Monday 31 December 2012

Live! Punk into post-punk new year's eve

Inclination and drink consumption allowing, going to write up the punk into post-punk songs that get played tonight. Also the film for tonight is of course 200 Cigarettes

As I type, Marquee Moon by Television plays as by genuine coincidence there is the most wonderful hazy cloud covered moon.

1. Plastic Bertrand - Ca Plane Pour Moi
2. Blondie - 11:59
3. BUzzcocks - Fiction romance
4. X-Ray Spex - cigarettes
5. Wire - Outdoor Miner
6. Television - marquee moon
7. The Fall - rowche rumble
8. Ramones - blitzkrieg bop
10. Clash - Charlie don't surf (live in Amsterdam)
11. Sex pistols - anarchy in the UK
12. UK Subs - stranglehold
13. Members - sound of the suburbs
14. Dead Kennedys - kill the poor
15. The Cure - three imaginary boys
16. Only Ones - another girl, another planet
17. Siouxsee and the bashers [I like that typo and I'm keeping it in!) - Hong Kong garden
18. Stiff little fingers - alternative Ulster
19. No Dice - bad man
20. PIL - this is not a love song
21. Squeeze - cool for cats
22. Teardrop explodes - reward
23. Blondie - hanging in the telephone
24. XTC - making plans for Nigel
25. XTC - sergeant rock
26. Sham 69 - Hersham boys
Followed by fireworks and Buggles and Propaganda and Human League and Bow Wow Wow and Pet Shop Boys
A stack of tonnes of ace post punk stuff remains unplayed - bah! Edit: On New Year's Day, made up for lack of post-punk records with a slew of Chameleons songs. Had stuff by Siglo XX, Josef K, Sad Lovers and Giants etc etc lined up to play but fun 80s pop won in the end. The soundtrack to 200 Cigarettes is also really new wave and ace.

Sunday 30 December 2012

Christmas music

Best musical gift this Christmas - I got this album from a friend who tends to be pretty good at buying me new music. I had heard the name, but not the band. I was very pleasantly surprised to hear very 90s sounding dreamy fuzzy guitar pop, reminiscent of Cranes, whom I happen to be enjoying immensely lately.

Monday 17 December 2012

All Thrills No Frills Music Bill Christmas mix

This comes from a fluey me, so it's not as thorough in theme/mood as I might usually like. Mostly a pick from what's already on the PC, with a few newly (tonight) ripped songs including additions to my collection/highlights from this calendar year. I thought I'd offer explanations for most rather than just paste a bland list:



1/ Last Christmas: Pullover (simply an apt cover version, and an apt name with it. First heard by me on a Fierce Panda compilation in the 90s, by one of my most beloved 7 inch single bands/indie pop bands of the 90s)
2/ Ice and Snow: Sambassadeur
3/ Doe: Breeders (been having a Breeders phase this year - and now they're reforming to gig. I seem to have psychic powers about that sort of stuff. Anyway, doe, as in deer, as in Christmassy animals. Splendid ones in Richmond park)
4/ Shopping: Pet Shop Boys
5/ Lamina Christus: Isolation Ward (I dug out a Belgian cold wave compilation that I hadn't given the best time of day a couple of years ago, and now which I really adore.)
6/ Whole Wide World: Wreckless Eric (there is a theme linking this song and the next two songs - if you get it, you have good taste, and let me know with a comment your answer! This coincidence happened by accident with song selecting, but placing them together made so much sense)
7/ Turn the Radio Off: Love is All
8/ Shining Road: Cranes
9/ Bill Drummond Said: Julian Cope (for the line about the Christmas treem, of course)
10/ Pink Frost: The Chills
11/ You are the Generation that Bought More Shoes and You get What you Deserve: Johnny Boy
12/ Be My Baby: The Ronettes
13/ Euphoria Take my Hand: Glasvegas
14/ Individuality: Siglo XX
15/ Right Here: Go Betweens (just because)
16/ A Hazy Shade of Winter: Simon and Garfunkel
17/ Northern Lights: Allo Darlin'
18/ Rainy Night in Soho: The Pogues (so much more Christmassy lovely than the obvious one. I love the Pogues, and they are so underrated still)
19/ The Only Place: Best Coast (see #15)
20/ Footprints in Snow: Disco Inferno (always a wintry song for me - plus it always ends mix CDs to perfection with its brilliant ending, which I shan't spoil here)

I'm not feeling like overtly Christmassy songs whatsoever. So this is more of a winter mix this year. If I get chance to dig out any old compilations from previous years, I will post on here....
My mum is using a poster of Liam Gallagher as a bird scarer.

Tuesday 11 December 2012

New interim issue - December

December's issue was slightly delayed as my local library has printing problems!

But here it is, ready to be photocopied up. Gig reviews therein include Seamonsters recently performed by The Wedding Present (in fact, a David Gedge interview will follow in issue #2 of the main fanzine, which is still coming along, I promise!).

 
I have also included a little tribute to two musicians who inspire me constantly and greatly: Wiz from Mega City Four, and Joe Strummer from the Clash - both of whom passed on in the month of December -in 2006, and 2002, respectively.
 
 
I'm having a Mega City Four vinyl singles session as I make fanzines and type this evening. I seem to realise more and more just how preciously honest and heartfelt Wiz's lyrics are, and that it's a rare talent to be able to compose such unadorned lyrics yet be so frank and direct and moving and true. I am working on an article about Mega City Four for issue #2 of The All Thrills No Frills Music Bill. In tribute to Joe Strummer, I have similar writing plans, and will soon get together with a friend for a day of positive action too.
 
Please email if interested in the new 'zine, though I shall be distributing this particular free mini issue round and about, after tomorrow....