Here's what the Scottish Parliament is up to... makes you proud innit?!

These things are set to try us, Part 537B.

It has come to my notice (again) that some messages aren't getting through on my e-mainline. Please use the link on the blog here, or my hotmail, facebook or myspace if you've been attempting to reach me and heard nowt.

Same goes for outgoing, I have no idea what gets to its destination or not without an undeliverable message so I'm operating somewhat in the dark here. I'm aware that won't surprise some of you but with the best will in the world, this stinks. I will investigate but have less than no confidence in my ISP but there's no real alternative either so I'm kinda stuck with 'em for now.

Please bear with my having to bear with it.

Professor H just hepped me to this, it's them Wooden Shjips comin' sailing in with a krautrockin' krishmish groove via the good offices of WFMU!

A must for psychedelic psantas and psantesses everywhere!

RIP - Jack Douglas (Alf Ippititimus)

Bobby Lloyd Hicks sent me this a couple of weeks ago and I forgot about it until today... spiritually seasonal and unfettered by brand names...

Been a fraught couple of days and the fucking rain outside is virtually horizontal but that be mattering not a jot now. Why? because I'm indoors for the day and having a cup of coffee in the company of the Tom Morton show. Only one one work day, (maybe two at the most) to go and then it's holidaze time. 12 days off in a row, yowzah!

I also have this Dewey Cox movie to watch because I believe it has a bunch of tunes in it penned by the great Sir Robson Fulks.

So while i'm drying out, getting my bearings, I just discovered this via the BLR list...

RIP - John Byrne (Count Five)

Those of you in Glasgow won't want to miss this festive appearance by thse guys.

John is still recuperating but Jimmy Doak (from The Jolt) is subbing for the big fella.

Update Friday 19/12 - This is postponed but Mickey will be doing a "wheels of steel" thing there tonight rovided the lurghi doesn't get him too.

I did the Glasvegas thing and with that particular itch scratched I can get on with my life. You’ll recall that the album knocked me out. I know some of you are shaking your heads at this point but stick with it (as The Quattros would say).

It’s almost a year ago since I was last in the hallowed environs of The Barrowlands. For The Proclaimers with Wreckless Eric. Opening tape was good to middling, Righteous Brothers, Danny and The Juniors, Dion and the Belmonts, would have been nice to hear a wee bit of Suicide in there just to wet the whistle but anyway. For one fleeting moment when they burst through the intro to “Flowers and Fitba’ Tops” I felt the majesty of the record, a good ripple if not exactly a wave.

However from there it all went a little awry. My favourite thing about them – the drum sound – was intact but I’d like to hear a little more Tony James and a little less of The Edge. Actually, there was enough dry ice to make Andrew Eldritch proud in there tonight and the place went sort of ballistic but not quite. There was plenty of beer flying around but the audience was way less Oasis-like than I expected. This is good I guess but if you ask me “Go Square Go” was no match for The Proclaimers “I’m On My Way”. I remember being out front with Amy Rigby when they played that and the floor action was way more seismic. As they finished their short set, there was virtually no reaction. It was as if their parishioners had ejaculated collectively and altogether prematurely. I imagine that they came back out and did “Daddy’s Gone”. By that time I’d had enough and figured that a wee detour for chips en route to the train was the best idea. Whilst Polmont was on their collective minds at one point, I needed to get to Larbert. Being that's where I left the car....

So can they do it live, I’d have to plump for no. Nae doubt they’ll headline T In The Park this year and that’ll be their captive audience right there. Of course, there’s Edinburgh’s Hogmanay coming up a lot sooner. Isn't it all a bit sweary for Auld Reekie's outdoors? Actually, way more offensive than the cursing, James Allan does a really irritating pointing at the audience thing, neither big nor clever but he does remind me of Midge Ure in Slik. I was hoping for some evidence of a sense of humour but did not register one iota of irony. The guitar and bass dervishes over egg the pudding too. They need to get used to the fact that they’re no I Are Droid in the big sound department. I’m actually pretty disappointed and wanted to be proved wrong quite badly. It's not that any big expectations were harboured going in there but I wanted, needed to be blown away. My perception was of something much more spiritual, seemingly bigger than the sum of it's parts. Me and these rose-tinted gregorys...

By the time I got out of the train and into the car, I put on The Raveonettes “Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)” and all was right again, partially because of the tenterhooks caused by the news that reached me late this afternoon. Annika Norlin performed that very song, in Swedish, at “ONIC” on Sunday. Stand by for news on how you can hear this magical rendition on Christmas Eve over this thing they call the interweb! And while we’re on the subject, anybody who reckons that Fleet fecking Foxes and Weejvegas (That’ s probably one of Sandy’s although I’m not sure) are better than More Modern Short Stories from Hello Saferide are at best deaf. Possibly delusional. Probably a bit of both.

I’m up again and on the road in a little over 5 hours so goodnight, god bless etc. Over and out.

RIP - Davy Graham

"A suggestion for Music Commerce" via Rockrap, I think it makes some sense, although there are artists who make great music that have no plans to tour or play anywhere. We need to factor them into the equation. Discuss...

STOP THE SNIVELING ABOUT FREE MUSIC DOWNLOADS

Hello:

My name is Jack Ely and I'm the one whose voice is heard daily on The Kingsmen's 1963 recording of Louie Louie, (may it rest in peace) so you know I have some music business experience.

First I'd like to express an opinion that probably will not be very popular but which oozes with truth. In the early '60's when I was recording, records were thought of as a tool to help promote live performances. The live performances were the main revenue stream and the records were just promotional tools to get people to come see the shows. Somewhere this mode of thinking got turned upside down. Consequently in years hence, record companies, producers, et. all, have made recordings, hoping to profit from the sale of those recordings alone, regardless of whether or not the artist could ever pull it off live. This did some things to the music business that weren't very healthy. First it made available to the general public, music of artists who may or may not be good live performers; almost anyone can make a good recording with enough cut-ins and loops. And... it made music by groups of players who never ever intended to perform that music live, and who may or may not have ever been able to get along with each other long enough to really sustain any kind of a road show.

Music is meant to be played for the enjoyment of the audiences. For instance, if I go into the studio with an acoustic guitar and simultaneously play and sing on a recording, people would come to see me perform in that same mode; I.e. playing guitar and singing as a solo act. I don't think they would come to see me expecting a full band. Conversely, if I advertised a 'Night with Louie Louie" people would come expecting to see a rock band that they could dance to, and would be quite disappointed if I showed up with just my acoustic guitar.

The suggestions that recordings are produced today just to sell recorded music is all backwards and the sooner the record companies and producers and artists figure this out the sooner they will all quit sniveling over the fact that the entire world is freely sharing their music digitally and isn't willing to stop; and in fact will do anything to circumvent their efforts to get paid for the recordings alone.

The days of producers and musicians putting bands together just to get a recording deal so they can get paid by the record company for a product that usually never even gets released; those days are over. It's time record companies went back to their roots and became what they started out to be; entities who record working acts in order to 1) capture the performance for posterity, and 2) make a promotional tool to get audiences to the next show.

The solution is to give the world all the free music it wants, but to give the recording entity, whether it be a record company or a producer, or whomever, a cut of every live performance. That will do at least two things and maybe more that I haven't even thought about yet. First it will give everyone involved in the recordings a source of revenue (pay day) for all their hard work of producing and promoting the recordings. Second, it will weed out all the so-called "recording artists" who couldn't, in a live venue, perform their way out of a paper bag. In a down economy the public craves live entertainment, so what better time to get back to basics. The timing couldn't be better for a profitable turn around. So now is the time to get it going.

I send you these thoughts in hopes that just maybe a new/old perspective on the subject of recorded music can be presented to the entire recording world and they can all start making a real profit.

Sincerely,

Jack Ely

I'd ideally be in Stockholm right now. The "Oh No" charabang will be in full swing. It was cool to see "White Christmas" this afternoon but my mind kept drifting. I went into town early, in the hope that I could get a few things but it was a disaster. Jenners food hall is gone! What the chuff is up with that? It's been replaced by a Valvona and Crolla!. Now I like that place fine but not in place of what used to be there. Here is another aspect of change that sucks in full swing.

My other attempts at "shopping" were similarly dismal. Fueled by the fact that I don't think there's anything that isn't available everywhere. I even braved Marks and Sparks only to leave empty handed. I'm really not good at this, never was but have evidently gotten a lot worse.

Anyway, as a closer - I urge you to support your independent cinema and go and catch one of the old films that is playing. The way they look on the big screen is much better than your widescreen LCD whatchamacallit or on your laptop screen. It's like the difference between paste up and photoshop. No comparison. So if you have a "local" that's screening a classic, bodyswerve the multiplex and get in there. I actually felt festive for about 5 seconds until I had to get on the train home with the scumhordes that had been buying up all the shit that they'll pass for gifts this crimbo.

I'm hoping that all you overseas homies will visit the UK in 2009. Our currency is not worth a whole heckuvalot. Time to get your own back and come visit your Uncle L.

It's hard to tell what time it is in the mornings at the minute. Yesterday, it didn't get semi-light until after 9am and it was pretty much the same all day. I have a yearning to be in Stockholm where the Oh No... it's Christmas extravaganza is taking place at Nalen. I think I could get a festive glow on if I was there.

But no, I'm heading for Edinburgh instead and ultimately a Filmhouse friends screening of "White Christmas". I like seasonal films and music but don't care for the other trappings. There are things that need to be got so I figure it's time to bite the bullet. The pre-movie mince pies being the prize that'll tempt me out. How's that on the sad-ometer? It would be way easy to procrastinate on this one, believe me.

Keeping up the festive thing, there's a new version of "It still feels like Christmas" up on Angel's myspace. I can't add it to mine though unfortunately. Hoping that the Ben Vaughn opus from last year might make an appearance too.

It was full on seasonal cadence last night at The Tolbooth in Stirling. Davie Scott’s mulled music extravaganza warmed the souls that came out and for a couple of hours, reality took a backseat. A small army of musicians took to the stage to present a mix of folk and pop that was something that only this guy could pull off. By the time they got to the rafter-raising version of “Snow Plus Christmas”, there was a row of people even older than me (maybe) doing the push along with the D man. So The Pearlfishers were augmented by Duglas Bandit, Karine Polwart, Bill Wells and others. Standout for me was Kim Edgar who I’d never heard before. Some digging/research has pulled up the facts that she’s actually doing a show in Edinburgh tonight with someone who is anathema to me in terms of songcraft and opening for Joan as Policewoman.

But anyway. Kim’s contribution including a whopping synth solo in an uptempo jamboree I can’t recall the name of right now, was really very good indeed and left some of us eager to hear more. Karine Polwart also played harmonium on one song and it was positively ethereal. I love the sound of these things to the point that I might even try to get one. The "Oscar In Venice" animation that accompanied the Morriconesque instrumental that is "Ice Race" was pretty sharp too.

The gist here is that nobody could pull off a stunt like this other than Davie. All the shameful Scots Music that has gained popularity over the years by churning out processed white soul doesn’t even come close to what he can do. You know the stuff and the perpatrators. However if you want to hear finite example of the intersection between Rundgren and Bacharach then look no further, nspired and inspiring at all times. This guys love for pop music in infectious to the point of viral and even in its cheesiest moments, the honesty and love just kills any misgivings.

Tuning up to launch into another song, he looked at Duglas and said “whattaya think, close enough for jazz?” to whit Mr Stewart replied, “Ask Bill”. That, me amigos, is entertainment.

One other thing today, if you find yourself in Edinburgh today and want to keep the hell away from the shopping scumhordes then head for the fine Elvis Shakespeare on Leith Walk. Live music all afternoon and a great spot to browse if it isn’t too crowded. Eagleowl were supposed to play but don’t seem to be on the roster but perhaps they’re one of the "surprises". Hope I didn't spoil it if that turns out to be the case. Really.

The Hound on Christmas. Definitely couldn't have put it better myself.

RIP - Bettie Page

'nuff said...

DAVIE SCOTT'S CHRISTMAS POP SPECIAL

Forget that we're all headed for the U-bend, here's some relief for those in the Stirling area tomorrow evening.

See you in the bar for mince pies at approx. 7pm.

It's a shame about Woolworths. It's still one of the very few stores that I would actually have a browse in. Where am I going to futz around when I'm between Filmhouse and The Cameo of a Sunday avo when Woolies disappears for good? Of course there's all the people who work there to consider, they don't deserve this treatment for chrissakes. More victims of the greedy bastards that paddled us up this particular creek. Not to be confused with those who pochled the odd pick and mix. Which I was never guilty of incidentally.

I remember when Falkirk had its own Woolies record store but way before that my prize score of all time in there was a copy of The Standells "Try It" for 25p (I'm pretty sure it was just after decimalisation) which I still have.

Just heard a news report which says the company reported it's highest daily sales ever. Too bad it was down to the vultures. The way things are going, the UK will be closed soon - not just the businesses that we thought would be around forever.

Good news this cauld winter night, I just had it confirmed that The Wrecking Crew documentary will screen as The Monorail Film Club feature during the 2009 Glasgow Film Festival. Two screenings, at Glasgow Film Theatre (7pm and 9pm) on Sunday 22nd January 2009. Clear your diaries and make that the only date you keep that weekend.

Coming up in that very location this Sunday is the excellent Sling Blade and Who I am And What I Want @ 7pm.

Karl Childers, now a grown man, is released from a psychiatric hospital where he has been hospitalised since the age of 12 for the murder of his mother and her lover. Karl settles in his old, small hometown, occupying himself by fixing motors. Directed by Billy Bob Thornton, this character study of several Southern misfits possesses the remorseless inevitability of a Greek tragedy.

We are also screening short film, Who I Am And What I Want (7 minutes), a David Shrigley and Chris Shepherd animation.

Selected and introduced by monorail's tallest customer, Glasgow-based artist, David Shrigley.myspace.com/shrigley