Friday, February 28, 2003
|
 Punish Britney For Murdering Pop
Thanks to Skrufff newsletter for alerting us to this simple but great game |
| [posted in Bondi :: at 23:11] |
Bill Drummond To Silence War
Bill Drummond, with the help of Rough Trade intends to use silence to stop the war.
And on Friday 7th March - 4pm at the Rough Trade Shop, 16 Neals Yard, Covent Garden he'll be giving a 30 minute presentation on how he'll be doing it
Best of luck Bill... |
| [posted in Bondi :: at 22:54] |
Pennies From Heaven (via Lagos)
Seems that here at the 12 Apostles our money worries could all be over....
A Mrs Christiana Alamin ("a widow to Late Sheik Mohammed Alamin") from Nigeria (spiritual home of the email scam) is able to offer our "Ministry" the princely sum of "$10,000,000.00 Million US Dollars" to help with our good works. All we have to do is provide all our bank details, promise not to spend the money on ourselves and the loot is ours... Whilst she awaits our reply Mrs A. tells us that she is busy praying over our website - which is nice. |
| [posted in Bow :: at 08:38] |
Thursday, February 27, 2003
|
Shop ‘til you drop
Always on the look out for some intellectual stimulation I happened on new magazine Word. Sadly not the Word as then that would allow me to make a series of poor jokes about yoof TV and wonder aloud whatever happened to the Tyneside diva Hufty?
No, Word is a new magazine venture that looks not dissimilar to Q, Mojo, Uncut, et al. It seeks to answer that timeless questions “What happens to NME writers when they’re too old to be down with da kids?” The answer being that they set up a magazine that seeks to resolve another timeless quandary of “What’s there to read when you’re no longer one of the da kids?”
I can never be too critical of a magazine that includes interviews with both Neil Tennant and John Peel. In fact if there are any publishers who would like to publish a monthly compilation of their musings I would happily subscribe. But essentially Word is just a glossy repackaging of most of the stuff you never get round to reading in the Sunday papers.
But in the end what I find so objectionable about the whole project is the Word of Mouth feature where various C-List celebs advise us the latest records, books, DVDs and gadgets they've purchased. The message is clear. In the end we can never aspire to be anything more than passive consumers. I shop therefore I am. Where Gramsci once saw that the factory would be centre of hegemonic power now we have the shopping mall. Avoid.
|
| [posted in Lancashire :: at 08:17] |
Slight Return ... I Wish
Sometimes you just need Jimi to come back ... he tells it like it is |
| [posted in Bondi :: at 06:17] |
Wednesday, February 26, 2003
|
Loneliness of the Long Distance Tour
Here at the 12 we've received an email from Popgun records about the upcoming tour of one of their bands, The Invisibles who are doing a jaunt around parts of the US.
I don't know about you dear reader but I found the following to be intensely depressing. Imagine being a band called The Invisibles with the following itinerary ahead of you.
01/3 Pittsburgh, PA 31st St. Pub
03/3 New York, NY Don Hills
04/3 Clifton, New Jersey Connections
06/3 Richmond, VA 929 Cafe
07/3 Louisville, KT Headliners w/ Oxes
08/3 Spartanburg, SC Ground Zero
11/3 New Orleans Dixie Tavern
12/3 San Marcos, TX Triple Crown
To add to that they have to support a band called Brothers of Conquest
We feel so sorry for them that we suggest you support them by buying their records here
PS. We have no idea what they sound like |
| [posted in Bondi :: at 06:50] |
Eat My Body, Drink My Blood
Yes it's here at last - the What Would Jesus Eat Cookbook. How could you live without it?
Especially when we learn that the author Dan Colbert has also written the following great reads - The Bible Cure for Cancer, as well as for Diabetes, Stress & Lung Cancer. We warned the other Apostles about the death sticks, but not they had to travel the ancient world spreading the word of Marlboro.
Our favourite though is the Bible Cure for Weight Loss & Muscle Gain. We're presuming the former means finding a desert and fasting for a while and the latter..... nothing better than lugging a cross through the back streets of your own city for half a day or so to tone those abs.
|
| [posted in Bondi :: at 04:16] |
Tuesday, February 25, 2003
|
First Great Album of 2003
Cat Power has moved to London and produced what this Apostle thinks is this year's best album so far.
You Are Free adds a bit more depth than her past outings and is a perfect joy to listen to over and over again.
Forget the likes of Beth Orton and her over-produced west coast pap.... this is the real stuff.
Great artwork on the CD as well. |
| [posted in Bondi :: at 06:52] |
Monday, February 24, 2003
|
A Right Royal Frock-up
Now she might not be the Queen of your heart, but - hey - for some she lives on. The 12 Apostles only have to see those archive photos of Diana in Versace to break into a rendition of Diana, You've Got Style. For this track and the others, which together recreate the full story of Princess Diana's life set to music, look no further than Princess Diana, the Musical. From the toe-tapping opener Everything Happens at Buckingham Palace to He's Such a Man and the heart-rending Charles, I Need Help, Please, it's all there. No mention of the classic Me and Martin Bashir, though. |
| [posted in Marylebone :: at 18:02] |
Sunday, February 23, 2003
|
Not Just The Ticket
Here at the Apostles we've long been aware that the world is in fact split into two kinds of people: those who keep their old gig tickets and those that don't. If you fall into the former faction, and have been wondering what to do with all those magical musical mementos stockpiled in the shoebox under your bed, help is at hand. Ticketstubs is amassing an on-line archive of old tickets and the stories of why they ended up in all those shoeboxes.
Amongst the ones that caught our eye are the accounts of a trip to see the Go-Go's (supported by Flock of Seagulls) in 1982, a drug-fuelled trip to see AC/DC in 1996, a contemplative outing to see Suede at the Paradiso in 2002, and a cancelled Beach Boys show the day after JFK was shot 1963. |
| [posted in Bow :: at 08:47] |
Saturday, February 22, 2003
|
Everybody Sing it - DSICO
A quick shout for Sydney's own mash up bastard pop types who are doing a free night this coming Wednesday. Yes it's free... very refreshing indeed to see people working outside the standard club fare... reminds this apostle of his days in Brighton in the early eighties where you wouldn't go unless it was free.
Dsico plays Sinistra on Wednesday 5th March,
Sinistra
from 8pm @ Detour Bar - Douglas Street Sydney.
(behind 'La Campana' on Liverpool st)
Twisted Electro-Pop-Rock-Tronic
Free Entry!!
Check our links page for his site - with downloads... electro Ramones mash up is the latest tip |
| [posted in Bondi :: at 01:31] |
One Nation Under God: Wear It
US site with top ten t-shirt charts ... most are pretty sad but the saddest is the Religious List
Don't worry there's a new range of 12 apostles t-shirts due soon |
| [posted in Bondi :: at 01:26] |
Friday, February 21, 2003
|
Anti-War CD
Bondi apostle was a bit worried by the concept of a Peace Not War cd.
But the track listing has to somewhat admired. In there with the likes of Ms Dynamite, Billy Bragg & Massive Attack we've also got Crass's classic Nagasaki Nightmare and something by Tariq Ali remixed by Dub Foundation and the Un People - John Pilger Remix
I presume this means we'll soon see a Noam Chomsky 4 to the floor mix but not the Christopher Hitchens , Orwell Dub Mix |
| [posted in Bondi :: at 01:47] |
Tuesday, February 18, 2003
|
Play that Spooky Music
This Apostle - a fan of spooky music - noted that the recent RCA Theremin listed on eBay sold for $6,200.00. If you're one of the "music from the ether" fans for whom that's out of reach, you could splash out a more modest $399 on a cool Big Briar Etherwave Theremin Kit . Those who are more financially challenged could dream of being a top theremin player by reading Clara Rockmore's Method for Theremin for free, and downloading a Virtual Theremin. Definitely not for purists.
|
| [posted in Marylebone :: at 17:13] |
Sunday, February 16, 2003
|
Rock The Goat
If you're a fan of our four-hooved friend and are planning a disgoatheque, don't forget to spin those classic tracks Goatbusters, Blue Goat Shoes and - our favourite - Goat Riders in the Sky .........
Their brands were still on fire / And their hooves were made of steel
Their horns were black and shiny / And their hot breath he could feel
A bolt of fear shot through him / As they thundered through the sky
For he saw the riders comin' hard / And he heard their mournful cry:
Yippee-yi-ay! / Yippee-yi-oh! / Goat riders in the sky
.... Play that funky music goatboy......
|
| [posted in Marylebone :: at 20:39] |
Turning rebellion into … luxury two bed apartments
The reinvention of Manchester continues a pace and for once we are not talking about gorgeous driven beats of Interpol’s Turn on the Bright Lights.
News that the Haçienda is being turned into luxury flats left this Apostle not a little fed up that a city that had so successfully recreated its image on the back of the creativity of the city’s music scene was happy to see its history being flogged off to private developers. But hey, this is New Britain and that’s not going to get us anywhere is it?
So let’s start the write-in campaign now … at the very least the apartments in the block should be given FAC catalogue numbers, property owners should have it written into their contracts of sale that they have to play eclectic club beats until three in the morning on Fridays and Saturdays whilst playing inappropriate black and white films on their TVs. And our final, minimal, demand is that the lift music should be the Durutti Column back catalogue.
If that doesn’t work – we’ll have to send Bez round with his maracas.
|
| [posted in Lancashire :: at 18:22] |
Saturday, February 15, 2003
|
Go-Between Wants To Become Go-Between
Flicking through our local mag this week Bondi apostle notes that former Go-Between Drummer, Lindy Morrison, is standing in the forthcoming NSW elections as a Democrat (UK readers think Lib Dems, USA readers think radical leftie)
Good luck to her we say - her early years in Q'land under joh should serve her right. |
| [posted in Bondi :: at 23:16] |
Friday, February 14, 2003
|
Jailhouse Rock
Reuters have reported that inmates do not have a constitutional right to play electric guitar in federal prison, a U.S. appeals court ruled this week
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit upheld a ban on guitars, keyboards or other electronic instruments for federal prisoners, ruling it does not violate their constitutional right to express themselves musically.
By a 2-1 vote, the panel upheld the rationale by the U.S. Bureau of Prisons for the ban and rejected a challenge by inmates Brett Kimberlin and Darrell Rice, who wanted to play electric guitars at a federal prison in Cumberland, Maryland.
In 1995, before the ban went into effect, the only instrument allowed in the Cumberland prison was the harmonica, but inmates who already had a guitar or electronic keyboard were allowed to keep them. |
| [posted in Bondi :: at 00:17] |
Thursday, February 13, 2003
|
The Six Strings That Drew Digital Blood
Ever keen to remain the axe of choice amongst string benders the guys at Gibson have been working on what they claim is the first ever digital guitar. Apparently the instrument's development has been over-seen by a Gibson off-shoot know as the Guitar Innovation Group (GIG) and is under-pinned by a bit of technology know as Media-accelerated Global Information Carrier (MaGIC) - which strikes us as an acronym too far...
Rather than relying on the vagaries of the traditional analogue-pickup-and-cable-to-amplifier route, the new guitar converts the input into a digital signal and shoves it out via a network cable. Using this level of signal processing means that each string can be individually set (and recorded) for volume, tone, distortion, equalization and whole lot more. Exciting stuff indeed, but will it lead to the spectacle of the Rick Wakemanesque guitarist frantically manipulating a myriad of knobs and dials to attain that perfect solo? |
| [posted in Bow :: at 13:54] |
Wednesday, February 12, 2003
|
Get That Indian Sound
Want that big Bollywood sound on your next disc, visit Indian Music.
They'll direct you to orchestras for hire, recording studios and most importantly cassette manfacturers .
There's also an MP3 search .. we presume for all the latest in Hindi pop and raja ragga. |
| [posted in Bondi :: at 22:52] |
Top of the Pops
Although somewhat mainstream this is a fun place to drop in every now and then if you need to know what's hot in Denmark or in the R'n"B world.
Ok.. so they don't have the Bangladesh, indie charts , but don't worry we're working on that here at the apostles.
Check Top 40.com
|
| [posted in Bondi :: at 22:45] |
We Bring America To The Troops Overseas
Good sampling spot US Army Broadcasting Service
This is a great page that links you to , Air Force Radio News, Navy News, Marine Corps News, Army Pentagon Newsbreak
Happy Sampling ! |
| [posted in Bondi :: at 22:39] |
(Slight Return)
Seems like Jimi Hendrix moved amongst us mortals once again only recently. Sadly though it was only for the time it took his remains to be transported from their former low-key resting place to a newly constructed memorial featuring a granite dome nearly 30 feet high supported by grey granite columns trimmed in "rainbow'' marble at Greenwood Memorial Park and Cemetery, Seattle. A life-size bronze sculpture of Hendrix is currently being made in Italy and will be installed under the dome so that visiting admirers of the original electric gypsy can have something to raise their lager cans to. |
| [posted in Bow :: at 20:02] |
That's The Way I Reich It
Bondi Apostle saw the works of the legendary Steve Reich at the Sydney Opera House last night.
The composer performed with other percussionists on his piece Drumming Pt 1 .
This apostle was also over-awed by Piano Phase/Video Phase and the shortest piece of the evening, Nagoya Marimbas.
The set (can we say set in this context?) also included the haunting and magical Different Trains
Who wants to sign the petition for Aphex Twin at the Opera House? |
| [posted in Bondi :: at 02:13] |
Tuesday, February 11, 2003
|
DAT's the way - - a-ha a-ha - - they like it
If you have any DAT machines kicking around your bedroom, please parcel them up pronto and send them to The Voice of Mongolia. The English service of Radio Ulaanbaatar, The Voice of Mongolia broadcasts 8 hours a day to countries across the globe. But because of restrictions on studio recording time, equipment obsolescence and economic difficulties in Mongolia, they have to repeat each programme on the following day (!) which makes for a strange radio schedule. If radio equipment is not your thing, support them by checking out their website and their fantastic rendition of the Mongolian National Anthem.
|
| [posted in Marylebone :: at 18:37] |
Monday, February 10, 2003
|
Music to Stop a War
Znet have compiled their top 50 anti-war songs.
At the apostles we applaud the idea although we doubt that a few nice anti-war songs will halt the mightiest military machine of history.
Our approach is slightly different ... we might as well listen to stuff that reminds us that it's happening around us.
Bondi apostle recommends.
Fresh Fruit For Rotting Vegetables - Dead Kennedys
The music may sound a little dated but the sentiments are very current with songs such as Kill the Poor and Chemical Warfare
Mezzanine - Massive Attack
Always felt to this apostle like the sound of Europe and the Balkans falling apart in the late nineties, equally applicable now.. probably more so than their latest album which the promo tells us is coming out soon
Stooges - The Stooges
1968-9 - angry white young men, friends dying in a war overseas, punk blues from detroit etc etc. umm.. has the world changed at all |
| [posted in Bondi :: at 03:09] |
Womad Goes to Bagdad
If only the world were so simple and music could make us all love one another.
We learn from this article that Saddam is a big fan of world music and especially the music of South Africa... which explains eventually to this apostle why Mr Mandela is so keen to broker peace.
Is it because the best south african music collection in the middle east would be destroyed and replaced by the like of Britney and Justin Timberlake. |
| [posted in Bondi :: at 02:54] |
Friday, February 07, 2003
|
Nepal - Hot bed of the Holy Rollers?
12 Apostles have been watching a religious change going on in Nepal, which has one of the fastest-growing Christian populations in Asia’s 51 countries. From 15,000 Christians in 1970 the holy word has spread and there are now an estimated 600,000 Christians. Nepal News reports a growing trend of Christian-wannabes gathering "holding a thick book of Bible", squatting on the floor and singing, "...kahile napharkane, kahile napharkane nirnaya hami gardachhaun" ("We decide never to return again"). |
| [posted in Marylebone :: at 15:33] |
Mad about Pashto
Kabul here we come. Send postcards to your mates from the Afghan capital, play fun and games, listen to Afghanistan's top 40 online, and learn everything you needed to know about the Dhol, the Zerbaghali and the Robab, this Apostle's current favourite radio destination has to be Radio Afghanistan where "songs never get old, only get better with time."
|
| [posted in Marylebone :: at 12:27] |
Wednesday, February 05, 2003
|
Hollywood Rock Nutters: Pt 3798
As reported on 12 apostles, Phil Spector is an alleged murderer, Moonwalk boy is off his trolley and now Courtney Love has to get in on the act by doing the most unoriginal rock star act after trashing a hotel room..
Yes she got herself arrested after causing grief up in first class after an obviously emotional trans-atlantic flight.
I mean Liam's done it, even Peter Buck's been hauled up for aero-rage.
Come on Courtney it's all a bit sad isn't it.
If you can be bothered to read about it it's all here at the BBC |
| [posted in Bondi :: at 06:35] |
Tuesday, February 04, 2003
|
Thriller!
54% of UK TV viewers (14 million people) tuned in to see the Michael Jackson documentary on British TV last night. But talk of children, beating, noses, spots, surrogate mothers, fairground rides and climbing trees wasn't enough to beat the doe-eyed Princess Diana whose appearance by the side of the same Martin Bashir pulled nearly 23 million Brits - 74% of viewers - when it was screened in 1995. Diana's moonwalk wasn't nearly as good, though. |
| [posted in Marylebone :: at 11:08] |
Monday, February 03, 2003
|
Walls All Around Rather Than Sound
All the major news orgs and wires are carrying the story that Phil Spector has been charged with murder after a woman was found shot dead at a house in Los Angeles.
"He has been charged with first-degree murder. Bail has been set at $1m," an officer at the Los Angeles Inmate Information service told BBC News Online.
It's reported that the 62-year-old producer was arrested at about 0500 (1300 GMT) on Monday at a house in the suburb of Alhambra and that the body of a woman was found at the scene. The name of the woman has not yet been released, as police need to first inform her relatives.
|
| [posted in Bondi :: at 22:44] |
Sunday, February 02, 2003
|
The Man From Uncool
Here at The 12 Apostles we are always keen to compare notes with other like-minded souls so have recently been much enjoying This is Uncool by Gary Mullholand - a book dealing with what he considers to be the 500 greatest singles since punk and disco. The author's definition of what is uncool (as opposed to not cool) is centred round the unquestionable logic that 'anything that global corporations, the print media (particularly anything that sells itself as alternative), yoof broadcasters and advertisers tell you is cool is evidently not cool' - a credo that we are more than happy to agreed with.
The accompanying web site lists the 500 singles in question on a year by year basis (from 1976/77 to 1999) and also allows features Mullholland's latest thoughts on current examples of uncoolness, interviews and the chance to vote for your favourites drawn from sub sections of the list. The list itself is suitably diverse and contains a great many 12 Apostles favourites (particularly in the earlier years) though is perhaps a little to over-populated with the works of The Pet Shop Boys for my tastes... |
| [posted in Bow :: at 11:51] |
