Popped up to London recently (not very rock ‘n’ roll, it was for the annual Credit Management exhibition at Olympia, where I caught up with old friends in the industry, haggled for some work and talked to magazine editors. Very productive, but, yes, not very rock ‘n’ roll). But this is a bit like my blog posting from last year about the dangers of drink and e-bay. This time it was me and sister Ruth staggering back from a couple of beers in the Fitzroy Tavern, and a pizza and wine at the Pizza Express opposite, at 11pm to catch the tube back from Oxford Circus and discovering Borders still open. Two purchases, a copy of Ian MacDonald’s Revolution in the Head which I’d been meaning to read for years … and a discounted Man About The House Series Five DVD. The former I can honestly justify (and tax-deduct), the later … did your parents warn you about the dangers of drink?
Also managed to nip into Forbidden Planet and pick up the first issue of my old mate Paul Cornell’s Captain Britain & MI13 Marvel Comics series. I really enjoyed Paul’s Wisdom series for Marvel last year, this new series kicks off even better; I’ve read on the Net that it’s already a sell-out and going to second print. Well deserved. I caught up with Paul at Bristol’s Comics Expo earlier in the month and had an enjoyable hour in the afternoon chatting to him, his lovely wife Caroline (who I met for the first time) and new Punisher artist Laurence Campbell. I also bored (I’m sure) Bryan Talbot silly with the story of how one of his original 2000AD pages is on my office wall, having bought it from him in Plymouth in the early 80s. Caught up with my old Doctor Who fandom friend Peter Ware for a bit of a natter as well. A really good day out.
Last night I hit the road to Tavistock which is a really beautiful road to drive (or is after you get off the A38 and get onto the A390) if rather tight and twisty – but the Mazda loves it! Playing as special guests of Limehouse Lizzy at the Tavistock Wharf were Alan Davey’s Gunslinger who I was catching live for the first time. Very Loud. They’ve a terrific drummer, Sunil from the Meads of Asphodel who was really high in the mix and very impressive, reminded me somewhat of Dave Grohl in Nirvana days (particularly in terms of presence), and I really liked what he was doing. It struck me that although the Lizzy crowd isn’t a typical catchment audience for the sort of stuff Gunslinger play, the younger part of the crowd really got it. And there were (again, it seemed to me) quite a few Hawkwind fans who’d turned out to specifically catch Gunslinger rather than the main act, which is encouraging.
Random tracks on the play-list recently:
Jupiter One: ‘Mystery Man’. Never heard of these guys before, but a promo of their debut CD arrived unexpectedly on Friday (just in time for my Tavistock drive) and I’ve really been enjoying it and definitely want to find somewhere to review it. Album is self-titled.
I See Hawks In L.A: ‘Carbon Dated Love’. I don’t normally like Country & Western at all, but this blend of country and psychedelia with a humorous twist and an environmental theme has really grabbed me. Album is Hallowed Ground.
Earthling Society: ‘The Boy with the X-Ray Eyes’. Krautrock / Acid Folk / West-Coast Psychedelia with Space-Rock elements. Album is Beauty and the Beast and I’ve reviewed it here.
Devotchka: ‘The Clockwise Witness’. Gypsy Punk, apparently. Heard this track on last month’s Word magazine’s cover-mount CD and immediately bought the album (A Mad and Faithful Telling). Unfortunately, this is by far the best thing on the CD. So I’d say it was worth the price of admission on its own but then, I had the track already. But it is.
Gunslinger: ‘Cyanide’. Doom-laden Motorhead-esque heavy rock but still manages to be catchy as hell and best played at maximum decibels. Album is Earthquake in E Minor.
Loose Acoustic Trio: ‘Pinball Wizard’. The Who interpreted by Good old boys as a jugband cover! Hilarious! Album is Sorrow Be Gone.
Stephen Emmer: ‘Passengers’. Various luminaries in spoken-word recitals set to music by Emmer. Again, this was on the May 2008 Word cover-mount. Haven’t picked up the album yet by from this track alone (recited by Lou Reed) it’s worth investigating. Album is Recitement, appropriately enough.
Jim Bob: ‘Batting the Bottle (Fighting the Flab, At War with the World)’. Hilarious resume of overweight middle-age by former Carter USM / Jamie Wednesday man from his excellent A Humpty Dumpty Thing.
Also managed to nip into Forbidden Planet and pick up the first issue of my old mate Paul Cornell’s Captain Britain & MI13 Marvel Comics series. I really enjoyed Paul’s Wisdom series for Marvel last year, this new series kicks off even better; I’ve read on the Net that it’s already a sell-out and going to second print. Well deserved. I caught up with Paul at Bristol’s Comics Expo earlier in the month and had an enjoyable hour in the afternoon chatting to him, his lovely wife Caroline (who I met for the first time) and new Punisher artist Laurence Campbell. I also bored (I’m sure) Bryan Talbot silly with the story of how one of his original 2000AD pages is on my office wall, having bought it from him in Plymouth in the early 80s. Caught up with my old Doctor Who fandom friend Peter Ware for a bit of a natter as well. A really good day out.
Last night I hit the road to Tavistock which is a really beautiful road to drive (or is after you get off the A38 and get onto the A390) if rather tight and twisty – but the Mazda loves it! Playing as special guests of Limehouse Lizzy at the Tavistock Wharf were Alan Davey’s Gunslinger who I was catching live for the first time. Very Loud. They’ve a terrific drummer, Sunil from the Meads of Asphodel who was really high in the mix and very impressive, reminded me somewhat of Dave Grohl in Nirvana days (particularly in terms of presence), and I really liked what he was doing. It struck me that although the Lizzy crowd isn’t a typical catchment audience for the sort of stuff Gunslinger play, the younger part of the crowd really got it. And there were (again, it seemed to me) quite a few Hawkwind fans who’d turned out to specifically catch Gunslinger rather than the main act, which is encouraging.
Random tracks on the play-list recently:
Jupiter One: ‘Mystery Man’. Never heard of these guys before, but a promo of their debut CD arrived unexpectedly on Friday (just in time for my Tavistock drive) and I’ve really been enjoying it and definitely want to find somewhere to review it. Album is self-titled.
I See Hawks In L.A: ‘Carbon Dated Love’. I don’t normally like Country & Western at all, but this blend of country and psychedelia with a humorous twist and an environmental theme has really grabbed me. Album is Hallowed Ground.
Earthling Society: ‘The Boy with the X-Ray Eyes’. Krautrock / Acid Folk / West-Coast Psychedelia with Space-Rock elements. Album is Beauty and the Beast and I’ve reviewed it here.
Devotchka: ‘The Clockwise Witness’. Gypsy Punk, apparently. Heard this track on last month’s Word magazine’s cover-mount CD and immediately bought the album (A Mad and Faithful Telling). Unfortunately, this is by far the best thing on the CD. So I’d say it was worth the price of admission on its own but then, I had the track already. But it is.
Gunslinger: ‘Cyanide’. Doom-laden Motorhead-esque heavy rock but still manages to be catchy as hell and best played at maximum decibels. Album is Earthquake in E Minor.
Loose Acoustic Trio: ‘Pinball Wizard’. The Who interpreted by Good old boys as a jugband cover! Hilarious! Album is Sorrow Be Gone.
Stephen Emmer: ‘Passengers’. Various luminaries in spoken-word recitals set to music by Emmer. Again, this was on the May 2008 Word cover-mount. Haven’t picked up the album yet by from this track alone (recited by Lou Reed) it’s worth investigating. Album is Recitement, appropriately enough.
Jim Bob: ‘Batting the Bottle (Fighting the Flab, At War with the World)’. Hilarious resume of overweight middle-age by former Carter USM / Jamie Wednesday man from his excellent A Humpty Dumpty Thing.
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