coffeejunkies’ Neighborhood

Made pizza with the gf last night. I decided it would be cheating to buy ready made bases. I stubbornly stuck to my guns after it being explained to me that it might be easier. 3 hours and three failed pizzas later I was in a kebab shop in Camden contemplating the benefits of pizza bases and nostaligically looking back at the recent gigs I had attended (see how I linked that, good eh?)

I went to see Glass Shark the other day. I was completely off my face on legal over-the-counter cold remedies convining myself that I didn't have a cold and it was hayfever. Glass Shark is a punk disco three piece who make much of very little in the way of sound. The drummer is the main vocalist/front man which makes for an interesting stage show. Historically, I've never liked the whole drummer/front man thing as it tends to look crap and be the product of a drummer not being happy at the back of a stage. If you want to be a front man, do it, if you want to be the drummer do that.

Anyhow, for me this group is the exception to the rule. I liked the stage set up too as it seemed they had though about how they were going to be perceived. Their mic stands were decorated with strip lights which gave the them a stark monochrome/80's discoteque feel.

Vocally and sound-wise they remind me a little bit of Lightningtype in places (one of my favourite bands from last year). Also the drummer/singer had a really sparse kit. One snare, Bass, Hat/crash and a couple of small roto toms which played a heavy part in the songs. The guitarist was armed with a couple of cowbells and another tom in addition to his guitar. This let them go a bit crazy with percussion sections in their tunes and there were moments of LCD Soundsystem in there for me (though that may have been the beechams) as well as a more distinct sound they could call their own.

As a unit they were really tight, great backing vocals and really use what they've got to the maximum potential. This doesn't mean firing on all cylinders throughout the set. They use clever arrangements, breakdowns and write disco tunes rather than being a tired indie band playing at it for a new angle.

Falsetto vocals, thumping 4 to the floor drums and tongue in cheek belters are the order of the day for Glass Shark. 'Toni Collette' was one of my personal highlights. Be sure to see them live as the myspace doesn't necessarily do them justice. If you want the full experience be sure to take masses of sudafed, beechams, zinc suppliments and dyorlyte when attending.

The showcase at the studio went really well. It's a great place. There's several studios dotted around the residential streets of the area. The one I put the band in is known as the Cottage. As it has a lounge reminiscent of my nan's attached and a little patio area outside. It was a lovely day so met the band outside with manage and crew (engineer and roadie). Was great to sit in the sun and talk about the various festivals they're involved in an such. Chewed the fat, discussed the set they were going to play then headed back to the office to prepare to take the label head over there.

Whilst at the office I think I was probably more nervous than the band were as I really want them to do well. I was seriously full of cold and everything that came out of my mouth that wasn't a sneeze, was some nonsensical faux muso comment that just made me look like a tit infront of the boss. Damn. Have had several cringeworth recollections of that day since.

They hammered through the set and really blew all in attendance away. Plus they really showed the depth of their material which is important. I'm really looking forward to seeing more of them. Leaving the studio a colleague and I agreed that we've probably got one of the more fun jobs out there.

Think I might head back home as I feel like something has hatched in my head.

Hope all is well with you.

IB

Its like getting too much change in a shop, its a dilemma.. you need to be quick, ‘shall I take the money ?!’ ‘its a big outfit, they can afford it, but then again its stealing,,, but they’re ripping me off anyway’ ‘what to do?!’ of course if you take the cash you’re sure to be arrested, punched to the ground by a surly security guard, jostled by the Police, embarrassing court appearances, losing your job, , house, car, partner, all over 5 pence change... oh take the money .. **** it, thats what OBAMA is saying... you couldn’t really turn down a billion, then about another 4 billion over the pathetic $85 million that the Public Purse is giving him in the US Presidential elections, even though it has made him a liar already... its ******’ hilarious, its all about the ******’ money to these people, he could have done OK with the Public Funds, a million a day will buy you a lot of sincere and annoying TV adverts, but no, that's not enough, he has gone back on his word already, and decided to take the billions offered by contributors to his funds. I would do the same if I were him because I’m not a politician, I’m allowed to lie , cheat, scrabble around in the pool of despair that us ordinary beings have to contend with... I would be piling millions in to offshore bank accounts and buying up Islands of the coast of Panama (are there Islands there - must be ?), go in for a minor operation in some South American hospital, and quietly leave through the back door when no-one’s watching... but that's me !!! not the superhero of American politics, that all the little people have been donating their $25. dollars to, to get rid of the lying inept turd brain that they currently have residing in Capital Hill... c’mon kids if he’s lying now what's he going to do when he gets in ??!! liar liar pans on fire..

I was extremely impressed by The Verve at Glastonbury,,,  not a big fan, but they seem to have turned in to a confident & huge stadium band, and certainly Richard Ashcroft has taken control, I liked the fact that he really sings, and has pushed his voice live and that there was so much space in their sound...  I wish someone would give Mark Ronson a push off the precipice though, this was the most dreadful and 'show-band' load of tripe I've ever heard...  why not go the whole hog and book himself out for weddings..  ******' dreadful, and take Lilly Allen with you, doesn't even know the lyrics to her own hit records..  probably because her Dad wrote it..

www.marshallstar.co.uk

So everyone is Glastonbury-ing.

There's is a lot of really really good stuff this year, but none of it on the main stages which I think is better in a way.

It's interesting to see the difference in ticket buying behaviour this year. After last years' crap sound, crap weather and crap provisions for punters the Dunkirk spirit was replaced by miserable soggy crowds and many leaving early. I stuck it out and left on the last day to face the 11 hour drive home. All a bit crazy really. My highlight that year was seeing Fionn Regan. But overall didn't really like it.

Other than those who have work commitments, I don't know anyone who went last year who's going this year. Many are heading for other UK or European festivals. Which is sad as Glastonbury had become an institution.

Anyway, enough whinging. There's plenty going on which is worth comment.

The Chapman Family are playing for one thing and they are truly great. To date, I've found what they've had recorded a bit lacklustre, but only because I don't think they've been with the right production team to translate what they achieve live into record. I was talking to Kingsley a couple of weeks back and he mentioned the difficulty they'd had getting the sound they wanted. It seems he really likes the chaotic noise elements you'll get from the likes of Sonic Youth and such but wants enough control over it for the music to be accessable rather than too art rock/avent garde. I wouldn't know which tracks to recommend as I keep hearing different versions of everything so just get yourselves to the BBC introducing stage.

Mumford and Sons seem to be playing all over the damn place, good thing too. Their day job is as Laura Marlin's backing band but they have struck out and gone it alone with their M&S project. I saw them a month or two ago and really liked the stripped back, rootsy folk sound they play around with. The strength of their songs rely almost entirely on melody and strong lyrics rather than overly elaborate arrangements, which they could do as they're all fantastic musicians. On record their sound is a little more rounded and deep with lush vocal overdubs and a lot of subtle but

The Fox Cubs, remember them?!? One of our first submission on the Vox platform and how far they've come since then. It seems like only yesterday the were sleeping on my lounge floor surrounded by beer bottles n such after playing an End of Camden night. Really matured as a band and everything about them is very slick as regards presentation. Their newly recorded stuff out of Dave Eringa's studio has really nailed their sound and I'm envious of everyone who will see them today. I think they will come accross really well. I certainly hope some of my colleagues from Columbia or RCA will be there.

There's plenty more but I'm in danger of waffling too much.

its the last day of pushing myself on an unsuspecting Public relentlessly, after all there are much more interesting things going on, like the new 'Green Taxes' Gordon Brown' is imposing so we can pay more for Global warming, deal done, sounds good to me, only I don't have a warming yet, just rain rain rain, so I may be going and kicking Gordon in the goolies, Gordon in the goolies Gordon in the goolies (join in!)

Stars1

Marshall Star - "Cosmos" - CD - [Furry Records UK)

REVIEWS

UNFUNRECORDS.COM

http://unfunrecords.com/wordpress/?p=83

Author: Max Chen aka Stegosaurus Rex

Marshall star-vidj pic-cold4

yes, I know, I didn't send anything out to the worldly planet of interweb for a couple of days, christ give me a break... my intertwerp has been off, quite nice really, people seem to get along fine without the internonce,,, well here goes, it won't be much longer, but a girl (a eerrr lady in my case probably) has to push herself:

UNFUNRECORDS.COM

http://unfunrecords.com/wordpress/?p=83