Saturday, 17 July 2021

Tweet o'the day

I just went past the six million number

William Regnery II, Reclusive Millionaire Who Financed American Fascists, Dead At 80

Wrong Speed Record Chat No.48: John Doran

Episode 48 of the Wrong Speed Record Chat. An almost certainly never ending series of chats with music folk, friends, and legends. We will talk records. We will talk CDs. We will talk tapes. It's John Doran, the co-head-honcho/co-owner (along with Luke Turner) of The Quietus. The website of choice for all the out-there buried music of our times, the hidden culture, the books of note, and the films that stray off the path. They shout about gold sounds and all should listen. We talk about this. John's book Jolly Lad is a must read. We talk about this. We talk about the month long (no days off) tour he did with Kjetil of Arabrot fame. We talk about his ambition - it's a walk....a long walk. We talk about the British Masters series he fronted for Noisey/Vice, speaking to Liam Gallagher, speaking to Micheal Head, and going from Cosey Fanni Tutti to Dizzee Rascal via Damon Albarn. And so many more. And then, of course, we talk about records. A couple of bonus subjects get chucked into the mix. Big thanks to John for giving up a couple of precious hours. Hope you dig this chat, it was a total joy to do. + The British Masters Season3EP6: Michael Head

This RSD Clash sleeve wins



U-Roy & Santigold - Man Next Door

It comes to an end...

...and so Dennis Cooper's  George Miles cycle comes to an end with the final book to be published in September. I actually bought the second novel in the series 'Frisk' when it came out in 1991 and was blown away by the writing. (“An electrifying study in carnage” the Sunday Times called it and well how could I pass that by...)  
Sure the story is transgressive but I was very surprised that when I would recommend the book to friends that on explaining the plot they were all seriously appalled.  Never had that happen before. I  was disappointed in the film version sadly but hey make up your own mind.
Here's Dennis talking about the planning for the series 

I had a general sense that the cycle would consist of five novels, but that wasn't set in stone. Within that premise of five novels in mind, I'd decided that each of the middle three books would concentrate on one of the ways in which I viewed my subjects. The second novel (Frisk) would prioritize the libidinal, sexual, erotic appeal. The third novel (Try) would prioritize my emotional response. The fourth novel (Guide) would prioritize the cerebral, intellectual, and analytical. The fifth novel (Period) would present what remained after all of the examination, trickery, and damage of the central three novels, creating Closer's decimated, resolved twin. So the task of writing Closer was to both realize all these predetermined notions while creating a novel with enough material within it to sustain the cycle that would follow.
Dennis very kindly promoted my blog when I first started it for which I shall be forever grateful...
"...Mona, Hey. Oh (...) yeah, I remember. You were in Amsterdam when I was there? That's crazy. Crazy 'cos I had no real friends there, so I wish our paths had crossed. It's great you're going to do something on Mike Hart. I can't remember if I ever met him properly -- probably -- but Compendium was such an important and great place, and even though I don't get to London often, I miss it terribly when I'm there. The last reading I did in London was there. Your new blog is lovely. I'll be a reader, and let me alert the folks around here. Everybody, Mona, friend of and occasional commenter on this blog, has a terrific new blog that brings all kinds of things to the fore, from the great Lizzy Mercier Descloux and Miles Davis, for instance, to decisive backroom stuff on nasty Sarah Palin and much more. Check it out...

 ...and yeah it would have been good to have got to know each other in Amsterdam though we did work out that we both got showered with broken glass when someone obviously had taken offence at William Burroughs' reading at the One World Poetry Festival at the Melkweg and smashed this glass door just after he had gone through it but the next five or six people which included Dennis and myself were not so lucky. I still have a recording of Burroughs reading that night (November 12 1985) and when I finally get it digitised Dennis will be the first to get a copy.


Dennis has just posted over on FB that even Kirkus and Publishers Weekly have given starred reviews for I WISHED, and that these are the "first ever stars from those places. Trippy."  It is also always worth checking out Dennis's blog which is one of the greatest out there. Trust me and here's The New Yorker explaing what happened when Google removed his last blog

Finally to confirm when exactly the Burroughs reading was I found the clipping above from an online Jeffrey Lee Pierce archive where it also says this about his Amsterdam appearance:


Interesting that it doesn't say what he read at this, his second ever reading, isn't it?. Truth be told he was paralytic and after five minutes (if that) of mumbles he was escorted offstage by Simon Vinkenoog. Sadly I'd seen him in worse states before. 

LockDown#5 was getting to them

Friday, 16 July 2021

Little Axe - Grinning In Your Face / Seeing Red / Tear the System Down (If I Had My Way)

Recorded at Grounds For Thought, Bowling Green, Ohio, USA 28/3/15
 

Use Hearing Protection: The early years of Factory Records (19 June 2021 – 3 January 2022)

Info & Bookings 

'The Hacienda must be built'

Haçienda Landscapes is an eclectic retrospective of the iconic Manchester nightclub, created by its designer Ben Kelly and photographer Eugene Schlumberger and featuring a special contribution from Factory graphic designer Peter Saville. Part photobook, part visual history, Haçienda Landscapes reflects upon the club's enduring design aesthetic via photography of the industrial landscapes of the North, the graphic language of the everyday, and items selected from Kelly's personal Haçienda and Factory Records archives, much of which has never been seen before
More info 

They Steal We Suffer Mix

Tracklist 
1 Stealing (Original with Bim Sherman vocals) - Tackhead 
2 Privatisation Program - Gary Clail 
3 More Is Insane (10" Mix) - Strange Parcels & Bim Sherman 
4 Privatise The Air (Part 1) - Gary Clail 
5 To Be Rich Is A Crime - Jeb Loy Nichols 
6 Stealing (Extended Version Bim Sherman vocals) - Tackhead 
7 Food Clothes & Shelter / These Things Are Worth Fighting For (Young Gods Club Mix) / Privatise The Air (Part 2) - Gary Clail 
8 Stealing In The Name (Live) - Little Axe 
Production by Adrian Sherwood and most tracks feature Skip McDonald on guitar, Doug Wimbish on bass and Keith LeBlanc on drums

Ronny Drayton David Sylvian Ryuichi Sakamoto Holger Czukay Jon Hassell Steve Nye (Brilliant Trees Sessions Berlin 1983)

Info

Patti Smith on Sam Shepard

Then (2013)

Paris, Texas

 
Last night I mentioned this film to someone who had never seen it and was trying to explain just how perfect it is in every way.  As for Sam Shepard's script well...
I've lost count how many times I've watched this film but it's being lined up again
Here's Ry Cooder on that amazing score
I had two copies of this book stolen from me in Amsterdam but I did eventually find a copy here in Melbourne when I arrived in 1986. It's not cheap second hand sadly but if you do ever see a copy just grab it. An absolutely beautiful companion to the movie
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