Eclecticity 2010 – The Ill Eagles

So,  this weekend was fun.

It’s not every weekend that you get the chance of gigs, parties, more gigs and more parties but this was one of those weekends and i made sure i enjoyed it to the full. I am however suffering for it now. Major hangover. I’ll need to recharge my batteries for the HEALTH gig at The Arches tomorrow night but right now the dust is just starting to settle after days of chaos and i’m gonna relax by lying up on the couch and watching Oddsac. Been aching to get my hands on it for months now and today i finally did.

But first let me tell you about Eclecticity 2010.

Think of it as an “underground party”. It’s an event that’s held every year (this year was my first, cherry officially now popped!) in the East/Central area of Scotland. It t. Over the years it has taken place in garage workshops, abandoned buildings, industrial estates, warehouses and even some brave/idiotic persons one bedroom flat! This year was a warehouse party. The exact location isn’t allowed to be disclosed. You see, it’s an “illegal” party that starts at 8pm and goes on until all hours of the morning. Usually ending around 6 or 7am. As you can imagine it gets quite messy and chaotic the later it goes on. Apparently the authorities have uncovered it before, 2007 and 2008 if legend is to be believed, and put an end to it.

This year flyers (i’m in the picture! :D) were handed out around pubs and clubs with instructions to follow an eye, much in the style of the BB one, around the town which will then eventually lead you to the venue. Pretty cryptic huh? Pretty dangerous too if you ask me but hey i’m not the organiser i was only playing at it so what can i do.

So to the set….

We arrived at the venue around 9pm, the place was already packed. Sweat filled t-shirts bobbing around to a pre-show soundtrack of Bloody Beetroots, Proxy, Fake Blood and Boys Noize. Thumbs up to whoever compiled that.

We went through to the “backstage” area, a small room no bigger than a hut, and had a few drinks. These parties are always strictly “Bring Your Own Booze” so myself and Chris had bought a case of Red Stripe and a fair few of those really cool mini cans of Jack Daniels. Believe me i needed the alcohol for some Dutch courage before i took to the “stage”. The DJ area was a small block built out of someones computer desk and what looks like the remains of a discarded wardrobe. Small, stuffy but enjoyable nonetheless. Bearing in mind that i’m still not too experienced at this whole live DJing malarky on my own (can count how many i’ve played without Chris in one hand!) Chris agreed to stand up with me, or linger around as he called it, for the first hour or so of my set until i got settled in. I was unbelievably nervous beforehand so was glad of the his presence and experience for the first hour or so. After that it was all go though. Not even a glitchy smoke machine could stop me! Those who were there will know what i mean 🙂

Chris has very kindly recorded my set from the party using his Virtual DJ software and is in the process of converting the file and breaking it up into 1 hour 20 minute sections (it’s originally over 3 hours long) that will allow me to put the whole set onto cd format. Hopefully it’ll span over 3 cds, maybe 4 that i can give to friends and family. But as soon as he’s given me the files i’ll get them uploaded to mediafire and available for free download.

In the meantime, here’s some of the tracks i dropped into my set.

MP3: Congorock – Babylon (Uppermost Rework)

MP3: LOL Boys – Counting (123 Reprise)

MP3: G-Tronic – Sucker Punch

MP3: Missil – Get Busted

MP3: Felix Da Housecat – Kick Drum

MP3: Cyberpunkers – OMG (Belzebass Remix)

MP3: Kissed With A Noise feat. Young Buck – Watuppp (PeaceTreaty Remix)

It was a very eclectic set with tracks ranging from synth pop to shoegaze (used HTRK as an intro track), glitch to electro, techno to dub, bass heavy to chilled out, originals to remixes and cut ups and a whole host of other good stuff inbetween. Expect the full setlist and downloads to be up next weekend in the “Weekend Mixtape” section. If you’re listening Chris…..that’s a hint! No, actually, it’s a deadline!

The party itself was certainly an experience. So much so in fact that it’s one i’d be happy to leave untouched. By that i mean that i probably won’t play another one of these nights. I’ll leave that to Chris/Sherbert Head and the rest of the professional “Ill Eagles” as they call themselves. There’s another underground event again at the end of the year and i’ve been asked to play. I’m considering it just now but i think i’ll politely decline. I really am a bag of nerves/embarrasment when it comes to the whole playing live thing, so much so that i need a wolf mask to hide me! Even when i played guitar live with my old band i would stand at the back with my hood up. People will probably see that as ignorance or arrogance but it really is a curse. I would change it if i could. But for now i’ll stick to being a bedroom DJ and musician. Speaking of which, i’ve been recording some new instrumental material recently, just me, my laptop, my guitar and my delay pedal.

My Workplace

Ok, i’m off to eat cheese n toast and watch Oddsac…..finally.

S.I.T Wolf  X

Your Monthly Video Dose: August 2010

Richie Hawtin – The Tunnel

Warpaint – Elephants

Babe Rainbow – Screwby

The Icarus Line – Feed A Cat To Your Cobra

Felix Da Housecat – We All Wanna Be Prince

S.I.T Wolf x

I Am Stop. You Are Go.

I’m in a bit of a rush tonight, i’m unexpectedly off to see Call Me Ishmael at King Tuts. I got a text at lunch time today from Richie and Lucy telling me that “WE DON’T CARE WHAT YOU SAY, YOU’RE COMING ALONG” to this gig tonight. That’s right, i wasn’t asked, i was told. Sometimes it’s messages like those that make my day! Got a free pass into the gig and the promise of free booze (i am pretty penniless for the next few days afterall).

What more could a bored boy with nothing to do on a Friday night want?

I’ve seen Call Me Ishmael live before (as a support act) and they’re definitely ones to watch. The Glasgow sextet reminded me musically of a poppier At The Drive In (Casino and Vaya era). It has that lo-fi feel but infused with different little elements of Alkaline Trio, Thursday and Thrice and is lyrically/vocally reminiscent of a certain Glasgow cult band by the name of De Rosa. You get the picture/idea? No, ok, here’s a wee snifter…

MP3: Call Me Ishmael – The Beast That Screamed At The Heart Of The World

Check out some more of their songs at their myspace

My favourite song of theirs at the moment is “Blood and Ashes”. To me it sounds like it belongs in 2002. It has that kinda crossover punky feel. By the way that’s a good thing not bad. It takes me back to the sounds of that era. Call Me Ishmael could fit snugly on a playlist next to Taking Back Sunday, The Used etc.

Anyways, my lift is due in 10 minutes. I best finish getting ready and look out my old school ATD-I t-shirt. I’m even dressing like 2002!

Ps. I’m playing a warehouse party this weekend, i’ll be sure to leave a post here on Sunday about how it goes. It very possibly will be my last DJ set under the Someone’s In The Wolf moniker for a good while so i’m hoping to go out with a bang. No, wait, i’m going out with a howl.

S.I.T Wolf  X

Imagine None Of This Is Real…..

First off apologies for the lack of any posts in the last week or so. I haven’t been anywhere near the computer since last Friday night. The lack of free time has been due to various reasons/happenings. Sleep deprivation being the main one. My insomnia seems to just come and go without warning. Some nights i could feel sleepy at half 10 and just conk out and sleep right through till the morning. Other nights i can’t sleep at all and worst of all some nights i get broken sleep. I hate that the most, there’s nothing worse than falling asleep at 3am and then waking up every 30 minutes or so and then going to work at 8am. I’ll need to look into something that can help me with this, if anybody has any ideas let me know. Right now i’ve just been using a little Spotify playlist that i made up, it’s been kinda working i suppose but more on that another day (i’ll post some tracks off it soon). Let’s talk about the weekend just past.

Before i start on the good stuff though, i caught heed of some bad news on Sunday night. I’d like to express my disbelief at the tragic events that took place at Pukkelpop festival in Belgium over the weekend where Charlie Haddon, lead singer of the London synth band Ou Est Le Swimming Pool, sadly took his own life. The full story and exact details don’t seem to have emerged yet but it seems that a crowd surf attempt from a member of the band went badly wrong, some say Haddon made the attempt whilst others have stated that Joe Hutchinson actually jumped into the crowd. Either way, the outcome is one of absolute shock. A girl was seriously injured in the botched stage dive and the members of Ou Est Le Swimming Pool were besides themselves with worry and grief. It’s believed they thought the girls injuries were so serious that she may be paralysed. Obviously there is no way any damage was intended by the band, it was just a dreadful accident. But the 3 band members apparently argued furiously backstage after their set and in the hours afterwards Haddon decided to take his own life. The really tragic thing is that the girl injured in the stage dive is expected to make a full recovery.

It’s such a loss of amazing talent for a band who were definitely on their way to something big. Their debut album was due out in October which they were then set to follow with their first UK headline tour.

My heart goes out to Charlie Haddons family and the band members. My thoughts and condolences are with you all.

The lyrics in this particular track are astonishingly eerie/haunting considering all things.

MP3: Ou Est Le Swimming Pool – Outside

The tracks that they are probably best known for are “Dance The Way I Feel” (featured in my Best of 2009 section if you wanna hear it, if you haven’t already) and “Jacksons Last Stand”.

R.I.P Charlie Haddon

Moving away from the sombre mood, i was out for Luisa’s birthday on Saturday night, it was a good night, a really good night. So good in fact that i spent the next day wallowing in my own self pity. Suffering from the hangover of all hangovers. Though to be fair i did manage to somehow make it through back home to visit my parents and sister. Although i imagine i wouldn’t have been much fun as i just moped around moaning about having a sore head and hairy teeth (dry mouth from too much alcohol for those unaware of that term) whilst constantly complaining about the adverts on TV being too loud. Yes, i’m a grumpy Sunday boy, especially if i’ve been out the night before.

Luisa’s 20th was marked in traditional Glasgow style…..drink as many shots as humanly possible and dance yer bum off. Which everyone did…..well, from what i can remember anyway.

Here’s the birthday girl being taken hostage by my right arm….

I absolutely love that expression! And the Cure t-shirt. Which reminds me. I want THIS

And here’s Luisa with her boyfriend/one of my best friends, Gordon/The G Man/Bubbles.

Take note of Gordons totally non ironic Tina Turner t-shirt. I really can’t give him too much verbal over it…..we both bought tshirts for 3 euros each in a bargain bin at ROCK AM in Germany a few years back, Tina was his pick…..what did i get?….a Michael Jackson (Dangerous Tour) one. My head is bowed right now. In shame. Fashion shame.

Here’s a few more links..

Luisa’s blog littlenihilist

Gordon’s band Damnable Contraption….let’s call it experimental art shall we? Songs about smelly genitalia. You have been warned!

As a little birthday extra (even though it is like 4 days late!) here’s a few of Luisa’s fave artists/tracks.

MP3: Death Cab For Cutie – Photobooth

MP3: Bright Eyes – Lua

MP3: Elliott Smith – Angeles

MP3: Jimmy Eat World – Sweetness

MP3: Bloody Beetroots – Domino

By the way Luisa, if you’re reading this, that last track is yet another hint at something we’ve spoke about since May………geez back my Bloody Beetroots t-shirt!

Also, not sure if you’re aware of this or not but you have the “privilege ” of this being Number 1 in the charts when you were born…..

Happy Birthday (again) Luisa xx 🙂

Lastly, i had to turn down a ticket for the Eels gig at the Glasgow Academy last night.

1. I’m running low on funds till payday, which is next Tuesday.
2. I was absolutely shattered (see top of post for insomnia explanation)
3. I was working till 7pm so it would’ve probably been a mad rush to get home and make it back in time for the gig.

Ah excuses, excuses!!

Don’t look so sad, i didn’t mean it, can you ever forgive me Mr Everett?!

MP3: Eels – Looking-Up

S.I.T WOLF  X

The Wheels On The Bus….

During the week, having missed the last train, i had the unfortunate displeasure of having to get a number 40 bus home.

I mean, don’t get me wrong i don’t mind getting the bus, in fact i’d happily take the bus home from work over the train sometimes but i’ve never been one for enjoying late night bus journeys. They’re usually inhabited and frequented by people dressed like this..

They have different names all over the world, here in Scotland we like to call these cretins Neds.

MP3: Neds Atomic Dustbin – Kill Your Television

When you think about i suppose Bush and Blair kinda were neds. More so Bush. I’d say Blair was akin to being the new member of the gang, the one who is just happy to be following orders and hanging around street corners (in this case Iraq) with the older, “tougher” neds.

It all adds up…

Like fighting? CHECK
Speak incoherently? CHECK
A bully? CHECK
Like showing off and using big weapons? CHECK

But that’s a whole other matter and the subject of politics/war is something for another time.

Back to the bus journey. The idiotic youngsters (God, i feel old, is 25 old?) on this particular bus weren’t maybe as violent, aggressive or mouthy as the usual breed of Non Educated Delinquents but they were however just as annoying. Maybe even more annoying come to think of it. I’d actually rather be threatened by a 17 year old and a half bottle of Buckfast than have to sit through what i did this week.

The crime of these morons? Playing noises that they call “music” really fucking loudly out of their mobile phones. It got even worse when they started “singing” along. To be honest any music played through a mobile/cell phone usually sounds awful.

But when i say “music” i mean stuff like this.

*I apologise in advance for posting these videos. But it the closest thing i could find to the tripe that was filtering out of their Sony Ericssons the other night. Also, the dancing style in the second video is how a lot of these inbreds like to “move” when listening to their “pure banging hardcore”.*

I’m sure that there are people out there who like this kind of music and that’s fair enough (it’s not really) i suppose but i’ve grown up to detest it not only for the usual squeaky high pitched voices but also for it’s assosciation with ned culture in this country.

In the end i rode it out and refrained from becoming so annoyed that i would have to say something. So instead i just looked up the Graham Coxon song “Bloody Annoying” on my iPod and laughed quietly to myself.

MP3: Busdriver – Imaginary Places

MP3: Shy Child – Drop The Phone

MP3: Outkast – Back Of The Bus

If only every bus was driven by Otto then bus journeys would be an altogether funner place. Maybe not safer but definitely funner.

S.I.T Wolf  X

Starlit Bones And Good Intentions In A Celestial Colony Of Snow

The Sickx Mickx

MP3: Black Mountain – Heart Of Snow

MP3: Mclusky – To Hell With Good Intentions

MP3: Cat Power – Cross Bones Style

MP3: Solar Bears – Neon Colony

MP3: Baths – Rafting Starlit Everglades

VIDEO:  Isis – Celestial ( The Tower)

S.I.T Wolf X

Paraskavedekatriaphobia

Some people are scared of Friday the 13th.

I’m not at all, i’m the total opposite, it’s one of my favourite days.

1. Because i love the number 13. I always have.

2. It’s a Friday, which means the weekend is upon us. Good times.

All japes aside though i’m not one for being in the slightest superstitious.

MP3: Sneaker Pimps – Superstition (Stevie Wonder cover)

In other news…….
Just about to finish my last smoke then head to The Captains Rest.

Tonight i’m off to see Mr PDP

MP3: Pantha Du Prince – A Nomads Retreat

S.I.T Wolf  X

What Might Have Been Lost….

A few months back  i randomly discovered a mash up of Bon Iver and Ellie Goulding. It’s different from most mash ups in that it’s not two different songs put together…..well kinda. It’s the original version of “Wolves Act I and II” by Bon Iver spliced together with the cover of the same song that Ellie Goulding did last year. I’ve let a few friends hear it and it seems to be quite popular so it’s about time i posted it.

I was a bit sceptical at first. I listened to both versions separately and then tried to imagine them together. To be honest i never thought it would come out anywhere near as perfect as it does when they’re matched up. I’m not Ellie Goulding’s biggest fan (i do like “Guns and Horses” though) but her vocals on the mash up version somehow bring an even more haunting dimension to the track. I mean i absolutely adore the original Bon Iver version and i prefer that to any cover or mash up but something about this particular combination of vocals is beautifully painful. Maybe they should get together and make a few albums a la Isobel Campbell and Mark Lanegan.

MP3: Bon Iver and Ellie Goulding – Wolves (Act I & II)

On the subject of Bon Iver, i think it’s about time i posted some of the remixes i have….

Most of his songs aren’t exactly ripe for remixing (i’ve tried and failed miserably) but there are a few folk out there who have made exceptional tracks.

MP3: Bon Iver – Re Stacks (Tomas Barfod Remix)

MP3: Bon Iver – Blood Bank (Skinny Freidmann Remix)

MP3: Bon Iver vs Aphex Twin – Woods Licker (Unknown Remix)

MP3: Bon Iver/El-P – Woods Blend (Phaseone Version)

And of course any excuse to get some Mark Lanegan and Isobel Campbell in…..

MP3: Isobel Campbell and Mark Lanegan – You Won’t Let Me Down Again

One more thing, i read earlier tonight that Kanye West has asked Justin Vernon to contribute to his new album which is due to drop sometime this winter. Another interesting combination to say the least. I know that Vernon has dabbled with hip hop and dare i say R’n’B before, on GAYNGS creepy yet sexy debut album “Relayted”, even taking to a spot of rapping on the albums final track “Last Prom On Earth” but Kanye is a whole different prospect. I hope it works out.

MP3: GAYNGS – The Last Prom On Earth

S.I.T Wolf X

THE MONDAY LIST #20: Sympathy For The Devil

Yesterday i saw the trailer for the new M. Night Shyamalan movie “Devil”. Apparently it’s a return to form for the Indian born director. After the classics of “Sixth Sense” and “Unbreakable” there was the decent enough “Signs” but then in my opinion his features since then have pretty much been in a steady decline. None more so than his latest effort “The Last Airbender” which has also been panned by media and critics alike.

But “Devil” definitely has the potential to be a resounding edge of the seat, “what happens next?”, “who is it?”, tension filled movie. It’s centred around 5 people who are in an elevator when it breaks down (my worst nightmare) and as the situation starts to turn more sinister they begin to suspect that one of them is in fact Lucifer himself. This of course leads to all sorts of eerie goings on and twists and turns.

The film is the first of the Night Chronicles Trilogy which focuses on the supernatural in modern society. It’s due for release on September 17th.

Seeing the trailer and taking inspiration from the idea behind it i’ve decided to dedicate the 20th Monday List to Mr Satan. To be fair i’d already assembled a List for Him Upstairs about a year ago so it’s only fair we go down to the basement and give the bad guy his 15 minutes of fame as well.

SYMPATHY FOR THE DEVIL
———————————–
MP3’s

1. Beck – Devils Haircut
2. TV On The Radio – Let The Devil In
3. Eighties Matchbox B-Line Disaster – Turkish Delights of the Devil (Live)
4. Telepathe – Devils Trident
5. Rolling Stones – Sympathy For The Devil
6. Cooper Temple Clause – The Devil Walks In The Sand
7.  The Gun Club – A Devil In The Woods
8. Max Romeo – I Chase The Devil
9. Zola Jesus – Devil Take You
10. BRMC – Beat The Devils Tattoo

Bonus tracks….

Although there is no actual reference to the devil in this song it’s widely believed that the song “Cross Road Blues” is about Robert Johnson meeting the Devil at a cross roads and selling him his soul in exchange for the ability to have pretty much unlimited skills on the guitar. So goes the legend anyway….

MP3: Robert Johnson – Cross Road Blues

Obviously, no one actually knows who, what or where the Devil is. Or in fact, even if he/she/it exists at all. I personally don’t believe in the whole good and evil side of things. Don’t get me wrong, i suppose i believe in something, a higher power/being or whatever but not enough to have faith in any one particular religion. I’m open to life just being life. But enough religi-ranting, the point i was originally going to put across was that most people who do believe in God and the Devil believe that they are both distinctly male. They are mainly perceived this way in modern society but who knows why.

But what if the Devil was a woman…..

MP3: Yannick Aellen – The Devil (Is A Woman I Never Slept With)

MP3: Primal Scream – Miss Lucifer

There is of course the one thing that everyone agrees on……that the devil is quite a scary proposition in any form.

Al Pacino was the coolest Devil ever. Fact.

S.I.T Wolf   X

This Is No Way For A Man To Live

Just heard this band for the first time tonight on recommendation from my mate Chris. He mainly listens to IDM, electro, techno and/or punk and metal so when he started talking about an emotive “indie” rock band from Nashville that are influenced by The Velvet Underground, blues and 60’s n 70’s America my ears pricked up.

I love the whole retro American style and feel to the video.

Listen to “Listen To Your Love” and another really good track called “Lines In The Sand”  here

I think i’ve fell in love with the guys voice. It sounds familiar to me in a strange comforting kind of way. I feel like i’ve heard him before somewhere. I love the lyrics as well.

“Come on, don’t you know i wanna see you?

When i think of old America or a retro America i think of drive in theatres. Or should that be theaters?

S.I.T Wolf  X