#bob shaw fan club | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

aion-rsa · 3 years

Text

How Netflix’s The Irregulars fit in with Sherlock Holmes Canon

https://ift.tt/2PbmEsX

The titular “Irregulars” who star in the new eight-part Netflix series are total badasses, but outside of their shared team name, they are significantly different from the Baker Street Irregulars who originated in the pages of the Sherlock Holmes canon as written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. This isn’t to say that The Irregulars defies the Holmes canon per se, but it does weave an alternate dimension of the 221B universe, one populated by a lot of elements we never saw in the classic Watson-narrated stories. In Doyle’s ‘The Adventure of the Sussex Vampire’ Sherlock debunks the existence of an undead bloodsucker, famously saying “Ghosts need not apply!” But in The Irregulars, ghosts and demons are everywhere, complete with a secret society of paranormal disciples (based on the real-world 19th century Order of the Golden Dawn).

This is a long-winded way of saying, the points of departure between The Irregulars and the canon of Doyle’s Holmes are numerous. Unlike Enola Holmes — in which you could squint and imagine those adventures lining up with the Doyle canon — The Irregulars is straight-up fanfic. That said, the inspirations for Bea, Jessie, Billy, Spike, and Leopold are found in a handful of legit old-school Sherlock Holmes stories. Here’s how the Netflix series comes from the canon of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, and how it plays with that canon, too.

The Origin of the Baker Street Irregulars

In the first two Sherlock Holmes novels (there are only four total) — A Study in Scarlet and The Sign of the Four — we’re introduced to some Dickensian street orphans whom Holmes calls “the Baker Street division of the detective police force.” Remember the Artful Dodger from Oliver Twist? That’s pretty much the Baker Street Irregulars; streetwise urchins who act as the “eyes and ears” of Sherlock Holmes in terms of what’s really going on out there in the world. This trope pops up in a lot of other fiction too, but it’s notable to mention that despite the famous name “Baker Street Irregulars,” this unofficial gang of children doesn’t appear in very many canonical Holmes stories, and we certainly don’t know many of their names.

The term “Baker Street Irregulars” comes from the title of Chapter 8 in The Sign of the Four. In that novel, Holmes enlists the Irregulars in tracking the progress of a boat on the River Thames. One of the Irregulars is named “Wiggins,” who is their leader. Notably, in stories set eight years apart (A Study in Scarlet and The Sign of the Four) Wiggins is still the primary Irregular that Holmes deals with. This detail is just one of countless examples in the Doyle canon in which things just do not add up; such as the shifting location of Watson’s infamous war wound. In-universe fans (Watsonians) attribute these mistakes to a greater truth lurking below the surface of the stories; one that suggests that Watson actually repressed a lot of information in the telling of these tales. After all, Wiggins can’t be a young child for eight years! Then again, in The Irregulars, all the “kids” are much older than the ones who are described in the canon. We’re mostly dealing with teenagers now! So, the “ageless” Wiggins from the canon, is sort of a model for our contemporary irregulars in the Netflix show.

Mycroft, Eudoria, Enola & Sherrinford: How FanFic Expands the Sherlock Holmes Family

By Ryan Britt

How Paul McGuigan Crafted the Visual Language of Sherlock

By Kayti Burt

Outside of those two Holmes novels, the only other story in which the Baker Street Irregulars are mentioned outright is in ‘The Adventure of the Crooked Man’ in which there’s a reference to one of the “Baker Street Boys,” and specifically a kid named Simpson. In ‘The Disappearance of Lady Frances Carfax’, there’s also a reference to Holmes’ “agency,” which, in some books — like The Sherlock Holmes Companion (Bramhall House, 1962) — is close enough to count. In The Hound of the Baskervilles, Holmes has “Cartwright,” who is disguised as a country boy, and in ‘The Adventure of the Mazarin Stone,’ Holmes is assisted by a pageboy named Billy – the same name as Jojo Macari’s character in The Irregulars. So, if you count all of that, there are three novels, and three short stories that reference the gang; a total of six references. That’s not a lot! There are 56 Holmes short stories and four novels. Six references is nothing.

Then again, the evil Professor Moriarty is mentioned or appears in only three stories and novels (‘The Final Problem,’ ‘The Empty House,’ and The Valley of Fear) and you’ve totally heard of him, right?

The Irregulars in The Irregulars

In the new Netflix show, the various Irregulars are employed by a slightly underhanded version of Dr. Watson. Because Holmes already uses another version of the Irregulars in A Study in Scarlet, you could imagine that this incarnation of the Irregulars could exist after that. Indeed, you could also imagine that everything in The Irregulars takes place at some point after ‘The Empty House,’ if you wanted to. Without giving away spoilers, the show presents a very different version of Sherlock Holmes who at one point says that he’s not really the man he used to be.

The larger point is, none of the new Irregulars have direct analogs with the canon, and that’s okay. The show is clearly about these new characters and not really about Holmes at all. In this way, the Irregulars in the series are kind of like the Teen Titans and young leads Bea (Thaddea Graham) or Jessie (Darci Shaw) is like Robin, while Holmes is obviously a washed-up Batman. Who Watson is in this analogy isn’t clear, but you get it.

The Legacy of the Baker Street Irregulars

Although the name is famous, The Irregulars presents the first time a ton of focus has been paid to this aspect of the Holmes canon. In the Benedict Cumberbatch-led Sherlock, the Irregulars became a network of homeless people that worked for Holmes. In the comedy film Without a Clue, Ben Kingsley’s Watson employed the Irregulars, but nothing like the way Royce Pierreson’s Dr Watson does in the new show.

Perhaps the most famous example of the group is actually the group of adults who call themselves “Baker Street Irregulars.” In 1934, founded by Christopher Morely in New York, a huge literary club devoted to Sherlock Holmes dubbed itself “The Baker Street Irregulars.” Many famous authors have been members over the years including Nicholas Meyer, Isaac Asimov, and noted contemporary novelist, Lyndsay Faye.

Author (and NBA star) Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is also a member of the Baker Street Irregulars and has written excellent novels (and graphic novels!) about Mycroft Holmes. In 2017 Abdul-Jabbar revealed his own BSI even helped him win basketball games back in the day. “I even had my own Baker Street Irregulars,” he said in 2017. “I started paying special attention to the conversations among the ball boys and other staffers. When I overheard a couple ball boys joking about how Bob Lanier and his coach would smoke in the locker room at halftime, I decided to run Bob up and down the court as fast as I could in the second half.”

So there you have it. From one of the oldest fandom organizations on the planet to the eyes and ears of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, the moniker “Irregulars” has a lot to live up to. Luckily, this new squad YA heroes is totally up to it.

cnx.cmd.push(function() { cnx({ playerId: "106e33c0-3911-473c-b599-b1426db57530", }).render("0270c398a82f44f49c23c16122516796"); });

The Irregulars is streaming now on Netflix.

The post How Netflix’s The Irregulars fit in with Sherlock Holmes Canon appeared first on Den of Geek.

from Den of Geek https://ift.tt/3u11mNv

#aion-rsa #Den of Geek

5 notes · View notes

dustedmagazine · 4 years

Text

Dust, Volume 6, Number 10

The Slugs

September seemed to be the month when all the records on endless delay finally got kicked out the door, COVID or no, ready or not here we come. We’re deluged with music, some recorded before the world changed, some clearly cooked up mid-pandemic. There are a lot of covers EPs, lots of solo material, lots of home-made lo-fi, lots of benefit comps, and who are we to complain? Better, instead, to reach for the headphones, load up the hard drive, pile on the LPs and do some listening. Here’s some of the stuff that caught our attention, as usual ranging all over the continuum, from traditional to edgy and experimental, from silly pop punk to enraged death metal to bookish electro-acoustic improvisation. Contributors this time out included Jonathan Shaw, Patrick Masterson, Jennifer Kelly, Bill Meyer, Derek Taylor, Ray Garraty, Tim Clarke and Andrew Forell. Happy fall.

Amputation — Slaughtered in the Arms of God (Nuclear War Now!)

Slaughtered in the Arms of God by Amputation

Given the degree of smugness that accompanies utterances of the phrase “Old School Death Metal,” it’s frequently instructive to listen to some. Right on time, the misanthropic bunch at Nuclear War Now! has delivered some seriously Old School sounds to our digital doorstep. This new compilation LP gathers both of the demos of Norwegian knuckle-draggers Amputation, along with a contemporaneous rehearsal recording. Likely the resulting record will be of principal interest to fans of Immortal, the long-running, on-again-off-again Norwegian black metal band that Amputation would morph into in 1991. The songs collected on Slaughtered in the Arms of God have some additional musicological significance, as they document the sounds of 1989 and 1990, transformational years in Norway’s metal scene. Mayhem and Darkthrone tend to get most of the attention, for reasons both good and bad; and like Darkthrone, Amputation made death metal before transitioning to blacker, more brittle sounds. The music on Slaughtered in the Arms of God is muddy, thudding and thick. Perhaps that’s the result of the primitive recording tech the band used, likely of necessity. But through the murk (and to some degree because of it), you can hear the influence of Stockholm’s fecund death metal scene, especially Dismember’s earliest stuff. Scandinavia’s metal currents run deep and dark. Whether that means that Old School Death Metal is intrinsically a good thing is a different matter.

Jonathan Shaw

Anz — Loose in Twos (NRG) 12” (Hessle Audio)

Loos In Twos (NRG) by Anz

I love the idea of listening to DJ mixes of original or all-new material; it’s probably why I still value, say, Ricardo Villalobos’ Fabric 36 so much. Manchester’s Anna Marie-Odubote, aka Anz, has been doing just such a thing annually since 2015 and really went wild with spring/summer dubs 2020, which compiled 74 tracks into nearly an hour and a half of new music. That would’ve been more than enough amid all of this (imagine me gesturing around vaguely), but “Loos in Twos (NRG)” on the venerable Hessle Audio imprint is an equally formidable, decidedly tighter release I played a lot at the start of September. Three club-ready tracks here break down acid, jungle and footwork, and while all three are heady breaks, the looped vocals and bongo of “Stepper” make it the one for me. Get those feet moving digitally now so they’re comfortable once the vinyl arrives in early October.

Patrick Masterson

Ashes and Afterglow — Everybody Wants a Revolution (Postlude Paradox)

Ashes and Afterglow drops pop punk melodies into deep buckets of fuzz, lets them bubble and bob to the surface before shoving them under again. The band is mainly the output of one Luke Daniel, who appears to have been in other band called Sea of Orchids, but neither outfit has left much of an internet trail. And sure, this is the kind of thing that could easily get shuffled under; it breaks no moulds. And yet shuffling “To Take a Look at the World,” has a heart-worn resonance, Daniel’s voice echoing in reverbed hollow-ness against surging tides of guitar noise. “My Yesterday Girl” churns a little harder, with a bright, pop-leaning sort of hopefulness hedged in by seething feedback. It’s not bad, but it never hits a melodic vein the way that similarly inclined artists like Ted Leo or Ovlov or Tony Molina do, and it never pushes the noise over the top, either. Neither pop nor punk but somewhere in middle.

Jennifer Kelly

Ballister — Znachki Stilyag (Aerophonic)

Znachki Stilyag by Ballister

A cake is still a cake, whether you put chocolate frosting and strawberries or white icing and a fondant roses on top. And while they don’t all taste or look exactly the same, a Ballister album is still a Ballister album, and the first Ballister album in three years does not mess with the recipe. Dave Rempis (alto and tenor saxophones), Fred Lonberg-Holm (cello and electronics), and Paal Nilssen-Love (drums and percussion) still trade in a particularly hard-hitting form of total improvisation. The changes are ones of emphasis — Lonberg-Holm sounds like he’s using a wah-wah pedal and deploys some especially slashing feedback tones, there’s a bit more space in Nilssen-Love’s intricate beat configurations, and Rempis left his baritone sax at home — and of location. Znachki Stilyag was recorded during the fall of 2019 in Moscow, Russia, which may explain why the big horn stayed at home. But the ones you hear still cut and thrust with broadsword force and rapier precision. This is a cake you can trust.

Bill Meyer

Vincent Chancey — The Spell: The Vincent Chancey Trio Live, 1987 (No Business)

Vincent Chancey likely isn’t alone amongst his peers in feeling exasperated by folks singling out his instrument as uncommon or unusual to jazz. It’s a form of damning through faint praise and one that feel

s even more lackadaisical with any time spent with his music. Chancey plays the French horn and he’s plied it in settings as diverse as Sun Ra Arkestra, Lester Bowie’s Brass Fantasy and Charlie Haden’s Liberation Music Orchestra as well as gigs supporting Aretha Franklin and Elvis Costello. It’s unclear whether the trio documented on The Spell was a working concern, but that hardly matters given how well bassist Wilbur Morris and percussionist Warren Smith gel with their convener. Spread across two sides of an LP, the concert recorded at a New York City art gallery covers four pieces, two by Morris bookending one apiece from Smith and the leader that stitch together very much like cohesive suite. An unadvertised surprise comes with Smith’s ample application of marimba alongside a regular drum kit. Recording quality isn’t optimal, but Chancey’s rich, rounded, phrases gain extra gravitas through the sometimes-grainy acoustics. Woefully underrepresented in the driver’s seat discographically, his acumen as both improviser and composer is easily vindicated by this limited edition (300 copies) release.

Derek Taylor

Che Chen — Tokyo 17.II.2012 (self-released)

Tokyo 17.II.2012 by Che Chen

Nowadays Che Chen has earned a measure renown as the guitar-playing half of 75 Dollar Bill, and all the praise is earned. But before that, he played a roomful of instruments in the True Primes, Heresy of the Free Spirit and duos with Robbie Lee, Tetuzi Akiyama and Chie Mukai. The through-lines to all these efforts is a willingness not to play things the way their supposed to be played, and a gift for supplying the right resonance in any setting. Since 75 Dollar Bill is a New York-based band made for social occasions, the COVID-19 lay-off has been especially hard — so there’s no better time to see what’s in those hard drives in the closet, right? Chen has released this solo concert from 2012 via Bandcamp. In Tokyo for a brief layover, he played amplified violin at a party held in the basement of someone’s apartment building. The amplified part is important; dips and swells of feedback count as much as in this 25-minute performance as the fiddle’s bright, plucked notes and rough, bowed tones. Chen moves purposefully from one mode to next, taking time along the way to savor the room’s lively acoustics.

Bill Meyer

Jeff Cosgrove/ John Medeski/ Jeff Lederer — History Gets Ahead of the Story (Grizzley Music)

youtube

Odds are that even the estimable William Parker would be surprised by the prospect of a William Parker cover album. But that’s essentially what History Gets Ahead of the Story is as organized and realized by drummer Jeff Cosgrove. That the project is the province of an organ trio only adds to the potential consternation quotient. John Medeski officiates the Hammond B-3 console and saxophonist Jeff Lederer, doubling on flute, completes the combo convened by Cosgrove. The latter’s connections to Parker stem from a trio he was part of with the bassist/composer and pianist Matthew Shipp that disbanded in 2015 after fruitful collaboration. Parker’s personage and music left an indelible mark and the seeds for the present album were sown. Collective creative license doesn’t get in the way of soulful, energizing renderings of such staples as “O’Neal’s Porch,” “Corn Meal Dance” and “Wood Flute Songs,” but troika also cedes time for a triptych of strong originals that align aurally with their dedicatee’s inclusive tone world sensibilities.

Derek Taylor

Derelenismo Occulere — Inexorable Revelación (Le Legione Projets)

Inexorable Revelacion (FULL LENGHT 2020) by Derelenismo Occulere

This sounds like a rehearsal gone wrong. In the time of the COVID pandemic, Neo Apolion, a guy responsible for the music in this Ecuadorean duo, recorded a demo and sent it to the band’s vocalist Malduchryst with a message to do with it whatever he wants. Malduchryst took his band partner’s words all too literally. With complete disregard to the music he began vomiting a noisy, messy mass of screams to a microphone (has he never heard of a black metal with no vocals?). If it sounds totally batshit, you can rest assured that it is. This is what makes Inexorable Revelación actually great black metal. When a lot of metal bands these days are just Backstreet Boys with leather jackets on and with guitars, Derelenismo Occulere care about only fury and mayhem. Their Argentinean mix man Ignacio only adds more chaos to the album. The only flaw this tape has is that it is 15 minutes too long.

Ray Garraty

Whit Dickey — Morph (ESP-Disk)

Morph by Whit Dickey

Drummer Whit Dickey and pianist Matthew Shipp have been recurrent partners since the early 1990s, when they were both members of the David S. Ware Quartet. It’s fair to say that each man is a known quantity to the other, and that one of the things they know about each other is that they might still be surprised by the other’s playing. Dickey’s retreated from time to time in order to revise his approach, and while Shipp has often threatened to quit recording over the years, he has never stopped working or evolving. This double disc combines one duo CD and another that adds trumpeter Nate Wooley to the pair. Wooley’s done a number of dates with Shipp in recent times, but he and Dickey were musical strangers before they entered Park West Studios in March 2019. Without Wooley, Shipp and Dickey seem very free and trusting of each other, transitioning with dreamlike ease from abstracted gospel to sideways swing to restless co-rumination this the ease. The trio seems more considered. The trumpeter dips quite sparingly into his extended technique bag, favoring instead linear statements that instigate fleet perambulations from the pianist and more supportive, less overtly dialogic contributions from the drummer. Both sessions work, and their differences complement each other quite handily.

Bill Meyer

Dropdead — S/T (Armageddon)

Dropdead 2020 by Dropdead

Yep, it’s that Dropdead, the Providence-based powerviolence band that hasn’t released a proper LP since 1998 and was on a long hiatus through much of the 21st century. Since 2011, Dropdead has put out a string of splits, with heavyweights like Converge and Brainoil. But a whole record? Maybe the unrelentingly shitty condition of our political and economic conjuncture motivated the four guys in the band (three of whom have been affiliated with Dropdead since 1991) to write the 23 burners, rants and breakdown-heavy hardcore tunes you’ll hear across Dropdead’s 25 minutes. It’s a welcome addition. Bob Otis’s voice doesn’t have the shredding quality of days of yore — but that ends up being useful. You can hear the lyrics, and they’re drenched in venom and righteousness. The rest of the band hasn’t lost a step. Pretty impressive for a bunch of guys with that much grey in their beards. That said, they don’t pull any intergenerational, “we’re-older-and-wiser” moves. This is still music that wants to collapse boundaries, between stage and mosh pit, between races and genders, between species, even. Not so much class positions: “Warfare State,” “United States of Corruption,” “Will You Fight?” Late capitalism’s depredations still bear the principal brunt of the band’s anger. Things have gotten worse, and Dropdead respond in kind. They may be a lot older, but they’re even more pissed off.

Jonathan Shaw

Fake Laugh — Waltz (State 51 Conspiracy)

youtube

Earlier this year, Kamran Khan released his second Fake Laugh album, the charming, playful Dining Alone, which made its way into Dusted’s mid-year round-up of favorites released in the first half of 2020. Khan’s third album, Waltz, is a very different beast, featuring just piano, vocals and the odd keyboard texture, casting his songwriting in sharp relief. Undoubtedly created in this stripped-down way out of lockdown necessity, it’s hard to listen to these wistful, melancholic songs without imagining where Khan’s knack for colorful arrangements might take them, given the chance. (As a tease, closing song “Amhurst” offers up a shimmering electronic melody and some sighing synth chords.) There’s no doubting Khan’s way with a tune, and his naked vocal, though occasionally showing strain, suits the mood. It’s understated and undeniably lovely, yet Waltz feels like a minor release for this talented artist.

Tim Clarke

David Grubbs / Taku Unami — Comet Meta (Blue Chopsticks)

Comet Meta by David Grubbs & Taku Unami

In the 23 years since Gastr Del Sol fell apart, David Grubbs has done many things that don’t sound much like his old band with Jim O’Rourke. And Taku Unami has worked in such varied settings and ways that the most persistent quality of his engagement with sound is its ability to induce question marks and ellipses in any train of thought intending to decode it. So, it’s both remarkable and delightful that this record, the duo’s second collaboration, sounds rather like parts of Gastr Del Sol’s Upgrade & Afterlife. The foundation rests upon the way two guys who can and do play intricate guitar duets make subtle use of other elements — creeping acoustic piano, humming synthesizer, urban field recordings — to make music that thickens atmosphere and accumulates mystery with such subtlety that you don’t notice it until you’re in it.

Bill Meyer

Guided by Voices — Mirrored Aztec (Guided by Voices Inc.)

youtube

I know, I know, it’s another Guided by Voices record, the fifth since 2019, but hear me out. Pollard is still tapped into the fuzzy, rackety, melodic sap of the rock and roll universe, and he has only to knock his hammer a few times against the gnarled tree of life to extract more of what sustains us. Shorter version: he can do this all day, every day, without any noticeable let-up in quality. So, let us celebrate another batch of Who-like power chords, of rumbling drums and monumental bass thuds, of melodies that curve out delicately like spring’s first vines, then thicken into thundering climaxes and triumphant refrains. Let us give thanks again for inscrutable lyrics that drift off into poetry then pull back in the most ordinary artifacts of the spoken word. “I Think I Had It. I Think I Have It,” crows Pollard in a voice that has been blasted by time but come out more or less intact, and yes, Bob, you still do.

Jennifer Kelly

Edu Haubensak & Tomas Korber — Works for Guitar & Percussion (Ezz-thetics)

youtube

The celebrated Wandelweiser aesthetic serves as a loose overarching impetus for the four interpretations of compositions by Edu Haubensak and Tomas Korber that comprise Works for Guitar & Percussion. Classical guitarist Christian Buck and improvising percussionist Christian Wolfarth ply their instruments through pairing and isolation. Essayist Andy Hamilton describes context by delineating a distinction between music (based in the language of tones) and soundart (which is non-tonal) and placing the duo’s interpretations in the opaque border between these realms. Repetition and timbral disparity frame Haubensak’s “On” while Korber’s “Aufhebung” applies scrutiny to microtonal diversity and temporal impermanence. Wolfarth fields Korber’s “Weniger Weiss” from behind snare drum, trading recurring stick rolls with varying segments of silence that compel ears accustomed to Western musical structures to consciously fill in the blanks. Haubensak’s solo “Refugium” finds Buck bending two closely tuned strings in an extrapolation of an Arabic maqam that feels tenuously connected to the form, at best.

Derek Taylor

Inseclude — Inseclude (Inseclude)

youtube

Brad MacAllister of CTRL and Blue Images and Benjamin Londa of Exit have been working in the darkwave and chillwave scenes for several years and their first album as Inseclude is a long distance collaboration that mines the darker side of 1980s alternative and electronic rock. From Pennsylvania, MacAllister sent musical ideas to Londa in Texas who added guitars, lyrics and vocals to produce a set of songs that are well made and enjoyable if largely unmemorable. There are a number of contemporary bands doing similar things — Hamilton’s Capitol and Manchester’s Ist spring immediately to mind — taking the Cure, New Order, Sisters of Mercy template and why not? Unfortunately, the passage of time and the law of diminishing returns have led to overfamiliarity with this style of music that makes for easy and perhaps unfair comparisons. When they stretch themselves, Inseclude’s songs do hit. “Sondera” and “Failing To The Pulse” carry some real menace with the juxtaposition of wide-angle synths and paranoid vocals but elsewhere the pair seem held back by a restraint and lack of bottom end that diminish the impact of some pretty decent songs.

Andrew Forell

Kvalia — Scholastic Dreams Of Forceful Machines (Old Boring Russia)

Схоластические Грёзы Силовых Машин by Квалиа

Krasnoyarsk sits on the banks of the Yenisei river in southern Siberia and is known both for the natural beauty of its surrounding landscape and for its primacy as an aluminum producer. Local musicians Aleksander Maznichenko and Aleksey Danilenko reflect the latter on their new five track EP Scholastic Dreams Of Forceful Machines, an icy, metallic collection of post-industrial clang pitched somewhere between Einstürzende Neubauten and early Clock DVA. Their machines are forceful but cranky, rusted, near obsolete. Maznichenko keeps the thrum of turbines is steady but the drum machines lurch and thump, the keyboards whine and scream, the Russian vocals protest their obstreperous charges. Danilenko’s bass is post-punk elastic skipping amongst the raining sparks hinting at a will to dance with his mutant riffs. They sound like they mean it and the result is a terrific EP full of fire, fumes, steam and sweat.

Andrew Forell

Mezzanine Swimmers — Kneelin’ on a Knife (Already Dead)

Kneelin' on a Knife by Mezzanine Swimmers

These songs circle around noise-crusted, repetitive beats, the drumming stiff and mechanical, the riffs chopped to short bursts, the vocals woozy and distended. “Sexy Apology” reiterates a three-note keyboard lick ad infinitum, as main Swimmer Mike Smith drawls the title phrase, similarly on repeat. Yet within this unchanging structure, chaos erupts in detuned keyboards, miasmic feedback and corrosive noise. It’s hard to say whether these songs are too tightly organized or too loose, a bit of both really, and yet, get past the headachy thud and there’s an unhinged psychotropic transport. No one ever said that kneeling on knives would be comfortable.

Jennifer Kelly

Mosca — The Optics (Rent)

Mosca · The Optics [RENT001]

Part of the initial wave of neon-infused dubstep hedonism surrounding the Night Slugs camp at the turn of the last decade, Mosca’s Tom Reid has since survived on the strength of a regular slot behind the decks at NTS and sparingly deployed releases on such renowned labels as Numbers, Rinse, Hypercolour and Livity Sound. “The Optics” debuts his new Rent imprint, conceived as a way to get out music that doesn’t fit in elsewhere. (Originally, this was to be an a-side for a coming AD93 release, but as he says, “There's only so long you can keep a track with a baby crying in it back from the masses.”) Supposedly inspired by the Under the Skin beach scene, the five-minute track immediately throws you off with a dub-heavy shuffle and metallic, alien sounds that zoom around the mix. The main thrust of the melody arrives around a minute in, and gradually the sounds close in on you. There’s bells, birds, a baby crying and then, just when you’re feeling completely stressed out, it all falls away; a driving jungle rhythm carries you the rest of the way. Deeply satisfying dance from a head who hasn’t lost his way.

Patrick Masterson

Prana Crafter/ragenap — No Ear to Hear (Centripetal Force Studio/Cardinal Fuzz)

No Ear to Hear by Prana Crafter / ragenap

When Robert Hunter, the poet who wrote lyrics for the Grateful Dead’s “Dark Star,” “Ripple,” “Truckin’,” “Terrapin Station” and many other songs, died in late 2019, long form psych musicians Prana Crafter (William Sol) and ragenap (Joel Berk) mourned separately but simultaneously. The night he died, both took solace in improvised music, which didn’t so much evoke or represent Hunter, but captured some of their feelings about his work and their loss. When they talked, soon after, they found that both had made lengthy open-ended meditations on the same person. Those two extended pieces make up No Ear to Hear. Prana Crafter’s entry, “Beggar’s Tomb,” is weighted and slow moving, building gradually from simmering drones into towering edifices of feedback and dissonance. Although performed largely on guitar, the sound is filtered through gleaming effects and layers into astral strangeness, a mystic’s trip through mental interiors. ragenap’s “Nightfall” also takes shape slowly out of looming sustained notes and black velvet quiet and sounds that scratch and vibrate at the edges. A solitary acoustic guitar takes up space at the forefront finally, carving a hesitant melody across the hum. The tune turns fuller and more agitated as it progresses, adding layers of feedback and distortion. Neither of these pieces sounds much like the Grateful Dead, and of course, neither has any sort of lyrics. I doubt that anyone, hearing this album for the first time would say, “Oh yeah, Robert Hunter.” And yet inspiration works in strange and, in this case, fruitful ways. You can enjoy this even if you don’t like the Dead.

Jennifer Kelly

Raven Throne — Viartannie (Chroniki Źmiainaj Ciemry) (self-released)

Viartannie (Chroniki Źmiainaj Ciemry) /The Return (The Chronicles of the Serpent Darkness) by RAVEN THRONE

These Belorussian black metal veterans are true materialists. On their seventh album, they show that nature is a social construct, not something given. And boy, their nature is not a loving mother. Unlike many metal bands convey nature via field recordings, Raven Throne craft their ferocious sounds with guitars and drums. Aren’t these as natural instruments as stone and wooden sticks? The atmospheric black metal subgenre has been contaminated by pop and folksy metal so that it’s hard to maintain a truly evil sound, while still bringing the atmospheric elements into it. Raven Throne pull it off. This is how darkness should sound.

Ray Garraty

The Slugs — Don’t Touch Me I’m Too Slimy (2214099 Records DK)

Don't Touch Me, I'm Too Slimy by The Slugs

The Slugs are an exuberantly lo-fi punk pop duo out of London who bash and thump and shout short, acidic ditties about being female, in a band, under assault and under the weather. Liberty Hodes, who is also one half of the comedy duo A Comedy Night that Passes the Bechdel Test, plays a jangling, forceful electric guitar, while her Phoebe Dighton-Brown bangs away in brutal simplicity on the drums. Both sing, sometimes in unison, sometimes in rough harmonies, occasionally in slashing counterparts. (One chants “Feel sick/can’t be sick” while the other rolls out mellifluous “ah-ah-ah-ahs” in “Feel Sick.”) There is a charming, unstudied quality to their music, which is a bit too smart and biting to be primitive, but nonetheless eschews frills. It’s hard to pick favorites—the whole EP is over in five tracks and 11 minutes—but “Pest” is giddy fun, with its slouching, battering guitar-drum motif and slacker choruses. The shout along chorus of “Don’t touch me! I’m too slimy!” is the best thing on the record, hitting a rebellious, unwashed spot of resonance in the work-from-home era. Second best, the gleeful tirade about sleazy male promoters in “Girly Gang” (“Give you all the gigs if you touch my wang”), which builds in round-singing euphorias until it ends suddenly and a la Jane Austen in matrimony (“Married in a dress by Vera Wang”). People are comparing the Slugs to the Shaggs, but that’s just short-hand for banging away anyway without all the training. The Slugs are smarter, slyer and more autonomous, and if they sound a little rough, that’s exactly how they meant to sound.

Jennifer Kelly

Tobin Sprout — Empty Horses (Fire)

Empty Horses by Tobin Sprout

Blessed with one of the finest names in music (alongside dEUS’s Klaas Janzoons), Tobin Sprout is best known for being part of the Guided by Voices line-up that created classic albums such as Bee Thousand and Alien Lanes in the 1990s. Though Sprout’s subsequent solo output has been a steady stream compared to Robert Pollard’s deluge, Empty Horses is his eighth solo album. In it, the now-65-year-old ruminates faith, mortality and American history atop a spare, country-tinged backing. There’s a deep ache to many of these songs, the kind of emotional weight that manifests in pointedly low tempos, sparse drum parts that hang behind the beat and vocal performances that are almost uncomfortably intimate. Running to a succinct half-hour, with many of the songs clocking in at just a couple of minutes each, Empty Horses confronts demons seemingly too pernicious to overcome. Yet, when the music becomes more expansive — such as the graceful pedal steel of “Breaking Down,” the woozy modulation of “Antietam,” or the biting fuzztone of “All In My Sleep” — Sprout sounds like he may be on the verge of making a much-needed breakthrough.

Tim Clarke

Son Lux — Tomorrows I (City Slang)

Tomorrows I by Son Lux

Son Lux’s songs embed unsettling sounds in deep wells of silence, finding disturbing textures in string sounds, electronics, percussion and the fluttering soul falsetto of founder Ryan Lott. Tomorrows I, reportedly the first of three related albums, has a quietly dystopian vibe and a moist, echoing unease that might remind of you Burial’s classic Untrue. A brief, looped, keening violin motif punctures the opening cut, “Plans We Made” with all the threat of Bernhard Hermann’s shower music for the film Psycho, while Lott trills haunted phrases about being afraid to let go. “Undertow,” near the end, brings in a whole string quartet to swoon dissonantly, as a knocking beat (drummer Ian Chang) sounds like a body being dragged across the floor. “Just waiting for the undertow,” sings Lott in the dread empty spaces between, in arias of muted desolation. Minimalist and menacing and mesmerizing.

Jennifer Kelly

Ulaan Janthina — Ulaan Janthina (Part 1) (Worstward)

Ulaan Janthina (Part I) by Ulaan Janthina

Steven R. Smith contains multitudes, and Ulaan Janthina is the latest manifestation of his mutating musical self. This release exemplifies three aspects of Smith’s practice. First, he likes to make beautiful things. Hard copies of this tape come in a custom-oriented box that contains tinted photos, shells and printed communications as well as the cassette. And he’s project-oriented. While other iterations have been devoted to an Eastern European vibe, or guitar noise or a virtual ensemble sound, Ulaan Janthina results from a decision to work primarily with the keyboards in his house. It’s a winning strategy, since his synthesizers, organ and harmonium all benefit from the grittiness of Smith’s recording methodology, and his spare playing style makes his melodies stand out quite starkly from the background atmosphere. Like the name says, this is part one of the Janthina (named for a genus of sea snail that makes its own floating platform — not a bad metaphor for the survival-oriented independent musician) venture; a second, similarly packaged cassette is pending from Smith’s Worstward imprint soon, and a future release is already planned by Soft Abuse records.

Bill Meyer

Various Artists — Spr Blk: Liberation Jazz and Soul From the '70s and Beyond (Paxico)

Liberation Jazz and Soul by Marcus J. Moore

Author Marcus J. Moore (late of The Nation but also found everywhere from Pitchfork to WaPo) has a book on the way in October, The Butterfly Effect: How Kendrick Lamar Ignited the Soul of Black America. In advance of its release via cassette devotees Paxico, Moore cobbled together “rare and somewhat familiar” Black music from his own crates. “These are the kinds of songs I play when walking through New York City or driving through Maryland,” he says in the release. What that means for you is a two-sided mix that burns slower on the A and gets more percussion-heavy on the B. Leading off with Doug Carn’s fittingly titled “Swell Like a Ghost” and featuring jams from Willie Dale, Milton Wright, Ronald Snijders and other lesser jazz, soul and funk lights, it’s a revealing mix that will no doubt pair well with that fall reading you’re about to get going on.

Patrick Masterson

Vatican Shadow — Persian Pillars of the Gasoline Era (20 Buck Spin)

Persian Pillars Of The Gasoline Era by Vatican Shadow

Dominick Fernow is hugely prolific, and most folks with ears tuned to the densely churning worlds of noise and industrial music will be familiar with his abrasive, unsettling output under the Prurient moniker. Fernow’s releases as Vatican Shadow are fewer in number, and more attuned to ambient, even melodic movements and textures. That’s sort of odd, given that the Vatican Shadow records thematize and explore Fernow’s obsession with the history of the Middle East, especially post-9/11 collisions of Western military force, Islamic traditions of resistance and the tactics of terror used by both sides. Relaxing stuff, that ain’t. Consistent with the larger project’s tendencies, Persian Pillars of the Gasoline Era claims an interest in the CIA-coordinated Iranian coup (MI6 helped out, too, those imperial scamps) that deposed Mohammed Mossadeq, installed the Shah Reza Pahlavi and inaugurated some of the principal tensions that have shaped the last half-century of world history. It’s unclear how Fernow’s pulsing, shimmering, sometimes juddering synth sounds are meant to represent or otherwise engage that history. For sure, record art and song titles summon all the right semiotics, sometimes with an interesting edge. But “Taxi Journey through the Teeming Slums of Tehran” sounds more like a malfunctioning MP3 player than a taxi or a “teeming slum” (can we all be done with that phrase now?), and “Moving Secret Money” is pleasantly trance-inducing, rather than insidiously evil. Musically, it’s quite good. The packaging seems to want strike other notes. Maybe that’s the point — too many folks are too busy consuming quietist pop to bother with the grind of the political. But is this the intervention we need?

Jonathan Shaw

6 notes · View notes

omerliab-blog · 4 years

Text

Love being in hockey hotbeds

Zayn Malik to go 'head to head' with Perrie Edwards as star releases book 11 days after his exThe former One Direction star called off his engagement to the Little Mix beauty last summer01:42, 15 SEP 2016Laying things bare: Perrie and Zayn (Photo: FameFlynet/Splash News) Get celebs updates directly to your inbox+ SubscribeThank you for subscribing!Could not subscribe, try again laterInvalid EmailZayn Malik and Perrie Edwards are about to go head to head as the pair release their respective books within little more than a week of each other nfl jerseys.The Little Mix star, 23, is said to be telling all about the couple's acrimonious split in the revealing band autobiography.The group will spill the beans about the "highs and lows" of their five years together with their collective low no doubt being when Zayn, also 23, dumped Perrie ahead of an American tour, shortly after she rushed to be by his side when he quit One Direction.While Bradford born Zayn's autobiography, due out on 1 November, is reportedly going to lift the lid on his time in One Direction.Zayn Malik and Gigi Hadid step out in colour co ordinated looks as they sync style for NYFWPerrie has rarely opened up about her heartache but collapsed into floods of tears on stage in the aftermath of their break up last year.Asked about her at the time, she said: "Do you know what? I'm good."I just wake up every day and thank my lucky stars that I have these three girls."Zayn has also kept quiet on their romance, but did recently get his inking of the singer removed and chose to post the video on Snapchat on the year anniversary of their split.Summer transfer windowTransfer news LIVE: Liverpool end interest in Virgil van Dijk, plus latest on Kylian Mbappe, Hector Bellerin and every dealThe summer sales are on the way as clubs look forward to a busy few months. Keep up to date with all the latest hereGeneral electionThe five possible outcomes of the general election and what they could mean for the countryAs polls predict anything from a hung parliament to a Tory majority, we look at the impact of each resultKylie JennerKylie Jenner flaunts curves in camouflage bikini but fans think there's "something off" with the photoThe teenage reality star is launching her The Kylie Shop on Thursday and teased it with a brand new bikini snapCounty Championship6 things we learned from the County Championship as Yorkshire topple Lancashire and Hampshire go topRecords tumbled at Hampshire as they thrashed Warwickshire https://www.cheapjerseys168.com, while Yorkshire got one over biggest rivals LancashireVladimir PutinVladimir Putin tells filmmaker: "I don't have bad days because I'm not a woman"Platoon director Oliver Stone gained unprecedented access to the Russian President for a series of interviewsGeneral election pollsUK general election 2017 poll tracker: All the latest results as Conservatives battle LabourPolls are a crucial part of the election wallchart even if they've got a bad rep. Here are the latest results and analysis of what it all means.

Cheap Jerseys free shipping Prithwiraj Chatterjee, a 33 year old techie has already bought a set of FIFA 2014 team jerseys of the Spanish and German teams. He also maintains detailed charts of the results of every Champions League, Euro Cup and football World Cup since 1990. But ask him about the Delhi Soccer Association Champions League and he is at a loss. Cheap Jerseys free shipping

wholesale nfl jerseys "I still go to the pub and watch it," says Adrian, 70. "It's just mindless dedication, simple as that. The club is going further and further downhill but the fans are still there and they always be. Also said crabbing is great in the creeks and some perch are still biting.At the Anchor Marina in Matts Landing, Bob said it was a good weekend with some good flounder catches.He had Millisa Cheeseman catch the first flounder, and it was also the big one of the day at 22 1/2 inches and 3 1/2 pounds. She was fishing with her husband and his buddy. They caught seven altogether.Joey Coxcroff, of Camden, had the big one of the day, a 27 inch 7 pounder.

wholesale jerseys Love being in hockey hotbeds, Julien said. Enjoy it so much. When new team or should that be his old team? comes out on top in such electrifying fashion, posting a 3 2 victory thanks to Andrew Shaw dramatic overtime goal, upping the team record in the Julien 2.0 Era to 2 2.. wholesale jerseys

Cheap Jerseys china Michael Vick is a disgrace. For anyone thinking he should be let off easy for admitting his guilt think again. The only reason he did that was because he knew the evidence against him was so great. During these terrible times https://www.cheapjerseysaleusa.com, the sport served as a welcome diversion. One wanted to think about the crisis, says Thorolfsson. Just wanted handball. Cheap Jerseys china

Cheap Jerseys china 3. Arch Fatigue: Extreme stress or inflammation on the plantar fascia, the ligament that holds up your arch occurs due to excessive pronation and a pre pregnancy flexible flat foot. Ouch! Whe you get up in the morning, your arch is on fire and it feels like someone is stabbing you in the heel when you step down. Cheap Jerseys china

Deborah and Heath Campbell, the latter of whom is illiterate, are none too pleased with the ruling handed down by a Superior Court judge on Thursday. "These kids weren't abused. Our kids weren't taken because of abuse. Neo Cons and conservatives like Bill O'Reilly interpret "driven from the Middle East" to mean "wiped off the face of the earth." You don't wipe 25% of the world's oil market the economic engine driving explosive growth in oil consumption off the face of the earth if you come from the Royal Family of Saudi Arabia. Bin Laden correctly recognizes Arabs "can't drink the oil." The petroleum industry is the life blood of the Middle East wholesale jerseys from china . The fact that America still exists given the vulnerabilities this country faces five years after 9/11 tells you what Al Qaeda wants.

1 note · View note

alaspoorwallace · 5 years

Text

YEAR OF THE DEPEND ADULT UNDERGARMENT

Here's Hal Incandenza, age seventeen, with his little brass one-hitter, getting covertly high in the Enfield Tennis Academy's underground Pump Room and exhaling palely into an industrial exhaust fan. It's the sad little interval after afternoon matches and conditioning but before the Academy's communal supper. Hal is by himself down here and nobody knows where he is or what he's doing. Hal likes to get high in secret, but a bigger secret is that he's as attached to the secrecy as he is to getting high. A one-hitter, sort of like a long FDR-type cigarette holder whose end is packed with a pinch of good dope, gets hot and is hard on the mouth — the brass ones especially — but one-hitters have the advantage of efficiency: every particle of ignited pot gets inhaled; there's none of the incidental secondhand-type smoke from a party bowl's big load, and Hal can take every iota way down deep and hold his breath forever, so that even his exhalations are no more than slightly pale and sick-sweet-smelling. Total utilization of available resources = lack of publicly detectable waste. The Academy's tennis courts' Lung's Pump Room is underground and accessible only by tunnel. E.T.A. is abundantly, embranchingly tunnelled. This is by design. Plus one-hitters are small, which is good, because let's face it, anything you use to smoke high-resin dope with is going to stink. A bong is big, and its stink is going to be like commensurately big, plus you have the foul bong-water to deal with. Pipes are smaller and at least portable, but they always come with only a multi-hit party bowl that disperses nonutilized smoke over a wide area. A one-hitter can be wastelessly employed, then allowed to cool, wrapped in two baggies and then further wrapped and sealed in a Ziploc and then enclosed in two sport-socks in a gear bag along with the lighter and eyedrops and mint-pellets and the little film-case of dope itself, and it's highly portable and odor-free and basically totally covert. As far as Hal knows, colleagues Michael Pemulis, Jim Struck, Bridget C. Boone, Jim Troeltsch, Ted Schacht, Trevor Axford, and possibly Kyle D. Coyle and Tall Paul Shaw, and remotely possibly Frannie Unwin, all know Hal gets regularly covertly high. It's also not impossible that Bernadette Longley knows, actually; and of course the unpleasant K. Freer always has suspicions of all kinds. And Hal's brother Mario knows a thing or two. But that's it, in terms of public knowledge. And but even though Pemulis and Struck and Boone and Troeltsch and Axford and occasionally (in a sort of medicinal or touristic way) Slice and Schacht all are known to get high also, Hal has actually gotten actively high only with Pemulis, on the rare occasions he's gotten high with anybody else, as in in person, which he avoids. He'd forgot: Ortho ('The Darkness') Slice, of Partridge KS, knows; and Hal's oldest brother, Orin, mysteriously, even long-distance, seems to know more than he's coming right out and saying, unless Hal's reading more into some of the phone-comments than are there. Hal's mother, Mrs. Avril Incandenza, and her adoptive brother Dr. Charles Tavis, the current E.T.A. Headmaster, both know Hal drinks alcohol sometimes, like on weekend nights with Troeltsch or maybe Axford down the hill at clubs on Commonwealth Ave.; The Unexamined Life has its notorious Blind Bouncer night every Friday where they card you on the Honor System. Mrs. Avril Incandenza isn't crazy about the idea of Hal drinking, mostly because of the way his father had drunk, when alive, and reportedly his father's own father before him, in AZ and CA; but Hal's academic precocity, and especially his late competitive success on the junior circuit, make it clear that he's able to handle whatever modest amounts she's pretty sure he consumes — there's no way someone can seriously abuse a substance and perform at top scholarly and athletic levels, the E.T.A. psych-counselor Dr. Rusk assures her, especially the high-level-athletic part — and Avril feels it's important that a concerned but un-smothering single parent know when to let go somewhat and let the two high-functioning of her three sons make their own possible mistakes and learn from their own valid experience, no matter how much the secret worry about mistakes tears her gizzard out, the mother's. And Charles supports whatever personal decisions she makes in conscience about her children. And God knows she'd rather have Hal having a few glasses of beer every so often than absorbing God alone knows what sort of esoteric designer compounds with reptilian Michael Pemulis and trail-of-slime-leaving James Struck, both of whom give Avril a howling case of the maternal fantods. And ultimately, she's told Drs. Rusk and Tavis, she'd rather have Hal abide in the security of the knowledge that his mother trusts him, that she's trusting and supportive and doesn't judge or gizzard-tear or wring her fine hands over his having for instance a glass of Canadian ale with friends every now and again, and so works tremendously hard to hide her maternal dread of his possibly ever drinking like James himself or James's father, all so that Hal might enjoy the security of feeling that he can be up-front with her about issues like drinking and not feel he has to hide anything from her under any circumstances. Dr. Tavis and Dolores Rusk have privately discussed the fact that not least among the phobic stressors Avril suffers so uncomplainingly with is a black phobic dread of hiding or secrecy in all possible forms with respect to her sons. Avril and C. T. know nothing about Hal's penchants for high-resin Bob Hope and underground absorption, which fact Hal obviously likes a lot, on some level, though he's never given much thought to why. To why he likes it so much.

[DFW, Infinite Jest, 9a]

(Jannik Sinner)

#literature #novel #american literature #DFW #david foster wallace #90s novel #infinite jest #hal incandenza #year of the depend adult undergarment #y.d.a.u.#foster wallace #wallace #infinitejest #davidfosterwallace #postmodernism #postmodern literature #jannik sinner

1 note · View note

byneddiedingo · 2 years

Photo

Ben Gazzara in The Killing of a Chinese Bookie (John Cassavetes, 1976) Cast: Ben Gazzara, Timothy Carey, Seymour Cassel, John Kullers, Al Ruban, Azizi Johari, Virginia Carrington, Meade Roberts. Screenplay: John Cassavetes. Cinematography: Mitch Breit, Al Ruban. Production design: Sam Shaw. Film editing: Tom Cornwell. Music: Bo Harwood. I am never going to be a fan of John Cassavetes's movies, and I don't care if I ever see The Killing of a Chinese Bookie again, but I have to admit that his unconventional moviemaking had a deep influence on American movies. What could be more conventional, after all, than a film about a club owner forced by the mob into assassinating a rival mob leader? It's the stuff of 1940s film noir, and of countless movies afterward. But Cassavetes's unconventional approach to conventional material obviously exerted an influence on directors like Martin Scorsese and Quentin Tarantino, to name only the best. The club owner is Cosmo Vitelli, played superbly by Ben Gazzara, who runs up gambling debts he can't start to pay. So the mobsters agree to forgive the debt if he will kill their chief rival, the Chinese bookie of the title, who turns out to be the capo di tutti capi in L.A.'s Chinatown. (The film was made two years after Roman Polanski had Jake Gittes told to forget it.) And although a full plot summary would reveal its conventional bones, it's what Cassavetes, along with the improvisatory crew of actors and his freewheling cameramen, does with the material that matters. Cosmo's club, for example, is a strip joint with a master of ceremonies called Mr. Sophistication (Meade Roberts), who resembles Joel Grey's M.C. of the Kit Kat Klub in Cabaret (Bob Fosse, 1972) only in that he's heavily made up and a bit epicene. As the girls sashay about topless in shabby costumes, he sings (very badly) sentimental oldies like "I Can't Give You Anything but Love," "After the Ball," and "Imagination." The effect is gruesomely hilarious, a tone that persists throughout the film. When Cosmo sets out to accomplish his murderous mission, he's been provided with a stolen car that's been hot-wired, so he can't stop anywhere once he's started. But the car blows a tire in the middle of freeway traffic, eliminating that part of the plans. Nevertheless, he persists, calling a cab to get him closer to the target. First, however, he has to buy a dozen hamburgers to feed and quiet the guard dogs, but the waitress argues with him that he really doesn't want them all put unwrapped in a single bag. These mishaps are the stuff of black comedy, and they're nicely handled. But Cassavetes's improvisatory style and the somewhat dizzying hand-held closeups on the action seem more mannered than is really good for the film. There's brilliance here, especially in the performances of Gazzara and the mainstay of many Cassavetes films, Seymour Cassel, but the whole thing seems like a rough draft of a better movie.

#The Killing of a Chinese Bookie #John Cassavetes #Ben Gazzara

1 note · View note

freeepubpdf · 3 years

Text

textbook$ Lady Sings the Blues The 50th-Anniversay Edition with a Revised Discography $READ$ EBOOK

textbook$ Lady Sings the Blues: The 50th-Anniversay Edition with a Revised Discography $READ$ EBOOK

Lady Sings the Blues: The 50th-Anniversay Edition with a Revised Discography

[PDF] Download Lady Sings the Blues: The 50th-Anniversay Edition with a Revised Discography Ebook | READ ONLINE

Author : Billie Holiday Publisher : Three Rivers Press (CA) ISBN : 0767923863 Publication Date : 2006-6-1 Language : Pages : 231

To Download or Read this book, click link below:

http://read.ebookcollection.space/?book=0767923863

$READ$ EBOOK

Synopsis : textbook$ Lady Sings the Blues: The 50th-Anniversay Edition with a Revised Discography $READ$ EBOOK

Perfect for fans of The United States vs. Billie Holiday,this is the fiercely honest, no-holds-barred memoir of the legendary jazz, swing, and standards singing sensation--a fiftieth-anniversary edition updated with stunning new photos, a revised discography, and an insightful foreword by music writer David RitzTaking the reader on a fast-moving journey from Billie Holiday's rough-and-tumble Baltimore childhood (where she ran errands at a whorehouse in exchange for the chance to listen to Louis Armstrong and Bessie Smith albums), to her emergence on Harlem's club scene, to sold-out performances with the Count Basie Orchestra and with Artie Shaw and his band, this revelatory memoir is notable for its trenchant observations on the racism that darkened Billie's life and the heroin addiction that ended it too soon.We are with her during the mesmerizing debut of 'Strange Fruit'; with her as she rubs shoulders with the biggest movie stars and musicians of the day (Bob Hope, Lana Turner, Clark Gable, Benny Goodman, Lester Young, Coleman Hawkins, and more); and with her through the scrapes with Jim Crow, spats with Sarah Vaughan, ignominious jailings, and tragic decline. All of this is told in Holiday's tart, streetwise style and hip patois that makes it read as if it were written yesterday.

#pdf ebook

0 notes

pdfreadfree · 3 years

Text

FREE EBOOK Lady Sings the Blues The 50th-Anniversay Edition with a Revised Discography ^R.E.A.D.^

FREE EBOOK Lady Sings the Blues: The 50th-Anniversay Edition with a Revised Discography

Lady Sings the Blues: The 50th-Anniversay Edition with a Revised Discography

[PDF] Download Lady Sings the Blues: The 50th-Anniversay Edition with a Revised Discography Ebook | READ ONLINEhttp://read.ebookcollection.space/?book=0767923863

Author : Billie Holiday Publisher : Three Rivers Press (CA) ISBN : 0767923863 Publication Date : 2006-6-1 Language : Pages : 231

To Download or Read this book, click link below:

http://read.ebookcollection.space/?book=0767923863

Ebook

Synopsis : FREE EBOOK Lady Sings the Blues: The 50th-Anniversay Edition with a Revised Discography

#readbook ebook

0 notes

x-enter · 5 years

Text

Bong Joon-ho's PARASITE Has a Badass Night at The Oscars and Makes History; Here's The Full List of Winners

Director Bong Joon-ho’s Parasite was one of my favorite films of the year. I saw the movie multiple times in theaters. Every time someone would tell me they hadn’t seen it yet, I would drag them to the theater to watch it and they would leave walk out of the movie in awe.

Parasite had one hell of a great night at the Oscars as it took home four awards including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Original Screenplay, and Best International Feature Film. This is the first South Korean film to be nominated, and the first time a film has won awards for Best Picture and Best International Film. I couldn’t be happier to see this film make Oscar history! All the awards it won were completely deserved.

While I don’t really care about watching the Oscars these days, and I’m not really a fan of this hostless thing they have going. But, I’m such a big fan of South Korean cinema, and it was really great to see such a brilliant film like Parasite be recognized the way it was.

Most every other win at the Oscars was pretty predictable, but I was honestly shocked by what Parasite accomplished! I did not see this coming, so it was a great surprise that made watching the Oscars worth it.

Here is the full list of nominees and winners. Looks them over and let us know what you thought about how everything turned out.

Best motion picture of the year nominees:

FORD V FERRARI

Peter Chernin, Jenno Topping and James Mangold, Producers

THE IRISHMAN

Martin Scorsese, Robert De Niro, Jane Rosenthal and Emma Tillinger Koskoff, Producers

JOJO RABBIT

Carthew Neal, Taika Waititi and Chelsea Winstanley, Producers

JOKER

Todd Phillips, Bradley Cooper and Emma Tillinger Koskoff, Producers

LITTLE WOMEN

Amy Pascal, Producer

MARRIAGE STORY

Noah Baumbach and David Heyman, Producers

1917

Sam Mendes, Pippa Harris, Jayne-Ann Tenggren and Callum McDougall, Producers

ONCE UPON A TIME...IN HOLLYWOOD

David Heyman, Shannon McIntosh and Quentin Tarantino, Producers

PARASITE - WINNER

Kwak Sin Ae and Bong Joon Ho, Producers

Original screenplay nominees:

KNIVES OUT

Written by Rian Johnson

MARRIAGE STORY

Written by Noah Baumbach

1917

Written by Sam Mendes & Krysty Wilson-Cairns

ONCE UPON A TIME...IN HOLLYWOOD

Written by Quentin Tarantino

PARASITE - WINNER

Screenplay by Bong Joon Ho, Han Jin Won

Story by Bong Joon Ho

Adapted screenplay nominees:

THE IRISHMAN

Screenplay by Steven Zaillian

JOJO RABBIT - WINNER

Screenplay by Taika Waititi

JOKER

Written by Todd Phillips & Scott Silver

LITTLE WOMEN

Written for the screen by Greta Gerwig

THE TWO POPES

Written by Anthony McCarten

Best international feature film of the year nominees:

CORPUS CHRISTI

Poland

Directed by Jan Komasa

HONEYLAND

North Macedonia

Directed by Ljubo Stefanov and Tamara Kotevska

LES MISÉRABLES

France

Directed by Ladj Ly

PAIN AND GLORY

Spain

Directed by Pedro Almodóvar

PARASITE - WINNER

South Korea

Directed by Bong Joon Ho

Performance by an actor in a leading role nominees:

Antonio Banderas in PAIN AND GLORY

Leonardo DiCaprio in ONCE UPON A TIME...IN HOLLYWOOD

Adam Driver in MARRIAGE STORY

Joaquin Phoenix in JOKER - WINNER

Jonathan Pryce in THE TWO POPES

Performance by an actor in a supporting role nominees:

Tom Hanks in A BEAUTIFUL DAY IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD

Anthony Hopkins in THE TWO POPES

Al Pacino in THE IRISHMAN

Joe Pesci in THE IRISHMAN

Brad Pitt in ONCE UPON A TIME...IN HOLLYWOOD - WINNER

Performance by an actress in a leading role nominees:

Cynthia Erivo in HARRIET

Scarlett Johansson in MARRIAGE STORY

Saoirse Ronan in LITTLE WOMEN

Charlize Theron in BOMBSHELL

Renée Zellweger in JUDY - WINNER

Performance by an actress in a supporting role nominees:

Kathy Bates in RICHARD JEWELL

Laura Dern in MARRIAGE STORY - WINNER

Scarlett Johansson in JOJO RABBIT

Florence Pugh in LITTLE WOMEN

Margot Robbie in BOMBSHELL

Best animated feature film of the year nominees:

HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON: THE HIDDEN WORLD

Dean DeBlois, Bradford Lewis and Bonnie Arnold

I LOST MY BODY

Jérémy Clapin and Marc du Pontavice

KLAUS

Sergio Pablos, Jinko Gotoh and Marisa Román

MISSING LINK

Chris Butler, Arianne Sutner and Travis Knight

TOY STORY 4 - WINNER

Josh Cooley, Mark Nielsen and Jonas Rivera

Achievement in cinematography nominees:

THE IRISHMAN

Rodrigo Prieto

JOKER

Lawrence Sher

THE LIGHTHOUSE

Jarin Blaschke

1917 - WINNER

Roger Deakins

ONCE UPON A TIME...IN HOLLYWOOD

Robert Richardson

Achievement in costume design nominees:

THE IRISHMAN

Sandy Powell and Christopher Peterson

JOJO RABBIT

Mayes C. Rubeo

JOKER

Mark Bridges

LITTLE WOMEN - WINNER

Jacqueline Durran

ONCE UPON A TIME...IN HOLLYWOOD

Arianne Phillips

Achievement in directing nominees:

THE IRISHMAN

Martin Scorsese

JOKER

Todd Phillips

1917

Sam Mendes

ONCE UPON A TIME...IN HOLLYWOOD

Quentin Tarantino

PARASITE - WINNER

Bong Joon Ho

Best documentary feature nominees:

AMERICAN FACTORY - WINNER

Steven Bognar, Julia Reichert and Jeff Reichert

THE CAVE

Feras Fayyad, Kirstine Barfod and Sigrid Dyekjær

THE EDGE OF DEMOCRACY

Petra Costa, Joanna Natasegara, Shane Boris and Tiago Pavan

FOR SAMA

Waad al-Kateab and Edward Watts

HONEYLAND

Ljubo Stefanov, Tamara Kotevska and Atanas Georgiev

Best documentary short subject nominees:

IN THE ABSENCE

Yi Seung-Jun and Gary Byung-Seok Kam

LEARNING TO SKATEBOARD IN A WARZONE (IF YOU’RE A GIRL) - WINNER

Carol Dysinger and Elena Andreicheva

LIFE OVERTAKES ME

John Haptas and Kristine Samuelson

ST. LOUIS SUPERMAN

Smriti Mundhra and Sami Khan

WALK RUN CHA-CHA

Laura Nix and Colette Sandstedt

Achievement in film editing nominees:

FORD V FERRARI - WINNER

Michael McCusker and Andrew Buckland

THE IRISHMAN

Thelma Schoonmaker

JOJO RABBIT

Tom Eagles

JOKER

Jeff Groth

PARASITE

Yang Jinmo

Achievement in makeup and hairstyling nominees:

BOMBSHELL - WINNER

Kazu Hiro, Anne Morgan and Vivian Baker

JOKER

Nicki Ledermann and Kay Georgiou

JUDY

Jeremy Woodhead

MALEFICENT: MISTRESS OF EVIL

Paul Gooch, Arjen Tuiten and David White

1917

Naomi Donne, Tristan Versluis and Rebecca Cole

Achievement in music written for motion pictures (Original score) nominees:

JOKER - WINNER

Hildur Guðnadóttir

LITTLE WOMEN

Alexandre Desplat

MARRIAGE STORY

Randy Newman

1917

Thomas Newman

STAR WARS: THE RISE OF SKYWALKER

John Williams

Achievement in music written for motion pictures (Original song) nominees:

"I Can't Let You Throw Yourself Away" from TOY STORY 4

Music and Lyric by Randy Newman

"(I'm Gonna) Love Me Again" from ROCKETMAN - WINNER

Music by Elton John

Lyric by Bernie Taupin

"I'm Standing With You" from BREAKTHROUGH

Music and Lyric by Diane Warren

"Into The Unknown" from FROZEN II

Music and Lyric by Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez

"Stand Up" from HARRIET

Music and Lyric by Joshuah Brian Campbell and Cynthia Erivo

Achievement in production design nominees:

THE IRISHMAN

Production Design: Bob Shaw

Set Decoration: Regina Graves

JOJO RABBIT

Production Design: Ra Vincent

Set Decoration: Nora Sopková

1917

Production Design: Dennis Gassner

Set Decoration: Lee Sandales

ONCE UPON A TIME...IN HOLLYWOOD - WINNER

Production Design: Barbara Ling

Set Decoration: Nancy Haigh

PARASITE

Production Design: Lee Ha Jun

Set Decoration: Cho Won Woo

Best animated short film nominees:

DCERA (DAUGHTER)

Daria Kashcheeva

HAIR LOVE - WINNER

Matthew A. Cherry and Karen Rupert Toliver

KITBULL

Rosana Sullivan and Kathryn Hendrickson

MEMORABLE

Bruno Collet and Jean-François Le Corre

SISTER

Siqi Song

Best live action short film nominees:

BROTHERHOOD

Meryam Joobeur and Maria Gracia Turgeon

NEFTA FOOTBALL CLUB

Yves Piat and Damien Megherbi

THE NEIGHBORS’ WINDOW - WINNER

Marshall Curry

SARIA

Bryan Buckley and Matt Lefebvre

A SISTER

Delphine Girard

Achievement in sound editing nominees:

FORD V FERRARI - WINNER

Donald Sylvester

JOKER

Alan Robert Murray

1917

Oliver Tarney and Rachael Tate

ONCE UPON A TIME...IN HOLLYWOOD

Wylie Stateman

STAR WARS: THE RISE OF SKYWALKER

Matthew Wood and David Acord

Achievement in sound mixing nominees:

AD ASTRA

Gary Rydstrom, Tom Johnson and Mark Ulano

FORD V FERRARI

Paul Massey, David Giammarco and Steven A. Morrow

JOKER

Tom Ozanich, Dean Zupancic and Tod Maitland

1917 - WINNER

Mark Taylor and Stuart Wilson

ONCE UPON A TIME...IN HOLLYWOOD

Michael Minkler, Christian P. Minkler and Mark Ulano

Achievement in visual effects nominees:

AVENGERS: ENDGAME

Dan DeLeeuw, Russell Earl, Matt Aitken and Dan Sudick

THE IRISHMAN

Pablo Helman, Leandro Estebecorena, Nelson Sepulveda-Fauser and Stephane Grabli

THE LION KING

Robert Legato, Adam Valdez, Andrew R. Jones and Elliot Newman

1917 - WINNER

Guillaume Rocheron, Greg Butler and Dominic Tuohy

STAR WARS: THE RISE OF SKYWALKER

Roger Guyett, Neal Scanlan, Patrick Tubach and Dominic Tuohy

source https://geektyrant.com/news/bong-joon-hos-parasite-has-a-badass-night-at-the-oscars-and-makes-history-heres-the-full-list-of-winner

#Entertainments

1 note · View note

jfbuckley · 5 years

Text

The Mr S Jones season review:

2018 – 2019 Manchester United Season Review

At the height of his career Bob Monkhouse famously said 'People laughed when I said I wanted to be a comedian – well they're not laughing now'

Jose Mourinho caused similar amusement when he said that guiding Manchester United to the runners up spot in 2017/18 was one of the best achievements of his career – maybe the much criticised ex United manager knew more than he was given credit for.

And of course Roy Keane once observed 'Fail to prepare – prepare to fail' which pretty much sums up United's campaign

The close season May to August 2018

United moved fairly quickly to sign Dalot (promising right back) for 19m and the Shakter Donetsk midfielder Fred – who, according to reports, was linked to Man City -for 52m.Add a refreshed Sanchez and prospects seemed reasonable

United went on tour to the US with a scratch squad due to a number of players being involved in the World Cup in Russia. Other clubs faced similar issues but it became clear that Mourinho was in tetchy mood. He clearly felt United needed reinforcements. As the transfer deadine loomed Mourinho's mood darkened – he wanted at least 2 more players (central defence was a prority) but none were forthcoming as the window slammed shut in early August.

The World Cup ended on Sunday 15 July – the Premier league started less than 4 weeks later on August 10.Some players were involved to the end of the World Cup and were contractually entitled to a break (annual leave as most of us know it).

So as United kicked off the new season they had some players having had no pre season and having come back just a few days before the 1st game and a manager who declared that he did not think his team could challenge for the title. In retrospect other clubs – Man City and Liverpool – handled this disruption much better than United. What did Keane say?

Early season woes August 2018 to December 2018

After a lacklustre but winning start at home to Leicester, United twice conceded 3 goals in losing sucessive games to Brighton and Spurs. Victories over Burnley and Watford steadied the ship but another 3 goals conceded in losing to West Ham and an early League Cup exit to Derby had Mourinho under pressure and the the word 'sack' dominated the back pages. At home to Newcastle the reds were 2 down in less than 10 minutes but fought back to win.A couple of wins calmed the waters but a derby defeat at City – another 3 goals conceded – soon had the vultures circling.

It seemed the manager had fallen out with Pogba. Mourinho had earlier announced – somewhat unnecessarily? - that he had 'sacked' the frenchman from being vice captain. Pogba was absent in the next few matches which culminated in a defeat at Anfield with another 3 goals conceded in United's 17th league game of an already fractious season

In his first 2 seasons at Old Trafford Mourinho's United conceded just 29 and 28 goals respectively – Liverpool's final goal was already the 29th conceded in 2018/2019 and united had recorded just 2 clean sheets. They had won just 7 matches and were 11 points behind 4th placed Arsenal.

Mourinho had the demeanour of a man unhappy in his job and so may well have been relieved when he was sacked a week before Christmas

The rise - United are transformed by an interim manager December 2018 to March 2019

To the surprise of many United appointed former striker and scorer of the treble winning goal Ole Gunnar Solksjaer as caretaker manager. His previous managerial stint in England ended in relegation and early dismissal. However his impact was sensational. He had a bright, breezy and sunny personality and, aided by the returning Mike Phelan as his assistant, United played in the same way. In his first 12 league games United won 10 and drew 2 scoring 29 goals. It was a throwback to the ferguson era and coupled with FA Cup away victories at Chelsea and Arsenal the fans roared 'United are back' alongside the anthem 'Ole's at the wheel' courtesy of the Stone Roses' 'Waterfall'

The zenith of this period was an amazing 3 – 1 victory in the Champions league at PSG which overturned a 2 – 0 home defeat and sent United into the quarter final.

Little did we know that the PSG win was the last time in the season that United played anything like quality football – it was if the fizz went out of the team, that the energy had gone and performances reverted to those of early season. They reminded one of the legend Icarus who flew too close to the sun and plummeted to earth

The fall – United performances tail off – no clean sheets – individual errors – goals dry up

A few days after the PSG game United lost 2 – 0 at Arsenal which included an uncharacteristic error by De gea. In midfield Fred and Pereira had shown promise in the midst of an injury crisis. The next game was at Wolves in the FA Cup. Injured players seemed to be rushed back with indecent haste. United had been playing counter attacking football in their winning run but Wolves allowed United possession and counter attacked themselves. United again lost 2 – 0 and the seeds of doubt had been sown

During the international break Solksjaer was appointed permanent manager – if this was supposed to revitalise the team for the run in it failed lamentably

Unconvincing home wins over Watford and West Ham sandwiched another defeat by Wolves. That the Champions league run ended at the hands of Barcelona was no disgrace but by now United season had again gone off the rails – or should it be off the road. There were changes galore, loss of form and even goalie De gea was culpable letting in soft goals v Barcelona, Chelsea and Man City.

The nadir was an embarrassing 4 – 0 thrashing at Everton where it appeared that little or no effort was being made by the whole team. The failure to beat Huddersfield in the penultimate game of the season and the embarrassing home loss to Cardiff in the final game merely highlighted United's problems.

VERDICT- 6th place and hello Europa League in 2019/20

Overall a very disappointing season for United fans who in the end were desperate for the season to close and be consigned to the history books.

While champions Man City and runners up Liverpool celebrated records of achievement United were creating several unwanted records of their own – highest number of goals conceded (54) since 1979, just 2 home clean sheets (worst since 1963),just 7 clean sheets overall and none in last 13 games.United finished 32 points behind City and 32 ahead of relegated Cardiff – make of that what you will

Most United players did not distinguish themselves – McTominay showed promise and Shaw was made player of the year despite incurring 11 yellow cards. The rest either showed no progress or even regressed

Solskjaer has a mountainous job – there are weaknesses all over the field and the club has still to appoint a director of football in charge of overall strategy. Optimists will say that a club of United's size and stature will not allow itself to be in the doldrums for very long. Pessimists of your correspondents vintage will point out much the same thing was said at the end of the Busby era and there was a 26 year wait for another league title. It is 6 years years since United's last title and it could well be that the wait might extend to that endured by fans in the 70's and 80's

bye

0 notes

markwatkinsconsumerguide · 5 years

Photo

Consumer Guide / No.85 / singer-songwriter Natasha England with Mark Watkins.

MW : What were you like at school sports and things of that nature?

NE : I was the captain of netball and captain of the swimming team. I was in the “Speed Club” for swimming & diving - winning many gold medals for my school. I swam competitively for my region in South Lanarkshire.

I was captain of the relay team - winning sports prizes several times in primary and grammar school incorporating sprints of 100 metres, 300 metres, High Jump, Long Jump and Hurdles.

At one time, I thought I might be a gym instructor. I was a member of a gymnast team called The Flying Angels. I was a member of an athletics club and played a lot of badminton. I’ve roller-skated, ice-skated, canoed, played some tennis and rode bicycles.

From an early age, I’ve “worked my passage” and ridden horses competitively at Show jumping and Cross-country events - winning many rosettes.

At one stage, I had thought of being a riding instructor. I could have done this had I not got even more involved in music.

I was lucky enough to spend much quality time with my father walking and fly-fishing on the River Spey and other salmon and trout rivers, and lochs, and estuaries. My father was a very good Fly-Fisherman so I was brought up on a diet of wild salmon and trout.

As you can see I excelled at sports, and have a great love of nature and the outdoors.

MW : Do you enjoy football?

NE : Yes, I love football! I played a lot of football in my youth. However, I was not allowed in the school teams as I was a girl (boys only then!) so I played football with the boys outside school.

MW : You were born in Glasgow, Scotland. Celtic or Rangers?!

NE : I have been to both Rangers and Celtic matches, mainly over my time growing up in Scotland and to a few over the years since. I don't buy into the catholic/protestant divide. I have friends who support both teams, and fans who support Arsenal, Chelsea - and Spurs!

MW : Tell me how you won your “Spurs”...and how football lead to music...

NE : When I came to London the guy (Bob England) whom I went on to marry was a Tottenham Hotspur fan.

I was a season ticket holder at Tottenham for many years and throughout the FA Cup campaign that led to an eventual win in a replay over Manchester City at Wembley in 1981 (1-1 draw, then 3-2 win).

I’ve worn a Spurs strip to help promote Tottenham Hotspur’s official records, 'Ossie's Dream' (1981) and 'Tottenham Tottenham' (1982) - both produced by Chas and Dave (who I managed) and released on Towerbell Records (our record label).

I joined players Glenn Hoddle and Garth Crooks on Top Of The Pops with the football squad performing 'Tottenham Tottenham' just a few weeks prior to the release of 'Iko Iko' (1982) and my own appearance on the show.

If you have an original, vinyl copy of 'Ossie's Dream' look closely, and you should see written on the inside ring of the record 'The year of the Cockerel 1981’. I scratched this message on the original acetate which was the template for all the records pressed.

In the 1980's, I had a music biz five-a-side called “Leggy Five” and we played in many music biz charity games.

MW : What would improve the UK's chances of winning Eurovision (again) after so many years in the wilderness?

NE : I’m not sure that the UK will ever have the chance to win this competition again as the judging over these last years has proved beyond any doubt to be politically driven and this will get no better when we leave Europe.

This is now an extravagant spectacle of bad taste, pantomime dames and dodgy outfits and songs - nevertheless compulsive viewing!

Sir Terry Wogan (RIP) - as the UK's commentator made the show, and now Graham Norton does an equally fabulous job of taking the mickey out its whacky songs and artists.

In the present political environment there is no point in the UK competing. Very few of the winners go on to have any longevity in the music business with obvious exceptions, Abba - being the most successful since ‘Waterloo’ in 1974, Sandie Shaw (1967 winner), Lulu (1969 winner), Brotherhood of Man (1976 winner), Johnny Logan (1980 & 1987 winner), Bucks Fizz (1981 winner) and Katrina and The Waves in 1997.

So, I think it would be best for the UK not to put another artist through this humiliation. We would have to have 'The Song' and 'The Artist' that would blow everyone away and leave no doubt in people's minds that it was the deserving winner. Even then, you would have to deal with the politics, so I don't think it is worth it, I’m afraid.

MW : Which newspapers do you read?

NE : I don't buy newspapers anymore. I get most of my news online.

I try and stay as informed as I can on all topics including politics. It’s a minefield out there, but you have to know what your up against.

If only news agencies and politicians would tell the truth instead of pushing their own agendas to twist and distort the truth to deceive, influence or sensationalize.

MW : What was the first record you bought?

NE : My older sister, Evelyne, started her record collection before me, so I continued the record-buying trend, but instead of being into just pop, I loved folk, blues, rock, jazz, soul, Tamla Motown and Stax.

I purchased the 'Gutbucket’ blues album - which remains a favourite of mine. It has a selection of songs from all the best folk & blues players of the time - all household names now.

I bought a lot of Motown and Sam & Dave, Aretha Franklin, Joni Mitchell, Bob Dylan, along with Pink Floyd, Free, The Rolling Stones, The Beatles, Fleetwood Mac (original) and many others.

Everything that I enjoyed back then are now in The Hall Of Fame.

https://www.rockhall.com

Free were my favourite rock band and Peter Green was my favourite blues guitarist/singer of the time.

MW : Which books do you enjoy?

NE : Any Buddha-based book. I love everything about Buddhists and their ideology.

Every book about animals, horses, marine life, insects, birds, fish and nature that I can get my hands on.

‘Animal Farm’ by George Orwell. Life imitating art of art imitating life? Power and order.‘1984’, again by Orwell - we’re living it.

‘Brave New World’ by Aldous Huxley - what foresight.

‘The Lion, The Witch And The Wardrobe’ by C.S Lewis. I loved this book so much that I called my first band in London, 'Aslan'.

‘To Kill A Mockingbird’, ‘The Tale Of Two Cities’, ’The Hobbit’, ‘Lord Of The Rings’, ‘The Canterbury Tales’....and so many more books.

MW : Share your thoughts on keeping animals in zoos...

NE : Some smaller animals, insects, reptiles, birds etc can live quite happily in a well maintained enhancing environment but larger animals need space to roam. If we have to contain animals for education and breeding programmes we need to give these larger animals more space and a suitable enhancing environment.

I’m more in favour of Wildlife Parks, where the animals have much more land to roam. Zoos are important for breeding programmes to help keep our endangered species alive but we should be building all zoos along the lines of Safari Parks.

MW : Why are animal rights close to your heart?

NE : I adore all animals and I’ve a very strong affiliation with them. I’ve lived and worked around various animals all my life. I assisted a vet when I was younger. I’ve rescued and mended many animals, birds and wildlife throughout from childhood to adulthood, so another profession I may have taken up had I not chosen music as a career.

I have kept all sorts of animals and I train dogs and horses. Animals have served us all well throughout history, in wars, in agriculture, down mines, for transport and in life. We owe so much to animals, so anyone who is cruel to a defenseless animal is sick and will go on to be cruel to humans.

I would dearly love to have an animal sanctuary to help and rescue animals and to rehome them and to educate children on animal welfare and training and most importantly the love, companionship and loyalty that these animals can give to their human friends and the great benefits that humans get from being around animals and nature.

I’ve done much charity and therapy work with horses, dogs and other animals to help enhance children’s lives and mindset and to help them overcome illness and disabilities and contributing to their wellbeing.

So, I would love to be in a position to continue this valuable work i.e combining animal and music therapy.

MW : Money or health?

NE : Health every time - in the world we live in money can be the difference between life and death for so many of us.

You may not be able to buy health, but if you are unfortunate enough to need help with your health, whether medically or mentally, having money will get a quicker service (which could save your life).

It should not be this way, but it is, and it’s so unfair and unjust.

MW : Tell me about setting up Towerbell Records...

NE : Towerbell Records was set up after I left Good Earth Promotions. Prior to leaving Good Earth I had spotted Darts at the Rock Garden in Covent Garden, London. I went there with Jon Moss of Culture Club. Jon was working for me as a booker at Good Earth. After seeing Darts perform I signed them to (our) management. Darts were signed to Magnet Records (record label).

Darts were extremely successful and made Magnet Records money and I believe kept the label afloat at a time when Magnet really did not have much talent on the label. Bob (England) and I found ourselves doing a lot of the work for this record company, so it was always going to be the obvious move to create our own label i.e Towebell Records.

We then signed Chas & Dave to management and we wanted to have our own label and have both Darts and Chas & Dave on this label. We were unhappy with Michael Levy (now Lord Levy) and Magnet Records. We felt he was penny pinching with regards to Darts’ campaigns, videos and promotion. Given that Darts had made so much money for Magnet the band were very unhappy with the label too, as they felt as I did that Michael was holding them back. I did not like Michael and his practices and both Bob and I wanted the band released from Magnet.

Bob and I discussed this and the terms of this release from Magnet that we wanted for the band. As I say, I did not like Michael, and I would not pander to him so I after discussing what we wanted for Darts, Bob and I decided that Bob did the negotiation with Michael. Everything would have be fine if Bob had stuck to the plan. Unfortunately, the release deal was very much in Michael's favour and the release clauses made it extremely difficult for Darts to function with all the restrictions that Michael Levy had put upon them. It was a very restrictive release contract with Michael continuing to benefit. Michael eventually sold the label and all of Darts’ catalogue to Warner Bros.

Michael made this process very difficult with his demands and delays. The outcome was disastrous for Darts - because of the time taken on the release contract and unreasonable release clauses. Michael effectively ended Darts’ career.

We did go on to set up two labels, Rockney Records for Chas & Dave releases and Towerbell Records for other artists including myself, Snowy White, Amazulu and others.

We were very successful as an independent record label, but I was unhappy in my marriage and I left Bob and the label in 1984.

Bob was not so successful without me. He made some bad decisions. He ended up leaving the UK a year or so later caught up in a blaze of publicity at Miami Airport (on route to Antigua) owing millions to various artists.

I had nothing to do with his downfall. A large part of his debt was still owed to me for PRS and other fees that were generated when I had Top Ten success and other chart album and singles. I had trusted him but he effectively punished me for leaving him. I was by then financially and contractually screwed. He promised he would pay me what I was owed but he never did.

MW : Share some experiences of managing Darts...

NE : Darts were a breath of fresh air amidst an uprising Punk scene. Don't get me wrong there were a couple of bands, The Sex Pistols, 999 and a few others that made an impact but Darts were different.

They had an element of punk but they could all play their instruments and all four singers could sing. They were performing doo-wop and they were their own best promotion. Den Hegarty could be a bit of a handful but otherwise a great bunch of people. I just knew that this band would be successful and they were.

I’ve many great memories of touring with Darts in the UK and abroad and being in the studio with them They were all very down to earth people and consummate musicians. Darts had major success back then and should have continued in this trend but there were problems with Magnet Records, as I’ve said earlier.

Fortunately, Darts still do several choice gigs a year and they are still one of the most entertaining bands around.

MW : How did you react to the passing of Chas Hodges?

NE : I had been diagnosed with cancer a few months before Chas was diagnosed. I was so sad when I heard the news of his death, for him, his beautiful wife, Joan and for his loving family, his children and his grandchildren, it was a shock.

Apparently Chas had gone fishing with Dave (Peacock) the day before he died and he seemed fine and in good spirits but he was dead by the next morning.

He is so loved and is missed by all. I was sad for a long while. Although we’d spoken on the phone and made plans to meet, unfortunately this was never to be as Chas died the week before we were due to meet up.

I have many great memories of Chas and I’m so pleased that I played a part in his story. He was an amazing man and a consummate musician who could play many instruments.

MW : How did you know / judge which records to release?

NE : I have always been quite good at spotting a hit and had this talent from when I was very young. I would hear a song once on the radio and would immediately know it would be a big hit. More often than not - I was right!

It’s a sound, a voice, a hook, an instrument, a band with originality, or the combination of all of theses factors that makes you want to dance, sing, laugh, think, reflect or be quiet.

It’s when something in the mix reaches in and touches you and inspires you. It’s the overall sound of what is being conveyed and how this sound makes you feel.

Originality is always a star quality in the mix.

MW : Your solo career. Tell me about your big hit ‘Iko Iko’ and the chart battle with The Belle Stars...

NE : I’d been in the process of recording an album with Tom Newman when I decided to do a version of ‘Iko Iko’ using Richard Branson's 'Barge Studio'. Rita Ray from Darts suggested the song and she sang backing vocals on the track.

I was familiar with the song and would sing this song and 'The Clapping Song' as a little girl. I also loved loved Dr. Johns' version. When we recorded this, it just felt right and it had such a good vibe that Tom and I just knew it was a hit. We recorded it in February 1982 but as it was a summer record we sat on this until the June release. My then record plugger, Alan James, had secured some BBC Radio 1 airplay as a white label a week prior to the release date and there was a real buzz on the record.

I was in the studio recording a session for the BBC when my then husband, Bob England, called me from Towerbell Records saying that Paul Conroy (who I knew well and was general manager of Stiff Records) had heard ‘Iko Iko’ being played on BBC Radio 1 on the week prior to its official release date. Paul said that he loved it and asked for a copy.

Bob went on to say that he told Paul that he would put a copy in the post when Paul said that he happened to have a scooter-messenger in the area of our office and this messenger could pick this up, which he did pretty sharpish. When Bob told me this I knew immediately that Paul was up to something, as Paul had The Belle Stars signed to Stiff, and they and other artists had previously released ‘Iko Iko’. So, I checked out every artist/band that had ever released ‘Iko Iko’ as a single. The Bodysnatchers were one band who did - they later became The Belle Stars!

I suspected that The Belle Stars had plans to release another version of ‘Iko Iko’ and they wanted my white label version to compare to theirs. As it turned out, The Belle Stars and their then producer Martin Tench sat in the music room at Stiff Records playing my version of ‘Iko Iko’ over and over again against several different mixes they had of their ‘Iko Iko's’ - they were obviously trying to decide which of their versions to release. Co-incidentally when Bow Wow Wow released 'Go Wild In The country' produced by Tench soon after you will notice the distinct similarity with the drums to the drums on my 'Iko Iko'..

After speaking with me, Bob immediately called Paul and confronted him. Paul admitted that The Belle Stars had indeed recorded a version of ‘Iko Iko’ and intended to release this in a few weeks. Paul went on to say that Stiff would not now be releasing their version as my version was out the following week. I did not believe them, and I was right not to believe Paul, as Stiff went on to rush release The Belle Stars version to come out on the very same day as my version.

Fortunately, my version of ‘Iko Iko’ was the favoured version being played on BBC Radio 1, and all the other main and regional radio stations up and down the country and abroad. The press had a field day - playing both myself and The Belle Stars off against each other, intimating that their was bad blood between us. This was not true at all. I did a TV show where both myself and The Belle Stars performed our own versions of ‘Iko Iko’. There was seven of them and me and my Great Dane called Fury on the same show.

I had nothing against the girls, I knew it was Stiff Records stage managing all of this. I wished the girls well with their version but my version was out selling theirs from the off.

My version went on to be the highest New Entry in the charts and the Highest Climber in the charts along with Video Of The Month.

The Belle Stars got to No.37 and then dropped out of the chart whilst I went on to have a Top Ten hit. In fact, I had several really good singles out before I released ‘Iko Iko’ in 1982 : - ‘I Can't Hold On’, ‘Strangest Feeling’, ‘Breakin' Down The Walls Of Heartache’ - all good songs which all got great reviews and responses when played at clubs but I did not get the airplay that I needed.

MW : Tell me about your new music...

NE : I have recently brought out a new album 'Somehow' and I released a single of the same name at the same time.

Music videos for 'Somehow' and 'Hook Line & Sinker, the two tracks off the album so far are on You Tube. The website has all the information on all my music, past and present, that I have released and details on how to get physical, as well as digital copies, of this music. Photos, discography etc...

www.natashaengland.co.uk

The album and single received extremely great reviews, but the problem has been getting significant airplay for this music. I feel, it’s deserving of airplay - but the powers that be - who control playlists - seem to have their own agenda. New music on independent record labels has a hard time getting airplay, plus there is ageism to overcome.

You can have the best voice, band, song in the world - but if you are trying to establish yourself, or re-establish yourself, in the music industry and you are not on a major label, it is more or less impossible, and (youthful) looks do count.

Until you get airplay you don't get heard and you don't seem to exist. That said, I will continue to write record and perform.

Keep the passion and let the love and the music play on...

0 notes

arsenalhistory · 7 years

Text

On This Day

On this day in 1891 Royal Arsenal had a friendly match against London Caledonians at the Invicta Ground. Humphrey Barbour scored the goal that gave the Royals a 1-1 draw.

Glasgow Rangers were in Plumstead for a friendly today in 1892. Bernard Shaw and Jack Graham both got in the goals for Royal Arsenal but the Scottish side won the match 2-3.

It was Caesar Jenkyns and Charles Hare that scored for Woolwich Arsenal at White Hart Lane today in 1896 but north London beat south as Tottenham Hotspur ran out 3-2 winners.

Woolwich Arsenal travelled to play local rivals Millwall Athletic on this day in 1898 in a post season friendly. The Arsenal failed to score and were beaten 2-0. Having played his final league match seven days before, captain and winger Gavin Crawford donned an Arsenal shirt for the very last time. The Scotsman had played 138 matches for Royal and Woolwich Arsenal and scored 17 times. On the 3rd of April 1897 he became the first player to make 100 appearances for the club. He left to join Millwall Athletic, played for Queens Park Rangers and after retiring from playing he became head groundsman at the Valley for Charlton Athletic.

In the last match of the London League Premier Division season today in 1904 Woolwich Arsenal failed to score and were beaten 1-0 by Fulham at Craven Cottage.

Silverware for Woolwich Arsenal today in 1906. Percy Sands scored the only goal in the match against Reading to make it 0-1 and win the Southern Professional Charity Cup.

Today in 1908 Woolwich Arsenal’s amazing Scottish tour finally came to an end with a 2-1 victory over Kilmarnock at Rugby Park. Harold Lee got both the goals for the Gunners. Eight matches had been completed between April the 21st and 30th.

When Woolwich Arsenal travelled to Ilford for a post season friendly today in 1910 they were beaten 3-2. Albert Beney and Charles Lewis' goals were all to no avail.

Woolwich Arsenal were invited to play Norwich City in the Norfolk & Norwich Hospital Cup. 6,683 spectators watched a Henry King masterclass as he got a hat trick for Woolwich Arsenal to win the match 0-3.

On this day in 1920 inside forward Paddy Sloan was born in Lurgan, Northern Ireland. He joined Arsenal from Tranmere Rovers in 1946 and played 36 matches, scoring once. In 1948 he was sold to Sheffield United before leaving to play for numerous clubs in Italy.

Defeat for Arsenal today in 1921 in the penultimate match of the Division 1 season. They failed to score at St James' Park and were beaten 1-0 by Newcastle United.

At Highbury today in 1927 Arsenal faced Birmingham (not yet City). James Brain, Bob John and Reg Tricker all scored in a 3-0 victory. Leaving aside the FA Cup final victory Arsenal had now won their last five league matches.

1932 and today Middlesbrough must have regretted turning up in Islington and after being beaten 5-0 by Arsenal at Highbury. Jack Lambert and Cliff Bastin helped themselves to two goals a piece and Boro even helped out with an own goal to compound their misery.

Today in 1938 Arsenal beat Liverpool 1-0 at Highbury courtesy of an Eddie Carr goal. With one game to go Arsenal had a one point lead at the top, but Wolverhampton Wanderers had a game in hand.

Football but not Arsenal. In 1952 today continuing the regular end of season fixtures at Highbury, The British Olympic XI played England B Trial XI and the England team won the match 0-3.

The representative match at the Arsenal Stadium today in 1954 was an England XI versus Young England. The youth side were narrowly beaten 2-1.

In the final match of the season today in 1955 Arsenal were at Fratton Park where a David Herd goal was not enough to avoid the 2-1 defeat by Portsmouth. Arsenal could only finish in 9th place as Chelsea won the league. Don Oakes played the final time today. In his ten years at the club he only managed 11 senior appearances in which he scored once. He scored 68 goals in 158 Football Combination appearances however and did win league honours in 1952/1953. He was forced to retire at the end of this season with rheumatic problems.

Arsenal were at Twerton Park for a friendly today in 1959. Tommy Docherty, Len Julians and Jackie Henderson all scored but the non-league side still won the match 4-3.

Also on this day in 1959 Ian McKechnie signed his professional papers with Arsenal. He signed as an amateur outside left in 1958 but was transformed into a goalkeeper, and became the the first Scot to be chosen to play for the London Youth XI. he played 25 times for Arsenal before leaving on a free in 1964 to join Southend United.

It was a 1-0 defeat by West Bromwich Albion at the Hawthorns today in 1960 in the final match of the season. Arsenal finished in the bottom half of the table in 13th position.

Arsenal Football Club was saddened today in 1964 to hear of the death of former goalkeeper Ernest Williamson from pneumonia in Norwich. He guarded the net 113 times for the club between 1919 and 1923 before moving to Norwich City where he retired and became a publican.

Midfielder Eddie McGoldrick celebrates his birthday today. McGoldrick was born in Islington in 1965. The Republic of Ireland international joined Arsenal in 1993 from Crystal Palace. He played 57 times and scored once before moving on to Manchester City in 1996.

Also on this date in 1965 Arsenal kicked off a three match tour of Italy in a match against Torino at the Stadio Olimpico. Goals from Jon Sammels and Tommy Baldwin kept it to a friendly 2-2 draw in Turin.

While Arsenal were away in Italy, Highbury was in use today for England to meet Young England in a Representative Match which ended in a 2-2 draw.

Villa Park was the venue today in 1966 and Arsenal failed to find the net and were defeated 3-0 by Aston Villa.

Only 11,262 turned up at Highbury today in 1968 to watch Arsenal take on Sheffield Wednesday. It ended 3-2 to the Gunners with David Court, John Radford and Bobby Gould getting the goals. It was part of a five consecutive win run taking the club to the end of the season.

On this date in 1969 John Roberts signed from Northampton Town for £35,000. The Welsh centre back played 81 times for Arsenal and scored 5 times along the way. He was with the club during the first double season winning a league winners medal but did not play in the FA Cup final. He left in 1972 to join Birmingham City.

Today in 1974 was a happy and a sad day. In the final match of the season it ended 1-1 between Arsenal and Queens Park Rangers at Highbury to leave Arsenal finishing 10th in the league. The happy part was the goalscorer was Liam 'Chippy' Brady getting his first for the club on his way to becoming a fan favourite. The sad part was this being the final match for two great Arsenal names. he legend that is Bob Wilson played his final match between the posts. He played 308 times and is second in the keeper appearance list only to his future protege David Seaman. The other name to leave Arsenal after this match was the great Ray Kennedy. Ray scored 71 in 212 appearances for the Gunners before (in what goes down on of one of the worst decisions) being sold to Liverpool for £180,000.

Arsenal made it six wins in seven matches today in 1977 when they got a 0-2 win over Newcastle United at St James' Park. Malcolm Macdonald and John Matthews got the goals.

Defeat to Watford at Vicarage Road today in 1983. Brian McDermott did score against the Hornets but Arsenal lost 2-1.

On this date in 1984 former Arsenal midfielder and captain Jimmy Logie died. Between 1939 and 1955 he played in 328 matches and scored 76 goals for the club. His life after Arsenal is somewhat hard to trace. We know he was a player/manager of Gravesend & Northfleet, but also that he had a gambling problem and ended up selling the evening newspapers in the West End.

At Hillsborough today in 1988 Arsenal took on Sheffield Wednesday. Arsenal had beaten Wednesday in the League Cup by a Nigel Winterburn goal en route to Wembley but this was a routine First Division match. 16,681 hardy souls were rewarded with Wednesday racing into a three goal lead, only for a Paul Merson brace and a single Alan Smith goal to save a point for the Gunners.

This date in 1993 saw the untimely death of Tommy Caton from a heart attack aged 30. Between 1983 and 1987 he had played 95 matches for Arsenal and scored 3 goals from centre back. He had retired from football just one month earlier. He left a wife and three children.

Into the Premiership era and today in 1994 West Ham United came to Highbury and grabbed a 0-2 win over Arsenal.

Finally, on this day in 2012 Lukas Podolski agreed to join Arsenal for around £11m at the start of the transfer window. Although initially a firm crowd favourite he seemed to fall out of favour with Arsene Wenger and in January 2015 moved out on loan to Internazionale.

#arsenal

1 note · View note