En 2000, à l’aube d’un nouveau millénaire, j’ai décidé de me mettre au rock français. Après tout, même si ma langue natale n’est pas la plus appropriée pour le genre, trouver du bon rock français ne devait pas être impossible. Il y avait déjà la référence absolue Noir Désir, alors pourquoi ne pas en trouver d’autres.

C’est à peu près à ce moment-là qu’est sortit Saez avec déjà sa gueule de con et ses faux airs de poètes maudits. Jours étranges, premier opus de cet abrutit, est un petit bijou de son époque. Un zitgeist délicieux, le message mal-être d’une génération qui s’emmerde et qui va encore au lycée. Jeune & con, c’est pour moi les années bac, la loose, un avenir qui se dessine doucement, une rébellion plus contre soi-même que contre la société et des amours qu’on sait faites pour mourir. Un an après, Noir Désir sortait, le 10 septembre 2001, Des Visages, Des Figures et de là, la musique française ouvrait, ce qu’on appelle encore  huit ans après, la “nouvelle scène française“. Des chanteurs à textes pullulaient de tous les cotés. Entre temps, certains sont devenus des cadors de la variet’, d’autres des quarantenaires chiants et nostalgiques comme un vivement dimanche de Drucker, ou bien encore des folkeux talentueux sortit de nul part, des chanteuses post new-wave incroyables et des rockeurs, des vrais avec de la disto à s’en faire péter les tympans et des tempos endiablés.
Au milieu de ce joyeux bordel sous la même étiquette, j’ai eu le coup de cœur pour un groupe en particulier Eiffel. Déjà à cette époque, je n’écoutais quasiment jamais la radio donc on ne peut pas dire que c’est le matraquage qui m’a poussé à m’intéresser à ce groupe, c’est juste le hasard d’une soirée où j’ai entendu leur single du moment Te Revoir. Une voix hyper particulière, hyper nasillarde comme je les aime souvent (n’oublions pas qu’une de mes idole est Billy Corgan des Smashing Pumpkins), des paroles très spéciales et surtout un coté punk qui me rappelait pas mal de souvenirs d’adolescence. J’ai dévoré encore et encore Abricotine, leur premier album. Un vrai coup de foudre. Le second album, le 1/4 heure des ahuris, a eu un impact encore plus fort. Il se rattache à une autre époque, à une autre vision des choses et à une évolution musicale que je cherchais à ce moment-là. Je suis un ahuris comme les autres, je les ai vu en concert pour les dernières tournées, rencontré et j’ai continué à écouter religieusement ce groupe assez unique.
Je raconte tout ça pour aucune raison particulière sauf qu’hier je les ai vu en concert.
Depuis la rentrée, un tas d’albums sort et pratiquement tous les artistes que j’aime m’ont complètement déçu. Le dernier -M- est une panne d’inspiration complète et un problème de schizophrénie ridicule, Emilie Simon s’est muté en une sorte de Kate Bush française qui aurait trop trainée dans les comédies musicales de Broadway mais au milieu de cette mauvaise fournée, Eiffel fait très bonne figure et maintient le cap avec l’excellent A tout Moment.

Eiffel n’a plus de maison de disque, a quitté Labels (racheté par Virgin), se retrouve dans la nature et a terminé son dernier concert à l’Olympia en disant qu’ils ne savaient pas ce que deviendrait d’Eiffel. Quelques mois après, ils avaient enregistré une session avec Bertrand Cantat au chant pour deux titres un peu faiblards mais le groupe était encore vivant, c’était l’essentiel. 2009, le duo Humeau revient avec un nouvel album et Nicolas Courret, batteur originel du groupe.

Concert à La Cigale, salle à 3/4 remplie, un public de trentenaire, une bonne ambiance, jusque là tout va bien. Romain Humeau vient lui-même présenter la première partie et nous demande d’acclamer Montgomery. Make some noise ! Voilà ce qu’ils vont faire pendant quarante cinq longues minutes, du noise. Le noise est un style musical avant-gardiste dans le rock indé. Pour faire simple, les structures musicales sont non-conventionnelles, les mélodies vont à l’encontre des harmonies classiques et les voix sous mixées mélangées avec le reste. Montgomery complète le cahier des charges avec une grande habilitée mais il faut dire ce qui est, c’est imbitable et fatiguant. Comme le veut l’adage, trop d’effets tue l’effet et un bordel atonal incommensurable en est le résultat. Une musique qui pourrait être intéressante dans le cadre d’une B.O. ou lors d’une projection cinématographique d’un film muet  où un groupe jourait en live. Dans n’importe quelle circonstance mais pas en première partie d’Eiffel. Ça pourrait ressembler à Kaolin à leur début qui a prit du Sigur Ros dans la tronche et a été salit par Animal Collective. Bref, une longue, trop longue première partie qui a un peu cassé toute l’énergie que j’avais en entrant dans la salle.

Changement de plateau, les roadies déménagent le bordel ambiant et petit détail sympa, le groupe est là à monter lui-même son matos comme un petit groupe pourrait le faire. C’est rien du tout mais le fait que ça se fasse naturellement et simplement fait oublier l’attente et donne un coté chaleureux, voir familial. Ils font des balances vite-fait bien fait, sortent de scène, le concert peut commencer.
En format quatuor, loin de la pléiade de musicos présents sur la tournée précédente, le groupe débute par Minouche où la guitare folk se mélange parfaitement avec la saturation lacérée de l’électrique. Enchainement direct avec Le Coeur Australie et son refrain que le public reprend en chœur et à tue-tête. Tout est en place, la voix de Romain Humeau est chaude et rauque, le nouveau guitariste, qui ressemble à un Beigbeder de poche, est hyper mobile et a un sacré touché rock, Estelle Humeau, égale à elle-même, est stoïque et fait claquer la basse. Le dernier album A tout moment est bien sur très présent mais Eiffel varie les plaisirs en jouant des anciens titres comme l’incroyable Il Pleut des Cordes, Inverse Moi ou Sombre. Au trois-quart du concert, le groupe entame Bigger than the Biggest, présente sur Tandoori, le morceau dans sa progression prend une tournure punk hallucinante avec un Romain Humeau en transe, un moment extatique incroyable.

Eiffel va très bien voir même mieux que d’habitude avec une envie palpable de donner tout ce qu’ils ont. Musicalement irréprochable, Eiffel revient avec une pêche incroyable fort d’une maison de disque qui les soutient et d’un single qui cartonne. Un public très présent, très chaud composé de pas mal de nouveaux ahuris qui ont découvert le groupe dernièrement par le biais de A tout Moment la rue peut aussi dire Non et on ressentit cette puissance à la Noir Désir qui nous manque tant. Le meilleur groupe de rock français en activité actuellement à écouter d’urgence à défaut de les voir en live. Et dire que j’aurai pu aller voir Muse à la place et leur dernier album si incroyable alors… ironie quand tu nous tiens.

Pour avoir une idée de ce que ça peut être en concert, une petite vidéo de Eiffel en duo avec Craig Walker (ex-chanteur d’Archive) à Taratata qui reprend Search & Destroy de Iggy & The Stooges (On y a eu droit hier mais sans Walker bien sur)

First off, the dude is 62!

It’s crazy to hear this with James Williamson nastily shredding exactly like he did on Raw Power in 1973.  

I’m always amazed watching Iggy perform, even if he’s starting to get a little bit of a belly.  I still wish I could write a song so good that Henry Rollins would tattoo it on his back.

-Räusche

o q dizer de um festival de rock em um parque de diversões?

como ninguém nunca tinha tido essa ideia? espero q os caras repitam isso. sempre! (além do q o playcenter é facinho de chegar)

os shows.

primal scream – som meio ruim, banda meio desanimada, mas mesmo assim bacana e com um final – movin’ on up / rocks / accelerator – muito foda!.

sonic youth – o som tava bem melhor, (quase) não tocaram hits (?), mas era o sonic youth. pusta show!

iggy and the stooges – iggy and the stooges! precisa falar mais.

não vi outros shows, só uns pedacinhos. mas dei uma pá de volta no tal do bumerangue. era pra ter andado mais, mas não deixaram.

as fotos aí em cima são minhas, não tão lá essas coisas, mas eu aprendo. depois ponho mais no flickr.

Iggy & The Stooges are back in their new incarnation with James Williamson ripping it up on guitar after the sad death of Ron Asheton.

Iggy is in fine form with pants half down destroying mic stands in this great  festival footage.

Their current setlist runs as:

Raw Power (from Raw Power, 1973)
Kill City
Search & Destroy (from Raw Power, 1973)
Gimme Danger (from Raw Power, 1973)
Cock in my Pocket
Shake Appeal (from Raw Power, 1973)
Loose (from Fun House, 1970)
1970 (from Fun House, 1970)
Fun House (from Fun House, 1970)
Skull Ring (from Skull Ring, 2003)
Johanna
I Wanna Be Your Dog (from The Stooges, 1969)
Five Foot One (from New Values, 1979)
The Passenger (from Lust For Life, 1978)
Death Trip (from Raw Power, 1973)
Lust for Life (from Lust For Life, 1978)

(cut to the three minute mark of 5′1″ where the song starts)

daqui a pouco…

This was originally supposed to be just a response to a comment on another blog, but it turned into bit of an essay so I decided to turn it into a post in it’s own right.

Basically, the question is: Should bands play their hits at every gig?

I’m going to see Muse for the 2nd time on Friday, and would be quite happy to hear all of The Resistance and not hear Time Is Running Out, Feeling Good, New Born & Knights of Cydonia.

But maybe this would not be fair on new fans who want to hear their most famous songs.

I saw them before (for the 1st time) at Wembley Stadium, they played 9 songs off of Black Holes, plus everything you would expect them to play (I think), except Bliss. I kind of consider myself relatively new to Muse, having discovered them at the Time Is Running Out stage, meaning songs like Bliss are actually from before my time. But by the time I got round to going to a gig I had listened to their previous stuff and decided that my favourite songs weren’t necessarily the famous ones, and Time Is Running Out has become one of my least favoured, alongside Feeling Good.

I think the idea that bands should always play their hits definitely applies to festival sets, but when they’re doing a headline tour for an album, I expect the set to be dominated by new stuff.

Having said that, I would always expect any band to play some hits, and with Arctic Monkeys only on album #3, I am surprised they would leave out Scummy; while Muse, having been around a bit longer, have a few more hits, and I think can better afford to leave out some of their famous ones. I can’t really comment on Radiohead because I don’t know what they’re famous for. I know The Bends is my favourite of their albums, but I bought it (followed by all the others) based on a recommendation without having heard any of the songs before.

Personally I wouldn’t spend around £60 (that’s a Muse ticket plus train fare) to see a band if I only knew a couple of songs. If people can afford to do that, fair play to them, they’re probably used to getting what they want.

Probably more relevant is my first trip to see Red Hot Chili Peppers when I was a relatively new fan (at the time I owned By The Way, What Hits!? and Greatest Hits), I would have been disappointed on that occasion if they hadn’t played By The Way, The Zephyr Song, Can’t Stop, Under the Bridge & Give It Away. But then, that was the Greatest Hits tour, so it would’ve been a bit stupid of them not to play the popular ones. I would’ve loved pretty much any of the songs from By The Way, which was the first ever album by anyone that I bought, Venice Queen is still one of my all time favourite songs. (My memory’s not good enough to remember an entire set from 5 years ago, I looked it up here. I still find it pretty cool that I was at the gigs where RHCP’s Live in Hyde Park and Muse’s HAARP were recorded, and I saw James Brown live.)

When I saw them on the Stadium Arcadium tour I was actually a bit disappointed they only played 5 of the 28 songs from the new album.

Both times I would’ve loved to see a Flea trumpet solo (having spent 10 years of my school life learning to play the Cornet), and songs like Higher Ground, Knock Me Down and Taste The Pain. They have quite a large back catalogue though, so I’m prepared for the unlikeliness of my ideal setlist actually occurring.

I imagine I will go and see them again when they return (apparently they’re starting work on a new album in the next couple of weeks). Hopefully I’ll finally get to see a Trumpet solo, maybe Funky Monks, Higher Ground… Funny Face would be awesome. Meanwhile I would not be at all disappointed if they didn’t play Dani California, Under The Bridge or Give It Away, but then again, they mix up their songs with extended jams or by incorporating other songs into intros, so hearing the same songs need not be boring.

I wouldn’t want to hear too many covers at a gig, and a Nick Cave song wouldn’t have meant anything to me, but I do think it’s interesting to find out who a band is influenced by, and I’ve discovered a lot of great songs via Chili Peppers covers, from artists such as Jimi Hendrix, The Ramones, Stevie Wonder, Looking Glass, David Bowie, The Meters, Bob Dylan, Sly & The Family Stone, Simon & Garfunkel, Sweet, Cat Stevens, The Chantels, The Shangri-Las, Del Shannon, Fleetwood Mac, Elton John, The Chirelles, The Beach Boys, George Clinton, Funkadelic, Iggy & The Stooges, Parliament, Jackson 5, Hank Williams, Fugazi, .45 Grave.

Una voz rotunda. Iggy Pop (Michigan, 1947) se expresa con la gravedad de un actor veterano, aunque es un conversador jovial, siempre presto a reírse de lo absurdo de su existencia. Así, reconoce que 2009 iba a ser una especie de año sabático, tras hacer caja con la gira de su grupo histórico, The Stooges. Todo se torció a comienzos de enero, cuando apareció muerto su viejo compañero, el guitarrista Ron Asheton. También supo que Hollywood renunciaba a filmar The passenger, la película sobre sus años salvajes. De alguna manera, ha decidido llenar el vacío sacando adelante proyectos particulares. El más visible es Préliminaires (EMI), un disco musicalmente audaz, inspirado por La posibilidad de una isla, la novela de Michel Houellebecq. Iggy atiende cordial desde Miami: “Acabo de salir de la piscina, podemos hablar de lo que quieras”.

Pregunta. Me asombra que viva en Miami, donde -fuera del universo cubano- no hay mucha actividad cultural.

Respuesta. Por eso lo elegí. Aunque soy eso que llaman un “artista de culto”, prefiero pasar desapercibido: vivo con mi mujer en un barrio ordinario. Pero aquí también existe una pequeña escena de rock alternativo y he terminado por hacer amigos.

P. Préliminaires oscila entre el jazz de Nueva Orleans y la chanson. Asombra que, con la crisis de la industria, le dejaran hacer algo tan atípico.

R. ¡No les pedí permiso! Originalmente, iba a ser un disco exclusivo para Francia; luego, quisieron editarlo otros países. De todos modos, me reprimí: dejé fuera un tema lento de diez minutos que es desesperación pura. En Estados Unidos, Préliminaires ha tenido las críticas más dispares: gente que me felicita y descontentos que piden [pone voz cervecera] ¡rock and roll!

P. Entiendo su confusión: ¿a quién creer, a ese Iggy Pop que canta Las hojas muertas o al que se desgañita sobre un muro de decibelios?

R. No son incompatibles. Mi oficio es el de cantante de rock. Tengo 62 años pero conservo toda la energía, conozco los códigos, sé mover a un público.

P. Seguro que recuerda lo que proclamaba Mick Jagger: que no se imaginaba cantando Satisfaction cuando cumpliera 40 años.

R. ¡Lo que no sabía es la cantidad de pasta que le iban a ofrecer por hacer eso! En este negocio no puedes decir algo tan tajante: el diablo te va a obligar a comerte tus palabras. De todas formas, entiendo que cantar rock toda tu vida pueda parecerse a una condena a cadena perpetua.

P. Hace poco, Jerry Lee Lewis tocó en Madrid; estaba muy deteriorado pero conservaba su dignidad.

R. Lo creo, me gusta el último disco que ha hecho. Jerry Lee igual preferiría cantar country pero ahí está. Recuerdo actuar en Madrid a principios de los ochenta en un local oscuro y no acudieron más que unas docenas de tipos feos, que se empeñaron en cubrirme de escupitajos. Yo no era consciente pero había tocado fondo: los conciertos posteriores en España han sido buenos, incluso muy buenos.

P. Hay una canción en el nuevo disco titulada Spanish coast

[Costa española]. ¿Recuerda cuál fue la inspiración?

R. Sí, estaba solo en un hotel cerca de Benicàssim, quería descansar. Al lado había una playa nudista. No podía poner a prueba mi español: todo eran rusos, árabes, nórdicos. Me impresionó que hubieran reducido la experiencia de España a “sol, sexo y mar”, pero prescindiendo de los nativos. De repente, me llegó la noticia de la muerte de mi manager, Art Collins, y no tenía con quién compartir mi dolor. Luego comprendí que estaba viviendo una situación que encajaría perfectamente en un libro de Houellebecq.

P.¿Hay música nueva que sorprenda a Iggy Pop?

R.Me impresiona el Hypnotic Brass Ensemble. Músicos callejeros, la mayoría hijos de un trompetista de jazz. Tocan muy crudo y… bueno, ellos no lo saben, pero les estoy componiendo canciones.

P. Uno no puede parar ¿verdad?

R. Así debe ser. En septiembre, doy un concierto en Alemania, con una cantante folk, Tine Kindermann. Es un ciclo llamado Un siglo de canciones. Uno espera haber aportado algo al cancionero del siglo, aunque solo sea I wanna be your dog (Quiero ser tu perro).

P. ¿Hay algo que añadir respecto a la muerte de Michael Jackson?

R. Yo soy más experto en fracasos que en éxitos. Imagino que el éxito desmesurado distorsiona todo. Lo sé, lo he vivido al lado de David y la suya era una fama más controlable. En el nivel de Michael, supongo que te vas debilitando y entras en una espiral de decadencia. Todos quieren algo de ti, todos te acosan, los abogados te abruman. No te adaptas, estás nervioso y tomas algo para resistir. Luego… fundido a negro.

P. Por cierto, he visto el spot donde hacía publicidad de una aseguradora británica de automóviles que…

R. … no aseguraba a músicos, ya lo sé. Bueno, ya han rectificado. Hay ventajas en ser un “artista de culto”: alguien te ofrece un montón de dinero por asociar su imagen contigo. Absurdo pero no me voy a negar.

P. Una pequeña maldad. Me dicen que conduce un Maserati. Imaginaba que, dado sus raíces en Detroit, sería fiel a sus coches.

R. He tenido coches americanos hasta hace poco, pero me daban muchos disgustos, no es bueno quedarse parado en algunas zonas de Miami. De cualquier manera, no quiero frivolizar con ese asunto: es terrible la decadencia de Detroit como ciudad.

FUENTE EL PAÍS

Had a few issues with Les Computer last week moreover with the multimedia morons that run AT&T (the actual employees, especially the ones from India are great). That being said I am giving you ten albums in a row to make up for the time off. More to come in a couple days.

#239 – Trace – Son Volt

After Uncle Tupelo broke up, lead singer Jay Farrar put together Son Volt, a band he felt encompassed his vision more than uncle Tupelo & moreover the rising star of Jeff Tweedy that seemed to be eclipsing him. Trace, their debut is album is by far their best from start to finish as it revels in Middle America Alt-Country brilliance. Hailing from St. Louis lead singer Jay Farrar has stuck true to his Country/Western roots with heavy steel guitar sounds along with that familiar twang of Old Country. “Tear Stained Eye” & “Windfall” stand out as my favorites on the album while “Drown” got up to #12 on the Billboard charts.

Son Volt – Tear Stained Eye

Son Volt – Windfall

#238 – The Seeds – The Seeds

Called by Muddy Waters, “America’s Rolling Stones” The Seeds were a seminal garage band in the 60s & one of the biggest influences on early punk rock. It was a fitting comparison as lead singer, Sky Saxon, was so dramatically influenced by Mick Jagger that he would practice moving in the same way as Jagger did on stage.  The Seeds was their first album & had the classic track “Pushin’ Too Hard“. The song about a girl that pushes the guy she’s dating into becoming her boyfriend and when he finally does she runs around town dating a bunch of other guys.

The Seeds – Pushin’ Too Hard

#237 – Mixed Bag – Richie Havens

Before becoming the opening act at what was to become the greatest concert of the 60s, if not ever, Richie Havens’ raspy, baritone voice was introduced to a generation of hippies & beatniks alike. Though, many call Mixed Bag his debut album it was actually his third album ,but first under manager Albert Grossman, who also managed Bob Dylan. Mixing Jazz rhythms with folk inspired lyrics it speaks on a number of themes: the beauty of the day from morning to evening, depression & love. His performance at Woodstock is only second in my mind to Jimi Hendrix. I had the pleasure of seeing Richie Havens in Petaluma, Ca. with my cousins Kevin & Loni, I believe, at an amazing place called the Majestic & it was such a phenomenal experience.

Richie Havens – Follow

Richie Havens – I Can’t Make it Anymore (Written by Gordon Lightfoot)

#236 Tracy Chapman – Tracy Chapman

I remember first hearing Tracy Chapman’s debut album in my father’s car. Not sure where we were going but “Fast Car” came on and quite simply I was blown away. Never before had a song struck me so deeply. The desperation in her voice begging to get out of the town that has seemingly killed all her dreams. It’s a common theme on the album desperation, domestic violence, nostalgic memories of when times were better. I alluded to something like this in one of my previous posts. A brilliant album that she hasn’t even come close to duplicationg since.

Tracy Chapman – Fast Car

Tracy Chapman – Talkin’ Bout a Revolution

#235 – Porgy & Bess – Miles Davis

Porgy & Bess is an opera written by George Gershwin, but perfected by Miles Davis. What Miles Davis does is truly mesmerizing. His trumpet acts as a pseudo narrator while crescendos happen around it. The melancholy feel of “Oh Bess, Oh Where’s My Bess?” gives the feeeling of foreboding even to one that has never seen the Opera/Play. The trumpet playing ius flawless & it is Jazz, but Blues at the same time. You feel like perhaps you’ve been transported back to the early 20th Century in New Orleans. You can just feel the emotion from the trumpet or moreover the Trumpeteer.

Miles Davis – Summertime

Miles Davis – Oh Bess, Oh Where’s My Bess

#234 – Arthur or the Decline & Fall of the British Empire – The Kinks

Coming off the failure of their previous album The Kinks were in a dire place. The British explosion had given way to the Hippy/Free Love music of Woodstock & the Monterey Pop Festival. So Ray Davies wrote Arthur (Or the Decline and Fall of the British Empire) as a concept album based on his sister, Rose’s, emigration to Australia from England with her husband Arthur. It’s was compared at the time favorably to The Who’s rock opera, Tommy & called by Mike Daly of Rolling Stone, “Ray Davies’ finest hour, the Kinks’ supreme achievement.” Seemingly out of place in 1969 the album did well & allowed them to come back to the U.S. & tour after a five year ban.

The Kinks – Victoria

The Kinks – Shangri-La

#233 – The Queen is Dead – The Smiths

With the rapid strum of Johnny Marr’s guitar we’re off into The Queen is Dead by The Smiths. “Bigmouth Strikes Again” is the stellar track where Morrissey compares his frustration with his own words being used against him to that of Joan of Arc’s plight.

Now I know how Joan of Arc felt, oh
As the flames rose to her roman nose
And her Walkman started to melt

Morrissey is no stranger to the clever mixing of historic characters to himself nor is he averse to thinking of himself as a tragic figure. It’s what made the Smiths & to some extent Morrissey, solo, so brilliant. To have no genuflection to the things that people consider proper was part of their allure. One of the pleasures of my life was having seen Morrissey play at Coachella this year. One of the best shows ever.

The Smiths – Bigmouth Strikes Again

The Smiths – The Boy With The Thorn in His Side

#232 – Raw Power – Iggy & The Stooges

Picking up where The Seeds left off, Iggy & The Stooges released Raw Power & while largely ignored it was the spawn of what was to become Punk Rock. With a touch of Lou Reed style vocals Iggy Pop led The Stooges through simple chord progressions & such vocal ferocity that the album is considered one of the loudest of all time being in the -4dbs range throughout.

Iggy & The Stooges – Search & Destroy

Iggy & The Stooges – Raw Power

#231 – Siamese Dream – The Smashing Pumpkins

Siamese Dream by the Smashing Pumpkins came out when I was 16 years old & just getting over that Rap phase that seemingly every young suburbanite boy goes through. It was one of my first forays into alternative music & it opened my mind up to sounds that I’d never heard on a rock album before. The strings on “Disarm” make you revel in the ostentatiousness of such an attempt to make it different than anything else that was out there. Different it was with over 40 different overdubs of guitar alone on “Today” it is a musical anomaly in the realm of so-called grunge rock which while this album was given that designation it certainly is not Grunge whatsoever.

Smashing Pumpkins – Disarm

Smashing Pumpkins – Today

#230 – MTV Unplugged in New York – Nirvana

Instead of going on MTV Unplugged and doing “Smells Like Teen Spirit” acoustically Nirvana opted to do things different. What they created is perhaps the best Unplugged performance that came out of the MTV series. Covering everyone from David Bowie to the Meat Puppets to Leadbelly, this album showed a side of Kurt Cobain that the world had not seen. Unfortunately, the world would never get to see that side again. Less than a year later, Kurt Cobain would be found dead from a self inflicted shotgun blast to the head & the world was left wondering what might have been.

Nirvana – Lake of Fire

Nirvana – Where Did You Sleep Last Night

The KingCrows regular line up is back for the 2009 season (and wilder than ever) after Rocco took an extended (much needed) break during the run up to Christmas.

Jan 30 2009      8:00P THE PRIMROSE     LEEDS
Feb 4 2009        8:00P THE VINE     LEEDS
Feb 21 2009      8:00P ROOM AT THE TOP @ The Polish Club     BRADFORD
Mar 12 2009     8:00P THE GASWORKS     BRADFORD
Mar 28 2009     8:00P WHITE RABBIT CLUB @ The Subculture   LEEDS
Jun 05 2009     8:00P THE SPORTSMAN     HALIFAX

www.myspace.com/kingcrows

As a reader of this blog, you will be aware that I am a fan of Iggy and The Stooges. I was sad to read yesterday of the death of guitarist Ron Asheton at the tender age of 60. Having grown up in the 60s and 70s, it’s hard to come to terms with the gradual list of musical casualties and it makes me aware of my own mortality. The band’s show at the Isle of Wight Festival in 2008 was a highlight for me. I can still remember getting ‘Raw Power’ on LP in the mid 70s and loving it, but concerned lest my parents come into my bedroom whilst ‘Penetration’ was playing! Oh, happy days! I’ve played this album again this morning and it still sounds just as good as it did then; now, where’s my guitar?

La policía ha hallado el cadaver de Ron Asheton en su casa de Ann Arbor, Michigan, el pasado martes. Según el Sargento de Policía Brad Hill encontraron el cuerpo sin vida en el sofá sin señales de que violencia a lo que ha dicho que no creen que haya ocurrido nada ilegal. A falta de confirmación oficial, se especula que Asheton ha sido víctima de un infarto de miocardio.

Los hermanos Asheton y Dave Alexander fueron los primeros integrantes de la banda que popularizó Iggy Pop en los años 60. Las muestras de pésame a familia y amigos se han ido sucediendo desde conocer su muerte. “Estoy en estado de shock. Él era mi mejor amigo.” Iggy Pop.

Vía | El País NME

Myspace | Iggy & The Stooges

Run-D.M.C., Metallica y los Stooges están entre nueve nominados para ingresar el próximo año al Salón de la Fama del Rock and Roll, anunció el lunes la fundación del mismo.

Los otros nominados son el guitarrista Jeff Beck, la cantante Wanda Jackson, Little Anthony and the Imperials, War, Bobby Womack, y el grupo Chic, de música disco y R&B.

La lista es notable por el amplio rango de géneros musicales representados _hip-hop, metal, punk, disco y R&B_ y por el elevado número de candidatos nominados por primera vez. Sólo Chic, los Stooges y Jackson habían sido nominados previamente.

“Es un grupo interesante porque realmente muestra que el comité de nominación le puso cierto análisis y energía al considerar quién debía ser honrado con su ingreso”, dijo Joel Peresman, presidente y director general de la fundación Rock Hall, con sede en Nueva York. “Realmente muestra que nunca hay una puerta cerrada para que cualquier artista sea nominado”.

Los cinco que reciban más votos serán anunciados en enero y honrados con su ingreso al Salón de la Fama el 4 de abril del 2009, en Cleveland.

La ceremonia se ha realizado normalmente en Nueva York, pero regresará a Cleveland luego de una larga ausencia de una década. Por primera vez el público podrá adquirir boletos.

En el 2007, Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five abrieron la puerta para que el rap ingresara al Salón del Rock.

Ahora, Run-D.M.C., nominado en su primer año en que podía serlo, tiene la oportunidad de continuar con la fortaleza de mezclas de rock y rap como la versión nueva de 1986 de “Walk This Way”, de Aerosmith, y clásicos como “It’s Tricky” y “My Adidas”.

Alright, August 3rd, 2008. Are train is set to leave at 1:20 PM. Osheaga starts at 2:00 PM. So needless to say… we were late. Tony, Matt and I left my house at about 12:15 PM to go meet up with Jake at the train station but Jake was nowhere to be found. We walk off under the overpass down the street a little bit and start to have a session. Getting blazed before a train ride is always a nice way to start off a trip of this sort. After we smoked some bowls we noticed Jake sitting at the train station, so we go get him and bring him over and we all started blazing again. Then the time came, All Aboard!

Montreal Montage

The train ride up there was pretty packed but I had my iPod so everything was alright. The Weather Forecast announced rain on August 3rd and rained it did. Not for very long. After we get off at Gare Central we go get some meals in our stomaches and you know, take a piss, get a coffee, the usual. At this point It was almost 3:00 PM and that was our time to check in to our hotel. Which was The Montreal Hilton. We proceed to walk around the black numerous amounts of time for no reason. Then we check in to our hotel. Matt & I went to check it. The Hotel Clerk was a young woman and was very kind. She mentioned us being there for Osheaga but I was really paying attention. Marijuana in my brain. We get the Key-Cards and go to get Jake & Tony because they were waiting for us outside ’cause we had got a two-bedroom and they would have made us pay more and been anal about us having more people in out hotel room. After we get in the hotel room and settle in, I send Matt & Jake on a beer run. They get back about 15 minutes later with a 24, we start drinking, rolling joints, getting everything ready, and then off to the metro.

Tony, Jake, Matt & Me

We got to the metro at like 4:20 PM so by the time we go to Parc Jean Drapnou, It was about 4:50. Metric was starting at about 5:45 so we went and secured a nice spot to see Emily Haines do her magic. They opened with “Dead Disco” and completed their short little set with “Poster of a girl”, “Monster Hospital”, “Live It Out” & a new song that I didn’t catch the name of. Metric was a nice way to kick off Osheaga for us. Sadly… we missed N*E*R*D, which really is a tragedy. I was excited for them. Too bad we were late… Anyways on with this.

Metric Live @ Osheaga

After Metric was finished we ate some expensive hot-dogs and then went to the hill to start a session and film a Canadian Cannabis Episode (Canadian Cannabis is my Marijuana You-Tube Page Links will be at the bottom), We had a nice long session while Sharon Jones & The Dap Kings were kickin’ out the jams. More beer was needed at this point, after having a nice long session and some nice brews we went back out into the the battlefield. This time it was Iggy & The Stooges. We got to the Mountain Stage an hour before they were set to start to secure a good spot. At this point we were all pretty drunk, the sun was setting, iggy was about to hit the stage and the whole atmosphere of the place was one of beauty. Truly amazing. We met some of the people around us and smoked some joints and shared some French, English conversations that didn’t go to far but thing was for damn sure. We were all pumped to see the fucking stooges and iggy. Then I turn around and notice Tony sitting on the ground, sweating. He stands up and says “I got to get out of here”, hahaha. Poor bastard was about to go over the deep-end. He left us, god speed. We would find him later, I thought. I wasn’t very worried, I was about to see the legendary Iggy Pop & The Stooges.

Iggy & The Stooges Live At Osheaga

Once the bell rang. Iggy came jumping out and the crowed went crazy. Opened the show just as you would expect. Nothing less from the man. Once “1969″ came on the crowd was in a frenzy shouting along to every line in the song. “I wanna be you’re dog” was the highlight of his set for me. I love that song so much and they played it so well. The crowed loved it. The continued their set with “Search & Destroy”, “Raw Power”, Down on the street”, “TV Eye”, “No Fun” which Iggy invited the crowed to “Break down the gate” and “Get the fuck up on this stage” with him. The security was very tight at this point showing no mercy. I saw this as war. They then played “1970″ as an encore and finished their set off so nicely leaving the crowed wanting more but very satisfied. It was a shame not to here “The Passenger” & “Lust for Life” But hey it’s not all Iggys show.

The Killers at Osheaga

The crowed scatters as we walk to the hot-dog stand to get some beer and some food. I am soaking wet in sweat and I almost broke my Video Camera. But it was worth it. Next thing you know we turn are heads and see Tony sitting down eating a hamburger. Which was very lucky. We all met up and then we ate. Next thing we knew The Killers start off their set with “Somebody Told Me” Which we could see from a distance so we all walk over to get a good spot for The Killers. They were pretty much everything I expected from them. I loved “Mr.Brightside”, “All these things that i’ve done”, “When you were young” & “Read My Mind”. Those were the highlights of their set for moi. The Killers did their thing. Which was not as an impressive as Iggy & The Stooges but the raw power of Iggy is just amazing and it is hard to top. But next thing we know were walking along a path after The Killers finish up their set and we hear some strange music going on we walk up the hill, past the tents and water stream and see a stage set-up. Sure enough it’s The National Parcs halfway through their set. We waste no time getting right up in there dancing away. The National Parcs really know how to put on a show with their bottles, computers, guitar, nature sounds, ect. They played in a Half-Dome Yellow Thing. It was great. They had a live ice sculpture going on.

If we would have known that the other two stages were along this path we would have been able to see more bands but we didn’t even think about it at first because Metric was going on then Iggy. So we missed alot of bands on these two stages in the woods.

This place was amazing though. The whole vibe. The people were very friendly. The National Parcs finished up their set with an amazing performance of “Clickety Clack” with their skeleton masks and everything. After their set was up. We headed to the metro to go back to the hotel. The end of Osheaga for us. It was amazing, however we really should have gotten there earlier and had tickets for the next day, also we really should have looked around more carefully for the other stages:P. But in total this festival is amazing. Great place to be.
That night we walked around Montreal for hours, blazing, drinking ect. In the morning we just did the same

shit and hit the train station and came back home. It was a great time. I will be going next year. haha, anyways I leave you now with Video links to clips I filmed at Osheaga and some pictures.

Montreal

The National Parcs Live

Band Performances

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ScYRvFifizU

Canadian Cannabis

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E4KKqaGaEvA

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wcYNiriJx4U

Not a recent publication by any stretch of the imagination, but I’ve taken a shine to Aurum, this book is so Vault and there can never be enough glampunk in the world – let’s give ‘em a plug!

Jeremy Novick & Mick Middles – Wham Bam Thank You Glam: A Celebration of The ’70’s (Aurum, 1998).

blurb

Come On, Come On, Come
On, Come On, Come On,
Come On, Come On…
I SAID!

From A-line flares to Zebedee. from David Cassidy to the Austin Princess Vanden Plas. Wham Bam Thank You Glam is the first, the last, the everything you’ll ever need to remember those halcyon days of the 70s when men wore cheesecloth and women teetered on six-inch platforms.
This is more than just a celebration of Glam music (although there’s lots of that in here). this is a celebration of the whole glorious shebang – the clothes! the telly! the cars! the football! the sweeties: All recalled in fantastic dayglo shades of poptastic colour by some the real heroes of Glam.

All that Glitters is not gold – it could be Bacofoil – but it is exciting. The years between 1969 and 1976 (Punk year zero) were a riot of colour, humour, funny clothes, flash cars, weird sweeties and bizarre telly. People really did wear sea-green forty-inch flares and silver six-inch platforms while swigging a lime Crests and sitting in a bright yellow Ford Capri Mk I – and they weren’t all members of Mud or Paper Lace. The Glam years were strangely naive, yet widely debauched, the music was a brash over-played version of rock’n'roll with big drums and daft lyrics, the fashion tried to make bricklayers built like out­houses look like Quentin Crisp. Yes, it was a lot of fun, as our guides to the Glam years will testify within these pages.

- in the immortal words of that cool white bear:
‘It’s frothy, man!’

“Glam Music can be broken up into three distinct groups. The Chinnichap merchants, the Teenyboppers and the Geezers who just happened to be there …” – oversimplifying matters, perhaps – what about Bowie, Roxy, Marc, Mael bro’s, Iggy, Lou, Dolls and all the other space invaders from planet art? – but not a million miles wide of the truth.

This book is like the Bible or something. For example, there’s a top interview with the much-missed Brian Connolly of the Sweet in which he answers all the big ones. Which bands did the glam rockers’ really look up to? How did Sweet get on with their rivals? Who were the biggest copycats? What did Bri think of the Damned covering Teenage Rampage and punk in general? Ex-Man City bruiser Mike Summerbee is a revelation with his look at Football, Beer And Lots Of Girls: George Best And The Roots Of Glam. Dee Dee Wilde recalls her years in the lingerie catalogue come to life that was Pans People – “For a young girl it was the best job in the world”. The Glam Telly featured includes Jason King, The Sweeney, On The Buses (!!!!!!!?) and Man About The House while a ‘What’s on at the movies’ feature wisely concentrates on good old fashioned Brit smut like Come Play With Me, the Confessions … and the racier Carry On’s. In the A-Z of Glam who should we find under ‘R’ but Richard Allen (the cover of whose Glam is also given some prominence in the literary dept though, understandably, not as much as Pop Swap).

It’s not perfect. For example, I’ve not found any mention of Dana Gillespie as yet, and she was just about the glammest person going in 1974 as the gratuitous use of above pic ably demonstrates, although on the plus side, Kenny’s risible Do The Bump doesn’t trouble the all-time Glam Top 20 chart so you’re laughing really.

For more glampunk, see the Vault of Evil forum’s ghastly rock & roll section.

A picture worths more than 1,000 words. And makes us remind a few songs too.

* I Wanna Be Your Dog (Steak Lunch Remix) - Iggy & the Stooges
* Get ‘em High (Ratatat Remix) - Kanye West
* My Drink n’ My 2 Step (Cousin Cole Remix) – Cassidy
* Gasolina (Radioclit Remix, Neon Coyote Edit) -  Bonde do Rolê