Kompakt Turns 10

The Cologne-based label that gave us DJ Koze and Justus Köhncke celebrates 10 years of existence. Here's to 10 more! [Pitchfork]

Kraftwerk Remastered Boxset

"Electro Pioneers, living legends and globally revered masters of electronic sound, celebrate the 35th anniversary of their landmark 1974 hit 'Autobahn’ by releasing a special collector’s CD boxset featuring remastered versions of eight astounding albums on October 6th, 2009 [...]" [Altsounds]

Happy Birthday Mozzer!

"To mark the occasion NME.COM has posted up a Morrissey photo gallery featuring images of the singer, plus his most memorable quotes." [NME]

The Breeders

Jude Rogers reports on The Breeders comeback in the Guardian..."Revered by Nirvana, Blur and Radiohead, Kim and Kelley Deal of 90s indie sensations the Breeders are rock survivors. Now, after years of struggle with drink and drugs, they're addicted to good food - and music."

"It used to be about music. Now, without the drink, it's good to go back to that..." [Guardian UK]

NME's Ultimate Indie Album

NME asks you to determine the greatest indie album of all time. "From Slint to The Smiths, Pavement to Pulp, the result is up to you!" [NME]

Depeche Mode 101

As Depeche Mode prepare to release their documentary, Depeche Mode 101, Joshua Klein interviews the band in Pitchfork.

"Depeche Mode 101 lucked into capturing the British group on the cusp of global super-stardom. In that documentary, the band comes off almost shockingly young, if not entirely innocent, but that may be because all the real drama-- substance abuse, nervous breakdowns, divorces, in-fighting, and general self-destruction-- came soon after. Miraculously, Depeche Mode not only survived but continued to prove themselves creatively viable. The proof is in Depeche Mode's latest Sounds of the Universe, which captures the group on the other side of its many ordeals and hardly the sound of band lazy and complacent. In fact, when we spoke separately with members Andy Fletcher and Dave Gahan, Fletch noted with some surprise the group's longevity, and there's no reason to believe Depeche Mode doesn't have many more good years still to come." [Pitchfork]

Sonic Youth To Play NYC

Sonic Youth, The Eternal (Matador, 2009)

Venue: United Palace
Date: Friday, 7/3/09
Notes: Doors 7:00 PM / Show 8:00 PM; $38, $45

"The Eternal is Sonic Youth’s 2009 celebration of newfound freedom. After many years signed to an ever precarious corporate label, the band has been liberated and is releasing this CD with their friends at Matador. Inspirations ran high in preparation for the recording. Abandoning the time tested routine of writing and rehearsing a cycle of songs in one time period, SY changed tactics and would compose two to three tracks one weekend and record them the following weekend. After a solid month they had a dozen killers..." [The Bowery Presents]

UK Decay Reissue

UK Decay, For Madmen Only (Rough Trade, 2009)

Rough Trade reissues a compilation CD of UK Decay. A progenitor of gothic rock, UK Decay were among the first to splinter from punk in the late 1970s and incorporate the moody atmospherics that eventually came to define gothic crossover. On CD for the first time ever, the 19 tracks include the band's one and only album For Madman Only, the Rising From the Dead 12", plus tracks from The Black 45 7" and For My Country 7".

Alex James' Cheese Odyssey

Cheesus Christ! The Cheese Diaries...the making of Alex James' Little Wallop.

"I got married, and I guess that's the end of Rock and Roll really."

Missed James' obsession with fromage the first go round. In case there are others out there equally intrigued...

Alex James' Pastoral Dream Incarnate

Continuing with the Blur thread...

Here BBC Three looks back to the "Most Annoying People of 2007" - among them, former ladies' man, Blur bassist and now cheese maker Alex James.



Alex James at the Great British Cheese Festival.

Graham Coxon on Blur - podcast

Graham Coxon, solo artist and Blur guitarist, speaks to the Guardian UK's Music Weekly about Blur's temporary reunion. The band are to play a series of highly anticipated gigs in the UK later this summer!

Hedi Slimane's Coachella Diary

Hedi Slimane Diary

Slimane's favored themes of music and youth again collide as he documents Coachella 2009 with his characteristic crisp black and white photography.

Coachella 2009 Medley

Leonard Cohen, "Hallelujah"


Morrissey, "How Could Anybody Possibly Know How I Feel"


Paul McCartney, "Hey Jude"

Soundtrack of My Life: Brett Anderson

As Suede's singer, he put the glam into Nineties pop. Anderson tells Will Hodgkinson how charming Bowie is and explains why Prince is untouchable...

"The first record I bought
Never Mind The Bollocks, The Sex Pistols (1977)

When I go to sleep
Music For Airports, Brian Eno (1978)

The soundtrack to my adolescence
The Queen Is Dead, The Smiths (1986)

The record that made Suede what they were
Parade, Prince (1986)

When I got compared to Bowie
Low, David Bowie (1977)"

[Guardian UK]

JG Ballard R.I.P.

Science fiction writer who notably inspired bands such as Joy Division passes away at 78 after a long battle with cancer.

"JG Ballard's novels, disquieting, visionary and often apocalyptic fables of technological and social anarchy set him at the very pinnacle of contemporary writing. The self-professed "architect of dreams, sometimes nightmares" enjoyed a cult status, and Steven Spielberg's film of his book Empire of the Sun brought him a a popular fanbase, too. Fusing external landscapes of futuristic visions with the internal workings of his characters' minds, Ballard created a series of montages in which the world was, in turns, flooded, desiccated, crystallised and concreted over..." [BBC Obituary]

NEW ORDER Re-releases Update

New Order, Power, Corruption & Lies (Factory, 1983)

"This is a very difficult one, we are aware of the problems and because we did not have finished product to listen to? It has, shall we say……slipped through the net?? My great friend Claude Flowers has taken it on himself to sort this mess out personally, but please be aware, that after the fact it is going to be very difficult, unfortunately because many of you have purchased them already (a great compliment in itself) we are doing all we can to try and get fresh masters made and available, somehow to try and remedy the situation, so please bear with us.

I have said before how difficult it is compiling this stuff, the masters Steve and I listened to, were all basically from people's collections, so it was then left to someone? In the library department to compile, as much as possible from original masters, this is where it seems to have gone wrong, unfortunately it is industry standard these days to not have production masters of the cd's or the sleeves, much to Pete Saville's amazement, but that's just the way it is, hopefully they might resurrect the process after this. Here's hoping, Hooky." [Peter Hook Official MySpace]

Bleep of Faith

For 20 years, Warp Records has been wrecking clubbers' eardrums and delighting fans of electronica. Dave Simpson celebrates the pioneering Sheffield label...

"It's one of the UK's greatest independent labels, responsible for introducing the world to Aphex Twin, LFO, Boards of Canada and Squarepusher. But the origins of Warp Records, which celebrates its 20th birthday this year, were much humbler. The track that would inspire a revolution in UK dance music was conceived in a teenager's bedroom..." [Guardian UK]

Soundtrack of My Life: Jarvis Cocker

The Saint Martins College student turned cultural provocateur reveals his inspirations to Will Hodgkinson...

"The first song I heard
Where do you go to (my lovely), Peter Sarstedt (1969)

My first love affair
Burning up, Madonna (1983)

The song that reminds me of art school
French Kiss, Lil Louis (1989)

The song that reminds me of my son
Milk and alcohol, Dr Feelgood (1978)

The last song I heard
The whole world's got the eyes on you, Legendary Tigerman (2008)"

[Guardian UK]

The Late Great Avedon

A montage of past appearances by photographer Richard Avedon (1923-2004) on the Charlie Rose show. Avedon's images for Harper's Bazaar and Vogue came to define some of the most unforgettable moments in fashion history. Several key prints will be on view in the forthcoming exhibition The Model As Muse: Embodying Fashion at The Costume Institute of The Metropolitan Museum of Art (May 6 - August 9, 2009).

Heaven and Hell

I love me some reverb. Shoegaze forever!

The Story of the Jesus and Mary Chain by Jonathan Garrett

"If one had any doubts that heaven is indeed too close to hell, as the Jesus and Mary Chain first suggested on 1987's Darklands, the band's own career ought to lay them to rest. For three decades, the Scottish brothers who comprise the core of JAMC, Jim and William Reid, have demonstrated that noise and melody can not only coexist, but when properly executed, each can cast the other in sharper relief. While many artists have been drawn to extreme, few have explored such opposite ends of the spectrum simultaneously. This is their story, as told by the Reids themselves and those who know them best." [Pitchfork]

NPR Guest DJ Portishead - podcast

Portishead, Third (Island, 2008)

"Geoff Barrow and Adrian Utley of the trip-hop group Portishead talk with All Songs Considered host Bob Boilen about their new album, Third and share some of the songs that have influenced their work over the years. Hear selections from Third, along with music from Jimi Hendrix, Public Enemy, Kraftwerk and British actor and singer Noel Harrison." [NPR]

Phil Spector - Guilty As Charged

Dear Phil Spector,
I hope this has taught you that you can't go blowing people's minds - at least literally. See...guns aren't your friends! The music, however, always was.
Sincerely yours,
m.i.


The Ronettes, "Be My Baby" (Philles Records, 1963)

Radiohead Covers Joy Division

A version of "Ceremony" performed by the band during their webcast on November 9, 2007.

Johnny Marr Falling For the Guitar

"I belonged to it, and the guitar belonged to me." -Johnny Marr

Granada Reports...The Smiths

The Year is 1985, and NME readers have voted The Smiths group of the year. Granada Report's Tony Wilson catches up with the band on the eve of the Meat is Murder tour.

NPR Guest DJ Thom Yorke - podcast

Photo: Jesse Groves

"Radiohead frontman Thom Yorke shares some of his favorite music with All Songs Considered host Bob Boilen. The two talk about Radiohead's latest work, In Rainbows, and listen to some of the artists Yorke admires, including German electronica group Modeselektor, rap duo Madvillain, techno group Autechre and more." [NPR]


Radiohead, "Fake Plastic Trees," 2003

The Bends (Capitol, 1995) is one of my best friends. Listening recommendation: With headphones at an irresponsible decibel.

Mix Tape: The Art of Cassette Culture

Thurston Moore explores the magic of the mix tape in Mix Tape: The Art of Cassette Culture (Universe Publishing, 2005).

"This book can only represent one zillionth of the people out there who have made the coolest tapes for themselves or others. In that respect, it simply exists as a nod to the true love and ego involved in sharing music with friends and lovers. Trying to control sharing through music is like trying to control an affair of the heart - nothing will stop it." -Thurston Moore

New York Dolls To Play 100 Club Gig

They'll play a rare show at the legendary punk venue...

"The New York Dolls are to play a rare gig at London's 100 Club this May. The band, who release their new studio album Cause I Sez So on May 4th, will play the gig on May 14th. The Todd Rundgren-produced record is their second since reforming in 2004." [NME]

Tickets for the 100 Club show go on sale on April 7th at 9am (GMT).


New York Dolls, "Personality Crisis," 1973

April's Soundtrack

Blur, "Country House"
The Stone Roses, "Elephant Stone"
Bob Marley, "Jammin"
The Cure, "Other Voices"
Golden Boy & Miss Kittin, "Rippin Kittin"
The Beatles, "While My Guitar Gently Weeps"
Phoenix, "If I Ever Feel Better"
De La Soul, "Betta Listen"
The Buzzcocks, "Love You More"
John Cale, "Woman"

Jarvis Speaks To Pitchfork

Jarvis Cocker solo...finding his "métier."

Antony Asks...Transcendentalism or Masochism?

NPR's Live in Concert series from All Songs Considered presents Antony And The Johnsons in concert - footage and podcast of a recent gig in Washington, D.C.

Set List:
"Where Is My Power"
"Her Eyes Are Underneath the Ground"
"Epilepsy Is Dancing"
"One Dove"
"For Today I Am a Boy"
"Kiss My Name"
"Everglade"
"Another World"
"Shake That Devil"
"Crazy in Love"
"Fistful of Love"
"You Are My Sister"
"Twilight"
"Aeon"

Encore
"Cripple and the Starfish"
"Hope There's Someone"

Otherworldly.

The Top Three Albums of 2009

According to The New York Times, as of February 5, 2009, the artist Andrew Kuo (he of obsessive music chart fame) has determined the three best albums of the year...

#1 Antony & the Johnsons, The Crying Light
#2 Bonnie "Prince" Billy, Beware
#3 Morrissey, Years of Refusal


Andrew Kuo on Charlie Rose, February 23, 2008

Hallelujah Leonard Cohen

"Leonard Cohen walked onto a U.S. stage for the first time in more than 15 years just one month ago. It was a triumphant return for the legendary singer-songwriter, who has reached generations beyond with his lyrical portraits. One song in particular, "Hallelujah," has become a signature for both Cohen and many who've come after him. In this exclusive video, Cohen performs the tune from a recent concert in London. "I want to thank all my fans for keeping my songs alive all these years," Cohen told Spinner. The gratitude is all ours." [Spinner]

If you are lucky enough to get tickets...
04-02 Austin, TX - Michael and Susan Dell Hall at Long Center
04-03 Grand Prarie, TX - Nokia Theatre at Grand Prarie
04-05 Phoenix, AZ - Dodge Theatre
04-07 San Diego, CA - Copley Symphony Hall
04-10 Los Angeles, CA - Nokia Theatre L.A. Live
04-13 Oakland, CA - Paramount Theatre of the Arts
04-17 Indio, CA - Coachella Festival
04-19 Vancouver, British Columbia - General Motors Place
04-21 Victoria, British Columbia - Save-On-Foods Memorial Centre
04-23 Seattle, WA - WaMu Theater at Qwest FieldEvents Center
04-25 Edmonton, Alberta - Rexall Place
04-26 Calgary, Alberta - EPCOR Centre's Jack Singer Hall
04-28 Saskatoon, Saskatchewan - Credit Union Centre
04-30 Winnipeg, Manitoba - MTS Centre
05-03 Minneapolis, MN - Orpheum Theatre
05-05 Chicago, IL - The Chicago Theatre
05-09 Detroit, MI - Fox Theatre
05-11 Columbia, MD - Merriweather Post Pavilion
05-12 Philadelphia, PA - Academy of Music
05-14 Waterbury, CT - Palace Theater
05-16 New York, NY - Radio City Music Hall
05-19 Hamilton, Ontario - Copps Coliseum
05-21 Quebec City, Quebec - Pavillon de la Jeunesse
05-22 Kingston, Ontario - K-Rock Centre
05-24 London, Ontario - John Labatt Centre
05-25 Ottowa, Ontario - National Arts Centre, Southam Hall
05-29 Boston, MA - Wang Theatre
06-02 Morrison, CO - Red Rocks Amphitheatre

Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix

Phoenix, Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix (V2, 2009)

Phoenix's fourth album was produced by House maestro Philippe Zdar - one half of Cassius. In anticipation of its release on May 25th, the track "1901" is available as a free download on their website. The band's characteristic brand of catchy guitar driven pop is seemingly infused with more of a synth factor this time around. Worthy of the title's classical reference? A bit of a stretch.


The band plays SNL, April 4, 2009.

Profile: Geoff Barrow

Portishead, "Mysterons" (Roseland NYC Live, 1998)

Dave Simpson says: He takes it very seriously and thinks the world's going to end at any minute. In a musical sense he's very dark...

"As a natural outsider who learned early on to trust little beyond his instincts, Geoff Barrow of Portishead is a classic example of a musical pioneer who has gone against the grain - only to find the rest of the world coming with him. He was born in Walton-in-Gordano, Somerset, but grew up in relative hardship in the small coastal town of Portishead, after which he named his band.

Portishead's 1994 debut, Dummy, remains one of the landmark albums of the 1990s, selling 2m copies in Europe alone. Released against prevailing trends at the height of Britpop, the album popularised what has been dubbed "trip-hop" or "the Bristol sound". A blend of slowed hip-hop grooves, Barrow's old skool scratching, soundtrack samples and (singer Beth Gibbons's) mournful, heartbreaking lyrics, Dummy has been widely copied but never equalled." [Guardian UK]

The Stone Roses

Alan McGee on music: Why people want the Stone Roses to re-form
I find it funny that my kid is as obsessed with the Stone Roses as I was more than 20 years ago. As Ian Brown put it: "The past was yours but the future's mine." It still is...

"The big question is why people want the Stone Roses to re-form? Is it just because we're living in a retrospective age with reunions, reissues and Don't Look Back concerts becoming exceedingly popular. Or is it because, when the music scene becomes stale, you have to look back to understand how to move forward?" [Guardian UK]

Miss Kittin & The Hacker Two

Electroclash pioneers Miss Kittin & The Hacker are back with their highly anticipated (and long overdue) follow-up to their First Album (Emperor Norton, 2001).

In their own words:
"It's been far too long since the release of our "First Album," but wait no more, dear music lover, we are back with a bang. And you'd better believe, it's a big, cosmic "bang." We have not only forged a new path on this impressive collection of new material, but also, by transforming and remodelling our many musical influences, we have fashioned a club-based European cyber-pop of our very own. The album also features a wonderful, stellar sprinkling of metallic soul, glamorous space disco, glossy vocal nuances, crystalline beats and swirling melodies. The music possesses a sexy androgyny, glistening and pulsating. And the songs? Sometimes narrative, sometimes confessional, direct and alternatively clouded in mystery. And the lyrics, are they...blue or grey?" [Miss Kittin & The Hacker]

Two (Nobody's Bizzness, 2009) out now.


Miss Kittin & The Hacker, "1982" (Emperor Norton, 2001)

Stereo Total - Anti Love Song

Doll and Knits by Françoise Cactus. Design by Cabine.

In honor of "2009 Berlin Days in New York City"...

Guten Morgen! Stereo Total's new four track EP Anti Love Song is out now on Kill Rock Stars. All songs are self-proclaimedly sung in "really bad English," but are noted to be "negatively lovely." As always, the same great retro flair...Wunderbar! US/Canada Tour lands in NYC's Irving Plaza on April 17, 2009.

John Peel

An extensive interview by Eve Wood with legendary DJ John Peel at his home, Peel Acres, in 2001. With the debut of his original show Night Ride in 1968, Peel declared, "This is the first of a new series of programmes on which you may hear just about anything." Indeed, Peel was responsible for introducing once radical and obscure genres such as punk and reggae to BBC listeners, who were as passionate and eager as he to discover "something that was going to shake things up a bit." Peel was probably the single most authoritative voice on new music during his lifetime, and for bands just starting out, his shows were important legitimizing platforms that broadcast to an audience of enlightened music-lovers, some of whom became prominent musicians themselves.

Read John Peel: Margrave of the Marshes (Chicago Review Press, 2005) - a self-portrait by John Peel and Sheila Ravenscroft.

Berlin in New York City

"Berlin celebrates 20 years of freedom, change and creativity. After the fall of the Wall in 1989, Berlin reinvented itself and generated a wealth of free space that continues to attract creative artists from all over the world. 20 Years of Change = 20 Years of Impressions, Inspirations and Impulses. In 2009, Berlin is the place to be.

The City of Berlin cordially invites you to attend 20 Years of Change - Berlin Days in New York City (March 31-April 2, 2009) at the New Museum, 235 Bowery, New York, NY 10002." -Klaus Wowereit, Governing Mayor of Berlin

Beatles in the USSR

As Beatlemania swept throughout the world in 1964, it seemed unable to penetrate the Iron Curtain...

"In the Soviet Union, the music of the Beatles was repressed by the government. Melodiya, the only record manufacturer in the Soviet Union, did not release their music stating "musicians such as these, who have plunged to the depth of musical decline, do not deserve a place on Soviet records." However, an underground culture grew which used ingenious ways to discover and disseminate the Beatles' music. Once a Beatles record had been smuggled into the country - a particularly difficult and dangerous task - it was quickly copied and distributed. Paul Gambaccini reveals the extraordinary ways that the Beatles' music was listened to in the Soviet Union during the 1960s. Did the music and spirit of The Beatles help to end communism?" [BBC World]

First broadcast on BBC World February 13th.

Warp 20th Anniversary

Prefuse 73, Vocal Studies & Uprock Narratives (Warp, 2001)

The groundbreaking indie label is asking fans to nominate tracks with the biggest Warp factor for a compilation album By Sean Michaels

"The British label Warp Records is to celebrate its second decade with a series of special gigs, previously unreleased archive material and an appealingly democratic compilation CD. They have already invited votes for Warp 20, a celebratory "greatest hits" album that will be co-curated by the public. By logging into the website, fans can vote for their favourite Warp tracks - everyone from Aphex Twin to Grizzly Bear. On 8 May, voting will be closed and the 10 favourite songs of the great unwashed will be combined with 10 picks by Warp co-founder Steve Beckett. Users' comments, memories and messages will be printed as part of the album art." [Guardian UK]

The Cure: Trilogy

The Cure's Trilogy DVD set from 2003 has been re-released on Blu-ray. Recorded on two consecutive nights - November 11-12, 2002 - at the Tempodrom Arena in Berlin, complete track listings from Pornography (1982), Disintegration (1989) and Bloodflowers (2002) are played in their entirety and in the order in which they appeared on the albums. The idea came to Robert Smith after seeing David Bowie's gig from the Heathen tour at the Royal Festival Hall in London where Bowie played 10 of the 11 songs from Low (1977), and the whole of Heathen (2002).

The Cure's latest effort 4:13 Dream (Geffen) is out now.

Frank Black & Art Brut

Frank Black, "Headache" (4AD, 1994)

Produced by Frank Black over twelve days last December, Art Brut's new album Art Brut vs. Satan (Cooking Vinyl) will be released April 20th. The band plays NYC's Mercury Lounge June 1st-3rd.

"I love the first Frank Black And The Catholics album" explains Art Brut frontman Eddie Argos. "He did that in one day. It made me think-that's how I want records to be made. So we came to the conclusion, let's ask Frank Black to produce it, and do it like that"

To the band's surprise, Black -a fervent fan- said yes. Accordingly, the band found themselves packing their bags and heading for Wavelength Studios in Oregon last December.

Eddie: "The studio Frank uses is in Salem. It's in the middle of nowhere. We were staying by the motorway, and he'd pick us up in his car every day. We'd do eight hour days then back to the hotel. We did the whole thing in twelve days. It was very simple."

With the band set up in one big room, their amps in the kitchen and Eddie singing his vocals in a cupboard ("It was ok, I had drinks in there") they set about exorcising the demons of the previous two years. "I had an album's worth of songs written, but once we got there we wrote four or five new ones. It all just flooded out." [Art Brut]

Rock and Roll Public Library

The Clash in 1983...Paul Simonon, Mick Jones, Pete Howard and Joe Strummer

The former Clash guitarist Mick Jones has put on display his Aladdin's cave of music memorabilia from the past 30 years By Sean Michaels

"Mick Jones has turned from punk rock to museum curation, opening his collection of vintage music memorabilia to the public. Temporarily on display at London's Chelsea Space gallery, the former Clash guitarist said he hopes to find a permanent site for his archive. [...] For the 53-year-old art-school graduate, the music collection is "one big living artwork" that is still growing. "Ultimately, I'd like to have a permanent place to exhibit the whole collection like a museum, like a library where you can come and see the stuff and maybe get a copy or sit there and read it." [Guardian UK]

Rock and Roll Public Library runs at the Chelsea Space, London until April 18th.

Valentino: The Last Emperor

Matt Tyrnauer's documentary traces the two years leading up to fashion legend Valentino's 45th anniversary in 2007. Beyond pugs and arguably the greatest love story of all time, you get an amazing look into the process of couture creation - from a sketch by the designer through to its translation into 3D form by an army of sassy seamstresses (complete scene stealers). Valentino's absolute dedication to the art of fashion underscores the bittersweetness of the couturier's decision to retire after the company's sale to private equity firm Permira. Truly an end of an era.

Paul's Boutique

The Beastie Boys' second LP (my favorite) Paul's Boutique (Capitol, 1989) has been remastered "for your pleasure." Check out the album's interactive website, which features news, audio commentary and a blog.

Thurston Moore on Visual Art

Moore speaks to the BBC Collective about Sonic Youth's collaborations with artists such as Raymond Pettibon. His premise that music, art and literature interact dialectically has served the band well - providing a fertile breeding ground that has produced some of the most iconic images (and of course music) of the early 1990s.

Interlude

Came across the video for the track "Interlude" by Morrissey and Siouxsie Sioux...

Boy George

Beauty Icon by Laird Borrelli-Persson

Style.com profiles Boy George - New Romantic poster boy - as they continue to dispatch reports on the ubiquitous eighties revival seen on the runways this past season.

"As it turns out, the crooner has an affinity for the kind of nostalgic escapism fashion gave into this season. "It's ironic," he told Rolling Stone way back in 2000, "that if you go back to Thatcherism and Reaganism, a lot of cool things happened during that decade. A lot of sexual attitudes were loosened up a bit, and we had some interesting music. So sometimes, within these right-wing climates, you have an artistic reaction." What the runways proved for Fall is that a financial crisis breeds a similar inventiveness. Call it karma." [Style.com]

Haters

"I told you Depeche Mode was gay" WTF?

In response to news that Depeche Mode are coming to Madison Square Garden this August, I decided to look into what they've been up to. I randomly came across the link above.

Loved them live when I caught the Ultra tour back in 1997. The highlight for me was Martin Gore wearing what looked to be a silver lame suit with tiny mirrors attached allover - they refracted light in disco ball fashion as he sang Somebody. Lyrics that long for love and understanding will always transcend warped ideas like the ones contained in aforementioned page. A good laugh though...


Depeche Mode's new album Sounds Of The Universe (Mute) out April 21st.

DIY - Rough Trade

Do It Yourself: The Story of Rough Trade - BBC Four Documentary

"The Rough Trade story begins more than thirty years ago on 20th February 1976. Britain was in the grip of an IRA bombing campaign; a future prime minister was beginning to make her mark on middle England, where punk was yet to run amok; and a young Cambridge graduate called Geoff Travis opened a new shop at 202 Kensington Park Road, just off Ladbroke Grove in West London. The Rough Trade shop sold obscure and challenging records by bands like American art-rockers Pere Ubu, offering an alternative to the middle-of-the-road rock music that dominated the music business.

In January 1977, when a record by Manchester punk band Buzzcocks appeared in the shop, Rough Trade found itself in the right place at the right time to make an impact far beyond that of a neighbourhood music store. When Spiral Scratch was released in 1977, the idea of putting out a single without the support of an established record company was incredible. But Rough Trade was to become the headquarters of a revolt against this corporate monopoly - it was stocking records by bands inspired by the idea that they could do it themselves.

But selling a few independent records over the counter was not going to change the world. Early independent labels had to hand over their distribution to the likes of EMI or CBS. But one man at Rough Trade challenged that monopoly. Richard Scott joined Rough Trade in 1977 and became the architect of a grand scheme that was nothing short of revolutionary: independent nationwide distribution." [BBC Four]

Eagerly awaiting for this to be posted on YouTube!

Primal Scream

Primal Scream And L.A. Finally Come Together By Lyndsey Parker

"Let's hope another nine years doesn't pass before a Scream show this awesome comes to L.A. again." [NME]

NME's Parker recounts Primal Scream's historic gig from 2000 (which featured guest appearances by none other than My Bloody Valentine's Kevin Shields and Sex Pistols' Steve Jones), and reviews their recent show in L.A. (below). Primal Scream play New York City's Webster Hall on March 28th.



New album Beautiful Future (Atlantic, 2008) out now.

Pet Shop Boys - podcast interview

Music Weekly: Pet Shop Boys

"Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe talk to The Guardian's Paul MacInnes about their 25 years in the music industry, life in the Xenomania house and having Tony Blair as a muse." [Guardian UK]

New single "Love etc." released today...new album Yes (Parlophone/EMI, 2009) to be released on March 23rd.

Wolfgang Tillmans

Photographer Wolfgang Tillmans has the singular ability to capture a fragile beauty in the ordinary. His vision is further empowered by the democratizing vehicle of free PDF downloads of several books and catalogues on his website. Take advantage!

Bernard Sumner and Peter Saville Talk Style, 1984

Went browsing for new music today and came away wondering why so many bands seem to have a lack of discerning aesthetics (as manifested by the lackluster album covers I witnessed). I craved Peter Saville. Designed (Princeton Architectural Press, 2003) by Peter Saville showcases some of the best album covers of all time...brainchildren of the man talking to Mr. Sumner above. Another publication on the visionary, Peter Saville: Estate 1-127 (JRP|Ringier, 2007).

Michel Gaubert - A/W 2009

Superstar runway DJ Gaubert's finale tracks for the season...

Gareth Pugh - A/W 2009

Gareth Pugh as Video-Maker, Dream Tester By Colleen Nika

Interview magazine reviews Pugh's Fall collection...

"Last week, British designer Gareth Pugh presented one of the most directional collections of the Fall 2009 season. But this time, it wasn't just his cyberpunk couture that turned heads. Equally unorthodox was Pugh's choice of presentation: audiences experienced Pugh's collection via video display. Lucky for us, Gareth Pugh gives Interview exclusive insight into the concepts and inspirations behind the execution of his Fall 2009 fashion film." [Interview]

Factory Records - BBC Four Documentary

FACTORY: Manchester From Joy Division to Happy Mondays

A worthy tribute to the late Tony Wilson (1950-2007)...journalist, impresario, pioneer.
Every man has his destiny...the world is a better place that the men profiled here realized theirs.
Long live Factory.

Advice from i-D

Photography: Collier Schorr, Styling: David Vandewal

Flipping through i-D mags from last year, I came across advice on an effective method for stress release. "Make like Julien, relax, listen to Morrissey and dream yourself beautiful."

Raf Simons - A/W 2009

Simons talks to Suzy Menkes about Jil Sander...



I Feel by Raf Simons, All Shadows & Deliverance, A/W 2005

Freddie Mercury Punk Rock?

Alan McGee on music: Why Freddie Mercury is a punk-rock icon...
Queen have always been considered the antithesis of punk. But if punk rock was about never being boring, then Mercury's camp, Bollywood theatrics were almost a political weapon.

"I spent yesterday arguing with a friend that Freddie Mercury was punk rock. He hates Queen. I love Queen. That's the kind of band they are. And when I tell people that I consider Freddie Mercury a great songwriter and punk-rock idol, some get it and others don't. John Lydon paid tribute to Queen in 1977 when he was recording Never Mind the Bollocks, Here's the Sex Pistols in the same studios as them. Lydon crawled in stealth-like fashion to say hello to Freddie Mercury (before crawling out again). He wasn't the only icon who admired the Queen frontman. Kurt Cobain, in his suicide note, wrote of how he both admired and envied Freddie Mercury for basking in the love from his audience." [Guardian UK]

Kevin Shields Speaks

The interviewer is a TWAT, but you get to hear Kevin Shields of My Bloody Valentine speak (on future projects among other things). I bet he also thought the guy was a total goon.

March's Soundtrack

The Notwist, "One With the Freaks"
The Rolling Stones, "Jumpin' Jack Flash"
Jarvis Cocker, "Don't Let Him Waste Your Time"
The Culture Club, "Miss Me Blind"
Lou Reed, "Walk on the Wild Side"
My Bloody Valentine, "Sometimes"
Glasvegas, "Geraldine"
Weezer, "Island in the Sun"
The Cure, "A Letter to Elise"
Radiohead, "High and Dry"

NYC Man

On my way to work this morning...posters of the man I was coincidently listening to ("Candy Says"). Is Lou Reed really Supreme's spokesperson? I hope they are worthy of the association.

Grupdom?

Photo: Ari Versluis & Ellie Uyttenbroek

Up With Grups By Adam Sternbergh
"He owns eleven pairs of sneakers, hasn't worn anything but jeans in a year, and won't shut up about the latest Death Cab for Cutie CD. But he is no kid. He is among the ascendant breed of grown-up who has redefined adulthood as we once knew it and killed off the generation gap." [NY Magazine]

Will this be the fate of everyone I know?

Breakin' and Poppin' with Alfonso Ribeiro

Carlton can dance?

Dior's Road Trip

Vogue, May 15, 1950

The best finds are often accidental. I recently came across this delightful article from a 1950 issue of Vogue magazine where couturier Christian Dior details a motor trip from Paris to Cannes, taken "with an eye for the worthy detour." Along the way we rediscover Dior's love of antiquities, art, architecture, landscapes, wine and dining, and easily see how his impeccable taste influenced and shaped his iconic collections.

Valentine's Day with Pierre Bonnard

Pierre Bonnard (French, 1867-1947), Work Table, 1926/1937

Pierre Bonnard: The Late Interiors, January 27, 2009-April 19, 2009, The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Finally got the chance to see the Pierre Bonnard exhibition at the Met on Valentine's Day (it seems many in the city had the same idea). Known for his use of luminous color and deliberate brush strokes, the 80 paintings, drawings and watercolors on display solidly reaffirm Bonnard's vaunted reputation. This is the first exhibition to focus entirely on interiors and still lifes from the artist's later years. Of particular note is the room devoted to his drawings...Bonnard's little sketchbooks containing studious renderings reveal poignant snapshots into the artist's mind.

Morrissey Meets Russell Brand

Wrestle With Russell - Part One


Wrestle With Russell - Part Two

Let's Tell the World...

Bruce Weber, Let's Get Lost, 1988

A haunting portrayal of Jazz legend Chet Baker - from 1950s idol to derelict. Weber's characteristic grainy black and white photography comes alive in this documentary that begins near the end of Baker's life on the beaches of Santa Monica. Tracing his fantastic journey in his own words and through the people he touched the most, this film serves as the perfect eulogy to this rebel without a cause. Originally released in 1988.

1968: The year that changed the world?

1968
"In this four part series, using archive recordings and music from the time, Sir John Tusa examines what made 1968 such a climactic year. Student protests, Soviet might, assassinations, war and famine - although these dramatic events took place more than a generation ago they seem incredibly immediate and astonishingly relevant today. Recapturing those events through the voices of those who made them, Sir John investigates if 1968 really did change the world." [BBC Radio]

This series was first broadcast on BBC Radio 4 and aired on BBC World Service on 1st December 2008.

February's Soundtrack

Stereo Total, "Je suis venu te dire que je m'en vais"
Pixies, "Here Comes Your Man"
The Breeders, "Regalame Esta Noche"
Elvis Costello, "I Want You"
Marlene Dietrich, "Falling in Love Again"
Suede, "Everything Will Flow"
Prince, "When Doves Cry"
John Lennon and Yoko Ono, "I'm Losing You"
Morrissey, "I Don't Mind If You Forget Me"
Wire, "Three Girl Rhumba"

Chalayan at 15

"Hussein Chalayan marks 15 years in fashion with a solo exhibition at London's Design Museum. Here, the avant-garde designer reflects on his most memorable moments." [Style.com]

Raymond Pettibon

Political Cartoons: Patty Hearst & the Presidents on PBS art:21

Art in the Twenty First Century profiles Raymond Pettibon - first recognized for his ink pen drawings that were associated with the L.A. punk rock scene. In the candid interview above, Pettibon discusses the art critical dialogue surrounding his work and dismisses many of its findings...among them, conceptual ideas rooted in anger, social criticism and self reflexivity.

Jarvis Cocker Speaks

"Everyone is middle class and boring..."
Interview from the Britpop documentary Live Forever (2003).

A Sci-Fi Lullaby

Suede, Sci-Fi Lullabies, Nude Records, 1997

From a double album of b-sides that shaped my early undergrad years. Anderson's falsetto is as dreamy live as recorded.

The Allure of Chanel

At the end of World War II, Gabrielle "Coco" Chanel invited diplomat and writer Paul Morand to St. Moritz and offered him the opportunity to write her memoirs. His notes of their conversations were put away in a drawer and only came to light a year after Chanel's death in 1971. They included candid memories and thoughts on diverse subjects - from her childhood to the men in her life to social issues. Originally published in 1976, The Allure of Chanel has been reprinted by Pushkin Press (2008). A must read.

Happy New Year Soundtrack

The Smiths, "There is a light that never goes out"
Queen, "Another One Bites the Dust"
Placebo, "Every You Every Me"
Radiohead, "Stop Whispering"
Ride, "Vapour Trail"
Lush, "Ladykillers"
Erasure, "Oh L'Amour"
Siouxsie And The Banshees, "Arabian Knights"
Pulp, "Pencil Skirt"
Diana Ross, "I'm Coming Out"

Happy New Year!

Health and happiness to all!