I don’t have a theme for today’s update so it’s just going to be a mashup of stuff.

Lately I have caught the blogging bug but my computer is still dead so I must steal other peoples, mainly working off a 7 year old mac laptop which I have to borrow. I have my own ‘serious’ blog and I work on other ‘serious’ multimedia stuff at work.

So the blinding frustration of having a million ideas for online things for my valued readers to enjoy but can’t express continues apace. Damn.

Anyway on to things I can link -

Mike Relm creates a mix of Scott Pilgrim’s Sex Bob-omb and Ludacris’ How Low. Subject matter aside, its awesome, guy.

I love Mike Relm’s little chats at the end of his mixes. He engages well with his audience so if you have questions, post them on his youtube page as he is likely to answer the least and most ridiculous ones.

Next up -

Diego Stocco’s music from a tree. Yup, all from a tree. Hands up that’s a persistent man. The kind of mind which can imagine the song before they figure out how to make the sounds is to be admired, as is the chutzpah to forge ahead and actually make it happen.

Imogen Heap is working on some new things, you can watch and listen to her singing along to her favourite bit HERE.

So, the Tinthepark line up is up and tickets are on sale. Hmm, feels a bit of a mishmash and maybe not in the best possible Kenny Everett taste. All this chat about diversifying festivals away from just being ‘rock’ or ‘indie’ or whatever and including other acts is in the immortal words of Kesha – blah blah blah – yeah, because you’re not ACTUALLY doing that are you, you’re just shoving in whatever the biggest selling artists are, regardless of genre. They aren’t making sure to book a wide variety of styles and source talented musicians to create a one off cultured experience – why bother, no-one would pay 250 for a ticket to listen to someone they don’t know. Which is reasonable. I first went to T in the Park in 1999, my weekend ticket (not camping, bus journey baby!) was £58 I think. For two WHOLE DAYS. I know they’ve extended the days and added more people but that halcyon independence cherry popping festival trip was magical. The weather was good, the bands were great, the buses plentiful on time and clean AND you could easily navigate from one stage to another to see as many bands as possible. Now I look at it and it looks like Dante’s seventh circle of hell. There’s some kind of competitive element now, much more focus on the ‘experience’, pushing and shoving your way to the front and drinking as much as possible, as opposed to the love of music in a wonderful escapist utopia for a weekend. I know I’m rose tinting it up, a lot, but the fact remains that modern festivals have become a massive advertising platform, too big, too expensive, too crowded and too focused on mobile technology. This is the way of modern music industry though, people aren’t buying records so it’s left to live performances to make money.

But its not all doom and gloom, as a reaction to the changes other festivals have sprung up. The rise in popularity of ‘going to gigs’ as a pastime is a good thing for the sector and community as a whole (not for music ‘geeks’ anymore  now everyone has a show to go to). However we have a responsibility not to let any one company dominate. Your pound is your voice, think about what you’re buying and from whom, otherwise all we will have is a visit to the o2 pleasure dome when we need a break from the Tesco/Wallmart hospital, university and funeral home.

Anyway if you actually made it this far you deserve a fab ice lolly. Much love Hella xx

Photo by Eva Blue

To truly appreciate and understand the Kesha we need to listen to her. Really.

She is more than just a visual carnival. She is a pop star using spoken word style rap over dance beats. Kesha can play guitar, piano and write music but currently auto-tune and ad lib rap is her weapon of choice. As her career develops I for one would love to see some harp and banjo thrown in there.

We are who we are

Hot and dangerous
If you’re one of us, then roll with us (Kesha loves to build her own structures and talks here about how metal Rolling is classified according to the temperature of the metal rolled, when the temperature of the metal is above its recrystallization temperature it is termed ‘Hot rolling’ – she likes to do this in a group, but everyone should wear gloves and safety googles)
‘Cause we make the hipsters fall in love
When we’ve got our hotpants on enough
And yes, of course we does (Kesha wants to bring to the public’s attention the plight of the ‘Never-Nude’, a debilitating syndrome which affected fictional arrested development character Tobias Fünke, a series which was tragically canceled too soon. Also the girl just loves hotpants. As much as the beautiful and irreplaceable Judy Frary)
We’re running this town just like a club (Kesha compares the mishandled football club negotiations between West Ham and Martin O’Neill to her hometown of LA’s ongoing financial crisis and Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa inability to lease parking spaces)
And no, you don’t wanna mess with us
Got Jesus on my necklace (Kesha reminds the world that despite Palestine being unable to register the birthplace of Jesus as a heritage site on the list of the world’s most important cultural places because Palestine is not currently a unified state recognised by the UN, a way to represent love for the popular saviour can always be found.)

Got that glitter on my eyes (Ke$ha does not have dollar signs in her eyes, she doesn’t care about money – what you’re looking at is glitter)
Stockings ripped all up the side  (Big K is highly aware of the impact the recession is having on the global textile industry – as mass production slows the demand for higher quality goods increase)
Looking sick and sexy-fied (if you’re a little under the weather a little of what you fancy can go a long way. The Kesh says keep it safe!)
So let’s go-oh-oh, let’s go!

Tonight we’re going har-har-har-har-har-hard
Just like the world is our-our-our-our-our-ours
We’re tearin’ it apar-par-par-par-par-part (practice, practice, practice – nothing is as important as proper diction. It can change LIVES)
You know we’re superstars
We are who we are (Kesha keeps it real)

We’re dancing like we’re dumb-dumb-du-du-du-dumb
Our bodies go numb-numb-nu-nu-nu-numb
We’ll be forever young-young-y-y-y-young (referring to the recent study of how temprature affects the mating dance of butterflies, yeah its tenuous I know but she says numb so that’s the cold weather)
You know we’re superstars
We are who we are!

DJ turn it up
It’s about damn time to live it up
I’m so sick of being so serious
It’s making my brain delirious (this is actually positive advice for the rising number of teens suffering extreme anxiety disorder – too much serious behaviour can cause you illness. However it may just be that she enjoys the work of Yo Gabba Gabba)

I’m just talkin’ truth
I’m telling you ’bout the shit we do
We’re sellin’ our clothes, sleepin’ in cars (sellin’ our clothes is a reference to the rise of the e-nation, E-bay. While sleepin’ in cars picks up on the phenomenon of middle class homelessness caused by the recession)
Dressin’ it down, hittin’ on dudes, hard (Kesha rejects the model of status dating and says – just be yourself and ask them out even though it’s hard)

Continue ad-infinitum

Kesha says – “It’s a celebration of youth and life and going out and getting crazy. I’m about non-pretentious irreverence and fuck off good fun”

That’s right critics – fuckity bye, off you fuck, have some fun.

happy thanksgiving, pilgrim! John Wayne here, at the first thanksgiving.

Ah, that kills. So I had the idea to do an advent goodie thing here with fine videos and tunes and what not and already I’ve slightly ballsed it up. Like this -

I was defeated by time. AGAIN PHYSICS, YOU WIN AGAIN, but know this, I WILL BEAT YOU YET YOU BLAG-GARD SCOUNDREL. Yes I wasn’t paying attention and now it’s almost June or something. I should stop saying ‘like’ in between every third word, honest to god I can’t stop. Like.

Now because of my blundering you will receive three winter season presents all at once!

First up -

El Dog‘s rendition of Sammy Cahn’s Let it Snow, very beautiful.

Next if you’re completely sick of snow -

Prince, it’s always time for Prince, never goes out of style, like Campari and soda. ‘Let’s Go Crazy/Take Me With You’

And now planning ahead -

Ella Fitzgerald’s ‘What are you doing New Year’s Eve?’ its so good I want to sink into it like satin sheets. I always imagine I’m in Mad Men listening to it.

Also – Scottish events and culture magazine The List is also doing an advent calendar of stuff.

Well Hella Children, that’s all for now. More goodies to follow to get you through the cold nights.

Happy winter.

The Buff Club looks and often feels like a mish mash of speak easy and 60′s strip parlor, where whiskey flowed freely, the walls are carpeted and the music is of the grooviest most toe tapping fervor anywhere in town. This year marks it’s six birthday and it continues to be an excellent club for both big weekend and weeknights.

Buff Club 6th Birthday photo Rachael Simpson

Poet, actor and DJ Craig Charles brought his BBC 6 Funk and Soul show stylings to the Buff for the big birthday bash and the tunes did not disappoint. A word of praise for the warm up DJ, whose brilliantly selected soul songs got everyone moving from the moment the doors opened.

Craig Charles photo by Rachael Simpson

When Mr Charles stepped up the wheels of steel he brought the soul and the funk and this was no laid back love affair, beats poured out and it would have taken a will of stone not to dance, so dance we did and so did he, CC threw shapes up on the balcony like it was the last party on the night of revelations.

Craig Charles photo by Rachael Simpson

Playing songs from across the board of funk and soul from the last roughly 50 – 60s years, the top hat selections helped make them sound as fresh as the day they were first pressed.

Craig Charles at Buff Club photo Rachael Simpson

Craig Charles Funk and Soul show is on BBC 6, Saturdays from 7pm – 1opm. Happy Birthday Buff – may you have many more.

In the bowels of an old kirk gathered a group of darkly dressed rock fans one cold November night. Also a couple of bands…. which was nice.

I apologise in advance to the first band of the night, I missed them so no reviewing here.

First up hardcore New York band, Gay For Johnny Depp, their noise is dirty, bloody, and not so much tongue in cheek as tongue in any orifice you’ll let them stick it. Consensually of course! Not for a long time have I seen a band with quite so much style in amongst a wall of noise and screaming. Their lyrics reject not traditionalism but lack of freedom, they will not be constrained, they encourage enjoyment of life and the questioning of constrictive behaviour. To be fair though I had to listen to the albums after the gig because I could only make out half of what they were singing but the performance beyond electric. Reminiscint of early Black Sabbath, they rock out on stage but still manage to engage with the audience in a sweet way – sometimes by climbing on them.

The headliner for the Glasgow gig was Pulled Apart By Horses who I’m relieved to say were not actually strewn across a bloodied floor by equine misadventure. They are from Leeeeeeds. Not Sheffield, guy

Pulled Apart By Horses photo Rachael Simpson

Loud and brash they clamber across the stage, hang from the ceiling, dive into the audience, pretty much throw the best shapes possible on a Tuesday night. Songs they played that you about to grow to love – then develop an unhealthy obsession with and stalk in a filthy mac – include the singles, ‘Back To The Fuck Yeah’, ‘High Five, Swan Dive, Nose Dive’ and ‘Yeah Buddy’.

PABH photo Rachael Simpson

PABH photo Rachael Simpson

What I like most about them (apart from the the reckless disregard for stage equipment) is that their songs always take unexpected turns and twists, these aren’t the same songs you hear on phone adverts or in topshop or the hairdressers or wherever you crazy kids hang out, footlocker, I don’t know – anyway these songs are new songs and damn if that isn’t rare.

PABH photo Rachael Simpson

At the time of going to press, their tour has stalled due to the illness of Tom from PABH – poor lad, get better soon! They will be honouring tickets for canceled dates in January when they are at full strength, their eponymous debut album is out now, as is  – Manthology: A Tireless Exercise in Narcissism Featuring Gay for Johnny Depp’s Excellent Cadavers by Gay For Johnny Depp. 

Barrowlands

17 years into their career Jimmy Eat World still pack a punch in Glasgow’s most beloved venue. With its dusty glamour, the Glasgow Barrowlands has always been a place to say ‘I saw them when’ but equally some of it’s finest shows come from well established acts like Jimmy Eat World, who are seven albums deep into their musical history.

The post punk pop rock group (cram those genre titles in!) open the show with the effervescing, hopeful Futures from their 2004 album of the same name.

Jimmy Eat World photo Rachael Simpson

Jim Adkins photo Rachael Simpson

Undeniably optimistic rock filters through the crowd like sunshine bursting through a cloud. The set list is as varied as the audience, a mixture of old and new tunes for younger and older fans.  Jimmy seem genuinely to enjoy the gig as much as the house does and give each track their level best. Highlights came in the form of Praise Chorus, Blister, Coffee and Cigarettes and of course, the inevitable and wonderful Middle.

Jimmy Eat World photo Rachael Simpson

The boys returned for an encore, though the fans were clearly keen for it, the usual ‘come-back -oot’ clapathon lacked muster. They returned for a few more songs, including the Sweetness, which was hungrily lapped up by Glasgow listeners like Halloween candy at a haunted sleepover. The band still play like their musical age, an energetic teenager, only betrayed by their grown up rock show stamina and polish.

Jimmy Eat World’s new album ‘Invented’ is out now and they’ll be touring the states ’til February. They will be headlining this year’s Fiesta Bowl Block Party in their home state of Arizona on New Year’s Eve.

http://open.spotify.com/user/rucusred/playlist/7zcEJEbnrLJ8ehBSzlgwzh

Spotify baby, its where its at.

But if you don’t have it supplied below is a listing of said sadistic tunage so you may fetch up the fresh corpse noises yourself, without decent music, Halloween would be very grave indeed…

Rocket from the crypt – On a Rope

Idlewild – Actually its darkness

Smashing Pumpkins – Bullet with butterfly wings

Smashing Pumpkins – Tonight Tonight

Radiohead – Creep

Danny Elfman – Beetlejuice

Death in Vegas – Aisha

Insane Clown Posse – Zombie Slide

Dusty Springfield – Spooky

Orchestra – Ave Satani (Omen Theme)

Rodrigo y Grabriella – Oogie Boogie’s Song

PJ Harvey – Long Snake Moan

Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds – Red Right Hand

The Cramps – I was a teenage werewolf

Outkast feat. Kelis – Dracula’s Wedding

Black Rebel Motorcycle Club – Red Eyes and Tears

Basement Jaxx – Where’s your head at?

Electric Six – Danger! High Voltage

Gorillaz – Dracula

Interpol – Evil

Super Furry Animals – It’s not the end of the world?

REM – It’s the end of the world as we know it

Mitch Ryder – Devil in a Blue Dress

Rolling Stones – Sympathy for the devil

The Sheltons – Devil went down to Georgia

Pantera – Cowboys from hell

Johnny Cash – Hurt

Evil Nine – They Live!

The Specials – Ghost Town

The Eighties Match box B- line disaster – Mister Mental

The Eighties Match box B- line disaster – I could be an angle

The Eighties Match box B- line disaster – Rise of the eagles

The Eels – Your Lucky day in hell

Sucioperro – Hate Filters

Crystal Castles – Celestica

Super Furry Animals – God! Show me magic

Divine Comedy – Something for the weekend

Bloc Party – Hunting for witches

Pulled Apart by Horses – Get off my ghost train

The Raveonettes – Dead Sound

Spinnerette – All babes are wolves

Spinnerette – The walking dead

The Black Keys – Sinister Kid

Queens of the Stonage – Hanging Tree

Queens of the Stonage – Monsters in the Parasol

The Constellations feat. Cee Lo Green – Love is a murder

The Heavy – Cause for alarm

The Heavy – The House that dirt built

Basement Jaxx – Yo Yo

So that’s it (so far at least) my Halloween playlist, go be merry, be horrible, enjoy the festive darkness…

Your Humble Headless Hellagood Editor xx

A month since I posted last, a month! lots of things probably happened but who cares about that, here’s some videos.

FIRST – I made this. A short moving picture introducing Glasgow rockers Zetas Empire. 

Filmed, edited and produced by me, additional footage from the ‘Apocalypse Afterparty‘ music video by Gerard Keenan and Zetas Empire. Thanks, guy! (That was a Scott Pilgrim reference, I didn’t just forget to put ‘s’ at the end of guy.)

Yes that’s right I do documentaries now. Musical ones. So BANDS OF GLASGOW EMAIL US IF YOU’D LIKE ONE (hellagood_editor@hotmail.com). I loaned the camera equipment to make this one but I’m saving my pennies and dreams to buy my own gear and then I plan on making many a wee music movie for the web. If you’re in any way interested gies a bell. Will work for cups of tea.

Next up making today feel GREAT – Stevie Wonder performs Superstition on Sesame Street.

It’s always mambo time with La Orquesta Riverside – Mambo En Espana

Our final non-vinyl joy is The Paraffins – Something Good. I’m a new convert to The Paraffins, since I never heard of them before today. This afternoon at the river Clyde Amphitheatre  was the album launch for their new CD ‘Snout to the Grindstone’. The show was eclectic and eccentric in perfect measure.

Print makes a return

Happy to report Blues and Soul Magazine is returning to shop shelves.

News Stand photo by Sean Loyless

The specialist mag had a healthy circulation for more than 40 years before stopping printing in 2007 and becoming an online only format.

Marking the Blues and Soul’s presence at Vintage at Goodwood festival this year the new edition will be out for August 13th.

The issue will include interviews with Stevie Wonder and the Four Tops and Neyo and introduce new columnists Sharon David and Snowboy.

Editor Lee Tyler says the plan is to keep producing print copies regularly but whether it’ll be quarterly or monthly will depend on its success after the festival but the pre-order sales are high and the buzz is positive.

Listeners up for BBC 6

Marc Riley at BBC 6 with The Yummy Fur photo by Stephen Robinson

Audience numbers are on the rise for the digital music station BBC 6.

After a tough battle of internet petitions, live protests and facebook groups to save the station from being axed under budget constraints, BBC 6 was taken off the cut list and allowed to continue broadcasting for the time being, pending further reviews in the future.

The increase in listeners comes as good news for the station’s supporters.

Numbers have risen to 1.19m in the second quarter of 2010 – double the amount  it had 12 months ago.

Elsewhere Myspace fumbles

Not looking so good is Rupert Murdoch owned music and social networking site, myspace.

News Corp, the parent company of myspace has blamed lowered advertising revenues for a significant rise in operating losses.

Murdoch’s denying the service is in trouble and will fold or be sold soon, instead an overhaul is planned to try and stem the fall.

Radiohead fans told to stop sharing album

Fans have been posting sections of the Radiohead album In Rainbows on blogs and websites for free.

Now the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI) are targeting sites which provide the songs for free.

Bloggers are being sent letters demanding them to take the songs down.

When In Rainbows was first released in 2007, fans were asked to pay whatever they liked for the album between October and December of that year.

The album went on to sell 1.75 million CD copies.

Wyclef Jean for President!

Hip hop, reggae and R&B musician Wyclef Jean has announced his official bid for Haitian presidency.

The former Fuggees star was born in Croix-des-Bouquets just 8 miles from Port Au Prince and raised in Brooklyn.

Jean has been an active campaigner helping to rebuild the communities of Haiti after the island suffered devastating earthquakes early this year.

Video from CBS of Jean Giving Aid in Haiti, January 2010.