Ornaments Music discography

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Tracklisting

HERE

Oh - Oh!!! (Be afraid, be very afraid...)

The Flaming Lips are to cover 'Dark Side of the Moon'!

According to an L.A. Times report, the Flaming Lips are set to follow-up their life- (and death)-affirming LP Embryonic with a full-album redo of Pink Floyd's gazillion-selling 1973 psych-rock classic Dark Side of the Moon.

The Lips version of Dark Side is a collaboration with the band Stardeath and White Dwarfs (which includes Wayne Coyne's nephew Dennis Coyne as a member), and features guest spots from Henry Rollins and Peaches. It will most probably be an iTunes-only release.

The announcement was made last night during a Q&A session with fans at a MySpace show last night at L.A.'s Nike/Ricardo Montalbán Theater. (Check out photos from the gig after the jump and in the photobook here.)

Other tidbits revealed: While Embryonic was the final album of the Flaming Lips' current contract with Warner Bros., they plan on sticking with the label for future releases.

Also, the video for "Watching the Planets" features a nude Wayne Coyne (as well as a bunch of nude bikers). The internet's not ready.
@'Pitchfork'

London 2012 Olympic pictograms

(Click to enlarge)

Well here are the pictograms for the London Olympics designed by 'SomeOne'
What do you think?
You can look at previous designs here.
To my (untrained) eye, they are relatively interesting especially the colour version, though those two colours chosen are NOT colours that I associate with London. Two shades of grey would've been much more appropriate!
They are not I feel, as good as Otl Aicher's designs for Munich in 1972 (which is THE benchmark) or indeed the Miró influenced ones for Barcelona 1992.

>

"Thatcher said that Scousers are the salt of the earth...Throw them on the road when it's snowing!!!" (c) Peter Wylie

My excuse?
My family took me away from Liverpool when I was only 6 months old! Now if they had asked me...

(Thanx Chris!)

What the Fox?

FOX's [Mid-Breakdown] Glenn Beck Cries Thinking About "What Life Used To Be Like" - 10/15/09

I (heart) Lydia Dutch

HERE

The Wire interview: Bill Laswell by David Toop (1994)

"...Plagiarism as a cultural tactic should be directed at putrid capitalists," writes Hakim Bey, "not potential comrades... There is no exotic other." Laswell concurs, but offers another angle. "I appropriate music from everywhere. I don't think it's possible to own a piece of music. To me, we're all playing the same stuff. It's just combinations that make it new. And there is such a thing as someone who has a voice, that plays a certain way and has a style. I think everyone does that to a certain degree and to me, it's all available. If I did something and it was a piece of music and it had a beat and a theme and even a word or something and if somebody took the exact same thing and put it out and made a million dollars I know that I wouldn't contact them. I know that I wouldn't try to sue them because I don't believe you can own a sequence. I think we're all trapped into playing sequences unless it's totally experimental and then you're doing something else. And that's where it gets interesting. Only then. The rest of it is we're all playing somebody else's stuff. To me, it's chord-changes music."
@'The Wire'

Hakim Bey (Peter Lamborn Wilson's) T.A.Z. album coming soon to
(Son of)

Jesca Hoop

It has been quite a year for Jesca Hoop thus far. Tipped by a diverse range of UK publications from Uncut (“excellent”), Time Out (bewitching”), OMM (Tips for 2009), The Sun (‘Single of the Week’ for ‘Murder of Birds’), Esquire, Music Week and a two page feature in The Times on the back of one limited self-released UK debut EP. Interspersed shows and radio sessions for the likes of Marc Riley have had to maneuver around the recording of the follow up to her US- only debut album from 2007. This arrives in the supremely elegant and unique shape of Hunting My Dress due to be released in the UK on November 16, 2009.
The above are far from being on their own in nailing their allegiance and trumpeting the emergence of someone very special. She has received notable endorsements from Tom Waits and the nation’s new Humphrey Lyttelton-in-waiting, one Guy Garvey. He became so enchanted by her music that he invited her onto his radio show. They got on like a house on fire, so he continued his open house policy by extending an invite to join the Elbow US tour in April 2008, which led into a UK tour in October 2008 followed by another US tour in August this year. He also lends his subtle yet inimitable vocal strength to ‘Murder of Birds’.

These notable artists are not ones to bandy plaudits easily and neither should they. So what you may ask binds these people together? Maybe it is the darting melodies and sense of play nestled next to a capacity for wonder… Or maybe The Times summation gets somewhere close as “her voice swoops and pierces the high heavens and then the song soars down low”. Or maybe it is simply her ability to roll up the sleeve and get on with things and not wait for anyone to open that elusive door. She has toured relentlessly across the US and Europe, gaining fans in abundance wherever she goes. She is a force of nature that plays her intricate tunes for the right reasons. And what tunes they are. Brave and bold you can assign to her. Shrinking violet you can’t.

Oh, and did we mention her you-could-not-make-this-up background? If you have served as nanny to Tom Waits and Kathryn Brennan’s kids, most things are going to be small in comparison. Add to this her strict Mormon history in a family of five children in California where her childhood was highly musical, singing elaborate harmonies with her siblings of traditional folk songs. As her distinctive voice and obvious natural gift for inventive song craft will attest, Jesca has music running through her veins. Pursuing her own path away from her strict upbringing, fueling the visionary musical worlds in her head, Jesca traveled in the West – Wyoming, Arizona – where she became involved with such diverse activities as working in wilderness rehabilitation programs for troubled youths. When one trek too many halted this temporary world, she made her way into the aforementioned nannying position.

By then, Hoop had already been writing songs and performing with a band, and Waits took an interest in her songs from a caring distance. Through him, an early version of the swirling ‘Seed of Wonder’ (from the Kismet debut) made its way to music publisher Lionel Conway, who in turn gave it to Nic Harcourt, the musically adventurous and influential host of “Morning Becomes Eclectic” on radio KCRW in Santa Monica. After playing SXSW last year, things started to move along at a steady pace and resulted in stints in the UK and the Kismet Acoustic EP.

The making of Hunting My Dress is informed by sorrow yet ultimately the new form of love and stasis that can be left in its wake. It is also a reading of the ‘dream’ state and moments around the witching hour. It also heaves with sensuality and love. The loose acoustic framework of the Kismet Acoustic EP has been expanded upon but all the musical parts coalesce and work around Hoop’s versatile vocal performance. Her improvisational flair as a singer is one of the most significant unifying aspects of her work. She delivers her vocals as if she is making up the melody on the spot, a sure sign of natural talent.

Co- produced in conjunction with Tony Berg at his Zeitgeist studio in LA (full of a variety of “instruments, doo da’s, wizzles and machineries”), Hoop sees the process as her “quickfire” record. Bagging as much energy as quickly as possible so as to not over think or crowd out the ideas. “My aim was to produce as much energy and force with as little sonic information as possible. Layers can be a rather complicated recipe. Less is more was our motto. The narrative is the centre of this record while percussion/drums and electric guitar play the primary supports. I applied as little as possible to each track and was highly protective over the voice and the story it relays. Anything is worth trying and nothing is too precious to mute” She also adds that due to the feeling surrounding the strength of the songs that “This record was relatively effortless and a sheer joy to create!” This again is quite something when you consider that she was flat broke during the whole of this recording period and borrowed studio time only when an opportunity revealed itself, working around busy schedules at odd hours. This only made for a more emboldened experience.

Again, as with the Kismet Acoustic EP, it feels as though assembled on the fly with its sparking energy. It is also warming to hear the clever intricacies of the harmonies are still intact alongside Hoop positively attacking the tracks with gusto whilst in no way crushing them. The confidence in her own vocal performance ushers away any comparisons with ‘precious’ folker’s. It is ravishing in short.

“One of my favourite tracks on the record, ‘Whispering Light’ has only my guitar, voice and drums. Another is ‘Feast Of The Heart’ which is made up of just two basses, a totally haphazard drum track and my voice. The songs were written over a span of like 16 months. As a body of work they sound like they are from the same volume…chapter…or season”. Apt that she pinpoints ‘Whispering Light’ as it opens proceedings. We are immediately into a place where she teases and goads her own lyrics, playing push me-pull you against the stark backdrop. It seems perfectly economical as was intended. This is followed by the swooping ‘The Kingdom’ where Hoop embodies a “banshee-esque battle goddess who’s call it is to deliver a spell bound death to those dying, yet still attached to this earth” This story is carried on the back of monstrous percussion, through the wail of sirens and Hoop’s fireside narration. The wobbly playfulness of ‘Four Dreams’ is next with its stand out dream-like slide blues interlude from Blake Mills. ‘Angel Mom’ brings forth the album centerpiece that is pretty self explanatory. Never manipulating grief, it can only invoke an ironic smile whilst being on the edge of collapse, as is mirrored within the arrangement. Truly beautiful and evocative.

‘Feast of the Heart’ drips with passion, as if Marc Ribot joins a rampant Hoop letting her tresses a go-go, with military drums adding to the maelstrom. Things are calmed by another highlight in the form of the marvellously lilting ‘Murder of Birds’. If anyone wants a lesson on how to accompany on a duet, just listen to this impeccable, restrained performance from Guy Garvey, weaving around Hoop who more than proves his equal. ‘Bed across the Sea’ in turn brandishes a new love found and pulsing heart beating hard and often.

No album would complete without a murder ballad right? Just ask Nick Cave. ‘Tulip’ delivers in spades and notches up yet another strident vocal performance. The album is rounded out by the embrace of the title track ‘Hunting My Dress’. And in the words of Jesca, it was also a way to narrate herself as a “fire carrying raccoon”! The layered backing vocals at the tail end of the track are simply stunning.

Artistic ambition and a near obsession with sound and sensual wordplay are the rule of thumb all over this delightful work. The UK should be proud that she now resides on that fair isle after a lifetime living in the US.

Jesca Hoop’s lyric, “Your passion marks you different” could not sum it up any better really. She has made the album that she most wanted, and in turn we should dive right in and sample this distinguished talent and her work.

Desire II

Drop Bass Not Bombs!

The Ex Pistol! The death of Sid Vicious - American TV Reports

"No longer vicious, he's dead!"

REPOST - "In Search of Sid" BBC radio documentary by Jah Wobble

To mark the publishing of Jah Wobble's autobiography:

Sid dead!

Jah Wobble put this documentary together (broadcast on January 20th 2009) on the life and times of a certain Simon/John Ritchie/Beverley, better known to us all as Sid Vicious for BBC Radio 4.
Interviewing amongst others Viv Albertine & Marco Pirroni, it tells the story of a truly mixed up kid who was destined to leave this world too early.

There were originally four Johns: Lydon (aka Rotten), Wardle (aka Wobble), Ritchie (aka Vicious) and John Grey.
John Grey was someone I knew back in those old days in London and I would love to get back in touch with again.
So if anyone knows who I am talking about and can get the message to him then please either get in touch with this blog or tell John to contact me or Richard Thomas, the old Fall manager (who knows who I am).

If you are reading this yourself John then as I say if you get in touch with Richard ALL shall be revealed or if you have a good memory then think back to the fact that I used to work in Honky Tonk in Kentish Town & against the grain we shared a love for KB's 'The Dreaming' & Trouble Funk or the night that your brother accompanied us to a Rip, Rig gig just off Tottenham Court Rd. and his behaviour didn't really mesh with my head full of acid, especially not helped when Deb (Woolf- my partner of the time, who went on to direct those vids for Wobble) seemed to take your brother's side on the tube home...or was that all just my imagination?
At one point just before I was leaving to go to Amsterdam I did ring and speak to your Mum to see if she could pass on a message if you were interested to go & see the Brotherhood of Breath at the Roundhouse but you were feeling a bit poorly at the time.
As I say if you or anyone who knows John sees this plese get in touch. it would be really nice to catch up after all this time.

Bonus:
Radio 4 Documentary 'In Search of Sid'
&
'The Making of Metal Box' from Pirate Cat radio LA/SF (features interviews with Wobble/Martin Atkins & Richard Dudanski)

A post for Moggieboy! (Remember they come in all shapes'n'sizes!)

Seriously! Do these people know nothing about the politics of Afghanistan?

HERE

Jesus H Fugn Christ!
The English never beat them. The Russians didn't and neither will the Yanks!
Yes it has a hell of a lot to do with the terrain but....
I don't even know where to begin to explain.
HOMEWORK FOR TODAY:
Do some research.
The recent (fraudulent) elections have managed to antagonise even some of the most pro-western tribes.
How do you manage to upset THAT many people at once eh?
(...you then also decide you also want to curtail the opium production?)
As was pointed out here, you're spending $30 to every one dollar re: Pakistan, which of course is where most of Al-Queda are.

'The Economist' says:

"In late 2001 there were two powerful forces facing each other in Afghanistan: the mainly Pashtun Taliban, and the mainly Tajik and Uzbek Northern Alliance. But America wanted to unite the country, so, as usual, we went looking for a "third force". Hamid Karzai fit the bill because he was ethnically Pashtun but anti-Taliban (and foreign-educated and urbane). But for the same reasons that he didn't fall into either of the two main camps, Mr Karzai was weak. He wasn't Taliban, but he wasn't really Northern Alliance. He was "untainted" only because he didn't have his own army. And this is always the problem with third forces. If they were strong, they wouldn't be the third force; they'd be one of the first two forces...

It would be entirely possible for America to mount a COIN campaign in support of our favourite Afghan strongman. But in Hamid Karzai, we didn't pick our favourite strongman. We picked our favourite weakman. That's why we're in trouble."

نازنین افشین جم (Heroine)

Nazanin Afshin-Jam

Keyhan (a state run Iranian newspaper and government mouthpiece) has called Nazanin Afshin-Jam a "whore" for her humanitarian and anti child execution activities. It then discusses that the Islamic fascists throw this particular insult at activist women to belittle them because in their sick minds any women who doesn't obey the opposite sex and acts and talks the way she likes is a prostitute!
(Mona's Dream)

Icon

Nick Drake

Hell awaits for illegal file-sharers

In the war against albums being illegally uploaded on to the internet before they are released, David Tibet of the underground band Current 93 may have struck a minor, if resounding, victory. "This is a promotional CD," announces a little girl on the promo copy of Current 93's new album Aleph at Hallucinatory Mountain. "Anyone illegally selling, copying, uploading or downloading this material is condemned to eternal hellfire. Happy listening, God is love." Then Tibet – a devout Christian with strong views about the impending apocalypse – intones "murder" over a guitar riff heavy enough to terrify Satan. It makes you wonder whether a casual upload is really worth being cast into Hades for.

@'The Guardian'

WTF?

The axolotl is a Mexican neotenic mole salamander. Neotenic means that, as adults, it holds onto traits seen in juveniles.
More weird looking animals
HERE

Read more at: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/10/15/9-weirdest-looking-animal_n_317907.html

RePOST - Happy Birthday Bobby Ace!

Bob Weir is 62 today.

Here is the Grateful Dead acoustic set from the Melkweg in Amsterdam on this day in 1981.

Back in the 80's I worked in the Milky Way bookshop.
Sounds like a really cool job?
From a distance of 25 years, it seemed that the only customers were very stoned hippies wanting copies of the Kabbalah.

Peter Tosh - Legalise It (Live)

Australians use more cannabis than Europeans

It was estimated more than eight per cent of the population used marijuana at least once a year, and this rate was only matched by North America and our trans-Tasman neighbours.

"Australia, New Zealand and North America have traditionally been the countries which have among the highest rates (of cannabis use)," Professor Louisa Degenhardt of the University of NSW said. "That has been something demonstrated repeatedly in surveys of young people and surveys of the general population."

Europe was next in terms of annual usage followed by the Middle East and Asia, while usage rates were rising across Africa but from a low base in some countries.

@'The Australian'

VIDEOGIOCO - Donato Sansone

LCD Soundsystem cover Alan Vega on new single

The new 12” released for Record Store Day will contain a cover of 'Bye Bye Bayou' originally recorded by Suicide singer Alan Vega on his 1980 debut album.
You can listen to it
HERE

A conundrum!

HERE
(Thanx Fifi for pic!)

Israel 'must answer' for Gaza war

UN condemns 'war crimes' in Gaza

Israel condemns UN Gaza report

Key excerpts: UN Gaza report

The Palestinians have urged the UN to act to punish Israel for its offensive in the Gaza Strip last winter.

The move reverses a Palestinian decision to defer action on a UN report that accuses both Israel and Hamas of war crimes during the conflict.

Israel rejected the report as biased during a UN Security Council debate.

Meanwhile, UN chief Ban Ki-moon urged "credible" investigations by Israel and the Palestinians into allegations of war crimes during the conflict.

@'BBC'

The Two/Fifteens - Rockthedub Mix (October 2009)

"The production duo The 2/ Fifteens formerly known as The Amps... (who have had their productions featured on projects like the We Got The Remix edition of Mood Muzik 3, Mick Boogie & Terry Urban's Viva La Hova and other releases) have reemerged with a mix for Rock The Dub prepping for the Spring release of their independent EP Effective When Used..."
Download
HERE

London bus (tells it like it is!)

A great recording of the entire performance of 'Ladies & Gentlemen We Are Floating In Space' from the Royal Festival Hall the other night over at 'Ripped In Glasgow' (mp3). There is a FLAC of the same recording available at 'Dime'. (Thanx Tufty & Moggieboy for that!)
This is a truly superb recording that captures every nuance of the choir, string and brass sections as well as obviously the band themselves...

The Naked Rationer 1941

"Young Dutchman walking down city street, naked save for a fedora and shoes as he dares punishment by the SS while protesting clothes rationing by the occupying Germans."
The epitome of style - a true gentleman wears garters and a fedora whilst fighting the SS!
He's definitely got balls!
Via 'Vintagephoto'

Jesca Hoop

I am pleased to report that i have completed my second record. I should say we really. We , and more specifically defined as, Tony BErg, Shawn Everett, Blake mills, stewart, Nicole eva emery, QUinn, Joe Karnes, Z berg, Patrick Warren and myself finished my record. On the morning after the last tracking session i hopped on a plane to manchester where i have been living now for the past three months. The mixing was done by Shawn everett there in LA. After he was done with a mix or two he would send it to me via usendit and i would take notes afterwhich i would skype him and we would discuss changes that needed being made. This was a great excuse to spend some time via skype with some of my favourite people in the world... Tony Berg and Shawn Everett.
this record will be available this fall
http://blogs.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuse ... =498647152

Hunting My Dress

angel mom
whispering light
hunting my dress
tulip
the kingdom
feast of the heart
bed across the sea
four dreams
murder of birds

Snöblind

HERE
Sofia Jannok

Parliamo Glesca? Firm seeks translators

A translation company is looking to recruit Glaswegian interpreters to help business clients who are baffled by the local dialect.

Today Translations placed an advert in The Herald newspaper on Tuesday seeking speakers of "Glaswegian English".

Successful candidates, who could earn up to £140 a day, must understand "vocabulary, accent and nuances".

The firm said, so far, 30 people had applied for the positions - some of them in Glaswegian.

SOME GLASGOW PATTER Baltic (very cold) Boost (head off) Buckie (tonic wine favoured by youngsters) Cludgie (toilet) Eejit (idiot) Hampden roar (score) Hee haw (nothing) Hen (term used to address a woman or girl) Laldy (enthusiastic participation) Maw (mother) Midden (rubbish tip) Pure (very) Moroculous (drunk) Messages (shopping) Scooby (clue, ryhming slang - Scooby Doo) Shoot the craw (leave in a hurry) Stooky (plaster cast) Swatch (look) Toaty (small) Ya dancer (fantastic) Yersel (yourself)

Today Translations spokesman, Mick Thorburn said: "Over the last few months we've had clients asking us for Glaswegian translators.

"After some consideration we've decided this is a service we would like to offer.

"Usually, the role would involve translating documents but in this case its more likely to be assisting foreign visitors to the city whose 'business English' is not good enough to understand the local dialect."

Mr Thorburn said successful candidates may have to sit in on business meetings.

He added: "We're not necessarily looking for people who are particularly skilled in linguistics, just candidates who can help out clients who may struggle with native Glaswegian."

Today Translations said that depending on the volume of applications, it expected to contact the successful clients in the next few weeks.

Earlier this year a bus driver was recognised for teaching his Eastern European colleagues at First Glasgow bus company to understand Glaswegian slang.

James Lillis said: "When new employees come to Scotland and hear the Glasgow accent, it can be a problem. Drivers have to learn to understand what is meant when a customer says, for example, 'Gie us an aw day tae the toon' (Give me an all day ticket to the town)."

@'BBC'

How could I have forgotten?

The milk snatcher's birthday was yesterday!
Don't forget that when she finally dies there will be a BIG party in Trafalgar Square and I shall certainly be having a celebratory drink or two!

How ill is Khamenei?

1. This may be a very interesting few days, it appears Khamenei health in real question. May just be too frail to carry on? #iranelectionabout 14 hours ago from TweetDeck
2. had false reports Khamenei death before, i'm vry cautious, but my instict - no evidence - is that he is not long 4 ths world #iranelectionabout 14 hours ago from TweetDeck
3. Source: Qom ldrs prepare 4 fight 2 gain power in wake of Khamenei condition being serious. No way 2 100% confirm reports coma #iranelectionabout 14 hours ago from TweetDeck
4. Mixed reports Khameni, some sources claim it is very serious, but one caution that he had a minor episode and is recovered #iranelectionabout 14 hours ago from TweetDeck
5. There may be some truth to reports that Khameni condition not good, but no confirmation of Coma. #iranelection #iranabout 14 hours ago from TweetDeck
6. Several sources Khameni collapsed yesterday and is in private clinic with son and doctors. No way verify his condition. #iranelectionabout 14 hours ago from TweetDeck

The Duke & The King: Union Street (warm-up)

Jason Pierce @ RFH

Photos by Crazybobbles @ Flickr

Spiritualized @ RFH, London

Jason Pierce performing Spiritualized's Ladies and Gentlemen We Are Floating in Space at the Royal Festival Hall, London. Photograph: Jim Dyson/Getty

Released in 1997, Ladies and Gentlemen We Are Floating in Space is the key text in Spiritualized's canon. It was the album that synthesised all of frontman Jason Pierce's influences (from gospel to free jazz) and preoccupations (drugs, religion, the agony of love). Performed in its cacophonous entirety at the Royal Festival Hall, in a suitably extravagant arrangement – aside from Pierce and his six-piece band, there is a mini-orchestra of strings and wind players, plus a 12-person choir – it still dazzles, although at this scale its imperfections also feel exposed.

There is a thinness to Pierce's songwriting: dwelling on his acrimonious split from the band's then keyboardist, Kate Radley, he seeks no complexity in his emotions. The affecting fragility of Broken Heart is undermined by the fact that what Pierce expresses is the lavish melancholy of Hollywood movies. In All of My Thoughts, Pierce luxuriates in his misery. And sometimes, that pleasure in pain becomes sadistic. Electricity is a screech of nerve-shredding noise, while the black screams in the seemingly interminable closer Cop Shoot Cop create the impression that hell has opened up. No wonder Pierce applauds the audience: we're passing an endurance test just by staying in our seats.

But at its best, the show offers a kind of transcendence. With its disjointed rhythm and odd texture, Stay With Me eschews sentimentality yet captures a lifetime of romantic experience. Initially woozy, I Think I'm in Love slowly envelops the audience in a pulsating, repetitive groove. When it ends, you feel exquisitely transported.

@'The Guardian'

1973 Catholic church logo

The 70s were definitely a simpler time, but today this logo for the Catholic Church’s Archdiocesan Youth Commission looks like an admission of guilt.

Read more at: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/10/11/the-11-creepiest-unintent_n_316963.html?slidenumber=3#slide_image

George Best by Paul Trevillion

Paul Trevillion
You are the Ref
(This takes me back to the days of 'Shoot' magazine!)

'New' Michael Jackson single a 'mistake'

The looming threat of terror that comes from the far right

@'The Independent'

Dylan's Early Christmas Present

News of Bob Dylan’s album of Christmas songs shocked fans. But his official historian-in-residence, Sean Wilentz, detects not a single ironic or parodic note in Christmas in the Heart—just a sincere homage to American Christmases past.
@'Daily Beast'

From extraction to consumption: Oil, an exhibition by Edward Burtynsky

State Oil Company of the Republic of Azerbaijan (SOCAR) oilfields, Baku, Azerbaijan, 2006

Highway, Los Angeles, California, USA, 2003
A great photographic essay
@'The Guardian'

Elvis Costello - Veronica

Pretty certain that this was shot in St Kilda by John Hillcoat

and the video for 'I Wanna Be Loved' (which I can't find) has EC in a photo booth which at the end pans out to Flinders Street Station.
There is some trivia for all you Melbourne folk!

Elvis Costello - Accidents Will Happen

The first animated music video by Annabelle Janckel & Rocky Morton who went on to bigger things with Max Headroom.

Elvis Costello - Live at Amoeba! (June 22, 2009)

Going to see Costello tonight!

(Art by TimN)

A surprise!
(Thanx Loki)

Cloud over Moscow

Preview of Tom Wait's new live album

The extraordinary Mister Tom Waits is hereby formally announcing the opening of his first ever official web site as well as the upcoming release of his long rumored much speculated about live album “Glitter and Doom” due out November 24th.
To visit the new site, simply go to: www.tomwaits.com or just click here. Besides a sumptuous assortment of facts, images and sounds relating to the strange and beloved entertainer, you can also preview the first eight songs of “Glitter and Doom” for free!
Glitter and Doom is a two disc collection of tracks from Waits’ recent Glitter and Doom tour of the US and Europe. The first disc recreates an evening’s performance with 17 tracks are selected from 10 cities. The second disc is a bonus compendium called TOM TALES, which features the comic bromides, strange musings, and unusual facts that Tom traditionally shares with his audience during the piano set. The topics range from the ritual of insects to the last dying breath of Henry Ford.
The album features all eras of Waits’ as he shifts from an array of characters: carnival barker, preacher, country singer, soul balladeer; cabaret singer and storyteller. Backed by a versatile band, Waits departs from the songs’ original incarnations. The songs instrumentation and rhythms are rearranged and reimagined. There are swampy tribal rhythms, ominous hymns, gypsy flavored ballads, searing rhythmic r&b, and blues boogies.. As expected, the songs are about hanged men, woebegone sailors, sword swallowers, fugitives, shamans, ghosts, dance instructors and prison guards. Enjoy.

Psychick Warriors ov Gaia - Exit 23 (The Drum Club Remix)

NOOOOOOO!

Ladies and Gentlemen We Are Floating In Space, the era defining music will see a new incarnation in the form of a music/theatre production to open in Fall 2010 on Broadway.

The original music will become the backdrop to an immersive story about a mysterious character known only as 'The Spaceman' and is currently being written by Tim Rice and Ben Elton. It will feature two original songs from Elton John.

Ladies & Gentlemen We Are Floating In Space

Release Date: November 16

Label: Sony Music


“This album is so precise and everything on it sounds amazing; it's arranged so nicely. Jason Pierce is a genius”
Ben Goldwasser, MGMT

“I had a job cleaning a private golf course from 4am to 6am. My boss was a fucking idiot.
What got me through that job was listening to [Ladies and Gentlemen]”
Guy Garvey, Elbow


Spiritualized will re-issue their classic album ‘Ladies And Gentlemen We Are Floating In Space’ on Monday 16th November on Sony Music.

The album release co-incides with the upcoming live performances of the entire album; part of All Tomorrow’s Parties ‘Don’t Look Back’ series, as previously announced. The band were approached two years ago to perform the album live on its 10th anniversary. It took a while for J.Spaceman to finally agree to the idea. ‘It was a decision made at altitude’ he says referring to being on top of Mt. Buller in Australia at the time. The live performances will see the regular band augmented with strings, brass and choir.

It is now 12 years since ‘Ladies And Gentlemen We Are Floating In Space’ made a profound impact in the summer of 1997, both critically and commercially, with its psychedelic soundscapes and heart-rending lyrics. It has influenced a whole range of musicians ever since. It was NME’s album of the year for 1997 and reached No.4 in the official charts. Originally packaged as a giant pill offering a written prescription, the concept was creatively inspired reflecting the depth of emotion and trauma laid bare on this truly remarkable work.

The album will be released with new artwork on special limited edition formats with bonus content. These bonus tracks were in storage and subsequently forgotten about until Jason Pierce moved house and discovered the ‘lost’ recordings from 12 years ago. The tracks give a valuable insight into the artist’s work-in-progress – demos, instrumental versions, sessions mixes – and highlight an aim for perfection prior to recording the definitive version.

The formats include:

The Collector’s Edition. This will include 12 x 3” Mini CD’s of the complete full album track-by-track, an homage to the original release. This will be accompanied by 2 bonus discs (as per tracklisting below). Only 1,000 of these sets will be made, making these extremely limited.

The Special Edition will include the original album in the legendary and unique pill pack style packaging, alongside the 2 bonus discs. This Special Edition will also will be a limited, one-off release.

The original album with new artwork and a revised version of opening track ‘Ladies & Gentlemen’ (now including “Can’t Help Falling In Love” as originally intended for this album), will also be released as a Standard 1CD Version.

Track Listing is as follows:

Ladies and Gentlemen We Are Floating In Space
1. Ladies and Gentlemen We Are Floating In Space
2. Come Together
3. I Think I’m in Love
4. All of My Thoughts
5. Stay With Me
6. Electricity
7. Home of the Brave
8. The Individual
9. Broken Heart
10. No God Only Religion
11. Cool Waves
12. Cop Shoot Cop


Bonus CD 1
1. Ladies And Gentlemen (A Cappella)
2. Ladies And Gentlemen (Demo)
3. Ladies And Gentlemen (Strings)
4. Ladies And Gentlemen (Kate Telephone Call)
5. Ladies And Gentlemen (Moles Studio Mix 7)
6. Ladies And Gentlemen (Original Oratone Ideas)
7. Ladies And Gentlemen (A Cappella w/ Lead Vocal)
8. Come Together (Instrumental Demo)
9. Come Together (Demo In Lower Key)
10. I Think I'm In Love (Original Demo Idea)
11. I Think I'm In Love (Demo)
12. I Think I'm In Love (Drums/Wah)
13. I Think I'm In Love (A Cappella)
14. I Think I'm In Love (Vocal Demo Jan 96)
15. I Think I'm In Love (Gospel Choir Session)
16. All Of My Thoughts (Demo)
17. All Of My Thoughts (Strings)
18. Rocket Shaped Song

Bonus CD 2
1. Electricity (Demo)
2. Electricity (January 96)
3. Electricity (June 96)
4. Home Of The Brave (Demo)
5. Home Of The Brave (Panned Vocal)
6. Beautiful Happiness
7. Broken Heart (Demo)
8. Broken Heart (Strings)
9. Broken Heart (Vocal Harmony/Angel Corpus Christi)
10. Broken Heart (Early Vocal)
11. No God Only Religion (Demo)
12. No God Only Religion (Horns)
13. Cool Waves (Demo)
14. Cool Waves (String Session Mix)
15. Cop Shoot Cop (Demo)
16. Cop Shoot Cop (Dr. John 'The National Anthem)
17. Cop Shoot Cop (String Session Mix)

Spiritualized are set to perform the album in its entirety at the following venues:

12 / 13 October
Royal Festival Hall – London
SOLD OUT

14 December
Apollo – Manchester
£25 + booking fee via 0844 4777677 / giggsandtours.com

16 / 17 December
Barbican – London
£32.50 + booking fee via www.barbican.org.uk

19 December
Sage Centre - Gateshead
£32.50 + booking fee via www.tickets.thesagegateshead.org