Time, like an ever rolling stream bears all its sons away

"I used to be 'with it', but then they changed what 'it' was. Now what I'm with isn't 'it', and what's 'it' seems weird and scary."

The feeling of getting older is never pleasant. And the onset seems to be happening earlier and earlier what with "it" changing every 15 minutes.

It's crushing when it happens, when you go on a night out thinking you're the big hepcat around town and all of a sudden your favourite venue is overrun with madourravih teenagers wearing clothes that seem more suited to, well, high concept TV drama about impossibly cool and beautiful young people than a dingy booze-sodden kip in a condemned building in the Old Town.

This happened to me years ago, when I moved to Edinburgh and the crowds at gigs and clubs seemed younger, cooler and way, way, way more connected than I did. A lot of that had to do with the fact that in reality I was never particularly cool to begin with. Unfortunately my own sense of self is often completely out of step with reality so trying to settle into a country with amazing clubs and a much wider variety of gigs than where I was used to was a tough transition. It played on my mind, wasI just the old fucker in the corner? Are those women dancing with me because they're flirting or ripping the piss? As it turns out, no more or less than they used to which is predominantly the latter. Are there ways in which you can cocoon yourself from this?

I found the best way was by having a few drinks and not caring. I was there for the music to start with so why let a few hyper-confident drug pumped infants ruin it for me. You can also do so by acting your age. This is difficult for someone with a personality that is half infantile and half grouchy sanctimonious pensioner.

Anyway, on the bus home today I heard a song that put me in mind of this. It was on a mix and being completely out of the loop I thought it was a lost 80's pop classic. It turns out it was Chromeo and it's a fantastic way to take the edge off that "are they dancing to flirt/take the piss" paranoia.

Cheer up everyone! It doesn't matter. It's all good and that. And when you look closer at the crowd around you you'll probably realise that it's actually full of old gits and gitini too, you've just been distracted by all the neon sunnies.

And chances are you'll look back on the gig as the night when you realised that the world is moving faster than you ever thought possible and will smile at how upset it made you.

Ireland's funny in a way, there's a suspicion of trendies that is nowhere near as pronounced as it is elsewhere. The summer before last I went back to Dublin for a weekend. At the time as a lengthy and ill-considered shaving experiment I was sporting what I thought to be a raffish 'tache. I'd had it for a few months in Scotland (which, as a society is no slouch when it comes to the slagging people for affectation stakes) with nary a comment on it. You'd swear I was wearing fur the way some people reacted. Including a couple of randoms at a gig I was at who seemed to think that this gave them the right to rip the shit out of me for it despite not having spent the time to even bother speaking to me.

Anyways, have a listen to the Chromeo, although everyone's probably seen it about a million times ago thus proving my point as to the futility of trying to keep up with everything.

Gosh! Pow! Go! Now!

A new project from Gosh Wow/Blackcape comics illustration overlord Iain Laurie!

Powwkipsie!!

Just go right and have a shufty right?

First episode features sad sack comic goof being assassinated by shadowy alien demon secret service punters. Magical stuff really. The "Next" page at the end is a masterwork of restrained menace and foreboding. Well, it's like pure scary and that eh.

Myself and Mr Laurie "worked" on a very short lived fanzine in times of yore.

Even then it was abundantly clear that his talent lay in circles far more elevated than a rabble of surly drunks being artlessly cruel about the patrons of the truly detestable Edinburgh festival.

If you haven't already seen his work with Fraser Campbell and Derek Dow (along with a whole raft of other talented loons) on Blackcape you should give that a wee shot as well. They've just celebrated their 50th edition! Happy Birthday!

Speaking of Edwyn Collins we're off to see him in the Queens Hall on Monday. I suspect it will be a love-in of quite nauseating proportions considering it's his first gig in Scotland since he was taken really quite frighteningly ill a few years ago. He's one of my all time heroes so I don't feel like too much of a ghoul for going to welcome him back to the stage.

If he doesn't play Falling and Laughing I'm going to get up and lamp him though.
If he does I'll probably bawl like a big Mandy.

Bristol

Just about recovered from a weeks holiday which featured a lot of driving on tight South-Western and Welsh roads.

Visited my brother in Bristol which is The Nicest English City I've Ever Been To so far.
A nice laid back town with lots of relaxing things to do. Tons of green space too. As well as a really amazing variety of street art in some sections.

Everyone goes on about the Banksy bits around the town but there's loads of other stuff.

Here are some photos.

Stokes Croft is a vague little area with its own agenda and spirit. It reminds me a bit of Leith in the fierce pride the denizens take in their area. It's by no means trendy being a bit too louche for many but I really enjoyed the vibe here.


The PRSC (Lots of People's Republics on the internet) is the epitome of some of the spirit here, calling on people to use street art to brighten up their neighbourhood. By identifying sites around the area, many of them hoardings or derelict buildings they encourage people to paint on them. Permissions are sought and advised upon although in some cases they haven't but say "it would be difficult to make the site worse".


I'd be inclined to believe them.

They've also put up noticeboards for community information, tags, stickers etc.


Went to some lovely boozers too, the Beaufort in Montpelier was a lovely old mans pub with a great wee jukie full of lovers rock and ska 7"s. Went to the Bank as well where I got completely floored by some crazy cloudy cask cider and went out to Tape. Saw Jay Le Surgeon and Bass Clef but had to head before Peverelist was on. Grr. Thanks to Richard and all the rest of the Tape crew who gave me a great welcome, the club had a lovely relaxed vibe and the folk were very friendly. I ended up being dragged home early after drinking some evil fruity cidery thing that had me forgetting to look at the time. There's something to be said for just going to clubs you want to by yourself rather than drag people who aren't necessarily into it along and then moan when they've had enough. Anyways I had had enough of drinking at that point as I was slurring incoherently yet enthusiastically about the tunes and the nice wee club.

On my birthday I went to Bordeaux Quay which is a beautiful big brasserie and then strolled along by the water for a bit. There was a guy playing a Kora which took our minds off the cold and the rain for a minute or two. Then off to the Rummer which is a nice old school cocktail bar and drank Negroni in front of a huge fireplace. Sweeeet.

Didn't manage to get to any record shops which was disappointing, I think my travelling companions managed to steer me away from them. In hindsight it was probably a good idea, I'm broke enough as it is.


Went to my pal's wedding and DJ'd which was a great success despite being shackled to a request list as cheesy as it was long. Still, who knew that A-Ha and Five(?!) could cause such dancefloor mayhem. It was on in Wells which is absolutely gorgeous if a little genteel. We saw a terrace of houses that was built in the 1350's! Who knew!? Huge cathedral, Bishops Palace surrounded by a moat that's crystal clear because it's fed by a well which overflows and sluices water through the town. Serious hobbit action going on there.

Back through Hay-On-Wye (Bookish, bank machine out of order, frustrated at not having bought more!), Shrewsbury (Busy, baffling and boooring) and Manchester (Flash, stayed in posh hotel, nearly got battered in a 24 shop queue for juice at midnight).

Holi-holi-holi-day.

That's me off on holidays for a week. Thank jakers for that, things have been insanely busy at work hence the crapness in updating.

I'm off to Bristol to see my brother and get along to this.

Please stay tuned for some stuff about classical music, leith artists and hopefully some music from the 'Knee!

Kill Meeee!

I'm currently insanely busy and not updating as much as I'd like just now.
This has something to do with work.
And also something to do with sorting out the music for a friend of mine's wedding in a couple of weeks.

I drunkenly volunteered to do it a few months ago, our taste in music would, how do you put it, diverge somewhat so i've found myself trawling the nether regions of 80's hair metal and really embarrassing 90's pop music.

To such an extent that I was just listening to "Pour some sugar on me" by Def Leppard and about 2'55 into the song went, "that really sounds like the guitar from Digital by Joy Division"

I feel dirty.

Moronic (the Hedgehog)

Just away and watch yourself some Videogaiden for yourself.

Superb Scottish video games magazine programme with lovable presenters, peurile humour and geniune heart.

Nice starting point is Episode 5 of series 3 (all of which you can watch at the site) around 11.30 into the programme when they set about Mario & Sonic Olympics.

Hee.

When the cat's away...

...the mouse will go through to the Weej, buy records and go to gigs.

With the wife back in ireland this weekend I toddled across to Glasgow on Saturday for some record buying and gig going.

Started at Rub a Dub and spent a lovely hour going through a big stack of vinyl. Made some good purchases and heard probably the worst house track I've ever come across in my life. Was interested in hearing it as it's very early and thought it might be worth investigating. Enormous mistake. The years have not been kind to this forgotten slice of House history. Maybe I'm missing something here but it was disappointing.

Ended up picking up some good new stuff there and the staff at Rub A Dub are dead friendly and helpful.

New purchases include:
MLZ- Crossed Swords (Modern Love)
Nubian Minds- Africa Man EP (Delsin)
Gescom- A1/B1 (Skam)
Shackleton- Death is not final (Skull Disco)
Deep Chord- Coldest Season EP2 (Modern Love)
Dubbyman- Dubtroit EP (Deep Explorer)
nsi.-Non standard institut (Cadenza)

Pretty varied stuff there- I'm most happy with the nsi. and nubian minds releases- both are really up my street. I love the bonkers satie-esque piano sounds on the nsi.

Then it was on to Monorail where my pal wanted to pick up an import CD of Japanese Geniuses/Idiots Afrirampo. I saw them live a few years ago and they were fantastic- a really fun witty show by two absolutely amazing musicians. While I was there I found myself idly browsing through the racks and couldn't resist picking up remixes of Delia & Gavin Russom "Revelee" and the new LCD Soundsystem 12" "Confuse the marketplace". I'd promised myself I'd buy these for a while, largely for the Carl Craig remix on the former and "Hippie Priest Bum-Out" on the latter. There's a really good dubby remix of "North American Scum" on Confuse the Marketplace too. I also bought a couple of 7"s because they were conveniently located on top of the cashdesk. I can't help myself sometimes, especially on the weekend of payday and I'm off on my own with no-one to rein in my excesses.

With the record buying part of the mission over it was on to the gigs...

Started with Monade at Nice n Sleazys. This is a side project for Stereolab's Laetitia Sadlier and some of her pals. Support was from the Phantom Band. I wasn't overly impressed with the Phantom Band, they were ok but tracks meandered on trying to take in lots of ideas and influences without really going anywhere. Suggestions of Neu, Gram Parsons, David Kitt and Sunburned Hand of the Man. Which unfortunately promised more than it delivered. Maybe it was just one of those evenings and they're actually fantastic.

Monade came on around ten and played for an hour. They're not enormously different in sound and tone to the poppier end of the Stereolab spectrum. They reminded me a little of Deerhoof but loungier. Loungehoof so to speak. The deerhoof similarity comes largely from the fact that a lot of the songs feature radical time and key changes which gives a real sense of dynamism and spring to some of the songs. Everything was beautifully balanced with Marie Merlet and Sadlier harmonising sweetly along to spirals of choppy guitar and neat tones from Nicolas Etienne's keys. The last few numbers, from new album Monstre Cosmic were really good despite the crowd seeming quite distracted. You hear a lot of guff about Glasgow crowds being more up for it than boring old tweedy Edinburgh. Tonight wasn't one of those nights with people standing around chatting rather than really engaging with the band at all which was a pity, because Monade are a fantastic grown-up dreamy pop band that doesn't need to hide behind sexy design and arch theatricality.

Then it was off to the Art School for Numbers birthday party and Autechre in all their live glory. I'm an Autechre nerd and have been throughout their many incarnations so i was very excited about this. A charge often levelled at Booth and Brown is that their music is too "cerebral"- I've always taken issue with this, yes the later records from LP5 through to Untilted have been quite process-heavy and contain tracks that require repeated listens to unpick their secrets but Autechre in concert have always been an exhilarating and eminently danceable prospect.

SND started the night off and were diverting for a while. I prefer the whole glitchy thing on record a lot more than i do live. Although I did have a bit of a boogie to a couple of the more funky electro moments. Then we were treated to Skam head honcho Rob Hall lashing out a scatter of clatter which seemed to warm up the crowd a little. There was little of Glasgow's fabled ambience here either- although I did meet one cheeky wee west coast headcase who was completely out of his knackers with his t-shirt tied around his head well before midnight. I love these guys. Particularly at gigs like this where everyone's got their big serious faces on.

By the time Autechre came on the room was pretty full but strangely there wasn't a huge amount of movement from the crowd with the majority of people content to just stand about. This is surprising because straight from the outset Autechre seemed determined to get people dancing. The hour and a half live show used much of the source material from Quaristice but put it through the distinctive Autechre live blender- everything is slightly hectic, twitchy but still distinctively rhythmic. We were even treated to a rare suggestion of humanity with actual human voices breaking through the clattering storm of breakbeats on Quaristice's "IO". What a bunch of sellouts! The insistence amongst critics of Autechre's post-Tri repetae material that it's too cerebral but in the live arena Autechre completely destroy this notion- on this tour it appears they're casting off the mythical stereotypes of them as unsmiling mad-professors running their equipment for days and inventing their own software to generate the music from nothing. This is Autechre in more relaxed form and enjoying the live environment- to which their music is better suited than people seem to assume.
This was what they did from the outset; the material has always approprated elements of dance music before scrambling it out of shape then pulling it all back together again. Live versions of "Perlence", the dark digital hip-hop of "Rale" and particularly the chiming musicbox chords of "Simmm" from the new album have echoes of older material like Envane, Cichlisuite and Chiastic Slide. It's interesting that Autechre critics who decried their move away from the original sound are now the ones who are down on the new albums conservatism. Basically Autechre are caught between a rock and a hard place, unable to make all their fans happy all the time and therefore deciding to please themselves. Listening to them tear their way through a rumbling version of the dubby "90101 51 1" you'd need a heart of stone not to smile and get that ass bouncing. (Update: There was an interview with Autechre on the (gawk)Today Programme which covered their gig at a car park in London. A lot of overintellectualising from the journos but the punters seem to have enjoyed themselves. Still, at least the Beeb journalists made an attempt to engage with the music unlike Dave Simpson's mean spirited Guardian gripes.)

Following on from a discussion about men and women dancing in clubs over at House is a Feeling I was inspired to make a random headcount of the split. The stereotype does have some basis in reality as there was a hefty 70:30 split in favour of the boys. I have extensive data on the ubiquity of square spectacles and architectural t-shirts that are available on request. Despite conforming to all the sneering demographic stereotypes about an IDM/Glitch night by the time Autechre had hit their stride there were at least some people (of both sexes) interested in getting down. In fact, the area in front of the stage the split was down to about 50:50. Unscientific it may be but it seems the dancefloor, heady as it may have been was where the majority of the ladies appeared to be. What does this mean, probably that women would prefer to dance in a club than sit around trying to figure out how the music is being made.

It's been 16 years since I'd first seen Laetitia Sadlier and 12 since I first saw Autechre. Time passes so quickly! Both Autechre and Sadlier have been around a while and amassed a phenomenal body of work, it's encouraging to discover that neither seem to be stepping off the gas in terms of developing new ideas and new ways of working.

Then Rob Hall was back on with more clattering acid before a brief stop off in the bar for an ill-advised last pint and a bit of a boogie to the Castaways "Liar Liar" before taking to the insanely windy streets of Glasgow.

I am now looking down the barrel of a very lean month during which i will eat nothing Spaghetti Hoops on toast.