Who Knew

According to the BBC today, Simply Red have announced theyre splitting up...Was anyone actually aware they were still together?

Misc update

So a few things have happenned since I last updated...Got the new Radiohead album as mentioned below. loving it! Probably the best thing they've done since Kid A. As you might know, I really disliked Hail to the Thief when it came out and have been pushed back to reassess it and realise that I was completely wrong!

Since I last posted, We've been to see Manu Chao. Thanks to the Academy plastering big warnings about no bags all over their tickets we decided not to risk taking a camera meaning that all the pics we took were on my phone. Not exactly the best quality gig pictures we've ever taken but theres some good ones. fairly annoying to see that there were plenty people there both with bags and proper cameras. Overall a great gig but live he sounds so completely different to his records...his records are generally so chilled out but live everything seems to turn into a trashy rock song half way through. Sounds great when you're there but not so good on his live CD as just listening to the studio versions.

Went to see Control as well. I don't think it justified the hype but overall I enjoyed it. The performance of Ian Curtis shows him as self obsessed and kinda unlikable. Pretty much how I had always imagined he actually would have been. To be honest, the only one from the band who came off well from the whole thing was Bernard since he came across as really nice but the rest of the band seemed like complete dicks.

Also had a moment of prime surrealism when we won tix to go and see 'Once' at the GFT. Really sweet wee film (although I'm glad I had never heard of it when I went to see it since it seems to be everywhere now and looks like it might become quite big) but the 2 main stars made an appearance afterwards to play some of the music live. Is one of the strangest sensations to watch someone on screen for 90 minutes then turn round and realise they are standing literally 2 feet away from you...made me think of that scene from father ted about dreams/reality.

A few gigs coming up befroe the end of the year...Andrew Bird, Loney Dear & Beirut are all bought and we're still swaying about Mum and Patrick Wolf...

In Rainbows

Just went online and ordered the new Radiohead album...had only intended to order the download for now but, since they cant say exactly when it will be issued, I just imagined coming home from a crap day at work a few months from now and unexpectedly finding a huge parcel from Radiohead. Yup, ordered the box! I love that they're big enough now to just put out a big fuck you to the whole recording industry. One of the biggest bands in the world releasing their albums independently and selling direct to the fans online. And this only 2 months after Prince gave away his new album with the Mail on Sunday! (the one and only time I will EVER buy the Mail!).
I also love the fact that no one knew they had a new album out. They just announced 10 days before the release date and, since they recorded it in their own studios, there's no lowl-paid studiohands with access to the tapes so there's no chance of a leak onto the torrent sites or newsgroups. And it would appear they didnt even send out review copies, so while I'm sitting here waiting for the email that gives me the link to download the album later today, so's the guy from the NME and from Rolling Stone or whereever. No favouritism. The whole world waiting to hear it all at the same time! It's almost like a return to the old days when the whole country gathered round their TV's to hear the beatles unveil 'All you need is love'.
Just hope I get the email in time so I can d/l it and whack it onto my ipod before I have to leave for work...

Radiohead mentally scar a whole generation of kiddies at the smash hits poll winners party

Brian Wilson

So much for keeping the blog updated!

Anyway, The photo's are up from Brian Wilson. We were seated way up in the rafters so weren't too close to the stage, which is reflected in the pictures. Brian and the band themselves were incredible. Sounding exactly like it sounded on record which is something even the original beach boys never managed.

The new 30 minute musical piece he played sounded interesting but so far, I haven't read anywhere regarding a release of a proper studio recording. Hopefully that will be out in time for christmas!