Keith Flint 1969-2019
RIP
Mental health affects us all. If you're struggling or feeling low, please know that you are not alone. Talking helps, and there is always someone to listen.
Samaritans - help is available 24 hours a day, call 116 123
Showing posts with label BBC 6Music. Show all posts
Showing posts with label BBC 6Music. Show all posts
Monday, March 04, 2019
"I'm the trouble starter, punkin' instigator"
The sad news of Keith Flint's passing has rippled through the day, a sombre ending to a life that brought joy to so many, though the man we saw on stage and in videos was far removed from the real Keith offstage. Listening to 6Music today, with a noticeably shaken Matt Everitt imparting tales of this gentle soul, the swear box installed in his pub for when a log was needed to feed the flames, I was struck by the distance between the image he portrayed and the man himself.
Yes, Keith Flint
had a snarling, ferocious stage presence, one that I was lucky enough to see in action with The Prodigy a couple of times. The final time just last year at Victorious,
and the stage persona the man had was awe-inspiring; I honestly thought
that, if I didn't move to the music, he would personally hope off
stage, find me in the crowd, and make me dance. But that's all it was, a
presence, a mask; a quiet man, he became a super-power when the music fed him. He will always by the Firestarter, the man who got thousands dancing, and he will always be missed.
Keith Flint 1969-2019
RIP
Mental health affects us all. If you're struggling or feeling low, please know that you are not alone. Talking helps, and there is always someone to listen.
Samaritans - help is available 24 hours a day, call 116 123
Keith Flint 1969-2019
RIP
Mental health affects us all. If you're struggling or feeling low, please know that you are not alone. Talking helps, and there is always someone to listen.
Samaritans - help is available 24 hours a day, call 116 123
Thursday, December 20, 2018
Jonnie Common - 'Yippee-Ki-Yay Father Christmas'
One of the joys of occasionally working from home, alongside avoiding the daily commute and gaining easier access to a supply of good coffee, has been the ability to fully savour Lauren Laverne's excellent morning show on BBC 6Music. Between 1000 and 1300, when I'm WFH, it feels as though a muso chum has popped in for a cup of coffee, have a bit of a chat and listen to some good tunes. To say I popped a Villanelle pout when the station announced a shake-up of its daytime programming is something of an understatement (but change is both a good and constant thing, isn't it?).
The People's Playlist is a regular Thursday feature of the show, playing a selection of tracks suggested by listeners that fit that week's selected theme. This week's TPP sought 'Christmas songs that you don't hear on the radio' (which, typically, I missed the announcement of so couldn't suggest this, this or especially this), resulting in a fine selection of offbeat and unusual tunes all interspersed with dialogue from some suitably festive films.
One of these films regularly splits opinion as to whether it really is a Christmas movie or not. Yes, I am indeed referring to the 1988 feel-good classic, Die Hard. If you're of the mindset that Die Hard isn't a Christmas movie then, obviously, you are wrong. It is, very much so. If you've never heard of or seen the film then allow me to provide some details; Die Hard is a heart-warming tale of a man called John who visits his estranged wife, Holly, and their two children for the holidays. Unfortunately their chance to reconnect is interrupted by a team of international terrorists, intent on ruining everyone's plans with a surfeit of guns, some C4 and a rocket launcher. John has to save the day armed only with a string vest, a red Sharpie, some pithy one-liners and a heck of a lot of bullets.
See, I told you, Christmassy.
Characters reference Egg Nog, Rudolph and Frosty, plus the soundtrack has two choice Xmas songs. Heck, it's even spun off a kid's book it's THAT festive. To be honest, given my liking of the film (which I watched, again, at the weekend) it was something of a surprise to realise, during The People's Playlist, that someone had written a Christmas song about the film, a song that I hadn't heard; how was this even possible?
Scottish musician Jonnie Common's Yippee-Ki-Yay Father Christmas tells the story of Die Hard in three and a half minutes, delicately enforcing the festive message of the movie and making fists with your toes a sing-along line. It tackles John's character flaws and his predilection for sleeveless under-garments, as well as sombrely recognising the sacrifice one of the supporting characters makes. It's a gem of a song and I'm frankly amazed I've not heard it before now.
Yippee-Ki-Yay Father Christmas came out in 2016, the flip side of a split Die Hard themed 7" released to raise funds for "charities which protect the NHS, support migrants, refugees, victims of rape and domestic abuse, and those who suffer physical or mental disabilities", all causes which sadly need our support in these cold and bitter times.
Discovering this song via Lauren Laverne's show may have reminded me that the world is a scary place, and that not everyone has their John McClane to save the day, but there are thankfully enough people out there who help to make a change just by doing what they do, whether it be writing and performing a song or simply by sharing said song's message across the airwaves. A thank you then to Jonnie Common for this tune, to whoever suggested it for The People's Playlist, and for Lauren and team for playing it. Now I have a Die Hard Christmas song to listen to.. Ho! Ho! Ho!
The People's Playlist is a regular Thursday feature of the show, playing a selection of tracks suggested by listeners that fit that week's selected theme. This week's TPP sought 'Christmas songs that you don't hear on the radio' (which, typically, I missed the announcement of so couldn't suggest this, this or especially this), resulting in a fine selection of offbeat and unusual tunes all interspersed with dialogue from some suitably festive films.
One of these films regularly splits opinion as to whether it really is a Christmas movie or not. Yes, I am indeed referring to the 1988 feel-good classic, Die Hard. If you're of the mindset that Die Hard isn't a Christmas movie then, obviously, you are wrong. It is, very much so. If you've never heard of or seen the film then allow me to provide some details; Die Hard is a heart-warming tale of a man called John who visits his estranged wife, Holly, and their two children for the holidays. Unfortunately their chance to reconnect is interrupted by a team of international terrorists, intent on ruining everyone's plans with a surfeit of guns, some C4 and a rocket launcher. John has to save the day armed only with a string vest, a red Sharpie, some pithy one-liners and a heck of a lot of bullets.
See, I told you, Christmassy.
Characters reference Egg Nog, Rudolph and Frosty, plus the soundtrack has two choice Xmas songs. Heck, it's even spun off a kid's book it's THAT festive. To be honest, given my liking of the film (which I watched, again, at the weekend) it was something of a surprise to realise, during The People's Playlist, that someone had written a Christmas song about the film, a song that I hadn't heard; how was this even possible?
Scottish musician Jonnie Common's Yippee-Ki-Yay Father Christmas tells the story of Die Hard in three and a half minutes, delicately enforcing the festive message of the movie and making fists with your toes a sing-along line. It tackles John's character flaws and his predilection for sleeveless under-garments, as well as sombrely recognising the sacrifice one of the supporting characters makes. It's a gem of a song and I'm frankly amazed I've not heard it before now.
Yippee-Ki-Yay Father Christmas came out in 2016, the flip side of a split Die Hard themed 7" released to raise funds for "charities which protect the NHS, support migrants, refugees, victims of rape and domestic abuse, and those who suffer physical or mental disabilities", all causes which sadly need our support in these cold and bitter times.
Discovering this song via Lauren Laverne's show may have reminded me that the world is a scary place, and that not everyone has their John McClane to save the day, but there are thankfully enough people out there who help to make a change just by doing what they do, whether it be writing and performing a song or simply by sharing said song's message across the airwaves. A thank you then to Jonnie Common for this tune, to whoever suggested it for The People's Playlist, and for Lauren and team for playing it. Now I have a Die Hard Christmas song to listen to.. Ho! Ho! Ho!
Friday, June 15, 2018
Kick Kick Kick Kick...
Names have been changed to protect the innocent...
[INT] An office building on an overcast Thursday afternoon. In a quiet corner of an open-plan room a team of IT types are hard at work; they are of similar ages, all awaiting a mid-life crisis, with the exception of the considerably younger PFY.
Mr Ex: 6Music just played the Hey Duggee football song, it's brilliant!
Mr Stick: Is that the Kick song?
PFY: What's Hey Duggee?
Mr Stick: Listen to this [banging tune emanates from a mobile phone's speaker, all listen]
Mr Check: It's OK, but it's not the best World Cup song is it?
Mr Shorts: Which is?
Mr Check: New Order's one obviously
[several quiet seconds pass]
PFY: Who are New Order?
Bless. And people wonder why I never watched The IT Crowd. However, yes, the interesting people behind Hey Duggee have re-worked their retro club classic Stick song for the World Cup. No, really...
[INT] An office building on an overcast Thursday afternoon. In a quiet corner of an open-plan room a team of IT types are hard at work; they are of similar ages, all awaiting a mid-life crisis, with the exception of the considerably younger PFY.
Mr Ex: 6Music just played the Hey Duggee football song, it's brilliant!
Mr Stick: Is that the Kick song?
PFY: What's Hey Duggee?
Mr Stick: Listen to this [banging tune emanates from a mobile phone's speaker, all listen]
Mr Check: It's OK, but it's not the best World Cup song is it?
Mr Shorts: Which is?
Mr Check: New Order's one obviously
[several quiet seconds pass]
PFY: Who are New Order?
Bless. And people wonder why I never watched The IT Crowd. However, yes, the interesting people behind Hey Duggee have re-worked their retro club classic Stick song for the World Cup. No, really...
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