23 Sep 2008
Inspiration not needed
Getting a band together? New album finished?
Well no longer do you need to come up with a band name by using inspiration alone.
Try this:
* 1: Go to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:Random
The first random Wikipedia article you get is the name of your band.
* 2: Go to Random quotations:
The last four words (more or less if it makes sense) of the very last quote of the page is the title of your first album.
* 3: Cover art for the album sleeve - Go to flickrs ‘last seven days‘ section:
Pick the fourth picture.
So for my first band/album:
Band name: 8837 London
Album name: Intimidations of the Prophets
Album cover: Here
14 Feb 2008
Take That
Years ago I was walking through the city streets in Newcastle. I got to the Virgin Megastore to see an huge crowd of folk hanging around. I asked someone to tell me what was going on.
We’re waiting to see Take That.
said the spotty oik. Well at that time I’d never heard of them. Shows what I know.
Yesterday I cycled to work through the city centre here and saw an huge crowd outside HMV, at 8am. I didn’t fancy stopping so zoomed past and on to work.
After work I was off up to the uni for my german class and at DMH there was another huge queue of folk. Still didn’t stop to ask and wasn’t interested beyond “Oh there’s a queue”. Just read in the local rag that it was all about another new and thrusting young band. This time called “Paramore”. Never heard of them either.
No doubt they’ll go far.
Have fun.
28 Dec 2007
Noise works
Was a rubbish day at work today. Came home in a grump and started playing around with YouTube and found something that has put the biggest smile on my face.
You need to have headphones on and play at full volume:
19 Dec 2007
Christmas music done right and proper
Here’s a storming version of an old favourite. If the shops played this sort of stuff at this time of year then I might not loathe the hassle of christmas shopping quite so much.
Have fun.
18 Nov 2007
Number 1
Oh nostalgia ain’t what it used to be.
Here you go. The productivity of insomnia at the weekend.
A list of the number 1’s in the UK singles chart on my birthday through the years as taken from the source of all truth aka Wikipedia.
1971 - Dave and Ansil Collins - Double Barrel
1972 - The Pipes & Drums & Military Band of The Royal Scots Dragoon Guards - Amazing Grace
1973 - Dawn featuring Tony Orlando - Tie A Yellow Ribbon Round The Ole Oak Tree
1974 - ABBA - Waterloo
1975 - Mud - Oh Boy
1976 - ABBA - Fernando
1977 - Deniece Williams - Free
1978 - The Bee Gees - Night Fever
1979 - Art Garfunkel - Bright Eyes
1980 - Dexys Midnight Runners - Geno
1981 - Adam and the Ants - Stand and Deliver
1982 - Nicole - A Little Peace
1983 - Spandau Ballet - True
1984 - Duran Duran - The Reflex
1985 - Paul Hardcastle - 19
1986 - Spitting Image - The Chicken Song
1987 - Starship - Nothing’s Gonna Stop Us Now
1988 - Fairground Attraction - Perfect
1989 - Kylie Minogue - Hand on Your Heart
1990 - Adamski - Killer
1991 - Cher - The Shoop Shoop Song (It’s in His Kiss)
1992 - KWS - Please Don’t Go/Game Boy
1993 - George Michael & Queen with Lisa Stansfield - Five Live
1994 - Stiltskin - Inside
1995 - Livin’ Joy - Dreamer
1996 - George Michael - Fastlove
1997 - Olive - You’re Not Alone
1998 - Aqua - Turn Back Time
1999 - The Backstreet Boys - I Want It That Way
2000 - Britney Spears - Oops!…I Did It Again
2001 - Geri Halliwell - It’s Raining Men
2002 - Holly Valance - Kiss Kiss
2003 - R. Kelly - Ignition (Remix)
2004 - Eamon - F**k It (I Don’t Want You Back)
2005 - Akon - Lonely
2006 - Gnarls Barkley - Crazy
2007 - Beyoncé featuring Shakira - Beautiful Liar
So I’ve got the coolest ska track there when I was born, a couple of ABBA songs, a couple of Eurovision winners, one swear word (not counting a 4 letter word beginning with C), the odd novelty song and also a couple of good tracks.
I find it interesting that through the entire 90’s I don’t actually recognise, couldn’t hum, sing or tell you any lyrics of any of the songs EXCEPT the most annoying song on the list. In fact I looked through and can only recognise 18 of them and I only know Double Barrel ‘cos I downloaded it a while ago when I found out it was no 1 when I was born.
If you’re interested here’s the no 1’s for some other folk’s zeroth birthdays (in date in the year order):
K: Rolf Harris - Two Little Boys
Ana: Goombay Dance Band - Seven Tears
Pee: Art Garfunkel - Bright Eyes
Nicky: Bucks Fizz - My Camera Never Lies
Clurb: Irene Cara - Fame
My bro: The Equals - Baby Come Back
Unca D: Art Garfunkel - I Only Have Eyes for You
Rebecca: ABBA - The Name Of The Game
Well good heavens. What fun. Yet again Clurb has the coolest one (except maybe me).
And just ‘cos I can, after the clicky is the same thing but for albums: My I’m bored! Read the rest of this entry »
10 Mar 2007
Cover
Cover versions are strange creatures.
We hear of crap like The X Factor where they do nowt but and then usually badly or at least very blandly. Then you get utter classics like Scout Niblett’s stunning version of Althea and Donna’s “Uptown Top Ranking”.
The difference seems to be not only in the talent but also whether they bother to do something about stamping their own imprint on the song.
You may know that I’m a massive fan of the band SWANS. They went through a period of covering the classic “Love Will Tear Us Apart” (Joy Division’s finest moment). The first version they did was a blatant rip off and is staggeringly dull. Gira’s voice is good and expressive but doing it that way has been done - by Joy Division if no-one else. So why bother - unless you’re in a tribute band? Then they did another version with a total change of mood and emphasis - much more impressive.
But even then there’s a thing. It’s already a good song as is “Uptown” so it can’t be that hard to make a good tune out of it can it? So what about trying to get good versions of bad songs?
I’ve got the Finnish Shouting Choir doing the French/German and American national anthems and they are total freaks of music.
And I found this this morning.
http://www.dailymotion.com/visited/search/merzbow/video/x51h_hanayo-joe-le-taxi
Anyone know any more?
Have fun.
PS Oh and if anyone can get hold of Babes in Toyland’s version of “Calling Occupants of Interplanetary Craft” then I’d love them forever.
11 Jan 2007
Did Lee Squat?
Another post with a link in it.
Here’s the link (but be aware there are some naughty naughty words in there).
All it is is a list of real band names. A few follow Bosie’s rule that a band name must include the word “lesbian” (I rather like “Lesbian Dopeheads on Mopeds”) but the word seems under-used for her purposes.
What’s also surprising is the number of bands that I actually own stuff by or have seen live.
Awards to band names from that list include:
For truth in humour - “The French are from Hell”.
For clever word play - “Jehova’s Witness Protection Program”.
For subtlety - “Kerrigan’s Knees”.
Have fun.