Friday 31 May 2013

BAIBS Friday 31/05/13

The sun has got his hat on etc etc. Ludicrous song. What kind of hat could possibly endure such temperatures? And surely if the sun wore a hat it would cast a shadow thus negating the celebration of all things sunny and leave the song redundant. So said headgear would have to be removed and the song wouldn't exist. All a bit paradoxical. And 'coming out to play'? Playing with the sun would be a health and safety nightmare. I just want it to sit in the sky and burn me.

Basically I'm just trying to say it's a nice day which meant the walk home through town was a nightmare. The masses of Donny had hit the streets to stare at cauliflowers and moan about the Primark window display. A 6'5" yeti with bags under his eyes scowling at people wasn't made at all welcome.

Some bugger's drunk my coffee. Two secs.

I'm waffling 'cos my head's not in gear. I'm waiting on two new tracks from Bang Bang Romeo to turn up in my inbox. It's all a bit expectant fatherish.

Back to whatever it is I'm waffling about. The hampered walk through town. Chaos at clock corner. The jewellers was all police taped off causing one old woman to ask, 'Do they do this every Friday?' Got to the Frenchgate centre. Between the 48k fixing watches and the Famous Villain selling kitchens is my nemesis. The escalator. Something about them bothers me. Think it all stems back to the public safety film from when I was a kid which basically showed a doll getting mutilated by an escalator.

Just tried to text the word Wakefield to someone and my phone insisted it should say Weak Fishes.

I think my point about the whole weather thing is that I have the back door open but the slice of banana cake next to me has attracted every wasp this side of Donny. Gits.

Looking like a promising weekend then. A busy one too. Tonight it's The Darlingtons, Laurel Canyon, The Coopers and Jack's House at The Leopard. Tomorrow morning 'Guitar' George Borowski is playing at Electro Music, then in the afternoon it's the Polish Festival at The Keepmoat, which I may end up working at, or Crooked Ways festival in Pontefract if promised press pass ever shows up, though I'm on the guest list (my two favourite words again) for Dexters in Weak Fishes tomorrow night, then Sunday night back to work.

It's all go. Speaking of which I must dash 'cos I'm meant to be filming with The Darlingtons this afternoon.

Laters

SS

Playlist Friday 31/05/13

Papa's Got A Brand New Pigbag - Pigbag
Common People - Pulp
How Soon Is Now? - The Smiths
Dead And Gone - The Black Keys
When The Sun Goes Down - Arctic Monkeys
Molly Gray - The DN Allstars
Teenage Knife Gang - Black Spiders
Ripples - The Coopers
Watch Yourself - The Darlingtons
I Can See For Miles - The Who
It's Alright, It's OK - Primal Scream
Rebel Yell - Billy Idol
Tick Tick Boom - The Hives
Friday Night - The Talks
Sheriff Fatman - Carter USM
Signal 30 - Public Service Broadcasting
By Your Hand - Los Campesinos
Wuthering Heights - Kate Bush
Back Of My Hand - The Jags
Clint Eastwood - Gorillaz
Medicine Show - Big Audio Dynamite
All Together Now - The Farm
Brassneck - The Wedding Present
Bark At The Moon - Ozzy Osbourne
Local Boy In The Photograph - Stereophonics
We Wear Our Bones - Bang Bang Romeo
Can't Believe In Love - Audio Disease
Period Piece - LLoyd Cole
Today - Smashing Pumpkins
Some Might Say - Oasis
Chevy Thunder - Spector
Black Dog - Led Zeppelin
The Doors Of Then - Tim Burgess
Good Enough - Dodgy
Midnight Wave - Two Wounded Birds
Egyptian Reggae - Jonathan Richman And The Modern Lovers

Thursday 30 May 2013

BAIBS Thursday 30/05/13

Kazakhstan! Now that was unexpected but welcome. Қайырлы таң! Not sure how a Kazakhstani stumbles across the ramblings of local radio breakfast show host but the more the merrier.

Well the whole requests things reared it's ugly head again this morning. I posted some Wagner on Facebook yesterday (Liebestod from Tristan and Isolde), possibly my favourite piece of music ever. Sheila North then requested I play it on the show. As much as I love it it's hardly breakfast show material. But I do get requests for songs/artists that could be deemed suitable that I don't play just 'cos I don't like them. For example in recent weeks I've been asked for, and not played, Whitesnake, Kula Shaker and Daft Punk. Whitesnake I just don't like, partly from seeing them at Donnington and David Coverdale being a complete twonk. The set was broadcast live on Radio 1 and when asked not to swear Coverdale just swore all the more and when asked again got the crowd to swear for him instead. It was all a bit pathetic. Kula Shaker I don't mind, just not a massive fan. They've slipped through the net a few times and got a play but they're never top of my list. As for Daft Punk I think I'm the only person on the planet who doesn't 'get' the new album. What I call 'quality control' could quite easily be seen as arrogance.

It doesn't help that I'm a music snob. I try not to be, and I'm better than I was, but still a snob all the same. I know what I like etc. I do listen to new stuff, I have to. 

Hang on.

The Manchester Mystics Female Basketball team have just followed me on Twitter. I have no idea why this happens.

Where was I? Music snob. Yeah I'm always willing to have a listen but some genres just pass me by. The whole R n' B thing for example. I used to be of the opinion that if it didn't consist of at least guitar, bass and drums then it was deemed unworthy. Thankfully, after an epiphany dancing to The Prodigy one night in Karisma many years ago, I grew up and became less snobbish. I do know some people who will only listen to one genre of music. This is ridiculous. There's going to be something in every genre worth a listen. I'm not a fan of rap but love White Lines. I love indie but hated Menswear. And so on. Unfortunately since turning 40 I've become a bit of a grumpy old man and music I don't like just makes me angry, hence the somewhat dictatorial attitude towards requests. I throw into evidence a tweet I posted earlier this year:

#grumpyoldmen If you want to hear Bieber get your own radio show

It's in a similar vein that I mention work tonight. The Defiled are playing at The Leopard. Industrial metal is the tag they go under. I've had a listen and it's another genre I just don't get, which is why they've had no airplay. I've never quite understood writing lyrics then just grunting and screaming. Still, if we all liked the same thing......

I shall go into tonight with an open mind, but probably closed ears.

Laters

SS

Playlist Thursday 30/05/13

Papa's Got A Brand New Pigbag - Pigbag
Pretty In Pink - The Psychedelic Furs
Everlong - Foo Fighters
Balloons - Foals
I Only Want To Be With You - The Tourists
L.I.F.E.G.O.E.S.O.N. - Noah And The Whale
Summer's Child - The Coopers
Slight Return - The Bluetones
Hymn - Ultravox
My Sharona - The Knack
Late March, Death March - Frightened Rabbit
A Forest - The Cure
Thunderstruck - AC/DC
Pure - The Lightning Seeds
19-2000 - Gorillaz
Just To See You Run - Bang Bang Romeo
I Got Love - The King Blues
Antarctica - Sound Of Guns
Your Love Alone Is Not Enough - Manic Street Preachers
North Country Boy - The Charlatans
The Doors Of Then - Tim Burgess
Temptation - New Order
Pinch Me - Barenaked Ladies
Always Like This - Bombay Bicycle Club
Everything - The Darlingtons
Moving - Supergrass
Crash - The Primitives
To Be Like - China Rats
Not Too Fussed - The Likely Lads
Silver - Echo And The Bunnymen
Nothing Our Way - Frankie And The Heartstrings
Can Stand The Rain - The Talks ft Neville Staple
(All I Wanted Was) Danger - The Milk
Shot By Both Sides - Magazine
Rebellion (Lies) - Arcade Fire
London Calling - The Clash
Police And Thieves - The Clash
Church Not Made With Hands - The Waterboys
Lost - The Pigeon Detectives
Egyptian Reggae - Jonathan Richman And The Modern Lovers

Wednesday 29 May 2013

BAIBS Wednesday 29/05/13

Well there's been some interest in the spider/bee battle and I'd like to update you but alas I've seen neither since Monday night. I don't know if this is good news or not. It's opened up all sorts of geek debates as to who would win though. Bit like when we did the biggest show and had a very in depth discussion as to who would win a fight between He-Man and Lemmy. We had Lemmy to win hands down. The power of Grayskull was no match for some masterful bass wielding. I should point out this was after several hours without sleep and I'd had cockle ice-cream. In all honesty I stand by the Lemmy by TKO victory though.

I've just tried to write a promo for the show and found it particularly tricky. I have no idea how to describe it. People always ask what kind of music I play but it's quite a diverse mix. I will trawl out the standard 'none of your chart stuff' line but if some indie/rock/punk/ska gem hits the charts it will get a play so that's not really accurate. I'm open to suggestions as to how describe the show. Basically I just play songs I like and hope that people come along for the ride. I'm thinking a bedding track of Grieg and Dexters for the promo though. That's as far as I got really. Dexters are OK with that. Edvard Grieg hasn't answered my email yet. I went to Grieg's house once and he wasn't in. There's a pattern developing here.

Short blog today as the 'listen to my music please pile' has built up again. Guess I should turn Grieg off now then.

Laters

SS

Playlist Wednesday 29/05/13

Papa's Got A Brand New Pigbag - Pigbag
Tears Of A Clown - The Beat
Hit The North - The Fall
Ceremony - New Order
Girl From Mars - Ash
Post Break Up Sex - The Vaccines
Millionaires - Famous Villains
Is Vic There? - Department S
Lost In The Supermarket - The Clash
Watch Yourself - The Darlingtons
Go Right Ahead - The Hives
Can Stand The Rain - The Talks ft Neville Staple
You're Gonna Get It - Miles Kane
Waterfall - The Stone Roses
The Bartender And The Thief - Stereophonics
Hold Me - Tom Odell
Everest - Public Service Broadcasting
There Is A Light That Never Goes Out - The Smiths
Don't Let Me Down, Gently  - The Wonderstuff
Last Night's Stains - Kismet Ryding
Where Is My Mind? - Pixies
Tell Me - Melissa Etheridge
Design For Life - Manic Street Preachers
Ace Of Spades - Motorhead
Late March, Death March - Frightened Rabbit
She's In Fashion - Suede
Layla - Derek And The Dominoes
The Zephyr Song - Red Hot Chili Peppers
Caroline - Status Quo
Lady Percy - King Charles
This Is Not A Game - Skunk Anansie
Born Of Frustration - James
The Distance - Funeral For A Friend
A Whiter Shade Of Pale - Procul Harem
Love Missile F1-11 - Sigue Sigue Sputnik
Chipping Away - Middleman
Country House - Blur
The Scattering - Cutting Crew
The Death Of You And Me - Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds
Live Forever - Oasis
Egyptian Reggae - Jonathan Richman And The Modern Lovers







Tuesday 28 May 2013

BAIBS Tuesday 28/05/13

So I didn't get much sleep last night and I think part of the reason was the massive bee that came storming through the back door just before I went to bed. Like most people I don't have a problem with bees. Think it's the honey and pollinating stuff. Plus the whole if they sting you they'll die thing. Is that actually true? Not like wasps who will sting you for fun though and then go and brag to all their mates about it. I pondered trying to catch it but realised I don't have a mug big enough. I was watching it fly around the ceiling when I saw it. The monstrous spider clinging to the picture rail. The picture rail was coming off the wall due to the sheer weight of this beast. The last time I saw an arachnid this big was in a zoo. I struggle with spiders. Pathetic I know. Useful house pets they may be but they just look wrong. I could see some epic battle ensuing and thought I'd leave them to it. My money was on the spider. So I lay in bed fully expecting to be kept awake by the crashing of furniture or at least the rumble setting off the alarm but all was eerily quiet. Maybe an uneasy truce had developed. Maybe, as in The Great War they were playing football. My money would still be on the spider. But instead of coming down to a trashed living room and wings and legs all over the floor all was as I left it but with no sign of either combatant. I just know they're lurking somewhere. Biding their time. Saying that there's a lump in my boot that wasn't there yesterday. Think I've found the spider.

I can still taste sambuca, more of that later, so have just gone to have a rinse and noticed the mouth wash of choice is family friendly. I urgently suggest you go check your mouth wash and if it doesn't say family friendly check it for razor blades or something.

As you know I'm now working at The Leopard which can be a double edged sword when I'm doing the upstairs bar. I'll name no names but some bands just shouldn't be let loose on an undeserving public. Then you get gigs like this past week which has seen 7 quality bands play in the space of 4 days. The Talks, The Image, Kiziah And The Kings, Young Kato, Kismet Ryding, Bang Bang Romeo and Dexters all played blazing sets. Another downside was that the bar was that heaving on Sunday and I barely caught Bang Bang Romeo's set. I made up for it though by (shameless name dropping moment) sharing a few beers with Young Kato and Dexters. Both bands are gonna be huge. And if you ever get chance to party with Dexters do it. They do like their sambuca though. 36 hours later I'm still struggling. It's their fault I missed yesterday's show. Honest.

Just heard an irritated buzzing. I'm off to investigate.

Laters

SS

Playlist Tuesday 28/05/13

Papa'a Got A Brand New Pigbag - Pigbag
Oceans - Dexters
Chemical - Bang Bang Romeo
We Take Care Of Our Own - Bruce Springsteen
Can Stand The Rain - The Talks
Never Fade Away - Spector
The Pretender - Foo Fighters
Pictures Of You - The Cure
Nine - Twin Bears
Kings For The Weekend - Missing Andy
When Love Breaks Down - Prefab Sprout
Hong Kong Garden - Siouxsie And The Banshees
Revolution - Young Kato
Every Teardrop Is A Waterfall - Coldplay
Ripples - The Coopers
Tumbling Dice - The Rolling Stones
I Got You - Split Enz
Weather With You - Crowded House
Happy Again - The Inspectors
Johnny Come Home - Fine Young Cannibals
Whole Lotta Rosie - AC/DC
Night Mail - Public Service Broadcasting
Diamonds Are Forever - Arctic Monkeys
Like A Dancer - The Enemy
Paradise City - Guns 'n' Roses
Antmusic - Adam And The Ants
Gunslingers - Section 60
The Joyful Kilmarnock Blues - The Proclaimers
Fortunate Son - Creedence Clearwater Revival
Blood, Sweat And Tears - The D.O.T.
Recovery - Frank Turner
When Tomorrow Comes - Eurythmics
Legacy - The Ratells
Your Day - The Inspectors
45 - The Gaslight Anthem
The Killing Moon - Echo And The Bunnymen
The Prince - Madness
Al Capone - Prince Buster
White Riot - The Clash
Egyptian Reggae - Jonathan Richman And The Modern Lovers

Friday 24 May 2013

BAIBS Friday 24/05/13

I don't want to be one of those people moaning about the weather but it occurs to me I've now said this in many blogs and then proceeded to moan about the weather. So in conclusion, I'm one of those people who moan about the weather. In my defence it's the wind/rain combo that gets me. I don't particularly dislike the cold but, bloody hell, it's June a week tomorrow. Actually I was reasonably OK with the weather til I got off the bus. Last week I nearly got run over by the bus I'd been on. Today after I got off it drove through a puddle and totally soaked me. I laughed but inside I died a little. And what was playing on my iPod at the time? The Talks - I Can Stand The Rain. A great song that puts a smile on my face but I'm struggling to share the sentiment today.

There's a chocolate bar lurking next to the laptop. Chocolate doesn't normally lurk. It's one of my favourite foods and I never had it down as a lurker. This one is one of those weird creations things; popping candy and jelly beans in a chocolate bar. Jelly beans in chocolate. I'm not happy about this. It's just wrong on such a massive level.

Hang fire and let me see if I'm right.

Yeah that was just nasty.

The popping candy bit's OK though. I remember as a kid pouring whole bags of space dust in my mouth to see if it could give you brain damage. Draw you're own conclusions.

So a wet bank holiday weekend beckons. Gigs a plenty all over Donny. Section 60 at The Social tonight. A seriously quality band, even if they are all Blades. :-) Upcoming indie harmonisers Young Kato supported by Kiziah And The Kings at The Leopard tomorrow and then on Sunday it's the one I'm really looking forward to. So much so it's a gig in association with the breakfast show. The mighty Dexters supported by the incredible Bang Bang Romeo. That one is gonna be epic.

Was working a gig last night too. The Talks and Dirty Revolution. Watch out for The Talks. They are going places rapidly. Gonna sign off now. Hotmail crashed on me this morning so to post the playlist I'm gonna have to read my own writing. It's atrocious. It's not good when you can't read your own writing.

Laters

SS

Playlist Friday 24/05/13

Papa's Got A Brand New Pigbag - Pigbag
All Together Now - The Farm
Antarctica - Sound Of Guns
Goodbye Kiss - Kasabian
The Passenger - Iggy Pop
Happy Again - The Inspectors
The Motive - Then Jerico
Graffiti On The Train - Stereophonics
Recover - Dexters
Elysium - Section 60
Up Around The Bend - Creedence Clearwater Revival
Pulling Mussels From A Shell - Squeeze
Wrecking Ball - Bruce Springsteen
Can Stand The Rain - The Talks
Mardy Bum - Arctic Monkeys
Lovesick - Peace
Just Like Heaven - The Cure
Not Too Young - The Tricks
Start Wearing Purple - Gogol Bordello
Hey - Pixies
Geno - Dexy's Midnight Runners
Drink, Dance, Play - Young Kato
Don't Go - Kiziah And The Kings
I'm Falling - The Bluebells
Mansize Rooster - Supergrass
Hunger - Frankie And The Heartstrings
Island In The Sun - Weezer
Hersham Boys - Sham 69
You And Me And The Bottle Makes Three Tonight - Big Band Voodoo Daddy
Rise Up - The Skints
I'm Free - The Soup Dragons ft Junior Reid
You Are The Everything - R.E.M
Signal 30 - Public Service Broadcasting
We Wear Our Bones - Bang Bang Romeo
Knockin' On Heaven's Door - Bob Dylan
Cum On Feel The Noize - Slade
Can Stand The Rain - The Talks
Laid - James
To Be Like - China Rats
Egyptian Reggae - Jonathan Richman And The Modern Lovers


Thursday 23 May 2013

BAIBS Thursday 23/05/13

So the upshot of yesterday's blog is that The Tricks now actually want to film a video for Not Too Young with this 'tall bloke with long grey hair pirouetting down Balby Road.' Brilliant! It would seem I'm not the only one with the dancing down the street problem. The Beeds' drummer Jordan Thompson text me this morning to say he was slithering through town to Al Wilson's The Snake. Which brings me on to today's playlist. Another linked one but a relatively easy one. Here goes:

Playlist Thursday 23/05/13

Papa's Got A Brand New Pigbag - Pigbag
Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood - The Animals
Black And White Town - Doves
Swan Lake - Madness
Monkey Gone To Heaven - Pixies
Bats - The Darlingtons
Wolves - The Coopers
Me And The Farmer - The Housemartins
Everybody's On The Run - Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds
Shock The Monkey - Peter Gabriel
No One's Gonna Love You - Band Of Horses
Frog Princess - The Divine Comedy
Just Like A Woman - Black Spiders
Big Yellow Taxi - Counting Crows
Ride A White Swan - T-Rex
Elephant - Tame Impala
When The Sun Goes Down - Arctic Monkeys
Hotel California - The Eagles
The Snake - Al Wilson
Stand And Deliver - Adam And The Ants
Buffalo Soldier - Bob Marley
Animal Nitrate - Suede
Benny Bullfrog - Madness
I Wanna Be Your Dog - The Stooges
Pelican - The Maccabees
Someone's Looking At You - The Boomtown Rats
When Doves Cry - Prince
I Am The Walrus - The Beatles
Cool For Cats - Squeeze
Born On A Horse - Biffy Clyro
Hungry Like The Wolf - Duran Duran
Little Red Rooster - The Rolling Stones
Fox On The Run - Sweet
Rock Lobster - The B-52s
Bird Dog - The Everly Brothers
Gold Lion - Yeah Yeah Yeahs
Peace Frog - The Doors
Crocodiles - Echo And The Bunnymen
Rat Race - The Specials
Rock This Town - The Stray Cats
Let's Dance To Joy Division - The Wombats
The Ecstacy Of Dancing Fleas - The Penguin Cafe Orchestra

Easy right? Animals? Yeah I'll need to try harder next time.

I was joined on today's show by Tony Greenall to talk about the FA's appalling treatment of Doncaster Belles. The basic upshot is that in a restructuring move the Belles are to be replaced in the top flight next season by Manchester City. No reason given. Donny Belles ARE the most famous women's football club in the world. Simple as. OK not as successful in recent years as the women's game has raised it's profile but it's pretty much the equivalent of The Premiership relegating Liverpool because the name Liverpool is no longer deemed fashionable. It's not about results. The announcement was made one game into the current season. It's not about attendances. Belles still have larger crowds than the majority of Women's Super League clubs. It's not about facilities. The Keepmoat Stadium is one of the best in that league and deemed worthy by the same FA to host the Women's FA Cup Final this weekend. It is an absolute disgrace and would urge you all to read the full details on The Popular Stand's blog and sign the online petition.  

http://popularstand.wordpress.com/2013/05/13/the-belles-toll-on-the-fas-relegation-of-the-doncaster-belles/

http://www.petitionbuzz.com/petitions/doncasterbelles

Two secs. Someone at the door.

Bloody Jehovah's Witnesses. Any tips? My favourite is to invite them in. Gets them every time. Anyone, they've done one as must I.

Laters

SS



Wednesday 22 May 2013

BAIBS Wednesday 22/05/13

In the 80s I had a Walkman. Not a Sony one. A cheap copy bought off the market. It was adept at chewing up my tapes. But occasionally it played music. Sometimes it would keep playing while chewing and I'd get the other side of the tape being played backwards. I distinctly remember once listening to almost all of Lloyd Cole's Easy Pieces backwards. In the 90s I progressed to a CD Walkman. Again a cheap copy which, whilst playing whatever I asked of it in the direction it was recorded, it struggled with the 'Walk' concept in the name and jumped a lot. I now, of course, have an iPod. So for over thirty years I've walked around with a glazed look while someone like Eloc Dyoll sang nair gniruop eht ni gniklaw or N'Vana sang a nile, a nile, de, a nile nile in my ears. Now I get the full song, forwards without jumping. But, and I've mentioned this before, the one thing I've not learned in all these years is that while I'm 'shielded in the walkman, with a halo of distortion'*, oblivious to all around me, people aren't oblivious to me.

*Courtesy of Marillion - Fugazi.

So, as many do, I often sing along, loudly, with my iPod, forgetting that I'm subjecting my fellow pedestrians, or worse bus w***ers, to my tuneless wailing. Worse, and this happened again today, is walking along thinking I'm in the video for whatever song's playing. Admittedly most of these videos take on a similar look to The Verve's Bittersweet Symphony but sometimes I'll add a little dancing flourish. If I'm walking home after a night out I don't mind but nine times out of ten it's just plain embarrassing. Still, if The Tricks want a video for Not Too Young featuring a tall bloke with long grey hair pirouetting down Balby Road while onlookers stare incredulous then I'm their man.

Joined on today's show by the very beautiful Emma Jade Garbutt. Emma, of course, is part of Team Tom on The Voice. The only reality music show I can bare to watch. Though Brian May had a rant about it this week. Something about having to sing to people's backs. I've heard your save the badger song Brian. I'd get used to it if I were you. Emma is a legitimate Country artist. Too often a singer/songwriter with an acoustic guitar is lazily tagged country or folk but Emma is the real deal. Including gigs in Nashville. It doesn't get more country than that. Country is one of those genres that gets sneered at purely through lack of knowledge. It's all Dolly and Kenny. Hmmmm. Listen to any Springsteen album. It'll be awash with country tunes. Like 80s pop? Culture Club's Karma Chameleon is pure country. And EVERYONE loves the man in black. Anyway, at still only 18, Emma has a huge career ahead of her and at least one more weekend of me watching a reality TV show. Good luck Miss G.

I've been promised cheese scones so must dash.

Laters

SS

Playlist Wednesday 22/05/13

Papa's Got A Brand New Pigbag - Pigbag
The Rockafeller Skank - Fatboy Slim
Sound And Vision - David Bowie
Birthday - The Sugarcubes
Spies - Famous Villains
Ziggy Stardust - David Bowie
Kennedy - The Wedding Present
Surrender - Cheap Trick
Molly Gray - The DN Allstars
Happily Ever After - The Talks
Naive - The Kooks
Wishing (If I Had A Photograph Of You) - A Flock Of Seagulls
Here Comes Your Man - Pixies
Hallelujah - Jeff Buckley
Driving In Cars - Sunside
Lost - The Pigeon Detectives
No Rest - New Model Army
It's Alright, It's OK - Primal Scream
A Message To You Rudy - The Specials
Do Nothing - The Specials
Spirit Of '76 - The Alarm
Start To Run - Dexters
Hometown Girls - The Strypes
She's Attracted To - The Young Knives
Blood, Sweat And Tears - The D.O.T.
This Town Ain't Big Enough For Both Of Us - Sparks
Country Girl - Primal Scream
A Ton Of Love - The Editors
Folsom Prison Blues - Johnny Cash
Heavyweight Champion Of The World - Reverend And The Makers
Alice - Sisters Of Mercy
Can I Play With Madness - Iron Maiden
How Soon Is Now? - The Smiths
First Of The Gang To Die - Morrissey
Pyschosis Safari - The Eighties Matchbox B-Line Disaster
Chemical - Bang Bang Romeo
Hello I Love You - The Doors
Egyptian Reggae - Jonathan Richman And The Modern Lovers

Tuesday 21 May 2013

BAIBS Tuesday 21/05/13

Well it seem an age since I've blogged. 4 days in actual fact. The main reason for starting this blog was to post the play list of the show so no radio show = no blog. Unless I throw a gig review out there. I failed to get to the radio on Friday and Monday both due to gigs the previous night. Admittedly my failure yesterday was purely cos OPM didn't want to go home after playing The Leopard Sunday night. They spent longer having a beer with their fans than they did on stage. Quality night though.

I'm writing this blog with an injury. Managed to sustain a paper cut during this morning's show and now I've managed to spray deodorant directly onto the cut. Trust me, it's pigging agony. Ah, another deodorant mishap to go along the time I managed to spray it directly into my eye or sprayed shaving foam under my armpits in a still half asleep attempt to get ready.

So since we last spoke I've done 4 gigs, a wedding and Rovers have got a new manager. The weekend was far too hectic for me to blog about. Basically I can't remember much about it. Short blog again today, had to get a nap in and I'm at work in just over an hour. It's all go.

Today's playlist is heavy with The Doors. Keyboard player Ray Manzarek died yesterday. I think all music fans have a Doors stage were they are simply the most important thing you can possibly listen too. You may move on but that dependence on The Doors is always lurking. Partly it's the mysticism of Jim Morrison, the live fast die young ethos that we all like to think we have whereas in reality we want to live at a steady pace and die at a ripe old age with the odd Morrison moment thrown in earlier rather than later. But their music shouldn't be lost in all the romanticism. One of the most innovative, influential bands that ever existed. Tunes driven by Manzarek's keyboard just as much as Krieger's  guitar and Morrison's voice and poetry. For  me Ray Manzarek almost reinvented the use of the keyboard in rock music. Taking it from a supporting role to a crucial, sound defining role in The Doors catalogue. The man was a pioneer.

Laters

SS

Playlist Tuesday 21/05/12

People Are Strange - The Doors
Light My Fire - The Doors
Night Mail - Public Service Broadcasting
Second Minute Or Hour - Jack Penate
Hate To Say I Told You So - The Hives
Rose Tattoo - The Dropkick Murphys
Star - James
Peaches - In The Valley Below
Soul Uncensored - Section 60
Nothing Our Way - Frankie And The Heartstrings
Like A Dancer - The Enemy
Dreaming - Blondie
Front Row - The Fallows
L.A. Woman - The Doors
Johnny Come Lately - Steve Earle
Bigmouth Strikes Again - The Smiths
Legacy - The Ratells
Given To Fly - Pearl Jam
Just Like A Woman - Black Spiders
Solid Bond In Your Heart - The Style Council
You Overdid It Doll - The Courteneers
Thousands Are Sailing - The Pogues
Paint It Black -The Rolling Stones
Digging In The Dirt - Peter Gabriel
Roxanne - The Police
Roadhouse Blues - The Doors
La Tristesse Durera - Manic Street Preachers
Blood, Sweat And Tears - The D.O.T.
Just Like Honey - The Jesus And Mary Chain
Start To Run - Dexters
Right Now - Bang Bang Romeo
Regret - New Order
Straight To Hell - The Clash
The Doors Of Then - Tim Burgess
The Way We're Made (Made In England) - Missing Andy
No Hope - The Vaccines
To Be Like - China Rats
Riders On The Storm - The Doors

Friday 17 May 2013

PUBLIC SERVICE BROADCASTING - Live @ The Leadmill, Thurs 16/05/13

So as a hobbling JJ and myself wander from the station to The Leadmill we ponder on which
Leadmill stage PSB will be setting up the TVs. We both think it'll be the small stage but both hope it's the main stage. We're right. The show (I can't call it a gig and you'll see why later) is scheduled for the small stage but ticket sales have dictated otherwise. I've not seen The Leadmill this busy for some time.

I should warn you now that reviewing Public Service Broadcasting live is tricky. I will run out of superlatives and end up sounding pretentious.

First stop is the merch stand to thank Giles for the guest list and for me to fall in love with two items. One is the PSB tea-towel. I'd never use it. Cherry Blossom will testify to that. I just love it though. The second is a thing of beauty. The new PSB album, Inform, Educate, Entertain, on vinyl. In a gatefold sleeve. It's indescribably gorgeous and probably a whole separate blog. Awe is the only word to describe my feelings. And maybe lust.

My musings are interrupted by first on stage In The Valley Below. They start off slow. Ethereal. Haunting. Joshua on drums seems to have something different to shake on every song. Not to be out done by song four singer Angela has some serious industrial chain to shake. The Leadmill crowd seem to be enjoying the keyboard driven tunes, although they also seem a little confused. As JJ points out they could fit nicely onto a Human League circa 1983 show. Given we're in the steel city I can imagine ITVB doing a post Human League/Heaven 17 gig at the Limit Club. But we'd fallen into the age old trap of insisting every band has a genre. The almost indie guitar intro of Peaches kicks in and the band finally have the crowd in the palm of their hand. It's electronic but well and truly embedded in the 21st century. Final song Neverminds throws us all. An almost Springsteenesque intro of power chords and pounding drums. It's an epic finale. This LA quartet are like no-one else and non-genre specific. As one tweet says on their twitter page, 'They're a bit weird.' It's a good thing.

Public Service Broadcasting have invented their own genre. If you're not aware of this, I'm loathe to use the word band, The Guardian call them a concept. If you're not aware of PSB they take old public service broadcasts, old film snippets (Spitfire, Late Night Final), old propoganda films (Lit Up), US road safety films (Signal 30) and build anthemic music round them the like of which I can guarantee you've never heard, or seen, before. I say seen because to fully appreciate PSB you have to see them live. Three towers of vintage TVs stage front and a giant one at the back of the stage show the old film clips as well as the band being filmed live by visual man Mr. B. It's like British Pathe hosting a rave.

It is a concept  right from the album title, the songs, the live show, the pseudonym's the two members use and to the look. They are fully immersed in 'teaching lessons of the past through the future of music.' Wrigglesworth (drums) and J. Willgoose Esq. (everything else) take to the stage looking like they've just finished a day at Bletchley Park cracking the enigma code before deciding to Inform, Educate and Entertain us. So is it all samples, drums and keyboards? Of course not. If you're Willgoose you stick a banjo over the top of it all. And when that won't do some serious rock guitar should suffice. Willgoose rocks out so much at one point his bow-tie comes loose. Many a time I've heard the phrase 'The geeks shall inherit the earth.' Well they've started. Audience communication of course comes through Willgoose's laptop. A computer generated 'Thank you' at the end of every song. 'Thank you very much' for the more enthusiastic receptions (Spitfire, Everest). And a highly amusing 'We've always wanted to play in' pause while Willgoose finds the appropriate function, 'Sheffield.' Public Servive Broadcasting live isn't a gig. It's an event. It's a happening. It's the start of something major.

As I said, they're creating their own genre. Taking sampling and music to a new, incredibly clever, level. As opening album track informs us, 'The news is Public Service Broadcasting. A bright new era dawning. A vivid, pulsating miracle that gives substance to shadow.' If David Byrne was just starting out this is the music that would inspire him. You know when you wake up with a tune in your head and you're not sure what it is? PSB are what Stephen Hawking wakes up with swimming in his mind. It's more than music. It's more than visuals. It's art. Full on rocking out art.

SS

Thursday 16 May 2013

BAIBS Thursday 16/05/13

This morning is not going well at all. For a start that sentence nearly said this morning isn't gonad at all, which doesn't even make sense. The show was fine, it's post show that's the problem. I lazily decided to get the bus home and then narrowly avoided getting run over by the bus I'd just alighted from. Walked straight past my house. Totally missed it. Only lived here 6 months. Walked in and despite the alarm making it's 'I'm here! Turn me off!' noises went straight into the kitchen to put the kettle on wondering what all the racket was about. Finally sat down to do this, left my coffee in the kitchen. Got up and fell over due to my right leg preempting the standard nap and going to sleep way before the rest of me.

And now there's a spider sporting a bandana, four eye patches and smoking a cheroot between me and the custard creams.

I'm gonna annoy you now and say those words guest list again. Yes I'm at The Leadmill tonight on Public Service Broadcasting's guest list. Me and the erstwhile JJ from The First 45 heading over for a hugely anticipated gig. Well, the radio stuff is all voluntary so a few perks don't go amiss. I've a weekend of guest lists actually. Sandall Park Fake Fest and Section 60 at Sheffield O2 on Saturday. Sadly I can't do both and with a wedding to attend (another guest list) I might not make either. You'll know on Monday.

Another splendid live session on today's show from Donny's own Missing Pages. I think, since the show took on it's current format, i.e. just me presenting it, Missing Pages were the first to do a live session. They were great back then and they just bet better and better. With a debut album due out soon and many a gig hopefully things are looking good for the Page brothers, 2 of the nicest and most appreciative guys on the Donny music scene by the way.

Well I've work to do and a gig to attend and my leg is still refusing to wake.

Laters

SS

Playlist Thursday 16/05/13

Papa's Got A Brand New Pigbag - Pigbag
Down In The Tube Station At Midnight - The Jam
Beat The Clock - Sparks
Bats - The Darlingtons
Lullaby - The Cure
Blood, Sweat And Tears - The D.O.T.
Dave - Missing Andy
Open Your Eyes - Snow Patrol
Pelvis Pusher - Vintage Trouble
Adore Me Dear - Bang Bang Romeo
Recover - Dexters
High On A Hill - Ian McNabb
Brother, You Must Walk Your Path Alone - The Electric Soft Parade
Holy Diver - Dio
Signal 30 - Public Service Broadcasting
Starman - David Bowie
Another Girl, Another Planet - The Only Ones
Ride - The Vines

Missing Pages Live Session
Little Ray Of Light
Mountains

Pyra - Missing Pages
Temptation - Heaven 17
Falling Down - The 48ks
Teenage Dirtbag - Wheatus
Can You Dig It? - The Mock Turtles
Alright - Supergrass
Live Forever - Oasis
Eighth Day - Hazel O'Connor
Just Like A Woman - Bob Dylan
Summer's Child - The Coopers
Man On The Moon - R.E.M.
Roadrunner - Jonathan Richman And The Modern Lovers
End Of A Century - Blur
All Or Nothing - Small Faces
Waiting On The Doorstep - Filthy Boy
Wide Open Space - Mansun
Smells Like Teen Spirit - Nirvana
Chevy Thunder - Spector
Egyptian Reggae - Jonathan Richman And The Modern Lovers





Tuesday 14 May 2013

BAIBS Tuesday 14/05/13

おはよう; こんにちは, やあ; ごきげんよう, さようなら 

I hope that's right. Anyway, hello Japan.

So I survived the kippers to blog another day. Failed to get to the RockBar last night though. Apologies to Jimmy Mac! Next week mate. So what does today have in store? To be fair if I don't know then how will you? I seemed to have been taken over by rhetorical questions. What can I do? OK it's getting silly now. Isn't it?

I've a stack of new music to wade through. As you can imagine we get sent tons of stuff to listen to at Sine FM, both new and established artists. It's a mixed blessing. For every gem unearthed there's always something that can only be called a crime against humanity. I won't name names but if you hear owt new on tomorrow's show you can presume it came from this afternoon's session. I get lazy so put off listening til there's too much piled up to ignore. I'm at the can't ignore stage. I'd be no good in a job that has in and out boxes. 

As I mentioned sometime ago Sine are letting me loose in Europe. We're jetting out on June 10th for a  community radio conference in Strasbourg with members of the European parliament. I'm travelling with the Kellys, Mark and Jon. Actually we're going by train, for my money the only way to travel across Europe. What's the train equivalent of jetting? As cultural attaches go it's more Les Patterson than Alec Guinness. Still I'm looking forward to it immensely, mostly because of Mark's insistence that he's fluent in French. 

I better go and start wading through this pile of CDs.

Laters

SS

Playlist Tuesday 14/05/13

Papa's Got A Brand New Pigbag - Pigbag
Fast Fuse - Kasabian
Valley Of The Dolls - Generation X
Good Enough - Dodgy
Too Much Pressure - The Selecter
Girl From Mars - Ash
It Can't Be Me - The 48ks
Bucket - Kings Of Leon
Lullaby - The Cure
Gunslingers - Section 60
Feel Like This - Missing Andy
What Do I Get? - The Buzzcocks
The Opener - The Courteneers
Pump It Up - Elvis Costello And The Attractions
Waterfall - The Stone Roses
One Drop - P.I.L.
Mr. Brightside - The Killers
By Your Hand - Los Campesinos
Love Is A Wonderful Colour - The Icicle Works
A-Punk - Vampire Weekend
Under China - Auction For The Promise Club
The Eton Rifles - The Jam
New Rose - Guns 'n' Roses
Ripples - The Coopers
Better - The Tricks
Babies - Pulp
On A Day Like This - Elbow
Talk Tonight - Oasis
Rain - The Cult
It's Alright, It's OK - Primal Scream
Take Her Back - The Pigeon Detectives
Burn - Deep Purple
Mack The Knife - Frank Sinatra
Baggy Trousers - Madness
What A Day That Was - Talking Heads
Wild, Wild Life - Talking Heads
Laser Love T-Rex
Hate To Say I Told You So - The Hives
(All I Wanted Was) Danger - The Milk
Egyptian Reggae - Jonathan Richman And The Modern Lovers