Friday 17 December 2010

It Starts like The Wicker Man Ends...

It starts like The Wicker Man ends, people running around taking their own Lords name in vain, Jesus Christ, Christ No! Oh no, Jesus Christ! Some people look on in bemused merriment, their earbuds bleeding Yo La Tengo into their lugs (yeah, they do sound like The Velvet Underground).

A man starts singing to himself, he's not in tune, he probably was many years back, at the end of the day though he can go home and carry a nice ditty, maybe hum along to the Corrie theme but might struggle at Eastenders.

The naysayers have consulted their mobile devices to get the transport low-down, they seem satisfied with the end result. Basically they get nothing. As ever South Eastern are falling over themselves to deliver up to date travel information. At the end of (and the beginning of) the day it's no good. They muddle through, 33 parts ignorance, 33 parts stupidity and 34 parts pure bloody English resolve. I don't care if we're stuck here, marooned in a snow swept carriage in the middle of nowhere, if the staff can get to Tesco, then I'm sure they could have walked somewhere more hospitable. Did they go outside for sex? The Mountain Goats reply to Yo La Tengo with a song embracing nature and a tune which doesn't encourage discourse about how they got their name, like it's not important.

Remember when the only telephone ringing was the one at home? No because you've never had it so good. It's kind of like a blackberry or another well known mobile device but it costs around a pound for a couple of months of fun. It's a spiral bound notebook.
Now you know how it ends, get on the train when you can, don't leave people dangling about that stuff - if we could we'd all stay in hotels in central London, goddamn it, we would, wouldn't you?

Train's good, not much delay once you get out of Charing Cross, my travelling companions are less concerned about the outcome of this evening - glad that's OK then, gawd bless'em.

Saturday 11 December 2010

Jude Law - Christian Dior Ad - Wisdom Thief

Too Hot To Trot favourite 'Wisdom Thief' has done a little 2 minute animation from the latest Christian Dior pour homme advert featuring Jude Law.

The piece famously directed by mucker and mate of Law, Guy Ritchie has been doing the rounds and is clearly aiming to be a little bit pretentious (but is it supposed to be funny???). Aside from that Wisdom Thief as added a gently throbbing tune behind it all. Check it.


The Creepy Jo Frost



Rummaging around files I found this scan from the back of a Kellog's Corn Flakes box. Depicting Supernanny, Jo Frost, looming rather sinisterly over some poor child doing his work.
Creepy.

Saturday 27 November 2010

What's in a name | Boyzone, Sonic Youth and Neil Young


So what is in a name?
Well, if you're a popular musician your name sums up your whole stance, it associates you with a genre in some cases, you'd be pretty surprised if a band with a name like Metallica or Megadeth didn't play heavy metal but lounge jazz.

So it's fitting that some of pops bright young things choose monikers which describe who they are and what they do, it's just that when they no longer are 'bright young things' but 'bright older more mature things' that some of those names jar.

Boyzone are no longer the fresh faced Irish lads of yore, and Boyz II Men are well beyond fatherhood themselves. Sonic Youth are now the elder statesmen (and women) of Alternative Rock whilst Neil Young is no longer as sprightly as his handle would suggest (OK, allright that's his real name and not much can be done with that).

What can you do? Albeit I'd welcome seeing Manzone on tour and pushing their latest single, whilst Men II Older Men are propping up the R&B charts, why, there is even room on the bus for Sonic Octogenerians (free travel in some areas as well...). Best bet is to avoid any age related naming, at least Westlife won't have the same problems as their Irish brethren.

News - Wisdom Thief and more...

No news on the forthcoming Ambientland, my contact at the source has stated that other exterior pressures are holding back the project. That to me sounds like the day job's getting in the way again.

Elsewhere, Too Hot To Trot favourite Wisdom Thief has put a new tune onto Soundcloud, it's not as chilled as Eliot Hill(Version), the last track to drop which was an ambient drone-scape, yet 'Found Out' certainly has got a nice little wobble to it, not quite Dubstep, but incorporating some of those bottom ended antics. Worth a listen....
Found Out by Wisdom Thief

Monday 19 July 2010

Ambientland - coming soon

Just starting to put the word out on this forthcoming project in the pipeline. Ambientland.co.uk will be a new web comic, based in part from characters heard and seen in real life, with strange turns of phrase, odd looks and bizarre comments on society and modern life. ambientland aims to be a vague catch all brand for anything which I feel can fit within this framework. I expect to revisit a few of the subjects and people from my other illustrative pursuits like 'Strange and Lonely People' and a couple from the 'Long Stick Go Boom' blogs.

If you've got any odd stories or suggestions, or want to know more drop me a line you can do at mail@ambientland.co.uk

Tuesday 6 April 2010

Primal Scream - Screamadelica Live - Olympia

Looks like the classic Primal Scream album Screamadelica is getting the Live treatment in November 2010. The band are scheduled to perform the seminal 1991 release in it's entirety at London's Olympia on the 26th and 27th of November 2010. Tickets for the first date have already sold out and the second date is looking very likely to do the same. A brilliant opportunity to hear this scene defining album live.

Information available here.

Primal Scream - Olympia London - 26th November 2010

Primal Scream - Olympia London - 27th November 2010

Thursday 1 April 2010

Gigs and tour news

Interesting number of shows this summer taking place at Somerset House. This historic courtyard hosts an annual Summer Series of cutting edge music acts and this year is proving to be no exception.
Tickets and details through here - www.somersethousetickets.co.uk

Goldfrapp and crew are back in the saddle supporting their new release Head First, forthcoming shows in Oxford and Leamington Spa, plus appearances at the V Festival is Chelmsford and Staffordshire. Tickets and details through here - www.goldfrapptickets.co.uk

All the G's

Gorillaz bounce back with their excellent new album Plastic Beach and are bringing their heady brew of styles and top class collaborators to Londons Roundhouse at the end of April. Tickets and details this way>>>>>> www.gorillaztickets.co.uk


Reading Leeds Fetsival 2010 - Now boasting a pretty solid lineup of rock heavyweights and up and coming artists this years fetsival tickets are selling fast. More details and guaranteed tickets here>>>>>>>> www.reading2010.co.uk


More news as and when......

Sunday 21 March 2010

Linda Ronstadt - Stone Poneys - Forgotten Classics


Linda Ronstadt - Tuning Up.



When people talk about the Sixties and the American Folk movements influence upon the development of music through to now, it's consistently the same names mentioned - from Pete Seeger and Joan Baez's protest songs to Bob Dylan's infamous 'plugged' performance and on and on to the Byrds, Joni Mitchell and Crosby, Stills and Nash (..and Young). You'll hear these influences clearly in recordings by contemporary acts such as the 'Fleet Foxes' and 'Midlake'. But what about Linda?

Linda Ronstadt's early output clearly straddles all these genres, touching on Folk, Country Rock, Pop and Rock. Her first recordings surfaced as part of the trio 'The Stone Poneys' whose three albums from 1967 to 1968 blended folk with the pop sensibility of the day. Accompanied in the group by Robert Kimmell and Kenneth M. Edwards their mix of original compositions and covers was a heady blend. Perhaps a little too scattershot for the time, listening to these today they clearly indicate the way forward. The 'Vol 3 - The Stone Poneys and Friends' version of Tim Buckley's 'Morning Glory' (here named 'Hobo') resonates with the same despair and emotion of the original. Other notable tracks from this period include Fred Neil's 'Just a Little Bit of Rain' from 'Vol 1' and Steve Gillette's 'Song About The Rain' from 'Vol 2: Evergreen' - it's not all rain though, up-tempo numbers pepper the recordings throughout, like Mike Nesmith's 'Different Drum'.

After the Stone Poney's called it a day Linda assembled a new band and began what would become an illustrious solo career, but it's principally the early releases we're concerned with here, 1969's 'Hand Sown - Home Grown' and 1970's 'Silk Purse'.

Opening with a version of Dylan's 'Mama You've Been On My Mind' (rendered here as 'Baby You've Been On My Mind' the album explores the blurring of the folk, country and rock boundaries with tracks such as Randy Newman's 'Bet No One ever Hurt So Bad' and J.D Loudermilk's 'Break My Mind'. Another great take on a Fred Neil tune, 'The Dolphins', fittingly brings the album to a close.

'Silk Purse' offers up a similar selection of country/folk tinged numbers but also includes the classic 'Long Long Time' (although only reaching number 25 on the US charts at release).

With the current scene including a multitude of young female artists it's worth looking back at others who at a similarly young age were doing the same.


Friday 19 March 2010

Diddy to buy 'Cristal Palace' ? ?


News around the interwebs speaks of wild rumour regarding hip-hop Bad Boy Mogul Sean (Puffy Diddy) Coombs' plans to purchase South London Football Club Crystal Palace. The 'Missing You' hit-maker has already a lucrative line in fashion from his Sean John range and has recently branched out into marketing and selling his own smells (perfume).

Apparantly reports state the star is obsessed with the word Palace and as we all know the rap fraternity love sipping the Cristal Champagne, hopefully this will give the club a 'Notoriously Big' lift in their bid to beat relegation.


Failing that he could just get on the next Gorillaz Album, I'm sure they'll be looking for future collaborators...


Shop for Wines, Champagnes and Spirits.

Friday 12 March 2010

Compare the Supermarket Denim


Having a personal crisis? Midlife, divorced? Your Kids don't get on with you and that 'every second weekend' is the constant worry, what to do, where to go?

It's a far cry from sitting in the pub with your mates, putting the world to rights.

If only there was a site like comparethesupermarketdenim.com to turn to.

One day, one day.

Monday 8 March 2010

Yorkshire Pudding In European Push





We read that Yorkshire Pudding manufacturers are seeking European legal protections currently allowed to other regional delights such as Scotch Whisky, Parma Ham and Champagne.

The bid, which is also backed by the big names in pre-prepared puddings Aunt Bessie's, Roberts and the Real Yorkshire Pudding Company is aiming to replicate the success recently bestowed onYorkshire's Rhubarb growers. The majority of the countries Rhubarb is produced within a golden triangle of Yorkshire areas.

Show you're support for the push, or just you're appreciation of the culinary delight with a T-Shirt featuring the famous pud, or better still, an fetching apron to wear when mixing up your own pudding batter!

http://www.cafepress.co.uk/yorkshire_pud

http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/breaking-news/offbeat/bid-to-protect-yorkshire-puddings-14710548.html?r=RSS