Two quaint songs for a Friday which should be enjoyed for what they are.........nice.
The 1900s are a seven piece psychedelic pop group from Chicago. The band is a combination of some very old friendships (like riding the school bus together - style) and some very new ones. This proved to be a potent experiment, resulting in steamy relationships, Fleetwood Mac style breakups, and most importantly, their much loved Plume Delivery e.p., which was recorded before the band ever played a live show. Coincidentally, it was at their very first performance that a wide-eyed Parasol invited the 1900s to come onboard, which they have done and continue to do to this very date.
With only those six songs under their belt, The 1900s walked into a whirlwind, instantly becoming one of the most talked about bands in Chicago, garnering enough printed praise to make them blush and playing sold-out show after sold-out show in their hometown. Their rapidly growing presence also spread outside of the Windy City, leading to touring performances with Midlake and Iron & Wine among others, as well as highly touted performances at SXSW (a blown away Spin reporter named them 'Artist of the Day' the morning after their official performance) and an invitation to perform at this year's Lollapalooza.
The Rumble Strips are an English band from Tavistock, Devon. The band take their name from Rumble Strips, which are small, continuous lines of bumps along the edge of a road. Having known each other since childhood, a precise conception date for the band doesn't really exist. The current line-up has been together since 2004 and are now based in London. The band are currently signed to Fallout Records, a subsidiary of Universal Island Records. Their most recent single, a re-release of "Motorcycle", reached #46 in the UK Singles Chart on June 4, 2007. Their debut album, Girls And Weather, was released on the 17th of September, when it reached #70 in the UK album charts, their latest single "Girls and Boys in Love", came out two weeks previously, reaching #64 in the UK.[1][2]
Band History
Lead singer Charlie Waller was involved in music from an early age, initial inspirations included Lou Reed's Transformer and bands such as Adam & the Ants. He moved to London for art college and played with his band from Devon the Action Heroes. After the Action Heroes realised they had been playing together for 9 years, they felt the need for change. With the former keyboardist - Harry Dwyer (who would later go on to direct most of the Rumble Strips' videos) spending too much time on his Morris Minor, Waller began writing and playing again with former Tavistock friend Tom Gorbutt, and also recruited Henry Clark, (coming as standard) the drummer from the Action Heroes Matthew Wheeler, The Rumble Strips were formed, the year was 2004.
Also during this time, Charlie became a member of Vincent Vincent and the Villains with flatmate and fellow singer/songwriter Vincent Vincent. The strain of playing in two bands eventually led to Waller quitting both groups before being coaxed back to the Rumble Strips.
Old schoolfriend and former bandmate of all the Rumbles (from the Mother Eating Blackberries and Action Heroes) Sam Mansbridge was brought in to the lineup at the end of 2006 to beef up the live sound, playing bass and the big Rumble Drum that is such a feature of the band's live act.
First Releases
Fortunes for the band would take a turn for the better when out of the blue, independent record label Transgressive Records - who have produced singles for The Young Knives and Regina Spektor - would offer to produce the band's first single. This would reunite Waller with the band, and together they released "Motorcycle" on December 12, 2005. Waller said at this time "It was like, I have nothing to lose - I'm working for my uncle on a building site. What's to lose?".[3] It is believed that Waller reuniting with The Rumble Strips caused some stir amongst Vincent Vincent and The Villains, and that "Johnny Two Bands" was written about Waller's decision.
The band moved further into the public eye with a number of key support dates for Dirty Pretty Things and fellow Transgressive artists The Young Knives in early 2006, and then the release of their second single, "Hate Me (You Do)" on June 5. A further tour supporting The Zutons, and the release of the band's first EP, "Cardboard Coloured Dreams", followed this in November 2006.
Current Work
The new year brought the Rumble Strips their first move into the charts, with their release of "Alarm Clock" on March 19, 2007 reaching #41 in the UK Singles Chart. The band were asked by NME to play their biggest headline tour to date, as headliners of the 2007 Topman NME New Music Tour throughout May 2007. The tour saw them play a number of venues around the country with other new bands Pull Tiger Tail, Blood Red Shoes and The Little Ones. The band released a live EP recorded whilst on the tour containing the tracks "Oh Creole", "Alarm Clock", "My Oh My" and previously unreleased track, "London".
The band re-released "Motorcycle" on June 4, 2007. The single failed to reach the previous heights of "Alarm Clock", charting slightly lower at #46. Two 7-inch vinyls were also released of the track, containing b-side "My Oh My". A misprint was made on some of these vinyls where 1000 copies were distributed labelling the b-side on the opposite side to the one listed. These are already being considered collector's items, even by the band themselves[4].
Following the release of "Motorcycle", the band stated that they had already decided on their next single, "Girls and Boys in Love"[2], which was released on the 3 September 2007 and was the official song of the film "Run Fat Boy Run", starring Simon Pegg and directed by David Schwimmer, and itself released on 10 September 2007.
Contributions
- "NME Presents The Best New Bands" - Contains "Motorcycle" (Issued with NME - September 9, 2006)
- "NME Presents The Essential Bands - Festival Edition" - Contains "Alarm Clock" (Released June 11, 2007)
- "Run Fatboy Run: Original Soundtrack" - Contains "Girls and Boys in Love" (Released September 10, 2007)
MOJO 170 / January 2008
Free CD: STAX TRACKS 15 slices of vintage soul, blues and R&B starring Otis Redding, Booker T, Isaac Hayes, Albert King and Carla Thomas and more.
THE BEST OF 2007. All the records, reissues, tracks and DVDs that rocked our world. Including: MOJO’s coveted Album Of The Year award. Plus: interviews with The Arcade Fire, Alex Turner, Dion, Damon Albarn, Johnny Marr, Little Steven, Paul Weller, PJ Harvey, LCD Soundsystem, Robert Wyatt, David Crosby, Rufus Wainwright and Elvis Costello.
RADIOHEAD on their revolutionary new album, In Rainbows.
SOUL RESURRECTION! The trials of Amy Winehouse and the triumph of the Dap-Kings. Plus, Dark End Of The Street: the real stories behind the saddest songs of soul.
REVIEWED! U2’s The Joshua Tree: remastered and rebooted / Cat Power covers the waterfront / Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band defy death / Tom Waits, Metallica, Neil Young, Jerry Lee Lewis and Regina Spektor rock the Bridge School Benefit / King Crimson / Afro-rock / Madness / Jill Scott / and a Who documentary…
PLUS! Marc Almond back from hell /Joe Perry on The Yardbirds / Joan Jett on the comeback trail / Fats Domino returns to New Orleans / The Breeders return to the studio / The grubby end of Emerson, Lake & Palmer
AND FINALLY! The weirdest Christmas record ever: Santa Was A Black Man!
The track, available as a free download, was recorded to mark World Aids Day as the band are ambassadors for Nelson Mandela's 46664 HIV/AIDS awareness campaign.
The track by Queen's Roger Taylor was written as a gift to Mandela and performed it live for him for the first time with Brian May and Dave Stewart at the inaugural 46664 concert in Cape Town in 2003.
The song carries the message that HIV AIDS is something that can affect any one of us no matter our sexual or racial status.
During the Queen and Paul Rodger's tour in 2005, Taylor performed the song at each show, dedicating it to Mandela's work.
The band who are unable to attend the annual 46664 concert in South Africa this year because of recording commitments, will instead premiere the song's video at the concert and release the track online.
Taylor said in a statement today: “By making the song available for free, we hope to help Nelson Mandela with his campaign to get across the message that no-one is safe from infection. We have to be aware, we have to protect ourselves and those we love. The song follows the line of Mr. Mandela’s personal message: it’s in our own hands to bring a stop to this.”
Previously, Queen's last new material to be released was a single 'No-One But You' in January 1998, when Brian May, John Deacon and Taylor reunited to record the track dedicated to the late Freddie Mercury
This year's World Aids Day Concert, the fifth, will take place at the Ellis Park Stadium in Johannesburg.
Artists performing include Peter Gabriel, Annie Lennox, and Razorlight, as well as fifteen acts drawn from the biggest names in South African music including Johnny Clegg, Just Jinjer and the Soweto Gospel Choir.
Visit these sites for more information and to download the single from Saturday:
www.46664.com
www.queenonline.com
www.paulrodgers.com
Pic credit: PA Photos
The Arms of Scotland: The shield bears the famous arms, Gold, a lion rampant gules armed and langued azure, within a double tressure flory counter-flory gules. The crest is the lion sejant affronté on a royal crown, holding a sword and a sceptre. The supporters are unicorns with antique crowns about their necks and royal crowns on their heads, one bearing a banner of Scotland and the other of St Andrew. The collar and pendant of the Order of the Thistle surround the shield, and thistles grow from the ground forming the compartment. The Scottish royal motto appears above the crest, and the motto of the Order of the Thistle below the shield.
St. Andrew's Day
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Saint Andrew's Day | |
|---|---|
 | |
| St Andrew | |
| Observed by | Scotland |
| Type | Bank holiday in Scotland. |
| Date | 30 November |
| Celebrations | Bank holiday. |
St. Andrew's Day is the feast of Saint Andrew, celebrated on 30 November each year. Saint Andrew is the patron saint of Scotland and St. Andrew's Day is Scotland's official national day, although Burns' Night is more widely observed. In 2006, the Scottish Parliament designated the Day as an official bank holiday.
|
|
2007 Celebrations
- Edinburgh- 'Jig in the Gardens'. A weekend of events from 30 November - 2 December in West Princes St Gardens, kicking off with a night of musical entertainment and ceilidh-dancing.
- Glasgow- 'Shindig in the Square' at George Square with a ceilidh and traditional live musicians.
In addition, Embassies around the world are planning to celebrate St Andrew's Day with a variety of Scottish themed events.
Bank Holiday
In 2006, the Scottish Parliament passed the St. Andrew's Day Bank Holiday (Scotland) Act 2007, which designated the Day as an official bank holiday. If November 30 falls on a weekend, the next Monday is a bank holiday instead.
The notion that the Day should be an official bank holiday was first proposed by Dennis Canavan, Independent Member of the Scottish Parliament for Falkirk West in 2003.[1]. However, the Bill he introduced to the Parliament was initially rejected as the Executive did not support it. A compromise deal was reached whereby the holiday would not be an additional entitlement. Then First Minister, Jack McConnell, stated that he believed that employers and employees should mark the day with a holiday, but that this should be as a substitute for an existing local holiday, rather than an additional one.[2].
Although it is a bank holiday, banks are not required to close and employers are not required to give their employees the Day as a holiday.
Flag Day
St Andrew's Day is an official flag day in Scotland. The Scottish Government's flag-flying regulations state that the Flag of Scotland (The Saltire) shall fly on all its buildings with a flagpole.[3] The Union Flag is also flown if the building has more than one flagpole. The arrangements for the United Kingdom Government in Scotland are the opposite. They fly the Union Flag, and will only fly the Saltire if there is more than one flagpole[4]
The flying of the Saltire on St Andrew's Day is a recent development. Prior to 2002, the Scottish Government followed the UK Government's flag days and would only fly the Union Flag on St Andrew's Day. This led to Members of the Scottish Parliament complaining that Scotland was the only country in the world that could not fly its national flag on its national day. The regulations were updated to state that the Saltire would not be removed and replaced by the Union Flag on buildings with only one flagpole.[5]
The flying of the Union Flag from Edinburgh Castle on all days, including St Andrew's Day causes anger among some Scottish National Party politicians, who have argued that the Saltire should fly on November 30 instead.[6] However, the Union Flag is flown by the British Army at the Castle as it still is an official garrison, and all Army installations fly the Union Flag at ratio 3:5.
See also
- Tartan Day- celebration of Scotland held in the United States on April 6 annually.
- Burns Night- celebration of the life and works of the poet Robert Burns on January 25.
- Calendar of saints
- Roman Catholic calendar of saints
The track below has almost become an unofficial anthem, it is a traditional scottish folk song which when released in a live format by the band Runrig became a worlwide hit and is played whenever there is a wedding or a day of national importance, it is particularily liked by Scots who live abroad.
The version below is a re-recording by Runrig with the backing of the Scottish National Football team's home support, the famous Tarten Army, rtecorded at Hampden Park, the single was released earlier this month with proceeds going to the annual BBC Children In Need Appeal.
There are many interpretations of this song, the most common is that two of Bonnie Prince Charlie's men were captured and left behind in Carlisle after the failed rising of 1745. One of the young soldiers was to be executed, the other released. The Spirit of the dead soldier travelling by the 'low road' would reach Scotland before his comrade, who would be struggling along the actual road over high, rugged country.
By yon bonnie banks
And by yon bonnie braes,
Where the sun shines bright
On Loch Lomond
Oh we twa ha'e pass'd
sae mony blithesome days,
On the bonnie, bonnie banks
O' Loch Lomond.
Oh ye'll tak' the high road
and I'll tak' the low road,
An' I'll be in Scotland before ye',
But wae is my heart until we meet again
On the Bonnie, bonnie banks
O' Loch Lomond.
I mind where we parted
In yon shady glen
On the steep, steep side
O' Ben Lomon'
Where in purple hue
The highland hills we view
And the morn shines out
Frae the gloamin'
Oh ye'll tak' the high road
and I'll tak' the low road,
An' I'll be in gloaming before ye',
But wae is my heart until we meet again
On the Bonnie, bonnie banks
O' Loch Lomond.
The wee bird may sing
An' the wild flowers spring;
An' in sunshine the waters are sleepin'
But the broken heart
It sees nae second spring,
And the world does na ken
How we're greetin'
Oh ye'll tak' the high road
and I'll tak' the low road,
An' I'll be in greeting before ye',
But wae is my heart until we meet again
On the Bonnie, bonnie banks
O' Loch Lomond.
The Bonnie Banks O' Loch Lomond
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
" Loch Lomond" is a traditional Scottish song. It was first published in 1841 in Vocal Melodies of Scotland.[1]
Loch Lomond is a large Scottish loch to the north of Dumbarton and north-west of Glasgow.Interpretation
There are many theories about the meaning of the song. One interpretation is that it is (apocryphally) attributed to a Jacobite Highlander who was captured after the 1745 rising while he was fleeing near Carlisle and is sentenced to die. The verse is his mournful elegy to another rebel who will not be executed. He claims that he will follow the "low road" (the spirit path through the underworld) and arrive in Scotland before his still-living comrade.
Another interpretation is that the song is sung by the lover of a captured rebel set to be to be executed in London following a show trial. The heads of the executed rebels were then set upon pikes and exhibited in all of the towns between London and Glasgow in a procession along the "high road" (the most important road), while the relatives of the rebels walked back along the "low road" (the ordinary road traveled by peasants and commoners).
It captures some of the romantic spirit of the lost cause of Bonnie Prince Charlie.[2]
Andrew Lang
About 1876, the Scottish poet and folklorist Andrew Lang wrote a poem based on the song titled "The Bonnie Banks o' Loch Lomond". The title sometimes has the date "1746" appended[3]--the year of the defeat of Bonnie Prince Charlie's rebellion and the hanging of some of his captured supporters. Lang's poem begins:
- There's an ending o' the dance, and fair Morag's safe in France,
- And the Clans they hae paid the lawing,
Morag--great one in Gaelic--referred to Bonnie Prince Charlie, who fled to France after his forces were defeated.[4] Lawing means reckoning in Scottish dialect. The poem continues:
- And the wuddy has her ain, and we twa are left alane,
- Free o' Carlisle gaol in the dawing.
Wuddy means gallows, according to Lang's own notes on the poem; dawing is dawn. [5] The poem continues with the song's well-known chorus, then explains why the narrator and his true love will never meet again:
- For my love's heart brake in twa, when she kenned the Cause's fa',
- And she sleeps where there's never nane shall waken
The poem's narrator vows to take violent revenge on the English:
- While there's heather on the hill shall my vengeance ne'er be still,
- While a bush hides the glint o' a gun, lad;
- Wi' the men o' Sergeant Môr shall I work to pay the score,
- Till I wither on the wuddy in the sun, lad!
- While a bush hides the glint o' a gun, lad;
"Sergeant Môr" is John Du Cameron, a supporter of Bonnie Prince Charlie who continued fighting as an outlaw until he was hanged in 1753.[6]
Recordings
"Loch Lomond" has been recorded by many performers over the years, in styles ranging from traditional Scottish folk to barbershop to rock and roll. In 1957, Bill Haley & His Comets recorded a popular rock and roll version retitled "Rock Lomond". Noted concert band composer Frank Ticheli composed a song called "Loch Lomond," based on the original, in 2002.
The Australian hard rock group AC/DC performed it as "Bonny", in which the band plays the music while the crowd sings the verse.
The progressive rock band Marillion played the song with their former singer "Fish" in the 80's, under the title 'Margaret' (usually played as a special song at Scottish shows). A live version can be found on B'Sides Themselves, recorded at Edinburgh Payhouse in December 1983.
Scottish folk-rock band Runrig have made the song their unofficial anthem, closing their concerts with a rendition for over 25 years. And had a top ten hit with a re-recorded version in 2007, hitting #9 in the whole of the UK and #1 in Scotland.
The lyrics are parodied by Tenacious D at the end of their song "Wonderboy".
Canadian punk band Real McKenzies recorded their own version of "Loch Lomond" on their 1995 debut album The Real McKenzies in their own Scottish-influenced Celtic punk styling.
John Barrowman sang it as well.
The lead singer of American group The Fray has also been known to do the chorus at gigs in Edinburgh while supporting The Feeling, and most recently their gig in Glagow in October 2007. The reason for this appears to be as his Grandfather is Scottish
The Who have recorded 4 tracks for Jools Holland's music show 'Later', which transmits on BBC2 on Friday, 30th November (starts 1135pm GMT). The tracks are 'My Generation', 'Baba O'Riley', 'Tea & Theatre' and 'The Seeker'.
Roger Daltrey and Pete Townshend were also interviewed by Jools Holland.
Two years gone but not forgotten.
The latest series of "Later With Jools Holland" has been disappointing, though they will redeem themselves next week via an appearance from The Who.
On Friday there was a rare treat a new act which actually attracted my ears, Duffy will be launched nexy year and will no doubt be pigeon holed as a possible new Dusty Springfield, somehow I suspect this young girl from Wales who writes her own songs will be harder to define.
In August 2004, Duffy came to the attention of Rough Trade’s Jeannette Lee who became both her manager and her mentor. Just as Vicki Wickham guided Dusty Springfield to the best musical collaborations of the day; or Jerry Wexler and Ahmet Ertegun helped Aretha find her true voice in the Muscle Shoals Memphis studio; Rough Trade pointed Duffy in the direction of Bernard Butler in London’s Crouch End.
The fruit of their very first musical session is “Rockferry” which set the tone and musical direction of the album. Duffy spent the next couple years honing and developing her songwriting skills all the while discovering hidden musical gems that inspired her.
The results will be unveiled with her forthcoming album next year but for now we have the single “Rockferry” available to download from November l9th, 2007 and released as a 2-track 7″ vinyl December 3rd on A&M.
The Observer Music Monthly said of “Rockferry” - “it makes the hairs on the back of your neck prickle with it’s bewitching grace”.
Duffy says “There’s a side of me that’s trying to hold it together but then there’s a side of me that just wants to scream, run out onstage and say “I’m here!”
"God Bless The Child" is without doubt the property of Billie Holiday, many other jazz and blues diva's have covered the song but perhaps the most surprising is this version from the 1969 self titled debut album from Blood Sweat & Tears.
As a bonus here is an appropriate track from Billie herself
| Record Collector uses expert writers from around the world to present a comprehensive package of detailed and fascinating features, news, reviews, interviews, valuations and advice. | |||||||||||||||
On sale from
Christmas 2007 Issue No. 344 |
THE WHO Also in this issue
| ||||||||||||||
November 22ndMy "Fragments" DVD as issued to all members of The Who fan club arrived today so that's this evening's viewing sorted.
The song will be used to promote next year's world fair, Expo Zaragoza 2008, in northern Spain. A local band, Amaral, have been chosen by Dylan to provide a Spanish-language version of the tune, too.
The festival's theme is Water And Sustainable Development. Expo Zaragoza president Roque Gistau revealed that Dylan's contribution includes a spoken-word sectionon the importance of clean water across the planet.
"A Hard Rain's A-Gonna Fall" will be heard on TV adverts for the festival, which will start appearing in Spain on December 17.