Wednesday, December 29, 2004

As a result of the birthday party yesterday and its associated muddy head (I admit full responsibility for the causes...I just won't admit it too loudly), I completely forgot to write down the tracks I played on George today, but it was more or less my best of the year and it's covered below. I apologized for the noisy Kraftwerk track for anyone with a hangover and got the text of the day from a guy who had a massive hangover but said he had taken two pills and gone to work and wanted me to turn it up....didn't ask what pills.... So, instead, a few records I'm liking right now:

The Futureheads- lovely noisy punchy latter day retro punk from the north of England. Partly produced by The Gang of 4's Andy Gill, it's like the album The Jam forgot to make, or Paul Weller decided he didn't want to make anymore (it's a little sad that the only good Paul Weller album of the last ten years is his Back to Mine thingy)...great car music-by myself-everyone else tells me to take it off
The latest Fabric album matches one of the UK's most interesting DJs (I won't say best as he's so bloody all over the place which is part of the charm), Andy Weatherall, with the world's best mix series, bar none. Heading off on a lightish techy slant, this is a fairly accessible mix for Andy, served up with a generous helping over his reknown dry humour. And it includes the glorious "Dexter" from Villalobos in it's Two Lone Swordsman mix, and the only Joy Division cover I've ever heard that even comes close to working. Best described as charming and loveable. Pete Heller's "Timewarp" is a bit of a return to form from a pioneer lost in the big rooms of recent, in an Ibadan / Jerome Sydenham & Dennis Ferrer style (before Defected fuck it up as they seeem to with everything they touch...). And there is a new Roach Motel due too......soon please.... I was lucky enough to scam a copy of the LCD Soundsystem album, out in January, and it's as good as I hoped..maybe a little better, irreverent, punky, funky, dirty, rough, and just fun. Completely entranced by the Henrik Schwarz track "Chicago" on Germany's Moodmusic , a long grinding deep houser that sounds like the sort of record that Kenny Dixon used to make and maybe should make again. I've had the Larry Levan mix of Steve Arrington's "Summertime Lovin'" , on Salsoul, for god knows how long and it didn't ever really click until the other day. An ace new Slave record, because that's what it sounds like to me....kool Finally, (actually there are more but it's late and I've got a hell of a day tomorrow) Starship 727 is a wicked 3 track old school (as in Chicago house) ep from Italy's Mario Pierro that recycles as only the Italians can. Guess I'm a sucker for anything with a a 303 in it. The ongoing acid revival is something that I'm really enjoying. And, after all these years I have taught myself to touch type......

My god.... I'm unable to put in words the horror that I feel looking at the death and devastation after the Tsunami in South Asia. It makes a person, sitting in a comfortable and secure living room in central Auckland, with satellite news, feel so absolutely impotent, helpless and insignificant. It puts everything in perspective, it really does... And the west's reaction to date has been nothing less than appalling...the US's initial offer of US$35 million sits next to its hourly expenditure (excluding Iraq)of over $50 million on its military.

Hundreds of millions of dollars would need to be delivered by international governments within days to prevent a humanitarian catastrophe, a spokesman said. The United Nations said that US$80m (£41.5m) had been pledged, although donors would need to raise more than four times that amount to cope.
says The Independent today The US government has spent hundreds of billions of dollars in recent times causing great misery and death in its strategic maneuvering around the world but seems unable to find the money to alleviate pain, money that wouldn't cause a blip on it's military economy. And Bush is on holiday again. Then there is this... Obscene and inexcusable.

Happy birthday to this fella today:

Bloody awful picture (where do they find these bloody things) but I've known the old bugger now for some 30 years and he's one of the most decent loyal people you could hope to meet And happy birthday to James Pinker, who I first met at a Suburban Reptiles gig at VUSA in 1977, another close and good buddy (he had pink hair at the time but that's another story). Big party yesterday which has left me with another stonking headache (see above). Ain't nothing like an old friend..I'm allowed to get a little over sentimental at Christmas

Wednesday, December 22, 2004

Extended Play on George 221204

Quincy Jones-There’s a Train Leaving-A&M-1976 Supremes-I’m Gonna let my Heart do the Walking-Motown-1976 Dazzle-You Dazzle Me-De-Lite-1979 Donald Byrd-Love has come around-Elektra-1981 Hamilton Bohannon-Wake Up (Neroli re-edit)-Slam Jam-2004 Alexander O’Neal-Whats Missing (remix)-Tabu-1985 MC Shan-The Bridge-Cold Chillin’-1987 Hot RS-Slow Blow-Slam Jam-2004 Tilt-Arcade Funk-DETT-1984 Fatback -Girls on my Mind-Cotillion-1984 Change-A Lovers Holiday-WEA-1980 Smokey Robinson & The Miracles-Soulful Shack-Tamla-1967 Musique-In the Bush (FK Mix)-Prelude-1978 Jean Carne-What’s on Your Mind-Philadelphia Int-1979 Duane & Co-JB Piano Trax-Trax-1987 Jamie Principal-Cold World-DJ International-1987 Innocence-I’ll be There (MAW 12” mix)-Cooltempo-1992 Mondee Oliver-Stay Close (Larry Heard Fingers club vocal)-Gherkin-1989 Hardhouse-Check This Out-Easy St-1988 Heaven 17-Lets all Make a Bomb-Virgin-1981 The Reese Project-Direct Me (Underground Resistance Mix)-Giant-1981 Soulwax-E Talking (Nite mix)-Pias-2005 DK7-Slipstream-Output-2004 Tyree Cooper -Acid Over (Matey mix)-DJ International-1988 Chaka Khan-Krush Groove-Warner Bros-1985 Cajmere feat Dajae-I Need You-Cajual-2004 SIN-So Sad (Abe Duque mix)-Sin-2004 Rhythim is Rhythim-It is what It Is-Transmat-1988 Adamski-The N-R-G Symphony in F Minor-MCA-1990 Wham-Everything She Wants (12” mix)-Epic-1984

Tuesday, December 21, 2004

I always feel rather sorry for large groups at Asian restaurants who politely sit there consuming their own individual meals rather than sharing and partaking in all the available flavours. Actually thats not true....sorrow is the last emotion I feel, rather pity and an overwhelming desire to scream "what the fuck are you doing...get a life". I mean, why bother? Surely someone has the balls to take over or politely explain the seemingly obvious fact that food in most Asian restaurants is made to be shared. Obviously not. The sight of half a dozen girls on a hen night each with their own rogan josh is just plain sad. Sorry...pet niggle

Monday, December 20, 2004

Who the hell would want to be a music critic, especially one who writes those 50 word reviews for the local rags like Real Groove (which actually has its moments and is worthy, especially in an era where the rock mag has largely become redundant with the rise of the electronic media), or Rip It Up (which hasn’t had an issue worthy of the ink used since Murray Cammick left and is rather self important, bloated and sad these days I’m afraid). I should know, I used to churn them out in days gone bye for Murray, and some of what I wrote is simply embarrassing…the 200 hundred words by 9am for an album you’ve never heard before syndrome…a record that some poor bastard spent a year of blood and toil making….as Lou Reed says “you spend a year and a half making an album and some arsehole gives you a b+”

And in the grand tradition of embarrassing reviews, both the above magazines gave Brian Wilson’s Smile fairly luke warn reviews. Including one from a reviewer that I would have thought better of….but, hey, everyone has an opinion and they’re entitled to it. Including me. And my opinion is that they’re wrong. And they are. Beyond question.

And just to nail that point home, Brian Wilson astounded and mesmerised 3000 odd people on Sunday night past at the Aotea Centre here in Auckland. Russell Bailey actually nailed it pretty well in the NZ Herald and I’m loathe to try and better his review.

Suffice to say that Brigid, who has always looked strangely at my Brian Wilson fixation, and was less than convinced by the rocky ending to the first half, is a new born convert. Smile is everything it was always supposed to be and something more. I hate the way the word genius is so loosely applied, but with Brian, the tragic genius is unquestioned.

Mike Love can trek around the world recycling surf hits endlessly (and providing Mojo with odd “I’m a good guy…really….” interviews that just dig his hole a little deeper) and suing people like poor old rather talentless, Al Jardine- Brian left him behind decades ago. I loved the accoustic bracket at the beginning, and the way he dug out lesser known early tracks ("Wendy" & "Forever"...bliss), and when he ended with a bracket of hits, it was because wanted to, unlike Love's oldies crew trading on the Beach Boys name, it wasn't the reason we were all there.

Fucking genius.

Wednesday, December 15, 2004

The first is from one arguably one of the most talented rappers to ever pass through the West: The D.O.C. Before a car accident destroyed his vocal chords and ended what would have been a career that could have made Snoop seem like a little doggy dogg, D.O.C. was THE Man. Powerful voice, untouchable flow, and just a presence on the mic that towered over the entire NWA posse. "The D.O.C. and the Doctor," was my first introduction to him and it remains my favorite song by him even though he's had bigger hits ("Funky Enough"). It's just how ill the song opens - the thrash guitar, the convo b/t him and Dre, and the explosive: "I'm the diggy-diggy-Doc-ya'll" which is only outdone by the opening to the 2nd verse: "When I hear a BASS drum/I gotta get dumb."
So says Oliver Wang on soul sides. I'm a massive fan of the D.O.C., and the album remains an almost lost hip-hop classic. But Wang is wrong to dismiss the hip house version of "Portrait" as cheesy. I assume he's refering to one of the CJ Macintosh remixes, which came on two uk 12"s, one of which is mentioned here. There were two separate CJs...the red sleeved one already mentioned, and a blue sleeved one with a hip hop and a tougher house mix. I have a real soft spot for the CJ (& Dave Dorrell) mixes of tthe late eighties. There was a rolling charm to many of them and at their best (Roxanne Shante's "Live on Stage" & The D.O.C. mixes) he added something without belitting the original....something rare with UK mixes of US hip hop of the era (as Eric B & Rakim found out). In particular the remix of "Boops' leaves the original in the dust.
I've also just rediscovered CJ & Einstein's electric scratchfest, "The Tables are Turning" on Simon Harris's label, Music Of Life. Hard as hell to find but worth grabbing if it turns up, as one did the other day in the cheapie bins at Real Groovy (where all the best records are).

Extended Play 151204 on George Fm

Willie Williams-Armegideon Time (discomix version)-Studio One / Soul Jazz-1980 Dunn Pearson-Groove On Down-Shrylden-1978 Martin Circus-Disco Circus (FK Edit)-Prelude-1979 Captain Sky-Station Brake-WMOT-1981 Common Sense-I used to love H.E.R.-Relativity-1994 Mantronix-Who Is It (Club mix)-Ten-1986 Public Enemy-More News at Eleven (Funk Minister Mega length mix)-Def Jam-1992 CJ Macintosh & Einstein-The Tables are Turning-Music of Life-1987 Simon Harris-Bass (Bomb the House mix)-FFRR-1988 Siouxsie and the Banshees-Hong Kong Garden-Polydor-1977 Rex the Dog-I Look into mid air-Kompact-2004 New Young Pony Club-Ice Cream-Tirk-2004 Rong Edits-Edit #1-Rong-2004 Ragtyme-I Cant Stay Away (Knuckles vocal)-Bright Star-1987 Sounds of Blackness-I Believe (Morales classic Gospel mix)-Perspective -1992 Free Chicago Movement-Recognize-Nuphonic -1995 Seven Grand Housing Authority-The Question -Simply Soul-1993 Frankie Goes to Hollywood-2 Tribes (Carnage mix)-ZTT-1984 S- Express-Theme from S Express (Carl Craig's Birthday Surprise Mix)-Rhythm King-1996 Unit 4-Bodydub (Freak Electric mix)-Clone-2004 Josh Wink-516 Acid (Chicken Lips Acido de Boogie mix)-Ovum-2004 Alden Tyrell-Disco Lunar Module-Clone-2004 Roach Motel-Wild Luv-JBO-1994 Underground Track Master-Battle Cry-Mix Inc-2004 Powerhouse 3-The Magnificent-Nu Groove-1991 Fingers Inc-Bye Bye-Jack Trax-1988

Wednesday, December 08, 2004

Extended Play 81204 George FM

MFSB-Love is The Message (Tom Moulton remix)-Philadelphia Int-1973 Sandy’s Gang -Hungry (Sean P re-edit)-Tirk-2004 Womack and Womack-APB-Elektra-1983 Eric B & Rakim-Mahogany-MCA-1990 Rong Edits-#4-Rong-2004 Alexander O’Neal-Criticize-Tabu-1987 Incognito-Everyday (MAW Dobie mix)-Talking Loud-1995 Grace Jones-Feel Up (Larry Levan mix)-Island -1984 Frankie Knuckles & Jamie Principal-Your Love-Trax-1984 Basement Boys-Love Don’t Live here Anymore (Zanzibar mix)-Jump Street-1988 Rythim is Rythim-Strings of Life (Carl Craig / Derrick May unreleased mix)-Mastercuts-1994 PIL-Rise (instrumental)-Virgin-1986 Liquid Liquid-Bellhead-DFA-2004 Mr Fingers-Stars-Black Market-1992 Bomb the Bass-Beat Dis (Bonus Beats)-Rhythm king-1987 Sharam Jey-Feel Nobody-Underwater-2004 Dee-Lite-Runaway (Kenlou Dub)-Elektra-1990 Swan Lake-In The Name of Love-Bad Boys-1988 Lopazz-Blood (Tiefschwarz mix)-Output-2004 Abe Duque-Besame Mucho-Duque-2004 Turntablerockers-TTroy Dub-Fine-2004 Cameo -Money (Reese Hardcore mix)-Reprise-1992 Human Resource-Dominator-R&S-1991 Psyche-Elements-Transmat -1990 The Ballistic Brothers-I”ll Fly Away-Junior Boys Own-1995 David Duriez-On My Elbows (Hard Floor mix)-Duriez-2004 Blake Baxter & Abe Duque-Battle Cry-Mix Inc-2004

Sunday, December 05, 2004

"That George Bush has pledged to bring peace and democracy to Iraq is a yardstick that he will be measured by. That George Bush seems ignorant, as so many are, not just of the debts we owe to Islam and the Arab world, but of the opinions and views of the Iraqis themselves, is an irony that is not of the delicious variety... it's unforgiveable."
So says Kid Oakland on my favourite US political blog, Daily Kos, in a succinct ramble he's called sofa coffee magazine...read it, you'll understand why

I guess I should format and dress this but I'm keen on getting out for breakfast..... So..the records I listened to most in 2004 (I guess I've missed a few too...a year is a longish time):

Phonique-Red Dress (Tiefschwarz) Inner City-Say Something Slam-Lie to me (Dave Clarke) David Duriez-On Your Elbows (Hardfloor) Zap Mama-Bandy Bandy (Carl Craig) Kellis-Trick me (Tiefschwarz) Tiefschwarz-Blow Unit 4-Body Dub Kraftwerk –Aeorodynamik (FK & EdC/PB) Vector Lovers-Electro-Robotic Disco Abe Duque & Blake Baxter-What Happened Blake Baxter-Enjoy the Silence Ferrer & Sydenham-Timbuktu Greg Churchill-Plutonic Spektrum-Something New (Tiefschwarz dub) Stratus-Vapour Jersey Devil Social Club Elvis Costello-The Delivery Man The Killers Nouvelle Vague Brian Wilson-Smile Moxie-5, 6 , 7 Directions & Throbbing Gristle- (Carl Craig) Rex the Dog-Prototype and the b side of Frequency that sounds like Hong Kong Garden Depeche Mode-mixes 04 Black Strobe-Abwher Disco Alden Tyrell-Disco Lunar Module Delia Gonzalez & Gavin Russom-Rise LFA-Yeah Aardvark-Cult Copy 2 (Carl Craig) Ricardo Villalobos-Dexter Cajmere-Midnight Abe Duque-Besame Mucho Roy Davis-About Love Kayne West album Chikinki LP & 10” Mu-Paris Hilton DFA Vol 2 Comp Turntablerockers-Troy Dub Soul Jazz Philly 2 Soane CD Mutiny / Robert Owens-Lucky My Love Michael Mayer Putsch 79- Putsch LP Social Classics Vol 3..Don Letts LP Playgroup-Reproduction LP Kraftwerk-Tour De France LP Harrison Crump-Ride Annie-Chewing Gum (Mylo) Baitercell-Whats down Low Churchill Mix v/a-Out On a Funky Trip CD v/a-Groove On Down LP Mateo Murphy-Panic Temptations-Psychedelic Soul CD Hardfloor-Soulful Spirit DK7-White Shadow (actually the killer acid b side but I can't remember the name) infinity-Back to Chicago NERD-She Wants to Move (DFA) Eric Kupper-Cuchifritos Blake Baxter-Sexuality (Ben Sims) Jeff Mills Choice LP and a veritable truckload of early techno, electro, soul, nyc eighties garage & funk, chi-house, hip hop (big Cold Chillin' thang), post punk rhythms, lovers, roots reggae, and sixties brit-pop....

Thursday, December 02, 2004

Extended Play George FM 1 Dec 2004

Mtume-Ready for Your Love (re-edit)-Moxie-2004 Ruth Joy-Don’t Push It-MCA-1990 JVC Force-Strong Island-B-Boy-1987 3rd Bass-Stepping to the AM (Soiree Mix)-Def Jam-1990 The Delfonics-Ready or Not-RCA-1968 BB & Q-Dreamer (Shep Pettibone mix)-Chrysalis-1985 Wally Jump Jnr & The Criminal Element-I Just Can’t Stop Dancing-Breakout-1987 Trouble Funk-Drop The Bomb-Sugarhill-1982 Smith & Mighty-Killa-3 Stripe-1992 Johnny Harris-Odyssey PT 2-TK-1980 Shanice-I Like (MAW 54 dub)-Motown-1994 Harrison Crump-Ride-CDR-2004 Kerri Chandler-Glory to God-Subwoofer-1994 PNAU-Again-Underwater-2004 Sly & Robbie-Ticket to Ride-4th & Broadway-1985 Simphonia-It Ain’t Right (Paul Simpson vocal)-Atlantic-1987 Chikinki-Something More (Tiefschwarz vocal)-Island-2004 Human League-The Sound of the Crowd (12”)-Virgin-1981 Frankie Knuckles-Only The Strong Survive-DJ International-1987 Turntablerocker-Love Supreme (Reduce to the Dub 2002)-Fine-2004 The Underground Trackmaster-Futuristic Throwback-Mixing-2004 Liquid-Sweet Harmony-XL-1992 Vince Watson-Innersense-FU F Com-2004 Tantra-A Place Called Tarot (Idjit Boys re-edit)-Tirk-2004 Isolee-Brazil.Com (Tiefschwarz Ole Ole mix)-Classic-2002 David Duriez-On My Elbows (HardFloor remix)-Duriez-2004 Mateo Murphy-Panic-Underwater-2004 Inner City-Hallelujah (Leftfield On High Vox)-Virgin-1992

Tuesday, November 30, 2004

The byline at the top of this blog has a passing mention of food, a subject which originally was the intended focus of this thing, but one which I've avoided to date..cowardice maybe. So to it..... I hate to start with a brickbat but I'm going to. There are so many wonderful restaurants in Auckland town, many of which I'm something of a regular at, however I'm sorry to say, flavour of the week, Soto, in St Mary's Bay, is, on first visit, not one of them. The old fire station at the top end of St Mary's Bay Rd has, over the past decade, had a fearsome reputation (take that as you will) as Plusone but its time was well past and the appearance of a good and inventive Japanese in the area was well overdue, so there was quite a buzz about Soto, some seven months in the making. Sadly good and inventive are two words that can't be applied to Soto. However, slow, unimaginative, poorly prepared, over priced ($5 for green tea anybody?) and disorganised can be. I mean, the place looks wonderful but from the initial attempt of the waiting staff to place us by the front door on a cold windy night, we should have known something was not right. There was no liquor license, even BYO (with seven months available to get one) Then a one and a half hour wait for a cold, fatty and bland Tenshin. You can get a better, more exciting Japanese dinner box for twelve bucks in any food hall. There was, by way of apology from a staff, an inedible seafood soup offered however the manager / owner, who was leaning on the bar made no effort to even offer a word. Soto...well maybe it will improve but it will be a cold day in hell before I'll venture back. I'll try to make my next food thang a little more positive...I promise.

Wednesday, November 24, 2004

Extended Play George FM 24.11.04

Sergio Mendes-The Real Thing (Beedle Re-edit)-Ghetto Defendant-2004 Tantra-A Place called Tarot (Idjit Boys Re-edit)-Tirk-2004 Eric B & Rakim-Move The Crowd (Wild Bunch remix)-4th & Broadway-1987 The Others-Hot Vs Cold-CDR-2004 Johnny Harris-Odyssey (Zongamin re-edit)-OST-2004 Vance & Suzanne-Can’t Get Along without You (Carl Craig Can’t Get it Anywhere re-edit)-Moxie-2004 Cherelle-Artificial Heart (Dance remix)-Tabu-1985 ABC-The Look of Love (Trevor Horn Special remix)-Neutron-1982 Inner City-Whatcha Gonna Do with My Lovin’ (Knuckles / Morales Def mix)-Virgin-1989 Fresh 4-Wishing on a Star-Ten-1990 Blake Baxter-Enjoy the Silence (Luv Lotto mix)-The Sound Republic of Detroit -2004 T Connection-At Midnight (Danny Tenaglia raw mix)-TK-1993 Dee-lite-How Do you Say…Love (Pal Joey Dub)-Elektra-1990 NYDC-NY-Tribal-1993 Delia Gonzalez & Gavin Russom-Rise (DFA mix)-DFA-2004 Klatsch-God Save the Queer-Fresh Fruit-1994 Rex the Dog-I Look Into Mid Air-Kompact -2004 Timmy Thomas-Why Can’t We live Together (Pressure Drop remix)-OST-2004 Sandy’s Gang-Hungry (Sean P re-edit)-Tirk-2004 69-Ladies and Gentlemen-Planet E-1991 Tim Wright-Oxygen (Abe Duque Mix)-NovaMute-2004 Inner City-Say Something-KMS-2004 Mateo Murphy-Panic-Underwater-2004 Yellow Magic Orchestra-Computer Game (theme from The Circus) / Firecracker -Horizon /Alpha-1979 Chic-I feel My Love Coming On (Carl Craig Bloody Cheeky remix)-Moxie-2004 Alden Tyrell-Disco Lunar Module-Clone-2004

Tuesday, November 23, 2004

One of the pleasures of having a blog is the ability to shameless plug things my friends are involved with, so...........National Radio (101.4fm if you are in New Zealand) continues its tireless struggle to provide some of the best radio you'll hear anywhere in the world (how's that Chris?) with a four part documentary series, "A Change is Gonna Come", starting on Sunday 22 January, 2005 at 3.04 (don't you love the way Nat Radio has programmes at 3.04? NZBC used to do that on TV too, years ago..."News at 6.23, followed by Town & Around at 6.34"), which charts the twists and turns and development of black American music over the past century (actually until 1980...I've already hassled them about no house or techno). Crafted by Chris Bourke, whose career itself deserves a program, he describes it this way:

I spent the winter working on a 4 part personal history of black music for Concert Radio. They were 55 mins each and I wrote as brief a script as I could get away with, preferring to let old news soundbites and black poetry to tell the story, and mix it together so it was fast paced enough to feel like two turntables, but not so fast that each piece of music got a decent spin.
And decent spin they do get...the soundtrack is mind boggling in its breadth and the research and detail astonishing. The topic itself encompasses such a spread of music, influences, styles and people who truely matter. Its a brave person to tackle WC Handy & Sly Stone, but the link is obvious and Chris draws that line between the two, and everyone in between, often using their own words . Looking forward to this

Sunday, November 21, 2004

How fucking cool are The Others? I’m not talking about the US or the English bands with the same name, rather our Auckland version, 3 kids from Mt Albert that I first encountered at the Suede Bar in Symonds St earlier this year.

As I said in an earlier post, I’m not a massive fan of most of the current crop of NZ hip hop acts (although Scribe I believe is a true pop star (and has benefited from intelligent and dedicated hard work from his label), he has what Pauly Fuemana had what a young Graham Brazier had all those years ago at the Globe Hotel in 1975, what Ray Columbus had, although without a global record company, which FMR is not, its hard to see how he’ll go beyond Australasia, I mean he ain’t Mos Def) and the failure of Misfits of Science album to set the stores alight (less than 300 sold in its week of release, out of 7500 shipped) may mean the kids don’t have much faith in most of them. The Mareko album didn’t exactly sell despite all the hype too. I just find it rather sad, that as hip hop evolves and develops around the world at a revolutionary pace, much of the stuff that we throw out sits uncomfortably in the mid nineties looking backward. To me, the industry hype is simply the Emperor's brand new outfit from people who would have a great deal of trouble telling an EPMD record from Jay-Z.

But there is something different about these guys, something I hadn’t felt since the early punk bands, an energy, a cool urgency factor. You can pick it in the room. That you need to be there, to experience this because it may never come again. Something I last felt with The Enemy years ago at Zwines. And no subservient Americana either, in their delivery or appearance.

Since I’m trying to get these guys hooked up to a record deal, I’m more than a little biased, but I felt it the first time I heard them, long before that. The lush, almost epic soundscapes, the effortlessly to and fro twists of their very stream of conciousness rhymes (that don’t speak to me as I’m far too old but I’m used to that..you talk to your peers, especially in hiphop, although this sits on the edge of being something else) really are something beyond the cliches.

Like I said, fucking cool. I’m seriously impressed, guys.

The cool factor, the hip factor, it’s a phenomena created by the UK music press (especially the late lamented NME…yes I know it still prints but it effectively hasn’t said anything of worth since 1988, the last two great British rock movements, the Manc-slash-indie thing and Oasis / Blur / Pulp / Radiohead, owe nothing to the NME and nothing out of the UK, guitar-wise has really mattered globally since then). It may be Britain’s biggest contribution to popular music (Simon Fuller aside but that’s just global music hall- music is just a marketing tool) since The Beatles.

I’m not talking about mainstream crossover pop, but the more underground groundswells, where the interesting stuff usually sits.

The grab it, hype it, overkill it, dismiss it, forget it phenomena, especially with independent (these days read: electronic or beat based…I mean I love a loud guitar noise as much as the next punk raised white boy, but the last time rock music, in its traditional form did anything truly innovative was probably around 81 with the Gang of 4 / PIL / NY No Wave stuff, and since then it’s been a recycling process, often very pleasantly) music is a part of the musical cycle and gathering pace with internet exposure usurping magazine, television and record company driven hype. The pc / mac (I don’t care which flavour, they’re both commercially intertwined anyway) and the radio, the funny old radio after 100 odd years, rule.

How on earth else did funny little record labels like Output, Def Jux, Environ, Kitsune, Kompact, Crème & DFA become so cool. Has anyone at Rip It Up or Universal ever heard of any of these? Is it unfair to suggest there are less than five people working for record companies in NZ who look beyond the music plonked on their desk.... Actually domestic media are starting to mumble DFA about now, but that’s because they’ve done an EMI deal.

So to DFA…..since the DFA label was so overwhelmingly hip over the last 24 months, it’s reasonable to expect the backlash to start about now, as it did for Environ (although to be fair, it became more of a an unjustified yawn from the overcool), but the backlash is completely confounded by the second DFA compilation, called, inventively enough, DFA Compilation #2.

Under 1977 NME Burchill & Parsons (what a prize twat he is) rules, this label, compilation, and everyone involved has reached the harsh dismissal part of the cycle. I mean, an EMI deal (good on them, as the record companies move closer to irrelevance, at least one has some A&R instincts…although EMI interest will, predictably, be short lived) should, in all reason, be enough to condemn them, regardless of anything else. Shouldn't it......

But, fuck it all, the cycle is, as I said confounded. Firstly by DFA making their original critical splash with the anthemic “Losing My Edge”, a wry parody of the aforesaid cycle; and secondly, by making a seriously good record that happily gives the cutting edge a hard kick forward. Essentially comp #2 is a collection of recent DFA singles & bits, and a mix CD for yer Saturday night, of those records. But the two CD collections of 12” vinyl, or unreleased mixes, are, at times astounding (Delia Gonzalez & Gavin Russom’s “Rise”, an electronic beast that sounds like the break from The Who’s “Won’t Get Fooled” stretched out for 8 minutes by Giorgio Moroder, or Black Leotard Front’s “Casual Friday” a 15 minute intrepid journey on and off the floor) or at others, just amazing (25 year punk-funk veterans Liquid Liquid with the percussive swirl of “Bellhead”).

This is the new front in popular music, or at least one of them, taking New York City back to its rightful place in pole position, the legacy of the block parties in the 70s, of Max’s Kansas City, CBGBs, The Roxy, Paradise Garage, Velvets, Arthur Baker, The Funhouse, The Brill Building, Sugarhill, Flash, Sleeping Bag & Tito Puente is safe.


Somewhere in Belfast

Wednesday, November 17, 2004

This really needs to be read and re-read: How Falluja fell off the map Hat tip to Simon Woods for this

Extended Play 171104 on George FM

South Shore Commission-The Right Track-Wand-1975 Fatback-Is This The Future (Disco Mix)-Spring-1983 Smith & Mighty-Walk on By-3 Stripe-1989 Princess Ivori-Wanted (Mantronik NY Twighlight Mix)-Supreme-1990 Betty Wright-Where is the Love (Got it Right)(Carl Craig re-edit)-Moxie-2004 Scritti Politti-Asylums In Jerusalem-Rough Trade-1982 Chic-Bloody Cheeky (Carl Craig re-edit)-Moxie-2004 Jamie Principal-A Date With The Rain (Hurley House Mix)-Atlantic-1990 Blaze feat Lachandra-We Just Started-Movin-1988 Munk-Disco Clown-Gomma-2004 Kerri Chandler feat. Arnold Jarvis-Inspiration (bassapella)-Freetown-1994 Kreem-Now is the Time (Terrance Parker Seven Grand Dub)-KMS-1993 Farley”Jackmaster” Funk & Jessie Saunders-Dub Can’t Turn Around -DJ International-1986 Fingers Inc-Amnesia-Alleviated-1986 Blake Baxter-Enjoy The Silence (Luv Lotto mix)-The Sound Republic of Detroit-2004 Playgroup-Behind the Wheel-K 7-2002 T-Coy-I Ain’t Nightclubbing-Deconstruction-1988 Yello-Lost Again-Stiff-1981 Kickin’ Back with Taxman-Devotion (Dangerous Mix)-Ten-1990 The Costello Show-Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood-F-Beat-1986 Black Leotard Front-Casual Friday-DFA-2004 Naomi Daniel-Feel The Fire (Carl’s Salsoul Remix)-Planet E-1994 Carl Craig-Science Fiction (Kenny Larkin mix)-Blanco Y Negro-1995 The Prodigy-Girls (Rex the Dog Mix)-XL-2004 Stratus-Vapour (Optimus mix)-Klein-2004 Djum Djum-Difference (Speng)-Outer Rhythm-1990 Bobby Konders-House Rhythms-Nervous Acid-NU Groove-1989 Unit 4-Body Dub (Bangkok Impact Remix)-Clone-2004 Innerzone Orchestra-At Les-Talking Loud-1999 Bill Withers-Harlem-CBS-1971

Tuesday, November 16, 2004

I'd forgotten what great records The Car Crash Set made in Auckland in the early to mid eighties. Nigel Russell, Dave Bulog and Trevor Reekie made some glorious little electronic gems that have stood the test of time better than most NZ pop from that era. The singles sadly are as rare as hell these days since they only sold 15 copies between them all but if per chance you should see one, do yourself a favour..... Realistically its probably about time to stand up and say that the most interesting and inventive stuff coming out of these isles in the eighties, aside from The Headless Chickens and Fetus Productions, came from outside the Flying Nun catalogue. Its almost heresy around here, but much of the gilded Nun stuff hasn't held up nearly as well as the like of The Car Crash Set, some of the Body Electric stuff and lots of the early Auckland indie noise. The early Flying Nun stuff sounds like the past whereas things like the CCS sound like the present and the future in 2004 Sorry, but its true.

Further to my earlier thing about Brian Wilson's remake of Smile, an album which, easily, is my most played record of 2004 (not bad for a 37 year old project), I came across this almost perfect review and felt the need to post it

Sunday, November 14, 2004

Simon says you gotta do this / Simon says you gotta do that

Went to the Rising Sun in K Rd last night (I love that way, year in year out K Rd is the one reliable never changing Auckland vista....thankfully annual reports of its impending gentrification are always proven incorrect) to see The Scavengers do the reunion thing. Well kind of....

The Scavengers mutated over a few litres of bourbon into the poppier Marching Girls late 79 but this was hailed as the first Auckland Scavs gig for 26 years. That in itself was a stretch: firstly the endless Scavs farewell gig routine went well into 79; secondly The Scavengers, as The Marching Girls, toured these Isles several times in the eighties including quite an extensive jaunt in late 1980 to support the "True Love" / "First In Line" single I'd just released on Propeller; thirdly, the later day Scavengers were a trio of equal parts and Brendan "Ronnie Recent" Perry had other commitments and wasn't able to travel, understandably, the several thousand kilometers from Ireland for a one off gig in a pub in Ak's sleazy side.

So his shoes were filled by Dion from New Zealand's best rock'n'roll band, The D-4, and (almost..it wasn't quite the same) adequately filled with accomplishment by a guy who admits his band owes sooo much to these guys. After the show someone asked him if it was as good as singing with the MC5...Dion said the Scavengers meant far more as this was his history, the MC5 were just an American band he was heavily influenced by, and he's right.

The show itself...short (12 3 minute songs), anthem filled (I was touched to be the only person to get a song dedicated to them), and loud (vastly better sound than I've ever heard the Scavs...we used to throw the vocals thru the guitar amp back then), but Mike "Lesbian" Simons' duet with Dion on "Mysterex", a song written in spite about Mike after he left the band to pursue a globally very successful advertising career (someone asked him if he regreted leaving.........) made the show something more than just an old rock'n'roll band reuniting and just about compensated for Brendan's absence.

Thing is though, it wasn't just an old rock'n'roll band reuniting, it goes so much beyond that. When The Scavs came together out of the Ib Darlings at ATI, and Jimmy, Billy, Zero & I formed the Suburban Reptiles at the tail end of 76, it wasn't with any great vision in mind, that part of it was accidental, it was simply an inadvertent part of a global desire to de-bloat popular music. None of us, when we formed these bands had heard much of this stuff (I had a Ramones album but you simply couldn't buy any punk in NZ until mid 77), I guess we knew things simply had to change. For me I wasn't as offended by the British prog rock thing, at least it had some sense of its own style, as I was by the post Warner-Elektra-Asylum-Little Feat-Steely Dan mush. Beautifully played, emotionally devoid, FM rawk.

That's why we existed, it wasn't to ape the Sex Pistols, who we really hadn't heard but to knock down this status quo. Which is why the first gigs we sought out for the Reps and the Scavs was supporting these sorts of bands and taking our 20 or so supporters in to cause a little mayhem at clubs like Moody Richards in Airedale St.

And you know, I'm more than a little proud of our legacy. And more than a little grateful to John Baker and Simon Kay for being so passionate about preserving the legacy.

S'funny though, looking at the crowd last night...about 60% young and 40% older...how fucking polite they all were, with the young posse trying to do the pogo thang they'd seen on the DVDs ( don't think I'd really seen pogo-ing in NZ until after AK79, a record which opened the punk floodgates here but really was the obituary of the original scene...it's release signaled punk's demise, in Auckland at least). The only abuse the band got... and 25 years ago they would have been mercilessly heckled, and would have expected it.. came from the Reptiles' bassist, Billy Planet, standing next to me.

Someone had to do it......

But the real action last night was the extended after show in the public Casino bar next door. After parties are sometimes better than the gig. A mix of relaxed and aging faces who haven't really seen each other for well over twenty years, and gobsmacked twenty somethings with records to sign.

It was, more or less, a class reunion, a private members club, the punk elite RSA, gathering for one last time, because it won't happen again. We know things that others will never know and we did things that made a difference. Comrades in arms. There were missing faces, a few dead of course, but not many, surprisingly, considering the hedonism of the times. And cameras everywhere.

Fuck me, I had a great time, and fittingly the last to leave were John Baker, Simon Kay, Johnny, Des, Billy Planet and myself.

Friday, November 12, 2004

Pet hate...slip cases on CDs. The wrap around cardboard things designed to make the customer feel that they're getting a "quality" product....just another piece of paper to get lost under the seat in the car

Thursday, November 11, 2004

Extended Play 101104 on George FM

MFSB-The Right Track-TSOP-1973 The Salsoul Orchestra-Salsoul Rainbow (Danny Krivit Re-edit)-Salsoul-1983 Sins of Satan-Dance & Free Your Mind-Buddah-1975 Jocelyn Brown-I Wish You Would (Dub)-Vinyl Dreams-1984 Undisputed Truth-Undisputable (Carl Craig Dub)-Moxie-2004 Pete Rock & CL Smooth-They Reminisce Over You (Instrumental)-Elektra-1992 Royale Delight-A Freak For You (Fon Force Mix)-Scorpogemi-1985 Terry Billy-Don’t Lock Me Out (Mantronik Full Bass Club)-Atlantic-1987 Lola -Wax The Van (Jon’s Dub)-Jump Street-1985 2 Puerto Ricans, A Blackman & a Dominican-Do It Properly-Fierce-1989 Shay Jones-Are you Gonna Be There (Hurley’s House Mix)-ID-1990 Lil Louis & The World-I Called You (Saxy Mix)-Diamond-1989 Blake Baxter-Enjoy the Silence (Inner Sight)-The Sound Republic of Detroit-2004 Chromeo-You’re So Gangsta (Playgroup Remix)-Turbo-2002 Dee Pattern-Who’s the Badman-Hard hands-1991 Lene Lovich-Lucky Number-Stiff-1979 Landlord-I Like It (Blow Out Dub)-Bigshot-1988 Inner City-Praise (Future Sound of London Conceptual)-Ten-1992 Abe Duque-Besame Mucho-White-2004 DJ Pierre Meets Dharma B-Love Talks (Wild Pitch mix)-White-1994 Yello-Soul On Ice (Playgroup mix)-Peacefrog-2004 Vector Lovers-Electrorobotik Disco Pt 1-Soma-2004 React 2 Rhythm-Intoxication (Clubfield Mix)-Guerrilla-1992 Aardvark-Cult Copy Pt.2 (Carl Craig Re-edit)-Rush Hour-2004 T-Coy-Carino-Deconstruction-1987 DSK-I’ll Keep Holding On-Active-1992 Unit 4-Body Dub (Tiefschwarz mix)-Clone-2004 Dave Clarke-Southside-Bush / Decon-1995 Jamie Principal-Baby Wants to Ride (Hurley X Rated Mix)-FFRR-1988

Tuesday, November 09, 2004

Records, records, records…I’m surrounded by new music and bouncing back to old things that I’ve forgotten or rediscovered.

On the old stuff, the second Soul Jazz celebration of early Philly stuff, “Philadelphia Roots Vol 2”, is probably better than the first, with long lost and hard to track down early Three Degrees singles, a 1967 pre-Maze, Frankie Beverly single that I’m playing over and over again, and a killer take on Sly’s “Family Affair” by the Family, and a whole raft of early, obscure stuff from the musicians that defined the eternal Philly soul sound of the seventies. So far beyond essential, it’s ridiculous.

From the same label the Gallery comp celebrates the sound of Nicky Siano, who along with Levan, Mancuso, Gibbons and a very few others defined the New York sound that led from soul to funk to disco to garage (and house). The Bill Withers track “Harlem”, and the psycho-Motown duo from The Undisputed Truth & The Temptations that finishes side one are highlights on a really cool collection.

To the twelve inch records, a couple of mid nineties tracks I’m hooked on right now are a white label (actually black & white) from about 94 from DJ Pierre…Dharma Meet DJ Pierre “Love Talks” is a classic, but fairly obscure vocal wild pitcher with a bottom end that throbs somewhere below my sub. The other is the mighty Leftfield dub of React 2 Rhythm’s “Intoxication” on William Orbit’s long missed Guerilla label from back in 91. Druggy proggy nonsense that betrays prog house’s original direct line from wacked out JA dubplates, before it lost its way circa 94. Wicked stuff and with the nice crackle of a much loved tune.

Jumping back even further, I’ve been besotted with the 12” Martin Rushent produced Pete Shelley single “Homosapien” since it came out in 1982 and it gave me a real buzz to fill a dancefloor with it last week. I had a queue of kids asking what it was. See…there is still a place for throbbing gay punk electro in 2004.

Not all records I like are old…honestly….

Going through another big Tiefschwarz thing right now. The mix of Unit 4’s “Body Dub” on Clone buzzes and bubbles along nicely and has almost an italo disco feel so it’s perfectly matched by the sprightly Bangkok Impact mix on side two. I’m still not sick of “Blow” with Eric Clark, but the real killer from the German brothers is their rejected remix of Kelis’ “Trick Me”, a one sided booty version that has somehow slipped out (wonder how?). Snippy acid loops and minimalist dirty bottom end make this a dark electro classic. Love it.

Blake Baxter seems to be a flavour again…poor bugger slips in an out of favour every five years and never really crosses over. His recent Abe Duque collaboration ("What Happened"...record of 2004 so far) has highlighted a Detroit legend who has never really stopped making amazing records. “Poetry & Rhythm Sessions Vol 2” contains a very cool spoken take of Depeche Mode’s “Enjoy the Silence” which kinda nags at you until you realise what it is.Uber-cool.

Another one I’ve been playing for months is the “Electro-Robotic Disco” single from Vector Lovers on Soma, a lovely lush electronic landscape. I hate the word pretty but its the only word that works here. I’ve got to find the album, but, naturally, in Auckland, finding something like that these days is nigh on impossible.

"Vapour" by Stratus, on the German Klein label is a record I know nothing about but right now its the record I like to put on first thing in the morning when I'm avoiding the tail end of the breakfast radio shows. I keep thinking Can or DAF, and then it goes all lush and goey towards the end.

Locally, Tomorrowpeople's remix of indie Rockers Pluto's track "Dance Stamina" works and is truly inventive, taking the popage of the original to somewhere far more contemporary.

Monday, November 08, 2004

Nothing like a bit of revisionism to keep the wheels spinning, so on that note, I’m well pleased to see Sony have done a glorious 25th (fuck me…25 years since I pinched the sample from CBS!) anniversary reissue of The Clash’s legendary 1979 album “London Calling”. And what a package it is- a remastered album, a CD of recently found demos and a lovely DVD, which I’m watching as I type, including some quite astounding footage of the band at work with legendary production nutter, Guy Stevens. Rolling Stone named the album as the greatest album of the eighties, despite its UK release in ’79 and it was the album that took them towards the mainstream…toward, but not into it. I remember trying to sell it to mainstream punters with no success…it could never compete with Dire Straits or Misex who were both sadly perceived as “new wave”.

And what a wonderful bloody record it was / is. It still sounds as fresh as it did in 1979, some songs more than others……but, and here comes the revisionism….but, the Clash may be the greatest rock’n’roll band ever, post Beatles (they are…full stop…if you disagree, you’re wrong, sorry) however “London Calling”, as much as it stands head and shoulders above virtually every rawk record released since then, comes nowhere close to being the greatest Clash album. That distinction belongs overwhelmingly to their first album, and thence to the mighty “Sandinista”. I’m not belittling this iconic release, I mean it contains the title track (it took my first trip to London in 83 before I really understood what it meant to “live by the river”), Guns of Bloody Brixton, and a whole swag of the like.

But the Rolling Stone award really sums up the problem…its just too Rolling Stone, too Rawk and, at the time of its release there was a noticeable air of disappointment with it. I remember we played the b side of the “London Calling” single, “Armagideon Time” far more than the a. And as I said above, it still sounds fresh today, but in contrast “The Clash” still sounds revolutionary, and “Sandinista” revels in it’s glorious anarchy which was at the heart of the Clash. The singles that followed “London Calling”….”Bankrobber”, “The Call Up”, “The Magnificent Seven / Magnificent Dance”, and “Radio Clash” dwarf 90% of “London Calling”. It was “Bankrobber” and “Complete Control” I reached for on the news of Joe’s death.

I think the Clash consciously made two American records, “London Calling”, which largely worked, and “Combat Rock” which largely didn’t. But The Clash were the great British punk band, with all that implies including a disaffection for the American rock mainstream, and that’s how I’ll always remember them.

Thursday, November 04, 2004

Extended Play George FM

Ultra High Frequency-The Right Track-Wand-1975 Frankie Beverly & The Butlers-Love-Neptune-1967 Gil Scott-Heron-Home is Where the Hatred Is (Beedle re-edit)-Ghetto Defendant-2004 Hugh Masekala-Don’t Go Lose it Baby (Stretch Mix)-Jive-1984 Patrick Adams Presents Phreak-Weekend-Atlantic-1978 Undisputed Truth-Big John is My Name-Motown-1972 The Family-It’s a Family Affair-North Bay-1971 Barbara Mason-Another Man-Streetwave-1984 Imagination-Changes (Larry Levan mix)-MCA-1983 Grandmaster Flash & The FF-Superrapping-Enjoy-1979 The Jesus & Mary Chain-Just Like Honey-Blanco y negro-1985 Aurra-You And Me Tonight (Timmy Regisford & Boyd Jarvis Remix)-Ten-1986 Risco Connection-Risco Music-Black Rose-198? Chad Jackson-Hear The Drummer Get Wicked-Big Wave-1990 Julian Jumping Perez ft. Kool Rock Steady-Ain’t We Funky Now-DJ International-1988 Nouvelle Vague-Too Drunk to Fuck-Peacefrog -2004 Intruder-U Got Me-Murk-1992 Dennis Ferrer-Is This Real-Mad House-2000 The Grid-Figure of Eight (Todd Terry G Mix)-Virgin-1992 Heaven 17-Fascist Groove Thang-Virgin-1981 Kraftwerk-The Model-Capitol-1978 Kevin Sauderson-The Beat That Never Stops-KMS-1988 Stratus-Vapour (Optimus Mix)-Klein-2004 Pluto-Dance Stamina (Tomorrowpeople mix)-CDR-2004 The Glass-Hear The Music (Mylo Mix)-Fine-2004 Leftfield-Not Forgotten -Outer Rhythm-1990 Drama Society-Crying Hero (Tiga Mix)-Turbo-2004 Kelis-Trick Me (Tiefschwarz mix)-White-2004 Tussle-Disco D’Ora-Rong-2004 Rex The Dog-Frequency-Kompact -2004 Inner City-Good Life (FXTC Deep Dub)-Circa-1993

Wednesday, October 27, 2004

Extended Play 27 October 04 on George FM

Nouvelle Vague-Teenage Kicks-Peacefrog-2004 Keni Burke-Keep On Singing (Beedle Re-edit)-Ghetto Defendant-2004 The Chosen Few-People Make The World Go Round-Trojan-1973 The Undisputed Truth-Undisputed (Carl Craig re-edit)-Moxie-2004 Blue Magic-On The Right Track-Atco-1973 Isley Bros-Get Into Something-T-Neck-1970 SOS Band-Just Be Good (Long Version)-Tabu-1983 Alyson Williams-Sleep Talk-Def Jam-1989 The Real Roxanne-Roxanne’s on a Roll-Select-1989 Roxanne Shante-Live on Stage (CJs House mix)-Cold Chillin’-1989 Time Zone-Wildstyle (Francois Kervorkian vocal)-Celluloid-1983 Yazoo-State Farm (12” mix)-Mute-1983 Nuance ft Vikki Love-Loveride-4th & Broadway-1984 Made in the USA-Melodica (Carl Craig re-edit)-Moxie-2004 Arp-Show Me-Top Shelf-2004 Blaze-If You Should Need a Friend-Quark-1988 Tussle-Disco D’Ora (DJ Spun mix)-Rong-2004 Groovement-Music-Bottom Line-1992 Chubby Chunks Vol 1-Testament One-Cleveland City-1994 Ignition-Love is War (Chicken Lips mix)-Kingsize-2004 Tussle-Disco D’Ora (Radio mix)-Rong-2004 Depeche Mode-Something to Do (Black Strobe remix)-Mute-2004 Technique-When There Is Love-Downtown 161-1994? The Untouchables-Little Louie’s Anthem Pt 2-Strictly Rhythm -1993 The Glass-Don’t Bother Me (Putsch 79 mix)-Fine-2004 Alden Tyrell-Disco Lunar Module-Clone-2004 Rex The Dog-Frequency-Kompact-2004 Fingers Inc-Bye Bye-Jacktrax-1988

How sad..one of the true greats and a man who changed the world forever John Peel RIP A great BBC interview here/a>

Wednesday, October 06, 2004

Extended Play 061004

Ronnie Hudson & the Street People-West Coast Poplock-Street People-1982 Times Square-You’re Hot-New York City-1981 Mr K-Feeling James-TD-1981 The Micronawts-Lets Smurf Across the Surf (Afrika Bambaataa Mix)-Tuff City-1982 The Screaming Meemees-Stars in My Eyes (12” Vocal)-Propeller-1982 Imagination-Just An Illusion-R&B-1982 Arthur Adams-You Got the Floor (Inst)-RCA-1981 Jill Scott-Golden (Blackbeard Mix)-CDR-2004 Will Dowing-A Love Supreme (Jazzin’ in the House Mix)-4th & Broadway-1988 Soul Central-Strings of Life (Funky Lowlives Mix)-CDR-2004 Ballistic Bros-Peckings-Junior Boys Own-1995 Urban Soul-Alright (Sasha Strings Mix)-Cooltempo-1990 Roberta Flack-Uh-Uh Ooh Look Out (Hurley House Mix)-Atlantic-1988 Todd Terry-Found Romance-Freeze-1993 Roy Davis Jnr-Join His Kingdom-20000ST-1999 KC Flight-Summer Madness (Mark Kamins & Eric Kupper Love is in the Air Mix)-RCA-1989 Miss Kittin-Requiem for a Hit (Abe Duque Mix)-NovaMute-2004 Paul Rutherford-Get Real (Martin Fry Happy House mix)-4th & Broadway-1988 Kraftwerk-The Telephone Call (Francois K & Rob St Germain mix)-Capitol-1986 Michael Watford-Holdin On (Roger S Shelter Mix)-Atlantic -1991 The Specials-Friday Night Saturday Morning-2 Tone-1981 Ricardo Villalobos-Dexter (2 Lone Swordsman Mix)-CDR-2004 Incognito-Out of the Storm (C’s Planet E Mix)-Talking Loud-1995 Roy Davis Jnr-House Inferno-Container-1992 X-press 2-Tranz Euro Express (Pooley Mix)-Junior Boys Own-1996 Mu-Paris Hilton-Output-2004 The Glass-Don’t Bother Me (20:20 Soundsystem mix)-Fine-2004 Inner City-Say Something-KMS-2004 Slam-Lie to Me (Dave Clark Mix)-Soma-2004 DJ Q-We Are One (Carl Craig Mix)-Filter-1997

Friday, October 01, 2004

Good stuff from Paul Krugman in today's NYT...

As a result of the American military," President Bush declared last week, "the Taliban is no longer in existence." It's unclear whether Mr. Bush misspoke, or whether he really is that clueless. But his claim was in keeping with his re-election strategy, demonstrated once again in last night's debate: a president who has done immense damage to America's position in the world hopes to brazen it out by claiming that failure is success. Three years ago, the United States was both feared and respected: feared because of its military supremacy, respected because of its traditional commitment to democracy and the rule of law. Since then, Iraq has demonstrated the limits of American military power, and has tied up much of that power in a grinding guerrilla war. This has emboldened regimes that pose a real threat. Three years ago, would North Korea have felt so free to trumpet its conversion of fuel rods into bombs? But even more important is the loss of respect. After the official rationales for the Iraq war proved false, and after America failed to make good on its promise to foster democracy in either Afghanistan or Iraq - and, not least, after Abu Ghraib - the world no longer believes that we are the good guys.
more here

Thursday, September 30, 2004

Extended Play 29 09 04

Jackson 5-Ain’t No Sunshine (Phil Asher edit?)-Soul Source-2003 Brenton Wood-Better Believe It-Warner-1975 Tashan-Save the Family (MPG Dedication Mix)-OPR / Def Jam-1990 Carol Williams-Can’t Get Away from Your Love (Promo mix)-Vanguard-1982 Jean Carn-Got Some Catching Up to Do-Philadelphia International -1979 Captain Sky-Super Sporm-Dynamic Sounds-1978 Jablonski-Soul Makossa-Randys-1975? The LOD Crew-Fill The Be-Bop-Tri State-1982 The Style Council-Long Hot Summer ‘89-Polydor-1989 BB & Q-Ricochet (Danny D Mix)-Cooltempo-1987 Original Concept-Can You Feel It-Def Jam-1986 Mantronix-Bassline (Stretched)-Sleeping Bag-1986 Cyndi Phillips-Sacrifice-Atlantic-1986 Chaplin Band-Il Velero-White-1982 Fallout-The Morning After-4th Floor-1990 LNR-Work it To The Bone-House Jam-1987 Fire Island-Fire Island-Junior Boys Own -1992 Cajmere-Midnight (MG Funk D’Vocal)-Cajual-2004 Yello-Base for Alec (Trevor Jackson Remaster)-Output-2004 The Glass-Won’t Bother Me (Putsch 79 mix)-Fine-2004 Unit 4-Body Dub (Tiefschwarz Mix)-Clone-2004 Paperclip People-The Floor-Planet E-1996 Vector Lovers-Electrorobotic Disco-Soma-2004 Greg Churchill-Plutonic-CDR-2004 Inner City-Say Something-KMS-2004 Dave Clarke-Red 2-Bush-1995 The Most-Make-up -Beautycase-2004 Client-Radio (Rex the Dog mix)-Mute-2004

Wednesday, September 29, 2004

Peter McLennan has an interesting piece on the Major Flavours release on his blog and goes into the phenomena of mix tapes and piracy. I really don't know how I feel about this, as a copyright owner, but I do know that that majors are doing themselves no favours attacking it with a sledgehammer. There is so little sympathy for their position, they are perceived as greedy (they are, but that's what their shareholders require them to be), and music is seen as too expensive (rubbish- its cheaper now than it ever has been) and the Burn and Get Burnt campaign in NZ, plus the RIAA overkill in the US has won them no friends. Sadly, major record companies have been treating those whose good works they distribute as workers in servitude for too long and there is some rough justice in what has come about in recent years. A fine correction of sorts coming out of the opportunities and anarchy that the digital age offers. I firmly believe, that once a recording is recouped the ownership should be shared by all involved parties. Indeed, a year back I passed the rights to the Blam Blam Blam catalogue back to the group. It recouped all costs in the mid nineties (after which we divided income equally) and I felt it fair to pass it back in 2004. I'm not trying to blow my trumpet but it felt like the right thing to do... God, that was a ramble....

I guess the problem John Kerry is having in the POTUS race is getting a story like this across to a population fed on Oprah and Fox, who still believe that WMDs were found and are happily oblivious to the rising US casualties on the ground and the fact that post Mission Accomplished, Iraqis are dying at a faster rate than they did under Saddam (at least since GW Snr encouraged the Shi'ites to rise in '91, with the promise of support and then sat back as Saddam massacred them). But how Bush Jnr can blatantly lie about the situation on the ground in Iraq and the future in the region in the face of statements like:

"Things are definitely not improving," said one U.S. government official who reads the intelligence analyses on Iraq.

"It is getting worse," agreed an Army staff officer who served in Iraq and stays in touch with comrades in Baghdad through e-mail. "It just seems there is a lot of pessimism flowing out of theater now. There are things going on that are unbelievable to me. They have infiltrators conducting attacks in the Green Zone. That was not the case a year ago."

is beyond me. But more to the point is the meek complicity of the US media in buying and propogating the myths in the face of overwhelming evidence otherwise.

Joseph Gobbels is alive and well, working for Rupert Murdoch, and living in DC it seems.

I saw Gregory Isaacs twenty years ago at some open air reggae festival in South London. The sun was going down and we were well sorted but he was terrible, he really was: sloppy, out of tune, clearly on another planet and all over the place. So why was I captivated, because I truly was. I couldn't forget Gregory, get him out of my mind. God knows why. Actually, god mightn't have any idea why but I do....its the voice, simple. What is it about the languid, lazy, stoned and plaintiff Isaacs delivery? My first exposure to Gregory was an import copy of the Front Line collection "Soon Forward" in 1979 and it became a permanent fixture on my deck. Gregory also became a permanent fixture in my buying habits: compilations, the good and great (Out Deh, Red Rose for Gregory, Rumours, Mr Isaacs, those Charisma albums etc) and the not so good (the early to mid nineties had a few, well more than a few) and I've ended up with a shelf full of the things. I wouldn't have it any other way. Its a fairly pleasant part of my vinyl addiction. I'm not quite sure where I'm heading with this but I wanted to find a way to write wonderful things about the recent Trojan compilation, The Cool Ruler. Strangely enough Trojan have given this thing the same name as an earlier, essential, album. Maybe they felt that tagging the thing The Definitive Collection would be enough, I don't know. But this is as close to being a definitive comp as exists for Gregory. There are dozens of comps of the man out there and some are pretty good, especially the Virgin ones and some of the ones that gather together the early raw singles. And a truly definitive collection would be at least four or five discs long. But this is as good as it gets without going that far. There are big gaps, especially early on (before about 78), but it includes the fairly rare, Prince Buster produced, "Dancing Floor" and there are 12"and 10" versions galore. And, damn, its good....that voice, that voice, that voice. You need this.

Friday, September 24, 2004

Brian Wilson's latterday re-recording of Smile has been getting pretty good reviews all round. I've yet to hear it but I'm told its in the mail. I'm still not sure. Those who know me, know I'm somewhat fanatical about all things Brian Wilson (and that includes his brothers, but not the odious Mike Love who has shown repeatedly over the years that he's a talent free zone lucky enough to have been in the right place) but I have to wonder why, almost 40 years after the event Brian felt the need to record the legendary unfinished work. I'm not arguing with his right to do so but he stands the risk of de-mythologising part of the BW legend, and its a fairly brave move. Who knows how the Wilson mind works, his story is one of genius, tragedy and sheer insanity (that he outlasted his brothers is miraculous in itself), and the logic you or I might apply is an irrelevance here. I guess Brian doesn't care either way, his legend is secure and it must frustrate the hell out of him to have something that obviously meant so much to him, unfinished. At the very least, finishing it might help to exorcise some of those demons he's been burdened with for many many year. God (Only)knows his last solo album was reason enough to be wary of a resurrected Smile...it was (and I'm being kind) not very good and rather sad. But its Brian Wilson, and all power to him: he created (even if you exclude Pet Sounds) some of the most gloriously evocative and timeless musical landscapes of all time, music that took you to place that you'd never been before, a place that existed in the back of Brian's mind, a place he alternated between wanting the world to see, or was terrified the world would see; until it tore him apart, sometime in the late sixties. I guess if the new Smile is 50% of what it could have been in 1967 then its worth the wait....

Extended Play 22 09 04 The Three Degrees-Dirty Old Man (Tom Moulton 12”)-Philadelphia International-1973 Billy Paul-East-Philadelphia International-1973 Linx-You’re Lyin’-Chrysalis-1980 Carlton-Love & Pain (LP mix)-3 Stripes-1990 Otis Clay-The Only Way is Up-Echo-1976 Norwood-I Can’t Let You Go-Magnolia-1987 Roxanne Shante-Queen of Rox (Marley’s Street mix)-Pop Art-1985 Criminal Element Orchestra-Put The Needle on the Record-Cooltempo-1987 Grandmaster Flash-Scorpio-Sugarhill-1982 The Ramones-Blitzkrieg Bop-Sire-1976 Risco Connection-Good Times-Black Rose-1979 Lilo Thomas-Downtown-Capitol-1987 Redds & The Boys-Movin & Groovin-DETT-1985 Serious Intention-Serious-Pow wow-1986 Car Crash Set-Outsider-Reaction-1983 Underground Solution-Luv Dancing-Strictly Rhythm-1991 Darryl James & David Anthony-You Make Me Happy (Todd Terry Freeze Mix)-Freeze-1992 Clifton King-Family Prayer (John Robinson Extended)-Black Rain-1992 R Tyme-Use Me (Carl Craig Groove mix)-Trance Fusion-1993 Tomorrowpeople-(Got The) Time-CDR-2004 Abe Duque & Blake Baxter-What Happened (Old School mix)-White-2004 Inner City-Ahnongay (Dave Clarke mix)-6X6-1994 Slam-Lie To Me (Dave Clarke Mix)-Soma-2004 Beanfield-Tides (Carl Craig Movement # 1)-Compost-2004 Tricky Disco-Tricky Disco-Warp-1990 Blake Baxter-Sexuality (Ben Sims Remix)-Sonic Groove-2004 Outlander-Vamp-R&S-1991 Pete Shelley-Homosapien (Elongated dancepartydub)-Island-1981

Public Address | Hard News Great commentary (as usual) from my buddy Russell Brown. His take on John Banks is well worth a read

Thursday, September 23, 2004

Techno godfathers to receive arts award Isn't this about time...respect is due Saw a twelve foot high Derrick May on the side of the Kuta Hard Rock Cafe, in Bali, a few weeks back...scary. He was doing a midday to midnight gig for the Japanese tour parties that frequent the place...bizarre stuff.

So, just when I open my mouth and dismiss latter day Elvis Costello albums as dishwater dull, the bugger comes along and releases a good-no make that great (well almost)- album. I got sent The Delivery Man in the mail by my buddy Alister Cain at Universal and I put it in the car player, dismissing almost before I listened to it, as another like the dreary self important North and the one before it, the name of which completely escapes me (and I can't be bothered finding out). On first listen, I really didn't listen and Brigid got in the car and asked me what that dreadful noise was (replacing it with something Philly or suchlike). But I gave it a second go...I owe EC that, and it nagged....track two, then the title track and from then on I kept on flipping back again and again, especially the slow stuff (I'm not a rock'n'roller, my dance music needs to be electronic or pre-1983 guitar noise). I love it, its King of America meets Blood & Chocolate with a nice little sonic edge, and, believe it or not, a wry, ironic sense of humour. And almost great...spoiled only by the awful wail of Lucinda Williams on one track. Sadly Elvis spoils it all by releasing a bloody ballet at the same time, for gods sake.

I feel decidedly queasy today but I guess its my own fault. The annual New Zealand Music Awards (for some odd reason, called the Tuis) are an excuse for the industry to drink too much, pat themselves on the back, listen to some music, and talk absolute, inebriated nonsense until dawn. As a cynic by nature, and having been to 20 odd (and odd they have been from time to time) of these things I've taken to leaving earylish in recent years. Last night was different. Actually I left my grumpy old cynic hat at home and had quite a time. The awards themselves are just the awards...a new "big" act hailed and feted each year and usually forgotten the next... Can't help feeling that the act of the year in 2004, Scribe, is heading in the same direction. While he's phenomenal live (and completely demolished every other act on the night), his album, doesn't show the sort of depth that its gonna take to jump beyond his current fanbase of early teen kids...fans who move on fairly fast. I really like the guy and he has charisma but it takes a little musical substance too.....I'd love to be proved wrong. Talking of one trick ponies (guess I just found my cynic's hat), I can't help feeling that the Dawn Raid hip hop posse may well have peaked too. There is only so far you can go sounding like Boo Yaa demos from 1990 and I ain't heard much else. Fuck it, I might as well carry on now.....the other two hip hop "contenders" up there at the moment make me laugh. No, seriously they do. The Fast Crew and Misfits of Science look to my eyes like the the sort of hip hop parody a show like Saturday Night Live might throw together. How on earth did we get to this..... Of the current crop of Kiwi hip-hoppers (and I say current because NZ hip hop is hardly new ...3 The Hard Way sold 35,000 copies of "Hip Hop Holiday" in 95 and Scribe hasn't come within a mile of that) I kinda like Dei Hamo. I knew him well in an earlier guise when we called him Sonny and he had a song called "Stop Tagging", a hit in the early nineties. He's a cool guy with a good attitude and the current number one. "We Gon Ride" might have an embarrassingly parochial video, the sort that condemns us to be a backwater at the bottom of the world, but its a nice song and Sonny pulls it off. Guess I'm in trouble now...... But the real fun at the awards is the aftershow swirl. I don't know if many of the drunken deals come to much but I made a couple of contacts and expressed myself incoherently to quite a few. My head hurts.....

Tuesday, September 21, 2004

Juan Cole is spot on today: "I have a sinking feeling that the American public may like Bush's cynical misuse of Wilsonian idealism precisely because it covers the embarrassment of their having gone to war, killed perhaps 25,000 people, and made a perfect mess of the Persian Gulf region, all out of a kind of paranoia fed by dirty tricks and bad intelligence. And, maybe they have to vote for Bush to cover the embarrassment of having elected him in the first place. How deep a hole are they going to dig themselves in order to get out of the bright sunlight of so much embarrassment?" Prediction: Bush will fly in on Nov 2, and the troops will roll into Fallujah and the many other towns run by local governments or militias, less than a week later. Hundreds, perhaps thousands of Iraqis will die but the desired short term effect of allowing an election will be achieved. Many Americans think they deserve it anyway. Bush will, after the election in Iraq, claim victory and Bubba will buy it without question. The troops will go home in short order and Iraq will disappear off the Fox screen shortly after.

Sunday, September 19, 2004

Taken from Francois K's Deep Space NYC site...his current home listening "Transfer Station Blue" Michael Schrieve (needs an edit!!) "The Planets" Tomita "Future Primitive" / "Canto de Flor" Santana "Mysterious Traveler" Weather Report "The First Hallucination", etc... Original Soundtrack from 'Altered States' "Cote Bamako" Art Ensemble Of Chicago "Sketch For Summer" Durutti Column "Metropolis" Jeff Mills "Venusian Summer" (pt 1) Lenny White "Agean Seas" Aphrodite's Child "Pali Gap" Jimi Hendrix "Outer Spaceways Inc" Sun Ra "Cosmic Messenger" Stacy Pullen "Interstellar Overdrive" Pink Floyd .....nice

Thank's to Peter McLennan's fine blog, I've just discovered this, the thoughts of Nelson George, sometime columnist, and one of the finest historians of black music on the planet. His history of Motown remains one of the lynchpins of popular music journalism. Ta Peter......

The Teflon presidency of George W Bush Bush's War A couple of good analysis pieces on the disaster that is the Bush presidency

Saturday, September 18, 2004

CIA Rewards in English Removed This would be hard to believe if it wasn't so believable.

Firefox Why anyone would continue to use a dinosaur like IE6 is beyond me

Friday, September 17, 2004

How to turn your iPod into a Universal Remote Control ......at least you'd get some use out of it...you have to ask how many iPods gather dust after a few weeks

I've been living with various generations and mixes of "Plutonic", Greg Churchill's forthcoming third single on Darren Emerson's label, Underwater for many months now, and still think it's a monumental piece of soulful techno (in its purest form). When I played this mix on the radio some dude rang and said "its repetitive"...umm, isn't that the point? A truely wonderful record-damn this man is clever. Since I'm talking techno (and isn't it pleasing to see the way this word was reappropriated by the "right" people after being stolen in the early nineties) I'm also totally obsessed (actually I have been for years) with everything Carl Craig has ever done right now. Has this guy ever made a bad record, if so, I've yet to hear it. His music, and his remixes seem to twist, entice, exhaust and drag you where you least expect to go. If there is a genius at work (and I don't know what that word means) in contemporary music, Carl's yer man. Paperclip People, 69, Moxie, Detroit Experiment, I crave the stuff...............very loud

I'm a complete sucker for the early Elvis Costello albums and have happily acquired (for the second or third time) all the recent reissues, so I'm pleased to see Almost Blue, the much criticised plastic country disc, is about again. Did I need it again. Of course I did, if only for the bonus disc with his Johnny Cash duet and the always astounding live (at the Royal Albert Hall with the London Symphony Orchestra) take of "I'm Your Toy", a record that never fails to demolish me...been repeating it over and over in the car for a week now. But, not only for that-Almost Blue is simply a wonderful, slighty tongue in cheek, and very cheesey, album recorded before EC started taking himself too seriously and became dull. I met the man a few years back and really disliked him..shame Talking of reissues, John Lennon's Rock'n'Roll is a patchy affair-actually much of it is crap-but with 3 or 4 killers. The remaster adds "Angel Baby", another wonderful track left off the original. And I still think Jonno's cut of "Stand By Me" is the equal of Ben E King's.

And just to reiterate why no-one in their right mind would vote for John Banks

Thursday, September 16, 2004

So now there is only one left Bye Bye Johnny I bought the first Ramones album as an import from Taste Records in High St in 1976. I bought it sound unheard, because the sleeve appealled. My musical life and, indeed, my future was transformed...my world tipped on its axis never to return. I played those 14 tracks day in and day out for years and I loved The Ramones. I stood next to Joey once in a store in Parnell..it was quite a thing So bye bye Johnny, give my best to Joey & Dee Dee

Local body politics don't usually interest me to any great degree so I guess you could surmise that John Banks, the incumbent mayor of our aspiring city, has succceeded in a way in re-invigorating the local political process. Certainly he's done more and created more controversy than the previous few Auckland mayors (since the sixties), and for that I have begrudging respect. He's also managed to extract quite a bit of cash out of central government for roading and infrastructure. That's all well and good, but I think any mayor of New Zealand's largest city could have achieved the same just by asking....the problem he looks good simply by default. The previous office holders over the past decades were either incompentant or self serving (although Banks has re-defined self serving egotism). However my real problem with Banks is simply that he's an obnoxious offensive little loud mouth jerk who talks a lot but does little. Anyone who saw Banks on Kim Hill's show on TV One last night, with Banks and his opponent, Dick Hubbard, or heard Banks on talkback on George FM last week knows what I mean. He talks people down, stretches the truth, ignores or denies uncomfortable facts, is blatantly rude to anyone to questions him. We don't need him. Hubbard provided a viable and refreshing alternative and I can see little choice in the Auckland mayoralty race. Banks is a relic of the ugly side of NZ politics past and we really don't need to go back there. And he was a lousy minister of police too

Wednesday, September 15, 2004

A piece about the art of the DJ from Spain's DJ Rupture

Extended Play George FM Weds 15 Sept Teddy Pendergrast-Set Me Free-Philadelphia International-1979 Chaz Jankel-Ai No Corrida-A&M-1980 Fatback Band-Spanish Hustle (12” Disco mix)-Spring-1975 SOS Band-Borrowed Love-Tabu-1986 World’s Famous Supreme Team-World’s Famous-Charisma-1982 Afrika Bambaataa & The Jazzy 5-Jazzy Sensation (Shep Pettibone mix)-Tommy Boy-1981 Mr Magic & The Positive Choice Band-2001 Kazoos-Tri-State-1981 Wally Jump Jnr & The Criminal Element-Tighten Up (Gail Sky King mix)-A&M-1987 Sweet Tee & Jazzy Joyce-Its My Beat-Profile-1987 Dayton-The Sound of Music-Capitol-1983 Gwen Guthrie-Hopscotch (Larry Levan Vocal)-Island-1983 Mr K-Rock The House Pt 1-TD-198? Lisa Lisa & Cult Jam -I Wonder if I take You Home (Shep Pettibone remix)-CBS-1985 Jomanda-Got a Love For You (Hurley House Mix)-Big Beat-1991 Looney Tunes-Just as Long as I’ve Got You (Brooklyn Rave Mix)-Nu-Groove-1989 Unique 3-The Theme-Ten-1989 808 State-In Yer Face (Mancunian Delight)-Tommy Boy-1990 Blake Baxter-Forbidden Fruit-White-2004 Todd Terry Project-Weekend-Sleeping Bag-1988 Dennis Ferrer & Jerome Sydenham-Sandcastles (Pete Heller edit)-Ibadan-2004 Gat Décor-Passion (Darren Emerson mix)-Effective-1992 Rob Salmon-Delta Si-CDR-2004 Fat Freddy’s Drop-Hope (3 Generations Walking mix)-The Drop-2004 Slam-Lie to Me (Dave Clark mix)-Soma-2004 BT-Relativity (Carl Craig’s Urban Affair dub)-Deep Dish-1994 Tramaine-Fall Down-A&M-1985 Yello-Bostich-Stiff-1981

Tuesday, September 14, 2004

September 33rd from Common Dreams, a succinct take on GWB's presidency.

Singles that I really like right now include the Tiga remix of Seeleluft's rocky "I Can See Clearly Now", the Ben Sims remix of Blake Baxter's 1988 classic "Sexuality", Blake's own slightly tongue in cheek "Forbidden Fruit", and his lovely old skool acid disc with Abe Duque, "What Happened". I Love the Dave Clarke mix of Slam's "Lie to Me", with Ann Saunderson on vox and a fairly mellow mix for DC which pays obvious tribute to Ann's husband. Pete Heller's edit of Jerome Sydenham and Dennis Ferrers' tech-soul anthem "Sandcastles", toughens it up somewhat without losing the essense of the original. These guys seem to be on a roll Kings of Punani's "Acid Thunder" has been around a while but I first heard it month or so...lovely nasty stuff.

I'm a sucker for a good compilation album....buying stuff I own over and over again sometimes if its in an ace new package or given a new reason to exist on a piece of vinyl with other tracks...I mean do I really need Buffalo Girls again, umm no, but I do need Don Letts' Dread Meets the B-Boys Downtown, a tribute from the old Roxy DJ to the NY underground of the early eighties, all that noisy Smurfy electro and attitude and the bonus of an unreleased Clash track (even if it is just an average re-take of Radio Clash, but I love it when Joe's voice kicks in half way through). Wonderous stuff, and made for the car Norman Jay (bless him)'s second comp of tracks from Philadephia International's seventies archive is as impeccable as the first. I own every track on Norman Jay Present's Philadelphia, some six or seven times (actually "Love is the Message" probably many more) but they all still sound so bloody wonderful and Norman puts it together so well. The greatest record label ever bar none.......and when Leon Huff's electric piano kicks in on LITM......... Jeff Mill's Azuli collection Choice seems to have revived what was becoming a slightly dull series (the Louie Vega one was simply boring, and predictable and the Derrick Carter one was just bad) and is a far more ecclectic and interesting, and I've always been a sucker for Chaz Jankel's "Ai No Corrida", Blake Baxter's "Sexuality" and DJ Q's "We Are One". The next one, from Xpress 2, is just as good

Monday, September 13, 2004

Ha....this works for me..... The Ten Most Hated Men in Rock although I have to say that 50% of those mentioned have long since disappeared from any semblance of public consciousness outside anywhere but Dumptruck, Idaho. I mean, who for gods sake even thinks about Kenny Loggins or Ted Nugent in '04. And Dave Grohl needs elevating to the top ten...what a twat....


We two.....

Sunday, September 12, 2004

Informed Comment : 09/01/2004 - 09/30/2004 read this......Juan Cole nails the ME fubar as no-one else does

Saturday, September 11, 2004

Extended Play on GeorgeFM 8 Sept, 04 Curtis Mayfield-Mothers Son-Curtom-1974 Sybil-Walk On By-Next Plateau-1989 MC Tee & Lord Tasheem-Gangster Nine (Club Mix)-Profile-1988 Freez-IOU (Megadub)-Beggars Banquet-1983 Digital Underground-Packet Man (CJ Macintosh Worth a Packet Mix)-Tommy Boy-1990 Kraftwerk-Metal on Metal-EMI-1977 Giorgio Moroder-The Chase-Casablanca-1979 Malcolm McLaren-Buffalo Girls (12 mix)-Charisma-1982 Planet Patrol-Play at Your Own Risk (Francois K Mix)-Tommy Boy-1982 Jah Wobble, Jakki Liebzeit, Holgar Czukay-How Much Are They-Island-1981 New Order-Everything’s Gone Green-Factory-1982 Yaz (oo)-Situation (Francois K dub)-Sire-1982 Hashim-Al Naayfish -Cutting-1983 Grandmaster Flash-U Know What Time It Is (12” Scratch mix)-Elektra-1987 The Goats-Do The Digs Dug (Todd Terry hip-hop mix)-Ruffhouse-1990 Isaac Hayes -Moonlight Lovin’ (Menage a Trois) -Polydor-1977 One Way-Cutie Pie-MCA-1982 Montana Sextet-Who Needs Enemies-Philly World-1983 Dunn Pearson-Groove On Down-Shrylden-1978 Robert Owens-Happy (Morales Dramatic Mix)-4Th & Broadway-1990 Nerissa-In The Rain (Todd Terry mix)-Active-1993 Ce Ce Rogers-All Join Hands (Morales Dub)-Atlantic-1990 Sterling Void-Runaway Girl (Pimp Dub)-DJ International-1988 Cookie Watkins-I’m Attracted to You ( E Smoov Late Night Mix) -Smash-1991 King Street Crew-Things You Do (Salsoul Mix)-Nervous-1991 Lion Rock-Lion Rock-Most Excellent-1992 808 State-Cubik (Musto & Bones Kings County Perspective)-Tommy Boy-1990 Dave Clarke-Red 1-Bush-1994 Carl Craig / 69-My Machines Pt. 1-Planet E-1991 Disco Evangelists-De Niro-Black Sunshine-1993