Monthly Archives: September 2010

Back in Time

This weekend, I’m being given the rare opportunity to turn back the years at my local cinema. To commemorate the 25th anniversary of its original release, Robert Zemeckis’ Back to the Future is being re-released in cinemas throughout the UK and Ireland and also in selected theatres across the USA. I saw both of the sequels on the big screen, but I missed the first one on its original release. I do have fond memories of watching it on TV a few years later and I’m looking forward to seeing it again this weekend. Many films fail to live up to expectations when you re-visit them, but I’m certain that this one will stand the test of time. The idea of time travel as a plot device wasn’t new in 1985 and it’s certainly not now, but Back to the Future used it in an original and humorous way. The inspired casting of Michael J. Fox as the teenage Marty McFly and Christopher Lloyd as the eccentric scientist Doc Brown helped to create two of the more likeable and memorable characters of that era. The use of the DeLelorean sports car as the time machine was a stroke of genius and further humour was mined from the film’s depiction of the fifties and its commentary on its own decade. The use of music in the film was another highlight, particularly the two Huey Lewis numbers. As I go back in time this weekend, I’ll leave you with their song of the same name and invite you to come back next week to check out my review of the film. Only if you have time, of course

Back in Time – Huey Lewis & the News

Virtual Inanity

The five acts pushing their product on this week’s episode of Later with Jools Holland aren’t exactly household names but it could make for an interesting show nonetheless. I remember being completely blown away by KT Tunstall‘s remarkable debut solo performance on the show back in 2005. The Scottish singer (pictured above, bottom right) looped recorded snatches of her voice and guitar riffs and controlled these with pedal effects to create an amazing sound. I haven’t been quite as taken by her subsequent career, however, even though she continues to be quite successful. Tiger Suit is the title of her third album and her version of Let’s Stick Together is taken from a BBC compilation called Radio One Established 1967. Two more acts are making their Later debuts this week. Delta Spirit (top right) hail from San Diego and History From Below is their most recent album. The band has no fewer than three sessions over at Daytrotter and Lover’s Waltz is taken from their most recent one. Everything Everything (top left) are from Manchester and they’re promoting their Man Alive debut album. They seem to be the kind of band that my boss will be into in a few months. The American singer/songwriter Ray LaMontagne (bottom left) released his fourth studio album last month. He was backed by The Prairie Dogs on it and they’ll be playing songs from their collaboration which is entitled God Willin’ & the Creek Don’t Rise. I quite like his version of Crazy by Gnarls Barkley (below). Rock Dust Light Star is the title of the sixth and current album from Jamiroquai (bottom middle) and is the band’s first release since 2005. Cosmic Girl is taken from his Travelling Without Moving album from 1996

Let’s Stick Together (Wilbert Harrison cover) – KT Tunstall

Lover’s Waltz (AA Bondy cover) – Delta Spirit

Qwerty Finger – Everything Everything

Crazy (Gnarls Barkley cover) – Ray LaMontagne

Cosmic Girl – Jamiroquai

Bono Bloody Bono

Earlier this year, Ireland’s national broadcaster, RTE, announced its plans for a new TV series that is currently being broadcast on its main channel. In an effort to find out who Irish people consider the greatest ever Irish person, the station conducted a poll back in March that would whittle down their shortlist of forty to a more manageable five. The quite unusual list of forty was composed of politicians, historical figures, sports stars, writers and a rather large number of entertainment figures. These entertainers included such internationally known figures as Liam Neeson, Phil Lynott and Saint Bob Geldof, but also such bizarre choices as Daniel O’Donnell, Joe Dolan and Ronan bloody Keating. Eyebrows were raised when a preliminary list of ten featured the late Boyzone singer Stephen Gately and bloody Bono. The madness continued when the U2 singer made it into the top five along with four other Irish men and women whose claims to greatness are far more deserving. Those four include two men who were actually born in the United Kingdom and only one woman, but I think it’s fair to say that any one of James Connolly, Michael Collins, John Hume or Mary Robinson would be worthy winners of this dubious award. It’s the general public who’ll be choosing the victor, however, so there’s every chance that the man born Paul Hewson could yet emerge as the winner

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New Adventures in Babysitting

I’m the proud uncle of two little nephews whose ages are three years apart, but still don’t reach double figures even when you add them together. Being boys, they’re both full of energy and love doing stuff like cycling, running, trampolining, and playing football. I enjoy visiting them and, of course, joining in the fun and games with them. Last month, I acted as their babysitter for the first time. I must admit that I was a little apprehensive about looking after them for a whole day and about trying to keep them amused for hours on end. I needn’t have worried as they were very well-behaved all day and it was the two of them who kept me amused. I’m on my way now to look after them again tonight. So, I’ve chosen a few tunes about babysitters and babysitting beginning with a song by The Ramones in which the narrator looks forward to a night spent with his girlfriend while she’s babysitting. The protagonist of Dar William’s song looks back fondly on a childhood babysitter, while the girl employed by Betty Wright looks like she may be seeking new employment before too long. This one goes out to Sean and Patrick and all the future babysitters tasked with the pleasure of looking after them

Babysitter – The Ramones

The Babysitter’s Here – Dar Williams

The Babysitter – Betty Wright

Alcoholics Unanimous

Last year, I wrote a post about about the 250th anniversary of Arthur Guinness’s decision to lease out the St. James’s Gate brewery in Dublin and his success at developing an alcoholic beverage that has become synonymous with Ireland and Irishness. I thought it would be just a once-off, but Arthur’s Day (as it was called) has returned again this year. I guess Guinness need all the marketing they can get. So, I’ve decided to do my bit to assist this cottage industry by spreading the word again. It seems that most of Ireland’s main urban areas will be offering promotions and putting on live music to commemorate the day (and to get thirsty punters to spend their cash in their pubs, of course). I won’t actually be taking part in these celebrations myself as I have a big day ahead of me tomorrow. I need to ensure that I don’t wake up with a hangover in the morning and the only way to do that is to stay away from beer and pubs tonight. You see, I’m going to be babysitting my two nephews tomorrow and the next day. Neither of them are babies and there won’t be much sitting involved, so I’m going to need to have my wits about me. Instead, I’m going to spend the day listening to drinking songs. Here are a few that come from some seasoned veterans as well as a new kid on the block. I’d like to dedicate these to the Gilday family in Ohio who know a thing or two about drunken lullabies. Sláinte!

Answer in One of These Bottles – Caitlin Rose

Why Don’t We Get Drunk – Jimmy Buffett

Don’t Take Me Home Until I’m Drunk – The Wedding Present

200 Not Out

You’re probably thinking that my posts are like buses – you wait for ages for one to come along and then a load of them come at once. Well, today’s post is my two hundredth since I began with this one back in March of last year. I reached the century last October and I would have reached this milestone more quickly if it hadn’t been for my extended layoff this summer. To commemorate the double-century, I’ve chosen six songs that are three minutes and twenty seconds long each. I’d like to take this opportunity to thank all of my regular and not-so-regular readers for dropping in from time to time. But most of all I’d like to thank me for writing all these posts

She Does It Right – Dr Feelgood

Union City Blue – Blondie

Near Wild Heaven – R.E.M.

If I Can’t Change Your Mind – Sugar

Island In The Sun – Weezer

Goin’ Out West – Tom Waits

Image courtesy of Irish Freestyle

Great Expectations

Later with Jools Holland returned last week for its 37th season and broadcast its 250th show last Friday. As has been the case for some time now, each show goes out live for half an hour on Tuesdays followed by a one-hour pre-recorded show on Fridays. As usual, this week’s show features half a dozen artists, some you may have know and some you may not. Brandon Flowers (pictured, top right) is the lead singer of The Killers and he’s just released his first solo album, Flamingo. Four Winds is performed with The Killers and is a really good cover of a track by Bright Eyes that appears on the soundtrack of Cloverfield. Formerly lead singer with The Czars, John Grant (bottom middle) has also released his debut solo album, Queen of Denmark, in collaboration with Midlake. His version of Two of Us is taken from the recent Mojo tribute to Let It Be. The flamboyant Scissor Sisters (bottom left) should bring some colour to the studio as they promote their third album, Night Work. Take Me Out is their take on Franz Ferdinand’s single. Grinderman (top middle) features Nick Cave and assorted Bad Seeds and they have just released that difficult second album. Go Tell the Women appears on the band’s debut. Jamaica’s Jolly Boys (bottom right) have been going for over half a century and Great Expectation is the title of their latest long-player. Mother & Wife appears on their Pop ‘n’ Mento album from 1990. In contrast, Pakistan-born singer Rumer (top left) is only starting out on her career and is set to release her debut album, Seasons of My Soul. Long, Long Day is available as a free download from Rumer’s site. You can get more information about the bands and the show at the BBC’s Later page

Four Winds (Bright Eyes cover) – The Killers

Two Of Us (Beatles cover) – John Grant

Take Me Out (Franz Ferdinand cover) – Scissor Sisters

Go Tell the Women – Grinderman

Mother & Wife – Jolly Boys

Long Long Day – Rumer

There Once Was a Poet From Salford …

Last night, I was one of dozens of appreciative Limerick giggers and liquor-lovers who congregated upstairs at Dolan’s to witness the Salford performance poet John Cooper Clarke as he wowed the audience with his wonderful words and tickled our funny bones with his tantalising tales and volumes of verse. Shortly after 10.00pm, the tall, thin Mancunian appeared at the back door carrying a white carrier bag provided by Word Magazine and ambled towards the sparsely-populated stage. Born in Salford in 1949, Clarke was one of numerous artists who benefitted from the advent of punk rock in the late seventies. He was part of the Manchester scene that spawned the likes of Buzzcocks and Joy Division and opened for many associated acts at this time. In 1978, he released his debut record, Où est la maison de fromage?, an album that contained both studio recordings and live performances. His distinctive style comprised of scattergun lyrics delivered in a fast-paced rap and backed with rudimentary instruments. His wry observations on local life and popular culture were full of alliteration and heavy on rhyme and owed a great debt to similar techniques employed by Bob Dylan on his Subterranean Homesick Blues single. Clarke’s visual style was, and remains, reminiscent of Dylan’s look during the mid-sixties

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