THE voice behind The Beautiful South and The Housemartins has told why he has turned his back on the Labour Party.
Speaking ahead of a gig at the Koko in Camden Town (April 1), singer Paul Heaton warned Labour was putting up “no opposition” to Conservative policy of cutting public spending.
“It’s a very similar situation to the 1980s, a worse situation now, there’s no opposition. With Thatcher there was opposition from trade unions, people and Labour,” he said.
“I haven’t voted for Labour since Neil Kinnock in 1993. I didn’t vote for Tony Blair in 97, I was proud of it because I had the vision to realise he was a scumbag right from the start. Gradually, since then Labour has been taken over by a Miliband tendency – who have got their eyes on a different prize, who are just free market apologists. I find it impossible. I can’t find anything they say inspiring because they’ve got one eye on the market.”
Heaton, whose bands stormed the charts with songs like Happy Hour, said: “What worries me most is that the argument against cuts is being lost. It’s being seen as something we have to do.
“England in 1945 was in a much worse state in terms of the infrastructure of the country and the debt and we built the welfare state and invested money in people and jobs.
“This time, the argument has been lost because of the failure of Labour to say this is not the case, we can invest in people again and we can spend our way – not stupidly – and survive it without making cuts. But their only opposition is we’re making the cuts too quickly, that’s all they’re saying.
“Unfortunately Labour has control of the Left and is still patronising the Left.
“The Labour Party needs to be told, along with the Liberal Party and the Conservatives, that they’re non-representative of anybody other than the business class.”
Showing posts with label Koko. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Koko. Show all posts
Saturday, 26 March 2011
Friday, 21 January 2011
ROCK 'N ROLL MAYOR'S A HIT, SHHHH FOR THE MUSIC + MILES KANE AT XFM ALL-DAYER
SOUNDS like Mayor of Camden Jonathan Simpson and his consort Amy Lamé were such a hit as guest DJs at Barfly’s Casino Royale birthday celebrations that there are already talks to bring them back. Casino Royal promoter and DJ Jeff Automatic was so impressed with their talents that he’s also considering taking them on tour to clubs around Europe – as ambassadors of Camden – you heard it here first.
What did they play on the night? The Smiths, The Beastie Boys, Suede, Iggy and the Stooges and much more. Apparently the band room – more used to groupies – was packed with councillors pre-set, not so rock ‘n roll.
• Saturday’s such a busy day it’s almost impossible to decide what to do.
Admirers of quiet music bite your tongue for the Shhh Festival at Cecil Sharp House. The bands are not always low key, but the audience is expected to keep schtum and a special team of shushers will be there to ensure hush. The all-day programme features more than 20 acts including a rare appearance from Mogwai’s Stuart Braithwaite, Still Corners and Lewis & Clarke.
More info from www.thelineofbestfit.com/2010/01/shhh-cecil-sharp-house-london
• Another feast of music on Saturday is Barfly’s XfM X-Posure all-dayer, featuring the wonderful Miles Kane, Clock Opera, The Brute Chorus, Lail Arad and many more promising acts, handpicked by DJ John Kennedy. Worth a visit.
• For something a little more far out, geographically and musically, how about Stoke Newington International Airport. A night of heavy experimental music from members of a bunch of bands including Red Snapper, Three Trapped Tigers, The Heritage Orchestra, and Kandinsky – all for £5.
• I would love Bruno Mars to leave my radio alone but for those who don’t feel the same, the Brit nominee plays Cafe de Paris on Monday (Jan 24) and Koko (March 13 & 14).
What did they play on the night? The Smiths, The Beastie Boys, Suede, Iggy and the Stooges and much more. Apparently the band room – more used to groupies – was packed with councillors pre-set, not so rock ‘n roll.
• Saturday’s such a busy day it’s almost impossible to decide what to do.
Admirers of quiet music bite your tongue for the Shhh Festival at Cecil Sharp House. The bands are not always low key, but the audience is expected to keep schtum and a special team of shushers will be there to ensure hush. The all-day programme features more than 20 acts including a rare appearance from Mogwai’s Stuart Braithwaite, Still Corners and Lewis & Clarke.
More info from www.thelineofbestfit.com/2010/01/shhh-cecil-sharp-house-london
• Another feast of music on Saturday is Barfly’s XfM X-Posure all-dayer, featuring the wonderful Miles Kane, Clock Opera, The Brute Chorus, Lail Arad and many more promising acts, handpicked by DJ John Kennedy. Worth a visit.
• For something a little more far out, geographically and musically, how about Stoke Newington International Airport. A night of heavy experimental music from members of a bunch of bands including Red Snapper, Three Trapped Tigers, The Heritage Orchestra, and Kandinsky – all for £5.
• I would love Bruno Mars to leave my radio alone but for those who don’t feel the same, the Brit nominee plays Cafe de Paris on Monday (Jan 24) and Koko (March 13 & 14).
Thursday, 16 December 2010
THE BEES ARE BACK
THE Bees have been quietly plugging away for some years now.
But just because the former Mercury Prize nominees are not crazed tabloid headline-grabbers doesn’t mean they haven’t got something worth listening to.
In fact, it is this very reason, their understated nature, which has attracted just the right amount of attention from those who know what they are looking for.
Take the fact that they have just come off tour supporting Paul Weller at a series of venues that almost all seem to have “arena” in the title.
That’s the kind of gig a good band wants and they got it.
And as with all good bands, there has to be a bit of drama, a label change, a long gap between albums and a few utterances about new freedoms and so they have returned, having fulfilled these important clichés.
It’s been three years since their last album Octopus and the band, which headlines Koko tomorrow (Friday), is sounding very pleased with their decision to work with label Fiction.
Fourth album, Every Step’s A Yes, was released on Fiction in October and has been nominated for the iTunes editor’s Album of the Year.
According to singer and songwriter Paul Butler, the label is in touch daily with new ideas and ways of doing things.
Aaron Fletcher another of the band’s multi talents (songwriter, guitarist, bass player), said: “It’s like starting all over again. Only now we’ve got loads of fans and people who love us. And our own studio. And an amazing label.”
The album’s a smiley, happy effort, mainly made up of uplifting guitars, psychedelic sitar twists and folksy harmonies – a cosy antidote to December’s freeze, with a more mature feel than previous efforts.
This may be something to do with how they have spent their time over the past three years.
Paul and Aaron stopped sharing a house, which seems to have sparked a new wave of enthusiasm and inspiration, they have played alongside Pink Floyd and Paul spent some time in LA working with eclectic – and definitely eccentric – folk-singer/artist Devendra Banhart.
This summer they played Glastonbury, naturally hailed among the best gigs they’ve ever done, but it’s really the decision to split from former label that they credit with their new creativity.
Since breaking from the traditional write, rehearse, record, tour routine, they have had the time to work at their own speed, which seems to have given their brains some time to ferment.
The result was that everything slowed down, the boys chilled out and the band found the confidence to really develop the kind of songs they had always wanted to write.
“The last two albums were exercises in creative writing,” said Paul. “These songs are all much more emotionally direct. I was thinking of those Joe Boyd productions – Nick Drake and Fairport Convention, Incredible String Band, John and Beverley Martyn.”
You get the picture.
I leave you with a little-known fact – The Bees are known as A Band of Bees in America.
The Bees single Winter Rose is out on December 20.
But just because the former Mercury Prize nominees are not crazed tabloid headline-grabbers doesn’t mean they haven’t got something worth listening to.
In fact, it is this very reason, their understated nature, which has attracted just the right amount of attention from those who know what they are looking for.
Take the fact that they have just come off tour supporting Paul Weller at a series of venues that almost all seem to have “arena” in the title.
That’s the kind of gig a good band wants and they got it.
And as with all good bands, there has to be a bit of drama, a label change, a long gap between albums and a few utterances about new freedoms and so they have returned, having fulfilled these important clichés.
It’s been three years since their last album Octopus and the band, which headlines Koko tomorrow (Friday), is sounding very pleased with their decision to work with label Fiction.
Fourth album, Every Step’s A Yes, was released on Fiction in October and has been nominated for the iTunes editor’s Album of the Year.
According to singer and songwriter Paul Butler, the label is in touch daily with new ideas and ways of doing things.
Aaron Fletcher another of the band’s multi talents (songwriter, guitarist, bass player), said: “It’s like starting all over again. Only now we’ve got loads of fans and people who love us. And our own studio. And an amazing label.”
The album’s a smiley, happy effort, mainly made up of uplifting guitars, psychedelic sitar twists and folksy harmonies – a cosy antidote to December’s freeze, with a more mature feel than previous efforts.
This may be something to do with how they have spent their time over the past three years.
Paul and Aaron stopped sharing a house, which seems to have sparked a new wave of enthusiasm and inspiration, they have played alongside Pink Floyd and Paul spent some time in LA working with eclectic – and definitely eccentric – folk-singer/artist Devendra Banhart.
This summer they played Glastonbury, naturally hailed among the best gigs they’ve ever done, but it’s really the decision to split from former label that they credit with their new creativity.
Since breaking from the traditional write, rehearse, record, tour routine, they have had the time to work at their own speed, which seems to have given their brains some time to ferment.
The result was that everything slowed down, the boys chilled out and the band found the confidence to really develop the kind of songs they had always wanted to write.
“The last two albums were exercises in creative writing,” said Paul. “These songs are all much more emotionally direct. I was thinking of those Joe Boyd productions – Nick Drake and Fairport Convention, Incredible String Band, John and Beverley Martyn.”
You get the picture.
I leave you with a little-known fact – The Bees are known as A Band of Bees in America.
The Bees single Winter Rose is out on December 20.
Friday, 29 October 2010
BREAKBOT'S ON THE MOVE AGAIN
FIVE years ago Thibaut Berland was a successful animator, toiling away on big screen CG hits such as director Luc Besson’s children’s movie Arthur and the Invisibles.
Nowadays he’s an internationally renowned electro DJ, jetsetting around the world, hiding behind his long hair and going by the name of Breakbot.
As we speak he’s leaving Paris to play Hamburg and Berlin before heading to the UK to play a heavyweight electro set for the audience at Koko (November 6).
Also playing are some equally magnetic names – French electro-house superstar Sebastian, Reverend and the Makers side project Reverend Sound System, Eddy Temple-Morris and Tom Bellamy’s collaboration as Losers, electro funk punk specialists Punks Jump Up and east-London dance-pop trio Chew Lips.
Breakbot said: “I’ll do my best to make people dance and have a good time. I’m coming with Sebastian. I’m very happy to play alongside him. We’re doing separate sets but maybe we’ll do a little piece together.”
He may have left his animation behind for now but he’s making the most of his girlfriend’s artistic talents.
Director and artist Irina Dakeva had a heavy hand in artwork for Breakbot’s single covers and created the animated video to his single Baby I’m Yours.
He said: “I have total trust in her skills. I know she makes things really fresh. We’ve been together a long time. We’re going to try and make something out of the video for the live show.”
He’s played London many times and said: “I like UK audiences, they know about music. That’s not always the case in Europe. The UK really has a strong indication of music because so many bands come from there and change a lot of things in pop music.”
Breakbot’s as known for his remixes as his own work.
His secret remix wish, he confesses, would be....Beyonce, not a natural progression from his slightly less obvious back catalogue, which includes Late of the Pier, Digitalism, Sebastian Tellier and Röyksopp.
He said: “If Beyonce asked me, I would accept . I love Crazy In Love and all the stuff from the album You.”
He doesn’t pick the remixes, people request them, he says, adding: “When I think I can make something I decide to do it. When the vocals are good I say yes. I’m also working on my own album to be released next year.”
Breakbot, who graduated from the School of Graphic Supinfocom, was working on graphics at home but turned to music in his spare time.
He said: “Sometimes when I was fed up with my work I tried to have fun. One day in 2005 I made a MySpace page and made contacts from that. Then I did some gigs. It all started with MySpace and three years later Ed Banger (records) contacted me. It went all like that very naturally. I never thought I would be making music as a career one day. Since I began this job I’m very happy because I think it’s one of the best jobs in the world. I never expected to do this. I’m just trying to make the best of it, have fun and try not to make people sad around me.”
Nowadays he’s an internationally renowned electro DJ, jetsetting around the world, hiding behind his long hair and going by the name of Breakbot.
As we speak he’s leaving Paris to play Hamburg and Berlin before heading to the UK to play a heavyweight electro set for the audience at Koko (November 6).
Also playing are some equally magnetic names – French electro-house superstar Sebastian, Reverend and the Makers side project Reverend Sound System, Eddy Temple-Morris and Tom Bellamy’s collaboration as Losers, electro funk punk specialists Punks Jump Up and east-London dance-pop trio Chew Lips.
Breakbot said: “I’ll do my best to make people dance and have a good time. I’m coming with Sebastian. I’m very happy to play alongside him. We’re doing separate sets but maybe we’ll do a little piece together.”
He may have left his animation behind for now but he’s making the most of his girlfriend’s artistic talents.
Director and artist Irina Dakeva had a heavy hand in artwork for Breakbot’s single covers and created the animated video to his single Baby I’m Yours.
He said: “I have total trust in her skills. I know she makes things really fresh. We’ve been together a long time. We’re going to try and make something out of the video for the live show.”
He’s played London many times and said: “I like UK audiences, they know about music. That’s not always the case in Europe. The UK really has a strong indication of music because so many bands come from there and change a lot of things in pop music.”
Breakbot’s as known for his remixes as his own work.
His secret remix wish, he confesses, would be....Beyonce, not a natural progression from his slightly less obvious back catalogue, which includes Late of the Pier, Digitalism, Sebastian Tellier and Röyksopp.
He said: “If Beyonce asked me, I would accept . I love Crazy In Love and all the stuff from the album You.”
He doesn’t pick the remixes, people request them, he says, adding: “When I think I can make something I decide to do it. When the vocals are good I say yes. I’m also working on my own album to be released next year.”
Breakbot, who graduated from the School of Graphic Supinfocom, was working on graphics at home but turned to music in his spare time.
He said: “Sometimes when I was fed up with my work I tried to have fun. One day in 2005 I made a MySpace page and made contacts from that. Then I did some gigs. It all started with MySpace and three years later Ed Banger (records) contacted me. It went all like that very naturally. I never thought I would be making music as a career one day. Since I began this job I’m very happy because I think it’s one of the best jobs in the world. I never expected to do this. I’m just trying to make the best of it, have fun and try not to make people sad around me.”
Friday, 8 October 2010
WHAT HAVE ELTON JOHN, ROBERT PLANT AND NEIL DIAMOND GOT IN COMMON? ROUNDHOUSE ELECTRICS!
I’VE made my point on this page before but what has happened to the Electric Proms?
Firstly, it’s been rebranded BBC Radio 2 Electric Proms (Oct 28-30) – the organisers have made that very clear to all Press.
The greatest show I ever saw at the Proms was Africa Express. It had been a Proms staple but last year mysteriously dropped off the bill.
Firstly, it’s been rebranded BBC Radio 2 Electric Proms (Oct 28-30) – the organisers have made that very clear to all Press.
Secondly the headliners – Elton John, Robert Plant and Neil Diamond – are all only slightly one side or the other of claiming their pensions.
Thirdly, we all fought to save BBC 6 Music, they had their own section to the Proms last year but by Radio 2 taking over, we’ve lost that edge.
The greatest news about this year’s line-up, whose most likely highly varied followers would class as legends in their own special way, is that a restricted number of £5 tickets will be released in the weeks leading up to the festival.
Don’t bank on these but for those who do snap them up, this will be a once-in-a-lifetime experience...of sorts.
Now this is not an ageist page. In fact Robert Plant featured here a couple of weeks ago when he played Kentish Town’s Forum, and Led Zep remnants are always welcome here, but this is more about the lack of
new blood, and, at risk of sounding like a council flyer for youth services – diversity.
Radio 2 may be a part of the establishment but it does also feature good new music – just this weekend Dermot O’Leary played Villagers on his show. So why keep it so limited?
This year’s Proms will include a tiny sprinkling of younger pop acts – Plan B and Rumer will join Elton and Plant gets the London Oriana Choir (Oct 29).
But the Electric Proms tagline was always “creating new moments in music”.
There’s no doubt Elton, launching the show on Thursday (Oct 28) will put on a good show, and he’s a master at collaborations so there’ll definitely be some surprises but how is this going to work with Neil Diamond?
The greatest news about this year’s line-up, whose most likely highly varied followers would class as legends in their own special way, is that a restricted number of £5 tickets will be released in the weeks leading up to the festival.
Don’t bank on these but for those who do snap them up, this will be a once-in-a-lifetime experience...of sorts.
Now this is not an ageist page. In fact Robert Plant featured here a couple of weeks ago when he played Kentish Town’s Forum, and Led Zep remnants are always welcome here, but this is more about the lack of
new blood, and, at risk of sounding like a council flyer for youth services – diversity.
Radio 2 may be a part of the establishment but it does also feature good new music – just this weekend Dermot O’Leary played Villagers on his show. So why keep it so limited?
This year’s Proms will include a tiny sprinkling of younger pop acts – Plan B and Rumer will join Elton and Plant gets the London Oriana Choir (Oct 29).
But the Electric Proms tagline was always “creating new moments in music”.
There’s no doubt Elton, launching the show on Thursday (Oct 28) will put on a good show, and he’s a master at collaborations so there’ll definitely be some surprises but how is this going to work with Neil Diamond?
The greatest show I ever saw at the Proms was Africa Express. It had been a Proms staple but last year mysteriously dropped off the bill.
Africa Express really defined the Electric Proms – a world away from the stuffy flag-waving crowd at the traditional Proms, it featured more than 100 artists of every discipline and background, crammed on Koko’s stage, jamming and experimenting like true musicians at the greatest party ever.
In 2008, it was Damon Albarn who brought it together and he’s been touring with various incarnations ever since.
It’s just a shame we don’t get it in Camden anymore.
This is not supposed to be a major moan about the Electric Proms.
Where else will you get the chance to see Elton at such close quarters for only £25?
He’ll be joining his idol Leon Russell to play tracks from new album The Union but the classics will be there too.
And how will Plant create his “new moments” with the choir?
Sure Neil Diamond will attract some older fans but also that irritating contingent who danced/drank/hooked up/staggered home to “I’m a Believer” and ”Sweet Caroline” at every university summer ball/formal etc. Sadly Neil, you’re responsible for too many bad memories.
As no other acts have been announced to join him, it would appear he will be making his new moments by himself. If none do materialise, it might be fair to say the concept’s becoming a myth.
He’s promising to play songs from his new album as well as old favourites so maybe he can redeem himself.
The good news is the whole thing will be broadcast on Radio 2 for those who miss it, presented by Bob Harris (any excuse to hear more of Harris’ voice is very welcome).
Performances will be broadcast on BBC 2 with the prefix A Night With...you fill in the gap.
• Tickets for the R2 Electric Proms, are £25 from www.bbc.co.uk/radio2.
• A restricted number of £5 tickets will be released in the weeks leading up to the festival.
In 2008, it was Damon Albarn who brought it together and he’s been touring with various incarnations ever since.
It’s just a shame we don’t get it in Camden anymore.
This is not supposed to be a major moan about the Electric Proms.
Where else will you get the chance to see Elton at such close quarters for only £25?
He’ll be joining his idol Leon Russell to play tracks from new album The Union but the classics will be there too.
And how will Plant create his “new moments” with the choir?
Sure Neil Diamond will attract some older fans but also that irritating contingent who danced/drank/hooked up/staggered home to “I’m a Believer” and ”Sweet Caroline” at every university summer ball/formal etc. Sadly Neil, you’re responsible for too many bad memories.
As no other acts have been announced to join him, it would appear he will be making his new moments by himself. If none do materialise, it might be fair to say the concept’s becoming a myth.
He’s promising to play songs from his new album as well as old favourites so maybe he can redeem himself.
The good news is the whole thing will be broadcast on Radio 2 for those who miss it, presented by Bob Harris (any excuse to hear more of Harris’ voice is very welcome).
Performances will be broadcast on BBC 2 with the prefix A Night With...you fill in the gap.
• Tickets for the R2 Electric Proms, are £25 from www.bbc.co.uk/radio2.
• A restricted number of £5 tickets will be released in the weeks leading up to the festival.
Thursday, 9 September 2010
TOP FIVES READY FOR AMOEBA MUSIC, JIM MORRISON'S CADILLAC NIGHT, BLACK PANTHERS TRIBUTE + DEVLIN HITS CAMDEN
BACK in the UK doesn’t quite have the same ring as Back in the USSR, and much less romanticism, but, sadly, that’s where I am.
So I promise this is my last mention of my Californian musical trail, which until now had pretty much failed. Yes I saw Earth, Wind & Fire, and though I couldn’t tell which were the original members, they were reasonably fun. Shame about the atrocious dancing from certain sections of the crowd. I also managed to stay in the Cadillac Hotel in LA, where I hear Jim Morrison once jammed and Charlie Chaplain used to live. No trace of that history now, just pleasant rooms and grimy beach surroundings.
But the highlight of the trip must have been visiting Amoeba Music in San Francisco’s Haight-Ashbury district. Occupying a former bowling alley, it is said to be the world’s largest independent music store and it’s massive.
I spent hours trawling through the records and found a lovely rare recording of songs by my LA psychedelia heroes, Love.
It felt just like being in a giant version of High Fidelity, or maybe Empire Records. Now where's my top five list....?
• Speaking of Haight-Ashbury, the band of the same name support The Vaselines at Scala (September 22).
• Here’s a good one – Tongues on Fire: a tribute to the Black Panthers takes place at the Barbican on Saturday (September 11). Described as a “unique musical tribute to the cultural influence of 1960s African-American radicals the Black Panthers”, The Roots, The Last Poets and Doctor L are among the talent on the bill.
• Recent Record of the Week appearance, Dagenham MC Devlin’s making two appearances in Camden in October. He supports Example at Koko (October 12) and headlines Underworld (October 28). I only hope he brings Giggs along.
So I promise this is my last mention of my Californian musical trail, which until now had pretty much failed. Yes I saw Earth, Wind & Fire, and though I couldn’t tell which were the original members, they were reasonably fun. Shame about the atrocious dancing from certain sections of the crowd. I also managed to stay in the Cadillac Hotel in LA, where I hear Jim Morrison once jammed and Charlie Chaplain used to live. No trace of that history now, just pleasant rooms and grimy beach surroundings.
But the highlight of the trip must have been visiting Amoeba Music in San Francisco’s Haight-Ashbury district. Occupying a former bowling alley, it is said to be the world’s largest independent music store and it’s massive.
I spent hours trawling through the records and found a lovely rare recording of songs by my LA psychedelia heroes, Love.
It felt just like being in a giant version of High Fidelity, or maybe Empire Records. Now where's my top five list....?
• Speaking of Haight-Ashbury, the band of the same name support The Vaselines at Scala (September 22).
• Here’s a good one – Tongues on Fire: a tribute to the Black Panthers takes place at the Barbican on Saturday (September 11). Described as a “unique musical tribute to the cultural influence of 1960s African-American radicals the Black Panthers”, The Roots, The Last Poets and Doctor L are among the talent on the bill.
• Recent Record of the Week appearance, Dagenham MC Devlin’s making two appearances in Camden in October. He supports Example at Koko (October 12) and headlines Underworld (October 28). I only hope he brings Giggs along.
Saturday, 28 August 2010
SAN FRANCISCO LIFE, CARNIVAL WITH MAN LIKE ME, WIN TICKETS FOR BRANDON FLOWERS & TRICKY HITS KOKO
“IF YOU’RE going to San Francisco...,” you must be me! Sorry I can’t bring you any deeply thought-out Alistair Cooke type Letter From America – I’m more like Sesame Street’s Alistair Cookie.
So far all I’ve discovered musically in SF is, there are a lot of open-air jazz bands around and I hear Snoop Dogg played somewhere near on Sunday. Smoking is violently disapproved of here, the smell of cannabis is everywhere but so far the hippies have evaded me.
• One of the finest live bands around, Camden’s smile-inspiring Man Like Me, join an all-day cast of live music at The Old Queen’s Head, Essex Road, on Sunday (3pm-3am). King Charles, Josh Weller and
SixNationState complete the bill and it’s free before 8pm.
• Fans of The Killers might like to know frontman Brandon Flowers plays a special gig at Relentless Garage (Sept 8). The only catch is there are only 200 tickets and you have to pre-order his album from HMV through the venue’s website by Wednesday (Sept 1). Good luck.
• Ready for Carnival? What about the vital after-party? Reggae Roast is promising to throw the biggest Roots Reggae party in the capital at the Big Chill House (Aug 29) with BBQ and Carnival vibes through the night with Manasseh feat Charjan, Moodie & Exel, Ramon Judah, Louis Slipperz and Dub Hunter. Course that’s just till 3am, you’ve still got the rest of the night to play with.
• Tricky – responsible for one of my all time favourite albums, Maxinquaye – plays Koko (Sept 22) to promote album Mixed Race. Ever evolving, I don’t expect a return to the suffocating headiness of
Maxinquaye but it’s sure to be an unpredictable evening.
So far all I’ve discovered musically in SF is, there are a lot of open-air jazz bands around and I hear Snoop Dogg played somewhere near on Sunday. Smoking is violently disapproved of here, the smell of cannabis is everywhere but so far the hippies have evaded me.
• One of the finest live bands around, Camden’s smile-inspiring Man Like Me, join an all-day cast of live music at The Old Queen’s Head, Essex Road, on Sunday (3pm-3am). King Charles, Josh Weller and
SixNationState complete the bill and it’s free before 8pm.
• Fans of The Killers might like to know frontman Brandon Flowers plays a special gig at Relentless Garage (Sept 8). The only catch is there are only 200 tickets and you have to pre-order his album from HMV through the venue’s website by Wednesday (Sept 1). Good luck.
• Ready for Carnival? What about the vital after-party? Reggae Roast is promising to throw the biggest Roots Reggae party in the capital at the Big Chill House (Aug 29) with BBQ and Carnival vibes through the night with Manasseh feat Charjan, Moodie & Exel, Ramon Judah, Louis Slipperz and Dub Hunter. Course that’s just till 3am, you’ve still got the rest of the night to play with.
• Tricky – responsible for one of my all time favourite albums, Maxinquaye – plays Koko (Sept 22) to promote album Mixed Race. Ever evolving, I don’t expect a return to the suffocating headiness of
Maxinquaye but it’s sure to be an unpredictable evening.
Thursday, 5 August 2010
DEATH BECOMES HIM - A RARE INTERVIEW WITH ELUSIVE FRENCH HOUSE DJ KAVINSKY
SEARCH for French house DJ Kavinsky online and you'll find thousands of results but interviews with the elusive artist are rare.
Not that this was a stumbling block for Tutankarbon, who has managed to pin down this mysterious musician for an exclusive chat about his forthcoming appearance at Koko, touring with Daft Punk and his zombie alter-ego.
The zombie story was more a product of an overactive imagination and a life watching movies than real-life experience.
He said: “I never actually had an accident, it’s just a story I imagined. I don’t want to put myself on magazines or internet blogs. I’m not a big fan of when you present an artist and put his face between his music.”
Not that this was a stumbling block for Tutankarbon, who has managed to pin down this mysterious musician for an exclusive chat about his forthcoming appearance at Koko, touring with Daft Punk and his zombie alter-ego.
The story goes that Kavinsky died when his Ferarri Testarossa crashed in 1986. His resurrection as a zombie nine years later began his stellar house music career.
But behind this persona – a creation of a mind obsessed with animation, B-movies, comics and their soundtracks – is a shy man, who doesn't like his face in the Press.
Don't let his mad enthusiasm for life, his talk of owning a Testarossa or the fact that he speaks a million miles a second fool you.
In real life, Kavinsky has simple tastes: “I don’t want a Testarossa. It’s too expensive – not even for the car, just for the gas it’s too crazy to move the 500m I do each day. It’s not very useful. I have a vespa. It’s night blue. I'm very simple.”
The zombie story was more a product of an overactive imagination and a life watching movies than real-life experience.
He said: “I never actually had an accident, it’s just a story I imagined. I don’t want to put myself on magazines or internet blogs. I’m not a big fan of when you present an artist and put his face between his music.”
Images of Kavinsky are rare, Press pics are comic-style drawings – he prefers listeners to pay attention to his music.
He said: “It's not my style. That’s why I want to create a character, to not be that kind of stupid thing that I really don’t like. Even for interviews...I feel quite shy a little bit.”
He said: “It's not my style. That’s why I want to create a character, to not be that kind of stupid thing that I really don’t like. Even for interviews...I feel quite shy a little bit.”
The small portrait that can be gleaned of Kavinsky's real-life story is that he was born Vincent Belorgey in 1975, in a suburb outside Paris, and has two siblings. At school he was the outsider, gave his teachers a bit of trouble, and was addicted to computer games.
He said: “I used to do a lot of it when I was 15. I’d spend three days with windows closed, no eating, just playing. I'd be like a very crazy man. Now I’m finished. I just go out with my friends.”
He said: “I used to do a lot of it when I was 15. I’d spend three days with windows closed, no eating, just playing. I'd be like a very crazy man. Now I’m finished. I just go out with my friends.”
So is he well-behaved? “I’m trying, if you ask my friends they can say no but I’m trying to be safe each day. It’s tough work. I’m not very calm, I’m very speed.”
Kavinsky plays Koko on August 15, at The Playground, alongside Kap Bambino, Autokratz, Is Tropical, TeenagersinTokyo, Punx Soundcheck and Rubicks.
But now he's finishing his first album.
He said: “I'm never satisfied. I'm fed up. The worst is the end. I dream about these last minutes when I can say it’s finished. I’m trying to do an album which is like a soundtrack for a fake movie which doesn’t exist. Each track is like a movie, a story about the zombie. I discovered the music of some soundtracks from Dario Argento like Phenomena and that’s what made me try to do this for myself.”
But now he's finishing his first album.
He said: “I'm never satisfied. I'm fed up. The worst is the end. I dream about these last minutes when I can say it’s finished. I’m trying to do an album which is like a soundtrack for a fake movie which doesn’t exist. Each track is like a movie, a story about the zombie. I discovered the music of some soundtracks from Dario Argento like Phenomena and that’s what made me try to do this for myself.”
He recently toured with Daft Punk. He said: “What I learned from them is modesty, just seeing how famous they are and how modest they are at the same time. They are completely not divas, very talented. The two
most great people I’ve met for now. Thomas is always saying something. He always has good advice about music, he knows a lot about everything, which is always cool to hear. Guy-Manuel is more shy. After that we decided to do a track, it’s very good working with them.”
He added: “I’m happy to come back to London and I’m quite curious to see Koko.”
most great people I’ve met for now. Thomas is always saying something. He always has good advice about music, he knows a lot about everything, which is always cool to hear. Guy-Manuel is more shy. After that we decided to do a track, it’s very good working with them.”
He added: “I’m happy to come back to London and I’m quite curious to see Koko.”
Monday, 26 July 2010
KOKO'S SECRET STASH OF STRIPEY CARDIES, ROBERT PLANT'S GOLD TOUCH + THE RETURN OF MS DYNAMITE
NEXT time you’re racking your brains over where you left your favourite neon stripey cardigan after a night out, check the nearest British Heart Foundation charity shop. Turns out Koko donates all lost property there every two weeks so it’s sure to be a haven of cool-kid garb – just one fact I discovered in the smallprint of a press release about Koko being named London’s most environmentally friendly venue. Even the new roof terrace has been laid with rubber tiles from 6,600 reclaimed truck and car tyres. At least you won’t worry about getting struck by lightning.
• For some, Led Zeppelin can’t be touched and their memory must be preserved intact at all costs and left in peace. For others, anything associated with Led Zep is gilded in gold. If you’re of the latter view then Robert Plant and the latest incarnation of Band of Joy play a rare show at Kentish Town’s HMV Forum on September 2. It precedes the release of Plant’s 10th solo album Band Of Joy, recorded in Tennessee and co-produced by Nashville legend Buddy Miller. Here's a taste of what to expect:
• At The Good Ship, next Saturday (July 31), are Horseman Shakes and the Draymen. I just picked them out for their bemusing name.
• Camden revivalist Ms Dynamite joins Professor Green for the three-day Roundhouse Turning Point Festival, alongside Toddla T, Devlin and many more (September 17-19).
• For some, Led Zeppelin can’t be touched and their memory must be preserved intact at all costs and left in peace. For others, anything associated with Led Zep is gilded in gold. If you’re of the latter view then Robert Plant and the latest incarnation of Band of Joy play a rare show at Kentish Town’s HMV Forum on September 2. It precedes the release of Plant’s 10th solo album Band Of Joy, recorded in Tennessee and co-produced by Nashville legend Buddy Miller. Here's a taste of what to expect:
• At The Good Ship, next Saturday (July 31), are Horseman Shakes and the Draymen. I just picked them out for their bemusing name.
• Camden revivalist Ms Dynamite joins Professor Green for the three-day Roundhouse Turning Point Festival, alongside Toddla T, Devlin and many more (September 17-19).
Thursday, 15 July 2010
TWEETING ELIZA DOOLITTLE'S JAMAICAN JOLLY
AS SHE relaxes into her seat in a Camden coffee shop’s secret garden, Eliza Doolittle takes out her phone for a vital bit of tweeting.
Camden Square-born singer @eliza1doolittle’s got 4,792 twitter followers but after her album launch on Monday – it was this Selfridges appearance that her chipped multi-coloured nails were tapping out as a tweet – those numbers will no doubt multiply.
She only has modest requests of water and beer (for the boys) when she when she plays gigs, mischievously promising: “I’ll wait for my moment to get divaish”, and admits she doesn’t take her wardrobe too seriously, adding: “I just have fun with it. I like lots of different colours. It gets me in the “what were you thinking” pages.”
A tour with Alphabeat appears to have left Eliza disappointed but her experiences touring with Jamie Cullum soon after were inspiring.
She said: “I went from Alphabeat where we didn’t really see them to Jamie Cullum where he was saying guys I really want you to come onstage, (afterwards) his saxophonist was knocking on the door saying come and have a drink with them. Every night I watched him play I learned new things. He was unbelievable.”
And there are big ambitions for her forthcoming Koko show: “I’m trying to make it bigger onstage we’ve got drums but it’s quite sparse. We use double bass, guitar and drums but I’m working on extending the band and bringing in someone who plays the extra, a bit of violin, flute, brass, I don’t know if that kind of person exists but i’ll try and bring him in.”
Camden Square-born singer @eliza1doolittle’s got 4,792 twitter followers but after her album launch on Monday – it was this Selfridges appearance that her chipped multi-coloured nails were tapping out as a tweet – those numbers will no doubt multiply.
Single Pack Up is Top five and her eponymous debut album has won critical praise and numerous recommendations as the summer album of 2010 – and, judging by the happy Jamaica-filmed video for Pack-Up, it’s clear why.
But it’s not all about the smiles insists Eliza, who these days lives in Primrose Hill: “I like to think people will play it when it rains to cheer them up. People say it’s very happy and positive. It is but not happy, happy all the way through. It’s got thoughtful messages and some that are not the happiest topics.”
Just 22, she’s been writing since age 12, is signed to Parlophone and plays MTV presents at Dingwalls tonight (Thursday) and Club NME at Koko (July 23).
She may have gone to posh private school Channing in Highgate, “I didn’t like it very much”, and be the granddaughter of Sylvia Young, daughter of director John Caird and singer Frances Ruffelle but she doesn’t come across with a privileged air.
Eliza left school at 16, knowing all she wanted to do was make music and has been working at it ever since.
She said: “When I was about 12 I said to my mum I want to be a singer. She said start writing because that’s where the money’s at.”
Not yet a teen, Eliza copied Destiny’s Child and listened to UK garage: “I just wanted to fit in with my friends and then I grew up. I just found stuff myself...The first person I was like wow about was Stevie Wonder. It was like seeing a different colour that didn’t exist.”
Eliza celebrated her new album on Wednesday night at Highgate’s Boogaloo with family and friends.
She said on the eve of her album launch: “I was up at 12.54 and I thought Oh My God my album’s out – that was the moment I actually felt it. It feels amazing, like my whole life’s built up for this moment, I’ve been working towards it for so long.”
Eliza’s colourful album cover is a reflection of herself.
But it’s not all about the smiles insists Eliza, who these days lives in Primrose Hill: “I like to think people will play it when it rains to cheer them up. People say it’s very happy and positive. It is but not happy, happy all the way through. It’s got thoughtful messages and some that are not the happiest topics.”
Just 22, she’s been writing since age 12, is signed to Parlophone and plays MTV presents at Dingwalls tonight (Thursday) and Club NME at Koko (July 23).
She may have gone to posh private school Channing in Highgate, “I didn’t like it very much”, and be the granddaughter of Sylvia Young, daughter of director John Caird and singer Frances Ruffelle but she doesn’t come across with a privileged air.
Eliza left school at 16, knowing all she wanted to do was make music and has been working at it ever since.
She said: “When I was about 12 I said to my mum I want to be a singer. She said start writing because that’s where the money’s at.”
Not yet a teen, Eliza copied Destiny’s Child and listened to UK garage: “I just wanted to fit in with my friends and then I grew up. I just found stuff myself...The first person I was like wow about was Stevie Wonder. It was like seeing a different colour that didn’t exist.”
Eliza celebrated her new album on Wednesday night at Highgate’s Boogaloo with family and friends.
She said on the eve of her album launch: “I was up at 12.54 and I thought Oh My God my album’s out – that was the moment I actually felt it. It feels amazing, like my whole life’s built up for this moment, I’ve been working towards it for so long.”
Eliza’s colourful album cover is a reflection of herself.
She said: “I really wanted it to be me in my world and my world’s London so there’s a lot of landmarks in there and all sorts of other things from my imagination and things I love.”
Her ideas were then interpreted by professional artists.
She was only in Jamaica for three days while shooting Pack Up.
Her ideas were then interpreted by professional artists.
She was only in Jamaica for three days while shooting Pack Up.
She said: “I thought it was so cute the idea of me coming out of a suitcase and it wasn’t too like ‘let’s try and make a really cool video with loads of effects’. (Director Paul Minor’s) references felt right, they were all from French movies and stuff. I thought it was quite sweet and romantic. It was in a war veteran bar, and all these kids and everyone came and danced. We tried to create that romantic happy vibe and Jamaica was perfect for it. I was there for three days. I didn’t really get to see everything but what I saw was so beautiful, white sand, turquoise water – like the ideal screen saver.”
Eliza can be spotted hanging out in the most “in” venues in Camden – the Lock Tavern and the Flowerpot but is sad the famous Marathon Kebab House in Chalk Farm Road no longer has a late licence.
She said: ““Sometimes you would find me at the Marathon bar at 2.30am. That was the only reason people went there. I’m on Marathon’s side. I wish it still opened later.”
Eliza can be spotted hanging out in the most “in” venues in Camden – the Lock Tavern and the Flowerpot but is sad the famous Marathon Kebab House in Chalk Farm Road no longer has a late licence.
She said: ““Sometimes you would find me at the Marathon bar at 2.30am. That was the only reason people went there. I’m on Marathon’s side. I wish it still opened later.”
She only has modest requests of water and beer (for the boys) when she when she plays gigs, mischievously promising: “I’ll wait for my moment to get divaish”, and admits she doesn’t take her wardrobe too seriously, adding: “I just have fun with it. I like lots of different colours. It gets me in the “what were you thinking” pages.”
A tour with Alphabeat appears to have left Eliza disappointed but her experiences touring with Jamie Cullum soon after were inspiring.
She said: “I went from Alphabeat where we didn’t really see them to Jamie Cullum where he was saying guys I really want you to come onstage, (afterwards) his saxophonist was knocking on the door saying come and have a drink with them. Every night I watched him play I learned new things. He was unbelievable.”
And there are big ambitions for her forthcoming Koko show: “I’m trying to make it bigger onstage we’ve got drums but it’s quite sparse. We use double bass, guitar and drums but I’m working on extending the band and bringing in someone who plays the extra, a bit of violin, flute, brass, I don’t know if that kind of person exists but i’ll try and bring him in.”
Saturday, 3 July 2010
JARVIS COCKER IS GREYER THAN YOU THINK
IT'S been a lifelong (since I was 14) ambition to meet gangly Pulp frontman Jarvis Cocker so my dreams were fulfilled last week when he kindly posed for a photo with me at Proud Camden’s second birthday celebrations.
I’ll spare you the evidence but must note how attentive he was to troubadour Joseph Strouzer who serenaded him with The Ballad of the Big Beautiful Woman. Jarvis – greyer than I ever imagined – signalled his approval but warned Strouzer was unlikely to get any airtime. Later Amy Winehouse did some backing dancing for Professor Green but looked pretty vacant – I blame the stifling heat.
• I’m not quite sure what happens at a convention for The Who – do people turn up dressed as the Pinball Wizard? Will a row of scooters park outside Dingwalls on October 3, when the gathering rides into Camden Town? I can’t say but I’m sure gonna check.
• Rock supergroup Them Crooked Vultures play a benefit gig at on July 5 at Brixton 02 Academy for Eagles of Death Metal bassist Brian O’Connor who has cancer and no medical insurance. No bland statements from O’Connor, thanking supporters he said:
“I am excited for my full recovery and look forward to getting back to what I love most, melting face with my bass. I’m feeling great, after all, I am half unicorn.” Get down there if you can.
• Even if you find Devendra Banhart’s video for Foolin’ a bit too disturbing, he’ll be captivating live – see him at Koko (July 4).
• You can now stand under Koko’s legendary Hollywood-style illuminations every day as the roof terrace is officially unveiled tomorrow (Friday). It’s actually been open for a while and you may find yourself rubbing shoulders with the acts as they slip out on the terrace for a smoke – or fresh-air Camden style!
Thursday, 3 June 2010
JOHN BARNES' REPRISE, JOHN FOXX'S REUNION, WOLFMOTHER'S REPEAL AND N-DUBZ RELEVATION
JOHN Barnes, what have you done? Why agree to reprise your “rap” from New Order’s 1990 World Cup song World in Motion – for a Mars ad?
It wasn’t great the first time, and it just sounds like a lifetime of chocolate has made it even more laboured. I’m fond of you Barnesy, but are you sure this was wise? It is funny though. Can’t we just stick to Kasabian being the unofficial football soundtrack for the year?
• New Finsbury Park pop-up club The Silver Bullet’s already got the power to attract the big names. They’re holding the Rage Against the Machine after-party with Gallows and Eddy Temple-Morris DJing. Visit www.thesilverbullet.co.uk
• There’s something of a reunion happening at the Roundhouse’s electronic festival, Short Circuit 2010 (June 5). John Foxx, original frontman of pioneering UK synth-rock act Ultravox, reunites with guitarist Robin Simon, following DJ sets from Gary Numan and Jori Hulkkonen. Foxx and special guests will assemble on stage for the first time with the machines he used on debut solo album Metamatic in 1980 to perform material from past and present.
• The Egg club in King’s Cross has reopened and is attracting an incredible list of international DJs. Watch this space or visit www.egg-london.net
• Sad to hear Wolfmother have cancelled their appearance at Hard Rock Calling due to illness – one I was looking forward to.
• How much higher can these guys go? N-Dubz are sharing the bill with Usher at Camden’s Koko tomorrow (Friday). They’ve kept this one quiet.
Thursday, 13 May 2010
BILLY BRAGG ET AL IN VOTES BETRAYAL, HURTS' OPERATIC TURN, AC/DC'S STRAIGHT MAN AND THE ROCK 'N ROLL SUPERGROUP
MUSICIANS love their causes don’t they? And when it comes to politics, some of our most outspoken ones just have to interfere.
Yet I'm starting to feel sorry for all those figures who backed the Lib Dems and told all their followers to do the same. Judging by the comments on Twitter, Billy Bragg, Jon McClure and Dan le Sac are feeling a little bit cheated right now. They never expected a Lib Dem vote to morph into a Tory one overnight.
Le Sac is demanding his vote back, McClure says “Nick Clegg What ya done man?” and poor old Bragg’s just opened a “kick my ass” page on Facebook. Hard times.
• I caught electro-80s duo Hurts at Koko’s NME Radar gig on Monday. You wouldn’t have a clue these guys are so young.
They managed to create incredible drama with little fuss – and just one male opera singer. Frontman Theo Hutchcraft - in smooth black suit and white scarf combo and gelled hair so shiny you could see your face in it - commanded the stage with the puissance of the Phantom of the Opera. Rumour has it he carries a little comb with him at all times so not a hair falls out of place. Look oout for the onstage grooming.
After hearing it live, I’d like to recall my original review for new single Better Than Love, which has all the makings of a festival anthem.
• Die-hard AC/DC fans – did you know the band’s original singer was called Dave Evans? Not such a rock ’n’ roll name as Bonn Scott but that’s not his fault. Anyway he’s coming to Holloway’s The Gaff on May 26 – for those who need to complete their rock education.
• A little-known supergroup of sorts, The John Moore Rock and Roll Trio, have been playing a series of fortnightly retro gigs at Lower Ground Bar, 269 West End Lane.
Head there to see what became of the remnants of the Jesus and Mary Chain, Black Box Recorder, Lush and The Soledad Brothers – when they turned to old fashioned rock ’n’ roll and blues. Dates on their MySpace page myspace.com/johnmoorerockandrolltrio
Thursday, 29 April 2010
RECORD OF THE WEEK - HURTS, Better Than Love
AFTER falling for Hurts’ atmospheric early tracks Wonderful Life and Blood Tears and Gold, this switch to such an up-tempo dance track for their official debut single was surprising.
It still has an eighties ring, while maintaining a contemporary electro feel.
The hooky question “Does it Feel Better Than Love?” forms a strong chorus but at times there’s too much going on. I suspect Better Than Love, though appealing to club audiences, doesn’t quite hold the same attraction that drew initial murmurings of great things for this synth duo.
Won't stop me going to see them at Koko on May 10 - supported by my new favourite Darwin Deez.
READ MY INTERVIEW WITH HURTS HERE - http://tutankarbon.blogspot.com/2010/04/hurts-on-shoestring-suffering-for-their.html
Monday, 19 April 2010
RECORD OF THE WEEK - DARWIN DEEZ, Radar Detector PLUS SPRING DANCE REVIVAL
OK I'm a bit slow on the uptake with this one and it's been out for at least two weeks but it just can't be ignored.
Gangly Darwin Deez' bizarre video is the equivalent of opening up a paintbox when you were four - a messy discovery that brought grins, imagination and a whole lot of unrealistic possibilities.
The song has an innocent ring, with an indescribable New York quality and the video is devoid of all serious pretentious posing.
The band's supporting Hurts, alongside Everything Everything at Camden's Koko on May 10.
That will be one show not to miss - prepare for a memorable night.
Also, in the interest of the sunny climes I thought it's time to resurrect Deez' The Spring Dance video from last year.
I challenge readers to bring this to UK dance floors now and when perfected, take the moves on holiday - spread the word.
It's set to an instrumental edit of the Thompson Twins' In The Name of Love.
Enjoy!
Gangly Darwin Deez' bizarre video is the equivalent of opening up a paintbox when you were four - a messy discovery that brought grins, imagination and a whole lot of unrealistic possibilities.
The song has an innocent ring, with an indescribable New York quality and the video is devoid of all serious pretentious posing.
The band's supporting Hurts, alongside Everything Everything at Camden's Koko on May 10.
That will be one show not to miss - prepare for a memorable night.
Also, in the interest of the sunny climes I thought it's time to resurrect Deez' The Spring Dance video from last year.
I challenge readers to bring this to UK dance floors now and when perfected, take the moves on holiday - spread the word.
It's set to an instrumental edit of the Thompson Twins' In The Name of Love.
Enjoy!
Friday, 16 April 2010
HURTS ON A SHOESTRING - SUFFERING FOR THEIR ART
STANDING over his friends scrapping outside a Manchester nightclub, Theo Hutchcraft found himself in a dilemma.
Does he dive in and punch someone for no reason or does he just stand and watch? Next to him, Adam Anderson, who was friends with the opposing side, was thinking the same.
Happily for the world of music, they chose the path of peace, got chatting about music, decided they wanted to form a band and duo Hurts was born.
But even though they swapped numbers, they remained wary of each other.
Theo said: “Our friends were not the kind of people that would get on with each other. We thought, ‘we both want to be in a band but all our friends don’t like each other for some reason so we might not like each other’. We lived in Manchester but we didn’t see each other for a very long time, we just used to speak on the internet. We thought let’s try and make music first, found a common ground through music and that made everything clear.
“We’re initially very different people but we’ve spent so much time together that we moulded into a grey kind of area.”
The duo, who are close to finishing their first album, play Koko alongside Darwin Deez and Everything Everything on May 10. They have already made huge waves among critics.
But their heads have not been turned and they prefer to suffer for their art.
Theo said: “Our first ever London show was the Dublin Castle. We drove all the way down in a Fiesta with five people and all of our equipment to play to 10 people. But it kept us going, it spurred us on, we were never dejected because one person’s enough.
“We played the Purple Turtle once. Again a disaster, but a beautiful disaster.
“The great thing about it was it keeps us level. We’ve got so much experience of things like that, playing to one person. We’ve seen it all first hand and that gives us the drive.
“I always worry about getting too comfortable, I always think we have to put ourselves through hardship. We still do it now, we didn’t buy enough equipment, we got less on purpose so we had to make do. Our studio is really grim, it’s underground, it’s got no windows. To write hopeful music you have to come from that point of need.”
And so far it’s all been on a shoestring.
They shot their first two videos themselves. Blood, Tears and Gold cost nothing, while celebrated single Wonderful Life cost £20 – which all went to the dancer.
Both can be seen on YouTube.
Theo said: “With the videos, it’s a lot to do with making do. How do you make the strongest idea possible? How can you say as much as possible with as simple a video as you can. There’s only so many times you can look through the lens, press record then run round the front, which is what we’ve been doing. It means one’s filming the other so you never get a moving camera shot of the two of us together.”
Both Theo, 23, and Adam, 25, have a distinctive smart dress sense and severe hairstyles.
Theo said: “I’ve always dressed smart but it kind of heightened a bit, there was a period about a year ago where we were at the end of our tether. We were on the dole, Adam was homeless, moved in my house, it got really bad. It kind of heightens itself when you’ve got nothing.
“To dress smart makes you feel important, you can look the world in the face and people take note of you.”
Does he dive in and punch someone for no reason or does he just stand and watch? Next to him, Adam Anderson, who was friends with the opposing side, was thinking the same.
Happily for the world of music, they chose the path of peace, got chatting about music, decided they wanted to form a band and duo Hurts was born.
But even though they swapped numbers, they remained wary of each other.
Theo said: “Our friends were not the kind of people that would get on with each other. We thought, ‘we both want to be in a band but all our friends don’t like each other for some reason so we might not like each other’. We lived in Manchester but we didn’t see each other for a very long time, we just used to speak on the internet. We thought let’s try and make music first, found a common ground through music and that made everything clear.
“We’re initially very different people but we’ve spent so much time together that we moulded into a grey kind of area.”
The duo, who are close to finishing their first album, play Koko alongside Darwin Deez and Everything Everything on May 10. They have already made huge waves among critics.
But their heads have not been turned and they prefer to suffer for their art.
Theo said: “Our first ever London show was the Dublin Castle. We drove all the way down in a Fiesta with five people and all of our equipment to play to 10 people. But it kept us going, it spurred us on, we were never dejected because one person’s enough.
“We played the Purple Turtle once. Again a disaster, but a beautiful disaster.
“The great thing about it was it keeps us level. We’ve got so much experience of things like that, playing to one person. We’ve seen it all first hand and that gives us the drive.
“I always worry about getting too comfortable, I always think we have to put ourselves through hardship. We still do it now, we didn’t buy enough equipment, we got less on purpose so we had to make do. Our studio is really grim, it’s underground, it’s got no windows. To write hopeful music you have to come from that point of need.”
And so far it’s all been on a shoestring.
They shot their first two videos themselves. Blood, Tears and Gold cost nothing, while celebrated single Wonderful Life cost £20 – which all went to the dancer.
Both can be seen on YouTube.
Theo said: “With the videos, it’s a lot to do with making do. How do you make the strongest idea possible? How can you say as much as possible with as simple a video as you can. There’s only so many times you can look through the lens, press record then run round the front, which is what we’ve been doing. It means one’s filming the other so you never get a moving camera shot of the two of us together.”
Both Theo, 23, and Adam, 25, have a distinctive smart dress sense and severe hairstyles.
Theo said: “I’ve always dressed smart but it kind of heightened a bit, there was a period about a year ago where we were at the end of our tether. We were on the dole, Adam was homeless, moved in my house, it got really bad. It kind of heightens itself when you’ve got nothing.
“To dress smart makes you feel important, you can look the world in the face and people take note of you.”
Wednesday, 31 March 2010
ACCIDENT PRONE DUB PISTOLS' BARRY ASHWORTH BARES HIS BUM FOR THE STUDENTS AND STEERS CLEAR OF BLUE SMARTIES
WHEREVER Dub Pistols' founder Barry Ashworth is, natural – and less natural - disasters seem to follow.
He played the World Trade Centre the day before the Twin towers were blown up, he was Djing at the Lock Tavern the night Camden Market went up in flames and he's recovering from breaking his foot after tripping on a giant concrete toad.
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But the most embarrassing of his performing tales came when the band played for 1,600 students at a foam party in Inverness.
Barry said: “I jumped down off the stage into the crowd to sort of fire it up a bit. I slipped on the foam and knocked myself out cold under the suds. The security guy tried to grab me, threw me back on stage but they had hold of my trousers which fell down. I ended up laying there on hands and knees out cold with my bum sticking in the
air in front of the students.”
A story like this is nothing to Barry, who talks at 100 miles an hour and seems to relish the stories his life creates.
He said: “Natural disasters tend to follow me everywhere I go. I was in the Lock Tavern when Camden Market burned down. I was DJing, not quite believing what's going on, standing there thinking you're in the WWII blitz. It looked like the Great Fire of London. Standing on the top there, it was a pretty impressive sight.”
The band are mid-tour, Barry's about to board a plane back from Switzerland and he's weary of travelling.
He said: “Flying's the easy part, but I hate going to the airports and standing in a queue for hours because that's boring. Specially when you're doing places like America, one way to each city and you get searched so many times and so much grief. That's the worst part of the whole job - specially being in a band - they're always looking for drugs and it's always a worry that you never know what you've got where.”
The Dub Pistols play Koko with Nightmares on Wax and Trojan Soundsystem on Easter Sunday (April 4) and are promoting their fourth album Rum and Coke, named after their heady experiences recording in Barbados.
Barry said: “We've been headlining a festival out there for the last two years. Because of the cheap rum and coke we got ourselves in a lot of trouble so it's why the album's named after it. The rum and coke and sun just send you absolutely bonkers, some of the band had to be locked up in the house and not allowed out.
That's where the (Happy) Mondays fell apart - they sent them over to record the last album and that's where it all fell apart.”
They've recently released single Ganja, so named so as to avoid radio play – apparently.
Barry said: “People are saying why did you put out a song called Ganja? It was so we didn't have to put a soft pop song. Most of our recent stuff has been radio friendly songs and we knew a song called Ganja wasn't going to be radio friendly. We wanted to do a more viral thing. We've always been an underground band. We just wanted to take
it back underground for a bit.”
Ever the rule-breakers, he said the Pistols are not averse to a bit of backstage mischief: “On the NME nights, we'd break in backstage when a band's performing and steal all their riders, we'd take everything, clear the whole fridge out - Jack Daniels, vodka, champagne, wine.”
As for their own rider? “We ask for as much as we can possibly get away with, JD, vodka, Bacardi, Guinness, 48 beers, that'd be our standard rider. We don't ask for blue Smarties.”
He played the World Trade Centre the day before the Twin towers were blown up, he was Djing at the Lock Tavern the night Camden Market went up in flames and he's recovering from breaking his foot after tripping on a giant concrete toad.
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But the most embarrassing of his performing tales came when the band played for 1,600 students at a foam party in Inverness.
Barry said: “I jumped down off the stage into the crowd to sort of fire it up a bit. I slipped on the foam and knocked myself out cold under the suds. The security guy tried to grab me, threw me back on stage but they had hold of my trousers which fell down. I ended up laying there on hands and knees out cold with my bum sticking in the
air in front of the students.”
A story like this is nothing to Barry, who talks at 100 miles an hour and seems to relish the stories his life creates.
He said: “Natural disasters tend to follow me everywhere I go. I was in the Lock Tavern when Camden Market burned down. I was DJing, not quite believing what's going on, standing there thinking you're in the WWII blitz. It looked like the Great Fire of London. Standing on the top there, it was a pretty impressive sight.”
The band are mid-tour, Barry's about to board a plane back from Switzerland and he's weary of travelling.
He said: “Flying's the easy part, but I hate going to the airports and standing in a queue for hours because that's boring. Specially when you're doing places like America, one way to each city and you get searched so many times and so much grief. That's the worst part of the whole job - specially being in a band - they're always looking for drugs and it's always a worry that you never know what you've got where.”
The Dub Pistols play Koko with Nightmares on Wax and Trojan Soundsystem on Easter Sunday (April 4) and are promoting their fourth album Rum and Coke, named after their heady experiences recording in Barbados.
Barry said: “We've been headlining a festival out there for the last two years. Because of the cheap rum and coke we got ourselves in a lot of trouble so it's why the album's named after it. The rum and coke and sun just send you absolutely bonkers, some of the band had to be locked up in the house and not allowed out.
That's where the (Happy) Mondays fell apart - they sent them over to record the last album and that's where it all fell apart.”
They've recently released single Ganja, so named so as to avoid radio play – apparently.
Barry said: “People are saying why did you put out a song called Ganja? It was so we didn't have to put a soft pop song. Most of our recent stuff has been radio friendly songs and we knew a song called Ganja wasn't going to be radio friendly. We wanted to do a more viral thing. We've always been an underground band. We just wanted to take
it back underground for a bit.”
Ever the rule-breakers, he said the Pistols are not averse to a bit of backstage mischief: “On the NME nights, we'd break in backstage when a band's performing and steal all their riders, we'd take everything, clear the whole fridge out - Jack Daniels, vodka, champagne, wine.”
As for their own rider? “We ask for as much as we can possibly get away with, JD, vodka, Bacardi, Guinness, 48 beers, that'd be our standard rider. We don't ask for blue Smarties.”
Thursday, 11 March 2010
THE HUMBLE LIFE OF SCROOBIUS PIP
SCROOBIUS Pip is a humble man. He may have a book and a single out, an album on the way and be about to head out on tour, but for a poet he’s strangely reluctant to be published.
His book Poetry in (e)motion, on sale now, isn’t a typical book of verse, it’s a compilation of poems, old and new, in the style of a graphic novel illustrated by fans.
“People were asking me if I wanted to release a book of poetry,” Pip said. “I felt that would be something of an arrogant act because growing up I didn’t read any poetry. I love to watch poetry performed but still don’t read that much so it would have felt arrogant to say I don’t read poetry but you can all read mine.
“That’s why I came up with the concept of making the graphic novel – it is poems illustrated but you can read it without realising it’s a book of poetry. When you do realise it you can see poetry isn’t all boring and dusty and old and a chore to get through.”
Pip is one half of Dan le Sac vs Scroobius Pip, who play this year’s Camden Crawl (May 1 and 2) and Koko on March 23.
He compiled the book’s artwork through a call to fans on Myspace.
“I put out a bulletin two and a half years ago,” said Pip. “All artwork submitted was amazing, such a high standard. It’s become an amazing collection of art. It’s completely fan-made and that was one of the best bits.
“[The publishers] were concerned the standard could be low so they were lining up artists that could step in to bring the standard up. I took the collection along and it was clear they didn’t need anyone else. That was a really proud moment.”
Pip and le Sac, who first met working at a HMV store in Essex and are now signed to Bestival curator Rob da Bank’s Sunday Best label, are touring to promote new album The Logic of Chance, which is out on Monday.
It is described as a collection of beat-led polemics, against a hip-hop backdrop, although Pip relishes the fact that they can’t truly be pigeonholed.
“I’m most looking forward to playing songs off our new album,” he said. “We’ve not changed our sound or decided to go for a specific sound. One of the things I’m proud of the last album for is no one’s really known what genre to put it in or where to place it and this is a development of that. It continues not to fit in any one genre but feels as if we both developed our skills.
“We’ve lucked out from having such variation. Part of us not fitting into one genre is we’ve got to play to poetry type audiences, to hip-hop, to indie, then at 4am in Fabric. But, yeah, a room full of librarians is one strange one.
“It’s great we do live tours now because we get to bring all these people together – we look into the crowd and see real metallers and punks along with hip-hop kids and indie kids and we have a hell of a lot of parent and child combinations coming which is amazing. When I was growing up there was never a band that I was into that my dad or mum was.”
Pip and le Sac are playing the Camden Crawl for the third time in a row this year.
Recalling their first experience, Pip said: “It was one of the first times we were taken aback a bit and realised it was all beginning to work. It was just before our record came out and we had queues all the way down the street – we’d never had that before.”
Aside from playing, they also had time to catch Amy Winehouse at the Dublin Castle.
Pip said: “I was equally excited about the fact that Amy Winehouse was performing really well in a small venue and Ross from Friends was standing next to me. I remember being in the Camden New Journal. We were having a picture taken and then some drunk jumped in to get in the picture and it wasn’t until I looked down that I realised that drunk was the legendary Suggs.”
The strangest gig they have done, he said, was during a tour of libraries: “They really do it well but the first one we got... was a load of old ladies at the back providing tea and orange squash and biscuits...they didn’t have a backstage so we had to come to the stage from behind a bookstand, it was a bit surreal.”
Pip’s an over-eager user of Twitter, through which he struck up a friendship with actor Nick Frost, who has written the foreword to his book.
He said: “I love Twitter – I joined it because I was doing a spoken word night I’d only really promoted on MySpace and about a week before I suddenly had this huge paranoia that MySpace is dead and I need to join the new thing. Through (Twitter) I’ve managed to meet Nick Frost, Simon Pegg and Marcus Brigstocke and found out that they’re fans of our music.
“I sent [Frost] a direct message asking if he’d do the foreword. It was actually four messages because you can only have 140 characters. It was this big long rambly thing and I got a message back saying, ‘Pip you had me at please’.
“We kind of chat now to Frost and Pegg and I’ve been a fan of both for a while, but Nick in particular was the first one I’ve been chatting to on Twitter.
“When Shaun of the Dead came out I bought the limited edition. It came with a little comic book and they seem rooted in that kind of genre. In all their films and Spaced they’ve always shown a love of graphic novels. They’re from a comic book kind of scene so he seemed like the perfect person to ask to do something for it.”
His book Poetry in (e)motion, on sale now, isn’t a typical book of verse, it’s a compilation of poems, old and new, in the style of a graphic novel illustrated by fans.
“People were asking me if I wanted to release a book of poetry,” Pip said. “I felt that would be something of an arrogant act because growing up I didn’t read any poetry. I love to watch poetry performed but still don’t read that much so it would have felt arrogant to say I don’t read poetry but you can all read mine.
“That’s why I came up with the concept of making the graphic novel – it is poems illustrated but you can read it without realising it’s a book of poetry. When you do realise it you can see poetry isn’t all boring and dusty and old and a chore to get through.”
Pip is one half of Dan le Sac vs Scroobius Pip, who play this year’s Camden Crawl (May 1 and 2) and Koko on March 23.
He compiled the book’s artwork through a call to fans on Myspace.
“I put out a bulletin two and a half years ago,” said Pip. “All artwork submitted was amazing, such a high standard. It’s become an amazing collection of art. It’s completely fan-made and that was one of the best bits.
“[The publishers] were concerned the standard could be low so they were lining up artists that could step in to bring the standard up. I took the collection along and it was clear they didn’t need anyone else. That was a really proud moment.”
Pip and le Sac, who first met working at a HMV store in Essex and are now signed to Bestival curator Rob da Bank’s Sunday Best label, are touring to promote new album The Logic of Chance, which is out on Monday.
It is described as a collection of beat-led polemics, against a hip-hop backdrop, although Pip relishes the fact that they can’t truly be pigeonholed.
“I’m most looking forward to playing songs off our new album,” he said. “We’ve not changed our sound or decided to go for a specific sound. One of the things I’m proud of the last album for is no one’s really known what genre to put it in or where to place it and this is a development of that. It continues not to fit in any one genre but feels as if we both developed our skills.
“We’ve lucked out from having such variation. Part of us not fitting into one genre is we’ve got to play to poetry type audiences, to hip-hop, to indie, then at 4am in Fabric. But, yeah, a room full of librarians is one strange one.
“It’s great we do live tours now because we get to bring all these people together – we look into the crowd and see real metallers and punks along with hip-hop kids and indie kids and we have a hell of a lot of parent and child combinations coming which is amazing. When I was growing up there was never a band that I was into that my dad or mum was.”
Pip and le Sac are playing the Camden Crawl for the third time in a row this year.
Recalling their first experience, Pip said: “It was one of the first times we were taken aback a bit and realised it was all beginning to work. It was just before our record came out and we had queues all the way down the street – we’d never had that before.”
Aside from playing, they also had time to catch Amy Winehouse at the Dublin Castle.
Pip said: “I was equally excited about the fact that Amy Winehouse was performing really well in a small venue and Ross from Friends was standing next to me. I remember being in the Camden New Journal. We were having a picture taken and then some drunk jumped in to get in the picture and it wasn’t until I looked down that I realised that drunk was the legendary Suggs.”
The strangest gig they have done, he said, was during a tour of libraries: “They really do it well but the first one we got... was a load of old ladies at the back providing tea and orange squash and biscuits...they didn’t have a backstage so we had to come to the stage from behind a bookstand, it was a bit surreal.”
Pip’s an over-eager user of Twitter, through which he struck up a friendship with actor Nick Frost, who has written the foreword to his book.
He said: “I love Twitter – I joined it because I was doing a spoken word night I’d only really promoted on MySpace and about a week before I suddenly had this huge paranoia that MySpace is dead and I need to join the new thing. Through (Twitter) I’ve managed to meet Nick Frost, Simon Pegg and Marcus Brigstocke and found out that they’re fans of our music.
“I sent [Frost] a direct message asking if he’d do the foreword. It was actually four messages because you can only have 140 characters. It was this big long rambly thing and I got a message back saying, ‘Pip you had me at please’.
“We kind of chat now to Frost and Pegg and I’ve been a fan of both for a while, but Nick in particular was the first one I’ve been chatting to on Twitter.
“When Shaun of the Dead came out I bought the limited edition. It came with a little comic book and they seem rooted in that kind of genre. In all their films and Spaced they’ve always shown a love of graphic novels. They’re from a comic book kind of scene so he seemed like the perfect person to ask to do something for it.”
Thursday, 4 March 2010
THE DANGERS OF SKINNY JEANS, SEGREGATION AND SNEAKING INTO THE QUEEN VIC - FUN LOVIN' CRIMINALS' HUEY MORGAN'S A CHATTY ONE
LOOK out for skinny jeans, it stifles the creativity and blocks the blood flow to the genitals, which are pretty much what rock and roll’s about.” This is Huey Morgan’s vital advice to Camden’s up and coming young scenesters.
The Fun Lovin’ Criminal’s supposed to be discussing the band’s first album in five years, Classic Fantastic, and their upcoming show at Camden’s Koko, (March 16) but he’s a little preoccupied.
“Rock ’n’ roll’s a term used back in the 40s, a secret code word – it meant you’re going to have sex,” says Huey. “I look out for bands that are playing music that aren’t really trendy, that don’t do the whole ‘I’ve just got out of bed, look at my nice little scarf and little tight jeans’ because at the end of the day they’re not really doing what they’re supposed to, which is rock out. It’s a fashion thing but it does really prevent the blood flow to that area where all this music comes from.”
Huey’s sitting in his kitchen and, after a brief interruption from an exterminator, there to deal with a minor mouse problem, he’s on to nationalism: “When I was growing up there were all different people in my building, different walks of life, religions, cultures, creeds, and we were all Americans and we kind of understood that. I think the segregation in different neighbourhoods in England gets to a point where it could be anywhere, they don’t necessarily have to be in England.
“I believe in freedom of speech and pursuit of happiness and all that stuff, but if someone moves to a country and doesn’t have any kind of allegiance to that country ... I just think it will cause more problems than it will solve.”
And Huey, along with the rest of the band, has made England his home.
He says: “I’ve an affinity for Britain I don’t think people really understand. They think I’m a New Yorker that’s been plopped down in London – fish-out-of-water syndrome. It’s my home now. I’ve really tried to assimilate. If I can assimilate – a quintessential New Yorker – to life in Britain, it’s interesting how some people refuse to.”
His interest in all things British extends to the most unlikely of viewing choices.
“I was into EastEnders when I lived in New York,” says Huey. “When I came to England to do Top of the Pops we were on the same film lot they do Eastenders in. I remember me and Finlay Quaye sneaking into The Vic one afternoon and having a smoke, which was kind of cool.”
He enjoys hanging out in Cuba Libre, in Upper Street, where the bartender’s “a really big fan of the band”, and “makes really good frozen margaritas”, adding: “You don’t really get Caribbean Spanish food in London too often and if you do it may not be that great. Cuba Libra’s got a laid-back atmosphere, it’s a cool place.”
New album Classic Fantastic came after a drawn-out legal battle with an ex-manager. It features Dennis Pennis actor Paul Kaye, a longstanding friend.
“We weren’t in the headspace to make the record we wanted while we were doing that legal wrangling so to get out from under that is a big weight lifted,” says Huey. “A lot of bands think they create this massive piece – saving lives and making rockets and curing cancer. We make records for people as a soundtrack to their lives.
“Instead of creating a dark horrible record about us in this legal battle we made a conscious effort to try to get out from under that and come up with some really good stuff.
“You can’t imagine how pleased we are about the fact that we can be musicians. It’s a beautiful thing and to take it for granted would be the silliest mistake anyone could make. There are so many musicians who never get the chance to make a record so for us to get the chance after all this, we’ve been very fortunate.”
Huey was a big fan of actor Paul Kaye when he was playing Pennis in America.
“As a kind of a nod to our legal issues, he’s got a character called Mike Strutter who’s a notorious New York attorney – it’s Paul Kaye’s take on American laws,” he says. “We thought it would be funny to have a series of simulated phone conversations with our attorney. So he was very gracious, came down the studio and did that.”
Huey promises a fantastic show at Koko, one of his favourite venues, adding: “We want to be more intimate with the crowd because it’s our first record in five years so we want to make a good connection again. For a lot of people it’ll be the first time they’ll have ever seen us.”
The Fun Lovin’ Criminal’s supposed to be discussing the band’s first album in five years, Classic Fantastic, and their upcoming show at Camden’s Koko, (March 16) but he’s a little preoccupied.
“Rock ’n’ roll’s a term used back in the 40s, a secret code word – it meant you’re going to have sex,” says Huey. “I look out for bands that are playing music that aren’t really trendy, that don’t do the whole ‘I’ve just got out of bed, look at my nice little scarf and little tight jeans’ because at the end of the day they’re not really doing what they’re supposed to, which is rock out. It’s a fashion thing but it does really prevent the blood flow to that area where all this music comes from.”
Huey’s sitting in his kitchen and, after a brief interruption from an exterminator, there to deal with a minor mouse problem, he’s on to nationalism: “When I was growing up there were all different people in my building, different walks of life, religions, cultures, creeds, and we were all Americans and we kind of understood that. I think the segregation in different neighbourhoods in England gets to a point where it could be anywhere, they don’t necessarily have to be in England.
“I believe in freedom of speech and pursuit of happiness and all that stuff, but if someone moves to a country and doesn’t have any kind of allegiance to that country ... I just think it will cause more problems than it will solve.”
And Huey, along with the rest of the band, has made England his home.
He says: “I’ve an affinity for Britain I don’t think people really understand. They think I’m a New Yorker that’s been plopped down in London – fish-out-of-water syndrome. It’s my home now. I’ve really tried to assimilate. If I can assimilate – a quintessential New Yorker – to life in Britain, it’s interesting how some people refuse to.”
His interest in all things British extends to the most unlikely of viewing choices.
“I was into EastEnders when I lived in New York,” says Huey. “When I came to England to do Top of the Pops we were on the same film lot they do Eastenders in. I remember me and Finlay Quaye sneaking into The Vic one afternoon and having a smoke, which was kind of cool.”
He enjoys hanging out in Cuba Libre, in Upper Street, where the bartender’s “a really big fan of the band”, and “makes really good frozen margaritas”, adding: “You don’t really get Caribbean Spanish food in London too often and if you do it may not be that great. Cuba Libra’s got a laid-back atmosphere, it’s a cool place.”
New album Classic Fantastic came after a drawn-out legal battle with an ex-manager. It features Dennis Pennis actor Paul Kaye, a longstanding friend.
“We weren’t in the headspace to make the record we wanted while we were doing that legal wrangling so to get out from under that is a big weight lifted,” says Huey. “A lot of bands think they create this massive piece – saving lives and making rockets and curing cancer. We make records for people as a soundtrack to their lives.
“Instead of creating a dark horrible record about us in this legal battle we made a conscious effort to try to get out from under that and come up with some really good stuff.
“You can’t imagine how pleased we are about the fact that we can be musicians. It’s a beautiful thing and to take it for granted would be the silliest mistake anyone could make. There are so many musicians who never get the chance to make a record so for us to get the chance after all this, we’ve been very fortunate.”
Huey was a big fan of actor Paul Kaye when he was playing Pennis in America.
“As a kind of a nod to our legal issues, he’s got a character called Mike Strutter who’s a notorious New York attorney – it’s Paul Kaye’s take on American laws,” he says. “We thought it would be funny to have a series of simulated phone conversations with our attorney. So he was very gracious, came down the studio and did that.”
Huey promises a fantastic show at Koko, one of his favourite venues, adding: “We want to be more intimate with the crowd because it’s our first record in five years so we want to make a good connection again. For a lot of people it’ll be the first time they’ll have ever seen us.”
LOYAL CAMDEN GIRL AMY WINEHOUSE PULLS A MEAN PINT AND MORE GOSSIP
DEPRESSING news about plans to axe BBC 6 Music. Huey Morgan, from the Fun Lovin’ Criminals – interviewed above – recently won an award for his 6Music show.
Why, when the Beeb are permanently under scrutiny for their unwise spending of public money, do they choose to delete a gem like this? I guess they need the cash to secure endless Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps repeats – that’s what teenagers really like, right?
• l know him as the man who created Lil Chris – but to most people Gene Simmons is the make-up wearing frontman of glam-rock band KISS. He and his clan put on an incredible show but, the reason that made the gig special - that it was in such a small venue - almost backfired on them in the end. Determined to put on a worthy show, they closed the show with a sustained blast of ticker-tape. I thought we in the balcony were the only ones suffering shortness of breath from the blast of air coming from the cannons, but it appears the band also suffered and were unable to continue past the one encore.
Still it was a night to remember - even if I walked off with a headache.
• Amy Winehouse was back in her old haunts this week. She showed her allegiance to Camden’s iconic Dublin Castle by pulling pints for punters. “I’m a Camden girl,” she told me. “I’d do anything for Camden.”
.jpg)
(Amy Winehouse at Camden Monarch - August 2008)
• They’re the band everyone’s talking about. HURTS play Koko on May 10 and we’re gonna be there – so should you.
• Ever-innovative, ex-UK beatbox champ Beardyman’s touring again and this time he’s stopping off at 02 Academy Islington (May 2). But he’s leaving his fate in the hands of his fans. Send suggestions to him, along with your city, on Twitter with hashtag #beardytour and he’ll try to include them in his set.
• Quadrophenia or is it EastEnders’ Phil Daniels and Ian Dury/Gollum actor Andy Serkis have joined the bill for the Barbican’s celebration of the city Songs in the Key of London (March 9). Together with an eclectic collection of singers – Chris Difford, Blaine Harrison, Jools Holland, James Hunter, Mike Lindsay & Becky Jacobs (of Tunng), Natty, Rico Rodriguez, Chas Smash, Suggs, Glenn Tilbrook and Kathryn Williams – they celebrate songs about the capital.
Why, when the Beeb are permanently under scrutiny for their unwise spending of public money, do they choose to delete a gem like this? I guess they need the cash to secure endless Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps repeats – that’s what teenagers really like, right?
• l know him as the man who created Lil Chris – but to most people Gene Simmons is the make-up wearing frontman of glam-rock band KISS. He and his clan put on an incredible show but, the reason that made the gig special - that it was in such a small venue - almost backfired on them in the end. Determined to put on a worthy show, they closed the show with a sustained blast of ticker-tape. I thought we in the balcony were the only ones suffering shortness of breath from the blast of air coming from the cannons, but it appears the band also suffered and were unable to continue past the one encore.
Still it was a night to remember - even if I walked off with a headache.
• Amy Winehouse was back in her old haunts this week. She showed her allegiance to Camden’s iconic Dublin Castle by pulling pints for punters. “I’m a Camden girl,” she told me. “I’d do anything for Camden.”
.jpg)
(Amy Winehouse at Camden Monarch - August 2008)
• They’re the band everyone’s talking about. HURTS play Koko on May 10 and we’re gonna be there – so should you.
• Ever-innovative, ex-UK beatbox champ Beardyman’s touring again and this time he’s stopping off at 02 Academy Islington (May 2). But he’s leaving his fate in the hands of his fans. Send suggestions to him, along with your city, on Twitter with hashtag #beardytour and he’ll try to include them in his set.
• Quadrophenia or is it EastEnders’ Phil Daniels and Ian Dury/Gollum actor Andy Serkis have joined the bill for the Barbican’s celebration of the city Songs in the Key of London (March 9). Together with an eclectic collection of singers – Chris Difford, Blaine Harrison, Jools Holland, James Hunter, Mike Lindsay & Becky Jacobs (of Tunng), Natty, Rico Rodriguez, Chas Smash, Suggs, Glenn Tilbrook and Kathryn Williams – they celebrate songs about the capital.
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