So I am one year older

Or is it a day older? Some things don't change..

I've not retired

I edited my last post to say just the last bit, there's no need for controversy on here, no one reads it anyway! I'm gonna go see Grinderman on Wednesday, and then the Black Angels the week after. Every time I come here Tevez has done something fantastic, so from now on you should just assume that's the case. 1-0 against the champions whilst the red side of manchester managed just a draw with Bolton. Both north London sides crashing to shitty opponents... this could go alright. Anyway, no need for sport on here, no one reads it anyway!

Here we go, out of retirement, the great god of sound will smile down upon Manchester once more. You are all entirely welcome to come along, maybe I will have to be in the

paper again, god forbid..

I only get carsick on boats...

I have work in 9 and a half hours, so I'm gonna go do some sleeping.

Saucerful o' secrets

Never have much to say these days, eh? Just waiting for that new Neil Young album and some good shows, no gigs at the moment... Might go see Wilco up in Newcastle, war on war and all that. I'm scared of heights though, and that's getting towards the top of the country....

It's pretty boring booking people into hotels all day every day, but whatcha gon' do. I'll have to write an album better than Unknown Pleasures before I can even think about quitting that. I errrr... don't think I can hit those heights just yet, so I'd be happy just to write some songs better than, say, cook of the house by wings. Can't be that hard...

Low tour November. Tevez nets twice as city beat Liverpool 3-0, united only draw with Fulham. Decent week, no?

it's funny

I never seem to find time to do anything other than work and sleep in this country, but I always find time to go to other countries?

Anyway, I am going back to Berlin next month. I don't think there are any good shows that week, which is a shame because you were probably expecting it to be a Low show or something? Sometimes I go away for no particular reason other than to escape Greater Manchester.

Remember everyone, if you need any hotels booking, I am your man! A fine career I have.

Bugger this

This is one useless blog, who cares though? I think it's reasonably good. Anyway, I got back from music mecca. I am 99% sure I nearly died on the last night, I have no idea why I was so fucking ill. The rest of the time i had my brothers to feed and booze me up. Anyway, fuck this if USA can draw with England I don't think I can cope with this.

Journey to music Mecca

Hello all, I am off to Primavera again. My life is the same year on repeat.

Record Store Day...

...is a crazy day. I queued way too long, but got in there first and bought the Blur, Jesus & Mary Chain and Nick Cave releases. I have had a few offers for a trade with the Nick Cave one, so I might take advantage and get me some Spiritualized or slowdive stuff, maybe..?

I'm not going to think about the football.

The greatest saturday, coming tomorrow

Tomorrow it is all happening. Believe me.

After getting it together and doing a tour last year, Blur are releasing a 1 track 7" for Record Store Day. Unexpected I know, I still wont hold my breath for an album, but it's nice that the last thing they put out is with Graham Coxon, the best guitarist of the 1990s. (Sorry Greenwood, Kozelek, Reid, Pierce)

Newly recorded last week, hopefully it won't be total dogshit (remember song 2 and crazy beat??).

Oh yeah, and there is the small matter of Manchester City vs Manchester United!?! urgh, makes me feel a little sick thinking about losing to those bastards. (EDIT: and we did)

Anyway, so... I would like saturday to go like this... Queue at Piccadilly Records from 7:30, opens at 10 and I bag myself one of the 3 copies of the Blur single. Have some breakfast, something to build my strength for the football.

EDIT: damn, at least I got the blur 7.

Classic reggae

Max Romeo, produced by Lee scratch Perry

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2NHNIgYRKVQ

Blah Blah Blah

I'm not Miles Davis or Serge Gainsbourg but look, you're still here reading what I am writing, are you all there in the brain? I think I have more in common with Serge, in that I like alcohol too much, Miles liked the old smack, didn't he? Yunno, when Miles Davis watched Live Aid, he said the only act worth watching was Nik Kershaw (of the 'wouldn't it be good' fame). Can you believe that?

Anyway, sometimes an album is just so good you don't even know why you like it anymore. It's too obviously good for you to think about what you are hearing anymore. I can't stop listening to Forever Changes by Love, what a fucking album. Excuse my language...

I am hoping Primavera announce some more bands, the line-up is great, but last year had Neil Young and Spiritualized. This year is all about Low at the moment, although Pixies were fucking awesome back in 2004. Let's see ey, I would've liked Arcade Fire, or maybe even a Loop or Spacemen 3 reunion (FAT CHANCE!).

Anyway, I'm signing off, take it take it take it take it.

I think this went wrong

when I stopped numbering my posts, you think?

Just listening to Pink Floyd and Loop, I think everyone should realise music peaked in the early 70s, and again in the early 90s. Now you know.

Anyway, apparently I can't eat meat today because it's good friday. I fail to see what's so good about it, I can eat fish though, so maybe it's not so bad after all.

Man City v Burnley tomorrow. I will not be happy if we don't manage to beat those jokers.

Berlin

You asked for it, yunno.

Berlin is pretty crazy, you can do what you want. I mean, in doing whatever you want it's pretty easy to annoy people, but that is allowed on holiday too, just about. Magnet is full of weirdos and it has paintings of the brazil national team outside it, what more could you want? A fucking good rock n roll show that's what, that was all in order too. Anyway, I don't have much to say these days, I just drink too much and stay in bed. I applied for a job at the BBC, I won't get it.

I am a year older apparently, this means I am closer to being allowed to listen to Leonard Cohen as much as I do.

Tevez scored 3 goals tonight.

Na na, na na na na, naaa na na, Carlos Tevez.

Anyway, here are some I made earlier.

I Got My Mind Set On Steve

Pollard and the Monkey Man

Everybody Knows This Is Sparhawk

Damn, I have too much spare time.

Anyway, I guess I will be back for Primavera, the pet shop boys!!

SO!!!

Apart from more famous people dying since I last posted, I got one of those nifty macbook pro things. The caps lock key is annoying, sometimes it doesn't seem to work. Apart from that I'm getting used to this new world of strange sounds and icons puffing up in smoke. Better than windows 7 for sure! Windows 7 was not my idea, as I'm sure you know, because if it was I would be on those stupid adverts and probably being slagged off by mac and Windows Vista users worldwide. Anyway, I started up a new last.fm account so everyone can see whatever I am listening to whilst I am listening to it. It records everything. I stopped using my old one because it was a bit rubbish. I had it since I was an idiot teenager and I listened to a lot of Jimmy Eat World as well as all this good stuff I talk about. Be careful though, I do still listen to some shite when I am in the mood.

A heads up to everyone that the new Retribution Gospel Choir album '2' is out now. It doesn't seem to have reached UK shore yet, but blame subpop or someone for that. Needless to say it's better than the new Kiss record. It's for you to decide if it's better than Love Gun. You can hear it here... www.myspace.com/retributiongospelchoir

They've just set out on some crazy as fuck massive tour too. So they will be playing near you soon as long as you live in the USA or Europe.

The Super Bowl is coming this weekend, I'm gonna have to support the saints, just cause it's nice to do that.

More sad news

From Pitchfork...

Rowland S. Howard, the Australian guitarist who played with Nick Cave in both the Boys Next Door and the influential post-punk outfit the Birthday Party, died from liver cancer this morning, December 30. He was 50.


Great guitarist who made great music. It speaks volumes that despite The Birthday Party splitting so long ago, people still care. Without him, who knows where Nick Cave would've got? R.I.P.

The snow is almost gone now

The snow has been dreadful, getting anywhere has been a pain and now it's gone we just have ice. I keep falling over.... At least I don't have anywhere to be today.

I have started planning the trip to Primavera 2010 after some exciting first confirmations. Pixies, Pavement, Wilco and Low (playing The Great Destroyer) mean that even if the other bands are crappy, there is enough good sound to get me through. The Fall, Panda Bear and a few other decent bands are also confirmed as good back-ups should no brilliant bands be on at the time they are.

This year has been a good one, I'm sure you can tell.
Low in Eindhoven
Primavera 09 (Neil Young!)
Spiritualized - Ladies & Gentlemen... Live
21st in Paris
too much to list.

Sad news that Vic Chesnutt has passed. RIP.

57: Poor Mark Hughes

I know this was previously a post having a go at the guy, but we'd just lost and I was annoyed. Sacking him was harsh, especially seen as we won today and have recently beat Chelsea well. Mancini better be good after this nonsense.

Forget numbers, this is words.

I'm sick of not having a computer. I get paid from my new job in a couple of weeks but I can't afford to spend all that on a computer because then I will have no money left to buy anyone gifts and stupid stuff lihe that. I've been skint for so long that I'v only left the house for work and slept the rest of the time. This is exactly like last winter but without the good bits arn't as good and the bad bits arn't as bad. Does that make it better? I dunno.

I've been watching tennis and football a lot, that's mildly good I guess. City never win anymore, in fact the last time they won was against West Ham and we've played some mega shit teams since then.

I am looking forward to going to London, although I obviously can't afford it, gotta try and forget that...

No good music has come out this year really, maybe a few albumks here and there but it's been pretty dry. The best thing is Spiritualized re-releasing an album from 1997. £125 is a lot for a special edition though.

Next year will be good for music, starting in January with RGC and then moving onwards with some new stuff from Spiritualized, Mogwai, Sigur Ros and maybe even Low? Who knows. There's also reunions from Pavement and Chapterhouse to look forward too and a tour from the mighty KISS.

There are some noises that At The Drive-In are getting back together next year, and they're mostly coming from the band themselves. Cave In are back too. So, interesting times in 2010.......

55: It rains, it pours...

Hey Ya. It's been raining outside for about 3 days now, maybe that Noah story wasn't so far-fetched after all... Hell, maybe I should build an Arc! Whilst I do it I can listen to Arc buy Neil Young. What a noise that was.

Anyway... I went to see a great band from Baltimore play at Tiger Lounge the other night. They are called Thank You and are on Thrill Jockey along with Tortoise, Pit Er Pat and loads of other bands. I'm sure you can imagine what they're like just from me telling you that. Check them out here...
www.myspace.com/wethankyou

Also... Mew (the danish band, not the pokemen) are playing tonight in Manchester and I really wanna go so I guess I will! Also, Yo La Tengo tomorrow. Yo La Tengo is a sell-out but I think I've scored a ticket on ebay. My sister has guest list, I dont.... I'm not bitter.

I've been having a drink tonight whilst listening to Bob Marley. This wasn't to celebrate anyone trying to blow up important British buildings, just to celebrate it having been a year since I saw someone who was no good.

It's almost been a year since those Low christmas shows, they were great things and I enjoyed acting like a child again and getting caught up in the season to be jolly. Maybe I will have to do a christmas show this year to make up for the fact there isn't a Low gig. Paul McCartney is doing a christmas show, he is a total prat these days though...

I am bored as you can tell. I should be in bed at this time but Curb Your Enthusiasm is on at half 2 and I missed it earlier. GO TO BED!

54: Love Gun! What an album cover.

My computer doesn't work anymore so I can't get online so much, which is annoying because I still have to wait a while til I start my new old job. Christmas at HMV was good last year so I will enjoy it I'm sure. I might even save some money to go on holiday soon.

I went to see Efterklang in Manchester on Saturday night (Halloween) and they were pretty boring. Sure, I like them, but that doesn't make them good live. Stick to the records I say, save your tenner for something better (Spectrum at Corsica Studios or Bob Mould/RGC at the Bloomsbury Ballroom maybe?).

At the moment I am reading Shakey, the Neil Young biography. I have literally had the book hanging around since first year of college without ever reading it so I thought it was a good time to do that. It's starting off a bit heavy. I don't know if I'm bothered about what his Grandparents were like, it is interesting though. The sooner I get to the electronic madness in the 80s the better. COMPUTER AGE!!

I've been reading the new issue of Mojo magazine too. Roger Waters is a great man and he is the cover star this month. He's planning to do a tour of The Wall! I won't start going on about that album again though. Bit of stuff about Spiritualized/Spacemen 3 too. And Kiss. I think I like Gene Simmons, he is shameless. Imagine Gene Simmons, J Spaceman and Roger Waters together in a band? They would be rubbish, regardless of previous triumphs.

This is a really long post today isn't it? Not over yet, not at all. I've been looking at this great little venue in London called the Battersea Barge. It's a Barge on the Thames and it floats around while you have a party or something. It's mainly for business meetings I think but hopefully one day I can get Pink Floyd to reunite and play there with the pig floating over the power station like it's 1977 and play Animals all the way through. Capacity is only about 60 though, forget about it.

Someone on the tv is swimming fully clothed, I imagine that would be hard. Jeans would get really heavy and slow you down a lot. Depends if you want to swim fast... Don't wear your clothes in a swimming race... you'll lose. It's the taking part that counts, of course, but you would just look stupid... Now they have nothing on... I think I should change the channel...