Flaming Lips at Kelvingrove Bandstand

WOW. Last night's Flaming Lips show at Kelvingrove Bandstand as part of the Summer Nights series was truly life affirming. 

Psychedelic pop songs about love, life, death and the universe. Songs about humans triumphing over machines and determined scientists racing to find cures. I found myself crying during the beautiful Do You Realize? Tears just started flooding down my face. I can't remember the last time that happened to me at a concert.

We were treated to multiple blasts of confetti, inflatable pink robots, huge colourful confetti filled latex balls/balloons bouncing around across the Bandstand - one burst above me and it was wonderful, I have the burst balloon at home - Flaming Lips memorabilia! The light show was sensational, lasers beaming out, bright lights, Wayne Coyne swinging a huge bulb around on a lead, a bright, bright light directly behind the singer cast beams everywhere, he got into costumes and balls ...

I'm still smiling. I'm exhausted just reflecting on the show, Coyne must be shattered, but energised by knowing that every time his band play, they bring absolute joy to people.  

Lynn and I started in the very back row of the Bandstand, determined to see the full wide screen spectacle. But as soon as the opening synth teaser to The Golden Path started, we picked our way down to the front to join my sister Carla and friends who had been there from the get go. The Golden Path is a real favourite of ours.

She Don't Use Jelly is glorious guitar punk pop with a psychedelic tinge. The Yeah Yeah Yeah Song (With All Your Power) was hugely uplifting. The aforementioned Do You Realize? is even more powerful live than it is on record, truly beautiful. A cover of Sabbath's War Pigs was heavy and fun and the closing song Race for the Prize was triumphantly joyful.

Everyone left smiling and buzzing. Mission accomplished.

See some videos below.

Tims Twitter Listening Parties

Tim Burgess from The Charlatans has long been a hero of mine. In my teens it was cause he looked super cool, fronting one of my favourite bands who consistently released brilliant albums and singles to soundtrack my life.

In my 40's it's because Tim is super cool in a new more mature way; still fronting one of my favourite bands who still release brilliant albums and singles ... but now he does so much more! Author of 3 books, solo artist and collaborator, record label co-owner, champion of music and an absolute legend on Twitter, even more so now.

Tim's energy and positivity inspire me. He is always up to something, and then looking for something else. His restless nature, friendly personality and fire in his belly mean that he is a guy who makes things happen.

In these worrying and testing times, positivity is required more than ever. Escapism helps as well.

So Tim has introduced #timstwitterlisteningparty In short this means everyone presses play, or puts the needle on a pre-chosen album at a specific time on a specific date. Tim, plus artists and associates related to the album tweet about the songs, stories about recording, memories of tours ....

This is nothing new to Tim. He has been holding Twitter listening parties for The Charlatans for a number of years.

What is new, is that he has used his extensive network of friends to bring listening parties with The Chemical Brothers, Oasis, Flaming Lips, Twilight Sad, Super Furry Animals, Beth Orton, Orange Juice, Pulp, New Order, Doves, The Beta Band, BMX Bandits and a whole heap more.

Norman Blake has been encouraged to come back on to Twitter for a Bandwagonesque listening party for Teenage Fanclub!

Since they started I've grooved about my kitchen with beers or lay in bed with my headphones on, enjoying listening to an album from start to finish and learning a little about it along the way. I've mainly been doing this live - when the party is happening - but I've also listened to others a day or two after.

You can find a full list of confirmed albums and participants at https://timstwitterlisteningparty.com/

And follow Tim on Twitter for all the updates.

Thanks to Tim for giving such a positive focus to music at a time when artists can't get out and play and fans are missing that interaction.

This week has all kinds of goodies, but I'll make sure I am listening live for The Flaming Lips Soft Bulletin, Orange Juice You Can't Hide Your Love Forever and then a glorious Saturday with The Beta Band Three EP's and  The Charlatans Between 10th and 11th and then Sunday with Pulp's Different Class and New Order Power, Corruption and Lies.

Phew!

5 albums from January 2017

Last year I vowed to write a blog review on every album I bought or listened to. That didn't happen!

So rather than attempt to write my usual length features on albums, I'm going to condense some of them into an end of month feature. So here are five albums that I have enjoyed in January 2017;

Gentlewoman and Ruby Man is an album of covers by Matthew E White (check his debut reviewed HERE) - my album of the year in 2013) and 21-year old Flo Morrissey. They met at a Lee Hazelwood tribute concert where they were both playing; White was already aware of Morrissey after her single was reviewed next to his in The Guardian.

Some Velvet Morning was the song they duetted on at the Hazelwood show and the duo continued to bond over emails and across the ocean - leading to this album.

Gentlewoman and Ruby Man is stunning soulful covers album; the two gel effortlessly, White's gentle voice and exceptional band of musicians that he has on call at his studio are complimented and enhanced by Morrissey who has the voice of an angel, capable of soaring high with ease.

Songs by Leonard Cohen, James Blake, Frank Ocean, Frankie Valli, Little Wings and Feist, Nino Ferrer, Radha Krishna Temple, The Velvet Underground, Charlotte Gainsbourg and Beck and Roy Ayers Ubiquity are covered - a rich and eclectic selection in anyone's book. It all works! Even Grease which White claims he had never heard before, whereas it was forever part of Morrissey's youth.

Only released on 27th January, but I fell for Stellular instantly. Why? Well the driving guitar/synth pop of Colour Of Water,  the riffs and flow are beautiful. And the quality level doesn't drop throughout the album. Dougall's voice can soar, hold the notes, grab your attention and wind its way into your soul. She plays King Tut's in Glasgow on April 8th.

We are ushered into Oczy Mlody with the beautiful title track; a stones, lysergic instrumental that bubbles, flows and breaks us gently into the psychedelic universe of The Flaming Lips. Welcome back.

That universe can take us on wonderful and weird trips; think of the life affirming Do You Realise?, the glorious Race For The Prize and the euphoric pop of She Don't Use Jelly - all wonderful. Lately it has been a little weird with entire albums covering the Stone Roses and Sgt Peppers and flirting and collaborating with Miley Cyrus; not to mention crazy films and albums.

The Lips get the pH balance almost perfect - the peak of a trip; there is a sense of floating, questions are asked, philosophies, thoughts and dreams flow effortlessly and with no logic from Wayne Coyne.

The trip continues with another slow, dreamy, stream of consciousness gem - There Should Be Unicorns.

It is meant to be a kind of wish list that someone is reading off to a party planner....as if unicorns are something you can just order to have at your party.

We felt like maybe it needed an emotional hook i it and we put in the part that is now like a chorus - yeah there should be the unicorns, the ones with the purple eyes...not the green eyes. The lyrics implying that you can choose which unicorn you prefer!

The Flaming Lips are capable of moments of sheer fragile brilliance and beauty. Coyne's voice strains with emotion on Sunrise (Eyes of the Young). 

The sunrise insists on gladness

But how can I be glad now my flower is dead

Oh, sun I see you happy

Now you're showing me the truth but I don't want to believe you

Nigdy Nie (Never No) is another gem that takes an expectedly brilliant turn at 2 minutes 20 as a distorted and funky bass comes in before a shimmering synth helps to add another dimension.

I hope Wayne and co can bring their life affirming party to Glasgow.

An article in The Sunday Times led to be going online to check out some of Stevie Nicks solo career. Over the weekend of January 21st and 22nd I must have played this half a dozen times. Stop Draggin' My Heart Around with Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers sounds even better than you thought and hoped it might; Edge of Seventeen is utterly brilliant - the guitar and vocals are sensational; Leather and Lace with Don Henley is my favourite track on the album and the alternate version on the deluxe edition is probably even better. A stunning album that I will continue to return to regularly. The deluxe version also contains a real gem in Gold And Braid (Unreleased version). Sit back and listen to one of rock n roll's best ever singers with a sh*t hot band backing her up - listen to them flow and soar.

This is one album I did find time to devote a full blog to. You can read that review HERE and stream it above; but do me a favour and order the vinyl online via the Last Night From Glasgow online store if you like it. Support young and emerging artists - this one deserves it. This gets better with every listen.

Never Ending Mixtape Part 4

The Monkees kick off the 4th instalment of the Never Ending Mixtape with their psychedelic masterpiece Porpoise Song (Theme from Head). I remember reading about Head as a teenager - did The Monkees really make a crazed LSD inspired film co-written by Jack Nicholson?

YES - and it is even crazier than it sounds.

Moving on from The Monkees we also have some psychedelic tunes by the likes of the Polyphonic Spree (who have performed Porpoise Song with The Monkees), Flaming Lips, Ride and Clap Your Hands Say Yeah.

You'll need to go down to the 50th song to start this section of the Never Ending Playlist embedded below, or start from the beginning! Or you can play each individual song below.

Porpoise Song - The Monkees

Wanting to feel, to know what is real

Light and Day/Reach For The Sun - The Polyphonic Spree

Seeing The Polyphonic Spree live is a little like a religious experience for me. It's not just their robes that led to some people questioning if they're a cult; it's the sense of freedom in their songs, asking questions and searching for answers, being positive, being reflective, being true to themselves and seeing how far they could take it.

Race For The Prize (remix) - The Flaming Lips

The Soft Bulletin is an incredible album. This song used to (and may still) start Flaming Lips sets. I remember seeing them at the Barrowlands and Wayne and his band were their own roadies - true punks - they saved money when touring by sorting their own equipment. They burst on to the stage with fans dressed as animals, confetti, a light that Wayne swung above his head and played this glorious song. 

The Skin Of My Yellow Country Teeth - Clap Your Hands Say Yeah

OOH haven't listened to this in years, what a tune, what a groove. I love everything about it, the vocals are strained and soulful.

I'll Be Around - Yo La Tengo

Just sublime, what a gorgeous riff and feel to this song.

French Disko - Stereolab

Stereolab were beloved by John Peel and that is how I discovered them. Unique punk pop with a psychedelic (disco) edge. One of those bands that can transport you away from reality to get lost in their music, grooves, imagery and imagination.

Dream Baby Dream - Suicide

Suicide were on of those bands that loads of my favourite artists would mention - Bobby Gillespie, Norman Blake, Duglas T Stewart.... among others (later on James Murphy). I first heard this on a free CD given away with Mojo/Uncut many, many moons ago and instantly fell for it.

Keep that dream burning

Dream baby dream, forever

Touch - A Certain Ratio

Not a band I am very familiar with at all but I've just finished reading Peter Hook's Substance book and I wanted to take some time to check them out. This is funky as funk. The band would regularly venture to New York and the disco/club scene had a HUGE impact on them.They play Glasgow in February.

Bizarre Love Triangle - New Order

Have to include New Order as I've been listening to them a lot recently while reading Hooky's book. This and Temptation are my real favourites.

Lips Like Sugar - Echo and the Bunnymen

The Bunnymen's Songs To Learn And Sing is a sensational (compilation) album. The belief, ambition, arrogance and audacity of the Bunnymen transpired to songs like Lips Like Sugar - incredible.

Leave The All Behind - Ride

Ride were really young when they burst on to the scene with a string of EP's that led to their debut album Nowhere. It was only with the release of second album Going Blank Again that I discovered them. This just blew me away; over 8-minutes of blissed out guitar psychedelia.

Moby with Wayne Coyne - The Perfect Life

Published on Sep 4, 2013

'the idea for 'the perfect life' video is pretty simple...wayne and i in mariachi costumes walking around l.a picking up a very random and disparate bunch of disenfranchised oddballs and leading them via trolley to a giant party on a roof overlooking l.a while the sun sets.'
- moby

The video is as good as Moby's description, the song is even better. Taking in 'Play' style gospel piano and vocals with an added lysergic dash of Flaming Lips leader Wayne Coyne.

One of the best things Coyne has ever done is his single 'The Golden Path' with the Chemical Brothers and I've often wished he had recorded more electronic music. This is nowhere near as dancey or as psychedelic as that particular masterpiece, but it is brilliant.

One of my singles of the year.

Five for Friday

Last summer at Rock Ness I witnessed a truly inspiring performance from Leftfield. The sound was incredible, the music was from another planet, the atmosphere was positive and uplifting, a great festival performance. This was a real highlight, 'Afrika Shox';

It is 30-years since the release of Depeche Mode's debut single. It still sounds fresh and vital. I'm not the biggest fan of the Mode, I prefer their earlier poppier stuff with Vince Clarke before their darker, gothier stuff after he left. This is pure pop.

When two of my favourite acts combined in the early 00's they produced a remarkable single that left me wondering what they could do if they had time to work on an album. This is Wayne Coyne with the Chemical Brothers, enjoy;

Two of my other favourite artists did combine to make a few albums worth of material. Bernard Sumner from New Order teamed up with Johnny Marr after the demise of The Smiths to produce some exquisite pop, with the added benefit of guest vocals from Neil Tennant of Pet Shop Boys. Here they all are on Top of the Pops.

David Bowie has always been ahead of his time, with his appearance, music, vision and art. 'A New Career In A New Town' is an instrumental taken from his legendary 1977 album 'Low';