As the title suggests, this is going to be a very incohesive blog post. I'm afraid my mind is still in Christmas mode. Sorry about that.
Anyways, gonna start with A Perfect Circle. After several years of being inactive APC finally broke down the silence this autumn by playing the entirety of each of their three albums at concerts, one album per night. There have also been rumours of the band writing new material but with these guys you can never be sure of anything. I definitely wouldn't mind if Maynard James Keenan took some time off from his wine-making activities and Billy Howerdel concentrated on APC as well, instead of his other band Ashes Divide, because even after a long break APC still sounds amazing. Take a look here:
Speaking of wine-making, since it seems to be the main reason as to why there hasn't been a new APC or Tool record for a while. Here's a brief interview where Keenan talks about his vineyard and why he got interested in wine in the first place. It's kinda interesting although I wish the interviewer would let Keenan do most of the talking.
Finally, about the documentary Keenan mentions during the interview. It's called Blood Into Wine, it's directed by Ryan Page and Christopher Pomerenk, and yes, it's all about Keenan and his wine-making efforts in Arizona. Here's the trailer:
Funny thing about Page & Pomerenk is that they seem to have a very special relationship with Sundance Film Festival. Apparently Sundance keeps rejecting their documentaries (including Blood Into Wine) and it has come down to a point where Page & Pomerenk have decided to cast puppets for their next production because they think "the puppets will take the inevitable Sundance rejection better than real life actors" [read the whole press release here].
Now that's the way to deal with rejection and turning it into good publicity! Reminds me of an old saying about making lemonade if life gives you lemons. Which is about the same thing as getting wine out of desert soil or turning painful life experiences into beautiful music, if you come to think of it.
12/21/10
Best of 2010 - kind of, or not
Once again it's that time of the year when every music mag and blog out there seems to be listing their favourite albums, singles, videos and what-nots of the year. I fell for it recently myself too, a couple of posts ago when I called Alain Johannes' "Spark" one of the best albums in 2010. But it is kinda silly to compare records to one another only because they were released in the same year, isn't it? Besides those lists always ignore the fact people discover old music all the time, too, and it's just as important as finding new artists.
So, instead of making a traditional top 10, I decided to make a different list. It consists of artists who've been around but which I discovered or fell in love with in 2010. To spice it up I decided to add another criteria: they all had to have strange video material available online. So here's my top 5 of the wackiest videos by artists/bands I've discovered in 2010.
Alex Harvey
I kept bumping into his name constantly this year (his songs have been covered by Nick Cave, Gemma Ray and Recoil, for instance), finally decided to check out his albums and haven't stopped smirking since. Here the crazy Scotsman doing his thing on stage back in the 70's. In this footage Alex uses beer as hair gel, stuffs stockings into his cheeks and enjoyes the goofed-up faces of the Norwegian audience.
Captain Beefheart
Another case of finally checking out someone I'd constantly heard being referenced to. After listening to Beefheart fairly intensely for about 9 months now I'm convinced he was a mad genius and it truly was heart-breaking and slightly eerie as well to hear about Don Van Vliet's passing - only a few weeks after I'd written a blog text about him and his legacy. Here's one of Captain Beefheart's last musical efforts, a video that was apparently banned from MTV for "being too weird".
Charlotte Gainsbourg
It's hardly surprising that the daughter of Serge Gainsbourg is kinda eccentric, yet very chic. I can't remember why I started listening to her albums but once I did, I got stuck. Charlotte rocks, here with Beck and a group of people engaged in the weirdest activities.
Creature With The Atom Brain
Top quality psychedelia band, hailing from Belgium. This video always makes me slightly nauseous but I love the track. It's trippy and hypnotic.
Archie Bronson Outfit
I have no idea how to decribe this band because their sound is such an eclectic mix of various styles and influences. Not sure what this video is about either. To be a disco dancer or a deep sea diver, that is the question, apparently.
So, instead of making a traditional top 10, I decided to make a different list. It consists of artists who've been around but which I discovered or fell in love with in 2010. To spice it up I decided to add another criteria: they all had to have strange video material available online. So here's my top 5 of the wackiest videos by artists/bands I've discovered in 2010.
Alex Harvey
I kept bumping into his name constantly this year (his songs have been covered by Nick Cave, Gemma Ray and Recoil, for instance), finally decided to check out his albums and haven't stopped smirking since. Here the crazy Scotsman doing his thing on stage back in the 70's. In this footage Alex uses beer as hair gel, stuffs stockings into his cheeks and enjoyes the goofed-up faces of the Norwegian audience.
Captain Beefheart
Another case of finally checking out someone I'd constantly heard being referenced to. After listening to Beefheart fairly intensely for about 9 months now I'm convinced he was a mad genius and it truly was heart-breaking and slightly eerie as well to hear about Don Van Vliet's passing - only a few weeks after I'd written a blog text about him and his legacy. Here's one of Captain Beefheart's last musical efforts, a video that was apparently banned from MTV for "being too weird".
Charlotte Gainsbourg
It's hardly surprising that the daughter of Serge Gainsbourg is kinda eccentric, yet very chic. I can't remember why I started listening to her albums but once I did, I got stuck. Charlotte rocks, here with Beck and a group of people engaged in the weirdest activities.
Creature With The Atom Brain
Top quality psychedelia band, hailing from Belgium. This video always makes me slightly nauseous but I love the track. It's trippy and hypnotic.
Archie Bronson Outfit
I have no idea how to decribe this band because their sound is such an eclectic mix of various styles and influences. Not sure what this video is about either. To be a disco dancer or a deep sea diver, that is the question, apparently.
12/17/10
Going retro in 2010 - how to do it right
It started a couple of years ago with Amy Winehouse and continues today with the likes of Eliza Doolittle or Duffy. In addition to these ladies, there seem to be hundreds of others like them out there - playing music inspired by the sounds of the 50's and 60's. Quite often it's obvious though that the retro vibe doesn't necessarily come from the hearts of the performers but rather from the minds of producers or record labels on a quest of finding the next retro queen.
Luckily there are also artists like Imelda May who'd be living and breathing those old tunes, sounds and looks whether it was fashionable or not.
Besides being credible, Imelda happens to be an exceptionally talented and skillful singer, capable of bringing true emotion and soul to world-weary blues songs as well as to groovy rockabilly songs. Lately, her talent's been spotted by Jeff Beck as well, who've recruited Imelda to sing on his album "Emotions & Commotions". This has forced me to consider buying my first ever Jeff Beck record! Yikes!
Luckily there are also artists like Imelda May who'd be living and breathing those old tunes, sounds and looks whether it was fashionable or not.
Besides being credible, Imelda happens to be an exceptionally talented and skillful singer, capable of bringing true emotion and soul to world-weary blues songs as well as to groovy rockabilly songs. Lately, her talent's been spotted by Jeff Beck as well, who've recruited Imelda to sing on his album "Emotions & Commotions". This has forced me to consider buying my first ever Jeff Beck record! Yikes!
12/16/10
Trent Reznor on the pains and pleasures of creativity
If you're even remotely interested in Trent Reznor's work you need to watch this recent in-depth interview on Tavis Smiley Show. Reznor was there to promote "Social Network" (you know, the movie about Facebook, directed by David Fincher) cause he's composed the original film score for it. What's far more interesting though is what he says about creativity in general, feeling insecure and afraid, the process of fitting into someone else's vision vs. working as the head of a project and how he perceives various film awards as opposed to music awards. Definitely one of the most interesting interviews I've seen or read for a long time!
12/13/10
12/12/10
Lightnin' x 2
This may sound like a cliche but sometimes I find myself in a place where I can only listen to blues. It's not a genre I'd know much about yet but there's something about it I think is more comforting than drinking hot chocolate under a warm blanket.
Lately I've been indulging myself with a dose of Louisiana blues - love the way it's so laid-back, slow and dark. Especially two Lightnin's, namely Lightnin' Slim and Lightnin' Hopkins, have a sound that's simply captivating. You'll know things aren't that bad when you hear Slim sing: "If it wasn't for bad luck, I wouldn't have no luck at all..."
Lately I've been indulging myself with a dose of Louisiana blues - love the way it's so laid-back, slow and dark. Especially two Lightnin's, namely Lightnin' Slim and Lightnin' Hopkins, have a sound that's simply captivating. You'll know things aren't that bad when you hear Slim sing: "If it wasn't for bad luck, I wouldn't have no luck at all..."
12/10/10
Silence the charts
Remember how Rage Against The Machine's "Killing In The name Of" suddenly became the Christmas number one in the UK last year, clearing the top spot from X Factor winners and such? Well, this year a similar endeavor is in the making, this time in order to get John Cage's famous 4'33" (4 minutes and 33 seconds of an orchestra staying practically silent) to reach number one. I think it's a wicked idea, especially because last year's campaign got critiqued for the suitability of a RATM song for such purposes.
However, the decision to pick this particular "song" has created a few problems, too. On the CATM campaign blog [here] the person behind the campaign and its Facebook page [here] tells about The Royal British Legion planning on recording a piece of silence as well.
And to make things even more confusing, apparently it isn't the original John Cage piece people are encouraged to buy but a retake, recorded by a number of British artists, such as Suggs of Madness, Orbital, Pendulum and UNKLE [says BBC].
The retake was probably made to be able to donate all the campaign profit to various charities (including British Tinnitus Association *cough*) but since the CATM campaign wasn't originally meant to become this huge, nobody seems to be taking charge of the sudden media frenzy and it's all becoming a bit of a mess. With three pieces of silence out there to buy (the original by Cage, the retake of Suggs & co. plus the The Royal British Legion one), I think there's a real danger of the whole thing going down the drain.
Oh well. I hope it succeeds anyway. I wonder what John Cage would think of it though?
CATM campaign website: http://www.catm.co.uk/
 | |
| John Cage |
And to make things even more confusing, apparently it isn't the original John Cage piece people are encouraged to buy but a retake, recorded by a number of British artists, such as Suggs of Madness, Orbital, Pendulum and UNKLE [says BBC].
The retake was probably made to be able to donate all the campaign profit to various charities (including British Tinnitus Association *cough*) but since the CATM campaign wasn't originally meant to become this huge, nobody seems to be taking charge of the sudden media frenzy and it's all becoming a bit of a mess. With three pieces of silence out there to buy (the original by Cage, the retake of Suggs & co. plus the The Royal British Legion one), I think there's a real danger of the whole thing going down the drain.
Oh well. I hope it succeeds anyway. I wonder what John Cage would think of it though?
CATM campaign website: http://www.catm.co.uk/
12/9/10
Alain Johannes - a man and a cigarbox guitar
Multi-talent is a term often thrown around ungroundedly. But it's the only word that can be used to describe Alain Johannes. In addition to being able to play the guitar, bass, mandolin, banjo, keyboard, flute, clarinet, saxophone, fiddle and several other instruments, Alain Johannes is also a gifted singer, songwriter, recording engineer and producer. You may not know him by his name but if you've listened to Queens Of The Stone Age, Chris Cornell, Them Crooked Vultures, Spinnerette, Desert Sessions or Mark Lanegan records, you probably know some of his work.
I was lucky enough to see Alain Johannes play as an opener for Gogol Bordello and DeVotchKa a couple of days ago - a somewhat odd slot for him, if you ask me, but of course nobody does and of course I was happy to see him even only for 30 minutes or so.
On stage Alain seemed exactly as one might expect - perhaps slightly unaccustomed to being alone in the limelight but obviously a very skillful and talented musician, equipped only with his cigarbox guitar (as in the photo). The set consisted mostly of songs from his first solo album "Spark", released this autumn.
So why did such a talented musician wait till his forties before going solo? I'm guessing Alain just never had any reason to work alone before. He found his perfect match both in life and in music in Natasha Shneider, his life partner for over 20 years, who unfortunately passed away due to cancer in 2008. The story about the two meeting, living and working together, completing each other every step of the way is pretty exceptional. In addition to having a band together (Eleven, with the drummer Jack Irons) they often worked together on many of the aforementioned collaborations.
In a way, Natasha helped Alain on "Spark" as well. In his recent interviews Alain's told about how he felt Natasha's presence so strongly while writing and recording the album that it was like she was there, guiding him. This "gentle ghost" of Natasha was the only one who's help he agreed to have on the album, which is written, played, recorded and produced solely by Alain himself.
The most staggering thing about "Spark" is how balanced and hopeful it sounds. Obviously, the album is dedicated to Natasha and it deals with the tremendous loss of a very close person. The end result however is not a dark requiem but a beautiful collage of intertwining moods and musical textures, a perfect mixture of light and shade. A highly recommendable and inspiring effort, and definitely one of the best albums of 2010. And next year Alain's set to collaborate with Mark Lanegan on his upcoming solo album. Somehow I've got a feeling it might turn out pretty fine as well.
Alain in a cigarbox battle:
 |
| Photo by Liz O. Baylen / Los Angeles Times |
I was lucky enough to see Alain Johannes play as an opener for Gogol Bordello and DeVotchKa a couple of days ago - a somewhat odd slot for him, if you ask me, but of course nobody does and of course I was happy to see him even only for 30 minutes or so.
On stage Alain seemed exactly as one might expect - perhaps slightly unaccustomed to being alone in the limelight but obviously a very skillful and talented musician, equipped only with his cigarbox guitar (as in the photo). The set consisted mostly of songs from his first solo album "Spark", released this autumn.
So why did such a talented musician wait till his forties before going solo? I'm guessing Alain just never had any reason to work alone before. He found his perfect match both in life and in music in Natasha Shneider, his life partner for over 20 years, who unfortunately passed away due to cancer in 2008. The story about the two meeting, living and working together, completing each other every step of the way is pretty exceptional. In addition to having a band together (Eleven, with the drummer Jack Irons) they often worked together on many of the aforementioned collaborations.
In a way, Natasha helped Alain on "Spark" as well. In his recent interviews Alain's told about how he felt Natasha's presence so strongly while writing and recording the album that it was like she was there, guiding him. This "gentle ghost" of Natasha was the only one who's help he agreed to have on the album, which is written, played, recorded and produced solely by Alain himself.
The most staggering thing about "Spark" is how balanced and hopeful it sounds. Obviously, the album is dedicated to Natasha and it deals with the tremendous loss of a very close person. The end result however is not a dark requiem but a beautiful collage of intertwining moods and musical textures, a perfect mixture of light and shade. A highly recommendable and inspiring effort, and definitely one of the best albums of 2010. And next year Alain's set to collaborate with Mark Lanegan on his upcoming solo album. Somehow I've got a feeling it might turn out pretty fine as well.
Alain in a cigarbox battle:
12/8/10
Oh well, Duffy
Duffy's new single "Well, Well, Well" could be the catchiest song of 2010. It's fun and has that infuriating quality of vaguely reminding you of some other hit song - although you can't quite tell which one.
Compared to her previous efforts, on "Well, Well, Well" Duffy's adopted a somewhat different style of singing which admittedly suits the song. However, listening to her repeat it practically throughout her new album proved to be an exhausting experience. Whereas on "Rockferry" (2007) Duffy sounded fresh and natural and a bit like young Petula Clark, on the new "Endlessly" she seems to have lost most of her depth and ends up sounding more like Millie Small. Even her dance moves seem to bear resemblance to Millie's back in the 60's. Sure it's entertaining for a while but then it does get plain boring.
But hey, as the song suggests, maybe she's not guilty of the things I've said she's done. Given Duffy's 60's girl band inspired look blaming an evil producer for it would be just as fitting.
Compared to her previous efforts, on "Well, Well, Well" Duffy's adopted a somewhat different style of singing which admittedly suits the song. However, listening to her repeat it practically throughout her new album proved to be an exhausting experience. Whereas on "Rockferry" (2007) Duffy sounded fresh and natural and a bit like young Petula Clark, on the new "Endlessly" she seems to have lost most of her depth and ends up sounding more like Millie Small. Even her dance moves seem to bear resemblance to Millie's back in the 60's. Sure it's entertaining for a while but then it does get plain boring.
But hey, as the song suggests, maybe she's not guilty of the things I've said she's done. Given Duffy's 60's girl band inspired look blaming an evil producer for it would be just as fitting.
12/7/10
An evening with the multi-instrumental, multi-national and multi-talented
Whoa, great shows yesterday by Gogol Bordello and DeVotchKa (and Alain Johannes too, but more about him later)! Truly inspiring to see how both bands manage to mix so many influences from around the world and do it in completely different ways. Whereas DeVotchKa's approach is subtle, dreamy and indie-ish, Gogol Bordello's gypsy punk kicks your butt and slaps you in the face. Both work like a charm, especially live.
Usually I try my hardest not to mix music with politics but during the shows last night it was hard to avoid certain trains of thoughts. This year the whole Europe's been discussing, arguing and debating the rights of Romani people to leave their home countries and try their luck somewhere else. A group of them actually set up a camp only a few miles from last night's venue but it was recently taken down by the city - which also gave the people money to go back home. So what's my point? I don't know. I guess some ways of expressing the gypsy way of life are just more acceptable than others.
Usually I try my hardest not to mix music with politics but during the shows last night it was hard to avoid certain trains of thoughts. This year the whole Europe's been discussing, arguing and debating the rights of Romani people to leave their home countries and try their luck somewhere else. A group of them actually set up a camp only a few miles from last night's venue but it was recently taken down by the city - which also gave the people money to go back home. So what's my point? I don't know. I guess some ways of expressing the gypsy way of life are just more acceptable than others.
12/3/10
Wanna wipe the floor with Nick Cave's face?
Well, now it's possible, in a way. The new Grinderman merchandise, available on grinderman.com, includes tea towels with the faces of Mr. Cave and his partners in crime printed on them. So whether you loved or hated the new Grinderman record now there's a brilliant opportunity out there to express your feelings by buying one and using it the way you find most appropriate.
Personally, I think tea towels are the most useful piece of merchandise I've seen in a long time and perfect for such a whimsical band. Actually, I wouldn't mind getting one for Christmas. Could use one in my kitchenette.
Personally, I think tea towels are the most useful piece of merchandise I've seen in a long time and perfect for such a whimsical band. Actually, I wouldn't mind getting one for Christmas. Could use one in my kitchenette.
12/2/10
Hit and miss from David Lynch
In addition to being a filmmaker, David Lynch is also a musician and has recently released two new singles. The first one of them, "Good Day Today", is something I'd call a miss. It seems like a quite generic and monotonic electro track although I guess it could work well as a soundtrack for meditation. And knowing Lynch's enthusiasm for TM maybe that's what he was after.
The second single however is definitely a hit. It's just as twisted, haunting, slinky and cool as one could ever wish for. So here's "I know". I love it.
The second single however is definitely a hit. It's just as twisted, haunting, slinky and cool as one could ever wish for. So here's "I know". I love it.
12/1/10
Shoegazing + reggae = the new PJ Harvey song
I wonder what went on inside of Polly Jean Harvey's head when she wrote this song. The first 45 seconds of the song have an eerie, My Bloody Valentine kind of sound - but then, totally out of the blue, a reggae sample kicks in. And somehow the two components manage to blend seamlessly. How's that even possible?
"Written On The Forehead" is from PJ Harvey's upcoming album, due to release on February 2011.
Written On The Forehead by pjharvey
"Written On The Forehead" is from PJ Harvey's upcoming album, due to release on February 2011.
Written On The Forehead by pjharvey
11/30/10
They all heart Beefheart
It's a widely known fact that Don Van Vliet, aka Captain Beefheart, has influenced many of the most respected artists of today. Like Tom Waits, The Clash, Kurt Cobain, Sonic Youth and PJ Harvey, to name a few. It seems that nowadays Beefheart is starting to gain the respect he duly deserves but somehow it feels unfair he never became hugely popular in terms of record sales - although it's quite understandable, too. His music is way too eccentric to appeal to big audiences. Apparently old Captain's quite a character as well, with a persona as erratic as his music.
Beefheart retired from music in the early 80's to concentrate on painting and what do you know - he turned out to be talented in that as well, says the almighty Interweb. Not too much is known about Beefheart or what he's up to nowadays but it's been rumored that he's suffering from MS. If it is true, and considering his high age (70 next January, apparently), it's quite possible that the world will truly pay attention to one of it's most original musicians after he's gone. Which is still too little too late, if you ask me. So here's a novel idea: how about giving the man some credit now? Maybe all those musicians who've praised him could at least throw him a proper 70th birthday party or something.
So next time you're listening to recent Tom Waits albums it might be fitting to spare a thought for Captain Beefheart as well. Or compare this "Dropout Boogie" to PJ Harvey's song "I Think I'm A Mother". Once you begin to hear the echo of Beefheart's music it's never gonna stop.
Beefheart retired from music in the early 80's to concentrate on painting and what do you know - he turned out to be talented in that as well, says the almighty Interweb. Not too much is known about Beefheart or what he's up to nowadays but it's been rumored that he's suffering from MS. If it is true, and considering his high age (70 next January, apparently), it's quite possible that the world will truly pay attention to one of it's most original musicians after he's gone. Which is still too little too late, if you ask me. So here's a novel idea: how about giving the man some credit now? Maybe all those musicians who've praised him could at least throw him a proper 70th birthday party or something.
So next time you're listening to recent Tom Waits albums it might be fitting to spare a thought for Captain Beefheart as well. Or compare this "Dropout Boogie" to PJ Harvey's song "I Think I'm A Mother". Once you begin to hear the echo of Beefheart's music it's never gonna stop.
11/27/10
11/26/10
About Jesus & Mary Chain and the name of this blog
"My Little Underground" comes from a Jesus & Mary Chain song. It seemed fitting.
And here's an interesting story about Jesus & Mary Chain looking back at their heyday in the 80's [article on pennyblackmusic.co.uk]. It's not too often that you hear a musician say something like this in public:
"Again, when you look back it seems so obvious and you can see all your mistakes. That was a mistake to make 'Darklands' so self-consciously try to get away from the other record. The best records in the world are records that people just make. You make them the way you feel it. When you start thinking that it shouldn't sound like that it's wrong..."
"(On Automatic) we were trying to make a record that would be a big hit in America. Again, probably too self-consciously. We should have made the record the way we wanted them to sound."
Words of wisdom there.
And here's an interesting story about Jesus & Mary Chain looking back at their heyday in the 80's [article on pennyblackmusic.co.uk]. It's not too often that you hear a musician say something like this in public:
"Again, when you look back it seems so obvious and you can see all your mistakes. That was a mistake to make 'Darklands' so self-consciously try to get away from the other record. The best records in the world are records that people just make. You make them the way you feel it. When you start thinking that it shouldn't sound like that it's wrong..."
"(On Automatic) we were trying to make a record that would be a big hit in America. Again, probably too self-consciously. We should have made the record the way we wanted them to sound."
Words of wisdom there.
11/25/10
10 reasons to love Mark Lanegan
Sheesh, I hate buying tickets. Especially when I really, really want to see a gig but know that hordes of other people do too. This morning tickets to a Mark Lanegan and Isobel Campbell gig in my hometown came for sale and yes, I did manage to get mine. Phew.
To celebrate this and Mark's 46th birthday, which happens to be today as well *insert balloons and a cake* I thought I'd write down why he's worth all the trouble.
Rolling your eyes yet, expecting some kind of soppy fan girl mumbojumbo to follow up next? No need for that. If you keep on reading you'll see my reasons are extremely good. In fact, they're so good that I challenge you to try and argue against me. If you think you can.
Ok, let's go then.
As a fan of mr. Lanegan...
1. ...you won't get into arguments only because you say you like him.
Lanegan's voice and his ability to use it are indisputable. You can tell anyone you like him and nobody's gonna wonder why. He knows his stuff. And that's a fact, not a matter of opinion.
2. ...you'll frequently have new songs to listen to.
With Lanegan there's no need to wait years for new material. He likes to collaborate with other musicians and does it all the time so new stuff keeps popping up.
3. ...you'll never get bored.
Lanegan's known to like many genres of music from reggae to noise, instrumental, rock, punk, folk, blues...you name it, he probably knows it. This broad-mindedness shows in his choice of collaborations and solo work. He can sing just as well on a children's record [like he has done here] as on an americana, rock or electro record.
4. ...you can count on him to remain cool.
Despite of being very busy and productive Lanegan keeps the bar high and doesn't release dubious material. He seems to like a bit of experimenting but has been making music long enough to know where to draw the line. As a fan you're safe; he's not gonna lose judgment like some musicians have done. And when I say some, I mean Chris Cornell.
5. ...you can count on him to stick around.
The man's already survived grunge, heroin and various unfortunate incidents, including a bizarre farming accident. He does get into trouble but always seems to be able to find a way out and stay alive.
6. ...you'll have music for every mood.
No matter how you're feeling, Lanegan's has already recorded an album or at least a couple of songs that'll suit your mood. For instance, I'm convinced that listening to his "I'll Take Care Of You" ep could be able to cure most people of depression simply because it's so comforting. Unfortunately drug companies will never admit to this so you'll just have to take my word for it.
7. ...you'll see him sing live.
Lanegan seems to like touring and appearing as a guest at his friend's gigs. You won't have to wait for ages to see him play live somewhere close to you.
8. ...you're not going to be disappointed with his live performance.
We've all been there - sometimes you bump into a brilliant album but when you hear the band play live, they suck. With Lanegan it's not gonna happen. Whatever's on the record he can deliver live as well. I must admit that on stage he may sometimes seem a bit like those Easter Island statues [as noted in this blog] but he will make up for it with charisma and emotion in his voice.
9. ...you'll be supporting someone who gets better all the time.
Need proof? Listen to the original version of his song "Kingdoms of Rain" from 1994 [on Youtube] and then the version he made with Soulsavers in 2007 [on Youtube]. Although both versions kick ass it's evident his voice keeps becoming better all the time.
10. ...you'll always be intrigued by his persona.
Lanegan doesn't like to talk about his private life or explain his actions. On stage he hardly ever says anything more than thank you. If you're lucky, you'll hear it a couple of times. Some folks describe him as scary, silent and evasive, others as considerate, talkative and fun. Only thing that's certain is that he'll stay a mystery.
To celebrate this and Mark's 46th birthday, which happens to be today as well *insert balloons and a cake* I thought I'd write down why he's worth all the trouble.
Rolling your eyes yet, expecting some kind of soppy fan girl mumbojumbo to follow up next? No need for that. If you keep on reading you'll see my reasons are extremely good. In fact, they're so good that I challenge you to try and argue against me. If you think you can.
Ok, let's go then.
As a fan of mr. Lanegan...
1. ...you won't get into arguments only because you say you like him.
Lanegan's voice and his ability to use it are indisputable. You can tell anyone you like him and nobody's gonna wonder why. He knows his stuff. And that's a fact, not a matter of opinion.
2. ...you'll frequently have new songs to listen to.
With Lanegan there's no need to wait years for new material. He likes to collaborate with other musicians and does it all the time so new stuff keeps popping up.
3. ...you'll never get bored.
Lanegan's known to like many genres of music from reggae to noise, instrumental, rock, punk, folk, blues...you name it, he probably knows it. This broad-mindedness shows in his choice of collaborations and solo work. He can sing just as well on a children's record [like he has done here] as on an americana, rock or electro record.
4. ...you can count on him to remain cool.
Despite of being very busy and productive Lanegan keeps the bar high and doesn't release dubious material. He seems to like a bit of experimenting but has been making music long enough to know where to draw the line. As a fan you're safe; he's not gonna lose judgment like some musicians have done. And when I say some, I mean Chris Cornell.
5. ...you can count on him to stick around.
The man's already survived grunge, heroin and various unfortunate incidents, including a bizarre farming accident. He does get into trouble but always seems to be able to find a way out and stay alive.
6. ...you'll have music for every mood.
No matter how you're feeling, Lanegan's has already recorded an album or at least a couple of songs that'll suit your mood. For instance, I'm convinced that listening to his "I'll Take Care Of You" ep could be able to cure most people of depression simply because it's so comforting. Unfortunately drug companies will never admit to this so you'll just have to take my word for it.
7. ...you'll see him sing live.
Lanegan seems to like touring and appearing as a guest at his friend's gigs. You won't have to wait for ages to see him play live somewhere close to you.
8. ...you're not going to be disappointed with his live performance.
We've all been there - sometimes you bump into a brilliant album but when you hear the band play live, they suck. With Lanegan it's not gonna happen. Whatever's on the record he can deliver live as well. I must admit that on stage he may sometimes seem a bit like those Easter Island statues [as noted in this blog] but he will make up for it with charisma and emotion in his voice.
9. ...you'll be supporting someone who gets better all the time.
Need proof? Listen to the original version of his song "Kingdoms of Rain" from 1994 [on Youtube] and then the version he made with Soulsavers in 2007 [on Youtube]. Although both versions kick ass it's evident his voice keeps becoming better all the time.
10. ...you'll always be intrigued by his persona.
Lanegan doesn't like to talk about his private life or explain his actions. On stage he hardly ever says anything more than thank you. If you're lucky, you'll hear it a couple of times. Some folks describe him as scary, silent and evasive, others as considerate, talkative and fun. Only thing that's certain is that he'll stay a mystery.
11/22/10
Beautiful ghosts
Remember the old saying "good things come in threes"? Well, I don't agree. It's the bad things that come in threes. If good things do happen, they come in twos, or pairs, or as a couple - whatever is the right way of saying it.
Here's an example.
I stumbled upon Gemma Ray's albums last summer and sort of re-discovered Mazzy Star only a few weeks ago. Both of them have dark-haired female vocalists with amazing voices and peculiar personalities, a sound that's both enticing and eerie and apparently an affection to ghosts and highways.
Noticed the knife attached to Gemma's guitar and how Hope Sandoval looks like the little girl from Ring movies?
Here's an example.
I stumbled upon Gemma Ray's albums last summer and sort of re-discovered Mazzy Star only a few weeks ago. Both of them have dark-haired female vocalists with amazing voices and peculiar personalities, a sound that's both enticing and eerie and apparently an affection to ghosts and highways.
Noticed the knife attached to Gemma's guitar and how Hope Sandoval looks like the little girl from Ring movies?
11/20/10
Treehouses are dangerous
Joan Baez fell down from a treehouse! And no, this is not a joke. Rolling Stone reported the unfortunate incident and who am I to question the almighty Rolling Stone. Apparently Baez is still a hippy girl at heart and likes to spend her nights in a treehouse. However, Rolling Stone doesn't give any reason as to why she had now had fell down. As usual, my imagination got ahead of me and hey, let's face it: how likely is it for such an experienced treehugger to fall down from a treehouse? So, being the weirdo that I am I got to thinking that maybe there's something sinister behind this. Perhaps something like this:
This wonderful picture is from John Kenn's blog, http://johnkenn.blogspot.com/. He draws monsters on post-it notes! Isn't that the coolest idea ever?
PS. Please note that the term treehugger with used here with utmost respect.
This wonderful picture is from John Kenn's blog, http://johnkenn.blogspot.com/. He draws monsters on post-it notes! Isn't that the coolest idea ever?
PS. Please note that the term treehugger with used here with utmost respect.
11/18/10
When under snow
Woke up this morning and there was at least 10 cm of snow outside. Just like that. Everything's tucked under a thick, white, dimly glowing cover.
If there ever was a record that could describe the same combination of coldness, comfort and beauty it'd have to be PJ Harvey's album White Chalk. So, here's PJ playing When Under Ether in a place that seems to be a giant concert hall. Love the way she still manages to make that huge stage her own and create a strangely private atmosphere. It's almost like that enormous crowd was eavesdropping outside her bedroom door.
If there ever was a record that could describe the same combination of coldness, comfort and beauty it'd have to be PJ Harvey's album White Chalk. So, here's PJ playing When Under Ether in a place that seems to be a giant concert hall. Love the way she still manages to make that huge stage her own and create a strangely private atmosphere. It's almost like that enormous crowd was eavesdropping outside her bedroom door.
11/17/10
Lost Paradise Lost
Lately there's been an influx of re-releases and/or re-unions from many of my favorite artists. Faith No More and Soundgarden have been touring. Queens Of The Stone Age re-released their Rated R and played a couple of live shows. A Perfect Circle are currently touring the US and playing all their albums live. And this week Paradise Lost announced they'd be re-releasing their 1995 album Draconian Times and playing it live in several shows next spring.
Although I've been one of the first ones in line to get tickets to FNM's re-union gigs and gutted that I wasn't able to see either The Queens' or APC gigs, the news about Paradise Lost made me both sad and disappointed. Sounds illogical, doesn't it? It's not actually.
I literally fell in love with Paradise Lost's album One Second in 1997. I had already heard some their songs before that too of course but One Second was thee record for me. It sounded so cold, detached and stylish and had great songs. I wasn't able to listen to it alone in the dark because it gave me the chills. It was impressive.
The album was also a gutsy move from PL. They'd become big with their previous record Draconian Times but on One Second they altered their sound and became more melodic and polished. They even cut their hair which apparently is a huge no-no for any metal band, as I learned later. I didn't care. I just loved the music.
So, ever since One Second I've been their fan. Sure there have been times when I've been busy listening to other stuff but whenever there was a new album from PL, I always got it and liked it. I kept coming back. At one point I used to spend insane amounts of time in their forum online and got to know other fans. Some of them became good friends. I travelled abroad to see gigs, I bought the t-shirts, I interviewed the band and found them a bunch of really nice, down-to-earth and funny guys.
But then something happened. In 2007 PL released In Requiem. It didn't quite hit the nerve but had a couple of great songs in it, so I wasn't really worried yet. But the 2009 album Faith Divides Us, Death Unites Us got me seriously concerned. It wasn't the PL I had grown to love. The album sounded as fine and polished as usual, the songs were ok but there was something missing. It took me a while to realise that I just couldn't hear the soul anymore. There were cool bits and pieces here and there but they didn't come together. It was as if the band had tried too much, as if they were suddenly writing music to please their old fans instead of themselves. The album wasn't breathing. For me, it was like a zombie version of the PL I used to know. It was heartbreaking.
So when I heard the news about the Draconian Times re-release and shows, it was like a deathblow. It wasn't a gutsy or classy move. It wasn't about going forward and being creative. It made me realise that I was able to appreciate re-unions and re-releases if they mark either new beginnings or serve as closure for something that was disrupted too soon or suddenly. But in my mind for Paradise Lost, once such an innovative band, this is a huge step back.
Don't get me wrong, I've nothing against fans attending those upcoming DT shows and being excited about it. They just probably love PL for different reasons than I do. And if PL comes up with something cool next I'll promise to be a happy fan again - but it'd better be something really good. The bar's set high though but after all, it's there because they set it there themselves, back in 1997.
Although I've been one of the first ones in line to get tickets to FNM's re-union gigs and gutted that I wasn't able to see either The Queens' or APC gigs, the news about Paradise Lost made me both sad and disappointed. Sounds illogical, doesn't it? It's not actually.
I literally fell in love with Paradise Lost's album One Second in 1997. I had already heard some their songs before that too of course but One Second was thee record for me. It sounded so cold, detached and stylish and had great songs. I wasn't able to listen to it alone in the dark because it gave me the chills. It was impressive.
The album was also a gutsy move from PL. They'd become big with their previous record Draconian Times but on One Second they altered their sound and became more melodic and polished. They even cut their hair which apparently is a huge no-no for any metal band, as I learned later. I didn't care. I just loved the music.
So, ever since One Second I've been their fan. Sure there have been times when I've been busy listening to other stuff but whenever there was a new album from PL, I always got it and liked it. I kept coming back. At one point I used to spend insane amounts of time in their forum online and got to know other fans. Some of them became good friends. I travelled abroad to see gigs, I bought the t-shirts, I interviewed the band and found them a bunch of really nice, down-to-earth and funny guys.
But then something happened. In 2007 PL released In Requiem. It didn't quite hit the nerve but had a couple of great songs in it, so I wasn't really worried yet. But the 2009 album Faith Divides Us, Death Unites Us got me seriously concerned. It wasn't the PL I had grown to love. The album sounded as fine and polished as usual, the songs were ok but there was something missing. It took me a while to realise that I just couldn't hear the soul anymore. There were cool bits and pieces here and there but they didn't come together. It was as if the band had tried too much, as if they were suddenly writing music to please their old fans instead of themselves. The album wasn't breathing. For me, it was like a zombie version of the PL I used to know. It was heartbreaking.
So when I heard the news about the Draconian Times re-release and shows, it was like a deathblow. It wasn't a gutsy or classy move. It wasn't about going forward and being creative. It made me realise that I was able to appreciate re-unions and re-releases if they mark either new beginnings or serve as closure for something that was disrupted too soon or suddenly. But in my mind for Paradise Lost, once such an innovative band, this is a huge step back.
Don't get me wrong, I've nothing against fans attending those upcoming DT shows and being excited about it. They just probably love PL for different reasons than I do. And if PL comes up with something cool next I'll promise to be a happy fan again - but it'd better be something really good. The bar's set high though but after all, it's there because they set it there themselves, back in 1997.
11/16/10
Caleidoscopic voodoo sounds
Well here's a video that really caught my eye - and probably quite a few others' as well. Sweden's very own Lykke Li made her breakthrough in 2007 with an adorable combination of cute, almost child-like vocals and bass-heavy electro sound. But the new single from her upcoming second album shows a new side of Lykke Li. This time we're seeing voodoo, glimpses of old Tarzan movies and Lykke Li telling her listeners how they're "gonna get some". Not sure about her outfit here (seriously, those spiked panties could easily belong to Gene Simmons) but you gotta love the stern look on her face plus the song is a really catchy tune. And judging by the reactions the video is getting everywhere, her voodoo is working. Somebody must've given Lykke Li a black cat bone or something.
Here comes yet another blog
A few years back I was one of those people who hated blogs. Basically they seemed like a complete waste of time to me and the hysterical buzz surrounding them didn't exactly help. Suddenly, there were no columns on newspapers, only blogs. Politicians started having blogs. Musicians started having blogs. Soon everyone from 90-year-old grannies to 5-year-old kids had their own blogs.
But then the boom died and something happened. I finally managed to think of blogs in a neutral way. Slowly I gave up thinking that blogs were like swarms of locust eating away our most precious possession - time - and I realised they might even be useful and inspiring.
That's why I decided to start this little site. Being an avid music lover with an ever-changing taste this blog serves as an archive and a diary of all those great bands and artists I bump into online, plus all kinds of other stuff I find intriguing. But who knows, maybe someone else will find this site useful or fun as well. If you do, I'm happy you're happy. If not, I'm sure there's someone out there with a blog you'd adore. Go and find what pleases you the most - that's exactly what I'm gonna do here. :)
But then the boom died and something happened. I finally managed to think of blogs in a neutral way. Slowly I gave up thinking that blogs were like swarms of locust eating away our most precious possession - time - and I realised they might even be useful and inspiring.
That's why I decided to start this little site. Being an avid music lover with an ever-changing taste this blog serves as an archive and a diary of all those great bands and artists I bump into online, plus all kinds of other stuff I find intriguing. But who knows, maybe someone else will find this site useful or fun as well. If you do, I'm happy you're happy. If not, I'm sure there's someone out there with a blog you'd adore. Go and find what pleases you the most - that's exactly what I'm gonna do here. :)
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