One
I had one significant work worry today - a reminder that the deadline for a major piece of work is Friday this week. I've known about the work for two weeks now but it's never quite made it through my neural pathways to register as urgent because other things have been more urgent. A big bit of work was completed today so I can now focus on the next big task. Don't try to speak to me tomorrow because I won't be listening.
Two
I've had two surprises today:
1. Childnet emailed me at work to say they'd seen my blog from yesterday. I responded to say that I hoped they'd also read my Poly and Jim Lea entries since I'll be asking questions later. Nice to see my readership expand.
2. I was kindly given a copy of the 'Hot Fuzz' soundtrack CD by Chris after it was signed by Simon Pegg (he scrawled over the front of the leaflet at a signing in Virgin). It's a good soundtrack with suitably glamtastic tracks from the Sweet, T.Rex and Cozy Powell and an interesting re-working of 'Solid Gold Easy Action' by The Fratellis. It's got clips of dialogue between the tracks which makes for an interesting listen. Of course, Chris has this ongoing relationship with Edgar Wright (the director) where Edgar buys film posters and promises to supply posters of his films ... friend to the stars indeed. My only complaint is that The Fratellis singer doesn't ad lib 'stroll on' after the chorus like Marc does. It doesn't sound quite right without 'stroll on'...
Wednesday, 28 February 2007
Tuesday, 27 February 2007
Plastique
Poly needed a blog of her own but I've got a few other things to log as well as the delightful 'Translucence'.
Hot Fuzz
Went to see 'Hot Fuzz' at the Ritzy in Brixton at the weekend and, like 'Shaun of the Dead', it's laugh-out-loud funny. Mainly at the rude bits but it would be churlish to accuse it of schoolboy humour when it tickled my funny-bone so well. It also has it's own exciting web presence for the addict.
I didn't feel it was as immediate as 'Shaun', with Simon Pegg playing it a bit too straight in the first half of the film, but the second half more than makes up for it. Violence and mayhem rule - in a comic way, of course. I loved the shoot-out at the supermarket where the entire riot-clad police force (oops, not supposed to call them 'force') was held at bay by two men behind the cold meat counter and when the supermarket secretary was wallopped round the head with a sign by the token police-woman (oops, police officer, don't want to be sexist) who then says, 'everyone likes to see some girl on girl action'.... Is my inner school-boy appearing?
Timothy Dalton was excellent as the ultra-smarmy supermarket manager (how hateful are people like that?) and Nick Frost was endearing in his childlike adoration of the big-city cop Nickerless Angel (sic). The cast was stellar in a sort of '70s British way with real, proper Actors (capital A) doing their cameos to a T.
A good film? O yes! Go and see it!
'Know IT All for Parents' by Childnet
I went to a 'charity do' this evening to support Childnet International and its soft launch of the new version of 'Know IT All for Parents', a CD resource I commissioned last year to let parents know the basics about computers and the Internet. I don't usually do 'dos' - if I wanted to schmooze with industry I'd be in industry. But Childnet is doing good stuff and one of our ministers was speaking at it, so I thought I'd go and I'm pleased I did. It's an excellent product.
The CD includes a lot of material about safe uses of the Internet, most of it is in video format and is translated into various languages and British Sign Language. Some of the new material to be available from April is done by kids - or 'young people' as I must remember to call them - and they were the focus of tonight. Simon Mayo interviewed the kids on stage this evening and let them have their say about their involvement in the CD and this went down really well. They were very fluent and obviously well-practiced but that shouldn't detract from the power of having kids up there telling us about the Internet.
One of our ministers was also speaking at the event, Parmjit Dhanda MP, and he came across very well indeed, telling the audience about his father's first emails and the importance of being safe online. Unfortunately he was called back to the House for a vote so he had to cut his speech back but his attendance was appreciated by the people there (or at least the ones I spoke to afterwards). He's very tall so he better not go to any Maximo Park gigs!
'Therapy' by James Whild Lea
My 'Therapy' CD finally arrived at the weekend (my previous version was downloaded from Jim's website but I wanted the physical version with the lyrics booklet). It really is an excellent album but marketing it to existing SLADE fans isn't going to take it very far and it deserves a much wider audience. 'Dead Rock UK' and 'Big Family' should be singles.
I was listening to Suzi Quatro's latest album, 'Back To The Drive', on the way home this evening and I couldn't help but think about Jim's album - it's good but it's not promoted so it stays within the same (relatively) small community, just as Suzi's did. I don't know what the answer is but it's part of my duty as a SLADE fan to want Jim's music to be heard and for him to be successful.
Hot Fuzz
Went to see 'Hot Fuzz' at the Ritzy in Brixton at the weekend and, like 'Shaun of the Dead', it's laugh-out-loud funny. Mainly at the rude bits but it would be churlish to accuse it of schoolboy humour when it tickled my funny-bone so well. It also has it's own exciting web presence for the addict.I didn't feel it was as immediate as 'Shaun', with Simon Pegg playing it a bit too straight in the first half of the film, but the second half more than makes up for it. Violence and mayhem rule - in a comic way, of course. I loved the shoot-out at the supermarket where the entire riot-clad police force (oops, not supposed to call them 'force') was held at bay by two men behind the cold meat counter and when the supermarket secretary was wallopped round the head with a sign by the token police-woman (oops, police officer, don't want to be sexist) who then says, 'everyone likes to see some girl on girl action'.... Is my inner school-boy appearing?
Timothy Dalton was excellent as the ultra-smarmy supermarket manager (how hateful are people like that?) and Nick Frost was endearing in his childlike adoration of the big-city cop Nickerless Angel (sic). The cast was stellar in a sort of '70s British way with real, proper Actors (capital A) doing their cameos to a T.
A good film? O yes! Go and see it!
'Know IT All for Parents' by Childnet
I went to a 'charity do' this evening to support Childnet International and its soft launch of the new version of 'Know IT All for Parents', a CD resource I commissioned last year to let parents know the basics about computers and the Internet. I don't usually do 'dos' - if I wanted to schmooze with industry I'd be in industry. But Childnet is doing good stuff and one of our ministers was speaking at it, so I thought I'd go and I'm pleased I did. It's an excellent product.The CD includes a lot of material about safe uses of the Internet, most of it is in video format and is translated into various languages and British Sign Language. Some of the new material to be available from April is done by kids - or 'young people' as I must remember to call them - and they were the focus of tonight. Simon Mayo interviewed the kids on stage this evening and let them have their say about their involvement in the CD and this went down really well. They were very fluent and obviously well-practiced but that shouldn't detract from the power of having kids up there telling us about the Internet.
One of our ministers was also speaking at the event, Parmjit Dhanda MP, and he came across very well indeed, telling the audience about his father's first emails and the importance of being safe online. Unfortunately he was called back to the House for a vote so he had to cut his speech back but his attendance was appreciated by the people there (or at least the ones I spoke to afterwards). He's very tall so he better not go to any Maximo Park gigs!
'Therapy' by James Whild Lea
My 'Therapy' CD finally arrived at the weekend (my previous version was downloaded from Jim's website but I wanted the physical version with the lyrics booklet). It really is an excellent album but marketing it to existing SLADE fans isn't going to take it very far and it deserves a much wider audience. 'Dead Rock UK' and 'Big Family' should be singles.I was listening to Suzi Quatro's latest album, 'Back To The Drive', on the way home this evening and I couldn't help but think about Jim's album - it's good but it's not promoted so it stays within the same (relatively) small community, just as Suzi's did. I don't know what the answer is but it's part of my duty as a SLADE fan to want Jim's music to be heard and for him to be successful.
'Translucence' by Poly Styrene
It was, to be honest, with some trepidation that I put 'Translucence' on the turntable and pressed 'play'.
'Translucence' is Poly Styrene's solo album from 1980, a hard to find gem that I bought through eBay. Poly had come through the punk years, X-Ray Spex had split and what does she do next? She goes in a very different direction to the Spex and delivers 'Translucence', an album of 12 songs including a new, more relaxed take on the Spex song 'Age'.
My first impression was that it was reminiscent of calypso music, very Carribean sounding with slight hints of reggae, a flute replacing the saxophone on most tracks giving them a very different sound. A much gentler record than 'Germfree Adolescents', some songs almost hint at the ambient music she recorded in the '90s. Until you listen to the lyrics and realise that with a different arrangement, a rawer sound and a blaring sax, then most of these songs could've been the Spex's second album. Poly is still there but she's moved on.
The single from the album, 'Talk In Toytown', seemingly about media speculation about her in post-Spex days, stands out as going into early-'80s electronic territory and 'Age', with it's blatant sax, seems to hark back to the Spex. Other than those two tracks the rest of the album experiments with her new sound. And I like it. It may just be the newness of the music but some of these songs are gems.
The sound is quite 'thin', not the walls of sound we're used to these days, so it doesn't really work on my iPod since it's drowned out by background noise, but Poly is in there and she has a good voice in gentler mode. Favourite tracks at the moment are the electronic 'Talk In Toytown', the funky 'Skydive' with the '80s sax, the ambient calypso of 'Essence' (which has a vocal lilt that Boy George inherited), the reggae of 'Hip City Hip' and the magnificent mellowed-out 'Age' (which is also available on 'Let's Submerge', the latest Spex compilation).
I like this record but I want a properly re-mastered version on CD please.
'Translucence' is Poly Styrene's solo album from 1980, a hard to find gem that I bought through eBay. Poly had come through the punk years, X-Ray Spex had split and what does she do next? She goes in a very different direction to the Spex and delivers 'Translucence', an album of 12 songs including a new, more relaxed take on the Spex song 'Age'.My first impression was that it was reminiscent of calypso music, very Carribean sounding with slight hints of reggae, a flute replacing the saxophone on most tracks giving them a very different sound. A much gentler record than 'Germfree Adolescents', some songs almost hint at the ambient music she recorded in the '90s. Until you listen to the lyrics and realise that with a different arrangement, a rawer sound and a blaring sax, then most of these songs could've been the Spex's second album. Poly is still there but she's moved on.
The single from the album, 'Talk In Toytown', seemingly about media speculation about her in post-Spex days, stands out as going into early-'80s electronic territory and 'Age', with it's blatant sax, seems to hark back to the Spex. Other than those two tracks the rest of the album experiments with her new sound. And I like it. It may just be the newness of the music but some of these songs are gems.The sound is quite 'thin', not the walls of sound we're used to these days, so it doesn't really work on my iPod since it's drowned out by background noise, but Poly is in there and she has a good voice in gentler mode. Favourite tracks at the moment are the electronic 'Talk In Toytown', the funky 'Skydive' with the '80s sax, the ambient calypso of 'Essence' (which has a vocal lilt that Boy George inherited), the reggae of 'Hip City Hip' and the magnificent mellowed-out 'Age' (which is also available on 'Let's Submerge', the latest Spex compilation).
I like this record but I want a properly re-mastered version on CD please.
Saturday, 24 February 2007
Friday, 23 February 2007
Chola at The Royal Academy
A civilised Friday evening was spent at the Chola exhibition at The Royal Academy. As the blurb says:
This exhibition of approximately forty bronze sculptures explored the artistic and cultural riches of the Chola dynasty of southern India between the ninth and thirteenth centuries. Throughout their rule the Chola were great patrons of the arts and oversaw an extensive programme of temple construction. Portable bronze sculptures, revered as physical manifestations of the Hindu gods, were produced to fulfil public functions and preside over specific festivities. Chola bronzes are widely considered to be among the finest works of Indian sculptural art.
It's at times like this that I have to dredge up what I can remember being told about Hindu deities on my travels out East and I love it. I've been a guest in Hindu temples in lots of places across India, Nepal, Thailand, Indonesia, Sri Lanka and in England. Some information sticks but most doesn't. Many of the gods are different incarnations or aspects of the same godhead. It is a fascinating exhibition, not many statues but they're of very high quality and covered in delicate details.
A majority of the statues were of Lord Shiv in his various aspects and there was an excellent statue of him as Shiva the Destroyer dancing the world to destruction, dancing in a flaming ring with his dreadlocks flying and the lord in a transcendent, ecstatic state, four arms flailing and legs daintily posed. It would have been about three feet across. I can't find a photo online and I'm too lazy to scan it in from the catalogue so here's a poor photo I took with my phone.
Another favourite was an ornate statue of Kali with lots of fine detail in her clothes and jewelery and, if you look closely, the impression of two fangs overhanging her lower lip. I took Kali's photo once in a temple in Khajuraho in the middle of nowhere in northern India and she sent her bats to chase me out of her temple. Her temple was dark but I could see the outlines of a statue so thought I'd take a photo and the bats objected to the flash. When I eventually got the film developed back home I saw the statue for the first time and it was covered in stains, some of which looked like reasonably fresh blood. I've been more respectful whenever I've met her since then.
The final statue in the exhibition is a lovely dancing Krishna, looking young, confident and ever so slightly sensuous with his full lips and serene face. Krishna is an incarnation of Vishnu who appears each time the world is in danger (the Vishnu aspect seems to be symbolised by the crown he wears). Again, the detail in a bronze statue is wonderful and delicate and it's debateable whether the statue is still or in full flow of the dance.
There was also a lovely statue of Lord Ganesha, very poised and still, at rest, his trunk in the palm of one of his four hands. I went back to that statue a few times to look for the mouse, a motif of Ganesha's that artists hid in different places in his images. I couldn't see it though.
I was pleased I saw the exhibition before it closes at the weekend at Christopher's prompting. I'd meant to see it as a birthday treat to myself but didn't make it. As you'd expect, the statues were all very stylised but that's part of their beauty in my eyes. And it was fun to point out details and generally show off to Chris. Since the statues were all in glass cases and you could walk round them, one thing I couldn't help but notice was the prominence of virtally all their bums, buttocks firm and daintily parted and, on the women, incredibly voluptuous breasts (and this was in the days before surgical enhancement).
There were also extracts from devotional poems and hymns written on the walls of the exhibition rooms, written by the Shaivite saints. Here's one by Saint Manikkavachakar:
This exhibition of approximately forty bronze sculptures explored the artistic and cultural riches of the Chola dynasty of southern India between the ninth and thirteenth centuries. Throughout their rule the Chola were great patrons of the arts and oversaw an extensive programme of temple construction. Portable bronze sculptures, revered as physical manifestations of the Hindu gods, were produced to fulfil public functions and preside over specific festivities. Chola bronzes are widely considered to be among the finest works of Indian sculptural art.It's at times like this that I have to dredge up what I can remember being told about Hindu deities on my travels out East and I love it. I've been a guest in Hindu temples in lots of places across India, Nepal, Thailand, Indonesia, Sri Lanka and in England. Some information sticks but most doesn't. Many of the gods are different incarnations or aspects of the same godhead. It is a fascinating exhibition, not many statues but they're of very high quality and covered in delicate details.
A majority of the statues were of Lord Shiv in his various aspects and there was an excellent statue of him as Shiva the Destroyer dancing the world to destruction, dancing in a flaming ring with his dreadlocks flying and the lord in a transcendent, ecstatic state, four arms flailing and legs daintily posed. It would have been about three feet across. I can't find a photo online and I'm too lazy to scan it in from the catalogue so here's a poor photo I took with my phone.Another favourite was an ornate statue of Kali with lots of fine detail in her clothes and jewelery and, if you look closely, the impression of two fangs overhanging her lower lip. I took Kali's photo once in a temple in Khajuraho in the middle of nowhere in northern India and she sent her bats to chase me out of her temple. Her temple was dark but I could see the outlines of a statue so thought I'd take a photo and the bats objected to the flash. When I eventually got the film developed back home I saw the statue for the first time and it was covered in stains, some of which looked like reasonably fresh blood. I've been more respectful whenever I've met her since then.
The final statue in the exhibition is a lovely dancing Krishna, looking young, confident and ever so slightly sensuous with his full lips and serene face. Krishna is an incarnation of Vishnu who appears each time the world is in danger (the Vishnu aspect seems to be symbolised by the crown he wears). Again, the detail in a bronze statue is wonderful and delicate and it's debateable whether the statue is still or in full flow of the dance.There was also a lovely statue of Lord Ganesha, very poised and still, at rest, his trunk in the palm of one of his four hands. I went back to that statue a few times to look for the mouse, a motif of Ganesha's that artists hid in different places in his images. I couldn't see it though.
I was pleased I saw the exhibition before it closes at the weekend at Christopher's prompting. I'd meant to see it as a birthday treat to myself but didn't make it. As you'd expect, the statues were all very stylised but that's part of their beauty in my eyes. And it was fun to point out details and generally show off to Chris. Since the statues were all in glass cases and you could walk round them, one thing I couldn't help but notice was the prominence of virtally all their bums, buttocks firm and daintily parted and, on the women, incredibly voluptuous breasts (and this was in the days before surgical enhancement).There were also extracts from devotional poems and hymns written on the walls of the exhibition rooms, written by the Shaivite saints. Here's one by Saint Manikkavachakar:
O Lord Shiva
on that day when you looked at me
you enslaved me
in grace entered me
and out of love melted my mind
on that day when you looked at me
you enslaved me
in grace entered me
and out of love melted my mind
Thursday, 22 February 2007
New Music
I've been investing in some new music recently so I thought I'd share it.
Ono - Yes, I'm A Witch
On principle I've always liked Yoko Ono. She's an artist, she believes in what she does, she's always been the future not the past and she's been vilified for most of my life (and hers) for daring to love John Lennon. Most of her free-form stuff in the early '70s was too much for me but I do have a Yoko vinyl album in my Dad's attic from way back then.
I read about her new album in 'Mojo' and was intrigued. So I got it. I'm listening to it now and I like it. 'Yes, I'm A Witch' is a celebration of her songs over the years, retaining her vocals but the music and production is farmed out to others to experiment with. The collaborations are with a wide range of people, such as Peaches, The Flaming Lips and the Polyphonic Spree. My favourites so far are 'Everyman, Everywoman' with Blow Up, 'Sisters O Sisters' (from 'Sometime in New York City') with Le Tigre, 'Yes, I'm A Witch' with The Brothers Brothers and 'Cambridge' with the Flaming Lips.
I like it. Click on 'Yes I'm A Witch' to hear the songs streamed. A second collection is due out later this year.
!!! (chk chk chk)
I saw !!! (chk chk chk) last night supporting the Maximos and quite liked what I heard. They were loud and wierd and all in the jeans+teeshirt uniform, doing the free-form 'I'm gonna bang some drums now' thing but it sort of worked for me. Their roots are definitely in the late '80s baggy E thing but I could help but groove my funky stuff to the density of sound emating from the stage.
When I got home I checked them out online and found their MySpace site with their new single, 'Heart to Heart' and decided it sounded so much better live, with the wierd audio scribblings on the keyboard, the bloke doing something on the floor with his guitar and odd members of the band joining in on bits of percussion. Give 'em a listen.
Various - I'm In The Mood For Love
I'm loving this collection of lovers rock, the luv-dup version of reggae I saw a few weeks back at the 'Queens of Lovers Rock' show at the Barbican with Janet Kay and Caroll Thompson. It sounds so right. A nice mix of old and new, originals and covers, and all with that same lovers rock groove, enticing you in, soft and warm. Oooer!
Reggae is so much more than Bob Marley. He's pivotal in bringing reggae to a wider audience in the mid '70s but reggae was around before and after Bob. The almost-pop of Desmond Dekker and Bob and Marcia, the scary rebel of Linton Kwesi Johnson and the lurve of Janet Kay and others. This is a good selection so please go and buy it. Reggae and sunshine go together like, well, reggae and sunshine, and we all need some sunshine.
Alan Price - Geordie Boy
As a Geordie I must be at the very least sympathetic to Alan Price's work. I remember him from those late '60s/early '70s variety shows with him plonking away at the piano, occasionally with Georgie Fame in a duet thing. For some reason, the 'Jarrow Song' has popped up on my iPod several times recently and that made me want to explore his music more fully. So I got his double CD anthology.
I haven't heard both CDs yet, but I like what I hear. It's got the hits on it of 'Simon Smith', 'Rosetta', 'Jarrow Song' and others you'll recognise and I love hearing these again. But there are also gems like 'Tickle Me', 'Shame' and 'The House That Jack Built'. It's all very keyboard and voice dominated but that's nice for a change. It's a late night album.
He's not going to be to everyone's taste but he works for me and I like the quality of his voice. And I always like a Geordie boy to do well on principle. Mmmm maybe the Maximos should cover 'Jarrow Song'?
Ono - Yes, I'm A Witch
On principle I've always liked Yoko Ono. She's an artist, she believes in what she does, she's always been the future not the past and she's been vilified for most of my life (and hers) for daring to love John Lennon. Most of her free-form stuff in the early '70s was too much for me but I do have a Yoko vinyl album in my Dad's attic from way back then.I read about her new album in 'Mojo' and was intrigued. So I got it. I'm listening to it now and I like it. 'Yes, I'm A Witch' is a celebration of her songs over the years, retaining her vocals but the music and production is farmed out to others to experiment with. The collaborations are with a wide range of people, such as Peaches, The Flaming Lips and the Polyphonic Spree. My favourites so far are 'Everyman, Everywoman' with Blow Up, 'Sisters O Sisters' (from 'Sometime in New York City') with Le Tigre, 'Yes, I'm A Witch' with The Brothers Brothers and 'Cambridge' with the Flaming Lips.
I like it. Click on 'Yes I'm A Witch' to hear the songs streamed. A second collection is due out later this year.
!!! (chk chk chk)
I saw !!! (chk chk chk) last night supporting the Maximos and quite liked what I heard. They were loud and wierd and all in the jeans+teeshirt uniform, doing the free-form 'I'm gonna bang some drums now' thing but it sort of worked for me. Their roots are definitely in the late '80s baggy E thing but I could help but groove my funky stuff to the density of sound emating from the stage.When I got home I checked them out online and found their MySpace site with their new single, 'Heart to Heart' and decided it sounded so much better live, with the wierd audio scribblings on the keyboard, the bloke doing something on the floor with his guitar and odd members of the band joining in on bits of percussion. Give 'em a listen.
Various - I'm In The Mood For Love
I'm loving this collection of lovers rock, the luv-dup version of reggae I saw a few weeks back at the 'Queens of Lovers Rock' show at the Barbican with Janet Kay and Caroll Thompson. It sounds so right. A nice mix of old and new, originals and covers, and all with that same lovers rock groove, enticing you in, soft and warm. Oooer!Reggae is so much more than Bob Marley. He's pivotal in bringing reggae to a wider audience in the mid '70s but reggae was around before and after Bob. The almost-pop of Desmond Dekker and Bob and Marcia, the scary rebel of Linton Kwesi Johnson and the lurve of Janet Kay and others. This is a good selection so please go and buy it. Reggae and sunshine go together like, well, reggae and sunshine, and we all need some sunshine.
Alan Price - Geordie Boy
As a Geordie I must be at the very least sympathetic to Alan Price's work. I remember him from those late '60s/early '70s variety shows with him plonking away at the piano, occasionally with Georgie Fame in a duet thing. For some reason, the 'Jarrow Song' has popped up on my iPod several times recently and that made me want to explore his music more fully. So I got his double CD anthology.I haven't heard both CDs yet, but I like what I hear. It's got the hits on it of 'Simon Smith', 'Rosetta', 'Jarrow Song' and others you'll recognise and I love hearing these again. But there are also gems like 'Tickle Me', 'Shame' and 'The House That Jack Built'. It's all very keyboard and voice dominated but that's nice for a change. It's a late night album.
He's not going to be to everyone's taste but he works for me and I like the quality of his voice. And I always like a Geordie boy to do well on principle. Mmmm maybe the Maximos should cover 'Jarrow Song'?
Maximo Park at The Astoria
Maximo Park headlined the NME Poll Winners tour this evening at the Astoria. "We are Maxeemo Park" was the rallying cry and the lads did themselves proud. They played half a dozen or so songs from the new album (I approved of the way Paul kept referring to it as the new 'record') as well as favourites and classics.
The lads couldn't keep still for a second, bouncing around the stage, jumping from amps, pogoing, dashing from side to side - so much energy. They seem to be going for a 'corporate' image with all of them dressed in black and looking good but Paul wore a bowler hat throughout which meant his face was obscured most of the time. They played for about 1.10 hours which isn't very long, but, what with the preceeding acts on the tour needing their time, the Maximo's left the stage at 11.00pm so that's not too bad really.
They played most of my favourites so I was happy - 'The Coast Is Always Changing', 'Apply Some Pressure', 'Graffiti', a wild version of 'Limassol' as the first encore song and finished with the marvellous 'Going Missing'. A distinct highlight was the fast and furious 'Our Velocity', the new single due out next month - that song works so well on stage it's an instant favourite.I see the lads again in three months time and by then I'll be familiar with the new songs so watch this space for more Maximo!
Tuesday, 20 February 2007
Buffy Day
Today I have been listening only to Buffy on my iPod - on the way to work, at work, on the way home and now while I'm typing. I have 184 tracks on iPey, some are duplicates (such as different versions of songs like 'Soldier Blue'). She has an incredible back-catalogue and a wide range of material.
The last ten songs are:
I'm looking forward to the new album due later this year - some new Buffy songs to learn and cherish and, hopefully, to bop around to!
The last ten songs are:
- He's An Indian Cowboy At The Rodeo [Album: Up Where We Belong]
- Disinformation [Album: Coincidence And Likely Stories]
- Little Boy Dark Eyes [Album: Fire& Fleet & Candlelight]
- She Used To Wanna Be A Ballerina [Album: She Used To Wanna Be A Ballerina]
- Native North American Child [Album: Native North American Child - An Oddysey]
- The Jewels of Hanalei [Album: Quiet Places]
- Nobody Will Ever Know It's Real But You [Album: Changing Woman]
- Cod'ine [Album: Newport Folk 1964]
- I Can't Take It No More [Album: Buffy]
- A Soulful Shade Of Blue [Album: Best Of The Vanguard Years]
I'm looking forward to the new album due later this year - some new Buffy songs to learn and cherish and, hopefully, to bop around to!
Happy Birthday Buffy!
I had the distinct honour of meeting Buffy Sainte-Marie two years ago after her concert in the little town of Belleville in Canada on my birthday. She signed one of the concert posters for me after the concert wishing me 'Happy Birthdays' (plural). That poster is framed and on my living room wall for all to see. I have a lovely photo of Buffy and me that will never be shown on here - it's my photo and I'm not sharing it.
Buffy is such an admirable woman as well as a consumate artist (in all senses of the word). She has standards and convictions and she sticks to them. She hasn't mellowed with age, she's still the radical she was in her 20s. She is still Buffy. I admire that in my heroes. Wouldn't a collaboration between Buffy, John Lydon, Poly Styrene and Noddy Holder be something to behold? And let's throw Amanda DD into the pot and stir it gently...
When we spoke she mentioned that she'd been invited to play at Morrissey's 'Meltdown' at the Royal Festival Hall in 2004 but had been too busy to attend. She's more than a revered musician, she's an artist and an educator, a lobbyist and a UN representative. And she wears the most delightful platform moccasins. But I want Buffy to play London so I can be in the front row (selfish, I know).
I'd like to wish Buffy a happy birthday, wherever she happens to be and whatever she's doing.
Today I'm playing nothing but Buffy on my iPod. And thinking happy thoughts about two years ago with Buffy and multiphonic powwow and snow...
Buffy is such an admirable woman as well as a consumate artist (in all senses of the word). She has standards and convictions and she sticks to them. She hasn't mellowed with age, she's still the radical she was in her 20s. She is still Buffy. I admire that in my heroes. Wouldn't a collaboration between Buffy, John Lydon, Poly Styrene and Noddy Holder be something to behold? And let's throw Amanda DD into the pot and stir it gently...
When we spoke she mentioned that she'd been invited to play at Morrissey's 'Meltdown' at the Royal Festival Hall in 2004 but had been too busy to attend. She's more than a revered musician, she's an artist and an educator, a lobbyist and a UN representative. And she wears the most delightful platform moccasins. But I want Buffy to play London so I can be in the front row (selfish, I know).
I'd like to wish Buffy a happy birthday, wherever she happens to be and whatever she's doing.
Today I'm playing nothing but Buffy on my iPod. And thinking happy thoughts about two years ago with Buffy and multiphonic powwow and snow...
Monday, 19 February 2007
Bit of a Bag
'Manda
After being worried about Amanda Dresden Doll I've now decided she's fine. She's been par-taying in New York for a couple of weeks and is now off for a yoga retreat in the woods somewhere. When she returns to civilisation in two-three weeks time she's straight into the studio to work on her solo album, all refreshed and raring to go. Brian is off doing drum-clinics in various New England academic institutions (how posh) and I think they get back together for a June tour across America. But when will I see my punk cabaret ragamuffins again, I wonder?
Um, and don't forget about the Roundhouse DVD please ...
Poly Styrene
I am an excited thing. I bid for and won Poly's 1980 solo album, 'Transluscence,' on eBay. I think the version of 'Age' on the 'Let's Submerge' compilation is from that album and, if so, I'm going to enjoy it. Well, enjoy it after I've transferred vinyl to digital stuff and burned it...
Maximos and the Minister
O dear. I have a diary clash. I'm off to see me Geordie lads - the delightful Maximo Park - at the Astoria on Wednesday but I've also got a meeting with one of our ministers on Wednesday afternoon for a demonstration of a new digital resource for parents. That creates something of a dilemma - suit or no suit? change at work? traipse all the way home to change and head back into town? or, could I fake it with black jeans, jacket and tie (and then discard the tie)? Decisions, decisions.
Last 10 iPey
The last 10 tracks played on my iPod were:
'Boogie Oogie Oogie' - A Taste of Honey
'Take On Me' - a-Ha
'Emergency' - 999
'Aquarius/Let The Sun Shine In' - The 5th Dimension
'Wake Up Little Sister' - Lindisfarne
'Daydreaming' - Dusty Springfield
'Stay With Me' - Rod Stewart & The Faces
'The Other Man's Grass (Is Always Greener)' - Petula Clark
'Eagle' - ABBA
'Carnation' - The Jam
Don't you just lurve an iPod on shuffle? Who knows what's going to turn up next? 'Aquarius' is one of my latest downloads and, unfortunately, has already acquired a less than flattering nickname, but I like it anyway.
After being worried about Amanda Dresden Doll I've now decided she's fine. She's been par-taying in New York for a couple of weeks and is now off for a yoga retreat in the woods somewhere. When she returns to civilisation in two-three weeks time she's straight into the studio to work on her solo album, all refreshed and raring to go. Brian is off doing drum-clinics in various New England academic institutions (how posh) and I think they get back together for a June tour across America. But when will I see my punk cabaret ragamuffins again, I wonder?
Um, and don't forget about the Roundhouse DVD please ...
Poly Styrene
I am an excited thing. I bid for and won Poly's 1980 solo album, 'Transluscence,' on eBay. I think the version of 'Age' on the 'Let's Submerge' compilation is from that album and, if so, I'm going to enjoy it. Well, enjoy it after I've transferred vinyl to digital stuff and burned it...
Maximos and the Minister
O dear. I have a diary clash. I'm off to see me Geordie lads - the delightful Maximo Park - at the Astoria on Wednesday but I've also got a meeting with one of our ministers on Wednesday afternoon for a demonstration of a new digital resource for parents. That creates something of a dilemma - suit or no suit? change at work? traipse all the way home to change and head back into town? or, could I fake it with black jeans, jacket and tie (and then discard the tie)? Decisions, decisions.
Last 10 iPey
The last 10 tracks played on my iPod were:
'Boogie Oogie Oogie' - A Taste of Honey
'Take On Me' - a-Ha
'Emergency' - 999
'Aquarius/Let The Sun Shine In' - The 5th Dimension
'Wake Up Little Sister' - Lindisfarne
'Daydreaming' - Dusty Springfield
'Stay With Me' - Rod Stewart & The Faces
'The Other Man's Grass (Is Always Greener)' - Petula Clark
'Eagle' - ABBA
'Carnation' - The Jam
Don't you just lurve an iPod on shuffle? Who knows what's going to turn up next? 'Aquarius' is one of my latest downloads and, unfortunately, has already acquired a less than flattering nickname, but I like it anyway.
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