Sunday, November 30, 2003     Hip Hop - Don't Stop London's newest watering hole, come gallery space, come studio The Hospital is currently staging Yes Yes Y'all - an impressive exhibition chronicling the roots of hip hop. In the thirty years since the likes of Grandmaster Flash, DJ Kool Herc, Afrika Bambaataa and Grand Wizard Theodore laid out the blueprint, hip hop has become steadily co-opted into the mainstream and it is refreshing to see its original pioneering spirit and enthusiasm being celebrated. The exhibition traces hip hop from its ramshackle beginnings in 1973 via key moments such as the release of the Sugarhill Gang's "Rapper's Delight", and culminates with the rise of Run-DMC and their mass market success. As well as a wealth of photos and commentary there is also a selection of 'proto-bling' costumes in case anyone needs reminding that that hip hop wasn't always about trainers and prison chic. For those that can't make it to the exhibition there are a selection of interesting interviews and an excellent timeline on the website.       [posted in Bow :: at 19:09]   Wednesday, November 26, 2003     I'm Not So Bored With The USA We had to give a quick shout out to New York's alt radio station WFMU because they've been playing the DSICO Punk As Pussy 12" and we love them because of it. But as they say ... that's not all. For you trainspotters out there this apostle suggests you trawl through their playlists.. endless examples of obscure and unobtainable music that will make you drool and scheme of ways to sell your granny to get hold of that track that you never knew you always wanted.       [posted in Bondi :: at 04:35]     Kash-ing In London club of the moment Kashpoint are about to unleash their musical taste on the world via their first compilation CD. This apostle enjoys the refreshing taste of a club based comp cd that hasn't been remixed, beat mixed or any other form of mixed... instead we get the songs, (yes I did say songs) that are played at the club. Variety is the name of the game here with some drama and plenty of glamour... stand out tunes for this apostle are , The White Sport's wonderful Scag Lover... about time we had more pop songs about heroin again. Also I can't go past Kino's Blah Blah Blah and the Breakfasterz take on the Clash's London's Burning. The apostles say boycott the likes of Back To Mine, any Ministry comp and those endless faux Parisien spiritual soundtracks to nothing; and instead embrace the here and now with the Kashpoint comp.       [posted in Bondi :: at 04:10]     DSICO Relaxes DSICO who you should all know by now is releasing his ltd edition Punk As Pussy 12" on the 12 apostles has also knocked up a twisted version of Frankie Goes To Hollywood's Relax which should be out soon on Manchester's V/VM Test Recordings. Here's their website if you want to learn more       [posted in Bondi :: at 04:06]   Monday, November 24, 2003     Australian Record Industry Gains Convictions On Student File Sharing Charges If you're australian and into your music .. you'll already know about this conviction handed down last week to 3 sydney students. For others here's the story and background in a Sydney Morning Herald article What we want to know is... is the music industry whiter than white.... has nobody at a major record label ever downloaded and/ or shared music files ? The apostles doubt it...       [posted in Bondi :: at 08:44]   Sunday, November 23, 2003     King Gets Queened As if The King of Pop didn't have enough troubles, he is now Under Pressure over at Go Home Productions.       [posted in Bow :: at 17:53]   Wednesday, November 19, 2003     Good News ... Record Industry To Carry On losing Money Nothing makes us happier at the Apostles than learning that the overweight, overcoked, oversad music industry is losing money hand over fist. That'll teach you for foisting lame crap arsed pop/r'n'b acts on us who do bad cover versions of songs from past decades. A report released by the Informa publishing group this week says and we quote with pleasure There will not be a recovery in the music industry for the next two years, a new report from London-based research firm Informa Media Group says. The research company said that the value of global music sales would drop to USD28.2 billion this year from USD30.9 billion in 2002. By 2004, the figure will be USD28 billion but in 2005 a recovery will begin after new Internet music services begin to take hold The apostles say ... hopefully by 2005.. there'll be another new technology to confuse & upset them.       [posted in Bondi :: at 01:33]     Mel Rocks Ok we haven't had a religious themed blog for quite some time now... but as soon as we heard that they'd leaked a trailer of Mel's new movie the Passion we thought being the 12 Apostles we couldn't not let you know. See the clip here in quicktime. All the playas are here... Mary, Pontius, a nail, the cross and plenty of blood. The 12 won't enter into the argument about anti-semitism in the movie as we haven't seen it.. but we can't wait to see a film in aramaic       [posted in Bondi :: at 00:57]   Tuesday, November 18, 2003     People Like Us - It's All Free One of Bondi Apostle's favourite albums of 2003 has to be the People Like Us / Matmos / Wobbly live collaboration Wide Open Spaces which as we've said before is the KLF chill album updated ... with a bit of 21st century didgital trickery thrown in. Well.. now you don't have to search high and low for this and other People Like Us cut uppery because she's gone and put her entire back catalogue online ready to be downloaded by the likes of you and me.       [posted in Bondi :: at 05:36]   Monday, November 17, 2003     Recording Industry Using Music Download Info As Marketing Tool This industry must really sup with the devil -- Whilst decrying downloads as the font of all evil the industry it has been revealed in this Assoc Press story isn't averse to using companies who have download monitoring software to see who's downloading what: not just to prosecute 12 year old girls but also to gain marketing information to sell more product back to them. and yes.. we use the word product because that's what they are selling..... art, music, life etc won't be featuring in their pea brained imaginations. Anti-corporate rant now over.....       [posted in Bondi :: at 23:54]     Washington Apostle Sees The Light The Darkness at Fletcher’s, Baltimore, Nov 16, 2003 Lowestoft’s finest rock band and East Anglia’s biggest export since Greene King Ale opened shop in 1086 arrived in the USA last night. And when you’re kicking off an attempt to conquer America with a handful of introductory dates in key select markets after laying waste to your native country, what’s the obvious launching pad? Why, tiny Fletcher’s in Baltimore, of course. The Darkness have achieved the almost-impossible – a full-on retro rock act complete with garments on loan from the Freddie Mercury ‘70s collection that has taken the notoriously rockophobic British charts by storm and turned the band into a virtual overnight sensation back home. The acclaim is well warranted, because The Darkness combine great songs with technical proficiency and a campy stage act that reinjects a badly needed irrepressible sense of fun and entertainment back into rock. Like Jack Black in "School of Rock" and his musical side project Tenacious D, The Darkness both celebrate and send up rock. They clearly live and breathe the form, but recognize the inherent silliness of its excesses and have fun affectionately mocking them. The band’s unselfconscious joy at rocking out is utterly infectious and revelatory after the thoroughly self-conscious, po-faced drudgery of grunge and nu metal. Frontman Justin Hawkins embodies this spirit with his falsetto, his vintage stage persona recalling his illustrious predecessors in the annals of rock (including David Lee Rothesque acrobatics – risky in Fletcher’s close confines – and culminating in being carried aloft through the crowd while furiously soloing away in an obvious homage to AC/DC’s Angus Young), and not least in his superb musicianship. Justin is not only a performer of rare rock charisma these days; he’s also as technically accomplished a guitarist as you’ll see on the current rock circuit. Well, I suppose practicing scales is as good a way of whiling away those dull, rockless, rural Suffolk days as any. Likewise, Justin’s brother Dan supplies the rhythmic riffing underpinning for the band’s sound flawlessly, bringing to mind AC/DC’s Malcolm Young both sonically and visually. Eschewing the usual campy arena garb in favor of a jeans ‘n’ t-shirt look for this gig (and what a resplendent glittery Thin Lizzy t-shirt it was), he mostly stands at the back nodding his head in time to the glorious riffs he pounds out to perfection, allowing his flamboyant sibling to run the show and chime in with powerchords and solos where necessary, and also occasionally proving he’s no slouch himself in the lead guitar department, particularly when he provides the harmony lead counterpoint to his brother in certain songs (the Thin Lizzy t-shirt was no coincidence then). If you love great riffs and loud guitars played about as well as they can be, the brothers Hawkins’ twin Les Paul assault is as good as it gets, and maybe the most inspiring and exciting version of this phenomenon since that other guitar-slinging sibling team of Angus and Malcolm Young burst on the scene with AC/DC in the mid-‘70s. Stage right, bassist Frankie Pouillan efficiently goes about his business while sporting the best Fu Manchu moustache seen on a bass player since Saxon’s Steve "Dobby" Dawson, and before him, Grand Funk’s Mel Schacher. The instrumental Gibson triumvirate is completed by Pouillan’s Thunderbird bass – still the coolest looking instrument of its type ever made, and great-sounding in capable hands, as on this occasion. Drummer Ed Graham goes relatively unnoticed, but doesn’t miss a beat and is as rock-solid a time-keeper as you’ll hear. Like all good drummers, he checks his ego and gives the music the simple, strong backbeat it demands without any unnecessary overplaying. Musically, the best way to describe The Darkness is to imagine equal parts vintage AC/DC and Def Leppard with a smattering of Thin Lizzy harmony guitars and Tiny Tim on vocals, and you’re almost there. Hitting the stage with a powerful instrumental is a great way to introduce the band to a new audience and get things rolling before The Darkness steamed into their hard rockin’ set culled mostly from debut album "Permission To Land." "Black Shuck," "Get Your Hands Off My Woman" (close your eyes and the high-pitched vocals render this almost a lesbian anthem), "Givin’ Up," "Friday Night," and "Love On The Rocks With No Ice," among others, all rock with joyous abandon. Current single "I Believe In A Thing Called Love" showcases the band’s knack for marrying great hard rock with almost absurdly catchy, poppy tunes. The sold-out audience reaction was enthusiastic bordering on ecstatic throughout, singing along and responding to the band’s exhortations to participate, suggesting that The Darkness already have a foothold in the U.S. market and that American audiences don’t have the problem with Justin’s falsetto I thought they might or that I do, although thankfully it bothered me less live than it does on record. But in truth, I can’t help thinking that this band would be one of the best rock bands I’ve ever heard but for the distraction of what I regard as the silly falsetto. Still, it doesn’t seem to be impeding the band’s progress so far – quite the contrary. A few technical difficulties cropped up during the set, particularly a loud buzz that plagued Justin’s guitar probably caused by a loose ground connection in part of his equipment, but to their credit the band soldiered through these routine opening day glitches like troupers and with utmost professionalism. Playing for just over an hour, The Darkness left the Fletcher’s crowd baying for more after a memorable set of invigorating, old-fashioned rock ‘n’ roll. No doubt the next time they come through the area, they’ll be playing much bigger venues better suited to their brand of retro arena rock, but this was a great chance to catch a band destined for big things on the ground floor and up close. So forget all the boy bands, pop tarts, pop idols, hip hoppers, and nu metal for manic depressives and put on your spandex loon pants and practice your falsetto, cos The Darkness are bringing back the rock. Hallelujah! Ed's Note... One day we're going to send Washington apostle off to see Missy Elliott.. to see if he wants to join us in the 21st century !       [posted in Bondi :: at 21:55]   Wednesday, November 12, 2003     Blacksmoke Regular users of the 12 will already know about our KLF obsession. Those of you who follow this sort of thing will know who blacksmoke and that the "organisation" has already created a small ripple in a teacup with the queen wears a gas mark stamp and the silent night mp3. Bondi apostle loves the blacksmoke site... more imagery bound to upset those who want to get upset, more streaming mp3's and plenty of dark stuff for dark times.       [posted in Bondi :: at 05:56]     Festival Favourites Coming Your Way We can safely assume that by the end of this antipodean summer Melbourne based outfit Cat Empire will be the kings of the festival circuit. The apostles first heard them on the radio only a few months back with their daggy... but extremely catchy track Hello. Serious Hip Hoppers will be infuriated with their catchy tunes and cod accents.. but even they won't be able to avoid the odd foot tap... especially as those with girfriends are going to have to learn to love these guys because they'll be on the stereo all summer. They've got all the elements a festival crowd wants, hip hop without anger, cuban rhymes, jamaican rhythms, jazz sensibility and an innate Australian understanding that all this can be piled into one package as long as a sense of humour is retained. This apostle will be checking out their homebake set. By the way the website is fun too... if not quite finished yet       [posted in Bondi :: at 04:41]     Brave New World & Other Things As you all know Bondi apostle loves to share his shopping outings with you all. This past week he's managed to pick up a cd of Aldous Huxley in conversation, with the rather kitsch title, Speaking Personally. The cover alone is worth the price of the Cd with a picture of the author and furry moggy on his shoulder. The Cd has been produced by Artifact Music and we get all manner of discussion on tape. All the obvious questions about hallucigens are mildly interesting... a number of references to his bad eyesight.. but priceless are his observations of fellow writers. Especially that doyen of modernism.. Mr Joyce, who we are told illustrated in his meisterwork... Ulysses the number of ways that a novel shouldn't be written...ouch ! More please.. nothing better than writers flaying one another over a cup of darjeeling.       [posted in Bondi :: at 04:25]     Hell City Hopetoun Australia's answer to Motley Crue The Hell City Glamours have emailed us telling everybody to head to the Hopetoun on monday the 17th of November at the hopetoun hotel. They want you to ... come down for some rock n roll action and when you get to the door say you're there to see us, because the more people that are there to see us and say, the bigger our chances are of getting onto homebake Good luck boys.. by the way we did get your cd demo...       [posted in Bondi :: at 04:19]     Aamped Somebody from Brisbane band the aampirallas has got in touch to tell us that they've got a new website up and running and a CD out. We mentioned them earlier in the year because they've got a great name and the single title Cause You're Fucked .... That's Why really appealed. Bondi apostle has now tried to cadge a freebie copy of the cd from them... so we may hear more about them on the site. They look pretty cool in their picture... and I hope it all sounds a bit better than the Jet album, heard drifting over the back fence yesterday..pretty average I have to say. Do we need yet another band cranking out a sub-standard version of Exile on Main Street       [posted in Bondi :: at 04:10]   Sunday, November 09, 2003     DSICO Rocks The House The DSICO launch party for The Punk As Pussy 12" showed that Sydney is happy to embrace ideas and sounds outside the standard house fare that the city has become so used to. Sleepy Robot showed us the way with the bass end of D'n'B and Jungle from the early days when it still had and edge. Ollo's inspired european set with not a touch of french filter moved the heaving hollywood and provided aural relief for those waiting at the bar. Come midnight and the arrival of the man of the moment DSICO That No Talent Hack launched into his set with everybody's favourite interpretation of Lionel Richie's Hello. From then on we got all manner of mash up.. with Olivia Neutron Bomb meeting 50 cent in an uptown Blondie Heart of Glass Fashion. Heads were set a bobbing, feet trying to move and the queue outside just dying to get in to hear Sydney's only trash king.       [posted in Bondi :: at 21:46]   Thursday, November 06, 2003     Talking of Rough Trade Lists... I note that they are really pushing the new CD by Matmos , San Francisco's cut up kings ... Bondi Apostle has been enthralled by the Matmos/Wobbly/People Like Us joint effort Wide Open Spaces which is the most original chill / cut up piece of work since the KLF's Chill Out LP. The new album has a medieval feel.. whatever that means. Take a look at the Matmos site via the link above if you want to learn more.       [posted in Bondi :: at 07:27]     Genre Madness - NWOBHM / Electro Spotted on the latest new records list from Rough Trade... this gem. Does anyone dare buy it.. various - an electro tribute to iron maiden various - an electro tribute to iron maiden cd 12.99 14 track comp feat mr velcro fastener, legowelt, kitbuilders, alek stark, rude 66. luke eargoggle and more. all exclusive and killer electro cuts filled with singing and screaming vocoders, fat synthlines and banging 808's. packaged with proper heavy metal graphics - bring it on!       [posted in Bondi :: at 07:20]     Scary Monsters... More Like... Super Creeps The Misfits at Jaxx, Springfield, Virginia / Washington Apostle The latest incarnation of the Misfits rolled into the D.C. area Sunday night to treat us to their unique brand of horror punk rock. For the uninitiated, the Misfits first formed back in the late ‘70s around a core of punk vocal icon Glen Danzig and bassist Jerry Only. Eventually settling on Jerry’s brother Doyle on guitar, the band worked its way through a series of skinsmen on a seemingly revolving drumstool throughout its existence. During the Misfits’ glory years of the early ‘80s, they became punk legends by melding horror movie lyrical themes and visuals to brilliantly incongruous, upbeat, poppy melodies complete with singalong choruses encased in short, three-chord songbursts reminiscent of the Ramones. The band’s trademarks became their comic book image, complete with “devilock” hairdos, and Danzig’s crooning “hardcore Elvis” singing style, both unique among punk’s straight presentation and barked, often tuneless vocals. The Misfits split in ’83, Danzig going onto bigger things first in Samhain, then in his own self-titled goth metal band. The band’s legend lived on however, since their influence always far outstripped their success as a strictly underground punk act. They were cited as major inspirations for countless metal and punk bands throughout the ‘80s and right up to the present day, and indeed it was the renewed interest generated by Metallica’s covers of Misfits songs “Last Caress,” Green Hell,” and “Die, Die My Darling” that encouraged Jerry and Doyle to disinter the band minus Danzig in ’96. Young unknown Michael Graves was recruited to fill the vocal spot, while Dr. Chud sat on the ever-revolving drumstool, and the Misfits Mark II released the awesome “American Psycho” album in ’97 to herald their comeback. Unsurprisingly, the band now had a markedly more metallic edge but held true to their time tested formula of horror movie themes and short, catchy songs. Misfits purists held there could be no Misfits without Danzig, but Graves was a strong singer in his own right, Chud was a very capable drummer, and the songs were great. The equally excellent “Famous Monsters” followed in ’99, but the Misfits remained cursed by lack of airplay and commercial success, and Graves and Chud quit. When even Doyle threw in the towel shortly thereafter, it seemed there was no way forward. But undaunted, Jerry soldiered on, recruiting ex-Black Flag rhythm guitarist Dez Cadena and ex-Ramones drummer Marky Ramone and taking over vocal duties himself. This lineup recently released an album of oldies covers titled “Project 1950,” and it was this version of the Misfits that rolled into Jaxx on Sunday night. Sadly, though I love this band and want them to carry on, this was not a good show. The first problem immediately apparent was the sound, with Jerry’s bass smothering everything. The next problem was the tempo – everything was played at almost twice its already fast pace. Thirdly, Jerry ain’t a singer, and so the songs were robbed of their vital melodies provided by Danzig and Graves. The combination of Jerry’s bludgeoning bass and lackluster vocals and the hyperspeed tempo rendered classic songs like “20 Eyes,” “Astro Zombies,” “Die, Die My Darling,” “Last Caress,” “I Turned Into A Martian,” “Teenagers From Mars,” “Skulls,” “American Psycho,” “Walk Among Us,” and “Forbidden Zone” virtually unrecognizable. The same could be said for the half of the set taken up by Ramones songs (presumably a condition for getting Marky Ramone aboard). Black Flag’s “Rise Above” also got a garbled airing, but none of the songs on “Project 1950” was played – surprising, since the band is ostensibly touring in support of this new release. None of these problems is insurmountable. If the sound was corrected, the band slowed down a bit, and a proper singer was recruited, this could be an enjoyable set of punk rock classics. Dez appears to be a solid substitute for Doyle both sonically (when he can be heard above Jerry’s blitzkrieg bass) and visually (though he eschews the devilock and wouldn’t look amiss in a Norwegian black metal band), and Marky can still drum capably, albeit without Chud’s thunderous delivery and with his Ramones look slightly at odds with the Misfits’ image. But on the evidence of this show, there seems little point in the Misfits continuing, not that the enthusiastically moshing crowd, most of whom weren’t even born when the band broke up in ’83, seemed to care, which is no doubt why Jerry will keep this ramshackle roadshow rolling. For my part, I’ll hope that this lineup can at least come up with some new material to follow up “Famous Monsters” in future and extend this band’s catalogue of great music. But I’ll try to forget this gig.       [posted in Bondi :: at 07:04]   Wednesday, November 05, 2003     Southern Fried Zappa On a personal recommendation and after reading a few reviews here and there, bondi apostle decided it was time to pick up the new double album from southern Funksters Outkast Now I'd like to state here and now that although popular with everyone else I had decided that I wasn't that keen on this outfit for the simple reason that the worldwide mega hit Ms Jackson even covered by the likes of the Vines and thrashed to death on every radio station on the planet was one of those songs that I could never like. I'd no problem with the catchy tune etc etc... but why on earth was he apologising to the girl's mum...he should apologise directly to her. Anyway I've now got that off my chest and I have to admit I'm falling in love with Speakerbox / The Love Below... day by day it's getting into the system and may well end up being one of those classic double albums. Reviewers have been bandying about the psychedelic word and comparing the work to Prince & Parliament. I reckon that we can go a little bit leftfield on this ... take a good hard listen to The Love Below and the similarity of ideas and sounds to Frank Zappa's work in the mid seventies is quite striking... actually it's an improvement on the Zappa stuff because we lose some of the guitar histronics and get a little bit of the funk instead. I love over ambitious double and triple albums... The White Album / Sandinista / Songs In The Key Of Life / Electric Ladyland / Blonde on Blonde and so on. Speakerboxx / The Love Below has that same ambition, makes the same mistakes ( trying to fit it all in one place) and ends up being perfect because of it. 2003 has been a great year for new music and this album may well earn top honours for the year.       [posted in Bondi :: at 07:10]   Tuesday, November 04, 2003     Apostles Radio Friendly AP02 out soon, The Punk As Pussy EP by Sydney electro king DSICO is already making waves before its official launch. With confirmation today of rotation on Australia's leading music station, JJJ. Don't forget to rock the punk pussy with the apostles on saturday at The Hollywood Hotel 2 foster st surry hills sydney. Highlight of the night will be a full set from DSICO that no talent hack... as well as his handpicked choice of sydney's more refreshing dj's.       [posted in Bondi :: at 07:19]   [news archives]