The 10th January 2016 was a dark day in the music world. Singer, songwriter, musical chameleon and legend David Bowie passed away. The strangest thing happened: the people of the internet came together in an outpouring of grief. Grown men cried. Some trolls stopped being angry. From huge fans to casual admirers, Bowie’s death seemed to touch almost everyone in some way. Even people who weren’t fans were more than aware of David’s importance. Love him, like him, hate him: everybody knew something from Bowie’s vast and varied back catalogue.
Category Archives: Miscellaneous
Billy Bragg – Life’s a Riot With Spy vs. Spy, Live in Sydney, 13th September 2013
In 2013, Billy Bragg’s debut release ‘Life’s a Riot With Spy vs. Spy’ celebrated its thirtieth anniversary. Due to the lo-fi nature of the recording – one man, an electric guitar, no overdubs – it could have been recorded at any point during that time. With the younger Bragg possessing an angry voice, a barrage of social commentary and a knack for a lyric, there was always a feeling that he represented every one of us with a left leaning political voice, just one of many reasons why its seven tracks continue to endure.
SAXON – Wacken Festival, Germany 4/8/2016
Saxon are no strangers to the Wacken Open Air Festival. The metal titans have played Germany’s biggest metal festival several times – now into double figures – and have been an almost permanent fixture since 2001.
2016 saw the band returning yet again, this time in support of their twenty first studio album ‘Battering Ram’, released in October 2015.
Dinosaur Jr. – Live @ Parades De Coura 14/08/2014
Since reconvening the original JayLouMurph line up, alt-rock heroes Dinosaur Jr. have gone from strength to strength. The first three albums released since the 2007 reunion (‘Beyond’, ‘Farm’ and ‘I Bet On Sky’) are a match for anything the three men recorded at the end of the 80s.
There’s a plethora of live footage of the band out there, but finding stuff in good quality can be a challenge. Finding live recordings will well balanced and even audible vocals is even harder, but this show from the ‘Beyond’ tour is absolutely stellar. The band are sloppy as always, but in great form because of that, never despite it. The balance between the guitar and vocals is perfect and the setlist well chosen.
Hateful Notebook: The Shame of Descendents’ American Fans (a Hypercaffium update)
Today sees the release of the Descendents big “comeback” ‘Hypercaffium Spazzinate’. Due to an unfortunate and very offensive choice of title, the album has been met with some controversy in the UK. Whether the band meant offence or not, as soon as the word spasm becomes sp*z (by any variant or spelling), it’s automatically becomes a slur against disabled people – specifically those with Cerebral Palsy.