprising that it was recorded as the Minutemen's last tour was supporting REM, a tour which exposed them to a far larger crowd then they had enjoyed before. Other highlights are 'Sometimes', 'Windmilling' and the beautiful tribute to the wonderful Elizabeth Cotton, 'In memory of Elizabeth Cotton'. Watt takes over vocals on a number of tracks including the hilarious 'Me & you, remembering' and Nick Cave circa Birthday Party sounding 'Thunder child'.
fIREHOSE followed 'If'n' with their third album 'fROMOHIO', like its predecessor it shows a band at their creative peak. Its highly recommended. It was followed by 'Flyin' the Flannel' and finally the disappointing 'Mr. Machinery Operator'.
fIREHOSE disbanded in 1994.
If there can be any doubt on Watt's place in the cannon of American rock a quick look at the musicians that appeared on his first solo record will dispel it. They included : Henry Rollins, Sonic Youth, Curt and Cris Kirkwood (Meat Puppets), J Mascis, Eddie Vedder, Krist Novoselic and Dave Grohl (making their first recorded appearance on a record since Kurt Cobain's death), Stephen Perkins (Jane's Addiction and Porno for Pyros), Flea, Dave Pirner (Soul Asylum), Pat Smear (Germs/Nirvana), Frank Black, Evan Dando, Zander Schloss (The Circle Jerks), Nels Cline, Anna Waronker, Mike D, Adam Horowitz and Bernie Worrell (Parliament/Funkadelic). Not surprisingly 'Ball-Hog or Tugboat?' was released in 1995 to critical acclaim. Watt toured the album under the moniker of the 'Mike Watt Band'. members included Eddie Vedder on guitar and Dave Grohl on drums.
In 1996 Watt toured with Porno for Pyros before returning to the studio in '97 for a less star studded second solo outing. A 'rock opera' - 'Contemplating the Engine Room'. The record is a tribute to his deceased father (who appears on the cover) and to D.Boon. The idea of a 'rock opera' seems ludicrous but Watt pulls it it off, through in no small part to the superb guitar work of Nil Cline. Its a pleasant and moving tribute to lost loved ones.
In early 2000 Watt fell ill suffering an infection of his perineum. It is a painful and debilitating ailment. After a lay off of some three months Watt played in two Stooges covers bands in an attempt to regain his strength. The first was called Hellride, which played shows around California and the second Hellride East, who played around New York. Hellride East included J.Mascius and Dinosaur Jr drummer Murph. J Mascis ended up asking Watt to play in the fog. his first real act since Dinosaur Jr's demise. During the European tour they were joined on stage by Ron Asheton, breaking normal set lists to play Stooges tracks. Later on at a Belgium festival Scott Asheton joined them on drums. Watt had previously played on Iggy Pop's Skull record and as such his presence around the three remaining Stooges can be seen as one of the catalyst to the bands 2003 reformation. Fittingly Watt was conscripted into the vacant bass spot. In an interview at the time he spoke of playing with the Stooges - "It's trippy, because I feel so tiny," he says. "This is the fucking Stooges. They're a source. They're not derivative of anything. I'd heard them when I was 16. If D. Boon had said, 'In thirty years you're going to be playing with them'--it's just very strange."
I saw them a couple of years back and it was one of the greatest rock'n'roll shows of all time. Unfortunatly they went on to put out a rubbish record (the Weirdness - but lets not hold Mike responsible for that!).

Mike Watt with the reformed Stooges

I could go on about Mike Watt, his influence on Alternative rock is everywhere. On Sonic Youth's 'Daydream Nation' its a message that Mike Watt left on Thurston Moore's answering machine that forms the centre piece of the song, 'Providence'. The Chilli Pepper's dedicated their break through Album 'Blood Sugar Sex Magik' to Watt.
I sort of had the pleasure of meeting Mike Watt in 1996. Porno for Pyros were playing in Brisbane at a venue called The Arena (I was there to see Watt, I'm not a fan of Pornos, or Janes for that). It has a little DJ booth area that over looks the stage a great place to watch a band. You need a special pass from the venue to get in there (different to the band laminate). I had moved a chair to the front of the cage and was sitting in it with a friend while the other 8 or so people allowed in the cage stood behind us. It was the best spot in the venue. We were watching the support act. I looked behind me and saw Mike Watt standing behind the cage area straining to see the band. 'WTF that's Mike Watt' I thought. I jumped up and went over to the gate to let him into the cage area. After letting him he thanked me walked past me straight to my chair!! Mike and my friend spoke for 15 minutes while I stood at the back of the cage!! My mate said he was a lovely chap. To his credit I think he thought I was offering him my chair. Mike next time you're in Brisbane playing bass for Porno for Pyros and I let you into the DJ cage to watch the support band, remember I'm not that nice!!

There is a new Minutemen Documentary doing the film festival rounds at the moment. Its called "We Jam Econo". Here's a greatNew York Times review.

The Watt from Pedro Show is a regular radio podcast that Watt and his brother do. Well worth the listen.

For download Minutemen's - Double Nickels on the Dime, from 1984 and fIREHOSE - if'n from 1987.

Minutemen's - Double Nickels on the Dime

fIREHOSE - If'n

A viewing treat The Minutemen aboard a boat in San Pedro Harbour in late 1984. Unfortunately there are a few tracks missing from the middle and its very rough but you get the vibe. Also this funky new youtube feature allows them all to be viewed via the one screen...enjoy!

"We Jam Econo" - The Story of the Minutemen - Movie Trailer

Sonic Youth's Thurston Moore on the first time he meet Mike Watt. An hilarious deleted scene from "We Jam Econo"

fIREHOSE - 'Down With the Bass' from 1989's 'fROMOHIO'

Mike Watt
Minutemen
Firehose

Milk Hotels, Athens GA.

2007-06-17T05:21:00.000-07:00

"Hi my name is Keith and I'm a Scorpio from Athens, GA and
I like to find the essence from within"
'Song For A Future Generation' - B52s.

Indeed Keith Strickland, is from Athens, Georgia as are his fellow B52s. Dunedin may have had its day in the sun but per head of population nothing comes close to Athens, GA. for producing bands. It's population is 100 000 and like Dunedin it's a University town. This of course leads to an influx of thousands of young people, often creative, keen to learn and experiment. This however is not enough to explain how towns like Athens and Dunedin can produce such outstanding acts. You can understand a scene develops around a common link (ie Flying Nun in NZ) and artist encourage and help each other and I'm sure this has been the case in both towns. Remarkably however with Athens we are talking about a 30 year phenomena.
Since the late 70s Athens has been home to : B52s, R.E.M., Pylon, Matthew Sweet, Indigo Girls, The Primates, Widespread Panic, Man or Astro-man?, The Apples in Stereo, The Olivia Tremor Control, Of Montreal, Drive-By Truckers, Danger Mouse (Gnarls Barkley), Elf Power and The Neutral Milk Hotel to name but a few. An odd bunch, musically moving from Electronica to Cow Punk and Indie Pop to Rock. One constant amongst all the acts seems to be the 40 Watt club. It appears to be to Athens what CBGB's was to mid 70s punk in New York.

It was started in 1978, by Curtis Crowe. Crowe was a member of Pylon and his original intention for the space was a Pylon rehearsal room. Its been bought, sold and invested in many times. Its also moved locations a number of times over the years but seems to of never lost it relevance. (Thankfully the owners have never thought a move to Vegas was a good idea, unlike CBGBs Hilly Kristal's proposed idea for the shut NYC landmark).

Two of the numerous premises that the 40 Watt club has been housed in. Directly above is the present location.

Meeting peers and using a space to create a scene is one thing but sustaining that movement over a period of 30 years is something all together different.
If we look at my hometown of Brisbane, Australia its generally considered that we have had two golden musical periods. One in the post punk 70s and the second in the mid 90s. The most internationally successful one was the late 70s. It grew as response to an oppressive Government. The National Party were in power in Queensland and they are widely acknowledge as the most conservative (and corrupt) ruling party in Australian Political history. So much art is created in the midst of oppression, I suppose its hard to limit personal expression and so repressed people use differing forms as an outlet. Anyway Brisbane in the 1970s produced The Saints, The Go-Betweens, Riptides, Apartments, the nucleus of Died Pretty to name but a few. It was very short lived as a scene as all the bands who got a wiff of success escaped. Its significance is as a scene it had a catalyst, a beginning and an end. Athens has a catalyst, a beginning but no end seems in site. I should point out that I have never been to Athens, although on my next US trip I plan to, so I base my observations from afar, but I think a comparison maybe able to be drawn with a successful sporting team. (Apology in advance to people from non cricket playing nations) The Australian cricket team is a great example. For close to twenty years now they have dominated international cricket. In that time the playing personnel has turned over many times but they have continued winning. The reason is 3 fold, firstly the people in and around the team have an expectation of winning and create a winning culture. Secondly senior players counsel the younger players on how to play well and how to win and finally the national psyche expects success so the administrators are given more resources to train and promote Australian cricket. If we look at Athens music with these ideas in mind after such a long time of producing great acts Athens is known as a music town, its promoted as such not only by the Industry but by the authorities in the town as well. They set up programs encouraging musicians to play and to live in Athens. If the town is going to present itself as a great hub for music it needs to keep producing, or at least encouraging migration of great musicians.
Further as the Australian Cricket side is expected to win, Athens is expected to produce great music so the Industry keep a close eye on acts emerging from there. Its great and all those involved should be applauded.
Before I move onto a specific act, ever wonder where R.E.M. got the title for the '92 record 'Automatic for the People', wonder no more. People travel from all round the world to see 'Weaver D's'.

Last week I looked at REM one of the founding groups on the Athens scene (with Pylon and the B52s). Today I want to look at the later day torch bearers, The Elephant 6 Recording Company, specifically the wonderful Neutral Milk Hotel. Elephant 6 is a collection of musicians/like minded friends that had its beginnings in a high school in Louisiana. Robert Schneider, Bill Doss, Will Cullen Hart and Jeff Mangum are the founding fathers of the collective originally assembling as 14 year olds. Via different routes they all ended up in Athens all forming successful bands in their own right. Most notably Apples in Stereo (Robert Schneider), The Olivia Tremor Control (Will Cullen Hart & Bill Doss) and Neutral Milk Hotel (Jeff Mangum). Though a feature of the collective is the interchanging of personnel both as musicians and producers. A full list of acts in the collective follows.
The Apples in Stereo, Beulah, Black Swan Network, Chocolate USA, Circulatory System, Dixie Blood Mustache, Dressy Bessy, Elf Power, Essex Green, Frosted Ambassador, The Gerbils, High Water Marks, Major Organ and the Adding Machine, Marbles, Minders, The Music Tapes, Neutral Milk Hotel, Olivia Tremor Control, Orchestre Fantastique, Pipes You See, Pipes You Don't, Secret Square, Sunshine Fix, ulysses and Von Hemmling.
Apart from friendship and interchangeable members the bands are linked by a love of slightly off kilter lofi, the Beatles and the Beach Boys. Amongst their number are an extraordinary number of great records.
There is none better then Neutral Milk Hotel's 'In The Aeroplane Over The Sea', in fact there are few better pop albums in history. NMH is the vehicle created by Jeff Mangum to release his music in 1990. From 1990 until '94 Magnum travelled the US, crashing at friends places. Over this time he produced a number of demos but nothing was released. In October '94 he released his first official output a 7" 'Everything Is'. It was released by Seattle Indie 'Cher Doll Records'. 1995 was spent recording the full length debut 'On Avery Island'. A number of musicians were drafted in to assist recording they included, Elephant Collective associates, most notably Robert Schneider. Released the following year the album stands alone as a great work. 'Song Against Sex', 'Gardenhead/Leave Me Alone', 'April 8' and '3 Peaches' are personal favourites. However if like me you heard this record after first hearing 'Aeroplane over the Sea' its hard to see it (very unfairly 'cause its is a wonderful CD) as anything but a training record for the might that was about to come.
I missed the release of 'In The Aeroplane Over The Sea', its penetration into Australia was small. It was released in 1998 and I didn't hear it until 2003. When you work around music for as long as I have and see thousands of shows (many because its expected not desired) you become a bit jaded and for something to pique interest it needs to be special. On hearing this in 2003 not only did it capture my interest but it totally reinvigorated my love of music. You can see why I rate it so highly. But 4 years on it still is in the top 5 albums played in my house. 'In The Aeroplane Over The Sea' along with Pavement's 'Slanted and Enchanted' are the two great pop records of the 90s and I would list them in that order.
The album was written throughout the first half of 1997. Mangum had joined his fellow 'Elephant 6' cohorts as a fulltime resident of Athens. He quickly attracted local fans, the biggest being Michael Stipe.
For the first time Mangum had assembled a relatively stable lineup. Joining him was Jeremy Barnes (drums, organ), Scott Spillane (trumpet, flugelhorn, trombone, euphonium, horn arrangements) and Julian Koster (Wandering Genie, singing saw, bowed banjo, accordion, white noise). Mangum's old school friend and Apples in Stereo front man Robert Schneider was assigned to produce the album. To do so the band relocated to Denver. Recording began in July 1997 and took three months.
To little fanfare 'In the Aeroplane over the Sea' was released in the US on Feb.10th, 1988.

The first thing that grabs you is the cover art. The design was a collaboration between Mangum and Chris Bilheimer. Bilheimer is a graphic artist employed full time by REM. His official title at REM hq is the art director. The job allows him to freelance and in that capacity he has worked with Green Day, Smashing Pumpkins, Foo Fighters and Grant Lee Buffalo, to name a few. Mangum found the original turn of the century European postcard and Bilheimer added the distinctive drum replacing the women's head. The inner sleeve is equally compelling.

Labelling this album is difficult, its definitely indie pop/rock and there is a psychedelic feel to it. Its more then that though but labelling an emotional response is difficult. The most significant musical aspect of the record is Mangum's distinctive voice. It soars above the beautiful instrumentation that's displayed throughout the album. A quick recheck of the band reveals the scope of instruments used on the record. (Accompanying the standard band instruments is an Organ, wandering genie, singing saw, bowed banjo, accordion, trumpet, flugelhorn, trombone, euphonium). They are used more to create depth and atmosphere rather then to take centre stage, Mangum's voice is the musical star of this record.

Its lyrically where this album really lays it claims to greatness. In interviews conducted at the time of release Mangum announced that the record was based on tragic life of Anne Frank as outlined in "The Diary of Anne Frank". When I first heard this I thought it was a brave thing to admit to. "The Diary of Anne Frank" is almost compulsory for grade 8 and 9 school kids. Its obviously thematically powerful, but a literary powerhouse its not (not quite Joyce or Dostoevsky). It was a visceral rather then a direct influence, you would never pick a connection if not told. There are references to the tragedy of World War 2 and deaths within sight of the war's completion. There is even a direct reference to a ghostly character hovering through some of the texts, whose name is Anne. However other songs seem to have little to do with the war. "Anne Frank" is a terribly sad book and the way Neutral Milk Hotel manage to manifest this through emotive lyrics and atmospheric soundscapes make listening to this record such an enriching experience.

The album doesn't have a weak track so to follow a run through of all of them.

'The King of Carrot Flowers Pt. One' opens the album. It begins with little more then Mangum strumming an acoustic guitar later he's a joined by a beautiful harmonic accomplice (I can't pick what this instrument does anyone know??). He tells the story of a young mans first love, "One afternoon I knew I could love you, And from above you how I sank into your soul, Into that secret place where no one dares to go" and he juxtaposes this with the young girls parents relationship "And your mom would stick a fork right into daddy's shoulder, And your dad would throw the garbage all across the floor".

'The King Of Carrot Flowers, Pt. 2-3' controversially for some opens "I love you Jesus Christ, Jesus Christ I love you, Yes I do". Magnum fearing that this would be misunderstood adds comments to CDs linear notes, explaining the intent behind the piece "a song for an old friend and a song for a new friend and now a song for jesus christ and since this seems to confuse people i'd like to simply say that i mean what i sing although the theme of endless. Endless on this album is not based on any religion but more in the belief that all things seem to contain a white light within them that i see as eternal"

'In the Aeroplane Over the Sea' - the title track, employs a beautiful use of horns as a foil to the Mangums strumming. the duality exposed here appears to be echoed in the lyrics. The protagonist seems to find real love and happiness "What a beautiful face I have found in this place" but contrasting that he is reminded of mortality and how love can't last as death is our only real suitor "In a blink of an eye and be gone from me". For one of the few times on the record he name checks Anne Frank to further highlight his point, "Anne's ghost all around, Hear her voice as it's rolling and ringing through me" despite the certain end to any relationship he points out, "But for now we are young, Let us lay in the sun, And count every beautiful thing we can see"

'Two-Headed Boy' - Another tale of the ambiguity inside us all.

'The Fool' - Is the only song not penned by Mangum, it was written by Scott Spillane and works as an interlude. A sorrowful introduction to what's about to come.

'Holland, 1945' - Potentially the best track on the album but suffers a muddy mix. I'm all for distortion but I'm afraid the song suffers for this, its more then a distorted guitar sound. 'Holland' is far and away the hardest track on the album. It jumps from the gates and explodes into a sad tale of a families death just prior to the completion of hostilities in WWII. Firstly the girl "The only girl I've ever loved, Was born with roses in her eyes, But then they buried her alive, One evening 1945 With just her sister at her side, And only weeks before the guns, All came and rained on everyone" and later her family "Indentions in the sheets where their bodies once moved but don't move anymore, And it's so sad to see the world agree". Obviously inspired by the Anne Frank story.

'Communist Daughter' - 1945 has come and gone and the world is divided into the East and West, Mangum responds with 'Communist Daughter'. A moving analogy of the world coming to grips with its new order.

'Oh Comely' - Coming in at over 8 minutes 'Oh Comely' is the albums literary masterpiece. Its beauty is undisputed its meaning is the challenge. My best guess is it's contrasting the stories of the girls in 'Holland, 1945' and 'Communist Daughter'. Neither outcome is ideal but the mournful approach to 'Holland' character suggest the narrater preference for the 'Communist Daughter's "It isn't as pretty as you'd like to guess". Though eventually they will "We will fold and freeze together" in death. Of course the Communist Daughter's fate is more palatable then 'Hollands' - "And I know they buried her body with others, Her sister and mother and 500 families".

'Ghost' - This is another song that suffers from overly distorted guitar sounds. Mangum again references the 'Holland' character. "and she was born in a bottle-rocket 1929'. 1929 was the year of Anne Frank's birth. He goes onto say that the girl knows now that she will never die, a reference to the after life (or conversely that her legacy will live on via the power of words, the same power that inspired Mangum to write these lyrics) - "I know that she will live forever and she won't ever die". The fear that through the war was her one constant has now evaporated "and she goes and now she knows she'll never be afraid to watch the morning paper blow into a hole where noone can escape". The song then moves to NYC to a girl falling to her death from a 14th story burning building. She to "goes and now she knows she'll never be afraid". Perhaps he is talking of death as the great leveller, no matter who you are or the circumstance of death, it effects us all equally.

'[untitled]' - Bagpipes, horns and more, it sounds almost like an Irish wake tune. Instrumental.

'Two-Headed Boy Pt. 2' - The finale of a great record and to me the song that finally explains to us what it is Mangum was trying to achieve here. Through veiled images of life and death and his assumptions on their meaning he's attempted to create a unified piece, not just a collection of songs. In 'The King Of Carrot Flowers, Pt. 2-3' he famously bellows, "I love you Jesus Christ" but in this the album's closer he retorts that claim with "God is a place you will wait for the rest of your life". If I'm right he is talking not of a divine God but a secular one. God as a state of being that we should work on becoming. The despair he felt reading "The Diary of Anne Frank" has manifested itself with him not looking for a divine answer but rather a humanistic response. In other words the need for us to strive to be God like in the way we interact with the world. He's pleading with us to be the best people we can be during our time on Earth. Life is precious and our tenure on this Earth is far from assured so make the most of the time we have. To reinforce this I'll re quote from 'Aeroplane over the Sea' - "One day we will die, and our ashes will fly from the aeroplane over the sea, but for now we are young, let us lay in the sun and count every beautiful thing we can see."
In the linear notes printed above he offers a pretty big clue that this is the way he is thinking with the line - "this album is not based on any religion but more in the belief that all things seem to contain a white light within them that I see as eternal"

To be perfectly honest what I thought this album review would sound like before writing and the finished product are vastly different. It was the first time in a long time I had played 'Aeroplane' with the intensity required to decipher the lyrics. Even if I'm way off and what I've outlined above doesn't even resemble Jeff Mangum's take on the record its a credit to him that an interpretation such as this can be exhumed from his work.

The album has now sold in excess of 100 000 copies, the vast majority of those in the US. (To put that figure in perspective for Australian readers, gold record status in Australia is reached at 35 000 sales, in the US its 500 000.) Still it appears that fame and Jeff Mangum have not been friends. Since its release and subsequent tour he has virtually disappeared. Amongst Indie kids Jeff sightings are akin to Elvis sightings for many others. This record has been hugely influential, a lot more so then the sales indicate. The album has not been universally praised but reviewers who have 'got it' have often lauded it with the highest rating possible. I just did a quick google and here's what some reviewers said, Pitchfork Media , All Music Guide , Salon and Nude as the News
It seems highly unlikely that we will see another Neutral Milk Hotel record but fans should take solace in the fact that he left us with one of the more interesting pop records ever produced.

One performance that Jeff did do was in Auckland, New Zealand on 4/2/2001 he played with Laura Carter and the Flying Nun star Chris Knox (Don't you love it when you can link up post!). Knox was formerly in the Tall Dwarves before embarking on a successful solo career. He is perhaps best known for the song 'Not given Lightly'. This was Jeff's last public performance as a front man. They performed under the name the ‘World of Wild Beards’.

To download is :
1. A copy of the New Zealand show it consist of 95% NMH songs.
2. In the Aeroplane over the Sea - Neutral Milk Hotel
3. Not Given Lightly - Chris Knox (5mg mp3 single)

Video below is :
1. A few Jeff Mangum/NMH videos
2. 4 other Elephant 6 collective bands - Apples in Stereo, Circulatory System, Olivia Tremor Control & Elf Power.

In The Aeroplane Over The Sea

Live Auckland, NZ - Jeff Mangum, Laura Carter, Chris Knox performing as ‘World of Wild Beards’ 4/2/2001

Chris Knox - Not Given Lightly - Single

Neutral Milk Hotel - 'Song Against Sex' (live 1998) - from the studio album Avery Island

Jeff Mangum (solo) - 'In the Aeroplane over the Sea' (live - NYE, 1998) - from studio album In the Aeroplane over the Sea

Jeff Mangum (solo) - 'Holland, 1945' (live - 1998) - from studio album In the Aeroplane over the Sea

Apples in Stereo - 'Energy' - from New Magnetic Wonder - 2007 - (Directorial debut for Elijah Wood). - Robert Schneider vocals.

Circulatory System - 'Should a Cloud Replace a Compass?' - Circulatory System - 1999

Olivia Tremor Control - Another Set of Bees in the Museum - Black Foliage: Animation Music Volume 1 - 1999.

Elf Power - 'All the World is Waiting' - from Back to the Web - 2006.

Athens, GA
Neutral Milk Hotel
Elephant 6 Recording Company

Flying Nuns over Dunedin.

2007-06-12T10:43:00.000-07:00

Dunedin is a smallish town of some 60 000 people on the bottom of New Zealand's South Island. As unlikely a location as it is, through the 1980s into the 1990s it was one of the most significant musical towns on the planet. A large majority of these bands were released on the Flying Nun label. Flying Nun was formed in 1981 by Roger Shepherd, like a lot of Indies it started in the back room of a small record store. It actually formed in Christchurch but quickly moved its focus to Dunedin. Though the idea of a Dunedin sound is often rejected by protagonist there is little doubt that there was common link joining them. Generally it was lofi pop with a heavy dash of Velvet Underground. Often the production quality of the recorded music was fairly poor also, there were exceptions to this, but it was a sticky point for a lot of theses acts getting any commercial success. The first single released by the label was by a band called, The Pin Group. The single was 'Ambivalence'. It was with the second release The Clean's 'Tally Ho' that helped the label really take off. 'Tally Ho' went top 10 in NZ, injecting an unexpected cash pool that allowed the label to expand earlier then anyone would of thought.

Some of the more significant acts on Flying Nun were : Tall Dwarfs (Chris Knox), The Clean (David Kilgour), The Chills, The Straightjacket Fits, Jean Paul Sartre Experience, Headless Chickens, The Gordons/Bailter Space, The Bats, Able Tasmans, Look Blue Go Purple and The Verlaines. For those not familiar with these acts a great place to start is a 2 cd compilation entitled 'In Love With These Times'. It gives a quick over view of the Flying Nun golden age.
Today I'm going to look at The Chills. In coming weeks I'll discuss more of the Flying Nun acts

The Chills formed in 1980 as a vehicle for Martin Phillips. Since forming they have had an unbelievable 20 lineup changes. Amongst the scene it was referred to as the curse of The Chills. Most weird about this is that Phillips was very much into the 'band concept' he certainly didn't wish for the revolving door. More then anything the lack of lineup stability was responsible for the stop/start nature of the Chills and the inexplicable lack of commercial success. My first exposure to the Chills was following the 1986 release 'Kaleidoscope World'. It was a collection of the early singles and other recorded material. Originally released as 10 track vinyl album it was reissued as an 18 track CD. It's a collection of some of the most significant Pop music ever written. Criminally unrecognised but to those 'in the know' one of the most important records in their collections. Wonderfully crafted pop with an often dark and sinister lyrical offering.

'Pink Frost' appears to tell the tale of a man murdering his partner and his inability to come to terms with what has transpired "I want to stop my crying, But she's lying there dying, How can I live when you see what I've done?" He explains how "I was dreaming - so I didn't heed her screaming" and that "Just the thought fills my heart with Pink Frost".
Doledrums succinctly describes the mundane and lonely existence of life on the dole. He explains his impression of the day to day impact, "Counting down lonely hours, Drinking lots and taking showers" and also explores some long term possibilities "I no longer dream about the rest of my years". Finally the cycle perpetuates "The benefits arrive and life goes on and on and on".
Perhaps the most poignant song on 'Kaleidoscope World' is 'I Love My Leather Jacket', its dedicated to former drummer Martyn Bull who succumbed to cancer a few years earlier. He left his leather jacket to Phillips. It represents "the only concrete link with an absent friend" and its "Both protector and reminder of mortality."

It was not till late in 1987 that Chills released their first real LP, 'Brave Words'. As with 'Kaleidoscope World' the production is rough but the songs are musically and lyrically sublime. The opening track is 'Push' a jangly but moody intro, stalking but not really threatening, an almost suggestive mood. Lyrically Phillips complains about being emotionally pushed around ""First you push me this way and then you push me that way." Interestingly there is an emphasis on 'S' creating a hissing sound. This is usually discouraged, record producers spend life times removing it from tracks. Phillips emphasises cleverly for effect.

'Look For The Good In Others and They'll See The Good In You' is perhaps my favourite song on the record, it raises the tempo a deal further then the Chills generally take us. Its the Chills punk rock homage and it works. 'Wet Blanket' has a real Sunday afternoon in the hammock feel, what that feel is hiding is an impassioned appeal to a would be love. "Well I'm not in love with anyone but I could fall in love with you" and "I have no patience for anyone but I have lots of time for you". Other highlights on the record are 'Dan Destiny And The Silver Dawn' and the title track 'Brave Words' ("I much rather go down fighting at least I could go with pride, I rather go trying to battle, battle the doubts inside")
'Brave Words' was greeted rapturously around the world. It was released by rough trade in the UK and Homestead in the US. It suffered at the hands of its production. Reviewers maybe able to see past poorly produced records, but radio programmers and mass audiences can't. Its a tragedy, I believe that of the 30+ songs spread over these two records there was a potential ten top 10 hits. Unfortunately they are hidden behind poor production.

'Submarine Bells' was released in 1990 it was the major label debut for The Chills, the previous year they signed a deal with slash/liberation for the world. It was a real turning point for the band and many felt betrayed by their leaving Flying Nun. It was recorded in London and in true Chills fashion the rhythm section had problems with their Visas and were denied entry. The bass player and drummer from XTC were drafted into help with the recording.The record finally showed The Chills for what they could be. The production was crisp and the songs strong. It was by far their most commercially successful outing. A case can be argued that the song writing wasn't as strong as either 'Brave Words' or the collection of songs on 'Kaleidoscope World'. It certainly isn't as consistent.

However the 5 or 6 songs on this album that are of Phillips' normal high benchmark shine with the aid of improved production. As is the case with Sonic Youth's early records there are times when poor production can work as a tool to enhance the product. I think this holds true for a number of the Chills early singles. However that it continued onto Brave Words was a mistake. The other way to look at 'Submarine Bells' is as a major label debut and as such Phillips had sales in mind, he can't be accused of hiding his intentions with the lead single being 'Heavenly Pop Hit' (if this was the case.) The world would be a lot better place if every charting pop song sounded like 'Heavenly Pop Hit'. Its a beautiful track, what's odd is its so obviously uplifting, not normal Chills fair. This isn't exactly true The Chills' catalogue is filled with uplifting, optimistic tracks. 'Kaleidoscope World' there first single is an example. This is different maybe the production makes it seem to much, I'm not criticising, as I said its a great track, there is just something about it that spells a huge change for the Chills. The album certainly isn't devoid of Phillips bleakness - 'Familiarity Breeds Contempt' and 'Tied Up In Chain' are a couple of examples that his dark cynicism is still alive and well. 'Submarine Bells' the title track concludes the album. Its a mournful organ driven ballad, its almost impossible to hear without a wash of melancholy enveloping every pore of your body. Its beautifully sad. "Deep and dark my Submarine bells, rolling greens and grey, my mood chimes a thousand times to make you feel ok, k, k, ok"...wonderful!

In 1992 The Chills released their final album 'Soft Bomb'. To be honest I haven't heard it for 15 years. I remember that on release I didn't get it, its the one album of the first Chills I don't own. Reviewing it here is therefore very difficult - I have trouble remembering 15 minutes ago, let alone an album I heard 15 years ago.
Martin Phillips disbanded the Chills on the US leg of the Soft Bomb tour in 1992. Last year he put a version of the Chills together and recorded a new album Sunburnt. (continuing the S.B. title that ran through the last 3 albums). Reviews have been mixed and its availability in Australia is sketchy so I'm still to hear it.

The 1990s and into this decade were not kind to Martin. He battled a serious drug and health (Hep C) problems and to many he seemed lost. A few years ago when stories of an arrest for shoplifting made their way to the media most felt it justified their theory. Phillips to his credit used it as motivation to sort himself out. After a decade (+) of dancing with his demons he must be commended for his resolve. I only wish that the success that so wrongfully alluded him the first time around is handed to him in spades this time.

The Chills are considered widely influential amongst indie pop bands of today. Peter, Bjorn and John on their album of last year 'Writer's Block' have a song entitled 'Chills" a homage to Phillips & co. Fellow Swedes I'm from Barcelona are also huge fans of the band, openly singing their praise in interviews and via messages on their website.

The first 3 records for download and videos stretching the first three records for your viewing pleasure.

Kaleidoscope World

Brave Words

Submarine Bells

Pink Frost from 'Kaleidoscope World'

Love my Leather Jacket from 'Kaleidoscope World'

Look For The Good In Others And They'll See The Good In You (Live 1988) from studio album 'Brave Words'

Heavenly Pop Hit from 'Submarine Bells'

Flying Nun
The Chills

REM : Green Tours and Bad Food, 1989!

2007-06-12T03:41:00.000-07:00

In 1989 there were two things I was sure of, REM were the best band on the planet and the Gobs the best in Australia and a definite member of any top 5 international list I might produce. (I was young and Dylan was yet to re emerge...give me a break!!). I was probably as fanatical about REM as one could be (bit like I am with Bobby Dylan now). I remember the day 'Green' was released I rang every store in Brisbane looking for someone who had a copy. Eventually Toombul Music (about a 20 minutes drive) told me that they had just arrived in stock. I ran to my car and drove as fast as I could to get there. I remember walking up to the counter making the purchase and the shop assistant asking me what was wrong, I had tears rolling down my face. I was THAT into them. Michael Stipe was God on Earth to me. I remember in Gr.9 & 10 I went through the semi obligatory 15 year old male Doors period. It was amazing how juvenile Michael Stipe made Jim Morrison appear. Anyway when I found out that finally on record #6 (Green) REM were going to tour Australia (with the Gobs supporting!!) I knew I had to do what I had to do to meet them. I was very much in my infancy with working with bands but I had worked with them long enough to know that all bands got a rider. Turns out that bigger bands got food riders as well, but I was only just figuring that out. I decided that I needed to use this 'crucial' inside info to give myself a leg up in my plans to meet my heroes. I settled on a plan to apply as the caterer for the gig. Just under cut every other quote and I was a shoe in.

A copy of the Green World tour program.

Amazingly the first half of the plan worked and I was given the job as the caterer. I would be backstage serving drinks and preparing and serving food for REM! (not to mention the Go-Betweens). Problem, I (still to this day) can't cook. No worries I thought as I schemed further, I'll just collect the menus from restaurants in the area and let the band and crew decided what it is they want. I'll then order the food, pick it up (maybe even have it delivered) and serve it as if I had made it. Anyway finally the night arrived and all good plans... Turns out I wasn't the only person in Brisbane excited about seeing REM. Festival Hall was buzzing with an anticipation I have never since experienced. REM were the greatest band of the 80s and amazingly up until this tour they were still our secret (all be it a big one). Mainstream success with the exception of the 'One I Love', from Document, had still alluded them and we loved them even more for it.

REM made a documentary of the US leg on the Green tour, imaginatively entitled 'Tour Film'

All I had to do to have my dream of meeting them realised was pull off this catering gig, how hard could it be? Ahh famous last words. Suffice to say my meticulously devised plan was a DISASTER! I blame the restaurants. Really why couldn't 5 different restaurants, with 5 different food types co ordinate how long their food take to prepare!!
Every meal I served was cold. Being cold, it got greasy and grease and paper plates don't go well together. To their credit REM were very gracious, Peter Buck even humorous, about the quality of food I delivered. I really can't explain how bad it was. I was picking up one meal at say an Indian restaurant it was five minutes late, which meant I had to run to the Italian restaurant, while running the food I was carrying got tossed around and messed up (1/2 of it ending up in the bag), I'd arrive at the Italian restaurant only to work out that the order had come out 5 minutes early and had been sitting for 10 minutes. It goes on and on and on.
The band may have been gracious but the promoter was far from it. It was fair enough I suppose I was employed by his company and I was making his company look like dicks in front of REM.(After all you didn't need to be a genius to figure out that REM were about to be a very, very big band) What was over the top was what happened next. He was pissed, seriously pissed off. To this day I don't think I've been yelled at with the same ferocity (once again fair enough I fucked up - but hey I meet REM!). The Gobs had just finished (a set I missed 3/4 of due to my getting abused) and this promoter walked from abusing me side of stage, up the stage stairs, across the stage, grabbed the microphone and said "Good on ya Brisbane you Fucked Up!!". The anticipation and excitement in the audience disappeared almost before the words escaped his mouth. You could not only hear the groan but feel it as well. I could of cried, I was so bummed. I felt responsible for destroying everybody's REM experience, the band we had all longed for. Thankfully Berry, Buck, Mills and Stipe had more influence then me and the crowd quickly recovered when they begun their set, but I honestly felt that everyone's night had been ruined. (and this was no ordinary night out!) It truly was a heart breaking 15 minutes. Its funny over the years I've had a lot to do with this promoter but I've never told him that I was the same guy that 'fucked up' in 1989 at Festival Hall. I must remember to tell him next time I see him, it has been almost 20 years after all!
For the record REM loved the Gobs so much they took them on the rest of the world tour.
So it turns out that after the gig finished at 11pm I went out with REM and the Gobs until 6am. I sat down 1 on 1 with Michael Stipe for 2-3 hours drinking $50 bottles of red wine. Worth every 'F&*king C%^t' that had been hurled at me. For what its worth I was disappointed with the show. I felt it lacked heart. I went down and saw them 2 more times at the Horden Pavilion in Sydney and was flabbergasted to see that the set was completely choreographed. I understand now that every band that plays the same show every night for a year is going to start performing shows that look pretty similar. Not with standing this I did expect more then exactly the same between songs banter. I saw 'em again in '92, by this time they were a definite contender for the biggest band in world. Obviously it was a lot bigger room - the Entertainment Centre - 2 nights sold out from memory, anyway I thought the shows were a lot better in '92. They were a band at ease with being big, whereas in '89 they were still getting use to playing 4000 seaters and to compensate for the lack of intimacy they prepared and delivered a 'show'.
Luckily Australia has more then one promoter as that wasn't the end of my catering career, I did one more show, Iggy Pop, about 6 months later. (It was Iggy!!) Anyway I'll save that story for another day. Weirdly years later my wife (who I was a few months off meeting at this stage) ran a successful catering company specialising in backstage setups. (...i laughed anyway)
So what reminded me of this story was a bootleg I have of REM performing at the legendary 40 Watt club in their hometown of Athens, Georgia. The show was on May 20th, 1988, a good 6 months before Green was released in Nov/Dec '88. The band were obviously road testing new material for the album. They played un announced under the name of 'Toast'. First band on. It includes the strangest version of 'The One I love' ever performed. I love it. Of the 6 songs in this short set 4 were to appear on Green. The 40 Watt club was the venue of many of their hometown triumphs.
An amazing town Athens it has a population of 100k (for Australians that the size of Toowoomba) and REM, B52s, Indigo Girls, Matthew Sweet, Elephant 6 collective is based there (Including the wonderful Neutral Milk Hotel) to name a few. Dunedin in New Zealand's south island (population 50k) matched it for a while in the late 80s. Both are University based towns, which seems the common link. Athens, GA though has managed to keep pumping them out for close on 30 years now. Truly remarkable.
Both towns will be the subject of future blogs.

For your pleasure : REM live at the 40 Watt Club, 5/20/88.

This is a great version of "Radio Free Europe", REM making their national television debut on Lettermen, in 1983. They blow it apart, awesome!

Athens, GA
R.E.M.

Bass Players of the World Unite - Redd Kross vrs The White Stripes

2007-06-06T20:34:00.000-07:00

Back in 2001 I was convinced the White Stripes had been sent to save Rock'n'Roll. The first 3 records rocked harder then other two piece had rocked before. Garage blues with attitude. They are a package great image and videos as well. The White Stripes are Jack White (guitars, vox) and his exwife and/or sister Meg White on drums. 2001's album 'White Blood Cells' was for me their creative peak (thus far).

'Dead Leaves And The Dirty Ground' opens the record, full of attitude, it proclaims the records intention from the get go. 'Hotel Yorba' introduces a slight country twing, pushed along by a distinct Meg beat, its probably my favourite song on the record. Of course 'Fell in Love with a Girl', the first single' is rock classic. It goes on, 16 tracks of 'real' rock'n'roll!

Redd Kross were formed in 1980 by teenage brothers Jeff and Steve McDonald. Its been said that Redd Kross's biggest influence was Saturday morning cartoons and breakfast cereal. They had a love of all things pop culture and of the three chords. Musically they developed and by the time 'Phaseshifter' was released in 1993 they had included a strong 60s psychedelic sound to their music. I saw them at this time playing at Festival Hall in Brisbane. From memory they supported Sonic Youth. They were loads of fun.
So what do the White Stripes and Redd Kross have in common I hear you say...In late 2002 following the release of 'White Blood Cells' in 2001 the worlds most famous bass less band was given a bass fuelled over hall courtesy of Steven McDonald. It was web based free release done with the White Stripes blessing. A deal was struck where they allowed 60 000 downloads. Though its occasionally appears on Torrent sites its relatively rare. He even re did the cover, photoshopping himself into the cover art.

As for the record, its great...subtle in parts, but the bass really offers a lot to the songs. Tougher is one description that springs to mind. This may seem sacrileges to diehard White Stripes' fans but I have problems listening to the original version now. It always fells like something is missing. Anyway enjoy.
Speaking of the White Stripes they have a new record on the way, their first since the disappointing 'Get Behind Me Satan'. It was a predicatable and tame record in comparison to their previous efforts. I'm yet to here the record but the single 'Icky Thump' is a welcome return to form. The single is available for download below.
I've also included 2 sons off Redd Kross's 'Phaseshifter' - 'Lady In the Front Row' and 'Jimmy's Fanatsy'. I actually can't find the CD and I only have these two songs on my harddrive. I'll post the full album (its worth it) when the disc shows up. They played live on July 1st for the first time on over a decade. A great very under appreciated band.

Redd Blood Cells Disc 1

Redd Blood Cells Disc 2

White Stripes - Icky Thump

Redd Kross - Lady in Front Row

Redd Kross - Jimmy's Fanatsy

And lastly Michael Gondry's ('Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind') clip for 'Fell in Love with a Girl' - it's one of my fav clips ...from 2002.

White Stripes
Redd Kross

Saint Julian pray for us....

2007-06-03T12:57:00.000-07:00

Julian Cope is a true genius of post punk England, he is also one of its oddest characters.
In the late 70s Julian attended University in Liverpool it was there he meet a number of like minded students riding the creative wave of the post punk/new wave movement. Ian McCulloch (Echo and The Bunnymen), Pete Burns (Dead or Alive), and Pete Wylie (The Mighty Wah!) were part of the crowd. In fact Ian McCulloch was in an early incarnation of the Teardrop Explodes, the band that Cope found fame with in the late 70s and early 80s. They were one of the most important bands in the flourishing post punk/new wave scene. They released two great records, Kilamanjaro in 1980 and and Wilder in 1981. Julian was said to be difficult, even dictatorial and incredibly hard to work with. The Church's Steve Kilbey recounts meeting the Teardrop Explodes just before they disbanded in late 1982. He tells a story of an out of it and ranting Cope and a band who openly despised their singer.
Julian spent 1983 recording his wonderful debut record, 'World Shut Your Mouth'. Its a mixture of orchestral pop and psychedelic meanderings. Cope's writing was clearly a more intelligent alternative then many of his contemporaries. This was not necessarily advantageous to selling records, however it made for great pop songs. 'Sunshine Playroom, Head Hang Low and Greatness And Perfection Of Love' are beautiful tracks.
The record came out in early 1984 and Julian celebrated with hallucinogenics, a lot of 'em. He spent 1984 tripping and locked inside in a room playing with his toy car collection. The collection was said to be so large that it needed an entire room to house it. It was matched only by Julian's desire to consume. His musical response to the lost year was a chillingly dark work which remained juxtaposed by Cope's innate sense of melody. After the year he was emerging from 'Fried' seemed a fitting title. The cover art was equally symbolic (and disturbing) Julian naked, covered by a turtle shell while playing with a toy delivery van.

The record's only single 'Sunspots' is bouncy and immediate, an unforgettable love song. A misleading introduction to the a record whose darker messages are never very far away from the surface. 'Bill Drummond Said' is a reference to the manager of the Teardrop Explodes (he also managed the Bunnymen). Drummond seems to be a character to rival Cope. He had played in bands prior to management and in the mid 80s returned to performing. His first single was actually backed by the Triffids (weird huh...small world!!). Shortly after in response to Cope's song he wrote 'Julian Cope Is Dead' a song encouraging Julian to kill himself in order to sell more records. Drummond ended up forming the KLF and the The Justified Ancients of Mu Mu.
'The Bloody Assizes' is a a plea against the death penalty. 'Reynard The Fox' is perhaps the most complete Cope song ever. It opens 'Fried'. By the end of the second chorus your singing along, its a classic Julian, challenging, engaging and rockin' but then Julian flips us, not once, not twice but for the next hour. The last minute of this song is a Julian 'don't take the brown acid' moment. A great song. A frightening conclusion, the monologue that comes in over a bass/drum beat builds in intensity. Lightning strike guitar chords are inserted and the chorus you were gleefully singing along to in what seems like another life time eerily moans in the background. It builds slowly till climax. Julian's narrative is at the front, angry and with an obvious evil its erupts and ends with the protagonist suicide 'He spills his guts all over the stairs!
'Fried' is a great record at least the equal of 'Shut your Mouth'. Many critics go with 'Fried' as the best of the two. I suppose as a study into man's resilience and an understanding of what Julian's year was like then you would have to go with 'Fried'. But as far as an emotional response to music goes then its 'Shut Your Mouth'. (Today anyway)
'Saint Julian' was released in 1986, its the rock'n'roll response and it really delivers. The lead singles 'World Shut Your Mouth' (only Julian would name a the lead single after an album only two years old) and 'Trampoline' were both top 20 hits in the UK and abroad. I can't find any hard sales/chart positions in Australia but I remember seeing both the videos on the popular video shows of the day and hearing them on commercial radio. (Hello I'm Julian and I'm a RockStar!!!)
Saint Julian deserved its success and more besides. The guitars get turned up and it rocks relentlessly, Cope's beautiful vocal the calming element. I read someone compare the intensity of the band's performance to Bowies on Spiders, its as close a comparison as any.
Disaster was around the corner however in the form of the upcoming record, 'My Nation Underground'. Cope claimed that management had forced him to record something that didn't represent his artistic intentions. It is a disappointing record, it should of been the record that capitalised on the momentum of 'St Julian' both in commercial and artistic terms. I remember buying it on release, a good record will always have a mixture of hit you and growers, the overwhelming response to My Nation Underground was blah, it was Ok just a little dull.
Julian slipped into the studio on a weekend during the recording of 'Nation Underground' and recorded his next album 'Skellington'. A war begun between Cope's Management/The record company and Cope. The "Greedheads" as Cope refereed to them refused to release 'Skellington' and Cope refused to further record while his past efforts were left unreleased. It was a trend that would continue until Julian turned his back on the establishment and went it alone. He returned to a major (Island) to release 'Peggy Suicide' and 'Jehovahkill' in the early 90s but as before it ended poorly. He is still making music today although it rarely reaches the colonies. In fact the 2000s have seen the release of 8 records all reviewed with enthusiasm by the English media.
Julian has also been publishing books over varying topics but all are connected by critical success and significant sales.
'Head On' was his first auto biographical effort it covered the period from 1976-82, the period prior to and during the life of The Teardrop Explodes. A 2nd was released later Possessed it covered the years I have discussed here 1983-89. In 2000 the two books were published as a single piece Head-On/Possessed. Critics have referred to it as the best non fiction account of the period. Media reports last week indicated that the movie rights have been secured and a film is o the way. (who will play Julian?)
Cope also has a huge interest in Krautrock and has written what many see as the definitive book on the genre, Krautrocksampler. Mojo wrote of it ""Brilliantly researched, Krautrocksampler abounds with revelations, and Cope's enthusiasm verges on the lethal ... a sort of lysergic" Julian's top 50 Krautrock records can be seen here.
He is presently putting together a Japanese version, 'Japrocksampler: How the Post-war Japanese Blew Their Minds on Rock 'n' Roll'. Its due for release this September.
Cope also proves himself to be the world's hippest archaeologist with his acclaimed The Modern Antiquarian (1998). It looks at ancient monuments and stone circles within Britain. Its release was accompanied by a 2 part BBC documentary.
In 2004 he did a more extensive study into European monuments in 'The Megalithic European'.

Julian Cope is a genius, flawed and eccentric, but one can't argue the results. He chooses to set himself up outside of the mainstream and work away on its fringes. His work ethic is enormous, since 2000 he's produced 8 records and written two books. Though a fear of flying keeps his touring to Europe he still plays regularly - In fact he's touring the UK as I type this. He is deeply polarising, both musically and as an individual. I'm a fan of his music but can see others frustration with some of it. Beautiful love songs to evil suicide rants in within the space of 2 songs is a challenge to some. I think its what makes him who he is and its what makes him great. You can't be a fan of the classic rock/pop song and not find something in his music. As an individual I've never had the pleasure but would be fascinated by the opportunity. I've got no problem with people making their own decisions about drugs but I do have an issue with those who glorify them. That being said taking acid in a room with a bunch of toy cars for a year is a fuckin' achievement!
The bottom line...He's JULIAN.

To download below : World Shut Your Mouth (1984), Fried (1986), Floored Genius 2 Best Of The BBC Sessions 1983-1991 Disc 1&2
Videos below from various stages of Julian Cope and the Teardrop Explodes.

World Shut Your Mouth

Fried

Floored Genius 2 Best Of The BBC Sessions 1983-1991 Disc 1

Floored Genius 2 Best Of The BBC Sessions 1983-1991 Disc 2

Teardrop Explodes - Ha Ha, I'm Drowning, from 1980's Kilimanjaro

Teardrop Explodes - Passionate Friend, from 1981's Wilder

Julian Cope - World Shut Your Mouth, from 1987's Saint Julian

Julian Cope - Beautiful Love, from Peggy Suicide.

Julian Cope, 'Sunspots', live in London, February 2006

Teardrop Explodes
Julian Cope

Kurt loves his Docs..

2007-06-01T15:16:00.001-07:00

Kurt love's his Docs....

If the Go-Betweens were 'the should of been's', Nirvana were the 'how the fuck did that happen' band. I say that as a big fan. As chronicled in Thurston Moore's doco '1991 the year that punk broke' no one, least of all the band themselves expected that their second album would go on to sell 11 million+ records. Of course everyone knows how it ended, On April 5th, 1994, Kurt opted out, leaving Gen Xs the world over stunned and saddened.
Doc Martins have decided to reincarnate Kurt (along with a bunch of other dead punk rock royalty) in a new ad campaign.

At least Kurt's not lonely, he's with Joe....

Joey.....

And Sid.....

Angel's the lot of 'em!! Its pretty funny really but its got a lot of noses out of joint, not the least of which is the considerable snoz of Courtney Love. Her representative said: "Courtney had no idea this was taking place and would never have approved it. She thinks it's outrageous that a company is allowed to commercially gain from such a despicable use of her husband's picture." Doc Martin's have apologised and sacked the ad agency. I can see how some may find it a little offensive, but hey its the most publicity that Docs have had for a while. Besides judging by this recent shot of Ms. Love I think she has other things to worry about...Is that really Courtney??

and OUCH!!!!!

Mickey Leigh, Joey Ramone's brother wasn't impressed either : "Obviously, we are in the same position as Courtney Love, as well as the estates of the others depicted (in the ad). We were never consulted about this ad. We were never asked for permission to use Joey's image, or paid for the use of it. As executor of my brother's estate I never would have approved this ad as Joey never wore these shoes. And, not that my brother was terribly religious, but the fact that he was Jewish, and this ad is not exactly kosher, makes it that much more inappropriate, inconsiderate and contemptible."

Anyway back to Nirvana, six weeks before Kurt showed the world how much he loved shotguns he attempted the tried and true method - overdosing. Turns out the bottle of Rohypnol and a bunch of champagne wasn't enough to do the trick and paramedics were able to save him. At the time Nirvana were on tour in Italy. A couple of days before the suicide attempt they played a show in Rome a recording of which follows. It's a sound board recording and the quality is surprisingly good. Perhaps most startling is Kurt's on stage banter, he seems almost jovial. His last words on stage were "Thankyou, I'm a Rockstar..."

Nirvana Live in Rome, 22/2/1994. Disc 1

Nirvana Live in Rome, 22/2/1994. Disc 2

Nirvana
Doc Martins

The Go-Betweens

2007-05-27T20:58:00.000-07:00

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.

Go-Betweens - The last Stand, Max;s Dec.1989

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

The Go-Betweens
Robert Forster

Welcome to the Greatest Rock'n'Roll site in the World....

2007-05-24T08:10:00.000-07:00

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)

Bye Bye Pride from Tallulah, 1987.

Rolling Stones
Get Yer Ya-Yas Out
The Go-Betweens
Grant McLennan

2006-01-01T23:59:00.000-08:00

Record Reviews Section.....

Radiohead: In Rainbows 8.4/10

2006-01-01T17:11:00.000-08:00

After a hiatus of four years Radiohead have returned with their most self-assured album since O.K. Computer. This album unfolds like a flower and leads us to places of stark beauty. A resilient dawn sky and a post-apocalyptic eye embrace are two metaphors that spring to mind. Each song melds into the next and the album becomes what few albums achieve - a single entity. There are few songs that reach out and take you by the scruff of the neck rather an accumulative sense of benevolence that is inspirational in its own right. The two songs that immediately accost you are All I Need and Videotape but after a few listens you realise they are just welcoming gestures for the greater tapestry that In Rainbows creates. The album was released as a download as Radiohead have embraced the inevitable direction of music releases. This download will be followed by a box set to be released in December and a further release of the 'official' CD in January.

Thom Yorke has let his voice recreate the nuances of his drooling countenance. The band creates a noticable gestalt for the first time in a long time. Gone are the self-indulgent musings of Kid A and Amnesiac. Although Hail to the Thief was admirable it has failed to stand up to the test of time. There is a much greater sense of unity evident in this album and it seems as though Radiohead have taken a step back from the need to be innovative and embraced their wonderful sense of melody. Songs like Fake Plastic Trees and Exit Music(for a Film) are what they're best at and In Rainbows has echoes of the gentle melodies that we love most about Radiohead.

Colin Greenwood and Phil Selway have added a layer of subtlety to this album that is almost perfect. Likewise Jonny Greenwood and Ed O'Brien have reunited with a delicacy that is seamless. The grand gestures of the past have been placed to the side and the band has utilised their obvious brilliance in a manner that creeps up on you and swallows you whole. The delicate plucking in House of Cards and, similarly, in Reckoner enter the aural landscape and dig its claws in forever. Yorke's falsetto has never been better and is given full reign. After a frustrating period in the studio with producer Mark 'Spike' Stent in 2006 they returned to touring and resumed in 2007 with their old favourite, Nigel Godrich. The result is blissful and Radiohead have understatedly delivered one of their finest pieces of work.

Download and listen to All I Need

or

Watch the video of their new song All I Need.

Black Francis: Bluefinger 7.2/10

2006-01-01T17:10:00.000-08:00

Black Francis (aka Charles Thompson IV, Frank Black) has risen from the dead and delivered his best work for a long time. This material was allegedly intended for The Pixies reformation release and after listening to it you can only wish that Deal and Santiago had been there to flesh it out. You can almost hear Deal on the background vocals for Threshold Apprehension and You Can't Break a Heart and Have It.

This work was apparently inspired by the now deceased Dutch punk and artist, Herman Brood. Francis was "gripped by the spirit of Herman Brood" during the recording of a bonus track for the recently released best of 93-03 to such an extent he wrote most of the material for Bluefinger in a few days. Surprisingly, his output is pretty good but the production is ordinary as is the case with a lot of Francis's solo work. There is brilliance but it's scattered recklessly amongst some average arrangements. For instance, on Angels Come to Comfort You the grotesque upbeat country sound gives way to a gloriously executed coda which reminds me of the ending of Where is my Mind?.

I can hear Dog in the Sand (Frank Black and the Catholics) here more than any of The Pixies which is fair enough but I can't help feeling that there has been a huge missed opportunity. The name change promises much and this man can't help but deliver something of worth. There a some great songs on this album like the hard and gritty Threshold Apprehension, the Beatlesque Lolita, Tight Black Leather the song that was lost off Trompe Le Monde and the Brood cover You Can't Break a Heart and Have It. There really isn't a bad song just a sense of sloppiness that frustrates yet at the same time has you listening for more. It is the weak guitaring that essentially loses me. If there was a firmer grip on these songs and it was released under The Pixies tag people would have been going off their heads. Alas, not to be. Maybe Black, Frank, Charles or whatever the fuck he is called should take a step back from his ego and get some decent musicians (Deal, Santiago and Lovering) to flesh out his work.

Watch a live version of Threshold Apprehension.

Download and listen to Lolita

Okkervil River - The Stage Names 8.4/10

2006-01-01T11:51:00.000-08:00

Okkervil River's 2005 release 'Black Sheep Boy' was a dark and introspective work inspired by the life of US folk singer Tim Harden. Harden was a leading light in the 60s Greenwich Village folk scene but battled heroin addiction for most of his adult life until finally succumbing to it in 1980. 'The Stage Names' is a more autobiographical piece then its predecessor and though its still a desolate piece the lyrical desperation of 'Black Sheep Boy' is tempered somewhat. Musically the guitars of Will Sheff and Brian Cassidy are more bouncy and fun then in previous outings.

Okkervil River were formed in 1998 by singer/songwriter Will Sheff. 'The Stage Names' is their fifth and most 'mature' outing. Sheff is a classic wordsmith, creating sprawling canvases rather then intimate observations. As he declares in the albums opener and stand out track 'Our Life Is Not A Movie Or Maybe' - "It’s just a life story/So there’s no climax" suggests that he is placing his thoughts together not exploiting fractured narratives.

The album concludes with the colossal 'John Allyn Smith Sails'. John Allyn Smith is the birth name of Pulitzer Prize winning American confessional poet John Berryman who committed suicide in 1972 by throwing himself off Washington Avenue Bridge in Minneapolis. The first 2 verses tell desperate tale of suicide, "From a bridge on Washington Avenue, the year of 1972/Broke my bones and skull and it was memorable". What follows is a dramatic reinterpretation of the Beach Boys 'Sloop John B'. John B's worst trip becomes a terrifying fight for life, a plea to turn back the clock to a time before the bridge jump, "It was half a second and I was halfway down/Do you think I wanted to turn back."

'Unless it kicks', ‘Savannah Smiles’ and 'A Girl in Port’ are further proof of the albums claims to greatness. 'A Girl in Port' is a gorgeous piano/steel guitar ballad which shows the band prepared to push themselves. Sheff's vocals come to the fore here, surely one of the most emotive in contemporary rock.

'The Stage Names' shows a band finding its calling, its a mature and complete record. Intelligent is the music critics most over used word, however in the case of Will Sheff its apt. Musically and lyrically this work shines and like all great pieces keeps you hanging for more....is it to early to be anointing the album of the year??

For direct download from 'The Stage Names', 'Our Life Is Not A Movie Or Maybe' and 'John Allyn Smith Sails'.
And a bonus track track from 2006's 'Overboard and Down EP' 'The President's Dead'.

Our Life Is Not A Movie Or Maybe
John Allyn Smith Sails
The President Is Dead

An interview with Will Sheff during the 2007 South by Southwest festival.

The Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Is Is EP 5.4/10

2006-01-01T11:50:00.000-08:00

Let go, for Christ's sake, just let go! It's a little like listening to The White Stripes, you just want them to deliver on what they promise but you're always left short. Shits me no end! Get a bass player - it can't be that difficult. This isn't a terrible showing but if only they would let the explosion happen instead of smothering it in bullshit. Karen O is unquestionably interesting and Nick Zinner offers her the perfect platform from which to deliver her naivety. You can almost hear her prancing around in her fuck me-suck me costumes that look like they've been attacked by Zandra Rhodes. Stop pouting and start delivering - lose yourself in the music and not the image. Her Siouxsie Sioux come P.J. Harvey voice imitation seems to be stronger here than on previous releases. The band had well known English producer Nick Launay ( PIL, Killing Joke, Gang of Four, Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, David Byrne and a number of top Australian bands - he lives in Sydney) step into the studio with them and he does his best with some tired songs that are a step backwards from Show Your Bones. I can hear a lot of Gang of Four in this outing which isn't such a bad thing just unoriginal.

Is Is has moments and the best song on the EP would be Kiss Kiss. At least we are released from frustration and the song actually travels. Zinner has an ear for the riff which sometimes, unfortunately, falls into a jarring expose of mediocrity.

Down Boy tries to recapture the great moments in The Yeah Yeah Yeahs oeuvre but instead of surpassing it they revert to Black Sabbath influenced guitar work and some slack synth work. The remaining songs on the EP are just dull and The Yeah Yeah Yeahs have done it all before and better. These songs were written over two years ago after the release of Fever to Tell and should have remained there. With songs like Maps, Cheated Hearts and Turn Into in their repertoire you expect a lot from this band and Is Is doesn't deliver. A definite step backwards and one for the fans. It won't win over to many new listeners and will lose a few of the older ones. I can't understand why a band that represents the zeitgeist of music so vehemently would want to release a clutch of tired old material - bad move. Mediocrity at its most flamboyant.

Watch the video of Down Boy on Letterman.

Download what I think is the best song off the EP.

Kiss Kiss

Interpol Our Love to Admire 8/10

2006-01-01T11:01:00.000-08:00

After an interminable wait, a major label signing and an endless flow of conjecture the latest Interpol album, Our Love to Admire, has finally arrived. We were not to be disappointed. The release date of the 10th July was about a month ago so I've had a good chance to really listen to this album. A lot of albums need a good listen before a judgement can be made. With the first two Interpol albums, Turn on the Bright Lights and Antics, this was certainly true and I believe the same with the third. My first impression was one of impatience because I wanted to get a grip on it immediately but this is a personal flaw I have with most new albums. The best thing to do is a little like panning for gold. Leave it playing again and again and wait for the nuggets to shine. I found it hard to move past the opening track, Pioneer of the Falls, but when I did I found a beautifully crafted piece of work. Paul banks has a memorable voice which is sometimes led and sometimes haunted by Daniel Kessler's guitar. The punctuating bass by Carlos D. and the timpanic drums by Sam Fogarino give Interpol their distinctive and glorious sound. Our Love to Admire is better than Antics but not as good as Turn on the Bright Lights(which few albums would be). This band seems to have an endless supply of great melodies and they have put another kitbag of great tunes together here.

Interpol have something a lot of bands only dream of and that is depth. Each song has layers that emerge from hidden corners and take you on the neon and concrete motifed journey that has become synonymous with Interpol. This is a great band and one that surfs the zeitgeist wave with aplomb. They may have reverted to the sounds of the 80's but they have reworked them to make them their own. Working with new label Capitol hasn't had a detrimental effect at all and just because a band is receiving some well earned kudos doesn't signal a disentergration of product. We should remember that many great bands of the past have moved to major labels seamlessly.

There is a difference in Our Love to Admire from their earlier work. A subtle difference but one worthy of a band exploring their signature sound. The parisian synth, cracking harmonies and shimmering guitar are indicators of a broadening sound. What were we expecting from this album? More of the same but a signal of growth? Of course, just what we expect from every new album from every great band. Rarely are we offered something completely new by an artist and usually if we are we tend to turn up our noses. Interpol have kept to their formula but taken it to a grander scale. This is an excellent album and one that will grow on the radar of 2007 releases.

The album opens with the epic, Pioneer of the Falls. "The soul can wait" but what for? More of the parisian synth and wailing guitar we hope. It is followed with the bass-led, No I in Threesome, irksome title but a wonderful song. The Scale, The Heinrich Maneuver, Pace is the Trickand Mammoth all deliver what Interpol do best. A tightly knit montage of guitar, voice and bass in which you have to search for weakness. Wrecking Ball, another favourite, begins with signature Interpol guitar but grows from harmony to an aching echo of modern life and becomes distinct when the band pays homage to Mercury Rev's meloncholia. Overlays of brass and synth transform songs from much of the same to moments of brilliance. As I said this is a great album and I have trouble finding much wrong with it. I'm trying my hardest but failing miserably. There isn't a weak song but my only concern would be the order. They could have separated the final two tracks and inserted (what I think is the best song on the album) The Lighthouse in the middle so as to break a measure of sameness.

We have waited a long time for Interpol's new album and it has been worth the wait. People will find this album accessible and full of layered depth. It will grow in the collective music consciousness despite a less than brilliant critical reception. Good albums have a way of thwarting unfavourable critical response (which uncannily seems to have missed the point). This is a must for a modern music collection and one that would receive that greatest of all responses, "What's this you're playing, mate?"

Here are a couple of tracks from the Our Love to Admire. Download them, listen then go and buy the album so you can hold onto what you're listening to (great album art as well). All single MP3 downloads are now via DIRECT link.

Pioneer to the Falls

The Lighthouse

And the Latest video, The Heinrich Maneuver:

Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga – Spoon 7.8/10

2006-01-01T11:00:00.000-08:00

With an almost undetectable ease Spoon have established a home for themselves amongst the elite of American Indie Rock. They formed in 1994 by singer/guitarist Britt Daniel and drummer Jim Eno in Austin, Texas. Since that time they have delivered 5 albums of sublime Indie rock, walking a fine line between catchy melodic pop and left field dynamics. ‘Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga’ their sixth, has done for them what ‘Good News’ did for Modest Mouse, peaking at number 10 on the Billboard charts and turning the previously under exposed Spoon into bonafide ‘rock stars.’

Spoon’s strength is their minimalism, that’s not to say that they lack intricacy, they don’t, it’s their ability to manipulate their well worn path that keeps them fresh. It’s remarkably concise, not a superfluous note to obscure the clear simplicity. They successfully traverse the line of diligence and creativity.
Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga’s first single ‘The Underdog’ perhaps best highlights my point. The pure indie pop genius that Spoon has been serving for over a decade now is augmented with mexican horns during the songs rollicking chorus. Change enough to keep it new but still unmistakably Spoon.

‘You Got Yr. Cherry Bomb’ is almost Motown, more horns are joined by tambourines and chugging beat. 'Finer Feelings' is perhaps the CDs strongest track, its classic Spoon. Pop hooks others wait a lifetime to create are there in abandon. Towards the tracks completion the introduction of samples offers an interesting and uncharacteristic twist. ‘The Ghost of You Lingers’ is a haunting track driven by a jackhammer piano beat.

Lyrically the album is Britt Daniel’s most direct work. A tangible sense of anger and frustration invade many of the narratives. The albums opener ‘Don’t make a Target’ a rallying cry against GW Bush’s foreign policy:
“Keep on marching along
Beating his drum”

“Thugs and stick and bats and balls
For nuclear dicks with dialect drawls”

‘My Little Japanese Cigarette Case’ sonic dynamism, much in the vein of the Pixies, is a perfect accompaniment to the cocaine inspired lyric.
“It's just my Japanese cigarette case,
Bring a mirror to my face
Let all my memories be gone”

‘Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga’ is another in a long line of great Spoon records. Daniel’s and co keep experimenting with the studio process enough to keep recording new and interesting soundscapes to co habit with their Indie pop sensibilities. It’s rewarding to see the efforts being enjoyed by the wider public.

MP3's from Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga available for DIRECT download :

Finer Feelings

The Underdog

Also a great video of The Underdog live on Letterman :

Movie Review Section

2005-12-31T23:58:00.000-08:00

Movie Review Section.....

Control 8.3/10

2005-12-31T11:57:00.000-08:00

Anton Corbijn moved from the Netherlands to England in the late 70s. A budding rock photographer he quickly established himself as a regular contributor for the NME. It was in this capacity he first encountered Joy Division. His days working with Manchurian quartet would leave an indelible impression on Corbjin, finally reaching its climax with this biopic of the brilliant but doomed vocalist Ian Curtis. It's Corbjin directorial debut and its a triumph.

All to often biopics become insipid odes by fans of the protagonist, failing to expose more of the subject then presented in a weekly tabloid. Thankfully 'Control' offers a level of intamacy with Curtis that is equally as surprising as it is sad and disturbing. The credit for this lies primarily with the movies source material, Ian Cutis's wife, Debbies autobiography 'Touching from a Distance'. Curtis is played by virtual unknown Sam Riley (bar a cameo performance in 24 hour party people playing Mark.E.Smith). His performance is remarkable. His ability to capture Curtis's manner and especially his vocals is uncanny.

'Control' introduces us to Ian Curtis as a high school student living in bleak Manchester and obsessed with Bowie. He meets Debbie while still a schoolboy and quickly they develop a bond that seems incongrous with their age. They waste little time in marrying, still teenagers in fact. From these early years it's obvious that Curtis has a love of words and poetry, quoting Wordsworth at one point and constantly scribbling poems and abstract lines into a note pad. The genesis of Joy Division occurs at the infamous Sex Pistol's Manchester Lesser Free Trade Hall on 4 June 1976 (same venue as Dylan's famous electric bootleg). Of the 40 or so people who showed many were inspired to play music. In attendance were Mark.E.Smith, Morrissey, The Buzzcocks, members of Simple Red and Tony Wilson. All four members of the soon to be Joy Division were also in attendance. Following the gig Ian Curtis approached the other members (Bernard Sumner, Peter Hook and Stephen Morris) about becoming their lead singer. He was accepted with hesitation.

We are then taken along the meteoric rise of Joy Division to cult stardom. Their success was juxtoposed by the simple working class domesticity that Curtis, his wife and new daughter were creating. A life that Curtis found hard to reconcile with his increasing stardom. We see glimpses of the early days of Warsaw through the history of Joy Division. It looks at the recording process, the ever growing live show (including some gigs performed exclusively to skinheads - they were bouyed not so much by the music as the name. Joy Division was the term for the prostitution wing of the Nazi concentration camps.) Of these the most fascinating aspect was the studio time. Thankfully the role of Martin Hannett the bands producer is not glossed over. He was responsible for many of the unusual and exotic sounds that litter many of Joy Divisions better tracks. He also had the ability to get the best out of the band, especially Curtis. This is highlighted beautifully during a shot of Curtis delivering the vocal on 'Isolation'

The film depicts the rise of Joy Division wonderfully but the heart of the film and of Ian Curtis's life is the great dichotomy between the bands success and his desperate misery. Curtis's despair is laid bare for the audience to engulf. At its heart is his guilt at his lack of faithfulness towards his young family. While touring Europe Curtis meet Annik, a Belgian women. They fast become lovers. Though he felt isolated from his home life and he still wore a heavy guilt for in his mind he was not only cheating on his wife but destroying his young family. Despite his hostility there was a part of that life he could not surrender, neither was he able to relinquish Annik. His worsening health also pulled heavily on him. In his late teens, the early days of the band, he developed epilepsy. What started as a one off attack fast became a regular and ever increasing problem. Seizures often attacked while on stage. Doctors seemed helpless all they could do was try (unsuccessfully) different drugs while explaining the ever deteriorating prognosis. It weighed heavily on Curtis, in a letter to Annik he explains that the outlook had got worse and that he tells her this knowing it was possible that it could well mean she would lose interest in him. Equal to these was Curtis's dissatisfaction with his life as a star. At one point a voice over of Ian's character reads a letter that he wrote. In it he says that he no longer has the passion and feels disingenuous while performing live. What struck me most about this letter was how very similar it sounded to Kurt Cobain's suicide note. He was a 'fake', no longer enjoying being a performer, should of broken up after the first album etc etc. These points are eerily recreated in the Cobain's final note, (My wife lent over during the film and said 'Kurt cheated, he copied his note'.) The film doesn't exploit Curtis's depression but neither does it gloss it over. Corbijn was sensitive but at the same time unnervingly honest.

On May 18th, 1980 after watching Werner Herzog's film Stroszek and listening to Iggy Pop's The Idiot Ian Curtis hung himself in his then estranged wife's kitchen. He was 23. It was two days before the band were set to embark on their first tour of the US. 'Love will Tear us Apart' was the bands first true hit single. The potential that Joy Division showed at this time was immeasurable. Debbie Curtis's autobiography, Anton Corbijn direction and Sam Riley's uncanny portrayal all combine to ensure 'Closer' is indeed a wonderful representation of the short but memorable life of Ian Curtis.

To download : Joy Division - The Complete Peel Sessions It includes an interview with Ian Curtis recorded by the BBC.

The Control Trailer follows :

Movie Review - Joe Strummer : The Future Is Unwritten 8.2/10

2005-12-31T00:01:00.000-08:00

What's the appropriate response for a film maker whose close friend dies suddenly at a relatively young age. If your film maker, Julien Temple (The Filth and the Fury, Great Rock'n'Roll Swindle) and your late friend is Joe Strummer creating an inspired documentary of your friends life and achievements is an ideal tribute. Joe Strummer was the head of the genre beating act The Clash, one of the standout bands of the Punk era and amongst the most influential English bands ever. In December 2002 Joe died suddenly from a congenital heart defect, his death shocked and saddened legions of his supporters.

'Joe Strummer: The Future Is Unwritten' is a wonderfully crafted documentary beautifully igniting the extraordinary life of Joe Strummer. Joe was born John Mellor in August 1952 in Turkey. His father was a diplomat and as such Joe spent his early childhood traversing the globe. He spent significant time in Mexico, Cairo and Bonn. The young Strummer was a sponge accepting and learning his strange and exotic surrounds. Temple has sourced some incredible home movie footage of the young Joe, his brother David and his father. It shows an alert, inquisitive and cheeky boy desperate to be the centre of attention - by the look of this footage successfully. At age 9 Joe and David were sent to an exclusive boarding school. Joe claims its where he learnt independence. Joe nurtured his love of music during his school boy days. Woody Guthrie was a favorite, Joe even adopted the "Woody' name. After school he moved into the 101 Walterton Road squat. Its here he forms the 101s with flat mates. Surprisingly Temple is able to present some incredible footage of the band. In '76 Joe was introduced to future Clash manager Bernie Rhodes and his future partner in the Clash, Mick Jones. Phenomenally Temple has footage of some of these early exchanges. He first started documenting The Clash in 1976. His footage of the early days of the band is truly remarkable it takes us inside the very first meetings and rehearsals of the band. The Clash were undoubtedly one of the bands of the Punk Rock movement, their story is one of commitment and unwavering political ideals. No doubt the politicising of the Clash was down to Strummer. Julien Temple charts their road to success with some amazing never before seen concert footage, interviews and informal banter. Their eventual success, especially in the US was to prove their ultimate demise. Strummer's inability to reconcile success with (Something he had strived for since the bands inception) his personal beliefs proved an insurmountable obstacle. Following a US tour playing baseball stadiums, Strummer sacks Jones and boots drummer Topper Headon out of the band due to his persistent drug problems. Jones was the crucial loss, musically there is no doubt Jones and Strummer were moving further apart but throughout The Clash history they had played the creative foil role for each other and judging by the last record produced after his absence, he was missed. 'Cut the Crap' was the only bad record that the band produced, it was panned by critics and sold poorly. The band disbanded shortly after its release.

Perhaps the most fascinating part of 'The Future Is Unwritten' is the discussion of Strummer's life post The Clash. The dichotomy that existed within Joe and his inabilty to be able to accept success manifested itself in new ways throughout what became known as his 'wilderness years'. He battled with intense depression in the wake of The Clash's implosion. Musically he recorded nothing under his own name nor did he play live for almost 13 years. Instead he spent large part of the 2nd half of 80s working in film. He compiled soundtracks for a number of films most notable Sid and Nancy and Grosse Pointe Blank. He also acted including the leading role in Jim Jarmusch's Mystery Train.
Throughout his time in the Clash Strummer was renowned as a performer who was devoted to his audience he often spent hours after shows chatting with the crowd. It was ultimately this ability and a love of camp fires that rescued him from his wilderness. Throughout the film Temple conducts as many interviews as possible sitting around a camp fire. It became the central piece of the film. It reflected Strummer's belief in the spiritual and social significance of the camp fire. Through the 90s he conducted fires at the Glastonbury Festival in the UK, encouraging the festival patrons to talk ,sing and exchange ideas. Significantly it allowed Joe to engage with the audience again. Also at this time he did a radio show on the BBC World Service to an audience of well in excess of 100million listeners. It all lead to his re emergence as both a studio and live performer. With an amazing band in tow Strummer put together Joe Strummer and The Mescaleros. They released three great records and toured the world playing a set that was littered with Clash songs.

On December 22, 2002 Joe Strummer died suddenly from an undiagnosed congenital heart defect. He was only 50. It was a tragic end to an enriching life.

Temple's film is a triumph. As a director doing a piece on a lost friend is fraught with danger. It would be easy to produce a gushing film rather then one that attempted to produce a balanced work. To his credit Temple doesn't fall into this trap. He explores Joe's darker years and encourages the interviewees to present honest appraisals of Strummer. Don Letts, film maker and member of Mick Jones' post Clash band Big Audio Dynamite, calls Strummer a coward for his treatment of Jones and his actions around the time of the Clash's demise. Another touch that Temple brings to the film is his use of cut ins to emphasis significant moments. The most notable of these is a variety of scenes from Animal Farm.

If I have a criticism its the almost obligatory celebrity interview. Some I accept as relevant, Jim Jarmusch and Steve Buscemi worked with Joe on Mystery Train and therefore had real experience to refer to, but really did we have to get comments from Bono. His comments added nothing to the film, except his name in the credits.

I got a little carried away with this review, Joe Strummer is such a significant and striking icon of the later 20th century that it was hard to pull it back. Julien Temple has made a visually stunning and moving film, a momentous tribute to a lost friend. If you are into Strummer or not there is something in this film for everyone.

To download Joe dueting with Johnny Cash on an amazing cover of Bob Marley's Redemption Song. Also videos 'The Future is Unwritten' Trailer

Joe Strummer and Johnny Cash - Redemption Song

Joe Strummer: The Future Is Unwritten Trailer.

The Clash Live from 1979 - Complete Control / Safe European Home