Adventures on the front line, vol. 2 – Das Capital

I feel safest of all, in cars…

Playing your first gig in the capital is always a right of passage for bands. This is no exception for our Bradfordian heroes, 6 Fingered Man. As like last time, they always seem to attract some gloriously rock ‘n roll moments, straight out of a Spinal Tap script, or a Motley Crue lyric.

This time, it was a weekend break for the band and fans down in old London town, to play a gig, to impress some people in high places, and to finally discover what London’s bustling media-centric metropolis has to offer.

So, we set off in Wallz’ car (no-one knows why they call William Jennison Wallz, but it is easier I guess) at about 9.30am on Saturday morning. We pick up Ian and Kelly, the guitarist and girlfriend of the guitarist respectively and rendezvous at singer Drew’s house for around 10.30am.

The motorway beckons, but as Wallz breaks the 110mph mark in his battered old Saab 9000, white smoke engulfs the car. He breaks, swerves and stops on the hard shoulder, just outside Meadowhall in Sheffield. This isn’t good. The soundcheck is for 6pm tonight, and we’re stranded after only an hours driving.

The AA man cometh… To sort out this mess, Ian’s mum and dad turn back and find us on the hard shoulder, looking slightly puzzled, cold and quite irritated. They call out the AA, and they tell us that the crankshaft has smashed a hole the size of a small boy’s head in the engine. It’s un-repairable.

After being towed to Meadowhall’s coach car park, we decide on what happens next. Ian will drive home with his mum and dad, pick up his car, drive back to the car park where Wallz and myself are now stranded, and drive on down South. All the while, Jeff’s 24hr Recovery Service should be on it’s way to pick up the car and take it back to Wallz’ house.

Cup of tea and a sit down?

What to do now? We have hours to kill in Sheffield’s premier shopping destination and nothing to do, so we walk on over to the mall of death and have a very British cup of tea and a nice sit down. It’s rammed with people though, and we soon tire of having to fight our way through hoards of kids, grannies and Henri Lloyd clad chavs, so we go back to the car, and as it turns out, the other members of the band who were travelling behind us originally are now in London, having a whale of a time, unloading equipment and checking out the venue.

     There’s more though. On the way back home, Ian’s dad’s car has a fit and ejects it’s rear light, causing the car to sit in another hard shoulder whilst the family look for it which costs us another hour or so. This is looking so bad, it’s not even funny anymore. No-one’s coming to our rescue, we have no way of going anywhere, and we need to be in London in about 3 hours. So, we wait… and wait… and wait…

“Ian should be here by now” I comment, as after an hours worth of killing time and playing I-spy, we’d pinned our hopes on that either Jeff or Ian would come screeching around the corner to our salvation. Ian hasn’t even set off yet though, after he checked his car and discovered no oil where there should be lots of it.

We wait some more, nipping over the bridge every once in a while to use the facilities in the crowded Meadowhall.

Then, at around 3pm, a good three hours after we last saw them, Ian and Kelly zoom into view and hot on his tail is the elusive Jeff.

We finally get going, with Wallz £130 lighter and all of us a mixture of tired, nervous or just plain bored.

London Calling…

We race to the capital, and finally arrive (and on time too) to the hotel, which is a good distance from the venue we’re supposed to be at right now.

More drama ensues when we’re told that Wallz, Simon and myself all have to pretend to be 12 years old, as we’re getting in under the Kids stay free thing that the hotel have.

We were the oldest looking 12 year olds ever, and we had to slyly sneak into the hotel, as if any member of staff asks us who we were or what the hell we were doing there, we could be in some serious trouble. Thankfully, we manage to traverse reception and the old folks blocking the only door to the stairs and into safety, as drummer Lee and his girlfriend Jo had already arrived. We find sanctuary there for a while, and after Ian and Kelly check in, I quickly move downstairs into their room, where I’m confronted by the smallest bed in the world, as apparently 12 year old kids aren’t that tall. Fuck.

It matters not, as we were supposed to be in the venue about an hour ago…

Where it’s at…

The venue in question is the basement of Chez Stelios, a Greek restaurant and bar, but instead of the squalid dive you’d expect, the place is actually rather plush, all fancy décor and all. We arrive just in time for the boys to sound check, and for the rest of us to neck a few well-needed pints.

After all the levels and stuff are down, we decide to head off for some food. Hours of decision making and walking down empty back streets later, we get some high class pizza at some high end pizza restaurant. 

London looks quite sinister in the dark, and for some, it’s their first trip to the capital, for others, it’s the first time back since they were kids.

It’s all a bit over-powering if you let it get on top of you, but the group of plucky northerners moving through the mass of cockney accents and southern drawls of “bruv”, “guv’nor” or “aw’ite” make it through unscathed.

The gig…

We get there when 6 Fingered Man are supposed to be on, but, and god only knows why, the people in charge kept switching the line up. After we wait through good support acts (the Jeff Buckley/ Damien Rice- esque Dave Best) and bad ones (names of whom I can’t remember) the boys finally come on stage just after midnight.

The crowd seem happy, however there are some pricks who think that bringing golf clubs to a bar is funny, and some who think that trying to hit on the drummers girlfriend is a good idea. If all Londoners are like this, then I’ll stay up here I think.

The amp…

Of course today being today, the night had to have something go wrong… Half way into their set, they get trouble with Ian’s amp. It blows up actually, and they’re left with no lead guitar. After about 20 minutes of panic and silence (broken when Wallz starts telling awfully cheesy jokes to the crowd) they find a spare amp, which is the smallest thing I’d ever seen.

They start up again, and finish their set triumphantly, through adversity, broken amps, and a crazy guy who looked like Charles Manson who thought Bradford was cool and that he used to live there, despite the thickest southern accent I’d heard all weekend. 

The Schmooze

Backstage was a bit of a love fest, with Dave Best saying he loved 6 Fingered Man, and 6 Fingered Man saying they loved Dave Best.  Another hour passes, and we're slowly packing up equipment, blanketing the place in flyers, and swapping demos with the London contingent.

Charlie makes another brief appearance, singing at the top of his voice, telling people to get out of his way. Strange bloke…

After more schmoozing, and more ego stroking, we’re upstairs, getting pissed and listening to crazy Greek bouzouki music. Lee dances like a chicken, Wallz is pissed beyond all belief, and Ian and Drew start shouting “hey!” as if they were South-Central Athens, born and bred.

The come down…

After all the drama, all the shouting, and all the bad luck, we’re ready to come home. We do a bit of sight seeing in the centre of London first, which proves to be another excellent opportunity to go flyering. Soon enough though, the lack of sleep and excess of alcohol kicks in, and we get going back up the M1.

Next week… 6 Fingered Man hit Scotland and Wallz is found at 3am with his head in a pool of vomit and Irn Bru.

If only…

Gavin Miller

back to top

Adventures on the front line: vol. 1, "it just hurts"

Tonight was supposed to be just like any other Saturday night. Go see a band, get slightly drunk, come home, and go to bed.

Unfortunately, tonight I am Ian Faith. I’m David st. Hubbins, Nigel Tufnel and Derek Smalls all rolled into one. This was possibly the most Spinal Tap night ever.

Ok, so the first thing that went wrong was that the ever reliable bass players car broke down with a gargantuan bass amp in it, causing some problems before we've even arrived. "Can’t we borrow an amp from the other band?" asks Ian Bareham, lead guitarist with the band I’m hitch-hiking with, Bradford's own 6 Fingered Man. "They’ve gone home?" comes the follow up question.

One of the band is already there, one is AWOL and the other two are here, panicking over what to do. The car is well and truly crucified, and the bass amp is the size of a small house. What to do now? At least Spinal Tap had roadies to deal with all this stuff…

It’s strangely compelling, watching all this, it's like every kids rock and roll nightmare, no way of shifting kit, people, and band members all at once, so we abandon the car and get the train.

An hour or so later, we're in Leeds, hoping to jump into a taxi which will whisk us away to this magical venue where the band are playing tonight. I'm confused, as after spending about two years reviewing stuff for the local scene, I'm none the wiser as to where this place actually is.

A short and unnecessarily stressful taxi ride later (not even the taxi driver knew where this place was- that doesn’t fill me with much confidence), we are officially in the armpit of nowhere. All you can see are warehouses, industrial sites, a dual carriageway and some council flats. Great I think... I’m not coming out of here alive am I?

Again, its every bit Spinal Tap when we enter the pub (yes, it's a pub) to be confronted with the kind of place that old people and tough Yorkshire nutcases go to commune every Sunday.

Things aren't looking good.

Remember when the tap had to play the air force base? Or the theme park? Yeah, you get the idea... the other 6 days a week; this place is just your average northern pub. But tonight, Matthew, it's rock city.

The bass player hitches a ride with his dad in the end, but neglects the fact that he’s the only one who knows where this place is, which causes some nerves when Ian still hasn’t turned up when the rest of the band are already there. In fact, he’s circling around Leeds’ inner ring road. He finds it eventually though, thank god…

The stage is basically the end bit of the pub with some disco lights and the curtains pulled. 6 Fingered Man are headlining tonight, which is a double-edged sword if ever there was one. On one hand, you can say you've headlined, on the other, there's no one left in the room by that time, and you have to sit through painful support acts.

The first one broke up on stage, and featured a heavy metal guitarist who knew all the words to that Meatloaf song 'Real Dead Ringer for Love'. In short, they "just hurt", according to Ian’s sister Alison. Amen to that.

Second on is an emo band without a drummer, and again, it's their first gig. Sounds more like their first rehearsal to be honest. Does nobody know how to tune a guitar nowadays?!

Third band (god I’m getting irritated) are a rap metal combo with some guy who looks like Matt Bellamy (and I bet he wishes he was) from Muse pumping out metal riffs, with some little white kid trying to rap. Not a good combination.

Then finally, after an age of playing pool, buying slightly off beer and avoiding the drunken old men who dot the place and who keep talking to us, 6 Fingered Man come on. In all fairness, they're the best thing that ever happened to this place. They were great, and it seems kinda worth it after that.

In between sets we get the most Yorkshire man ever proclaiming that we've "come 'ere to see bands... not just one type of music, but music... some new, raw talent". He got the raw part right anyway.

I’m starting to doubt that this is actually happening. I start thinking that they're shooting the third Wayne’s World, or the sequel to 'School of Rock' and I just wandered onto the set.

This really is the front line, the bottom of the pile as far as live music goes, and it's slightly funny, in a way. After the final set, we finally get to leave this place. All the drunkards, Goth chicks and crazy old men are left well and truly behind and we go party.

After what feels like five hours trying to drive around the inner workings of Leeds’ ring road, we arrive at lead singer Drew's house for some well-needed booze and food. "Has this got Sudan 1 in it?" asks drummer Lee.

It's been an odd night, and one I won't forget in a while.

“If I had the sex and drugs, I could probably do without the rock ‘n roll”  

Gavin Miller

back to top

Best of 2004

That time of year has come again; it’s a time for giving, receiving, and reflection. DSP writers took on the great challenge of 2004, to look back over the past twelve months, across a wide expanse of music releases, and umm-d and aaah-d over their collections until the sun came up. Was that gig this year, or last year? Does this release deserve its number 1 spot, or is there a worthier candidate? Are there really only 10 spots? How can I possibly choose between these two? Well the time has come and the choices have been made, read on for the best albums, singles and gigs of 2004 and look back on the year that was or wasn’t if you are a Limp Bizkit fan.  

Katherine Tomlinson

Do Something Pretty writers personal top 10s...

Albums

1. The Killers - Hot Fuss
2. Scissor Sisters - Scissor Sisters
3. Mylo – Destroy Rock & Roll
4. Gomez - Split The Difference
5. Franz Ferdinand - Franz Ferdinand
6. Soulwax – Any Minute Now
7. Super Furry Animals – Songbook: The Singles Vol. 1
8. Hope Of The States - The Lost Riots
9. Razlorlight – Up All Night
10. Bjork - Medulla

Singles

1. The Zutons – Don’t Ever Think (Too Much)
2. Goldfrapp - Strict Machine '04
3. Pixies - Bam Thowk
4. Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds – There She Goes, My Beautiful World
5. Razlorlight – Rip It Up
6. The Killers – Somebody Told Me
7. Belle & Sebastian - I'm A Cuckoo
8. Interpol – Slow Hands
9. Amy Winehouse – Help Yourself
10. Delays – Long Time Coming  

Singles

Greenday - Boulevard of Broken Dreams
Keane – Bedshaped
Matchbook Romance – Playing For Keeps
Embrace - Ashes
Evanescence – Everybodys Fool
Breed 77 – World On Fire
The Rasmus - Guilty
Belle and Sebastian - I’m A Cuckoo
Goldblade – Psycho
Gwen Stefani – What You Waiting For

Albums

Greenday - American idiot
The Rasmus - Dead Letters
Breed 77 - Cultura
Evanescence – Fallen
The international noise conspiracy - Armed Love
Keane - Hopes and Fears
Embrace - Out Of Nothing
Ben Arthur – Edible Darling
Scissor sisters – Scissor Sisters
The Streets – A Grand Don’t Come For Free  

Top ten albums of 2004  

1. Pinback - Summer in Abaddon
2. Hot Snakes - Audit in Progress
3. Lali Puna - Faking the Books
4. Bjork - Medulla
5. The Arcade Fire - Funeral
6. Meshuggah - I
7. The Wedding Present - Take Fountain
8. Efterklang - Tripper
9. Joanna Newson - The Milk Eyed Mender
10. Sufjan Stevens - Seven Swans  

10 fine gigs of 2004.

In no order but alphabetical.

A Silver Mt. Zion + Little Wings, 10/12/04 @ Leeds Brudenell Social Club

Well, just what can I say about this one? Little Wings were a stoner’s wet dream. Two guys, one guitar and one bass. Lovely little melodies and a guy with the biggest beard ever. Anyway, ASMZ were fucking immense. Having missed out on Godspeed when they came up north a few years back, this show more than made up for it. It was so loud in parts, and yet so quiet and serene in others. Dynamic, ferocious and more than a little epic and grandiose, it was a true joy to be a part of.

dEUS + Stijn, 18/11/04 @ Manchester Academy

You all know what I thought of this one, as the review is up on DSP, but to re-cap, I’d been waiting for this show for a good five or so years (good old dEUS…) and they did not disappoint. Every bit as magical, wonderful and fucking insane as I thought it would be. Thank you Belgium.

Mogwai + Bardo Pond + Jackie O Motherfucker, 23/03/04 @ University Of Northumbria

Another one for the archives, Mogwai completely blew me away. Loud, heavy and intense in parts, yet beautiful and pretty in others. Again, the review is somewhere on DSP, if you can find it. Oh yeah, Jackie O Motherfucker weren’t that great either. Bardo Pond had their moments though…

Múm + Animal Collective, 27/04/04 @ Leeds City Varieties

I did not see this one coming… Animal Collective was a total bolt from the blue. Their high energy, crazed live show was a glorious mess of noise and shouting, a million miles away from the band they were supporting, but who cares? They were excellent. As were Múm. Once again, my review of this show is floating around on DSP somewhere (as soon as they get the live review archives up it will be anyway…) Fragile, gorgeous yet slightly eerie, Múm have that certain something that’s beautiful, but slightly scary.

Stafrænn Hákon + Dialect, 19/09/04 @ Leeds Brudenell Social Club

Having interviewed the guy a week or so before this gig, I was already completely overly enthusiastic about Ólafur and his band of Icelandic misfits, but this gig really struck me. It was passionate, intricate, and so damn beautiful. Like all post rock, it was quiet in places, insanely loud in others, but this was on another level from all that other stuff. As beautiful as the country that made him. Dialect was great too. Pretty much a computer on stage, but damn if those beats weren’t big, bold and fiery. It’s electro Jim, but not as we know it…

The Black Keys, 30/08/04 @ Leeds Cockpit

Oh yes. Big, monster riffage with big, noisy drumming. It was loud, brash and a hell of a night. The musical equivalent of going “HUH!” really loud.

The Raveonettes, 09/02/04 @ Leeds Cockpit

50’s doo-wop with fuzzed feedback. Doesn’t sound like a good mix, but then these two Danish oddballs mix up a lot of interesting things. Beautiful Sharin Foo (cue Wayne’s World style “she will be mine. Oh yes, she will be mine” lines) on bass and moody Sune Rose Wagner on guitar, these two know a good show. Uplifting, harsh and yet always brilliant. Damn those drums were loud though…

The Von Bondies + Kasabian, 21/04/04 @ Leeds Blank Canvas

Some more rock action, The Von Bondies had that ‘fuck you’ swagger and sweat stained raw power that you can only get through playing every venue from here to Detroit. Sleazy, dirty and with amps that went to 12, let alone 11. Kasabian were OK too I guess.

Vib Gyor + Benjamin Wetherill, 23/07/04 @ Leeds Vine

Regardless of press, hype, or gaining the NME single of the month or whatever, Vib Gyor is moving ever closer to world domination. As well they should, as their epic, moving and melodic songs are a joy to listen to. Imagine ‘OK Computer’ but a bit more accessible and you’re almost there. Wetherill is another of my local favourites. Mixing Cohen-esque bleakness with 40s jazz pieces a-la George Formby, etc. he’s definitely in a world of his own up here in Leeds. Watch out for him, a true gem.

Yo La Tengo + Gorky’s Zygotic Mynci, 06/03/04 @ West Yorkshire Playhouse

Another brilliant mixture of the weird and wacky, these two matched each other perfectly. YLT were on fire, every song was tight as fuck, but still had that crazy kraut rock wig out thing they do so well. With their humour, down to earth style and natural ear for a tune, these guys (and girl) were a definite highlight of 2004. I missed most of Gorky’s though, thanks to a fuck up with the tickets. Damn. From what I did see, they were damn good too.    

1. As the Cry Flows - Seafood
2. Power - Q And Not U
3. Thunder Lightning Strike - The Go! Team
4. Chutes Too Narrow - The Shins
5. The Milk-Eyed Mender - Joanna Newsom
6. Good News for People Who Love Bad News - Modest Mouse
7. Sonic Nurse - Sonic Youth
8. Fashionista Super Dance Troupe - Help She Can't Swim
9. La Maison De Mon Reve - CocoRosie
10. Happiness in Magazines - Graham Coxon    

It’s that time of the year again, when everything has gone all sparkly and retrospectives abound. For me, 2004 has seen loads of good music and my list is probably as conspicuous for what it leaves out as for what it includes – Franz Ferdinand, The Faint, Radio 4, Bloc Party, Pink Grease, The Killers and Air, among many others, are all missing. 

Then there are those records that would almost certainly have been up for a place on the list but which, for reasons largely financial, I still haven’t managed to buy yet so haven’t actually heard properly. Santa dear, if you are reading this and have any spare room in your sack, do feel free to send Mr Scruff, Les Savy Fav, Karate, Krafty Kuts, Handsome Boy Modelling School, Fila Brazillia, Leonard Cohen, Cake, Isobel Campbell, Miss Kittin, The Czars, The Liars, Bonnie Prince Billy and Cat Power down my chimney… and that’s just for starters. Yes, I’ve been skint.

So here is my list. If you ask me again next week, or if the wind suddenly changes direction, I will probably tell you a different ten. But for now, and in no particular order, my favourite ten albums (and EP’s!) of 2004 are: 

The Beastie Boys – To The Five Boroughs
Interpol – Antics
Auf Der Maur – Auf Der Maur
Money Mark – Demo or Demolition EP
RDJ2 – Since We Last Spoke
Nakia – Nakia EP 1
Frank Black Francis – Frank Black Francis
Morrissey – You Are The Quarry
Modest Mouse – Good News For People Who Love Bad News
Gwen Stefani – Love Angel Music Baby  

I’ll close with a few words about my last choice, because I can see the faces you are all pulling from here. Stop it.  The thing is, Love Angel Music Baby is an awful lot of fun. I hate No Doubt, I thought I’d hate this, I wanted to hate it for goodness sake, but since my other half bought it I’ve been hooked. It’s chaotic, it’s kooky, it’s complete and utter rubbish – but I absolutely love it, and it’s for that very reason that Gwen is in my list.

Happy Christmas!  

TOP TEN ALBUMS OF THE YEAR

THE STILLS – Logic Will Break Your Heart.

Possibly the most underrated and least feted of all the late 80s post-gloom/nouveau romantics currently doing the rounds but ‘Logic…’ was undoubtedly the highlight among all its peers. Blame Canada…

MORRISSEY – You Are The Quarry.

The be-quiffed one conducted the greatest comeback of the new millennium with his best work in well over a decade, if not the nadir of his solo output full stop.

AMUSEMENT PARKS ON FIRE – Amusement Parks On Fire.

My Bloody Valentine-esque soundscapes and Dinosaur Jr rhythms encapsulate Mike Feerick’s bedroom opus. Once again, Nottingham has thrown up a new guitar hero.

THE KILLERS – Hot Fuss.

Predictable I suppose, but The Killers have been THE singles band of the year and anyone who writes an ode to glamorous indie rock’n’roll is fine by me.

DAVID THOMAS AND TWO PALE BOYS – 18 Monkeys On A Dead Man’s Chest.

For a guy who’s been making music for nigh on 30 years, David Thomas could be forgiven for just strumming a beaten down acoustic guitar and singing about how crap life is. Thankfully that wasn’t the case and Thomas and co. out-Caved the master of darkness himself on this epic collection.

KELIS – Tasty.

Ever since ‘Caught Out There’ heralded the arrival of Kelis as a superbitch not to be messed with, she’s been dogged by the word “potential”. ‘Tasty’ is the point where potent is a more apt description of the milkshake lover’s talents.

INTERPOL – Antics.

Commonly known as a grower. Interpol had the seemingly impossible task of following up 2002’s ‘Turn On The Bright Lights’. The fact they did with a full on sense of elegance and panache only highlighted how vital this band really is.

IKARA COLT – Modern Apprentice.

Once upon a time, Ikara Colt was being touted as the next big thing, and then it all went a bit quiet. Now the pressure’s off Paul Resende and his band can concentrate on what they do best, which is making angular pop songs that spray urine all over Mark E Smith’s already stained shoes and throw the Gang Of Four down the stairs. Sideways.

FRANZ FERDINAND – Franz Ferdinand.

Hardly a surprise, but if anyone hasn’t already fallen in love with ‘Darts Of Pleasure’, ‘Take Me Out’, ‘Jacqueline’ or ‘Michael’ then they must be A) Tone Deaf; or B) Keane fans. Yet another genius debut record.

THE DEARS – No Cities Left.

Not since Blur’s ‘Great Escape’ or even the Smiths’ ‘There Is A Light That Never Goes Out’ has one man’s pleading sounded so desolate, desperate even. That man is Murray Lightburn and his band may have taken a decade to make a record as good as this, but boy, what a way to reach your pinnacle.

And the best of the rest…

SOULWAX – Any Minute Now
RAZORLIGHT – Up All Night
TV ON THE RADIO – Desperate Youth, Bloodthirsty Babes
THE RADIO DEPT. – Lesser Matters
LO-EGO – Wall Of Silence
MCLUSKY – The Difference Between Me And You Is That I’m Not On Fire
SEVEN COLOR SKY – Secrets About The Stars
THE CURE – The Cure
THE WONDER STUFF – Escape From Rubbish Island
THE LIBERTINES – The Libertines  

Top Ten albums of 2004:

1. The Music; Welcome To The North (Hut Records)
2. The Polyphonic Spree Together We're Heavy (Good Records)
3. The Fiery Furnaces; Blueberry Boat (Rough Trade Records)
4. Elliot Smith; From A Basement On The Hill (Domino Records)
5. Keane; Hopes & Fears (Interscope)
6. Flipron; Fancy Blues and Rustique Novelties (Tiny Dog)
7. The Cure; The Cure (Geffen)
8. Liars Academy; Demons (Equal Vision)
9. Radio 4; Stealing Of A Nation (City Slang)
10. Bird; The Insides

Top Ten singles (plus EPs) of 2004:

1. Greenday; Boulevard Of Broken Dreams (Warner)
2. The Starlite Desperation; Violate A Sundae (Sweet Nothing Records)
3. Hothouse Flowers; Your Love Goes On (Rubyworks)
4. The Music; Freedom Fighters (Hut Records)
5. The Polyphonic Spree; Two Thousand Places (Good Records)
6. Pellumair; Iris (Rough Trade)
7. Keane; Somewhere Only We Know (Interscope)
8. Akira The Don; Akira The Don's first EP (something in construction)
9. Winnebago Deal; Cobra (plus B-side 'Save My Brain' on Double Drago Records)
10. Joy Zipper; Baby You Should Know (13 Amp Records)

Top Ten Gigs in reverse order;

10. The Hothouse Flowers ably supported by Jerry Fish & The Mudbug Club (Manchester Academy 2 29/05/2004)

9. Keane with support from Bell x1 (Manchester Academy 2 29/04/2004)

8. The Blueskins with support from Voicecoil & The Black Dogs (30/07/04 WA1 Venue Warrington)

7. Black Rebel Motorcycle CLub with support from The Cooper Temple Clause ( University of Liverpool 11/02/2004)

6. The Delgados with support from Sons & Daughters (o5/10/04 University Of Manchester)

5. Jeffrey Lewis with support from Misty's Big Adventure;
Star & Garter Manchester (20/09/2004)

4. {Spunge} @ Jilly's Rockworld, Manchester 08/1104

3. The Cure Manchester Move Festival Old Trafford Cricket Ground 09/07/04

2. P J Harvey (Manchester Apollo 05/09/2004)

1. The International Noise Conspiracy with support from The Starlite Desperation (Manchester Academy 3 07/06/2004)  

1 – Max Richter – The Blue Notebooks (Fat Cat)
2 - Maritime – Glass Floor (Grand Hotel)
3 – The Eighties Matchbox Beeline Disaster – The Royal Society (Island)
4 – The Diskettes - The Diskettes (http://www.indiepages.com/humblebee/)
5 – Pavement – Crooked Rain Crooked Rain (reissue) (Domino)  

1.Sonic Youth - Brixton Academy - The Perfect Gig, even the 30 minute feedback piece couldn't dampen my enthusiasm.

2.Blood Brothers - Underworld - I discovered a dance half way between a mosh and a strut.

3.Lightning Bolt - Electric Ballroom - and we all danced like children with ADHD

4.Deerhoof - ATP - First Band of the weekend, and none of us were expecting them to be quite so good.

5.Dead Meadow - The Garage - A great band, the communication between the musicians was incredible

6.Part Chimp - Upstairs at the Garage - they were totally fucked, so were we, it was a bonding experience.

7.OOIOO - ATP - Yoshimi Rules, its simple. From the paper dress to the infusion of Japanese traditional instruments

8.Cove - Upstairs at the Garage - ah cove, dear cove, please don't stop doing what you do.

9.USAisamonster - Brixton Windmill - Obviously I knew there were politics involved, but nowhere near as emotional as the story of the destruction of the Native American that I witnessed.

10.The Oxes - Bar Lorca - nuts.  

1. Sonic Youth - Sonic Nurse

An almost perfect balance of Sonic Youth past and present.

2. Modest Mouse - Good news for people who love bad news

Like being seventeen again.

3. saturday looks good to me - Every Night

Kinda like emo-meets-beach boys-meets-Motown-meets-Phil Spector wall of sound-meets-boy-girl vocal trade-offs

4. q and not u - power

Man this record makes you want to D.A.N.C.E! 

5. The Arcade Fire - Funeral

Ok so most of the songs are about death, but what a record? Tis good I tell thee. Get yo hands on a copy when Rough Trade give it the domestic release it deserves. part darkness and melody of The Decemberists part Neutral Milk Hotel taking tea with the talking heads? I dunno i'm crap at comparisons.

6. sufjan stevens - seven swans 

Sufjan Stevens is the most wonderful man in the world. Ladies, he is a professional graphic designer, an amateur seamstress (or the male equivalent), crochets ski caps, and writes short fiction. Sufjan's other talents and interests include teaching, painting, running, darning, knitting, crocheting, weaving, quilting, cleaning, photography, haircutting, and dry wall installation. He cooks legendary omelettes and can whip up a sushi feast at the drop of a sake glass. In high school he played second-string guard on a district champion basketball team and created his own language, now spoken by only two other people. Oh and his knitted for Martha Stewart. Phew, is it hot in here or is it me? Sigh, what a man.

7. Joanna Newson - Milk Eyed Mender 

Childlike and disarming stories from a wonderfully eccentric young lady.

Now would you think that she plays keyboards with The Pleased and did a bit of harp work for Deerhoof/Hella side project Nervous Cop?

8. Laura Veirs - Carbon Glacier 

The perfect soundtrack to watch the madness of the summer weather beating against the Cornish coastline through a window on a train.

9. Animal Collective - Sung Tungs

Listened to this a lot getting over a head cold, less random noises than previous more of the animal collective wonderfully strange melodies.

10. blood brothers - crimes

Mostly fantastically unlistenable, however a far more dare I use the 'A' word? Accessible record than previous. A wonderful wonderful record to get kicks outta annoying the suits on the morning commute to work.

other notables:

deerhoof - milkman
Mum - summer make good
90 day men - panda park
Giant Sand - It's all over the map
Juanna Molina - tres cosas
franz ferdinand - franz ferdinand
iron and wine - our endless numbered days
black dice - creature comforts
tv on the radio - desperate youth, blood thirsty babes
help she can't swim - Fashionista Super Dance Troupe
Panda Bear - Young Prayer
The Unicorns - Who will cut your hair when we're gone?
Xiu Xiu - Fabulous Muscle
Iron & Wine - Our Endless Numbered days
Devandra Banhart - rejoicing in the hands of

Apologies to those that this year I've loved and forgotten.

EP's & Singles (no special order)

Not really a 45s kind of girl but...

Black Dice - Miles Of Smiles
!!! - Hello is this thing on?
animal collective - who could win a rabbit
death from above - heads up
jetplane landing - brave gravity
jetplane landing - There Is No Real Courage Unless There Is Real Danger
deerpark - it made her look spidery

Looking forward to in 2005...

Lightning Bolt, Death From Above, Lou Barlow, Love As Laughter, Sleater Kinney (newly signed to Sub Pop!), Swearing At Motorists, Bonnie 'Prince' Billy, Bloc Party, Cat On Form (their swam song album), AYWKUBTTOD, Hood, The Evens and plenty more!

sunn o))) - live + white2 lp
hototogisu - swoon screen cdr
hair police - live + obedience cuts lp
sightings - arrived in gold lp
growing - live + the soul of the rainbow and the harmony of light lp
current 93 - halo cd
lungfish - live at atp
jandek - instal bootlegs
noxagt - live + the iron point lp
pita - get off cd
no fun fest (wolf eyes, pita, hair police, to live and shave in la, sightings, aaron dilloway, double leopards, etc)
comets on fire - blue cathedral lp, and destroying camber sands
guapo - five suns + live
jazzfinger, bongoleeros, narcosis, vibracathedral orchestra, oneida, jackie o motherfucker, circle, whitehouse, sudden infant/carlos giffoni, isambard kingston brunel, magic band, spin spin the dogs - all live

back to top

An Englishman In Newport (An outsider’s perspective of the 2004 Eisteddfod)

On the train to Newport, there was somebody sitting next to me, speaking on their mobile. It took me a while to realise that they weren’t speaking English (it had been a long journey), and then I clicked what language she was speaking. As I had just spent the weekend at my Mum’s wedding in Scotland, it began to feel like Tom Baker’s narration of Little Britain. I was finding out more about some the people of Britain. What them? Who they? And why?

A couple of people asked me what my friends thought of me going to the Eisteddfod. Every time I ordered food - in English - the person serving me gave me a curious look and asked if I was enjoying myself. Maybe I didn’t think too much about “the language thing” before I came, or it never really struck me what going to a Welsh festival involved.

For those of you who don’t know, the Eisteddfod is a yearly festival celebrating the Welsh language and culture, including literature, poetry and music. It’s held in a different location every year, alternating between South and North Wales. I was there for the music side of it, a week-long showcase and celebration of brand new and more established Welsh acts.

For me, personally, it was a holiday. Something different. A chance to get away for seven days. Obviously, as this wasn’t my language or culture, I was always going to be an outsider. However, the language barrier was not a big issue. I was introduced to a great group of people, including some of the musicians I’d see perform throughout the week, and as I knew Louise (a Welsh-learner herself) I was introduced to a lot of people. This was my first Eisteddfod, but Loo was becoming a veteran.

Apparently the festival is usually all held on one site, with the campsite right next to it. This year, our campsite was 5 miles out of the city centre, so I saw Newport through a lot of bus windows. The venues where we saw bands included Clwb Pont Ebwy - the Ebbw Bridge Club (think Phoenix Nights crossed with a school gym hall) and TJs in city centre. Do I need to say that’s where Kurt proposed to Courtney?

I saw a lot of bands throughout the week, and obviously all sung in Welsh. I didn’t get a word. But like I said, this just didn’t seem important. There were three acts that stood out. The first was Jakokoyak. There were definite Sigur Ros moments, very ethereal and atmospheric. There were also elements of Royksopp and more experimental Doves.

I’d already seen Kentucky AFC in London a few weeks ago, and it was good to see them with a more appreciative home audience-although that’s not saying they don’t have the strength to cross over. They are getting good at providing upbeat and energetic tunes, with some more intense moments as well. Highlights were the catchy “11” (learn the dance routine now) and great cover of Gorky’s Zygotic Mynci’s Iechyd Da.

Finally-Pep Le Pew. I already had their first album, but nothing prepared for what I would hear throughout the week. I saw them twice, and got a little listen of their new album (big thanks to Marc from Slacyr Records, link below). Their gig at TJs was undoubtedly one of the best I’d ever seen. There was so much energy in their performance, fusing beats, live percussion and rap. They knew how to work up the crowd and get them moving, and the best bit came when Daft Punk’s Da Funk was thrown into the mix. Everyone was going mad for a set of songs that, at the time of the gig, weren’t even released.

Joe weiler

www.slacyr.co.uk

www.jakokoyak.com

www.kentuckyafc.com

www.bbc.co.uk/wales/music

www.sebon.co.uk

back to top

A Review Of Lightning Bolt At All Tomorrow's Parties - Saturday 27th March 2004

www.loadrecords.com www.laserbeast.com

How Old Are Tortoise? Give Up Grandads!  (It’s Not The What It’s The Why) 

words & Image: John Collins

My original remit for this article was quite simple. Attend the weekend’s events at All Tomorrow’s Parties and review whatever bands I saw. However, following the events of Saturday night it becomes quite clear to me (and I think a lot of other people) that there is only one band at the festival that really matters.

Hailing from Fort Thunder, Rhode Island, and on the near legendary Load Records label, Lightning Bolt are a bass player and a drummer who sings with a microphone taped into his mouth. And they’re both called Brian. No doubt by the time you read this you will already have heard of them. Now on their third LP, 2003s ‘Wonderful Rainbow’, this is their first UK gig and the first date of a short tour.

Having arrived at the Festival on the Friday it becomes apparent that something is going on. Here is a band that had never played a gig in this country and whose records are only available on import but the purely word-of-mouth buzz surrounding them is tangible.

Scheduled to headline the second stage the question is will the Bolt be allowed to play in amongst the audience, as is their norm (check the fantastic 2001 tour DVD ‘The Power of Salad’)? As the last strains of the creepy midget Bobby Conn die out and huge amps begin to be lugged to the back corner of the hall, all becomes clear. It seems like at least 90% of the festival has turned out for the spectacle. The crush around the ‘stage’ and the air of expectation become quite alarming (my companion tells me it’s like “the Romans baying for the gladiators’ blood”).

As huge wails of feedback scream from the precariously balanced Marshall stacks and the drummer begins cracking out head-flattening beats the whole place erupts. The jaw-dropping fuzz bass belies the proneness of the bass player who stands stock still, sometimes peering out from beneath his fringe. It suddenly dawns on me, my God, the Bolt are a good time party band! They don’t just pummel they swing.

Within a few songs it becomes obvious that you are witnessing an EVENT. People stand on bins, on speakers, all over the mixing desk. Due to the nature of Lightning Bolt unless you are in the front few rows the only thing you can do is observe other people’s reactions to the music (though I suppose people of smaller stature always have this problem at gigs…).  And herein, lies the beauty of Lightning Bolt. Having endured the dreary Prefuse 73 earlier in the evening and come to the belated conclusion that you are merely watching some bearded men twiddling unidentified knobs whilst nodding their heads, the audience/artist interface of the Lightning Bolt live experience makes thrilling sense.

Although essentially just a rhythm section, the power of the band, coupled with the intimacy of the performance, is undeniable. This would simply not work as well on a traditional stage set-up, but this is not to belittle the music itself at all. This is one of the most thrilling, visceral live experiences I have ever witnessed.

Numerous times the band has to stop playing as the crowd fall onto the equipment and the drummer urges people to move back (how just two security men manage to keep the equipment from being flattened I don’t know). Within forty minutes that’s it, the crowd stunned into submission. How long Lightning Bolt can continue like this given this level of frenzy is open to question. They also play outside their chalet the following day (see the Radio 1 website for pics) but the set is cut short after somebody calls the police. Fitting somehow… Lightning Bolt are a band that I urge you to witness soon.

John Collins

back to top

God Is A Belgian: An Introduction to dEUS

www.hotellounge.com www.proxis.be

Portuguese people will know that “deus” in their language means “god”. Fans of Björk will know that the Sugarcubes had a song called “deus” on their debut album ‘Life’s Too Good’, and Belgians will know that dEUS are without a doubt, one of their countries most prized exports.

Rumours and theories about the spelling of ‘dEUS’ range everywhere from ‘it looks cool’ to ‘the copy guy screwed up when printing their demos’. All you need to know, is that for whatever reason, dEUS is always spelled with a little d. It’s just one more little thing that makes being a fan of dEUS so brilliantly secretive.

It’s highly presumptuous to call your band “god”, but dEUS can easily get away with it. In 1994, they released one of alternative rock’s glittering highlights; an album called ‘Worst Case Scenario’. Back in 1991, lead singer and all around head honcho of the band, Tom Barman, was setting up a new group. With help from his friend, the bass player Stef Kamil Carlens, the band quickly recruited Klaas Janzoons, whose main instrument is the violin, and drummer Julle De Borgher. Also hooking up with guitarist Rudy Trouvé, dEUS became not so much a band, as a musical community.  They signed to Island, and in 1994 dropped their debut record.

Some journalists threw the Antwerp boys in with the likes of Tom Waits and Captain Beefheart, mainly because they have the same off the wall approach to music. However, dEUS is more than just a rag tag bunch of weird influences; it’s a mixture of all the exciting, interesting and plain rocking moments from all over the musical spectrum. With ‘Great American Nude’, track twelve from ‘WCS’, they have their Tom Waits song, with ‘Via’, they have their Smashing Pumpkins song, and with ‘Right As Rain’ they have their Leonard Cohen song. It’s a swirling mix of punk rock, dirty rock riffage and quaint little tunes, and no- one does albums like that better than dEUS.

Needless to say, in the UK, it wasn’t quite the multi- platinum album that it set out to be, but I guess great music has to be kept a secret from most people. It did, however, receive its fair share of glowing comments from music journalists and serious muso’s. In fact, dEUS became quite the cult band, even scoring a top 100 single, with the dynamic audio mulch of ‘Hotellounge (Be The Death Of Me)’ coming in at 80-something. Sounding like nothing else at the time, it’s fair to say that dEUS were onto something very special indeed. However, endless touring around Europe’s festival circuit and growing critical success took it’s toll on the usually diminutive members of Belgium’s biggest rock act, and shortly after the release of ‘Worst Case Scenario’, guitarist and influential songwriter Rudy Trouvé quit the band to concentrate on his art. Most of which can be seen on all the covers of dEUS’ albums and singles before 1999’s opus ‘The Ideal Crash’. Tom was crushed, but the band decided to carry on, and to keep dEUS alive. These days, Rudy runs a record label (Heavenhotel) and plays in five, yes five bands. He’s still painting too.

Before Rudy’s departure however, the band put out a mini album. Titled ‘My Sister=My Clock’, it was recorded in Brussels, in August 1994 and took five days to make.

It lasts about 30 minutes, has 13 or so songs, and is one track on your CD player. Featuring some of Barman and Trouvé’s most bizarre musical offerings, it’s whacked out and fucked up to say the very least. Neatly described as the sound of a band smacked off their tits and having fun. Anyone who thought that dEUS were nothing but another grunge band obviously had to think again after this.

Spurred on by their underground following, in 1995 the band recruited Rudy’s replacement, a Scottish man by the name of Craig Ward. He played on what would become their next record, the sprawling, even schizophrenic ‘In A Bar, Under The Sea’. Recorded with ex- Beefheart Eric Drew Feldman, it’s a collection of songs, which would otherwise have no connection to each other, except for the fact that five guys from Belgium decided to record them. ‘In A Bar...’ is their most diverse, eclectic and wide-ranging of all their albums. Going from bittersweet acoustic loveliness with the sugary sweet ‘Little Arithmetic’s’ and the hauntingly beautiful ‘Serpentine’, right up to experimental jazz/ film noir soundtrack music on ‘Theme From Turnpike’ (which contains a sample of a Charlie Mingus song) and back to dynamic post rock on the soaring ‘Roses’.  It’s one hell of an album, and surprised dEUS fans, most of whom wanted a ‘Worst Case Scenario’ part two. ‘In A Bar…’ was another underground success, thanks to it’s un- compromising attitude, and rejection of any kind of musical conformity.

Before the release of their follow up album proper, Stef, one of the founding members, decided to call it a day. According to the excellent dEUS page www.hotellounge.com, he left due to a problem with his girlfriend and someone in dEUS’ staff.

Four singles down, the band was now generating some journalistic debate as to where they went from here. Recruiting Danny Mommens to replace Stef, they carried on again, not wanting to cave in. After yet another departure from the band, and not wanting to rush another record, dEUS took some time off. From the latter end of 1996 to 1999, dEUS would be either resting, touring, recording or writing.

Spending time at the El Cortijo recording studios in Spain, the band hooked up with producer Dave Bottrill, and the next record they would create would go down as their best to date. Recording everywhere from London, Brussels, Spain and random parts of Belgium, the band wrote and recorded one of alternative rock's most sublime pieces of audio. At times understated and languid, such as the beautifully dark 'Sister Dew' (which would be their second single), and at others totally skewed and dis jointed, such as album opener 'Put The Freaks Up Front'.

The one song everyone raves about after they've heard the record is 'Instant Street'. It is probably their greatest achievement to date. A sprawling six minute opus, it's dEUS' artistic peak. Basically two songs in one, it starts as a slow, banjo plucked ballad, but around the half waypoint morphs into a riff heavy beast, laden with that catchy hook, the pulverising guitars, and the fantastic driving rhythm. It's a sure fire hit, although sadly it wasn't. A healthy taster of things to come, ‘Instant Street’ was the first dEUS single to be taken from the new album, and the first release in almost three years. And boy what a way to come back.

On the release of 'The Ideal Crash', it went gold in Belgium and was one of the most talked about records from an indie band of 1999, securing plaudits from Radiohead, R.E.M. and Stephen Malkmus. Oh, and they played Glastonbury too. Enlisting the help of former Evil Superstars guitarist Tim Vanhamel (now of Millionaire and The Eagles Of Death Metal), dEUS' on stage presence grew ever bigger, playing sold out shows everywhere across Europe.

The first record to not feature Stef, it sounds a lot more cohesive as an album. Without compromising their artistic bent or their penchant for genre bending brilliance, 'TIC' sees a more introverted, calmer dEUS. When compared to their debut, it seems a million miles away, and even compared to their previous album, it seems drastically different. Of course the trademark dEUS moments are there- the wackiness of electro fuelled stomp 'Everybody's Weird', the beautiful lyrical meanderings of 'One Advice, Space' and the stark and beautiful ‘The Magic Hour’.

And then... Nothing. After such a great year for dEUS, 1999 ended with the band not where they should have been. Tired of being ignored by the English music industry, they released one last single, the driving, drum heavy title track, and then called it quits. The potential for dEUS to break through in 1999 or maybe the first part of the millennium was huge, but feeling under valued, dEUS simply went back to sleep. Then the wait began. Virtually nothing happened for about two or three years in the dEUS camp. Their website became an eerie ghost site, listing gigs, which had been and gone, no news about anything, and the same old messages in the forum: 'where are they?'.

The members of dEUS are funny chaps. Not content with being in one of the greatest bands ever, they want to be in other bands too! There's approximately twelve side projects relating to various members of the group. Danny has Vive La Fête; Tom has Magnus, who he founded with DJ CJ Bolland & Craig produces for various bands, including Idlewild amongst others. On any given day, you can find the rest of 'em in other guises as artists, musicians, record producers, label bosses, etc. etc. you get the picture. And that's not mentioning Tom's career as a movie director. His recent debut feature 'Anyway The Wind Blows' was a huge success in his native land, and in some parts of Europe too. Unsurprisingly, it has yet to reach us over here, but the DVD is now available for purchase at www.proxis.be

The faint glimmers of progress from the dEUS camp were now coming. From 2001- 2004, Tom and a friend of his, Guy Van Neuten, went on tour, playing stripped down acoustic versions of dEUS songs and some covers to packed audiences across Europe. The CD of their musical voyage is also out, but yet again, only available in Belgium. In 2002, struggling with break up rumours, and hints that Craig was leaving or had already left, the band decided on playing some warm up shows around Europe, getting ready to record and tour again.

2001 saw a greatest hits package, titled 'No More Loud Music', a DVD titled 'No More Video' and earlier this year, the news that Julle had left. This wasn't looking particularly good for dEUS fans. Thankfully, ex Soulwax drummer Stephane Misseghers joined up, and dEUS headed back to the studio. Currently working away on a new LP, you can expect some new dEUS material to hit your shelves around the mid point of 2004. A tour is also scheduled, although, like all things dEUS, it will probably take a lot longer. And hell, even if they do finally break up for good, be sure to know that Nothing Really Ends...

Gavin Miller

back to top