Kit Kats??

Forget them? How very dare you!!!

My music career is just getting going. Look out for my new album "Kindly I’m Kingsley: All kinds of ink on.
Karate kid-type kicks in my kingdom" out in the fall. Possibly free with kit-kats.

Yes yes and yes. Fecking ace. Wonder when it will get out here. Did anyone manage to capture that Paris Hilton album of Banksy's - I want a picture boys.

Does anyone fancy going to see Guillemots on Friday 3rd November at the London Astoria? £12.50.

Yeah ok me

Costello Music - The Fratellis

Quality stuff. Imagine the Arctic Monkeys but good, rather than just over-hyped and annoying, and you'll have a good idea of what this album is like.

I quite like what I've heard of the Fratellis; very jaunty, upbeat stuff. Does the rest of the album stand up to Chelsea Dagger and Creeping up the Backstairs?

PS Is Elvis's new album called Fratelli Music? (ho ho ho)

On another note:

It goes without saying (like the horseless carriage in The Phantom Tollboth) that I love the Guillemots album, Through the Windowpane. I'm going to do so anyway; I love this record. The album veers between bizzare squirlyness, soulful stringiness and upbeat jauntiness almost without notice, something that can take some getting used to, but it's worth trying: It may be tough to 'get' on a first listen, but if you like the singles it's worth giving them a go in their proper setting.
I reckon it's a winter album so it should be coming into its own soon.

Yeah, it does I reckon. Other stand out tracks for me are Henrietta and Everybody Knows You Cried Last Night.

What?


What?


Me too

You know; The Fratellis album is called Costello Music so perhaps Elvis Costello...I'll get my coat.



It's a book and there's a carriage that only goes when you sit in silence so...it goes...without...saying. No, it's alright I've already got my coat.



Good

Check it

I put my iPod on shuffle the other day and it played the following two songs one after the other:

I Want You - Elvis Costello
Pull Shapes - The Pipettes

This struck me as comically inappropriate, one being a powerful and quite creepy song about obsession and the other being a cheerful and slightly annoying (but enjoyable nevertheless) song about the joys of having a boogie.

Any similar experiences? My iPod is a minefield for this kind of thing as I have pretty much something from every genre, meaning that Beethoven followed by Rage Against The Machine is not beyond the realms of possibility.

I don't know if you already know about this site but it is genius:

http://www.pandora.com/

Give it a try. You give it a song and it tries to match up songs of similar traits using the Music "Genome" project. Very very clever. Just pretend to be american.

nice. when can I come visit?

Yes this sort of thing happens to me all the time. I can't remember any specific instances but it would probably involve something like Pyramid Song by Radiohead being followed by Groove is in the Heart by Dee-Lite or somesuch nonsensical clash.

I think it's time for me to make some statements of musical preference that I may come to regret in the near future.

One: I like Nerina Pallot's album Fires (I'm not at all ashamed of that one I just thought I'd mention it) particularly her current single Sophia. Even if Sir Terry can't figure out what she's going on about.

Two: I like the new(ish) My Chemical Romance song The Black Parade. it seems to be steering away from singing about how miserable they are being (millionare) teenagers and towards a sort of Green Day/Choeed concept thing; no whininess just some hard rockin'...and peroxide.

Three: (And I know I'm going to get grief about this one) I quite like the flower-wearing Punk song. Don't get me wrong; I too think the sentiment is naïve at best and the lyrics are...not great. When I first heard it I started off thinking 'If she wanted to be a punk, perhaps she could start by not singing folk-pop and, you know, try some punk' and, 'When did they wear flowers anyway?' but by the end of the song I was more cheery (having given up on trying to decypher any real meaning and started to enjoy the tune). Given that I was on a bus replacement service at the time, I reckon that's a feat worth making a statement about that I'll come to regret. Over.

One: fine.

Two: okay.

Three: nope, she's pants I'm afraid.

So there.

While we are offering opinions, I took a bit of Govind's advice some while back now and got hold of a copy of Fiona Apple's Extraordinary Machine. It's good, I recommend. Kingol: there is a touch of the Regina Spektors about her, though I'd say Fiona is more... (tries to think of a word that means 'mainstream' without actually using the god-awful word)... accessible.

I currently am unable to get Rehab by Amy Winehouse out of my head. Good tune.

On the hip-hop front, listening to Jurassic 5's Feedback and Lupe Fiasco's Food & Liquor. Both good.

Two things re: Wogan:

1. He played a song called 'You're Moving Out Today' by Carol Bayer Sager last week. Made me laugh, check it out if you can (it's not new).

2. The former producer of his radio show, Paul Walters, died this week after a long-term illness. Those who have listened to Wogan, as I have, for some years will remember him and miss him.

Jonnyboy I can speak from experience on this one having gone through this last week. What you do is download the song onto your iPod (which you've probably done already) and then play it on a constant loop for 4 and a half days. After this I was cured and havent thought about/hummed/sung the thing since.

It is an ace tune.

And yes re: Wogan, finding out about Doctor Wally on a cold, rainy Monday morning at 7:30am was a bit of a downer to start the week on. We can comfort ourselves with Boggy Marsh laughing hysterically through the traffic reports instead.

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Freakshow - Krafty Kuts
I bought this on the back of hearing the title track in Virgin a couple of weeks back. It's a funky mixture of house, UK hip-hop, and what I'd describe as 'big beat a la Fat Boy Slim in the 90s'. It won't be everyone's cup of tea, but it does have a couple of good things going for it. First, it is funky; all the tunes have a great beat, a strong bassline and are catchy. Second, there is enough variety in it to keep you interested all the way through. There's nothing really innovative here and it certainly isn't as refined as Mylo's Destroy Rock And Roll, but I enjoyed it anyway. Bo.

I am now in possession of everything Soulwax have done as 2 Many DJs. More than 4Gb's worth. Whoa mama.

Oh you so have to get it to me in some way; apart from the album which I have already.

GUILLEMOTS

I will leave Mikeyboy to do the review as he is better at that sort of thing than me

Suffice to say:

1. Crazy dance

Guillemots at the Astoria - Crazy Dance

2. They are playing live on Mark Radcliffe's show on Tuesday night (7th)

They are great, check them out. Particularly the progressive jazz bassoonist.

I'm listening as I type...I'm also working up my review. While I do that...anyone fancy going to see them at the Brixton Academy on Friday 16th Feb? Cos I wanna go round again.

I reccommend you all check out this Radcliffe session (from BBC website) while you can; they spend more time discussing food than anything music related. Class.

Guillemots - Friday 3rd Nov 06 - London Astoria

Seeing as Sam has left the reporting duties to me I'd better get cracking before the DVD they were filming comes out and that's all I can remember.

I suppose I should start with the weasel-strangling, conceptual jazz bassoonist and his knob twiddling friend. Well they are apparently known as the Brindled Guillemots as they perform the woodwind back-up to Guillemots through their show. Part of the deal appears to be that they get to go on first and strangle a...Bass Clarinet (took some Wikipedia-ing to identify that one), and twiddle knobs apparently randomly. While they do this hard-core Guillemots fans in on the secret, applaud each 'song' as if it were a masterpiece and everyone else takes the piss and wonders why anyone is listening. The Brindled Guillemots seem happy with the response...their send-off is enthusiastic.

The actual support came from a calypso/indie/rap group called The Bellagios (presumably because they like horse racing). They came and went without bothering most people but they had beats enough to get my foot tapping. And one spaced female singer in a bib and another with huge hair and an AC/DC dress who looked a little like June Sarpong (but fortunately didn't sound like her).

So to Guillemots; starting with the sombre elegance of Little Bear through to the racous encore of Trains to Brazil and Sao Paolo Guillemots were roundly brilliant. Whether getting the crowd clapping along to the singles or sway to the melefuous tones of When the World Turns, the band sounded great, Fyfe Dangerfield's (great name) vocals floating over or punching through the woodwind/bass/guitar/keyboards with ease. On stage it's all about Fyfe really and he has great presence whether dreamily gazing at the upper tiers while tinkling the ivories or performing a very silly (but enthusiastic) dance to a song pre-loaded on his keyboard. In fact with his mop of hair and occaional dopey look he reminded us a lot of Mango.
Bad points: None really, they played a wide range of songs; mainly from their album but added some early ones (one of which didn't quite stack up) and one that the bassist (Arista) had written, something that Fyfe made sure the crowd knew ...no pressure. (She performed it perfectly though and even got a very Stars in your Eyes round of applause a few bars in, promting a grin.) The other not so good point was people chatting during the quiet ones...why? Why are they even there if they're going to discuss last night's episode of Eastenders? Idiots.
I get the feeling I may have rambled so:

Songs - Excellent
Crowd - Very enthusiastic downstairs but quite refined, much singing along (he almost didn't have to sing the verse of Trains...) and some dancing but I was pretty much the bounciest there. If I'm not making a huge idiot of myself on the DVD I don't know what I have to do.
Venue - A perfect size for the band I think...I reckon Brixton will be OK but any bigger may be a stretch at the mo...unless they add that orchestra.
Performance - Top Notch all round
Overall - 4.8/5
(They need a crazy, moshy crowd that can sing the whole of Trains... Angel-style for that last .2)

Just remember: 'Arista plays the double-bass. Not the cello. If you call it a cello you're likely to get stabbed with a double-bass. Not a cello.'

More gigs Sammyboy? I hear you cry. Well yes.

FLAMING LIPS
@ HAMMERSMITH APOLLO
14/11/2006

I was going to write a review but I am a lazy bastard and will therefore point you towards this accurate depiction from the Evening Standard.

Flaming Lips at the Apollo

Suffice to say: OH... MY... FECJING... CHRIST

Jonnyboy has photos. And probably some additional superlatives.

If they ever play here again I am buying you all tickets.

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Start off by coming on in a big transparent ball.[attachmentid=237]

Then release loads of giant balloons.[attachmentid=238]

Add some lasers.[attachmentid=239]

Oh yes... and COMPLETELY ROCK IN EVERY WAY POSSIBLE.

Then you shall have the perfect gig.

May I share with you all the profound joy I experienced today upon hearing 'Lump' by The Presidents of the United States of America. I haven't heard it for probably 10 years and it blew my tiny mind. If you too are struggling to remember it, go and download it now, listen to it and tell me it ain't a fecjing immense tune.

I went to see JEFFERSON STARSHIP last night at Dingwalls (Camden Lock) in London.

Jefferson Starship (formerly Starship, formerly Jefferson Starship The Next Generation, formerly Jefferson Airplane) has been around for a long time and, as Airplane, played at the legendary Woodstock '69 music festival.

The present incarnation still has 3 of the original band members and all of the rock energy.

I received tickets as my Aunt is mates with their lead guitarist "Slick Aguilar" (formely David Crosby Band). Went with a mate from Uni who's a fan of their music.

We walked into their opening song "Somebody to love" (you'll all know it) and the night, consisting of an intimate venue (<500) full of big fans of the band, was a goodie.

Very unlike any kind of mainstream stuff and not generally what I thought I'd like but it really was very good. Slick played an instrumental solo during a 'break' (the gig was like 2.5 hours long) covering Pink Flloyds Brink in the Wall. The crowd provided the vocals. Was awsome.

Dan

oooh, I grew up listening to Jefferson Airplane. For some reason, I had an unhealthy liking for the song "White Rabbit." As this was when I was eight, I think it had more to do with the Alice in Wonderland references than, you know, the drug references.
Did they do that song? I imagine it would sound quite different with a different singer (Grace Slick isn't still touring right? I thought she had retired to paint, or something...) Also, "Plastic, Fantastic Lover"--another fantastic song. It looks like I'll have to dig that CD out of the stack, I think.

Did they do 'We Built This City'?

A city built on rock and roll would be structurally unsound.

Set list:

Funny Cars
STL
My Best Friend
Today
Comin' Back To Me
Get Together
All Fly Away
Miracles
On;y One You
Rocket Launcher
Hearts
Another Brick In The Wall->
Constipated Duck (?)
Words Can't Say
Dino's Song
Fresh Air (with Snorky)
Pride Of Man
"Hide Witch Hide" intro->
Let's Go Together->
Child Is Coming Outro ("Gettin' Better")
Jane
Fast Buck Freddie
3/5 Mile In 10 Seconds
DCBA25
How Do You Feel
Embryonic Journey (Slick, MC & Snorky)
White rabbit
Plastic fantastic Lover
Volunteers
------------
It's No Secret
The Other Side Of This Life
-------------
Crown Of Creation
Happy Trails


Left white rabbit to nearer the end. The audience were screaming for it. I'd not heard it before but it was obviously a big favourite. Midway through the song, this dude got on the stage dressed in a big white rabbit suit. Like that one in donnie darko - without the big dagger fangs but no less disturbing. I might have a picture - it was very very odd.

Grace slick has retired but they have a new singer who's really very good (and quite fit). Diane Manago something.

No city on rock and roll - was that off their Blows against the Empire (was this a takeoff/inspiration for Rage against the Machine?) album? This gig replayed their "Surrilistic Pillow" album.

Dan

Sounds fantastic...you can take me next time Danny (won't that be nice?)

Sigh, no 'Nothing's Going To Stop Us Now' either.

King - Didn't think it would be your bag, baby. I'll hook you up next time they're in town.

Didn't realise they did that one as well JP - thought that was a Queen song.

Well, it's true that they were around before '94 which means I know nothing about them but with the name and having a rest by playing 'Floyd how could it go wrong?

Specially for Ween: if you go to
http://fuelfriends.blogspot.com/2006/12/pe...collection.html
then can download a zip file with all 32 songs from Pearl Jam's Christmas singles.

'Pin that Badge' by Little Barrie

Find it. Listen to it.

cheers for that kingol... its bring transfered onto my mp3 player of choice as we speak

anyone heard that eric prydz vs pink floyd brick in the wall fiasco...

the video looks more like a public information film

hawakk

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im not as annoyed at this as perhap i should be.... it seems to stay quite true to the original, albeit twice the speed, with a bit of a beat, and without the guitar solo...
if it was a new guy who'd just done this then i'd probably like it more, but considering its that guy who did the workout video 'call on me' i dont seem to hold any (musical/artistic)respect for him.

any comments?

New Idlewild single free to download here.

Sounds like the rock is back baby. Come on!

Tenacious D are on Mark Radcliffe's show Tuesday 12th 10:30pm - midnight BBC Radio 2

Check it

My latest purchase:



The Dark Third by Pure Reason Revolution

An excellent slice of Prock (that's prog ROCK not prog rock), a sort of dark mix of Muse-esque rocking (without the wailing) and Pink Floyd's introspective depth (producing a similar feeling to Coheed & Cambria). With a couple of 12 minute songs they do get a little lost in their instumental stylings but it's worth it for the halfway point when they pull out the heavy riffs and start rocking.

Check out their Myspace page for example (Trembling Willows)

Check this guy Mika out:

http://www.myspace.com/mikamyspace

Play the 'grace kelly' song. Definite queen influence in there. Very lively sound. I like.

Haven't posted for a bit, so I thought I'd share my most recent purchases:

1. Cut The F*ck Up - The Remix Project - PopChop

A collection of mash-ups of hip-hop classics with 80's tunes. Like all records of this type, some work better than others, but it's pretty good overall (especially as there are interludes of scenes from cult 80's films dropped into the mix).

2. Cosmosonica - Crazy Covers

A collection of unusual cover-versions. Some are genius (Nina Simone's interpretation of Here Comes The Sun), many are bonkers (Senor Coconut And His Orchestra's version of Beat It), some are cack (Chaka Demus and Plier's attempt at One Nation Under A Groove).

3. 21 Singles (1984-1998) - The Jesus And Mary Chain

Good stuff. Kingol, if you're not already aware of them (which I assume you are), The Jesus And Mary Chain are part one of my plan to remove your pre-1994 musical blinkers.

4. The Very Best Of The Gypsy Kings

The ultimate goal of my plan for Kingol is to get to a point where he will like this album. It'll never happen, I know. I love it though. Particularly their version of Hotel California.

I am aware of The Jesus and Mary Chain (as they were around after '94) but they occupy the same space in my head as Belle & Sebastian (probably merely the presences of a Scottish 'and' in their names) so I don't actually know what they sound like...but indie shoe-gazing is not a phrase to excite my musicbuds.

Get ready

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February 5th

For Bloc Party fans if you go here you can download an entire live set recorded in '05. There's also a really rather good Coldplay concert (recorded off Houston's only alternative 94.5 The Buzz apparently) on the same Blog. Check it.

For Radiosmeg fans you can find a set here.

Isn't the internet great?

Steven Seagal and his blues band Thunderbox are playing the St Albans Arena on Valentines Day. A bit pricey at £28 a throw, but imagine the story you'll be able to tell your grandchildren.

I'm sorely tempted by this, so if you don't have a date for Valentines Day this year and feel like spending an evening with Seagal, let me know.

February 26th

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on the other hand....