As anybody who knows me will tell you, I’m really not one to get excited about Christmas just because it happens to be Christmas. Indeed in many ways I actually detest the whole capitalism that now surrounds it. But in general I don’t criticize those who do love Christmas, quite the opposite really, I’m actually a little bit jealous of them. Spending time with your family and friends, listening to Christmas music, giving and receiving gifts, yes it’s all nice and idyllic enough but it doesn’t exactly make me go completely over the top in the same way it does with some people. When you put it in context I just don’t feel like it’s that much different from any other day I might spend with a background of my favourite music in the company of the people I love.
Do I have any favourite Christmas music? This is something I often get asked. Well yes and no is the answer, there are a few Christmas tracks that I enjoy for what they are as a piece of music rather than for them being specifically Christmassy. These include 2000 miles by The Pretenders, A Fairy Tale of New York of course and despite my dislike of ELP I do quite like Greg Lake’s I Believe in Father Christmas. Some of Jon Anderson’s interpretations of more traditional Christmas songs such as Three Ships are particularly impressive too. However; you won’t find me buying the ‘Now Xmas’ type albums that come out every year with the same old stale tracks on them I’m afraid. - Although back in the 80s I did buy the first ‘A Very Special Christmas’ charity Christmas compilation which I did enjoy!! I appreciate other people like the more regular Slade, Wizzard and Mariah Carey but from November they’re played consistently on the radio and in every shop going and I just feel they’re rammed down our throats constantly to the point why I just don’t enjoy them at all. I personally don’t think this makes me a ‘Bah-humbug’ guy – but others do!!! Each to their own I say! I think true happiness is often generated by some of the spontaneity in our lives. Musically that may mean discovering a new band that you like or rediscovering an artist or album you haven’t heard for years. Christmas and its associated Slade era tracks often feels ritualistic, like you’re supposed to have fun and enjoy it just because everybody else does, and that has always felt a bit too forced to me. Anyway, enough of my ranting for this year. I wish you well and hope you all have the Christmas you want and I’ll see you next year!
This blog is obviously starting to get read by musicians as well as just music fans. I was recently messaged on Twitter by a relatively new Manchester slash Hebden Bridge band by the name of ‘Sly Antics’ inviting me down to their next gig at the Band On The Wall and suggesting I might want to write a review of the gig. Unfortunately on the night in question I had another commitment so couldn’t make it, however their approach piqued my interest and I did a little digging to find out who they were and (more importantly), were they any good? So here’s my findings: Sly Antics According to their website, “Sly Antics are cousins Sam and Lee Hudson plus Chris Allen, and they make noise described best as “feeling like being hit hard in the face with a box of stale cereal”. Since releasing their debut EP, they’ve been pioneering their dirty pop rock sound to the world receiving a massive response from national radio and press including BBC Introducing and Radio X. Their live shows are described as ‘Raucous and ear blistering’ following a heap of huge festival appearances such as Kendal Calling alongside acts including Catfish And The Bottlemen plus sold out tour dates across the UK. In 2018, Sly Antics released singles Bin Juice and Sunday Fear which featured a music video starring Misfits and Line of Duty’s Craig Parkinson.” So all sounds good, lets have a look at these recent releases: Bin Juice They might have ‘bin’ in the title but this track is anything but trash. First thing I noticed is that they’re not your traditional ‘Manchester’ sounding band, if anything the vocal has an ‘Arctic Mondays’ feel to it, which is no bad thing while the music itself has echoes of the Red Hot Chilli Peppers. The sound is very energetic being part funk whilst retaining an indie feel to it, in particular the abrasive funky bass is strong and forward in the mix which really gives ‘Bin Juice’ its virulent sound. There are a few, shall we say interesting and unpredictable instrumental parts of the track which all add to its enjoyment.
The single was released in June and it certainly has a summer vibe to it, you could see this being played at back-garden barbies across the North during the fabulous summer we’ve just had. ‘Bin Juice’ is also a very radio-friendly track, you can understand why Radio X have picked up on it. Be good if it were to hit the Six-Music playlist and get it out to a wider audience. Sunday Fear Sorry, I know I should be talking about the music but there’s this video they’ve made for it! What’s that all about? Don’t get me wrong, it’s good, if a little disturbing video – especially the dog!! There again it’s a walk in the park compared to the video they made for their debut EP, Captive City which is off the scale weird - go watch it on YouTube. Anyway back to the music. ‘Sunday Fear’ has a far heavier rock sound to it than ‘Bin Juice’ and this gives it a very different dimension. The track itself is all about the dread of how big your Saturday night hangover is going to be on Sunday morning. It’s that wish to just stay in the drunken state forever rather than the knowledge of what’s coming. The track kicks off with a fairly laid back, easy going feel, this doesn’t last though as its not long before a far punchier, heavier sound hits you between the eyes. The vocals sound layered contrasting lower and higher voices which certainly add a different, engaging sound to the track. ‘Sunday Fear’ does still has the bands trademark nods to the Chilli Peppers funky rock sound. Despite its lyrical darkness it’s still a fairly upbeat commercial track with some mature depth to it. Who Are They Like? A difficult one this. You can detect a number of diverse influences, all indie, just different. As mentioned above, the vocals have a definite Arctic Monkeys feel whilst the musical influences come from various indie directions; from the Red Hot Chilli Peppers through the likes of The Courteeners, Kasabian even elements of Franz Ferdinand. Do I Like Them? Yes, definitely, they grow on you. Sly Antics bring something new and a bit innovative to the Manchester music scene. With a mix of smooth vocals, and a gritty yet energetic, funky sound that all merge together to create a unique offering. Do I Recommend Following Them? Oh yes! Although I haven’t seen them live, I’ve read the reviews. It seems that Sly Antics are one of the more exciting bands on the Manchester circuit at the moment with a sound that could fill far bigger venues than they’re currently playing. If you enjoy a blend of energetic yet fun indie rock with a bit of funk thrown on for good measure then Sly Antics are worth a listen.
Manchester’s original punk, Pete Shelley has died of a heart attack at 63 and like many people, I’m not only shocked but really gutted. Pete and Buzzcocks were part of the soundtrack of many of my age group’s lives. They made songs about the sort of stuff that most of us could never say – but they could!
Shelley was there right at the start of punk, forming Buzzcocks with Howard Devoto in 1975. Whilst still at college in early 1976, the pair of them made the trip down to London after reading the first live review of the band to see the Sex Pistols. What followed brought punk out of London and to the rest of the world - and in particular to Manchester! In 1976 Pete and Howard organised the two now legendary Sex Pistols gigs at the Free Trade Hall that kick-started the modern day Manchester scene and would eventually lead (admittedly with the help of the IRA) to the rejuvenation of the city into what it is now. Without this ground breaking initiative from Shelley and Devoto there would probably be no Factory Records; no Joy Division; no Fall; no Smiths and even no Simply Red !! Buzzcocks debut single, the 4 track Spiral Scratch EP is arguably not only the first genuine punk record but also the first ‘indie’ record as they produced, pressed and distributed it themselves with no record company involved. The tracks themselves, whilst not being the most radio friendly are still incendiary in both form and content, buried between a sexual rage and amphetamine energy that transforms the Sex Pistol’s confident fury into a comedy of pent-up neurosis. Shelley’s guitar makes melodies out of barbed wire and rusty tin which reaches its peak on “Boredom” where somehow happy pop music is created out of something that sounds - exactly like boredom!
Pete is quoted at the time as saying “Punk was about expressing things in song that wouldn’t be talked about… being honest. It was very liberating.” What followed were the seminal hits, “Ever Fallen In Love”; “I Don’t Mind”; “What Do I Get?”; “Orgasm Addict” and “Everybody’s Happy Nowadays”. Buzzcocks appeared regularly on Top Of The Pops, indeed they were television naturals. Shelley ignored the instructions to pretend the cameras weren’t there and ‘stared-out’ the viewers at home. It didn’t end with the end of punk though, after a hiatus through the 80s after Shelley dissolved the band (acrimoniously I must say), Buzzcocks reformed again in 1989 and have continued to record and play live on and off ever since. Pete Shelley should truly be regarded as the poet laureate of punk with his original yet often lovelorn lyrics and effortless but brilliant melodies. Buzzcocks weren’t your everyday angry punks, they were so much more. They were the start of something steamier and seedier, but still far more personal and definitively pop than the Sex Pistols, The Clash and the rest of London’s ‘art-punk’ scene. Even today they still sound like nothing else on earth. Thanks for the music and the memories. RIP Pete
On a Facebook forum, I recently responded to the question, “What top rock bands do you think are overrated?” My answer was ‘Emerson, Lake and Palmer’ who I've never really 'got'. Well did I get some stick! The number of people who couldn’t comprehend why I don’t like ELP was amazing.
Now, firstly I do need to say I’m not a prog’ hater. Indeed I freely admit to being no stranger to prog’ rock. Pink Floyd, Genesis, Rush and early Marillion are all favourites of mine, so on paper, Emerson, Lake and Palmer were a band I should at least like, if not love. So why don’t I? Well it’s not that I don’t think their music is as good as their fans make out, or that those same fans are somehow wrong in their judgement. This isn’t the case, Emerson, Lake and Palmer were a band that I did totally understand why fans would go crazy over (and they certainly still do!!) - it’s just that I’m not one of them! They’re usually regarded as one of those quintessential progressive rock bands and they were good at what they did. If prog’ is all about experimenting with instrumental virtuosity, new forms and structures, captivating the listener’s attention and keeping them studying forever, then Emerson, Lake and Palmer have definitely earned their place among the genre’s most successful bands. But !!!
To put it bluntly, Emerson, Lake and Palmer didn’t connect with me at all. It was all so pretentious. They always seemed so distant and at times even alien to me. They were always so preoccupied with playing their instruments that they forgot to engage with their audience who happened to be sat there. It always seemed that there’s no emotion in their work, no genuine passion. There was nothing in Greg Lake’s vocals; nor in Keith Emerson’s often, (admittedly) innovative playing that connected me on a personal level; that grabbed out and held me. Then there was the whole opulence the band projected, Greg Lake’s £6,000.00 Persian Rug that he used to have to stand on to perform! Really??? I mean the rug even had its own ‘rug-roadie’!! Not entirely adhering themselves to the man on the street there!
Maybe it is just me. As I’ve said, Emerson, Lake and Palmer still have a dedicated group of followers who must either experience their music differently to me, or just don’t care about connecting with it as long as it’s interesting musically. Either way, I'm no putting them down in any way. Quite the contrary really, I’d like to read some comments defending the band. For me, you really have to have some emotional connection to music to enjoy it fully. This comes in many forms for me and ranges from The Clash to Beyoncé, from Otis Redding to Motorhead. It’s just that Emerson, Lake and Palmer are always somewhere in-between. I appreciate what they’ve done for the prog’ genre, I just don’t feel it enough to call myself a fan. I’ve always adhered to the ‘Big House’ theory of rock music where they all live in a large mansion. I suspect that in this house you’d find groups like Emerson, Lake and Palmer occupying the drawing room while others like Chicago would be in the bedroom. Then bands like The Who, Sex Pistols and The Happy Mondays take over the garage etc. They all have their place in the grand scheme of rock music. – And you don’t have to like all of them.
Always being on the lookout for decent new music and bands, I recently came across a couple of new(ish) Manchester bands who I was quite impressed with. One is from a mix of Manchester and Lancashire, the other was formed at the Manchester music university, BIMM. Both have that ‘Manchester’ vibe and both deserve to be going places. Dantevilles First up are Dantevilles who hail from both Manchester and Darwen in Lancashire. They’re a four-piece who comprise Jamie Gallagher (guitar, vocals), Connor McNicholas (bass, vocals), Paul Tanton (guitar) and Cory Devine (drums). One of their most notable features being the twin lead vocals of Jamie and Connor. They have been touring around the north for the past few years and their first release was a self-titled EP that came out at the start of the summer. It includes the track, ‘Blackjack’ as well as recent singles ‘It Might Be Tomorrow’ and ‘Daydreamer’. The EP was produced by Courteeners bassist and producer. Joe Cross and is an attempt to bottle the band’s energetic live performances which it achieves in droves. I do like Daydreamer, it's an upbeat indie track that maintains their trademark dual lead vocals whilst adding a psychedelic feel to the sound.
‘It Might Be Tomorrow’ is a particular favourite though having almost a sixties sounding feel to it. What’s it about? Well the band themselves are quoted saying “It’s the contrast of something morbid and something beautiful and ultimately turning that into a positive message and living every day as if it’s your last.” Despite this quite downbeat theme it’s actually a very up-beat track, one that builds and builds to an irresistible chorus with those appealing duel vocals to the fore. From what I’ve heard so far, Dantevilles create fresh sounding memorable tracks. They have a modern take on the Manchester indie pop sound with melodic guitars and standout vocals and most of all – a bit of soul! Track them down. You won’t regret it. Corella Corella are a fresh indie-pop four piece made up of a bunch of BIMM Manchester students. Joel Smith (Vocals/Guitar), Ben Henderson (Vocals/Bass), James Fawcett (Drums), and Jack Taylor (Lead guitar). It’s hard to pigeonhole Corella’s music into any particular genre, they’re quite an interesting mix of jangly, funky indie pop similar to the likes of Blossoms or the ill-fated Viola Beach. Their influences appear to be a broad school of rock, pop and soul taking in acts as diverse as Jimi Hendrix, The Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin, Stevie Wonder and the likes of The Maccabees and Bombay Bicycle Club. These influences really come across in some of their tracks. Despite being unsigned, Corella are slowly gaining a major following. Early releases Barcelona Girl and Waterfall have gained over a million streams on Spotify, some of their more recent singles have also featured on Spotify’s ‘The Indie List’, ‘Indie Road-trip’ & ‘Hot New Bands’ playlists. Their track, 'Caught Up' was used by BBC Sport during their coverage of the 2018 Commonwealth Games. They’ve even had the ultimate accolade of being featured on ‘This Morning’. Their most recent release, ‘Island’ came out earlier this month. With ‘Island’ Corella continue to develop their sound, it still has the trademark jangly guitar riffs and catchy chorus we come to expect but there’s a lot more than just that. It’s quite an incredible, mature song for a young band to write and should see them go places. The production was by Sugar House of Viola Beach fame and it shows.
Corella have all the makings of a band destined for big things. They seem to pride themselves on their song writing along with the tight harmonies and overall band performance - not one member stands out. Hopefully they’ll get signed up soon and find the success their talent deserves. Manchester Music – It’s Not Dead Manchester has a rich music history which it continues to develop. These bands continue the legacy left by the likes of the Stone Roses, New Order and Buzzcocks, going all the way back to the likes of 10CC and The Hollies. Like I say, Manchester’s still not short of some incredible bands but both Dantevilles and Corella are really beginning to rise head and shoulders above many of the others at the moment. Check them out I say!
I’ve loved Paul Weller’s music for decades now, going right back to the early days of The Jam (yes I’m that old!!). I’ve always particularly enjoyed the way he’s progressed and changed his style over the years. No two albums ever really sound the same. A few weeks after it’s release, I’ve finally obtained his latest album, ‘True Meanings’. Let me say on first listen as I was a bit “meh” but it’s a grower. Don’t park it after one listen is my advice.
True Meanings is a very mellow and likeable album. It’s one of those lazy Sunday morning albums, one to listen to whilst sipping decent coffee and reading the paper. This is a more acoustic and laid back album than his last few. You can tell he’s getting on a bit now, that an older person wrote these songs. They do take a few listens to really get under the skin until you realise it’s actually a very good album. Don’t get me wrong, it isn’t all acoustic, it isn’t just Paul Weller with a guitar and his voice, there's still the drums, the bass and the second guitar adding much more to the background. As I was saying, this is a very grown up album with some graceful orchestration and very contemplative songs. Admittedly, Paul's voice is a little weak generally but that doesn’t detract from its enjoyment. It’s lyrics are quite introspective and it’s performed as close to perfection as possible, demonstrating Weller’s ability to continue to produce music with purpose and soul. There are more guests than ever too with Rod Argent, Martin Carthy, Danny Thompson & Noel Gallagher all making an appearance. Some of the Tracks “Glide” is an acoustic daydream. It’s strings are so mellow and just sort of wash over you. Saying that, it’s also probably the weakest track on the album - which really is saying something. “Mayfly” is a more typical Weller vocal over some folky percussion backing. I like the deep, warm guitar intro that leads into some nice bluesy guitar. “What Would He Say?” Has a Burt Bacharach style relaxing brass solo that bubbles to the surface a couple of times with an “easy listening” melody and whispy lyrics. “Wishing Well” is quite a folky but pleasant, contemplative song. Overall, a very tender acoustic track. I like it! “Movin’ On” is for me one of the best tracks on the album. It’s an engaging song with some charming brass parts towards the end. Paul’s vocal is very soulful and articulate, more in the style we have come to expect from him. Overall it’s a splendidly orchestrated number, with some subtle percussion. “Movin’ On” harks back to what was probably his first foray into folk back in The Jam days - "English Rose". It’s the sound of a man comfortable in his skin, he acknowledges his past while making an appropriate pronouncement about the here and now. So Do I Recommend It? ‘True Meanings’ is a brave album for Paul Weller to release, yes he’s had songs like this on his albums before. There was the haunting, atmospheric "Wild Wood"; "Long Hot Summer" was a particularly chilled track and don’t forget the classics like "The Butterfly Collector" or the blistering "That’s Entertainment". There aren’t many musicians of his generation that are still making interesting new music they just resort to playing the hits. Their new stuff is often disappointing, for example Hugh Cornwell’s latest album, that’s only really worth it for the acoustic Strangler’s tracks on the second disc. That most of ‘True Meanings’ hits the mark is due to its cohesiveness. It is Weller’s singer-songwriter album, acoustic and reflective in tone, and carefully, delicately textured. It's a thoughtful record, well-crafted but not stifling so. Fair play to him for diversifying yet again. He’s an artist who remains current by still developing and evolving 40+ years on from ‘In The City’. You can’t argue with that! Yes, I know some tracks appear more than a little shallow and contrived, lacking the raw emotion he is known for but ‘True Meanings’ is still a very mellow album that improves with age – just like a fine wine. What impresses me is that there is now so much depth and character to Paul Weller these days. Is it the best Weller record ever? I don't know, probably not. Think I'll just enjoy it for what it is.
Having always been a bit of a Queen fan, especially the seventies stuff, I thought I’d better give this ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ film a coat of looking at. So a few nights ago the missus and I went off to the local cinema to watch it. Was I impressed? Well, ‘yes’ and ‘no’. As a film, to the average guy who likes Queen’s music and likes a good story it’s good. However if like me you know the history of the band and the dates involved with releases and some of the other surrounding events then it’s not so good.
To those who haven’t seen it, the film tells Farrokh Bulsara’s story of how he went from being a Heathrow airport baggage handler to become Freddie Mercury. Bohemian Rhapsody opens in 1985 with the band preparing to play Live-Aid. It then back-tracks back to 1970 and how the band formed before working its way through the trials and tribulations of the next 15 years. The film’s finale is then back in 1985 with their legendary Live-Aid performance. Rapid Paced The pace of the film at the start is break-neck often leading to information overload for the audience. In around twenty minutes we go from Brian and Roger being in Smile without a singer to a world tour that Queen went on after the massive success of Sheer Heart Attack. It all happens very quickly to a point where you aren't given a moments respite to reflect on what’s actually happening. This for me is where it starts to go wrong. Date Errors Whether they were errors or deliberate to make the film flow there are at least three ‘out-of-sequence’ dating errors.
The band are showed playing ‘Fat Bottomed Girls’ in America on the above mentioned ‘Sheer Heart Attack’ tour which was in 1975 however the track itself wasn’t written until three years later, appearing on 1978’s ‘Jazz’ album.
The famous 1980 party with the dwarfs and the magicians was featured depicting the start of Freddie’s downfall, however the disco track playing in the background was Rick James’ Super Freak, a track that wouldn’t be released for at least another year.
Following the 1980 party the band are depicted in the studio coming up with the ‘We Will Rock You’ track. A track that was written and released three years earlier in 1977 and already a live favourite.
There Are Some Good Bits I did enjoy some scenes I must admit. I particularly liked the sensitive way Freddie’s ultimately doomed relationship with Mary Austin developed. There was also humour in there too, the early scene where Roger comes on to Freddie’s younger sister for example. The scene with Mike Myers in the record company offices over the release of ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ and the “Not the coffee machine” line was also quite amusing. Another aspect that personally pleased me was that Freddie’s vocals were dubbed over Rami Malek's performances. I'm really glad they didn't try to have Malek do a bad impression of an iconic voice. So In Conclusion I don’t think ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ knows whether it is a Freddie Mercury biopic or a Queen biopic and I can't really decide which one I would have preferred more. There were some important events that contributed to Queen’s early 80s downturn that weren’t referred to at all such as their concert at Sun City in South Africa at the peak of apartheid which they were severely condemned for worldwide. This would be intrinsic to any Queen biopic but less so a Freddie one. For me, ultimately it felt like a movie that was actually fighting itself. There again, maybe it’s just me who went in there with too high expectations! I’d probably give it an overall score of 6 out of 10 as it is generally enjoyable. Don’t rely on my word though, go see it yourself. Many people I know who have seen it have truly enjoyed it and would give it a ten, so maybe it is just me!
