Friday, August 27, 2010

Gordon in the morning: Yes, you've mentioned this more than once

Perhaps Sean Hamilton's embedding of the Williams-Barlow video might have been more surprising - it has a gay theme, or rather a 'gay' theme, as The Sun is putting it - if Gordon hadn't kept banging on about it while it was being made.

The song isn't very good, either. Barlow has tried to make a tune that sounds a bit like Glen Campbell and wound up with something that sounds like, well, Take That in a foam cowboy hat; Williams tries to chap-up to the challenge and ends up falling off the horse.

Elsewhere, Amy Winehouse went to see the Libertines:

AMY WINEHOUSE felt the wrath of LIBERTINES fans on Wednesday.

The singer, who went along to watch the band's comeback gig, left before the end because punters began pointing and shouting, "Who are ya, who are ya?"
So The Libertines fans are now bullying women in the audience, are they? Classy.


Gordon in the morning: Listening to Leon

Gordon has a first listen to the new Kings Of Leon album, which is trailed, oddly, as

First listen to musical new album
Musical? Is it really? I had so been expecting another spoken-word one. Or perhaps Gordon was fearing that they might have put together an industrial noise record?

Gordon doesn't really have very much to say about the record, and what he does say is a bit vague:
The new songs have "No1 hit" written all over them.
[...]
There's something for everyone - classic rock, chilled-out numbers and anthemic epics.
To me, that sounds like it's a hotch-potch. Although to be honest, I'm not really expecting the "chilled-out numbers" to be anything other than slightly more plodding Kings Of Leon tracks.

As he can't really think of much to say about the record, he instead files a 'what I did on my holidays' sort of piece:
My listen to the precious new album, out on October 18, took place in dramatic secrecy.

Sitting at their label HQ, I wasn't allowed the full track listing, nor could I look at or handle the promo CD - which was removed from a safe and escorted into a locked room.
Fancy someone from The Sun not being trusted with secret materials.

Gordon also has a go at trying to turn 'Bono hangs out with Bob Geldof's dad' into a story. It isn't one.


Embed and breakfast man: The Specials

This is nice: The Specials from last night's Letterman doing Nite Klub:



[Buy: The Best of The Specials]


Thursday, August 26, 2010

Bez goes into the big house

Bez has been sent to prison after refusing to accept a community service sentence. He'd tried to throttle his partner because... well, there isn't any justification, but he thought she'd taken money from him.

Reacting to his original sentence - which also included an order to pay £450 costs - he said: "I'm not doing it.

"Bothered. I'm going to appeal and take this to a real court."

After being told he would go to jail instead, he shouted "Victory is in my grasp" as he was handcuffed and led away.
He reacted to a sentence by saying "bothered"? Although he isn't a fifteen year-old girl living in 2005? No wonder he was thrown into jail.

Still, on the plus side for Bez, it does give him a watertight excuse for not being part of Ultimate Big Brother.


Wednesday, August 25, 2010

Rallying for Ringo's

With the promised saving of Ringo Starr's first home reneged upon by Liverpool City Council, a campaign is gearing up to save Madryn Street. Max Frudd is leading the group:

Mr Frudd is a keen drummer who tours round the country impersonating Ringo as well as playing his own music.
Unlike Ringo, who toured round the country impersonating a drummer.

(I know, I know, thejokesaboutRingobeingabaddrummerareunfairhewasactuallyprettygood)

It might be coming too late, almost as if the idea all along was to pretend the house had been saved to close down opposition to the lucrative building scheme.


Bookmarks: Internet stuff - Vampire Weekend

Vanity Fair cover the Contra album cover model and her complaint in some depth; it kicks the idea that this was a family photo which someone found in a box sale into touch while it's still taking a breath, and weighs the counterclaims between model Ann Kennis and the man who claims he took the picture Tod Brody.

Kennis says she can't remember the picture being take, but doesn't buy Brody's story; Brody spends a lot of time explaining why the internet paints him as untrustworthy, but the key paragraph is probably this:

If the Contra case does go to trial, the outcome could hinge on a key document: a model release form that appears to be dated July 30, 2009. (The date is crossed out and re-written.) The form is from Vampire Weekend Inc. to someone named “Kirsten Johnsen” (spelled “Johnson” elsewhere on the form), who signed her permission for the band to use her image for a fee of $1. The form contains no mention of Brody, but it does include an address named in the suit as Brody’s residence. No release form from the 1980s has yet been presented in court.


Homebake off

Australian music festival Homebase 2010 has been cancelled, simply because they can't find anyone good enough to play.

Imagine: festivals going 'you know what? Rather than put on a weak line-up, we won't do anything at all'. If that caught on, the season would only last about two weeks.


Gordon in the morning: Still going on about that, then?

Bloody hell, he's still going on about Kasabian having a party at the same place as a wedding.

The page title is interesting, though:

Noel offered to pay bar bill in Kasabian wedding crash jape
Jape? Jape?


Tuesday, August 24, 2010

Buck Rogers bought out of retirement

In 2008, Feeder pledged they would never play Buck Rogers again.

They've reversed that decision:

Frontman Grant Nicholls said: "We sort of put it to bed really because we got kind of bored of playing it, but it is a great festival song.

"I think you have to be careful at festivals if you try and be too cool for school it doesn't work, you need to give people the tunes they know.

"I've been to see bands playing and I know people get sick of playing their biggest hit, but everyone's got one and the audience usually want to hear that."
Who knew that not playing the only song that people know wouldn't be a successful approach for playing to a general audience, eh?


Qtrax: Another bright new dawn

Every so often, you'll hear a noise coming from over there, and on investigation it turns out it's Qtrax making an announcement. You'll recall they've launched more times than a Cornish lifeboat, without ever having quite properly developing a business.

Having pledged, seriously and honestly, that they'd be under way in January, they're now back, with a new logo which makes them look a little like a 1980s financial services corporation, and a new business model:

“Advertisers are looking for concepts and people that accommodate their needs,” says boss Allan Klepfisz. “Qtrax has a completely new take on generating ad revenues globally. And what we think are really enticing propositions for consumers, that will provide other revenue streams- and impact on piracy.”
Apparently, they're now focusing on the "Asia Pacific region". Good luck with that, little guy.


Gordon in the morning: Wedding dog's breakfast

The story might pretend that it's about how Kasabian had a party in a building also hosting two weddings, but really it's about Gordon trying to drop subtle hints that he'd gone to a party with Kasabian and Noel Gallagher.

Tom clocked the two weddings earlier in the day.

He said: "There's an Indian wedding and then another wedding. It's going to be insane when everyone finds each other in the building."

I can vouch for that.
I'm lost as to what Smart is vouching for - that Tom said this? (It must be strange for Gordon to actually confirm that a quote on his page is genuine.) Or that it was insane?

But what's insane about a place with lots of events rooms having them hired out simultaneously?

Naturally, like boorish louts, the Kasabian party assumed their day was more important than anyone else's:
The first few gatecrashing attempts didn't go well, with wedding guests complaining to hotel staff.
Can you imagine? Kasabian turning up trying to force their way into what otherwise would have been the happiest day of your life?

Smart claims that after people spotted the party, though, the polarity was reversed:
But then one of them spotted TOM MEIGHAN, SERGE PIZZORNO and OASIS legend Noel.
By which, of course, he means someone recognised Noel.
From that point on it was like a scene out of Wedding Crashers - but with the wedding guests trying to get into the Kasabian bash.
Do you know, while I can imagine a couple of people might have been interested, I reckon most of the guests would have stayed with their friends.


Monday, August 23, 2010

Kershaw's back

Here's a piece of really good news: Andy Kershaw back on the radio:

Kershaw said: "I am thrilled to be back on Radio 3 working again with a team of bright, imaginative, enthusiastic, people who also happen to be dear friends."
It sounds like he's sorted himself out - the Guardian describes him as reborn - so hopefully this is a first step back to having him home. We're waiting for a Loudon Wainwright III session.


Mojo goes vinyl

Mojo are doing a vinyl covermount to mark the 40th anniversary of some Beatles record or other, which is quite interesting.

The Mojo editor-in-chief, Phil Alexander, said: "The Mojo vinyl edition is our way of celebrating the rebirth of vinyl which we've seen in recent years. Essentially, we created an incarnation of the magazine that we wanted to buy ourselves so it was something of a labour of love."

He added: "In terms of the album itself, we hand-picked the acts and they all paid tribute to the enduring power of the Beatles by providing new perspectives on a set of classic tunes."
It's not going to be the standard edition of the magazine, though - available through Smiths, HMV and record shops; buy a copy elsewhere and you'll get a CD. (Possibly - the MediaGuardian report isn't clear.)

It's not entirely unheard of for a vinyl covermout, even now - NME did one with Coldplay in 2008. Everyone got one of those. But, on the other hand, it was Coldplay.


I collect, I reject: Lennon's lavatory

If you have a spare thousand pounds, you can poop where, once, John Lennon pooped. An old Beatles bog is on the auction block.

The auction organiser, Stephen Bailey, said: "The toilet might be worth something, and it might not, but it is certainly one of the more unusual items we've sold."
Mmm. Or, perhaps, the point at which you should go 'let's stop fetishising everything Lennon might have touched'.

Sure, he might have been a terrible old hypocrite, but even he might suggest treating his old can as if it was a part of the true cross was taking the piss.

Experts are expecting Lady GaGa to buy the toilet to use in a video.


Gordon in the morning: Rich as Kings

Didn't Gordon do the "Robbie and Gary are making a Brokeback Mountain style video" more than once, and weeks ago? Perhaps he's hoping we've forgotten as he does it again.

I suppose this time there's a single, grainy photo. Of, erm, the two sat in a bar.

Elsewhere, Caleb from The Kings Of Leon tries to explain why the new album is art, and says possibly the worst thing he could say:

"We're already plenty rich, we don't need it. We're like thousand-aires, multiple thousands, multiple."
I know he's trying to say 'we're not doing this for the money' - although as Elton John and Bono demonstrate, having lots of money never stops you wanting some more to keep it company - but is there anything less attractive than someone pushing their bank statements at you to try and sell their wares?


Sunday, August 22, 2010

N-Dubz drummer blames the system

N-Dubz's drummer, Aaron Fagan, has been convicted of sexual assualt.

Obviously, being a musician, he's not a proper member of N-Dubz; he doesn't even have a nickname. Although I think we could all think of a few for him. He's been found guilty of groping two women at a Mobos award aftershow.

But - guess what - it's a stitch-up:

"I'm a black man and I have been tried by a white jury. It's pretty clear what happened in that court and it's the opposite of justice”
You might give a bit more credence to Fagan's claims if he'd actually noticed that he wasn't being tried by a jury:
Fagan was convicted by Sheriff Joanna Johnston and not a jury.
But, hey, if there had been a jury, you can just bet they would have all been white, right?

Fagan, though, has a convincing explanation of how he clearly wouldn't have committed the offence:
He claimed that he had been touring all over Europe for years and would not have suddenly done something like this in Glasgow, which was "hardly a haven for models".
The old 'I didn't grope anyone from more attractive cities' defence - who can believe that didn't work?
The drummer also gave evidence at the trial and told the court that he is like "honey to a swarm of bees" when it comes to female fans.
So, that's a perjury trial coming up too, then.

Outside the court, Fagan railed that he'd been convicted without "evidence or CCTV", and then continued to wail about how unfair it is:
"Tell me how many people could have been convicted for squeezing a girl's arse, nearly every guy could be up for that."
Not, erm, that you squeezed a girl's arse, right, Fagan? There's no evidence or CCTV or anything, because it all happened in an imagined racist jury's imagination. But if you did: no, most men don't go round groping women they don't know.

Fagan will be sentenced next month.


Olly Murs: There's two of them

There's rumours that the News Of The World will be slipping behind a paywall in the next couple of weeks, so perhaps they're splashing with a front page story about Olly Murs falling out with his brother because they're saving the good stories for when that happens.

Olly's brother, The Other Murs, is miffed because Olly has drfited apart from his family because he's been so busy with his career (that's what it says here, although it doesn't say what the career might be - maybe shifts at Halfords?).

It's one of those stories where the greatest pity is that someone thinks that the best way to heal bad feeling is by selling themselves to the newspapers, but it does contain this wonderful quote:

"I watch my brother - the same person I shared a womb with - on TV now and it's like I don't even know who he is."
Damn you, Olly - did all that time we spent wallowing in the same amniotic fluid mean nothing at all?


This week just gone

The most-read things from across No Rock this week:

1. Paul McGuinness calls for music industry to remain as it was when he made a fortune
2. RIP: Charles Haddon
3. McFly remove their pants; fail to save careers
4. R Kelly video to be shown in court
5. Jack White hates his audience
6. Is Will Young really the best role model we can think of for queer youth?
7. AC/DC remain aloof from iTunes
8. British Council holds party with homophobic radio station
9. Prince Harry to 'host' game show; only not actually hosting it
10. NME Awards 2010

These were the interesting new releases:


The Moulettes - The Moulettes



Isobel Campbell & Mark Lanegan - Hawk


Download Hawk



David Rotheray - The Life Of Birds


Download The Life Of Birds



Matthew Dear - Black City


Download Black City




Slowdive - Pygmalion


Download Pygmalion



Brilliant Corners - Someone Up There / Joyride


Download Brilliant Corners stuff