Funeral Song

I think I've already made it known to those closest to me that I want 'Life On Mars' by David Bowie played at my funeral. But I just want to set it in stone. It brings me close to tears on it's own ayway so if the buggers aren't crying at the beginning...

The song is really touching, yet so pompous that it would be quite funny, and so grandiose that I always want to stand up and applaud at the end. If the congregation want to follow suit I'd be more than happy to believe they're actually honouring me.

It's so interlinked with my memories from childhood that it's an obvious choice really. It's been a presence at various poignant moments during my timid existence so it only seems fitting that it should show me out the door. Plus people often say that my dad and I look like Bowie...

Other possible choices have included:

'Gloomy Sunday' - Billie Holiday (it'd just be cruel)
'I Wanna Go Where the People Go' - The Wildhearts (when I was 16, if only for the line "I wanna be where the cunts like me are buried six feet underground")
'Green Grass' - Tom Waits (I haven't known it for long enough and I think it might have been bagsied already. Boyg?)

So which musical gem do YOUUUUU want as the credits roll?

Mp3:
David Bowie - 'Life On Mars'

Buy it here

Nick Cave and chums is... Grinderman

Nick Cave seems to have gone into the studio with some other ramshackle folks and recorded an album. From early previews it sounds somewhere between The Birthday Party and The Stooges. Personally I find this all pretty fucking exciting.

I'm not completely clued in yet but the record should be out on March the 5th next year and they're playing at ATP next april. Look here for more info.

Mp3:

Grinderman - 'No Pussy Blues'

Buy Nick Cave here.

Just humour me.

Okay I know Lil Chris stands for the worst kind of premeditated hit machine, and he is basically a complete joke, but for what it is it's brilliant. As a tongue cheek parody of new wave pop for teeny indie younglings it's spot on. Catchy as fuck too.

For those who managed to avoid his reality TV discovery go here and find out more.

Yes his voice is mighty annoying but it's basically like a prepubescent Jello Biafra (don't hit me). It's completely loaded wth hooks too. I'd much prefer to hear more clever pop pastiche like this than another mind numbing Gang of Four tribute act under the guise of "serious" music.

I'm not being ironic or trying to prove how open minded I am, I genuinely think this is good. It even gives a subtle nod to The Buzzcocks' 'Ever Fallen In Love'. Have a look, the video's more of the same well observed post-modernism.

Eve of Destruction

I heard this song on some radio programme about sixties charts. It stood out a mile from the other two dimensional pop (albeit really good pop) that shared the count down of whichever week it was in 1965. The venom in the lyrics and the anger in the voice gave it an almost anachronistic quality. There are a couple of other versions of the song but it was Barry McGuire's version that was hit me that night (i'm pretty sure that's him in the hippy dress with the baby).

I'm not usually that interested by protest songs, many come across as preachy or painfully naive, but I really like 'Eve of Destruction'. Many of the lyrics directly translate to these sketchy times, but it's the growl that delivers them that really makes the record. It's almost funny at some points but I think that just makes it endearing. The Dickies did a pretty cool version of it too.

Mp3s:

Barry McGuire - 'Eve of Destruction'

Dickies - 'Eve of Destruction'

Heading South for the winter...

I'm back online! After an epic day journeying across, back and then down through England we were greeted in Brighton (Hove, actually) by a stolen phone and a smashed van window (separate incidents). Since then I've been waiting patiently by the door for a Mr Alberto Tiscali to send me a new modem. I was slightly depressed to finally discover how few pertinent emails were awaiting my attention but meh...

Anyway, now that I've left Manchester I thought I should list a few things I miss about the place:

1 My hombre Sam (you too Ben, but I'm gonna see you more... and Marc and Pete, sorry I didn't get to say goodbye)
2 Surly service at Night & Day
3 The tower of the Palace Hotel where Satan himself spends his summers
4 Coffee at Oklahoma
5 The Richard Goodall Gallery

There are more, but I'll get back to you. Now I've never been into many Manchester bands (yes, even The Smiths, Stone Roses and Joy Division) which I know is a pretty big indie faux pas, but I thought I'd post something which I do love from the rainy city. I wish I'd got to this riff first. Dead simple and dead good.

Mp3:

I Am Kloot - 'Over My Shoulder'

Buy it here.