Tuesday, 14 August 2007
Saturday, 12 May 2007
Eurovision
Now here's a sign of the times - in the Eurovision Song Contest, Ireland has given its top marks to Lithuania. Is this confirmation that more Lithuanians live here than in their old country?
Disappointingly, the Irish in their wisdom also gave some points to the UK, who had been heading for nul points at the time (and in the process, leaving their hapless Dervish bottom!).
Surely this voting was also an example of the traditional Eurovision voting for neighbouring countries/political allies, which annoys Terry Wogan so much, but the Limerick knight did not mention this in his commentary. He seems to think Scooch's failure to win votes was some sort of sinister Eastern Bloc/Commie plot. Maybe he's right.
And at the end, the treasonous Sir Terry has the audacity to say "At least the UK didn't come last - that honour falls to Ireland!"
Disappointingly, the Irish in their wisdom also gave some points to the UK, who had been heading for nul points at the time (and in the process, leaving their hapless Dervish bottom!).
Surely this voting was also an example of the traditional Eurovision voting for neighbouring countries/political allies, which annoys Terry Wogan so much, but the Limerick knight did not mention this in his commentary. He seems to think Scooch's failure to win votes was some sort of sinister Eastern Bloc/Commie plot. Maybe he's right.
And at the end, the treasonous Sir Terry has the audacity to say "At least the UK didn't come last - that honour falls to Ireland!"
Monday, 30 April 2007
Dance like a robot
While the wait for the new Spoon album continues, here's a class little video of a robot dancing to I Turn My Camera On.
According to the robot maker:
Cooler than a nodding dog or one of those Billy Bass singing fish gizmos anyway.
Came across this delightful short film, Music for One Apartment and Six Drummers, which shows the fun you can have breaking into someone's flat and making music with various household implements from whisks to toilet brushes.
This new Bjork video Earth Intruders is pretty amazing.
According to the robot maker:
Keepon is a small creature-like robot developed to perform emotional and attentional interaction with children. It has four degrees of freedom, a soft rubber skin, two cameras in its eyes, and a microphone in its nose.
We are developing and evaluating an architecture that will allow these robots to perceive, model, and generate social rhythms such that the robot's behaviors are synchronized with those of a human interactor. We believe that rhythmic synchrony will be as important for establishing engagement, rapport, and comfort between a robot and a person as it is between people.
Cooler than a nodding dog or one of those Billy Bass singing fish gizmos anyway.
Came across this delightful short film, Music for One Apartment and Six Drummers, which shows the fun you can have breaking into someone's flat and making music with various household implements from whisks to toilet brushes.
This new Bjork video Earth Intruders is pretty amazing.
Saturday, 14 April 2007
black, Black, BACK!
The yak is back... Frank Black is trading as Black Francis again, and his new album Bluefinger (not released until September but out there in leaky cyberspace) has to be his best at least since 1994's Teenager of the Year, if not the Pixies themselves. He seems to have got that self-defeating live to two track out of his system and there's none of that rambling country rock either. It rocks.
Yes, he's weird again and all the better for it - it's a concept album about Dutch junkie rocker/artist Herman Brood (no, me neither). Wikipedia claims he's the Dutch personification of sex, drugs and rock 'n roll. Haven't yet worked out how to post mp3s but some guys have done youtube videos, which I've lifted and stuck here. Pick of the bunch is the outstanding Threshold Apprehension.
Your Mouth into Mine
Captain Pasty (as in pasty-faced)
Tight Black Rubber
Test Pilot Blues (btw, I like what the youtube guy TheophillusX has done here - it's like what they used to do on Top of the Pops when they didn't have a video so they ran the song over old silent movie footage - for example, you still see Queen's video for Under Pressure on VH1 but I reckon it must have originated like this).
From the last Frank Black album Christmass, this tune (Do What You Want) Gyaneshwar apparently dates from Pixies days
From the same album is Don't Get Me Wrong, a nice song and so much better than most of the dull and long-winded Fast Man/Raiderman.
OK, here's the Under Pressure video, just so you know what the hell I was talking about up above.
And finally, here's Frank Black and David Bowie duetting on Fashion at Bowie's 50th birthday concert.
Yes, he's weird again and all the better for it - it's a concept album about Dutch junkie rocker/artist Herman Brood (no, me neither). Wikipedia claims he's the Dutch personification of sex, drugs and rock 'n roll. Haven't yet worked out how to post mp3s but some guys have done youtube videos, which I've lifted and stuck here. Pick of the bunch is the outstanding Threshold Apprehension.
Your Mouth into Mine
Captain Pasty (as in pasty-faced)
Tight Black Rubber
Test Pilot Blues (btw, I like what the youtube guy TheophillusX has done here - it's like what they used to do on Top of the Pops when they didn't have a video so they ran the song over old silent movie footage - for example, you still see Queen's video for Under Pressure on VH1 but I reckon it must have originated like this).
From the last Frank Black album Christmass, this tune (Do What You Want) Gyaneshwar apparently dates from Pixies days
From the same album is Don't Get Me Wrong, a nice song and so much better than most of the dull and long-winded Fast Man/Raiderman.
OK, here's the Under Pressure video, just so you know what the hell I was talking about up above.
And finally, here's Frank Black and David Bowie duetting on Fashion at Bowie's 50th birthday concert.
Tuesday, 3 April 2007
Glenn Medeiros
Fantastic fact in this month's Q magazine Where are they now column on "archetypal cheesy 80s balladeer" Glenn Medeiros - he has named his two children Chord and Lyric. Not sure about the gender of these kids, though when you think of it, Chord is a pretty awesome name for a boy.
I have to admit, this is a pretty brazen attempt to drive traffic to the blog for people looking guitar chords or lyrics to Nothing's Gonna Change My Love for You (but yeah I agree, the key change is pretty nifty).
Glenn is now a music teacher back in Hawaii but he still performs "at a local hotel twice a week". But he doesn't miss the debauchery of the rock and roll lifestyle, saying: "Other than sharing the gift of music, there's really nothing I miss about the music industry." I thought it was only hair metal bands and Guns n Roses who still blamed Nirvana for killing their careers, but "by 1992, the record industry had changed - hip hop was booming, the grunge scene was in full swing and I didn't have a lot of labels knocking at my door". Let's remember him this way:
From his school's website is this rather modest biography - don't they know the guy's a legend?
Disappointingly, I couldn't find any footage of his infamous appearance on the BBC's Jukebox Jury where the panel reviewed his new single, only to have the hapless Glenn waiting backstage as the surprise special guest. The cruelty of Simon Cowell or God forbid, Brendan O'Connor, has nothing on this. Perhaps the ultimate accolade is that it came in at number 55 on a clip show hosted by Zoe Ball of the 100 TV Moments from Hell. I bet Paul Ross had something hilarious to say about that!
I have to admit, this is a pretty brazen attempt to drive traffic to the blog for people looking guitar chords or lyrics to Nothing's Gonna Change My Love for You (but yeah I agree, the key change is pretty nifty).
Glenn is now a music teacher back in Hawaii but he still performs "at a local hotel twice a week". But he doesn't miss the debauchery of the rock and roll lifestyle, saying: "Other than sharing the gift of music, there's really nothing I miss about the music industry." I thought it was only hair metal bands and Guns n Roses who still blamed Nirvana for killing their careers, but "by 1992, the record industry had changed - hip hop was booming, the grunge scene was in full swing and I didn't have a lot of labels knocking at my door". Let's remember him this way:
From his school's website is this rather modest biography - don't they know the guy's a legend?
Fair play to you.
Glenn Medeiros - Assistant to the Principal in the Elementary School for Student Support and Curriculum (2005) Glenn holds a M.A. in Education from the University of Phoenix and a B.A. in Humanities/History from the University of Hawaii - West Oahu. With teaching experience in both public and private schools, Glenn has also earned certification as a teacher and facilitator in The Schools Attuned Network, a nationally known movement that focuses on learning issues deriving inspiration from the work of Dr. Mel Levine. Glenn has experience working with both faculty and students as a trainer/attuner which is being utilized for work with students and staff at IPA .Glenn has sparked the division to seek training in the Orton-Gillingham method, a well-known and well-respected program for the teaching of phonics and the language arts. Prior to his career in education, Glenn worked as music director for a network television show and as a recording artist.
Disappointingly, I couldn't find any footage of his infamous appearance on the BBC's Jukebox Jury where the panel reviewed his new single, only to have the hapless Glenn waiting backstage as the surprise special guest. The cruelty of Simon Cowell or God forbid, Brendan O'Connor, has nothing on this. Perhaps the ultimate accolade is that it came in at number 55 on a clip show hosted by Zoe Ball of the 100 TV Moments from Hell. I bet Paul Ross had something hilarious to say about that!
Monday, 2 April 2007
The Travis Tritt Trilogy
I used to love watching CMT Europe before it was taken off air - yes, there was a fair bit of crap but then it's the same with MTV (at least in the days pre-Osbournes when it actually showed pop videos). The difference is, CMT would throw up works of genius like this zinger from Travis Tritt, where he movingly portrays the struggles of a paralysed Vietnam vet. It's like he's Forrest Gump and Lieutenant Dan, all rolled into one. It's a trilogy, or if you will, a Trittology. OK, maybe not.
In part one, Anymore, Travis deals with his injuries in a sensitive yet manly way - the wheelchair strumming is impressive.
But for me, the highlight comes about five minutes in with the second installment, Tell Me I was Dreaming: here his pregnant wife Annie slips off a boat, hits her head and dies, but their baby, also Annie, survives (not sure how she got pregnant, maybe it was his ever-present buddy Al).
The third act, If I Lost You, is set five years on, showing how he and Al cope with their loss.
In part one, Anymore, Travis deals with his injuries in a sensitive yet manly way - the wheelchair strumming is impressive.
But for me, the highlight comes about five minutes in with the second installment, Tell Me I was Dreaming: here his pregnant wife Annie slips off a boat, hits her head and dies, but their baby, also Annie, survives (not sure how she got pregnant, maybe it was his ever-present buddy Al).
The third act, If I Lost You, is set five years on, showing how he and Al cope with their loss.
Tuesday, 27 March 2007
Encore un fois
Via Pitchfork, I came across these two fantastic new videos from The National, one of my favourite bands of recent years. They're from a French website and given France's love of Leonard Cohen, it seems natural that they would take to this band. With more of the same intriguing lyrics and subtle anthemics, it raises expectations for the new album Boxer, out in May. Love the cutlery percussion!
On the same site is this superb video of the Arcade Fire doing Neon Bible while going up in a lift before heading outside for an acoustic version of Wake Up. I saw their concert at the Olympia in Dublin earlier this month, and managed to capture a poor quality version of this on my mobile phone. Thought about uploading it onto YouTube but caught myself on -it's always annoying to look for something and have to wade through loads of these crappy videos. It doesn't anger me as such (btw, why are people on message boards so angry?! everything is derided as being 'gay' - I guess they're just bored teenagers with issues) but when there's beautifully shot stuff of this quality online, why bother. As Sash would say, encore un fois.
On the same site is this superb video of the Arcade Fire doing Neon Bible while going up in a lift before heading outside for an acoustic version of Wake Up. I saw their concert at the Olympia in Dublin earlier this month, and managed to capture a poor quality version of this on my mobile phone. Thought about uploading it onto YouTube but caught myself on -it's always annoying to look for something and have to wade through loads of these crappy videos. It doesn't anger me as such (btw, why are people on message boards so angry?! everything is derided as being 'gay' - I guess they're just bored teenagers with issues) but when there's beautifully shot stuff of this quality online, why bother. As Sash would say, encore un fois.
Sunday, 25 March 2007
Don't Worry, Be Happy was a number one jam...
Bobby McFerrin does Ave Maria - bizarre, but I think it just about works!
It sent me looking for his and Robin Williams' version of Come Together which (from the sublime to the ridiculous) I remember as being one of the worst things I have ever heard. Alas, YouTube could not deliver this time. However, from the same George Martin tribute album is Jim Carrey's interpretation of I am the Walrus. Hmmm.
Christ, youtube has also come up with Sean Connery's version of In My Life, which strangely sounds as you would expect ("There are playshes I remember" etc) - he raps it rather than sings, which is something I suppose. Sounds kind of like Arab Strap. Don't understand what the video is about - it seems to be a tribute to Benfica FC.
I guess I've never heard George Martin talk about anything other than the Beatles, but this Big Train sketch just brought it home...
In a similar vein is the Onion's typically genius Robbie Krieger Goes 51 Minutes Without Mentioning Jim Morrison.
It sent me looking for his and Robin Williams' version of Come Together which (from the sublime to the ridiculous) I remember as being one of the worst things I have ever heard. Alas, YouTube could not deliver this time. However, from the same George Martin tribute album is Jim Carrey's interpretation of I am the Walrus. Hmmm.
Christ, youtube has also come up with Sean Connery's version of In My Life, which strangely sounds as you would expect ("There are playshes I remember" etc) - he raps it rather than sings, which is something I suppose. Sounds kind of like Arab Strap. Don't understand what the video is about - it seems to be a tribute to Benfica FC.
I guess I've never heard George Martin talk about anything other than the Beatles, but this Big Train sketch just brought it home...
In a similar vein is the Onion's typically genius Robbie Krieger Goes 51 Minutes Without Mentioning Jim Morrison.
Tuesday, 16 January 2007
Jump in the fire
...so I thought I would have a go at trying a blog. the plan is to put together some of the best videos and music out there which catch my eye.
I thought I'd kick things off with one of my personal favourite music videos - Standing outside the fire by Garth Brooks. I think it's a lesson we all could learn from.
pretty spectacular, non?
I thought I'd kick things off with one of my personal favourite music videos - Standing outside the fire by Garth Brooks. I think it's a lesson we all could learn from.
pretty spectacular, non?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)