Unfinished Sympathy

Trust me #79
Unfinished Sympathy by Massive Attack

Massive Attack released their majestic Unfinished Sympathy back in February 1991. The band had to take a major step to get the song out into the world though. Due to the Gulf War, the Bristol group temporaily changed their name to Massive in order to get radio play.

What a song, this is as good as it gets! The groove kicks in immediately; beats, samples, strings, percussion ... then Sharon Nelson's sublime vocals sing beautiful poetic and heartfelt lyrics.

I know that I've imagined love before

And how it could be with you

Really hurt me baby, really cut me baby

How can you have a day without a night?

You're the book that I have opened

And now I've got to know much more

Everything about this song connects. The lush orchestration and sweeping strings have a cinematic quality, aided by the accompanying video, which quickly became iconic. Shot in one continuous take, Nelson walks round downtown Los Angeles, oblivious to her surroundings as she is lost in the song, singing her heart out to portray her love and hurt to the world.

Like a soul without a mind

In a body without a heart

I'm missing every part

Nelson's vocal is at the core of the song, dripping with emotion, passion and soul.  She sounds lost, hurt beyond compare; missing every part.

Really hurt me baby, really cut me baby

How can you have a day without a night?

The strings, the voice, the beats and samples all gel to create a beautiful sonic landscape. There is a lot going on, yet the production also ensures there is plenty of space. What a beautiful and vital song.

Unfinished Sympathy is added to my Trust Me playlist; search for Everything Flows - Trust Me on Spotify or CLICK HERE 

Check below for all previous blogs in my Trust Me series.

Previous Trust Me blogs

1. Something On Your Mind by Karen Dalton

1A. Crimson and Clover by Tommy James and the Shondells

2. I Am, I Said  by Neil Diamond

3. Where's The Playground Susie?   by Glen Campbell

4. If You Could Read My Mind by Gordon Lighfoot

5. Gimme Some Truth by John Lennon

6. Gone With The Wind Is My Love by Rita and the Tiaras

7. In The Year 2525 by Zager and Evans

8. The Music Box by Ruth Copeland

9. The Ship Song by Nick Cave

10. Sometimes by James

11. I Walk The Earth by King Biscuit Time

12. Didn't Know What I Was In For by Better Oblivion Community Centre

13. When My Boy Walks Down The Street by The Magnetic Fields

14. The Man Don't Give A F**k by Super Furry Animals

15. All Flowers In Time Bend Towards The Sun by Jeff Buckley and Liz Fraser

16. Are You Lookin' by The Tymes

17. A Real Hero by College & Electric Youth

18. Feelings Gone by Callum Easter

19. Sunday Morning by The Velvet Underground

20. Did I Say by Teenage Fanclub

21. Don't Look Back by Teenage Fanclub

22. Your Love Is The Place Where I Come From by Teenage Fanclub

23. Belfast by Orbital

24. Clouds by The Jayhawks

25. Dreaming Of You by The Coral

26. Everlasting Love by Love Affair

27. Walk Away Renee by The Left Banke

28. Teenage Kicks by The Undertones

29. Shaky Ground by Sneeze

29. Rill Rill by Sleigh Bells

30. I Can Feel Your Love by Felice Taylor

31. The State We're In by The Chemical Brothers w/ Beth Orton

32. Sunshine After The Rain by Ellie Greenwich

33. Losing My Edge by LCD Soundsystem

34. Mondo 77 by Looper

35. Les Fleurs by Minnie Riperton

36. Rat Trap by The Boomtown Rats

37. How High by The Charlatans

38. I Can't Let Go by Evie Sands

39. Pop Song 89 by R.E.M.

40. Summertime Clothes by Animal Collective

41. There She Goes by The Las

42. We're Going To Be Friends by White Stripes

43. Autumn Sweater by Yo La Tengo

44. Sister Rena by Lomond Campbell

45. Revolution by The Beatles

46. Lazarus by The Boo Radleys

47. Wrote For Luck by Happy Mondays

48. American Trilogy by The Delgados

49. Loser by Beck 

50. Silent Sigh by Badly Drawn Boy

51. Comedy by Shack

52. Take The Skinheads Bowling by Camper Van Beethoven

53. Freakscene by Dinosaur Jr

54. Thank You For Being You by The Pastels

55. I Think I'm In Love by Spiritualized

56. Chestnut Mare by The Byrds

57. Cannonball by The Breeders

58. Like A Rolling Stone by Bob Dylan

59. You Make Me Weak At The Knees by Electrelane

60. Lucky by Radiohead

61. Strange Currencies by R.E.M.

61. I Am The Cosmos by Chris Bell

62. Like A Ship (Without A Sail) by Pastor TL Barrett and the Youth for Christ Choir

63. Nothing But A Heartache by The Flirtations

64. Made of Stone by The Stone Roses

65. Tonight In Belfast by Orbital, David Holmes, DJ Helen and Mike Garry

66. Anything by Adrianne Lenker

67. I Hold Something In My Hand by Bill Ryder-Jones

68. I Meant Every Word by Burnett Sisters

69. Dream Baby Dream by Suicide

70. Stove by The Lemonheads

71. Red Lady by Phil Cordell

72. Little Fluffy Clouds by The Orb

73. I Can Do It With A Broken Heart by Taylor Swift

74. Turnin' My Heartbeat Up by The M.V.P.'s

75. Razzle Dazzle Rose by Camera Obscura

76. Such Great Heights by The Postal Service

77. The Rat by The Walkmen

78. My God Has A Telephone by Aaron Frazer

Kerr Mercer at Saint Luke's

"I started off the year playing to 100 of you at the Poetry Club. Then 300 at King Tuts and now ... now 600 of you are here with me in Saint Lukes ... it's mad ... Thank you so much."

Kyle Mercer was visibly moved on stage at Saint Luke's in Glasgow last night. No wonder. Just over a year ago Kerr was the opening act in the venue for Tenement Trail. I was fortunate to catch him on that wet and windy day last October and you would have been lucky if there was a tenth of last nights crowd in.

Since then Kerr (only 18) has been gigging heavily, picking up loads of support slots across Glasgow and beyond to build his experience. Something he also highlighted on stage.

"Thanks again for coming. I nearly came on stage at 7.30 tonight as that's when I'm usually on."

There is a lovely dash of humility and cheek about Kerr when he chats between songs. He took the time to record a video message to a fan who had unfortunately dislocated her knee (after arriving early at the venue) and missed the show, also promising to put her on the guestlist for his next Glasgow show. 

And he also half-joked about seeing us all at the Barrowland (across the road) next year. That seems the next logical step up for the teenager who has yet to release his debut single. Kerr also promised us that was coming soon and that he didn't want to be the person that played 7 million gigs without releasing something.

Having followed Kerr's journey and heard him introduce lots of new songs to his set, in addition to keeping some firm favourites, I am intrigued to see what he goes with. It could have been any single one from last nights set!

Kerr was on stage at 9pm sharp, opening with a song that may or may not be called I'll Be Your Soldier. His voice soared effortlessly, he was straight into it, absolutely incredible.

Jealous followed. I mentioned earlier on that Kerr was moved on stage, now his songs and voice were moving people in the audience. Gazing around, you could see people nudging their friends and nodding as Mercer stretched his vocal chords to really go for it. The melody already sounds familiar, this could be coming out of your radio next year.

Waves was another new song that I hadn't heard before, the chorus and lyrics seem instantly relatable. Petals generated an incredible response from the crowd with Kerr's guitarist also playing a kick bass drum which encouraged the audience to clap along. 

Die While I Remember and One In A Million were more mellow, tugging on heartstrings in all the right ways. Mercer's songs have a beautiful, soulful and melancholic feel to them. There is a sadness, but there is a very powerful connection between him and whoever is watching him sing. It's quite something to witness and feel.

Adam Frame was excellent on guitar, allowing Kerr to switch from standing up to sing some songs, then sitting behind his electric piano for others. The two work so naturally together. It feels like a treat to hear these songs played in this way and to see them work so effortlessly together.

Given the fact that Kerr has yet to release anything, Mercer had asked his Instagram fans to choose a cover for him to play and they voted for Sabrina Carpenter's ace Please, Please, Please, a big favourite in our house. The pure pop song was stripped back and sounded sublime.

Carry Me Home was introduced as being 'the only song that I wrote when I was 15 that I still play, the rest were all sh*te' and as Kerr started, while sat at his electric piano, a mini choir of 3 backing singers came on stage to join him. They were definitely backing! As Kerr's voice soared, they were almost redundant. But when Mercer's voice dropped a little, you could hear what they were adding to the song and it was quite beautiful. I left the show imagining how massive this song could sound when (if it hasn't been already) it is recorded in the studio. Strings and choir ... oooft. It will be huge.

Closing with Never Be You, with the choir backing him and the crowd clapping along, my wife and I left to pick up our car round the back of the Barrowland and we both felt like the next time we see Kerr in Glasgow he could be playing there. 

Kerr has sold out his first headline tour; playing Birmingham, Bristol and Manchester in the week ahead. Keep an eye on his Instagram.

Don't Leave Me This Way

Cover version of the month #100
The Communards cover Harold Melvin and The Bluenotes

Hidden away in the back end of blogger, I have a whopping 181 draft blogs in various forms! Some are merely titles, to ensure I go back and write about a specific song or album, some have notes, some are half-finished and some will probably never be completed as the moment has gone!

I have been meaning to write a blog about Don't Leave Me This Way for quite some time as it is an all-time favourite.

I played it on 6Music back in 2014 when I was interviewed by Craig Charles for his Spinage A Trois section. Craig, very generously, played the full 11-minute version and the song sounded even better on the radio. Craig commented that he had sprinkled the magic BBC dust on it.

Don't Leave Me This Way has featured in numerous playlist blogs I have written and also in my Confidently Top 10 blog that I wrote in 2019, where I selected my all-time top 10 songs ... I've just reviewed it and I don't think it has changed.

What .... A .... Song!
What .... A .... Tune!

Don't leave me this way

I can't survive, can't stay alive

Without your love, oh baby

It really doesn't get any better than this. The 11-minute version is absolute perfection; the lengthy intro, the way Teddy Pendergrass hums along, the strings coming in, then the heartfelt lyrics delivered with raw passion and soul. Then ... the build to the HUGE UPLIFTING CHORUS

Baby, my heart is full of love and desire for you

So come on darling do what you gotta do 

You started this fire down in my soul

Now can't you see it's burning, out of control

So come on darling satisfy the need in me

'cause only your good loving can set me free

I adore this song. I still find so much in it, the groove, the way it develops, the way it builds to the euphoric chorus, the way it picks up pace, the way that even as it fades out I want it to keep going. Does an even longer version exist? The jamming at the end of the full 11-minute version is ridiculous, so loose, soulful and funky.

This is a song I always played whenever I DJ'd in pubs or at parties. Even if you haven't heard it you're going to be hooked in and singing along by the second chorus. The vocals are exceptional, the band are incredible, the drums and percussion are just sublime.

My friend Gerry and I have put on a couple of DJ nights in our native Uddingston this year. It's been great fun to book out the Bowling & Tennis Club, set up and play some of our favourite songs. Our first night was very indie focused, but we're loosening up and starting to play whatever we fancy. 

Gerry closed our August night by playing The Communards cover version of Don't Leave Me This Way and it went down an absolute storm.

Released in 1986, The Communards version fused high-energy dance beats and synthpop, topped deliciously by Jimmy Somerville's powerful, raw and soulful voice.

Somerville soars, expressing vulnerability, hurt and desperation, yet also capturing the fact that he is still head over heels in love. It's a fantastic cover version, The Communards stamp their own mark on it and unlike many other songs from the era, it has stood the test of time. The production and arrangement is strong and Somerville's voice is just timeless.

I always thought this was The Communards song (after all I was 10 in 1986) and only discovered the Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes version when I picked up a second hand Wigan Casino Northern Soul compilation on vinyl. I recognised the title and wondered if it was the same song. It was!  

I've added the 6-minutes version, the 11-minute Tom Moulton mix of the Harold Melvin and The Blue Notes version and The Communards cover to my Everything Flows Cool Cover Versions playlist on Spotify which also features all of the songs listed below. Search for the title or CLICK HERE

Previous covers of the month blogs

1. You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin' 

2. Going Back To My Roots

3. Nirvana play The Vaselines

4. Slip Inside This House

5. Top 10 covers by Teenage Fanclub

6. Only Love Can Break Your Heart

7. Time For Livin' 

8. Sound and Vision 

9. All Along The Watchtower

10. I Am The Walrus 

11. Guiding Star

12. You’ll Never Walk Alone

13. Hurt

14. This Guy's In Love With You

15. I Wish I Never Saw The Sunshine

16. California Soul

18. Wonder wall 

19. Dancing In The Dark

20. Always On My Mind

21. Ceremony

22. Heroes

23. Different Drum

24. Wild Horses

25. Respect

26. Mr Tambourine Man

27. I Heard It Through The Grapevine

28. Superstar

29. Twist and Shout

30. Purple Rain

31. Baker Street

32. Not Fade Away

33. Stop Your Sobbing

34. I Don't Want To Grow Up

35. Serious Drugs

36. Dancing With Myself

37. How Does It Feel To Feel?

38. Love Buzz

39. ABBA-esque
40. Jumpin' Jack Flash

41. Discoland

42. Varshons 2 by The Lemonheads

43. The Langley Schools Music Project
44. Witchi Tai To
45. Our Lips Are Sealed
46. Sunshine Of Your Love
47. Here Comes The Sun
48. I Think We're Alone Now
49. Don't Let Me Down 
50. It's Oh So Quiet
51. Alcoholiday 
52. Summer Holiday
53. Who Do You Think You Are?
54. Head On
55. Nothing Compares 2 U

56. Hey Jude

57. Seven Days Too Long

58. L.O.V.E Love

59. Into Your Arms

60. Heart Of Glass

61. Take Me To The River

62. We Can Work It Out 

63. Talking In My Sleep

64. Lola

65. Lost In Music

66. My Little Red Book

67. Isn't It A Pity

68. Walk On By

69. Walk Away Renee

70. Tainted Love

71. Girls Just Wanna Have Fun

72. Listen The Snow Is Falling

73. Mrs Robinson

74. He's Gonna Step On You Again

75. In My Life

76. Caravan Of Love

77. The Only Way Is Up

78. Dancin' Round & Round

79. With A Little Help From My Friends

80. Killing Me Softly

81. Ain't No Mountain High Enough

82. Drop

83. Sittin' On The Dock Of The Bay

84. Sympathy For The Devil

85. I Bet That You Look Good On The Dancefloor

86. Love Will Tear Us Apart

87. Indian Rope Man + bonus Strawberry Fields Forever + This Wheels On Fire

88. Can't Take My Eyes Off Of You

89. Love The One You're With

90. Cum On Feel The Noize

91. Addicted To Love

92. Valerie

93. Ride On Time

94. Let's Dance

95. It Must Be Love

96. I Fought The Law

97. For What It's Worth

98. Do Your Thing

99. I Just Don't Know What To Do With Myself

Never Ending Mixtape part 93

Hello and welcome to part 93 of my Never Ending Mixtape.

In my teens I'd spend hours making C90 mixtapes and then through my 20's I'd deliberate over tracklisting for mix CD's to ensure I maximised the time allowed. 

With this Mixtape (playlist) I simply add songs all the time! As a result, it's quite beautfully and naturally eclectic. I personally enjoy just sticking it on shuffle and seeing what comes up.

Next month should see the playlist breakthrough the 4,000 song mark! For now, we're up to 3,972!

Thank you so much if you are one of the 352 people following the playlist. Thanks also if you dive in now and again. As always, I hope you discover an incredible song you've never heard before, or that you rediscover an old favourite you haven't heard in some time. 

Search for Everything Flows Never Ending Mixtape on Spotify or CLICK HERE

Here are some of this months additions, including the magnificent pop of Close To You by Gracie Abrams, a big favourite across our entire household right now. Well done Zoe for discovering it. Check that I burn for you hook!

Recent discoveries

Never Be Yours by Kali Uchis

Need Something More by Thee Heart Tones

The Spider and The Fly by The Rolling Stones

Delilah (Pull Me Out Of This) by Delilah Montague

Close To You by Gracie Abrams

New releases

Where Will I Be by Fred Again w/ Emmylou Harris

Old favourites

Crackin' Up Over You by Roy Hamilton

Everyone's A VIP To Someone by The Go Team

Lonely Soul by UNKLE w/ Richard Ashcroft

Last Goodbye by Jeff Buckley

Everything Reminds Me Of Her by Elliott Smith

Let's Dance by Spiritualized

My God Has A Telephone

 

Trust me #78
My God Has A Telephone by Aaron Frazer

My God Has a Telephone is a soul-stirring track by The Flying Stars of Brooklyn, a one-off side-project for drummer/singer Aaron Frazer when he isn't recording with his band Durand Jones & The Indications, or releasing solo albums.

Released back in 2017 on Coalmine Records. The label has repressed 1,500 copies of the single under the name Aaron Frazer, which seems to highlight The Flying Stars of Brooklyn is likely to have been a one-off. Shame - great band name!

Frazer's other band, Durand Jones & The Indications, has made a significant impact on the modern soul scene with albums like American Love Call and Private Space, where Frazer’s falsetto harmonizes beautifully with Durand Jones’ powerful lead vocals. Their music is a blend of classic soul, R&B, and modern influences, and it has resonated with audiences worldwide.

Yet Frazer is bursting with creative energy and has also pursued a solo career. In 2021, he released his debut solo album, Introducing..., produced by Dan Auerbach of The Black Keys, then releasing his second solo album, Into The Blue, in June of this year. Both albums showcase Frazer’s exceptional versatility as an artist; there are elements of doo-wop, gospel, and soul, all infused with his signature falsetto, beautifully layered and produced. a

But, for the time being, lets get back to The Flying Stars of Brooklyn.

My God Has A Telephone beautifully captures vintage gospel-soul with a modern twist. Allegedly recorded on a 4-track tape machine, it's an absolute gem of a song. Frazer's falsetto is exquisite, the backing vocals are angelic and the music sounds rich and timeless. It's super cool!

Aaron Frazer is touring his latest album. Sadly, there are no dates in Scotland, but he is playing Bristol, Manchester and London in October. Check his website for details.

My God Has A Telephone is added to my Trust Me playlist; search for Everything Flows - Trust Me on Spotify or CLICK HERE 

Check below for all previous blogs in my Trust Me series.

Previous Trust Me blogs

1. Something On Your Mind by Karen Dalton

1A. Crimson and Clover by Tommy James and the Shondells

2. I Am, I Said  by Neil Diamond

3. Where's The Playground Susie?   by Glen Campbell

4. If You Could Read My Mind by Gordon Lighfoot

5. Gimme Some Truth by John Lennon

6. Gone With The Wind Is My Love by Rita and the Tiaras

7. In The Year 2525 by Zager and Evans

8. The Music Box by Ruth Copeland

9. The Ship Song by Nick Cave

10. Sometimes by James

11. I Walk The Earth by King Biscuit Time

12. Didn't Know What I Was In For by Better Oblivion Community Centre

13. When My Boy Walks Down The Street by The Magnetic Fields

14. The Man Don't Give A F**k by Super Furry Animals

15. All Flowers In Time Bend Towards The Sun by Jeff Buckley and Liz Fraser

16. Are You Lookin' by The Tymes

17. A Real Hero by College & Electric Youth

18. Feelings Gone by Callum Easter

19. Sunday Morning by The Velvet Underground

20. Did I Say by Teenage Fanclub

21. Don't Look Back by Teenage Fanclub

22. Your Love Is The Place Where I Come From by Teenage Fanclub

23. Belfast by Orbital

24. Clouds by The Jayhawks

25. Dreaming Of You by The Coral

26. Everlasting Love by Love Affair

27. Walk Away Renee by The Left Banke

28. Teenage Kicks by The Undertones

29. Shaky Ground by Sneeze

29. Rill Rill by Sleigh Bells

30. I Can Feel Your Love by Felice Taylor

31. The State We're In by The Chemical Brothers w/ Beth Orton

32. Sunshine After The Rain by Ellie Greenwich

33. Losing My Edge by LCD Soundsystem

34. Mondo 77 by Looper

35. Les Fleurs by Minnie Riperton

36. Rat Trap by The Boomtown Rats

37. How High by The Charlatans

38. I Can't Let Go by Evie Sands

39. Pop Song 89 by R.E.M.

40. Summertime Clothes by Animal Collective

41. There She Goes by The Las

42. We're Going To Be Friends by White Stripes

43. Autumn Sweater by Yo La Tengo

44. Sister Rena by Lomond Campbell

45. Revolution by The Beatles

46. Lazarus by The Boo Radleys

47. Wrote For Luck by Happy Mondays

48. American Trilogy by The Delgados

49. Loser by Beck 

50. Silent Sigh by Badly Drawn Boy

51. Comedy by Shack

52. Take The Skinheads Bowling by Camper Van Beethoven

53. Freakscene by Dinosaur Jr

54. Thank You For Being You by The Pastels

55. I Think I'm In Love by Spiritualized

56. Chestnut Mare by The Byrds

57. Cannonball by The Breeders

58. Like A Rolling Stone by Bob Dylan

59. You Make Me Weak At The Knees by Electrelane

60. Lucky by Radiohead

61. Strange Currencies by R.E.M.

61. I Am The Cosmos by Chris Bell

62. Like A Ship (Without A Sail) by Pastor TL Barrett and the Youth for Christ Choir

63. Nothing But A Heartache by The Flirtations

64. Made of Stone by The Stone Roses

65. Tonight In Belfast by Orbital, David Holmes, DJ Helen and Mike Garry

66. Anything by Adrianne Lenker

67. I Hold Something In My Hand by Bill Ryder-Jones

68. I Meant Every Word by Burnett Sisters

69. Dream Baby Dream by Suicide

70. Stove by The Lemonheads

71. Red Lady by Phil Cordell

72. Little Fluffy Clouds by The Orb

73. I Can Do It With A Broken Heart by Taylor Swift

74. Turnin' My Heartbeat Up by The M.V.P.'s

75. Razzle Dazzle Rose by Camera Obscura

76. Such Great Heights by The Postal Service

77. The Rat by The Walkmen

Oasis and dynamic pricing

" I detest surge pricing. It means hardly anyone ever pays the actual advertised ticket price. 

It's a legitimised scam and bands who agree to it are complicit." R

UPDATE - 06/09

In the early evening of Wednesday 4th September. 4+ days since the dynamic pricing row erupted, Oasis released the following statement;

"It needs to be made clear that Oasis leave decisions on ticketing and pricing entirely to their promoters and management." The band added they had "at no time had any awareness that dynamic pricing was going to be used" in the sale of tickets for the initial dates.

NOTE - No condemnation of dynamic pricing. No statement to say they disagree with dynamic pricing. And absolutely no apology.

Poor show.

Anyway, here is the original blog - 03/09

Tickets for the Oasis 2025 reunion shows went online last weekend. Those with a pre-sale code (myself included) got access on Friday night at 7pm. I logged onto the Ticketmaster app minutes beforehand and was shocked to find that I was immediately at number 56 in the queue just after 7. I'd checked out after buying 3 tickets by 7.04pm. Sorted, nice one, mad for it. God that was easy, I was singing the praises of Ticketmaster for being so smooth and high tech.

Saturday morning was when the real clamour for tickets started. This was like Knebworth x 10. I wonder how many people actually (virtually) queued for tickets? Everyone seemed to be after them.

The Gallagher brothers reunite

Photos by Simon Emmett

Back in 1996 you could either attempt to phone and book tickets, or you could go and queue outside a ticket shop. A reported 2.5 million people tried to get tickets. Oasis could have sold 20 nights, never mind a double header. I'd hazard a guess that more than 2.5 million people were online trying for tickets.

I'm a member of a number of Oasis online groups, including an amazing collectors group, full of passionate fans from around the world that spend small fortunes on Oasis memorabilia. I love seeing some of the unique items people have procured over the years. My own collection of records, tickets, magazines, wrist bands etc just comes from buying them at the time. I wish I had bought extra copies!

The online groups were full of posts about people being 10,000+ in the queue and then this seemed to jump considerably to 200,000+. I couldn't believe I got so lucky the previous night!

People were still getting tickets, it was just taking an age in the online queuing system.

Oasis and Ticketmaster were regularly posting across social channels that tickets can only be resold at face value via Ticketmaster and Twickets. 

By now, you probably know what happened. 

Due to demand, and despite Oasis and Ticketmaster promoting prices in advance, dynamic pricing kicked in, resulting in a completely justified explosion of anger. £150 standing tickets were suddenly closer to £400. Those waiting to buy 4 tickets at a total of £600 (plus booking fee), were now faced with a total price of £1,600 plus fees!!!!

Imagine finding that out after being in an online queue for 5 or 6 hours! People had minutes to decide whether to go ahead and buy them anyway, or whether to ditch it, after waiting all that time .... 

Ticketmaster (and Oasis) completely fucked up on communication and customer care. Not that either will care given the millions that each earned over the weekend. 

Ticketmaster have been getting it in the neck, but in actual fact it is the promoters and the band that decide whether or not dynamic pricing should apply to their shows. 

Oasis - the band of the people! What a joke.

Why were ticket prices not capped? £150 is more than enough for a stadium show. And lets be honest, Oasis are not about the show, they are all about the songs. They don't need a huge catwalk or super dazzling lightshow. 

In comparison; Paul Heaton is doing an arena tour where ticket prices are capped at £35. While Robert Smith from The Cure ensures that dynamic pricing does not apply to any shows his band is playing.

"It's a greedy scam. All artists have the choice not to participate - 

if not artists participated, it would cease to exist." Robert Smith, The Cure

Crowded House found out that dynamic pricing had been applied to some of their shows and kicked up enough fuss to ensure that their fans were reimbursed the difference between 'normal prices' and the 'dynamic price'. 

I would love Noel to come out and apologise and say that Oasis were working with Ticketmaster and the promoters to refund the difference. I doubt it will happen though.

So ... this whole debacle is on Oasis and the promoters; SJM and Live Nation, which owns Ticketmaster, MCD and DF (the promoters of the Murrayfield shows). 

Fans are uniting in their fury. I love it! We might see change, instead of being ripped off by corporate greed.

Here are a few articles that have already been written;

BBC - by Ian Youngs - Has ticket row taken the shine off Oasis reunion?

BBC - by Ian Youngs - Hundreds lodge complaints over Oasis ticket prices

The Guardian - Failure to warn Oasis fans of dynamic pricing may be consumer law breach

Louder Than War - dynamic pricing needs sorting out

MP's are even getting involved, with many experiencing the issue personally as they joined the scramble for tickets. 

Oasis is still the band of the people .... and the people are making their feelings known.

This whole episode has been an absolute mess. Ticketmaster and Oasis have come out of this looking like they couldn't care less about fans thanks to;

• MIS-COMMUNICATION (AKA double standards) - Ticketmaster and Oasis heavily posted and tweeted that tickets could only be resold at face value. Meanwhile, due to the fact that millions and millions of people were in a virtual queue for tickets, they put the prices up way beyond face value! If you didn't laugh, you'd cry. Many people did. 
• LACK OF CUSTOMER CARE - This resulted in people who has been queuing online for hours, finally getting through to buy standing tickets at £150 per ticket, only to find that thanks to dynamic pricing, they were £400 each. So a couple looking to spend £300 on 2 tickets, were now looking at £800 for 2 tickets. Not surprisingly, some people (wisely in my opinion) decided to switch off and forget it. This complete lack of customer care from Ticketmaster and Oasis is deplorable.

As for the promoters;

• PROMOTERS - It must be nice being a promoter for a show like this. After all, you don't really need to invest much in the way of promotion! These gigs sold themselves. While there will be a high cost in putting these shows on, the profit the promoters will be making is gigantic.
  

Which brings me on to Oasis;

• BAND OF THE PEOPLE - Oasis know their fanbase better than almost any band. They were among the first to get people to sign up to mailing lists and they have hammered merch, limited and exclusive releases to death. The support the Gallagher brothers receive is phenomenal, bordering on religious for some die hards. So why take the piss? Why take £150 tickets and sell them for £400?! Despite Noel's expensive (£20 million allegedly) divorce, they don't really need the money. So why agree to dynamic pricing? It really does leave a sour taste in the mouth.

"It's a greedy scam. All artists have the choice not to participate - 

if not artists participated, it would cease to exist." Robert Smith, The Cure

The Rat

 

Trust me #77

The Rat by The Walkmen

One wet and stormy midweek night, back in 2004 (I reckon), I jumped in a taxi from my flat in Dennistoun to King Tuts in town to see Tanya Donnelly from Belly. I loved Belly's Star album from 1993 and have to admit to having (to this day) a major crush on Donnelly. 

My friend Reddy was meant to be going, but he was stuck on the M8 in a storm and called to say that when he eventually got to Glasgow, he would be going home and staying in.

The rain was utterly relentless. I may well have mused with the idea of staying at home myself. But I was a mere 10-minute taxi ride to the city centre. I was going ... on my own!

A band called The Walkmen had somehow got on the bill. I guess that they either knew Donnelly or someone in her band, or had a cracking booking agent. Their singer, Hamilton Leithauser ,was a good looking frontman and his band all looked like a gang. Early in their set he said something along the lines of; 'We're The Walkmen from New York City, we don't have a lot of money and we don't have a place to stay. If anyone has a floor we could crash on then come and speak to us after.'

The fact that I didn't offer my floor and sofa to The Walkmen remains one of my major gig regrets to this very day! Perhaps the fact that I was there on my own had something to do with it. I seemed to be drinking quicker than normal, probably as I had no-one to talk to. 

However I was hugely impressed by The Walkmen and their short set of energetic, fuzzy and punky guitar pop. I should have offered them a place to crash!

Alcohol probably did fuel one of my few conversations that night. At one point I walked through to the upstairs bar and found Walkmen guitarist Paul Maroon sinking a bottle of beer. 

'Hey, I loved your set. That song The Rat you played is better than anything The Strokes have done!'

Paul said 'thanks' and I don't remember if I said anything else or not. Maybe I might have mumbled 'hope you find a place to stay tonight'. I hope I did! However I never offered Paul and his mates the opportunity to kip on my floor.

Damn! What a missed opportunity!

However, even in my drunken state, I did recognise what an absolutely fantastic song The Rat is. Taken from their second album, Bows + Arrows, the song rides in with fast, furious, driving rhythm guitar and beats. You need to strap yourself in as The Rat doesn't let up. This is relentless! The intro is a glorious 51 seconds long before Hamilton Leithauser comes in, mirroring the energy of the music with an intensely passionate vocal.

You've got a nerve to be asking a favour

You've got a nerve to be calling my number

Leithauser sounds angry, bitter, frustrated and his voice cracks with emotion and desperation as the song drives on.

I know we've been through this before

Can't you hear me I'm, calling out your name?

Can't you see me I'm, pounding on your door?

The Walkmen are locked in their punk groove, the drums crash, the bass is just about holding everything together and after a second verse (virtually the same as the first), things cut, leading to a mini-mantra (that I kind of wish went on a little longer);

When I used to go out, I'd know everyone I saw

Now I go out alone, if I go out at all

Everything kicks back in and we're back into the verse, or is it a chorus?

The Rat is 4 minutes 22 seconds, but, through the intense pace, ferocious guitar and the emotions that pour out in the vocals, it really doesn't feel like it.

Somehow, I doubt The Walkmen will ever need a floor to crash on again if they come back to Glasgow. But if they do, I will offer!

The Rat is added to my Trust Me playlist; search for Everything Flows - Trust Me on Spotify or CLICK HERE 

Check below for all previous blogs in my Trust Me series.

Previous Trust Me blogs

1. Something On Your Mind by Karen Dalton

1A. Crimson and Clover by Tommy James and the Shondells

2. I Am, I Said  by Neil Diamond

3. Where's The Playground Susie?   by Glen Campbell

4. If You Could Read My Mind by Gordon Lighfoot

5. Gimme Some Truth by John Lennon

6. Gone With The Wind Is My Love by Rita and the Tiaras

7. In The Year 2525 by Zager and Evans

8. The Music Box by Ruth Copeland

9. The Ship Song by Nick Cave

10. Sometimes by James

11. I Walk The Earth by King Biscuit Time

12. Didn't Know What I Was In For by Better Oblivion Community Centre

13. When My Boy Walks Down The Street by The Magnetic Fields

14. The Man Don't Give A F**k by Super Furry Animals

15. All Flowers In Time Bend Towards The Sun by Jeff Buckley and Liz Fraser

16. Are You Lookin' by The Tymes

17. A Real Hero by College & Electric Youth

18. Feelings Gone by Callum Easter

19. Sunday Morning by The Velvet Underground

20. Did I Say by Teenage Fanclub

21. Don't Look Back by Teenage Fanclub

22. Your Love Is The Place Where I Come From by Teenage Fanclub

23. Belfast by Orbital

24. Clouds by The Jayhawks

25. Dreaming Of You by The Coral

26. Everlasting Love by Love Affair

27. Walk Away Renee by The Left Banke

28. Teenage Kicks by The Undertones

29. Shaky Ground by Sneeze

29. Rill Rill by Sleigh Bells

30. I Can Feel Your Love by Felice Taylor

31. The State We're In by The Chemical Brothers w/ Beth Orton

32. Sunshine After The Rain by Ellie Greenwich

33. Losing My Edge by LCD Soundsystem

34. Mondo 77 by Looper

35. Les Fleurs by Minnie Riperton

36. Rat Trap by The Boomtown Rats

37. How High by The Charlatans

38. I Can't Let Go by Evie Sands

39. Pop Song 89 by R.E.M.

40. Summertime Clothes by Animal Collective

41. There She Goes by The Las

42. We're Going To Be Friends by White Stripes

43. Autumn Sweater by Yo La Tengo

44. Sister Rena by Lomond Campbell

45. Revolution by The Beatles

46. Lazarus by The Boo Radleys

47. Wrote For Luck by Happy Mondays

48. American Trilogy by The Delgados

49. Loser by Beck 

50. Silent Sigh by Badly Drawn Boy

51. Comedy by Shack

52. Take The Skinheads Bowling by Camper Van Beethoven

53. Freakscene by Dinosaur Jr

54. Thank You For Being You by The Pastels

55. I Think I'm In Love by Spiritualized

56. Chestnut Mare by The Byrds

57. Cannonball by The Breeders

58. Like A Rolling Stone by Bob Dylan

59. You Make Me Weak At The Knees by Electrelane

60. Lucky by Radiohead

61. Strange Currencies by R.E.M.

61. I Am The Cosmos by Chris Bell

62. Like A Ship (Without A Sail) by Pastor TL Barrett and the Youth for Christ Choir

63. Nothing But A Heartache by The Flirtations

64. Made of Stone by The Stone Roses

65. Tonight In Belfast by Orbital, David Holmes, DJ Helen and Mike Garry

66. Anything by Adrianne Lenker

67. I Hold Something In My Hand by Bill Ryder-Jones

68. I Meant Every Word by Burnett Sisters

69. Dream Baby Dream by Suicide

70. Stove by The Lemonheads

71. Red Lady by Phil Cordell

72. Little Fluffy Clouds by The Orb

73. I Can Do It With A Broken Heart by Taylor Swift

74. Turnin' My Heartbeat Up by The M.V.P.'s

75. Razzle Dazzle Rose by Camera Obscura

76. Such Great Heights by The Postal Service

Oasis - the reunion

The only way to keep them together?

And so ... it's on.

Oasis are back and their reunion will make a lot of people extremely happy, some very rich, some fans very poor (tickets won't be cheap - prices are notably not being announced in advance of tickets going on sale!) and it will no doubt piss off a few people as well. 

I have mixed feelings about it. I always thought that Noel would adopt the approach of Paul Weller, his friend and idol, who has passed up numerous offers to reform The Jam.

However, an Oasis reunion is on a completely different scale. In fact, it may well be off the charts. Early indications are that Noel and Liam will each make 50 million in 2025. Noel, as songwriter, will likely make even more from the increase in streaming, radio plays and album sales.

I'll have a look for tickets, but I'm not excited by paying loads of money to stand miles away from them in a stadium or field. Will there be VIP golden circle options?! How much will they be? Will they play warm up shows? 

Truth be told, I found the 8am announcement this morning a little cold. I hope that Liam and Noel will come together for a press conference in advance of tickets going on sale, or issue a full press release with details about how their reunion has come about. The photo (below) to accompany tour dates being announced looked photo-shopped. It turns out that the brothers were in the same room for a shoot. Hopefully they smiled at some point!

The contrast between the Roses press conference to announce their reunion and the accompanying Penny Smith photos of them hugging and laughing is stark. I was also super excited about the Roses reunion, but that was due to the fact that I never caught them live. I kind of did Oasis and got the t-shirt; the small shows, breakthrough shows and Knebworth. 

So, while I'm pleased that Liam and Noel are getting together again, I'm not excited ... yet. I suspect that will change when I see them together, laughing, joking, vibing off each other.  

Why are people excited by an Oasis reunion? It's the question that TV channels, radio shows and countless social media accounts have been asking.

Well, here are 6 immediate reasons;

• Passion and Personality

Liam and Noel kicked down doors that were (and are) very much barricaded to working class kids from a council estate. They had a label (Creation) who believed in them and encouraged them to be true to themselves and their roots. Indeed, Alan McGee wanted their debut single to be Bring It On Down rather than Supersonic. He loved the Pistols punk vibe and the lyrics;

You're the outcast

You're the underclass

But you don't care

Because you're living fast

The Gallagher brothers were up for it, in more ways than one. They gigged relentlessly, took all the drugs they could get their hands on, did all the media going and kept on partying.

Their interviews were hilarious. They spoke like normal people! They'd slag off other bands, talk about girls they fancied, big themselves up, talk about their love of The Beatles, Adidas trainers, Clarks desert boots and their Mam. They wore 'normal' clothes, which Noel beautifully reflects on in the Supersonic documentary when they arrive at Knebworth virtually wearing the same clothes they had on when they started the band. They regularly shopped at M&S!

Oasis were a different world to 'indie' bands or grunge. They were real, authentic, very funny and soulful. 

• Escapism

The world is a pretty f**ked up place at the moment. Losing yourself in music and songs is arguably even more important than ever. Oasis songs, especially the early ones, were all about dreams and escapism. It's why they have stood the test of time. 

Live Forever - Cause I just wanna fly

Fade Away - Fantasy was real, now I know much about the way I feel

Rock n Roll Star - In my mind my dreams are real

Slide Away - We'll find a way, of chasing the sun

Sad Song - Cause it's all just the same at the end of the day

Noel could write something off the cuff that became vital and anthemic, whether the dreamy lyrics of above, or something like stand up beside the fireplace, take that look from off your face line from Don't Look Back In Anger, something his Mum used to say to him. That line is immediately followed by the beautiful;

You ain't ever gonna burn my heart out

As Noel said in an early interview; "It's about the man in the street. When the milkman is whistling your tune, you know you've done it."

We didn't really know what a Wonderwall was, or what it meant to be walking down the hall, faster than a cannonball, or what a champagne supernova was. It didn't matter. When Liam sang, we knew, we connected.

• Those songs, that voice

You can wait for a lifetime, to spend your days in the sunssshhhiiiiiinnnnneeee

In his recent interview with John Robb, Noel memorably describes his own voice as being like a half pint of Guinness on a Tuesday afternoon. While Liam's is like 10 shots of Tequila on a Friday night!

Liam Gallagher's voice was remarkable. Oasis played 288 gigs across 1994, 1995 and 1996 and Liam's voice just got stronger and stronger, despite his appetite for drugs and alcohol. 

When Liam sings lines like; I only wanna see the light that shines behind your eyes it's spine tingling. He looked incredible and he sounded even better. Like no-one before or since. 

Liam did become a bit of a caricature of himself, in appearance and voice. In later years his voice seemed shot, but he has worked hard on his lifestyle to get it back, he sounded great on the DM30 tour.

Of course, 30-years on, it is different, but Liam singing Noel's songs is very much the main reason that people are excited by the reunion.

• The brothers gonna work it out

I'd love Oasis to walk on stage to The Chemical Brothers Leave Home with the refrain the brothers gonna work it out blasting from the speakers. 

Oasis fans worldwide are thrilled that the two Gallagher brothers are speaking to each other again. Never mind the fact that we will undoubtedly have hilarious press conferences and interviews, they will be rehearsing, there might be small and intimate warm up shows (they won't immediately go and play a stadium ... will they?!) and the concerts. 

They will also be delighted for their Mum Peggy. Noel and Liam have always spoken so fondly of their Mum, from their very first interviews. It must have been heartbreaking for her not to see them getting on.

Blood's thicker than mud, it's a family affair 

• The tension

Noel and Liam's relationship has a lot of tension in it! Even the new photos show that! Are they happy about this?! For all that these shows have been booked and tickets are going on sale, the fact is - the relationship will be tested between now and next summer! They will be in the same room A LOT and they are bound to have arguments at times. That's just Liam's nature, he can't help himself. How will Noel react? How will Liam react to Noel's reaction?! Will they make it to next summer? Will it all implode?

But ... that's all part of the charm and attraction.  When it comes to the Gallagher brothers, and Liam in particular, you just don't know what is going to happen!

But with tens of millions of pounds at stake, I'm sure the shows will go ahead by hook or by crook!

• The first time - a new generation

Lets not forget that for many, this will be their first choice to see Oasis. Many will have seen the brother doing their thing, but not together.

Many people of my age (and older) have introduced younger people to Oasis. Liam's shows attract scores of teenagers pining for Oasis songs. DM30 gave them a a healthy taste, now for the main course!