HOW TO MAKE ENEMIES AND ALIENATE PEOPLE

You could be a Spanish assistant referee in a vital soccer match and make a shocking decision in the last minute of the game. As in this.

You could be a political advisor and make the most horrendous faux pas. As in this.

Or you could be a blogger who gives a duff review to Edwyn's new album......

And since I'm on a roll. I thought I'd continue the one-man campaign to lose all credibility and drive down the ratings.

mp3 : U2 - Desire (Hollywood Remix)

I make no apologies for the track. I've a fondness for a few things that Bono and the boys have done over the past 25 years or so, and this track is something I picked up on vinyl in Toronto last month.

THE TRUTH CAN OFTEN BE PAINFUL

Anyone who is vaguely familiar with some of the stuff I've put on these pages this past year and a bit will know of my appreciation of the musical talents of Edwyn Collins.

It was really uplifting to read earlier this year that he was on the comeback trail after his life-threatening illness, with plans for the release of an album and maybe even some live dates.

One of the first things I did on my return home was watch a recent BBC Scotland documentary on his efforts to regain his health and well-being. Mike over at Manic Pop Thrills was actually kind enough to send a copy of the programme on DVD over to Toronto, but Mrs V had cautioned against watching it until I got home as I was likely to be a bit upset by some of the footage.

She was right. It was really painful viewing at times. The cameras were with Edwyn over a period of months, and the extent of just how ill he had been came as a genuine shock. He had difficulty with his speech, he had no movement in his right hand and he had lost his ability to read or write. That he was prepared to allow the cameras to follow his efforts to regain some what he had lost was a hugely brave decision.

There was also footage of him going back into the studio a few months back to work with his band again. It was a genuine tragedy to see and hear just how much had been lost through the illness - Edwyn struggled to remember the lyrics and tunes and his singing was decidedly off-key.

But....and this is the important thing...the fact he was working again clearly helped him along with his recovery as could be evidenced from the very distinct improvement in all aspects in more recent times.

Whether it is part of his therapy or not, I'm not sure, but somewhere along the line a decision has been taken to release the record he had been working on back in 2004 and which was due to be mixed just at the time when Edwyn fell ill and almost died.

And sad to say, I'm a bit sorry about that for the record isn't, in my opinion, very good. And that was a painful sentence for me to write.

The album is called Home Again, and I have listened to it over the past few two weeks in the hope it would be a grower. But sadly, it hasn't turned out that way.

I'm not saying the whole thing is duff - the current single - You'll Never Know (My Love) is an absolute belter - one of the best he's ever released. A couple more tracks, such as Liberteenage Rag and another called Superstar Talking Blues (which reminded me an awful lot of a Johnny Cash tune) are also splendid, while a couple of the acoustic songs are just fine. But I need to be honest - and there's just far too many tunes that are very very ordinary. And dull.

I reckon that too much of the album was still in demo form when Edwyn fell ill as can be witnessed from the fact that he is the sole musician on six out of the twelve tracks, and that even now it's not what he would have issued had he been able.

Am I being too harsh?? I really don't know as I've deliberately avoided reading any reviews of the LP. I also thought long and hard about putting up the posting as the last thing I want to do is stop anyone thinking of buying the LP from doing so.

I love the fact that Edwyn has survived such a scare, and also that he is trying so hard to resume as normal a life as possible. I hope that he does make enough of a recovery to write and record new songs at some point in the future, for it would be a sad footnote if this was to be his final release.

After all I've said, it would be unfair to post anything from the new LP, but here's some stuff from the back catalogue to remind us all, as if it was ever needed, of the talent and genius of the man:-

mp3 : Edwyn Collins - The Beatles (from the LP Doctor Syntax)
mp3 : Edwyn Collins - The Campaign For Real Rock (from the LP Gorgeous George)
mp3 : Edwyn Collins - Don't Shilly Shally (single)

And I'm sorry if any of the words above cause offence.

YOU...YES YOU.........CAN MAKE A BIG DIFFERENCE

Who wants to play their part in trying to get one of Scotland's greatest talents to the top of the charts come Xmas time?

All of you I'm sure......

On 17th December 2007, Malcolm Middelton will be releasing the final single from what I reckon has been the best album of 2007. It's the jaunty and upbeat tune with the sort of title that Nick Cave and Morrissey wished they had come up with - We're All Going To Die.

Here's what it says on the official MM website:-

'We're All Going To Die will be the last single to be taken from the album A Brighter Beat and will feature exclusive remixes by Sportsday Megaphone and The LK.

Released digitally on the 17th December this will also be Malcolm's bid for the coveted U.K. Christmas Number 1 spot. Putting him in direct competition with this years X Factor winner and the Spice Girls, William Hill have given Malcolm odds of 1000/1 in what the bookmakers say is 'the longest ever odds we’ve given on a Christmas number 1!Taken from Middleton’s third solo album, A Brighter Beat, We’re All Going To Die explodes with electronic arpeggios and a chugging beat. Best of all is the chorus, which repeats the titular statement with such joie de vivre that you actually end up feeling quite good about it.

“Christmas is the best time for a song like this to be released into the mainstream consciousness, especially now in 2007,” continues Malcolm. “People don't want to be lied to by Cliff Richards any more. It's maybe time they were told what's really waiting for them inside their Christmas stockings.”

Christmas has already given Middleton food for thought – see the tragic Burst Noel on 2005’s Into The Woods for proof. And of course, some people will fail to see the positives in Malcolm’s message, drizzled as it is in neurotic thoughts. But then, it would do us all good to think a bit more like Malcolm sometimes.

“Dying is a bit like writing a letter to Santa,” he says, “Unless you've been a good boy or girl, you're fucked.”To support his bid for the Christmas number one slot, Malcolm will be appearing on Colin Murray’s Christmas Special, to be broadcast on 17 December on B.B.C. Radio One. Malcolm will perform four live tracks and present listeners with an alternative Xmas.'

The biggest bummer for me right now is the fact that I'm going to miss Malcolm's two pre-Xmas gigs in Edinburgh & Glasgow next month as I'll be away on holiday with Mrs V (it's the least I can do having been away for the last four months, but hey, is there any greater love that I can show for her than missing these shows??).

So...I urge all of you dear readers to spend 79p of your hard earned cash next month and make Malcolm's wishes come true.

This campaign has already been endorsed by some other great bloggers, namely Mike at Manic Pop Thrills and Ed at 17 Seconds. Get on the bandwagon now.

And in case you're wondering what the photo has to do with a posting on a potential Xmas Number 1.....

mp3 : Malcolm Middleton - Autumn (via Sharebee)

It's a song I've been meaning to post for a few weeks now. It's on the LP Into The Woods which I know you all already own, but just in case, you can buy it here.

Ciao.

WHAT DIFFERENCE DOES IT MAKE?

I do like it when a band release a single from an LP but change it around enough to turn it into a different song.

I was reminded of this a bit earlier on the i-pod when listening to a new mix of stuff made up from some of my bargain purchases in:-

mp3 : The Breeders - Divine Hammer (single version)

mp3 : The Breeders - Divine Hammer

The latter is from the 1993 LP Last Splash, while the former cost me 50 cents in a second hand store.

As I have been a bit remiss this past few days in posting to the blog, I thought I'd try and apologise by offering up two more examples of the different versions but still great songs genre:-

mp3 : New Order - Subculture (single version)

mp3 : New Order - Sub-culture

The latter is from the quite majestic LP Low-Life which is now astonishingly more than 22 years of age.

And talking of majestic:-

mp3 : Paul Quinn & The Independent Group - Stupid Thing (single version)

mp3 : Paul Quinn & The Independent Group - Stupid Thing (alt version)

The single version came out in 1992, and was one of the first releases on the second incarnation of Postcard Records. Incidentally, it was produced by Edwyn Collins.

The alternative version appeared a couple of years later on the band's second LP, Will I Ever Be Inside Of You? that was produced by ex-Commotion Blair Cowan and Postcard-label guru Alan Horne.

For the record, and its just a personal opinion....I prefer the single version of Divine Hammer, the original version of Sub-culture...........and there's just no way that I'm ever going to split Stupid Thing as one version is equally every bit as good as the other.

And finally....I'd like to say sorry to comrade Colin over at And Before The First Kiss for not offering up my sympathies earlier on the back of his mugging in Glasgow last week (as can be read here). If only we had thought to have brought this incident to the attention of the authorities in Abuja, Nigeria, then this just might have had a different outcome.

BOURGIE BOURGIE BONUS POSTINGS

BREAKING POINT - BOURGIE BOURGIE
(a clip made especially for 'The Tube' and shot at the former RSAMD, Glasgow)



BREAKING POINT - BOURGIE BOURGIE
(the 'proper' video clip)


Whilst browsing over at the excellent 17 Seconds, I followed a link to a song by The Swans at a blog I'd never seen before - Down With Tractors - and discovered some wonderful words about the mighty Paul Quinn.

A couple of comments were from regular TVV readers who were kind enough to mention my own obsession with Paul, and a couple of folk were wondering if anyone could somehow provide a posting of the 12" version of Breaking Point.

I do like to be of service:-

mp3 : Bourgie Bourgie - Breaking Point (12")

While as a real bonus, here's the demo complete with sax solo(!). This was passed on to me a while back by Erik Andersson from Sweden after he spotted said obsession....

mp3 : Bourgie Bourgie - Breaking Point (demo)

You'll note that I've used sharbee.com rather than the usual sources to host these files. I know its a bit more of a pain for anyone to upload them in this way, but its the best way to make old and popular files available once more.

Ciao.

FROM UNDER THE COVERS (Parts 22, 23 & 24)

Mrs V greeted my return with a quite splendid gift (and get your mind out of the gutter Master Toad). It was a package of recently released CDs otherwise unavailable in Canada in the form of new recordings by Edwyn Collins and The Young Knives, as well as the box-set of Peel Sessions by Cinerama.

Being a fan of fabulous and unusual cover versions, I am always intrigued when Dave Gedge turns his mind to the art. The Wedding Present have long been famous for doing more than justice to other people's songs, and its a delight to learn that his other band were no different.

From a session in July 2000, there's this effort at a Carpenters classic:-

mp3 : Cinerama - Yesterday Once More

But I reckon the best Gedgesque covers are when he focuses in on a contemporary song and twists it beyond recognition, just like the session in May 2003:-

mp3 : Cinerama - All The Things She Said

Yup......TVV puts up a song originally recorded by much reviled Russian pop babes...

These dovetail nicely with yet another of the CDs that I picked-up second hand in Toronto, that of the 2006 record by Grant-Lee Phillips entitled Nineteeneighties.

I don't know how I missed this particular record when it was released as it has all the hallmarks of something I would check out. The singer has a voice that I like, and the CD features 11 songs originally done by artistes I love and admire such as The Pixies, Joy Division, Nick Cave, REM, The Smiths and Echo & The Bunnymen. As well as this....one of my favourite songs of all time:-

mp3 : Grant-Lee Phillips - Age Of Consent

As a bonus. I've resurrected The Video Villain, and posted three clips of the originals for your enjoyment.

The things I do to try and keep everyone sweet.

Oh, and now that I am back with a full service available, it would be very remiss of me not to remind you that if the mp3s appeal, you really should put your hand in your pocket and shell out for the real thing. Click here for a Cinerama boxset, while the GLP CD is here.

Thank you.

TREASURE ISLAND

One of the best things about the 4 months in Toronto was going round all sorts of stores that sell music.

Fil has previously recounted on the night we hooked up, that some time was spent browsing around Soundscapes, an emporium that specialises in CDs, books and DVDs. Time didn't allow me to take him along to two more of my favourite places - Rotate This and Sonic Boom - both of which have huge second-hand vinyl sections.

And it was on one of my last days in the city that I found something that surprised me - a mint condition 12" single by Friends Again, a long-lost and largely forgotten Scottish band from the 80s.

I've featured the band before here on the pages of TVV as they were one of my favourites from the era, and indeed were the first band that I ever made a point of travelling down to London to see. Oh the 'joys' of the ultra-cheap and nasty overnight bus journey and surviving the big smoke on a handful of change before blagging my way into the gig at the London School of Economics. Nowadays, its Ticketbastard to make sure I get in, and then a return flight with overnight accommodation if London has a gig that I really must see....

Anyway, on the back of their self-produced debut single in 1983, Friends Again inked a deal with a major label - Phonogram - and they hooked the band up with producer Bob Sargeant who had helped take a number of acts including The Beat and Haircut 100 into the charts. (Note for trivia fans, Sargeant also produced one of the earliest Peel Sessions recorded by Joy Division).

The resultant LP was Trapped and Unwrapped, and to long-time fans of the band, it was largely disappointing, mainly as the re-recorded versions of the earlier singles (there had been a second single produced by Sargeant but without record company interference) were sanitised and inferior. The record ended up a commercial flop and led to divisions in the band, with main singer-songwriter Chris Thomson going one way and lead guitarist James Grant and keyboard player Paul McGeechan going another - the former into making lovely uncommercial music with The Bathers, and the latter two having another crack at the big time with Love & Money.

But looking back on things, Trapped and Unwrapped is actually a very fine record, albeit in places way over-produced in an effort to find a perfect radio-friendly single. And Friends Again remain an act that I'm very fond of.

As I was mentioning a few paras ago, I found a record of theirs in Sonic Boom - the 12" version of their third single, State of Art. At the time of its release, I had the choice of buying the 7" or 12" version as I couldn't afford both. I've in the past had a look now and again on e-bay to pick up this particular track, but the asking price has been a bit exorbitant - something around £8-£10 when you include postage & packaging.

The cost in Toronto was $3.95....approximately £2 which is less than I would have paid on its release back in 1983.

And so...for your enjoyment ladies and gentlemen:-

mp3 : Friends Again - State of Art (12" version)

And here's a couple of tracks to compare. The first is the original version of the debut single, and the second is that recorded for the LP:-

mp3 : Friends Again - Honey At The Core (original version)
mp3 : Friends Again - Honey At The Core (Phonogram version)

Oh the joys of once more having a turntable to play around with.

More nostalgic nonsense coming your ways in the days ahead.

Ciao.

PS : I've added a few more links to quality blogs over on the right hand side - Just Gimme Indie Rock, Plain or Pan? and Spins & Needles - all of which I heartily recommend as enjoyable, entertaining and enlightening reading.

THE HOME FRONT

Stole the snap from flickr.com. A sunset near the railway station which, from Monday, will again be a regular haunt as I make my way into work back here in Glasgow.

And Monday is when I hope to again get back in the saddle in terms of regular updates at TVV, as well as again having the ability to make regular stops at my favourite other place across the internet.

As I mentioned in a previous posting, I did pick up some vinyl and CDs while in Toronto that I will be sharing with you in the coming weeks and months. Here's a taster:-

mp3 : Lloyd Cole - Si Tu Dois Partir

It's a French-language cover of If You Gotta Go by Bob Dylan, and from a compilation CD entitled Pop Romantique, released in 1999 on Emperor Norton Records, a Los Angeles based label. A second-hand copy cost me $5 Canadian (or about £2.50 in proper money).

The song I'm sad to say is nothing better than distinctly average, but being a huge fan of LC, it was worth the cash for the curiosity value alone.

Au revoir.