Tuesday 20 October 2009

Goodbye Cruel World



Lastfm is a funny thing. It has become one of those sites that people obsess over and an archetypal web 2.0 page. I'm about to wipe my page and start afresh.

This is from lastfm which is handily assembled by the site:
I'm into pop, rock, electronic, 80s and british, including:
New Order, Sparks, Saint Etienne, David Bowie, Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark, Depeche Mode, Mansun, The Clash, Kraftwerk, The Flaming Lips, Blur, Electric Light Orchestra, 久石譲, Devo, Scott Walker, Electronic, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Les Rita Mitsouko, Ramones, Daft Punk, My Bloody Valentine, Manic Street Preachers, Prince, Michael Rother, The Walker Brothers, Beastie Boys, Neu!, The Jesus and Mary Chain, Was (Not Was), Leonard Cohen, Mercury Rev, The KLF, Money Mark, The Divine Comedy, The Other Two, Donna Summer, Nick Drake, The Dandy Warhols, Pulp, Simple Minds, Tiger, The Velvet Underground, The Avalanches, John Powell, De La Soul, ABBA, The Beatles, Super Furry Animals, Elvis Costello & The Attractions, Kenickie.


That's four and a half years of listening.

My top 50 songs over these years appear accordingly:

01 Saint Etienne - "Burnt Out Car (Balearico Mix)", played 101 times
02 Sparks - "When I'm With You", played 92 times
03 Electronic - "Dark Angel", played 79 times
03 Elvis Costello & The Attractions - "Everyday I Write the Book", played 79 times
05 Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark - "Joan of Arc", played 78 times
06 Neu! - "Quick Wave Machinelle, played 77 times
06 The Other Two - "Selfish", played 77 times
08 Sparks - "Popularity", played 73 times
08 Electric Light Orchestra - "Calling America", played 73 times
10 Leonard Cohen - "First We Take Manhattan", played 72 times

11 The Divine Comedy - "Your Daddy's Car", played 71 times
12 Kanako Narikiyo - "Pajama Jama Da", played 70 times
13 Les Rita Mitsouko - "Le Petit Train", played 69 times
14 Saint Etienne - "Who Do You Think You Are", played 68 times
15 Devo - "Beautiful World", played 67 times
16 Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark - "Joan of Arc (Maid of Orleans)", played 64 times
16 The Other Two - "Innocence", played 64 times
16 New Order - "Bizarre Love Triangle", played 64 times
16 Creedence Clearwater Revival - "Run Through The Jungle", played 64 times
20 Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark - "Dream of Me (Based on Love's Theme)", played 63 times

20 Les Rita Mitsouko & Sparks - "Singing In The Shower", played 63 times
22 Saint Etienne - "I Buy American Records", played 62 times
23 Prince - "I Could Never Take the Place of Your Man", played 60 times
23 Saint Etienne - "Heart Failed (In The Back Of A Taxi)", played 60 times
23 David Bowie - "Never Let Me Down", played 60 times
26 Mercury Rev - "My Love", played 59 times
26 Electric Light Orchestra - "Stranger", played 59 times
28 David Bowie - "Ashes to Ashes", played 58 times
28 Sparks - "Angst in My Pants", played 58 times
28 David Bowie - "Sound and Vision", played 58 times

28 Saint Etienne - "Like A Motorway", played 58 times
32 Was (Not Was) - "Anything Can Happen", played 57 times
32 Daft Punk - "Face To Face", played 57 times
34 Sparks - "Funny Face", played 56 times
35 Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark - "Locomotion", played 55 times
35 Electronic - "Getting Away With It", played 55 times
35 David Bowie - "Strangers When We Meet", played 55 times
35 Saint Etienne - "Shower Scene", played 55 times
39 David Bowie - "Modern Love", played 54 times
39 Depeche Mode - "In Your Room", played 54 times

39 Sparks - "Just Got Back From Heaven", played 54 times
39 The Jesus and Mary Chain - "Head On", played 54 times
39 Devo - "That's Good", played 54 times
39 Electronic - "Twisted Tenderness", played 54 times
45 Electric Light Orchestra - "Four Little Diamonds", played 53 times
45 The Other Two - "Tasty Fish (Art of Mix Real Good Karma mix)", played 53 times
45 久石譲 (Joe Hisasihi) - "Hareta Hi Ni...", played 53 times
45 Girls Aloud - "The Loving Kind (Radio Mix)", played 53 times
45 Electric Light Orchestra - "Last Train To London", played 53 times
45 The Walker Brothers - "No Regrets", played 53 times

In the same format the top artists look like this:

01 New Order - 2,692 plays
02 Sparks - 2,639 plays
03 Saint Etienne - 2,513 plays
04 David Bowie - 1,944 plays
05 Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark - 1,689 plays
06 Depeche Mode - 1,672 plays
07 Mansun - 1,661 plays
08 The Clash - 1,558 plays
09 Kraftwerk - 1,500 plays
10 The Flaming Lips - 1,493 plays

11 Blur - 1,458 plays
12 Electric Light Orchestra - 1,289 plays
13 久石譲 (Joe Hisasihi) - 1,226 plays
14 Devo - 1,152 plays
15 Scott Walker - 1,031 plays
16 Electronic - 899 plays
17 Creedence Clearwater Revival - 733 plays
18 Les Rita Mitsouko - 712 plays
19 Ramones - 665 plays
20 Daft Punk - 657 plays

21 My Bloody Valentine - 626 plays
22 Manic Street Preachers - 622 plays
23 Prince - 609 plays
24 Michael Rother - 588 plays
25 The Walker Brothers - 573 plays
26 Beastie Boys - 567 plays
27 Neu! - 521 plays
28 The Jesus and Mary Chain - 480 plays
29 Was (Not Was) - 469 plays
30 Leonard Cohen - 460 plays

31 Mercury Rev - 452 plays
32 The KLF - 447 plays
33 Money Mark - 416 plays
34 The Divine Comedy - 415 plays
35 The Other Two - 412 plays
36 Donna Summer - 380 plays
37 Nick Drake - 376 plays
37 The Dandy Warhols - 376 plays
39 Pulp - 371 plays
40 Simple Minds - 368 plays

41 Tiger - 361 plays
42 The Velvet Underground - 352 plays
43 The Avalanches - 349 plays
44 John Powell - 344 plays
45 De La Soul - 338 plays
46 ABBA - 337 plays
47 The Beatles - 332 plays
48 Super Furry Animals - 326 plays
49 Elvis Costello & The Attractions - 320 plays
50 Kenickie - 315 plays

Good eh? But is it? I often wonder why I use the site. Originally it appeared to be a neat and slightly scientific way of finding out what music I like. I suppose you could argue that I liked it for the same reasons that I originally liked the TV programme Big Brother. That show seemed to lift-the-lid of what life is like, it was both a game show and an experiment. For example just how could you act on TV all the time?

However, like BB, lastfm became a habit as oppose to something you really wanted to do. It also began to affect my music choices. I mean, I would find myself checking my weekly charts to see what music i'd listened to most in the past week or month. This was satisfying since i'd been a bit of a chart watcher when I was a lot younger, It used to matter a great deal to me where Mansun and Blur singles charted on the UK Top 40. The problem I have is that I feel that if I like an artist I have to listen to them enough to get them on my lastfm chart. This means I went from listening to something because I liked it to wanting others to know (but mostly me) that I liked it. My other vice when using the site was and is my organisation of songs and artists and the adherence to correct titles. They simply have to be right!

Why do I and so many others feel the need to quantify that which is best qualified? I'd much rather tell someone what I like than direct them to a page of numbers.

So goodbye poorshakes of March 2005 to October 2009. Its best that you fade away and became what you always should have been; a question ("I wonder what music I like to listen to most often"). Significantly, it should remain a question that doesn't warrant an answer or an exact one anyway.

is a really great mix by the way, and I don't have it any more. That is all I have really learnt!

Tuesday 2 June 2009

Amazon Is My Friend

Again I've slipped into nothing-ness, I can't think of a bladdy (to adopt an Alan Sugar voice) thing to write. This post will read more like a twitter update (which I'm not on anyway) or a Facebook update. I've been watching the new series of The Apprentice (UK) which is sadly coming to an end, I've watched most of series 2 of Mad Men and begun watching The Wire - which I decided I wouldn't get into last year - but I'll be damned if it isn't seductive. For me The Wire only kicked-in when series two began, although my friend described that series as being like Cheers, which I don't think is that far off the mark.


As for films there are only a few of note, two of which are Japanese. These are Hana-Bi (1997) by Kitano Takashi and Lupin III: The Secret of Mamo (1978) (that's what it says on my DVD, but there's about 3-10 different titles). I didn't expect much from the Lupin film as it wasn't directed by Miyazaki-san, but I was a little disappointed with Hani-Bi. I just don't think it measures up to his first 3 or 4 films.

This article here (at senses of cinema) says everything there really is to say about Kitano.

The jist of the article is that the more sophisticated his work became, the more mundane and ordinarily arty it is. Then again, directors shouldn't stand still, and one shouldn't condemn him for developing. Yet I couldn't help but think - as I believe the article says - that the use of a crane shot is completely wrong for Kitano. Ah well.

The other film of note that I watched was the new version Star Trek (2008) which I was reluctant to see. For one how good could it actually be? and I didn't think J.J. Abrahams was any cop, also I've sort-of decided to avoid most blockbusters in recent years. I would say 'against the odds' but the reviews were overwhelmingly positive, but against the odds Star Trek was a great movie, I enjoyed it from start to finish, so much so that it made me think about bothering to watch Star Trek 2, 3 and 4 (I've not seen 2 and 3). I could hardly believe myself as I laughed at a string of gags involving a Russian accent and a little-green-dude. Superb, really superb fun.

The only reason I wrote this post was to bung a couple of links up of Amazon.co.uk reviews I wrote. Even though I wrote them I believe that Amazon has copyright, so I probably can't post them here. The two reviews are for the French duo; Les Rita Mitsouko. They are a band I really adore, and while I gave both albums critical comments I still enjoy both albums, and besides that's what criticism and discussion is about. So here they are (dull as they may be):

Re (1990) written today
&
Marc and Robert (1988) written a couple of weeks back

Below is one of my favourite songs and videos of theirs, lets just say that they're not for everyone.



Furthermore to overload on links. Here are my two posts that collect nearly all of Les Rita Mitsouko's usually fantastic videos: Part One and Part Two

Sunday 3 May 2009

Urusei Yatsura TV Theme Music



I have a love/hate relationship with Japanese anime theme music. In the UK it has been customary to produce short TV introductions. Aside from The Prisoner i can't think of one that is longer than 60 seconds. But its de-rigour for a lot of anime shows to have long TV introductions, for two reasons 1) it means 90 seconds less animation to produce (actually 3 minutes when you factor in the ending credits). 2) the lucrative music market and cross promotion.

I couldn't understand why I liked the Urusei Yatsura themes so much, as a lot of anime music is often tuneless or insipid. it was only later that i read that Kitty Animation - who co-produced Urusei Yatsura - specialise in theme music. Then it all fitted into to place.

These 6 themes vary in quality - music and animation - but they display a development in style and technology. You can chart the progression of 80s musical trends, this is best represented by the metal edge of 'Rock the Planet' (my least favourite), or the slamming drums of 'Pajama Jama Da'.

For those who don't know: Urusei Yatsura is the name of a Scottish indie band of the nineties. They took their name from Rumiko Takahashi's manga. This has lead to some confusion in the UK.

The plot of the show is relatively difficult to summarise. It is about an unlucky and lecherous 17 year old boy called Ataru who by chance is married to an humanoid Oni alien; Lum. Some accounts say she is a princess, but I don't agree. Anyway, an Oni is a demon in Japanese folklore, so Lum is pretty much a curse on Ataru. Her means of punishment usually takes the form of electric shocks that she gives him and her ability to fly - means she's pretty omnipotent - and therefore can catch his unfaithful behaviour. But since he has the ability to be a despicable and immature teenager he deserves it most of the time. Also Lum is a super-sexy green haired beauty who wears a tiger skin bikini and matching jump boots. From that starting point, the couples numerous acquaintances who are school friends, family, enemies, aliens, demons etc expand the scenario, the push and pull of the other characters are ones who either love or hate Ataru or Lum. In the end the show is concerned with a new and ridiculous events fuelled by the pursuit of love - that is love in its best and worst descriptions.

Anyway, that's enough plot. The whole series is on youtube. While it is not completely consistent, and dated - one has to take some of the humour and nudity with a pinch of salt - it is a really funny show.

"Lum No Love Song" by Yuko Matsutani (1981)

(the first and best, but not the one I listen to most)

"Dancing Star" by Izumi Kobayashi (1983)


"Pajama Jama Da" by Kanako Narikiyo (1984)

(this one is by far the most addictive)

"Chance On Love" by Cindy (1984)

(This has the most amazing synth-bass, but what have they done to Lums face? She looks like a pony)

"Rock The Planet" by Steffanie (1985)


"Tonogata Gomen Asobase" by Shoko Minami (1985)


(This post is from my last.fm blog, but it is a good introduction to the series, as I plan to write about it)

Sunday 26 April 2009

"Boxing? Do You Like Boxing?"

"I couldn't sleep a wink last night" - that's not true - although it was past four AM. when I finally drifted off.

What was good about it was the live boxing that was on radio five live. It was between Carl Froch and Jermain Taylor. Now, I'm not all that interested in boxing. It looks like a bear-pit to me, or a cock fight - not that I've ever attended either of those - but it is something I've developed a certain amount of respect and interest in.

This comes from two sources. Firstly it was Nintendo's Wii Sports Boxing. That game, if nothing else, showed how terribly exhausting it is to box, that that's without getting hit yourself. Yeah of course it isn't like the real thing, and I'm glad it isn't cos it would take years of training for me to become a not-very-good fighter at best! Also, it was fun. The second source comes from Rumiko Takahashi's short manga serial One Pound Gospel. Takahashi has a fondness for sports narratives across her work and some of the most entertaining and successful chapters of Urusei Yatsura and Masion Ikkoku were concerned with sport, namely baseball and volleyball. One Pound Gospel is about boxing. It combines her usual will-they, won't-they relationship between a boy and a girl, with the boy's career as a low-level boxer. There is a lot to make a narrative out of - although a bit of a repetitive one - since boxing is about reaching the peak of physical fitness to a specific weight category. But is also about improving your style of fighting and adapting to an opponent. Add to this the lead character's weakness at dieting, and the manga really pushes the difficultly in boxing. The point is that I really enjoyed it.

However, I don't really care for sport. As I write that I know its a bit of a lie. What I mean is that I can't care for it in the way that other people do. It can be thrilling - add to this all the clichéd descriptions you can think of. But last night I was enthralled. The match started off with all the usual bluster with the US crowd booing the UK boxer Carl Froch, the seemingly endless sponsorship endorsements, the over-long introductions by the referee. On the positive, the two commentators on BBC 5Live were excellent. They didn't favour Carl Froch, and by round 8 they were in awe of Jermain Taylor's footwork and overall game. I lay in bed thinking of what a drubbing Froch was receiving as he was completely outclassed. The commentators were resigned to Froch's loss as he failed to make a significant impact round after round.

Now, i'll admit that I love an underdog. By round 7 or 8 Froch had gone from defending champion with something to prove to being so far out of the match that only a knock-out could save him, and that wasn't looking (or correctly - in my case - sounding) likely. But I think it was round 9 where Taylor significantly held back his game. The commentary team explained that he was 'taking a round off', that is, he was preserving his energy to finish strong. They also noted that his strategy for the last few rounds had been to hold back and then take the fight to Froch for the last 30 seconds and convincingly take the round. But Taylor took round 10 off too. He was infact weakening significantly. This gave Froch - who was holding himself together and getting quite desperate - the upper hand.

The quieter fighting of rounds 9 and 10 gave way to two phenomenal final rounds. In which Taylor now on 'jelly legs' barely landing a punch and was attempting to stay on his feet and see the rest of the bout out by dodging. It wasn't to be as Froch took complete control. While it was still looking like Taylors because of his early dominance, the crowd and commentators were in disbelief as Froch tore apart Taylor's game. A huge moment came in the final round when Froch floored Taylor with 45 seconds remaining. Taylor made it to his feet at the count of 8. But as the fight resumed Froch continued to ruin him. With 15 seconds remaining the fight was stopped as a knock out. The Referee stepped in as Froch in control was pounding Taylor who was unable to lift his arms. It was a devastating finale.

For me, the credit has to go to the BBC team, who reported the events with brilliant expression, fairness, and were as surprised as anyone by the see-sawing action.

Boxing isn't for everyone, and it isn't really for me, but it is a sport that required so much commitment, and one where all the classic attributes of a good sportsman (or woman) are tested against each other, youth, energy, tactics, experience, confidence, intelligence, heart, strength, endurance, and so on.

Read a more eloquent review of the match here

And here's someone's opinion of One Pound Gospel which I haven't read

Sunday 5 April 2009

Men Without Hats

Oh shame on me, it's been ages, and I really wanted to write more.

Sadly, I'm working in a data input job, so I'm usually unenlightened by the idea of sitting in front of the PC to type up some nonsense. However, I have been jotting down some ideas for future posts.

The other reason I've not written very much is my reluctance to write about 'arty' or 'good' movies and miss the point. of the films I've seen in the last 6 months (not many - thats a point 3) I could only think of ordinary criticisms.

A later post I'd like to try is my contempt for movies based upon real-life people and events. Of the few films I've seen recently Il Divo, Patti Smith doc, Gonzo they've been warbling about 'real lives', and I am getting sick of it. I'd really like to see something that doesn't expect me to read up on it first, and/or be lectured about historical events that occurred in a persons life. Add to this the spate of bio-films such as Milk in the usual Oscar dash, and it has been difficult to dodge the non-fiction world. Tellingly, I prefer to read non-fiction but watch fiction.

point 3 is that main reason that I've not written, is purely because I've not been watching many films. I did see Slumdog Millionaire, so I feel I've achieved something. I really enjoyed it, and yes, it could be trashed because of its kaleidoscopic switches in time and place. A rather hollow unconvincing lead character and doughy female love interest. Along with the uncomfortable factor of The Full Monty screenplay. But it was really really good fun, and was full of verve, great music and a pleasing structure.

The reason for the title is my interpretation of today's Singapore F1 GP. Half-way through the race was red flagged for bad weather. The next 50 minutes of the allotted two hour race consisted of the different but dull spectacle of drivers and teams lined up on the grid in the rain. It was something I had never seen before - I used to watch F1 a lot especially when I was around 10-15 - drivers and teams mucking around on the grid, soldering on trying to rescue the days racing. What really struck me was the hair of the drivers.

Typically, F1 coverage presents drivers in helmets prepping their cars or driving them. On completion of the race the podium finishers will collect their trophies and give a bland interview. This is conducted in bright red bridgestone (tyres) baseball-caps. The drivers look straight-jacketed by sponsors in their clothes. At all times they are required to wear these silly caps, which complement their text laden overalls. Yet the funny thing that happened at today's GP was that a few drivers got out of their cars, and took off their helmets to walk around the sodden grid to chat to their teams and fellow competitors. I was really stuck by Mark Webber - an Australian red bull driver - who appeared to be centre of attention as he walked up and down the track asking other drivers if they wanted to race on. He was not a bulbous rounded headed top heavy figure but had a normal-sized head with short brown hair. A couple of other drivers were seen moving around sans-head gear.

I was not awestruck as that would be an overstatement. But if a bunch of people getting rained on can hold my attention then I must have been involved. For once a driver looked like a real person, and not a walking billboard. I'm not actually having a go at the advertisers, in fact I used to think the adverts looked 'cool'. I think what I liked was seeing drivers acting outside of standard procedure. Instead they merely got on with their work, and were genuinely concerned and unsure of what will happen to the race. On the one hand they will go home in the positions as they stand, or on the other they may race in dangerous conditions for possible glory and thrills. That said, it looked for the majority of those wet fifty minutes that neither would happen, as the cars looked likely to orderly follow the safety car around the track for a couple of uneventful and sodden laps.

Well done Webber for appearing without your hat on TV (not including a commercial).

(additionally, i must get on with my planned blogs about Urusei Yatsura (music, film, book and TV), as well as my hatred and affection for Ranma 1/2)