Easy Music for Difficult Ears

Well, I suppose everyone else is doing one and I have been tagged, thus I had better join in. The internet has officially ground to a halt, so here’s to time wasting…

The rules are as follows:

Tagger

Now it’s time to make some dinner.

Uh-huh,
Leigh

Ughhhh… this song has been on repeat in my head for the last couple of days. Will someone please make it stop!! I remember thinking the video was great when I was five years old because it had animation in it, but I look at it now and can’t help thinking how much Nigel Mansell and Freddie Mercury looked alike.
To be honest I loved the re-release of Jackie Wilson’s “Reet Petite” in 1986 for the same reason, but then again “Reet Petite” also happens to be a much better song than “A Kind of Magic”. The evolution of music videos will more than likely be the subject of “Reminiscent Monday; Part 3″ coming up next week and I’ll expand on it more then, but in the mean time, enjoy…

Queen “A Kind of Magic”

Jackie Wilson “Reet Petite”

Sweet,
Leigh

Leigh

The Clash being interviewed by Tom Snyder’s Tomorrow show in June 1981. It is a very funny and interesting interview that takes place during the band’s infamous residency at Bonds in New York.

For those of you that don’t know, the band sold out 7 shows at the venue, but it turned out the promoter over sold it one-and-a-half times over and on the day of the third gig, the venue was closed down by the New York Fire Department. To accommodate all the people that bought tickets, the Clash played 17 shows in 14 days and the band are quite clearly knackered during the chat-show.

Anyhoo,
Leigh

Cary composed a large library of incidental music for Doctor Who between 1963 and 1972, including the debut story of the Dalek’s and the epic Dalek Master Plan, which was broadcast from 1965 to 1966. Mainly a composer of electro-acoustic music, it was Cary who pioneered the use of tapes in electronic music, while serving as a naval radar officer during World War 2 and a number of years later, he designed the first electronic studio at the Royal College of Music in London.

However, it was during the 1950’s that his name spread quickly through the electronic music fraternity at this time as he often journeyed around Europe to meet other pioneers of the second age of music technology.
Cary died in Adelaide, Australia aged 82.
Tristram Cary (1925 – 2008)

Current listening:
New York Dolls “Personality Crisis”

Leigh

The Spanish Grand Prix takes place later on today, but I just hope that they race is somewhat good as anything that detracts from the Max Mosley scandal is welcome as there it is conceivable that a truly fascinating Championship battle is building up.

Personally I don’t care who he has sex with or what the themes are (although there has still not been one single solitary reference in Nazi-ism in any of the footage), but as far as I’m concerned it is a private affair (no pun intended). Whatever people do though, don’t forget that it was the pressure applied by Mosley that has made both racing cars and road cars much safer in the last twenty years. It’s possible that a number of readers, as well as loved ones and friends, may not be alive if it weren’t for the work of Mosley.

I’m well aware of the politics of Mosley’s father, but don’t confuse the two people as an individual. Speaking German does not make a public figure a Nazi and let’s be honest – a prostitute in a dominatrix theme is hardly the filthiest thing out there. Draw what conclusions you want from the News of the World, but it is hardly the most articulate avenue for intelligent politicised thinking.
Mosley is 67 now and he has stated that he wanted to leave the FIA at the end of his present term (late-2009) as he’ll be 69 and may begin to ‘lose it’ should he stay on, but it is possible that he’ll not be president after June 3rd when the FIA committee convene for a general meeting.

Whether or not he is guilty of any crime – whatever the legal or moral stance – is irrelevant. What matters is that the sport has been brought into disrepute by this situation and the readers of the News of the World who cheer on Lewis Hamilton because he’s British can rest easy at night knowing (or not knowing) that another day brings another scandal. Roll on the rag – News of the World indeed!! I think not…
Perhaps one should look at these before one gets swallowed by the scandal – “Follow the Money, Always Follow the Money” and “Look at the Big Picture“.

Current listening:
The National “Alligator”

Yip,
Leigh

I’ve been flat hunting this weekend and it is not the most thrilling of experiences. Admittedly I’m not the most patient person in the world and as such all the waiting, traveling, being stood up and generally dodgy areas are deeply irritating, but I have come this far….
Having seen a few of places of interest, I’m hoping to have this sorted in the next couple of weeks (no matter how unlikely that seems), but I’m not fucked until at least June 30th. At this stage I’m even looking for a supposed “nice” place – I lived in so many wretched places, that doesn’t bother me any more – but just a general interest area that is livable and affordable. Wish me luck!!

In the meantime, I’ve also been checking out a number of venues in London as I’ve been giving serious thought to starting live gig nights again catering electronic, folk, garage, indie and dub. What I’ve seen thus far is fairly nice, but right now (like everything) it’s all down to money.

Current listening:
Various Artists “Jubilee OST”

Leigh

So, what next? I’ve essentially no classes left and only two exams in about three weeks, but for all intents and purposes I’m finished college for good. So I’ll ask again – what next?
I’ve started writing again (I’ve been way too busy) and I’m looking at writing some new material, but more than that I have to start the search for the dreaded job. Although I’m doing an internship at a company in London at the moment (well sweet, nice people), it doesn’t pay and thus I’ll be picking up a shit job on the side. Therefore more video shop, music shop and/or Tesco’s lark until something actually pays – which might not be for a while.
And so for the last time, what next? Time to shudder maybe?

I finally handed in my dissertation on Wednesday morning – the culmination of ten months work finally out of the way. The project was a study on the loudness wars, its causes and effects and was called “Easy Music for Difficult Ears” (naturally). I will more than like post it up here at some point and I will be updating it in a few months time to accommodate late interviews and add-ons.

The project is 51 (A4) pages long and the most difficult piece of work I have ever had to write. As well as updates, I will also be starting another project in June titled the “Anthology of Music and Technology” – this work will be based upon the history of electronic technology in music from nineteenth century designs right up to the modern day before focusing on the way people listen to music. The next section will be based on the ramifications of how people hear music nowadays and the context in which it exists and the final section will be dedicated to the future of recorded music, communication technology and how this could potentially affect the way music is consumed.

It will most probably be a long process, but I feel it will be worth it and once again I think it will add to the body of knowledge with regards to audio culture and society at large.

Current listening:
The Fall “45’s, 84-89 A-Sides”

Grand job,
Leigh

0Yesterday afternoon was the last Access All Areas show presented by Edel Coffey on Phantom FM as the music journalist moves on to the Independent newspaper.

The show was something of a shining light in what is upon reflection a dreadful array of music shows on Irish radio and that includes some of the gash that is on Phantom FM – something which I have stated plenty of times before.

While many have rightfully had a go at Phantom for their poor representation of alternative music, Edel has often been one of the few to showcase Irish artists of any merit on the radio. The show is being taken over by Sinead Ni Mhordha who has been presenting the Phantom Anthems show up until now.
I wish Edel well and hope she’s as successful with the Independent as she has been on Phantom.

Current listening:
Harumi “Harumi”

Sweet,
Leigh