Wednesday, 29 September 2010
Monday, 27 September 2010
The Devil And Daniel Johnston
I became a fan of Daniel Johnston's music after watching the 2006 documentary The Devil And Daniel Johnston. This details the history of his desire to be a successful musician and artist, his obsessive love for Laurie, who inspired so many of his songs, and the various other effects that his combination of talent and mental health problems have caused.
A major part of his fame has always been associated with his mental illness. But being a mentally ill musician is not the reason for his being famous.
He was signed to Atlantic Records, after a bidding war, while he was in a psychiatric hospital. A major impetus for this was the publicity caused when Kurt Cobain was photographed wearing a t-shirt with some of Daniel's artwork on it. That fact really tells the story behind his success I think. Other musicians, including a lot of famous ones, have always been fans.
This is partly because of his extreme self-belief and enthusism but it is fundamentally because they could see the potential in his songs. The songs have generally always sounded rough and sometimes frankly not good but when these songs are covered by famous fans of his work they appear as the hidden jewels they are.
In 2004 he released The Late Great Daniel Johnston: Discovered Covered. The first disc being covers and the second disc originals. Many artists over the years, including Beck, The Eels, Wilco, Pearl Jam, Sonic Youth, Mercury Rev, Sparklehorse, The Flaming Lips, Death Cab For Cutie, Bright Eyes and Tom waits, have covered his songs.
There's always a lot going on with Daniel. In October 2009 he released his first studio album in six years, a film is being made of his life intended for release in 2011, he has his own successful iphone app!, his art is shown in major galleries and he continues to tour (amongst other things).
So here now are some of his songs. A mixture of originals and covers.
A major part of his fame has always been associated with his mental illness. But being a mentally ill musician is not the reason for his being famous.
He was signed to Atlantic Records, after a bidding war, while he was in a psychiatric hospital. A major impetus for this was the publicity caused when Kurt Cobain was photographed wearing a t-shirt with some of Daniel's artwork on it. That fact really tells the story behind his success I think. Other musicians, including a lot of famous ones, have always been fans.
This is partly because of his extreme self-belief and enthusism but it is fundamentally because they could see the potential in his songs. The songs have generally always sounded rough and sometimes frankly not good but when these songs are covered by famous fans of his work they appear as the hidden jewels they are.
In 2004 he released The Late Great Daniel Johnston: Discovered Covered. The first disc being covers and the second disc originals. Many artists over the years, including Beck, The Eels, Wilco, Pearl Jam, Sonic Youth, Mercury Rev, Sparklehorse, The Flaming Lips, Death Cab For Cutie, Bright Eyes and Tom waits, have covered his songs.
There's always a lot going on with Daniel. In October 2009 he released his first studio album in six years, a film is being made of his life intended for release in 2011, he has his own successful iphone app!, his art is shown in major galleries and he continues to tour (amongst other things).
So here now are some of his songs. A mixture of originals and covers.
Wednesday, 22 September 2010
Band On The Run (and a trip to Lagos) reissued
After receiving The Gershwin Prize for Popular Song in June it's been announced that Paul McCartney will also be one of the five recipients of this years Kennedy Center Honours. This prestigious award "celebrates the careers of extaordinary artists". The chairman described McCartney as "one of the most influential and successful songwriters and musicians of all time, whose work has continuosly altered both the creation and perception of music all over the world."
So it's pretty darn good timing for the reissue, on November 1st in the UK and November 2nd in the US, of the "legendary" Wings album Band On The Run. This will be the first release from the Paul McCartney Archive Collection. Yes all 40 years worth will be getting a makeover.
It was originally recorded in the summer of 1973 in Lagos, Nigeria because Paul wanted to record somewhere abroad! Two band members left days before departure and the conditions were way less than ideal. They were also mugged at knifepoint and all the demos stolen. This meant that they had to record the whole thing from memory...wow.
Anyway it was released to much critical and commercial success. "The album topped the US album chart 3 separate times, won a Grammy and went on to sell more than 7 million copies," according to the official website...and I believe them.
If you go to the site you can get a free download of "A Trip To Lagos."
http://www.paulmccartney.com/
It also details the myriad versions of the reissue. Bogstandard up to Deluxe, with a big hardback book of photos and other stuff, and some versions with DVDs in between. Oh and there's also vinyl. Nice.
So now here's some tunes from Wings most successful album ever.
Band On The Run (original video)
Mrs Vanderbilt (live in Kiev. It was voted by a Ukrainian poll as their all time favourite Paul McCartney song)Really?!!!...Ok then...?! Maybe just skip to the next one.
Nineteen Hundred and Eighty Five
So it's pretty darn good timing for the reissue, on November 1st in the UK and November 2nd in the US, of the "legendary" Wings album Band On The Run. This will be the first release from the Paul McCartney Archive Collection. Yes all 40 years worth will be getting a makeover.
It was originally recorded in the summer of 1973 in Lagos, Nigeria because Paul wanted to record somewhere abroad! Two band members left days before departure and the conditions were way less than ideal. They were also mugged at knifepoint and all the demos stolen. This meant that they had to record the whole thing from memory...wow.
Anyway it was released to much critical and commercial success. "The album topped the US album chart 3 separate times, won a Grammy and went on to sell more than 7 million copies," according to the official website...and I believe them.
If you go to the site you can get a free download of "A Trip To Lagos."
http://www.paulmccartney.com/
It also details the myriad versions of the reissue. Bogstandard up to Deluxe, with a big hardback book of photos and other stuff, and some versions with DVDs in between. Oh and there's also vinyl. Nice.
So now here's some tunes from Wings most successful album ever.
Band On The Run (original video)
Mrs Vanderbilt (live in Kiev. It was voted by a Ukrainian poll as their all time favourite Paul McCartney song)Really?!!!...Ok then...?! Maybe just skip to the next one.
Nineteen Hundred and Eighty Five
Saturday, 18 September 2010
Friday, 17 September 2010
Wednesday, 15 September 2010
Big Crush on Rufus
I like Rufus Wainwright. I followed him round a Borders shop once (hoping to be noticed and for him to change his sexuality I suppose!) He looked very rock and roll. I saw him in concert a year later when he did the Judy Garland end of show stopper. I liked him even more after that.
The Son(s) on Radio 1 tonight
The Son(s) will be featured tonight on BBC Radio 1's (Scotland) Vic Galloway show. Listen in at midnight to hear the lovely and interesting Dogs, Boys & Men. Tonight they will be playing the radio friendly version.
So for now here's the other version. :)
Dogs, Boys & Men (BBC6 Mix) by The Son(s)
So for now here's the other version. :)
Dogs, Boys & Men (BBC6 Mix) by The Son(s)
Belle & Sebastian
Write About Love
Stevie Jackson and Bob Kildea, from Belle & Sebastian, played on The Vaselines new album Sex With An X and are now going to be touring with them. After writing about The Vaselines comeback yesterday I thought I'd have a look and listen to what their other group have been up to recently.
Belle & Sebastian was formed by Stuart Murdoch and Stuart David in Glasgow in 1996. Their first album, Tigermilk, was released the same year by Stow College label Electric Honey - yes a college. Only 1000 vinyl copies were made at the time. If you have one of the originals it could apparently be worth up to £400. It was later re-issued by Rough Trade Records when they signed with them.
Anyway, after recording in Los Angeles earlier this year the band will be releasing their 8th studio album, Write About Love, on the 11th of October. (12th in the US and Canada). The title track is the first single and came out on September 7th in the US but is not set to be released in the UK and everywhere else until October 25th.
You can have a listen to it at the bottom of this post where there are also a couple of their oldies.
For their upcoming tour dates and booking information go to:-
http://www.belleandsebastian.com/tour.php
Stevie Jackson and Bob Kildea, from Belle & Sebastian, played on The Vaselines new album Sex With An X and are now going to be touring with them. After writing about The Vaselines comeback yesterday I thought I'd have a look and listen to what their other group have been up to recently.
Belle & Sebastian was formed by Stuart Murdoch and Stuart David in Glasgow in 1996. Their first album, Tigermilk, was released the same year by Stow College label Electric Honey - yes a college. Only 1000 vinyl copies were made at the time. If you have one of the originals it could apparently be worth up to £400. It was later re-issued by Rough Trade Records when they signed with them.
Anyway, after recording in Los Angeles earlier this year the band will be releasing their 8th studio album, Write About Love, on the 11th of October. (12th in the US and Canada). The title track is the first single and came out on September 7th in the US but is not set to be released in the UK and everywhere else until October 25th.
You can have a listen to it at the bottom of this post where there are also a couple of their oldies.
For their upcoming tour dates and booking information go to:-
http://www.belleandsebastian.com/tour.php
Tuesday, 14 September 2010
It feels so good it must be bad for me
The Vaselines - Sex With An X (on Subpop)
I am a big Vaselines fan. The whole thing. The songs. The breaking up the day their debut album Dum-Dum was released. Their being one of Kurt Cobain's favourite bands. Eugene Kelly performing with Nirvana at the Reading Festival looking like a fan who's somehow managed to raid the stage.
Having seen various clips of them recently, looking fairly big in Japan, I'm very pleased that they have now released that notoriously difficult second album. Twenty-one years is way longer than even the Stone Roses took ,but, unlike The Second Coming, Sex With An X has avoided those difficulties and definitely delivers what a fan would want from them.
It was released yesterday in the UK and today (the 14th) in the US and Canada. According to their twitter site if you use the code PICKDEAL you can get $3.00 off if you buy it on Amazon.
Eugene Kelly and Frances McKee met in Glasgow, in the mid-1980's, on a bus on the way to school. They became boyfriend and girlfriend and later recorded two EPs and an album. They split in 1989. So it was possible to listen to their whole back catalogue in under an hour.
But that Nirvana link has always meant they've punched above their weight. Nirvana covered 3 of their songs - Molly's Lips, Jesus Doesn't Want Me For A Sunbeam and Son Of A Gun. They're not fed up yet with the references to it. "It's part of our history," Kelly says, "Nirvana covered our songs and put our music out into the world...The only thing I find funny is the comments people post on YouTube clips of us performing saying 'Why are they playing a Nirvana song?'"
They are performing the new songs for the first time tonight on Marc Riley's show on 6 Music. The 10 date UK tour starts at the Bongo Rooms in Edinburgh tomorrow and there will then be a tour of the US, Canada and Mexico.
So far my favourites on the album have been the title track Sex With An X, The Devil's Inside Me, Overweight But Over You - "hey I'm a fat man...I'm a fat man" - and Mouth to Mouth, which has a bit of a Jesus and Mary Chain vibe, but I try and find that everywhere...
Listen to the title track at the bottom of this post and to the whole thing on The Guardian's album stream.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/musicblog/2010/sep/09/vaselines-sex-x-album-stream
Here's Eugene Kelly at Reading. He says, "It was a weird experience, I didn't have my glasses on, so I just saw all these pink blobs - that was the audience. I was on a high from it for about a week afterwards."
Sex With An X by subpop
I am a big Vaselines fan. The whole thing. The songs. The breaking up the day their debut album Dum-Dum was released. Their being one of Kurt Cobain's favourite bands. Eugene Kelly performing with Nirvana at the Reading Festival looking like a fan who's somehow managed to raid the stage.
Having seen various clips of them recently, looking fairly big in Japan, I'm very pleased that they have now released that notoriously difficult second album. Twenty-one years is way longer than even the Stone Roses took ,but, unlike The Second Coming, Sex With An X has avoided those difficulties and definitely delivers what a fan would want from them.
It was released yesterday in the UK and today (the 14th) in the US and Canada. According to their twitter site if you use the code PICKDEAL you can get $3.00 off if you buy it on Amazon.
Eugene Kelly and Frances McKee met in Glasgow, in the mid-1980's, on a bus on the way to school. They became boyfriend and girlfriend and later recorded two EPs and an album. They split in 1989. So it was possible to listen to their whole back catalogue in under an hour.
But that Nirvana link has always meant they've punched above their weight. Nirvana covered 3 of their songs - Molly's Lips, Jesus Doesn't Want Me For A Sunbeam and Son Of A Gun. They're not fed up yet with the references to it. "It's part of our history," Kelly says, "Nirvana covered our songs and put our music out into the world...The only thing I find funny is the comments people post on YouTube clips of us performing saying 'Why are they playing a Nirvana song?'"
They are performing the new songs for the first time tonight on Marc Riley's show on 6 Music. The 10 date UK tour starts at the Bongo Rooms in Edinburgh tomorrow and there will then be a tour of the US, Canada and Mexico.
So far my favourites on the album have been the title track Sex With An X, The Devil's Inside Me, Overweight But Over You - "hey I'm a fat man...I'm a fat man" - and Mouth to Mouth, which has a bit of a Jesus and Mary Chain vibe, but I try and find that everywhere...
Listen to the title track at the bottom of this post and to the whole thing on The Guardian's album stream.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/musicblog/2010/sep/09/vaselines-sex-x-album-stream
Here's Eugene Kelly at Reading. He says, "It was a weird experience, I didn't have my glasses on, so I just saw all these pink blobs - that was the audience. I was on a high from it for about a week afterwards."
Sex With An X by subpop
Monday, 13 September 2010
Friday, 10 September 2010
A cover and an original by Joshua Vizor... "as underground as a vole (when under the ground)"
Lotta Love (Neil Young cover) by Joshua Vizor.
I Do Adore by Joshua Vizor.
Myspace - joshuavizor
http://www.last.fm/music/Joshua+Vizor
I Do Adore by Joshua Vizor.
Myspace - joshuavizor
http://www.last.fm/music/Joshua+Vizor
Thursday, 9 September 2010
What's so good about the good old days is that the memories fade
ALBUM REVIEW
Thanks for the CDs Darren - I liked them so much I thought I'd write a review :)))
This week I've been listening (a lot) to Hit or Miss (2006) and My Blacks Don't Match (2009) by The Key Party - a "subversive lounge act from New York City." I enjoyed Hit or Miss very much but on My Blacks Don't Match they have developed their vocal style, music and lyrics really interestingly.
Both albums have a great New York sound with elements of Lou Reed and David Byrne. There is also a David Bowie and Tom Waits vibe. The Tom Waits sound can be great but I'm not always keen on his voice. The Key Party has that but with Darren Gaines vocals - which I much prefer.
If you're a fan of any of the above I'm sure you'll enjoy The Key Party.
On Hit or Miss I particularly liked - Born Permanently Cool, Sideshow, Manhattan Song and To Begin Again.
My Blacks Don't Match is my 2nd favourite title at the moment. The 1st being oh fuck...we've got cats by my very talented space opera buddy m3d1um. Who is available for your listening pleasure on SoundCloud.
On MBDM Nightshade, Hey Napoleon, Speechless, and Hallelujahville were my favourite tracks.
Here's one from each album...
To Begin Again by The Key Party
Hey Napoleon by The Key Party
info@thekeypartynyc.com
Myspace.com/thekeypartynyc
http://thekeypartynyc.com
Thanks for the CDs Darren - I liked them so much I thought I'd write a review :)))
This week I've been listening (a lot) to Hit or Miss (2006) and My Blacks Don't Match (2009) by The Key Party - a "subversive lounge act from New York City." I enjoyed Hit or Miss very much but on My Blacks Don't Match they have developed their vocal style, music and lyrics really interestingly.
Both albums have a great New York sound with elements of Lou Reed and David Byrne. There is also a David Bowie and Tom Waits vibe. The Tom Waits sound can be great but I'm not always keen on his voice. The Key Party has that but with Darren Gaines vocals - which I much prefer.
If you're a fan of any of the above I'm sure you'll enjoy The Key Party.
On Hit or Miss I particularly liked - Born Permanently Cool, Sideshow, Manhattan Song and To Begin Again.
My Blacks Don't Match is my 2nd favourite title at the moment. The 1st being oh fuck...we've got cats by my very talented space opera buddy m3d1um. Who is available for your listening pleasure on SoundCloud.
On MBDM Nightshade, Hey Napoleon, Speechless, and Hallelujahville were my favourite tracks.
Here's one from each album...
To Begin Again by The Key Party
Hey Napoleon by The Key Party
info@thekeypartynyc.com
Myspace.com/thekeypartynyc
http://thekeypartynyc.com
Wednesday, 8 September 2010
Saturday, 4 September 2010
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