Rocknerd

The Mark E. Smith Guide to Writing Guide.

3 June, 201620 May, 2017 Post-Punk, Radio, Writing 0

In 1983, Mark E. Smith of the Fall went on Greenwich Sound Radio and, between being interviewed and playing records, gave them his definitive guide on how to write.

False memories of feelings past.

2 June, 20169 May, 2018 Industrial, Opinion, Writing 1

Front Line Assembly “Mindphaser” just came up on Spotify. I first heard it in 1993 or 1994, in the front room of 20 Stuart Street in Perth. The “cyberpunk house” as it was known. I think I was hungover and possibly still drunk from the night before. Certainly everyone else was.

Pat & Mick: Use It Up And Wear It Out (1990).

1 June, 201616 August, 2017 Pop, Record 0

This record is … way better than it has any right to be.

So let’s give this Spotify thing a go.

31 May, 201628 April, 2017 mp3, Opinion 0

I tried Last.fm around 2009 when I was applying for a job with them. The computer-generated personal radio station thing is amusing in its way. I can’t see myself wandering around with my phone using up my data plan on streaming music; it’ll be strictly a desktop, or rather laptop, thing.

“Duncan” by Slim Dusty is now in Wikipedia.

30 May, 201625 August, 2016 Country, Writing 0

I was amazed to discover that Slim Dusty’s second-biggest hit wasn’t covered in Wikipedia. Well, now it is ‘cos I put it there.

My problematic favourite: William S. Burroughs.

29 May, 20169 May, 2018 Opinion, Post-Punk, Writing 1

I admire old Bill for all sorts of things, none of which are his personality, murdering his wife, fucking up his son or misogyny so jawdropping he literally made it into an artform. I wonder what signifiers wearing a Burroughs shirt would have in 2016 as opposed to 1996 (“yeah yeah you’re hip go away”) or 1986 (“who?”).

The return of the Blobby nightmare.

28 May, 201612 May, 2017 Drugs, Pop 2

“It has been named as one of the worst songs ever recorded.”

Art of Noise play “Close To The Edit” live, 2004.

27 May, 201625 August, 2016 Musician, Pop 0

Nobody ever thinks of Trevor Horn as a shit-hot bass player.

Se Delan: Drifter (2016).

23 May, 201625 August, 2016 Goth, Metal, Record 0

The press release page (includes album stream) says “dark, alternative, new wave” and studiously avoids the word g*th, but OH COME ON.

Reviews: Airbag, Metroland, Suns of Thyme, Virus (2016).

21 May, 201629 March, 2017 Industrial, Metal, Prog, Record, Rock 2

When I was Official Shitworker on Lemon, we christened the review round “dogshit patrol,” after the regular Arlo cleanup. I promise I’ll stop before I start thinking of it that way here.

Elektroklänge: Mechanische Tänze Nos. 1-4 EP (2016).

20 May, 201625 August, 2016 Industrial, Record 0

The entire point of Elektroklänge is wanting to be Kraftwerk when they grow up. Not an uncommon aspiration, but not a bad one if you can pull it off, and they do okay.

The ultimate hold music.

3 May, 201610 September, 2016 Esoterica 0

I’ve spent thirty years listening out for the most obnoxious and intolerable sounds available. The music that will ruin your world in thirty seconds. I like to think I know a thing or two about this general field of endeavour, if you will. I’d mark this as a contender.

Shriekback: Without Real String or Fish (2015).

23 April, 201625 August, 2016 Post-Punk, Record 0

For a band formed in 1981, Shriekback have certainly had a couple of notable breaks in their productive career.

George Matzkov’s tracks from lost 1980s Perth alternative bands.

12 April, 201624 August, 2016 Indie 1

George Matzkov, Perth scenester, Stems roadie and founder of Zero Hour Records, is putting out a book, to be released soonish: Way Out West: The West Australian Alternative Music Scene 1976-1989. To accompany it, he’s got a Soundcloud of tracks from cassettes and records of the day. If you’re from those times you’ll delight in this.

I threw up on Lux Interior.

2 April, 201628 August, 2016 Drugs, Live, Rock, Writing 11

It was mid-1986, at the Red Parrot in Perth (name and logo blatantly nicked from the New York club of the same name) in Perth. I was nineteen and had been going out to see bands and drinking in earnest for six months. The Cramps had played (the Canterbury Court Friday 22 August 1986 show, I think) and went there for after-show drinks.

Jesus and Mary Chain “Psychocandy” 30th Anniversary

29 March, 201625 August, 2016 Goth, Indie, Live 0

It is rather frightening to think that it’s now over thirty years since Psychocandy by The Jesus and Mary Chain graced the airwaves. Well, frightening to people of a certain age such as this reviewer.

Godzilla Black: Press The Flesh (2016).

27 March, 201624 August, 2016 Record, Rock 0

“Formed by two frustrated drummers” tells you about sixty percent of what you need to know. The rest is descended (through similarly-influenced ’80s indie rock, then the stuff that was left after grunge imploded) from the heavier ’60s psychedelic rock, rather than prog.

The fall of The Fall

25 March, 201628 August, 2016 Live, Post-Punk 0

This review has been sitting in the ‘to post’ box for a while, for reasons that will become evident.

Records that have not stood the test of time: Models: Out Of Mind, Out Of Sight (1985).

13 March, 201611 February, 2018 Pop, Record 0

This album, which I played a few days ago for the first time in thirty years, is what the kids these days describe as a “hot mess”. A pile of good ideas mashed in with a pile of terrible ones; the result desperately pretends to work.

The Charlatans: Modern Nature (2015).

30 December, 201528 August, 2016 Indie, Record 0

As one of the great British indie synth-rock bands (hey, just call it “Madchester”) of the 90s, The Charlatans, left an indelible impression on

Last Words (EP) by Muzzle

24 December, 201514 October, 2016 Indie, Record, Rock 0

“Last Words” (2014), is the debut EP for young Fremantle independent rock band, Muzzle, with three-piece Daniel Panizza on bass, Daniel Prince on drums,

“Air On A G-String” played on actual G-strings.

14 December, 201528 August, 2016 Classical 0

For science! Apparently, underwear has a four-octave range. (yes I thought this was hilarious when I was ten as well) (baby got bach)

Today’s links.

11 December, 201529 September, 2016 Esoterica, Industry, Links, mp3 0

“Happy Birthday” is finally acknowledged as being public domain. Probably. The history of the hidden track. Format-shifting music you’ve bought in the UK is

Doctor Who goes disco. Delia, we are so very sorry.

9 December, 201511 December, 2016 Dance, Esoterica 0

The Doctor Who theme has of course been done in every possible style. Today we have disco versions from Space Disco and Mankind. But

Reissues, past subcultures and the dead foot of the market.

8 December, 201512 September, 2017 Opinion, Record 0

Amanda Petrusich at the New Yorker writes a ramble on the reissue market. It’s not clear, but she seems upset these previously-unavailable classics are available again, because they’re available again for the wrong reasons.

Alvin and the Chipmunks at 16rpm.

7 December, 201524 December, 2016 Esoterica 3

Retrospectively obvious, but this is what Alvin and the Chipmunks sound like at 16rpm: normal vocals with GRIND CORE DEATH SLUDGE DRONE music. That being how they were actually recorded. I think we’ve uncovered Sunn O)))’s secret past.

Access denied: The media in a world where they aren’t the gatekeepers.

6 December, 20153 January, 2017 Media, Opinion 0

John Herrman at The Awl laments the difficulties of the media in a world where they are no longer the gatekeepers of social knowledge.

Links.

5 December, 20154 September, 2016 Industry, Links, Metal, mp3, Musician 0

A Swedish black metal band who studied Catholicism so intensely for more efficient blasphemy that they wound up converting to Catholicism. The pioneering women