Where do we go from here?

Sorry I haven't been posting loads over the last couple weeks. I mean I've been posting but not everyday like I was. Why? Well... I'm kind of confused as to were music is going. HEAR ME LOUD AND CLEAR: I am very well acquainted with what magazines want me to think is music is going. I think they would say it's roughly the sound of the summer still (The Kooks, Lily Allen), the old guard (Muse, Razorlight, Babyshambles, Dirty Pretty Things), the young bucks (The Fratellis, Larrikin Love), the egotistical 'working man's band' (Kasabian), and the rotating NME invented genre of the last 6 months (Thamesbeat.. just kidding! New Rave!) and the bands within that label that pretty much make up the whole things (errr... Klaxons?).

Don't get me wrong. I like every single one of those bands. Am I'm kind of poking fun because I use the 'New Rave' tag every five minutes. But it's also like... I feel like we are reaching the end of the line right now. Like something mega is going to break thru or... or... or... things will keep going the way they were at the end of the 'britpop' explosion... just, I dunno, staring around looking at the guy next to you wondering where to go or writing a bloated mess (see 'Be Here Now). I kind of balked at Lily Allen's assertion that DPT and The Kooks were writing the same old bullshit we've been hearing for years, but after thinking about it, it's close to the truth. It's not THOSE two bands but rather the bands that are surrounding them that are creating this problem. I liked "Two Left Feet" by The Holloways, but "Great Britian"? Not so much (maybe I'm totally off base.. if you really feel this is the case then alert me and I will investigate further.. until then I stick with this)... I don't think those guys are going to save British rock. I really liked Boy Kill Boy's "Last Of The Greats". But the whole of "Civilian"? Errrr no... they aren't going to do it either. And it's bands like that who are making up the bulk of the scene right now. And those bands want to be the aforementioned bands, and those bands cannot handle the burden of carrying rock music (as a whole) on their own.

In order for things to work going forward we have more innovation. Maybe that is 'New Rave'... and maybe my concern is unwarranted. But in my heart of hearts I think new rave is really just a novelty tag that revolves around the Klaxons, a handful of Van She remixes, and bands/duos/producers that are actually just dance music (Digitalism, Justice, Soulwax). I feel like what we really need right now are a couple of 'mature' albums (see Supergrass-'In It For The Money'), a couple of progressive albums (see Radiohead's-'OK Computer'), and a couple crazy classic albums (The Verve- 'Urban Hymns' and Massive Attack- 'Mezzanine'). SOMEONE PLEASE WRITE THE CURRENT EQUIVALENT OF 'THIS IS HARDCORE'!!! We need that.

Frankly? I've been listening to grime and dubstep recently. Those are two similar genres that are constantly breaking the mold. Unlike the coke-and-champagne-induced-insane-sugar-rush-spazzoid-sound of 2 Step Garage (circa summer 2002), where every song sounded the same, grime and dubstep songs are dramatically different from record to record. I mean fucking all over the god damn place. But in a good way!

I've been a big Dizzee Rascal fan since 'I Luv U'. I (unlike a lot of critics) also really liked Showtime despite the fact that it didn't sound like it was made in someone's bedroom. He's obviously the STAR of the whole game. He is like the Jay-Z of grime. Untouchable. I mean I liked So Solid Crew a lot but look where they are and look at where he is. He's the fucking master.

Dizzee Rascal- "Round We Go"

Also been digging some Kano recently. He is one of the artists who was kind of the in the periphery when I was listening to this stuff a lot and I never really got the time to get into him. I've been playing the shit out of a couple singles of his that I've got. I need to get the whole album!

Kano- "Mic Fight"


OBVIOUSLY I fucking love Es-Oh-Vee and will keep blogging about her until I pass out... so I will post something from her too.
Lady Sovereign- "The Broom"

Lady Sovereign- "Cha Ching (XXXChange Remix)

Then there is the crown jewel of the dubstep legacy thus far... of course I am speaking of 'album of the year' contenders Various. The World Is Gone is perhaps the most new school shit I've heard all year...

Various- "Hater"

And then as the icing on the cake is the So Solid Crew remix of Playgroup's electro-disco club pleaser 'Number 1' chopped and stripped like a dead hooker in a woodchipper. I know, I know. That was harsh. But that is how hardcore this song is. It even makes my words GANGSTAAAAAAAAAAAAA!

Playgroup- "Number One (So Solid Crew Remix)"

I would have put videos up but I'm tired and YouTube was down... enjoy though!

p.s. Why are you sitting at home when you should be out purchasing the new Clipse album! THAT SHIT CAME OUT TODAY! PUSH IT TO NUMBER ONE! There is no fucking duo out there spittin more fire than them!

They Keep Calling Me...

We all know about how I dork out about the Libertines (or Babyshambles) like a 16 year old girl... but Joy Division have my heart now and forever as well. It's just hard to freak out about them, well, because Ian Curtis is dead. Now, obviously, the remaining members of Joy Division went on to form New Order (who I also love) and I could rave on about them (and will in the future) but for now we will stick with just Joy Division... in fact not just Joy Division. We'll rewind all the way back to Warsaw.

Prior to taking the name Joy Division (a Nazi tag for a program where Jewish women were used to provide pleasure to Nazi troops) they called themselves Stiff Kittens, and then took the name Warsaw. Pretty obvious imagery beyond the kittens bit (which actually was suggested by the Buzzcocks as their neighbour had a cat that had kittens.. and all of them died! Apparently she ran about screaming 'look at all these stiff kittens!' or something like that).

This is the WHOLE entire Warsaw bootleg album. I can't remember where these songs came from... they aren't all from the same session and if I remember by morning I will let you know where they come from... enjoyed them though! They will be up for a week!

Warsaw- "The Drawback"

Warsaw- "The Leaders Of Men"

Warsaw- "They Walked In Line"

Warsaw- "Failures"

Warsaw- "Novelty"

Warsaw- "No Love Lost"

Warsaw- "Transmission"

Warsaw- "Living In The Ice Age"

Warsaw- "Interzone"

Warsaw- "Warsaw"

Warsaw- "Shadowplay"

Warsaw- "As You Said"











P.s. Speaking of dead rockstars... I thought that I would mention this article about Kurt Cobain. It was written by my father. I am not here to answer your questions about what did or did not happen. I cannot prove or disprove that he was there before Kurt died. All I can do is show you the way... after that it's up to you. He has been refered to by Maxim Magazine as a crackpot, but conversely the authors of "Who Killed Kurt Cobain?" stood by the fact that he had the proof that he was there. This article has been passed around the people who were close to Kurt (Kurt's mom, Courtney, Tom Grant... obviously some believe and some don't), it has been referenced in magazines and books (it almost made it into both Rolling Stone and Spin but he retracted his offer, prefering to put it online years later), and is frequently mentioned on Nirvana message boards. Whether you believe this is the holy grail of Cobain related info is up to your interpretation but, no matter how you look at it, it's certainly an important part of the Cobain legacy.

By order of the prophet, we ban that boogie sound!

This should be an easy post. Why? Because The Clash need NO introduction. They are one of those bands that you've probably been listening to most of your life. It doesn't really matter what musical sphere you come from, The Clash have such a far reaching impact that you (the discerning music listener with impeccable taste who reads this fantastic blog) can't get past (this is a ballpark guess) 14 years of age without being familiar with all of their radio singles and you SHOULDN'T get past 18 without one of their albums!

The last couple of years have been an interesting couple of years for the Clash legacy. Mick Jones has produced just about 75% of both the Libertines and Babyshambles catalogues... Paul Simonon is now a member of the Damon Albarn project The Good The Bad And The Queen (btw did you realize that Simon Tong from the Verve is also a member of TGTBATG? And a touring guitarist for Gorillaz?)... the surviving members introduced a sneaker with the Clash logo across the bottom of it... and here's the one that gets me the most excited... they have just released a CLASH SINGLES BOX SET!!! You can read the review over @ Pitchfork or check out the gorgeous JAPANESE IMPORT VINYL VERSION OF THE SINGLES COLLECTION THAT SOMEONE FROM MY FAMILY SHOULD BUY ME FOR CHRISTMAS BECAUSE IT IS THE COOLEST FUCKING THING I HAVE EVER SEEN!

The Clash are the most innovative band from the punk era. They made it MUCH longer than any of the other bands (I'm not including bands like PiL as an extent ion of the Sex Pistols... although while I'm mentioning PiL, Keith Levene from PiL was an original member of The Clash), scored commercial success, influenced a whole generation, and still are having an amazingly long lasting effect on the current music scene. Hell, without The Clash there would be no Libertines. Now hear the songs below and truly be inspired!

Here's some stuff off of a groovy boot called From London To Jamaica:
The Clash- "London Calling (Live In Jamaica)

The Clash- "Guns Of Brixton (Live In Jamaica)

The Clash- "Train In Vain (Live In Jamaica)"

The Clash- "Should I Stay Or Should I Go (Live In Jamaica)"

The Clash- "Rock The Casbah (Live In Jamaica)"

And here are a heap of b-sides to convince you to go out and buy this fantastic new collection... they are all off of Super Black Market Clash which is one of my all time faves...

The Clash- "1977 (B-side)"

The Clash- "Jail Guitar Doors (B-side)"

The Clash- "City Of The Dead (B-side)"

And the b-side you can't live without...
The Clash- "1-2 Crush On You (B-side)"
UPDATE: Well the last video I had up got deleted soooooooo I thought I'd up this one up. If there is any video that shows what different types of people who were into The Clash accurately it's this video... and when you think about it... there really was no cool before The Clash (well the Sex Pistols, but they didn't quite dress like The Clash did) and these people's quotes and reactions show that. Nowadays we'd all be much more cool and calculated. Dry and well thought out. In short: just a full of shit as they were.


Andddddddddddd... since you guys know I'm a Babyshambles fanatic... here is the recent video from the Strummerville Charity version of the song that the boys and their friends did... I mean everyone in the fucking world (including Janie Jones herself) is in this video.. look close to make sure you catch all the cameos.. there really isn't one person who isn't a big name in this puppy!


SO GO PICK THAT ALL THAT SHIT UP (for me hehehe)! Because that box set is about the sickest purchase you can make this year... and there are a very limited number of those sneakers around... just don't buy them all up because I need a pair too! Same goes for the records! I'll be back tomorrow and it's probably going to be a sweet Joy Division post to stay tuned!

Brand new this Monday... Tiny Dancers

Well here's a new one... It was sent over by the good people over at Parlophone... This is truly one where it would be helpful if you guys gave a comment as they really want to know what the public is going to think of these guys. Have they got it? I apparently think so enough to put them on the blog... however I don't want to sit here and sway you with all sorts of praise, so instead I will give you an idea of what you're going to hear on this cut!

Imagine the drumbeat from the Nine Inch Nails cover of Joy Division's 'Lost Souls'... layered over a Manic Street Preachers song... that was trying to score an American alternative radio single in the 1990's but still be edgy... with the atmospherics of The Stone Roses 'I Wanna Be Adored'. If you ask me that is a spot on description. Don't you think?

Tiny Dancers- "20 to 9"

Here's a little excerpt from the band's bio:

'Tiny Dancers are David Kay (vocals, acoustic guitar), Chris ‘Ev’ Etherington (lead guitar, keyboards), Dez Wathey (bass guitar), Duncan ‘Zed’ Morrison (drums) and Glover (keyboards, glockenspiel, percussion, guitar, noise creation). They all grew up in South Kirkby, South Elmsall and Brierley, three small former pit villages marooned in the West Yorkshire countryside between Doncaster and Wakefield. The kind of places where everyone knows everyone else and “there’s always a friendly face”, they were at the very centre of the miner’s strike – although only one of the band is old enough to have a vague memory of it.

Later, music provided a potent escape. In their isolation music from the USA seemed no more exotic than music made far closer to home, so they listened to a wide range from different eras and from both sides of the Atlantic. Indeed, they point out, their villages often had more in common with hick towns in the mid-West than with the nearby music centres of Manchester or Leeds. “It was quite depressed, yet still quite scenic,” says Ev. “And although there was a lot for a kid to do, there was not so much for adults. After the pits closed, you got sawmills and warehouses coming in, woodworkers and stonemasons. So it was a bit like the old West.”

The name is not taken from the Elton John song, but because it just felt right: playful, unassuming, but intimate too. “We like the song, but it’s not a tribute to Elton John or anything. It’s just a happy coincidence. Tiny Dancers has got a good, positive feeling.”

So what will you hear when you hear Tiny Dancers? You’ll hear a distinctly English eccentric take on those strong 60s pop melodies with close harmonies, memorable guitar riffs, touches of country rock, of techno-funk raunch, of post-punk innovation. Most of all, you’ll hear a band that fit into few established pigeonholes, that sound utterly themselves.'


Sounds good yeah? I think this is just enough to whet ones whistle. If that wasn't enough you can check em out over on Myspace or over @ the Tiny Dancers Website. I'm sure if you guys enjoy this we'll get a couple more tracks when a full length comes out. Their new EP is out tomorrow the 20th November. And you can get it Amazon U.S. and good old iTunes.

I'll be back tomorrow... In the meantime I've got some music to right and some Family Guy to watch! See you guys tomorrow!

I bet you'll never guess...

This has been such a confusing thing to figure out... do I keep posting Babyshambles stuff? I mean... both the radioshow and the blog wouldn't exist with out the Libertines/Babyshambles influence. I mean seriously they wouldn't. Charles and I had talked about doing a britrock show for AGES but it kept not happening. And I don't think it would have either had I not heard 'Music When The Lights Go Out' by The Libertines. I mean I've loved British rock forever, and knew who The Libertines were but that song... that song push me over the edge... in a good way. So from that angle it seems to make sense.

HOWEVER... I don't want to just be the 'Babyshambles blog'... my aim is really to be THE Britblog. And, of course, there is some work that needs to be done on this site if that's going to happen...

...But also as the blog gets bigger I am going to be less and less likely to do these posts. I mean, if this thing gets bigger, I am going to have to be accountable for me actions a little more. So I guess while I still can I will probably be doing at least one Babyshambles post a week.

BEFORE I go any further I want to point something out though... YOU CAN GO TO ALBIONARKS.COM and get most if not ALL of the stuff I am posting for free. See, one of the of the reasons The Libertines, Dirty Pretty Things, and Babyshambles have such a strong following is because they have given their music away for free prior to it's release (ususally in a slightly diminished quality... like a boombox recording, a session outtake, or a live track). It's awesome that they care enough about their fans to do that, but even if you want to be cynical it's still a REALLY smart marketing tool... I own a physical copy of LOADS AND LOADS of Libertines/Babyshambles/DPT albums, and I've got posters and books and blah blah blah... and I probably wouldn't had I not felt like I had a real connection to the band. And giving out free shit is a good way to create that bond lol!

Ok first off we've got the 'original' Radio 1 version of 'Fuck Forever'... this was the first version of the song (that I heard at least) and it is completely SPOT ON... I really hate to say it... but no other version captures the magic of this one... and certainly, at the end of the day you win some you lose some, and this is the version I prefer... of course there are loads of other versions over at ALBIONARKS.COM like the Nellee Hooper remix version, the alternate studio version etc etc... and maybe you will like those better but this one tickles my fancy!

Babyshambles- 'Fuck Forever (PERFECT Radio 1 Version) YSI

Babyshambles- 'Fuck Forever (PERFECT Radio 1 Version)' zShare

Then there is this version of 'The Whole World Is Our Playground' which is so pretty is almost brings a tear to my eye... the intro (which is absent on many other versions) is really really touching and makes the song that much better...
Babyshambles- 'The Whole World Is Our Playground (Long Intro Version) YSI

Babyshambles- 'The Whole World Is Our Playground (Long Intro Version) zShare

This track is rather large... about 14mb or so... it's about 12 mins long too... it's an excerpt from a live XFM session with them playing two songs and talking a little bit...
Babyshambles- 'Killamangiro/ Radio Talk/ 32nd Of December

Babyshambles- 'Killamangiro/ Radio Talk/ 32nd Of December

Speaking of XFM here is a really interesting performance for XFM that starts out with
Pete doing a really cool solo version of the afforementioned 'Music When The Lights Go Out' and then 'Up The Bracket'... apparently based on what he said they wouldn't let the rest of the Shambles play! At one point he suggests they have a sit down protest lol...


And here is the last one... this is the ORIGINAL (and best if you ask me) version of
'Killamangiro'... it was only release on 7" and the b-side was the previously posted 'At The Flophouse' (which was co-written with Dot Allison... HEY DOT WHEN YOU GONNA DO THAT LINER FOR ME SHOW??? :) lol) I am only going to post this as a YSI link BECAUSE this is something you should try to track down... I don't feel right giving this out to loads and loads of people.. however, if the limit has been reached and you HAVE to hear it I will send it to you as a request... but try to get it while the getting is good... and more importantly try to buy yourself a copy of the original version!

Babyshambles- 'Killamangiro (Original 7" Single Version)

I shit you not, I suggest you go out and buy these records and listen to them day in and day out and fall in love with Babyshambles (doesn't this vaguely remind you of people trying to convert you to Christianity 'AND I IMPLORE YOU TO BRING CHRIST INTO YOUR HEART AND FEEL WITH THE LOVE THAT HE HAS FOR YOU!' hahahaha). It truly is worth it. I also wanted to let you guys know that Parlophone has been nice enough to let me post this stuff (i.e. they haven't been wankers and said 'take it down...we OWN Babyshambles'), and they actually have even given me a little pat on the back about it. I still think they should let me preview a track off the E.P. (hint hint) BUT they've been so nice I can't bitch!

Hopefully, I will get time over the weekend to post more... well in fact I know I will be back because there is a song that Parlophone gave me (from a band called Tiny Dancers who have an album coming out this next week) that I want to post... so enjoy! Leave comments! And I will be back asap!




Buy music from Babyshambles!

BRITPOP EXPLOSION! Oasis vs Blur LIVE!

I have always been an ardent Oasis follower. The first time I heard "MAY-BAYYYYYY... I DON'T REALLY WANNA KNOWWWWW... HOW YOUR GAH-DEN GROWSSSS" I was hooked. "Live Forever" is the first song I ever learned how to play on the guitar (in fact it's one of the only songs I 'actually' know how to play as I'm not a guitar player... *in the most pretentious I went to art school way* I'm a SONGWRITER lol). I cannot count how many of the best moments of my life were surrounded or soundtracked by Oasis songs. So many fantastic moments.

Like, how about when my friends Melissa and Lizzy and I went to see them with Travis (the band not a person) in Detroit? We were only like 17 or 18 (which meant Meli Mel was a couple years younger than that) and we got soooooooooo fucking drunk. This college age guy in front of us was drinking Jim Beam and buying us beers, and he would keep turning around and beign like "WOOOOO You're my bro man! Oasis are fucking SWEET man!" and letting us take swigs of his pint. If memory serves me correctly I had a joint on me that we smoked with him (who's joint it was evades me but oh well) and it made Lizzy really sick cause she was already so drunk. Frat boy brings me my third and last beer (which I guzzle thinking 'they're bound to play plenty more songs so I better blow this down so when they finish an hour from now I'll be straight to drive') and as soon as I take my last sip Liam goes 'fuck you good night' and the show was over.

Needless to say I almost killed us going home. I frankly it was one of maybe three times I have driven drunk (WHICH I DO NOT CONDONE AND THINK IS HORRIBLE SO DON'T DO IT!) and it was sooooo difficult. When we got home it was as though I had climbed Mount Everest and I was so proud we got home in one piece (btw thanks for that God!). They ended up staying at my house because it didn't really seem to make sense and... if my memory serves me correctly... my girlfriend walked in on the three of us in bed the next morning and was ready to kill me (if she didn't come in she at least stopped by). Now, nothing happened, I didn't do anything with either one of them, they were just my friends, but we all just sat around in bed giggling and being retarded because I think we were still high... and it was one of those bonding moments that makes you friends for life.

We got to see one of the greatest bands of all time. We got royally fucked up. We were saved from certain death (did I mention it was raining buckets, I had the car on cruise control because I didn't know better and almost ran into a bunch of cement dividers because the 'move-over-arrow-highway-sign' was turned off?). We got free Ian Brown solo album singles outside the show. We got to see Noel sing acoustic 'Masterplan'. We had a major laugh and got to do everything fun (and stupid) that teenagers do in one night.

Of course, I've seen Oasis many times since (most of which have been plagued by rain and near death experiences) and I will tell you each time I go it strengthens my feeling that the world is an ok place. That other people see the magic I do in Oasis... in fact it goes a little something like "I think you're the same as me/ We'll see things they never see..."

Their new collection Stop The Clocks (UPDATE: you can stream the whole entire thing over here at AOL= Oasis, 'Stop the Clocks'), which is a greatest hits album with new tracks AND a concept video has just come out and I thought I would celebrate by posting some live stuff to stir up some nostalgia. Here's some tracks from The Point in Dublin, Ireland... it's all Noel, no Liam, in all of his coked out Be Here Now glory! If nothing else make sure you check out 'Stand By Me' which is labeled 'Sand By Me'... ooops!

Oasis- "Be Here Now (Live @ The Point, Dublin, Ireland)"

Oasis- "Stand By Me (Live @ The Point, Dublin, Ireland)"

Oasis- "D'You Know What I Mean" (Live @ The Point, Dublin, Ireland)"

This right here is the best performance I have ever seen them do:


And I really love this song... both are off Standing On The Shoulder Of Giants which I think is the album everyone dislikes except for me...


And since I mentioned Travis... I thought I'd give you this to jog your memory...

Travis- "Driftwood (Live @ Link Cafe, Glasgow)"

Now............... as much as I am a major major Oasis fans with posters in my living room, posters in my bedroom, Oasis ring tones, stickers on my car, and ringtones on my phone... I do like Blur a lot as well. I suppose in the Blur vs Oasis war, I'm more on the Oasis side though. HOWEVER, I own every single Blur album and 13 had a profound impact on my life. And Think Tank. And Parklife. Memories of driving to Bath from London listening to Badhead falling asleep in the sun. In fact when I was younger I used to think I wanted to be Damon Albarn when I grew up (even though everyone said he was a twat). In fact I used to carry a picture of him in my binder during high school (him and David Bowie along with a chat transcript of a 5am GMT chat with the Thin White Duke himself). I own ever Gorillaz album, I have a huge poster in my living room, a dvd and loads Albarn related stuff on my Amazon Wishlist (hint). So having said all this... I will post some Blur as well. Just to appeal to you all.

Blur- "Beetlebum (Live @ Brixton Academy)"

Blur- "Girls & Boys (Live @ Brixton Academy)"

Blur- "Song 2 (Live @ Brixton Academy)"

Sorry I haven't been around for a few days. I'll make sure to post TONS over the weekend... in fact I'm going to start right this second!

Trip Hop You Don't Stop

After yesterday's post I started thinking about some of the music that made me who I am today... like what band is it that shattered everything I knew before and rebuilt my senses to appreciate the finer things in music? As I was trying to figure out what artist/band I was going to use for my post was shocked when I realized I haven't really posted much Massive Attack in the past. In fact I don't know if I have posted any, at all! Which is insane seeing as my favourite bands are as follows: Joy Division, The Libertines, Babyshambles, Mobius Band, Crystal Skulls and Massive Attack (ok so there are a couple more but...)

Massive Attack were/are one of those bands that made me think "wow, this is exactly what I have always wanted music to sound like." At 15 I was aware of Massive Attack through their connection to Tricky (who I was obsessed with) and knew they came from Bristol (just like my other favourite band at that time, Portishead, who are still one of my favourites) and little else. I bought their album Protection first and I enjoyed it quite a bit (I was already familiar with the dub version No Protection and didn't know it, but that's another story) but I really went bonkers for them when I heard Mezzanine.

Mezzanine is an album of total opposites that work in harmony. It is dark, and distant. Cold and isolated. Warm and breezy. Full of fear and hatred. An album about love and heartbreak that sees both the silver lining on the cloud and the shadow cast by it. It is one of those albums that was such a labor of love it basically broke up the band. Here's a little description from Wikipedia on the album:

Massive Attack's third album, Mezzanine, was released in 1998. Mezzanine showed the band moving towards an extremely dark, tense sound filled with distorted guitars and a combination of drum machines and live percussion that lacked the laid-back, jazzy nature they had occasionally shown in their previous albums. Original member Vowles, dissatisfied with this change in sound, left the band. He was replaced by Neil Davidge, who worked with Del Naja for much of his material on Mezzanine.

Mushroom (Andrew Vowles) didn't return to the group and Daddy G (Grant Marshall) has been 'spending time with his family' since Mezzanine.

Although some critics have said that Massive Attack haven't put out anything good since 1998 I, personally, disagree have enjoyed every Massive Attack release since. In fact even went so far as to see them live a couple months ago. It was really a sight to see but I felt like the show would have been better had it not been at the Riviera in Chicago. The acoustics in that place SUCK and every band I've seen there has not sounded quite right (it's been as though they couldn't hear themselves sing! Elizabeth Frasier and Horace Andy who are LEGENDS were all over the place, unable to hold onto notes or keys or anything). I would like to see them at another venue someday and suggest that if you get the chance you go see them. Even if their show gets screwed up (like it did when I saw them) it's still worth seeing!

Anyway... I thought I would try to give you the FULL Massive Attack experience here and post a little something from all over their catalogue... I hope you all enjoy this and if I can I might try to sneak a couple more remixes in either later tonight, or maybe I'll do another Massive Attack post... I dunno...

Here's the remixes:
Primal Scream- "Exterminator (Massive Attack Remix)"

U.N.K.L.E.- "Rabbit In Your Headlights (Reverse Light Massive Attack Remix)"

Garbage- "Milk (Massive Attack Classic Remix)"

Massive Attack- "Daydreaming (Blacksmith Remix)"


Here's some album tracks:
Massive Attack- "Lately" off Blue Lines

Massive Attack- "Man Next Door" off Mezzanine


Massive Attack- "Small Time Shot Away" off 100th Window

Here's some videos... the first one is the 'unreleased' video for 'Angel' which is EPIC... the other two are new videos off their 'Best Of...' called Collected.







And while I still have your attention I would like to thank you all for stopping by... as you can see below the numbers recently have been AMAZING! Keep coming back! I love you all! I'm not making a fucking penny off this shit (I don't think) but it makes me so happy that I'm making people's day just a little more fun! THANK YOU!

Re-ee-eee-wind!!!

SO... I've been posting a lot of dancey stuff recently (duh) but I decided to go a little old school today... I was organizing my mp3's (hold on! where did my pocket protector go! *cough*) and I found this mix I got for free from Ministry Magazine. I don't read that shit anymore (because since I've gotten older I'm more of a strictly Ghostly/Warp/Kitsune kind of guy as opposed to labels like Defected and shit like that... not that I'm above it or I don't love it... but I digress) it's just not my style, BUT this fucking mix cd is off the fucking chain! It's this sort of summery-disco-filter-jersey-paradise-garage-house that is perfect to throw on while driving to the beach on the hottest day of summer.

The summer of 2001 I tore my arse off rollerblading, I would mow down some of those strawberry chews (like those healthy Starbursts?), bust out a few bottles of Dasani, and throw this into my stereo whilst whacked out on painkillers on the way to the beach (you thought I was being healthy didn't you! Yeah right! I was fucking loaded!) Needless to say, that was the 2nd best summer of my life (I think this last Summer was the best because of my girl and the festivals we went to) and this cd was instrumental in its perfection (that and the hard narcotics for my temporarily missing butt cheek). In case you were wondering which issue of Ministy and what cd... it was the 'North vs South' issue (featuring two neon clad lassies hitting each other and wrestling), the cd was for a Ministry club nite called 'Rulin', and the Dj was Jazzy M. Here is the most out of control track on that comp... if you want more of this get at me... I know it's not as 'rock' as most of the dance I've put up BUT this is British club music and I want to cover all sides of the Brit music sphere.

Jazzy M- "Jazzin The Way You Know" YSI

Jazzy M- "Jazzin The Way You Know" zShare

Now taking it WAYYYYYYYYY further back... I thought I would post some 808 State. When I was 14, music started taking a turn for the best. All of a sudden this band Prodigy started a rumble with their monster track 'Firestarter', and along with them they brought loads of other electronic groups with them onto the shelves my local record store. I was devouring Chemical Brothers, Aphex Twin, Photek, Josh Wink, Atari Teenage Riot, Daft Punk, Bjork, Orbital, Crystal Method, Moby and all the other groups you HAD to check out back then when you were trying to build a broad palette to draw from as you create an electronic record collection. Then I started getting into the flavour of the moment... stuff like Dj Shadow, Morcheeba, Roni Size, Tricky, Portishead and other great bands of that time period. BUT I also starting going backwards and checking out the bands that I had grown up with like Depeche Mode, Pet Shop Boys, and New Order. And then I found 808 State. I found they had worked with Bjork (something fairly new to me) and Bernard Sumner from New Order (something I had grown up with) and I decided they were the perfect duo. I immediately fell in love with Ex:El. If you haven't you should too. This record helped me learn to appreciate the structure of electronic music, and that it too can offer the world pop songs you can sing along with.

808 State feat Bernard Sumner- "Spanish Heart" YSI

808 State feat Bernard Sumner- "Spanish Heart" zShare

So that's it for now... I appologize that it was a sort of rambling nostalgic post... as of tomorrow I'll be back on track... BTW I wanted to say thanks to all the visitors over the weekend... I got over a thousand hits since my last post and I don't know how it happened... but PLEASE keep coming back!

The Man That Fell To YouTube

This is what my daydreams look like inside my head...


No time for a big long post... I'm headed out of town... I so I can promise another post asap.. but make sure you check out the previous Babyshambles, and Aphex Twin posts! There are plenty zShare links if the YSI ones are dead! Anyway, here are some Bowie covers to tide you over if I don't get to post again...

The Futureheads- "Let's Dance" YSI

The Futureheads- "Let's Dance" zShare

Arcade Fire- "Five Years" YSI

UPDATE: LINK REPAIRED!!!
Arcade Fire- "Five Years" zShare

Too Much Rock N Roll (Babyshambles)

Well yesterday I broke the 3,000 mark... I've gotta say... it makes me feel MIGHTY good... mighty good... GIVEN the fact that the counter has ONLY BEEN UP FOR 3 WEEKS and I hadn't been posting for months... long story short I went from getting no hits, to 20 hits a day, to 50 hits a day, to a hundred hits a day, to 300 hits a day and on and on... and seems to be a lot of you are coming back for 'more' as well! There seem to be quite a few return visitors! I mean this morning with no new post I got over a 150... weird shit...

Day Date Page Loads Unique Visitors First Time Visitors
Thursday 9th November 2006 247 166 146
Wednesday 8th November 2006 202 150 138
Tuesday 7th November 2006 329 235 213

Seems to be there a few people posting Babyshambles this week... and they are climbing up the Hype Machine with the quickness... now I thought to myself... "Hmmmm... should I do another Shambles post? I do one just about every week... Is that dumb? Maybe I should... I wonder if I can get Parlophone to give me access to the new tracks soon.... hmmmmm..." and finally just decided that it's easier to just do the post than to sit around thinking about doing it. I don't have time for that shit... thinking that is...

BUT HERE IS SOMETHING I DO HAVE TIME FOR! I have a few favourite blogs. Everyone of couse reads Stereogum, and I really like Rbally, Acid Girls, Fluo Kids, and Discobelle... but above all I love me some Palms Out Sounds! They are the coolest blog on the block, with a distinct hip-hop bent, that covers everything from Jay Z and NaS, to Spank Rock and my boys Flosstradamus. Right now they are in the running to get to do exclusive coverage of the new Jay Z album Kingdom Come but they have to win this blog competition over at Roccafella to get it. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE help them out. Either stop by Palms Out Sounds or head over to Rocafella to vote for them. Please, it doesn't take that long, I want to blogosphere (nay, the world!) to see that hip-hop ain't just 50 Cent and Dipset, it's crazy Mash-ups and B-more mixes! Thank you for your time.

So before I post the songs, check this out...

Pete is now running around with shirts that say 'Too Much Rock N Roll' and 'Drug Free'... who would have thought... maybe Liam Gallagher will say that he wants to hang out with Pete now and trade parenting tips... seeing at Liam's Little James and Pete's Astile both have the same mommy Lisa Moorish. Nothing heard as to whether Kate is actually pregnant with Pete-Child-No-2 but it does seem to be confirm that they are to marry... I don't mean to sound like a tabloid. I just can't get enough of Pete Doherty.

Just in case you forgot what it was like when he was on drugs... take a look at this video of he and a couple of the Shambles lip synching to Snoop Dog!

Ok, enough of me talking... here are the tracks... these are mostly newer tracks, and hopefully some of them will be on the upcoming 'Blinding E.P.'they are releasing on Parlophone... I should let you know NONE OF THESE ARE THE ACTUAL FINAL VERSIONS OF THE TRACKS, THEY ARE EITHER LIVE OR GOOD QUALITY DEMOS!!! The first two are from the 'Paris Rehearsals' which sound great, the second one is an acoustic version of 'Beg Steal Or Borrow' and 'Jeane' is a great track that has been floating around in the wilderness and I don't think it has any connection to anything... the last two are Live @ Paradiso Club in Amsterdam, which was actually recorded for Radio 1. The sounds quality, even though they are live, is GREAT and I really have enjoyed this set. I might post more off it in the future (thank you to 19mark78 from French Dog Blues Forum for the CD from this show)! I've posted the files in both YouSendIt and zShare because it seems to be that some of my shit doesn't show up on the Hype Machine or it's just numbers and shit... and I figured if I posted all the songs on both it couldn't go wrong (crosses fingers)! Enjoy!

Babyshambles- "French Dog Blues" YSI

Babyshambles- "French Dog Blues" zShare

Babyshambles- "I Wish" YSI

Babyshambles- "I Wish" zShare

Babyshambles- "Beg Steal Or Borrow (Acoustic)" YSI

Babyshambles- "Beg Steal Or Borrow (Acoustic)" zShare


Babyshambles- "Jeane"

Babyshambles- "Baddies Boogie" YSI

Babyshambles- "Baddies Boogie" zShare

Babyshambles- "Janie Jones (Live)" YSI

Babyshambles- "Janie Jones (Live)" zShare

BTW... Charles and I are talking about putting an RSS or XML feed from my the blog here to the 'Albion' site so we can combine the latest news with your mp3s (and make the whole thing a little more professional). The record companies, and the bands, and (most improtantly) the fans/listeners have been flooding in there recently so it only makes sense to put both sites together. So make sure to check back and see if we actually did that... like the magical Albion t-shirts I never made!

UPDATE 11/11/06
I GOT OVER 750 HITS TODAY! SO HERE'S THE COMPLETE BABYSHAMBLES GLASTO PERFORMANCE!

Aphex Twin: Selected Classics Off Lots Of Albums

So we've been on this jacked up dancey-pants thing for a few posts... and I thought I would take it down a notch. Take it down A LOT actually.

I haven't posted any Aphex Twin before and I thought now would be a good time. I was looking through my computer at work and saw this Warp Records/London Sinfonetta album I reviewed for WIDR a couple weeks back and I thought I should post some songs from it. Then I thought... well shit... why not post a bunch of Aphex Twin!

Of all the songs I could post I would say that 'Flim' (off of the ubiquitous 'Come To Daddy EP') is by far my favourite. For many years, whether happy or sad, I've had this fantasy that when I die (if there is some afterlife) 'Flim' will come on shortly afterwards, filling the void, and I will know everything will be ok. Morbid, yeah, but it's such a beautiful song that I think it is what 'heaven' sounds like if there is such a thing.

Most of these songs tend to lean in the more 'pretty' or 'ethereal' direction, which is not really an accurate portrail of what Mr. Richard D. James' music is like at all (I say this because I know there are a fair amount of younger kids who read this blog and I don't want to have them pick up 'Hangable Auto Bulb' and freak out and never trust anything I say ever again!)... but these are some of the songs of his songs I like most.

ALSO! Don't forget to actually go out and buy his stuff! I'm not just posting this for you to get free music. I'm trying to get you to either a) rediscover Aphex Twin, b) say "Oh, maybe I should have bought this album!", or c) pick up his work for the first time. There is a LOT of music here and I don't want to feel like an idiot for posting it. Based on Aphex interviews I'm going to assume he wouldn't give a shit but his record company probably would...

Aphex Twin- "Polygon Window (Arranged by Kenneth Hesket)"

Aphex Twin- "Prepared Piano Piece 1"

These first two are from Warp Works & 20th Century. That album also includes John Cage, Squarepusher, Tom Jenkinson, Gyorgy Ligeti, Conlon Nancarrow, Steve Reich, Karlheinz Stockhausen, and Edgard Varese. That album I suggest checking out if you are into both IDM and NPR.

Here's my selection of favourites:

Aphex Twin- "Alberto Balsam" off I Care Because You Do...

Aphex Twin- "Flim" off Come To Daddy E.P.

Aphex Twin- "Tha" off Selected Ambient Works 85-92

Aphex Twin- "Nanou2" off Druqks

Aphex Twin- "Windowlicker" off Windowlicker E.P.

PLEASE, if you enjoyed this go pick some Aphex Twin over at Amazon!

I Heart Hot Chip (and NYPC)!

I mentioned in my last massive post that I fucking LOVE me some Hot Chip. I also mentioned there are loads of awesome remixes of them, and awesome remixes they have done. Here are a couple more to whet your whistle. There are a shit load of remixes they have done for other people over on eMusic... and today would be a good day to sign up for that free trail! Why you ask? Well, as of I think the 21st of this month they are CHANGING THEIR PLANS... from now on you will get FEWER SONGS in your monthly plan UNLESS you sign up now. So for $20 a month you can STILL get 90 songs, unless you sign up after the 21st and then you only get 65 or something. The specifics are not at my fingertips but it's something like that. So why don't you get your free trial on, help out you favourite blogger, and get loads of free songs! Check out the banner at the bottom...

Anyway... These files are megabyte heavy so keep that in mind... probably WICKED for Djing with (for all you Final Scratchers, et al) but will also take a grip to download if you have shitty internet. The Booka Shade one is about 16mb, and the Maida Vale one about 8mb or something. Whatever, just download them... and leave some comments.

Hot Chip- "Just Like We Breakdown (DFA Remix)"

Hot Chip- "Just Like We Breakdown (Booka Shade Vocal Mix)" YSI

UPDATE:
Hot Chip- "Just Like We Breakdown (Booka Shade Vocal Mix)" zShare

Hot Chip- "Over And Over (Maida Vale Session Version)"

Here is the video from my fav Garfunkel-meets-filter-house Hot Chip song "Boy From School":


And the live version...

Now the other band I kind of have a crush on is New Young Pony Club. They kind of remind me of CSS but not (maybe it's just the whole dance-y band with a front woman thing). Melding the sleeze of Kelis' 'Milkshake' and cocaine aloofness of Miss Kitten they have quite probably written the best song about sucking dick/fucking/(insert sexual deviancy here) that we will hear in 2006. They still have the same party vibe as CSS but also can take that in a more headphone worthy direction as well. I actually screwed up and said that they were Austrailian (it was because Van She remixed them, and they are signed to Modular... why would I NOT think they were Aussies?) but they are actually from the U.K. which is something I am very pleased about. I can't wait to play this shit on my show!

New Young Pony Club- "Ice Cream (Original)"

New Young Pony Club- "Gotta Get Into You" YSI

UPDATE:
And just because you love it...
New Young Pony Club- "Ice Cream (Van She Remix)" zShare

Make sure to check back for more mp3's and heartfelt endorsements about your (soon to be) favourite bands!

I can give you... what. you. want.

Well another Monday and the weekend seems SO far away. There was a nice write up over a Pitchfork about the Lady Sov show (that I also write about yesterday) from this last weekend and it made me wish that the fun and relaxation of the weekend was here again. Instead I'm stuck with a painful, puss filled strep throat that is giving me chills and totally fucking up my whole steez. Awful isn't it? When you're steez is fucked? Hahaha... we all know Mondays tend it suck in general so I am going to do what I can to make today unsuck a little for all of us!

I don't really need to tell you about my love for the supposed New Rave movement... but I haven't let you know how much I ADORE Hot Chip. Hot Chip are almost constantly in my cd player (which is basically Apparat, Ellen Allien, Audion, Spank Rock, Klaxons, DFA 1979, Ladytron, Joy Division... you get the picture) and I find my self taking out their cd, putting another in, and immediately taking that out and putting it back in. I mean I love Arctic Monkeys but I'm kind of surprised Hot Chip didn't win the Mercury Prize. Maybe they should change their name to Hot Shit (that was awwwwwwwwwful)! Anyway, it's hard to think they could be any better... but a slew of remixes are at least equal if not better than their amazing originals. I like the song 'Colours' but I LOVE Fred Falke remix of it. He's been making the rounds doing a remix for everyone in the world with his boy Alan Braxe.... and just in case you didn't know Alan Braxe co-wrote Stardust's 'The Music Sounds Better With You' along with Benjamin Diamond, and Daft Punk's Thomas Bangalter... so he certainly has the songwriting chops to pull of something EPIC!

Hot Chip- "Colours (Fred Falke Remix)"

I want to post MORE Hot Chip but I think I ought to wait at LEAST a day... HOWEVER I am not opposed to posting some more Braxe and Falke action... I realize this isn't British but I quite like Kelis and this disco redux of her new song 'Bossy' makes me long for the days when she and Pharrell got along and the world was alright... and I was still privy to knowing shit the public didn't. Like back when this picture was taken...

Kelis- "Bossy (Alan Braxe& Fred Falke Remix)"

BTW I got this song off a Music For Robots comp at the Mobius Band show.. you should also go get it.. it's pretty smokin!

The next group needs no introduction... I've been posting the shit out of everything the Klaxons have done for months. I'm sure you also already know everything about them. This new song shows what their eagerly anticipated full length might sound like. Also while you are here check out their video for the new single 'Magick'! It's well good!

Klaxons- "Golden Skans"


And for no good (i.e. no Brit associated) reason I bring you New Young Pony Club... basically just because I LOVE Van She Tech... I hope Van She Tech does an album... I suppose until then we have the Van She album over at eMusic and all the Modular stuff like the Soulwax album over there...

New Young Pony Club- "Ice Cream (Van She Tech Remix)"

P.s. Has everyone else seen the commercial that has the NYPC song in it? Like for a computer or something? Oh, I got it now.. it's Intel... here's the commercial, and then the video just for kicks!





And last but not least... I thought since I'm all dancey, I mentioned Soulwax, and I want to encourage you to go to
eMusic, I thought I'd post this wicked Ladytron remix! Anyway... make sure to keep check back regularly and I will do my best to provide you with the hottest Britshit out there! VIVE L'ALBION MOTHERFUCKERS!

Make way for the ESS-OH-VEE!

I'm sorry I didn't get around to doing any posts since Tuesday... I've been way busy and life has been insane... but that doesn't really matter so I'll get on to the post... actually, really quick before I do that... I would like to thank everyone who has decided to try out the free 25 song eMusic trial from my site... I was surprised to see that every time I take money out of my bank account it just comes back! Also, the numbers of people who have just been visiting have been staggering (I mean something to the tune of even if I don't post 135 people a day still come to the site) so thanks to everyone who stops by! You have no idea what it means to me! On those shitty days where I think I'm going to get fired from my job for no reason, and my 'friends' are stabbing me in the back, and everyone is asking for something... you guys make my life better by just stopping by! You should think about adding my feed to your blog reader eh? Hehehehe...

Sooooooo... last night I went to Chicago to see Lady Sovereign at the Metro. It was fucking fantastic. She was a slightly inebriated from the beginning and actually exclaimed "I'm just drunk and fucked up... whooooo" after a couple songs letting the crowd know if they had not yet figured it out. No doubt the girl likes a pint, but I mean she was really rowdy! This made the show more interesting than the last time I saw her, but her voice did suffer (as well as her ability to enunciate her lyrics) as a result. No bother though, because the energy was through the ceiling. She actually managed to make the show more cohesive in the second half hour starting with her cover of the Sex Pistols "Pretty Vacant" which was awesome (and is going to be on a future episode of "The O.C." and will appear on the new O.C. covers comp from the show... if you were expecting a disasterous cover of a classic song you are wayyyyyy off the mark... it's fantastic). EssOhVee was supposed to stick around and 'DJ' after the show but I don't think she ever made it there. I saw her talking to fans from inside her bus outside the Metro and she and I even exchanged a little playful round of sticking our tongues out at each other before she and her DJ shut their door. I cannot confirm or deny if she did do the 'afterparty' in the Metro balcony (as Heather and I went downstairs to check out MSTRKRFT at the Smart Bar for a sec) but I would think not........... Heather and I hailed a cab, rode up to Andersonville, walked 4 blocks to our car, got straight on Lakeshore, went to 94 (all of which took no time at all), and about a half hour later on the toll road I passed Lady Sov's bus (how do I know it was her's? Well the back said 'www.celebritycharters.com' or some shit, and the little camper in front of the bus was the same one that was outside). I don't think anyone went home disappointed though! I really really really recommend that you go grab 'Public Warning', or jump on eMusic and get the more indie-friendly 'Vertically Challenged'. You might as well sign up from here yeah? (If you do I will love you forever!)


Here's a fun little interview with the Lady herself... at the end she declares that the best part of being S-O-V is being a midget?!?! She is a funky little monkey...




There's also still quite a few dates on the tour... I would recommend you get out there and see her!

11/05/06 The Varsity Theater Minneapolis 18+
11/07/06 Fox Theatre & Cafe Boulder AA
11/10/06 Commodore Ballroom Vancouver 19+
11/11/06 Neumos Seattle AA
11/12/06 Wonder Ballroom Portland AA
11/14/06 Club Mezzanine San Francisco 21+
11/15/06 El Rey Theatre Los Angeles AA
11/18/06 Empire Ballroom Las Vegas 21+
11/19/06 House of Blues-San Diego San Diego AA
11/22/06 Gypsy Tea Room & Ballroom Dallas 17+
11/23/06 The Parish Austin AA
11/24/06 Meridian Red Room Houston AA
11/26/06 The Parish New Orleans 18+
11/27/06 The Beta Bar Tallahassee AA
11/28/06 Studio A Miami 18+
11/30/06 The State Theatre St. Petersburg AA
12/01/06 The Loft Atlanta AA

I wanted to post some awesome shit that no one has but I guess I don't need Def Jam trying to sue me... so instead here is 'Public Warning (Live)'... I know people probably thinking I'm sucking Def Jam's dick and that's why I keep posting Sov tracks but truth be told it's just because I fucking love her... I hope she get's Gnarls Barkley sized success... because hopefully a little British female MC can open some doors for more females or more Brits... speaking of... Dizzee Rascal! Where's your new album at? This would be a good time to get one out!

Lady Sovereign- 'Public Warning (Live)'

Well I wanted to post more but both zShare and YouSendIt are being shit... as soon as I have a post ready... even if it's short... I'll throw it up... Probably something full of British hip-hop? See doesn't that sounds yummy? Keep it tuned... or if you can't wait go check out some Lady Sov or Fat Jon or whatever at eMusic!