The Cornershop Of The Man!

New Photos on Paul Weller News!

2009-07-14T22:54:00.001+02:00

When he's so on fire after 5 minutes... The gig is great!

Bruges' gig review: the wild blue surprise!

2009-07-13T15:52:00.004+02:00

Simon Cooper's pics.

Check The Marc Zalman's photos (was just behind you Marc!) on Paul Weller News!

To be completely honest, I Wans't expecting much of that gig. When I've seen Paul played in Belgium, it's never been the real Weller... Don't know why...2001, he was beginning the acoustic solo tour. It's a great memory because we spoke ten minutes, he signed me some photos, let me go to the soundcheck, etc... But the gig was pretty average... Average for Weller means a good gig but not the complete fire from the top to the roof... Everyone knows it can't be magic every night. 2004 was the Studio 150 tour in the royal circus of Brussels. A good gig, not a great one... And in 2008, he wrote "shithole" on the set list instead of Brussels. So I began to think he has a real problem with Belgium... Paris 1998, Bournemouth 2008 and Amsterdam 2008 were really great gigs... And to be complete, he played in the Cornwall the day before the festival and I thought he played only to be ok with a deal. He cancelled last year for that festival and I thought there was an agreement with the organizers.

But... going to Bruges with Gentleman Simon, a real cool cat and top toff, and with my ever Weller's friend, JC, you could imagine worst: And Bruges is such a nice city, it worths the travel anyway and we had good times from the moment Simon came here to the middle of the night! JC was there and then the "fun boy three" day began... We are friends and we talked so many times together, it wasn't really a discovery. We can say and think everything about the internet and sometimes it's very crappy but honest... How could I met Jean Christophe and Simon? I met them by the Splinters list, the blog, etc. Exactly like Magical Lady Wigzy lor Niels last year and we have here a very special thought for her and all the people we met by the Splinters' list. I have to thank them, I'm a bit grumpy sometimes about the "no thank" attitude but I have to be grateful too. I've met many many nice people! When you're french, it's not so easy to go to a Weller's gig even if you're as much motivated as us. He doesn't play anymore in Paris! We're the Weller's wasteland...

We had a bit of fun to find the festival place and Simon can tell you how it's good to stroll along the Bruges' street four or five times! The weather was pretty cool and we had no rain till the end of the gig! A minute later, the rain began to fall! Do you think he can stop the rain?

Aroun 10 PM, we were back in the festival place, very far from the stage and a bit anxious... There was a very important crowd for a local band named "Novastar". Very nice band if you're fourteen... At the end of the gig, miracle, we had no difficulties to go very near of the stage. And the show began! The roadies' work is absolutely amazing (no soundcheck in festival) and the lady's in charge for Paul is very efficient. We also had the maximum pleasure to see the delicious silhouette of ****** the so delicate and tasty bodyguard who needed all life long to learn five words "Fuck off, leave him alone"! He's been very rude and brutal with true fans who didn't want to disturb Paul Weller at all. Things can be asked in a polite way, don't you think? It's so easy to act like this when you look like an old wrestler. I can't understand that kind of behaviour and many of us had bad experience with him. It has to be said. He's not cool, he's not nice, he's rude and rough. He can do the same job with another style but I'm not sure he can only write the word. Insults are so easy.

Then, around midnight, Paul and band came on stage. He was absolutely elegant and classy, great hair cut (I know it's very important in the Weller's topics!) and obviously decided to do a real show. And man, I regret today all the things I've said about Weller and Belgium. He's been tough and brilliant and he gave anything he can in an hour and half! He was the real Weller, a bit angry, completely in his music even if he decided to have a break to smoke a complete ciggy while the other members tried some strange experiences on a very long version of the middle's song gig. But he went back for 45 minutes of wellership, the best Weller. You know when he's nervous, and when he comes to the front of the stage to challenge the audience. Weller gave thousands of gig but he's not completely safe yet and he always want to win the battle. He even asked Stevie Cradock to ask the crowd if the gig was good! It's not exactly the british audience and he wasn't self secured at all. He's been many minutes behind the piano, a bit hidden, playing Bright Star and You do something to me. The set list was pretty classic and a festival one... No new songs were played but even the classics, than Simon knows by heart from the beginning to the end, has been played with authentic passion, grace and fire.

The band is completely ok now. There's really a difference with the last spring tour. Andy Lewis is completely in the band and if it's not a great showman because he's very nice and modest and doesn't want to brag, he's a solid part of the sound. Steve Pilgrim is not Steve White, he knows it and doesn't try at all to play in the same style. Stevie Cradock is really the other side of Weller's guitar style, they're very instinctive and they know who has to play that part or another one... Crofty (his new nickname?) is a top guy, he's very nice and so happy to play with the man. And he's definitely a mod!

So, we really had magical hours! to say the truth, we're so wrapped in music we can't live another way and I won't miss another possibility to go to another belgium gig! After the gig, we talked under a smooth rain of our new projects: going to a Birmingham city fc's match on december the 12 nd and to the great Ray Davies' gig the same day... before... the Weller's spring tour and the new LP! life goes on! Then we went back home, Like naughty school boys.

A day off to go to Belgium with Simon and JC. Weller in Bruges!

2009-07-11T09:56:00.002+02:00

Minnewater Park, the Cactus Festival Place.

The Deep MO at The BBC

2009-07-10T12:20:00.003+02:00

Bassist Yolanda Charles is lead singer/songwriter for the band The Deep M.O. Funk is ever present in the band's sound, but with an edge of Hip-Hop and RnB thrown in the create an individual sound. With Miles Bould on drums and the rockier edge of Scott Firth and John Robertson on Guitars, the quartet are complimented by Robert Mitchell's Jazz inflected keyboards, giving an exciting combination of influences that is The Deep M.O (******* description).

The Deep M.O Featuring Dee C Lee

So Dee is joining our band as guest featured artist, gonna do some shows in London to begin with, then get out into Great green Britain and beyond. Sorting out the logistics of 1st big (ish) London date Horns the works....won't be til after Summer probably. Debut gig is 3rd July a low key support for some very nice people to get our feet wet with the whole thing. Dee has an exceptional FUNK sound to her voice and we're writing more tunes for her to perform with the band, as well as doing tracks from the Deep M.O E.P and some Mamayo tunes too. Recording a single probably "It's not Over" In July/Aug. Very excited, cool vibes all 'round.

Myspace (and Demo with Dee C Lee)

Dee C Lee and the Deep. Yolanda Charles on Bass. (Courtesy of Mark S.)

2009-07-08T22:25:00.002+02:00

With the very excellent Yolanda Charles on Bass!

The dreams of (Lindsay's) child(ren)

2009-07-08T21:03:00.004+02:00

Anyhow, back to my recent experience in having my faith in my fellow man rekindled. I also took my two boys to Weller in Cannock, what a gig, what a night, brilliant, they loved it. Especially as toward the end of the gig i took them nearer to the front and gradually edged our way as close as we could. My youngest got on my shoulders, just as Weller cranked into That's Entertainment and then he pointed at my boy with a big smile on his face, i swear there was peace and love in the air, man it brought a tear to my eye. Anyhow, a couple of days later i'm surfing Weller on You Tube, and to my amazment, there are videos posted showing this joyous moment (you'd only know it's my boy if you know where to look and if you know what the back of his head looks like !). My son is the one in the green top (you can see its green at the start) and he stays on my shoulders all the way through as we are bopping up and down... no wonder my legs were aching the next day !

Keep The Faith

Lindsay

Kinks documentary on the way (courtesy of Brighton Mike).

2009-07-07T23:09:00.001+02:00

The Kinks are to be the subject of a new documentary directed by Julien Temple.

Temple, the man behind such music doc classics as The Filth and the Fury and Joe Strummer: The Truth Is Unwritten, directed several of the Kinks' '80s videos - Come Dancing, Don't Forget To Dance and State of Confusion among them.

The project has been in development since 2007 and has a working title of Kingdom Come. A release date is yet to be confirmed.

We are the Mods, a new MOVIE, trailer. Courtesy of Mick taylor.

2009-07-07T13:53:00.007+02:00

The most underrated band ever? Little Barrie...

2009-07-07T10:45:00.003+02:00

I'm starting here a Little Barrie series...

At my humble opinion, Little Barrie is really one of the most underrated band at the moment. Barrie Cadogan and band played with Paul Weller several times, and on 22 dreams for the last Weller's LP.

Barrie is a great and amazing guitarist, he has a very personal style, he's really the only one of his generation to play like this. Morrissey said he's the best guitar player of his generation. A few chords, always dynamic, I've never seen a singer/guitarist playing like that. Both hands are in a constant move, it's really impressive. His hands never stand still and it gives a true dynamic to any song. I've seen the band in a very horrible venue, no backstage, no scene, it was really a band's nightmare and Barrie remembers it (How could we forget he said when I asked him...) and they did the job. For me, it's been a unique occasion to see Barrie playing in front of me, really close. He's excellent, dynamic, groovy, elegant, inventive, personal, a complete dream... Watch him carefully while he's playing with Paul on the video...

Don't ask you why Paul Wants him. He has a touch, a complete personal way to drive a song. I DO want to support them... I think they haven't the success they do deserve. Each of its own, of course...

Barrie and band will allow me to interview them for the blog... Will publish it soon... Barrie will tell us his "Weller experience"! Stay Tuned...

Exclusive footage and new demo
Little Barrie on Myspace

“Sounding not unlike Hendrix covering The Temptations, they succeed in capturing the essence of the Delta and bottling it in a contemporary garage brew.” -The Independent Review (UK)

''We Are Little Barrie is a stunning debut for sure, and the kind of record both old-school classic rock dads and groove-loving young kids should be clambering over each other to buy.'' - All Music Guide Review (UK)

''Fascinatingly oblique songs are plaed with confidence and laid-back precision, rather than smothered by a desperation to impress.'' - Mojo Review (UK)

''Little Barrie's appeal, then, lies in the directness of their music, the unfussy delivery and the economical way their lead man delivers his guitar contributions. These all make for a brightly uplifting record.''- Music OHM

''They are Little Barrie and you should be listening''. - Live Review

''Their authentic retro style with 21st Century knobs went down a storm, particularly new single, the funky Pay To Join, the Bo Diddley-esque Love You and Long Hair.'' - Mirror.co.uk

The blog goes private in September. I'll let you know.

2009-07-06T23:24:00.000+02:00

Weller's guest at Hop Farm (3'45)

2009-07-06T12:18:00.002+02:00

Courtesy of Mike The Brighton's Wizard! :)

Madness Glastonbury 2009

2009-07-05T21:46:00.009+02:00

Madness Part one
Madness Part two
Madness Part Three
Madness Part Four

Be careful, It's a divx and I've splitted the archives. So you just have to get the whole files to unrar it. Then you'll can burn it easily. Excellent quality.

Audi version Files

(Courtesy of Mike E)

The One man Clash, live in the street, the very beginning of Billy Bragg! Courtesy of lizzy!

2009-07-05T12:54:00.003+02:00

Twisted Wheel / Weller's Forest Adventures, Sherwood by Winner Russel Lee.

2009-07-02T17:12:00.010+02:00

Twisted Wheel: Hard working band!

The last time I saw Paul at an outdoor gig was at Finsbury Park in the mid 90's, so heading up from London with the sun shining, I was full of anticipation for what was in store.

I was at the Island Records gig 2 weeks before, which, although an excellent gig, was a bit more subdued than others.

We got to the park only to find that there were no camping facilities and the nearest campsite was full up, uh-oh... a sober one for me then. Oh well!

Twisted Wheel had just got on stage as we entered the Arena. A sizeable crowd were already at the front of stage as they ploughed through tracks from their debut album. They certainly seemed to have earned their stripes as a worthy support band (I've seen a few dodgy ones over the years), the recent support slot for Oasis obviously paying dividends.

The all too familiar riff that starts Peacock Suit saw the main man hit the stage. The crowd roared and the heavens opened. Fuckin typical. But, hey, who gives a shit about getting wet when Weller's strutting his stuff!!!

He played through a mix of older and more recent tracks then came the intro for Shout To The Top. The crowd erupted. I was pretty close to the front, and what an atmosphere. Style Council at the Albert Hall, '87 (or was it '88?), it all came flooding back! With Eton Rifles following hot on the heels, this was one very happy old Mod.

Paul really seemed to be enjoying himself as he played through a good mix of old and new, and just as the sun was slipping behind the trees, played an excellent version of Wild Wood, trying to capture some of it on me phone was a bit tricky tho!

The familiar encore of Broken Stones, That's Entertainment, and Town Called Malice brought proceedings to a close, my voice had gone, my legs were a few feet behind me but I still wanted more....

Sherwood's peacock suit

Andy's debut solo Album! (New link for the lyrics folder)

2009-07-01T23:57:00.003+02:00

It is with great pleasure that I can announce that my debut solo album, 'Words Falling On The Page' is released today and can be downloaded for free now HERE.

The package is zipped and comes with the ten music tracks, full colour artwork with massive thanks to our own Tim Stavinrou to be printed and fitted into a PVC sleeve as opposed to a jewel case, lyrics to all ten songs and detailed liner notes.

I'd be very happy indeed if you would give this album a listen, in the proper listening environment, accompanied by both the lyrics and liner notes so that you get the full picture and I'd be overjoyed if you could find time send me your thoughts, either by posting on the Blog or by mailing me direct, afne04343@blueyonder.co.uk , good or bad, detailed or brief, your time would be much much appreciated.

And so I surrender this work to the public and hope you find something from it.

Feel free to copy, distribute, give to relatives for Xmas etc, I want as many people as possible to hear this stuff.

Cheers
Andy 1st July 2009

Vilaine Canaille (dirty bastard...), Excellent Clip from Archimede, 2 young brothers, french, with a huge slice of britpop inside.

2009-06-30T19:41:00.002+02:00

They are really obviously influenced by the Who (A l'heure H) and Oasis and they knew the very few things you can take in french music to have a kind of french pop touch, a noble lineage. The LP is short and maybe still a bit young but for the second time in a single month I didn't say "Baaaaaaaa", listening a french production... When so young guys know than Sleepwalker is one of the good Kinks' LP of the Seventies, you can trust them, can't you?

Archimede sony web space
Website
Myspace

La Pop Franglo-Saxonne (frit'pop?) Premier album le 1er juin

Pas la peine de faire de la pop si on n’est pas inspiré, pas la peine de faire du rock si on n’a pas de chanson. Mais si les chansons sont aussi inspirées et immédiates que celles qui figurent sur ce premier album d’Archimède, alors il va falloir compter avec ce groupe de Laval, mené par deux frères pour qui pondre un tube semble être aussi naturel que dire « bonjour », et je dis ça si on dit « bonjour » naturellement bien sûr. Mais surtout pour dire qu’il va maintenant falloir compter avec le rock de Laval, et ça c’est vrai qu’on ne s’était pas fait à l’idée.

Laval pour beaucoup, ça restera la ville dont on peut lire le nom dans les deux sens. Mais c’est là surtout que Nico et son frère Fred ont commencé à écrire des chansons il y a quelques années avant de se baptiser Archimède, pour se donner un côté scientifique grec. En interview, la faute au temps que ça prend pour sortir un album, ils diront probablement que « cette dernière année, ils ont dû s’enfermer en studio afin de peaufiner les chansons de leur premier disque, pour les parfaire ». La vérité, c’est que les mélodies, les paroles, bref tout ce qui fait le corps et le parfum des chansons, était là dès le début. Les titres passent alors entre des mains expertes (celles de Philippe Paradis à la réalisation, d’Yves Jaget à la prise de son, de Jeff Delort au mixage et enfin de Stephen Marcussen pour le mastering), travaillant toutes à rendre l’ensemble le plus organique possible, en restant fidèles au relief des chansons. Le tout a été galvanisé par l’enregistrement live au studio Vega sur « la fameuse console avec laquelle ont enregistré les Stones ». Et quand l’écriture et l’interprétation d’une chanson sont une affaire de frangins, l’histoire du pop-rock a montré que ça valait souvent la peine qu’on s’y arrête (des Beach Boys aux Sparks en passant par les Breeders ou les Kings of Leon plus récemment). C’est normal, le public aime les bonnes chansons ; et pour une raison qu’on ignore, écrites par deux personnes du même sang, elles n’en sonnent souvent pas moins pertinentes.

Une fois composées, les chansons de Nico et Fred sont confiées à Archimède-le-groupe, soit augmenté de Cord’ à la basse et aux claviers, de Tess à la batterie, et de Guillaume à la guitare. On ne sait alors par quel tour de passe-passe les titres prennent une corpulence rock aux contours boogie qui donne parfois l’impression qu’Archimède ressuscite et modernise un son yéyé qu’on croyait bon pour les oubliettes (« Eva et les autres », « Vilaine canaille »). Il y a du rock chez Archimède, à n’en pas douter, mais surtout la propension aussi pour le tube instantané (« L’été revient », « L’amour PMU ») et le talent pas donné à tout le monde, de jouer des ballades pop matures sans en faire des tonnes (« A l’ombre », « Au diable Vauvert »).

Une simple écoute du disque permet de comprendre d’un coup le talent des frères, l’aisance insolente avec laquelle Nico et Fred synthétisent les connections pop franglo-saxonnes, de Nino Ferrer aux frères Gallagher, des Beatles à Jacques Dutronc. Chanter en français chez Archimède ce n’est pas un obstacle, c’est un atout. C’est assez rare pour qu’on en fasse état : il n’y a qu’à allumer la radio pour se rendre compte à quel point c’est un exercice périlleux, auquel beaucoup s’adonnent à un âge pourtant assez jeune pour penser une reconversion. On n’en voudra pas à Nico, rocker Gavroche, d’écrire une prose qui jongle avec une telle facilité sur l’exercice de style et les allitérations, jouant de la syllabe comme d’un instrument à part entière qui complète, on ne sait comment mais idéalement, l’écriture pop de son frère. On se surprendra forcément parfois à vérifier le livret pour être bien sûr que dans « À l’Heure H », la phrase qu’il chante est bien : « Même les nonnes/Assailliront la scène/Presque Aphones/Quand l’heure, quand l’heure, quand l’heure H aura sonné ». Vous n’aurez pas fini d’examiner le sens des mots que vous serez déjà en train d’en fredonner inlassablement le refrain, pour le simple plaisir de faire rebondir des syllabes en bouche.

On croit ou on ne croit pas en Dieu mais on est obligé de croire en une bonne chanson, dont la vertu est de tout dire en trois minutes, de réduire l’espace, le temps, l’amour et la mort à un judicieux équilibre de couplets-refrain. Elle apporte des réponses à des questions qu’on ne se posait pas forcément, elle rend l’air plus respirable. Elles sont au nombre de onze sur ce premier disque d’Archimède. No filler, comme disent les Anglais. 11 raisons de repenser Liverpool comme capitale de la Mayenne, ou Laval comme le nouveau berceau du songwriting pop-rock français.

Thomas VDB

Legendary Specials are back... From Mike E.

2009-06-29T21:37:00.006+02:00

it's one file with no track splits but its worth a listen.

01. Do The Dog
02. Gangsters
03. Its Up To You
04. Rat Race
05. Monkey Man
06. Blank Expression
07. Too Hot
08. Doesnt Make It Alright
09. Concrete Jungle
10. Friday Night, Saturday Morning
11. Man At The C&A
12. A Message To You, Rudy
13. Do Nothing
14. Hey, Little Ritch Girl
15. Nite Klub
16. Too Much, Too Young
17. You're Wondering Now
18. Ghost Town

Specials Live in Glastonbury.

Remember the Real SKA blog, Fredd's one!

Dazzz worked on a new Bologna Bootleg version to slow it a bit.

2009-06-29T14:03:00.003+02:00

... and it's excellent, much better than the posted version. Artwork below. Here come the new links. A Huge thanx to him, he did it song by song. So please, send him a big thanx in the C box!

Bologna 1 new version
Bologna 2 New version

21 st century mods, A new book about all things mod. From Gentleman Mike.

2009-06-29T13:23:00.000+02:00

August bank holiday will see the young Vespa and Lambretta riding Mods from all over the UK and beyond return to their spiritual home, Brighton, for an action packed weekend, forty plus years since the original modernists set foot on the East Sussex seaside resort back in 1964. This years event coincides with the launch of brand new Mods book called ‘I’m One’ (21^st Century Mods) by Horst R Fredriechs with sleeve notes from Who guitarist Pete Townshend and forward from Mod author Paolo Hewitt.

The exhibition with 15ft prints of some of the images featured in the book will be on display on the wall of Sea Life next to the daytime events venue, the Volks (opposite the pier) Sat and Sun afternoon. A whole weekend of events are lined up by London Mod promoters the New Untouchables including four live bands over two days and a scooter competition followed by a ride out to Beachy Head not forgetting a market area selling vintage vinyl and modernist threads.

The weekend kicks of Friday night with a welcome party at Smugglers in Ship Street. Saturday and Sundays allnighters are hosted at Brighton’s best venue the Komedia with DJ's from a dozen Mod clubs round the UK + special guest DJ Spider Webb of the Horrors as well as local clubs Mojo to Go Go/Hush Club/Born Bad and Da Do Ron Ron are all represented.

Mike

www.magazine.brighton.co.uk

TW and PW in Cannock Chase, courtesy of Kevin Aston (Kevoftipton).

2009-06-28T12:44:00.002+02:00

Twisted Wheel's Jonny Brown, Adam and Rick! Dedicated to Elise Bowles.

Can also find some very nice pictures at Paul Weller news.

The Week end Boot: Bologna 2008. Estragon Club. Dedicated to all our italian friends!

2009-06-26T19:29:00.014+02:00

Artwork by Manu, Files courtesy of Jean-Christophe, Speed correction by Dazzz. Thanx guys! Huge thanx to the original taper, I don't know him. sorry. Probably a bit too far from the stage.

Bologna 1
Bologna 2

Connett's Carnaby street invasion. New gig in July, the third.

2009-06-26T19:23:00.010+02:00

Slightly ammended poster...

2009-06-26T11:42:00.002+02:00

Terry Rawlings' Benefit.

2009-06-24T11:32:00.003+02:00

'I first met Terry Rawlings back in early 1979. Over 30 years ago! Jeez where did that time bleedin' go? We were both music obsessed teens, deep into the Mod Revival scene, who also just happened to love Punk. Especially the Clash and the Buzzcocks. I guess that was our connection. That, and the fact we both loved an occasional tipple! Terry then replaced me as the office boy at Decca Records and we were both up and running and went on to become life long buddies.

I made a living out of playing and talking about music whilst Terry wrote acclaimed books on the Rolling Stones, Small Faces, Ron Wood, Brian Jones and the Buzzcocks' Steve Diggle, as well as all things Mod. These forthcoming gigs, and the range of people offering their services, are testimony to how well loved Terry is by all of us.

They'll be celebrations and hopefully in the process will raise as much dosh as possible to help him and his family through this very difficult time... After all that's what you do for your muckers isn't it?'

Gary Crowley, Summer 2009

Purple Hearts at the 100 club. Sold Out. Reviews are excellent.

2009-06-23T22:46:00.004+02:00