Delta Spirit

Inbetween the usual blandness that makes up a typical edition of Later With Jools Holland, San Diego's Delta Spirit shone on tonight's show performing '9/11' from new album History From Below. Reminded me momentarily of Flies On Fire but I think this was largely down to the vocal.

One for the shopping list!

Killing Joke - Absolute Dissent

Following some very positive comments from respectable sources on the Swindon Music Forum I was drawn to Spotify to see what all the fuss is about regarding Killing Joke's new album, Absolute Dissent.

As their first album in almost 30 years performed by the original line-up, I strongly suggest you do the same. It's a monster.

Manic Street Preachers - Postcards From A Young Man (boxed set)

I haven't got round to listening to the album yet - hope to find time shortly - but have just been reading some of the comments on Amazon relating to the 'supadupamegadeluxe' boxed set edition of Postcards From A Young Man. If nothing else it's nice to see the Manics are still polarising opinion, even if it is amongst their own following.



Previous posts:
Manic Street Preachers - Journal For Plague Lovers
Manic Street Preachers - Generation Terrorists

The power of Lou Reed

Some sites are reporting this story as 'Lou Reed Makes Susan Boyle Cry'. You've probably read about it - the legendary Velvet Underground man stopped the (can I really type this ...) Britain's Got - ahem - Talent singer from performing Perfect Day on the US version of the show. What surprises me here is not that he did this, but that he that the power of veto. And I'm guessing that she would have performed it in the style of the awful BBC-promotional version (which did have Reed's backing, and indeed involvement) rather than the 1972 original.

And it was back in November 1972 that Reed stopped the New York Dolls from supporting him at a gig in Liverpool during the latter's ill-fated UK. I dare say there are numerous other examples of the great man flexing his muscles ...

Chrome Cranks

Read about these guys following a namecheck in a recent issue of The New Yorker - despite the band forming back in 1988!

A low-down and dirty garage band (think the likes of Cramps and Boss Hog, with maybe a sprinkling of the Beasts of Bourbon on top), I've so far only heard what's available on their MySpace page. Seems there's a new album on its way, but from what I can gather the self-titled debut is the one of go for, although there is a pretty-substantial looking best-of available (Diabolical Boogie).

Tim Thornton - Death of an Unsigned Band

Can't recommend this book as such as I haven't (yet) read it, but have just read a decent article on Sabotage Times by its author.