“Hammer of the Gods for people who wear anoraks”

Peter Hook (ex Joy Division, ex New Order) is one of the real characters in the music world – renowned for his dry wit and distinctive bass sound.  I’ve been waiting for his book about the famous music venue The Hacienda and was a mite disappointed when my hold on the library’s copy was cancelled.

But, as there often is,  there was a story behind this cancelled reserve. The story, as I found out from music website Pitchfork,  is Peter Hook’s  book is possibly too hot for the presses. The defamation issues described reveal some very Spinal Tap moments :

How can the author prove this about the xxxxxxx? Particularly, how is it proved that they wanted a pirate ship built at this cost and that they cost this amount of money? I am not sure one can say literally about six people turned up when it seems from the appendix it was 190. I would suggest changing to something more along the lines of “pitifully few turned up” and I would also suggest taking out “we were pillaged by bloody pirates”. May not xxxxxx complain about the reference to his stash

So let’s hope it Hooky’s book does make it to the presses.

In the meantime all you ‘anoraks’ can console yourself with:

• The upcoming book The north will rise again : Manchester music city 1978-1996  by John Robb
• Other (sometimes lawyer troubling) music biographies – like Hammer of the Gods (Led Zeppelin), The Dirt (Motley Crue)
• Music by Joy Division, New Order, Happy Mondays, Stone Roses …

 

Marvel at the acoustic brilliance of Tommy Emmanuel

Over the years I’ve been to many great concerts with my Dad.   He’s introduced me to some of my favourite musicians including James Taylor, Dave Matthews and the Finn Brothers and I always jump at the chance to go and see someone in concert that I’ve never heard of before.  Tommy Emmanuel was one such musician, and when I went to see him in concert at the Theatre Royal a couple of years ago I was blown away.  The things that he could do with a guitar were amazing and it was easy to forget that he was the only musician on the stage.  After the concert I just had to hear more from Tommy and got some of his previous CDs from the Library.

Therefore, when I saw that we had just got Tommmy Emmanuel’s new live CD, Center Stage, at the Library I had to get my hands on it.  The CD is fantastic and it was like being back at that concert again.  One of my favourite songs from the new CD is a masterpiece called ‘Initiation’ in which Tommy shows the range of his guitar skills.

If you appreciate true musical genius, check out Tommy Emmanuel

 

Addicted to Bass – Dancefloor killers

I’m a bit of an indie music type. Excited about Belle and Sebastian main man Stuart Murdoch’s new girl group project God help the girl. Wondering if the new Manic Street Preachers album Journal for Plague lovers is at all good.

But my alter ego couldn’t care less – she’s into club bangers. It’s all about the dancefloor filler killers -  getting your hands up for Detroit, Miami crunk, crunchy blasting hiphop and stonking remixes. Tune of the moment? Bonkers!

If you are similarly afflicted with an addiction to bass, try the aptly titled Addicted to Bass.  Shawty get loose: 20 R&B club anthems sounds loads of fun – you can’t argue with the Freemasons remix of Work, the track in which Destiny’s Child’s Kelly Rowland totally serves it up to Beyonce.

Other bangers that’ll sound just fine blasting out of your stereo (at neighbour baiting volume):

• The mashup Collision Course stars the two seemingly opposing forces that are alt-metallers Linkin Park and uber hiphop supremo. It’s the best housework music ever.
• Buraka Som Sistema - Sound of Kuduro is one cool track – and the dancing in the video will blow your mind – Angolan jerky robotic moves galore
• Ministry of Sound - loads of compilations are put out by this famed club. There’s a tasty bunch out in 2009.
• Australia has lots of good dancey music – and shorty divas like that stalwart Kylie Minogue and eyelinered twins The Veronicas.
• Beyonce is FIERCE.

More subjects to explore:

• Drum’n'bass (Music)
• Underground dance music
• House music

What are the songs (or albums) that will jet propel you to the dancefloor and get you shaking what your momma gave you?

 

RIP the King of Pop? – reports of the death of Michael Jackson

Michael Jackson has reportedly died at the age of 50 and the World Wide Web is a-Twitter.

You may have debated his relevance in the current music scene but the online frenzy, information and mis-information show the King of Pop is a still a figure of major public interest -  locally Stuff’s article Michael Jackson’s dead had 96 comments as at 11:21am today. See also:

• Singer Michael Jackson ‘is dead’ – BBC News, UK
• Michael Jackson has died – The Guardian, UK
• Michael Jackson, 50, Is Dead - ArtsBeat, New York Times, USA
• Live coverage from the BBC – World News Channel - UK

Visit Christchurch City Libraries for:

• Books about Michael Jackson
• Music by Michael Jackson

 

The time for ukulele is upon us

There's a uke to suit everyone

If cupcakes are the hot trend in culinary circles then surely the ukulele is its musical equivalent.   A diminutive version of the standard item and somehow cuter and more gleeful.  If you can listen to the upbeat tinkle of a jauntily strummed ukulele and not feel happier, or possibly even slightly warmer at the prospect of warm island summers then you may well be made of stone or something similarly cold and unfeeling.

Christchurch City Council’s Matariki programme which has been ongoing throughout June saw me attending a two day ukulele workshop at Ngā Hau e Wha Marae last week.  Led by local legend Pos Mavaega of Pacific Underground we newbies (several of whom had bought their ukes the day before) miraculously found some chords and strums and managed to cobble them together into some songs. 

We did so well that somehow Pos has managed to talk our small band of uke-wannabes into performing during Pacific Underground’s set at Matariki at the Marae on Thursday night.  There will be other exciting things on offer at the marae as well including star-gazing with telescopes (I saw Saturn last night!), star-weaving, guest speakers and possibly the best pumpkin soup ever (do take them up on having a squirt of sour cream in it, it’s really good). 

If you really can’t bear to leave the cosy warmth of your living room on Thursday to see our triumphant ukelele debut you can still get yourself uked-up.  Perhaps you prefer to go to a performance where the musicians have been playing their instruments for more than a week?  If so you might be interested to know that the Wellington International Ukulele Orchestra will be performing as part of the Christchurch Arts Festival in August (but be quick, one of three performances is already sold out!).  And of course the library has a ton of ukulele inspiration to get you strumming -

• Books on how to play the ukulele
• Israel Kamakawiwo’ole CDs (Hawaiian singer most famous for his ukulele cover of “Somewhere over the rainbow” as featured in a Dulux ad)
• Sound recordings of George Formby
• Information on local ukulele classes

 

A feast of Sibelius

The anniversary of Sibelius’s death may have passed relatively unnoticed, but the Christchurch Symphony Orchestra chose to honour him with a full programme of his music last weekend. Perhaps this is because Maestro Jari Hamalainen, one of the newest conducting stars to come out of Finland was conducting (check him out on YouTube. ) Attracted though I was to hearing Sibelius conducted by a fellow Finn, I had never been to a concert featuring the works of only one composer before, especially a composer whose works I am not very familiar with. Would I be bored with Sibelius by half time I wondered? The answer is a resounding no. In fact it was a very satisfying experience, like having a three course meal of  Sibelius so to speak.

 The experience was helped along by the riveting performance of the violin concerto op .47 in D minor by the young Bulgarian violinist Bella Hristova, the 2007 winner of the Michael Hill International Violin Competition. I will certainly be looking to see where her career takes her. Unusually she has not only already won number of prestigious prizes, but has she also featured in O, The Oprah Magazine and Garrison Keillor’s Prairie Home Companion, so it could be an interesting journey. If you would like to hear her play try the Naxos database on our website.

• Music by Sibelius in our collection

 

By jingo it’s Jarvis Cocker

Britpop

Jarvis Cocker that loveable, bespectacled beanpole has a new CD out called “Further Complications”. Some of you may, if you are as aged as moi, remember Pulp and the Britpop glory days of Blur, Suede, Elastica etc. Ah golden years of yoof…

Jarvis is a well known past master of the whimsical, piss-taking  ditty; songs wryly observing the banality of everyday life but inter-cut with a knowing grandeur and tongue-in-cheek posturing. This new album has all of that and also some very interesting new vocal explorations. I particularly marvelled at “Caucasian Blues” where Cocker, against all the odds, managed to sound like the bastard child of John Lydon singing  a Monkees number. Truly thrilling. And how I sniggered at these  lyrics “I met her in the museum of paleontology, and I make no bones about it”.

The Guardian review of “Further Complications” was less wholeheartedly enthusiastic and wondered “What’s eating Jarvis Cocker? Reviewer Craig McLean found the album lacking Cocker’s customary warmth but also noted that Jarvis had recently announced the end of his marriage. This new angry Jarvis Cocker, seething mass of bitterness though he may be, if the Guardian is to be believed, still managed to tootle down to HMV record store in London and spend 2 hours flogging and signing his CD over the counter. Now that is working class.

Anyway “Pah” and “granny-knickers” to the Guardian, what do they know, and yay to Jarvis Cocker and his new beard. And even if you don’t like this new one, The Jarvis Cocker record  from 2006 is always worth another listen.

 

Name that tune – Music in ads

TV music

Music fans always have their ears tuned – for the familiar sound or something new&exciting. Even when the telly is on. The Library has a list of Advert music where you can find out what is that tune tantalising you in the ad break. And if we have it on CD we’ll link you to it.

 Some recent goodies:

• that body painting Air NZ ad (it’s the smooth yet growly voiced Kiwi Gin Wigmore singing  Under my skin)
• the kids performing eyebrow stunts for Cadbury: Don’t Stop the Rock by Freestyle (we don’t have a copy but that’s the tune)The Adidas Originals house party ad features a banging Pilooski re-edit of Beggin by Frankie Valli)
• The music used in the Samsung LED tv ad is the beautifully melodic  Kelly watch the stars by French duo Air

If your educated ears spot the music in any adverts currently showing let us know and we’ll add it to the list

 

Recent necrology, 18 – 31 May 2009

Necrology – a list of notable people who have died recently. Now a regular feature on our blog.

• David Herbert Donald, 1920-2009 Biographer of Lincoln who was required reading in Washington

• Amos Elon, 1926-2009 Israeli writer and thinker who foresaw disaster for his homeland in the triumph of the 1967 war

• Norman Gash, 1912-2009 Historian of 19th-century Britain celebrated for his magisterial biography of Sir Robert Peel

• Alan Hackney, 1924-2009 Novelist and screenwriter who created a 1950s British comedy classic with I’m All Right Jack

• Ninella Kurgapkina, 1929-2009 Russian ballerina of great charm who partnered Nureyev and was filmed performing a dazzling waltz

• Nicholas Maw, 1935-2009 Composer who preferred melody to atonalism, annoying some critics but delighting the public

 

Recent necrology, 11-15 May 2009

Necrology – a list of notable people who have died recently. Now a regular feature on our blog.

• Heather Begg, 1932-2009 New Zealand mezzo-soprano who had a distinguished opera career in Australasia and Britain
• Les Bloxham, 1937-2009 Christchurch travel and aviation writer, reporter for The Press
• James Kirkup, 1918-2009 Poet notorious for his verse published by Gay News, which inspired the last successful trial for blasphemy
• Anne Scott-James, 1913-2009 Author and journalist with a talent for caustic one-liners who edited Harper’s Bazaar and later became an authority on gardening.