Category Archives: Music

The Return of the Random Bike Ride Playlist

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It’s back!  Yesterday  I went for a bike ride, the first of the year.  The weather was good and I was ready to roll.  For old times sake, I decided to hit “shuffle” and let Ipodicus decide what the soundtrack to the morning’s adventure would be.

Just over ten miles.  Not bad.

  1. Smashing Pumpkins – “Real Love”
  2. Jello Biafra & The Melvins – “Those Dumb Punk Kids (Will Buy Anything)”
  3. Queens of the Stone Age – “Quick & to the Pointless”
  4. Sleigh Bells – “Comeback Kid”
  5. Bob Marley – “You Can’t Do That to Me”
  6. Blondie – “Contact on Red Square”
  7. David Bowie – “Little Wonder”
  8. Lieutenant Pigeon – “Mouldy Old Dough”
  9. Hector Martignon – “Colombaiao”
  10. Therapy? – “Stay Happy”
  11. Viking Skull – “Double or Quits”
  12. Samantha Fox – “I Only Wanna Be With You”
  13. A Tribe Called Quest – “If The Papes Come”
  14. The Melvins – “In the Army Now”
  15. Bad Brains – “Jam”
  16. Orange Goblin – “Lothlorian”
  17. Muddy Waters – “I Want to Be Loved”
  18. 2Pac ft. Anthony Hamilton – “Thugz Mansion”
  19. The Who – “Please, Please, Please”
  20. Jello Biafra & The Melvins – “Enchanted Thoughtfist (Enchanted Al Remix)”
  21. Neil Young & Pearl Jam – “Downtown”
  22. Roni Size – “Trust Me”
  23. Tiny Masters of Today – “Hologram World”

This particular playlist reminded me just how great the Jello Biafra and The Melvins collaborations are.  I haven’t listened to them for a while, so cranked ’em today.

St. David’s Day Playlist

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Happy St. David’s Day!

To celebrate, here’s my Wales themed playlist, featuring some of the great Welsh artists from over the years.

  1. Tom Jones – “Green, Green Grass of Home”
  2. Manic Street Preachers – “A Design for Life”
  3. Catatonia – “International Velvet”
  4. Feeder – “Buck Rogers”
  5. Goldie Lookin Chain – “Guns Don’t Kill People, Rappers Do”
  6. Budgie – “Breadfan”
  7. Duffy – “Mercy”
  8. Super Furry Animals – “Ice Hockey Hair”
  9. Stereophonics – “Local Boy in the Photograph”
  10. Charlotte Church – “Call My Name”
  11. The Alarm – “68 Guns”
  12. The Joy Formidable – “Whirring”
  13. Bullet For My Valentine – “Fever”
  14. Shakin’ Stevens & Bonnie Tyler – “A Rockin’ Good Way (To Mess Around and Fall in Love)”
  15. Propellerheads ft. Miss Shirley Bassey – “History Repeating”
  16. Bryn Terfel – “Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau”

A mix of genres there, with some absolute legends in attendance.  Shakey and Bonnie on one song, together?  Awesome.  I chose a less obvious Shirley Bassey number also.  From classic pop, to metal, to indie pop to rap; Wales has it covered.

Can you think of any more Welsh artists to add to this list?  Leave a comment and let me know.

Happy Birthday Johnny Cash

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Today I’m commemorating the birth of Johnny Cash, born 26th February 1932.

Below is a picture of some of my Cash memorabilia.  This includes vinyl albums, CDs, books and t-shirts.  That’s quite a few pieces I’ve collected over the years.  The music is timeless and will last longer than the items shown, however.

One more point: the black record sleeve you can make out at the bottom right of the photo is my first Cash album.  It was my grandmother’s originally, and became mine when she passed away – so it has a special place in my vinyl collection.  It’s a great record and introduced me to Johnny Cash’s music.  Cash1782131_10152355579718714_1063450036_n

Check out: JohnnyCash.com

New Year – New Playlist: Part 2

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Remember the alphabetical musical playlist game?  Part One was posted a few weeks back, here’s Part Two.

The idea was to take turns playing a song from my iTunes collection, in alphabetical order by artist.  You can read the first instalment here.

Below is the next session, N to U.  The final few are still to be chosen…

  • Al: Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds – “Straight to You”
  • Ness: Nirvana – “Heart Shaped Box”
  • Al: Ozzy Osbourne – “No More Tears”
  • Ness: The Offspring – “Pretty Fly (For a White Guy)”
  • Al: Public Enemy – “Harder Than You Think”
  • Ness: Pearl Jam – “Alive”
  • Al: Queens of the Stone Age – “Make It Wit Chu”
  • Ness: Queen – “Who Wants to Live Forever”
  • Al: Ramones – “I Believe in Miracles”
  • Ness: R.E.M. – “Nightswimming”
  • Al: Senseless Things – “Homophobic Asshole”
  • Ness: System of a Down – “Chop Suey!”
  • Al: Turbonegro – “The Age of Pamparius”
  • Ness: Tenacious D – “Tribute”
  • Al: Urge Overkill – “Jaywalkin'”
  • Ness: U2 – “One”

So I know it’s not New Year any more, but this list needs finishing off.  Final part soon…

Classic Albums

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The first in an ongoing series, where I will be discussing some of the best records ever made.  These are the “classics” of my record collection, that no-one should be without.

1. The Cult – “Love”

Released in 1985, The Cult’s album Love still sounds fantastic to this day.  It’s a potent cocktail of resurrected blues-rock riffs, screaming psychedelia and murky atmosphere that transcended music of the time.  Listening to it now, it seems unbelievable that the record was created in the mid eighties.  And yet it has enough power – and melodic charm – to still sound great.

In late 1988 I had become obsessed with Electric, the full-on rock monster that the Cult had released a year earlier.  A friend lent me a copy of Love, promising that the songs contained therein were the best the band had recorded.  cult-love

At this point I had explored some rock, metal and punk.  Love was to be a bridge between these genres in many ways.  Happily it was (what would become) “alternative” rock – though it worshipped at the altar of Hendrix, The Doors and Led Zeppelin, it was birthed from the fire of punk rock.

Opening track “Nirvana” kicks things off in blazing style.  It has a fast pace and contains a euphoric instrumental section.  Both “Big Neon Glitter” and the title track “Love” offer up the Big Zep riffs and allow guitarist Billy Duffy to add a psychedelic shimmer.  Then “Brother Wolf, Sister Moon” provides a quieter moment.  If the earlier tracks were ideal for blasting out the windows of a 1970 Dodge Challenger, this track is more singer Ian Astbury sitting on a pony surveying the prairie.  As the song ends, rumbling clouds herald the next track: “Rain”.  One of the best songs the Cult have ever recorded, “Rain” has a truly classic riff that is instantly recognisable and never forgotten.

Side Two (!) opens with “Phoenix”.  This track, unashamedly adorned with Hendrix inspired acid rock guitar, hints at the heavier sounds to come in later chapters of the bands story.  “Hollow Man” provides more driving bass (Jamie Stewart) and a simpler, melodic lead guitar.  Astbury has the chance to really shine on ballad “Revolution”, with a calmer moment that harks back to the bands Goth post-punk phase.

Next we have the mother of all Cult songs – “She Sells Sanctuary”.  A vaguely Eastern sounding intro leads into a stomping rhythm as the song grabs the listener and drags them along for the sheer hell of it.  This song became an instant favourite and still has an impact all these years later.  Final track, “Black Angel”, is a sombre Velvet Underground do Spaghetti Western affair that again adds some darkness to the proceedings.

The band received a lot of criticism for having a somewhat “hippie-ish” element to their sound, and look, on this album.  There are a few moments where the “peace and love” vibe wear a bit thin (see “Revolution”), however the overall sound of the record retains a dark edge to it – more decadent than naive.

The Cult would go on to fully embrace their heavy rock interests with Electric.  But for a kid who had never heard Zeppelin or Hendrix, Love was a monumental discovery.  Put it on and listen to it now, this record has a magic that is of it’s time and yet speaks of the past and future.

The Cult – Love

  1. Nirvana
  2. Big Neon Glitter
  3. Love
  4. Brother Wolf, Sister Moon
  5. Rain
  6. Phoenix
  7. Hollow Man
  8. Revolution
  9. She Sells Sanctuary
  10. Black Angel

Best tracks: Rain, She Sells Sanctuary, Nirvana, Brother Wolf, Sister Moon

Other cool points: great cover!

Buy this Classic Album here.

Platinum Lounge Rocks!

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On Friday 6th September 2013, I was at the Platinum Lounge as part of a leaving do for my great friend and colleague, Ben the Swede.  He was going off to be a hobo on the streets of London, begging for loose change off commuters.  No doubt he would hitch down there, then spend his nights sleeping in a cardboard box with only a stray dog for company.

To celebrate Ben’s move to pastures new, we were all out and about painting the town red as only us filthy tramps know how.  There was a rumour that the Platinum Lounge was having a rock weekend.  The rumours were true.

Rock night at the Platinum Lounge featured the best music I have ever heard in any establishment in Chester.  It left other venues in the dust as the Lounge dared to play the tunes that would rock other clubs to their foundations.

It was a truly legendary night.  Here’s the playlist – or at least, what my compadres and I remember.

  1. Run DMC & Aerosmith – “Walk This Way”
  2. Ugly Kid Joe – “I Hate Everything About You”
  3. Soundgarden – “Black Hole Sun”
  4. Fleetwood Mac – “Go Your Own Way”
  5. ZZ Top – “Legs”
  6. Def Leppard – “Pour Some Sugar On Me”
  7. Motley Crue – “Girls Girls Girls”
  8. Metallica – “Enter Sandman”
  9. Black Sabbath – “Paranoid”
  10. AC/DC – “Whole Lotta Rosie”
  11. Aerosmith – “Janie’s Got a Gun”
  12. The Cult – “She Sells Sanctuary”
  13. Rainbow – “Since You Been Gone”
  14. Alice Cooper – “Poison”
  15. Def Leppard – “Animal”
  16. Guns’n’Roses – “Sweet Child O’ Mine”
  17. AC/DC – “Back in Black”
  18. Jimi Hendrix Experience – “Foxy Lady”
  19. Fleetwood Mac – “The Chain”
  20. Bon Jovi – “Livin’ On a Prayer”
  21. Skid Row – “Youth Gone Wild”
  22. Dire Straits – “Money For Nothing”
  23. U2 – “Pride (In the Name of Love)”
  24. Bryan Adams – “Run to You”
  25. Billy Idol – “White Wedding”
  26. Pink Floyd – “Another Brick in the Wall”
  27. Rolling Stones – “Paint It Black”
  28. Santana – “Smooth”
  29. Whitesnake – “Here I Go Again”
  30. George Thorogood & the Destroyers – “Bad to the Bone”

OK, so I know the Ugly Kid Joe song sucks, but how many top tunes are there on that playlist?  I mean Soundgarden – you never hear Soundgarden played anywhere!  Especially not in Chester, where that sort of thing is punishable by whipping with a designer handbag.

Thanks to all at the Platinum Lounge for a great night.

New Year – New Playlist

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What did you do on New Year’s Eve?  Did you go out partying?  Did you dance the night away in a pub or club?  Or maybe you gathered together with family and friends for a house party.  The really fancy ones amongst you may have done something extravagant, and gone away for a short break.  Perhaps somewhere with it’s own bar and hot tub.

Chez Platinum Al, we stayed in and rocked.  Drinks, food and music – that’s how we roll at the Virtual Hot Tub.  Staying in has been the new going out for a good few years for us.  No queues at the bar; no being crammed in like cattle; no paying for tickets when you’re VIPs at your own party.

Instead, Mrs Platinum Al and I sipped some fine drinks and played a music playlist game.  Here are the rules:

  1. One person starts, and chooses a band/artist beginning with a letter of the alphabet.  Start with the letter A.
  2. Pick one song by that artist and play it.
  3. The next person picks a song by an artist beginning with the same letter and plays that.
  4. Then you move on to the next letter in the alphabet, and pick one more song by a band/artist beginning with that letter.
  5. Continue in this fashion.  You can be as obvious or as random as you like in your choices.

Here’s how we got on:

  • Al: AC/DC – “Big Gun”
  • Ness: ABBA – “Happy New Year”
  • Al: Boney M – “Daddy Cool”
  • Ness: Belinda Carlisle – “Heaven is a Place on Earth”
  • Al: Creedence Clearwater Revival – “Born on the Bayou”
  • Ness: The Cure – “In Between Days”
  • Al: Donovan – “Season of the Witch”
  • Ness: Destiny’s Child – “Independent Women Part 1”
  • Al: Eagles of Death Metal – “Anything ‘Cept the Truth”
  • Ness: EMF – “Unbelievable”
  • Al: Fun Lovin’ Criminals – “Too Hot”
  • Ness: Foo Fighters – “Monkey Wrench”
  • Al: Garbage – “Queer”
  • Ness: Green Day – “Basket Case”
  • Al: Hard-Ons – “Don’t Wanna See You Cry”
  • Ness: Heart – “Alone”
  • Al: Iggy Pop – “Beside You”
  • Ness: INXS – “Never Tear Us Apart”
  • Al: Johnny Cash – “God’s Gonna Cut You Down”
  • Ness: Jane’s Addiction – “Been Caught Stealing”
  • Al: Kool & the Gang – “Jungle Boogie”
  • Ness: Kylie Minogue – “In Your Eyes”
  • Al: Led Zeppelin – “Whole Lotta Love”
  • Ness: Lenny Kravitz – “Stand By My Woman”
  • Al: Motorhead – “Killed By Death”
  • Ness: Madness – “One Step Beyond”

That was as far as we got before it was time for sleep.  We aim to complete the other half of the alphabet soon.

This is a fun game that can reveal a lot about your mood, or just your taste in music.

All selections were provided by Platinum Al’s monster iPod, Ipodicus.

Questions #7: Christmas Songs

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It’s Christmas time, there’s no need to be afraid.  Not that there’s any doubt that we’re in the festive season – there are decorations, lights, and yes, songs, everywhere.  Christmas songs are the cherry on the top, the star on the tree – and they’re inescapable right now, whether you’re shopping or just watching TV.

So what’s your favourite Christmas song?  I did some research and this is what I found.

There were some rules: basically, it had to be a song about Christmas; with a Christmassy theme or “sound”.  A Christmas number one therefore doesn’t necessarily count, much as I love Rage Against the Machine.  Traditional or pop, here are the results.

Q: What’s your favourite Christmas song?

Jess: “Merry Christmas Everyone” – Shakin’ Stevens

Ash: “Fairytale of New York” – The Pogues & Kirsty MacColl

Lynne: “Fairytale of New York” – The Pogues & Kirsty MacColl

Tom: “Merry Christmas Everyone” – Shakin’ Stevens

Matt: “Last Christmas” – Wham!

Dave W: “Stop the Cavalry” – Jona Lewie

Mike W: “Fairytale of New York” – The Pogues & Kirsty MacColl

Imam: “Jingle Bells” (Traditional)

Jayne: “Fairytale of New York” – The Pogues & Kirsty MacColl

Alix: “Christmas Time (Don’t Let the Bells End)” – The Darkness

Stu: “Christmas Time (Don’t Let the Bells End)” – The Darkness

Jade: “All I Want for Christmas is You” – Mariah Carey

Michelle: “I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday” – Wizzard

Jamie: “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree” – Brenda Lee

Terry: “Fairytale of New York” – The Pogues & Kirsty MacColl

Sam: “A Spaceman Came Travelling” – Chris De Burgh

David R: “The Night Santa Went Crazy” – “Weird Al” Yankovic

Sue R: “Do They Know It’s Christmas?” – Band Aid

Nathan: “All I Want for Christmas is You” – Mariah Carey

Ben G: “Christmas Time (Don’t Let the Bells End)” – The Darkness

Sarah: “Fairytale of New York” – The Pogues & Kirsty MacColl

Jack: “All I Want for Christmas is You” – Mariah Carey

Me: “Merry Christmas Everybody” – Slade

So there you have it: the popular choice for people’s favourite is The Pogues & Kirsty MacColl’s “Fairytale of New York”.  Great song.  Should’ve been a Christmas number one.

Only one vote for Slade???  Never mind, at least the vile monstrosity that is East 17 didn’t get a vote.

If you’d like to let me know your personal favourite Christmas song, leave a comment.  Disagree with these choices?  Are you an East 17 fan?  Let me know.

“It’s CHRIIIIIISSSSTMAAAASSSSS!!!”

The Damned – Gig Review

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The Damned + The Ruts DC

Sunday 1st December 2013

Buckley Tivoli

It’s Sunday night, and far from milk and cookies and watching Songs of Praise, Mrs Platinum and I are off to see The Damned.  At the Tivoli in Buckley, no less.  A venue I’ve been to many times (remind me to tell you about my 21st birthday sometime) and a place I’d hoped this lot would play for years.

Support tonight is from The Ruts DC, and blimey they’re good.  I’d have gone to see them headline their own gig – with The Damned to follow this is unmissable.  A great set that swings from ska-reggae boppers to punk rock seven inch masterpieces.  Highlights include “It Was Cold”, “West One (Shine On Me)” and of course “Staring at the Rude Boys” and “Babylon’s Burning”.  They sound exciting, contemporary and confident.  Final song “In a Rut” put the lid on a support set that could have been a headliner.

I might as well own up and admit that the Damned are probably my favourite band of all time.  To see them in my “local” venue is a real delight.  As I hinted earlier, I’ve had many adventures at the Ballrooms over the years and always wanted to see this band here.

The Damned are the band that I’ve seen more than any other.  Tonight though, they play an astounding set that both entertains and surprises.  How do they do that?  Well, they play many songs I’ve never heard them play live before.  First song “Sanctum Santorum” is an interesting choice – atmospheric rather than bludgeoning.  The song worked really well live and served to create a sense of theatre from the start.

From that point on, The Damned kept me guessing.  “Don’t Cry Wolf”?  Yes, please!  “Sick of Being Sick”?  Don’t mind if I do!  Following “Wait for the Blackout” with the songs that followed it on The Black Album is a stroke of almost genius.  “Lively Arts” and “Silly Kids Games”?  Why sirs, with these gems you are truly spoiling us!

“Ignite” and then “Generals”?  They won’t play the third track off Strawberries though.  But they do!  “Stranger on the Town” is probably my favourite Damned tune, and one I never thought I’d hear live.  Brass section, you see.  Yet there it is, and Platinum Al can’t help but sing along.  Thank you, Damned!

And so it goes.  Later in the set we get the classic singles: “Neat Neat Neat”; “New Rose”; “Love Song”; “I Just Can’t Be Happy Today”.  “Eloise” sounds great.  More first time airings (for me) of “The Eighth Day” and “Ballroom Blitz” put the marzipan on the cake before a glorious “Smash It Up” finale.

Any criticisms?  The sound wavers a few times, unusually for the Tiv – some of the early set doesn’t sound as “full” as it should. A minor comment as this didn’t spoil my enjoyment.  Beyond that, it would have been nice to hear more of the recent material (no “Thrill KIll”??!)  – we don’t hear anything off the So, Who’s Paranoid? album.

Though as I’ve been treated to so many new live gems tonight, a full fourteen minute version of “Dark Asteroid” is probably a bit too much to ask.  Maybe next time.

So thank you The Damned, The Ruts DC and Buckley Tivoli.  It was a great night.  Work in the morning.

http://www.officialdamned.com/

http://www.theruts.co.uk/

http://www.tivolivenue.com/index.htm

Volbeat – Gig Review

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Volbeat + Support

Friday 18th October 2013

Manchester Academy

OK, so I should’ve posted this gig review a while ago – Hallowe’en Horror Fest got in the way.  I apologise.  Better late than never.

My buddies and I went to the magical land of Manchester, to see Volbeat.  The weather was terrible – non stop rain – as befits Mancunia.  It always rains there.  Every time I’ve been, ever.

I missed the first support band, but arrived just as Iced Earth were beginning their set.  I’d heard of the band, but never listened to them – so wasn’t sure what to expect.  I thought they were death metal, I was wrong.  I thought they were European, they’re American.  They were better than I expected, more trad metal (Iron Maiden, Judas Priest) with some 80’s thrash (Testament, Megadeth) along for the ride.  Another comparison I can make is Black Label Society.  Overall, I was impressed with their crunching attack and will look out to purchase some recorded material.

Before Volbeat take the stage at the Academy, they treat us to some Motorhead.  An apt intro tape, as much like Lemmy’s crew, we are dealing with a heavy band who make no secret of their love for good old rock’n’roll.  “Born to Raise Hell” thunders from the PA until Volbeat erupt into live action – and we’re off.

Volbeat are an interesting concept.  Undeniably they are a heavy rock/metal band, yet they embrace the past unlike many others.  Thus we are given a cheeky rendition of “Ring of Fire” and a rocked up “I Only Want to be With You”, to garnish the rockabilly twangs of their original  material.  To be honest, it’s nothing that Glenn Danzig hasn’t already done, but there’s something great about hearing current metal’s DNA being exposed that makes this band thoroughly enjoyable.

In the audience, you can spot the odd dude with a quiff alongside the usual metal uniforms, not to mention a couple of girls in Bettie Page styled attire.  Very cool.  And definite visual evidence that here, rock has come full circle.

My only problem with this gig is that I don’t know the music well enough.  I have three albums by Volbeat, and they’re great – but to really get the benefit of this gig I should have done more homework.  Not that the songs don’t work if you’re not familiar with them – I just wish I’d taken more time to get under their skin.  Then this would’ve been a legendary gig, not just a great one.