Pushing All The Wrong Buttons

Many bad things are imposed on us during our brief lives that we reluctantly have to accept. Examples such as taxes, politicians and penalty shoot outs to name just a few. Sadly the same has to be said of music. And it’s mainly down to the death of the Jukebox! Shit mix tapes played in pubs these days have replaced the choices of the consumer (drinkers) of what they want/have to listen to whilst having a pint with their mates. Even worse is the fucking god awful background music some pubs and clubs choose to have. These places sometimes make you feel like your attending a wake rather than a pub! If you don’t believe me, take a trip to The Derby Lodge or The Crofters Arms in Huyton. Take a good book while your at it as well Even worse are the places that choose to have no music what so ever! Take the rather pathetic and extremely tasteless Weather Spoon’s as an example = no atmosphere, shit clientele and utterly shit food! This, in my opinion, is the result of not having any music played. One word = soulless Now, many of my avid readers will know my much-loved ability in the fine art of ranting and some of you may well think I have a certain degree of tongue-in-cheek about my Blog’s, but I can assure you hear that I am deadly serious when it comes to music that is imposed on you. As for the reasons behind these ‘changes’, I firmly believe the main reason Jukeboxes no longer exist (in most pubs) is down to the nation’s obsession with food, the owner’s chance of making money and family-friendly environments. Now don’t get me wrong here, pubs with families in them aren’t completely bad places (apart from the scum bags who spend all day getting pissed while their six year old kids play on the fruit machines), but in most cases it does mean the sacrifice of the music for the sake of the food. That for me makes it more intolerable. If you don’t believe me, I was once told to stop swearing and being generally loud in one of the above mentioned pubs as it might upset the children … it was 9.00pm at the time. Needless to say the member of staff was (politely) told to get fucked (I think my exact words were “is this a pub or a nursery?”) and I’ve not been back their since! But there are the odd exceptions to the rule: superb places like Ye Craic, The Pilgrim, The Fullwood Arms and the legendary Swan all situated in Liverpool possess the finest jukeboxes I’ve ever had the pleasure to spend fifty pence on. I particularly love the rotating jukeboxes with the hand written labels on them that obvious contain a ‘Blag CD’. Superb stuff! Places like this are the exception to the rule and you will usually find they are independently owned by people who enjoy their music more than their profits. They also contain some rather superb characters who love their music and a more of a pleasure to sit with than most snobs and WAG’s who do drink in some of the soulless places I have mentioned above So, in honour of the good souls that choose to have juke boxes in their pub, I offer a toast … “Raise your glasses and shake your arses” Anyone got a quid? Mol

Get Ye Brits Out!

It’s Groundhog Day … Again . Yes, Ladies and Gentlemen, it’s that time of year again: Brit Award Nominations!! FU-KING-GREAT! There was once again another bout of silliness on behalf of the ‘judges’ for the Brit Awards when they awarded The Fat Dancer from Take That a Outstanding Achievement Award at the grand old age of … wait for it … 37!! Does this mean if he continues in music (to be successful or not) until he reaches the age of 74 he will receive a double Outstanding Achievement Award? (Let’s just hope he doesn’t make it to 111 eh?) Another thing that kind of took the jam out of my donut about this year’s nominations was the Brit’s category of ‘The Last 30 Years …’ How very self indulgent of them!! As for the 30 years of British Albums, the list baffles me so much! Most notably ‘No Angel’ by Di(L)do, ‘Diamond Life’ by Sade, ‘Rockferry’ by Duffy and ‘Brothers in Arms’ by Dire Straits. Don’t get me wrong here, but surely there has been better albums released by British Artists over the last 30 years than this shortlist wouldn’t you agree? Sounds like another example of bands that have actually won something at The Brits instead of them looking at the wider aspect so British Music! One thing I have noticed about this year’s nominations is there is no award for Best International Band. I don’t really see the point in having best international female artist, male artists, breakthrough artists, album, but not International Band? Are the Brits now ‘Anti-Band’? If so, why on earth did they go to so much trouble to ‘create’ an award for The Darkness five years ago and award Iron Maiden for best live band last year? Seems they’ve shot themselves firmly in the bollocks with that one Finally, the most talked about music issue on the planet at the moment: Susan Boyle – one in the eye for the ultimate Simon Cowell Protégée for no nomination at this year’s awards. Now, we all know she has sold more albums than any other person in the entire solar system over the last year, but I’m afraid it’s a case of tough shit in my opinion. Her lack of nominations might also have something to do with the fact that the songs she sings are not her own! If she’d focus more on writing her own songs instead of waxing her eyebrows she might walk home from the Brit Award 2011 with enough awards to pull down Simon Cowell’s kex!!! Finally, as regards SUBO (as she is rather ridiculously known as), I do have some helpful advice for her and her fans: when you make hey with the devil, expect a pitch fork in your arse at some point. Mol

Been Around The World

Before I start, I would just like to state that this Blog has nothing what so ever to do with East 17. I’d also like to wish everyone a happy new rear In case you didn’t know, I have recently been on a most fantastic holiday to Australia visiting my two wonderful sisters and their family and friends. During this epic voyage me and the missus had the rather perilous task of having to endure seven flights (four of which were long haul flights) The airline we had the pleasure of travelling with basically cater for all your needs including drink (which they nearly ran out because of my thirst), food, film, TV and of course music. During our penultimate flight (Singapore to London) I became a bit sick of watching film after film and very tired and pretty emotionally charged so I decided to have a browse through the in-flight play list. After a bout of Neil-Cannon style randomising (yes, I did go for obvious ‘Down Under’ by Men at Work) I had a listen to two songs that kind of set off ‘the water works’ First up was ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ by Queen. Now, in case you didn’t know, I take great interest in song’s lyrics, especially those songs that have a story surrounding them. Any how many members of the music press seen the song at the time as lyrical mumbo jumbo, but ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ is a song about one man’s despair after accidentally killing someone and as his punishment facing execution he bares his soul to the devil for a stay of execution. Personally I think it is utterly stunning to write about such stuff (whether it be fiction or non fiction, it beats writing shit love songs doesn’t it?) The second song to get me going was ‘Imagine’ by John Lennon. Lennon always had this knack of appealing to his audience as a man with a simple message. This opinion is perfectly portrayed in the song Imagine. It is such a simplistic view of how a man of peace (and conscience) viewed a world without aggression, war, hatred and tyranny (“you may say I’m a dreamer/but I’m not the only one” – for example). I’ve often thought how all the leaders of this world would react if they were gathered together and forced to listen to this song But, all things said, there is one true fact: no matter where you go and no matter how far you travel, music will always find a way to touch you emotionally. That’s why we love it so much Either that or I just miss my sisters

Mol

The Naughties - How Was It For You?

Before I start this, I would like to offer my sincere apologies for continually saying the word Naughties. I know I sound like some sort of Carry On character, but if there were another word to use, I would use it. Sadly, there isn’t so tough shit! So, the Naughties eh? Wasn’t much was it? Personally I think this was the decade music became more easily available to the consumer. Look at itunes, downloads (legal and illegal), Twitter, Facebook and, most significant of all: the rise of music sales through supermarkets. Personally I think the last thing on people’s minds when buying spuds is to have Leona Lewis and Alexander Burke blasting out of the tannoy speakers that are specifically designed to locate kids who have ran off from their Ma’s. In some examples, quite a few tabloid and broadsheet newspapers gave away free vouchers to download music these days. Quite a long way from giving away a free CD on the front cover of Smash Hits or the NME isn’t it? As regards the music scene, nothing of the previous ‘controversial’ eras such as punk, grunge and rock seemed to be present in this decade. Everything seemed more ‘nice’ and ‘clean’ and, if were being coy here, pleasant. Apart from the obvious Doherty and Winehouse, Pop stars have become, in my opinion, too approachable this decade. Too squeaky clean! Too nice! And, it has to be said, too POP! Remember the days when you used to see musicians falling out of nightclubs with a page three bird on their arm or throwing telly’s out of hotel windows? I can’t remember the last time I seen anything like that happen. As for the darker side of music this decade, there really is no contest when it comes to who has been the Big Bad Wolf, and I’m guessing you know who I’m talking about here. Music ‘Gurus’ such as Simon Cowell & Louis Walsh became bigger than some of their acts this decade. Their operations for their Ego Extensions and Sense of humour by-passes must have took all of the nineties to prepare themselves for the Naughties. Reality television gave birth to the humble unknown who can make it big, which, of course leads me to X Factor. Love it or hate it, it has been without doubt the biggest music phenomena this decade. Maybe that’s the reason mainstream & underground music has took such a ‘back seat’ and had the rather controversial figures of the afore mentioned Pete Doherty & Amy Winehouse replaced with the squeaky-clean-image-conscious-media-friendly likes of Alexander Burke, Gareth Gates, Will Young and, forgive me for saying this, ‘Jedward’ (or Jihad as I like to call them) As regards decent music (as most readers of Mol’s Sound Words would probably listen to and appreciate) The White Stripes brought Blues to the main stream making it cool for the likes of Kings of Leon and The Strokes to play guitar music again and pick up the mantle. Radiohead offered ‘Pay What You Like’ music for the first time in history giving music executives heart attacks (that they probably had to pay for) and a ‘Mini Britpop’ revival was started by the likes of Artic Monkeys and The Libertines (with a little help from the NME, of course). But, as we all know, revivals are born out of boredom and desperation by certain members of the music media who have fuck all else of interest to write about. From a personal music point of view I had a few favourites this decade. Bands like The Rakes, The Walkmen, The Killers, The Go! Team, The Strokes, Sound Track of Our Lives and the marvellous Vines all made me shake my grey wig in a vigorous fashion. It’s a damn shame that most of them fizzled out and split up now, but what can ye do? Some of the outstanding concerts I attended in the 00’s were from the likes of The Darkness (they made up for their ‘no show’ by playing a stunning set over Christmas and even made it snow on stage for the encore), The Go! Team, The Rakes (twice), Franz Ferdinand, The Strokes (I managed to get the set list from their sound man as well) and, most enjoyable of them all, The Polyphonic Spree gave two of the most amazing performances I have ever had the joy to witness in my entire life. I personally don’t think we will ever see such a live act again until the likes of Arcade Fire tour again that is So! That’s it. The Naughties = the decade of music that bowed down to the consumer and made it easy for them to ‘obtain’ music and the decade that killed off any last real mavericks in music and replaced it with train-crash reality TV pop from your average Joe. Not very eventful was it? Think I’ll go back to bed PS, I won’t be around for a few weeks so Abby Titmus and a Happy New Year Peace Mol

Set The Controls For The Stars My Son

I was reading a rather interesting article/review on Jay Z the other day about him being one of the highest earning musicians in the world at the moment. So its little surprise that his services as a producer are seriously in demand isn’t it? Seems the big man can’t do nothing wrong of late Now, given that Jay Z is one of the highest (if not the highest) musical earners on the planet, is it his abilities to actually produce records or his status in the world of music that makes so many singers and bands hire him for his skills behind the desk? Many musicians seem to think so. Warmplay (that’s what I like to call Coldplay, in case you were wondering) being one of them as the last amounts of credibility Chris Martin and Co had seems to be slowly dwindling away as a result of their massive amount of arse kissing towards the afore mentioned Mr Z. then again, I think it’s only a matter of time before Warmplay require the services of Jay Z if the sales of their last album are anything to go by Now, there is no other way to describe what’s happening here than calling it ‘Music by Association’ (or: ‘you rub my back, and I’ll give you a reach-a-round’). And it’s plain to see that kudos can go a very long way when you want to sell albums. This is mainly prominent in Rap and Hip Hop Music, but rock/indie/pop seems to have gone down the same road. Maybe it is down to a result of Rap and Hip Hop overtaking the likes of Rock, Indie & Pop in terms of sales and credibility? Who knows? Who cares? The most notable of Indie bands these days that are guilty of hiring a well known producer/musician are Arctic Monkeys. They recently employed the services of Josh Homme from Queens of the Stone Age to produce their latest album to (as I suggested) ‘beef up’ their sound and give them more of a rock edge. Personally I didn’t think they needed to as they already have a good sound and could well have shot themselves in the foot by changing a concept that simply wasn’t broken in the first place! And, to be very honest here, they have released a rather poor effort from their standards. All this from a band that could do no wrong in the release department just a few months ago. It was once said that the Arctic’s could release a fart and it would sell well – so much for that now eh! Mark Ronson is another musician with twenty dirty little fingers and little toes in every mixing desk under the sun after collaborations with the likes of Lilly Allen & Amy Winehouse. I personally think he sees himself as a modern day version of Phil Spector (minus the guns and the assaults on women of course). Personally I actually like Ronsons’s style as he has basically taken a song, got someone famous to sing/play it and stamped his own ‘trade mark’ on it. What Ronson does is very clever and, unlike normal cover-versions, quite unique. He also wears some decent threads as well. I reckon he would look better with one of Mol’s Sound Shirts on though (if he can ‘Guess the Price’, of course eh Gareth? Haha) So, as this is a Blog about bands or singers employing the services of ‘a name’, how long will it be before bands (who are struggling to re-discover their form or even become famous) employ the likes of well known celebrities such as Kerry Katona to produce their album? Or have Cheryl Cole in their sleeve notes as Executive Producer? Or, to make it even more worse, have Katie Price as Special Executive Dead Dead Good Top Banana Producer At least you could guarantee one thing – you’ll have a new market buying your album. But, can’t see them being turned onto your live shows while their reading their copy of Hello Magazine Can you? By the way (quiz time) can you name the producer in the picture? And for a Mol’s Sound Words bonus point, can you name any albums he produced? Mol

Hats Off To The Super Big Homme

Super groups, you either love them or hate them. Some are good, some are bad and some are blatantly shit, but everybody loves a good Super Group don’t they? So, are Super Groups an extension of the famous musician’s egos or just a chance to play with your heroes? They also have a great ability to (as some middle managers would say) ‘think outside the box’. That’s what makes their music just that little bit different to the bands trying to sound like them You can see the appeal with regards self gratification can’t you as it’s basically (in Dave Grohl and Josh Homme’s case with John Paul Jones) given them the opportunity to play with Led Zeppelin Legend John Paul Jones. Must be some feeling that! To put it another way, can you imagine Stuey’s delight at the prospect of playing a duet with Erasure or The Pet Shop Boys? He’d be fucking made up wouldn’t he? Anyway, this week I got my hands on the debut album by Them Crooked Vultures and it has to be said, it’s a pretty superb record and basically a must have for someone who possess most albums by Led Zeppelin and Queens of the Stone Age along with the odd hand full of Foo Fighters albums to boot. This self titled debut comes after a long list of bands who have re-formed from a long line of famous musicians who have ‘broke ranks’ with their usual band mates to form something a bit different with who ever is available at the time. Look at the likes of Audioslave, Raconteurs, Cream, Blind Faith and (to some extent) Led Zeppelin for examples What I love about Super Groups is the ‘seasoned pro’ the band have in their ranks. In the case of Them Crooked Vultures, our Old Hand comes in the form of John Paul Jones. Listening to him play gives me the impression he’s like a big kid in a sweet shop whop has just robbed the dinner money from the younger members of the band to buy a large packet of Wether’s Originals!! Best of all is he (and the rest of the band) sound like they’re wuite simply having some good old fun! But, I think the success the album by Them Crooked Vultures will be a case of just deserts for Josh Homme and will finally give him the credit he has deserved for the years he has spent head of the table at Queens of the Stone Age. He is an outstanding songwriter and, it has to be said here, one of the finest guitarists of this century! He also has the reputation of being one seriously tough-arsed mother fucker who, rumour has it, will go toe – to – toe with some of the hardest men in music and stand up to awkward promoters and 'money men' within the industry. In a world of mamby-pamby pop stars, it’s good to see a musician whose not afraid to show the world he’s got a set of bollocks … and use them Good on him if you ask me Finally, who would be in your Super Group and why? Before you ask, I’m retired Mol

Naughtiest, But Nice

Interesting choice the NME chose this week for their Album of the Decade. In case you didn’t know, they voted for ‘Is This It’ by New Yorkers, The Strokes. Personally I think it’s a worthy choice as, as debut’s go, it’s a stunning album. Pretty much every song recognisable guaranteed to raise your spirits. Even though many people (who I asked to take part in this) I know disagree with me, I think The Naughties has been, in general, a pretty decent decade for music. It has seen the world pull itself out of the quagmire that was the grunge scene and brought a new ‘cool’ with a tiny hint of retro to the world of music. Bands like The Strokes, the Vines, Arctic Monkeys, Kings of Leon, The Rakes, The Go! Team and Franz Ferdinand all emerged from the rubble of the small Indie labels to take over the charts and put Indie music firmly into the mind set of mainstream listeners and ‘back on the map’. Maybe it was their decade. Good for them So, as I appreciate my highly musically experienced (and knowledgeable) readers of Mol’s Sound Words, I thought I’d ask a few of them their choices for top ten albums of the Naughties (I would have asked for top 100 as per the NME, but I couldn’t be arsed). Personally, I found this really difficult to choose ten albums never mind 100. So, Fasten your seat belts crack open a cold one and get you’re “ah, they’re fucking shit them!!!” speeches at the ready … Mol. Liverpool, England Highly Evolved – The Vines Capture/Release – The Rakes Bows and Arrows – The Walkmen Is This It – The Strokes Klang – The Rakes Behind the Music – The Sound Track of Our Lives Lapalco - Brendan Benson Consolers of the Lonely – Raconteurs Funeral – Arcade Fire Rated R – Queens of the Stone Age Dr Ian Skeath. Liverpool, England Tourist – Athlete Some Cities – Doves Kasabian – Kasabian Hot Fuss – The Killers Sam’s Town – The Killers Day and Age – The Killers A Certain Trigger – Maximo Park Capture/Release – The Rakes Melody AM – Royskopp Favourite Worst Nightmare – Artic Monkeys Andy ‘Babestation’ Nickels. Liverpool, England Our Earthly Pleasures – Maximo Park Only By Night – Kings of Leon Funeral – Arcade Fire Graffiti Soul – Simple Minds A Certain Trigger – Maximo Park Songs for the Deaf – Queens of the Stone Age Kasabian – Kasabian Hot Fuss – The Killers Myths of the Near Future – Klaxons Hopes and Fears – Keane Dr Stuart Arnold Ferguson Pritchard. Liverpool, England Parachutes – Coldplay Franz Ferdinand – Franz Ferdinand Is This It – The Strokes Asleep in the Back – Elbow White Blood Cells – The White Stripes Kid A – Radiohead Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not – Artic Monkeys You Are The Quarry – Morrissey Youth and Young Manhood – Kings of Leon Xtrnmtr – Primal Scream Arch Bishop Neil Condron’s. Manchester, England Discovery – Daft Punk Hot Fuss – The Killers Is This It – the Strokes Sound of Silver – LCD Soundsystem Mirrored – Battles Merriweather Post Pavillion – Animal Collective Echoes – The Rapture Dreams – Whitest Boy Alive Source Tags & Codes – And You Will Know Us by the Trail of the Dead Cross – Justice Dr Gareth ‘Larry Flint’ Roberts. Skelmersdale, Merseyside Elephant – The White Stripes Is This It – The Strokes Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not – Artic Monkeys 13 Tales from Urban Bohemia – Dandy Warhols The Coral – The Coral Free The Bees – The Bees Youth and Young Manhood – Kings of Leon Songs for the Deaf – Queens of the Stones Age Kasabian – Kasabian Souljacker – Eels John ‘Lyndhurst’ Jones. Peckham, London, England the Coral – the Coral Is This It – The Strokes Elephant – The White Stripes BRMC – Black Rebel Motorcycle Club Who Killed The Zutons – The Zutons Consolers of the Lonely – Raconteurs Songs for the Deaf – Queens of the Stone Age Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not – Artic Monkeys Oracular Spectacular – MGMT Youth and Young Manhood – Kings of Leon Steven James Melia III. Liverpool, England Permission to Land – The Darkness Youth and Young Manhood – Kings of Leon The Optimist LP – Turin Brakes Is This It – the Strokes Songs for the Deaf – Queens of the Stone Age Paper – Rich Robinson Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace – Foo Fighters Audioslave – Audioslave Lions – The Black Crowes Raising Sand – Robert Plant & Alison Krauss Gareth ‘Jimmy Page’ Woodall. Liverpool, England * Is This It – The Strokes Walking on a Dream – Empire of the Sun A Rush of Blood to the Head – Coldplay Mothership – Led Zeppelin 13 Tales from Urban Bohemia – Dandy Warhols Orocular Spectacular – MGMT I Created Disco – Calvin Harris *Gareth has only chosen 7 albums for some reason. You’ll have to ask him why I’m afraid Colin ‘Uphill Gardener’ McKillen. Liverpool, England Echoes, Silence, Patience and Grace – Foo Fighters Only by Night – Kings of Leon Room on Fire – The Strokes Elephant – The White Stripes Sam’s Town – the Killers Consolers of the Lonely – Raconteurs Broken Boy Soldier – Raconteurs By the Way – red Hot Chilli Peppers Wolfmother – Wolfmother Trouble – Ray Lamontagne Lee ‘Bank Holiday’ Wright. Norwich, England Favourite Worst Nightmare – Artic Monkeys Consolers of the Lonely – Raconteurs Last Broadcast – Doves Elephant – The White Stripes Seldom Seen Kid – Elbow Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not – Artic Monkeys Speech Debelle – Speech Debelle No Love Lost – The Rifles Original Pirate Material – The Streets Hour of Bewilderbeast – Badly Drawn Boy Gareth ‘Rainman’ James. Formally Cardiff, Wales Mutter – Rammstein The Black Parade – My Chemical Romance Hybrid Theory – Linkin Park Absolution – Muse Theory of a Dead Man - Theory of a Dead Man Fallen – Evanescence Hot Fuss – The Killers Discovery – Daft Punk Silverside Up – Nickelback Call Me Irresponsible – Michael (Papa) Buble Diop So, there you have it chaps. That was a handful of the readers of Mol’s Sound Words and their list of the albums they think are the best from this decade. Very interesting stuff from you lot I thought. Quite a few albums I would have chose from the likes of Franz Ferdinand, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, The Go! Team and Flaming Lips, but hey ho! Never mind eh? Finally, If you think this was a complete waste of time, discuss it over a few beers with your mates next time your down the pub. Should make for interesting conversations and makes a change from which members of Girls Aloud you’d like to rattle first One final point: not a single Oasis album in sight in the above I always said my readers had taste Mol