The Bothy Band – The Kesh Jig
March 21, 2010 · Leave a Comment
→ Leave a CommentCategories: Folk
Tagged: bothy band, kesh jig
Echo and the Bunnymen with Billy Bragg – Run Run Run
March 20, 2010 · Leave a Comment
Back in 1985 BBC’s Old Grey Whistle Test did an all-nighter show called Rock Around The Clock. It was hosted by Word Magazine’s Mark Ellen and David Hepworth, with a bit of help from Andy Kershaw.
I remember staying up and seeing Echo and the Bunnymen joining up with Billy Bragg to play a rather shambolic version of The Velvet Underground’s Run, Run, Run at about 3 in the morning. I’d just discovered The Velvet Underground for myself and it felt like being a member of an exclusive club. In a pre-Amazon and MP3 world, just getting hold of their records was a challenge. To see two of my favourite acts teaming on a Velvet’s cover was tremendously exciting.
I hadn’t seen or heard it again in nearly 25 years until I found this on YouTube. In the intervening time I had thought about this version, and being a bit of a guitar geek, I remembered distinctly that Billy Bragg was playing a Telecaster f hole Thinline and that Will Sargent of the Bunnymen was playing a Bond Electraglide. A very 80s high tech guitar, made with carbon fibre with digital controls and readouts and a stepped rather than fretted fretboard. Very much of it’s time and technology in a guitar that never really caught on. Mick Jones played one in Big Audio Dynamite. The Edge probably played one too.
→ Leave a CommentCategories: 1985 · Cover Version · indie
Tagged: cover, Billy Bragg, Echo and the Bunnymen, Run Run Run, Velvet Underground, OGWT, Old Grey Whistle Test, Rock Around The Clock, bond electraglide
Dan Walsh – Every Day Is A Better Day
March 19, 2010 · Leave a Comment
A few weeks ago Dan Walsh played at the Hare and Hounds on one of @moseleyfolk’s Lunar Society events. I heard he was great but I missed it as I was at Symphony Hall for the excellent Transatlantic Sessions.
Last night though I caught some of his fine banjo playing, accompanied by Will Pound on harmonica on Moseley’s own, Janice Long’s, Radio 2 show. It’s available on iPlayer for a week the next week.
During the show they let slip that they will be playing at the Moseley Folk Festival in September. Hardly surprising, but good news. First sneak peak at any of the line-up I’ve been able to glean.
This is my favourite track from his quite excellent album, Tomorrow’s Still To Come.
→ Leave a CommentCategories: 2010 · Folk
Tagged: dan Walsh, banjo, moseley folk, rumours, janice long, will pound, hare and hounds, lunar society
Landscape – Einstein a Go Go
March 17, 2010 · Leave a Comment
→ Leave a CommentCategories: 1981 · 80s · electronic
Tagged: Landscape, Einstein a Go Go, 80s, electronic
UNKLE – Eye for an Eye
March 16, 2010 · Leave a Comment
Man! this was from 2003. Where did 7 years go?
→ Leave a CommentCategories: 2003 · Mowax · electronica
Tagged: eye for an eye, Mowax, Shynola, UNKLE
Chemical Brothers – Galvanize
March 15, 2010 · Leave a Comment
I really like the strings on this. I can’t quite place them. They have a bollywood feel although the tuning feels more middle eastern.
Q Tip delivers a fairly tidy vocal too.
→ Leave a CommentCategories: 2005 · electronica
Tagged: chemical brothers, galvanize, q tip
Field Music – Them That Do Nothing
March 14, 2010 · Leave a Comment
Sometimes you pick up on a track or an album, purely on it’s own musical merits with no knowledge of who the band are, or what they are about. The recent album by Field Music, Measure, is one such occasion. I know nothing about this band or what they’ve done before. I just know that I’m enjoying getting into this album. I may go take a listen at some of their earlier stuff, but for now let’s see how I get on with this.
→ Leave a CommentCategories: 2010
Tagged: Field Music, Measure, Them That Do Nothing
Madness – We are London
March 13, 2010 · Leave a Comment
One of my favourite albums of 2009 that I’m still going back to was the Liberty of Norton Folgate by Madness. Yes, Madness, the nutty boys from way back, Baggy Trousers, House of Fun, all that. Well years after the initial success they’ve put out this album that seems to have circulated and built by word of mouth.
I won’t use the word concept album, not that there’s anything wrong with that. Remember I do like prog, but there is a theme running through this album. Norton Folgate isn’t a person as you might first think, it’s a place in the City of London. A liberty was an old administrative unit, like a parish. It comes from the same ancient system of division as phrases such as hundreds which was a subdivision of a shire or county. So this album is a tribute of sorts to an old London. It has glimpses of music hall and also a multicultural vibe about it. And it’s bloody good. Go listen, you’ll like it.
→ Leave a CommentCategories: Uncategorized
David Bowie – Ziggy Stardust
March 12, 2010 · Leave a Comment
Ziggy played guitar.
Something simple today. My mind can’t take anything too challenging. Whenever I listen to this I’m throwing Ronsonic shapes with an imaginary Les Paul. This goes beyond air guitar. You wouldn’t know I’m doing it. The movements are imperceptible.
→ Leave a CommentCategories: 1973 · Rock
Tagged: david bowie, mick ronson, ronsonic, ziggy stardust
