Just discovered the really sad news that TV On The Radio member Gerard Smith has passed away at the age of only 34.
Last month the band revealed that their bassist had been diagnosed with lung cancer and today they announced that he had passed away this morning, just 9 days after the release of the bands latest release “Nine Types Of Light”. To some, Smith was maybe one of the lesser known members of TV On The Radio but he was not any less influential than any of his bandmates. He’ll be sadly missed. My thoughts are with his friends and family.
Sometimes words can’t do justice so i’ll let the music speak for itself.
I know i missed out on posting the monthly “Six Mix” in March so i’ve decided to treat you to a TWELVE DELVE in April. 10 tracks and 2 vids, here we go….
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.
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….
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.
Sorry it’s taken so long to get the second episode of this up.
There’s been a few new questions added in and there’s a word assosciation section at the end as well. I already have the next interview lined up, it’s taking place next week with my flat mate Gustav. So that should hopefully be up next weekend.
And on with the interview…readers, meet Emma…
SIT WOLF: Describe music in 5 or less words.
EMMA: For fucks sake i didn’t know it was going to be some sort of philosophical conversation. SIT WOLF: Hahahahaha! That’s going in!
EMMA: That’s not 5 words but put it in if you like. I don’t like that question. If you slightly changed the question to “What do you like most about music in 5 words?” then i could totally do that and reference Almost Famous at the same time. SIT WOLF: Ok, well, go with that. *sighs*
EMMA: To begin with, everything. SIT WOLF: Thank fuck that’s out the way. This is gonna be a long interview.
SIT WOLF: What was the first album you bought?
EMMA: The S Club 7 debut album, in fairness i was very young.
SIT WOLF: What was the last album you bought?
EMMA: Heartbreaker by Ryan Adams.
SIT WOLF: What are your views on illegal downloading/file sharing?
EMMA: I personally don’t do it. But the overriding reason is not moral, it’s more for fear of computer viruses. But i do use Spotify and i have no objections to people sending me stuff they have downloaded. I have mixed views really. On one hand it’s a great way for smaller bands to get recognition, but conversely, i think selling CDs is the primary source of income for most bands. But it really pisses me off when bands like Metallica take it so seriously because A) they’re hugely rich anyway and don’t need the money and B) nobody should pay to have to hear their music. It’s terrible.
SIT WOLF: What was your very first gig?
EMMA: Blink 182 at the Braehead Arena in 2004.
SIT WOLF: What was your last gig?
EMMA: The 7th of May this year The National and Pavement in Paris. Amazing.
SIT WOLF: What’s the next gig you’re going to?
EMMA: So far the only one i have lined up is The National at the 02 Academy in November. I’m not a fan of gigs really. Most of the crowd are made up of assholes and sometimes that can ruin the songs. I prefer to listen to an album as it is, the way it should be.
SIT WOLF: If you were stuck on a desert island and told that you could only listen to 3 albums over and over again for the rest of your life, what would they be?
EMMA: “Automatic For The People” by R.E.M and for a bit of variety i’d go for the Vanilla Sky soundtrack. I couldn’t choose between either “Alligator” or “Boxer” by The National. Don’t make me choose!
SIT WOLF: What 3 songs are currently on constant rotation on your IPod/MP3 Player?
EMMA: “So Alive” by Ryan Adams, “Visions of Johanna” by Bob Dylan and The British Sea Power track “No Lucifer”.
SIT WOLF: What are your 3 favourite remixes?
EMMA: I don’t really listen to a lot of remixes to be honest. I quite liked the Dahlback remix of Death From Above 1979’s “Romantic Rights” and the remix of The Nationals “Secret Meeting”. A 3rd one at a push would be the Lady Gaga/Nirvana mash up.
SIT WOLF: What are your 3 favourite films?
EMMA: To Kill A Mockingbird. It’s a very comforting film and you see it through the eyes of the child. Also, Gregory Peck plays the most perfect character in the world. Secondly, Vanilla Sky. I love all the film and song references throughout the movie and it has an amazing soundtrack. The twist at the end is really good as well. Third one would be The Diving Bell and The Butterfly, i love the way it’s filmed and it’s really uplifting.
SIT WOLF: What are your 3 favourite cover versions.
EMMA: Jeff Buckley doing “Hallelujah”, Ryan Adams version of “Wonderwall” and the version of “Song To The Siren” that features in the film Candy. SIT WOLF: J’adore Ryan Adams take on Wonderwall.
SIT WOLF: What are your 3 favourite music videos?
EMMA: “Losing My Religion” by R.E.M because it’s a childhood memory and did you know that it’s based on the short story “A Very Old Man With Enormous Wings” by Gabriel Garcia Marquez. I also love the new video for “Bloodbuzz Ohio” by The National. They send themselves up in it, playing up on their whole serious, depressing side. My favourite scenes are the ones on the park bench and when he’s lying on the grass with his feet in the air. Lastly, i’ll go for TV on the Radio and “Dreams” for the sole reason that i couldn’t fit them into the desert island question!
SIT WOLF: What are your 3 favourite TV shows?
EMMA: Arrested Development, My So Called Life and 30 Rock.
SIT WOLF: Do you play an instrument? If so, which one?
EMMA: Yes, guitar. Although i haven’t played in ages. But i remember chords and stuff, it’s like riding a bike, you never forget how to do it.
SIT WOLF: If you could make a Supergroup (5 members) that you’d love to hear who would be in it and what would their name be?
EMMA: It would fall apart immediately because the people i would choose would be egotistical songwriters. I’d go for Jeff Buckley, Ryan Adams and either Bryce or Aaron Dessner. Bill Berry on drums because i believe he was secretly the mastermind behind R.E.M. I don’t really know much about bass but i’m gonna go for John Paul Jones because he’s clearly capable and he seems cool as fuck. For a name i’ll go with The Band #2. SIT WOLF: Good band. Boring name.
SIT WOLF: Give me and the readers 3 bands that you think we might not know but we should check out?
EMMA: Alexi Murdoch. He’s Scottish, He did the soundtrack for “Away We Go”. A guy called Doveman. And finally N.A.S.A. They’re an indie hip hop group. How surprised are you right now?! There’s lot’s of guest members on the album “The Spirit of Apollo” but it’s really good for putting on before a night out.
SIT WOLF: What would your ideal gig be (3 bands)? And where would it be?
EMMA: Can i pick 3 gigs i wish i was present at then put them together to make the ideal gig? SIT WOLF: Yeah, sure.
EMMA: Bob Dylan at the Albert Hall in 1966, Jeff Buckley at Sin-E in 1992 and Interpol anywhere in New York in 2002. SIT WOLF: And whereabouts would this congregate?
EMMA: The Oran Mor in Glasgow
SIT WOLF: Who are your 3 favourite writers?
EMMA: JD Salinger, EE Cummings, F Scott Fitzgerald.
SIT WOLF: What are your 3 favourite books?
EMMA: Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov, Skinny Legs and All by Tom Robbins and The Time Travelers Wife by Audrey Niffenegger.
SIT WOLF: What songs best encapsulate your moods?
A) Happy
B) Sad
C) Angry
D) Lonely
EMMA:
A) Beach Boys – “Sloop John B”
B) The full album “Love Is Hell” by Ryan Adams
C) Fugazi – Merchandise
D) Ryan Adams – Does Anyone Wanna Take Me Home?
SIT WOLF: Who, in your opinion, are the 3 most attractive males in music?
EMMA: Matt Berninger, he seems like such an adult. He writes sexy lyrics and he’s tall . Stephen Malkmus because his arrogance attracts me. Jeff Buckley, he seemed really nice and he was super talented.
SIT WOLF: Who, in your opinion, are the 3 most attractive females in music?
EMMA: Zooey Deschanel, she’s just really hot. The twins from School of Seven Bells and the singer in my friends band, i can’t remember her name though.
SIT WOLF: What are your 3 favourite album covers?
EMMA: “Boxer” by The National, “Turn On The Bright Lights” by Interpol and Neil Young “Harvest Moon”.
SIT WOLF: What word best sums your musical tastes up?
EMMA: Invariable
WORD ASSOCIATION: SIT WOLF words in bold. If anybody doesn’t know how to play word association (which i’m sure everybody does but i’ll explain anyway) it basically involves someone saying a word and you instantly reply with the first word that comes to mind.
AMERICA – Neil Young BLOOD – Alkaline Trio SIT WOLF: It doesn’t have to be music y’know?
EMMA: I know! Carry on. CHRISTMAS – Tree DANGER – Red ECSTASY – Love FAILURE – Shit GOD – Not real HATE – Blue INNOCENT – White JOHN – Funny KISS – Nice LOVE – Red MUSIC – Yellow NEW YORK – Love OLD – Smell nice. Old books i mean, not people! PEOPLE – Hate QUIZZES – Awesome REGRET – Lauren SING – Audrey Hepburn TOAST – Butter UP – Down VENUE – Smoking WEATHER – Rain XYLOPHONE – Kids books YOU – Hungry ZULU – eh…Zoolander
Sometime last December, i randomly came across an article in the local paper. It contained these facts about facial hair.
An average man has 25,000 whiskers on his face, and facial hair grows at a rate of approximately five to six inches a year. Whiskers? What am i? A fucking cat?
An average man will spend in excess of 3000 hours of his life in the act of shaving. This one really got to me, so by going a month without shaving it meant i gained back a good few of those hours!
Now, i had only shaved off my novelty moustache (the one i grew in aid of Movember) a few days before reading that particular article but decided there and then that i would make an attempt at growing a beard sometime in the upcoming New Year. “Beards are meant to make you look thoughtful, philosphocal, even cool apparently ” i thought. “I’ve got nothing to lose”.
But i didn’t want to have a big fuzzy face for the Christmas season, i mean if i was to turn up at Christmas parties and nights out dressed in my ripped jeans with my face covered in unkempt multi-coloured facial hair i’d probably end up giving off the impression that i was lost and looking for spare change. So i waited a while before finally having my last shave on the 29th of December. I tried to time it perfectly so that i could enjoy New Years Eve and the following weeks New Year celebrations (my family celebrate New Year right up until the 5th of January, we have a lot of relatives to get round) with just a few days stubble and then a weeks stubble at most, that way i would look just normally ugly in the family pictures instead of really hairy and ugly.
This was my beard at 2 weeks old, it got worse believe me.
So the weeks passed by and i grew to like my beard and genuinely thought about keeping it for longer than the sole month that i intended. But last night the 4 weeks were up and it came off.
The beard divided opinion amongst my friends and family. My mum hated it, i looked neanderthal apparently. She is the most relieved that it’s now gone. My sister Lisa liked it. To her it made me look intellectual. Something i’m pretty sure i’m not. She also said that it made me look like i was “..a member of Mogwai or something…”. It probably had something to do with the shirt i was wearing at the time, it was a checked/plaid effort. Either way the Mogwai comment made me smile. My dad also quite liked the beard. He told me it made me look like a younger version of him. That was one of the swaying factors when it came to shaving it off if i’m honest! Most of my other relatives didn’t recognise me at first when they came over recently, seriously, that’s fucked up. How can someone not recognise their nephew/cousin under a simple beard. In general my close friends liked the beard, there was the odd cry of “lumberjack!” or “oh, look out, here comes Grizzly Adams!” but nothing negative really.
Well, anyway, it’s gone now, shaven completely off last night.
So here’s to you, multi-coloured Beard. Born on the 29th of December 2009 and sadly fell down the sink on the 26th of January 2010. I’ll never forget you.
And here’s to a few beardy artists.
Take note of the “Do 50% of band members have a beard” part. So do beards make you cool? …….Really though..who gives a shit?
This is a one off special post that i decided to do for my friend Emma who left to study in Aberdeen last month, i promised i would dedicate a special post to her….so after much delay and without further ado here goes…
and i couldn’t leave out one of your favourite artists, even if he does look overly sleazy in certain lingerie adverts….its the one and only Bobby Bob Bob, the Dylanator..
and two covers of that song, one which sticks reasonably close to the original by Monsters Of Folk (a supergroup of such which features Bright Eyes, M.Ward and Jim James) and another one which is very different and unique by the Secret Machines.
The college-y type sounds of a certain person that Emma has convinced me to like…
MP3: Tom Petty – Free Fallin’
A band that no matter how much Emma likes i’m afraid i never will but seeing as this post is for Emma i’m obliged to involve them..
Mp3: The Beatles – A Hard Days Night
Hot on the trails of the $elling Out mixtape comes “Standing On The Edge Of Pop”. The concept stays the same on this mix. Although this time its not quite so blatant. $elling Out was designed as a mix that (hopefully) everybody would recognise the songs from. Tracks and artists that pretty much everyone has or should have heard of at some point in their musical life. Standing On The Edge however is a more varied mix that features artists and songs who are well known and some artists who (i believe) should have pop recognition but are still unknown to a certain extent, well unknown to most ears anyway. All of the bands involved in the mix have a certain degree of pop sensibility regarding melody thus their tunes are catchy. Any one of the songs wouldn’t sound out of place on your work radio. Depending on which station you listen to that is. Unfortunately for me, everyone in the garage i work in has a taste in Clyde 102.5 or Real Radio….both are pish. Bring back XFM Scotland! ….. Back to the mix, i tried to make it as variable as i could to cater for many different types of listeners. Every song is a pop gem, some you’ll recognise, some you won’t but i hope you enjoy nonetheless.
Standing On The Edge Of Pop Tracklist
—————————————————
1. Apparat – Hailin’ From The Edge
2. Julian Plenti – Only If You Run
3. The Radio Dept – Where Damage Isn’t Already Done
4. TV On The Radio – Wolf Like Me
5. Jape – Floating
6. Fleetwood Mac – Everywhere
7. Moby – Natural Blues
8. Faker – This Heart Attack
9. Two Door Cinema Club – Hands Off My Cash, Monty!
10. Johnny Neon – Laserkill
11. Yes Giantess – Tuff N Stuff
12. Familjen – Det Snurrar I Min Skalle
13. Yazoo vs Snap! – Don’t Go Rhythm Dancer
14. TNT Jackson (feat Chris Corner) – You And My Pearldiver
15. Maurice Williams and The Zodiacs – Stay
16. MPHO – Box ‘N’ Locks
17. Jordin Sparks – Battlefield
18. Free Energy – Dream City
19. Miike Snow – Animal
20. Arctic Monkeys – Dance Little Liar
21. Wild Beasts – Hooting And Howling
22. K-Os – Sunday Morning
SECRET TRACK : Bob -I’ve Seen Things………
I was having a random conversation over the weekend with a friend about the band Miike Snow and their song “Animal” and it kinda inspired me to make a list about animals and their involvement in music. Whether it be in song titles, band names or lyrics.
And i just came up with a list of Animal Related Song Titles from bands that i like. Feel free to download the songs. (remember to have patience when downloading and check the instructions on how to do it correctly!)
There’s certainly a “wolf” tone in the list but it’s not intentional, just ironic i suppose. If you can think of anymore please feel free to leave your suggestions.
Cat Power had decided to take her show a little too far
Next Monday i’m going to put up a top ten list of animal related bands. Example:- Eagles Of Death Metal.
To finish the post i thought i’d put up a video that puts a different spin on the now famous Cadburys advert featuring a Gorilla and the Phil Collins (*shivers*) song “In The Air Tonight”. I personally hated the advert but i like this version.
All audio content is provided strictly for evaluation purposes and to promote the artist. If you like what you hear, please support the artist(s) by buying their albums/merch and going to their shows. If you're a copyright owner and would like any content deleted, please feel free to ask.
Someones In The Wolf 