Tuesday, October 26, 2004
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 John Peel 1939-2004
It is with great sadness that I pass on the news that DJ John Peel's death was announced today.
It is difficult to over estimate the impact that Peel had on cultural life in Britain. Without him there would have been a music scene but his radio shows did a great deal to shape the listening habits of generations of the music fans. All of the British based contributors to this blog owe a debt of gratitude to him for opening their ears to a plethora of acts that would have otherwise remained unknown and unloved.
Like many others I had got out of the habit of listening to his shows on a regularly basis. Teenage years allow for a devotion that adult life's complexities rarely afford. But on the occassions I did tune in I was always amazed how vibrant and fresh a man in sixties, playing music made by people a third of his age, sounded. If Peel did anything he banished the notion that a love of music was something only for the kids.
But also what he did was broaden the range of music I listened to. It is difficult to imagine a similar figure appearing now from the carefully segmented radio networks. We tuned to Peel because it was the only place you could hear the alternative to the mainstream. The genius of Peel was that he would mix the likes of the Sex Pistols, Joy Division, and The Smiths with reggae, hip-hop, rap, African, deep soul, etc., which is probably why my record collection contains both Echo and the Bunnymen and Eek-a-Mouse.
It was my great good fortune to meet him once. In the 1980s he wrote a rock and pop column for the Observer. I met him once at the back of a pub in Bedford reviewing the Age of Chance. I went over and introduced myself and offered to buy him a drink. He declined but I thanked him for the shows. He was charm itself and we had a quick chat about the virtues of Wham! It is a cliche, but no less true for that, that I felt I already knew him.
I last saw him at the All Tomorrow's Parties festival at Camber Sands, where he played a hugely enjoyable set. Before he took to the stage he was happily chatting in the pub with the festival-goers. I didn't go up and tell him how much I still enjoyed his work. But then I never thought that he would die. The Peel Show would always be there, like a long standing friendship that could be rekindled in moments. I'm not sure if it has sunk in yet that it has gone for good.
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| [posted in Lancashire :: at 23:00] |
Friday, October 22, 2004
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Wanna Hear What The BumbleBeez Are Up To
The Bumblebeez as you should know are the best white boy hip hop rock schlock boys n girls on the planet... last years performances resembling a 21st century Happy Mondays... anyway they've been somewhat quiet recently...but no that's all over. Take a look here punch in the password rare and you'll be heraing what they've been up to |
| [posted in Bondi :: at 01:59] |
Friday, October 15, 2004
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Playing Sydney Soon
Can't wait for the Pink Grease gig in sydney at the end of November. |
| [posted in Bondi :: at 02:14] |
Sydney Hipsters Are Listening To...
It seems all i hear about these past few weeks is hip hopper Urthboy ... he seems to be the man ...sorry...boy of the moment here in Sydney. |
| [posted in Bondi :: at 02:08] |
Perth & Freemantle Bands Hit The Bigtime
Australia's big music awards the ARIA's are happening fairly soon. Most of the time the awards feature endless has beens or record company manufactured crap .. but for one reason or another most of the nominees are real artists this year and as the ABC's 7.30 Report highlighted this week, most of the new bands and artists come from Perth and its little sister Freemantle or Freo as it's known in muso circles.
You'll already know of the Sleepy Jackson who released the closest thing I've heard to a Brian Wilson album I've heard in many a year. You might not know though, of his sister's band Little Birdy, who are currently getting loads of radio play with their debut lp and also Eskimo Joe who I'm not really that enamoured with but I gather their debut has already sold over a million worldwide.
Not mentioned in the 7.30 report are the Panics who became a favourite of Shaun Ryder whilst he was in WA trying to rid himself of whatever he pumps into his body on a regular basis.
Also all aussies will know of The John Butler Trio, the white man's Ben Harper who in all fairness must be congratulated on his dedication to the cause.... I've never seen one man gig so much.. he must be doing at least 250 dates a year. |
| [posted in Bondi :: at 01:50] |
Perth & Freemantle Bands Hit The Bigtime
Australia's big music awards the ARIA's are happening fairly soon. Most of the time the awards feature endless hasbeens or record company manufactured crap .. but for one reason or another most of the nominees are real artists this year and as the ABC's 7.30 Report highl;ighted this week, most of the new bands and artists come from Perth and its little sister Freemantle or Freo as it's known in Muso circles.
You'll already know of the Sleepy Jackson who released the closest thing I've heard to a Brian Wilson album I've heard in many a year. You might not know though of his sister's band Little Birdy who are currently getting loads of radio play with their debut lp and also Eskimo Joe who I'm not really that enamoured with but I gather their debut has already sold over a million worldwide. Not mentioned in the 7.30 report are the Panics who became a favourite of Shaun Ryder whilst he was in WA trying to rid himself of whatever he pumps into his body on a regular basis.
Also all aussies will know of The John Butler Trio, the white man's Ben Harper who in all fairness must be congratulated on his dedication to the cause.... I've never seen one man gig so much.. he must be doing at least 250 dates a year. |
| [posted in Bondi :: at 01:50] |
Perth & Freemantle Bands Hit The Bigtime
Australia's big music awards the ARIA's are happening fairly soon. Most of the time the awards feature endless has beens or record company manufactured crap .. but for one reason or another most of the nominees are real artists this year and as the ABC's 7.30 Report highlighted this week, most of the new bands and artists come from Perth and its little sister Freemantle or Freo as it's known in muso circles.
You'll already know of the Sleepy Jackson who released the closest thing I've heard to a Brian Wilson album I've heard in many a year. You might not know though, of his sister's band Little Birdy, who are currently getting loads of radio play with their debut lp and also Eskimo Joe who I'm not really that enamoured with but I gather their debut has already sold over a million worldwide.
Not mentioned in the 7.30 report are the Panics who became a favourite of Shaun Ryder whilst he was in WA trying to rid himself of whatever he pumps into his body on a regular basis.
Also all aussies will know of The John Butler Trio, the white man's Ben Harper who in all fairness must be congratulated on his dedication to the cause.... I've never seen one man gig so much.. he must be doing at least 250 dates a year. |
| [posted in Bondi :: at 01:50] |
Perth & Freemantle Bands Hit The Bigtime
Australia's big music awards the ARIA's are happening fairly soon. Most of the time the awards feature endless has beens or record company manufactured crap .. but for one reason or another most of the nominees are real artists this year and as the ABC's 7.30 Report highlighted this week, most of the new bands and artists come from Perth and its little sister Freemantle or Freo as it's known in muso circles.
You'll already know of the Sleepy Jackson who released the closest thing I've heard to a Brian Wilson album I've heard in many a year. You might not know though of his sister's band Little Birdy who are currently getting loads of radio play with their debut lp and also Eskimo Joe who I'm not really that enamoured with but I gather their debut has already sold over a million worldwide. Not mentioned in the 7.30 report are the Panics who became a favourite of Shaun Ryder whilst he was in WA trying to rid himself of whatever he pumps into his body on a regular basis.
Also all aussies will know of The John Butler Trio, the white man's Ben Harper who in all fairness must be congratulated on his dedication to the cause.... I've never seen one man gig so much.. he must be doing at least 250 dates a year. |
| [posted in Bondi :: at 01:50] |
Perth & Freemantle Bands Hit The Bigtime
Australia's big music awards the ARIA's are happening fairly soon. Most of the time the awards feature endless has beens or record company manufactured crap .. but for one reason or another most of the nominees are real artists this year and as the ABC's 7.30 Report highlighted this week, most of the new bands and artists come from Perth and its little sister Freemantle or Freo as it's known in muso circles.
You'll already know of the Sleepy Jackson who released the closest thing I've heard to a Brian Wilson album I've heard in many a year. You might not know though, of his sister's band Little Birdy, who are currently getting loads of radio play with their debut lp and also Eskimo Joe who I'm not really that enamoured with but I gather their debut has already sold over a million worldwide.
Not mentioned in the 7.30 report are the Panics who became a favourite of Shaun Ryder whilst he was in WA trying to rid himself of whatever he pumps into his body on a regular basis.
Also all aussies will know of The John Butler Trio, the white man's Ben Harper who in all fairness must be congratulated on his dedication to the cause.... I've never seen one man gig so much.. he must be doing at least 250 dates a year. |
| [posted in Bondi :: at 01:50] |
Wednesday, October 13, 2004
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NME's Top 100 Indie Singles
Great little chart this one - remember The Fire Engines, Half Man Half Biscuit or Discharge |
| [posted in Bondi :: at 04:41] |
Tuesday, October 12, 2004
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Ex Go-Between Only Manages 460 0dd Votes In General Election
Lindy Morrison once the drummer for the cult band The Go-Betweens stood for the democrats in Sydney over the weekend in Australia's general election. As of Monday she'd only received 467 votes.
We reckon that has to be less votes than there are copies of Go-Betweens albums in her seat of Randwick / Coogee.
Poor old Lindy ..the other rocker cum enviromentalist and well known baldie Peter Garrett formally lead singer of the tuneless Midnight Oil won his seat and will be sitting on the opposition benches for at least the next 3 years |
| [posted in Bondi :: at 02:58] |
