Over the entire course of this last week I've been trying to come up with inventive ways of explaining to people just how goddamn fantastic and uplifting that show was - the phoenix were truly world class - fucking supersonic, and they were obviously having a good time of it up there - filling each of the songs with the most superb arrangements and an even more extraordinary scope of sound than on record.
.....Old songs, new songs, The Drinker, 40 years, Sister Risk, etc explosive, heartbreaking, loving, hilarious, epic, intimate, fearsome....add what you want into the mix - it was probably in there somewhere.....the visual accompaniment was superb and really added to the experience (especially that song about 'going to war' with the frigate getting scuttled and everyone cheering - magic!).
Best band in the country right now? Hell no - how about the most deeply talented, magical, amazing, galactic sounding band the country has seen in fucking YEARS.
I'd really have to go with Alister Parker on this one. One man who sounds like five - and without the digital looper that is the HDU weapon of choice. Stunning.
Not knowing too much about Kiling Joke, I thought his comments in Real groove were kinda interesting...so what's his relationship with this country anyway?
Also to be seen is a guitarist from the Exploding Poppies (later known as 'the poppies')
- Isn't his name Jason?
I remember my Mum wouldn't let me go see the Poppies play when I was in 3rd form. Bad times, music fans...
Yeah - about a year and a half ago.
Didn't really do much for me, but then again, it wa a pretty shit day all round.
Just kinda lacked spark, i think.
Nice - First J.Mascis and now Lou Barlow. This year really has been kind to me.
MISLED CONVOY! Yes indeed. And Tinnitus I never really got into at all - I am interested though.
LRS = Simon Swain who runs Obscure.net.nz and started the Fun Poison parties - used to play around quite a bit and relocated to Sydney i think. Someone once told me LRS meant 'Leave Real Soon' - I would have no idea why. There is a copy of 'Syntax' sitting in Slowboat at present.
Yeah - I posted a reply yesterday but it didn't seem to upload - bugger, etc.
So - again, and hoping that i can remember....
There's 'Off the beat'n track' which was an early comp of lots of different acts. Aspen 'Album' and 'Are you that retail snob?' are classics, 50Hz 'Cyclehum' LP, LRS 'Syntax' LP, Freq 'alloys' LP, errrr, epsilon blue's first LP, The Nomad's 'Movement' LP, the first Gathering CD, Matipo Pyramid's earlier releases should be worth a look, although i don't have any of them myself ( Early Golden bay psytrance/techno stuff featuring Bluey and Max Maxwell)....
and there was a label called 'Systematic' which released a series of 4 CD's - only 50 copies each. One was an album by Mike Hodgson from Pitch Black under a pseudonym i can't remember off the top of my head (black cover), 2 were more ambient compliations (yellow and orange covers), and the one i got was called 'FUK TECNIC' (greay cover) and was a more upbeat collection of breakbeat, techno, and other such things featuring Dooblong Tongdra among the listing. God I haven't listened to that in ages - it's really good. I should have grabbed copies of all four while they were still around.
hmm, I know there are more.....
Man, if you saw those dudes in the bank - New Zealands first real rock stars - you'd swear they were just old riggers who worked in repair garages. I can't beleive Johnny Devlin could have sold 100,000 copies of his first single, would routinely play for 4,000 people and tour the North Island for 4 weeks! Insane!
That show was excellent - Can't wait for more!
Okay, ummm off the top of my head i can think of Skankatronics (apparently the first CD of Wellington electronica issued) 'Trasmit' (compilation - I think that was the first Kog release), 'Number 8 Wire' which was released by kog in association with Grind (another comp - mostly wellington), Microniosm's 'Inside a quiet mind', Baitercells 'Prototype' EP..
err, I'll probably think of more soon.
Good call on 'Bleeding Star'
BTW, 'Block' turned up on a Nightline item a few weeks ago. Awesome.
Do you mean to collect only Mike Hodgson/Paddy Free things or any NZ electronica from around that period.
Thems were exciting times.
Ahhhh, shit these always seem like such a good idea till you actually try pinning 5 down...
Mestar - Porcupine
Bailterspace - Wammo
Dead C - Eusa Kills
HDU - Fireworks or Crosschannel
Micronism - Inside A Quiet Mind
I think.....
Is 'good morning captain' in excess of 7 minutes? if so then i add that to my list.
Smashing Pumpkins - 'Starla'
Sonic Youth - 'The Diamond Sea'
Sonic Youth - 'The Sprawl'
...and probably loads more - I seldom look at the time index on my player...
Yeah - that gig was the best. Much played of Wammo which is kinda surprising given that most people I've read have called thier least favourite BSpace LP - oh well - whose arguing? I just feel lucky to have been there - I figured I'd probaby never see Bailterspace (or part thereof) live.
Some stunning renditions - the classic beautiful/terrifying contrast in all the songs - Damn! that was a treat....and when the band opened up into "X" at the end I was damn near about to cry like a baby. No recording will get you that kind of huge sound and impact. Magic.
Y'all missed out.
Yeah, and in saying that we highlight what a ludicrous thing 'street cred' can be.
Vodafone have gotta be like ten times the size of Telecom. I've always been amazed that people have dissed Telecom based on the notion that they're the big evil corporate.
I can't say that the ad pisses me off at all - I like being able to identify locals on the telly in an unusual context, even if it may be just a little tokenistic. Sure, mainstream acceptance of NZmusic at large is way late but its still ultimately a good thing.
What DOES rip my gruts though is the just plain WRONG habit that advertisers get into of ripping off a song so closely that the difference between it and the original is negligible save for the fact that they can own the fake for a fraction of the price.
The D4 are the latest in a very large roster of bands to be raided in such a way....and people point the finger at school kids who burn CD's.
That was a stunning evening on saturday - all acts inciting crazed dancing from elegantly attired punters..... aww yeah. Pity the P.A had a hard time coping with the disasteradio noize level, but it probably only added to the intensity of the rock 'n' roll freaky overload of the evening.