Julian Cope @ The Slade Rooms Wolverhampton 14th December 2010

Review by John West

The Slade Rooms is a wonderful little venue paying homage to their local heroes which are of course the legendary Slade. The bar area is adorned with old photos of Noddy and the boys during their glory years. As I’m looking around they bought back for me some wonderful memories of one of my first ever musical heroes and first ever gig I attended way back in musical history when the land was awash with glitter and sequins. Oh happy days before the drudgery of eventually entering the big wild world in a couple of years time. Anyway, enough of nostalgia alley; what of tonight’s gig? Yeah, it is one of going down back on my own rock n roll journey recalling the times I’d seen Mr Cope over the years particularly of seeing the Teardrops for the first time and the excitement I felt about it. Both The Teardrops and the Bunnymen came out of the Liverpool, Zoo records scene and were way ahead of the pack in musical terms. They were great to listen too and terrific live bands too.

A week ago I saw the Bunnymen at the Ritz so it was a strange one that I should being seeing Copey tonight, 1980 became 2010 a thirty year journey from then and now and back again.

As the soundman quells the sounds a dimming of lights precedes the entrance of Mr Julian H Cope larger than life appearing as charismatic as ever. He promises an evening of songs proceeding with a spoken unaccompanied “Socrates” before reaching for his twelve string guitar and hitting “Upwards of 45degrees” before a favourite of mine which follows – “Autogedden Blues". He talks about being simply the minstrel tonight with guitar and mellotron to his side it is a one man show which he more than pulls off for the next couple of hours.

It's more than just music with Julian Cope as he brings to the mix his own take on life and beyond, always leaving you with room for thought, yet at the same time there is humour, a self awareness a greater understanding of the man. I guess much of the audience go way back and have appreciated his music and get where it’s coming from. However, there were a few tonight who seemed to like the sound of their voices too much, annoying those close by as well as JC himself – why go to a gig and talk crap to your mate all night? Unfortunately we’re getting this more and more.. Just watch the gig you p..... !

He is a real presence on stage adorning a cosmic biker military concept with his regular over sized shades. He appears like a being from another time and space with his mantra type stance as he addresses the audience. As a musician and songwriter he commands respect but also as a raconteur he comes into his own as he touches on a number of subjects such as the student protests urging our support to out there concepts such as psychedelic talking wasps, a séance involving his wife, it can be serious, yet humorous.

As for the music he takes us on a back catalogue touching on his old band the Teardrops to his solo outings among the highlights are “King of chaos”, ”Like Leila Kaled said”, and an epic “The Great Dominions” which was a real treat to these ears. Julian Cope has had many musical trials and tribulations over the last thirty years of hurt as he said. However he continues to inspire and be a cult icon for his legion of fans. As he continues to take us through the solo years we are treated to a number of Cope gems including a buoyant sing-a-long of “Sunspots”, “Pristeen”, Robert Mitchem” “Double Vegetation” a new song “In the underworld”? He concludes the night with “Sleeping Gas” as the support act David Wrench et al take up their instruments. This is a full band onslaught not the stripped down effect laden vibes of earlier, providing a suitable end to a great night and for this year of gigs; a night of thorough enjoyment as well as reflection. It’s been some time since Julian Cope has played in this part of Staffordshire let’s hope he will make a welcome return and give an appreciative local audience a truly real musical experience.

Recommended:Teardrop Explodes; Kilimanjaro (remastered edition)

Julian Cope; Fried, Peggy Suicide, CITIZEN CAINed, Floored Genius Series

>

Primal Scream perform Screamadelica @ Olympia London, 27th November

Review by John West

This was an eagerly anticipated event for me, having seen the Scream on numerous occasions, but this was the BIG one, big in all proportions from vastness of the stage, to the lighting, projections and huge video screens. Prior to our arrival it was bitterly cold as we left the coach in Knightsbridge, I must say thanks to the driver for allowing us to do that. There were Christmas celebrations in Oxford circus and the Capital was ground to a halt, I began to ask myself would we arrive in time for the concert. A quick word and we were given the all clear from National Express control to hit the streets and be on our way. Busy it was too, as the traffic meandered its way through the glistening glittering streets of London town.

Mission number one - to find a welcoming hostelry to quench the thirst and meet up with fellow fans who had travelled far and wide. The venue itself is a cavernous affair holding 10 thousand, and 20 thousand fans would witness over two nights Primal Scream’s biggest gigs to date. This was to be a celebration of an album which hits it’s 20th anniversary next year and the first time it would be performed in its’ entirety. The previous night the concert was beamed across the airwaves on BBC6 with Steve Lamacq holding court wetting our appetites for the event to come. The audience were clearly here as music fans of one of the most important albums of the last twenty years and a classic in its own right, certainly ranked amongst one of the greats, and in certainly their finest hour.

Within moments of entering the massive arena the band hit the stage to perform a first half of hits

including ‘Accelerator’, ‘Burning wheel’ ‘Country girl’ ‘Kowalski’ ‘Jailbird’ .On stage Bobby Gillespie throws his spider like shapes clad in his obligatory black suit, madly clapping, as the ever beaming Mani throbs his bass lines to his right. They work the faithful keeping them warm with their assault, then they lunge into the anthemic ‘Rocks’ from the ‘Give out...’ album but call a brief halt as Mani and guitarist Andrew Innes mess up, Gillespie asks the band to stop wryly quipping as the crowd sing along stating they know the words better than they do. They kick in again this time getting it right exchanging humorous glances towards each other across the stage.

An interval follows as Andy Weatherall hits the mixing desk to throw in some sounds to reflect the mood of the evening as the band take a break in preparation for the main event. Weatherall was responsible for some of the production of the album adding ambience and texture to the initial recording, therefore its only right that he should share in the glory tonight.

As the lights dim the familiar backdrop of the Screamadelica album cover is there in all its glory as the familiar Stonesy riffing of ‘Moving on up’ is belted out. The crowd are ecstatic as this is what they came for; this is a celebration of a great musical moment. Whereas some bands have rested on their laurels Primal Scream has continued to push the musical boundaries embracing all genres and soaking it up like a musical sponge. This is not merely a night of nostalgia its highlighting what is a masterful recording, and to hear it live in its entirety it works on all levels and beyond taking the audience higher than the sun for the experience.

Primal Scream has been together for well over twenty odd years with the ever controversial Gillespie at the forefront. They’ve taken on board all their eclectic musical tastes from the garage sounds of MC5, the Stooges, via the swagger of the younger Stones through to punk then embracing the ‘Krautrock’ of Neu and here with this airing the sounds of dub, coupled with acid house vibes and beats. It is the moment where the indie rock audience of all ages fused with the ravers of the chemical generation. Everybody wanted to dance and groove along whatever their personal musical bent, a unison of sound and vision. It’s a testament to the Screamadelica album that it cuts across all the musical snobbery that goes on, the rock kids were allowed to dance after all, they had moved to the dance floor.

Gillespie and co are first and foremost music fans themselves, they simply acknowledge what they hear and bring to the mix a sound that is very much their own. They are a true rock band, a gang, a collective who have led a much documented hedonistic lifestyle, but they have the ability to deliver here tonight they do not let us down. It is not a simple run through, the band have rehearsed this to maximum effect replicating the original and taking it even further, much to our delight.

The original running order has been mashed up and despite it being a massive venue for them, the sound fills every corner of the arena. With added vocals from the extremely impressive Mary Pierce and the addition of a wonderful gospel choir for added effect they can do no wrong. The climatic airing of ‘Loaded’ and ‘Come Together’ emphasises the point, the band have taken the time and space to deliver on all levels, with the psychedelic backdrops, hi tech lighting, and great musicianship the audience are left overwhelmed by their sheer power and majesty. Screamadelica won the inaugural Mercury music prize, it’s debt is somewhat owed to the masterful production and mixing qualities of both Jimmy Miller and Andy Weatherall, the music however is pure Primal Scream.

If you haven’t got this in your record collection you need to. This band don’t hide behind stylists they are pure rock n roll they are the Xtrmntrs of the Xfactor wannabes. Thank goodness we have bands like them who are original and groundbreaking , they continue to reinvent the rock ‘n’ roll rule book with their innovation and influence on a musical landscape which sadly currently is more concerned about the look and celebrity status – to coin a familiar phrase “just what is it that you want do?”

Primal Scream will be taking to the road in Spring at smaller venues across the country, get inside the house while you can. The album itself will be re-released and re-mastered for a March release with extras.

Listen

Screamadelica

Dirty Hits

Don Vito / Lamo / That Fucking Tank / Part Chimp @ Fat Cat Hanley 26th November 2010

Review by James Winter-Samuel

Image Courtesy of Wrongpop

It’s very, very cold outside and the way things generally are when it’s like this, people tend to stay in the warmth of their own homes. Thankfully, this has not stopped the Wrongpop faithful from venturing out to enjoy one of the strongest line-ups Stoke has seen for a good while. The place is full and happy, expectant of a bill that promises much and will deliver more.

Don Vito are a late addition to Wrongpops already stellar line-up. Placing themselves on the dancefloor a la Lightning Bolt and inviting the assembled throng to share their performance space almost as if the band need the audience to perform, like some voyeuristic parasite. Song titles are meaningless and those songs seem to snake into one another, coiling and twisting like an aggravated boa constrictor. Off kilter, skittish stop start rhythms combine with rolling grooves to great effect, for when these guys hit that groove, it nearly takes your head off. That’s a good thing.

Lamo seem rusty. Seeming like a band who haven’t played in a year, and deciding to pick up their instruments and just dive straight into a gig, crash landing but coming up unscathed. Maybe slightly in awe of the other bands they share the bill with, which the lead singer embarrasingly tells us they worship, the bass heavy duo rattle a few teeth and grind away with a youthful exuberance. If this is Lamo at their rustiest, I can’t wait to see what they are like at their best!

That Fucking Tank! Good band name. Good band. As soon as the first notes are wrung out of the guitar, they bombard you with a repetition of riffs and fret-noodlery and controlled but powerful drumming. No vocals. They don’t need them. The riffs are so huge that anything resembling a vocal line would get swallowed up by the mass of mudslide like power riffs. Another member of the Don Vito like stop/start brigade, it’s as it the duo seem to rely on telepathy when arriving upon new rhythms to contort and reshape to their liking. Excellent!

Finally Part Chimp take to the stage with all the laid back cool that most bands would kill for. They plug in, take their places, and then an unleash absurd explosion of noise that rumbles off the stage and through the room. It’s like some sort of sludge rock ‘n’ roll party in here as the audience lurch and sway to the grooves but the members of the band are unaware, focused on the task at hand, which is to basically obliterate every venue they can with riff after riff of bomb like detonation. This is thunderous stuff and I’m surprised the bar upstairs hasn’t landed in our laps by now. Part Chimp have mastered the ability to create amazingly heavy heavy songs that don’t rely upon any basic structure or conform to any genre but still retain an accessability that will appeal to a broader spectrum of open minded music fans. Quality, Quality stuff across the board, it’s a shame Stoke will not see a gig like this again for quite some time.

The Fragrant Vagrants Take High Tea, EP

Review by Sian Eardley

So following the thoroughly enjoyable gig of Adam Green, I’m sent this EP ‘The Fragrant Vagrants Take High Tea’ from the Congleton based band who supported the eccentric genius that night, my precious recollection of them:- "The Fragrant Vagrants’ blew me away from walking through the door, let alone the headline act. Where have this band been hiding? Stoke shows us their defiance in delivering quality indie rock of a high caliber; the kind we’ve been crying out for," pays homage to their brilliant little EP. Well-produced and well put together, it’s rather good for a local effort. Not cheaply printed with somewhat of an art deco design, it’s obvious that this band have something, substance; they quite clearly take care in the quality of their productions, releases and material.

The name itself ‘Take High Tea’ suggests they have something to say, whilst giving the sweet bohemian image that so many of today crave and love – the Alice in Wonderland image bombarding the highstreets (Topshop/Miss Selfridge etc.) However, (recalling my last views), I do feel that The Fragrant Vagrants have to be seen live to do them full justice. They gel together well on record, but even more so in their raw performances, and personally that’s where I think their real essence lies, and if you haven’t got your stage shows nailed and on a par with the recorded stuff then there really is no hope.

‘The Duke’ – a fantastic and roaring opener reminiscent of guitars from the Pumpkins, with the defiant vocals of the likes of The Clash and The Jam. A pure exploration into a punk indulgence. TFV are living proof that punk is alive and well in Stoke, exhilarated by their soaring angst and energy to pack out local venues.

We progress go the stomping ‘Common Ground’, spunky, punky and full of in-your-face attitude. They can’t be ignored – fitting for their Adam Green appearance and fitting for their impressionable state of beautiful varieties of bass amplitude sensations and ‘two fingers’ lyrics. A talented bunch.

‘Blood’ offers something fresh in its insanity of the main guitar riff, which you can’t help but love with every listen. With its heavy and prominent bass lines it’s a guaranteed crowd pleaser and I’d guarantee you’d be nodding along to it in seconds and feverishly if live.

‘Blinkers’ for me is a tribute to the legendary Ian Curtis, back in his early ‘Warsawza’ days. It’s definitely haunting, but in a good way. ‘Left, right, Left right’ they roar, reminiscent of Joy Division’s hypnotic ‘Digital’. The aged vocals make TFV more distinctive than any poppy preppy effort from a band of 15-year-old youths.

The closing ‘Useless Generation’ ends on a high note indeed. Funky, fresh riff shredding injects a hedonistic rhythm into your body, sounding like an advert for Garnier Fructis’ hair wax but with more bites and more balls – if you will a more amplified version of Dogs/Subways.

What you see is what you get here, and if decent punk music set up to 21^st century speed isn’t for you then sod off; a little treasure on CD, but an intense spectacle on stage.

Listen

The Fragrant Vagrants