Next year, we’ll see another annual backslap-fest in the shape of the Brit Awards. As ever, the press are clamouring over the hosts… and 2008 will see gruesome twosome Ozzy and Sharon Osbourne orchestrating the madness. The annual event is to take place at Earl’s Court on February 20 and will be live broadcast on ITV1. Are we set for another shambolic TV performance a la Mick Fleetwood and Samantha Fox? I’d put money on it.
The nominations for the 2008 awards are due to be announced at London’s Roundhouse on January 14, which will also be televised, this time on ITV2. Commenting on being next year’s BRIT hosts, the Osbournes said:
Posted by
Stuart Waterman on
Friday November 30th, 2007 at
12:22 pm
Sometimes, a record appears from nowhere. It sounds and looks like nothing else. It’s weird. It’s catchy. It’s… something. One such hit was ‘Lucky Number‘ from the marvellously bonkers Lene Lovich. Released on the hip Stiff record label, Lucky Number stormed the charts and left people dancing… and scratcing their heads. Have a listen to it and think of a recent(ish) Gwen Stefani tune and then tell me where she got her vocal style from…
The Beatles created pop so perfect that it’s hard to imagine anyone tackling one of their tunes with any great success. One man who almost bettered them was the mighty Ray Charles. His “Eleanor Rigby” is so powerful and moving that at one point in the song it sounds as if the sky is about to cave in on your head. Kind of. Brother Ray’s version keeps the strings in to brood, but adds R’n'B piano and gospel vocals to bring the house down… I bet Paul McCartney’s hair stood on end when he heard this.
All-round marvellous tech site CNET has long been putting out a lot of great online TV-type stuff. If you’re into anything remotely nerdy - whether it be web 2.0, gaming or gadgets - they do videos about it. One day they might even be as big as Shiny Media.
Anyway, recently they’ve started getting more involved in music programming. Encoded is their new online programme, offering a brief but informative round-up of the latest music news. The latest edition features snippets on the latest songstress to take the 60s retro route, Duffy; a look at the intriguing new Kaiser Chiefs video; and something about The Mars Volta that only further cements my opinion that that band now exists entirely up its own arse.
The vid for the new White Stripes single, “Conquest”, sees them taking to the bullring. Jack, resembling Johnny Depp quite strickingly at times, plays the matador while Meg plays the, er, woman who looks after his cape. Or something.
It’s an amusing clip, especially when Jack suddenly develops doubts about killing the cute wittle bull. On a side note - am I the only person who thinks that he goes out of tune towards the end of this track? It’s been bugging me since the album came out!
See the video over the virtual page…
Every time Portishead do something, it always reminds you that it’s been far too long since you last heard from them. Thankfully, our most recent wait is to bear incredible fruit. Their curating of All Tomorrow’s Parties (Nightmare Before Christmas), a three day event happening at Minehead from December 7- 9, has one of the finest line-ups ever seen!
Portishead and Aphex Twin are both due to play two shows at the festival, and have both opted to play the Centre Stage, as the press release states “so they could perform their sets with no restrictive sound issues due to the bottom end frequencies.” In addition to the treat of a Portishead live set, you get Wu Tang’s GZA performing Liquid Swordz, the wonderful A Hawk and a Hacksaw creating their unique racket, as well as Damo Suzuki (of Can fame), John Cooper Clark, Madlib and Thurston Moore of Sonic Youth!
I have some very dull and very techie mates. One of them sent me this… possibly to wind me up as I don’t like downloading tunes, never mind stealin’ ‘em… to show me how Google is actually better for downloading tunes than Limewire and the like. Of course, it’s all very illegal, and there isn’t a soul at MyChemicalToilet who partakes in this behaviour (apart from that lad in the corner who sleeps under his desk and cries at the sight of daylight). However, it is interesting if you understand what this bloke (Jimmy R) is talking about. A world of illicit music awaits you. Now, don’t shoot the messenger.
[video jimmyrcom]
Posted by
Stuart Waterman on
Thursday November 29th, 2007 at
12:18 pm
You might be looking at this bozo and thinking “Who the hell is that?” Well that, ladies and gents, is Mel Torme. It still doesn’t mean a damn thing to you does it? Okay. How about this then? Have you seen that Vodaphone advert with an ace Northern Soul mod tune on it? A tune that goes “I’m comin’ home baby… do doo!”? Well that is the great Mel Torme!
Mel, nicknamed The Velvet Fog, was desribed as working “with the most beautiful voice a man is allowed to have, and he combines it with a flawless sense of pitch
Posted by
Stuart Waterman on
Thursday November 29th, 2007 at
12:08 pm
I suspect I may be the only person in Christendom who didn’t see any of the Electric Proms stuff on TV. I’m just soooo busy, yah? Anyway, if you’ve seen this video a billion times already, feel free to proceed to the next item. If you haven’t - it is very very good and you should watch it. If that wasn’t obvious enough already by the fact that I’ve posted it here. I am babbling. Enough.
With Christmas around the corner, it should be a time for cheer and merriment, which is exactly what the people of Devon expected when starlet Joss Stone returned to her home town to turn on the Christmas lights. Instead, many fans were shocked to see Joss
Posted by
Clare Joslin on
Thursday November 29th, 2007 at
9:07 am
Next year, we’ll see another annual backslap-fest in the shape of the Brit Awards. As ever, the press are clamouring over the hosts… and 2008 will see gruesome twosome Ozzy and Sharon Osbourne orchestrating the madness. The annual event is to take place at Earl’s Court on February 20 and will be live broadcast on ITV1. Are we set for another shambolic TV performance a la Mick Fleetwood and Samantha Fox? I’d put money on it.
All-round marvellous tech site 
The vid for the new White Stripes single, “Conquest”, sees them taking to the bullring. Jack, resembling Johnny Depp quite strickingly at times, plays the matador while Meg plays the, er, woman who looks after his cape. Or something.
Every time 
You might be looking at this bozo and thinking “Who the hell is that?” Well that, ladies and gents, is Mel Torme. It still doesn’t mean a damn thing to you does it? Okay. How about this then? Have you seen that Vodaphone advert with an ace Northern Soul mod tune on it? A tune that goes “I’m comin’ home baby… do doo!”? Well that is the great Mel Torme!
With Christmas around the corner, it should be a time for cheer and merriment, which is exactly what the people of Devon expected when starlet Joss Stone returned to her home town to turn on the Christmas lights. Instead, many fans were shocked to see Joss
