Sonic Avenger

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2010-04-29T16:09:00.001Z

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Curly Larry & Mo

2010-04-25T11:33:00.023Z

Listening to: Terry Dactyl & the Dinosaurs - Seaside Shuffle

No-one will need reminding that the PM's job is currently up for grabs. Speaking personally, it's a case of which of these three idiots do I want governing the country? Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg is currently riding high a wave of approval following his alleged success in the first of the televised leader debates last week. As a result, he can currently be seen on any day of the week touring the nation's hot-spots and sink estates, carrying himself like something akin to Flava Flav. Such is the man's current souped-up confidence in his daft party and their confusing policies. The thought of Cameron taking the lead is just too frightening to contemplate. If there is indeed a god up there, he should look down on our battered little isle and intervene sometime soon. We've suffered enough I think.
Whilst I find the the whole topic of televised political contests like this depressing, I also realise that this is an historic election. Historic because, like the US of A has been doing for decades, we are now truly entering a future where many people will be responding to how a politician looks and sounds, as opposed to what he's actually saying.
Interestingly though, Cleggy's past isn't totally devoid of colourful anecdotes. The public school take on the concept of newspaper-delivery is a novel one it must be said.

RIP Malcolm McLaren

2010-04-08T22:29:00.010Z

Listening to: Nirvana - All Apologies

Saddened to hear of the death of Malcolm McLaren today at the age of 64 from cancer. Saying that, I spent most of the day blissfully unaware of this fact, which is the downside of not leaving the house or turning the TV on all day. I was always entertained by McLaren's eternal art-school provocateur persona, and as a Pop culture commentator there were few to rival him, certainly in his own generation. His modus operandi was the Shock of the New - a rare trait in the field of popular music at any given time, especially now.
Today is also the sixteenth anniversary of the death of Kurt Cobain. For some reason, Nirvana grabbed my attention most when they released the MTV Unplugged album. Some of the songs in that set took on a rawness that was less evident in the original recordings. My favourite is posted up yonder.

Easter y'all

2010-04-05T10:47:00.022Z

Listening to: Roxy Music - In Every Dream Home a Heartache

Once again I find myself in the midst of that annual moveable feast known as Easter. I've never fully grasped the true significance of this holy festival, but like any 8 year-old, am fully aware that it's twin-symbols are Jesus (in returning from the grave mode) and ... er, rabbits. I hereby confess to a lifelong confusion where the aforementioned are concerned, but can confidently report that this has now changed.
Yes indeed, a few hours ago I actually looked it up. In a nutshell, those pesky Christians done stole the whole shebang from them there Pagans who, incidentally, made a lot of sense in my book, worshipping nature an' all. Not the sacrificing people part you understand, just the hello trees hello sky bits.
I have spent much of the past 72 hours in sonic pyjamas watching Easter-themed satellite TV whilst attempting to eat my own weight in chocolate and associated confectionary. I'm almost there where the latter is concerned, but apparently this is an 8-day thing so there's plenty of time yet. For now though I can firmly state that Max Von Sydow is Jesus Christ sent down to us in cinematic form, and for now that will suffice.
Happy Eostre bunnies everywhere.

Election Season

2010-03-28T22:22:00.019Z

Listening to: The Byrds - I Wasn't Born to Follow

G'day my people. Yes, it's General Election season here in Cruel Britannia. For many of us, the downside of this is having Conservative Party leader David Cameron's eminently punchable face earnestly beaming out at us from billboards or TV screens. Speaking of which, here he is getting very confused during a recent interview with the Gay Times. Clearly he should have written his speech down beforehand for that one.
Of course, the problem facing voters nowadays is that it's difficult to tell the difference between the Conservative and (New) Labour parties at all. I'm no advocate of either, but it's frightening to consider just how many disillusioned Labour voters may see the way forward as being via putting a cross next to this idiot's party in the privacy of the polling booth, come the May election.
Remember his Hug A Hoodie campaign of a few years back? He for one hopes you can't.
I can only imagine that Cameron & Co are banking on much of their support coming from that section of UK voters who are too young to remember what a cess-pit their party turned the UK into during the years 1979-97.

Cocaine Cowboys

2010-03-23T19:16:00.012Z

Listening to: David Bowie - Sound & Vision

Last weekend I caught the documentary Cocaine Cowboys on TV (UK readers look out for it on More4). It's essentially about how the cocaine trade shaped the city of Miami in the 70's and 80's. For anyone who, like I did, thinks they've watched or read everything about this area and era of organised crime, I heartily recommend this one.
The reality of the situation and the people involved was far more excessive, scarey, absurd and bloody than even the most pantomime telling of this particular tale could ever be - and I'm thinking specifically of Al Pacino in Scarface here.
You can get the general tone of the proceedings via the trailer up there, and some of the deleted scenes ... and of course kids, there is a moral here: Just Say No.

Northwest Passage

2010-03-22T21:04:00.020Z

Listening to: Santana - Soul Sacrifice

Yes indeed, today the sun doth shine down verily upon the North West corner of the UK. Sonic shorts and footwear are out of mothballs and I'll be giving good ol' Sonic BBQ2 a clean and shine pretty soon too.
Anyhoo, I've just been to hospital for a chat with the very surgeon who carried out this operation on my right knee, some eighteen months back. This was actually supposed to have taken place in March of last year, but for various reasons (including my name getting lost in the system) has happened one year late.
The upside of this hold-up is that my leg has now made a full recovery. In fact, it's in better shape than before my mishap of 2008, although I'd be wise to lay off the breakdancing for a while longer I think. Whatever the case, closure has been achieved on that one.
On another topic altogether, a few people have enquired as to the identity of the gent pictured in the previous post. Y'all can read about him here.
I shall now don some weather-appropriate attire and head off into town to bask in some pre-summer vibes. More later.

The Day Today

2010-03-11T22:37:00.021Z

Listening to: Georgie Fame - Peaceful

Well pop-kids, I've got the Sonic Chariot back, that's the main thing. All being well, it won't be making any more strange noises as I power along Satan's Slip-road tomorrow AM.
Anyhoo, this morning, I took a little excursion on foot into the throbbing heart of Cruel Britannia's City of Culture (2008). I took a few minutes to peruse the mind-blowing bridal fashions on display in the window of the shop on London Road made famous by the TV documentary series My Big Fat Gypsy Wedding, then continued down this sunny boulevard where, in due course, I was propositioned by a very inebriated gay tramp (U.S. readers: Hobo). He scored extremely low on charm and patter but nevertheless, I wished him good luck on his quest and carried on my merry way.
In the end, the one thing I'd gone downtown to buy (a phone-charger) I completely forgot about, but remembered my Mother's Day card and gift. (This Sunday boys and girls, very important, do not forget).
Tomorrow morning it's back to Chéz Sonique. Hopefully more from there, once I get to the bottom of my remaining tech-woes (see last post).

Rage Against the Machines

2010-03-10T22:48:00.010Z

Watching: Mad Men - The Kodak Carousel

Greetings people. Y'know, during my years here on Earth, one thing I've found is that sometimes, where everyday technology is concerned, once one machine packs up, several other tech-items that you have come to rely on will do the same. In my own case, the Sonic Chariot has been in the car-clinic for most of this week. Numerous problems under the hood need fixing, which won't be cheap.
Now my main computer has decided to mutiny too, and I'm writing this from another machine. I've cleared out a few viral-nasties recently (courtesy of anti-virus app Avast! which I can heartily recommend), however I'm left with one central problem - I can't access this site, or that of my webspace provider. Not sure why this is yet, but it feels strangely specific, even personal I have to say. I've even managed to lose the charger for my mobile phone and am currently using an enormous Nokia from the Cretaceous era until it shows up or I give in and buy a new one. So one way or another, the machines are indeed revolting, and doing so in battle formation. Stay tuned for more war reportage.

Pop Cultured

2010-02-17T22:52:00.016Z

Listening to: Age of Chance - Timeless

In a book-ish frame of mind today pop-kids. Currently thumbing through a splendid volume of music-based photography entitled Pop Cultured by Liverpool camera-meister Mark McNulty. Some essential, often epic, some might say iconic (see above) images and anecdotes contained within these covers I can report.
The best deal on it, I found, was to be had at Amazon. Ordered it yesterday afternoon and it arrived this morning. Yes indeed, we're all living in the Space Age now. So, my robot-friends, put down whatever you're doing, and whether by hover-board or jet-pack, go out and buy this book. Or like me, stay in and buy it.
Whichever, you'll want to thank me later.

Glam-Fix

2010-02-15T17:15:00.019Z

Listening to: Spiderman Theme Tune

It's probably fair to say that I could do with an injection of glamour into my daily existence at the moment. That, and a reminder that the sun is still up there somewhere. I don't mean Caligula-style decadence or anything. A hot country, a sun-lounger, a tall drink and some decent reading matter would do the trick. For now, the nearest I get to a glam-fix is watching Madmen every Wednesday night.
That said, February, apart from being the coldest month, is also the one when thoughts turn to sunnier prospects, and an end to hibernation-mode seems that bit closer. I even bought a pair of anticipatory flip-flops today from Primark. £1.50 well-spent. There's no harm in being prepared I always say.
On another topic, I've had numerous queries concerning the non-appearance of a new Live at Chéz Sonique set. Apologies music-lovers, but the hold-up is due to a few tech-problems I've been having. One was with my domain-hosting company; their server got hacked and they had to change all the log-in passwords. The email that notified me of this got spam-filtered by AOL (see previous post) so I was offline for a while there when I needn't have been.
Also, most of the tracks I use in the Chéz Sonique broadcasts are digital-transfers from my vinyl collection. The software I use for this went into mutiny mode and caused further hold-ups. Yessir, the machines sure are revolting.
Anyhoo, with a bit of luck I'm now on top of these gremlins so another musical despatch from Chéz Sonique will be with you very soon.
Peace, out.

A-O Hell 2

2010-02-06T15:56:00.009Z

Listening to: Stevie Wonder - Superstition

Greets peeps. Well, just when you thought Spring was around the corner, more white stuff falls from the sky and puts everything back a few weeks. On top of this I've been beleagured by tech-problems of one kind or another recently. The battery that powers the Sonic Chariot's engine decided to give up the ghost a few nights back. The freezing fog that had settled around Chéz Sonique probably didn't help matters but it was particularly annoying because the component in question was less than a year old, and I don't like having to walk anywhere if it can be avoided.
I also have an ongoing problem with AOL, my ISP. I cannot get online from my main computer despite the little flashing green light on my wireless router telling me that I actually am. A forty minute pep-talk, paid for by me, with an otherwise very personable AOL tech-chap in India also proved to be a complete waste of time. A new ISP may be on the cards very soon I think. If anyone out there has any recommendations in this area, please let me know.
Aside from these petty annoyances, I'm looking forward to the Spring now. I've had enough of damp and darkness; soon I shall bestride the Earth in sonic shorts, boys and girls.

Sonic Beach

2010-01-16T22:02:00.033Z

Listening to: Black Sabbath - Sweet Leaf

G'day boys and girls. Moving very slowly into January and 2010 over here. Like most other burrowing marsupials, I'm in semi-hibernation mode at this bleak juncture in the calendar, so I'm hardly at my most alert or motivated. Slowly but surely though, this will change.
Sub-zero temperatures haven't helped of course. It's as cold right now as I can ever recall it being, but as y'all know, it's Forever Summer in my mind. This is no easy task I can tell you. I mean, just take a look at that pic up there. A time-worn snapshot of post WW1-era smalltown, hard-times Britain? Nah, a pic taken from the doorway of my local Sainsbury's earlier today.
That's the state of play in Cruel Britannia as I type, pop-kids. As Daphne Du Maurier once wrote, it's grim Up North. However, years of yogic discipline and self-deprivation have given yours truly the ability to completely blank out my immediate surroundings at will and mentally repair to my favourite sun-lounger on Sonic Beach, far away in time. This is why I'm such a sunny, warm, agreeable person, pretty much all the time. Seriously, anyone who knows me would tell you the same.
Peace, out.

About the Weather

2010-01-06T12:56:00.018Z

Listening to: The Shadows - Frightened City

And lo, Cruel Britannia did completely close down and grind to a halt. Because of snow and ice. In January. Who could've seen that coming? Schools closed, cars abandoned, airports shut down. All for the lack of some grit being thrown on the roads, from what I can see.
And with that opening observation, bang goes one of my Nu-Year's resolutions - ie, not moaning about the weather. The sad truth is, I enjoy it too much. It's one of life's pleasures for us hard done-to Brits. So as long as cold weather in winter continues to be headline news over here, I'll feel justified in moaning about it.
In other news I'm currently in the process of assembling another mix for your Nu-Year's delectation, which I'll be posting as soon as it's finished. Ok, Forward my little friends...

At last - 2010

2010-01-01T13:09:00.020Z

Listening to: Unkle - Heaven

Happy New Year one and all. Yes, 2009 is finally behind us, and a new decade beckons. I've never known a year that so many people claimed to be their worst. Say what you like but there's definitely something astrological going on there pop-kids. As is my custom I stayed at home on the last night of 2009. Apart from my aversion to Auld Lang Syne-orientated revelry it didn't seem like a good idea to give whoever's in charge Up There one last chance to rain down misfortune on my year. Thus fine wine, pizza and a Robert De Niro flick sealed the deal for me last night. That said, I still do the flinging-the-front-door-open-at-midnight thing, and watching the fireworks etc, so I'm not a complete New Year party pooper. Right boys & girls, helmets on and here we go into the Great Unknown...

Yuletide Preparedness

2009-12-23T11:30:00.018Z

Listening to: Ramsey Lewis Trio - Santa Claus is Coming to Town

Some things continue to amaze, year in, year out. Like the apparent surprise expressed by councils the length and breadth of Cruel Britannia that snow and ice might actually be a reality in December. Like the scenes of near-riot in any given supermarket or department store on any given day in the lead-up to Christmas. It seems to begin slightly earlier every year.
Anyhoo, my up-at-the-crack-of-dawn-to-shop approach (see previous post) worked in the end, and I pretty much have everything done that needs to be done. Plus I managed to traverse Satan's Slip-Road (Southern readers: the M62) without too much grief earlier today. Never a relaxing trip at the best of times.
Of course, in accordance with government guidelines, I'd packed a thermos of coffee, some blankets, stout walking-boots, some flares (no, not the trousers) and a supply of glucose tablets, just in case of climatic Armageddon. Over here, you just never know.
Ok, onward into the Season of Goodwill we go.

Fear of Christmas

2009-12-21T21:43:00.009Z

Listening to: Lou Rawls - Good Time Christmas

The scene at 7.30am this morning, as I trudged my way through the local streets to go swimming with the dolphins. Yes, you read it correctly dear reader. Swimming. I even opted to travel on foot, as the Sonic Chariot was sufficiently buried in ice that I decided to let the sun do all the hard work later in the day.
Let's face it, I'm about to spend the next week laying on a settee in the land of my forefathers, with a TV-remote in one hand, a flagon of wine in the other and a vast tin-box full of Cadbury's Roses on my chest. Just like it says we must in The Bible. So in preparation for this joyous celebration, I figure it's probably best to snatch a few minutes of rogue exercise while I can...catch my body all unawares, like.
I also have some last-minute-but-crucial Yuletide shopping to do, which will see me in the local town centre tomorrow before sun-up.
I actually tried this earlier today. Drove 5 miles, parked the SC near as possible to town, walked for 20 minutes and, upon arriving in Leeds, was presented with what looked like a series of out-takes from a George Romero flick. Queues everywhere. Queues to join queues. I turned on my heels and headed back the way I'd come, without so much as a greetings card to show for it.
Tomorrow I shall repeat the exercise but at a ridiculously early hour, before the Army of the Undead have risen, and begin their day's shopping. I shall report back.

Sonic Santa

2009-12-08T18:04:00.007Z

Listening to: Babs Gonzales - The Bebop Santa Claus

Ok mon petit blogettes, as mentioned in the previous post, I've been putting together a Yuletide music mix, and there it is, over there on the right. Click on the green arrow to listen, click on the link below to see track-listing and download. I tells ya pop-kids, some of those selections are not easy to find these days. The Bebop Santa Claus has long been a Festive favourite of mine, and I never get tired of listening to Porky Pig's reading of Blue Christmas. Lou Rawls, The Ronettes, White Stripes, Little Cindy, the Brady Bunch and more. All the greats in one 26-track long Festive procession of Yuletide jollity.
I actually compiled this because I can never find a Christmas selection that I like enough to buy, so here's the answer. Lovingly crafted by my own fair hands, and free for y'all to download - until Twelfth Night that is, as tradition decrees. Enjoy.

Live at Chéz Sonique Vol 2

2009-12-04T14:32:00.016Z

Listening to: Live at Chéz Sonique Vol 2

Greetings music lovers. As I do every year around this time, I'm getting the Christmas Fear. I'm hoping that the ritual dressing-of-the-tree ceremony at Chéz Sonique later today will ease the fear factor a little. Naturally there will be some ritual drinking-of-the-alcohol to accompany the proceedings. Tradition in these matters is of the utmost importance.
Anyhoo, in the Yuletide spirit of Giving, I present to y'all my latest Sonic Odyssey, Live at Chéz Sonique Vol 2. Click on the orange arrow over there on the right to listen. Click on the link below to see the track-listing and download.
Tastemakers at large have already given Vol 2 the thumbs-up and it has been broadcast on the Joe McKechnie Show, alongside a superb Underground Resistance mix. See what you think pop-kids.
I'm currently preparing something with a seasonal theme, so stay tuned.

Vinyl Thrills

2009-11-26T16:23:00.010Z

Listening to: Leonard Cohen - Democracy is Coming to the USA

'Sup homies. This afternoon finds yours truly putting the finishing touches to another barrier-breaking/envelope-pushing half-hour mix, cut and crafted by my own fair hands. This one is destined for an online radio show (details to follow) but I shall be uploading it here for all you taste-makers and Sonic thrill-seekers to see what you think.
Tiring of the acres of files on my hard-drive, I've definitely rediscovered my love of vinyl lately...in particular the 7-inch variety. I'm not even talking about the more celebrated specimens that sport a picture-sleeve, though obviously that is the ideal aesthetic situation for a small, round piece of plastic with a hole in the middle to be in.
However, some of my collection comes from a time when 7" singles were taken from pub jukeboxes and placed in revolving racks in local sweet-shops, waiting to be loved a second time. I think Marcel Proust wrote about just this at some length.
Anyhoo, some of these gems will undoubtedly be finding their way into my own particular take on Mixtape Poetry, then out there into the cold, dark recesses of cyberspace. Now that's one epic journey pop-kids. Stay tooned.

Live at Chéz Sonique Vol 1

2009-11-08T16:45:00.021Z

Listening to: Live at Chéz Sonique - Vol 1

Greetings y'all. Well, it must be said that recently, the onset of the the dark months has seen yours truly in an unseasonably celebratory mood. Not quite ready for hibernation, I've been hosting a few off-the-cuff music appreciation evenings, so to speak, for a select coterie of guests. The soundtracks for these events - compiled and mixed by myself - have proven quite popular with the assembled party-goers. Lots of cuddly 7 and 12-inch vinyl will have this effect, I find.
So instead of handing out CDs, I've uploaded the first of these mixes to those kind folks at SoundCloud - over there on the right pop-kids. Click the blue arrow to listen. Click on the link to see the track-listing and download. As the tracklist indicates, this ain't Judge Jules. Just stuff I like, cut and re-shaped to my own personal requirements. With this as the basic template, expect further installments as and when. Enjoy, music lovers, and all comments welcome.

Halloween

2009-10-31T16:08:00.050Z

Listening to: Sonic Youth - Halloween

Good evening people. All Hallow's Eve is upon us once again. This time last week here in Cruel Britannia, the clocks went back one hour, thereby plunging us hapless inhabitants into the season of death and decay, which the more seasonally deluded of you out there are wont to refer to as Autumn. Not I though. Despair all ye who enter this season.
So, anyone who's been paying even vague attention around here will recall that I'm all in favour of scarey stuff. Other commitments have prevented me from doing the Halloween thing for a few years now, but this year, falling on a Saturday as it does, things are looking up. Not that I'm planning on leaving the house dressed as Wonder Woman or Charlie Chaplin as our U.S. cousins have taken to doing though. If I ever dress as Wonder Woman I tend to do it indoors anyway. Too chilly.
No sir, Halloween still equates to scarey around these parts, so I've a shortlist of movies that must be watched. Not sure what yet, but the Blair Witch Project is looking good. I've also ordered pizza that has the mushrooms fashioned into the likeness of a laughing skull. If I can obtain scarey alcohol locally, I'm getting that too. I even have a black cat resident in Chéz Sonique for the evening. Yes, really.
Moooohahahahaaaa!

Heading for the Hills

2009-10-14T22:35:00.012Z

Listening to: Soulful Strings - Burning Spear

Currently in the land of my forefathers, about to set off to West Wales for a few days of peace and tranquility. A short spell of the above will hopefully reconfigure my brain circuitry and put me back in general harmony with the universe. Restricted access to the WWW and technology generally will be no bad thing either. Just me, the birds, the badgers, and Mother Nature watching over us all, even when we're in the pub.
Canfod 'ch i mewn hychydig ddiwrnodau pop-fynnod.

Age of Chance v Guardian

2009-10-09T15:27:00.025Z

Listening to: Age of Chance - Kisspower

Just a quickie boys & girls, by way of an add-on to that last post:
Age of Chance v The Guardian is out today. A great interview with Angus Batey, y'all can read it online here. Having just read it myself, I think I might dig out some of my old cycling-gear from the vaults then maybe wander around the environs surrounding Chéz Sonique in the hope of being recognised by Guardian readers. Yes, badly in need of an ego-rub here. However, a more likely scenario is that I'll end up getting chased into a deserted windmill by irate local arbiters of good taste brandishing farming implements and flaming torches. As of today I say, screw 'em - read the papers fules, I'm a Pioneer, it sez so right there. Peace, out.

This is the Age of Chance

2009-10-06T18:34:00.048Z

Listening to: Age of Chance - Who's Afraid of the Big Bad Noise

The musical part of my previous existence is now available to buy pop-kids, as EMI have digitally re-issued the entire Age of Chance back catalogue. Yes indeed, the dayglo-constructivist-lycra-clad underbelly of the 80's is out there and available once more.
While I'm at it, here are some links which the more discerning music-lovers amongst you will find useful:

Age of Chance back-catalogue - Buy here.
Also released are 3 previously unheard tracks from the Playing With Fire sessions:
Definition of a Riot - AOC's wild deconstruction of Flame On and 2 other remixes:
The Longest Day and Midsummer RMX. Y'all need to hear these.

AOC Official website - here.

Of special note with the latter is the sleeve artwork section here. There are some great little hidden eggs in some of the sleeves for your visual delectation. Look carefully.

Great interview: AOC v The Quietus here

AOC Back-Cat reviewed here (click Reviews > Age of Chance)

Age of Chance live onstage - Great photos here

Excellent article on the AOC sleeve-artwork company Designer's Republic with free downloadable and very groovy DesRep Mix - here.

AOC's legendary, super-rare 12" sample-fest Kisspower: Free download here.

There are two items which are not being re-issued - The first two 7" singles Motorcity and Bible of the Beats, on the band's own Riot Bible label. This is because EMI don't own the rights to them, AOC do.
I'm sure they'll make a reappearance at some point in the future, but for now Motorcity is on the accompanying CD to John Robb's current bestseller Death to Trad Rock, an exhaustive study of the 80's Indie/Noise scene, which of course AOC feature significantly in. Available here and all leading book shops. If you can't rush out and buy this one right away, you'll be wanting to place it at the very pinnacle of your Christmas list.
Bible of the Beats, on the other hand, is available on the excellent 2-disc, 48 track CD86 compilation, here.
Make copious notes class, as I'll be asking questions at a later date.