OK what the fuck I'll start the music topic...it's gonna happen anyway.

I have no money so not many new albums bought but there's certainly lots of good stuff out there:

I don't think I need to mention that I'm a Darkling, I think they're well known in Azerbyjan by now but they're still great.

I've ordered the Jet album off amazon 'cos I really like 'Roll over DJ' and 'Are you gonna be my girl' not particularly original Aussie rock but as Oscar said '...but genius steals' or something. Influenced by Iggy Pop, Led Zep, possibly AC/DC...sound a little Kings of Leon, but I prefer Jet.

I'm also getting Lemon Jelly but we all (should) know they're gweat.

Special mention to Pete Yorn; For Nancy ('cos it already is) is a v good song and the rest of his album is top notch.

Eels - Shootenanny is good.

My uncle introduced me to Nick Drake, very mellow a bit like a male Beth Orton.

Athlete - Vehicle and Animals excellent.

Idlewild (of course) - The Remote Part

Classics just in case any of us are deaf and haven't noticed us all playing these albums: Tenacious D, Too many DJs, 3EB, Jimmy Eatworld (OK so that's mainly just me but it's still reall really good) and Gomez.

That is all.
King

For comedy value, go listen to an adam sandler album...genius..

bayda gilmore

I thought I’d add my review of The Darkness here:

A were better.

Perhaps I should qualify that statement: First up were Young Heart Attack who rocked big-time, their single Misty Rowe stood out enough for me to go and check ‘em out further. The most interesting thing about them though was their dynamic; they had Bonehead on rhythm guitar, shaggy bloke from Toploader on lead guitar and vocals, Mick Jagger on drums, the Bass player from Spinal Tap and Nina from the Cardigans (except fitter) on vocals and tambourine…ahh hipsters and a spray-on top…nice! So I was already happy but the music was quite good as well. It seemed to me that Nina wanted Toploader but he was shagging the bassist, everyone avoided Bonehead ‘cos he was a bit weird and Mick just wanted to play drums.

Anyway then came Ten Benson; cool name, crap band. Nuff said.

Then came the D and while they put on a good show, I couldn’t hear Justin’s singing as the guitar was so bloody loud…and frankly, while the D is about guitars it’s also about that falsetto and I couldn’t hear it. I didn’t even recognize a couple of the songs. It was still good though and Loz enjoyed it so there we go.

Maybe I’m getting old but A were better.

Yes, that's obviously the explanation, King - you're getting old. Cos A are such an old man's band and only young, hip and groovy people like the Darkness.

Ha HA music too. This is just one big Christmas hit of Drew love being spread out to all you lucky lucky people!

Jet album is good. Was on my cd up to Hertford today. Blatantly mostly good but not too original! reminded me a bit of electrasy remember them? don't know why though.

Bought AC/DC Back in black weeks ago... Never realized how good it could be.

Also Ryan Adams - Gold well nice.

Happy for danny if he won his bet but the Donnie Darko song is wank on a stick!

I recommend everyone buys themselves an AC/DC album for christmas

The has a new years resolution to listen to it en route to Work/Uni/Whatever every day for ever and ever. AMEN!!

The Question is though? WHAT SHOULD I BUY NEXT????

I won just over

Feck me! that's a lot o money...Ryan Adams nice...Try finding some Young Heart Attack o long silent one...their album aint out till march but i think i'll purchase...that is all.

Yes it was rather nice - I bottled it at last though and evened up my book so that even if madworld lost to the darkness I would have won

I went to see Archie and the Instincts record their first video on Thursday...in Aldershot(!).

It was in this tiny church hall-type thing, there were about 50 people there and the band mimed to their song about 20 times while some of us moshed and others stood around...well I know who'll be on MTV2 in Feb. Then they played a short set...it was actually quite fun AND I still like the song so, everybody's 'appy.



Ohh at one point they got us all to mosh round in a circle while an embaressed girl moved v slowly so they could speed it all up and make her look soulful or sumthink. Also it appeared that they were being filmed by their mates with professional camcorders...they were about 5! Well 18 maybe...God I feel old.

So if you happen to be watching music television and you see 'Burning Heart' come on, watch out for me.

This week I have been mostly listening to...

Blur's Think Tank: Quite groovy in a sort of Moroccan shed bingy bongy type way.

The Datsuns: ROCK!

Foo Fighters: er... ROCK!

The Best of De La Soul: Very groovy in a 1980's non-violent twiddly rap way.

thought i would make a little reply to this topic.

Damien Rice - O .... good album if in a quiet kinda mood
Muse - Absolution .... i like
Cooper Temple Clause ...cant remember album title..me likes too

those are what i just had a listen to. thank you please

Good News everyone: Fountains of Wayne are back! They are releasing a song called Stacy's Mom and it's really, really cool (think MILF).

Stacy's Mom has got it going on... Rachel Hunter is in the video.

Seeing as this forum is lagging behind films and books (for no apparent reason seeing as we are all music fans) I thought I would address the nation with my review of Top of the Pops which I have just subjected myself to.

1. Britney Spears - Toxic

She may still be very good eye candy, but seems to have missed the 'slutty' boat by several days. Christina and Pink among others were there way before her and she seems to be a bit out of touch. Not to mention that the music is pretty god-awful. Toxic? Don't you mean Dirty? Oh wait, somebody already did that. Twice.

2. Blink 182 - I Miss You

Actually surprisingly good even if it is very similar to Third Eye Blind (i.e. a complete rip off). And nowhere near as good obviously. Think Semi Charmed Life with fart jokes and a paperclip stapled to your lower lip. But they're serious now so no laughing. Right.

3. Lostprophets - Last Train Home

Very Good. Me like a lot. Even if it has been stupendously overplayed on radio/tv.

4. Fatman Scoop - It Takes Scoop

Random Large Hairy Arab bloke shouts, (and I really mean shouts) over a vaguely hip-hop loop. Terrible. Thank God he provided some nubile scantily clad women to take our minds off his inane gabbling drivel.

> Then we cut to a little report on Emma Bunton who has been to rediscover her musical roots. Yes, thats right, Motown. I shit you not. This woman is a menace.

5. Snow Patrol - Run

First time I have heard this song or even this band and I have to say I like very very much. I may have to check the album out as they seem kind of Dovesy/Coldplayey (too many y's there - sorry)

6. LMC vs U2 - Take me to the Clouds Above
(Number One in the Charts)

First listen for me on this one too. Absolutely god awful. It amazes me that people will BUY this song, let alone listen to it. It consists of three parts:

i. a large black lady singing repeatedly "Take me to the Clouds above". There is no explanation as to why she should wish to be elevated to such a lofty parapet, but one only wishes that someone would put her, and more importantly us, out of our misery and do as she asks. Hopefully we wouldnt be able to hear her if she was up there.

ii. a snippet of a U2 riff to lend it some hope of respectability... (fails).

iii. Some random (one assumes Dutch/Belgian) DJ pointlessly twiddling buttons behind her.

Put it all together and what have you got?

Pants on a stick.

P.S. I see Kelis - Milkshake is at Number 2. This song I really dont get. Everyone seems to think it is the best thing since sliced bread when it is THE most monotonous song ever invented.

In short, Snow Patrol and Lostprophets Yes, everything else No.

But then I could have told you that at the beginning.

Woah...that is so like...wierd man...the last two albums I bought were the Lostprophets and Snow Patrol....crazy man.

They are both stupendous though I only got them yesterday: Lostprophets are Welsh ROCK (but they're good with the kids) and are in the area of 100 REasons if you've heard them...very good.

Snow Patrol have been around for AGES but suddenly everyone's gone, 'Oh my God, we need another Coldplay...they'll do'. Which is fine 'cos they are actually really good melanchol-indie (thanks to Mary-Anne Hobbs for that little phrase) and should be listened to at length.

That is all.

On the subject of U2; there is a cover of 'With or Without You' going around, sung by a group of 40 Belgian schoolgirls. It's obviously really mellow and chilled...you'll either really like it or destroy your radio in rage...i like it.

im disgusted with you king...

its a farce its a disgrace to music as a whole...

you cant cover an epic like that, its like cheeky girls covering staiway to heaven,

or come to think of it, puff daddy covering kashmir!

i fucking hate the music industry

Hey I'm sorry, I'm just taking the song on its merits; the original was great, the cover is not quite as good but at least it's not just exactly the same except sung by Michelle off Pop Idol...I have a weakness for a decent cover...and I really like my radio.

Anyone heard Joss Stone's cover of 'Fell in love with a girl' by White Stripes, renamed 'Fell in love with a boy' and sung in a folksy, jazzy stylee? It's not as bad as it could have been. Though it bears about as much relation to the original as that cover of Song 2 did...I can't remember who did that though...It's so wierd that you could listen to it wothout realising it was a cover.

Stellastar* are good.

Pleased as I am that the film and book threads are doing so well, I am surprised that they are so much more popular than the music thread. I thought I'd redress the balance a bit with a bit of a chat about the album chart.
The uk album chart is now almost totally controlled by Radio 2 listeners, With Michael Parkinson and Terry Wogan as the people who have most influence on whether an album sells well or not. Okay, so The Darkness and others have done well without their help, but others have done better. (In fact Radio 2 do play The Darkness, so who knows?)
For evidence, I submit the current album chart top 3:

1. Call Off The Search - Katie Melua.
2. Feels Like Home - Norah Jones.
3. Twenty Something - Jamie Cullum.

None of these people are played on Radio 1 (unless they do a cover of something 'cool' like Cullum's version of Frontin' by Pharrell). Also, none of their singles do that well because, almost the entire country has bought the album, and the rest is about to.

I know that I have got to it in a round about way, but my point is that Radio 1 is cack. The fact is that they have no idea what the majority of the country want to listen to, whereas Radio 2 actually have a clue. Radio 1's main problem is that they base their playlist on the singles chart, but the only people who actually buy singles are girls aged 11-14. This means that the majority of the songs that they promote in advance are songs that will appeal to that group. Unfortunately, most of their listeners do not belong in that age group, and those listeners are beginning to realise that Radio 1 isn't actually catering for them - hence Radio 1's fall in listeners and Radio 2's increase. This is something that no amount of swapping Cox for Moyles and vice versa is going to solve (although getting rid of Cox altogether would be a step in the right direction).

I'm not suggesting that Radio 1 should become another Radio 2, just that there is plenty of good stuff out there that deserves to be selling but that is marginalised because Radio 1 is only interested in singles.

Christ, I had no idea I was going to write that much.
I'd better get back to some proper work.

Yes...no! Maybe this is why Mark and Lard are leaving The Biggest Show, the fact that Mark is going to R2 backs it up no end. Lard is going to 6music or summat (no more M&L (sob)). There will soon be no reason to listen to R1 whatsoever. Unless you're a 13 yr old girl. Even then you'd probably be better off listening to Virgin. XFM RULES.

Has anyone heard Tropical Iceland by The Firey Furnaces? Or Wordy Rapping Hood by Chicks on Speed? Or even My Coco by Stellastar*? All quite strange but really cool.

Tropical, tropical.
Tropical, Icy-land etc.

This week I have been mostly listening to... The Flaming Lips - Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots. Pure genius.

This week I have been mostly listening to...Stellastarr* - Stellastarr*. Fried gold.

(That's

This week it's the Stripes and the Strokes for me, that being Elephant and Room on Fire respectively. More keen on the Stripes it must be said.

Best track: No 8 on Elephant: "Ball and Biscuit", 7 minutes of Hendrix-esque twanging and crunching. Bliss.

This week it's mainly been a mix sent to me by some bloke I don't know:

You Think I Ain't Worth a Dollar, But I Feel Like a Millionaire - Queens of the Stone Age
50 Ft Queenie - PJ Harvey
The Everlasting Gaze - The Smashing Pumpkins
Souljacker, pt. 1 - Eels
Shake Appeal - Iggy and The Stooges
Vicious - Lou Reed
White Riot - The Clash
Warsaw - Joy Division
Such Great Heights - The Postal Service
Eyesight to the Blind - Sonny Boy Williamson the second
Weird at My School - Pixies
Powdered Wig Machine - Josh Homme and PJ Harvey
Beat City - The Ravonettes
I Want Some - The Beastie Boys
Fur Immer 16 - Stereo Total
Times Are Bad - Adam Green
Don't Talk, Just Kiss - The Wedding Present
Boys Don't Cry - The Cure
Welcome to the Occupation - R.E.M.
Ask (live) - The Smiths
Flagpole Sitta - Harvey Danger
Someone I care About - Jonathan Richman and The Modern Lovers
Please Don't Pass Me By (A Disgrace) (live) - Leonard Cohen


It's quite good.

If you're wondering I sent him this:

1 - So Much For The Afterglow - Everclear
2 - Bad Idea - A
3 - Tuxedo Junction - Jools Holland and his R&B Orchestra
4 - She Cries Your Name - Beth Orton
5 - For Nancy ('Cos It Already Is) - Pete Yorn
6 - Wensleydale - Tiger
7 - Somewhere Across Forever - Stellastarr*
8 - Twenty Four Hour Garage People - Half Man Half Biscuit
9 - Here Comes My Baby - Cat Stevens
10 - Bonkers In The Nut - Jim's Super Stereoworld
11 - Bingo - Catch
12 - Delicious - Catherine Wheel
13 - Tommy Shots - Young Heart Attack
14 - Burning Heart - Archie and the Instincts
15 - Hurricane - Warm Jets
16 - Flagpole Sitta - Harvey Danger
17 - Tourniquet - Headswim
18 - Your Smile - Octopus
19 - Sweeping the Nation - Spearmint
20 - Motorcycle Drive-by - Third Eye Blind
21 - The Remote Part/Scottish Fiction - Idlewild

Which, I think you'll agree, is a stonking mix of songs and is available on request for the princely sum of one million dollars! (That's

Been listening to Out of the Vein by 3EB; it's pretty good, sounds very 3EB which is great, one problem; there don't appear to be any singles on it; no real stand-out tracks, just consistant, good, slightly background tunes. A bit of a shame, but it's still worth looking into. Thoughts? Ween?

I just thought this needed referencing...I may use it sometime.

Weak we need more music posts.

Scissor SISTER - Quality
Athlete - Unbelievable

Snow PAtrol. I dunno if marno will remeber this..

Me and marno went to london
to see a band called snow patrol
I lost my wallet in a puddle outside chris's uni halls
We needed to get to Camden town
but we went to camded. D'OH.
found the wallet again but couldnt find a parking space
so I bought some tree bark of a negro in the street.
(he told me it was hash.) we Missed the gig.

HA check that. I think i've written my first poetry, some critical analysis if you will

Then look what happened to the band called Snow Patrol.
They went fucking mental
and released one of the best albums ever.
Up there with Rush of blood for spacey atmospheric ambient goospimpling tunes galore!!!

and i just had to re-purchase Bring it on. Gomez the other week and its just great!

Excerpt from review of 'Poetry' by Mr D James Esquire (BA Hons - disqualified) in the Daily Telegraph 12/04/04:

"... I particularly enjoyed his use of post-modernism in the cross-referencing of a Snow Patrol gig and a puddle... the esoteric qualities were thinly framed under an existentialist description of some hash he bought off a coloured chap. Although with no rhyme and no apparent alliteration or assonance (ref: MJ Talibard) the structure flows relentlessly between ideas of laziness, idiotic blind madness and ginger hair. This boy will go far."

DOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO; I particularly enjoyed your use of metre or lack-there-of, keep it up son.

Perhaps you'd like to come and see Young Heart Attack on Wednesday? None of these pussies will make the long, expensive journey into London to see a band they've never heard of, but with an experience like yours, how could you refuse? Anyway you all should know by now, when it comes to music, I'm right.

I'm thinking about the Scissor Sisters...worth it? Do they cover any more 70s bands? So far we've had the BeeGees and Elton John and I'm informed there's some Bowie in there.

...and I think that Torygraph fellow means 'Mary Jane' not hash...honestly, how vulgar!

if i'd have read that earlier I wouldhave been there but I missed it. WHens scissor sister on... very interesting.. if all else fails Reading shoudl pull me back up to speed.

I hope you're ALL giving Reading your due consideration.

I will not accept any excuses for lack of funds or other plans due to the allowed timeframe. Sort it ...

Pants, I should have used my mobile telephone...oh well next time eh?

(See gigging thread for Reading)

Unsurprisingly, this week I have been mostly listening to:


Mouthful of Love by Young Heart Attack...they're good dammit! Why won't you listen?

Also this

and this

Funeral for a Friend

The Streets

Diamond Geezer or Stupid Plonker?

Love him or hate him he is back with a new single ("Fit but you know it") and a new album ("A Grand Don't Come For Free")

Thoughts from you educated music-appreciating people? Hero or Zero?

In case you need fuel for inspiration/ranting, here follows the lyrics to aforementioned single out now in all good record stores:

"Fit But You Know It" by The Streets

See, I reckon you’re about an eight or a nine,
Maybe even nine and a half in 4 beers time
That blue Topshop top you’ve got on is nice,
Bit too much fake tan though but, yeah you score high.
But there’s just one little thing that’s just really, really, really, really annoying me about you ,you see
Yeah, yeah, like I said, you are really fit,
But my gosh! Don’t you just know it!

I’m not trying to pull you
Even though I would like to
I think you are really fit
You’re fit but my gosh, don’t you know it.

So when I looked at you standing there with your hood
I was waiting in the queue, looking at the board
Wondering whether to have a burger or chips
Or what the shrapnel in my back pocket could afford
When I noticed out the corner of my eye
Looking toward my direction your eyes locked on my course
I couldn’t concentrate on what I wanted to order
Which lost me my place in the queue I waited for, yeah.

I’m not trying to pull you
Even though I would like to
I think you are really fit
You’re fit but my gosh, don’t you know it.

Woa
Leave it out
Are you smoking something?
Leave it out,
Mate just leave it,
We cannot have that behaviour in this establishment,
Its not worth it mate,
Leave it out,
Just leave it,
Don’t touch me,
Don’t touch me I’m alright

For a while there I was thinking, yeah but what if
Picturing myself pulling with bare white-heart wit
Staring at you, standing there opposite
Whether or not you knew it, I swear you didn’t tick
And when that bloke in the white behind us lot queuing was clocking onto you to it
I had to admit that yeah, yeah, you are fit and I do want it
But I stopped sharking a minute to get chips and drinks

I’m not trying to pull you
Even though I would like to
I think you are really fit
You’re fit but my gosh, don’t you know it.

Oi, just as you started to make your big advance
With the milkshake and that little donut in hand
I was like nah, I can’t even, no you look grand
But you looked sharp there smiling hard suggesting and, leaning away with your hearty hearty looking tan
But I admit the next bit was spanners to my plan
You walked toward my path but just brushed right past
And into the arms of that fucking white shirted man

I’m not trying to pull you
Even though I would like to
I think you are really fit
Your fit but my gosh don’t you know it

What do I give a fuck, I’ve got a girlfriend anyway
Oi ( we ordered a drink mate )
we’re all a bit drunk, we’ve had a few, fair play
I’ve got this Stella I bummed from that last cafe
This night’s not even begun
Yes, yes, oh yay.

I did fancy you a bit though, yeah I must say,
I would rather I hadn’t mugged myself on display
But this is just another case of female stopping play
In an otherwise total result of a holiday

I’m not trying to pull you
Even though I would like to
I think you are really fit
You’re fit but my gosh don’t you know it.

For your aural pleasure...

I still can't get Blur's Parklife out of my head when listening to anything by the Streets.

Need I say more...

Grandaddy are good.

Help me, I'm starting to like The Streets. The line 'this night's not even begun, yes, yes, oh yay' cracks me up every time.

Oh and I have been mostly listening to



Well, how could I resist? It's got the theme tune from Enter the Dragon for god's sake. (Banzai theme tune for those of you who haven't seen it).

Right folks; June 7th the Xfm Breakfast Show Song for Euro 2004 comes out. It's called Born in England and is by Twisted X and is actually a good tune (a touch of Oasis, so they say) and all the proceeds go to children's charities...so buy it....we want it to go to number 1 in the hit parade people. You could get it from this link to Amazon...but it may be cheaper to just demand it from your local record store...



(Try www.xfm.co.uk if you haven't heard it)

I don't know how many of you have heard the brilliant album Melody AM by Royksopp, it has the most genius conversation to link Tracks 1 & 2 (So Easy and Eple respectively) it goes something like this...

(Phone rings - then someone picks up)

First bloke: Hello?

Second Bloke: Yeah it's me. I wanna give you some good frequencies. 1710, 2.6, 2245...

1st bloke: Yeah

2nd bloke: 3032, 400

1st bloke: Four hundred?

2nd bloke: Yeah.

1st bloke: I'm coming right over.

2nd bloke: Do that.

1st bloke: I'll be there in two seconds.

(Phone down.)

Inspired.

Reasons to be cheerful about the current singles/albums charts: New Hives track, Snow Patrol, Badly Drawn Boy, Ash, The Streets, Keane.

Listen to Mark Radcliffe's Radio 2 show, 10:30-12 weekdays (except friday). Very good even without Lard.

Also, views on the Mercury Music Prize: worth it? I like to think its a good celebration of recent music and that the winner is a bit irrelevant.

This year's nominees are: Franz Ferdinand, The Streets, Keane, Amy Winehouse, Basement Jaxx, Belle & Sebastian, Jamelia, Joss Stone, Snow Patrol, The Zutons, Robert Wyatt (?), and Ty (??!)

Pretty good list. Recent winners include: Dizzee Rascal, Ms Dynamite, PJ Harvey, Badly Drawn Boy, Talvin Singh, Gomez.

Go here to find out more.

Please Describe Yourself by Dogs Die in Hot Cars, excellent.

I get up when I like,
Wear anything I like,
Don't Keep up with the cool,
I make up my own rules,
Don't have to eat my greens
Or keep my bedroom extra tidy
'Cos nobody is around to tell me off.

Heard on Mark Radcliffe's show on Wednesday Live from Edinburgh: Flight of the Conchords

Think of a kind of a cross between Spinal Tap, Tenacious D and A Mighty Wind.

They are 'the fourth best spoof folk group in New Zealand'. The third best group is a parody of them.

They only performed 2 songs but both were genius. One an Eminem piss take and one a Barry White piss take.

Keep your eyes (and ears!) peeled as I havent laughed so much since Grandma died, or Auntie Mabel caught her left tit in the mangel.

Ok my Friday at Reading review:

Mad Action (Radio 1 Stage)
Never heard of this band from Philly but their set was toe tapping; guitar-led slightly waily vocals (in a good way), sounded like they should come form Austin. Would be interesting to see what they actually sound like.

Do Me Bad Things (Carling Stage)
Interesting collective with two main male singers who took turns with the songs; one of whom changed costumes each song, funky soul/rock type stuff. Also would be interesting to see what they sounded like.

Reel Big Fish (Main Stage)
Ska collective whose tunes were upbeat and possibly lyrically amusing...I should probably know more about them but hey...enjoyable enough.

Hundred Reasons (Main Stage)
First band on that I had to see, they were efficient and enthusiastic; the hits sounded good, the lead singer thrashed his mop as is his wont and much fun was had by many...even though I couldn't see what was happening, must of been in a dip. I did like their background effort; a newspaper ad that read, FOR SALE: Hundred Reasons. One careless owner. Call 07..... (There was a number. I didn't memorise it.)

Modest Mouse (Radio 1 Stage)
After being urged to check them out by some random fella on the internet how could I refuse to see this band? I had already heard Float On and this was definitely the highlight. The rest of the music sounded pleasant enough, occasionally raising to catchy. Unfortunately I don't think they engaged the crowd enough/at all; they just played their songs and buggered off. They even had a chap standing front and centre whose sole job during Float On was to join in on the chorus, I thought he could have encouraged some clapping along or something...oh well, they've got a great name to be going on with.

The Wildhearts (R1 Stage)
I was more interested in the pain in my back than the music at this point, they sounded alright...rock!

The Distillers (Main Stage)
Wasn't at all interested (sorry) I buggered off to watch some New Zealand comic for the most part.

The Hives (Main Stage)
Despite what Radio Berkshire say, I thought The Hives were great; Howlin' Pele can certainly perform, he engaged the crowd ("Scream and Clap if you're having fun" "Are you having fun? If you didn't say yes what are you doing here? ARE YOU HAVING FUN?" Or something), he climbed up a speaker stack (the only time I could really see him, must have found that dip again) and they brought out the sun, what more could you ask? Oh, and the music was good and all. Walk Idiot Walk, Die, Alright, AKA I.D.I.O.T, Main Offender and Hate To Say I Told You So were all great and the rest were fine (I'm not up on the new album).

Ash (Main Stage)
What I saw of Ash was solid; Tim Came on wielding a flaming flying V (as he does) and proceeded to play with aplomb, Charlotte backed up nicely (some smuggling going on there) and they mixed new and old. I left halfway through to get in a good position for...

Soulwax (R1 Stage)
I was eager to see this first outing for the Belgians as Soulwax (ie not 2 Many DJs, just to spell it out) for a few years and they delivered a good performance. Their new stuff sounds closer to their dance outfit malarky but still maintains a guitar edge and fits into the hits nicely. An extended E Talking segued nicely into the current single Any Minute Now a more 'traditional' Soulwax tune. The 'classics' were scattered among the new stuff to good effect; Conversation Intercom, Much Against Everyone's Advice and Too Many DJs All receiving rapturous applause from (most of) the audience. My only problem was that the stagecraft that was there when they supported (and almost eclipsed) Muse at ULU was conspicuously absent; no flashing mic stands, no incredibly bendy guitarist and no drum solos played on a Casio guitar...oh well it was 4 years ago I suppose. The crowd was with them regardless...perhaps the only difference between them and Modest Mouse was that I know Soulwax and was in the moshy-type area...who knows?

Super Furry Animals (R1 Stage)
To be honest I was more concerned with nursing that back on the floor than appreciating the Furries...but Rings Around The World sounded good.

The Darkness (Main Stage)
This is what sold the Friday for me. As soon as I had fought my way in front of all the abnormally tall people in front of me (and out of that bloody dip) and Justin and the boys strolled on to rock that muddy field, my back was forgotten and I was happy again. All the favorites were present: the catsuits, the ridiculous riffs, crowd participation, huge light set-ups, Get Your Hands Off My Woman, Growing On Me, Friday Night, Black Shuk, Love Is Only A Feeling (many lighters aloft for that one), and my personal favourite Givin' Up.

The new songs rocked as hard if not harder than the older ones even if one of them wasn't yet finished and the other started at the wrong speed. The former consisted of a single sung verse and then some yelping for a chorus mixed with some gloriously heavy guitar but that didn't matter; everyone seemed to enjoy it. The latter, Hazel Eyes we were told, also sounded good but Justin obviously wasn't happy with Ed's pace, as he stopped everything to start again (Sam says Ed was pissed off at this...I didn't notice, I wasn't watching the drummer).

People openly wondered if they had enough material to cover an hour and a half and the answer was a resounding...well not really: Not enough songs if they were to just play them like The (God-awful live) Verve, but with Justin's posturing (which was great), the solos (ranging from a little questionable to pretty damn cool) and a cover of Street Spirit that improved immeasurably on the original (the guitar drowned out most of the wailing) the time flew by (and we missed the last train home...oops).

The set ended on a 10-15 minute version of Love On The Rocks (With No Ice) and a firework display that had the crowd baying for more...I guess we'll all have to make do with their staduim tour in December (or not if you are in Dubai like me). Great Stuff

Yes have to agree that The Darkness and The Hives were the highlights. Laughing at people struggling in the mud with stupid footwear was also good: as I plodded around in my new green wellies!

Watched Spirited Away today (ok this should be in the film thread but hey) and it is indeed bonkers and genius. Very Alice in Wonderland.

Tart (and others): I also now have acquired a 106, mine's blue... it also has CD player which is a result. I have taken to driving round Bengeo too fast blaring out Weezer at 1 million decibels.