Lotusblog

Saw an unbelievable live event last night. It started with a guy who composes music on Game Boys and finished with a cellist who took out an angle grinder and started grinding his cello. It was the re-birth of industrial.

…is one of those musicians I found slightly annoying when I was first introduced to him (well, to his music, I mean) a couple of years ago. But now, how nice it is. Such sensitivity. He must be a great guy. Did I change?

I was just poking around the Vice Records site watching a few videos while I was having a break (thanks Mike). And I have to say, I am pretty taken with an outfit called “The Streets”. Whoever would have thought that white British girls would be able to rap? I certainly didn’t, but the girl in the video you can see here does a bloody good job. Do yourself a favour and check it out. It’s a pity it’s only available in the super-crappy Real or Windows Media formats, but I guess it’s better than not seeing it at all.

But the video I was particularly taken with (and the reason for me visiting the site in the first place) was the Chromeo “Needy Girl” video . Very catchy song and great video too.

Now where did I put my darn rollerskates…

Luna’s Tiger Lily is the my song of the week. It’s incredible; indie pop taken back to the basics. Sounds almost like a direct descendent of the Flying Nun early 90’s New Zealand sound. In fact it could be- I’ve no idea where they are from.
The tragedy though is that this particular piece of aural heaven only lasts four minutes and forty seven seconds.

And speaking of weeping, I am interested to hear whether the Cowboy actually made it through the entire Brown Bunny album, or whether he’s still stuck at the first track. Cowboy, are you there? Are you listening?

If only I had a forty gigabyte portable music player made by Apple Computer. If only.

Robert Plant’s “Big Log” is one of those songs that just never loses its lustre. I don’t know why- it just doesn’t.

I was overcome with a desire this afternoon to hear it and once sated, saddled up and went to work. I got home not too long ago and after showering and drinking copious amounts of water suddenly desired to hear it again. And I was so moved that I even decided to write about it. In the Mood is also a pretty good song, but what really worries me is how Mr Plant could then go on to pen a song with the lyrics “I’m your tall cool one, and I’m built to please”.

Aren’t we all?

I watched Lost Highway again the other night. Man, that is one awesome movie. I thought that since it was my third or fourth time I might have some sort of insight and actually get it this time.
Alas, no such insight was forthcoming.

But that funny thing happened (I was chatting about this to a friend recently, I don’t know how to name this phenomenon, so I will explain everything).

I saw Lost Highway years ago when it was released. Loved it. Favourite scene was the party scene, where the freaky old guy (Mystery Man) appears at the party and says to Fred Madison, “Haven’t we met before?”. Fred, already freaked out by the events of the preceding few days starts to panic and then Mystery Man says “As a matter of fact, I am there (in your house) now. Call me” and then produces a mobile phone, hands it to Fred who dials his home number and hears Mystery Man answer. It’s a classic cinematic moment. You don’t know whether to keep watching, howl and run away or turn the movie off.
Anyway, during the duration of this conversation all other sound, background music etc completely fades away. Before and after this scene, however, Barry Adamson’s “Something Pretty Wicked This Way Comes” is playing. I loved that song.

The problem was that I seem to have forgotten it. Over the last couple of years I have heard it a few times on the radio, thought I was hearing a song for the very first time, but could never find out what it was because all I knew was that the title began with the word “Something”. So when I saw Lost Highway the other day, the puzzle was finally solved, the dots were connected and I was at peace. I finally knew who it was.

This phenomenon sometimes happens with people too. I will meet someone. Do the business card exchange thing. Talk. A few months later, see them again, have no idea who they are and therefore ignore them. But then a year later, I will see them again and remember everything about them as clear as crystal. I don’t know why this happens, why I learn/unlearn/remember stuff.
Is it just me?

I rediscovered some Yello songs that I have had for years…but had forgotten which CD they were on. Boy oh boy. Oh yeah!

No matter how screwed up the rest of my life may be, nothing (at least, nothing so far) has diminished my enjoyment of music.
This week, tunes being heavily rotated are:

1. Broken Social Scene’s “Pacific Theme”
2. Roni Size’s “Jazz” from CD2 of the Reprazent album