Turin Brakes

A posting about a band that are very much still with us but one of my favourite bands. Olly and Gale produce some wonderful acoustic edged pop songs.

Their debut album 'The Optimist LP' came out in 2001 and is in my Top 10 of all time and contains some classic songs in 'The Door', 'Underdog (Save Me)', 'Emergency 72' in fact each of the 12 tracks on the disc. I first saw them at an acoustic only show at the Shepherds Bush Empire (probably my favourite venue for intimacy) where they played a wonderful show (supported by Ffion Regan who went on to make the Mercury Prize nominated 'The End of History' and is a regular support act every time I've seen them play).

I also saw them at a pretty special show at the London Palladium in 2005 which was then released on download a few days later. The were totally on form that night with some great acoustic versions of their songs including covers of the Red Hot Chili Peppers 'Breaking The Girl' and an impromtu jam of Survivor's 'Eye Of The Tiger'!! I kid you not. A downside from the show were the two girls who stood behind us yapping away for half the show paynig no attention to the music and more concerned with each others love lives. At one stage we had to turn round and tell them to shut the f*%k up or get out - why do people do that - pay good money to see a gig and then spend most of it just talking to their friends?! if you want to do that go down the pub.

Anyway here is a smattering of tracks from across their career including a few rarer items. I'd encourage you to enjoy and then go out and buy the bands latest album 'Dark On Fire'.

For more information:
Turin Brakes on Wikipedia
Turin Brakes Official Website

Essential Listening:
The Optimist LP
Dark On Fire

Pop Will Eat Itself

The Incredible PWEI! (or Pop Will Eat Itself or even The Poppies!)

OK, so I lied. I posted the files a couple of weeks ago and then didn't have time to add all the other stuff around it. Let's try again though.



I can't remember how I first got into the Poppies but it was many years ago when I was at school and just starting to get into the more 'alternative' bands having previously been a follower of Duran Duran and Five Star (I can't believe I've just admitted to that in such an open way). I have a vivid memory of borrowing a tape from a school friend (Andrew Little) which had the debut album's from The Wonderstuff and The Stone Roses on it (at the time I thought the Roses album was shit - that soon changed). In return I know that I offered the first PWEI album that I had which was 'This is the day...' and I have a feeling that it was one where I just took a punt on it as I was experimenting with new music and never looked back from there. At that time the Poppies had moved on to a major label after spending their early years in the West Midlands 'Grebo' scene. I think I first heard of them through The Chart Show on ITV when Beaver Patrol was released and was just listed in their Indie Top10 but there was no video and they had to be careful to not play too much of the song with its lovely PC lyrics. 'This is the day....' was a big step forward and brought with it not only wild guitars, breaks, samples and catchy lyrics but also some great images and designs courtesy of the Design Republic. In fact PWEI were part of the breed of bands at the time who probably sold more T-shirts than records (other examples being Carter, Neds etc.)







I only saw them live once but what a gig it was. Live at The Marquee in London (legendary venue) - a small venue, packed to the rafters, the gig certainly wore ni my leather jacket and I was soaked to the skin by the end. I think they were supported by Yeah God (and the lead guitarist 'The Buzzard' smashed his guitar to pieces at the end of the set) and TAD (and Tad himself threatened to crowd surf during his set and for those of you who remember TAD he was not a small chap!.

Follow up album 'A Cure For Sanity' increased the dance/beats element and reduced the guitars but was still something special. However I think their best stuff was certainly from the 'This is the day...' era where apart from the obvious standout singles (Wise Up Sucker, Can U Dig It?) there was some great album tracks and then my favourite piece of vinyl ever was the 'Very Metal Noise Pollution EP' shaped picture disc pictured here which also featured some of their best tracks 'PWEIzation' and 'Preaching to the Perverted'.



The band broke up in '96 with the most famous offshoot being when Richard March and Mike Stokes formed 'Bentley Rhythm Ace'. Most of the stuff I had from the Poppies was on vinyl (inc. the multi-formatted singles that record companies churned out at the time) so its been great to rediscover a lot of the albums by getting digital versions from Blogs.

For more information:
PWEI on Wikipedia
PWEInation

Essential Listening:
PWEI Product 1986-1994: The Pop Will Eat Itself Anthology
This Is the Day...This Is the Hour...This Is This!

Radiohead - without peers

I'll start off with just a bit of comment.

So just a couple of weeks after releasing yet another stunning album (yes I love them all, even the one's after OK Computer) Radiohead held one of their webcasts on Friday night with some great footage including live versions of some of the tracks from 'In Rainbows' (if you haven't already bought it - for whatever price, don't download it for free from a blog get the real deal from the band) with live versions of Reckoner, Bodysnatchers and Faust Arp but they also perform some great new cover versions with The Smiths 'Headmaster Ritual' and Joy Division's 'Ceremony'.

THIS is a great band making music the way THEY want to make it, releasing it the way THEY want to release it and promoting it the way THEY want. They are truly without any peers.

Geneva

Geneva, the band with a lead singer possessing the voice of an Angel. Andrew Montgomery (he of said voice) and bandmates formed Geneva in 1992. Their debut single 'No One Speaks' began to make waves in the music press (mainly due to Andrew's voice and the rich melodies of the song). I got hold of the single and then saw them play at some small gig in Bristol (which probably would have been the Fleece & Firkin. They quickly became one of my favourite bands and in a similar vein to Embrace (see other posting on this blog) I started to create a website dedicated to them. Through this I met many Geneva fans and even got name checked in a letter to one of the other guys from Andrew.

Debut album 'Further' was a classy piece of work and also contained the singles 'Into The Blue' and 'Tranquilizer'. The follow up 'Weather Underground' maintained the quality and infact the soundscapes were even more spectacular with influences from outer space in particular with 'Dollars in the Heavens' and 'Rockets Over California'. Sadly the second album was not so commercially successful and shortly after the band split.

From there a few post-Geneva bands were formed notably Amityville who released, the now very rare, Pacific Radio Fire EP which contained Andrew's trademark vocals. Andrew now forms part of St Famous. 69 Corp and The High Wire also follow in the footsteps of Geneva.

For more information:
Geneva on Wikipedia
A Place In The Sun - A Geneva Archive
St Famous on MySpace
69 Corp on MySpace
The High Wire on MySpace


Essential Listening:
Further
Weather Underground

Carter the Unstoppable Sex Machine

I was going to do something else next but after seeing Kurt's request its time for a look back at the output of Jimbob and Fruitbat.


A very simple concept: 2 guitars and a tape machine but one of the liveliest pairings on the circuit. The traditional start to the gig was when the band's lighting engineer and compere Jon Beast would take to the stage to introduce the band. Now Mr Beast was no slight fellow and used to take to the stage without a shirt and so the legend "You Fat Bastard" began as highlighted at the start of 'Surfin' USM' on the '30 Something' album.

I think I probably saw Carter a handful of times. The two gigs that stick out in my mind were from two slightly different times. The first was a Christmas Party style Gig at the Old Trout, Windsor which was probably after '101 Damnations' had come out but pre-30 Something. It was another hot and sweaty one and I remember ending up sitting on the stage during the last few songs (this was before the Old Trout got a bit more organised, and the Health and Safety people had stepped in, in order to erect a crash barrier in front of the stage). The second was a much larger gig at Slough College (now called, Thames Valley Poly or something similar). It was after the '30 Something' album came out and there was a much larger crowd. There were no doubt times when the tape machine played up but it was a fab gig.

The thing that I loved about Carter was probably the one thing that annoys many and that is how catchy the music is how clever the lyrics. Shouty, sing along chorus' are the order of the day and Jimbob's standard approach is to take an everyday phrase and then tweak it to fit with the lyrics of the song. The song titles 'Taking of Peckham 123' and 'Sealed With A Glasgow Kiss' are just two examples of this and you haven't even got into the actual lyrics. The band also did some great cover versions. The first notable one was the Pet Shop Boys 'Rent' which was on the b-side of Rubbish but my favourite was the Inspiral Carpets 'This Is How It Feels' which is so much better than the original (and that was pretty good).

Perhaps seen by many as a throw away band I still love 'em.

For more information:
Carter USM on Wikipedia
The Official Carter Website

Essential Listening:
30 Something
You Fat Bastard

Embrace

These guys were probably one of the first bands that I got a bit more involved with. I first got into them about the time when they released their first single 'All You Good Good People' on Fierce Panda and I saw them as part of what I think was the NME Carling Premier tour in 1997 (which possibly had the Longpigs and Travis on the bill).

Anyway, I thought they were great and at the time I was doing my PhD in Bristol and was spending a lot of time working with computers and this was when I first got into using the internet. I eventually started to put together what turned out to be (I believe) the very first Embrace fansite just about the time when the other McNamara brother J was putting together the first official site. It was nothing special but it got a lot of attention including (from what I remember) a mention in Q magazine! It was a great time and there was a nice small community using the web in its early days and I had great fun updating the website. The first proper release was the Fireworks EP and it was absolutely amazing. A couple more singles and then an album 'The Good Will Out' followed on from that and with every release they set their sights high (to steal from one of their lyrics). I really loved the slow, acoustic ballads but they could do massive torch songs too which were quite wonderful.

After leaving Uni I didn't keep up the website but I kept listenig and buynig the music although in my eyes (and ears) nothing quite matched that first album. They've now released five albums and I think the last one 'This New Day' was a real return to form. The band's official website is well put together but what slightly disappointed me when researching some facts for this piece is how poor the quality of fansites is out their for the band.

For more information:
Embrace on Wikipedia
The Official Embrace Website

Essential Listening:
The Good Will Out
Fireworks: The Singles 1997 - 2002

The changing face of the music business

Two announcements today have probably made people sit up and take notice of the changing times that the music business is going through. First there was the announcement that The Charlatans' next album (due out next year) will be available to download for free from the XFM website. Then the biggest news of the day is that the new Radiohead album, called 'In Rainbows' (not sure about that one yet lads), will be released next week (10th October) and only available via the WASTE website. Not only will it be download only for the moment, but there will also be a physical version available later in the year (with a second CD of songs, the album in heavyweight vinyl and some stunning artwork from Mr Donwood) but then you can also decide how much you want to pay for the download!!!!
Now thats a radical move - nice one Radiohead. I can certainly see where they are coming from. A comment from Alan McGee (who is apparently manager of the Charlie Twins these days) "The band will get paid by more people coming to gigs, buying merchandise, publishing and sync fees. I believe it's the future business model".
Is the whole industry starting to change? I am sure a lot of music biz types will have their eyes/ears open waiting to see what happens.


How nice is the packaging for the special edition of 'In Rainbows'

The Wonder Stuff

Ah yes, The Stuffies. I only ever saw them live once at the Brixton Academy in 1990 which according to Room512.com was on the 21st August (I know that mainly because Janes Addiction were in support and had replaced the Ned's from the support slot for which I was pissed off with them and then they were totally c&*p anyway).
I first heard '8 Legged Groove Machine' on a tape I got from a friend at school which had 'The Stone Roses' on the other side - I wasn't sure about the Roses at the time. They soon became my favourite band of my school days and they provided some wonderful albums. I remember now getting 'Hup' on its first day of release and I also bought Jesus Jones' debut album the same day. What I think I liked best was the attitude from Miles Hunt and then also the pop songs with catchy lyrics and especially the fiddle parts from 'Fiddly' from 'Elvis' onwards.
At Uni when I first got into using the internet and email I was part of The Stuffies email list and managed to get hold of some great rare stuff, unfortunately most of which is now on tape and I don't have a way of playing. One of the best tapes came from Russ Hunt (Miles' Brother) who produced a tape with solo stuff and various rare tracks - thanks Russ if you happen to come across this.



I was thinking about what sort of things I wanted to put on this page and I settled on three songs. Firstly there's an early track from the 'Eight Legged Groove Machine' LP and then one of my absolute favourites 'Sing The Absurb' which is from the 'Construction For The Modern Idiot' album (their last proper album before the first ending of the band). In this acoustic radio performance from the 'Love Bites & Bruises' album its perhaps their finest moment in my eyes. In the same acoustic mode 'Can't Shape Up, Again' is the companion piece to 'Can't Shape Up' from 'Hup' and works great if you play the first followed by the second. Then finally 'Just Helicopters' which was a B-sides on the 'Hot Love Now' E.P. collection and one of their best later tunes.
Enjoy.

For more information:
The Wonder Stuff on Wikipedia
Room 512 - An Unofficial Wonderstuff Fansite

Essential Listening:
Never Loved Elvis
Love Bites & Bruises

Thousand Yard Stare

Thousand Yard Stare were probably the biggest local band around when I was growing up in Windsor. I think I first heard about them listening to Gary Crowley on BBC Radio London (or whatever it was called at the time). He had a show on Sunday afternoons and I used to try and do my homework listening to the latest music that you couldn't really hear anywhere else. TYS were a band based in Slough and as the biggest local music venue was the Old Trout they made the trip over to Windsor on a fairly regular basis. I can't remember exactly when I first saw them live but I have got a feeling it was Christmas 1990 (referring to the aforementioned Old Trout website). Their first E.P. was released earlier that year and had got a lot of attention with the lead track Weatherwatching. They then went on to release the Keepsake E.P. with lead track Buttermouth the following year. The big time (if there was ever a big time) came with their next release (the Seasonstream E.P.) with lead track No Score After Extra Time (or 0-0 a.e.t. as its also known). A classic piece of pop with a little help from Martin 'Fiddly' Bell from The Wonderstuff (I will definitely write something about them in the future). 0-0 a.e.t. even made it into the charts and on to many pages of the NME and the like.

Debut album 'Hands On' followed which I have just this week got from ebay in order to replace my original vinyl version. The most memorable gigs I remember are probably the two biggest that they played. Firstly there was the scorching hot afternoon at Glastonbury in 1992 where they were on the second stage and I seem to remember the small but excited crowd down the front going mad to all their greatest songs and then there was perhaps their biggest gig at what turned out to remembered at the 'Shoegazing Festival' - Slough Festival in Wexham Park July 1991 (according to a quick Google search). As the name suggested the rest of the line up included all the bands from that particular genre of music (including a wonderful headline set from Ride) but ofcourse as a homecoming gig it was always going to be the big one for TYS.

A second album 'Mappamundi' followed but TYS never really managed to continue their success and disappeared in 1993.

I'd like to say thanks to Stephen, Sean, Dominic, Giles and Kevin wherever you are these days. It was a great time of my musical life that I look back on with much pleasure.


For further information:
Thousand Yard Stare on Wikipedia
Whatever happened to..... TYS

Essential Listening:
Hands On

Ah well....

Ah well, my grand plans for writign a regular blog go up in smoke right from the off. I'll keep at it though and try to post a few musings every now and again and include some rare slices of music that mainly appear to be missing (or hidden) on the web. Lets give it another go.

In the beginning...

I thought I'd start with the reason for the name of this blog. Well once upon a time I grew up in Windsor and in my youth there was one big influence on my musical development and that was the Old Trout (now turned into a Brown's) which hosted some seminal gigs by local and more famous bands (more of later.....). Called the Psykick (sic) Dance Hall it also hosted a few indie disco's which were latterly called Psykick Dance Nights but I'm pretty sure they started out life as Disclocation with DJ's Sean and Steve from local indie heroes 'Thousand Yard Stare' (again, more of them in a later posting). So this is my tribute to that era and of all the music I've enjoyed since.
There is a wonderfully nostalgic look back at the Old Trout on this website put together by Mike Bennett.