Saturday, March 31, 2007

Sounds Comforting

Danish band Mew were recently approached by an advertising company, working for a Norwegian Pay-TV channel, for the use of one of their songs in an upcoming campaign.

"Can we use Comforting Sounds in the new Canal Digital ad?" they asked.

"OK, but you'll have to pay us some money" said Mew.

"Err, we'll get back to you" replied the advertising company, who then proceeded to get someone to knock up a just-different-enough-so-they-won't-sue soundalike tune for their shiny new ad...



If you ask me that's not really different enough at all, it's practically the same. The band thought so to, as did their record company and their lawyers (if your Norwegian is good then you can read more information on the Verdens Gang website).

Following some intense legal banter later a deal was struck so that the ad could be shown this one time, with Mew compensated for the possible copyright exposure. Should the ad campaign be re-run at a later date however the tune in question will be changed to something that really doesn't sound anything at all like Comforting Sounds. Which, by the way, sounds like this...

Wednesday, March 28, 2007

The Gigwatcher 28/03/2007

Shipoopi, Shipoopi, Shipoopi, the girl is hard to get.

Argh.

Do I not like the switch to Daylight Saving Time.

[insert long and aimless rant here about changing all the clocks in the house, which of course includes the video you never use anymore so you have to find the pesky remote which is behind the sofa but it doesn't work because the batteries are flat and it takes those tiny AAA ones which you never ever have quite enough of]

And relax.

*koff*

Yes well, that's quite enough of that.. here's what I found listed in the back pages of this week's NME:

Dub Pistols @ Komedia, Brighton - 11/04/2007
The Beat @ Concorde 2, Brighton - 13/04/2007
The Ripps @ Lennons, Southampton - 14/04/2007
Foals @ Lennons, Southampton - 21/04/2007
Zico Chain @ The Joiners, Southampton - 23/04/2007
The Envy Corps @ Lennons, Southampton - 05/05/2007
The Black Ghosts @ Pressure Point, Brighton - 17/05/2007
The Envy Corps @ The Railway Inn, Winchester - 18/05/2007
The Pigeon Detectives @ Southampton University, Southampton - 21/05/2007
The Holloways @ The Opera House, Bournemouth - 01/06/2007
The Cribs @ The Pyramids, Portsmouth - 06/06/2007

If I'm not watching endless re-runs of CSI on FiveUS I'll add the above gigs into the SoMC Events Calendar. As mentioned once or twice before the Events Calendar is made of ticky tacky and to use it you just need to register on the SoMC forum. In a Blue Peter style, here are some gigs I found earlier:

Scott Matthews @ The Pyramids, Portsmouth - 03/04/2007
The Model Village @ Havana Café Bar, Portsmouth - 06/04/2007
Winnebago Deal @ The Railway Inn, Winchester - 13/04/2007
Wiservice @ The Wedgewood Rooms, Portsmouth - 14/04/2007
Jeniferever @ The Hope, Brighton - 20/04/2007
Curtis Stigers @ The Anvil, Basingstoke - 26/04/2007
Cradle of Filth @ The Pyramids, Portsmouth - 30/04/2007
Peter & The Test Tube Babies @ The Joiners, Southampton - 30/04/2007
Hot Chip (DJ set) @ The Wedgewood Rooms, Portsmouth - 12/05/2007
The Hold Steady @ The Wedgewood Rooms, Portsmouth - 04/07/2007

The Cooper Temple Clause's planned gig at The Pyramids on Wednesday 4th April has been moved to Wednesday 23rd May at The Wedgewood Rooms. Original tickets remain valid and, in other news, Kubichek! have been named as the support.

Chichester's Golden Section will be appearing at The Wedgewood Rooms this Saturday as support for local outfit The Exits. Also on the bill are Hijera from Southampton (aka "that band that won that thing on BBC South Today last year"). Some new tunage from Golden Section can be heard on their MySpace (it's well worth a listen if you get the chance).

Some more additions have been made to the line-up for this year's Isle of Wight Festival. Koopa, who made history by becoming the first unsigned band to break the UK Top 40, will be appearing on the Friday night. The Sunday bill now boasts the presence of ex-Spice Girl Melanie C. *koff* If, like me, you were unsuccessful in obtaining tickets for this year's Newport shindig then help is at hand, the organisers have announced an auction of an additional 100 weekend tickets. The bidding begins on Ticketmaster at 9am tomorrow morning. Clickity.

And that just about wraps it up for this week, this afternoon I have mostly been listening to the new LCD Soundsystem album (and resisting the temptation to break out the glo-sticks) and trying to get the sound of Peter Griffin singing that damn Music Man song out of my head.

Tuesday, March 27, 2007

Pure Reason Revolution - Victorious Cupid

Reading's Pure Reason Revolution have released a new tune, Victorious Cupid, for free download via their MySpace.

The song will only be available for a limited period and, whilst perhaps sounding like a potted version of The Dark Third, is a good sign that the band is back on track after recent problems.

If you caught the band on their recent tour you may have picked up a CD sleeve which can be used to house this 'single' should you choose to burn the song to a CDR.

Furthermore a new fan-forum has sprung up, replacing the defunct official one on the band's label-led website. You can now join fellow fans in The Realm of The Divine. Which is nice.

Wednesday, March 21, 2007

The Gigwatcher 21/03/2007

Do you want a pie with your gravy and fries combination?

I tell you, I'm getting proper fed up with the seemingly endless engineering works that Network Rail are inflicting on Portsmouth and the surrounding areas. Saturday night should have seen me quite happily sitting on a comfy chair, drinking beer whilst watching Holly Valance and Devon Aoki impress me with their martial artistry.

Instead I found myself standing at a bus stop for nearly an hour, freezing my Converse off, waiting for a replacement bus service because the men in the orange rave gear were doing things to the signals again. When the blinking flip bus finally arrived I impatiently leapt aboard (no, really I did) and scampered up to the top deck. All went well as far as Cosham, after which it soon transpired that I'd got on the wrong bus.

It sped past the Farlington turn-off and took me toward a more wretched hive of scum and villainy than Mos Eisley spaceport.

Havant Railway Station.

Thankfully the coach I was looking for made an appearance before too long and, with an ABBA loving coach driver at the wheel, I made it safely to Portsmouth.

I was only two hours late as well, which is pretty good for me.


*koff*

Moving swiftly on.. here's what I found listed in the back pages of this week's NME (which this week came with FREE stickers, just what I need to decorate my Sociology textbook):

The Little Flames @ Lennon's, Southampton - 24/03/2007
Air Traffic @ The Old Fire Station, Bournemouth - 25/03/2007
The Bees @ Audio, Brighton - 27/03/2007
Stephen Fretwell @ Red Roaster, Brighton - 11/05/2007
Duke Special @ The Brook, Southampton - 11/05/2007
Laura Marling @ Mono, Southampton - 08/04/2007
Good Books @ The Hope, Brighton - 12/04/2007
Good Books @ The Railway, Winchester - 14/04/2007
Ghosts @ The Joiners, Southampton - 15/04/2007
Luke Toms @ The Joiners, Southampton - 25/04/2007
The Cribs @ The Pyramids, Portsmouth - 06/06/2007
Kings of Leon @ BIC, Bournemouth - 04/07/2007
Babyshambles @ Brighton Centre, Brighton - 25/11/2007
Babyshambles @ BIC, Bournemouth - 26/11/2007

If events don't conspire against me again, and I don't get on the wrong bus and end up somewhere in the back of beyond, I'll update the SoMC Events Calendar with the above gigs just as soon as I can. The Events Calendar ecky ecky ecky ftang ftang gnarly whoop and all you need to do is register on the SoMC forum to use it. Here are some gigs I've lifted from the Events Calendar to tickle your fancy:

Buswell @ The Nell Gwynne, Portsmouth - 24/03/2007
The Strange Death Of Liberal England @ The Registry, Portsmouth - 29/03/2007
The Fall @ The Old Market, Brighton - 29/03/2007
The Cheese Doctors @ The Cellars at Eastney, Portsmouth - 31/03/2007
The Mods @ The Brook, Southampton - 05/04/2007
The Hollies @ The Anvil, Basingstoke - 11/04/2007
Voodoo Glow Skulls @ Nexus, Southampton - 18/04/2007
Steve Winwood @ The Wedgewood Rooms, Portsmouth - 21/04/2007
Loudon Wainwright III @ The Guildhall, Southampton - 22/04/2007
The Go! Team @ The Wedgewood Rooms, Portsmouth - 17/05/2007
The ELO Experience @ The Brook, Southampton - 18/05/2007

Monday night's cancelled Deftones gig at Portsmouth Guildhall has been rescheduled to Sunday 15th April. Karnataka's cancelled Thursday 1st March gig at The Brook has been rescheduled to Thursday 19th April. Original tickets for both events remain valid, which is nice.

What must be the worst kept secret this year, that The Rolling Stones will be headlining the Sunday night of the Isle of Wight Festival, was inadvertently sort of confirmed by Virgin Radio yesterday. The official site have yet to say it's so, and the article on Virgin Radio's website has up and disappeared, but it looks certain that rock's favourite pensioners will be strutting their stuff in Seaclose Park this June (if they don't fall asleep during Keane's set that is).

As mentioned previously the mighty Brannigan's Law will be sailing out into the Solent for their next gig, having been booked to play Spitbank Fort on Saturday 12th May alongside
The Model Village and The Fret. As some regular readers may recall the SoMC's own guitar hero Ant Shue is in the band, pictures of him perfecting his power lunge are available on the band's MySpace. Giggity!

In other news, I've posted up a link to the Museum of Bad Art on the sleepy confines of the forum; it really does feature some of the most appallingly bad paintings I've seen. Excellent.

And that just about wraps it up for this week, this afternoon I was mostly listening to Paul Anka swinging his way through some contemporary rock and pop classics. His take on Black Hole Sun is, arguably, better than the original.

:o)

PS One last thing, is it just me or does the new Take That single sound like the theme to The Fall Guy in places?

Friday, March 16, 2007

Under Byen - Af samme stof som stof

It's quirky, it's Danish and I just can't stop playing it:



The track is taken from Under Byen's 2006 album Samme stof som stof (which translates as 'same matter as fabric' according to their Wiki); the MP3 is also available as a free download from their website. Nice.

Wednesday, March 14, 2007

Arctic Monkeys - Brianstorm

Loveable northern scamps Arctic Monkeys are back with a taster of the new album, Favourite Worst Nightmare, and there's still no sign of the inevitable backlash from the NME. On the contrary Brianstorm was named Single Of The Week in today's issue.

I've given the song a couple of listens and, though at first I wasn't too sure, now I'm certain they've borrowed Brian Molko's Rhyming Dictionary; lyrically it's weak, though there are a couple of typically choice lines. Musically the tune fair roars along. T
he drums are louder, the guitars faster and it would appear that all the touring has paid off with a desire to rock things up a bit.

The video is slickly done, though bears no relation to the song at all. I haven't the foggiest why the Monkeys appear to be locked in Joy Division's rehearsal room whilst
P.Diddy's dancers shake their collective booty next door.



There's something about that initial "Brian" that makes me think of Monty Python. Guesses to how long before a "He's not an Arctic Monkey, he's a very naughty boy" mash-up hits the net on a postcard please.

The Gigwatcher 14/03/2007

We now return you to our regular programming.

A weekend spent imbibing Jérôme Hatt's miracle elixir greatly
assisted my recovery from last week's exertions; my muscles have recovered and I can now go from sitting to standing to walking smoothly (and not like the badly animated claymation figure I was last Thursday and Friday).

Excellent.

Though it was fun pretending to be Morph for a couple of days.

*koff*

No time for the Gallery I'm afraid, here's what I found listed in the back pages of this week's NME (which this week came with a free DVD, so was of course dearer than usual):

Thirteen Senses @ The Wedgewood Rooms, Portsmouth - 25/03/2007
Josh Pyke @ Engine Room, Brighton - 26/03/2007
Herman Dune @ Dome Bar, Brighton - 01/04/2007
Arctic Monkeys @ The Guildhall, Southampton - 09/04/2007 (tickets are only available via the band's website)
The Wombats @ Unit22, Southampton - 05/05/2007
Groove Armada @ The Guildhall, Southampton - 11/05/2007
Biffy Clyro @ The Pyramids, Portsmouth - 20/05/2007

If I'm not hiding in cigar boxes or plopping through Tony Hart's big desk I'll update the SoMC Events Calendar with the above gigs. The Events Calendar is yadda yadda yadda yadda blah blah blah and all you need to do is register on the SoMC forum to use it. The following gigs are a taster of what can be found on the Events Calendar:

OK Tokyo @ The Railway Inn, Winchester - 15/03/2007
Captain @ LUX/Student Union, Portsmouth University - 16/03/2007
Stout @ The Joiners, Southampton - 16/03/2007
10cc @ The Guildhall, Portsmouth - 18/03/2007
Fitkin:Garland @ The Anvil, Basingstoke - 21/03/2007
Ben Mills @ Chicago Rock Cafe, Fareham - 26/03/2007
Bad Manners @ Chicago Rock Cafe, Southsea - 29/03/2007
David Kitt @ Audio, Brighton - 21/04/2007
The Wildhearts @ The Brook, Southampton - 23/04/2007
Tom McRae @ Concorde2, Brighton - 20/05/2007
Alabama3 @ The Opera House, Bournemouth - 05/06/2007

Following in the steps of The Police, Crowded House and Genesis the cheeky chaps from Squeeze have decided to dusting off their boots and head out on tour; they'll be stopping at Southampton Guildhall on Tuesday 27th November. From what I can make out it's Messrs Difford and Tilbrook plus some other guys, no sign of Jools Holland (who'll be on tour himself at roughly the same time), Paul Carrack or any of the other chaps on the band's Wikipedia entry.

More acts have been announced for this year's Isle of Wight Festival. Eighties legends Echo & The Bunnymen have been added to the Friday line-up, the combined talents of The Clash's Mick Jones and Sigue Sigue Sputnik's Tony James, aka Carbon/Silicon, are now performing on the Saturday. Woodstock icon Country Joe McDonald and Glasgow's The Hedrons have been announced for the Sunday but there's till no word on that day's headliner.

To celebrate the refurbishment of Bournemouth's Opera House a special Indie Rock'n'Roll Launch Party is being held there on Friday 1st June. Jo Whiley does the honours with the red ribbon after which The Twang, The Young Knives and The Holloways will be entertaining the crowd. The Futureheads will be performing a DJ set as well, which is nice.

The ever impressive Steve Arnott will be standing underneath the stairs again at the Frog & Frigate this coming Friday. As it's also Red Nose Day there's a slim chance he may treat you to a couple of the (fairly rude) comedic songs he knows, make him an offer and see what he says.

And that just about wraps it up for this week, this afternoon I was mostly listening to OKGo and contemplating buying several treadmills to furnish my lounge with.

:o)

Tuesday, March 13, 2007

A fairly pointless thing for Last.FM users to play with...

If, like me, you're a sucker for Last.FM you may be interested in this fairly pointless internet doohickey I stumbled across.

The AEP Calculator works out how diverse your musical tastes are, or not, based on the top 50 artists in your Last.FM overall chart. Utilising some off-screen jiggery-pokery it does some sums and returns a number, usually under 5, equating to how varied your aural choices have been.

Greater than 4 means a very diverse taste in music, greater than 3 means fairly diverse taste in music, and so on. A 0 would most likely mean you listen to one artist obsessively, lower than that, and minus figures are possible, and you're probably faking it.

If you want to check what your AEP (apparently it stands for Anti-Exponential Profile) is then just click here and enter your Last.FM username in the box.
Once your AEP is worked out you can add it to your Last.FM profile, show it off to your friends, that sort of thing.

My AEP is (currently) 3.09, though I think I could boost that it if I listen to more nose flute and Bulgarian hip-hop. Well, it's something to do.

Thursday, March 08, 2007

The Gigwatcher 08/03/2007

I feel like a military academy, bits of me keep passing out.

No, it's not the latest song by Panic at the Disco, it's genuinely how I feel today. After helping Banto move house yesterday (hence the 24 hour delay in the Gigwatcher hitting the streets) I appear to have discovered muscles that I'd long neglected. After discovering them I gave them a good kicking and told them not to bother me again.

Does anyone have a girdle I could borrow?

*koff*

Eyes down for a full house, here's what I found listed in the back pages of this week's NME:

The Xcerts @ The Joiners, Southampton - 12/03/2007
The Electric Cinema @ Pressure Point, Brighton - 27/03/2007
The Rakes @ The Guildhall, Southampton - 30/03/2007
Camera Obscura @ The Joiners, Southampton - 04/04/2007
Fortune Drive @ Ocean Rooms, Brighton - 07/04/2007
The Moths @ Audio, Brighton - 13/04/2007
Camera Obscura @ Komedia, Brighton - 17/04/2007
The Electric Soft Parade @ The Joiners, Southampton - 29/04/2007
Mr Hudson & The Library @ The Wedgewood Rooms, Portsmouth - 20/05/2007

If I'm not liberally spraying parts of myself with Ralgex (which, as everyone knows, has a more potent effect than Lynx) I'll update the SoMC Events Calendar to include the above gigs. The Events Calendar is sprinkled with a wide variety of gigs in this here locale, to access it all you need do is register on the SoMC forum. For your consideration I've snipped the following gigs from it:

Jack Pe
ñate @ The Railway Inn, Winchester - 09/03/2007
Dragon Eye Morrison @ The Wedgewood Rooms, Portsmouth - 10/03/2007
Rachelle Van Zante @ The Railway Inn, Winchester - 14/03/2007
Mastodon @ The Pyramids, Portsmouth - 14/03/2007
Perfect Alibi @ The Brook, Southampton - 24/03/2007
Keith Waith and the Macusi Players @ The Ashcroft Arts Centre, Fareham - 24/03/2007
Martin Simpson @ The Cellars at Eastney, Portsmouth - 28/03/2007
Scott Matthews @ The Pyramids, Portsmouth - 03/04/2007
Racketeers @ The Wedgewood Rooms, Portsmouth - 13/04/2007
Julian Cope @ The Wedgewood Rooms, Portsmouth - 15/05/2007

As nearly every other date on the Cold War Kids current tour has SOLD OUT it should come as no surprise that their gig at The Wedgewood Rooms on Thursday 19th April has done the same. Grobbits. The 36 Crazyfists gig at The Wedgewood Rooms on Sunday 22nd April has also SOLD OUT.

The Red Stripe Music Award 2007 Tour, effectively a countrywide battle of the bands competition (though the website says otherwise), pitches up at Talking Heads in Southampton on Thursday 12th April. Local acts Hijera, The Young Brothers Band and I Falter will be plying their trade in front of press, promoters and A&R types.
Once the tour finishes in April a judging panel (made up of A&R teams present at each gig) will pick the best six acts from the whole shebang. The final will be held in London in May with the winning act receiving a support slot on tour with "a profile band". Which is nice.

The most excellent Erin McKeown has been announced as the support for the equally excellent Thea Gilmore on her imminent tour (which visits The Brook on Sunday 18th March). I'll be there, as will Smudger and The Shar, and hopefully I'll have recovered from whatever St Patrick's Day shenanigans I inflict on my liver the night before.

And that just about wraps it up for this week, this afternoon I mostly listened to Pure Reason Revolution (which doesn't sound like a good name for a band, but it is.. a band I mean) and the sonorous offerings of Mr Perry's Didgeridoo (which isn't a band but sounds as though it should be).

:o)

Thursday, March 01, 2007

Brannigan's Law at "the ultimate venue"

Mr Shue has given me the head's up on the next outing for the mighty Brannigan's Law. They'll be clambering onto a boat and heading out into the Solent for a gig on one of Lord Palmerston's follies:


As venue's go it's definitely one of strangest (not quite as bizarre as Sealand I'll grant you but it's not far off) and has all the makings of an excellent evening. Local bands The Fret, The Model Village and Brannigan's Law are all confirmed, Reading's The Skies complete the bill and tickets are a bargain £10.

OK so there's the additional £5 for the boat to Spitbank Fort to consider but, for a night's entertainment in most unusual surroundings, I can't see that being a problem. Buy your tickets, buy them now.