The Best Way to Spread Christmas Cheer is Singing Loud for all to Hear!
Stiff Little Fingers---White Christmas!!!
Showing posts with label Northern Ireland. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Northern Ireland. Show all posts
Friday, December 23, 2011
Sunday, November 13, 2011
Why Can't I...Be Like Any Other Guy? Hooleygan---Belfast's Punk Godfather Terri Hooley tells all (or at least some)
I just finished reading a fantastic book by the Belfast punk rock legend Terri Hooley (and Richard Sullivan), and I must admit it was a corker! Honestly, I started reading the book yesterday and already had finished it by this afternoon. If you are interested in Irish Rock music, or punk rock in general you need to read thisAnd his story is a great example of the DIY ethos in action..
We know him as the man behind Good Vibrations, the Belfast label that spawned the great Undertones, who brought them to the attention of John Peel, who played Teenage Kicks, and loved the song so much that he played it a second time on air, right after the first. I've discussed the amazing confluence of events in a prior post about the Undertones DVD. Hooley was a great promoter of local bands in Belfast--he saw that the rest of the UK viewed the area as a musical backwater, and he helped a lot of bands get heard through the release of singles on his label. Bands like Rudi, Protex, The Moondogs, Victim, Xdreamysts, and The Outcasts. From his earlier days in the folk scene, the hippie years of the 60's, and through the excitement of the punk rock explosion, he displayed a great love of good music and a deep healthy hatred of the music business.
The book is filled with great descriptions of the era, loaded with anecdote after anecdote. I don't really want to elaborate on them too much--I don't want to spoil the fun. Because Hooley by all accounts is a one of a kind guy, a fun loving mischievous guy who isn't afraid to speak his mind and stand up for his convictions. As you will find out in the book, he probably is not the greatest businessman. Owning a record store was almost a front for everything else he did. He was someone who got involved in music the arts, who DJed, ran record stores, a music label, managed bands, even did pirate radio. And this was happening in what was a pretty miserable place at the time. It seemed that punk music was one of the few outlets for young people that was able to bridge the sectarian gap. At least in the clubs...the long walk home at night was apparently an entirely different story.
In addition to Hooleys anecdotal reflections, you have short chapters in the book written by some of his friends, musicians and writers who have kind and amusing things to say about Belfast's Godfather of Punk.
On the back of the book there is a great quote from Gary Lightbody of Snow Patrol. "a drunken lunatic, a lucid guru, a hilarious storyteller, a cuddly bear, and many more things besides." He even had a #1 hit on the charts with his rendition of Sonny Bono's "Laugh at Me". There are great descriptions of the club scenes of the day, like The Harp, and The Pound. The biography is loaded with pictures and promotional photos in addition to the many stories. Though I was most interested in learning about the Northern Irish Bands that recorded on Good Vibrations, I enjoyed reading about his encounters with Dylan, The Rolling Stones, John Lennon, Bob Marley, and Phil Lynott of Thin Lizzy. My only wish would have been that it included a disc full of songs Good Vibrations catalog. But hey, I guess you can't have everything. Hopefully this vibrant punk scene will eventually be more accessible to the public some day soon.
But believe me, if you love music you will love this book. Hooley is a real charmer---somehow I feel like I'm reading this and being schmoozed by him, and he is accomplishing this from an ocean away. His story is definitely worth documenting though, and this year they are filming a biopic about this life entitled Good Vibrations, the Terri Hooley story.
A story that will make you laugh and cry--and think. As a fellow music lover your heart will beat a little faster with each and every page turn. His enthusiasm and zest for life is contagious. More people could use such infection!
 |
| Hard to Beat |
We know him as the man behind Good Vibrations, the Belfast label that spawned the great Undertones, who brought them to the attention of John Peel, who played Teenage Kicks, and loved the song so much that he played it a second time on air, right after the first. I've discussed the amazing confluence of events in a prior post about the Undertones DVD. Hooley was a great promoter of local bands in Belfast--he saw that the rest of the UK viewed the area as a musical backwater, and he helped a lot of bands get heard through the release of singles on his label. Bands like Rudi, Protex, The Moondogs, Victim, Xdreamysts, and The Outcasts. From his earlier days in the folk scene, the hippie years of the 60's, and through the excitement of the punk rock explosion, he displayed a great love of good music and a deep healthy hatred of the music business.
The book is filled with great descriptions of the era, loaded with anecdote after anecdote. I don't really want to elaborate on them too much--I don't want to spoil the fun. Because Hooley by all accounts is a one of a kind guy, a fun loving mischievous guy who isn't afraid to speak his mind and stand up for his convictions. As you will find out in the book, he probably is not the greatest businessman. Owning a record store was almost a front for everything else he did. He was someone who got involved in music the arts, who DJed, ran record stores, a music label, managed bands, even did pirate radio. And this was happening in what was a pretty miserable place at the time. It seemed that punk music was one of the few outlets for young people that was able to bridge the sectarian gap. At least in the clubs...the long walk home at night was apparently an entirely different story.
In addition to Hooleys anecdotal reflections, you have short chapters in the book written by some of his friends, musicians and writers who have kind and amusing things to say about Belfast's Godfather of Punk.
On the back of the book there is a great quote from Gary Lightbody of Snow Patrol. "a drunken lunatic, a lucid guru, a hilarious storyteller, a cuddly bear, and many more things besides." He even had a #1 hit on the charts with his rendition of Sonny Bono's "Laugh at Me". There are great descriptions of the club scenes of the day, like The Harp, and The Pound. The biography is loaded with pictures and promotional photos in addition to the many stories. Though I was most interested in learning about the Northern Irish Bands that recorded on Good Vibrations, I enjoyed reading about his encounters with Dylan, The Rolling Stones, John Lennon, Bob Marley, and Phil Lynott of Thin Lizzy. My only wish would have been that it included a disc full of songs Good Vibrations catalog. But hey, I guess you can't have everything. Hopefully this vibrant punk scene will eventually be more accessible to the public some day soon.
But believe me, if you love music you will love this book. Hooley is a real charmer---somehow I feel like I'm reading this and being schmoozed by him, and he is accomplishing this from an ocean away. His story is definitely worth documenting though, and this year they are filming a biopic about this life entitled Good Vibrations, the Terri Hooley story.
A story that will make you laugh and cry--and think. As a fellow music lover your heart will beat a little faster with each and every page turn. His enthusiasm and zest for life is contagious. More people could use such infection!
Sunday, March 27, 2011
St Patty's Day Redux--DVD--Teenage Kicks--The Story Of The Undertones
Although Teenage Kicks--The Story Of The Undertones was released here on DVD in 2004, I just watched this documentary late last night for the first time. Very, very enjoyable. It is a very engaging happy film, one of the better band overviews I have seen. Though the latter part of their initial run is glossed over (i.e. Positive Touch, Sin of Pride), and the bands internal problems are mentioned but somewhat underplayed, an amazing story is recanted for posterity here. Kudos to Tom Collins for creating this excellent film.
Stock footage of the band throughout the career, and historical footage of Derry and Belfast are interspersed with laid-back contemporary interviews of the band members by the late great BBC DJ John Peel. Peel was a huge fan and a primary early proponent of the band, who made four appearances on his legendary program. Peel was one of those rare who would air songs that he liked, and he was someone whose tastes were far from being Catholic. He kept his ears open. His headstone at St Andrew's Church in Great Finborough, Suffolk fittingly has the immortal first line from Teenage Kicks inscribed upon it, and at his funeral at his bequest, Teenage Kicks was played as his coffin exited St Edmundsbury Cathedral.
Teenage dreams so hard to beat....
Peel was right. That song is so perfect it simply can't be improved on, like Wouldn't It Be Nice by the Beach Boys, or September Gurls by Big Star. The song is of a specific era and place, yet it has an eternal quality that the all time great songs share. And at their best, The Undertones were the equal of any of their peers.
Unfortunately, as you find out early in the movie there is a 4 to 1 schism in the band, between singer Feargal Sharkey, and the other band members, so their interviews are separate. The band really was lightning in a bottle, a mix of a charismatic singer with an amazing unique voice and a high energy talented band. With the brothers John & Damian O'Neill on guitar, Michael Bradley on bass and Billy Doherty on drums, it's scary how young these guys were at the outset, and yet so damned professional sounding for an early punk band. It makes me jealous. If you have seen The Clash documentary Westway To The World, you have heard Joe Strummer's lament on the end of the band, and lightning in a bottle was his description. With maturity and in retrospect he realized what a rare thing he had been a part of, and wondered aloud what else they could have achieved. Well, nobody really knows the answer to that million dollar question.
The Undertones don't seem to have those regrets, or at least don't choose to air those views publicly. When you hear their story unfold, how they became pop stars through sheer talent and sheer luck, overcoming monumental odds, they speak with a humble realism. Heading to Belfast, then to London, being on Top of the Pops,signing to the Ramones' label, Sire Records, finally reaching the States as an opening act for The Clash. All of this was more than they ever expected when they started out, it was a means of escape from boredom, lack of opportunity, and the grim violent Troubles that inflamed the country. Even as pop stars Feargal Sharkey was still holding down a job delivering TV sets. So when you see them interviewed they seem quite proud of all that they achieved, and rightfully so. Certainly the four current members of the band do speak with humility, but I can't help but seeing them nostalgically holding back smirks. Unlike many bands who play down their past, who say they don't listen to their old recordings, these guys know all too well how damned great they were. And they seem to be pretty secure and content with their legacy.
This is a very fun DVD. You discover what a great live band they were and also that they are all seemingly nice polite people. The most interesting and candid interviewee is Sharkey, who takes pains not to slag off his former bandmates and has a lot of interesting views on the band and life in Derry. Mostly the band members are interviewed, but of course there is Peel, Sire Records president Seymour Stein, journalist Eamonn McCann and Terri Hooley, who put out their first EP on Good Vibrations records.
There are lot of interesting comments on life in Ireland. I'm reminded of the Saints experience in Brisbane. Like the Saints, The Undertones had their fans and their friends, but a lot of people hated this new thing they were playing. They were not doing what was expected of them, they did not know their place in this society. And it was even worse once they received fame and accolades from London and New York. One of the most amazing quotes was by Terri Hooley who said he saw a boy in Belfast run across the street so he could spit on Feargal Sharkey. I mean it's music we are talking about here, he didn't just invade Poland.
So go check this out--the historic footage is amazing, the cinematography is excellent and lovingly done. And of course, first and foremost listen to the outstanding music. You will quickly understand what all the fuss is about. Their first two albums, eponymous and Hypnotised, are essential rock albums, Punk Rock 101. When I listen to those songs, it's like a musical version of the Fountain of Youth that Ponce De Leon searched for in vain down in South Beach Miami. After the years where the O'Neill brothers made some very nice records as That Petrol Emotion, The Undertones reformed with a new lead singer Paul McLoone , who is featured briefly in the film and seems to do a credible job singing. The band rightly decided not to get a clone to replace Feargal. It would have been pretty weird. But they have released two albums over the last 10 years Get What You Need (2003) and Dig Yourself Deep (2007). Shortly after departing the band, Feargal Sharkey had a #1 hit in the UK with A Good Heart, and inexplicably his recording career all but evaporated after that. But as I speak the Undertones are doing a UK Tour and a West Coast US Tour in commemoration of their amazing first album.
I do highly recommend this DVD, particularly for anyone who is a fan of the band. Of course, if you see this video you will be a fan soon enough anyway. This last video goes out to the Rockin' Reverend.
Stock footage of the band throughout the career, and historical footage of Derry and Belfast are interspersed with laid-back contemporary interviews of the band members by the late great BBC DJ John Peel. Peel was a huge fan and a primary early proponent of the band, who made four appearances on his legendary program. Peel was one of those rare who would air songs that he liked, and he was someone whose tastes were far from being Catholic. He kept his ears open. His headstone at St Andrew's Church in Great Finborough, Suffolk fittingly has the immortal first line from Teenage Kicks inscribed upon it, and at his funeral at his bequest, Teenage Kicks was played as his coffin exited St Edmundsbury Cathedral.
Teenage dreams so hard to beat....
Peel was right. That song is so perfect it simply can't be improved on, like Wouldn't It Be Nice by the Beach Boys, or September Gurls by Big Star. The song is of a specific era and place, yet it has an eternal quality that the all time great songs share. And at their best, The Undertones were the equal of any of their peers.
Unfortunately, as you find out early in the movie there is a 4 to 1 schism in the band, between singer Feargal Sharkey, and the other band members, so their interviews are separate. The band really was lightning in a bottle, a mix of a charismatic singer with an amazing unique voice and a high energy talented band. With the brothers John & Damian O'Neill on guitar, Michael Bradley on bass and Billy Doherty on drums, it's scary how young these guys were at the outset, and yet so damned professional sounding for an early punk band. It makes me jealous. If you have seen The Clash documentary Westway To The World, you have heard Joe Strummer's lament on the end of the band, and lightning in a bottle was his description. With maturity and in retrospect he realized what a rare thing he had been a part of, and wondered aloud what else they could have achieved. Well, nobody really knows the answer to that million dollar question.
The Undertones don't seem to have those regrets, or at least don't choose to air those views publicly. When you hear their story unfold, how they became pop stars through sheer talent and sheer luck, overcoming monumental odds, they speak with a humble realism. Heading to Belfast, then to London, being on Top of the Pops,signing to the Ramones' label, Sire Records, finally reaching the States as an opening act for The Clash. All of this was more than they ever expected when they started out, it was a means of escape from boredom, lack of opportunity, and the grim violent Troubles that inflamed the country. Even as pop stars Feargal Sharkey was still holding down a job delivering TV sets. So when you see them interviewed they seem quite proud of all that they achieved, and rightfully so. Certainly the four current members of the band do speak with humility, but I can't help but seeing them nostalgically holding back smirks. Unlike many bands who play down their past, who say they don't listen to their old recordings, these guys know all too well how damned great they were. And they seem to be pretty secure and content with their legacy.
This is a very fun DVD. You discover what a great live band they were and also that they are all seemingly nice polite people. The most interesting and candid interviewee is Sharkey, who takes pains not to slag off his former bandmates and has a lot of interesting views on the band and life in Derry. Mostly the band members are interviewed, but of course there is Peel, Sire Records president Seymour Stein, journalist Eamonn McCann and Terri Hooley, who put out their first EP on Good Vibrations records.
There are lot of interesting comments on life in Ireland. I'm reminded of the Saints experience in Brisbane. Like the Saints, The Undertones had their fans and their friends, but a lot of people hated this new thing they were playing. They were not doing what was expected of them, they did not know their place in this society. And it was even worse once they received fame and accolades from London and New York. One of the most amazing quotes was by Terri Hooley who said he saw a boy in Belfast run across the street so he could spit on Feargal Sharkey. I mean it's music we are talking about here, he didn't just invade Poland.
So go check this out--the historic footage is amazing, the cinematography is excellent and lovingly done. And of course, first and foremost listen to the outstanding music. You will quickly understand what all the fuss is about. Their first two albums, eponymous and Hypnotised, are essential rock albums, Punk Rock 101. When I listen to those songs, it's like a musical version of the Fountain of Youth that Ponce De Leon searched for in vain down in South Beach Miami. After the years where the O'Neill brothers made some very nice records as That Petrol Emotion, The Undertones reformed with a new lead singer Paul McLoone , who is featured briefly in the film and seems to do a credible job singing. The band rightly decided not to get a clone to replace Feargal. It would have been pretty weird. But they have released two albums over the last 10 years Get What You Need (2003) and Dig Yourself Deep (2007). Shortly after departing the band, Feargal Sharkey had a #1 hit in the UK with A Good Heart, and inexplicably his recording career all but evaporated after that. But as I speak the Undertones are doing a UK Tour and a West Coast US Tour in commemoration of their amazing first album.
I do highly recommend this DVD, particularly for anyone who is a fan of the band. Of course, if you see this video you will be a fan soon enough anyway. This last video goes out to the Rockin' Reverend.
Thursday, March 17, 2011
Good Vibrations--The Singles Collection--Crispy Punk Goodness From Northern Ireland
The Punk Single Collection is a nice introduction to Northern Irish Punk Rock, featuring the music released on the legendary Good Vibrations label, by Terri Hooley, who began releasing singles of local acts so they would gain the recognition they were deserving of. Maybe they are best known as the label that introduced those Derry Destroyers, The Undertones to the world. But judging by this anthology, it was clear that there was a lot more going on in Northern Ireland at the time. This year Hooley's autobiography came out, entitled Hooleygan: Music,Mayhem, Good Vibrations. Haven't read it yet, but I imagine it will be an enlightening book.
Overall Good Vibrations PSC is a good to great collection, with a few songs a little pedestrian and undistinguished. The Undertones are represented here with Smarter Than U, which is a b-side from their Teenage Kicks ep. The Undertones are simply a fantastic group, certainly no secret to fans of classic punk, so while I'm glad they are here, the other bands are more interesting to me. I certainly would like to here more of them. Some of these bands may have only had a handful of songs of quality, but there are a few groups here that are flat out exciting.
The collection begins with Rudi's awesomely energetic Big Time. They have 2 more fine songs here, I Spy and Overcome By Fumes. I know that a compilation came out about 15 years ago of these guys, but it seems to be impossible to get a copy now. Probably the best known band here are The Outcasts, who recorded a couple full length albums back in the day. They are well represented on this anthology, with four songs here. My favorite numbers are Love You For Never and the cheeky pop of Self Conscious Over You.
There are so many bands here I'd never heard before, and half of them I hadn't heard of. Bands like The Bankrobbers who play some engaging new wavey pop on On My Mind. How about The Lids, who play a bass driven Ruts-like brand of pop on I Don't Want You. And then you have Decisions by the Pistolly sounding Bears. I wonder if there are more recordings someplace by those guys? The punk-pop of the Tearjerkers song Love Affair is terrific in a more commercial radio-ready way. The same can be said of The Moondogs Ya Don't Do Ya, the guitar sounding a little like a revved up Clean.
Additionally you have a great raucous scorcher by Victim, A Strange Thing At Night. You also get two songs by Protex who are one of the more accomplished acts here, who play an engaging style of punky pop.
Additionally you get to hear the X Dreamysts' Dance Away Lover, a good song, but the singer seems to have a Phil Lynott thing going on here. Not really a bad thing. Ruefrex's Cross The Line is one of my favorites on this collection, with guitar reminiscent of Pink Flag era Wire. They actually do have an anthology out that is readily available.
All in all, a Punk Rock delight for all your St Patrick's Day needs and more. It beats listening to The Cranberries or some other nonsense on March 17th. It just leaves me wanting to here more. I hope that more collections highlighting this scene come out because it's clear that there was a lot of great music created that most fans today are simply unaware of. The album ends where it all began, with label founder Terri Hooley himself performing a charismatically sloppy version of Sonny Bono's old chestnut Laugh At Me. Happy St Pat's to all.
Sunday, March 13, 2011
Countdown to Saint Patrick's--and Jake Burns is Drinkin' again....
Only a few more days until St Patrick's festivities, so I thought I would highlight this nifty solo nugget from the front man of the legendary Belfast punk rockers Stiff Little Fingers, Jake Burns. Yes, Drinkin' again, his worthwhile attempt at a traditional Irish album which came out in 2006. As he confesses in the liner notes, he started out with the intent of creating an "Irish" punk album. But as he quickly realized, it had been done so many times that he felt it was becoming a little passe. Secondly, the album was a collaborative effort with musicians from varied backgrounds so ultimately the album is a bit of a hybrid of genres, traditional Irish, acoustic folk, country. And it was recorded in Chicago, not Ireland. All told, one thing is certain: it is a departure from a SLF recording. Anyone who picks this CD up believing they are getting some uplifting fiery punk, think again. But listeners who are interested in a fun record full of passion and heart, like a Celtic Mekons album would do well to give this a listen. A pretty nice little record that doesn't seem to have ever been released in the States.
The album begins with a nice little uptempo version of Van Morrison's Domino. Definitely a happy party starting beginning. But this is not merely a covers album. Of the eleven songs here, seven are originals. The title song Drinkin' Again is a fun jaunty Poguesy sounding Celtic-country hybrid undercut with melancholy lyrics;
Give me rum, give me vodka,
give me brandy, give me beer
Give me the chance of some amusement
The chance of some amusement
The chance of some good cheer
Newcastle Brown, I'll drink it down
To the dregs, I'm Hell on legs
I'm drinkin' again....
More traditionally Celtic sounding yet similarly themed is Half Past Dead, about a night out on a bender and the dreading anticipation of awaking next morning. Other songs are historically themed such as the cover of
The Green Fields of France by Eric Bogle, the anti-war anti-imperialistic themed Right To Fight and the bittersweet reminiscing of V.E. Day. He sings poignantly about the Irish Diaspora of the 19th Century in Land of Opportunity. Burns is in fine voice throughout. He does justice to the traditional ballad
Cliffs of Dooneen, as well as the updated version of The Well Below The Valley. Burns adds to the tradtional canon with his excellent love lament Lancashire Rose.
Probably my favorite song here is his reworking of Belfast 14, originally from his Jake Burns and the Big Wheel from the 80's. One of his more personal songs, it sounds like it was probably an outtake from the Now Then.... sessions, one of SLF's most underrated albums and their most pop sounding album. It's about being a kid having to grow up in a war zone, without prospects and hope, and all the terrible consequences that it entails. It's a gem of a song and unusually revelatory, as after their first album the band made a decision not to make overtly political music. ( And I can't blame them for not wanting have any responsibility for any more lives being destroyed).
Overall, Drinkin' Again is a pretty decent album that accomplishes what it set out to do, make an updated version of a traditional Irish album that is both a lot of fun and delivers on an emotional level as well. And Jake Burns' personality shines through as well. If you like traditional Irish music and want to hear something a little different this could be for you. Certainly I am a little biased, as in my view Stiff Little Fingers is my favorite Irish band ever and Jake Burns is a musical hero of mine. So take that into account when you read this view.
Word on the SLF website is they are currently working on a new album. They are also touring the U.K. as we speak, so if they are playing in your area, go check out one of the great punk bands. They are absolutely great live, particularly when they play the early songs--the crowd goes crazy, everyone is shouting along with the band, and you feel the adrenalin rushing and electricity crackling back and forth between the band and the audience. Believe me, get out there and see this legendary band if you get the opportunity!!
The album begins with a nice little uptempo version of Van Morrison's Domino. Definitely a happy party starting beginning. But this is not merely a covers album. Of the eleven songs here, seven are originals. The title song Drinkin' Again is a fun jaunty Poguesy sounding Celtic-country hybrid undercut with melancholy lyrics;
Give me rum, give me vodka,
give me brandy, give me beer
Give me the chance of some amusement
The chance of some amusement
The chance of some good cheer
Newcastle Brown, I'll drink it down
To the dregs, I'm Hell on legs
I'm drinkin' again....
More traditionally Celtic sounding yet similarly themed is Half Past Dead, about a night out on a bender and the dreading anticipation of awaking next morning. Other songs are historically themed such as the cover of
The Green Fields of France by Eric Bogle, the anti-war anti-imperialistic themed Right To Fight and the bittersweet reminiscing of V.E. Day. He sings poignantly about the Irish Diaspora of the 19th Century in Land of Opportunity. Burns is in fine voice throughout. He does justice to the traditional ballad
Cliffs of Dooneen, as well as the updated version of The Well Below The Valley. Burns adds to the tradtional canon with his excellent love lament Lancashire Rose.
Probably my favorite song here is his reworking of Belfast 14, originally from his Jake Burns and the Big Wheel from the 80's. One of his more personal songs, it sounds like it was probably an outtake from the Now Then.... sessions, one of SLF's most underrated albums and their most pop sounding album. It's about being a kid having to grow up in a war zone, without prospects and hope, and all the terrible consequences that it entails. It's a gem of a song and unusually revelatory, as after their first album the band made a decision not to make overtly political music. ( And I can't blame them for not wanting have any responsibility for any more lives being destroyed).
Overall, Drinkin' Again is a pretty decent album that accomplishes what it set out to do, make an updated version of a traditional Irish album that is both a lot of fun and delivers on an emotional level as well. And Jake Burns' personality shines through as well. If you like traditional Irish music and want to hear something a little different this could be for you. Certainly I am a little biased, as in my view Stiff Little Fingers is my favorite Irish band ever and Jake Burns is a musical hero of mine. So take that into account when you read this view.
Word on the SLF website is they are currently working on a new album. They are also touring the U.K. as we speak, so if they are playing in your area, go check out one of the great punk bands. They are absolutely great live, particularly when they play the early songs--the crowd goes crazy, everyone is shouting along with the band, and you feel the adrenalin rushing and electricity crackling back and forth between the band and the audience. Believe me, get out there and see this legendary band if you get the opportunity!!
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
Guess Who's Back In Town? Ash--Nu-Clear Sounds
Yeah, I'm back.
After a nice visit to the Valley Of The Sun, I am back in the Valley of Ice. Thankfully I got home before the terrible shooting tragedy in Tucson. I didn't do a lot of memorable things, but I did visit The Museum of Musical Instruments (MIM) in Scottsdale for a brief time. It's definitely a museum worth visiting, with over 4,000 musical instruments from all around the globe, including some pretty cool rock instruments from Belarus, supposedly built to be able to survive a nuclear blast. I especially enjoyed the Asian and African sections. They have an auditorium there where they host a diverse selection of musical performers, and they have workshops there, including a gamelan workshop which they will be running through May. If you are in the Phoenix area you should check this place out, along with the fabulous Heard Museum, which houses a tremendous collection of Native American Art, including the late Conservative Senator Barry Goldwater's rather large collection of Kachina dolls. Also ancient Mimbres pottery. They also have a great gift shop, which is actually for the most part a consignment store for Native American artists.
For a great Mexican meal in Phoenix, check out the Barrio Cafe. While the place is somewhat unassuming, the cuisine is not. For an easterner getting a chance to sample delicious regional (non-Sonoran) cuisine of that quality is a truly unguilty pleasure. Chef Silvana Salcido Esparza was actually nominated for the James Beard prize in 2010. But if you are in the American Southwest for any reason, if you don't get Mexican food somewhere, you are missing out big time. For great pizza, check out local landmark Bianco's Pizza downtown. Further proof that great pizza is obtainable outside New York. But back to work.
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| Post-77 |
Nu-Clear Sounds is an album by Northern Irish melodic pop punkers Ash that is fairly unappreciated. After their huge hit album 1977 made them teenage superstars across the Atlantic, this album was deemed to be a bit of a changeup. The follow up Free All Angels has been construed by many to be a return to form. On their third full length Nu-Clear Sounds they move away from the bone shiveringly loud fast pop tunes a bit. They slow down a tad here, and provide us with some expressive ballads. But they continue to produce tuneful loud pop songs, albeit in a more experimental way. I like this album a lot.!
I know that its natural for people to want a band they love to never change, to keep pumping out variations of songs from their favorite album. But creative people like to challenge themselves and to try new things--sometimes they crash and burn, but often they find new and interesting ways to express themselves. The Clash evolved throughout their too short career, The Clean have never made two albums quite the same stylistically. Look at David Bowie's chameleon-like musical journey. If you can't embrace new things, life can get stale pretty quickly.
This 1998 incarnation of Ash consists of Tim Wheeler on Guitar and Vocals, Charlotte Hatherly on Guitar and vocals, Mark Hamilton on bass, Rick McMurray on Drums. The album begins strongly with the one two punch of Jesus Says and Wild Surf. Jesus Says is a swaggering Stonesy, Jesus and Mary Chainish party starter. Wild Surf is a bracingly loud update on 50's music.The album also ends extremely strongly with the classic A Life Less Ordinary. "In the slow haze of the afternoon, swaying hips, made like a gun, blackest sails, the most beautiful..." Not too shabby at all.
But there are lots of interesting moments here. Ash execute some pretty cool funk on Death Trip 21 venturing toward Primal Scream in their noise phase. Low Ebb is a droney dirgey yet melodious ballad. I'm Gonna Fall is reminiscent of a beefed up Sunday Morning by the Velvets. Interesting guitar work throughout on this album. Folk Song is precisely that; an excellent Ash punk-pop approximation of a hair ballad.
But there is also plenty to rock to here. Fortune Teller continues in the vein of the opener Jesus Says. Numbskull is riff ready punk arena tune. The ear bleeder Projects is not far off from classic Bailter Space. I really like that on this album the songs are not samey tunes, banged out one after the other. It shows what this band can do when they are allowed to cut loose.
One of the great things about Ash is that most of their full length albums are available for a pittance, probably under a buck used on the Internet. And I don't think they have put out a bad album. From teen sensations to music biz veterans. Charlotte Hatherly has moved on and pursued a solo career, producing a few very good albums over the last few years. And while it seemed Ash was going to call it quits recently, it appears their career has been invigorated with the A to Z singles they have put out, now lovingly compiled on 2 Cd's for the discerning audiophile. They look to the future, but they also embrace the past. In addition to the Thin Lizzy tribute I posted from Youtube, they put out as a b-side a nice version of Teenage Kicks by Derry icons, The Undertones.
Do yourself a favor and check out one of the best Irish bands of the last fifteen years.
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
Don't Stop Believin'--Stiff Little Fingers--Belfast Legends'---Say Hanx!!
Stiff Little Fingers is one of the top ten punk bands ever, in my semi-reputable opinion. At their very best they were on a par with the very best groups, and I think on a certain level they are a musicians' band now, admired by acolytes and peers, but not getting the credit they merit. They were tagged as the Irish Clash. I have no idea whether that was intended initially as a marketing move, or it was meant to be a pejorative swipe. Some critics tend to put them a few rungs below The Clash, Pistols, Ramones, Buzzcocks,etc. But when you look at the history of punk and alternative rock, many, many bands have been influenced by their music and their views, probably more than their following would indicate. But knowledgeable punk know what I am talking about. All of their early recordings are classics, the first three studio albums, Inflammable Material, Nobody's Heroes, and Go For It, the singles collection All The Best, the poppier Now Then...and the raw thrilling live album Hanx! After Now Then... the band split up. Eventually they reunited and have put out a few less successful studio albums (and a host of live albums), but they all have their moments. The lineup at the time was Jake Burns as the singer and guitarist, with Henry Cluney also on guitar, Ali McMordie on Bass, and Jim Reilly on drums.
I was watching a PBS documentary about Irish music on PBS and it was okay but incomplete, a bit homogenized. There were good bits in it here and there. I enjoyed Glen Hansard, Damien Dempsey and Sinead O'Connor. I admit that I did not see the whole thing. But I didn't see anything about SLF or the Undertones, Whipping Boy, My Bloody Valentine, or Frank and Walters. I'm not even sure if Thin Lizzy made the cut (SLF must have liked them a little judging by some of their own dual guitar riffs) Maybe the documentary was trying to take pains to illustrate the traditional Irish roots of contemporary musicians. If I didn't know better I would think that the music scene in Ireland has a few famous artists, but little else going on. I am pleased to say though, that there is rock in Ireland beyond U2 and the Cranberries.
I've seen SLF a bunch of times, though not recently. There are a lot of things I like about them. First and foremost, their grace under pressure. Though to some degree it could be a matter of self preservation they decided early on that they did not want to do anything to increase The Troubles and cause harm to people. Northern Ireland obviously was not a great place to live in those days. Though their rough and ready first album has political songs (maybe the best political songs by a punk band ever), they largely wrote songs from the perspective of how terrible it is to have grow up in a violent land, how impossible it is to live much less thrive under these oppressive circumstances. The insane cycle of violence needed to be broken. They didn't create the situation, but they were born into it. And consequently some of their songs, like Alternative Ulster and Suspect Device got banned by the BBC. But their lyrics and outrage resonated with Irish youth, and gave the world a view of life in a police state. And I think a lot of their music holds relevance today.
When they performed gigs in their early days, the songs were such an adrenalin rush, that the audience would just get caught up in the emotion and their anger and frustration would spill out into the street. Clearly there would be consequences to this. While the band wanted change in their society stupid acts of rebelliousness and anarchy by a bunch of teenagers would just create more misery. So that is how they came up with performing "silly encores" to their sets, like Running Bear and their version of White Christmas, which brought some levity to the show so that people wouldn't take their aggression outside. They were pointedly asked which side they were on in an interview, and they refused to say. All they would admit was that band members were both Protestant and Catholic.
Another thing I like is their inclusiveness and their optimism. Jake Burns has a lot of sympathy for kids, and a lot of his songs have a "be all you can be" positive attitude. These are common themes: Don't give up hope, your life is important and valuable. It's up to you to decide your destiny, don't listen to the naysayers. Anti-war, anti-racist, anti-phony patriotism. And most importantly, think for yourself, don't take things for granted, look at the world with healthy scepticism. And I always found a good mix at shows--for every big Irish guy with a cap and an overcoat cozying up to the back wall with a pint, there were Punks of about every race and creed enjoying the show. Their message is one of inclusion, not cliques and small mindedness.
So the ideas behind the music are commendable, but if the songs are bad they would have been forgotten years ago. There are scores of well-intentioned people who have penned protest songs, but how many of them are good? A lot of times the songs sound forced, not very artistic at all. Billy Bragg has a gift for this. The Clash certainly had their moments. Mark Eitzel's Patriots Heart is a good recent example (I think Dick Cheney would challenge him to a duel if he heard this) But I don't know if there are too many more powerful advocates than SLF. When they play the old classics at a show you feel the adrenalin rush through the crowd and you feel as though you have a inexplicable kinship with the anonymous people you are temporarily sharing space with. Their great passion and love of justice are simply contagious.
Hanx! is a live album put out fairly early in their career and is a greatest hits collection, selecting tracks from their first two albums. Apparently this was released to support the band on an American tour. The music is aggressive and high tempo. They perform their traditional cover of Bob Marley's Johnny Was, which succeeds so powerfully. It is complete genius, taking the reggae song and moving it to the streets of Belfast with jagged guitars and a more martial tempo. Though at 10 minutes it is pretty long for punk rock. Jake Burns' voice is in fine form, raw and immediate. Alternative Ulster and Suspect Device are definitely two of the great punk rock songs and they are represented here as you would expect. Alternative Ulster is simply a great anthem, critical of the status quo, but hopeful that positive change was an achievable goal. Suspect Device is just a furious juggernaut of a song. "They take away our freedom, in the name of liberty" is a lyric that resonated with me during the Bush presidency. Two defiant exhilarating songs that never fail to get a crowd delirious.
Another highlight is the ironic love song Barbed Wire Love, which contrasts love and living under lockdown, and has a humorous 50's doo-wop bridge in the middle. Fly the Flag is a sneering dig at pseudo-nationalism. A flag is a symbol, and as such can be offered up to a variety of interpretations. At its best it can bring people together and unite them in a common cause. At its worst, it can bring out a lot of ugly nativism, excludes and divides people, and can blind the public to a lot of bad behavior like rapaciousness and violence. Tin Soldiers is a caustic anti-war anti-draft song that cautions young people not to "sign away their life". The opening song Nobody's Hero warns people not to get caught up in idol worship, but to think for yourself and maintain your independence. At The Edge is a song dealing with becoming an adult and following your own path proudly. I'd like to say the song gave a certain wealthy Irish guitarist a nickname, but I would be lying again.
Overall this a bangup of an album and a decent place to start for SLF. All The Best is probably the best collection, as it contains the band's early 45's. If you haven't heard this band before, you probably already have. They will no doubt remind you of some band you listened to this week, like Rancid or Ted Leo, or Down By Law. And for all you Clinton haters out there, at one show (probably at Tramp's) he took the time to thank Bill Clinton for all the efforts he made to bring about peace in his country.
Certainly there are some valid criticisms that can be made about the ex-President, but the people of Ireland feel a lot of gratitude toward him. Hopefully a rosier future is just beginning for the country. And when I hear Stiff Little Fingers, they pump me up and make me feel like I could change the world, even if only in a small way. And they convey a message without being preachy.
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| Take a Look Where You're Living |
I was watching a PBS documentary about Irish music on PBS and it was okay but incomplete, a bit homogenized. There were good bits in it here and there. I enjoyed Glen Hansard, Damien Dempsey and Sinead O'Connor. I admit that I did not see the whole thing. But I didn't see anything about SLF or the Undertones, Whipping Boy, My Bloody Valentine, or Frank and Walters. I'm not even sure if Thin Lizzy made the cut (SLF must have liked them a little judging by some of their own dual guitar riffs) Maybe the documentary was trying to take pains to illustrate the traditional Irish roots of contemporary musicians. If I didn't know better I would think that the music scene in Ireland has a few famous artists, but little else going on. I am pleased to say though, that there is rock in Ireland beyond U2 and the Cranberries.
I've seen SLF a bunch of times, though not recently. There are a lot of things I like about them. First and foremost, their grace under pressure. Though to some degree it could be a matter of self preservation they decided early on that they did not want to do anything to increase The Troubles and cause harm to people. Northern Ireland obviously was not a great place to live in those days. Though their rough and ready first album has political songs (maybe the best political songs by a punk band ever), they largely wrote songs from the perspective of how terrible it is to have grow up in a violent land, how impossible it is to live much less thrive under these oppressive circumstances. The insane cycle of violence needed to be broken. They didn't create the situation, but they were born into it. And consequently some of their songs, like Alternative Ulster and Suspect Device got banned by the BBC. But their lyrics and outrage resonated with Irish youth, and gave the world a view of life in a police state. And I think a lot of their music holds relevance today.
When they performed gigs in their early days, the songs were such an adrenalin rush, that the audience would just get caught up in the emotion and their anger and frustration would spill out into the street. Clearly there would be consequences to this. While the band wanted change in their society stupid acts of rebelliousness and anarchy by a bunch of teenagers would just create more misery. So that is how they came up with performing "silly encores" to their sets, like Running Bear and their version of White Christmas, which brought some levity to the show so that people wouldn't take their aggression outside. They were pointedly asked which side they were on in an interview, and they refused to say. All they would admit was that band members were both Protestant and Catholic.
Another thing I like is their inclusiveness and their optimism. Jake Burns has a lot of sympathy for kids, and a lot of his songs have a "be all you can be" positive attitude. These are common themes: Don't give up hope, your life is important and valuable. It's up to you to decide your destiny, don't listen to the naysayers. Anti-war, anti-racist, anti-phony patriotism. And most importantly, think for yourself, don't take things for granted, look at the world with healthy scepticism. And I always found a good mix at shows--for every big Irish guy with a cap and an overcoat cozying up to the back wall with a pint, there were Punks of about every race and creed enjoying the show. Their message is one of inclusion, not cliques and small mindedness.
So the ideas behind the music are commendable, but if the songs are bad they would have been forgotten years ago. There are scores of well-intentioned people who have penned protest songs, but how many of them are good? A lot of times the songs sound forced, not very artistic at all. Billy Bragg has a gift for this. The Clash certainly had their moments. Mark Eitzel's Patriots Heart is a good recent example (I think Dick Cheney would challenge him to a duel if he heard this) But I don't know if there are too many more powerful advocates than SLF. When they play the old classics at a show you feel the adrenalin rush through the crowd and you feel as though you have a inexplicable kinship with the anonymous people you are temporarily sharing space with. Their great passion and love of justice are simply contagious.
Hanx! is a live album put out fairly early in their career and is a greatest hits collection, selecting tracks from their first two albums. Apparently this was released to support the band on an American tour. The music is aggressive and high tempo. They perform their traditional cover of Bob Marley's Johnny Was, which succeeds so powerfully. It is complete genius, taking the reggae song and moving it to the streets of Belfast with jagged guitars and a more martial tempo. Though at 10 minutes it is pretty long for punk rock. Jake Burns' voice is in fine form, raw and immediate. Alternative Ulster and Suspect Device are definitely two of the great punk rock songs and they are represented here as you would expect. Alternative Ulster is simply a great anthem, critical of the status quo, but hopeful that positive change was an achievable goal. Suspect Device is just a furious juggernaut of a song. "They take away our freedom, in the name of liberty" is a lyric that resonated with me during the Bush presidency. Two defiant exhilarating songs that never fail to get a crowd delirious.
Another highlight is the ironic love song Barbed Wire Love, which contrasts love and living under lockdown, and has a humorous 50's doo-wop bridge in the middle. Fly the Flag is a sneering dig at pseudo-nationalism. A flag is a symbol, and as such can be offered up to a variety of interpretations. At its best it can bring people together and unite them in a common cause. At its worst, it can bring out a lot of ugly nativism, excludes and divides people, and can blind the public to a lot of bad behavior like rapaciousness and violence. Tin Soldiers is a caustic anti-war anti-draft song that cautions young people not to "sign away their life". The opening song Nobody's Hero warns people not to get caught up in idol worship, but to think for yourself and maintain your independence. At The Edge is a song dealing with becoming an adult and following your own path proudly. I'd like to say the song gave a certain wealthy Irish guitarist a nickname, but I would be lying again.
Overall this a bangup of an album and a decent place to start for SLF. All The Best is probably the best collection, as it contains the band's early 45's. If you haven't heard this band before, you probably already have. They will no doubt remind you of some band you listened to this week, like Rancid or Ted Leo, or Down By Law. And for all you Clinton haters out there, at one show (probably at Tramp's) he took the time to thank Bill Clinton for all the efforts he made to bring about peace in his country.
Certainly there are some valid criticisms that can be made about the ex-President, but the people of Ireland feel a lot of gratitude toward him. Hopefully a rosier future is just beginning for the country. And when I hear Stiff Little Fingers, they pump me up and make me feel like I could change the world, even if only in a small way. And they convey a message without being preachy.
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