Spill Challenge – PSA and Powwow

Ok, so it’s summertime now, and it seems that these Spill Challenge lists are getting fewer and fewer listens lately. So again time to decide what we want to do about this series over the summer. Also, i’m in the process of trying to get my shit together and get moved, so i’m going to be undependable for series maagement in the forseeable future, may be without internet for period(s) of time while i’m relocating, and really don’t want to drop the ball on anyone. So we can kick around some alternatives here –

iTunes rage

 

 

Apologies for reproducing wholesale a post made on the mothership, but as it’s oh so quiet there at the moment there (and it’s that time of the week), I thought I would pop it here too in the spirit of starting a wider thread on technological solutions to managing large digital libraries, so thoughts and points outside of my direct rant are very welcome too…

LIGHT MY FIRE – THE DOORS.

Ray Manzarek died last week, he was the keyboard player with the Doors. I never met him but living in LA for 40 odd years I was always conscious of who he was, he was frequently on the air or being interviewed in the music press.
Around 1966 I applied for admission to the graduate program of the UCLA film school and was accepted. At approx. the same time, the Doors who were well known around town as the house band at the Whiskey, released their first album which became a huge hit and was played constantly on the radio. At the film school it was common knowledge that several members of the Doors were using the facilities after hours to edit a film. I never saw them but those in the know had tales of their nocturnal presence. Upstairs in the dept was a long corridor, 60 – 80 ft long, every 6 ft on each side there was a door to an editing room, which was about 6ft by 10 ft with only a 16 mm. Movieola editing machine, a film bin, a chair and a shelf: very basic, very primitive, though from those tiny rooms emerged many works of filmic genius. The word around the department was that there was a student who was a friend of the Doors who regularly signed up for an edit room and then gave them the key. We used those rooms day and night, I was editing one of my films with the radio on the night that Robert Kennedy was shot at around midnight at the Ambassador hotel only a couple of miles away. Ray Manzarek and Jim Morrison were the two who were most frequently mentioned as being the film editors; I’ve never seen or read anything about the film they were working on but as usual whenever they’re mentioned, as in this week’s obituaries, there’s usually a line that states they were UCLA film students, I don’t think that’s actually true.
That first album ‘The Doors’ was released in 1967 and became a huge success in the US once the single “Light My Fire” scaled the charts, the album peaked at #2 in September 1967. “Light My Fire” was the first song ever written by Robby Krieger and was the beginning of the band’s success. The other standout hit from that album was ‘The End’, Coppola, another film student at that time used it for the finale of Apocalypse Now.
Here’s a clip from a 1998 recording of Ray Manzarek talking about the origins and the musical evolution of ‘Light my Fire, it’s very interesting how it came to be, particularly John Coltrane’s contribution, the boogie boogie influence and the Bach component, well worth a listen for Spillers.

Spill Challenge – Everybody’s Talkin’

Yes, this is a playlist of (predominantly) spoken-word songs. I love a spoken-word song, especially a storytelling song, as the vast majority of these are.

Song titles after the jump…

Earworms 27 May 2013

Image credit: creatista / 123RF Stock Photo

By ‘eck Gladys, it’s Monday again! Must be time for some weird and wonderful earworms. If it’s Spring Bank Holiday and / or half term where you are, hope it’s good and sunny for you. And when you have a minute, send some more worms to earworm@tincanland.com.

No-Man – Heartcheat Pop – bethnoir: You know when you hear a riff you know sampled, how does it make you feel? Irritated? Pleased that you know what it is? I’m certain this is a Gong riff (Carole will know), and I love that it was remade into something else. This is a Steve Wilson project which I found through liking Storm Corrosion, his collaboration with Opeth’s singer. Kalyr will know more.

Sparks – My Baby’s Taking Me Home – Beltway Bandit: Have you ever done that thing where you keep saying the same word/phrase over and over again and eventually it just stops sounding like real words and just transforms into a hard to define sound? – a bit like a mantra I guess. Well Sparks do it beautifully with the title of this song, over and over again for 5 minutes with beautifully evolving music. Saw them doing this with just a piano on the “Two Hands One Mouth” tour last year and it was rattling around in my head for weeks afterwards.

Black Strobe – Shining Bright Star – DsD: As I’ve recently scored a hit on a couple of you with BS’s version of I’m A Man, let’s have some more electroclash/ goth/ motorik/ rock from the genre-mashing Parisians.

El Tango de Roxanne – Jacek Koman/Jose Feliciano/Ewan McGregor – severin: From the soundtrack of Moulin Rouge, a strange take on the old Police number with added melodrama and angst. This may divide opinion (i.e. me versus everyone else) but I think it’s epic.

Thompson Twins – Who Wants To Be A Millionaire – tincanman: Forgettable 80’s new wave I suppose, but it’s catchy, dammit. And I like the role-playing in their voices.

Musicians are Scum – Pere Ubu – Tatanka Yotanka: Catchy, scratchy, itchy riffing direct from 2013’s ‘The Lady From Shanghai’. Their motto: Ars longa spectatores fugaces (Art is forever, the audience comes and goes).

Love is a long road

The Beacon Theatre, New York City, photo by Andy Tennille

When I heard that the tickets for Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers’ 5-night run at the 2,800-seater Beacon Theatre in Manhattan were to be allocated by lottery, I thought I might as well have a go. It proved to be an expensive decision. To win didn’t mean you got a free ticket – what you won was an opportunity to buy a ticket. Well, I won twice and I’m not going to tell you how much the whole thing cost – because, to be honest, I don’t know and I don’t want to know.

He Said – She Said Special Cross Cultural Edition – Typically English – Typically Japanese ! ! !

If he chooses a track about octopuses . . I will kill him ! ! !

Welcome to the special Cross Cultural Edition of He Said – She Said ! ! !  This time we decided to show what we think is typical of the music from each other’s counties ! ! !  So I will be picking typically English tracks and Mr P will be picking typically Japanese tracks ! ! !

We think it will be fun and hope you like the post ! ! !

This time we have chosen to visit each other’s musical heritage in a fantastic cross cultural exchange type of a thing. I think it’s interesting to see how others see us, through the medium of music. We have chosen one contemporary  track, one oldie and one traditional.  We hope you enjoy the tracks.

Happy Birthday, Richard Wagner

200 years ago today, Richard Wagner was born. As an historical figure, he is undoubtedly controversial. His personal traits and character flaws have been documented extensively and his popularity with the 20th Century’s  darkest regime is perhaps the single best known fact about him, and probably the reason so many people are reluctant to engage fully with his music. But on his birthday, I ask indulgence and a few moments attention to try and demonstrate quite why his music is among the most sublime ever written…

The ‘Spill Challenge – Touched By Bob

So, this week’s ‘Spill Challenge is all about the Wizard of Wimborne, Robert Fripp.

Apart from being the sole constant in the ever-changing kaleidoscope that is King Crimson, Fripp has contributed his guitar work to albums by many varied artists as a session player, recorded collaborative albums with others and produced a fair number of albums too.

The constant factor here is that everything either features Fripp as a musician or producer or has ex-Crimson members performing on the tracks on offer.

The rules are the same as always, select the one that appeals least and consign it to the dustbin of history.

So, to the music.

1) David Bowie – Up The Hill Backwards. Fripp had previously worked with Bowie on “Heroes” and this track is from “Scary Monsters”, probably Bowies last truly great album. Fripp plays on several tracks, and this one has some typically angular and spiky work.
2) Peter Gabriel – Fear Is The Mother Of Violence. Gabriel’s second solo album after leaving Genesis was produced by Fripp and also features him playing guitar on some tracks. A deceptive ballad, with a rather unsettling feel.
3) Van Der Graaf Generator – The Emperor In His War Room. VDGG were never an easy listen for many people and notably didn’t really go in for guitar solos, although Peter Hammill did play a bit of acoustic guitar. Anyway, here Fripp contributes some trademark sustain-driven electric guitar work.
4) 21st Century Schizoid Band – I Talk To The Wind. The band is made up from former Crimson members and occasionally tours playing classic Crimson tunes. This is from Crimson’s groundbreaking first album, “In The Court Of The Crimson King”.
5) David Sylvian – Wave. One of Fripp’s more interesting and enduring partnerships in the 1980s and 90s was with ex-Japan frontman David Sylvian. Fripp wanted him to join a reformed Crimson in around 1991, but it never happened. This track is from Sylvian’s earlier solo album, “Gone To Earth” and features Fripp’s distinctive sustained guitar and elements of Frippertronics.
6) McDonald and Giles – Flight Of The Ibis. After quitting King Crimson, Ian McDonald and Michael Giles released an eponymous album in 1971. This ethereal track is similar to “Cadence and Cascade” from Crimson’s second album, “In The Wake Of Poseidon”.
7) Daryl Hall – Something in 4/4 Time. Daryl Hall’s first solo album, “Sacred Songs”, was produced by Fripp, who also played on it. At the time, in 1977, Hall was enjoying a lot of success with John Oates as Hall and Oates and, fearing that this allegedly uncommercial solo record might impact on his success, Hall’s record label refused to release the album and it was shelved and only released three years later.
8) Judy Dyble – Dreamtime. Judy Dyble was the original female singer in Fairport Convention. She was also, for a time involved with the precursor to King Crimson, Giles, Giles and Fripp. She gave up the music business in the 1970s and only began perfonming and recording again in 1994. This track is taken from her 2009 album, Talking with Strangers, and features Crimsonites Ian McDonald and Pat Mastelotto.
9) Peter Hammill – Child. This track is from Hammill’s 1971 debut solo album, “Fool’s Mate”. The album is made up from material that Hammill felt wasn’t really suitable for VDGG but features all the band’s members as well as Fripp and several others.
10) Robert Fripp – North Star. From Fripp’s 1979 solo album “Exposure”. This features the vocal talents of Daryl Hall, again something that Hall’s record label wasn’t too pleased about. There are different versions of the album, with some songs rerecorded with other singers replacing Hall, notably Peter Hammill and Peter Gabriel, but both are available as a double CD.
11) King Crimson – Exiles. Finally, to round off, we have the Mighty Crim itself, recorded live in 1974 in Providence, Rhode Island and issued on the live 4-CD box set “The Great Deceiver”. This was arguably Crimson’s greatest line-up, with David Cross, John Wetton and Bill Bruford joining Fripp for some truly incandescent virtuoso playing.

Earworms 20 May 2013

Peggy Gilbert 1905-2007

Some old, some new, more Earworms for you. At least one is borrowed and the air is blue because ITunes  just deleted my carefully crafted playlists. Good job I write them down. Ha!! Thanks as ever to our gracious contributors, without whom (etc. etc.) Please keep them coming to earworm@tincanland.com, thank’ee.

Cake – Mahna, Mahna – tincanman: A quirky, good-humoured band playing the ultimate earworm. I win.

Gene Autry- Deep in the Heart of Texas – pairubu: One of my favourite films is Pee Wee’s Big Adventure and this song features in a scene set in Texas. Guaranteed thigh-slapper, (for me at least)!

Etta James – Something’s Got A Hold On Me – williamsbach: Etta James is in the car CD player at the moment, rediscovered during a move.  Turns out both Sandra and I are fans.  Her ’62 Billboard R&B no 4  is amazingly fresh to the worms in our ears.  Stylistically straight outta church with the Amen Corner on overtime, it’s a love song most upbeat, typical of Ms James’ mix-it-up tendencies and summing up the musical changes happening at the time.  Don’t tell S, but it’s top of my wedding playlist.

Be You – Irma Thomas & Dr John – glasshalfempty: A while back Betty Harris went down well with those of you in the wiggly-things-in-the-ears fraternity. So here’s another great N’Awlins songstress, Irma Thomas, ‘The Soul Queen’.  She deserves a wider audience, after only one chart hit in a 50 year career. It was hard to pick just one track to offer. Here she is with Dr. John imploring her man to just ‘Be You’.

Sore – Nancy Bird – barbryn: A year’s supply of ‘Spill points to anyone who can guess what year this was made and what country it comes from.

Manhattan Transfer – On A Little Street In Singapore – ali:  OK, so you can’t beat Glenn Miller. But this reminds me of “waltzing” in the snow with my friend Nicky, outside the Student Union, in unsuitable footwear. Those were the days …

jazz magazines

BEASTS OF THE SOUTHERN WILD

Here’s a piece of music that’s been haunting me for some months now, ever since I saw the film last year. This is just a short selection, it seemed to run throughout the film. I left the the theater with it running through my head. There’s a fair bit of information at Wiki so I won’t bore you with it here. It’s well worth a listen.

images

Readers Recommend: Random Musical Associations

So, what do the two things have in common? The first thing is Mogwai*, my useless former tortie sulker. The second is “I See You Baby (Shakin’ That Ass)” by Groove Armada & Fatboy Slim.

The answer is….nothing! Apart from the fact that the two things are irretrievably, utterly linked in my mind. Mrs McFlah & I used to sing the song towards Mogwai because of the way her furry rump swung when she walked, waaay back when it came out (the song, not the cat’s bum) in ’99. Whenever I hear the song, I can think of nothing else but the feline booty sway.

So then, I would like you please to recommend songs that are solidly bonded by association in your minds – the winner will be the one that has the most convoluted & bizarre or ridiculous & mundane explanation to it!

Cheers!

*yes, named after the band.

Fangs for the memories – TRASH ONE GAME – for blood suckers only.

Trash ONE – add ONE
yep, this week the rules have changed – I like changing rules!
We have a wobbly based FANGS playlist, if you would be so kind as to trash your least favourite, I’ll be mildly angry and after your blood. But you can make it up to me with an added bonus track.

I’d also like to know a movie or book that you’d recommend on the subject – AIP’s a closet Twilight fan, heehee (he’s been listening to the soundtrack – not reading the books or watching the movie – he’s not imploded with pressure that much) – keep it Vampires – I’ll do a wolf playlist next time I get a go.

So:
Trash One
Add One
best Movie
best Book

thank you – my children of the night.

Last Flare From A Desperate Shipwreck

Earworms 13 May 2013

image credit: liubomirt / 123RF Stock Photo

Thirteenth of May – unlucky for some – but not for us, I hope. The following worm cast has no particular theme, other than that the tunes all seemed to fit together somehow. “Themelessly”, you might say, if you had a lisp. See what you think – fingers firmly crossed.

Sailing Day – Bump of Chicken – Sakura: I am a big fan of Japanese indie band Bump of Chicken.  This is one of my favourites by them.  The song is about taking risks and being adventurous. I really like the positive feel and message of it.

The Dharma Bums – Cruel Acres – Rich James: The Bums were a Portland band during the late eighties/early nineties, tipped to be the first alternative band to really break into the mainstream. They didn’t – Nirvana did, and the rest is history. So their heartfelt paens and poignant pop songs about youthful longing were lost and forgotten. This is my favourite song from their debut record. Shimmering guitars and gutsy singing.  And lousy sound quality.

The Men They Couldn’t Hang – The Colours – bishbosh: “And to the masters, we are the rabble, we are the swinish multitude, but we can rearrange the colours of the red and the white and the blue…” Yes, it’s crude and a tad Les Mizzish, but it’s a right rousing tune. And these days, we should all constantly be yelling something similar at Cameron, Osborne and co, shouldn’t we? (And props to the likes of Mitch who are!)

Wild One – Jerry Lee Lewis – RockingMitch: The Killer covering the only rock & roll ‘classic’ to come out of Australia (Johnny O’Keefe). Later re-done by Iggy Pop.

The Bluebells – Cath – BeltwayBandit: Best known for the very catchy “Young at Heart”, there were some other great Celtic influenced pop songs in their canon, and I’ve always rather liked this one. Helpful if you are ever trying to work out how many words rhyme with “Cath”.

Coolio – Gangsta’s Paradise  – Abahachi: One of the very small number of singles that I have ever bought, as I loved this song (and not just because of Michelle Pfeiffer in the video) but found the hair too annoying to contemplate a more extensive engagement with his music…

Musical Persuasion

Malcolm Maclaren famously discovered Johnny Rotten walking up the Kings Road wearing a Pink Floyd t-shirt that he had added the legend “I hate” to in marker pen. Well, Mr. Rotten may be prone to bouts of twattishness these days, but when it comes to Pink Floyd (edit: I just mistyped it as “Punk Floyd” – oh the irony!), I couldn’t agree more.

I just can’t stand them! I’m not quite sure why, I think it’s a combination of being overblown and pompous but boring at the same time. I know it’s not regarded as their best (and it might not work without the film), but I would go as far to say that “The Wall” is the worst album I’ve ever heard! It’s the only record I’ve ever given away.

I know, I know, that’s a lot of negativity, for which I apologise. So here’s my challenge: what Pink Floyd track would you recommend to persuade me of their greatness? Or at least make me hate them a little bit less.

*Feel free to nominate your own Achilles heel’s to be converted to

The Amish Sex Pistols

Youtube really does unearth some interesting tv clips from the past…

it’s a local shop – for local people

King of the Village Fete Lazarus and the Plane Crash
Friday Night At The Drive-In Bingo Jens Lekman
The Village New Order
Vibrate Mr. Scruff
I Was Unconscious, It Was A Dream The Slow Club
Dull Life Yeah Yeah Yeahs
The Empty Nest Wild Beasts
Spent Gladiator 2 The Mountain Goats
Sweet William Pt. 2 Johnny Flynn
Tourist Woman Cass McCombs
Electric Village Add N To (X)
Woozy With Cider James Yorkston
Just Give ‘Em Whiskey colourbox

End of the Week Quiz

Image credit: talanis / 123RF Stock Photo

There seem to be a few wisps of tumbleweed on the ‘Spill lately, so maybe this will create some interest. There is also the possibility of a small prize, if you read on:

1. You have not decorated your living room for 15 years. You make a start, but are hampered by small child, attached to X-Box and assorted paraphernalia with umbilical cord. Do you:

(a) Decorate around him, leaving the middle of the room murky yellow while the rest is terracotta and coral flair?
(b) Call a computer geek to sever the cord and lead him howling to his bedroom?
(c) Give up and contact a painter and decorator (it’s only money)?

2. You have too many books and, to your horror, you discover Aubrey Beardsley next to “The Children of Green Knowe”. Do you:

(a) Donate all the books to Oxfam, no one ever reads them;
(b) Take all the books off the shelves, go through them, decide you can’t bear to lose them and put them back?
(c) Sit on the ladder with a cuppa and a biscuit, and start reading the Aubrey Beardsley?

3. Your son assures you he can play blu-ray discs so you buy “Life of Pi” as neither of you has seen it. He rips off the wrappers (so you can’t return it) and then tells you you’re stupid because he can’t play blu-ray. Do you:

(a) Take him back to the shop, abandon him there and buy yourself a blu-ray player / download relevant software?
(b) Flog it on E-Bay, if you can be arsed;
(c) Forget about it, you’re too engrossed in that book?

There you are – the prize is “Life of Pi” on blu-ray disc for the first person to tell me they want it. Otherwise it’s ‘Spill points as usual for the wittiest answers. Have fun.

Scottish Mini Social?

I’m going to be in Edinburgh at the beginning of June – unfortunately only during the week rather than at the weekend – and was wondering whether anyone was likely to be free for a quick drink on the evening of Tuesday 4th or Wednesday 5th June (nothing too heavy, as I’ll have to be serious and academic the next day). Obviously the main reason for asking is that I have hitherto failed to find any decent beer there, and hence was hoping that some local knowledge might help…

Happy beach day vibes

Sorry I’ve not been around much lately, I’ve been on the beach. Well, today anyway. So in the spirit of sacking work off mid afternoon and bolting for some sunny sandy fun, here’s a super up happy vibes tune from someone I just stumbled over online. I know nothing else of Thao & The Get Down Stay Down at all, apart from this song. If you have a passing interest in Feist, you may like it, if not, you may like it anyway if you like being happy. Cheers!

Hail Mary – Winslow Spill Challenge

This is The Winslow Boy’s List

“Bless me, Father, for I have sinned. It has been a lifetime since my last confession. In fact, this is my first as I’m not even Catholic, but sometimes guilt is too heavy to bear. These are my sins… well, just the one, actually. I was in HMV and I picked up a Top Gear compilation. It even had Kaiser Chiefs and The Fratellis on the cover and yet I still looked at the full track listing. Though, in mitigation, I was not tempted to buy.’

I got away with three Hail Marys. But, oh Lord, there are so many Marys to hail…

Punky’s Miscellany Week Let’s Call This Twelve: You Are At The Top Of My Lungs

 

This will be a slightly shorter Miscellany, as most of my time is being taken up by thesis (draft chapter three due Wednesday, 1,500 left and something halfway between writers’ block and a complete and utter inability to focus), guru duties (ah lads, ye disappointed me. No-one nommed one particular track I was hoping for!) and… other stuff (I swear to god Facebook chat crashed on me last night…).

SPACE

Click on the ‘spill at the top left of your screen
Then click Dashboard on the drop down
click media on the left hand side – Library will appear next to it.

under the “Howdy – you have used up your upload limit” is a set of :

All (6,418) | Images (4,454) | Audio (1,946) | Unattached (556)

click on Audio and you will have 98 pages of mp3s