The Needle and the Damage Done

Just been reading the rather tragic story of Bass Player Mike Starr from ‘Nine Inch Nails’ who recently died of a heroin overdose, I’m sure most of you are thinking “who?”, and you’d be right to think that as he was hardly a household name! Still, never mind eh.

The article went onto to describe/explain the tragedy behind Grunge music and its affect on its ‘famous deaths’. To be brutally honest with you – I thought it was a crop of shit as no matter what genre of music – there will always be fatalities, but the only thing that differs is the way the person dies!

Hip Hop/Rap music has always long been associated with gun crime compared to the rather reckless self debauched hedonistic lifestyles of certain rock musicians. So, it’s pretty un-fair to singe out Grunge for being associated with a couple of ‘wrongn’s’

So, why does/did Grunge attract so much negative press, doom and gloom and damn right miserable bastards? The simple answer may well be the way the main ‘stars’ of the Grunge scene acted, but the main, more honest explanation may well be Heroin! It was the true dark cloud that followed Grunge around!

Heroin was pretty rife in young Grunge musicians of the late eighties and early nineties. It was born of frustration after Reagan introduced a new welfare to work reform in the USA (in short, if you had no job, you got NO financial help). Now if you add into the mix disaffected young men and women with nowhere to go and nothing to do except sit in your bed sit all day, the music that will follow will hardly be ‘Shiny Happy Fucking People’ will it?

With regards to Grunge in general, I personally I think the Grunge ‘style’ (ripped jeans, t-shirt worn underneath chequered shirt, greasy hair and loads of acne) was an image tool much like the Glam Rock Style of the early seventies and New Romantic style of the mid eighties. Obviously not the same but an instant association with that genre of music no doubt.

Now, I’m not applauding the use of heroin in any way here, but have you noticed that the one, sad thing missing from mainstream pop these days IS heroin! A good few high profile deaths instead of the odd underground musician popping his clogs would also be very welcome news (I think you can probably guess who I’m thinking of the police finding dead in a bathtub with a syringe hanging out of their cocks would definitely raise a smile from me!)

But to be honest here and ‘fight the corner’ of heroin, music over the years DID sound better when played under the influence of hard drugs such as scagg. Take Gram Parsons, Keith Richards, Janis Joplin, and Lou Reed for examples. They’re music was great when they were on the gear, but, sadly not so great when they were straight! Sad, but you really can’t compensate for true creative inspiration! If you don’t believe me, have a trawl through the afore mentioned back-catalogues and you’ll see what I mean!

(Also see title of Black Grape’s debut for sarcastic take on this subject by the way)

But, in all seriousness, music aside for one minute, you really can’t compensate for an early grave can you?

Live fast die young?

The legend should go: Live fast (Take smack, make sweet music), die young more like!

Mol

Street Fighting Man Takes on the Cuddly Fan

Has anyone ever noticed something about today’s music = There no confrontation! There’s no controversy! And, most important of all = there’s no swearing! Hahaha, nah didn’t mean the bit about swearing!

But I do believe that maybe the fact that society is so controlled and ‘safe’ these days is down to the fact that music is so nice, cuddly and, well, safe!

During the seventies and eighties there were bands around like The Sex Pistols, The Clash and (don’t laugh here) Frankie Goes to Hollywood!

Frankie Goes to Hollywood, for me, perfectly summed up the times in two of the best songs of the eighties.

Two Tribes, although the video was based on a mock-scrap between Ronald Reagan and Mickael Gorbachov, was no doubt quietly attributed to the Miners strike that (supposedly) threatened to bring the country to a halt. The lyrics sum it up brilliantly “ship it out-out! Working for the black gas”

Another great line from Two Tribes is the bit just before the end when Holly Johnson says (in what I can only assume to be a moment of impromptu controversy) “Are we living in a land where sex and horror are the new Gods”. This is yet another example of how FGTH gained the rightly reputation on how to shock the audience! You can almost imagine Mary Whitehouse and the rest of the Tory cabinet ministers choking on their Pimms can’t you?

As for Relax, this was obviously a controversial take on how to avoid (or indeed contract) the AIDS virus! Cutting edge stuff with not a single “I love you” or “I wanna be with you forever and ever and” in sight! “Relax! Don’t do it! When you wanna suck to it”. You could say they could have been offering advice for people to have oral sex instead of the more dangerous gay sex that was mainly associated with homosexuality at the time (a public advice message and a superb pop song all mixed into one I supposed you could say)

Now, I’m not gonna bang on about FGTH all day here, but I do firmly believe that popular culture these days has, sadly, become obsessed with fashion, celebrity, money and most of all: image! The days of Sid Vicious and other reputable rapscallions sneering into a camera and swearing on telly are sadly thrown into the rubbish bin of music history! And the chances of a top ten song about war or AIDS are pretty much zero! In other words = popular culture would simply find it far too offensive and not ‘sexy’ enough that does not define a product that could sell!

In short – no one has the balls to ‘stand up to the man’ anymore in case they come across as being nasty and horrible in the eyes of the all powerful press! A certain matter of incurring the wrath of the music executives who run the labels they work for is also a defining attribute in keeping their nice cuddly pop stars in check and on the never ending path to financial glory! (Which is what they all seek, no doubt)

So, is it any wonder that the public have kept a ‘lid on things’ during this current government’s current slash and burn policy towards the public sector? The comparisons with the 80’s and 70’s are almost mirror-like! Take the rise of capitalism and bankers under the tenure of Thatcher and, as I’ve mentioned, her brutal approach towards the miners! You could say Cameron and his cronies are doing the same thing today if you think about it.

Thankfully, for them, they have the likes of Take That, Will Young, JLS (Just Lousy Singers) and Snore Patrol to deal with compared to the likes of The Sex Pistols and The Clash that Thatcher was up against. Maybe that’s why people (and the miners) attacked the powers that be compared to our pathetic approach these days. They had the belief and attitude of these radical bands standing with them in their hour of need! No chance of that today!

So, do we need a ‘saviour’ of The Left in the style of a modern day Billy Bragg or Joe Strummer? I think we do as the truth is this about modern pop culture – it’s fucking boring as hell!!! And the small matter of true role models to inspire and support the disaffected youth of today is just as important!

Rocks and stones we’re thrown then, but now if someone gets angry, they’ll write a rather irate letter to the Daily Mail and brag about it in Twitter!

And on a final note, I would also be very interesting to know what people in Libya, Egypt and Tunisia have been listening to lately?

Somehow I don’t think Its JLS

Mol

Flame Grilled Beeber in a Box, anyone?

Is it just me or does anyone else find Justin Beeber extremely fucking distasteful?

Now, I’m not talking about the little fop-haired Canadian chap here in a bad way personally as I’m sure he might well be a very nice young chap, but you know what? ... Fuck it, I’m not gonna say nice things about him as, well, it just simply wouldn’t be me now would it?

I was browsing through one of the red tops the other day when I noticed some people who had queued for sixteen weeks to catch a glimpse of the afore mentioned Ewok. These ‘people’ were holding up placards with all kinds of rather embarrassing and, in some instances, perverse messages from mostly rotund women like “Justin, I might be old, but I still need a kiss” – it really did border on child molestation!

I really don’t understand what these people’s agendas are? (especially if they do get to have their ‘wicked way’ with this little chap?)

Are they going to take him home and do all kinds of horrible things to him like make him apple pie and custard? Make him some warm soup? Mollycoddle him? Breast feed him? Poor fucking bastard!

But, I also couldn’t help but think about the people behind the Stuey-Haired Munchkin who ‘pull the strings’ who have got him to such a massive stage at such a small age.

Do these people really look after him or do they simply treat the little fella like some sort of gimp? Beeber in a Box I suppose you could say? (sound a bit like the latest offer on the go at McDonalds or Burger King doesn’t it?) after which they simply give him a packet of monster munch and a bottle of Vimto to keep him happy while they count the gate receipts!

Then again, I’m sure there are far worse crimes against humanity other people can think of than locking this young geek in a box with a couple of chains and a gimp mask

By the way, I write this piece without ever actually listening to any of his so called music, so, give us a minute while I get onto the tinterweb and give this pube-less phenomena a listen.

I’ll be back in a tick .......................

** two minutes and ten seconds later **

................... yeah, just as I thought – he’s a pile of pre-pubescent fucking horse wank who really does deserve to be locked in a fucking box with a gimp mask for the rest of his sorry fucking existence!

Bring out the gimp!

Mol

Ben Pod-Cast

The great city of Madrid was the setting for a rather unfamiliar show of romance on my behalf and the knee was bent and the question was popped. Thankfully my missus did say yes (after saying “get up ye tit, ye making a show of me!”)

So, my dear readers, I know you’re thinking what the fuck has this got to do with music? Well, I’m coming to that

At my planned wedding in September I will have the rather splendid DJ (and all round complete bastard) Benjamin Edward Owens spinning some discs with plenty of Ray Von Style “Shabba’s” and not a single “New York, New York” in sight

So, in a shameless bout of advertisement/promotion for the afore mentioned ‘hit slayer’, he has done a pod cast for you to ‘sample his wares’. If anyone wants to have a listen, give him a shout. I’m sure most of you have his number and don’t be perturbed about him being as tight as two coats of gloss!

I’ll guarantee there will be plenty of sack rocking tunes for you to shake you bollocks to without a single Jive Bunny or Black Lace mega-mix version of “here comes the bride” in sight

And in a second bout of shameless advertising, I would like to inform anyone who is interested that I have joined up with the afore mentioned Spin Doctor in a new joint-venture to bring our music to the masses. Our debut DJ-ing set will take place in The Zanzibar on Seel Street in Liverpool on 26^th February 2011. Pop down if you wish.

You know what you have to do

Mol

Everything Counts in Large Cash Amounts

Now i'm not taliking about a certain Ex-Blonde Centre Forward who plays for LFC her, but it seems everyone really does have a price ... especially in music!

I was watching the telly the other night when a mate of mine text me and told me that one of the greatest Rock Front Men of all time – Steve Tyler from Aerosmith - was appearing in place of the great all-powerful Simon Cowell as a judge on ... wait for it ... American Idol! Hahaha, I nearly spat my fucking tea out!

Tyler, as we all know, recently ‘fell off the wagon’ and back into the dark clutches of hard drugs, drink and, of course, mainstream light entertainment television! I don’t know which is worse!!

Anyway, it got me wondering = everyone really does have a price as its plain to see that Tyler is obviously doing it for the money as there is obviously no kudos attached to appearing on some shit television programme ‘judging’ some pathetic spastic on their abilities to sing! Especially by a true Rock Legend

Now, if you add this rather absurd act by Tyler to the other rather absurd acts from Iggy Pop and his annoying latex alter ego puppet in the Swift cover adverts and Biffy Clyro’s allowance for one of their hit songs to be used by some biff from X Factor, its plain to see that financial gain has sadly replaced any form of musical licence or respect that artists used to wish for many many years ago. In all honesty, it makes me feel sick!

I remember reading a biography once about the late great Janis Joplin. In her own scatty way, she was something of a true, original great. She would regularly get lost drinking alone in bars, miss important appointments and gigs, and most precious of all – lose ALL her money somewhere. Now, when I say ALL of her money, I do mean thousands of dollars. But, it was shrugged off, replaced and simply forgotten about as in those days her music was the most important ‘factor’ not how many dollars she had in her bank account .

Can you imagine if someone like Coldplay, Girls Aloud or Take Splat lost thousands of pounds today? There would be a financial version of world war three! The stock markets would go into free fall and shares in the record company who represent the artists in question would fall so low the only way out would be bankruptcy (or thousands of job losses – starting at the bottom, of course)

So, have our ‘great’ artists of today taken more inspiration from out ‘great’ bankers and other spivs who feast on the anxieties of the poor and third world countries instead of the heroes of yester year that actually inspired their ability to take up/play music in the first place?

You bet your ass

As for Tyler, if he was ever offered the part in a film, the way he’s been action lately, I can see him playing an on screen version of Gordon Gekko instead of a washed-up old burnt out rocker

If the (begging) cap fits.............

Mol

The iPod Generation - An Idiot or Bored?

I often write about things and certain individuals who ‘ruin’ music, my beef this time is iPods and people’s use of them

I remember when I was a kid (and no, it wasn’t when telly was in black and white) and I bought myself a Sony Walkman to play my cassettes on (stop laughing!!). I was fucking made up as I’d walk to school listening to Guns N Roses or Maiden made up with my brand new music player the size of a house brick and earphone that looked like giants yellow versions of Ernie & Bert’s nose off Sesame Street! The dog’s bollocks – it really was. It was a pity though that I had a rather dreadful mullet to go with the headphones! The less said about my eighties hairstyles the better!

But, what was great about the Sony Walkman was that you could only ‘Fast Forward’ and not rewind. Another genius factor about it was that once the tape had finished it automatically switched to play the other side! Brilliant

Now, I’m not here to give you a walk down memory lane in a music nostalgia moment, but compare the rather beautifully simplistic world of the Sony Walkman to the rather annoying and complicated world of the iPod. There is a massive gulf! And, like the Guitar Hero and X Factor that I have previously Blogged about = its damaging music

Why? Well I’ll tell ye

Does anybody remember the last time they bought a CD? I do. It was a few weeks ago and I absolutely loved listening to every song on it! And I do mean EVERY song on the album

The problem with iPods is that people will skip the little ‘gems’ you find on albums at say track 8 or track 6 as people are too obsessed with what single was brought out from the album they just bought! Some people play the same single off the album over and over again time after time and simply forget about listening to any other song on the album. Apart from being extremely ignorant to the artist(s), in question, I also see it as a terrible waste of money on behalf of the consumer by just buying the album on the strength of the ‘famous’ single in question!

I feel the music buying public no longer have an opinion of their own anymore when it comes to what music they like. It’s a bit like going into a pub that (is lucky enough) has a jukebox and playing the most popular song by a certain band instead of putting something no one has ever heard of before!

And while we’re on the subject of opinions, I think Rich Hall summed it perfect a few nights back when I watched one of this marvellous programmes about country music. He mentioned the film ‘Walk the Line’ about Johnny cash and the people who said “it’s done a hell of a lot of good publicity for the music of Johnny Cash”. Hall went onto to say “if you’ve never bothered to go and search out the music of Johnny Cash YOURSELF, it’s not much good seeking it out after hearing about it in a Hollywood Blockbuster film is it” – I think he was right on the money with that reply I reckon

So, do me a favour next time you turn your iPod on? Turn off the ‘shuffle’ button and listen to a whole album in its entirety and listen out for the not so famous songs as I’m sure the artist(s) put just as much an effort into writing and recording it as much as the famous hit it sits along side

And, of course pending you pay for your music in a proper legal way, it’ll be a terrible waste of money if you don’t

Mol

Is The La’s The Best Album Ever?

Don’t you just love it when you re-discover a band?

I think I’ve come to a point in my life when I have finally realised there is actually a better album than Exile on Main Street – that album is The La’s one and only debut album

Maybe it is just a strong sense of local identity, fierce passion for true scouse music or Mavers’ ‘obsession’ on having Sixties dust inside his guitar amp? Who knows, I know that this gem is full of absolute classics, and worth blogging about

Son of a Gun – god knows who this song is about, but I get the feeling Mavers is writing a semi-autobiography here. “He was born to live like a mercenary” – it has been well documented that Mavers wrote EVERYTHING with regards to La’s songs. “Better run, rabbit run” – is this a message to anyone willing to challenge his song writing authority? You bet you are!

I can’t Sleep – is this a reference to drugs? God knows. What I do know is that this song has one of the most brilliant intros in music. Think “Start Me Up” by The Stones. Mavers’ voice in the background at the start of this song is simply stunning!! And that includes the “la la la la la la la la la la” in the background during the intro. He sounds like he’s just had twenty Lambert & Butler followed by a bottle of Bells! The only thing that gets me about this song is the fake “boom” from the drums that have obviously been over-dubbed (no doubt from the producer and possibly the constantly frustrated record executives, not the La’s)

Timeless Melody – “a melody always finds me” – is this Mavers’ way of saying he can write a song with his eyes shut? You bet your fucking life it is. Brilliant songwriter and a true great lyricist

Freedom Song – “I am the captain of the love you gave” – absolute no idea what Mavers is harping on about here. Power’s backing vocals are superb though on this track. Cast were always gonna be in fine company from here on in

There She Goes has quite possibly got one of the most recognisable intros in the history of music that is right up there with Whole Lotta Love, Satisfaction and Paranoid. The lyrics are very debatable with regards whether the song is about heroin or a young lady. “She calls my name, pulls my train” I personally think it has sexual content although many music ‘expert’ may well disagree

Doledrum is typical scouse humour about living a pretty shit post-Thatcher society ‘up north’ and brilliantly summed up in Mavers’ lyrics “oh no, don’t go down to Doledrum”. I personally think he’s issuing a message to all people who are willing to travel to Huyton. In other words – stay away! Utterly wonderful stuff!!

On Feelin’ Mavers sings “Woke up with a feelin’” – is Mavers talking about the possibility of having a good day or has he simply got an erection? Either way, this is a wonderful song with a massive Beatles influence and brilliant guitar work. Feel good factor of ten here i reckon

Way Out is another song with similar feelings to ‘Doledrum’ “a need a way outta this” “give it all ye got now” – desperate lyrics that yet again portrays a man who is either in a loveless relationship with a woman or needs a “way out” of that town he lives in that he doesn’t really like?

IOU = definite drug reference here. “On the street the knowledge, you must eat your porridge” – what is the porridge her? Is it drugs? It’s certainly not Quaker’s finest! “There’s no harm in greasing your neighbour’s palm” – yet another reference to local identity and also paying for your ‘gear’. One of the the best lines in the entire album

Every time I hear Failure I think of a mate of mine from years ago. He and his brother had just been nicked for stealing a few days before Christmas. On Christmas day they were both banished to the back room to eat their Christmas dinner (put the 2 potheads in the back room for sake of embarrassment). “So you open the door with that look on your face with, with your hands in your pockets with your family to face” – you just KNOW Mavers was busted by his parents when he was a kid don’t ye? Everyone – you can feel your childhood guilt can’t ye as I’m sure we all remember the first time we we’re collared smoking weed by ye ma’ can’t ye?

Looking Glass is without doubt one of the finest love songs ever written. I’m sure Mavers wouldn’t agree with this statement, but if you really listen to the song and its lyrics, it is utterly stunning “I’ve seen everybody, everybody’s seen me”. But Mavers goes off on a tangent with regards the 2^nd verse “oh tell me where I’m going, tear the pages open, turn the world around” – you could say he’s become a lost soul from the rather cock-sure worldly man from the start of the album. Almost an epitaph and a rather fitting ending to a great song and a great album

Sixties dust? Nah, more like late 80’s and early 90’s brilliance!!!!

Mol