Auf dem on3 Festival gab’s mal wieder jede Menge neue musikalische Highlights zu entdecken. Sandra Brix, Mitarbeiterin der P&P Studios Audio-Agentur, war am Samstag ab 19.30 Uhr im Funkhaus des Bayerischen Rundfunks unterwegs und hat vom on3-Festival nur Positives zu berichten. Den politisch unkorrekten Auftakt von Pete Doherty hat Sandra nicht mitbekommen, da sie erst etwas später in das Studio gekommen ist um Kettcar zu erleben.  Zu dem Zeitpunkt hatte Pete Doherty bereits in altbewährter Betrunkenheit eines seiner bekannten Lieder gesungen, was natürlich gar nicht so schlecht klang.

Party auf dem on3 Festival

Insgesamt haben 17 Bands auf 3 Bühnen für 1.700 Besucher gespielt. „Mir tat es Samstagnacht schon Leid um jeden Live-Auftritt den ich verpasst habe. Obwohl die drei Studios nah beieinander liegen und man zügig von einer Band zur nächsten wechseln konnte, war es unmöglich nichts zu verpassen. Dafür war einfach zu viel geboten!“ schwärmt Sandra Brix sichtlich begeistert. Selbst die frischen (!!) Hotdog-Saucen seien „der Wahnsinn“ gewesen.

Toll am on3 Festival ist zudem dass die Bands selber mitfeiern. So kann man vor oder nach den Konzerten mit den Musikern locker ins Gespräch kommen oder gemeinsam tanzen.  Außerdem kann man CDs, LPs und  Merchandising-Produkte günstig erweben.

Besonders in Erinnerung geblieben ist Sandra das Konzert von Ebony Bones mit ihrer mitreißenden, unfassbar aktiven Bühnenshow und abgedrehten Kostümen.  Da wurde so richtig abgerockt…

Aber auch Spiral Beach, Dobré & Sepp Kennedy, Kleinmeister, Creme Fresh, und The Great Bertholinis haben die Hüften ordentlich ins schwingen gebracht und sollten hier deshalb nicht unerwähnt bleiben. (Alle Profile auf MySpace zu finden).

Am besten ihr hört einfach selber mal rein auf der on3 Fesival – Homepage des BR. Dort könnt ihr auch alles nachlesen was Sandra (leider!) verpasst hat…

Deine / Ihre / Eure

P&P Studios

If you’re going to kick authority in the teeth,
you might as well use two feet.
Keith Richards

Der britische Skandalrocker Pete Doherty hat in einem Radioprogramm des Bayerischen Rundfunks eine der Todsünden des politisch korrekten Deutschlands begangen. Er sang live die erste Strophe des Deutschlandliedes. Im Rahmen eines Musik-Festivals seines Jugendsenders “on3″ hatte der Bayerische Rundfunk Doherty als Stargast des Abends aufgeboten. Im Rausch stimmte er plötzlich zwischen zwei Liedern “Deutschland, Deutschland über alles…” an. Die allgemeine Verwirrung spiegelt sich in diesem Artikel wieder. Die Verantwortlichen fühlten sich „unbehaglich“ und die Staatsanwaltschaft hat sich ebenfalls eingeschaltet. Zeilen werden zu Versen, und Verse werden zu Sprachgrenzen. Auch wird der geneigte Leser darüber aufgeklärt, dass Belt und Memel Eckpunkte waren, in [sic] denen Deutsch gesprochen wurde. Die tiefere Ironie dieses Vorfalls und des daraus resultierenden Artikels erzeugt bei mir ein merkwürdiges Gefühl der Schadenfreude.

In a departure from the usual this week, as part of the newspaper groups Album of the Decade debate/battle to the death, I’ve decided to have a crack at my choice. Follow the debate on Twitter by using this hashtag: #albumofthedecade, and vote using the poll at the bottom of this post.

Up The Bracket by The Libertines is without a doubt, THE album of the last 10 years, the record that defined a generation and forever made stars of dual songwriters/vocalists Pete Doherty and Carl Barât.

After the slew of (mainly crap) bands who The Strokes opened the floodgates to (The Vines anyone?) did anyone really expect four guys who effortlessly looked the part to produce something more than a flash in the pan? In the end, 2002’s Up The Bracket was an exhilaratingly out of control romp that changed the face of British music and created myths aplenty.

Doherty and Barât, inspired by Ray Davies and romantic notions of Albion, William Blake and The Clash, became the voices of a generation with their twisted and chaotic paeans to Blighty’s dark underbelly, ably assisted by Gary Powell’s muscular drums and John Hassal’s nimble bass-lines.

The Clash’s Mick Jones at the production desk imbues the bands raucous noise with a bit of know-how, and all 36 minutes of Up The Bracket is a glorious chase through to the end, each song more breathlessly exhilarating than the last.

Lots of the best elements of British music from the last 40 years are in there: blues, reggae, snarling punk, anthemic sing-a-longs and some of the juiciest rock riffs this side of the 70’s.

Boys in the Band fuses swaggeringly funky riffs into barbershop quartet style harmonies, while the good-times stomp of Death on the Stairs moves into the breathless onslaught of Horrorshow. Even the acoutic Radio America adds a delicate counterpoint to the rest of the album.

Throughout, it is the vocals of Doherty and Barât that hold the listeners attention the most, the love-hate nature of their relationship apparent in every syllable.

There have been few such vocalists in the last decade, ones who sang “And they watched old films flicker, across the palace movie screen, what a shame as she slipped in the rain, the poor dancing girl well she won’t dance again”, while spitting “I said you see these two cold fingers, these crooked fingers I show yous a way to mean no” the next.

This album truly gave British guitar music the shot in the arm (no pun intended) it needed and reminded everyone that romanticism still had a place in the modern world.

Before the bands sadly inevitable implosion and the tabloid misadventures of Doherty hijacked his reputation as a poetic genius, this album demonstrates the sheer talent of the two song-writers, which has only ever been shown in fits since.

Up The Bracket may not be to everyones taste, but unless you give it a listen, you’ll be the one missing out.

Vote for your album of the decade in the poll below.

Don’t forget the other candidates…

Arctic Monkeys – Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not – By Ciaran Jones

Brand New – The Devil And The God Are Raging Inside Me – By Hugh Morris

Sufjan Stevens – Come On Feel The Illinoise – By Alex Smith

Bloc Party – Silent Alarm -By Joe Curtis

At The Drive In – Relationship Of Command – By Tom Victor

Bon Iver – For Emma Forever Ago – By Ammelio

The Killers – Hot Fuss – By Nick Moore

Daft Punk – Discovery – By Will Gilgrass

Coldplay – Parachutes – By Dan Bloom

Kings Of Leon – Only By The Night - By Caroline Cook

Bright Eyes – Digital Ash In A Digital Urn – By Emma Davies

In a change to the advertised schedule, today’s post is going to be music-related as I’m joining the debate on the album of the noughties.  Following the success of the sportsman of the decade blogs (Tom Victor’s post links out to all of them), we at CJS are now going to pour forth on the greatest contributions to the world music scene in the last 10 years…  Follow the debate by using this Twitter hashtag: #albumofthedecade, and vote on it here.

Arctic Monkeys – Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not

The album's mildly controversial artwork

“Anticipation has the habit to set you up / For disappointment…”  Has an album ever had a more portentous opening line?  Its bathos and casual self-deprecation show that Alex Turner and the gang knew they were under pressure to perform when they finally brought an LP to the table, but there is an arrogance to it too: they knew they’d just made the best album of the decade, and they wanted to have a bit of a laugh about it.

When Arctic Monkeys released their debut on Monday January 23, 2006, the atmosphere was incendiary.  They had been catapulted into the limelight since giving away free CDs at their early gigs which had then hit the internet at the tail end of 2004.

Fascination was rife with Alex’s grotty evocation of life as a young man in Sheffield: the grimy bars of Rotherham in ‘Fake Tales of San Francisco’ are delightfully juxtaposed with the romance of New York, and the multivalent “lines” of the performers effortlessly debase the trendy image of musicians taking cocaine.

It all started, really, with ‘I Bet You Look Good On The Dancefloor’.  When it was released as a single in October 2005 and shot straight to the top of the charts the band became more than an internet phenomenon; they became a national obsession.  Young people could identify with their tales of boozy nights out and minor run-ins with bouncers (as in ‘From the Ritz to the Rubble’, about the legendary – and now defunct – Sheffield nightclub Kingdom).

The perspective of the lyricist is disconnected from his position; Turner is a young man about town but he shuns the boorish behaviour of those he sees “squaring up proper shouting” in ‘Red Light Indicates Doors Are Secured’.  He chooses here to laugh at it but later, in closing track ‘A Certain Romance’, he adopts a weary acceptance: “They’ll never listen / Because their minds are made up”.

Arctic Monkeys on stage at Old Trafford County Cricket Ground, July 28, 2007

The realism of the album allied with Turner’s vernacular was perhaps what most piqued the public’s consciousness; “int”s and “summat”s pepper the album, but obviously ‘Mardy Bum’ made the most of this.  That track in particular shows how well they can do pathos as well as humour; the words resonate with that poignant desperation of a man at the end of his tether in his relationship.

Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not has everything.  It draws on popular culture in much the same way as The Libertines did in their references to classic British comedies; the lines from ‘You Probably Couldn’t See For The Lights But You Were Staring Straight At Me’ which refer to Some Mothers Do ‘Ave ‘Em (“So tense, never tenser / Could all go a bit Frank Spencer”) are not so esoteric as Doherty and Barat but are brilliantly humorous.

‘When The Sun Goes Down’ – which was probably even better in its original incarnation as ‘Scummy’ – is probably the most widely-known song from the album, and it still has revellers (particularly in Sheffield’s indie clubs, such as The Leadmill) bawling along in unison.  The snarling, grungey portrait of backstreet Sheffield cemented Turner’s position as one of the great social commentators of British music.

There are no weak spots, lyrically or musically, on this award-winning album.  Even Gordon Brown, when he was Chancellor of the Exchequer, tried to jump on the relentless bandwagon of Arctic Monkeys love, though later had to admit he couldn’t name a single song from them.

Since then, it’s all gone a bit Frank Spencer for him…

Pete Doherty suspendio varios conciertos de su  gira debido a que fué trasladado al hospital con urgencia despues de tener un paro cardiaco. Al llegar al hospital el cantante fue conectado a una máquina bombeadora que le salvó la vida; los exámenes médicos revelaron que el paro cardíaco de Pete no era por sobredosis, sino por algún tipo de envenenamiento.

Babyshambles frontman Pete Doherty has revealed to NME this week that his heart stopped when he was rushed into hospital after suffering poisoning. No doubt a lot of people are speculating on just what could have possibly poisoned Pete Doherty, who has openly suffered with heroin addiction, but he insists he has always had heart problems.

We haven’t seen a lot of Pete lately, especially since his turbulent relationship with Kate Moss nose-dived and she set up with Jamie Hince, and the first time we do hear about him he, by his own admission has been “running into walls, making steering wheel signs with my hands. Then I just stopped. my whole body stopped.”

Well, its about time he ran into a studio and reminded us all why he’s even worth talking about.

Ja, dat was wat zeg. Gisteravond in de Effenaar. De komst van Pete solo was blijkbaar zo legendarisch dat er een speciaal weblog aan gewijd moest worden. Zijn band Babyshambles heeft ie even op een lager pitje gezet. Maar zijn pyromane neigingen kon hij kennelijk niet onderdrukken, en dus zette hij maar even één van zijn eigen Fuck Forever-shirts in de hens. Zie hieronder het prachtige resultaat:

Samenvatting van enkele bezoekers: muzikaal gezien K-U-T, maar een genot om naar te kijken. Waarvan akte.

Hieronder een wijsje dat hij zong:

The 30 year old rocker revealed that last month his life hung by a piece of string, being half dead.

Forced to cancel several concerts, Doherty’s agent announced that the artist is exhausted and that he was hospitalized. Now the rocker admitted it was a sort of poisoning of the body, but the problem wasn’t caused by drugs, as doctors first believed, because of his drug related past.

Pete’s heart stopped beating and after resuscitation he needed to be connected to life support machines. All he remembers is hitting himself against a wall and suddenly fell unconscious: “I woke up in hospital. They asked me around 20 questions – if I know my name, how old am I … I later found out how serious the situation was. “

While doctors still fear for his life, Doherty wants to return to the stage with Babyshambles: “A concert is exactly what my doctor recommended,” he joked.

Pete Doherty október közepén kénytelen volt lemondani több brit koncertet is, a hivatalos indoklás szerint kimerültség miatt maradtak el a fellépések. Az énekes most előállt az igazi okokkal, amelyek meglehetősen drámaiak: Doherty azért nem zenélhetett, mert életveszélyben volt, és egy kórházban próbálták megmenteni az életét…

“Ha nem lettem volna éppen életmentő gépeken, akkor ott lettem volna a koncerteken, de megállt a szívem, ezért egy kórházban tartózkodtam. Az orvosok azt hitték, biztosan drogokkal van összefüggésben a dolog, de kiderült, hogy nem. Magam sem tudom, mi történt, nem emlékszem semmire” – mondta Doherty, akit állítólag valamilyen mérgezés miatt kellett kórházba szállítani.

Az orvosok gyorsan rendbe hozták az énekest, aki néhány nap megfigyelés után távozhatott a swindoni kórházból, és a decemberi Babyshambles-koncerteken már ismét színpadra léphet.

Lo scorso ottobre Pete Doherty ha annullato alcuni concerti. Niente di inusuale per l’ex Libertine, non proprio famoso per la sua affidabilità e le ottime condizioni di salute. Oggi Doherty ha rivelato che durante quel ricovero in ospedale il suo cuore ha cessato di battere e di essere rimasto in vita grazie ai macchinari dell’ospedale. Non si trattava quindi di esaurimento, la motivazione ufficiale del ricovero e della cancellazione delle date irlandesi, ma di problemi assai più gravi.

A Doherty è stato installato un congegno che annulla gli effetti dell’eroina e della cocaina: anche se assume le sostanze, quindi, non ne sente gli effetti. Non sono state le droghe quindi il motivo del suo ricovero. Nell’intervista con il settimanale NME, Doherty ricorda che fingeva di guidare stringendo tra le mani un immaginario volante d’auto, andando a sbattere contro i muri, e poi di aver perso conoscenza.

Pete Doherty è stato dimesso ed ora si dice pronto per il tour dicembrino con i suoi Babyshambles. Me l’ha ordinato il dottore, dice scherzando.

As if you already didn’t know (Nu Rave Brain Wave):

Pete Doherty has said that he was in hospital on a life support machine in October when he had to cancel a series of Irish solo live dates. “If I hadn’t been on a life support machine I’d have been in Ireland,” he told NME.COM, speaking of his stay in Swindon’s Great Western Hospital. “But my heart stopped.”

“Their [doctors'] immediate thought was that it was to do with drugs but it wasn’t,” he said. “What happened? Well, I don’t know. I don’t remember. I was running into the walls, making steering wheel signs with my hands. And then I just… stopped. My body just stopped.”

The wisest choice is obviously to go ahead with the December tour that Babyshambles have scheduled that leave out London AND Brighton. “A tour’s just what the doctor ordered,” he said.

Howdy!

Nyt on hyvä fiilis. Kuuntelen Manic Street Preachersia ja syön JÄTSKIÄ. Vaikka jo nämä tekijät yleensä riittäisi aiheuttamaan hyvän fiiliksen, on siihen tällä kertaa ihan erityinen syy. Palautin juuri äsken proseminaariesitelmäni, jota olen työstänyt koko syksyn. Ajoittain aika isostikin. En ole ihan kaikilta osin tyytyväinen mun esitelmään ja tiedän, että joudun työstämään sitä vielä jonkin verran seminaarikäsittelyn jälkeenkin. Silti tää on hyvä juttu.

Seminaariesitelmäni käsittelee kolmen suomalaislehden uutisointia Sabran ja Shatilan joukkomurhista syyskuussa 1982. Jos joku jostain syystä on kiinnostunut aiheesta, kannattaa ehdottomasti katsoa Ari Folmanin huikea elokuva Waltz with Bashir. Kuvassa animoitu Ari Beirutin Cornichella.

Viikonloppu meni myös tosi mukavasti. Olin faijani ja pikkubroidini Ilmarin kanssa Jyväskylässä MUMMOLASSA. Lauantaina tosin meni ehkä VÄHÄN yli, sillä kävimme KEILAAMASSSA jyväskyläläisen kaverini Timon kanssa. Olen täysin surkea keilaamaan, mutta ajattelin että eihän se haittaa. Pääasia että keilaillaan ja jubaillaan ja silleen.

Nojoo, oli oikeastaan tosi kivaa, mutta olin jopa odotettua surkeampi. Kaverini Timo oli täysin suvereeni. Osakseni jäi kilpailla kakkossijasta broidini Ilmarin (13v) kanssa. Hävisin tämänkin taiston surkeasti. En oikein tiedä mikä suorituksessani jääti. Kokeilin erilaisia palloja, erilaisia vauhteja ja erilaisia MIELIKUVIA. Silti mikään ei toiminut. Paras kierrokseni oli 68 pistettä. Ne jotka ovat joskus keilanneet, tietävät että kädetön koala saisi varmaan silmät kiinni yhtä paljon pisteitä.

Koalat on aika vekkuleita. Tällä on vielä kädetkin tallella.

No ei tästä sen enempää. Menimme illalla saunaan. Puulämmitteiset saunat on tosi jees, koska niissä on joku tuoksu tai jotain jota sähkösaunoissa ei ole. Illalla pelasin vielä rundin AFRIKAN TÄHTEÄ ennen kuin menin nukkumaan. Hävisin senkin. Mummoni voitti. Sunnuntaina ajoimme takaisin Stadiin, onneksi en joutunut itse ajamaan sillä oli sumuista ja märkää. Pelasin autossa Football Manageria läppärilläni ja kuuntelin musaa. Kuuntelin seuraavat levyt:

- The Libertines – Up the Bracket
- Belle and Sebastian – Dear Catastrophe Waitress
- Weezer – Green Album

Autossa on kiva kuunnella vähän menevämpää musaa, tosin mulla oli ihan hyvät kuulokkeet ja voisin kuunnella noista melkein mitä vain myös kotona. Kotiin tultuani selvitin mieltäni pitkään askarruttaneen kysymyksen: mitä Up the Bracket tarkoittaa? 2000-luvun coolein bändi ei saletisti nimeä niiden debyyttialbumia sulkumerkkien mukaan. Kaverini Google kertoi, että Up the Bracket on Pete Dohertyn suosikkikoomikon käyttämä termi iskulle kurkkuun. Ilmeisesti se voi tarkoittaa myös kokainiin käyttöä.

Huomenna pitäisi taas opiskella. Aloitin proseminaariesitelmän palauttamisen jälkeisen henkisen tyhjiön täyttämisen ilmoittautumalla kaupunkitutkimuksen tenttiin. EI HYVÄÄ ILTAA! Pitää hakea kirjat huomenna. Ehkä menen myös unicafeen ja kirjastoon. Aikamoista.

Tällästä tänään. Ihan kiva välillä olla viikonloppu ottamatta BÖNTTÖÖ. Ensi viikolla taas ehkä. Sitä ennen pitäkää KOTKA PÄÄLLÄ!

Do you have an opinion about the BNP? If so lets hear it…no qualifications needed.  Literally anyone can say anything.  Stupidity is no restriction and badly thought out views are welcome.

If you quickly have a look around cyber space you will find lots of badly thought out opinions when it comes to the BNP.  They are not reserved for the likes of amateur bloggers such as me.  Lots of public figures have been out and about stating that they don’t like the BNP.   Even Pete Doherty hates the BNP (http://www.nme.com/news/pete-doherty/45098).  Can you imagine the situation?… A young male is angry and alienated and is considering joining the BNP.  Just at that crucial moment however, he stumbles across Pete Doherty, the moral guru of a generation and sees the light! Another soul is saved by Doherty.

Just in case you cannot be bothered to trawl your way through all these opinions, the BBC has served its purpose as a public service and provided a nice over-view. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/8321627.stm.  This way you can be sure lots of people agree with you when you tell the BNP to go f*ck itself and such forth.

If however, you feel like me, and share Mitchel and Webbs concerns (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tyl9wltqQZ4).  Then please stop filling cyber space with nasty drivel about the BNP.  Yes we know that they are a racist party; even Nick Griffins mother in law says so (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/tvandradio/6431159/Nick-Griffins-mother-in-law-says-the-BNP-leader-is-a-racist.html).  We know that their party is based on a core membership of some nasty characters. 

This is blog is simply a plea.  There are a few really well thought out responses to the BNP.  An example being the recent Quilliam foundation report that can be found at: http://www.quilliamfoundation.org/images/stories/pdfs/in_defence_of_british_muslims_09.pdf or a guardian article by Sunny Hundal  http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2009/oct/19/bnp-nick-griffin-question-time.  Use your cyber space time wisely and get people to read and think.  Do not spend your time entrenching others engrained forms of hatred by ranting about how you would smash Griffins face in if you saw him.  If someone raises questionable views then challenge them but do not waste your time reiterating the anti-BNP message to no-one.  There are lots of people more qualified than us to do that.  Let’s try and rise above it.

Acne dress / Zadig et Voltaire draped sweater / Chanel necklace

.. And I know you’re thinking why on earth are you wearing that absolute horrid silver  90’s bracelet, but I got it from Pete Doherty so I love it!

//

Back in September, the Telegraph published its list of the 100 songs that defined the noughties. Reading through it, I found myself nodding in agreement at times and throwing my arms up in shock and disapproval at others.

A few days ago I tweeted the story to my followers, asking them for the songs that had defined their decade. After a few days work, I’ve come up with 50 of the songs that have defined my decade. These are the songs that, in my opinion, tell the story of the noughties—from 2000 to 2009—and will be remembered for years to come, whether because of their artistry, their controversy, or their relevance.

A few things to remember about my list:

• I grew up with music from both the US and UK, so the list will reflect that fact.  This means you may not have heard of some of these songs.  If not, I highly suggest you listen to them.
• This list is by no means authoritative or complete.  Choosing 50 songs of that define a decade is nearly impossible, as everybody’s songs are colored by their own experiences.  I’m no music critic–just a fan–so keep that in mind.
• The songs are grouped by years, but that’s it; there is no ranking, no rhyme or reason why songs are ordered the way they are.
• The annotations are accurate, as I have done my research.
• Not all songs on here are songs I necessarily enjoy, but may be songs that have simply impacted pop culture in general.
• I tried to only pick one song from an artist–the exception being Justin Timberlake, who appears on the list as a member of *NSync and later as a solo artist.  If I hadn’t, for example, Leona Lewis’s cover of Run would have made the list, as would have Everytime by Britney Spears
• I tried to keep it to five songs per year, but as you’ll see, this didn’t completely work.
• I highly encourage you to debate my choices, comment with your own, and compile your own list.  The more music we can remember, the better off all our playlists will be!

With that, I give you my top 50 songs of the 2000s.

2000
“Bye, Bye, Bye” by *Nsync
A catchy song about breaking loose of a no good lover, it garnered the boyband a Grammy nod for Record of the Year and is arguably their most memorable song.

“Wonderful” by Everclear
“Please don’t tell me everything is wonderful now…” sings a boy to his emotionally absent parents. This song got me through the darkest hours of my life.

Britney Spears in her iconic music video for "Oops!... I Did it Again"

“Oops!… I Did it Again” by Britney Spears
The lead single from Britney’s sophomore album, it remains one of the most infectious pop songs of the past 30 years.

“I Hope You Dance” by Leann Womack
Still Womack’s only number one hit, “I Hope You Dance” was—and still is—played at high school graduations across America.

2001
“Island in the Sun” by Weezer
Though it never cracked the Billboard Hot 100 in the US and only charted at 31 in the UK, “Island in the Sun” proved that Weezer was still “hip, hip” and provided some musical escapism in the aftermath of 9/11.

“Where Were You (When The World Stopped Turning)?” by Alan Jackson
It’s impossible to discuss 2001 in music with out mentioning Alan Jackson’s moving tribute to the 9/11 attacks. Eight years later, it is still the most poignant song to be written about that day.

“Fallin’” by Alicia Keys
Establishing Keys as the preeminent songwriter of our generation, “Fallin’” captured the 19 year old the Grammy for Song of the Year.

“Ms. Jackson” by OutKast
Not their biggest hit, but for a generation of high school students, “Ms. Jackson” provided a sick beat and a warning about the risks of teenage pregnancy. It also foreshadowed the great work OutKast would produce later in the decade.

2002
“I’m With You” by Avil Lavigne
Lavigne’s work leaves much to be desired, but there’s no denying the emotions behind her lyrics and vocals in this piece, which may epitomize the year between 9/11 and the invasion of Iraq.

“Beautiful” by Christina Aguilera
Released on Christmas Eve, “Beautiful” is arguably Aguilera’s most artistic moment—and the video doubtlessly her most daring. A song that inspired all those “othered” by society.

“Clocks” by Coldplay
It captured the Record of the Year Grammy for Coldplay. More importantly, it was heard in practically every film trailer and television show for the next two years, and it has one of the most memorable melodies of any song this decade.

“Courtesy of the Red, White, and Blue (The Angry American)” by Toby Keith
If Alan Jackson penned a moving tribute to 9/11, Toby Keith penned a shameful rallying cry for revenge against… well, he never really figured that part out. Still, even to this day, something about this song compels me to listen.

“Unchained Melody” by Gareth Gates
Admittedly more of a personal choice than anything, for a great number of Millennials (especially those from the UK), Gareth Gates is inexplicably connected with their adolescence.

2003
“Miss Independent” by Kelly Clarkson
The song that established Clarkson—the first American Idol—as more than a one-hit wonder, she showed the world that she would be around for years to come.

“Hurt” by Johnny Cash
Daring to cross genres and defy stereotypes, “Hurt” introduced Cash—and his amazing collection of songs—to a new generation of fans. It’s also one of the most moving songs of the decade, made all the more jarring because of the parallels with Cash’s own booze-soaked life.

“Mad World” by Gary Jules
Surprising everyone by taking the Christmas number one on the British charts, Jules’ version is arguably the most moving rendition of this song—including the original.

“American Life” by Madonna
Released on the heels of the invasion of Iraq, Madonna coupled it with a video so controversial even she decided to reshoot it. No song defines the Bush years better, proving even in a new century, Madge is still relevant.

“Leave Right Now” by Will Young
The first Idol ever—anywhere—produced one of the most emotional farewell songs in years.

2004
“What Became of the Likely Lads” by the Libertines
As Pete Doherty’s life spun out of control, he penned this lament about a friendship lost. (In this case, with fellow Libertine Carl Barat.) Fittingly, though sadly, it was the group’s last single.

“She Will Be Loved” by Maroon 5
Not Maroon 5’s biggest hit, though possibly their most memorable, “She Will Be Loved” defined my first year of college.

“Redneck Woman” Gretchen Wilson
Say what you will about Gretchen Wilson, but “Redneck Woman” introduced Nashville to the Musik Mafia and brought about a renaissance in country music.

Brandon Flowers of The Killers from their video for "Mr. Brightside," one of the biggest hits of 2004

“Mr. Brightside” by the Killers
Las Vegas’ best resurrects glam rock. Enough said. Though not the first single from the Killers, “Mr. Brightside” is the song that cemented their place in the pantheon of noughties rockers.

“If Heartaches Had Wings” by Rhonda Vincent
You’ve probably never heard of this song, about a woman full of regrets, and that’s okay. Still, it is the best bluegrass song of the decade. Plus, the video stars Miley Cyrus before she was Miley Cyrus.

2005
“Gold Digger” by Kanye West
Kanye is one of the most controversial artists of the decade (to put it mildly), but “Gold Digger” was one of the biggest songs of the year. And rightly so, as it’s just as catchy as the rest of West’s work.

“Baby Girl” by Sugarland
Though released in 2004, Sugarland’s debut single didn’t climb the charts until early 2005, inaugurating lead vocalist Jennifer Nettles as the newest diva in the country music pantheon. On a personal note, the lyrics to this song was the first text message my grandparents ever received; I sent it to them requesting money.

“I’m ‘n Luv (Wit a Stripper)” by T-Pain ft Mike Jones
Admit it—you were singing along with the rest of us.

“Wake Me Up When September Ends” by Green Day
A song about the death of Billy Joe Armstrong’s father, the video was yet another slap in the face of the Bush administration by the preeminent rockers of the day. The song struck a nerve with a nation growing weary of war.

“You’re Beautiful” by James Blunt
Blunt’s debut single may have made it hard to believe he is a former soldier, but it introduced him as one of the sappiest crooners of the decade.

2006
“SexyBack” by Justin Timberlake
We didn’t even know sexy had left until Timberlake told us so. With that voice and those beats, though, we believed him.

“Chasing Cars” by Snow Patrol
One of the most romantic songs of the decade, this was the track that finally propelled Snow Patrol to mainstream American success.

“Rehab” by Amy Winehouse
Besides resurrecting 1960s soul, Winehouse’s salute to alcoholism and broken hearts established her as one of the most talented—and tragic—stars of the decade.

“I’m Not Ready to Make Nice” by the Dixie Chicks
After being shunned—and threatened—by country music fans for speaking out against the Iraq War in 2003, Natalie Maines and the Dixie Chicks came back with a vengeance, speaking for disgruntled progressives everywhere and nabbing five Grammys in the process.

“Last Request” by Paolo Nutini
The first single released from Nutini’s inaugural effort, this aching plea for one last night with a lover broke hearts across Britain. Though he’s struggled to find mainstream success in the US, “Last Request” has still managed to win over countless Yanks.

2007
“Rule the World” by Take That
A perfect song to accompany acclaimed fantasy film Stardust, “Rule the World” helped reestablish Take That as a premier British band—and is the song I will dance to at my wedding.

“Bleeding Love” by Leona Lewis
The biggest thing to come out of a television talent show on either side of the Atlantic, Leona Lewis scored a massive hit with her debut single, penned by Ryan Tedder and Jesse McCartney. Arguably the most memorable song of the decade, “Bleeding Love” established Lewis as the definitive diva of her generation, thrusting her into the same league as Whitney, Celine, and Mariah. (Note: Yes, it didn’t come out in the US until 2008, but it was a massive hit in the UK in the autumn of 2007—which is when I first heard it.)

“Umbrella” by Rhianna

Rhianna's "Umbrella" was the defining song of summer 2007

An annoying but catchy tribute to unyielding friendship, with this song Rhianna told the world she wasn’t going anywhere. Plus, as the Telegraph pointed out, it provided the perfect soundtrack for a rain-soaked summer.

“Grace Kelly” by Mika
You can’t be faulted if, upon first listen, you thought someone had resurrected Freddie Mercury. With “Grace Kelly,” Mika helped usher in the era of wonky pop.

“With Every Heartbeat” by Robyn
Heartbreaking and infectious, Robyn proved that the Scandinavians are still better at making quality pop records than we are.

“Flourescent Adolescent” by the Arctic Monkeys
Not their biggest hit, and perhaps not even their best song, but “Flourescent Adolescent” still managed to define 2007 for those who rebelled against the previous five songs. Plus, with lyrics like “everything’s in order in a black hole/nothing seems as pretty as the past though/That Bloody Mary’s lacking in Tabasco/Remember when you used to be a rascal?” it was the perfect accompaniment to the onset of the Great Recession.

2008
“Love Story” by Taylor Swift
Swift’s biggest single up to that point, “Love Story” helped propel her out of Nashville and introduce her to an international audience. It also proved Swift as one helluva songwriter.

“No Air” by Jordin Sparks ft Chris Brown
The best duet of the decade, hands down. Though Chris Brown is now more infamous for domestic violence than famous for his music, the blended vocals of Sparks and Brown illustrate why they’re both young stars on the rise.

“I Kissed a Girl” by Katy Perry
Offensive to the gay community or an innocent anthem for bicuriosity? Either way, “I Kissed a Girl” was the song of summer 2008 and propelled Perry to stardom.

“My President” by Young Jeezy
Never a huge hit, but there is something special in remembering the election of America’s first black president—a defining moment not just of the noughties, but of modern history. This song is the celebration of a milestone preceded by centuries of struggle.

“Paper Planes” by MIA
No song better describes Britain’s and America’s irrational fear of brown people than does this anthem for immigrants and oppressed minorities everywhere. The gunshots and ringing cash registers only serve to make the song all the more memorable—and relevant.

Beyonce's video for "Single Ladies" is one of the most iconic of the decade. Just as Kanye West.

“Single Ladies” by Beyonce
God, this song is annoying, but Kanye was right—Beyonce did have one of the best videos of all time. Besides, you have to admit, it’s catchy as hell.

2009
“Party in the USA” by Miley Cyrus
If the noughties defined Miley Cyrus, Miley Cyrus defined the noughties. Surprising, well, everybody, Cyrus managed to actually produce a quality pop record that, probably unintentionally, embodied the optimism of youth in the Obama era.

“TikTok” by Ke$ha
If you haven’t heard this song yet, go listen. I don’t know what the future has in store for Ke$ha, but this is one of the best night-out-on-the-town songs to come along in years.

“Never Forget You” by the Noisettes
Sure, Duffy’s throwback to 60’s soul is more successful, but nobody, except maybe Winehouse, can touch the artistry of Shingai Shoniwa.

“Just Dance” by Lady GaGa
When I heard this song on the radio in January, I told my best friend it was the first song that made me feel like it was 2009. Turns out, 2009 was the year of GaGa. If the forecast “Just Dance” provides is any indication, the teens will be dominated by Lady GaGa.

“Need You Now” by Lady Antebellum
An understated, underappreciated single from an underrated group, Lady Antebellum proves they are the future of country music with “Need You Now.” An aching song about longing for an old flame, it’s the best song Nashville has had to offer in 2009.

(Published article Number Two for TVBomb. Hopefully it’ll create a bit of dialogue between people, as I’ve been quite controversial in it)

Last week NME sieved out the crap from the shite and published their ‘Top 50 albums of the decade’. Topping the list was The Strokes’ 2001 record ‘Is This It?’ which many, including myself, would deem possibly worthy of this accolade. But The Libertines at number two and twenty-four? Babyshambles in there twice? Surely the past ten years has yielded a much richer harvest than this meagre allotment.

Muse’s behemoth third album, ‘Absolution’ holds epic sound that sees the three-piece backtrack from the harsh, raw tones of ‘Origin of Symmetry’ to a beautifully crafted and sometimes fragile piece of art that is both massively heavy (Hysteria) and elegantly gentle (Falling Away With You) in equal measures. This decade has seen Muse voted Best Live Act at every conceivable awards ceremony and become one of the most talked about modern bands on the planet.

“Oh, what’s that you say? Pete Doherty is cool, is he? Oh…we better only make Absolution number forty-nine, then. Stick Pete at number two. We’ll have to get Barat up there too.”

Despite the top fifty albums appearing upside-down at times, at least the likes of PJ Harvey, Muse, Blur, The White Stripes and Amy Winehouse are mentioned. However, where are Kasabian – who unarguably catapulted from obscurity to one of the biggest bands in the country from their self-titled album in 2004 and the two albums that followed.

What of Doves – a band which, for me personally, typified everything about the culture, mindset and society that we have lived in during the last ten years in their four albums, with era-defining tracks There Goes The Fear, Black And White Town and Snowden. What world is it where Klaxons are more note-worthy than these? Oh I forgot – Klaxons where skinny jeans…my bad.

Franz Ferdinand, Frausdots, Garbage, TV On The Radio, Gorillaz, The Cardigans, Manic Street Preachers – none are given recognition. I’m not saying these bands shook the world with their noughties renditions, but they definitely deserve to be up in the top fifty.

One puzzler in particular is the inclusion of The Walkmen within the top 50. Their albums are anything but strong. On the other hand track two on Bows And Arrows, The Rat is fantastic, and holds a passion that’s seldom heard on the musical spectrum.

Perhaps the quandary is that there have perhaps been too few (or too many?) albums of specific note during this first jiffy of the 21st century. In this day-and-age of the disposable lifestyle, where millions of creative minds can be tapped into and listened over, something has got to give eventually. That something is the patience and understanding to let an album grow on you. I wholeheartedly understand that PJ Harvey is difficult to get into, but once you do you’ll NEVER look back. Don’t go for the cheap thrill, people! It’s like buying a Big Mac instead of a slap-up meal…a prostitute over a loving wife…Klaxons over anything and everything. It’s an immediate high that will eventually make you forget how much better the other side can sometimes be.

Luke Langlands

A tradicional revista britânica NME elegeu os 100 álbuns que marcaram a primeira década do século 21 com a ajuda de músicos e figurões da indústria como Arctic Monkeys, Carl Barat, The Killers, Jarvis Cocker, Pete Doherty, Elbow, Johnny Marr, MGMT, Ian Brown, The Big Pink, Snoop Dogg, Alan McGee, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Michael Eavis e muitos, muitos outros.

Os 10 primeiros lugares seguem abaixo:

1. The Strokes – Is This It (2001)
2. The Libertines – Up The Bracket (2002)
3. Primal Scream – XTRMNTR (2000)
4. Arctic Monkeys – Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not (2006)
5. Yeah Yeah Yeahs – Fever To Tell (2003)
6. PJ Harvey – Stories From The City, Stories From The Sea (2000)
7. Arcade Fire – Funeral (2004)
8. Interpol – Turn On The Bright Lights (2002)
9. The Streets – Original Pirate Material (2002)
10. Radiohead – In Rainbows (2007)

O que achou? Foi um top 10 justo? Confira toda a lista aqui.

Hello there,

this week we played a couple of gigs. The first was in Spitalfields at a place called The Luxe. Twas an adventure in itself just getting to the gig! We were picked up from Camberwell by our friend Dave Ashby from Rum Shebeen (great band) after a quick rehearsal at Mahood’s flat. Then we drove to Dave’s to pick up a guitar amp, then onwards to Penge to collect a bass amp for Alfie. The van kept pulling over to the left but we thought nothing of it until we arrived in Penge, only to be told by a local man in beige and graduated tint glasses that we had a catastrophic puncture. So once more into the breach, we all piled into Dave’s Mum’s Fiat and off we set for Spitalfields. The gig itself was okay and it was good to see a few familiar faces, thanks guys!

The next day was much more straightforward. We were playing with Babyshambles at the Dirty South in Lewisham. It was an excellent gig, we played well and I managed to give away all of the Gaoler’s Daughter Badges I’d taken with me. If you want one yourself, get yourself to a gig and pester us! Had to un-invite people though as the gig was completely sold out the day before, so sorry if you didn’t get in. The guys in Babyshambles played a blinder, as did The Thirst, who we’ve always thought were excellent. Afterwards I had to drive back to Brighton for Uni the next day with my Sister, and so felt it only fair to buy chicken from my favourite chicken shop; Amir’s Fried Chicken in New Cross (once i only had 75p, i was drunk and tired and hungry and gave him the ‘I need chicken’ eyes, and he gave me chips and 5 hot wings! This is one of my best chicken based anecdotes)

Anyways, E.P is only a couple of weeks away from release so that’s very exciting. The second E.P is in the pipeline, having already been recorded, and yesterday sent away for mastering. So it’s all moving along nicely!

see you soon

Gaolers Daughter x

I spent this afternoon at a friend’s party to celebrate the publication of her book. The do was at The Rosemary Branch in Islington, in one of those parts of London where poverty and riches lie side by side as in a Dickens novel.

While fetching drinks in the downstairs bar a scruffy young sod ambled in. It was Pete Doherty.

The first thing that I noticed was his height. He is a six footer. I am only 5′7″ so he dwarfed me.

Then I noticed the tattoos on his neck. Not a good look, Peter.

His hair hadn’t been washed for a few days. I cannot claim the moral high ground on that – when I was 18 I didn’t wash my hair for six months.

Making my way back upstairs he was blocking my way. Whichever way I went he followed. Knowing that everybody was looking at him, Doherty put on a performance. It was like the scene in the Marx Brothers’ Duck Soup when Harpo copies Groucho’s moves exactly until they eventually collide.

Doherty asked “Which way are you going mate?” and then finally I was able to pass.

So that is how I “met” Pete Doherty on a Sunday afternoon in north London. I am not a great fan of his music – Carl Barât was the brains in The Libertines, I reckon. And as far as cocky young musicians go, Johnny Borrell of Razorlight is for me the best. He likes cricket, which is always the sign of a gentleman.

My friend Ann Tilyer’s book is called An A-Z of Possible Worlds. It is a collection of 26 short stories presented in a box.

It is great. Please buy it.

Basically i was reading NME and i was looking througn the letters page. So there were all these letters about how pissed of they were about last weeks nme about how kasbian were on nme’s cover and had a massive feature and how they said they are the best band in the uk. this is what Skepta and Kasabian have in common. so with matt wilkinson replying to the people who sent letters in he said” but with the artic monkeys currently shedding fans by the truckload and doherty in eternal meltdown, serge and co rightfully grasped the mantle of Brit rock with both hands – and who can blame them ? some body had to do it”.

me with skepta at his album launch (microphone champion). wow look at my fringe i needed a hair cut back in august 2009

kasabian

Ill explain basically kasabian are saying they are thes best band in the uk. skepta used to say he was teh king of grime because no one was saying anything who the best and etc the video below says it all !!

BIG SHOUT OUT TO GRIME DAILY ON THAT ONE !
also this video is was back in September.
i was there it was frisco’s single launch eyes on you at the old blue last.IT WAS A ACTUAL AMAZING NIGHT. with JME,Skepta,shorty,Jammer,Dj Maximum, Dj Logan sama,P money. it was one of the grimey’st nights of my life !!!. Also skepta tell us who won on album sales against Wiley.

So that’s what Skepta and kasabian have in common !!!!!!!!

Also download maxwell d’s new mixtape for free!!!!!!!!!!!!!

( Mixtape entitled : Better later than never )
http://www.thisismaxwelld.com/fr_index.cfm

maxwell d front cover of mixtape !!!!!!!!!!!

What is wrong with me you ask? Well, I find Peter Doherty even more intriguing than I did a few months ago. I spent literally all of my day watching videos and looking at pictures of him. He’s fucking crazy. And I love it. He’s ingenious, and completely addicted to heroin and crack. He’s retarded and self conscious. His ‘Bloodworks’ were pathetic, yet interesting. Only a few; the others could easily have been done by a third grader. The fact that he did it in blood did not make them any better. I feel bad for the bloak if anything. I think i’m mildly attracted to him because of: 1) his living quarters (depsite the disgusting filth lying about) and 2) his wild and adventurous attitude. When I saw him walk and flip throughout his field, I knew I liked him. Especially when he was laughing at the fact that he stuck his hand in poop. Except, for the most part, I could not understand one word that comes out of his mouth. I bet he’s completely made out of pure chemical substances now. Poor guy, he’s going to die from all of this. I want to go to the next Babyshambles show but he only, really, plays Guerilla shows around his little England areas. Plus Adam Nichols (FireYourEngine) actually DOES look a lot like him. It’s quite frightening. Hmmm. On the other hand, I’m experimenting with him. But I know I shouldn’t so I don’t think I’ll take it to the extremes. In fact. I’m just not going to be around for awhile. Yup.