Monthly Archives: November 2010

For Your Pleasure

The latest season of Later with Jools Holland concludes next week just in time for the release of the latest album from the presenter and his Rhythm & Blues Orchestra. Jools usually sits down to accompany his guests on the piano, but this week he’s also going to be a guest as he plugs his Rockinghorse album by playing a tune or two from it. Jools (pictured, top right) originally recorded a version of Boogie Woogie Country Girl for his first EP in 1978. He re-recorded it for his Moving Out to the Country album in 2006. The still-suave Bryan Ferry (bottom left) turned 65 recently and the former Roxy Music man will be promoting his thirteenth solo album, Olympia. It’s his first since 2007′s Dylan covers album, which wasn’t the first time he tackled Bob’s songs. He opened his first album in 1973 with a version of A Hard Rain’s a-Gonna Fall and included two more on Dylanesque’s predecessor, Frantic (2002). Don’t Think Twice is one of those. Midlake (top left) formed in Texas in 1999 and Courage of Others is the title of their third and current album. Roscoe opens their second, The Trials of Van Occupanther (2006). Two Door Cinema Club (bottom right) hail from Co Down in Northern Ireland and their only album so far, Tourist History, was released earlier this year. Their acoustic take on Poker Face was performed live on Virgin radio. Finally, the alliterative pop performers Jessie J (top centre) and Tinie Tempah (bottom centre) will also appear on this penultimate episode of the current season

Boogie Woogie Country Girl (Big Joe Turner cover) – Jools Holland

Don’t Think Twice, It’s All Right (Bob Dylan cover) – Bryan Ferry

Roscoe – Midlake

Poker Face (Lady GaGa cover) – Two Door Cinema Club

Let Them Eat Cheesecake

There’s been a lot of anger directed at the Irish government for a while now and some of that frustration erupted onto the streets this week. On Monday, the Minister for Health was sprayed with red paint by a member of a socialist party named Éirígí. Councillor Louise Minihan had been elected to Dublin City council as a member of Sinn Féin and chose red paint to symbolise the blood that she believes is on Mary Harney’s hands. The words pot, kettle and black spring to mind. Members of Sinn Féin and Éirígí were back again on Wednesday as they hijacked the peaceful protest that was organised by the Union of Students in Ireland. The USI have distanced themselves from a small number of participants who turned aggressive towards the end of the rally. The riot police were called in and they too seemed to use overly aggressive methods as they forcibly removed protesters who had staged a peaceful sit-in at the Department of Finance. On Thursday, the government announced that the forthcoming budget would include €6 billion in cuts and taxes. However, the announcement by the Minister for Agriculture the next morning really took the biscuit. In an effort to take attention away from the budget, Brendan Smith decided to announce that free cheese would be made available to the poor and needy around the country this month. Lots of politicians and voters have been whining about this news and I can understand why they might be a bit cheesed off. Still, as a cheeselover I hope to take advantage of this offer and I’ll be as happy as a Cheshire cat if I can get my hands of some free cheddar. I don’t know where you stand on cheese but, personally, I prefer to tread Caerphilly. Here are a trio of cheesy tunes from Nirvana, Jimmy Buffett and The Rutles

Big Cheese – Nirvana

Cheeseburger In Paradise – Jimmy Buffett

Cheese and Onions – The Rutles

Strange Brew

The majority of the guests on last week’s Later with Jools Holland were older than the host but, this week, Eric Clapton (pictured, top left) is the only one who has more miles on the clock than Jools Holland. The English guitarist was a pivotal member of The Yardbirds and Cream before pursuing a successful solo career over the last four decades. Like many other British guitarists from the sixties, he was heavily influenced by American blues musicians, though his music has become more middle-of-the-road since then. Still, I really like his Unplugged album from 1992 and that’s because it contains his versions of loads of blues standards including a brilliant version of San Francisco Bay Blues. The Kings of Leon (bottom left) hail from Tennessee and are composed of four members of the Followhill family. Come Around Sundown is the title of their fifth and most recent album, but by far my favourite song by the band is The Bucket from their Aha Shake Heartbreak album. The Vaccines (bottom centre) is the name of a new English rock band that shouldn’t be confused with an American group of the same name. Also from England, Bellowhead (bottom right) have enough members within their ranks to start a football team. This year they released their third album, Hedonism, while the song London Town is taken from their first one, Burlesque. M.I.A. (top right) is the stage name of Londoner Mathangi Arulpragasam. Her third album, Maya, was released this year and my favourite song by her, Paper Planes, is taken from its predecessor, Kala (2007). There are two episodes remaining in the current season of Later

San Francisco Bay Blues (Jesse Fuller cover) – Eric Clapton

The Bucket – Kings of Leon

If You Wanna – The Vaccines

London Town – Bellowhead

Paper Planes – M.I.A.