Tell Me Something New: I Blame Coco

Eliot Sumner is the daughter of Sting & Trudie Styler and records under the band name I Blame Coco. She's been my friend on the increasingly baffling myspace for some time and she released her debut album "The Constant" last month. Have a listen and see what you think...

I Blame Coco - Self Machine (Video)

Mediaeval Baebes

The Saturday before Christmas I slogged my way through heavy snow to Birmingham Cathedral to see the Mediaeval Baebes. It was mystical, magical and beautiful, played out in a gorgeous setting and was quite unlike any concert I had seen before. I shall certainly do this again. Fabulous - and highly recommended from me!

Mediaeval Baebes - The Lady Sleeps (Live At Gloucester Cathedral)

Diamond Mine To The Factory...

Also coming from ZTT in February is the 25th anniversary edition of "Liverpool" - Frankie Goes To Hollywood's second and final album. I still remember buying the vinyl version in 1986! Eeek!!

Anyway, it's coming out as a rather splendid 2CD edition containing the following:

Disc One
1 Warriors of the Wasteland
2 Rage Hard
3 Kill the Pain
4 Maximum Joy
5 Watching the Wildlife
6 Lunar Bay
7 For Heaven’s Sake
8 Is Anybody Out There?

Bonus Tracks

The Waves
“Pamela"
Pocket Vibrator (Monitor mix/Sarm sessions/October 1986)
Suffragette City
Roadhouse Blues
(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction (Monitor mix/Sarm sessions/May 1986/voiceless)
(Don’t Lose What’s Left) Of Your Little Mind
Rage Hard (Voiceless)

Disc Two
1 Rage Hard (Montreux Mix)
2 Warriors of the Wasteland (Montreux Mix)
3 Warriors Cassetted
4 Drum Loop (Monitor mix/Wisseloord sessions/November 1985)
5 Fuck Off (Monitor mix/Wisseloord sessions/November 1985)
6 Wildlife Cassetted
7 Our Silver Turns To Gold (Monitor Mix/Ibiza Sessions/May 1985)
8 Delirious (Monitor Mix/Ibiza Sessions/October 1985)
9 “Stan”
10 For Heaven’s Sake (Monitor Mix/Wisseloord Sessions/March 1986)

"It is, of course, Frankie. And Frankie only..."

Combined

Right then. Here's something to look forward to in February next year.

"Combined" is a compilation album that rounds up Claudia Brucken's work with Propaganda, Act, her nineties solo album and One Two, along with some new material. Further details and a full track listing can be found here:

Claudia Brucken - Combined

And the video to a new track called "Thank You" (co-written with Stephen Hague) can be seen here

Claudia Brucken - Thank You (Video)

Touchstone & Panic Room

While the X-Factor final was Karaoke-ing its way to a conclusion, Dave and myself were at one of the gigs of the year - Touchstone and Panic Room at the Robin 2 in Bilston.

I'd seen Touchstone previously at The Cambridge Rock Festival in 2009 but this is the first time that I'd seen them at a gig in their own right. Lead singer Kim Seviour is a mere slip of a lass in killer heels but she is a fine vocalist with a commanding stage presence. The vocal interplay between her and band founder Rob Cottingham works especially well. 

Whilst undoubtedly a progressive rock band, Touchstone have a real bite to them and the inclusion in the set of a new song, "Throw Them To The Sky", bodes well for the next album.

Support came from the maginificent Panic Room, who I've mentioned on this blog many times before. This was the fourth time I'd seen them this year and the band just keep on getting better and better. An absolutely storming set, taking in material from both of their albums along with a rendition of "O Holy Night" featuring a breathtaking vocal from Anne-Marie Helder. Great stuff. And as for Yatim Halimi on bass....!!

Two great bands and a free Santa hat for each member of the crowd and all for £10. What more could you ask for eh?!

Anyway, I took a few pictures of the gig and here they are...  

 

Dare To Be Stupid

Last week I went with my friend Dave to see Weird Al Yankovic on the first date of his first ever UK Tour.

I wasn't sure what to expect, or who would turn up, but he was brilliant & the place was packed. It's strangely gratifying to know that there are fellow loonies out there somewhere....

Seriously, it was a great laugh. Really enjoyed it. Hope he comes back again soon. And the crowd cheering when the clip of comedy legend Leslie Nielsen was played on the video screen was actually rather touching...

Weird Al Yankovic - Dare To Be Stupid (video)

A New Autumn

Last Friday I travelled over to Bilston to see Mostly Autumn at the Robin2. It was the third time I've seen the band this year and the ninth time overall.

On this occasion though the set list was very different as the band are are promoting their new album "Go Well, Diamond Heart" and the set contained liberal sprinklings of tracks from that. I'm getting the limited edition version of the album for Christmas but I have yet to hear it, so a lot of the music that night was new to me. You've probably got to go back to my first Mostly Autumn gig in 2007 to when that was last the case. Still good though, but then the Mostlies always are.

Below are a few pictures from the gig. Not the best photos I've ever taken because I was shooting over a forest of heads, but here they are anyway!

Back To The Rock

It's been a long day today. I left to go to work before7.30 a.m and didn't return home for over 14 hours. In between I put in a shift at work in the morning, attended a Bullying & Harrassment course via work which brought memories of my school days and my final few years at Walsall Council to the forefront (though I found the course really easy as a consequence because I understand how it feels), studied in Wolverhampton reference library before attending a Welsh language class that finished at 9.00.  So now it's 11.00 p.m and I need to do this. So indulge me... 

There was loads of great Christian Rock music around in the eighties/nineties but over the last 10 years there has been precious little to get enthused about (Rock N Roll Worship Circus' "Gift Of Cool" is a possible exception) but the last 12 months have seen the return of two of my personal favourites.

First up is Mastedon, featuring John Elefante. They released two excellent albums "It's A Jungle Out There" (1989) and "LOFC Audio" (1990), both of which I still have on cassette. Now, 20 years later, they've picked up exactly where they left off with their new album simply entitled "3". Favourite tracks for me at the moment are the belting "Water Into Wine" and the single "Revolution Of Mind"

Mastedon - Revolution Of Mind

And then there is Petra. Very broadly speaking the story of Petra can be divided into two halves: the first half when they were fronted by Greg X Volz (up to 1985) and the second half when they were fronted by John Schlitt (1986 onwards). The band "retired" a few years ago after more than 30 years, but now the Greg X Volz line up has come together again under the name Classic Petra.

They've produced a new album, officially released next year called "Back To The Rock", which mostly contains reworkings of some of their old material (all worthy stuff, but you're never going to better the orginal versions of "More Power To Ya" or "Adonai" for my money!) but it also includes two new songs, including the title track.

I love the John Schlitt era Petra but there is something timeless about the Greg X Volz led line up and hearing this song for the first time put a big silly grin on my face. Bang on the money as ever. Wonderful. Hope the forthcoming tour reaches these shores...

Petra - Back To The Rock