tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-91276043894158966632024-03-13T15:22:02.885+00:00I Shot A Man In RenoDEATH: THE MUSICALGraeme Thomsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14722742900879771689noreply@blogger.comBlogger163125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9127604389415896663.post-66442539880029385022011-07-13T13:48:00.002+01:002011-07-13T13:49:54.949+01:00Rock'n'Reel review<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4bbXC17olwA/Th2UWr32ynI/AAAAAAAAAfI/ZlZeLhPQS5E/s1600/R%2526RReview.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 112px; height: 320px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4bbXC17olwA/Th2UWr32ynI/AAAAAAAAAfI/ZlZeLhPQS5E/s320/R%2526RReview.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5628818226738023026" border="0" /></a>Graeme Thomsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14722742900879771689noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9127604389415896663.post-45805961375142540772011-05-25T09:37:00.004+01:002011-05-25T09:46:40.288+01:00The Resurrection of Johnny Cash: Mojo & Uncut reviews<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GI05mNyAn4A/TdzB4PjGDDI/AAAAAAAAAe8/GXHm0BvCfcw/s1600/JCMojoReview.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 111px; height: 320px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GI05mNyAn4A/TdzB4PjGDDI/AAAAAAAAAe8/GXHm0BvCfcw/s320/JCMojoReview.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5610572407787359282" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ajwwwuUu0uo/TdzBcxRzyfI/AAAAAAAAAe0/0Gy4PzMfrVI/s1600/JCUncutReview.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 201px; height: 320px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ajwwwuUu0uo/TdzBcxRzyfI/AAAAAAAAAe0/0Gy4PzMfrVI/s320/JCUncutReview.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5610571935805327858" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-K91nGNN13VI/Tdy_9KiOWmI/AAAAAAAAAeU/QWBdYsrtmjw/s1600/JCUncutReview.jpg"><br /></a>Graeme Thomsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14722742900879771689noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9127604389415896663.post-67803442363537832892011-05-17T16:35:00.010+01:002011-05-18T12:08:40.949+01:00The Resurrection of Johnny Cash<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-25zsOZzrwN4/TdKYWTZQfUI/AAAAAAAAAeM/w8xUNdqhgyU/s1600/CashCover.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 140px; height: 200px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-25zsOZzrwN4/TdKYWTZQfUI/AAAAAAAAAeM/w8xUNdqhgyU/s200/CashCover.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5607711994960444738" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:100%;">I have a new book out, published by <a href="http://www.jawbonepress.com/">Jawbone</a> and called </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-family:arial;font-size:100%;" >The Resurrection of Johnny Cash: Hurt, Redemption and American Recordings</span><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:100%;">. Here's <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Resurrection-Johnny-Cash-Graeme-Thomson/dp/1906002363/ref=ntt_at_ep_dpt_2">some blurb</a> about it on Amazon.<br /><br />Some early reviews are already in, and very nice they are too. The <a href="http://www.recordcollectormag.com/reviews/review-detail/7171">review in the new issue of </a></span><a href="http://www.recordcollectormag.com/reviews/review-detail/7171"><span style="font-style: italic; font-family:arial;font-size:100%;" >Record Collector</span></a><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:100%;"> calls it a "marvellous book ... masterfully chronicling the last few years of Cash's life ... Thomson's always eloquent writing fills the page with atmosphere and keen critical assessment."<span style="font-style: italic;"> </span>On a similarly positive note,<span style="font-style: italic;"> </span><span>Bill Kopp at Musoscribe has written a <a href="http://blog.billkopp.com/?p=514">really astute review</a> of the book, while</span><span style="font-style: italic;"> Anti Music</span> has <a href="http://www.antimusic.com/reviews/11/The_Resurrection_of_Johnny_Cash-_Hurt,_Redemption,_and_American_Recordings.shtml">this to say</a>.<br /><br />The review from the current edition of </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-family:arial;font-size:100%;" >The Word</span><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:100%;"> - <a href="http://www.wordmagazine.co.uk/latest">the 100th issue</a>, and a fine thing it is too - is scanned below:</span><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-J60NMPWl2tw/TdKWngkL7SI/AAAAAAAAAeE/n1wh64b2yrQ/s1600/CashWordReview.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 134px; height: 320px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-J60NMPWl2tw/TdKWngkL7SI/AAAAAAAAAeE/n1wh64b2yrQ/s320/CashWordReview.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5607710091530464546" border="0" /></a>Graeme Thomsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14722742900879771689noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9127604389415896663.post-60814666570670773702010-09-14T10:21:00.005+01:002010-09-14T17:59:51.872+01:00All the News That Fits<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_GQK9p4RW76I/TI9BslNX9uI/AAAAAAAAAco/ThdMHYv7W5c/s1600/Isobel+solo+3MB.jpg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 251px; height: 320px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_GQK9p4RW76I/TI9BslNX9uI/AAAAAAAAAco/ThdMHYv7W5c/s320/Isobel+solo+3MB.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5516700302710404834" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-family: arial;">Much to catch up on. First, reviews in </span><i style="font-family: arial;">Uncut</i><span style="font-family: arial;"> of Isobel Campbell and Mark Lanegan’s latest opus, </span><a style="font-family: arial;" href="http://www.uncut.co.uk/music/isobel_campbell/reviews/14316"><i>Hawk</i></a><span style="font-family: arial;">, and the new </span><a style="font-family: arial;" href="http://www.uncut.co.uk/music/ray_lamontagne/reviews/14348">Ray LaMontagne album</a><span style="font-family: arial;">. There's also a meaty feature in the latest issue about Paul Simon’s </span><i style="font-family: arial;">Graceland</i><span style="font-family: arial;">; it isn’t online but is in stores NOW. As is my meeting with venerable thesp (and wearer of dangerously tight shirts) Simon Callow, which appears in the new issue of </span><a style="font-family: arial;" href="http://www.wordmagazine.co.uk/buy"><i>The Word</i> magazine</a><span style="font-family: arial;">, alongside my chats with the likes of Cerys Matthews, Cathal Coughlan and Ride's Mark Gardener.</span><br /><p style="font-family: arial;" class="MsoNormal"><br />What else? A <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2010/aug/18/libertines-no-great-band">highly enjoyable pop</a> at the Libertines in the <i>Guardian</i> and lots of lovely stuff at <i>theartsdesk</i>, which celebrated its first birthday last week and goes from strength to strength. I review John Grant, The Phantom Band, Phoenix, Steve Mason and write about <a href="http://www.theartsdesk.com/index.php?searchword=graeme+thomson&ordering=&searchphrase=exact&Itemid=34&option=com_search">lots of other goodness</a>. While you’re there, check out Jasper Rees's excellent interview with <a href="http://www.theartsdesk.com/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&id=2184:theartsdesk-qa-michael-sheen&Itemid=80">Michael Sheen</a> and Chris Christodoulou’s jaw dropping <a href="http://www.theartsdesk.com/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&id=2181:photo-gallery-the-proms&Itemid=39">photo gallery </a>of orchestra conductors in action.<br /><br />Also, highly pleasing reviews of my Kate Bush biog, <i>Under the Ivy</i>, continue coming in. <i>The Irish Times</i> judged it “the best music biography in perhaps the past decade... an absorbing, painstakingly researched and downright fascinating book”. <span style="font-style: italic;">Q</span> awarded it 4 stars and called it “respectful, fascinating and full of insight...”, while RTE's prime time arts show <span style="font-style: italic;">Arena</span> settled for “definitive”. For all the latest visit <a href="http://undertheivybook.blogspot.com/">the book's blog</a>.</p> <span style="font-size:130%;"><span style=";font-family:arial;font-size:10pt;" ></span></span><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>Normal</w:View> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:punctuationkerning/> <w:validateagainstschemas/> <w:saveifxmlinvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:ignoremixedcontent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:alwaysshowplaceholdertext>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables/> <w:snaptogridincell/> <w:wraptextwithpunct/> <w:useasianbreakrules/> <w:dontgrowautofit/> </w:Compatibility> <w:browserlevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:latentstyles deflockedstate="false" latentstylecount="156"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; 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mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0cm; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ansi-language:#0400; mso-fareast-language:#0400; mso-bidi-language:#0400;} </style> <![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>Normal</w:View> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:punctuationkerning/> <w:validateagainstschemas/> <w:saveifxmlinvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:ignoremixedcontent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:alwaysshowplaceholdertext>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables/> <w:snaptogridincell/> <w:wraptextwithpunct/> <w:useasianbreakrules/> <w:dontgrowautofit/> </w:Compatibility> <w:browserlevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:latentstyles deflockedstate="false" latentstylecount="156"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0cm; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ansi-language:#0400; mso-fareast-language:#0400; mso-bidi-language:#0400;} </style> <![endif]-->Graeme Thomsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14722742900879771689noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9127604389415896663.post-2809810994058267542010-08-05T11:57:00.005+01:002010-08-05T12:12:20.112+01:00American Beauty<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_GQK9p4RW76I/TFqcW894MlI/AAAAAAAAAcM/oPiOMFEETEk/s1600/KK.jpg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 142px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_GQK9p4RW76I/TFqcW894MlI/AAAAAAAAAcM/oPiOMFEETEk/s200/KK.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5501881812923200082" border="0" /></a><span style=";font-family:arial;font-size:100%;" >It's been all about American legends lately, as the following flurry of hyper-links suggests.<br /><br />First up there was an examination of the <a href="http://www.heraldscotland.com/arts-ents/music-features/why-all-country-roads-lead-back-to-the-roots-of-elvis-presley-1.1043731">roots of Elvis</a> (P not C) featuring contributions from the wonderful Paul Buchanan; then fascinating chats with <a href="http://bit.ly/cKbLi8">Rosanne Cash</a> and <a href="http://bit.ly/9MsQMm">Kris Kristofferson</a>, plus a <a href="http://bit.ly/bZ07Ja">review</a> of the latter’s recent Edinburgh show over at </span><span style="font-style: italic;font-family:arial;font-size:100%;" >theartsdesk</span><span style=";font-family:arial;font-size:100%;" >, where I also contributed to <a href="http://bit.ly/9dF20c">a round-up</a> of the month's best new albums. I’ve also reviewed some telly: a great documentary on <a href="http://www.theartsdesk.com/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&id=1846:merle-haggard-learning-to-live-with-myself-bbc4&Itemid=27">Merle Haggard</a> and new BBC Four comedy <a href="http://bit.ly/a9TYuz">The Great Outdoors</a>.</span><span style=";font-family:arial;font-size:100%;" ><br /><br />P.S. I’m now on <a href="http://twitter.com/GraemeAThomson">Twitter</a> (oh yes, always one step ahead of the throng) if anyone fancies dropping in.<br /><br /></span>Graeme Thomsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14722742900879771689noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9127604389415896663.post-26064036939031189602010-07-09T10:38:00.004+01:002010-07-09T10:45:26.122+01:00Top Bird<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_GQK9p4RW76I/TDbvRTBSsxI/AAAAAAAAAbs/pGx6H3XzeJY/s1600/Martina+1.jpg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 134px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_GQK9p4RW76I/TDbvRTBSsxI/AAAAAAAAAbs/pGx6H3XzeJY/s200/Martina+1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5491839876067406610" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:100%;" ><span style="font-family:arial;">“Initially you could sense that it would be more convenient for other people if I were to continue to collaborate with Tricky,” she says. “‘That works, why change it?’ I try to gravitate to people who are less fearful than that and will get behind you. You have to keep a strong mind and not be limited by other people’s bullshit and perceptions. No one can know your potential until you show them.” </span></span><br /><br /><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family: arial;">A chat </span><a style="font-family: arial;" href="http://www.heraldscotland.com/arts-ents/music-features/a-simple-pleasure-1.1040115">here</a><span style="font-family: arial;"> with Martina Topley-Bird, who is back with an utterly beguiling new album </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-family: arial;">Some Place Simple</span><span style="font-family: arial;">; and some slightly woozy words with the equally fearless Rickie Lee Jones </span><a style="font-family: arial;" href="http://www.heraldscotland.com/arts-ents/music-features/on-the-road-going-for-broke-1.1039752">here</a></span> <span style=";font-family:";font-size:13.5pt;color:black;" ><o:p></o:p></span> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:";font-size:13.5pt;color:black;" ><o:p> </o:p></span></p>Graeme Thomsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14722742900879771689noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9127604389415896663.post-79062123728150062012010-06-24T16:22:00.004+01:002010-06-24T16:26:24.063+01:00Art & Acorns<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_GQK9p4RW76I/TCN4QZ1UbCI/AAAAAAAAAas/c4fb1ysCQ6I/s1600/theacorn110610_W.jpg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 108px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_GQK9p4RW76I/TCN4QZ1UbCI/AAAAAAAAAas/c4fb1ysCQ6I/s200/theacorn110610_W.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5486360994275159074" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family: arial;font-family:arial;font-size:100%;" ><span style="font-style: italic;">“It’s not incidental that </span>No Ghost<span style="font-style: italic;"> was recorded in a cottage in the back of beyond in Quebec, the kind of place where phone signals peter out into static. On occasion the songs here are almost hypnotically hushed. At other times they’re both louder and more unhinged than ever before. There’s always been muscle in The Acorn’s music, now it’s simply more pronounced.”</span></span><span style="font-family: arial;font-size:100%;" > My <a href="http://www.uncut.co.uk/music/the_acorn/reviews/14164"><span style="font-style: italic;">Uncut</span> review</a> of The Acorn’s <span style="font-style: italic;">No Ghost</span> is now online.</span><span style="font-family: arial;font-size:100%;" ><br /><br />Also, a ton of <a href="http://www.theartsdesk.com/index.php?searchword=graeme+thomson&ordering=&searchphrase=exact&Itemid=34&option=com_search">my film, music and TV reviews</a> can be viewed over at <span style="font-style: italic;">theartsdesk</span>. </span>Graeme Thomsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14722742900879771689noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9127604389415896663.post-57918437154074964912010-06-03T12:53:00.004+01:002010-09-14T18:00:22.982+01:00Steady As She Goes<span style="font-family: arial;">Glancing up from a Dickensian pile of work so tall and precarious it's threatening at any moment to topple down to the ground like one of those over-sized pub Jenga games that used to be all the rage, I note with a moderate degree of interest that my </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-family: arial;">Uncut</span><span style="font-family: arial;"> review of the new(ish) Hold Steady album, </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-family: arial;">Heaven is Whenever</span><span style="font-family: arial;">, is </span><a style="font-family: arial;" href="http://www.uncut.co.uk/music/the_hold_steady/reviews/14125">now online</a><span style="font-family: arial;">. That is all.</span>Graeme Thomsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14722742900879771689noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9127604389415896663.post-26140275059634773652010-05-27T15:10:00.006+01:002010-06-24T16:27:14.362+01:00Thorny Questions<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_GQK9p4RW76I/S_59uTH4w7I/AAAAAAAAAaU/sozlHVrPa0Y/s1600/thorn.JPG"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 133px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_GQK9p4RW76I/S_59uTH4w7I/AAAAAAAAAaU/sozlHVrPa0Y/s200/thorn.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5475952431289910194" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family: arial;font-family:arial;font-size:100%;" ><strong><span style="font-weight: normal;">"<span style="font-style: italic;">Tracey Thorn’s new solo album, </span><span style="font-style: italic;">Love And Its Opposite</span><span style="font-style: italic;">, is a quietly extraordinary record, eschewing the fireworks of grand passion to explore the niggles and neuroses bubbling below the surface of many long-term relationships</span>." I talk to Thorn about her ace new album <a href="http://www.heraldscotland.com/arts-ents/music-features/divorce-adultery-and-mood-swings-1.1030922">here</a>.</span></strong></span><span style="font-family: arial;font-family:arial;font-size:100%;" ><br /><br />I also recently caught up with Sandi Thom, who’s gone from much-maligned internet ‘sensation’ to gnarled Blues warbler. Odd. More <a href="http://www.heraldscotland.com/arts-ents/music-features/rebirth-and-the-blues-1.1028311">here</a>.</span>Graeme Thomsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14722742900879771689noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9127604389415896663.post-158747596072530122010-05-07T11:32:00.005+01:002010-09-14T18:00:42.009+01:00<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_GQK9p4RW76I/S-Psa4s6kAI/AAAAAAAAAZM/LCby5V90Ego/s1600/krisK.jpg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 160px; height: 200px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_GQK9p4RW76I/S-Psa4s6kAI/AAAAAAAAAZM/LCby5V90Ego/s200/krisK.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5468474319199440898" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic; font-family: arial;">There’s some wonderful YouTube footage of Kris Kristofferson receiving a gong at the 1970 Country Music Association awards. He lopes on stage with his hair covering his shoulders and his trousers hanging from his hips, scratching his head and grinning at an audience of bow-ties and comb-overs who gasp and giggle at this upstart hippie freak. He’s monosyllabic, but the message to the Nashville establishment is clear: welcome to the future. We’re going to start doing things a little differently around here</span><span style="font-family: arial;">.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: arial;">On today of all days, it feels comforting to be in the company of an old leftie firebrand. I talk to Kris Kristofferson for the Guardian </span><a style="font-family: arial;" href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2010/may/06/kris-kristofferson-reminisces">here</a><span style="font-family: arial;">.</span>Graeme Thomsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14722742900879771689noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9127604389415896663.post-38813014144532461912010-05-06T16:26:00.000+01:002010-05-06T16:30:38.896+01:00Simon Says, Hold Tight<meta equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><meta name="ProgId" content="Word.Document"><meta name="Generator" content="Microsoft Word 11"><meta name="Originator" content="Microsoft Word 11"><link rel="File-List" href="file:///C:%5CUsers%5COwner%5CAppData%5CLocal%5CTemp%5Cmsohtml1%5C01%5Cclip_filelist.xml"><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>Normal</w:View> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:punctuationkerning/> <w:validateagainstschemas/> <w:saveifxmlinvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:ignoremixedcontent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:alwaysshowplaceholdertext>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables/> <w:snaptogridincell/> <w:wraptextwithpunct/> <w:useasianbreakrules/> <w:dontgrowautofit/> </w:Compatibility> <w:browserlevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:latentstyles deflockedstate="false" latentstylecount="156"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--><style> <!-- /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0cm; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size:14.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";} @page Section1 {size:612.0pt 792.0pt; margin:72.0pt 90.0pt 72.0pt 90.0pt; mso-header-margin:36.0pt; mso-footer-margin:36.0pt; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} --> </style><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0cm; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ansi-language:#0400; mso-fareast-language:#0400; mso-bidi-language:#0400;} </style> <![endif]--> <p class="MsoNormal">A couple of pieces appearing in the <span style="font-style: italic;">Herald</span> this week. One an <a href="http://www.heraldscotland.com/arts-ents/music-features/accentuating-the-positive-1.1025211">interview with Craig Finn</a> of the mighty Hold Steady, who have got themselves back on course with <span style="font-style: italic;">Heaven Is Whenever</span>; and another with <a href="http://www.heraldscotland.com/arts-ents/music-features/after-37-years-harper-breaks-sound-of-silence-1.1025800">Harper Simon</a>, son of Paul, who has made one of the year-to-date’s most elegant and engaging albums. </p> Graeme Thomsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14722742900879771689noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9127604389415896663.post-91282485799932197082010-05-02T12:20:00.001+01:002010-05-02T12:23:04.155+01:00Coco, Without Pops<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_GQK9p4RW76I/S91gRK5pEII/AAAAAAAAAY0/NAW8tAK_mqM/s1600/coco.JPG"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 133px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_GQK9p4RW76I/S91gRK5pEII/AAAAAAAAAY0/NAW8tAK_mqM/s200/coco.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5466631370797813890" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">You can’t fault her dedication. A couple of years ago Sumner, who performs as I Blame Coco, posted a song on YouTube called "</span>My Name Is A Stain<span style="font-style: italic;">", in which she sang: ‘Forget my dad, you need to hear my band!’ It now embarrasses her slightly – “I don’t regret it because it records a moment of time, I just don’t listen to it” – but she stands by the message.</span><br /><br />I speak to Sting jr. <a href="http://www.heraldscotland.com/arts-ents/music-features/coco-without-pops-1.1024126">here</a><br /> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>Graeme Thomsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14722742900879771689noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9127604389415896663.post-18922069246508086762010-04-29T09:21:00.005+01:002010-04-29T09:29:54.465+01:00Bush, Baby<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_GQK9p4RW76I/S9lDA4mwP0I/AAAAAAAAAYU/JNPH4A6ZKb0/s1600/uncutcover.jpg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 141px; height: 200px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_GQK9p4RW76I/S9lDA4mwP0I/AAAAAAAAAYU/JNPH4A6ZKb0/s200/uncutcover.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5465473305264799554" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family: times new roman;">My new book, </span><a style="font-family: times new roman;" href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Under-Ivy-Story-Kate-Bush/dp/1847729304/ref=pd_rhf_p_t_1"><span style="font-style: italic;">Under The Ivy: The Life & Music of Kate Bush</span></a><span style="font-family: times new roman;">, is published next week by Omnibus Press. I will still be updating this site with news of other work (such as today’s Duke Special piece) but I’d imagine that most of the action in the immediate future will be taking place over at my new blogsite for </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-family: times new roman;">Under The Ivy</span><span style="font-family: times new roman;">, which can be found </span><a style="font-family: times new roman;" href="http://undertheivybook.blogspot.com/">here</a><span style="font-family: times new roman;">. As well as posting the odd extract there, I’ll be adding reviews, news, extra info etc. as and when appropriate. I hope to see some of you over there. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: times new roman;">A long, adapted extract from the book forms the cover story in this month’s </span><a style="font-family: times new roman;" href="http://www.uncut.co.uk/magazine/">Uncut</a><span style="font-family: times new roman;">, concerning the circumstances surrounding the making of Bush’s 1985 classic album, </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-family: times new roman;">Hounds of Love</span><span style="font-family: times new roman;">. In that issue I also review the new Hold Steady album and a few other bits and bobs, and there's a great interview with Merle Haggard by Andrew Mueller. Go find.</span><br /> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>Graeme Thomsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14722742900879771689noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9127604389415896663.post-39904113990102181512010-04-29T09:10:00.002+01:002010-04-29T09:13:58.167+01:00Sir Duke<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_GQK9p4RW76I/S9k_ql92DpI/AAAAAAAAAX8/CkWxvEcWaQc/s1600/dukespecial.JPG"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 200px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_GQK9p4RW76I/S9k_ql92DpI/AAAAAAAAAX8/CkWxvEcWaQc/s320/dukespecial.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5465469623769370258" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">Witty, eclectic and often dazzling, </span>The Stage, A Book And The Silver Screen<span style="font-style: italic;"> acts as an elegant rebuttal to anyone who would argue that the trend for consuming music in bite-sized chunks has dulled the ambition of songwriters. One album, </span>The Silent World of Hector Mann<span style="font-style: italic;">, takes its cue from Paul Auster’s 2002 novel </span>A Book of Illusions<span style="font-style: italic;">; the other features songs Wilson wrote for a new stage adaptation of Bertolt Brecht’s </span>Mother Courage and Her Children<span style="font-style: italic;">, while the EP features the first ever recording of five songs written in 1950 by Kurt Weill for an abandoned musical version of </span>Huckleberry Finn<span style="font-style: italic;">.</span><br /><br />I <a href="http://www.heraldscotland.com/arts-ents/stage-visual-arts/special-kind-of-ambition-1.1023815">venture inside</a> the dazzling mind of Duke Special<br /><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>Graeme Thomsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14722742900879771689noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9127604389415896663.post-76254510559104330262010-04-27T23:18:00.002+01:002010-04-27T23:21:19.018+01:00Rokia's Road<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_GQK9p4RW76I/S9djLSvKVvI/AAAAAAAAAXs/ZUC53GhuQWA/s1600/rokia_traore.jpg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 167px; height: 200px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_GQK9p4RW76I/S9djLSvKVvI/AAAAAAAAAXs/ZUC53GhuQWA/s200/rokia_traore.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5464945718496745202" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">Rokia Traoré has always seemed most comfortable creating at trysting points, darting between different worlds without ever quite belonging to any one of them. The daughter of a Malian diplomat, as a child her favourite locations were airports, “this middle point between two places; the idea of leaving a place to go to another one was the most interesting part of my childhood”. As a musician, too, the singer and songwriter gets a creative kick out of being in transit, moving from Mozart to Billie Holiday, from folk to jazz, in order to escape what she calls the “kind of jail” of world music. </span><br /><br />Read my interview with the sublime Rokia Traoré <a href="http://www.theartsdesk.com/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&id=1386:rokia-traor%C3%A9-interview&Itemid=29">here</a>.Graeme Thomsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14722742900879771689noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9127604389415896663.post-57554240108034694212010-04-23T16:01:00.010+01:002010-04-23T16:16:12.051+01:00A Tangled Web<meta equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><meta name="ProgId" content="Word.Document"><meta name="Generator" content="Microsoft Word 11"><meta name="Originator" content="Microsoft Word 11"><link rel="File-List" href="file:///C:%5CUsers%5COwner%5CAppData%5CLocal%5CTemp%5Cmsohtml1%5C01%5Cclip_filelist.xml"><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>Normal</w:View> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:punctuationkerning/> <w:validateagainstschemas/> <w:saveifxmlinvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:ignoremixedcontent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:alwaysshowplaceholdertext>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables/> <w:snaptogridincell/> <w:wraptextwithpunct/> <w:useasianbreakrules/> <w:dontgrowautofit/> </w:Compatibility> <w:browserlevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:latentstyles deflockedstate="false" latentstylecount="156"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--><style> <!-- /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0cm; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size:14.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";} @page Section1 {size:612.0pt 792.0pt; margin:72.0pt 90.0pt 72.0pt 90.0pt; mso-header-margin:36.0pt; mso-footer-margin:36.0pt; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} --> </style><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0cm; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ansi-language:#0400; mso-fareast-language:#0400; mso-bidi-language:#0400;} </style> <![endif]--> <p class="MsoNormal">You can <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2010/apr/22/band-website-ash-stereophonics">read</a> my – somewhat truncated, though much tweeted - feature about the inner workings of band websites in today’s <span style="font-style: italic;">Guardian</span>. One of the artist’s featured, Sam Carter, is well worth checking out. He won best newcomer at this year's BBC Folk Awards and his website is <a href="http://www.samcartermusic.co.uk/">here</a>.</p><p class="MsoNormal">
<br /></p><p class="MsoNormal">Here’s a clip of him in action, doing sweet justice to a John Martyn classic.</p><p class="MsoNormal">
<br /></p><meta equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><meta name="ProgId" content="Word.Document"><meta name="Generator" content="Microsoft Word 11"><meta name="Originator" content="Microsoft Word 11"><link rel="File-List" href="file:///C:%5CUsers%5COwner%5CAppData%5CLocal%5CTemp%5Cmsohtml1%5C01%5Cclip_filelist.xml"><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>Normal</w:View> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:punctuationkerning/> <w:validateagainstschemas/> <w:saveifxmlinvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:ignoremixedcontent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:alwaysshowplaceholdertext>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables/> <w:snaptogridincell/> <w:wraptextwithpunct/> <w:useasianbreakrules/> <w:dontgrowautofit/> </w:Compatibility> <w:browserlevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:latentstyles deflockedstate="false" latentstylecount="156"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--><style> <!-- /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0cm; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size:14.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";} @page Section1 {size:595.3pt 841.9pt; margin:72.0pt 90.0pt 72.0pt 90.0pt; mso-header-margin:35.4pt; mso-footer-margin:35.4pt; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} --> </style><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0cm; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ansi-language:#0400; mso-fareast-language:#0400; mso-bidi-language:#0400;} </style> <![endif]--> <p class="MsoNormal"><object width="500" height="405"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube-nocookie.com/v/xhEMsX-iqNI&hl=en_GB&fs=1&border=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube-nocookie.com/v/xhEMsX-iqNI&hl=en_GB&fs=1&border=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="500" height="405"></embed></object></p> <p class="MsoNormal">
<br /></p><p class="MsoNormal">I also review another promising folkie - and another John Martyn fan - Dan Arborise at <a href="http://www.theartsdesk.com/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&id=1355:dan-arborise-music-review&Itemid=27">theartsdesk</a>. </p><p class="MsoNormal">
<br /></p>Graeme Thomsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14722742900879771689noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9127604389415896663.post-48762071213249738572010-04-16T17:31:00.003+01:002010-04-16T17:34:29.615+01:00Oh Sister<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_GQK9p4RW76I/S8iRSSUBsgI/AAAAAAAAAXE/vzy0M1yn4XU/s1600/sistwer.JPG"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 133px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_GQK9p4RW76I/S8iRSSUBsgI/AAAAAAAAAXE/vzy0M1yn4XU/s200/sistwer.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5460774291526234626" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">Fahey has always seemed suspicious of mainstream success, identifying more with Patti Smith – “a guiding light” – than Ginger Spice. Born in County Meath to Irish parents, she was raised in London and feels like a “weird hybrid of two cultures. I’ve got an Irish passport but an English accent; I think that’s a key factor to who I am. I’m an outsider wherever I go, but I’ve made my peace with that.”</span><br /><a href="http://www.heraldscotland.com/arts-ents/music-features/integrity-the-no-1-priority-1.1020972">I talk to the wonderfully contrary Siobhan Fahey</a> about reviving Shakespears Sister - and refusing to play Stay.<br /><p class="MsoNormal"><b style=""><o:p></o:p></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b style=""><o:p> </o:p></b></p>Graeme Thomsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14722742900879771689noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9127604389415896663.post-48951557951839297252010-04-12T16:29:00.004+01:002010-04-12T16:39:37.788+01:00Marvelling<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_GQK9p4RW76I/S8M8oKWfYDI/AAAAAAAAAWo/v25GLV4e_mM/s1600/marling.png"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 145px; height: 200px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_GQK9p4RW76I/S8M8oKWfYDI/AAAAAAAAAWo/v25GLV4e_mM/s200/marling.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5459273833974292530" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;"><br />"Despite the fuss and fluster, Marling comes across as a cool customer. At one stage she quite reasonably points out: “Nobody knows what I’m really like unless they’ve been with me, just like I don’t know what you’re like when you’re not interviewing.” Fair enough. She is collected and self-assured, with the suggestion of something more impulsive and elemental lurking just below the surface. A lot like her music, in fact."</span><br /><br />I <a href="http://www.heraldscotland.com/arts-ents/music-features/laura-marling-speaks-up-for-herself-1.1020068">speak to Ms Marling</a> - no longer blonde, now a demure brunette - about religion, fame and the trials of having a Top 5 album in <span style="font-style: italic;">I Speak Because I Can</span>.<br /><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p>Graeme Thomsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14722742900879771689noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9127604389415896663.post-86885431458494648962010-04-06T15:07:00.010+01:002010-04-20T08:55:18.553+01:00Back! Back! BACK!!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_GQK9p4RW76I/S7tCIHgA6-I/AAAAAAAAAWg/tSydpCXt5PQ/s1600/Mike-Scott-at-the-Abbey-T-001.jpg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 120px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_GQK9p4RW76I/S7tCIHgA6-I/AAAAAAAAAWg/tSydpCXt5PQ/s200/Mike-Scott-at-the-Abbey-T-001.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5457028080709200866" border="0" /></a>Right. Crikey. Been a while.<br /><br />Ridiculously busy what with one thing and another, with more news to come soon on lots of new writing and the next book. But first, catch up time.<br /><br />To summarise:<br /><ul><li>Big piece in the <span style="font-style: italic;">Guardian</span> on <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2010/mar/11/poetry-pop-yeats-auden">poetry and music</a>, featuring Mike Scott and WB Yeats (pictured).</li><li>Big piece in the <span style="font-style: italic;">Herald</span> on <a href="http://www.heraldscotland.com/arts-ents/music-features/lou-reed-defends-the-art-of-noise-1.1018545">Lou Reed</a>.</li><li>More pieces in the <span style="font-style: italic;">Herald</span>, on <a href="http://www.heraldscotland.com/mobile/arts-ents/music-features/getting-his-continental-drift-1.1014382">Toumani Diabate</a>, <a href="http://www.heraldscotland.com/arts-ents/music-features/from-nashville-with-love-1.1011201?localLinksEnabled=false">John Hiatt</a>, <a href="http://www.heraldscotland.com/arts-ents/music-features/a-singer-loudon-clear-1.1012015">Lucy Wainwright Roche</a>, <a href="http://www.heraldscotland.com/arts-ents/music-features/the-unknown-raconteur-is-hoping-for-a-hit-1.1010554">Brendan Benson</a> and <a href="http://www.s1play.com/music-and-clubs/artist/angie-stone/">Angie Stone</a>.</li><li>Some pieces on <span style="font-style: italic;">theartsdesk</span>, including a review of a beguiling <a href="http://www.theartsdesk.com/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&id=1167:karine-polwart-roxy-edinburgh-music-review&Itemid=27">Karine Polwart gig</a> and some words about some albums <a href="http://www.theartsdesk.com/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&id=1217:new-music-cds-round-up-7&Itemid=27">here</a> and <a href="http://www.theartsdesk.com/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&id=1047:new-music-cd-round-up-6&Itemid=29">here</a>.</li><li>Lots of stuff in the last few issues of the wonderful <a style="font-style: italic;" href="http://www.wordmagazine.co.uk/">Word</a>, including interviews with Ash, Lou Reed again, and reviews of a fab new chamber-opera concept album by Anais Mitchell, as well as some books and DVDs.</li><li>And some reviews in the new issue of <a style="font-style: italic;" href="http://www.uncut.co.uk/">Uncut</a>. Look out for more from me there.</li></ul>Let's not leave it so long next time.Graeme Thomsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14722742900879771689noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9127604389415896663.post-14503546029645809702010-02-23T12:15:00.001+00:002010-02-23T12:17:39.120+00:00Meltdown<meta equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><meta name="ProgId" content="Word.Document"><meta name="Generator" content="Microsoft Word 11"><meta name="Originator" content="Microsoft Word 11"><link rel="File-List" href="file:///C:%5CUsers%5COwner%5CAppData%5CLocal%5CTemp%5Cmsohtml1%5C01%5Cclip_filelist.xml"><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>Normal</w:View> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:punctuationkerning/> <w:validateagainstschemas/> <w:saveifxmlinvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:ignoremixedcontent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:alwaysshowplaceholdertext>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables/> <w:snaptogridincell/> <w:wraptextwithpunct/> <w:useasianbreakrules/> <w:dontgrowautofit/> </w:Compatibility> <w:browserlevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:latentstyles deflockedstate="false" latentstylecount="156"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--><style> <!-- /* Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family:Verdana; panose-1:2 11 6 4 3 5 4 4 2 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:swiss; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:-1593833729 1073750107 16 0 415 0;} @font-face {font-family:ArialMT; panose-1:0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0; mso-font-alt:Arial; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:swiss; mso-font-format:other; mso-font-pitch:auto; mso-font-signature:3 0 0 0 1 0;} /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0cm; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language:EN-US;} @page Section1 {size:612.0pt 792.0pt; margin:72.0pt 90.0pt 72.0pt 90.0pt; mso-header-margin:36.0pt; mso-footer-margin:36.0pt; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} --> </style><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0cm; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ansi-language:#0400; mso-fareast-language:#0400; mso-bidi-language:#0400;} </style> <![endif]--> <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="line-height: 150%;font-family:Verdana;font-size:13pt;" lang="EN-US" ><span style="font-size:85%;">I’m blogging over at the </span><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:85%;" >Guardian</span><span style="font-size:85%;"> on Richard Thompson’s appointment as the artistic director of Meltdown 2010. Come and add your thoughts <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/musicblog/2010/feb/23/meltdown-2010-richard-thompson">here</a>. </span><o:p></o:p></span></p> Graeme Thomsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14722742900879771689noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9127604389415896663.post-18461505605489307422010-02-23T08:34:00.001+00:002010-02-23T08:38:31.594+00:00Swede Swede Music<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_GQK9p4RW76I/S4OT3z-cr1I/AAAAAAAAAWQ/9YcF0Xkhv7Y/s1600-h/FAK2.JPG"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 133px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_GQK9p4RW76I/S4OT3z-cr1I/AAAAAAAAAWQ/9YcF0Xkhv7Y/s200/FAK2.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5441355361847914322" border="0" /></a>"<span style="font-style: italic;">There is something eternally refreshing about catching a band on the first show of their first tour after the release of their first album. Banter remains untarnished by overuse; smiles appear spontaneous and gratitude genuine; mistakes are swatted away with a giggle and a sly curse. Hope – that most intoxicating of emotions – fills the air like the scent of fresh cut grass. When the group march off stage at the end of the set and plonk themselves behind the merchandising table, it almost seems churlish not to hand over your cash, if only to buy into the dream that, right now, </span><em style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">everything seems possible</em><span style="font-style: italic;">.</span>"<br /><br />I review First Aid Kit’s Edinburgh show <a href="http://www.theartsdesk.com/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&id=1037:first-aid-kit-music-review&Itemid=27">here</a>, and talk to the audaciously talented and impressively composed Klara Soderberg <a href="http://www.heraldscotland.com/arts-ents/more-arts-entertainment-news/the-wisdom-of-youth-1.1007502">here</a>.Graeme Thomsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14722742900879771689noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9127604389415896663.post-12355850542457634772010-02-11T15:32:00.001+00:002010-02-11T15:35:37.433+00:00Art AttackThis week at <em>theartsdesk</em> I talk to the brilliant indigenous Australian singer <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Gurrumul-Geoffrey-Yunupingu/dp/B0013NFQ8O">Gurrumul</a>, who made the best-selling world music album of 2009, and <a href="http://www.theartsdesk.com/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&id=977:off-kilter-3-meades-tv-review&Itemid=27">review</a> Jonathan Meades’ fearless, provocative and highly perceptive film essaying the less-than-peachy state of the Scottish nation. If you any interest at all in music and the arts, you must keep an eye on <em>theartsdesk</em>. It's updated several times daily and features some of the best writers and writing anywhere.Graeme Thomsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14722742900879771689noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9127604389415896663.post-19466397980914645492010-02-11T15:28:00.002+00:002010-02-11T15:32:14.126+00:00Poetic Justice<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_GQK9p4RW76I/S3Qiq6nptxI/AAAAAAAAAWI/WH2YMu6SJ_Q/s1600-h/GSH.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5437008770828449554" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 200px" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_GQK9p4RW76I/S3Qiq6nptxI/AAAAAAAAAWI/WH2YMu6SJ_Q/s200/GSH.jpg" border="0" /></a> <em>"I’m New Here is not the summation of Scott-Heron’s career. It does not tie up the loose ends of his talent, nor is it assured enough to count as a rebirth. It’s not a singer’s album, nor a musician’s album. It’s barely even a poet’s album. It is, however, a survivor’s album, and one that doesn’t shirk from laying bare the cost of making it through a world of darkness. The merciless gaze Scott-Heron previously turned on the soul of America and society’s manifold ills has now been aimed squarely at himself."<br /></em><br />In the <em>Sunday Herald</em> I <a href="http://www.s1play.com/music-and-clubs/artist/gil-scott-heron/">review</a> the extraordinary album that marks the return of Gil Scott-Heron<em>.</em> He's coming to Edinburgh in April. Miss him at your peril.Graeme Thomsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14722742900879771689noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9127604389415896663.post-91187046751226861182010-02-03T08:10:00.005+00:002010-02-03T08:21:28.450+00:00Go Down Easy<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_GQK9p4RW76I/S2kxtw1311I/AAAAAAAAAWA/jI1Nhz3fRsY/s1600-h/fak.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5433929087673947986" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 133px" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_GQK9p4RW76I/S2kxtw1311I/AAAAAAAAAWA/jI1Nhz3fRsY/s200/fak.jpg" border="0" /></a> Last week we held a <a href="http://www.theartsdesk.com/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&id=875:john-martyn&Itemid=29">One Year Wake</a> for John Martyn over at theartsdesk, to mark the first anniversary of his death on January 29, 2009. In the piece I recalled the time I visited John at his home in Thomastown, and also relived the hours after his death, when I spoke to many of his friends.<br /><br />Also on theartsdesk, I <a href="http://www.theartsdesk.com/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&id=879:new-music-cd-round-up-5&Itemid=27">review</a> the really rather wonderful debut album by Swedish sisters <em>(pictured)</em> First Aid Kit, called <em>The Big Black and the Blue</em>: Fact: there is no harmony quite like a sibling harmony. Nice jumpers, too.<br /><br />Finally, closer to home, I sneak down an alley over on Glasgow's south side to relive the glory days of Park Lane studios with,among others, the lavishly sideboarded Justin Currie of Del Amitri, a band I still love just a little despite myself. More <a href="http://www.heraldscotland.com/arts-ents/music-features/west-coast-sound-1.1003032">here</a>.Graeme Thomsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14722742900879771689noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9127604389415896663.post-68445340873402989682010-01-26T16:18:00.001+00:002010-01-26T16:19:33.642+00:00Once Upon A Time A Song....I’ve started a new blog, over at: <a href="http://onceuponatimeasong.blogspot.com/">http://onceuponatimeasong.blogspot.com/</a><br /><br />I've always been fascinated by juvenilia and baby steps; beginnings, after all, are usually more revealing and certainly less guarded than endings. This new blog is intended as a place for songwriters to discuss their very first forays into composition; from the gory details - title, lyrics, chords, the full pack drill - to less concrete impressions of what they learned from the experience and how they now look back at their earliest scribblings, seen through the prism of years of hindsight and experience.<br /><br />The first few entires are now up, and I’ll be adding to them regularly. Please go over and have a look and leave a comment. I think it's going to be fascinating...Graeme Thomsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14722742900879771689noreply@blogger.com0