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.
11/30/10
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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