Spasming through from the 1890's

The latest instalment of the Art of Noise encyclopaedia is up.

We're now up to J.

Amongst the following entries

*James
*journeys down memory lane
*Little Jeff
*'Jerk it Out' by the Caesars
*joy
*juniors
*Junior/Senior
*Justified Ancient of Mu-Mu

is my piece on 'jugs'.

Yeah, you heard.

VP new reviews - 09feb06

Reviews added to www.vanityproject.co.uk today

Interviews:
*Iodo

Album Reviews:
*Autumn’s Grey Solace – Riverine (Projekt)
*Buzzkill – Driven By Loss (In At The Deep End)
*Dakar & Grinser - Triumph of Flesh (Disko B)
*Dusty Sound System – Days of Splendour, Nights of Horror (Truck)
*Electronic Music Composer - Abandon Music (Planet Mu)
*François Tétaz – Wolf Creek OST (Rubber)
*Holly Throsby – On Night (Woo Me!)
*Jack Rose – Kensington Blues (Beautiful Happiness)
*Jethro Tull – Aqualung Live (RandM)
*Kid Congo and the Pink Monkey Birds - ‘Philosophy and Underwear’ (Trans Solar)
*Licky – Press Fire To Continue (Something To Listen to)
*Millionaire – Paradisiac (Pias)
*Morning Runner – Wilderness Is Paradise Now (Parlophone)
*Pete Dale & The Beta Males – Betrayed By Folk (Fortuna Pop!)
*Rosolina Mar – Before And After Dinner (Wallace/Robotradio)
*Stretch Arm Strong – Free At Last (WPO)
*Various - Noise Research Program Volume 2 (Burning Emptiness)
*Various - The Sound of Young New York & Toronto (Plant Music)
*Various – Summoning Of The Muse, A Tribute To Dead Can Dance (Projekt)
*Volcano – Beautiful Seizure (Leaf)
*White Rose Movement - Kick (Independiente)

Single Reviews:
*5000 Killer Diseases –Demo
*At The Lake – These Days (Popfiction)
*Be Your Own Pet - Let’s Get Sandy (Big Problem) (XL)
*Harrisons - Bluenote (Melodic)
*Humanzi - Long Time Coming (Fiction)
*Idiot Pilot - A Day In The Life Of A Poolshark (Reprise Records)
*The Isles - Eve Of The Battle (Melodic)
*Joan As Policewoman – My Gurl/Sweet Thing (Reveal)
*THE KBC - Pride Before The Fall/Poisonous Emblem (High Voltage)
*Litterbug – Speaking Through The Gaps (Just Say No To Government Music)
*Magic8 – Battleships
*McQueen – Running Out Of Things To say (Furry Tongue Records)
*The Playmates/Instant Species/Farming Incident/The Terminals – Wrath Supersevens #12 (Wrath)
*Revue Noir – The Gravediggers (Projekt)
*The Scaramanga Six /Me Against Them – Wrath Supersevens #11 (Wrath)
*The Skeksis – EP1
*The Snowdrops – Sleepydust EP (Matinée)
*Stephanie Kirkham - Show Me What You’re Made Of (SLK)
*The Telescopes – Auditory Illusions (Double Agent)
*The Whip - Frustration (Kids)

Strands

Quick post to highlight a little addition to the Beefheart.com weblog which appeals to me on several levels. Intrigued by a listing of two tracks part credited to Don Van Vliet, an investigation was undertaken into their involvement. After hitting several dead ends, they eventually stuck gold.

This is a tale which is bound to appeal to a librarian such as myself.

It also appeals to me on a personal and socially historical level as the tracks 'Can Fever' and 'Bone Crazy' were by now defunct Portsmouth band Screeper. I travelled around in their van up to London, Southampton and around Pompey back when I was first getting myself involved in the Portsmouth music scene in 1996. Saw them about 30 times in nigh-on 3 years.

One of my strongest memories is of the time they performed at the bottom of a 20 act, local FM radio pop bill in front of thousands in a Southampton park. Singer Dave's first words on stage to the assembled hoardes uninterested in anything that wasn't 'famous'? "C'mon you blues". Danger was his lifeblood.

Having Louise, Alisha's Attic and Jimmy Sommerville (amongst several others) knocking about with less of an entourage than our hometown heroes was quite a sight too. We came, we hid in the back of the van, we stole the free beer. I also remember drunkenly announcing the arrival of a Scottish rock band with the shout "Gun are here". Should have put more thought into that or, at least, said it less quickly.

Indeed, the precursor for Vanity Project, our Portsmouth-centric record label Elastic Fiction, released 'Can Fever' on its first cassette compilation that was distibuted free to promote bands on the scene at that time. Hardly any of which exist now. If anyone wants a free tape, or a CD that we did 3 years later, do email skif45@hotmail.com!

Screeper, well Dave Jones from the band, then formed Reinhardt and now heads up Autons, which also features Tony Rollinson, my kinda sven-gali figure for my label and writing efforts within the Pompey scene, and Leon Tricker, best mate of 25 years standing. I've yet to see them live, something i eventually hope to correct.

All the strands weaving together. Boot a football at it and it'd be nigh on perfect.

VP new reviews - 02feb06

The following have been added to www.vanityproject.co.uk.

Album Reviews
*Amen Orchestra - 17 Waves (Art-Tek Records).
*Colt – These Things Can’t Hurt You Now So Throw Them In The Fire (Something To Listen To).
*Esoterica – The Fool (Something To Listen To).
*Greg Dulli’s Amber Headlights – Greg Dulli’s Amber Headlights (Infernal).
*Jenny Lewis with The Watson Twins - Rabbit Fur Coat (Rough Trade).
*Kelley Stoltz - Below The Branches (Sub Pop).
*MJ Hibbett – Ubërset (Artists Against Success).
*The Ruts - Babylon’s Burning: Reconstructed - Dub Drenched Soundscapes (Collision).
*Send More Paramedics / Zombie Apocalypse – Tales Told By Dead Men (In At The Deep End).
*Siouxsie – Dreamshow (Live At The Royal Festival Hall with The Millennia Ensemble) DVD (Demon Vision).
*Sludgefeast – Virtua-Rock (Must Destroy).
*Super Distortion – Super Distortion (Pointy Bird).
*That Fucking Tank – Day of Death by Bono Adrenalin Shot (Jealous).
*Trouble Over Tokyo – 1000 (Tokyotron).
*Venetian Snares - Meathole (Planet Mu).
*Vex’d - Degenerate (Planet Mu).

Single Reviews
*Balor Knights/The Scarlet Tuesday – Just Cos Keenan Said So/A Perfect Quarter (Sheffield Phonographic Corporation).
*Boy Kill Boy – Back Again (Mercury).
*Cadillac – Wilder Than This (Popfiction).
*Catnap – Have You Seen Larry?
*Dilated Peoples – Back Again (Capitol).
*Electroluvs – Boy Don’t Bother/Teenage Timebomb (NinthWave).
*Korn - Twisted Transistor (Virgin).
*Rework - Psych Doll/Jogging Beat (Playhouse).
*Robben Island – Cigars And Burlesque.
*Roger - Kids and Thieves (Mate Recordings).
*The Strange Death Of Liberal England – stop/go happy/sad forward/forward.
*Trap2 – Low Without Sound EP (Blow Up).
*YSN – More (Wrath).

Live Reviews
*Regina Spektor. Liverpool Carling Academy 2. 30jan06.