WE’VE read countless annual reviews, griped over XfM’s choice of The Killers’ Mr Brightside as the top song of all time and have been quite proud to be left out of the Queen’s New Year’s Honours list.
Now, in the hope of being the first official music awards of the year, here are Tutankarbon's alternative prizes...
GLASTONBURY AWARD FOR MOST DRENCHED FESTIVAL – The Camden Crawl
Rain or shine we love it, you’re only ever seconds away from a venue to shelter in, but this year really tested our resolve. As we said at the time, rivers of black eyeliner ran down Camden High Street as someone in the heavens chucked buckets at the dedicated music fans swimming their way from gig to gig.
MOST WELL-INTENTIONED BUT ILL-JUDGED SPECIAL EFFECT – Kiss, 02 Academy Islington
They just wanted to give fans a taste of the stadium experience. But poor Kiss’ plans to set off ticker tape from huge cannons backfired as they accidentally suffocated themselves and their fans – cutting short their encore. There’s a reason they’re usually reserved for the arenas guys.
MALCOLM TUCKER AWARD FOR MOST DIPLOMATIC WARDROBE CHOICE – Missy Elliott, Wireless
She probably thought it was a nice gesture – wearing a German tracksuit from sponsors Adidas while their national team battled it out in South Africa. But Missy didn’t count on a bunch of sour-faced England fans, who booed and threw bottles at her, still sore at the country’s loss days earlier.
MOST RIB-CRUSHING GIG – Rage Against the Machine, Finsbury Park
We thought we’d planned it so well – close enough to see, far enough back to avoid being sucked into a mosh-pit stew of fists and feet. I even took my earrings off just in case. But from the very first bass note, the entire crowd contracted, we were lifted off our feet, flung across a molten sea of black t-shirts and banging heads before being dropped into the centre of the pit. Bones could be felt cracking and the mission to get to the edge of park was greater than any Labyrinth-type adventure. Phenomenal gig.
MOST WANTED MUSICIAN (for about five minutes) – Lowkey
He loves a good cause this one. Lowkey visited students at Camden School for Girls protesting at the planned university fees hike. Hours later, he appeared on the front of a number of national newspapers as one of the people police wanted to speak to in connection with protest violence. Of course nothing came of it and he doesn’t seem to be wanted but seeing his face in the rogues gallery it gave his fans a swift shock.
BIGGEST INSULT TO VISITING US ARTISTS – Wireless (Missy Elliott) and The Roundhouse (Talib Kweli)
I know they had their reasons, but pulling the plug on artists mid-song just is not cool. If they are running over, let them get to the end of the song. Leaving Missy and Kweli standing there, mic and music turned off, looking like fools, is not the way to make friends and can only end badly.
VENUE TO SCORE BEST SECRET GIG – Dingwalls – The Strokes
There was hysteria when news broke out that Dingwalls was going to host The Strokes’ comeback. Tickets were harder to find than a music store in Camden and there was no need for contact lenses from Cyberdog for those that missed out – the green eyes could be seen from outer space.
VENUE TO LOSE HUGE SECRET GIG – Dingwalls – Guns ‘n Roses
Dingwalls had to issue an 11th-hour cancellation after learning Axl and co wouldn’t be venturing our way, causing some anger but also a lot of relief from those who wish G n’ R would cut their losses and stop ruining the memory of their best work.
MOST MIDDLE-CLASS MOSH – Jamie Cullum, Kenwood
In among the vin, the pain and the Boursin, the picnic baskets were overturned, cheese knives waved in the air and Jamie Cullum’s encore became the oddest, multi-aged mosh-pit in the shadows of Kenwood House.
MOST GENEROUS HEADLINE PERFORMANCE (TAKE NOTE KANYE) – Jay-Z, Wireless
Unlike Kanye’s headline turn the year before, Jay-Z’s not mean with his time, his words, or his songs and there was not a hint of self-indulgence about his show.
SPECIAL AWARD FOR THE BAND AT THE CENTRE OF THE BIGGEST OFFICE ROW – N-Dubz
Yes Dappy, Fazer and Tulisa, you caused fireworks at my office earlier this year. No need to go into it now, suffice to say – I was on your side.
FAREWELL TO – The Luminaire, The Flowerpot and possibly The 100 Club
HELLO TO – The Wheelbarrow, Nambucca (just reopened).
Showing posts with label The Strokes. Show all posts
Showing posts with label The Strokes. Show all posts
Wednesday, 12 January 2011
Thursday, 30 September 2010
THE AIRBORNE TOXIC EVENT - FROM BLOODSTAINED CARPETS TO WALT DISNEY CONCERT HALL
A COUPLE of years ago LA band The Airborne Toxic Event took up residency at The Dublin Castle in Camden, staying in “skanky” hotels and living it up in Marathon Kebab house.
They played 30 UK dates, and within six months were playing to audiences of thousands.
Now, having put the finishing touches to their second album they’re about to cross the Atlantic again, this time touring of non-traditional venues like Islington’s Union Chapel (Oct 3).
They’ll also attend the premiere of their DVD All I Ever Wanted – The Airborne Toxic Event : Live From Walt Disney Concert Hall (out Oct 4), which has been accepted into the prestigious Raindance Festival.
They played 30 UK dates, and within six months were playing to audiences of thousands.
Now, having put the finishing touches to their second album they’re about to cross the Atlantic again, this time touring of non-traditional venues like Islington’s Union Chapel (Oct 3).
They’ll also attend the premiere of their DVD All I Ever Wanted – The Airborne Toxic Event : Live From Walt Disney Concert Hall (out Oct 4), which has been accepted into the prestigious Raindance Festival.
Frontman, guitarist, chief lyricist Mikel Jollett is wide awake, it’s 10 am and he’s still at home in LA thinking about packing.
He said: “I get up at like 7am. I know it’s decidedly not rock and roll of me. The last couple of weeks we’ve been finishing this record we’ve been making for about nine months.”
Don’t ask what it’s going to be called, as they’ve got ideas but they’re not letting on.
Their biggest hit to date Sometime Around Midnight, captured the attention of fans, but Mikel’s moved on from drawing too heavily on his previous break-up and says the songs have other stories to tell.
He said: “It’s definitely not a reread of the first record. It’s probably both louder and quieter. I wrote the last record when I was going through a pretty devastating break-up. It was a pretty bad time. On this record there’s some songs about my folks and one about Afghanistan – the hypocrisy of nation building in the context of war. Then there’s some ballads. It’s definitely a different kind.”
Turns out the new album was supposed to be an electro mash-up effort “but we ended up making a big rock record” Mikel confesses.
Back to their stay in Camden, Mikel said: “We got to know Camden pretty well. We stayed in this super skanky hotel that had like bloodstains on the floor. It was such a grimy place, we were sleeping three to a room because we were so broke. I like the Dublin Castle it reminded me of a lot of bars in LA. We liked the rock and roll falafel place (Marathon Kebabs), at night it becomes like a rockabilly night, people dancing and eating falafel. That was the most happening joint in London, I really liked that place.”
Mikel seems thrown by UK music journalist lines of questioning but believes it comes from the right place.
He said: “Everyone always thinks you’re scheming and trying to come up with something clever either how you dress or the aesthetic or the music, something in order to solve the equation of being like the next
huge thing. We do not think like that at all.”
He launches in to a (pantomime) English accent: “(UK critic) "I notice you’ve got your sound, you’ve got The Strokes with a bit of The Clash and Arcade Fire sort of thing, how did you come up with that equation” and we’re like uh.......we don’t know. Actually the UK Press is actually quite polite, smart and enthusiastic about us and I think people seem to understand...Where a lot of the hyperbole of the Press comes from...it’s written by people who literally don’t want to be let down, they’ve sacrificed so much in their lives to be part of it.”
He’s not likely to be found complaining about touring either.
Mikel said: “I used to be a carpenter and my hands were sore – that was work...The people who come to our shows have jobs and work. We don’t work, we travel around and play music.”
He said: “I get up at like 7am. I know it’s decidedly not rock and roll of me. The last couple of weeks we’ve been finishing this record we’ve been making for about nine months.”
Don’t ask what it’s going to be called, as they’ve got ideas but they’re not letting on.
Their biggest hit to date Sometime Around Midnight, captured the attention of fans, but Mikel’s moved on from drawing too heavily on his previous break-up and says the songs have other stories to tell.
He said: “It’s definitely not a reread of the first record. It’s probably both louder and quieter. I wrote the last record when I was going through a pretty devastating break-up. It was a pretty bad time. On this record there’s some songs about my folks and one about Afghanistan – the hypocrisy of nation building in the context of war. Then there’s some ballads. It’s definitely a different kind.”
Turns out the new album was supposed to be an electro mash-up effort “but we ended up making a big rock record” Mikel confesses.
Back to their stay in Camden, Mikel said: “We got to know Camden pretty well. We stayed in this super skanky hotel that had like bloodstains on the floor. It was such a grimy place, we were sleeping three to a room because we were so broke. I like the Dublin Castle it reminded me of a lot of bars in LA. We liked the rock and roll falafel place (Marathon Kebabs), at night it becomes like a rockabilly night, people dancing and eating falafel. That was the most happening joint in London, I really liked that place.”
Mikel seems thrown by UK music journalist lines of questioning but believes it comes from the right place.
He said: “Everyone always thinks you’re scheming and trying to come up with something clever either how you dress or the aesthetic or the music, something in order to solve the equation of being like the next
huge thing. We do not think like that at all.”
He launches in to a (pantomime) English accent: “(UK critic) "I notice you’ve got your sound, you’ve got The Strokes with a bit of The Clash and Arcade Fire sort of thing, how did you come up with that equation” and we’re like uh.......we don’t know. Actually the UK Press is actually quite polite, smart and enthusiastic about us and I think people seem to understand...Where a lot of the hyperbole of the Press comes from...it’s written by people who literally don’t want to be let down, they’ve sacrificed so much in their lives to be part of it.”
He’s not likely to be found complaining about touring either.
Mikel said: “I used to be a carpenter and my hands were sore – that was work...The people who come to our shows have jobs and work. We don’t work, we travel around and play music.”
Thursday, 10 June 2010
A LONG WEEK IN MUSIC, RIB-CRACKING AT RAGE, SCRAMBLE FOR THE STROKES AND MORE
IT feels like the longest week in music ever. From being conflicted listening to the beautiful tones of Hasidic reggae artist Matisyahu (but not so sure about his politics) at Dean Street Studios on Wednesday, to the politics-free zone at the front row for Usher’s special show at Koko (he was all about the ladies and the poses) on Friday, to feeling every rib in my body on the verge of cracking in the manic moshpit at Rage Against the Machine at Finsbury Park on Sunday, to the (failed) battle for tickets for The Strokes’ secret gig as Venison at Dingwalls last night. This is the place to be if you love music. And it’s not over yet. New Young Pony Club and fave band Hurts are at Dingwalls tonight (Thursday).
• There’s a timely appearance from Big Brother’s tantrum princess Nikki on Friday at The Monarch. We’re hearing it’s gonna be like Phoebe from Friends. Disaster/Car crash entertainment? Can't imagine you'll be able to tear your eyes away.
• Thousands crashed Dingwalls’ website in a desperate scramble for Strokes tickets. We tweeted this early – before most music press had got their acts together thanks to trusty local contacts – follow me @roisingadelrab
• This Teenage Cancer Trust Topshop Summer Bandstand picnic at Regent’s College (June 12) could be a winner. Charlotte Hatherley (ex-Ash), Chew Lips, Goldheart Assembly and Stricken City + DJ sets from New Young Pony Club, and Girlcore are on the bill. Bring a picnic as the whole area is transformed into one big picnic ground with games, rollerskating, egg and spoon races and sports day games.
• I confess I used to love this guy’s curly mop-top (remember Sandstorm, Walk Away and Alright?) – former Cast frontman and ex-bassist for The La’s John Power will be singing Cast hits at the Luminaire (June 17).
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
