2013 ; The year Psych strikes back

It all started with a lucid dream , indeed The Lucid Dream- a startling and challenging band that absolutely blow me away the first time - at the legendary [ Joy Division played there more times that anywhere else ] and all subsequent 6 times Ive been privileged to witness them this year...http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=the+lucid+dream+manchester&sm=1...there driving energy and sheer volume attack you and put some off - beware these Psych monsters are not for everyone ..However if you enjoy having your brain expanded then blown , join us at the Roadhouse in February where ,once again, TLD show Manchester how to Psych ....Not that it needs that with superb Psych explores and blues shouters - the  Mighty Purple Heart Parade...some are from Oldham and all explore Outer Space- dancing grooves, sharp dueling guitars , heartfelt [ if too reverbered!]  spacy vocals and a lead singer/shaman that excites like Iggy in his prime...http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=the+purple+heartmanchester&sm=3..Other classic Psych concerts have included the marvellous South American Holy drug couple  - great lads all .. http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=the+holy+drug+couple+manchester&sm=12 , the blissed out and super sweet Jacoo Gardner ..http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=jacco+gardner+manchester&sm=1 ...and last Thursday , the far out and blistering The Oscillation...http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=the+oscillationmanchester&sm=3...marvelous end to a stunning year .But with next year’s Liverpool and Manchester Psych festivals - the solar system is the limit...

Mancmusic is back!

Armed with a new Mac my blogging legacy continues.

A Mixed Blessing

Two of the sights the gamblers will see as they leave the Super Casino,with empty pockets

Another day in Feb 07

"Another Day " was always a great lost track, and when I saw the wonderful video to the Gabriel /Bush never single I remembered why I kicked it... Cant believe in was in the 70.s..both look fantastic ..and seems to suggest an under-lining frisson going on between them..I used to listen to this constantly,recorded from a hand held cassette from the TV.. changed days indeed http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rKknfE4wGmM

The "Tommy Cooper " appraoach to global warmimg...smoke and mirors

I see the Bush administration believes we can cancel out global warming by the old magicians trick of smoke and mirrors..as The Guardian informs us http://environment.guardian.co.uk/climatechange/story/0,,1999968,00.html

The Earlies in the studio

March sees "Blowout " do a special treat with the brilliant Earlies http://www.theearlies.com/ http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendID=4427322 ably supported by Starless and Bible Black..who were impressed last time we saw them that I knew the name was from Dylan Thomas.. http://www.myspace.com/starlessbibleblack and all this , in the intimate Blueprint Studios Fab

Im back for 07

After a long absence Im back in the blogging scene ,with the gigiing scene revving up.. Soon come.. The Decemberists http://www.decemberists.com/ http://www.google.com/musica?aid=XsZJitaTI1F&sa=X&oi=music&c http://www.myspace.com/thedecemberists http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Decemberists The Automatic http://www.theautomatic.co.uk/ http://www.myspace.com/theautomatic THE band I predict with "do " an Oasis in 07 The View http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=35896220 ANd theres the nu rave....

Johnny fantastic

I celebrated and finished a great year of live music by seeing Johnny Bramwell from the mighty Iam Kloot http://www.iamkloot.com/ do a TWO HOUR , intimate , acoustic set at the tiny [ 200 capacity ] Green Room ,opposite the Ritz. He was joined by the keyboard player and bassist from Kloot to play a wide spectrum of songs from his glorious career and new songs to tantalise us...magnificent..the night whizzed by. It was even worth leaving a Xmas party ,with free drinks, at my favourite pub..Via A great night

The Bees swarm

The Bees http://www.myspace.com/thebeesofficial packed the intimate Club Academy with die -hard fans. This multi-instrumentalist band of Isle Of Wight new -hippies swopped guitars, bass ,drum and keyboards to create a swirling, organ driven , horn helmed , feel-good jig that got the crowd swaying ... Imagine dubbed sea -chanties helmed by Ringo and The Coral... Should catch on

"Fluff "flies

On the anniversary of my Mum's death..legendary DJ , Alan "Fluff " Freeman http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/6187762.stm has died. I remember listening to him from the early 70's..and his Saturday afternoon programme , that always started with "Welcome back my friends " by ELP , was a must for us youthfull "proggers " getting us all excited and ready for a night of dancing and "freaking out " at "Waves " , UMIST and the Poly to 30minute tracks and concept albums..never singles ..galore.. http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2-2475357,00.html The speed that he ran throught the charts on the "hung-over " Sundays was amazing..and never beaten.. When punk happend "Fluff " was in his 50's and his championing of "New Wave Of British Heavy Metal " alienated him from me.. I lost interest.. However I always hold him highly for going against the grain and playing "my " bands constantly in the glourious, technicolour , relatively innocent [ pre -AIDS and 9/11] and non -commercial 70s.. Thanks Fluff for flying the Prog banner.. I have one personal story about him..when me and my partner saw The Who in 76, http://www.thewholive.de/details/index.php?id=266&Tracklisting=&GroupID=1&Tag=&Monat=&Jahr=1976&Stadt=&Halle=&LandID=0 [the concert that had the last English performances from the original line ups of Alex Harvey , Little Feat , AC/DC and The Who ..macarbe..] there was a tube strike so we had to walk from Charlton FC to Euston..a long way ,believe me , on the way we "bumped " into "Fluff" and he was very keen on inviting us back to his flat to listen to some groovy sounds... "Not arf "....!!

Old New Brighton

For reasons best known to myself I took a trip to New Brighton http://www.new-brighton.f2s.com/ today , once a stirring, exciting place and a rival to Blackpool it hosted the famous Beatles/Little Richard concert. It now has seen better days..and clearly needs rejuvination and renewal http://attheriversmouth.blogspot.com/2006/10/new-brighton-sunsets.html http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Brighton,_Merseyside

The unknown states

Again , filling in the Map I realised that I have been very "coast myopic " in my visits to the USA.. I thought I had visited a lot of America in my over 20 visits there.. only 37% of the country.. Its a good job Im still a bright young thing..!!

The world less travelled

Id always considerd myself a seasoned traveller ,but when I put down the 21 counties I have visited it made me reaise I had only visited 9% of the world...shocking..and prooves to me how I need to do far more travelling...
create your own visited countries map or vertaling Duits Nederlands

Mark Thomas rants

Mark Thomas http://rds.yahoo.com/_ylt=A0geuq3a1VxFk2oBnopXNyoA;_ylu=X3oDMTE2ZnYyaG5yBGNvbG8DZQRsA1dTMQRwb3MDOARzZWMDc3IEdnRpZANGODQ1Xzc0/SIG=11aj9ah48/EXP=1163798362/**http://www.mtcp.co.uk/ entertained The Dancehouse for 3 nights , preaching to the converted I know , but his great use of facts , figures , humour , characterisations , storytelling and references to Yes made me think , laugh and get angry over the dispicable worldwide arms-trade... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_Thomas He never stopped moving about , talking and ..ranting..for over 2 1/2 hours.. A national treasure ..

The master race

What I always thought was science fiction /fantasy about a Nazi "master race !"actually happend . The concept of Lebensborn , "source of life " children http://www.rickross.com/reference/hate_groups/hategroups164.html http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/correspondent/729902.stm really did transpire . They were part of a Nazi racial experiment where 200,000 children were selected for Aryan physical qualities and placed with families of SS members. http://www.jewishgen.org/ForgottenCamps/General/LebensbornEng.html http://www.barnesreview.org/lebensborn.htm Not only did many survive..they all met in the German eastern town of Wernigerode http://www.world66.com/europe/germany/saxonyanhalt/wernigerode last week for the first time . Imagine the trauma and atmosphere in that little town. And it was in Germany , not Brazil... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Boys_from_Brazil_(film) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0077269/

Is that it

Maybe I have seen too many films , but modern films seem soooo obvious. None more so than The Prestige http://theprestige.movies.go.com/ I was really looking forward to this film... see previous blog.. and the acting and directing was OK , but , dear me , the plot and denoumount was so lame.. The by-line is "Are you watching closely ". My suggestion is not to watch closely at all , or you will guess the "shock " ending in the first 40 mins... even if , like me , you fall asleep when Dame Vera Bowie hams it up.... There is no explanation for the 3 main protagonists change in attitude or behaviour towards each other..in the end one wants them all hung.. Other people are kinder though http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/prestige/

Third time bloody

I sat through Saw 3 ,open mouthed , its even more gory and violent then the other 2 Saw gore-fests. A relentless , splatter -filled explosion of tourture and exploytation....I cant see how the inevitable SAW 4 will be more bloody...

Borat ;A world ambassador

I laughed and laughed at the outrageous adventures of Borat http://www.rollingstone.com/reviews/movie/9544561/review/12221746/borat_cultural_learnings_of_america_for_make_benefit_glorious_nation_of_kazakhstan remembering when I met him when Sacha Baron Cohen http://www.askmen.com/men/entertainment_150/186c_ali_g.html was filming as Ali Gee in Manchester Town Hall in 2001. A true star , outrageous , sharp and funny as a button

Tapes and Tapes terrific

In my favourite University venue , the intimate Hop and Grape , newish band Tapes and Tapes http://www.tapesntapes.com/ entertained and beguiled the expectant crowd with spikey melodic rock ,that could have a great future.. I love seeing bands at the begining of their career, they have an ethusiasm and drive that soon dissapaites in the rock machinery. A good solid night of rock promise...