Sunday, December 02, 2007

Bob Fossil's Disco Love

I'd totally forgotten about this song. Never was into these cats but it ends up being played on The Mighty Boosh by Bob Fossil (Rich Fulcher) doing some innovative dancing. I tracked it down as it was a sample on one of my favourite De La Soul tracks - the slinky beats and synth work are genius. Damn. Easy to laugh at the video now but in a cold, recession shocked 1981 it is genius. It speaks ill of our era that I doubt anything that is a number one single now will age this well.

Sunday, October 28, 2007

"The British Phil Spector" has a moment of genius

Joe Meek was kind of a "British Phil Spector", but there was so much more to him than that. His concept record 'I hear a new world' and his gleeful use of electronics produced a unique and innovative sound - mostly recorded in a small studio on the Holloway Road. The lady heard Siouxsie on the radio (presumably plugging her ho-hum new record) saying that this track was the first one that captured her imagination. I can see why - and a lot of the ethereal best of her sound is hinted at here. This is a gothic/western/romantic masterpiece. The fact it is from 1961 is all the more remarkable.

Wednesday, September 12, 2007

ESG feeling moody

Well here is another example of the divergence in taste between the producer and the consumer in music and film. Producers have stayed eclectic and have pillaged (or just Xeroxed)references that the genre segregated, limited mainstream media ensures regular consumers never see or hear.

ESG were the original early 80s hip as a stack of jeans minimal funkateers. Noticed by the likes of A Certain Ratio and countless hip hop cats - along with the producers of all sorts of pop. As noted elsewhere, they played the Hacienda on opening night and the Paradise Garage on its closing night. Sadly, they seem now to have announced their retirement but here is a vital live performance of 'Moody'.

Friday, September 07, 2007

The Beatles - Improved

Sorry to hear that she split up with Budgie and am not so sure about the new record, but at her peak...damn...

Friday, August 31, 2007

The man who could have been Prince

Funny how the culture market and the capacity of artists for elephantine chemical indulgence mediates between excellence and mediocrity. Rick James lost it by the early 80s in a storm of drink and powder but was a mega, mega genius at his best - melding funk and 70s rock into a perfect fusion. He became a figure of fun a tragedy but forget all that while he shows you what 80s funk could have been. Enjoy.

Thursday, August 09, 2007

Das Model

This is just about perfect. Why is today so stupid compared to the imagined futures of the past?

Monday, August 06, 2007

Synth sleaze

Stupid, embarassing softcore that inspired countless Italian cannibal related riffs. But the music is nifty...

Thursday, June 28, 2007

Honest TV


I really like honesty on TV. Too many programmes fake a social agenda of some kind or pretend they have some value outside of momentary flickers of interest between the adverts. The Japanese have no such qualms. Not only are they supremely creative even in contexts of low intent, but make no attempt to hide their glee in doing so. That said, anyone playing a one string bass to this needs to have a gfood think about themselves.

Saturday, June 09, 2007

Local narratives - unending cities


A local narrative
Originally uploaded by The Salaryman


Camilo Jose Vergara is a major influence on my own amateurish photography efforts and the link above to his Invincible Cities project is a wonderful way to explore what he’s doing. It links anthropology, social history, architectural theory and anything else relevant into an evolving chronicle of the spaces and places in America’s cities that evolve through decay into some kind of new stasis – as no particular configuration seems to be stable enough to sustain itself for long. Barber shops become liquor stores then bookies before being knocked down or else devolving into bookies. Camilo has the patience to chronicle this process of decay, rebirth and sometimes death over decades and the results are a stark lesson to anyone who thinks that gentrification and urban renewal are swift or simple processes. Urban decay is a US specialty (with some cities depopulating by half or more over a few decades – like Detroit) but has made an appearance in the UK as well. Over here, it often is a kind of donut shaped rot where the inner bits stay rich and healthy to some degree, as do some of the outer suburban belt while the in-between parts die. Our part of London is kind of in between the phenomena and needs just a bit of a push to get better, but is subject to neglect as it is not quite awful enough to merit means-tested attention.

Sunday, February 04, 2007

Return of an old hero: A film that won’t suck

I spend a lot of time on here ranting about how much contemporary film, at least that you can see down the multiplex blows dead buffalo. I maintain this is the case (Dreamgirls anyone?).

On a small scale there is still some hope. David’s Lynch’s latest effort has a UK distributor, finally and we will be able to see it in March. I am a bit upset about the fact it was shot on MiniDV (which is sort of like Picasso painting on bogroll) but their is no denying the flexibility and low costs of digital. After seeing this Italian trailer, my eyes are drooling…

Sunday, January 21, 2007

Better Days: Detroit '82

This came through on the ironic tip in this week's Holy Moly! and was presented as almost comedic. Punters were urged to sing the words of Madonna's risble lite-house cash in 'Vogue'. Wrong. This track, considered by many to be the first Detroit techno record, cuts as deep and fresh as a gin-soaked razor even today. A Number of Names have much to be proud of...And forget the clothes and hair these disco scenesters are the real thing. Damn.