tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24667947423299154562024-02-07T09:38:19.274-08:00The Physical ProductThe Physical Producthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00993228438596803151noreply@blogger.comBlogger94125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2466794742329915456.post-84574633264602639932013-08-19T15:40:00.000-07:002013-08-19T15:40:17.922-07:00V Fest 2013 - Weston Park <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">So after a good nights sleep, it's time to reflect on V Fest 2013. My eighth on the trot and one that created gems to remember.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">The absolute highlight for me came not from a headliner, or a new comer but an incredibly emotional Fran Healy of</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">Travis</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">on their return to the music biz after a 5 year absence being Dads. I'd watched Travis at the start of their careers at V99 many moons ago, wowing the crowd with their feats of weather control whilst playing why does it always rain on me. I've seen them various times across the UK so I was an easy target for the come back in a rammed Arena stage at ten past six, as were a tent full of similarly 90's focussed indie/Britpop kids.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">The set was a festival short 45 mins of hits and obligatory new one, songs with pace (the lust for life infused Selfish Jean) slower ones but mainly sing alongs throughout (Sing, Sing, Sing).</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">It wasn't the sing alongs that made this a stand out set of the weekend, but the emotional response of the crowd, reacting to the wondrous amazement of Travis to the response they received. All culminating with a tearful Fran Healy launching into finale 'why does it always rain on me' having received one of the loudest and longest standing ovations (not hard in a tent of standing people) which was ear splitting and went on and on and on.<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Another highlight was the band sing along to Frans acoustic run through of flowers in the window (?) with them standing behind Fran, smiling and winking appreciatively, Dougie (looking far too cool for school with every passing year) and one of the other chaps taking over one end each of Fran's guitar whilst he waved his hands in the air.</span></span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieE8J2iR8Gp8aD68ZhPgQ6gC_8vTSgEsTKePVR037gUDPnxRSNEZUEYcffstn04Gi9E8eDtgrLnYREcKM_D1y1mw4akHD1onRKF7vvov46dAvDMnB9d_q9IBQgy6pZq_80qZH5e9IdmHRI/s1600/music-v-festival-2013-4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieE8J2iR8Gp8aD68ZhPgQ6gC_8vTSgEsTKePVR037gUDPnxRSNEZUEYcffstn04Gi9E8eDtgrLnYREcKM_D1y1mw4akHD1onRKF7vvov46dAvDMnB9d_q9IBQgy6pZq_80qZH5e9IdmHRI/s320/music-v-festival-2013-4.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">Fran with suitably greying hair, the sign of kids</span></td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><br /></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Once Travis finished the set, there was not much more to do, nothing could top that and Mrs P and I were more than happy to wander out of the Festival on a high leaving the youngsters to an evening of Fun, Beyonce and the Script.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Looking back, this was a good one, I'd been a little disappointed with the line up, and with Beady Eye pulling out but</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1207863155" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">Saturday</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">(with mate Neil) and</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1207863156" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">Sunday</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">with Mrs P had some standout stuff.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">So</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1207863157" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">Saturday</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">and doing my tour guide bit for V festival virgin Neil, we got in for the start whilst I pointed out all the sights (emergency exits are here, here and here) bought the beers tokens and wandered down to settle into the first band,</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: red; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">the Saturdays.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">We lasted 3 bombastic songs, bass pumping, one which we should have known apparently per the Saturdays (we should have been jumping) before heading round to the 4 Music stage to see a band I was really looking forward to seeing,</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">The Heavy</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">. They could have done with the Saturdays bass, as their stand out tune, How you like me now, would have sounded grimier and dirtier with the bass turned up, but we were then away and into the festival. Beverage of choice in hand, we headed back to the main stage for </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">Scouting for girls</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">, not as I had said Scouting for boys, leading to a discussion about childhood TV celebrities who were now facing long stretches in chokey.</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Scouting for girls lasted a few songs for us, and we could see the format for their success, name check an icon (James Bond, Elvis etc) and singing a chirpy indie pop song about it, sticking in a Bond theme cover too, then back to the 4 Music stage for </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">Reverend & the Makers</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">, a band made for V Festival. John McClure is a front man who is not shy about telling the crowd what he expects of them, largely challenging us to jump up and down, dance and pitting the left hand side of the audience (our side, great) against the right hand side (poor effort). His comment about 'the Heavy weight champion of the world' being the best song we would hear this year at the festival this year was not far of the mark, but it has a distinct advantage being one of the best songs of recent years IMHO.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Kangaroo burger imbibed (nice but no Ostrich Burger) we were off to provide local support to </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">Laura Mvula</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">, who has definitely worked on her Brummie accent both for singing and chatting to the crowd, she really sounds like a product of the States now. Sadly though, her show is not made for the Arena tent, iPhone came out, twitter was tried to be checked 57 times as album tracks of warbling were played. We didn't stay for the singles (which I do rate) it didn't work for me, so to restore the vibe we caught a bit of comedy in the Glee club tent, anyone in there works and we were back.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">After him we were back over for a bit of </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">Seasick Steve</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">, with John Paul Jones (legend alert) on bass. Now he is an artist. Guitars either bashed up or home made (cigar x or hub cap variety) he rattled through great blues tracks, leaving me hoping i'll have his energy at his age (whatever age that is). A nice touch was bringing a lass out the crowd, and romantically serenading her before leaving her with a signed LP (like a big cd he informed the crowd) and a John Deere cap.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Onward to the futures tent for a bit of solo Coral action by </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">James Skelly</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">, not going to be making much money as a solo artist with bucket loads of people in the band and a couple of backing singers for a couple of songs in the set. Cracking set, definitely the worth investing in his album, especially as he threw in the Corals best tune Dreaming of you...top.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Then onto</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;"> the Vaccines</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">, a band channelling the spirit of the Ramones, focussed on the brevity, pace and unashamedly pop tastic nature of the tracks. Having seen them earlier in their career it's a bit of a surprise to see the amount of hair now possessed by lead singer Justin Hayward-Young, again a highlight of the day, Melody Calling being a far mellower highlight of the set. Over to </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">Maximo Park</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">, who delivered a good set, a typical energetic front man performance, legs akimbo bounces into the air. A highlight is always Graffiti with the quality lyrics, 'I'll do graffiti if you sing to me in French' but we didn't stay long as they were on the way to the Eels. </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">The Eels</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">who for me fall into the category of the Flaming Lips, who don't care and will just do what they fancy. The Eels, kitted out in matching black Adidas trackies, topped off by band leader E with his sweat band round his head. The set didn't have songs I knew, or recognised but they were individual, whether it was the count down from 10 mid song, or the group hugs, or the iconic dancing by E. it all kinda sat perfectly together.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Food (Fish 'n' Chips) beckoned as we settled in down the front for the remainder of the evening, </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">Stereophonics</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">(here's a new one off the new album) kicked off with rockets (red white and blue smoke) and ended with 30 ft flames, as if to suggest they should be headlining the stage, or just a nudge to </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">Kings of Leon</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"> to ensure they realise they need to be worthy headliners. One thing that strikes you seeing the Stereophonics is the lack of ageing that is going on with Kelly. He hasn't changed since the 90's, and we were pretty close in, not changed in looks, leather jacket, sound, anything....he's either sold his soul to the devil, or has Shakin Stevens genes (Shaky always being pointed to for this in Smash Hits).</span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1F64qCnbvmB9wl4hFDPdn9vUNL4Pet_RblHJmuLgCFsmDRDifEsuNfKNEPSTlPzszluLuuj40_wdpLtkppKhl9p8HHvNawkr9NZ_-a4JE1gbYbOE5m3LZNUGnGWfc9mueluelWc14U6Dz/s1600/music-v-festival-2013-53_1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1F64qCnbvmB9wl4hFDPdn9vUNL4Pet_RblHJmuLgCFsmDRDifEsuNfKNEPSTlPzszluLuuj40_wdpLtkppKhl9p8HHvNawkr9NZ_-a4JE1gbYbOE5m3LZNUGnGWfc9mueluelWc14U6Dz/s320/music-v-festival-2013-53_1.jpg" width="241" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">Shakin Stevens</span></td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Then the Kings of Leon, and worthy headliners, cracking set, all seemingly up for the gig, best songs by a mile though being the Bluesy belters from the early albums, Molly's Chambers sounding perfect. Mid set most people round us got distracted by the emergence of a pile of poo. Basically someone had done a dump and managed to clear a small area of the inner circle of the crowd. It's amazing how choking a dump can be when you smell it wafting around. Then, it being dark, you watched in amusement as unsuspecting people kept filling the space, only to be told by gleeful revellers that they may want to check their shoes....we wrapped up with a Sex on Fire driven encore and then an amble back to the car happy to not be spending the night under canvas.</span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Onto day 2 and the weaker line up, Mrs P (with a definite reduced stamina and appetite for random bands she doesn't know) confirmed we only needed to get their for </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">Deacon Blue</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">at</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1207863158" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">1:15</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">, and she was right to insist as Ricky Ross was definitely up for enthusing the crowd, apologising for the crowd for getting the dress code wrong in his suit, he implored us to do a bit of Scottish Country Dancing and cracked off hit after hit to a crowd who lapped it up despite not being the target audience. 'come see us we're on tour' he implored after a blistering rendition of Dignity left us jumping. </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">Lissie</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">by contrast is an up and coming star, the perfect embodiment of Southern USA with her 'yawlllll's, and to go with this one of the most amazing voices around. Again, can't wait for her new album to come out, so much energy and a real sense of her enjoying herself.<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeR3RiY-pkMiLzg9YCY-5Nst8MykgYwnlC76UFKICn3l4bNP6R_Z-EF19aFDt2ij-vdaIDsYNAKZgb_7_xAKhMEVJFiFVl9cSzlwDbavfuIibz5BnUDOa5QACFVtlZDGUANFY1d6fnsiEE/s1600/music-v-festival-2013-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeR3RiY-pkMiLzg9YCY-5Nst8MykgYwnlC76UFKICn3l4bNP6R_Z-EF19aFDt2ij-vdaIDsYNAKZgb_7_xAKhMEVJFiFVl9cSzlwDbavfuIibz5BnUDOa5QACFVtlZDGUANFY1d6fnsiEE/s320/music-v-festival-2013-2.jpg" width="282" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">Misread dress code catastrophe</span></td></tr>
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</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Another highlight, and </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">James</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">. It's been 20+ years since me and Mrs P went on our first proper date to see James at Alton Towers and the years have not been kind to either my or Tim Booths hair since, the manc haircut and quiff both having bought it some years back. James picked a set list that suited themselves, not just hits but new song and early single Johnny Yenn. They did resurrect Sit Down, having presumably fallen back in love with it since becoming sickened of it previously and dropping it for years. Tim Booth was the joint most intelligent man at the festival (sending us to see his peer Eddie Izzard at the end of the set) intelligent banter, unique dancing and then sitting on the shoulders of the crowd for the finale. A belter. Then not being able to get close to Eddie Izzard, we strained to hear from outside whilst watching him on the big screen, an interesting tale about Vader, God and Keith(?) from marketing with a tea tray.....you had to be there.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Showing off the Fish 'n' chips to Mrs P they didn't go down well, so we were then into uncomfortably watching </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">Paloma Faith</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">, then the guilty please that is </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">Mark Owen</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"> (4 minute warning is a perfect pop tune, but he should have a word with Kelly from the Stereophonics about his beauty regime) and then a nice doze whilst watching the Swedes </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">Of Monsters and Men</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">A bit more comedy, then the mind blowing spectacle of Travis.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Home early, which chuffed Nan as she got out of full baby sitting duties and V Festival was over for another year, now when do those early bird tickets go on sale again.......</span></span>The Physical Producthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00993228438596803151noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2466794742329915456.post-90321094261111456102013-06-27T15:33:00.002-07:002013-06-27T15:34:26.828-07:00The Strypes - Wolverhampton Slade Rooms Gig Review:<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPDoiJBsP1tR6fCM33klJJwxHfNkdOrAXy_C1Rx2MkAF_BNB-YLpEwU1oQxOD1f52-czyHgisn4_iSALfi6iFAf0uIPviU0pVunUifakRdefnyaTpPaZZJcaH_WP8p-2BCTm85eHMXk5Gr/s590/timthumb.php.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="233" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPDoiJBsP1tR6fCM33klJJwxHfNkdOrAXy_C1Rx2MkAF_BNB-YLpEwU1oQxOD1f52-czyHgisn4_iSALfi6iFAf0uIPviU0pVunUifakRdefnyaTpPaZZJcaH_WP8p-2BCTm85eHMXk5Gr/s320/timthumb.php.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Arriving late to the gig despite racing back from London (mainly due to accident on the M42) and having to reassemble the leads at the back of the TV and sky box following a carpet fitting (penance for a pass out) I had missed the Brum support act. The Slade rooms were packed with a very Moddish crowd raring to hear the Strypes, a band I had decided to come to see having listened to them interviewed on Cerys's show whilst walking down a beach in Barbados, not owning a jot by them, but knowing that they had put on a fantastic show.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">I had my head down whilst waiting for them, glued to my iPhone whilst the condensation ran down the walls in a sweaty Slade Rooms, a cheer and they were on, straight into a blistering opening, one of the loudest rawest rock n roll openings I have ever heard. It just sounded of a bygone age, exactly what I imagine the crowd packed in in Hamburg to see the Beatles would have heard, or in the States surrounding Chuck Berry or Jerry Lee Lewis (but without the running off with 14 year old cousin stigmas).</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">I imagine its the sound of youth with an average age (if you believe wikipedia) of 15 and 16. It took a while to get used to a band who were comfortably young enough to be my kids, ironic as I will be heading to see in The Who a band who are old enough to be my parents</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1709721000" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">tomorrow</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">The band looked cool too, lead singer with Blues Brothers shades propping up a fringe, whipping out an incredibly well used harmonica, bass player, looking like a cool Weasley Brother playing the bass like a man possessed (none of the barely moving coolness from Temples bassist here), lead guitar with boy band cool, matching suit jackets, shirt and matching pocket square and drummer (probably cool looking but hidden from my vantage point so I will give him the benefit of the doubt).</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> The set was a mixture of covers and original material, all delivered at blistering pace, delivering banter between tracks. A brief journey to see whether there were Wolves fans in the audience got a muted response, followed but 'well i guess we've got a mixed audience in tonight, some football fans and some Wolves fans' these youngsters have confidence and decent music taste paying tribute to Slade and Dave Hill (rather than the usual Sir Nod). Covers such as Judge a book by its cover (Bo Diddley) and See See Rider, probably close to the Animals interpretation of it.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">And so an encore of Route 66 complete with McCartneyesq shouts and whoops from Twist and Shout and they were off after a frenetic hour of rock and roll. Off no doubt to a rider of pop and haribos, whilst the crowd with ears ringing were given free posters when they stepped outside the venue, I doubt Mrs P will let me put it up on my bedroom wall, but hey.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">The final thought that I was struck by when walking to the car, was that's what Marty McFly was looking for when he wigged out on stage at the end of Back To The Future, both the sound and the reaction from an ecstatic crowd.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">My favourite new band.......I think so far this week.</span></span><br />
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The Physical Producthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00993228438596803151noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2466794742329915456.post-68473193245086881922013-06-23T01:41:00.001-07:002013-06-23T01:41:44.320-07:00Daddy's Speeding<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu1pu7QMk6kvuUp1jreJPyLq340XO5m5P4PYKpzQjQHlHz2mcyYGY7QSNSrfwZrbtDtYwzs1kR7KeVf1gzCDfLuga1DCj3HJ7glBzwvZCjZkeSj0-n8-QAjRQaOjhljPzjDnrJ3d4D22BD/s1600/tumblr_lljq83iBw21qe6nm8o1_500.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="219" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu1pu7QMk6kvuUp1jreJPyLq340XO5m5P4PYKpzQjQHlHz2mcyYGY7QSNSrfwZrbtDtYwzs1kR7KeVf1gzCDfLuga1DCj3HJ7glBzwvZCjZkeSj0-n8-QAjRQaOjhljPzjDnrJ3d4D22BD/s320/tumblr_lljq83iBw21qe6nm8o1_500.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Brett Anderson looking on disapprovingly</td></tr>
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There is nothing more frustrating than having an unannounced little brown envelope land on your mat, which then accuses you (usually very fairly) of speeding and giving you the options of a course or points and a fine. I've had this twice in the last 6 months, both times claiming I had ignored the first letter from them and that this was my final warning before they haul me off to court.<br />
<br />
Now the cynic in me thinks that they just save on the stamp for the first one, never sending it out, and wind the offender up with the second. These chaser letters absolutely get me grumpy for the day. The last one was the worst, being done for travelling at 55 on the motorway when I apparently should have been doing 40. This was frustrating because having done the speed awareness course last October I had become very speed aware. I had realised that speeding places often only saves fractions of minutes of time, and the fuel efficiency is excellent otherwise. The course didn't even go on about speed killing particularly, it was very well pitched. So I had become quite evangelical about speed, I would tell people about the speed limit, 'did you know if there are street lights its 30 unless there are repeaters' explaining more, 'did you know that rural lanes are the most accident prone' etc etc.<br />
<br />
My miles per gallon had increased 10% too - which given the price of fuel was quite a lot. Every time I was filling up I would think about the album I could buy with the saved £7.<br />
<br />
Truth be told the speed awareness course was really useful, and everyone I have spoken too who has been has enjoyed it (they've not told me whether they changed their habits but they enjoyed it). What I found was that I could relax more at the wheel, pottering along the motorway would allow you to look round, check out what was going on. The 30 mph drive to work allowed a relax to think about the day ahead etc. Why didn't I realise this earlier....<br />
<br />
I've only had one instance of being pulled over for speeding the rest have been flashing cameras. Stupidly it was after getting rid of my Beige Metro (rust bucket, 60 mph top speed) and getting a work car scheme car, a Peugeot 306, which was able to speed. On the way up to Mrs P's Mum's house I was not really focussed enjoying the freedom of an accelerator that did what it said on the tin and got pulled. The Copper wasn't impressed with my suggestion that it was the cars fault and that I hadn't noticed.<br />
<br />
Again after a bad day at the office I came home grumpy grumpy grumpy and whistled past a speed camera I knew near home and flash it went. Bah. I took the mother in law to Shrewsbury too, good deed and boom got flashed. All suitably stressful experiences. Even when its not me its stressful, I got a letter informing me I had been done for speeding in Bognor Regis. Writing back I noted I had never even been there and had had to look the location up on the internet to find it, and I was in another part of the country at the time honest guv. But for a few weeks waiting for the letter back I was suitably stressed (turns out the reg inputted was a typo and it wasn't me).<br />
<br />
So I am now slow and steady, fuel efficient and stress free.<br />
<br />
Linking this to music though isn't hard, when your favourite band's Suede immediately you are drawn to Daddy's Speeding off the magnificent Dog Man Star album. A song about James Dean's demise. A haunting, theatrical song.<br />
<br />
Here's what I found on the web about it.<br />
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On September 30, 1955 James Dean was driving his Porsche 550 Spyder on U.S. Route 466 (later State Route 46), when a black-and-white 1950 Ford Custom Tudor coupe, driven from the opposite direction, moved to take the fork onto State Route 41 and crossed into Dean's lane. The two cars hit almost head-on. The actor was rushed to Paso Robles War Memorial Hospital and pronounced dead on arrival. Contrary to reports of his speeding, the Highway Patrol officer who attended the crash said "the wreckage and the position of Dean's body indicated his speed was more like 55 mph (88 km/h)." Suede frontman Brett Anderson told <a href="http://forum.suede.co.uk/" style="color: #3300cc;" target="_blank">Suede.co.uk</a> about this story of a dream/fantasy about Dean' s death: "I was immersing myself in overtly clichéd Hollywood iconography at the time. I guess it was an extension of the isolation/ pornography themes where I saw people forming relationships with fantasy figures rather than real people; Our new communities were soap operas, our new friends were characters in American sit-coms."</div>
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Anderson told the Suede site about his singing on the track: "I wanted to give the vocal a Lennonesque quality, that magical dreamlike way he sang songs like '<a href="http://www.songfacts.com/detail.php?id=129" style="color: #3300cc;">Day In The Life</a>' and '<a href="http://www.songfacts.com/detail.php?id=179" style="color: #3300cc;">Across The Universe</a>,' which I thought would complement the phased, otherworldly tone of the music."</div>
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And here's a video for this non single, its from the lost in TV DVD collection - if there's one thing to say about Suede, they have always looked after their fans with the best extras, B Sides, fan club gigs etc ever.<br />
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<br />The Physical Producthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00993228438596803151noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2466794742329915456.post-10656199822700457642013-06-20T15:49:00.000-07:002013-06-20T15:49:00.638-07:00Temples & Charlie Boyer and the Voyeurs Gig Review Hare & Hounds.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnqlkbtoRULauxoQHn-pFifibEOFFbLYBMm9yrHB5TlONPTZEpTiRLlcYRrVJHG3VK__CwUmZq2wdmeU9DV1bb5LwfJyvf5gK7wi1g6RrsopJgBSRo4ZTb9ejWCUWDAfazOkVBUcaf0Is_/s1600/Temples-009.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="192" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnqlkbtoRULauxoQHn-pFifibEOFFbLYBMm9yrHB5TlONPTZEpTiRLlcYRrVJHG3VK__CwUmZq2wdmeU9DV1bb5LwfJyvf5gK7wi1g6RrsopJgBSRo4ZTb9ejWCUWDAfazOkVBUcaf0Is_/s320/Temples-009.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">Temples & Charlie Boyer and the Voyeurs. 19 June 2013. Hare & Haounds Birmingham, Gig Review. </span></b></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Tonight was the my turn to see a couple of hotly tipped bands in the quality venue Hare & Hounds in Kings Heath, a suburb of Brum with excellent musical heritage,</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ritz_Ballroom,_Kings_Heath" target="_blank">Pink Floyd, the Beatles and the Stones</a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">all having played there</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">possibly not in and amongst the cash converter and charity shops that now litter the high street.</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">It was the second time in seeing Charlie Boyer & the Voyeurs (great name) and third for Temples who had supported Suede, and both seem to be the darlings of 6 music. So whilst raring to see them when booking the tickets, a couple of work nights out and waking up at 6 in London that morning to get back for work meant I was jaded, and coupled with the heat and hay fever I wasn't in the best frame of mind.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Settling down with a revitalising San Miguel, the venue filled up as soon as the Voyeurs took to the stage. They looked suitably cool, singer/guitar 'Charlie' looking suspiciously like my mates cool little brother, but then I haven't seen him in a decade and I doubt being in his late 30's it's him. Drummer looked suitably modelled on Dave Grohl, keys, guitar and bass looking cool too, or perhaps it's just the kids all look cool now.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Second song in and the B side to the 7" I got last time 'Be Nice' gets an airing, it's a cracking glam rock stomper, complete with Bolanesque voice, sadly not to get the fake ending from the last gig or single (or to make their album, really??).</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><br /></span></span>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/Rmh-xY2iIlg?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></span></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><br /></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">As the 30 minute set continued, the band that came most to mind was the Dandy Warhols, not so much the chirpy vodaphone advert but more the wider droney elements (in a good way I hasten to add). I got fascinated by the impact of the 2 middle band members in between Charlie and the keyboards, both able to contribute with the minimum of effort. Firstly the bassists rocking back and forth of his bass to the rhythm of the track, then secondly the guitarist, with black curtains, black shirt, black guitar, black trousers, no facial expression and minimal movement of hands. Neil Codling from Suede came to mind, it may have been he desire to save energy in the heat that caused the stance, but I doubt it.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">The penultimate song is the quiet one, apparently, well just slow, with a Bowie style vocalising, smoke machines and shiny disco balls.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">End of set and we (might) have been directed to the merch stand, but Charlie needs to enunciate better if he wants to sell his wares. Heading over to the back I was hit by the modern day issue of buying a 12 inch vinyl album being uncomfortable to stand with for the main act, so I didn't.....</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">After a stretch of smart phone surfing, the Temples came on for their 40 injure headline set. Again looking cool, guitarist looking like Noel Fielding, singer with a great Bolan hair cut and sparkly blouse. Again their appearance coincided with a flooding back of audience with suitably high enthusiasm for the darlings of the music blogs.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">The set was cracking, every tune in their fleeting set hanging together well, the only slight mishap being perhaps the smoke machine placed on the speakers which launched dry ice head height onto the singer causing a speedy change in direction.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">The gig was great but the stand out song was the last tune, recent single (Shelter Song) whether this is just familiarity or it's a classic I'm not sure but it's a cracking swirling slab of psychedelia that would grace any Austin Powers movie.</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/vs4i41cOv0s?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></span></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">When they legged it, I took the plunge at the merch stall, finding out that talking to the Voyeurs enigmatic guitarist, and complimenting him on the set, plus buying an album and single meant that the face burst into a broad grin and some emotion was shown. Great stuff.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Leaving the hare & hounds in a balmy summers evening it was amazing the impact that vinyl, cracking bands and San Miguel has to produce a sunny disposition.</span></span>The Physical Producthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00993228438596803151noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2466794742329915456.post-66421497718769042992013-06-04T13:33:00.002-07:002013-06-04T13:33:40.542-07:00Wall of Sound A-Z: Garbage :Garbage<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFkjAT8Dytg2G5mEw4Jpf6dbCZZuDHOm3IylIF3aeIE3c-KN7s9KRxnTcphZJ695TSb5wNCB90NX5eOdx3ZJ17hnWTkesJAgNWM-FAQnMpHbAtovKaqBTEw4ZafuSaELFJdkOuL3vPnwDY/s1600/516EYJCPFXL.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFkjAT8Dytg2G5mEw4Jpf6dbCZZuDHOm3IylIF3aeIE3c-KN7s9KRxnTcphZJ695TSb5wNCB90NX5eOdx3ZJ17hnWTkesJAgNWM-FAQnMpHbAtovKaqBTEw4ZafuSaELFJdkOuL3vPnwDY/s1600/516EYJCPFXL.jpg" /></a></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><b>Wall of Sound A-Z: Garbage :Garbage</b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Garbage represented my first getting caught up live in the massive hype of Melody Maker and the NME as in 1995 Garbage arrived, having Nirvana producer Butch Vig in the band and strong female vocalist Shirley Manson. I got caught up in all of this and bought tickets to see them at Wolverhampton Civic Hall (best local venue I the West Midlands at the time).</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">The album starts with Supervixen which I can take or leave, but then Queer is a fantastic tune, a single receiving huge airplay, I liked it because it felt like the outsider element of Suede fronted by a woman, what's not to like. Just when you think the song iswinding up after 2 minutes it leaps on with some more grungy guitars, confirming the Queerest of the Queer, Strangest of the Strange. Definitely a 5 star tune, Duh duh duh der duh, you can touch me if you want.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Next my favourite song on the album, Shirley showing how stroppy she is with the excellent only happy when it rains. Great tune, shouts out at you, again massive airplay, catchy title and probably why I bought the tickets, odd chorus though 'Pour your misery down on me'</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/esEdC0c3YI4?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></span></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">So at the Civic Hall we had balcony seats and I had never seen the hall so rammed, everyone clammering to see Shirley and co, and missing the support I didn't have long to wait, it was electric with the mosh pit seeming to stretch for most of the length of the venue, that's what stuck with me most from the gig, this mass of humanity totalling hyped for a brilliant experience and a band raring to give it them.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Back to the album, 'As heaven is wide' takes the grungy baseline and sticks it over a beating drum machine and Shirley speaking huskily over the top very effectively. We slow down a bit with the marching 'Not my idea' again great song, Shirley's Scottish accent breaking through, it's always nicer to hear singers singing in the own accent.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">I was lucky to get to see Garbage, as I had bought tickets to 2 gigs on consecutive nights, Garbage and the Bluetones, but working in Swindon on an away job, not having tickets on me and Pre the Internet era I got confused, I came back to Brum to go to Wolverhampton and found the Bluetones was actually the first of the 2 gigs and had happened the day before. I was gutted and this put me off the Bluetones for life, especially as I had to pay for my mates ticket too. Lucky for me that Garbage was so good.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">The biggest Britpop moment for the album comes with Stupid Girl, which was a decent sized hit too, lots of AirPlay again, backed no doubt by various lovely formats of records, I seem to recall that Garbages packaging was impressive, furry cover on one I think. Stupid Girl hit number 4 in the charts in the UKwhen that meant something to me and was all over the TV chart shows.</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/1N29vkIT3eo?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></span></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Milk ends the album, a quieter relaxing end, their final single off the album, reworked with Tricky, showing what a big deal they were at the time, this is a quite haunting track, with the vocals 'Im waiting, I'm waiting for you' staying with you long after the single finishes.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">I stayed following Garbage, really enjoying lots of the singles off less successful later albums but was most surprised when Shirley turned up as the key baddy in the Terminator Spin off TV series, the Sarah OConner Chronicles where she played one of the liquid metal terminators and was pretty effective as a cyborg!</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span>The Physical Producthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00993228438596803151noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2466794742329915456.post-75456109709283481162013-06-02T09:30:00.000-07:002013-06-02T09:30:28.655-07:00Richard Herring Talking Cock in Derby!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><b>Richard Herring in Derby. Talking Cock Review.</b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">There is no better way to spend a</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_818544833" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">Friday</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">night than to spend it watching Richard Herring. I laughed out loud so much throughout the show, it was infectious, I started to get a head ache from it at one point. I expected it to be a good show, as it was the penultimate talking Cock show (before Leicester who got suitably dissed) and so Herring should have the show down to a fine art, especially as it was the second time he had toured the show. He had also been excellent the last 3 times I had seen him, so he had a lot to live up to</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">I was willing to give Richard the benefit of a couple of duff jokes anyway following a recent encounter. On bank holiday</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_818544834" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">Monday</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">I was in London with the family, saw him stood next to me o the tube platform and nudged Mrs P. We jumped on the same tube and the kids sat cutely at his feet while he played iPhone games. They were dead cute and Richard smiled sweetly at them, so he will get a lot of slack should he need it.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">He didn't</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">The show was, as I mentioned, blisteringly funny from start to finish, a bizarre blend of well thought through views on the psyche of blokes, liberally sprinkled with knob jokes and toilet humour. Sitting there in anticipation of the show, flicking through the free program, always a nice Herring touch, we were treated to a themed penis playlist, lots of smiles began there and then in the audience.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Into the show and within the first 2 minutes he reeled off a load of metaphors for ones John Thomas, many of which were new to me. But as Herring noted having researched the tour for some time with an online questionnaire he has the most comprehensive list euphemisms on the planet, pink lighthouse beckoning into the rocks springs to mind.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">The show revolved round the answers to the online survey, and is set to be the male equivalent of the Vagina Monologues, running for over an hour and a half with an interval. The subject matter shouldn't put people off, it's a well thought through subject, but unfortunately given the final show in tonight, you won't get to see it!</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Unless you get to buy it on DVD, as at the end of the show Herring races to the foyer to greet the punters selling them the rather good Go Faster Stripe DVD's of his former shows. you can get them on line, but it's much more fun to have Richard Herring ask your name, then write with permanent pen the fastest squiggle of a non discernible signature ever.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">So I left with a copy of 'What is love anyway' which I'd seen in Worcester last year, a book of Talking Cock from 10 years ago and several signatures.</span></span>The Physical Producthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00993228438596803151noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2466794742329915456.post-87920612135421402252013-05-18T16:03:00.000-07:002013-05-19T01:48:14.122-07:00Public Service Broadcasting 18 May 2013 Birmingham Institute Gig Review<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Big TV, will make your eyes go square</td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><b>Public Service Broadcasting Live in Birmingham: </b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Last year for me was the year of Public Service Broadcasting, being introduced to them through the stunning Spitfire, then on through the other war room tracks, London can take it, checking out older tracks ROYGBIV then Everest and the war room remix ep (with an equally good, if not better version of Spitfire). I was gutted not to be able to see them live in my mega gig year, I think I was out the country when they toured.</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">As such it was with great enthusiasm I arrived at the little Temple room in the Institute, already rammed with quite an audience of older enthusiasts, I think this must be the typical 6 Music crowd, (6 Music fans keep voting PSB as rebel playlist winners) so I felt pretty much at home.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">The support were on when I arrived, the unpronounceable XTXGXWXSXCX (The Grafham Water Sailing Club) a local band who made a good sound the 4 members stood round a table in the middle effectively, or that's what it looked like! But overall a good 'wall of sound type band'. Worth a listen on their <a href="https://soundcloud.com/xtxgxwxsxcx" target="_blank">sound cloud here</a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Then the covers came off quite literally, banks of TV's appeared looking like a scene from Max Headroom. All showing static, with a giant TV at the back, not beautiful flat screen TV's but old school wood surround. Minutes to go and on came the testcard. Then on walked the 3 members of Public Service Broadcasting, not a word was said, except a 'Hello' from the computer, and a cheery wave from the bow tie sporting Willgoose.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">First track, inform, educate, entertain got us prepared for what the gig would be like, Guitar, Driving Drums, TV's showing cracking visuals plucked from Black & White movies / educational films and keyboards. The films taking centre stage, the band stepping back into the shadows, happy not to be focussed on by anyone, looking appropriately Geek Chic in their ties / bow ties and thick black rimmed specs.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">It takes a little while to get used to not having any vocals, just being replaced by the narratives from the films, even between the songs there aren't any vocals, there are comments from the computer 'thanks' after the applause from the first song. It is very different to what you normally expect to hear, a sound tracked evening on National Geographic perhaps. This is though not a complaint, smile on face throughout.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">The other aspect that jumps out differently to every other gig is the humour that is used by the interspersed Computer voice between tracks. For a particular favourite, we got</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">It's great to be here in......(press other button) ...Birmingham, then, We always wanted to play here in......Birmingham. They are definitely a band that doesn't take themselves too seriously, which is a good thing. Another example I thought of this was "Night Mail" which started with recurring pictures of train tracks and train wheels, a stirring beat, which could have continued in a serious manner being a Kraftwerkesque tune, but it wasn't to be, as the narrative from WH Auden Poem is interspersed, again bringing a wry smile as it states.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Tahoma, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif, sans-serif;"><b>This is the Night Mail crossing the border,<br />Bringing the cheque and the postal order,<br />Letters for the rich, letters for the poor,<br />The shop at the corner and the girl next door.</b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><br /></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Two thirds of the way through and the highlight for me, Spitfire gets a run through, for me the ideal choice for the end of the gig or encore, but it wasn't placed there. It was epic as I had hoped it would be, the audience Euphoric in their response to the song, the footage looking amazing with the Spitfires swooping all over the screen.</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><object class="BLOGGER-youtube-video" classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0" data-thumbnail-src="http://img.youtube.com/vi/_u4Md_aXVJE/0.jpg" height="266" width="320"><param name="movie" value="http://youtube.googleapis.com/v/_u4Md_aXVJE&source=uds" /><param name="bgcolor" value="#FFFFFF" /><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /><embed width="320" height="266" src="http://youtube.googleapis.com/v/_u4Md_aXVJE&source=uds" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true"></embed></object></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">The computer announces the last song after an hours set, ROYGBIV another excellent tune and they walked off stage right, the computer requested the opportunity to intro the band (it shouldn't take long) and band introduced as Drums, Visuals (first time I have had a band with a Visuals person) and Everything Else.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Encore back on, and the other Epic tune Everest. Uplifting sums it up best for me. Then the end of the gig, Vinyl purchased (copy of the War room EP finally acquired) and home by</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_516311900" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">10:30</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">So in overall terms, the PSB guys did not disappoint, every song is entertaining at least, not something you can say for many bands, no checking of facebook or twitter required for album filler tracks. I would recommend them to anyone, they had thought through their set, didn't take themselves too seriously and played some belters.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Reflecting on the songs though, it's interesting to consider whether they have anywhere they can go now with this mode of music as it may be that they are a one trick pony, providing an excellent artefact that people will hear in 10 years time and try to remember their names.</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span>The Physical Producthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00993228438596803151noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2466794742329915456.post-24132693933921518742013-05-14T15:31:00.000-07:002013-05-14T15:31:44.301-07:00Eric Clapton Gig Review Birmingham13 May 2013<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU289m9USLNiNK-ckJWFLgnz79nmlMVMJ8cOqirO5JnQINiloHKo5lSKsvR-saqLughxj6SK-FqgNdql4tx34J9K1K4HQZplVP1U2hGIfUUldQ9pQC_IZ93ycPWNzqIqAcWrnkhZkjSKNU/s1600/billboard_export.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="81" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU289m9USLNiNK-ckJWFLgnz79nmlMVMJ8cOqirO5JnQINiloHKo5lSKsvR-saqLughxj6SK-FqgNdql4tx34J9K1K4HQZplVP1U2hGIfUUldQ9pQC_IZ93ycPWNzqIqAcWrnkhZkjSKNU/s320/billboard_export.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">When I get the chance to see a legend play music, then I don't say no, that was the key reason I went to see Black Sabbath, not a huge Sabs fan, but a Midlands legend, stars on the Broad Street walk of fame and everything, which I reviewed <a href="http://thephysicalproduct.blogspot.co.uk/search/label/Black%20Sabbath" target="_blank">here</a>.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">So the opportunity with work to see Eric Clapton was too good to miss. I had heard really interesting stories in the documentary about George Harrison Living in the Material World not least because of the stealing of George Harrisons wife the subject of the song Wonderful Tonight.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Settling in to my seat for the 2 hour set, I was hopeful of a real show, this was Eric's final tour (possibly) and he was celebrating 50 years since a young Eric kicked off his career in the Yardbirds. He had promised a selection of his more commercial hits, where could he go wrong.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Kicking off with some a couple of acoustic numbers, big screens focussed on the perfection of Eric's fingers flying around the fretboard making the guitar sing and squeal. Onto a few electric numbers and I found my mind wandering, the end of each song coming, I appreciated the perfection of the playing, the interaction of the band, but was left cold by the lack of atmosphere. Not sure which of the factors left me cold, the seated reverent audience, you could hear a pin drop in between songs. in between songs it was quiet because there was not a word from Eric, just into the next song. I think this was a shame, the opportunity to give a little bit to the audience about what the songs meant to him, where they came from, anything really the audience would have lapped up. Also for the songs that I didn't know, I didn't feel anything more than listening a song on the radio, it felt like there was no passion, energy, vitality or emotion. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">The audience though enjoyed the show (reverentially), with the focus of big screens sticking on hands, but it picked up massively for me when the songs I knew appeared. I can't believe how much The cod reggae of I shot the sheriff changed my enjoyment, as I was able to anticipate hum, clap and feel a bit more. This was felt even more so by Lay Down Sally. Best bit - the opening riff of layla, worst bit of the gig the realisation that Layla would be played out in a slow hand clap manner.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Wonderful tonight was my highlight, an incredibly beautiful song and knowing the background to it brought it to life. The Blues tracks were great but just made me think of the passion that jumped out of the Memphis Blues players I had seen when I did the driving tour a few years ago, and the need to watch the Blues Brothers with my kids.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">So in overview, glad I was there to see it, can appreciate the excellent skills of a Guitar Genius, but give me a small venue where you can see the rawness and passion of the band playing the music. Compare the beauty of these songs to John Grant from</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_740824984" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">Thursday</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">- and I'm heading to the institute every time.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Non music related though - the Amplify food at the NEC was SUPERB</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><br /></span></span>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiljuMFUhLBEP6s1trkabz3UskbU1n_XXW_dfQIsclrBVMh-W9Fh7KXc8wMC-fJsH3lBSKj_AJA7JMm2DjvOTxgq1r_On8_Fgu2znuU_yPBKC_GdeQ9v2C-TPaoYcsvJu0jKLNRkH8O6f7Y/s1600/claptonLG-3812704.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiljuMFUhLBEP6s1trkabz3UskbU1n_XXW_dfQIsclrBVMh-W9Fh7KXc8wMC-fJsH3lBSKj_AJA7JMm2DjvOTxgq1r_On8_Fgu2znuU_yPBKC_GdeQ9v2C-TPaoYcsvJu0jKLNRkH8O6f7Y/s320/claptonLG-3812704.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><br /></span></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><br /></span></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">Setlist from the ever excellent Setlist website:</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: separate; font-family: Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 19px; font-style: italic;"></span></span><br />
<ol style="list-style-image: initial; list-style-position: initial; list-style-type: decimal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">
<li class="section" style="font-size: 0.9em; list-style-image: initial; list-style-position: initial; list-style-type: none; margin-left: -2em; margin-top: 0.8em;">Acoustic</li>
<li value="1"><div class="songPart">
<a class="songLabel" href="http://www.setlist.fm/stats/songs/eric-clapton-1bd6ad58.html?song=Hello+Old+Friend" style="font-style: italic; text-decoration: none;" title="Statistics for Hello Old Friend by Eric Clapton">Hello Old Friend</a> <a class="playVideo" href="http://www.setlist.fm/setlist/eric-clapton/2013/lg-arena-birmingham-england-5bd85f10.html" rel="nofollow" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: url(http://s1.cdn.setlistfm.com/img/icons-184.png); background-origin: initial; background-position: 0px -586px; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; display: inline-block; font-style: italic; height: 16px; margin-bottom: 2px; margin-left: 2px; margin-right: 2px; margin-top: 2px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; width: 16px;" title="Play Video"></a></div>
<div class="infoPart" style="font-size: 0.6em;">
</div>
</li>
<li><div class="songPart">
<a class="songLabel" href="http://www.setlist.fm/stats/songs/eric-clapton-1bd6ad58.html?song=My+Father's+Eyes" style="font-style: italic; text-decoration: none;" title="Statistics for My Father's Eyes by Eric Clapton">My Father's Eyes</a> <a class="playVideo" href="http://www.setlist.fm/setlist/eric-clapton/2013/lg-arena-birmingham-england-5bd85f10.html" rel="nofollow" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: url(http://s1.cdn.setlistfm.com/img/icons-184.png); background-origin: initial; background-position: 0px -586px; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; display: inline-block; font-style: italic; height: 16px; margin-bottom: 2px; margin-left: 2px; margin-right: 2px; margin-top: 2px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; width: 16px;" title="Play Video"></a></div>
<div class="infoPart" style="font-size: 0.6em;">
</div>
</li>
<li class="section" style="font-size: 0.9em; list-style-image: initial; list-style-position: initial; list-style-type: none; margin-left: -2em; margin-top: 0.8em;">Electric</li>
<li value="3"><div class="songPart">
<a class="songLabel" href="http://www.setlist.fm/stats/songs/derek-and-the-dominos-1bd6ad54.html?song=Tell+The+Truth" style="font-style: italic; text-decoration: none;" title="Statistics for Tell The Truth by Derek and the Dominos">Tell The Truth</a> <a class="playVideo" href="http://www.setlist.fm/setlist/eric-clapton/2013/lg-arena-birmingham-england-5bd85f10.html" rel="nofollow" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: url(http://s1.cdn.setlistfm.com/img/icons-184.png); background-origin: initial; background-position: 0px -586px; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; display: inline-block; font-style: italic; height: 16px; margin-bottom: 2px; margin-left: 2px; margin-right: 2px; margin-top: 2px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; width: 16px;" title="Play Video"></a></div>
<div class="infoPart" style="font-size: 0.6em;">
<span class="cover-artist" style="font-style: normal;">(<a href="http://www.setlist.fm/setlists/derek-and-the-dominos-1bd6ad54.html" style="font-style: italic; text-decoration: none;">Derek and the Dominos</a> song)</span></div>
</li>
<li><div class="songPart">
<a class="songLabel" href="http://www.setlist.fm/stats/songs/derek-and-the-dominos-1bd6ad54.html?song=Got+to+Get+Better+in+a+Little+While" style="font-style: italic; text-decoration: none;" title="Statistics for Got to Get Better in a Little While by Derek and the Dominos">Got to Get Better in a Little While</a> <a class="playVideo" href="http://www.setlist.fm/setlist/eric-clapton/2013/lg-arena-birmingham-england-5bd85f10.html" rel="nofollow" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: url(http://s1.cdn.setlistfm.com/img/icons-184.png); background-origin: initial; background-position: 0px -586px; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; display: inline-block; font-style: italic; height: 16px; margin-bottom: 2px; margin-left: 2px; margin-right: 2px; margin-top: 2px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; width: 16px;" title="Play Video"></a></div>
<div class="infoPart" style="font-size: 0.6em;">
<span class="cover-artist" style="font-style: normal;">(<a href="http://www.setlist.fm/setlists/derek-and-the-dominos-1bd6ad54.html" style="font-style: italic; text-decoration: none;">Derek and the Dominos</a> song)</span></div>
</li>
<li><div class="songPart">
<a class="songLabel" href="http://www.setlist.fm/stats/songs/albert-collins-23d698eb.html?song=Black+Cat+Bone" style="font-style: italic; text-decoration: none;" title="Statistics for Black Cat Bone by Albert Collins">Black Cat Bone</a> <a class="playVideo" href="http://www.setlist.fm/setlist/eric-clapton/2013/lg-arena-birmingham-england-5bd85f10.html" rel="nofollow" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: url(http://s1.cdn.setlistfm.com/img/icons-184.png); background-origin: initial; background-position: 0px -586px; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; display: inline-block; font-style: italic; height: 16px; margin-bottom: 2px; margin-left: 2px; margin-right: 2px; margin-top: 2px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; width: 16px;" title="Play Video"></a></div>
<div class="infoPart" style="font-size: 0.6em;">
<span class="cover-artist" style="font-style: normal;">(<a href="http://www.setlist.fm/setlists/albert-collins-23d698eb.html" style="font-style: italic; text-decoration: none;">Albert Collins</a> cover)</span></div>
</li>
<li><div class="songPart">
<a class="songLabel" href="http://www.setlist.fm/stats/songs/harold-arlen-bd649ce.html?song=Come+Rain+or+Come+Shine" style="font-style: italic; text-decoration: none;" title="Statistics for Come Rain or Come Shine by Harold Arlen">Come Rain or Come Shine</a> <a class="playVideo" href="http://www.setlist.fm/setlist/eric-clapton/2013/lg-arena-birmingham-england-5bd85f10.html" rel="nofollow" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: url(http://s1.cdn.setlistfm.com/img/icons-184.png); background-origin: initial; background-position: 0px -586px; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; display: inline-block; font-style: italic; height: 16px; margin-bottom: 2px; margin-left: 2px; margin-right: 2px; margin-top: 2px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; width: 16px;" title="Play Video"></a></div>
<div class="infoPart" style="font-size: 0.6em;">
<span class="cover-artist" style="font-style: normal;">(<a href="http://www.setlist.fm/setlists/harold-arlen-bd649ce.html" style="font-style: italic; text-decoration: none;">Harold Arlen</a> cover)</span> <span class="songInfo" style="font-style: normal;">(<span id="id22">Paul Carrack on lead vocals</span>)</span></div>
</li>
<li><div class="songPart">
<a class="songLabel" href="http://www.setlist.fm/stats/songs/taj-mahal-3d6959b.html?song=Further+On+Down+the+Road" style="font-style: italic; text-decoration: none;" title="Statistics for Further On Down the Road by Taj Mahal">Further On Down the Road</a> <a class="playVideo" href="http://www.setlist.fm/setlist/eric-clapton/2013/lg-arena-birmingham-england-5bd85f10.html" rel="nofollow" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: url(http://s1.cdn.setlistfm.com/img/icons-184.png); background-origin: initial; background-position: 0px -586px; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; display: inline-block; font-style: italic; height: 16px; margin-bottom: 2px; margin-left: 2px; margin-right: 2px; margin-top: 2px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; width: 16px;" title="Play Video"></a></div>
<div class="infoPart" style="font-size: 0.6em;">
<span class="cover-artist" style="font-style: normal;">(<a href="http://www.setlist.fm/setlists/taj-mahal-3d6959b.html" style="font-style: italic; text-decoration: none;">Taj Mahal</a> cover)</span></div>
</li>
<li><div class="songPart">
<a class="songLabel" href="http://www.setlist.fm/stats/songs/bob-marley-and-the-wailers-13d6d9f9.html?song=I+Shot+the+Sheriff" style="font-style: italic; text-decoration: none;" title="Statistics for I Shot the Sheriff by Bob Marley & The Wailers">I Shot the Sheriff</a> <a class="playVideo" href="http://www.setlist.fm/setlist/eric-clapton/2013/lg-arena-birmingham-england-5bd85f10.html" rel="nofollow" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: url(http://s1.cdn.setlistfm.com/img/icons-184.png); background-origin: initial; background-position: 0px -586px; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; display: inline-block; font-style: italic; height: 16px; margin-bottom: 2px; margin-left: 2px; margin-right: 2px; margin-top: 2px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; width: 16px;" title="Play Video"></a></div>
<div class="infoPart" style="font-size: 0.6em;">
<span class="cover-artist" style="font-style: normal;">(<a href="http://www.setlist.fm/setlists/bob-marley-and-the-wailers-13d6d9f9.html" style="font-style: italic; text-decoration: none;">Bob Marley & The Wailers</a> cover)</span></div>
</li>
<li class="section" style="font-size: 0.9em; list-style-image: initial; list-style-position: initial; list-style-type: none; margin-left: -2em; margin-top: 0.8em;">Acoustic</li>
<li value="9"><div class="songPart">
<a class="songLabel" href="http://www.setlist.fm/stats/songs/johnny-moores-three-blazers-23d7687b.html?song=Driftin'" style="font-style: italic; text-decoration: none;" title="Statistics for Driftin' by Johnny Moore's Three Blazers">Driftin'</a> <a class="playVideo" href="http://www.setlist.fm/setlist/eric-clapton/2013/lg-arena-birmingham-england-5bd85f10.html" rel="nofollow" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: url(http://s1.cdn.setlistfm.com/img/icons-184.png); background-origin: initial; background-position: 0px -586px; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; display: inline-block; font-style: italic; height: 16px; margin-bottom: 2px; margin-left: 2px; margin-right: 2px; margin-top: 2px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; width: 16px;" title="Play Video"></a></div>
<div class="infoPart" style="font-size: 0.6em;">
<span class="cover-artist" style="font-style: normal;">(<a href="http://www.setlist.fm/setlists/johnny-moores-three-blazers-23d7687b.html" style="font-style: italic; text-decoration: none;">Johnny Moore's Three Blazers</a> cover)</span></div>
</li>
<li><div class="songPart">
<a class="songLabel" href="http://www.setlist.fm/stats/songs/robert-johnson-3bd698e0.html?song=Stones+in+My+Passway" style="font-style: italic; text-decoration: none;" title="Statistics for Stones in My Passway by Robert Johnson">Stones in My Passway</a> <a class="playVideo" href="http://www.setlist.fm/setlist/eric-clapton/2013/lg-arena-birmingham-england-5bd85f10.html" rel="nofollow" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: url(http://s1.cdn.setlistfm.com/img/icons-184.png); background-origin: initial; background-position: 0px -586px; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; display: inline-block; font-style: italic; height: 16px; margin-bottom: 2px; margin-left: 2px; margin-right: 2px; margin-top: 2px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; width: 16px;" title="Play Video"></a></div>
<div class="infoPart" style="font-size: 0.6em;">
<span class="cover-artist" style="font-style: normal;">(<a href="http://www.setlist.fm/setlists/robert-johnson-3bd698e0.html" style="font-style: italic; text-decoration: none;">Robert Johnson</a> cover)</span></div>
</li>
<li><div class="songPart">
<a class="songLabel" href="http://www.setlist.fm/stats/songs/derek-and-the-dominos-1bd6ad54.html?song=Layla" style="font-style: italic; text-decoration: none;" title="Statistics for Layla by Derek and the Dominos">Layla</a> <a class="playVideo" href="http://www.setlist.fm/setlist/eric-clapton/2013/lg-arena-birmingham-england-5bd85f10.html" rel="nofollow" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: url(http://s1.cdn.setlistfm.com/img/icons-184.png); background-origin: initial; background-position: 0px -586px; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; display: inline-block; font-style: italic; height: 16px; margin-bottom: 2px; margin-left: 2px; margin-right: 2px; margin-top: 2px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; width: 16px;" title="Play Video"></a></div>
<div class="infoPart" style="font-size: 0.6em;">
<span class="cover-artist" style="font-style: normal;">(<a href="http://www.setlist.fm/setlists/derek-and-the-dominos-1bd6ad54.html" style="font-style: italic; text-decoration: none;">Derek and the Dominos</a> song)</span></div>
</li>
<li><div class="songPart">
<a class="songLabel" href="http://www.setlist.fm/stats/songs/paul-carrack-4bd6b79e.html?song=It+Ain't+Easy+%28To+Love+Somebody%29" style="font-style: italic; text-decoration: none;" title="Statistics for It Ain't Easy (To Love Somebody) by Paul Carrack">It Ain't Easy (To Love Somebody)</a> <a class="playVideo" href="http://www.setlist.fm/setlist/eric-clapton/2013/lg-arena-birmingham-england-5bd85f10.html" rel="nofollow" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: url(http://s1.cdn.setlistfm.com/img/icons-184.png); background-origin: initial; background-position: 0px -586px; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; display: inline-block; font-style: italic; height: 16px; margin-bottom: 2px; margin-left: 2px; margin-right: 2px; margin-top: 2px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; width: 16px;" title="Play Video"></a></div>
<div class="infoPart" style="font-size: 0.6em;">
<span class="cover-artist" style="font-style: normal;">(<a href="http://www.setlist.fm/setlists/paul-carrack-4bd6b79e.html" style="font-style: italic; text-decoration: none;">Paul Carrack</a> cover)</span> <span class="songInfo" style="font-style: normal;">(<span id="id23">Paul Carrack on lead vocals</span>)</span></div>
</li>
<li><div class="songPart">
<a class="songLabel" href="http://www.setlist.fm/stats/songs/eric-clapton-1bd6ad58.html?song=Lay+Down+Sally" style="font-style: italic; text-decoration: none;" title="Statistics for Lay Down Sally by Eric Clapton">Lay Down Sally</a> <a class="playVideo" href="http://www.setlist.fm/setlist/eric-clapton/2013/lg-arena-birmingham-england-5bd85f10.html" rel="nofollow" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: url(http://s1.cdn.setlistfm.com/img/icons-184.png); background-origin: initial; background-position: 0px -586px; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; display: inline-block; font-style: italic; height: 16px; margin-bottom: 2px; margin-left: 2px; margin-right: 2px; margin-top: 2px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; width: 16px;" title="Play Video"></a></div>
<div class="infoPart" style="font-size: 0.6em;">
</div>
</li>
<li><div class="songPart">
<a class="songLabel" href="http://www.setlist.fm/stats/songs/eric-clapton-1bd6ad58.html?song=Wonderful+Tonight" style="font-style: italic; text-decoration: none;" title="Statistics for Wonderful Tonight by Eric Clapton">Wonderful Tonight</a> <a class="playVideo" href="http://www.setlist.fm/setlist/eric-clapton/2013/lg-arena-birmingham-england-5bd85f10.html" rel="nofollow" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: url(http://s1.cdn.setlistfm.com/img/icons-184.png); background-origin: initial; background-position: 0px -586px; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; display: inline-block; font-style: italic; height: 16px; margin-bottom: 2px; margin-left: 2px; margin-right: 2px; margin-top: 2px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; width: 16px;" title="Play Video"></a></div>
<div class="infoPart" style="font-size: 0.6em;">
</div>
</li>
<li class="section" style="font-size: 0.9em; list-style-image: initial; list-style-position: initial; list-style-type: none; margin-left: -2em; margin-top: 0.8em;">Electric</li>
<li value="15"><div class="songPart">
<a class="songLabel" href="http://www.setlist.fm/stats/songs/cream-bd6ad72.html?song=Badge" style="font-style: italic; text-decoration: none;" title="Statistics for Badge by Cream">Badge</a> <a class="playVideo" href="http://www.setlist.fm/setlist/eric-clapton/2013/lg-arena-birmingham-england-5bd85f10.html" rel="nofollow" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: url(http://s1.cdn.setlistfm.com/img/icons-184.png); background-origin: initial; background-position: 0px -586px; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; display: inline-block; font-style: italic; height: 16px; margin-bottom: 2px; margin-left: 2px; margin-right: 2px; margin-top: 2px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; width: 16px;" title="Play Video"></a></div>
<div class="infoPart" style="font-size: 0.6em;">
<span class="cover-artist" style="font-style: normal;">(<a href="http://www.setlist.fm/setlists/cream-bd6ad72.html" style="font-style: italic; text-decoration: none;">Cream</a> song)</span></div>
</li>
<li><div class="songPart">
<a class="songLabel" href="http://www.setlist.fm/stats/songs/robert-johnson-3bd698e0.html?song=Love+in+Vain" style="font-style: italic; text-decoration: none;" title="Statistics for Love in Vain by Robert Johnson">Love in Vain</a> <a class="playVideo" href="http://www.setlist.fm/setlist/eric-clapton/2013/lg-arena-birmingham-england-5bd85f10.html" rel="nofollow" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: url(http://s1.cdn.setlistfm.com/img/icons-184.png); background-origin: initial; background-position: 0px -586px; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; display: inline-block; font-style: italic; height: 16px; margin-bottom: 2px; margin-left: 2px; margin-right: 2px; margin-top: 2px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; width: 16px;" title="Play Video"></a></div>
<div class="infoPart" style="font-size: 0.6em;">
<span class="cover-artist" style="font-style: normal;">(<a href="http://www.setlist.fm/setlists/robert-johnson-3bd698e0.html" style="font-style: italic; text-decoration: none;">Robert Johnson</a> cover)</span></div>
</li>
<li><div class="songPart">
<a class="songLabel" href="http://www.setlist.fm/stats/songs/robert-johnson-3bd698e0.html?song=Crossroads" style="font-style: italic; text-decoration: none;" title="Statistics for Crossroads by Robert Johnson">Crossroads</a> <a class="playVideo" href="http://www.setlist.fm/setlist/eric-clapton/2013/lg-arena-birmingham-england-5bd85f10.html" rel="nofollow" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: url(http://s1.cdn.setlistfm.com/img/icons-184.png); background-origin: initial; background-position: 0px -586px; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; display: inline-block; font-style: italic; height: 16px; margin-bottom: 2px; margin-left: 2px; margin-right: 2px; margin-top: 2px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; width: 16px;" title="Play Video"></a></div>
<div class="infoPart" style="font-size: 0.6em;">
<span class="cover-artist" style="font-style: normal;">(<a href="http://www.setlist.fm/setlists/robert-johnson-3bd698e0.html" style="font-style: italic; text-decoration: none;">Robert Johnson</a> cover)</span></div>
</li>
<li><div class="songPart">
<a class="songLabel" href="http://www.setlist.fm/stats/songs/robert-johnson-3bd698e0.html?song=Little+Queen+of+Spades" style="font-style: italic; text-decoration: none;" title="Statistics for Little Queen of Spades by Robert Johnson">Little Queen of Spades</a> <a class="playVideo" href="http://www.setlist.fm/setlist/eric-clapton/2013/lg-arena-birmingham-england-5bd85f10.html" rel="nofollow" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: url(http://s1.cdn.setlistfm.com/img/icons-184.png); background-origin: initial; background-position: 0px -586px; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; display: inline-block; font-style: italic; height: 16px; margin-bottom: 2px; margin-left: 2px; margin-right: 2px; margin-top: 2px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; width: 16px;" title="Play Video"></a></div>
<div class="infoPart" style="font-size: 0.6em;">
<span class="cover-artist" style="font-style: normal;">(<a href="http://www.setlist.fm/setlists/robert-johnson-3bd698e0.html" style="font-style: italic; text-decoration: none;">Robert Johnson</a> cover)</span></div>
</li>
<li><div class="songPart">
<a class="songLabel" href="http://www.setlist.fm/stats/songs/jj-cale-73d616b1.html?song=Cocaine" style="font-style: italic; text-decoration: none;" title="Statistics for Cocaine by J.J. Cale">Cocaine</a> <a class="playVideo" href="http://www.setlist.fm/setlist/eric-clapton/2013/lg-arena-birmingham-england-5bd85f10.html" rel="nofollow" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: url(http://s1.cdn.setlistfm.com/img/icons-184.png); background-origin: initial; background-position: 0px -586px; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; display: inline-block; font-style: italic; height: 16px; margin-bottom: 2px; margin-left: 2px; margin-right: 2px; margin-top: 2px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; width: 16px;" title="Play Video"></a></div>
<div class="infoPart" style="font-size: 0.6em;">
<span class="cover-artist" style="font-style: normal;">(<a href="http://www.setlist.fm/setlists/jj-cale-73d616b1.html" style="font-style: italic; text-decoration: none;">J.J. Cale</a> cover)</span></div>
</li>
<li class="encore" style="font-size: 0.9em; list-style-image: initial; list-style-position: initial; list-style-type: none; margin-left: -2em; margin-top: 1em;">Encore:</li>
<li value="20"><div class="songPart">
<a class="songLabel" href="http://www.setlist.fm/stats/songs/joe-cocker-43d67b13.html?song=High+Time+We+Went" style="font-style: italic; text-decoration: none;" title="Statistics for High Time We Went by Joe Cocker">High Time We Went</a> <a class="playVideo" href="http://www.setlist.fm/setlist/eric-clapton/2013/lg-arena-birmingham-england-5bd85f10.html" rel="nofollow" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: url(http://s1.cdn.setlistfm.com/img/icons-184.png); background-origin: initial; background-position: 0px -586px; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; display: inline-block; font-style: italic; height: 16px; margin-bottom: 2px; margin-left: 2px; margin-right: 2px; margin-top: 2px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none; width: 16px;" title="Play Video"></a></div>
<div class="infoPart" style="font-size: 0.6em;">
<span class="cover-artist" style="font-style: normal;">(<a href="http://www.setlist.fm/setlists/joe-cocker-43d67b13.html" style="font-style: italic; text-decoration: none;">Joe Cocker</a> cover)</span> <span class="songInfo" style="font-style: normal;">(<span id="id24">Paul Carrack on lead vocals</span>)</span></div>
</li>
</span></ol>
The Physical Producthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00993228438596803151noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2466794742329915456.post-21549773111853688582013-05-13T00:02:00.003-07:002013-05-13T15:40:33.828-07:00John Grant - Gig Review Birmingham Institute 9 May 2013<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPBm2BS_uBZDUWnwHbhZYHUyoeFxgYHsVn6wNeQ8UqJ85Q9IPH_RgBBMGudmDQppQ4lJZt5L1en8hxhu_sYHu_Unzdt1GEhjdm0YhY8KzjodgMg0zD78DSFFH1f2gf7vttUPg6vzhlkfDu/s1600/photo-3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPBm2BS_uBZDUWnwHbhZYHUyoeFxgYHsVn6wNeQ8UqJ85Q9IPH_RgBBMGudmDQppQ4lJZt5L1en8hxhu_sYHu_Unzdt1GEhjdm0YhY8KzjodgMg0zD78DSFFH1f2gf7vttUPg6vzhlkfDu/s200/photo-3.JPG" width="200" /></a></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><b>John Grant at Digbeth Institute Gig Review. 9 May 2013.</b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">John Grant is unique. Articulating in words the music he plays is incredibly difficult, but the background to this incredibly warm man is quite amazing, which led me to seeing him at Nottingham Glee club touring his first album, and an easy choice to see him in the Library Room in the Institute. It's good that his show is so brilliant, as following the day I had had at work I was in a reasonable grump when I arrived minutes before he came on stage, chuffed to find Budweiser now on tap.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">So why is John Grant unique? Well in a world of pretend pop stars, rich kids in bands going to Brit school and churning out tunes, he's definitely been through the ringer, as an artist, he had been in the Czars in the late 90's, early 2000's, not a band I had heard, but he would have beenin his 30's then. Rumour has it he then dropped out, was homeless and was plucked from obscurity by Midlake (thanks Iain!), who knowing his earlier work encouraged and supported him to record his first solo album, the critically acclaimed Queen of Denmark. Another year or maybe 2 and the follow up album, preceded by the single Pale Green Ghosts was dropped, to rapturous applause from in particular both Mark Radcliffe and Stuart Maconie, and listening to their 3 hour show daily, you got to hear them enthuse a lot.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">So what makes the songs unique, well taking the first album, the songs are beautiful, piano laced, heart felt but really accessible as the lyrics are very much everyday language, so a particular favourite will be Sigourney Weaver, with the lyrics</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">And I feel just like Sigourney Weaver</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">When she had to kill those aliens</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">And one guy tried to get them back to earth</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">And she couldn't believe her ears</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: separate; font-family: Times; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/v6iWtIFJ-og?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">This was the first song I think that grabbed me by JG, such an odd juxtaposition of words and music, then Mars, about a sweet shop from being a kid I believe. The other thing hat jumps out from both albums is the regular littering of profanities, F bombs galore, but said matter of factly rather than gangster rappy.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">So to the gig, and a cracking 2 hours of John which must have covered most of the 2 albums, great banter in between songs although covering some of the darkest subjects, the suicide (shotgun) of a friend, being HiV positive, homophobia, but all of them delivered in a manner than caused a laugh and allowed you to think about them.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">The band were all exotically named Icelandic chaps (with caps) except really for the chap from Coventry, but he got a rapturous welcome. Iceland ring John's adoptive home now.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Got to</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1910685099" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">10:30</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">and I was expecting that to be it, what with modern curfews but no, we got a half hour encore. Great value for money, or VFM as the kids would say. Definitely one to get me out of the funk I was in, that and the Budweiser anyway.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">So you probably don't know John Grant but I will heartily recommend either album, the second with warm electronics replacing those pianos. Just don't play the tunes with Children round!</span></span><br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/Ux1fglC0aT0?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span>The Physical Producthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00993228438596803151noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2466794742329915456.post-24872819200863901802013-05-11T04:18:00.000-07:002013-05-11T04:18:42.118-07:00Dodgy Gig Review in Cannock <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0Yuvknfj4vlAKFPI3bTclTBx5GL2AY83xYxvVPD7hRYSekoTyGY2jgvCJ72j_nF_LsiQVp8KPFy4VMMGQswm4_7bUb-IRHpNc20qPC69prH5rai-dXqw56g0A0fUJMB8J4DevwITomESJ/s1600/backtoback.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0Yuvknfj4vlAKFPI3bTclTBx5GL2AY83xYxvVPD7hRYSekoTyGY2jgvCJ72j_nF_LsiQVp8KPFy4VMMGQswm4_7bUb-IRHpNc20qPC69prH5rai-dXqw56g0A0fUJMB8J4DevwITomESJ/s320/backtoback.jpg" width="226" /></a></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">When a band complements the audience on beating Hull to the crown of Dogging Capital of the world, it's going to be an interesting gig, and so a</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_245635652" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">Friday</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">night in Cannock watching Dodgy turned out to be. </span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">It was a journey back out to that neck of the woods following the brilliant gig at Woodys watching Tom Hingley from the Inspiral Carpets <a href="http://thephysicalproduct.blogspot.co.uk/search/label/Tom%20Hingley" target="_blank">(Blogged here)</a> a few weeks ago. The original poster publicising the gig was a little odd given it gave the wrong venue, and missed the fact that it was a run through of the current and first albums in their entirety but it gave us a clue.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">It was reasonably challenging to find out about the gig, resorting to tweeting the band and we were off. With Bob driving we took the interesting approach of him looking at a map on line then driving hoping to remember the location or the venue name when we hit Cannock, and it worked with only one misplacing and asking of passers by for directions.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Walking through the streets of cannock we were first hit with the sounds of Agado do do by Black Lace wafting over us from a venue above Boots the chemist, I was mildly perturbed hat this may be the warm up tunes, but luckily this seemed to be a disco going on.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Walking in, an apologetic front deskier noted the ticket machine had broken, and had to be hand written, to which quick as a flash I thanked her for the 'Dodgy ticket' to which she sighed, obviously having had the same comment from everyone prior in the queue.</span></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">Dodgy ticket - Boom Boom</span></td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Passing a decent merchandise stall, including sew on Dogging badges in the shape of Northern Soul ones, we entered the venue, (which Bobs little daughter had performed Ballet at recently) and I can hand on heart say I have never been to a venue like it. Nice stage, standing area and then a bank of cinema seats at the back with a DJ booth, with Northern Soul songs filling the venue.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Looking round though the most bizarre thing was the randomness of the audience, usually at a gig you will get a tribe there, indie kids, rockers, etc and some theme but here it looked like the audience was just a sample of people plucked at random from Cannock shopping centre, lots of interesting people, a veritable giant, luckily seated at the back, line dancers, old bloke in shirt tie and red braces, rumours of a member of the Charlatans in attendance, massive bouncers, I was just waiting for Peter Kaye and the cast of Phoenix Nights to wander round when...</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">From the sound desk the Paul Weller barneted promoter announced the ability for us to purchase raffle tickets, one prize of a Dodgy signed guitar (cue second Dodgy joke) and to buy merchandise, Dodgy gear on sale in the foyer....boom and indeed boom.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Support act Sam Forrest playing acoustic shit (by his own admission) was prior Nine Black Alps front man, dressed in lumberjack shirt, cartoon mop hair, but good banter, nice tunes, probably a bit narked to have Driven for 3 hours to get there and everyone was chatting loudly over his acoustic songs. Good stuff and got warm applause.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Another break, Raffle drawn, and Dodgy came on to premier their latest album, </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;"><i>Stand Upright In A Cool Place, </i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> first in 14 years played start to finish. It's an anomaly amongst recent bands coming back from the Britpop era as it is definitely written from a grown up perspective, the Autumn of the career, and all the better for it. They were very tight at that point, Nigel Clark lead singer looking in rude health, chatting throughout, Drummer and bvs Matthew Priest now sporting an excellent white beard, he always was a larger than life character in the Britpop wars. Bassist wearing well..., guitarist looking like he had had a tough life and not over the moon to be in Cannock.</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/UXd790sRUOc?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></span></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Highlight for me for the first album of the night was track 2 '<i>What became of you</i>', coupled with lead singer getting told off for swearing to the crowd (you came her to hear the hits, where's f****ng Staying out for the Summer, where's f*****ng in a room, and wheres f*****ng staying out for the summer ) as his cousins lad was in the crowd. I must admit I was thinking the same a little.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Band off, with the promise of taking us time travelling back to 1993 on their return, a specific request for April 11th was made, more tunes, back on, having partaken of a bit of the rider, and launching into a run through of the Dodgy album, their debut. This was typical Britpop, thoroughly enjoyable, and an album I never bought, but will seek out. You got a sense of melancholy from lead singer going through this, a few barbed comments and the tunes becoming a little less tight as the gig went on. Finishing off with </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;"><i>We're Not Going to Take This Anymore</i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> they merged into back to life back to reality then went off waving to the crowd.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Promoter leapt back into life, encouraging the audience to be cheering on Indie Legends Dodgy, and to stamp our feet. And we were rewarded with a returning band, half full bottle of scotch in hand to do a Ragged if your thinking of me and good enough, both good tunes, receiving decent sing alongs, from the crowd and including in a long intro for Good Enough a jumping into the audience, pushing people forward to dance and launching of water bottle from one side of the gig to the other, danger danger.</span></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">That Bottle of Scotch - the Rider!</span></td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Great experience, Dodgy great value for money for the 2 albums and wrapping up at</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><span class="aBn" data-term="goog_245635653" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">11:45</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">was a long old gig, we could have stayed for the disco but were probably right to leave rather than cut a rug with the chap in tie and braces. Final announcements from the promoter promised loads more gigs in Cannock bringing more legends, I would hope he promotes them in the future more widely than flyers in Cannock chip shops as this has potential.</span></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">Crowd full of pent up excitement for gig (braces dead centre)</span></td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span>The Physical Producthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00993228438596803151noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2466794742329915456.post-25872001302831159642013-05-06T14:46:00.000-07:002013-05-06T14:46:21.781-07:00The Wall Of Sound A-Z: The Flaming Lips: Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxcEtzPhsIxupvamhRoIZDxTt0kBH0DDuq67aIChwXQ4SXE3MrT_GFin4zpMZi8fx21rbdEckoNEET7j_m1JizQQGEKMZu-8BGzp5u-atZzUrj0oQpYxEKaNaF98kai_-e7FebcYb4fi-Z/s1600/936full-yoshimi-battles-the-pink-robots-media.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxcEtzPhsIxupvamhRoIZDxTt0kBH0DDuq67aIChwXQ4SXE3MrT_GFin4zpMZi8fx21rbdEckoNEET7j_m1JizQQGEKMZu-8BGzp5u-atZzUrj0oQpYxEKaNaF98kai_-e7FebcYb4fi-Z/s320/936full-yoshimi-battles-the-pink-robots-media.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">The flaming lips are one of a kind, a band who seem just to make music based around the things they came up with on a drunken night out, those exciting no holds barred ideas, and as a result they are one of my favourite bands.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Picking up Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots, it's an interesting record, good first couple of tracks, particularly the strings at the end of the second, the sound of feeling in love, then comes Yoshimi, parts 1&2, and what a difference the 2 parts are, first is a beautiful song about these robots - Perfection. The second, effectively a playing of scales up and down, squishy sounds and not really up to much (it's more interesting live with the full experience as I will expand on below).</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">In the morning of the magicians, is back to a wistful, beautiful song Wayne Coyne crooning in his ravaged voice with beautiful tunes around. Then spacey sounds and it sounds like what flying in a spaceship would sound like universe rushing past, then back to the gentler element again.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Ego tripping at the gates of hell, is an average pleasant canter through 4 minutes, no short tunes on this album. Similarly are you a hypnotist? And it's summertime, these three songs have all been building up to one of the greatest songs ever written.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Do you realise?? Not only is it a beautiful, beautiful song, every line makes you think about something, Do you realise that everyone will someday die being the one that really gets me every time, probably because I have been relatively sheltered to this in my life. It's a song I could stick on repeat, lie back and close my eyes to.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /><br /></span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">The last couple of tracks basically rattle through basking in the glow of Do you realise.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">So overall the album has 2 of the greatest tracks on it, and takes you on a trip for the rest of the album, brilliant stuff. The music mags loved it too, as the sticker on the front of my cd states:</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">"...even by their standards, Yoshimi is astonishing. The greatest album released in uncuts lifetime" *****</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">"The bands most delicate and sophisticated work yet" ***** the times</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">"The Flaming Lips are out there on their own : there is no one quite like them" Daily Telegraph </span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">"Outstanding" Sunday Times</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">It's not the songs though that make the Flaming Lips a phenomenal band but the live experience, I've seen them 3 times and each time it's been a draw dropping performance, whether it's the big plastic ball that Wayne walks over the crowd in, or the numerous green balloons into the crowd bouncing them around, or the big hands, random cam, dancing Santas or Aliens, streamers and confetti guns - it's a party not a gig!</span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx2SM-1_gUgeJ-ogIM5k-PMri5sUquYP0l8Fce_w74OjVcQIMhiBNkxinxrWdIP5lu3o33cUnoalwpUqEe4XrVyrVSozw9oRhjzJ34p7aA2mtgH7ABdn-uTvZyL_i3uYxXaatUEH-bTBq_/s1600/flaming+lips+028.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx2SM-1_gUgeJ-ogIM5k-PMri5sUquYP0l8Fce_w74OjVcQIMhiBNkxinxrWdIP5lu3o33cUnoalwpUqEe4XrVyrVSozw9oRhjzJ34p7aA2mtgH7ABdn-uTvZyL_i3uYxXaatUEH-bTBq_/s320/flaming+lips+028.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">The final word for me would probably be linked to the robots, as around this time me and Mrs P had come into the possession of 2 big black wind up robots, which we would then hide around the house, behind the curtains, in the fridge, in the bed etc to surprise each other whenever we could. They are in the loft now, so may be time to bring them out of retirement.</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span>The Physical Producthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00993228438596803151noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2466794742329915456.post-88371291204308219552013-05-05T14:41:00.000-07:002013-05-05T14:41:32.704-07:00Ash - the end of an Era<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0TBsqd_ViI6OdpbQH3UUzHexdJc6mK45pE-vmOXI_rehi_9sJ_vcqjdK9vG0_Yol7Vz53qZJSKl0dZCv_hQxppjf20lM9g8VU8yNKdKSZWlLotVXByAeFBF_eRuZ830LwRdmd4Ggo_5Bd/s1600/scans257+copy+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="216" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0TBsqd_ViI6OdpbQH3UUzHexdJc6mK45pE-vmOXI_rehi_9sJ_vcqjdK9vG0_Yol7Vz53qZJSKl0dZCv_hQxppjf20lM9g8VU8yNKdKSZWlLotVXByAeFBF_eRuZ830LwRdmd4Ggo_5Bd/s320/scans257+copy+2.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ash was tiny</td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Returning home on Friday, after roughly 8 hours driving I got the news that our cat had been to the vets for the last time. Now the Internet is full of pictures of cute cats, and I am not going to add to that number, but I will miss Ash (for that was her name) as we had got her when we got our first house together, and she was a day shy of 17 years old on Friday.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Ash was named primarily after the band Ash who burst onto the Britpop scene as precocious 16 year olds, touring in school holidays etc. it did help that Ash was a cute name for a cat too.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Ash have been a cracking band over the years, being able to throw off golden pop singles willy nilly. Starting with Kung Fu where my love of their tunes began, a blistering pop tune, guitars whirling at the beginning, "Chill, Chill" dang dagga dang....Kung fu do what you do to me....</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">I've had loads of fun following Ash over the years, they remain the only band I've ever heard of to play a gig in Redditch, at the social club, when they asked the fans on the website where they should play. That was a hot and sweaty gig, topped off by my mate wearing the same T shirt as Rick the drummer.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">They were also the object of a vinyl obsession of mine, a red vinyl 7 inch limited edition single, with Drew Barrymore on the front. The single was a limited edition cover, doing get ready, given that's a cracking cover version done by one of my favourite bands it was an object of desire, it was gone quickly from the shops and so I remember thinking seriously about buying the single for £35! You can see this was the time before kids, but also a time where getting a song was hard, not like now where you can get it by jumping on iTunes or tapping on google. If I want the single now it's £7 on discogs, cheaper than most things on record store day.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">The song 'Girl from Mars' was always special, having been singing under my breathe for a week or song, Mrs P was disappointed to find out I wasn't singing "I still love you the girl from Marske" the town she's from. It's a special song as a result.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">I also got a great sampler album of there mini album Trailer, from Reddingtons Rare Records (long gone) but it looked cool, with the gold writing on the front "FOR PROMOTIONAL USE ONLY. SALE OR OTHER TRANSFER IS PROHIBITED. MUST BE RETURNED ON DEMAND OF RECORD COMPANY" all I can say is I hope they don't ask for it back.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">They are still going strong too, no doubt because they are innovative (as seen by the above tour), such as coming up with the A-Z singles releases (a release of a single every fortnight for a year) and accompanying uk tour, visiting a town starting with every letter of the alphabet (Queens Park, London, Ventnor, Zennor, Exmouth were the tricky ones they got)</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">So to my Ash, she was the runt of the litter, we got her from a Squat in Walsall through a friend of a friend, her tail was broke at the end so it never grew properly and she would never get too friendly with anyone, even if purring you needed to watch out for the swipe of viscous claws. But I am sad now she's gone, she's been a huge part of my life always pottering around, never being any trouble, and the 2 other cats we have, big boy cats, we're clearly scared of little Ash, as they have now started getting on the sofa, they obviously didn't dare before.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">My favourite Ash songs, top 5</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">5. Orpheus - love that Mexican kick off</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">4. Jack names the planets - played at every gig, on the Trailer album no one else had, good stuff</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">3. Shining light - interesting fact, covered by Annie Lennox</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">2. Girl from Mars - for Mrs P</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">1. Kung Fu - never bettered in my eyes, especially for having the picture of Cantona launched into the crowd as the single cover, classic.</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span>The Physical Producthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00993228438596803151noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2466794742329915456.post-86029471274969691982013-05-05T02:44:00.000-07:002013-05-05T02:44:07.921-07:00Hong Kong Phooey!<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFO5G_V2Spf8V0TZmQA-jmtwmfL3NwUk_Zw5bEbEuWewdEnGAR5qpgMsNJTQvemrx4GmWBWit7FjheP47u2TFDA8sfUFgo41TAooqych_C1-zZGJoYqWAhgkmrOHl35Ht5X0DNU3bDbCdQ/s1600/45754_420153764071_8213755_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFO5G_V2Spf8V0TZmQA-jmtwmfL3NwUk_Zw5bEbEuWewdEnGAR5qpgMsNJTQvemrx4GmWBWit7FjheP47u2TFDA8sfUFgo41TAooqych_C1-zZGJoYqWAhgkmrOHl35Ht5X0DNU3bDbCdQ/s320/45754_420153764071_8213755_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wistfully reflecting (V Festival)</td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">Its been a week when I've struggled to put pen to paper (how quaint that sounds) for the blog due to the pressures of work, it's been a crazy week. This has been driven partly by the volume of work but more so by the fact that my best mate at work will, next week, be off to Hong Kong for a couple of years, fantastic opportunity but one that will mean the antics of last year, when he was my regular accomplice to any venue to see many eclectic bands is very challenging to say the least.</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Why does my mate going to Hong Kong make my work life hectic, because of leaving do's. He is a very popular chap, witnessed by the fact he has been entertained every night and a number of lunches, to which I have been to many and Brum's loss is definitely Hong Kong's gain.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">We have been plotting visits, in fact this was the main topic of Mondays Cheltenham Organising Committee Meeting, held in the Meaty BBQ world of Rodizio Rico. The topic was not so much whether we would be going over but more how we would be able to obtain what amounted to the most challenging pass out in history from our respective Missuses. Most favoured was a slow diversion of funds each month, as this will be the only way one of our number will be able to raise the funds due to the unique joint accounted way to which he is funded (his other half being of the accountant variety).</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">How does my mate vanishing link into the world of music and hence the physical product? Well it may be tenuous but he very much is one of the few people in the world who loves his music as much as me, and has carried a quest if searching out new music past his teenage years. As such we have a vast wealth of things to share.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">We have different tastes in music, he knows my unhealthy obsession with female vocalists (the regular discussion going something like, fancy going to see Band X, don't know them, what are they like, oh blonde singer, funny that....) and I enjoy his bands choices I would not come across, for example getting out to see Cry Baby last year at the Hare & Hounds would never have happened without his diligence in the new music scene. It sounds as if his main nervousness about Hong Kong is the local music scene, as having his locations on Song Kick set to Birmingham and Hong Kong provides a clear proliferation of gigs in his present location, although a great opportunity of a music festival in Hong Kong - excuse to travel???</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/Jl0HqyBVorE?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></span></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">So to wrap up I will just run through some of my favourite moments of the last 13 years that we have shared, ignoring the mini napster service we operated between each other and a memory stick.......</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">10. Being out on the ales together and texting his Missus (Flapjack) about our progress during the evening, far too graphically, astoundingly I didn't get a restraining order for harassment....given the number of nights this occurred on.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">9. Attending last years V festival, being stood for theStones Roses finale (suitably sustained with Ostrich burgers) and being hit from quite song distance by a warm bottle launched from the nether reaches of the field. Unperturbed by the mild concussion we still got to see the fine set by the Roses, lesser men would have wilted. Gig photos were always first class, as witnessed by the people behind him watching the close ups of the band on his camera screen rather than the big screen as it was better quality, now that's a camera!</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">8. being a connoisseur of the finer things in life, as witnessed by the regular jaunts to such Michelin starred restaurants in Brum as Purnells, allowing me to hear about this without being made to feel that I was inferior in my not being into those things. A sign of a true gent, and a true gent who met the Duke of York for his supporting of local enterprise (he does a lot of work for charity but doesn't like to talk about it.......as someone once said)</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">7. Fancy dress parties, by being my right hand man on our group, the opportunity to dress up as Elvis Presley was never far away and one of the finest things in life has got to be walking down broad street late at night, dressed as Elvis, flanked by many of the dodgiest looking 70's reprobates on our was to our private party at Flares.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">6. Or organising, with JT the first Christmas party at Reflex, breaking in the group to fancy dress through school disco theme and being offered one of the most drunken, enthusiastic events on record, quite why their was a dancing pole in the middle of the venue I don't know but it meant we were presented by a cross between St Trinians and....well I don't know what but everyone enjoyed it. It may be outlawed now in our Diversity training I suppose.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">5. Helping me transform our away job (Leatherhead, Rotherham, Glasgow) from the most hated job in the office to one of the most sought after to work on, with competitions, trips to London, pub quizzes, banter and general 'Work Hard, Play Hard' mentality. Seeing a bunch of random team members from all over the world sprinting round a laser quest centre being kids again, and heading off to see we will Rock you were 2 highlights that spring to mind very quickly. As dies going to see a film with the team and one of our number walk into a lamp post whilst texting... Priceless.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">4. Friendly football banter, he supports the Villa, I don't at all! But despite this we have had loads of good banter about what's been going on at our respective clubs, it's been largely good natured banter about things such as money laundering qualified accounts, relegations, McLeishs defection, relegations, promotions, crap football, cup wins, relegations. The banter is always fun and there is never a needle, a gent.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">3. Being up for an incredibly fun annual event at Cheltenham, along with various planning meetings (as better described <a href="http://thephysicalproduct.blogspot.co.uk/2013/03/cheltenham-gold-cup-2013.html" target="_blank">HERE</a>)</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">2. Holding a below the radar Sports Day at work, an impromptu get together in the sun next to his house, which held in half term, on a school field allowed the managers in the group to bring along their kids prove they were human, and create the best working relationship I have known at work. The BBQ from Flapjack was first class too.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">1. Filming the below video one work morning. Getting our minis together for a jaunt round Birmingham was the brain child of a drunken Christmas party, written down and booked in the diary for 4 months later. More amazingly when the day came round we just planned it and went for it. The result was one of the most fun days I have had in my life, I wonder what the new starter we booked for the day to film thought about her intro to her professional career. Fantastic.</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/yRuur5c1EB0?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></span></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">This was an easy top 10 to come up with, it's not definitive by any means, there are many things I have missed but that just shows what Hong Kong's gain is.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">I suppose the thing I will miss the most is the support, someone who, whether it's work, life or music will give me the opportunity to bounce ideas back and forth and give me the confidence to try for that little bit more. He is the dictionary definition of ACE.</span></span>The Physical Producthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00993228438596803151noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2466794742329915456.post-78660310184927823432013-04-27T10:34:00.000-07:002013-04-27T12:07:38.850-07:00Wall of sound A-Z: E : Elastica Elastica<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b>Wall of sound A-Z: <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red; font-size: large;">E</span> : Elastica Elastica</b><br />
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Starting off with spiky guitar riffs Line Up must be the only debut song on record that kicks off with a song with what sounds to the untrained ear to be 'retching' all the way through, and despite this its a cracking tune. Onto Annie, and we are into a lively tune Britpop romp, over in 1:14 barely time to write a sentence.<br />
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Now connection is a TUNE as I believe the young folks say, this is the sort of tune that got me into Elastica at the time, amazingly I don't think I was aware that Justine, the lead singer and guitarist was ex Suede and had committed the cardinal sin of swapping Brett Anderson for Damon Albarn in the Beau stakes. How anyone can be cool enough to snag both of them lot I don't know, but very impressive. So rather than Elastica being listened to because of Suede links (step forward McAlmont & Butler) it was a favourite CD on merit.<br />
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Being released in 1995, it fell nicely in the era when I could go out with a paypacket and purchase the latest tunes, still having to eek out a bargain (starting on £9,000 pay with a first class degree!). The albums pretty instantly listenable to, punky songs, only 4 on the album stretching over 3 minutes in length, they don't overstay their welcome.<br />
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Not sure they were a band that Mrs P enjoyed but I did manage to drag her out to Digbeth Institute to see them, a venue that was to obtain for many years a magical nostalgia as Elastica were the only band I had seen there before it shut for a decade. It was a lovely old building, smoky to say the least and rammed with sweaty students. Tall sweaty students to be honest which meant that I was going to get an ear bending from Mrs P if I wasn't careful when the support band came on, as she couldn't see anything. However we were in luck, not sure whether they were a recent invention or not but the drinks in the Institute came in the most robust plastic pint glasses ever, allowing the ever resourceful Mrs P to balance precariously on 2 for the gig, me chasing them round on the odd occasion a wobble got the better of her.<br />
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Support that day were also pretty special in Powder, Pearl Lowe's band. Its been quite interesting to read over the years about Pearl Lowe's exploits in show biz, in fact having just reminisced about her, I have now purchased her book 'All that glitters' on ebay for 99p, I reckon that will be interesting. But on the musical front Powder produced a couple of cracking tunes, Shave me and Aphrodisiac which have received regular spins over the years.<br />
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The main event is something I can't remember too much about, I bumped into my later best man (now nicknamed the shadow as he has vanished from view) sporting his Ultra cool John Travolta in Pulp Fiction haircut (he was a drummer in a band, Crystal Injection maybe??). Hadn't seen him for years so it was a good spot, and being seen at Elastica must have done my street cred some good. I do look back incredibly fondly on the gig there and would put the feeling right up there if you know what I mean.<br />
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In my opinion, the best song on the album though is Waking Up. Cd single (remember them, brilliant, all up in the loft) purchased to kick off my love of Elastica, helping them get to a respectable #13 in the charts. The funny thing is though that Elastica had to settle out of court with the Stranglers for plagiarising 'No more heroes' with this song. I thought this was a bit harsh given Britpop was the world of the plagiarising artist (step forward Oasis (Beatles) and Blur (Kinks)) but no it was good old Elastica.<br />
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Actually having listened to Vaseline, how much is that like Blondies La La La on Sunday girl, I believe the years of listening 6 music may have opened my ears a bit more to the plagiarising. Right I am going to go back to no more heroes (a song I love) to spot Waking up....... oh, 18 years its taken me to spot that. I'll get my coat. What's that you say, its Wire songs too that are ripped off.<br />
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Well despite the album now turning into an album of almost covers, I do have an amazing fondness for the album, and Waking Up is still a fantastic song. Coming to the penultimate tune, 'Never here' its a song about Brett and Justine's break up apparently, what will I glean from the lyrics, well, sounds like they were typical student types, too much curry, Brett's lyrics were a bit ropey (they didn't scan indeed) and sounds like that was the end.<br />
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Going forward Elastica waited a good 5 years to do a follow up, with a significantly changed line up, down to substance abuse, or not finding any more tunes to slightly tweak, and I saw them again at Wolverhampton before the break up. Justine's an artist or summink now. Elastica are just a blistering punk pop band I love.<br />
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<br />The Physical Producthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00993228438596803151noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2466794742329915456.post-86129520635255155082013-04-25T16:27:00.001-07:002013-04-25T16:28:01.406-07:00Adam Ant Gig Review Leicester Academy 24 April 2013<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdL8jEpfbdjrJOHAw2cSG76Gk4r_X5tkPt5olVkm671zS_J0veNgTf4cNI65Ya2gjdu2w90koTodU1eu5fyYvfIU3QUnuc8gXkjRG-VDHA6-Opr4jBlsPHh6iexBznc_MYoyg2mwNKtStp/s1600/86157.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdL8jEpfbdjrJOHAw2cSG76Gk4r_X5tkPt5olVkm671zS_J0veNgTf4cNI65Ya2gjdu2w90koTodU1eu5fyYvfIU3QUnuc8gXkjRG-VDHA6-Opr4jBlsPHh6iexBznc_MYoyg2mwNKtStp/s320/86157.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><b>Adam Ant: Leicester Academy 24 April 2013</b></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">I don't know quite what it is about Adam Ant, but his gigs are electric, it may be because of the 2 drummers, it may be because of the incredibly catchy tunes, it may be the swagger of Adam front and centre, it may be the foxy backing singer, it may be the warmth from the crowd but every gig is electric. That's 4 times now I have seen Adam Ant, crack through just short of 2 hours of blistering tunes, and every time I have come out of the gig on cloud 9.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">I think however it may be the memories evoked from the songs. Tonight I went with one of my oldest mates (not old old, but I have known him since the first day of school) and in between songs we were reliving the memories that the songs evoked, listening to the albums in our bedrooms, taping albums off record players whilst being incredibly quiet (and having a Mum shouting did we want a drink on tape) the listening to Lady surreptitiously due to its lyrics commenting on a naked lady.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">A great memory was of the old C90 that my Dad got me with Friend or Foe on it, sadly it had Shaking Stevens on the other side, but I can still recite every word on the album. My mate also recalled the gatefold sleeve he had with Adams ankle looking deformed as it was on the fold.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Tonight's gig was littered with a sprinkling of the new songs, with most sitting very well, particularly the Bob Dylanesque Cool Zombie. Pretty impressive for a guy who must be comfortably in his 50's at least.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Going back to the Burundi Drumming, why hasn't Anyone else done anything like this over the years, it's so powerful, really enjoyed the Prince Charming with both drummers stood up, 2 big gong sticks in hand going dum der dum der, dum der dum der......</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Couple of encores, roof raised, a rocking cover of Get it on(bang a gong), acoustic sing along to Prince Charmings, 'Dont you ever, don't you ever, lower yourself forgetting all your standards'</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Early start for the gig meant I missed support band New Killer Shoes but the charms of my mate obtained a signed CD from them, each so I will relive their set at my leisure.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">Georgie Girl</span></td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Walking back to the car, my mate confirmed this was one of the best gigs he has ever seen, and he's seen some legendary gigs like Stone Roses at Spike Island. Final comment, its funny to see backing singer Georgie Girl in the flesh knowing that she was the cause indirectly of Russell Brand and Jonathan Ross's Radio shows (she being the focus of Sach's gate, his granddaughter), anyway I blame the outraged daily mail readers for that one, 'Outraged from Surbiton, they should be sacked, hung, drawn and quartered'.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">I would recommend Adam Ant to anyone, no one at this gig, of any age, left without a smile on their faces, the highlight for me, Ant Invasion - I have always loved the tension in that track, brought out tonight by Adam & guitar playing the chords throughout.</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span>The Physical Producthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00993228438596803151noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2466794742329915456.post-38049741648337874292013-04-21T03:20:00.000-07:002013-04-21T03:20:45.649-07:00Here comes the sun - what a difference 2 years make!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9MnO2dLEc7bW0cg0FaJIaAcnNNceNQIrhzbGtTmF-XXiH8zf09H7LiSzlO92QZ4fIszF_xmfJ2qwXLc7v9dNruEBd250EnNDRwGkCokhJ2QPnakyUVkiRQuNVna_-FCYi9FSU_D8ONmKD/s1600/713288-1008-0042s.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9MnO2dLEc7bW0cg0FaJIaAcnNNceNQIrhzbGtTmF-XXiH8zf09H7LiSzlO92QZ4fIszF_xmfJ2qwXLc7v9dNruEBd250EnNDRwGkCokhJ2QPnakyUVkiRQuNVna_-FCYi9FSU_D8ONmKD/s200/713288-1008-0042s.jpg" width="133" /></a></div>
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">I will always be a marathon Runner!</span></b><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">Its funny this morning as I get ready for my little sisters wedding, its a very different Sunday to what the pair of us were up to 2 years ago when we were currently trudging around the London Marathon course wondering why on earth we had signed on for such a mad enterprise. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">Funnily enough today I am chuffed to bits to see the Sun outside, weddings are always a little challenging in the drizzle or even worse snow, but contrast this to 24 months ago, the hottest day of the year bought disaster to many marathon runners plans. So to mark my sisters Wedding and our not running I am going to reference my favourite Beatles tune for the day, and consider its contrasts.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/n6j4TGqVl5g?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">and this is what it felt like to run a marathon if anyone wonders! My post from 2 years ago:</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">It's now Monday afternoon, and my legs are beginning to seize up as todays dose of Ibuprofen wares off. While the marathon is (painfully) fresh in my memory I thought I would jot down the gory details, and also to reflect on what I will take away (which seems to be this years buzz word).</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">So I completed the marathon, and it was bloody hard. The weather yesterday was glorious, for everyone spectating. The view from the runner was that I could have done with a little more of the glorious weather being saved for when I had the opportunity to enjoy it, the bank holiday weekends spring to mind.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">The experience was really interesting, went down to London early on Saturday, registered at Excel and went round their exhibition of all things running related, this got me all the more excited for the following day's event, listening to motivational speakers galore. Afternoon was a bit of pottering round London, enjoying international record store day and cursing my blackberries slow internet access as I followed Birmingham's excellent victory over Sunderland. In the evening I got together my final preparations, realised it was going to be sunny and so had to decide whether to wear my running vest or my running top, rather than both. Top won out as the vest was a little snug and when I tried it on the outcome was a little camp for my liking. It was probably a good job as writing my name on my running vest with a permanent marker left the vest with a decidedly hallucinogenic effect when trying it on, and then when I tried to wash the smell off it turned out that the permanent pen was anything but (the Hilton sink had a very black tide mark as a result). So the decision was set, I was running in an old Blues shirt, I had a good meal of Pizza to stock up on carbs and went to bed suitably nervous but excited.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">And then yesterday, the day of the Marathon, everyone in London seemed to be wandering around with red virgin plastic bags, and we congregated at the starting point. Due to my pessimism when signing up 6 months ago, my starting position on the grid was at the back, right at the back, I started running next to Brian the snail from the magic roundabout, a fire engine and an 8 foot tall pink nurse called Rob.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">9:45 came and off we set, I knew that it was warm, so I set a pace for myself with my lovely new Nike plus watch that was slower than my half marathon paces, to try to take this into account and spent a few miles taking in the atmosphere, I could feel it getting hotter, but I kept thinking that was fine as I had put in the miles in training, was taking it relatively easy and drinking at each drinks station. However at about 10 miles I realised that perhaps the heat was going to be quite a big factor for someone carrying a decent amount of timber! I had been sweating quite a bit, and the joy of sweat laced with suntan cream stinging my eyes must have made me look like I had begun crying very early in the race, but I carried on, and getting to tower bridge at half way was a real boost - having to run less than I had run already is normally a massive psychological boost for me, but in this instance it was not the greatest, as I just felt knackered. In fact I felt really empty, as if I had burnt up all the fuel in my body, so I had a little panic for half a mile, and came up with a plan.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">I then started running at the side of the course and grabbed any good sources of nourishment offered from the crowd that I could. I have never been so over the moon to see a small child handing out jelly babies or an old dear with her bowl of opal fruits. Funnily enough this, coupled with the handing out of 'lucozade gel packs' (basically this seems to be refresher sweets in gel format) gave me a renewed lease of life and I continued for another few miles, having slowed my pace accordingly.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">Until mile 17, I turned a bend and felt a squelch in my foot, which I knew from experience was a blow out (or great big blister exploding). So I was now knackered and in pain, and decided to slow the pace down, well I didn't, my body suggested I might want to. I passed a young lad handing out jaffa cakes, and was reminded of a recent Dave Gorman piece on his radio about what was the right way to eat them, (separating the orange bit and letting it dissolve, or full moon, half moon, total eclipse) the answer I found was ram it into my mouth as quickly as possible, barely stopping to chew.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">I was now playing mind games with myself, as the need to walk a bit in between running kicked in at about 19 miles, games like walk this song and then start running, or walk until a mile marker and then run the next mile, it was challenging to say the least. In addition I had some merry battles with the 8 foot tall nurse Rob, a couple of Rhino's, a chap covered in poppies, a tiger and a bloke dressed in pink with a tutu and a bucket. It may sound stupid, but when walking and passed by any of the above it does spur one into action, slow action I will grant you, but action non the less.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">And then I was in the final 3 miles, which I ran all of, and it was tough, my mind flicked to loads of different things, but quite often to the huge amount of sponsorship from people and how I wanted to do people proud in that respect, I reckon so far I am at about £2.5k in sponsorship money which exceeded what the Miscarriage association expected, and which has made me feel really humbled by the support.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">Into the last mile, then 800 yards, 600 yards, 400 yards, turn the corner, game face on, 385 yards, smiling at the first official photographer, 200 yards, arms aloft for the next 100 yards and in arms raised triumphantly (having checked that on either side there was noone who would make me look stupid in my official photo, I am not ashamed to admit that I ran significantly faster on that element of the run because of the bloke wholly atired in pink with a pink bucket and tu tu mincing down the mall, and the chance that he would be in my official photo.) My time, 5 hours and 8 minutes, the longest 5 hours and 8 minutes of my life, and most painful.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">and it was over, I was handed my medal, got my bag, slumped to the ground and then ate everything edible that they provided. I called Claire (Mrs P) and got an excited Dylan and Evie shouting 'well done daddy down the phone' (they had watched the coverage running round the lounge in circuits Dylan being me, Evie being Auntie Lynny (my sister who some of you know who also ran, and ran a good steady pace throughout, she ran the perfect marathon in my opinion! )</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">Me and Lyn went to her charity get together after, had some pasta and a well received sports massage, well received by me, I think that the masseur would have been less than enamoured to have a less than fragrant brummie struggling to get onto the massage table. Onto the train to come home, which was a little painful (steps at Euston anyone) I cracked open a warm can of London Pride - not my drink of choice, but one of the nicest alcoholic drinks I can ever remember after my recent abstinence.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">I dutifully updated my facebook page to let my friends know I was alive and then was inundated and personally overwhelmed by the response, so many people said such nice things that I began walking very tall (although with more of a John Wayne gait due to blisters and stiffness) and wishing that I could have had those people around the course for the last 13 or so miles for support. This has continued, today at work everyone had stopped and asked me how things went, lots of praise, and the inevitable question, have you been bitten by the bug, and the answer to that is no. Thats it, its been a long road since I started training (2 years) and 16 weeks of full on training, giving up time with the family (and drinking) so I have achieved my ambition, raised a money for charity and have a warm glow.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">So I am a marathon runner, and always will be.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">Thanks for all of your support, it really has meant a lot to me.</span><br />
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<br />The Physical Producthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00993228438596803151noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2466794742329915456.post-57017975581659962352013-04-19T15:35:00.000-07:002013-04-27T12:06:59.165-07:00Wall of sound A-Z: Daisy Chainsaw Eleventeen<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzT_89dwubed4VzJMc_s_9WrwpCIOeOXJU-KSr58cv1iuBCKbwHmQjLJt_rvU8D6WzeqNfK6z3Vs_0fSTb6ycUzF9k28RRx8tv3yPPgBBTVYqRlz0C1p6Sv7F-HW-NsKVV6H5y6OYjmfWp/s1600/61vMUIwSaRL.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzT_89dwubed4VzJMc_s_9WrwpCIOeOXJU-KSr58cv1iuBCKbwHmQjLJt_rvU8D6WzeqNfK6z3Vs_0fSTb6ycUzF9k28RRx8tv3yPPgBBTVYqRlz0C1p6Sv7F-HW-NsKVV6H5y6OYjmfWp/s200/61vMUIwSaRL.jpg" width="191" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Purchased for $3.99 probably on BOGOF</td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">Wall of sound A-Z </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red; font-size: large;">D</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #222222;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">Daisy Chainsaw: Eleventeen</span></b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">What do you get mixing Bubblegum pop with a deranged mind, well I think it's Daisy Chainsaw. I first came into contact with Daisy Chainsaw at Uni in Liverpool, they were on my favourite weekly post pub show the word. The debut song was a blistering sing called 'Love your Money' as mentioned a Bubblegum Pop with an incredibly grungy bass coming through, as you can see below.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">This was in the days of vinyl and 12 inch singles, which usually would have extended mixes on so imagine my disappointment when the 12inch mix was the same as the single, clocking in at less than 3 minutes. But the cover art is, a work of art.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">This was probably the moment I moved away from pop and closer to Indie, I see huge similarities in this song to songs by Transvision Vamp and yet it is grungy and mental too. The enthusiasm for this album also drove me and Baggy from my house to go into Liverpool to see Daisy Chainsaw in concert in a little club. I don't remember too much about it, the club was very dark, down stairs and felt like a cellar. We went in pottered around, had a couple of pints and then found a small paper sign stating gig cancelled. We left pretty sharpish as we were well out of our comfort zone.</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">Looking at the album, it's got a label from the states, a bargain bucket purchase from one of the trips to America where, Pre kids I would drag Mrs P to local record shops in whichever city we went to, grabbing pages of the equivalent of the yellow pages and free music magazines to find them. The one year I got that many Britpop failed CDs (Britpop not being as huge in the US) in bargain buckets I had to jettison the cases to avoid excess luggage costs.<br /><br />This CD didn't get much of an airing though, a quick play years back showed there wasn't anything quite like Love your Money and it sat on the shelf, so playing it back again has been like investigating a new CD.<br /><br />It's quite an interesting album, I feel insane being quite interesting with mumbled insane lyrics, a few other album tracks feeling like Bjork singing, the odd ticks and chirps in the lyrics. Katie Jane Garside the singer being a really unusual grubby looking singer, with per Wikipedia live performances consisting of</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: separate; font-family: sans-serif; line-height: 19px;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">The band's live performances were noted for their wild histrionics, often featuring Garside onstage drilling doll heads and drinking juice from baby bottles.</span></i></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">Probably a good job I didn't see them live in the darkened cellar, I would have been scarred for life.<br /><br />Listening to 'Love your Money' does bring back memories, as this was played a lot a lot at Uni, on numerous mix tapes, on the boom box in my room. Plus this arrived when me and Mrs P started courting, as such the Wierd bells in either ears, left to right, the grungy bass takes me right back to the serenaded 'Love you Clairey, Love you Neily' duetting we would be doing to the song, it's brings a smile to my face. The other striking part is when the song comes up to the pause followed by 'gadadangererdang duh derdangdangderanger' superb.<br /><br />The rest of the album has some other poppy bits and other deranged bits, nothing getting anywhere near the brilliance of Love Your Money.</span></span></div>
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The Physical Producthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00993228438596803151noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2466794742329915456.post-28543814075245339622013-04-17T13:54:00.000-07:002013-04-20T02:10:15.625-07:00On this day in history: Sea Of Bees at the Hare & Hounds<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">Now, it may not sound a long time ago, but it feels a long time ago, this was pre the Olympics, and towards the start of my year of gigs that was to be 2012 (57 you know) no chance of getting that number of passes out this year. Anyway, I did write about the Sea of Bees Gig, and they are a band I am very fond of. Its interesting the following the Support Stealing Sheep have garnered in the last 12 months, I see they are one of the acts picked for Liverpools equivalent of the Mercury Music Prize - what a difference a year makes.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">Anyway, here's what I thought then (cue the swirly lines and time shift that comes from Waynes World and other such comedy shows).</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">A See of Bees who were out of this world or at least off this planet:</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc6rZmvrr8ztu4VpNXdVHjaM8ZbLNdHC4ThIBKRdApVzNw19tsN-haDJczXIhUNpaw1MaUDvhXdgpMTO13Vtu-Ub2n-QTfvjNOulG3qJ281LY2WWg_wilJ8fn0z6pcqvQsWDQj4kHp6tj6/s1600/5994854419_29a7e509d3_z.jpg" style="color: #888888; text-decoration: none;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">So <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px;">another trip to the Hare and Hounds who turn out to be the tardiest venue I have come across, as arriving 20 past the advertised doors opening time there was just closed doors up stairs with a couple of people stood patiently outside shrugging sheepishly waiting for the sound check to finish, suited me so I had a jar, a bit of a chat and cleared some emails.</span></span></span></a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"></span></span></span></span><br />
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When we got in, there were a number of nice little tables with red jars and candles, very nice. A quick chat to the soundman about what time were the bands yielded the reply of ooh don't know, I should find out. So I settled down at a little table (result) and awaited the first band. Dust motes, a local band representing a nice nervous quiet chap sitting on a stool acoustic guitar in hand with no eye contact and apologetic banter between songs and a bass player who smiled a bit but stroked his bass in the most gentle manner I have ever seen. Pleasant banter between songs and not a bad little set, there is a place in the world for head phones and 'Nervous Rock' copyright 2012.<br />
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Planty arrived mid motes and ensured we shared a nice romantic table with more premium than cooking lager, and on came the next band, Stealing Sheep, three potentially students from Liverpool, central mouthier one playing stand up drums, flanked by guitarist and keyboards (who turned out to be from Lichfield but an honorary scouse). They then started sharing out the banter playing quirky songs with odd instruments thrown in. Lots of track from the forthcoming album were played, with the 3rd track on the set list the stand out, I think it was one word starting with an M when I spoke to the guitarist, but who knows.<br />
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There was an awkward moment when 2 young ladies decided to stand in front of the romantic table. I plucked up courage, tapped on the shoulder, mentioned the view and they moved, sadly in front of Planty, but a bit more staring into the backs of their necks and they took the hit and wandered off.<br />
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The 2 lasting memories were the hey nonny now electric song, and a finale using one of the best sounding instruments I have ever seen, which I believe the technical term is a 'brilliantly circly click click Wooden thing'<br />
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To the main event and on came Sea of Bees, who had been lingering in the audience and by the CDs for the first 2 bands shouting encouragement quirkily.<br />
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Song one, and on came Jules and support guitarist amber, this first song was pretty average and the singers pained face led this to feel like it would be a long night, but then on came a long haired guitarist and a geeky drummer, and the sound was filled out. It's hard to Pigeon hole the sound to a genre, with quirky little noises picking out of the end of the songs. A bit of country coming out too, a bit of California, just ace.<br />
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The blokes turned out to have been picked up post flight to the UK in Kent, and a jet lagged 13 hour practice session.<br />
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SOB then filled the stage and the songs, each being previewed by a discussion about where the inspiration from the song came from, from a weirdly distracted mind and lots of 'you know's when if I'm honest all the audience probably didn't. </div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px;">Lots of songs with one word titles, and a cover of 'leaving on a jet plane' which was flagged I think of the song of her life story, based on looking jealously on her brothers happiness in his relationship. Amber was also a real star of the show too, great banter including various small animal noises,<br /><br />Huge warmth to SOB came back from the audience, and not a small amount from the fact that the was a heartfelt joy of having returned to Brum where they have enjoyed a couple of gigs previously, and 2 sets of friends in the audience for the Californians.<br /><br />It was also a great touch that SOB were selling a hand made live CD, screen printed cover, which having listened to on the way home ally captured the feel, particular a slight banter before the first song, the stand out Gnomes.<br /><br />All topped off with a McDonalds with voucher on way home.</span></div>
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</span>The Physical Producthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00993228438596803151noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2466794742329915456.post-17898662133071409262013-04-14T08:50:00.000-07:002013-05-06T04:25:10.167-07:00Wall of Sound A-Z: Catatonia: Way Beyond Blue<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6n3gZXO8Q3fr4OjXdKi0axOb8Lp-ZSqwn7R1bsyg0GWtcR4_5unWdJI7SDjzeMBkcEMUw8JBHCgccB_evwC4KFUCBrtg1Ivciedjng3dBGoRnDasvxvuU-UiBupBsp1cPf7pvc9ush7Hr/s1600/485.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6n3gZXO8Q3fr4OjXdKi0axOb8Lp-ZSqwn7R1bsyg0GWtcR4_5unWdJI7SDjzeMBkcEMUw8JBHCgccB_evwC4KFUCBrtg1Ivciedjng3dBGoRnDasvxvuU-UiBupBsp1cPf7pvc9ush7Hr/s1600/485.jpg" /></a></div>
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">Wall of Sound Part 3:</span> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">C </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">Catatonia Way Beyond Blue</span></b><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">Looking back to 1996 I'm not sure what drew me to buying Catatonia's Way Beyond Blue. I don't remember why I bought it, I have a funny feeling I had visited the (relatively) short lived Tower Records store in Brum and wanted to buy something. Wandering around I do remember picking up the album and deciding to chance my arm on it. Being a geek I did use to write down the tunes I used to buy and I have found that I bought it on the 9th Jan 1997, paying the princely sum of £11.99 and buying it with the Goya Dress album (Nude Records, Suede support £5.99) and a Nut CD single for 99p of Scream. This was a Thursday so would have been a lunch hour potter down to the shops rummaging through the racks to find tunes that I enjoy.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">Looking in the book, I see that 10 days later I bought Beck's Odelay, which was relevant because the 2 albums formed a tape that spent a number of months in the car stereo of my old Beige Metro. The car below wasn't mine, but looks a lot better than mine. This was my first car when I joined my first job out of Uni and considered my unreliable mini was not reliable enough. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">This was not a lovely car but paid for itself thousands of times over in mileage allowances. I remember one Christmas spent defrosting the engine with a hairdryer at Mrs P's house up North when I had forgotten to put any antifreeze in it and snow and ice froze it solid. Sadly when it did get defrosted all the pipes had burst so it was off to scrap yards to replace them.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ1FuPJH0wJLw1TMPYzjJwBDtrNzDizKWFWvKuuThFEDYtxvQr9Fpsha8-WSn7bV04oVcRkU9UDiovxQwYKqKdi0fxMDcg1-DpM543ufGx2HybAKSlnIRn6ywTIRtS8xu-rhni7C7TCe2C/s1600/220_-_August_1985_beige_Austin_Metro_1.0_City_with_custom_alloys.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ1FuPJH0wJLw1TMPYzjJwBDtrNzDizKWFWvKuuThFEDYtxvQr9Fpsha8-WSn7bV04oVcRkU9UDiovxQwYKqKdi0fxMDcg1-DpM543ufGx2HybAKSlnIRn6ywTIRtS8xu-rhni7C7TCe2C/s320/220_-_August_1985_beige_Austin_Metro_1.0_City_with_custom_alloys.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">My car was not this lovely</span></td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">On another occasion driving home we could smell petrol, so pulling to the side of the road we could see it being pumped into the engine from a hose. Called the AA van but rather than wait I found that turning the hose upside down solved the problem, so we were away again.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">The tape used to get played every journey to work for a few months in the winter. On one such journey to a client in Telford, I parked at the gate house in the cold to sign in, and thinking it was really cold I would leave the engine (and heater) running. Sadly I also locked the door which was a good habit to be in and went inside. Coming back to the car I searched all over for the keys and then saw them in the ignition. Another call out for the AA and an easy morning for everyone at work as all our files were locked in my car belching out fumes at the gate house. I also used to have great fun on frozen nights in Telford, working late, trying to start the car, having a flat battery and then trying to jumpstart it myself by pushing it down a hill, jumping in and bump starting it in second gear.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">The album is a really mellow album in parts, really uplifting in parts, sing along in parts and the high point for me is 'You've Got a Lot to answer for' (track 4) and the refrain 'but baby I love you'. Looking back its quite surprising what an impact this had on me, or at least my record buying and how long I would be chancing my arm on Cerys' wares. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">I really enjoyed Catatonia for a couple of reasons, firstly Cerys Matthews the lead singer has one of the most distinctive singing voices I have ever come across, its between her and Nene Persson from the Cardigans for my favourite singer of all time. Secondly they were not massive at this stage and as a result I had them as my own band under the radar, something that I really enjoyed. That was to change with the first 2 singles off the next album, I am the Mob (a Mark and Lard record of the Week when they did the Breakfast show) and Mulder and Skully, anthemic sing along with X files tie in, in the middle of Brit Pop and Catatonia's star shone for their 15 minutes of fame.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">I got to see them in one of the most value packed gigs ever, Steve Lamacq put on a gig with co-headliners Travis and up and coming support Idlewild, at Birmingham Irish Centre £8 25 March 1998 - Brilliant.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">Continuing to listen to the album whilst writing this, there is quite a mixture of songs, lots of showcasing of Cerys lyrics, she cowrote all the songs. Particularly enjoying the end of For Tinkerbell with the La La La La La La and strings and brass at the end.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">There were a number of follow up albums, Cerys solo albums, celebrity big brother, 6 Music DJ, ongoing gigs, albums and even childrens books which I have signed by Cerys for my kids. All of which I followed with great interest, but Way Beyond Blue will always have a fond place in my heart.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">So to wrap up I will just include my favourite tune:</span><br />
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<br />The Physical Producthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00993228438596803151noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2466794742329915456.post-86052937152827501272013-04-13T14:08:00.001-07:002013-04-13T14:08:11.674-07:00Getting on the Chain week 2<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiz2OFTqk8xS7oikILBPPbmEgGx-NjTmH2mWCc7388gvPAwvkkP4LLsGHQplEobT-1dmiqPHVs99WbPaZnL_ce57beJ2p_DbYqtyCaNBJKpOWiBfzKEH7L_KKxzzmxGKcV88CRpDNiZU2V/s1600/Radcliffe-and-Maconie-300x168.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiz2OFTqk8xS7oikILBPPbmEgGx-NjTmH2mWCc7388gvPAwvkkP4LLsGHQplEobT-1dmiqPHVs99WbPaZnL_ce57beJ2p_DbYqtyCaNBJKpOWiBfzKEH7L_KKxzzmxGKcV88CRpDNiZU2V/s1600/Radcliffe-and-Maconie-300x168.jpg" /></a></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><b>Getting on the Chain week 2</b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">After a first week of failure, to get on the chain, and to even have come up with songs I thought were better than those chosen by R&M, it was time to focus.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">To recap the challenge, as I have listened to Radcliffe & Maconie, on listen again for all the time they have been on 6 music, the overnight drunken answer machine is the only way I can interact with them, offering up my suggestion for the next link on the Chain overnight.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">So I will choose my link, phone it in, and then will compare to the song selected (assuming its not mine) whoever has the best song gets a point, and I get to choose the best song.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">The rules of the chain, great song, can't have been chosen before, any sort of link, don't have the same link as before....</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">Week 2 and funnily enough I didn't get on the chain, but this was how it ran, I missed the weekend link having too much fun, then:<br /><br />Linking into 3617: Pink Floyd - Bike, now I couldn't do Bike, so had to do something on Pink Floyd, then I had a brain wave, Floyd on Food, Keith Floyd's excellent cookery show from the 70's gave me a link to any other acts on food, Food Records, and the mighty Blur.<br /><br />Blur have been on the chain a lot, The Universal, There's no other way, Beetlebum, Park life, Music is my radar, Tender, Girls & Boys, Song 2, Coffee & Tv, Charmless Man, Tracy Jacks, For tomorrow, This is a low, No distance left to run, Out of time, Sweet song, Country house, Chemical World, To the end, She's so high, end of the century....<br /><br />But not long lost single Pop Scene - boom, I know Maconie loves this tune and he's on his own this week,</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">But no, a guy called Gerald, Voodoo Ray won out, as Bike mentions Gerald. Good song, but I claim victory for a brilliant link today.</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">Next up, linking onto 3620 Black Grapes Kelly's Heroes:<br /><br />Googling the film Kelly's Heroes, it stars Clint Eastwood, which was a song by Gorillaz (but it's already gone on the chain) as have most of the singles by Gorillaz, except 19-2000 which was my link.</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">They actually went with a Songs that have the same name as a film and New Order, Thieves Like Us.</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">Good New Order track, but not a classic in my mind, not as good as 19-2000, so I am on a roll, 2 nil for the week.<br /><br />Then linking to 3623 Hot Butter - Pop Corn:<br /><br />Couldn't have a Hot link, so it was PopCorn, and boom, what else do you have at a cinema with pop corn, often in a meal deal, Cola, and Cola Boys song Seven ways to Love. Janet Lee Grace singing on the number 8 single in 1991 teaming up with St Etienne.</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">What beat me - Junior Walker & the Allstars - Pucker up Buttercup<br /><br />Fair play, that's as good as Cola Boy, so let's call it a score draw.</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">So for this week I win 2.5 to 0.5.<br /><br />And running total new leader, I am winning 4:3</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span>The Physical Producthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00993228438596803151noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2466794742329915456.post-50934774522582823182013-04-13T02:13:00.002-07:002013-04-14T03:54:36.227-07:00Tom Hingley (Former Inspiral Carpets Front Man) at Woody's Gig Review<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMo0CI5NfDUmpvkzZ-oC0aABe2v-F7nVs-bh_Yx05yax3w28HekJrO3mL8NB0EJzkQYudyqoN8HuOptm8F2s4OE7i6Bunj-n_6ehMbUnD-dDaR_lCF47OH1OhFS4UduUruIzf8OIc35g9Y/s1600/photo-5.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMo0CI5NfDUmpvkzZ-oC0aABe2v-F7nVs-bh_Yx05yax3w28HekJrO3mL8NB0EJzkQYudyqoN8HuOptm8F2s4OE7i6Bunj-n_6ehMbUnD-dDaR_lCF47OH1OhFS4UduUruIzf8OIc35g9Y/s320/photo-5.JPG" width="228" /></a></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">A last minute (surprising) pass out was obtained to attend a Friday night Gig, in Hednesford to see Tom Hingley. Always good to go somewhere new, always good to start the weekend with a gig so I was well up for this especially as Bob was driving (Bob is an alias, he was christened that on my stag do to avoid confusion with me, although we had not had any confusion in the previous 20+ years we have been mates, seemed a good idea at the time).</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">Arriving at the venue, it was a real eye opener, I have been to some holes of venues (step forward Derby Venue, Leicester Sound House) but this jumps out as the other end of the scale. A small privately owned (since 2011) well loved venue. The decor is brilliant, iconic pictures of music stars (Aretha Franklin, Elvis, John Lennon, Hendrix) all up in graffiti subway style pictures. The place is bright and the mixture of people there span all ages, even down to the 8 year olds playing pool in the corner with their Dads. The venue exudes friendliness, the bar staff very attentive, smiley security on the door, and both of us have agreed we can't wait to go back, probably in May to see Dodgy. Here's the website for <a href="http://www.woodys-musicbar.co.uk/" target="_blank">Woody's Music Bar</a> , final thoughts, its how you would want the room in your house where your tunes are to look, and reminds me of where the Bananasplits used to hang out in their 70's kids TV programme (definitely in a good way). I can't enthuse more about the venue.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">The gig was incredibly good value, £4 on the door (£3 advance!) and as one slightly drunken welsh man explained you can pass out and in as many times as you want with the hand stamp, so if you go out 4 times then its only a £1 a go.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">We missed Klasside arriving late, which was a shame, especially as my mate messaged me on facebook as they are his mates, but Jon Hubbard sat down on stool and played a decent set, (Jon Hubbard of the Two'n'eights I find through some internet searching). Good set, really enjoyed it, really struggled with the banter between songs though. Now being a Brummie I should be ok with this, but I need Google Translate to develop an app for this in due course. But he was good enough for me to be wanting to search them out further.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">Jon at a previous visit to Woody's</span></td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">After a little while Waiting for Susan came on, Vocals & Guitar (red hair and braces), Small violinist lass and chap with mandolin(?). They cracked off into the first song which was one of the highlights of the night. Not for the reasons they would have wanted as it was clear everyone had a verse to sing, the lasses turn came and no sound came out her mic. They tried further, circling around the tune waiting panicked, then idea, lass moves over to vocalists mic, but sadly its about a foot to high cue comical jumping to the mic (a simple angling down Liam Gallagher style would have been cooler). They gave up on this and swapped to another vocalist. End of the song I'm sure the lass was over the moon with the vocalist announcing she hadn't turned the mic on. Perhaps she is Susan, and waiting for her to come in on the verse is where they got their names from.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">Waiting for Susan were not Bob's cup of tea but my tastes have mellowed over the years (even to the extent that I don't leave a gig when I see a violin) and the set was good, interspersed with covers (Madness Must Be Love and finishing on a cracking version of Mumford and Sons Little Lion Man who they owe a reasonable resemblance to musically by their own admission). Good local band (judging by the family members in the audience and the dates at their website). Again worth another look <a href="http://www.waitingforsusan.com/" target="_blank">WEBSITE</a> </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">And onto the main attraction, an older version of the man I saw in 1992 at my first Indie gig (Inspiral Carpets at Liverpool Royal Court). On with an electric acoustic guitar, asking for the lights to be dimmed to spare people who may want to take photos of him. He launched into 3 songs delivered with huge amounts of passion, knowing that the promise early of some Inspirals songs later in the set would give him the opportunity to cover his newer stuff. Good tunes real passion going in, the subject of one being his focus, new daughter Mabel, the next being a song about the record industry, not a wholly positive experience judging from the lyrics. Looking forward to his book to find out more that he sold at the end of the gig.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3RHCtQcYPUEjvFxS1YFQBJ2sjUgO8xk3plDa3tg2V-KJqIEsEdOIV-eHu1AWxqyzzj2mJ1wQGKCjOUoCjxnURxMWPn0gdb6l24WobDJ1eCDp8DWHeTsRH3pbK7dQc7i_N2gG6bUuf4nm9/s1600/photo-4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3RHCtQcYPUEjvFxS1YFQBJ2sjUgO8xk3plDa3tg2V-KJqIEsEdOIV-eHu1AWxqyzzj2mJ1wQGKCjOUoCjxnURxMWPn0gdb6l24WobDJ1eCDp8DWHeTsRH3pbK7dQc7i_N2gG6bUuf4nm9/s320/photo-4.JPG" width="243" /></span></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">Then onto a number of crowd pleasers, but played in a Delta Blues style (think your particularly cool Jack White as this jumped to mind for me) Saturn 5, This is how it feels both replacing Clint Boon's keyboard solos with sing along noises. Then a cover of James sit down, welsh man above sitting on the floor, Spirals fan getting onto the stage to sit down, swiftly ushered away by Tom. The song segueing into take another little piece of my heart. Then back to the Spirals with Dragging me down, a Craig David cover, guitar sounding very Bon Jovi dead or alive esque (steel guitar) to start with, plectrum stuck to forehead, another trick playing the guitar with lager in hand. Then onto Janis Joplin's Mercedes Benz Guitar disguarded, backed by Tom and Crowd clapping above heads, finishing up the set using the hole in guitar to echo noise around - here's a man who's thought about his craft when solo / acoustic.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">Really enjoyable gig, Tom keen to sell his merchandise understandably at the end and I was very happy to come away with his book and a double album of his solo stuff, read all about it here <a href="http://www.tomhingley.co.uk/" target="_blank">http://www.tomhingley.co.uk/</a> . Nice to see him also encouraging me to keep supporting the Spirals in their current line up and recounting memories of Clint throwing banana skins into the audience at Royal Court in the past.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">Great Venue, Great Value, Great Support, Great Songs, Great Bloke, as Tony the Tiger would say their GRRRRRRREEEEEEEETTTTTTTT at Woody's.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">As Tom would like Photo darkened</span></td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">Here's a feel for Tom in Action.</span><br />
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Post Script: Always nice to get a bit of feedback:<br />
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<a class="account-group js-account-group js-action-profile js-user-profile-link js-nav" data-user-id="60941205" href="https://twitter.com/tomhingleymusic" style="color: #999999; text-decoration: none;"><img alt="Tom Hingley" class="avatar js-action-profile-avatar" src="https://si0.twimg.com/profile_images/1969784136/CARPET_BURNS_TOM_HINGLEY_normal.jpg" style="border-bottom-left-radius: 5px; border-bottom-right-radius: 5px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-left-radius: 5px; border-top-right-radius: 5px; border-top-width: 0px; height: 48px; left: 12px; position: absolute; top: 12px; width: 48px;" /><strong class="fullname js-action-profile-name show-popup-with-id" style="color: #333333; font-weight: bold;">Tom Hingley</strong> <span></span><span class="username js-action-profile-name" style="color: #999999; direction: ltr; font-size: 12px; unicode-bidi: embed;"><s style="color: #bbbbbb; text-decoration: none;">@</s><b style="font-weight: normal;">tomhingleymusic</b></span></a><small class="time" style="color: #bbbbbb; float: right; font-size: 12px; margin-top: 1px; position: relative;"><a class="tweet-timestamp js-permalink js-nav" href="https://twitter.com/tomhingleymusic/status/323035093138567169" style="color: #999999; font-size: 12px; text-decoration: none;" title="4:29 AM - 13 Apr 13"><span class="_timestamp js-short-timestamp js-relative-timestamp" data-long-form="true" data-time="1365852542">23h</span></a></small></div>
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<a class="twitter-atreply pretty-link" dir="ltr" href="https://twitter.com/Neilpott" style="color: #0084b4; text-decoration: none;"><s style="color: #66b5d2; text-decoration: none;">@</s><b style="color: #0084b4; font-weight: normal;">Neilpott</b></a> lovely review that thanks x</div>
The Physical Producthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00993228438596803151noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2466794742329915456.post-25086958465412602302013-04-10T14:21:00.000-07:002013-04-10T14:21:24.898-07:00On this day in history: #3 The bride is Pretty in Pink<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">Psychedelic Furs House Of Blues Anaheim</span></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">10 April 2001 Los Angeles</span></b></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">I'm enjoying looking back in history, brings back some quite fantastic memories. Going back 12 years ago me and Mrs P were on our honeymoon, choosing our favourite holiday destination, America and more specifically Anaheim in LA.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Pre kids the US was our regular haunt for holidays, a lucky position to be in but 2 incomes, not tied to school holidays want that we could visit the States regularly. Our enthusiasm piqued by a first trip to Vegas on a last minute trip (booked in a Travel Agent that day to go) for £199 with car thrown in. That was a bargain, and in that week we drove to LA.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">But in 2001 wanting to tie in other things I loved along with the honeymoon I checked out the local gig listings and found our favourite restaurant also put on live gigs, our favourite restaurant being the House of Blues. The House of Blues is a small chain which we always sought out. Founded back in 1992, the first House of Blues was </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">originally financed by <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dan_Aykroyd" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; text-decoration: none;" title="Dan Aykroyd">Dan Aykroyd</a>,<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aerosmith" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; text-decoration: none;" title="Aerosmith">Aerosmith</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Shaffer" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; text-decoration: none;" title="Paul Shaffer">Paul Shaffer</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/River_Phoenix" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; text-decoration: none;" title="River Phoenix">River Phoenix</a>, <a class="mw-redirect" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Belushi" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; text-decoration: none;" title="James Belushi">James Belushi</a> and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harvard_University" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; text-decoration: none;" title="Harvard University">Harvard University</a> among others, and its cool. Wh</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">ile we were there we got to see the band Psychedelic Furs. Bit disappointing that the week before Brummie favourites Duran Duran had played, as did my favourite Spice Girl Sporty but I wasn't going to be able to change the wedding dates.</span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOau-pqdknRUpkHLbPu0sHFu2eIO-ii5r7BTK3bvAipThqzhx9imjB3sdpWJcLRCfMGgQ5NYejIGOdq-8ojt501adBQu8hjWof2zmKw5LipoowmcE2q7ZlQQhNMhhq1a31FLXbTT6Fl7yg/s1600/a63f5a25-17c8-4265-8b8a-0734e505f68a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOau-pqdknRUpkHLbPu0sHFu2eIO-ii5r7BTK3bvAipThqzhx9imjB3sdpWJcLRCfMGgQ5NYejIGOdq-8ojt501adBQu8hjWof2zmKw5LipoowmcE2q7ZlQQhNMhhq1a31FLXbTT6Fl7yg/s320/a63f5a25-17c8-4265-8b8a-0734e505f68a.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">House of Blues Anaheim</span></td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"></span></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">I can't mention the House of Blues without mentioning the Calamari starter, this is by a million miles my favourite meal, when sharing this with Mrs P we get to play the game of sorting the baby calamari out into those smaller ones with all the legs attached (for me) and those you can't tell are the little baby squids (Mrs P's).</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">So to the gig itself, this was a year of a big reunion for the Furs, shamefully me and Mrs P didn't know anything more than the obvious Pretty in Pink which came through in the encore, the rest of the gig was very much a good old fashioned indie music romp, the crowd well up for the gig, enjoying singing along to various songs. This was however more about the experience, the lovely LA weather, the cracking venue, decor all based around Southern Blues and then honeymoon gigging overseas.</span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8lGJsjScsdfRcVEaEHAYg3saQ3gvA-dTX55MvSVf-uS83GVQfxz5eSpCKAI99dAKAORXm3-7jG8WFsxrLPPjE4GBBMOHSD73lNl9BTjWc37fY52lenNWDSKZvEtMCLU92dxnXoWbuibdS/s1600/DSC00537.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8lGJsjScsdfRcVEaEHAYg3saQ3gvA-dTX55MvSVf-uS83GVQfxz5eSpCKAI99dAKAORXm3-7jG8WFsxrLPPjE4GBBMOHSD73lNl9BTjWc37fY52lenNWDSKZvEtMCLU92dxnXoWbuibdS/s320/DSC00537.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">Searching the net, there are a couple of reviews such as the following:</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">The Build up: from <a href="http://www.nyrock.com/worldbeat/03_2001/030701a.asp" target="_blank">here</a></span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">March 7, 2001 – Reforming after 10 years, <a href="http://www.nyrock.com/features/eighties.htm">the Psychedelic Furs</a> are gearing up for a spring tour beginning March 23rd through May 13th. Featuring founding members Richard Butler, Tim Butler and John Ashton, the Furs will perform all their favorites, and some new songs that they intend to record immediately after the tour.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">During the Furs first tenure (1978-1991) the group garnered a vast following for their music's unpredictable mix of punk rock, poetic lyricism and rhythmic hooks. Fronted by vocalist Richard Butler, the Furs became one of the more riveting musical forces to come out of the post-punk, new-wave era. The band charted big hits with "Love My Way," "Heaven," "The Ghost In You," and of course "Pretty In Pink," which accelerated the Furs ascendancy to the pop mainstream when the group recorded a new version for the John Hughes' 1986 film of the same name.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">After twelve years of recording and touring and with seven studio albums under their belt, Richard, Tim and John became tired of being the Psychedelic Furs and in 1991 decide to go their own ways. "It was very amicable," say Richard Butler, "There just weren't any surprises left, so we moved on."</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">While Richard Butler was working on material for a solo project, he got together with Tim to do some writing which gave rise to the Psychedelic Furs second coming. "When Tim saw all the songs I had, he asked about doing another Furs' record and then our manager called about doing some shows -- so it seemed like the time was right," explains Butler. "Because we're not exactly sure what to expect from ourselves or the audience, the whole idea of being in the Psychedelic Furs is exciting again."</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><object width="320" height="266" class="BLOGGER-youtube-video" classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0" data-thumbnail-src="http://img.youtube.com/vi/Oa3UA7gm_is/0.jpg"><param name="movie" value="http://youtube.googleapis.com/v/Oa3UA7gm_is&source=uds" /><param name="bgcolor" value="#FFFFFF" /><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /><embed width="320" height="266" src="http://youtube.googleapis.com/v/Oa3UA7gm_is&source=uds" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true"></embed></object></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">and the gig itself: <a href="http://articles.latimes.com/2001/apr/12/entertainment/ca-49956" target="_blank">LA Times Review</a></span></div>
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<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;"><div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
Happy endings are rare, while loneliness and misery are all too plentiful, a fact of life that helps explain the success of the Psychedelic Furs' reunion tour.</div>
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Anyone who so much as hummed a note in the early '80s is back plying the nostalgia circuit, yet this British new wave band's sold-out show Tuesday at Anaheim's House of Blues only intermittently felt dated, mixing new material with old.</div>
</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;"><div style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">That's because Furs singer-songwriter Richard Butler spent most of his time then--and now--delving into the timeless questions of what happens when love doesn't work out, when the heart seems fated to be a lonely hunter.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">Such Furs' pop-radio staples as "Love My Way" and "Pretty in Pink" still sound fairly good, perhaps because they weren't dripping with the now-anachronistic synthesizer sounds of that time.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">Further, Butler--joined in the quintet by original members Tim Butler on bass and John Ashton on guitar--has lost none of his magnetism as a Bowie-esque singer and front man.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">One of the best flyers for a gig listing I have seen (Spot Duran and Mel C)</span></td></tr>
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</span></i>The Physical Producthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00993228438596803151noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2466794742329915456.post-34198871093481358592013-04-07T11:41:00.002-07:002013-04-07T15:17:45.281-07:00Wall of Sound A-Z: Bad News : Bad News<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixRgmkSCotsy623utEanB-qRVy0M5cQnXLm6r8UHEQguOKphOcN-x6DlPxEzKMM16T3x_O5xYBem1X96h-12c-XKdEHOF60X8CW71NdDWf-n5v0yZRUnveOHktW_J1eZ9IkzMI2mfsWo_m/s1600/Badnews87.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixRgmkSCotsy623utEanB-qRVy0M5cQnXLm6r8UHEQguOKphOcN-x6DlPxEzKMM16T3x_O5xYBem1X96h-12c-XKdEHOF60X8CW71NdDWf-n5v0yZRUnveOHktW_J1eZ9IkzMI2mfsWo_m/s1600/Badnews87.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">Colin Grigson, Den Dennis, Vim Fuego and Spider Webb</span></td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">Wall of Sound A-Z part 2:</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #222222;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">B</span></b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #222222;">:</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">Bad News</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; line-height: 18px;">Thumbing through the B's in the CD rack, Bad News jumped out, the spoof Heavy Metal band formed by the comic strip presents, 3/4 of the young ones (Ade Edmondson, Rick Mayall, Nigel Planer with Peter Richardson). This was a cherished tape (home taping is killing music) that was made for me by my mate Russ, who was into heavy metal music and could play a number of the tunes on the album.</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; line-height: 18px;">Listening back to the album (a later compilation on CD, capturing all sorts of outtakes, sketches stuff) its amazing how I can recite the songs and band banter (think troggs tapes) word for word some 25 plus years later. A number of the songs bringing a big beam to my face.</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; line-height: 18px;">It was not surprising that I loved this having watched The Young Ones on video to death, taped the bits off Friday night live with Rick and Ade as the Dangerous Brothers, watched the Comic Strip Presents on the fledgling Channel 4 later Bottom whilst at Uni, and other things with these guys whenever they crop up, sadly Rick and Ade no longer acting together. But this week Ade in 'Ade in Britain' and Rick and Nigel Planer on 'Jonathan Creek' both made it onto the sky box.</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; line-height: 18px;">What's the album like, well depends who you ask. Someone coming to it fresh will probably be claiming its a rip off of Spinal Tap, although Wikipedia claims <i>"</i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><i>The episode was also coincidentally in production at the same time as <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/This_Is_Spinal_Tap" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #0645ad; text-decoration: none;" title="This Is Spinal Tap">This Is Spinal Tap</a>, which was released the following year to a much wider audience and subsequently greater acclaim." </i>The album is definitely a nostalgia piece for me as the songs I don't know (B Sides etc) just sound like a bit of a racket. But the songs I do know throw me over to the Comic Strip, 'Warriors of Ghengis Khan' bring back the thoughts of the band running through a darkened warehouse waving flags as they run up and down slag heaps, Colin Grigson stumbling and falling. Brilliant 'Monkey / Water Margin' Chinese voices impressions and finishing with a bomb dropping and exploding (the symbol of the Comic Strip Presents).</span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7n8xJob_RTAzKuYXC0gSSIbIhQvgBw8ejJONy5w7E9uowqscTxQToVLaVEE_G5FSLQ__hWj4ZyY02HmIls7YyaLcOwh4bdf12I1pAOo1awuANIS1E-AlSrbOvnxFinM0TEJwoood9o4_O/s1600/m6VtAFG0_iFwm-WrLjH6TYw.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="132" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7n8xJob_RTAzKuYXC0gSSIbIhQvgBw8ejJONy5w7E9uowqscTxQToVLaVEE_G5FSLQ__hWj4ZyY02HmIls7YyaLcOwh4bdf12I1pAOo1awuANIS1E-AlSrbOvnxFinM0TEJwoood9o4_O/s200/m6VtAFG0_iFwm-WrLjH6TYw.jpg" width="200" /></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Listening back to it, its clear this will have been a firm favourite on my Red Sanyo Walkman as there's plenty of F Bombs, the album will never have got on the Rover on the way to swimming. But then the 6 week summer caravanning holidays touring europe always allowed a lot of listening to tunes. Mom and Dad will often tell me about places we have visited in Europe, which I have missed with my head in a book and ears in tunes.</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My favourite bits though are where the songs and the humour are mixed, for example in 'Bad News' when they are all calling in each others solos and they get to 'Den Dennis' to silence, then 'Yeah, What' and also the appearance at a festival where you can hear the incredibly well acted (possibly not acting as Ade has gone on record as saying he would have loved to have been in a band) desperation as they sing 'Hey Hey Bad News' only for the Crowd to sing back 'F*** Off Bad News' and Vim Fuego (Ade) shouting for the crowd to stop throwing things.</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">All in all I love Bad News and their 'Peculiar Brand of Heavy Metal Music' and amazingly here they are on Wogan!</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">Having been out to the pub quiz and come back, the overwhelming thing that I had forgotten was how important the song 'Drink 'til I die' was for me. As a youngster discovering alcohol (Station and Half Way) this song seemed so pertinent it was my heroes singing</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">'Lager makes me happy</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">Vodka makes me mean</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">I'm a heavy metal drinking driving alcohol machine'</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">No need to look that up, I will always remember that verse, and have rattled through it in my head so many times over the years. That coupled with the going through the scales La La La La Ger Ger Ger really chimed with the Adolescent Mr P getting into Alcohol.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">Great Album!</span>The Physical Producthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00993228438596803151noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2466794742329915456.post-59883479388919731572013-04-06T02:54:00.000-07:002013-04-06T02:54:27.453-07:00Getting on the Chain Week 1<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">RacMac in Hoxton Bonnets</span></td></tr>
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Mark Radcliffe & Stuart Maconie have been constant companions of my listening to music for a long long time. I can remember organising to drive places at work to coincide with Mark and Lard in the afternoon, being accompanied for 6 months on the morning drive to Melton Mowbray when they briefly got the breakfast show, going late night on Radio 2 (sadly now shut down) joining forces with Maconie, moving earlier, bringing on Sir Nodwood of Holdershire, emotionally finishing on Radio 2 (I saved the last show on Radio 2 to listen to whilst running the London Marathon that year) and switching to 6 Music, with a mammoth 15 hours of Radio a week (not including Freak Zone, Music Club, Peoples Songs, Folk Shows). Who said you can have too much of a good thing.<br />
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So having a full time job, and not one that is a graphic designer in Brighton means that I have to use the listen again function, which coupled with Wiretap allows me to have Radmac whilst getting up and going into work, and on the way home. As a result, when they celebrated 2 years of shows I realised I had celebrated all of that with them, every show!<br />
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The Photo there is from this website, <a href="http://www.stevepaulmyers.co.uk/projects/digital-art/radcliffe-and-maconie/" target="_blank">Link</a> credit where its due<br />
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I have always wanted to get onto the chain, but as its live, I don't have much chance, except for the overnight drunken answering machine, so from this week onwards I am going to try, and see what they choose and decide from my perspective whether they were right or wrong to go with the other tune. Now this will be biased as I will be picking tunes I like, but lets see how we go.<br />
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<b>Linking onto 3599 - Steel Pulse - Handsworth Revolution.</b><br />
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I put a lot of thought into this link, first I went with, Steel, and 'Saphire and Steel' the show with David McCallum and Joanna Lumley. Not knowing any Saphire songs, I could go with other precious stones, Diamonds and Pearls - Prince maybe, or Diamonds from Sierra Lione by Kanye West. Liked this link but no.<br />
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Then going from Pulse, you get Pulse Tone phones - so onto Tone Loc, sadly 'Funky Cold Medina' had gone, but 'Wild Thing' was available, but then, as I am a Brummie I decided to go with Birmingham locations, as Handsworth is in Brum, I thought Hollywood is also a Birmingham location, and I knew that Suede do a fantastic song 'This Hollywood Life' which had gone, as had the good Frankie Goes to Hollywood ones.<br />
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Elsewhere in Brum is Moseley, so I found my link, with Ocean Colour Scenes album Moseley Shoals and 'The River Boat Song'<br />
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Obviously I wasn't going to get in on my first attempt, and this is forever associated with TFI Fridays as its theme song. But I was beaten by<br />
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Jose Gonzalez and Heartbeats (from Pulse to Heartbeats)<br />
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Which was used for the Sony Bravia, bouncing balls advert, and is a cracking song, so I admit defeat on this one, good choice Radmac. I am downloading this from I-Tunes as we speak.<br />
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<b>So next chance, Linking to 3602: Doves M62 song</b><br />
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Prince - When Doves cry (Doves link) - gone<br />
St Etienne - Like a Motorway (Motorways link) - gone<br />
St Etienne - Avenue (types of road) - gone<br />
Bangles - Going down to Liverpool (as the M62 goes to Liverpool! clever) - oo maybe<br />
The Streets - (types of road again, plus another Brum band so lets try them), Dry your eyes - gone<br />
Don't Mug Yourself - Available - done<br />
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Nope, went with Guillemots - Annie lets not wait,<br />
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Great song and a Brum Band - lets call it a draw then<br />
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<b>Day 3:</b><br />
<b>Link 3605 Rufus Wainright - Little Sister</b><br />
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First choice for me, Art Brut - my little Brother<br />
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GREAT VIDEO, GREAT SONG<br />
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But funnily enough everyone went with Martha Wainright's Prosperpina<br />
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I am having that one, why, because its my game and I think Art Brut's song is better anyway!<br />
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<b>Day 4: 3608 Patrick Wolf - The Magic Position</b><br />
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Away from the computer, I thought Patricks, well Patrick Duff is from Strangelove, so lets go with Strangelove, Beautiful Alone.<br />
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This was a song I really loved, presumed it was a great single but as there is no video on Youtube, and everythings on Youtube, I guess it never was and so that was never going to win in my game, check it out though, great song.<br />
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They went with Peter Bjorn & John's Young Folks:<br />
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I love this song, so well done you win, 'can't believe it hadn't been on the chain before'<br />
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So I guess I must try harder, using a scoring system of 1 point for a win and 0.5 for a draw, RadMac are currently beating me 2.5 to 1.5. Which is galling given its my game and my rules, but will drive me on for next week, and anyway they have years of Radio experience to fall back on:<br />
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Radmac 2.5<br />
Me 1.5<br />
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<br />The Physical Producthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00993228438596803151noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2466794742329915456.post-14768477239679330522013-04-06T01:40:00.001-07:002013-04-06T01:40:59.981-07:00Buzzcocks Wolverhampton Slade Rooms Gig Review<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white;">Gig ticket and 50p merchandise</span></td></tr>
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So an impulse purchase - driven by Songkick, the revolutionary website tempting me to gigs daily led me to the Slade Rooms tonight. This impulse was all centred around various dipping in and out of Buzzcocks tunes over the years, from hearing them on Radcliffe and Maconie on a fairly regular basis (11 appearances on the Chain and counting) to record fairs, bargain compilation CD's but realistically to one song - Ever Fallen in Love.<br />
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I would love to claim (at 7) that I had fallen in love with the song in the Punk days, but I came to the song in the eighties through the Fine Young Cannibals cover, who were a fine band with whom I had a brief obsession. Listening back to the song it sounds quite pedestrian now, distinctive vocals from Roland Gift, but nothing more. But the song had got into my DNA.<br />
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Not sure when Buzzcocks came to the surface, but this is the version of the song that I leap to first in my mind, clicks up a pace, raw emotional, heart breaking, reflecting on a situation of young love. Blistering 3 minutes and 54 seconds. This probably surfaced again radically when, having heard about John Peels death a rerelease was made of the song with a cracking video reflecting on what Peely had meant to countless generations of music lovers. Now I had not sat under the covers listening to John Peels show back in my adolescence, but later, when Indie came to my life at Uni, his programmes, with their friendly enthusiastic approach suddenly made huge amounts of sense, and his later championing of bands like Pulp, Blur and the White Stripes aligned him to my colours.<br />
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The fantastic video is as below:<br />
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So it was largely this song that got me to part with the £18.00 plus all manner of booking fees and charges and to head over to Wolverhampton again. I was buoyed by the news from twitter that Bleech were supporting and the timings that were announced which got me to Slade rooms bright and breezy, missing bedtime story time with my boy in the process. Sadly on reaching the Slade rooms it turned out that Twitter had exaggerated the show times by half an hour (so I could have relaxed) and also Bleech were not the band Bleeched (who have a cracking single out at the moment) but a more grungey band, although I found I did have an album of theirs on the ipod so it wasn't all a loss.<br />
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With half an hour to spare I reviewed the best merchandise stall I have seen in a long time, T Shirts, Totes, Vinyl, badges catering for the crowd. This was a good point because its rare in this day and age that I see a crowd that that looks so tribal, but here we definitely had a huge number of 'ageing punks' with a number of Mohicans one indeed a red dredd mohican!<br />
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The venue filled up, to what is probably the fullest I have seen it in this 550 capacity venue, in fact my ticket was number 460 so it can't have been much off its capacity. Bleech gave an entertaining show, a couple of memorable numbers. The lead singer, be-hatted was pretty impressive, twirling her guitar with all enthusiastic rock posturing but then noticing the tiny hands producing the noise was a bit odd. The Drummer centre stage gave a good impression of Andrew WK with his moshing head action and stand out moment was in the final song 'Mondays' when getting to the end the lead singer screamed out 'Who's out there' to the silent audience (silent I believe due to the intensity rather than apathy, as everyone wasn't chatting) only for one wag to say pardon, another to say in broad yorkshire accent go on lass, to which a big beam broke across the face of Bleech and she came enthusiastically to an end of the set.<br />
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Listening back to the album nude now - its not a bad listen at all, I will have to revisit this one, must have passed me by at the time.<br />
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Another half an hour, refilled redstripe, accompanied by some of the most enthusiastic drumming checking of equipment. On shuffled the band, Pete Shelley in yellow sloganeered shirt, untucked around a medicine ball of a stomach. Steve Diggle tall with mod haircut, bright blue shirt and grey slacks. They were a band that looked chuffed to be there, heading off into a set with Boredom, Pete leading, which captured the crowd straight away, a crowd in the hottest venue in the UK at the moment. I had forgotten what heat felt like this winter/spring. Shortly after this came Autonomy, lead duties over to Diggle, enthusiasm ensued, whirling Who guitar arms and big beaming face (I did get quite a lot of Phil Tuffnell look alike vibes). That was the order of the gig, no banter, blistering tune after tune, band loved by audience, providing the songs that were desired. An hour later they wandered off, much applause, wandered back finishing with 4 songs, the last 3 being 'Ever Fallen in Love' which fulfilled my ambition, Orgasm Addict and Oh Shit!<br />
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At the end, the band didn't want to leave, Diggle shaking hands & hugging every member of the front row, the sundry members of the band lapping up the applause. For me, brilliant to see such a legendary band performing such a legendary song.<br />
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<br />The Physical Producthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00993228438596803151noreply@blogger.com0