Hello Saferide had kind of passed me by. Nothing I heard really clicked. Until now. Well, until yesterday to be precise, when I had a look at the video for new single ‘Arjeplog’ on Too Much Apple Pie. Thing is, I’ve had that song on the More Modern Short Stories set for a couple of months now, but its never jumped out. Like I said, I played the whole record a couple of times and nothing ever clicked. But now, well, it all sounds rather delicious and I wonder what on earth I found not to like.
« February 2009 | Main | April 2009 »
March 2009
March 27, 2009
March 25, 2009
Silence Will Do
I don’t often walk with music these days. It feels like a betrayal to the world somehow. Blocking out the sounds of, if not nature, then at least the reality of the environment. Nature is overrated anyway, so it’s definitely not about wanting to hear the sound of the bloody birds or the wind in the trees. Rather the hum of electricity when you stand beneath the pylons. That’s more like it. The sound of electricity directed by wires. Connections between the cities and towns and villages; an imposition on nature. I like that.
It used to be that I would spend all my time within music. Commuting alone is good for that. I see myself from years ago every time I travel on the tube. People with headphones plugged in, drifting in their personally soundtracked movies. Sometimes I envy them with their ability to cocoon themselves and exist in their bubbles of sound. Sometimes I miss that feeling of being intentionally alone within the crowd, of disengaging and of creating a new world inside. But these days I find that harder each year. The result perhaps of a working life spent talking to people. Drawing people out. Feign an interest long enough and you find yourself genuinely interested. Some days I think my younger self would pour scorn on how I turned out, and whilst most days that doesn’t bother me, at others it makes me immeasurably sad.
So like I say, I don’t listen much to music when I’m walking now. Maybe that’s why I make more playlists and mixes than I ever used to. Playlists for imaginary walks in non-existent cities; the creation of illusory memories by proxy; a collage of moments half glimpsed and quarter remembered cut and pasted into new meanings that ultimately mean nothing at all. Constructed corny narratives that slip away inside themselves, looping and leaping off at tangents to fizzle out in a breath of impossible thoughts of ‘perhaps’ and ‘if only’ and ‘oh well, whatever’.
The archaeology of playlists and mixes is an interesting one. New interpretations to be made. Old meanings recalled and re-examined under new lights and hence restructured into something subtly different. No big picture, only snatches of evidence: like recreating a manor house from a fragment of plaster and glass.
A bus ride to the sea. Giant wind turbines frozen to the spot in the fields, only their arms moving like flailing white dervishes desperate to escape. A flash of snow past the window. Smiles somewhere and lines drawn in the sand. A walk on a beach; a month and a world apart. Years between and the feelings the same: isolation and regret; sweet, sweet love and affection; pooling tears and burning eyes; hay fever and headaches.
Green parks. A circle of trees. Bicycles lined up in rows. Sculptures in the woods that no longer exist. Ghosts of colour burnt on retinas. Smiles and waves passing in a flash of an eye. Parallel lives somehow meeting for an instant and then departing again, alone.
Half in shadow beneath the trees, across the river a woman parks her bicycle and unpacks a blanket and a newspaper. A couple slide past on the water, idly rowing their boat and laughing in the sunlight. Behind the boathouse vagrants sift through bins, pick up cigarette butts from the path. Champagne gone warm. Red wine and chewing gum.
Spring and winter, yellow rooms and brown beer. Stockings and skirts. Dilated pupils, cornflower blue above and below. Record spinning at 3 a.m. and spot lit tracing paper confetti. Pink stars. Headphones bruising ears. Empty bottles, heartaches, candles and cake.
Alone again with the dawn coming up.
Tracklisting:
Family Portrait - Rachel's
Tears Are In Your Eyes - Yo La Tengo
Hear the Wind Blow - Opal
In a Different Place - Ride
Silence WiIl Do - Frances McKee
Final Day - Young Marble Giants
Nostalgia - Weekend
Sorrow - Life Without Buildings
Leave Me Alone - New Order
Vanishing Point - Velvet Crush
To Keep Your Heart Whole - Trembling Blue Stars
Unfinished Business - The Go-Betweens
I Was Just Dreaming - The Orchids
Egon & Wally Embrace and Say Farewell - Rachel's
March 22, 2009
March 21, 2009
Broadhembury
I had a nice couple of hours on the bike this afternoon, on one of the loveliest Spring days I can remember for many years. Stopped for a moment in Broadhembury for an energy gel and to take this photo to remind myself just how lucky I am to get to ride in such a beautiful part of the world. The photo is taken from a little bridge over a stream where kids were playing with their puppy. I kid you not. it was like suddenly being beamed back to the 1950s or something. Fantastic.
Then came home and watched the recorded Milan San Remo on the telly. Gobsmacked by Mark Cavendish's performance - surely his most impressive result in an already sparkling career. Chapeau!
Rock School
I spent an hour yesterday working with the year 11 Rock School students, taking some photos of them recording and then of their groups for the CD they will be putting together soon. It was a lot of fun, and one of the highlights of my week. The Headtacher came out at one point and had a joke with the kids - it reminded me that I work in a pretty good place. Of course the sunshine helped too...
March 18, 2009
March 15, 2009
King of England. In America.
I heard a stunning new Chris T-T recording the other day. A piano led version of the ‘A-Z’ track from his ace Capital set (number two in my albums of 2008, as you may well remember), the change of pace and arrangement really does show to great effect what a brilliant writer Chris is. The version is available on the Xtra Mile High Club Vol 1 compilation, and should be worth the admission price on its own.
Meanwhile, the Capital album has just had its US release through Wine Cellar records, so all you lucky Americans no longer need to pay import prices. Mind you, with the state of sterling these days, it’s probably not going to make much difference. And if you are in the States, you might also get chance to see Chris play some shows. He’s at the Hotel Utah in San Francisco tonight, before heading off to Austin for SXSW. There are a few shows lined up for that, including a showcase slot on the 21st. If you are around, you really should check him out.
Full dates and other details on Chris’ website here (of course you should already be subscribing to his blog) or, if you insist, at his myspace…
feel a whole lot better
Today felt like the first day of Spring, and I was determined not to let it slip away in a fog of regret over a too-late night and for opening that second bottle of wine. So after coffee and toast in the garden I swapped the pedals from the winter to summer bike and decided to head off into the sunshine. Now it had been over two weeks since I last did a ride, so I had a feeling of foreboding, especially given the nagging cloak of a hangover. But after a half hour or so of the ride, it all started to feel fine. It felt terrific to be on the summer bike as well. I mean, the winter hack is a fine machine, but there is something about a race bike that gives you that extra little thrill, especially first time out in the spring.
The road up to Dulverton was delightful as always. It’s such a pretty route, and hard to think that just a few years ago even it was still considered the daunting ‘once or twice in the summer’ ride. Guess I must have really been a wimp.
There are a couple of photos from the valley just after Dulverton on my Flickr page, including a slightly wobbly panorama. And this one, which shows my Garmin GPS and my old Flightdeck computer on the ‘bars. The Flightdeck doesn’t actually do anything now, but because the cables go beneath the ‘bar tape, I can’t remove it until I get new stuff. Seems as good an excuse as any to get some shiny new tape, doesn’t it?
The forecast for the week ahead looks good too, so hopefully I can get back with the program and get some rides to school in. Time to get back in action…
March 14, 2009
If you took my advice and added the feed for the Your Heart Out blog to your reader, then you’ll already be digging the sounds of the three magical mixes that they’ve been putting up recently. It all kicked off with Correcting The Balance, which was full of sounds from the 1979-82 period; an alternative tale to the commonly told one of post-punk, perhaps. Then yesterday there was the Canto Triste mix of Brazilian sounds, “a selection of bossa and beyond”. Best for me so far though has been the gorgeous Dark Days And Lonely Nights mix. Such sublime songs of sweet sadness. I mean, how can you pass on something as utterly magnificent as ‘All Alone’ by Della Reese, or Georgia Carr’s ‘Miss You’?
With these mixes Your Heart Out is developing nicely as a blog to count on; a resource every bit as compelling and inspirational as the PDF ‘zine it ties to. Spread the word.
March 12, 2009
Time Drives The Truck
I was putting together a mix of some country songs the other day and somehow forgot to inlcude some Rockingbirds. How did that happen? Anyway, here's some news that should make everyone happy: a reissue of the Rockingbirds' eponymous debut album. Result! I'm particularly looking forward to having a digital version of 'Your Good Girl's Gonna Go Bad', which has long been one of my very favourite Rockingbirds cuts. That 7" has spun so many times I swear it almost wore out. And if you can't wait for the CD, here's an MP3 ripped off that well worn vinyl.
And here's the press release with all the info:
THE ROCKINGBIRDS
Album Re-mastered, Out April 6 w/ Bonus CD
The self-titled debut album of The Rockingbirds was initially released back in 1992 to critical raves. Much-loved equally by alternative music fans, country aficionados and singer-songwriter buffs, the North London-based outfit stamped their maverick country-rock brand on the young Camden Town scene. Defiantly bucking UK trends of the early ‘90s, The Rockingbirds anticipated the alt-country revolution, and sit comfortably alongside like-minded contemporaries like The Jayhawks and Uncle Tupelo.
Arriving by way of soul boy/punk roots and eclectic tastes that ran the gamut from The Buzzcocks to The Byrds, from Hank Williams to Orange Juice, The Rockingbirds challenged the grey consensus of their milieu with upbeat songs that raised smiles and spirits. While Rockingbirds’ lead singer Alan Tyler was composing sunny Americana-tinged tunes with a timeless earnest appeal, Evan Dando was still a good three years away from flaunting his Gram Parsons t-shirt.
The short version of The Rockingbirds saga is that they released two acclaimed albums, but effectively burned out due to an over-enthusiastic lifestyle and imploded. However, when their old label, Heavenly Recordings, threw an 18th birthday festival in London in 2008, The Rockingbirds arose phoenix-like to play the Purcell Room, September 13th.
Only a special event such as this could have prompted The Rockingbirds reunion. “We were reluctant to put the band together just for the sake of it,” explains Alan Tyler. “This seemed like a nice occasion to do it. And we pulled it off pretty well.” After all that time, the spirit was still alive.
The Rockingbirds’ consisted of Dave Morgan and Dave Goulding, former drummer and bassist respectively with The Weather Prophets; on guitar was Andrew Hackett, who had roots in the Norfolk scene and who had played with Sean Read (vocals, tambourine) in Milk; the pedal steel man was Patrick Arbuthnot, while Alan Tyler had some form with earlier bands (as well as a spell as a board man in a bookmaker’s). They started out in a basement at 123 Camden Road, but soon began gigging locally at pubs such as The Falcon and The White Horse.
The scruffy sextet's first Heavenly release was ‘A Good Day For You Is A Good Day For Me’ in 1991. You’ll find it on the bonus disc here, alongside early versions of ‘Only One Flower’ and ‘Jonathan Jonathan’ (a joyful tribute to The Modern Lovers’ front man and pre-punk pioneer Jonathan Richman).
The main disc consists of a re-mastered version of The Rockingbirds’ debut album -- by Heavenly head Jeff Barrett’s appraisal the “…best record we ever released”. Recorded at Westside Studios in London by the production team of Clive Langer and Alan Winstanley (Madness, Morrissey, Dexy’s Midnight Runners), horn arrangements and extra instruments were then later overdubbed in Austin, Texas with the aid of The Bad Livers and some cohorts of Willie Nelson.
On the same trip, The Rockingbirds played live at Austin’s Continental Club (as evidenced on the bonus CD) and shot a video for album opener ‘Gradually Learning’, a Sunday morning lament which transforms into a beautiful affirmation of love and redemption. ‘Gradually Learning’ was, like all the songs, a Tyler original -- apart from ‘In Tall Buildings’, which is from the songbook of John Hartford, author of ‘Gentle On My Mind’.
Also included on the bonus CD is a one-off single from the Clawfist label that finds the band in the company of Lesley Rankine from Silverfish, belting out the Tammy Wynette classic ‘Your Good Girl’s Gonna Go Bad’.
The 2008 reunion prompted the re-mastering of this great, lost record, but more live dates and even fresh recording sessions are in the works as The Rockingbirds try their method on a new generation. To echo a line from ‘Gradually Learning’, being late is better than never.
LIVE DATES:
14 April- St. Bonaventures – Bristol £11 Adv - Doors: 7.30 pm- Tickets: 0870 4444 400 www.ticketweb.co.uk -Web: www.crhmusic.com
15 April - Norwich Arts Centre – Norwich - £9/£7 concs - Doors: 8 pm
Web: www.norwichartscentre.co.uk - Tickets: 01603 660352
16 April The Musician - Leicester £ 10 Adv Doors: 8 pm
Tel: 0116 251 0080 - Web: www.themusicianpub.co.uk -Tickets: www.wegottickets.com
Friday 17 April - The Engine Room Brighton £ 10 Adv Doors: 7.30 pm - Tel: 01273 728999 Web: www.engineroom.com Tickets: 01273 606312 & www.gigantic.com
18thApril–London –The Dome £12.50- doors 8.00pm
http://www.wegottickets.com/event/43113