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About to flatline
Published on 2007-01-05 14:30:00
The blog is gasping for breath; there's a gurgling in the throat; the eyes are rolling back in the head. I've been quite busy, writing about music and such elsewhere on the Interweb, and as a result, this blog has suffered. I fully expect any one of these posts over the next few weeks to be my last. Such is life and the swirling shitstorm that is blogging.In the meantime, here's some Spirea X: "A vehicle for the '60s pop-art visions of ex-Primal Scream member Jim Beattie, who was accompanied by
A stream of Saxon gore
Published on 2007-01-02 14:25:00
The Battle of Glenmalure took place in Ireland in 1580 during the Desmond Rebellions -- rebellions of the Earl of Desmond dynasty and their allies against the efforts of the Elizabethan English government to extend their control over the province of Munster. During the battle, an Irish Catholic force made up of the Gaelic clans from the Wicklow Mountains, led by Fiach MacHugh O'Byrne and James Eustace, defeated an English army under Arthur Grey, 14th Baron Grey de Wilton, at the O'Byrne's mounta
Supercuts
Published on 2006-12-27 15:35:00
This is clearly a case where one of them "family trees" is need. You know, you frequently see them on ESPN.com when folks are discussing the plethora of coaches who toiled under the tutelage of 49ers legend Bill Walsh. Because in the case of these 80s Scottish pop groups, it's rather difficult to keep track of who played with whom. Let's try and wade through it all, shall we? The BMX Bandits were formed around Duglas T. Stewart, a Bellshill native and onetime member of the Pretty Flowers. The re
Crap Rap 2
Published on 2006-12-21 20:44:00
I have to wrap presents. Lots of them. Pretty paper, pretty ribbons, etc. Here is a song to get you into that fucking festive spirit, as you get all ticked off, tape stuck to your sausage-like fingers, cruddy scissors in need of a good sharpening, "hospital corners" not quite working out for you: "Holiday Hymn."
Quocunque Jeceris Stabit
Published on 2006-12-19 15:33:00
Where is Speranza? No one knows for certain. Last scene bobbing like a cork in the Irish Sea, tossed from a Belfast ferry bound for Liverpool; he was a big man, checked in at 6-foot-5, and had fists like ham steaks. He didn't become chum, we know that much, because he would have fought the sea devils off. Those who saw him last swore he wasn't in distress. They said he was doing the backstroke, a big smile on his ruddy face, his eyes pointed upwards. He was believed to be headed towards the Isle
Go QPR, go Peter!
Published on 2006-12-18 10:23:00
What's your favorite Pete Doherty story? Mine is the time he got busted for possessing heaping amounts of some illegal substance in huge burlap sacks, and then got tossed in a Petey Wagon by the fuzz and hauled unceremoniously off to jail. Wait a second . . . .Honestly, though, my favorite Pete Doherty story involved our Queens Park Rangers zealot recently walking through the London suburb of Brentford, strumming his six-string and singing a sweet song he penned on the tube ride over, luring doz
Commercial suicide LP
Published on 2006-12-14 21:31:00
Courtesy of The Creation Records Story: My Magpie Eyes Are Hungry For The Prize:"I had a funny conversation with Dick when we were recording our album Cult Of The Basement," Pat Fish recalls. He phones up -- and they'd just started having the first hits at the beginning of 1990 -- and Dick's on the blower saying: 'Pat, how's the album going?' 'Oh, we're having a rare old time.' He goes: 'Any hit records on it.' I said to him: 'Dick, this is our commercial suicide LP. It's going to sell eight cop
Play at your shindig
Published on 2006-12-12 10:43:00
I've long considered "Tommy Bhetty's Waltz" to be a brilliant "end of things" song. You know, one of those tunes that would fit nicely at the end of a terrific film, or at the conclusion of a moving wedding. It's a haunting number, one that stays with you long after the final note, which is why it's such a perfect song of "finality."I guess it's apt such a number is being discussed now, as yet another year draws to a close. In my cell of sobriety, I make another hash mark on the wall. There are
Yeah, what they said
Published on 2006-12-08 14:27:00
They've been dubbed a slighty poorer version of Dog Faced Hermans, but I'm willing to let that slide, since I have a soft spot for any modern pop act trying to emulate that No Wave aesthetic. Besides, you have to show some iota of affection for a group that pens a song named, "Jesus Sends Hate Mail."The group's name is Archbishop Kebab and of course, being as sonically anarchist as they were, information regarding them is scarce. What little we can tell you is that in-the-loop folks at Harvard a
From the scrummage
Published on 2006-12-07 10:12:00
The town of Rugby gave us the sport that bears the same name, and Jason Pierce.According to the tall tales: Back in 1823, William Webb Ellis invented rugby in the town -- a boy "who with a fine disregard for the rules as played in his time, first took the ball in his arms and ran with it." That's a load of hooey, though; about as accurate as the stories I heard regarding a chap named Abner Doubleday who invented the sport of baseball one fine afternoon in Elihu Phinney's cow pasture.What we can
Let the music do the talkin'
Published on 2006-12-05 20:01:00
Here's Natalie MacMaster with a lovely rendition of "Balmoral Highlanders." This track appeared on 1998's cleverly titled My Roots Are Showing. MacMaster, born and bred in breathtaking Nova Scotia, is one of the most famous musicians in the tradition of Cape Breton fiddle music. She's quite the looker, as well! And for just this once, I'll rightfully supress my Irish gift (curse?) for the gab and let the music do the talking.
Get outta that holiday spirit
Published on 2006-12-04 10:58:00
The strands of colored lights are blinking and dangling, the Scotch tape barely holding them up (you have to simply adore these stark, concrete walls). There's one of them smelly cinammon candles burning and I swear, I just saw a few snowflakes. It's kinda . . . romantic. Even the cynical bah-humbugs would think so.But you know, we're still hitting the books and wiping sand from our eyes for early-morning classes, so I'm not ready to celebrate the season just yet. Not till the blue ink is dry on
Hot for 'Hotrod Hotel'
Published on 2006-11-30 20:16:00
I simply adore everything about Hotrod Hotel -- from its dark and delicious cover art right down to its sunny day, Byrds-like sound. My copy of the album is never far from reach.The band was founded on the bedrock of the Kelly brothers: Martin and Paul. Two guys wanting to delve into guitar pop when just about everyone in Britain was sky high on E and Madchester. The Second Summer of Love, you know? "At that time, the underground became mainstream, but we had kind of missed the boat, or were in
Heaven's Reflex indeed
Published on 2006-11-28 10:02:00
The shops on Main Street are closed up tight with iron shutters. The entranceways are waiting anxiously to be swept out. There are no sales racks with postcards and half-priced books and sun-faded clothing. The merchants have no coin.I walk to Kenmare Place and sit on the stone wall, and study the old jarveys with their tattered sweaters and their pants worn in the bottoms. They are feeding and brushing their horses, preparing for a day of riding their jaunting cars down the bumpy paths of Killa
Erectile exclamations
Published on 2006-11-27 14:23:00
Sister, at the dinner table on Thanksgiving Day: Work the term "raging hard-on" into your next blog entry.Me: Egads, no.Sister: Will Blogger censor you or something?Me: Nope.Sister: Then what's the problem?Me: That's so crass. I'm above crass. Crass was so last year and as you know, I'm so not into last year.Sister: Asshole.Let's talk about ¡Forward, Russia!, who have everyone buzzing on account of their clever use of punctuation, as well as their penchant for also spelling out their moniker li
No ankle busters here
Published on 2006-11-22 20:42:00
We headed to the Mull of Galloway on a big North Channel Swell to find a few cars with boards strapped on top, folk smiling like monkeys and half a foot of slop. Bonkers. But the legend lives on and I have heard it can be good. I swear I saw barrels at Balantrae.Tom, CoyltonI'm a surfer who grew up in Lewis and have surfed there for 6 years now. I had to move away for work but miss the surf in Lewis. I've had some awsome surfs and seen some very heavy ones too. Once I saw a west coast reef break
Garrett and Willie
Published on 2006-11-21 08:57:00
So Garrett Barry . . . . What an amazing life this gentleman led. He was born in Inagh, County Clare, during Black 47. The famine robbed the lad of his sight (malnutrition and famine sickness), but it never robbed him of his spirit; as a child he took up the uilleann pipes and that's how he made his livelihood. He remained a piper until his death in 1899 and although he passed away in the Ennistymon Poor House, he richened the lives of countless folk in West Clare with his music. In addition to
Smoke up, Johnny!
Published on 2006-11-20 18:36:00
Claire Standish: You know why guys like you knock everything?John Bender: Oh, this should be stunning.Claire Standish: It's because you're afraid.John Bender: Oh God, you richies are so smart, that's exactly why I'm not heavy into activities.Claire Standish: You're a big coward.Brian Johnson: I'm in the math club.Claire Standish: See, you're afraid that they won't take you, you don't belong, so you have to just dump all over it.John Bender: Well, it wouldn't have anything to do with you activiti
My elbow from my ass
Published on 2006-11-17 15:45:00
I like sweet songs. Sweet songs like me back. Sometimes.Rather tipsy on my recent flight to Ireland, this song came on while I had the ole iPod on shuffle. And it had me crying saccharine tears right there in seat 17G. Even with naughty words in the lyrics, the song manages to be sweeter than four cutesy girls with pink, frilly ribbons in their hair playing Candyland surrounded by Strawberry Shortcake paraphernalia. (Yes, I'm rather tipsy once again.)I covered Camera Obscura not too long ago, bu
Fish fry
Published on 2006-11-16 09:52:00
A quick update regarding my last post on Distant Cousins. Ian Halliday was kind enough to write us, saying:"I too have been searching for information about Distant Cousins, and as you say: it's not easy. There is pretty much no information. So I went digging further, as I found out that Neil and Simon from The Smirks were members of Distant Cousins for a while. This is of interest to me as for years I have been webmaster of TheSmirks.com - the world's leading website for The Smirks. What little
Down The Kingdom!
Published on 2006-11-14 09:50:00
A Waterford girl once told me, "The only accents I can't understand are those of a Kerryman." That's probably a good thing, lass, because all the Kerryman would likely be talking about is his fecking football squad. Seventy-one Munster titles, 52 appearences in the All-Ireland final, 34 senior championships. Enough already!Anyway, back in 2005, when the GAA released its best moments of Gaelic football and hurling in the television era, I was a tad upset to see Seamus Darby's goal was only at No.
Old buddy, don't let me down
Published on 2006-11-02 15:13:00
When even the Internet lets us down, who can we count on then? Looking up information on a pair of English 80s bands has appeared to bear little to no fruit. They are: Distant Cousins and The New Colours.On the former, I've found the occasional reference. One page reads, "The Head brothers soon re-emerged as Shack, signing to the Ghetto Recording Company, home of producer Ian Broudie's solo project, The Lightning Seeds and British soul band Distant Cousins." A second mentions how the band was un
All aboard the Paddy wagon
Published on 2006-10-31 15:56:00
When I've been away for awhile, both physically and in spirit, I dust off a Paddy Reilly record and spin the old beauty on the victrola. There's just something about Paddy's voice that's so warm and reassuring, even when he's singinig about topics of the cheerless variety. One of my favorite tunes by Mr. Reilly is his version of Johnny McEvoy's "Long Before Your Time." McEvoy once jokingly said, "It could have been different. I could have been an advertising man with button-down collar, sports c
Somerville, 02144
Published on 2006-10-30 15:22:00
My old boss was from Somerville, Mass., and whenever he would wax poetically (and unapologetically) about his boyhood exploits there, he'd open things by saying, "Somerville . . . . Seven squares in search of a city."Let's see if I can make my boss proud and recall all seven: Davis Square, once named one of the 15 hippest places to live in the US, which of course, makes it decidedly unhip; Union Square, where it's alleged the first U.S. flag was raised on Jan. 1, 1776; Teele Square, which I can'
A band that drives me hazy
Published on 2006-10-27 12:48:00
Two tradeshows in two months, vacation looming, persuing other writing projects, The Hype Machine being an unruly bitch -- all of this has made the last few weeks a bit hectic and frustrating 'round these parts.I'm cutting out of here shortly, so a long update is out of the question. And while you diehard Jock popsters (all five of you) curse me up and down for falling on the side of lazy this afternoon, take a listen to The Hazey Janes (the name comes from a Nick Drake song; and no, they sound