Traclisting from Saturday 5th December

A fairly quiet night, all told. A big group of lads in, all tanked up, early on. Hence the requests for Journey and, believe it or not, The Stone Roses. They all headed off around 10pm, probably to watch the Khan fight?  From then on it never really got that busy. Different groups of two or three came and went and a wide age range.  So I just played through the usual mix of this and that without every really settling on a style for the evening.
Pretty much all middle of the road stuff rounded off at the end with some funk.  An ok night but nought to write home about.

1 Deeper In Love - Bobby & Steve
2  Street Life (Soul Delicious Mix) - BOP
3  Boogie - Brand New Heavies
4  3 Words (Angello Remix) - Cheryl Cole
5 Clocks - Coldplay*
6 Dont Stop Believing  - Journey*
7 America - Razorlight
8 I Wanna Be Adored - Stone Roses*
9 Spaceman On Fire - Bootleg
10 One More Chance (Tiesto Remix) - Bloc Party

11 Bad Romance (Starsmith Remix) - Lady Gaga

12 Ready For The Weekend - Calvin Harris

13 Temptation - Heaven 17

14 Don't You Want Me - The Human League

15 Bulletproof (Religion Remix) - La Roux

16 Meet Me Halfway ('Less Is More' Remix) - Black Eyed Peas

17 Celebration - Madonna

18 One Love  - David Guetta

19 Touch Me - Tom Novy

20 Find Yourself - John O'Callaghan *

21 As The Rush Comes - Motorcycle

22 Beachball - Nalin & Kane

23 Destination Calabria - Alex Gaudino

24 Love's Miracle (Jay Amato mix) - Guetta Vs. Fragma

25 Dance Dreams - Lady Gaga Vs Eurythmics

26 Abc (Verde Mix) - Michael Jackson

27 Paolo's Pencil Full Of Party - Paolo Nutini Vs Lou Bega

28 Mr Rock & Roll - Amy Macdonald

29 Suddenly I See - Kt Tunstall

30 Just Can't Get Enough - Wallis Bird

31 Not Fair - Lily Allen

32 Take Me Back To Your House - Basement Jaxx

33 Little Green Bag - George Baker Trio *

34 Ain't Got No Home - Clarence "Frogman" Henry

35 (Let Me Be Your) Teddy Bear  - Elvis Vs Spankox

36 Its My Life - Bon Jovi

37 Sharp Dressed Man (Streetlab Mix) - ZZ Top

38 You Got It - Roy Orbison

39 Twistin' The Night Away - Sam Cooke

40Sweet Little Rock n Roller  - Rod Stewart

41 Roll This Soul Tonight - Jools Holland Rhythm Orchestra

42 That's The Joint - The Black Eyed Peas

43 Empire State Of Mind - Jay-Z *

44 Knock You Down] - Keri Hilson *

45 Human - The Killers *

46 On Call - Kings Of Leon*

47 La La Love You -  Pixies

48 Sweet Disposition - The Temper Trap

49 Flashback - Calvin Harris

50 She Wolf (Calvin Harris Remix) - Shakira *

51 Warriors's Dance (Radio Edit) - The Prodigy *

52 Dirtee Cash - Dizzee Rascal

53 Bad Boys - Alexandra Burke

54 Fight For This Love (Cahill Club Mix) - Cheryl Cole

55 Satisfaction - Aretha Franklin

56 I Feel Good - James Brown

57 Canned Heat (Calvin Harris Remix) - Jamiroquai

58 I Need It - Johnny Guitar Watson

59 Good Times - Chic

60 Got To Get You Into My Life - Earth Wind & Fire

61 Official Colourbox World Cup Theme - Colourbox

* request.

For Christmas Eve, I am still searching for the tune to take the night up to the bells. I usually try and play an uplifting house tune. In the past it has been Pjanoo, Lola's Theme, Right On Right On and Strings of Life.

I am reluctant to repeat myself but I just can't find a tune from this year that fits the bill.

Any suggestions will be very warmly received.

Tracklist from Saturday Night.

Back djing for the first time in a month. Kicked off with Human League and co to follow on from the in-house jukebox which was ploughing through an 80's Mastermix selection.
Then into the usual selection.  Quite a mixed crowd tonight.  A few oldies in as well. All fell into place quite well although not helped by the unimaginative idiot who comes up and says, 'Haven't you any good music'.
'Well haven't you any good clothes? You look like you were dressed by your mother for your first day at school' Nice v -kneck jumper and dad jeans combo there. The muppet couldn't suggest any better songs and when I suggested E.L.O., in an ironic way, his little face lit up and he was so pleased. So sweet. How do these people get allowed out after tea? 

Apart from him, an ok night.
My faves : Mumford and Sons, Mark Ronson, Jamiroquai(Calvin Harris mix) and 'That's the Joint' by B.E.P.
Back in a fortnight.

Track Listing from Saturday Night at Smugglers

1 (Keep Feeling) Fascination - Human League
2 Temptation - Heaven 17
3 Ready For The Floor - Hot Chip
4 Ready For The Weekend - Calvin Harris
5 Walking On A Dream - Empire Of The Sun
6 We Are Golden - Mika
7 In My Arms - Mylo
8 Meet Me Halfway - Black Eyed Peas
9 Rock Wit U Awww Babe - Ashanti
10 Celebration - Madonna
11 Sweet Disposition - The Temper Trap
12 Chasing Cars - Snow Patrol
13 Ashes - Embrace
14 Oh La - The Kooks
15 Honey In The Sun - Camera Obscura *
16 Find Yourself Caught In Love - Belle & Sebastian
17 This Charming Man - Stars
18 Little Lion Man - Mumford And Sons
19 Here Comes My Baby - Cat Stevens
20 I Don't Want You Now - K T Tunstal
21 Flowers In The Window - Travis *
22 We Weren't Born To Follow - Bon Jovi
23 Vertigo - U2
24 Molly's Chambers - Kings Of Leon
25 Are U Gonna Be My Girl - Jet
26 Spaceman - The Killers
27 Canned Heat (Calvin Harris Remix) - Jamiroquai
28 I Can't Wait - Another Chance
29 Million Dollar Bill ( Sol Dub Edit) - Whitney Houston
30 Break My Heart (Cassette Club Mix) - Taio Cruz
31 One Love - David Guetta
32 Touch Me - Tom Novy
33 One More Chance (Tiesto Remix) - Bloc Party
34 Mr Blue Sky - Elo *
35 That's The Joint - The Black Eyed Peas
36 Haven’t Met You Yet - Michael Buble
37 Bad Boys - Alexandra Burke
38 Fight For This Love (Cahill Mix) - Cheryl Cole
39 Dance Dreams - Lady Gaga Vs Eurythmics
40 Flashback - Calvin Harris *
41 Fade To Grey 2009 (Future Mix) - Future Breeze
42 Cafe Del Mar - Energy 52*
43 Downpipe - D.Ramirez, Mark Knight
44 On Off - Cirez D
45 Groove Is In The Heart - Deee-Lite *
46 I Got You - James Brown
47 Express Urself - Tinchy Stryder
48 Fight The Power - Public Enemy*
49 Sweet Child Of Mine - Guns N Roses*
50 Back In The U.S.S.R. - The Beatles
51 Spaceman On Fire - Bootleg
52 Laid - James
53 Rocks - Primal Scream
54 Bulletproof - La Roux
55 Just Can't Get Enough - Depeche Mode
56 I Gotta Feeling - Black Eyed Peas
57 Gettin' Over - David Guetta
58 Ready For The Weekend - Calvin Harris
59 High - Mark Ronson
60 Mr Brightside (J Le Cont Mix) - The Killers *
61 Don’t Stop Believing - Journey*

* Request.

The Fall - Glasgow 13th November

Think of band names. Name the best. Name those that have stood the test of time. From America comes The Grateful Dead, Love Metallica. From Britain hails Joy Division, The Smiths and The Fall.

The Fall, formed in 1976, by Mark E Smith and still standing resolute, if a little shaky, on the stage of the Ferry in 2009. Count those years. 33.

Named after Camus' book of the same name and loosely based on Dante's levels of Hell, Mark E has kept his band on the edge of the inferno as seers explaining to the travellers through the levels that life is absurd, wisdom comes with age and acceptance of one's place retains our dignity. It would appear that few would listen with any attention as many of the vices of the '70s still resound today.

Mark E is no poster boy for Whitehall ministers preaching to us to walk ourselves fitter, or to eat more vegetables. Like Keith Richards, Mark wears his age on his face. Similarly you feel he will be with us for eternity, or at least until closing time has passed and he sees if there is the slight chance of a lock in.

Smith moves across the stage creating both verbal and physical mischief whilst the younger band mates power on through the songs with a relentless rhythm. He drops microphones, places them inside the drum kit, turns all the knobs on the amps up to eleven and footers about with a portable recording device and more sweetly has a D90 cassette tape that, even in this part of Glasgow, appears to be obsolete.
The band members are fit for him. This is no scampi in a basket tour. No let’s play the heritage LP from 30 years ago in its entirety. What band surviving a third of a century would be able to choose to play a visceral set comprising mainly of songs from their last two albums? Can you imagine The Stones restricting their live show to songs only from their last two LPs? Bonus points to anyone who can even name their last two albums.

Yet Mark E and the band are raging through 'Wolf Kidult Man', 'I’ve been Duped', and 'My Door is Never'.
Metaphorically, the band is ripping the skin off songs like, 'Bury’,’ Sloppy Floor' and 'White Lightning' and spreading the entrails over the stage. This is a band as relevant to this day as they were when they first formed in the Seventies. There is no pandering to commercialization, no diluting the message to attract the fickle interest of fame, no collaboration with some ex-member of some sales plummeting band, no respite in the sound. This is The Fall. An hour of relentless rhythm with barely decipherable lyrics. An hour of primal white noise. A warning of the perils that continue to await us on the journey ahead. This is The Fall sound.

The audience has an element of karma to it. There are a group of young folk, who are probably all in bands, with long hair and a larger group of older guys, who were probably all in bands, with no hair. This is Mark E's 'Great League of Bald Headed Men'. The women, not many, but those that are there are the descendants of the Amazonian tribes that ruled the world before Rachel Welch. They throw themselves into the noise with a memory of the days when opportunity, adventure and love were awaiting to be embrace.

We guys acknowledge that the spark of lost youth can be re-kindled but find the match of hope has been buried beneath layers of I.T memos, dates for the car service and the knowledge that the aisle for washers comes before the plumbing section in our DIY superstore. We applaud generously but keep our pogoing memories in the safety of the past. My advice to the young at heart, when you walk down the church aisle make sure it is with a partner who likes The Fall.

What keeps this mighty force of a band going?
Let Mark E describe it from his interpretation of Merle Haggard's song 'White Line Fever'.

'I wonder what keeps me singing this old highway song  

I've been from coast to coast

Many miles I've gone

And there ain't one town I haven't seen before

The past keeps going down like the tele' poles

The wrinkles in my forehead show the miles I've put behind me

And continue to remind me, the fact I'm growing old

I've still got that fever in my soul'

The Fall troubadours from an age past, musically they link the 50's rockabilly sound and the touring ethos of the sixties country singers with the sound of today. Long may that fever in his soul burn.

This is the set-list:
Friday, 13 November The Ferry, Glasgow
New instrumental / Wolf Kidult Man / My Door Is Never / Cowboy George / Chino Splashback / Hot Cake / I've Been Duped / Psykick Dancehall / I'm Not from Bury / Sloppy Floor // White Lightning / Over! Over! / Reformation.

Eddie Izzard - Glasgow

You have friends and then again you have friends. For me Eddie Izzard was a blue litmus test that differentiated between friends you could talk long into the evening with and friends you would discuss a mortgage deal with. If folk didn't get Eddie you would smile wanly but know that this person would never be clutched to your bosom with your head as a pillow. Everyone will have their own nerd like list. Just for the sake of completion I would also like to fling in the cartoons of Kliban, and not the cat ones, as another deal definer between those you love and acquaintances.


There is also a moment in time, as Whitney once reminded us, when your love of an artist coincides with his/her art being at it's peak. I was lucky to see The Clash in '77 and U2 in '80. I paid to see The Who in '78 but missed them in '68, I danced to the Stones at the Apollo in '76 but was listening to Ed Stewpot in 1969.
Eddie Izzard I finally caught in 2009.

I laughed a lot. I still giggle at the idea of the friendly sharks. But the whole experience was the perfect marriage of consumerism and having your minimum expectation met. For £30 + booking fee and the Ticketrapist tax Eddie would do his Eddie thing, as seen on DVD, for us all.  You can't really justify a complaint. He told some stories, many of them very amusing, in his surreal but today more whimsical manner and we all laughed and next day told all our friends and acquaintances that we'd seen Izzard last night.

 Izzard structures his comedy along the time line of the Earth with his humour aimed at the impact religion has played and continues to play on subjugating our own humanity. He opens with the statement that 'there is no God'. We all watch the news we all know there is no god. We can all visualise the bodies across the globe dismembered by one groups belief in a different deity. So Eddies structure for his joking is from the start fairly lame. He doesn't take it any deeper either but fills the humour out with his thoughts of consciousness asides. One or either would be fine by itself. Together it don't go. He should mercilessly satirise the role of religion. These golden calves should be verbally slaughtered with a viciousness that would lay the foundation to make his surreal tangents by contrast really funny. Unfortunately, he doesn't.

 Playing to 10000 people in a huge barn must result in the intimacy being lost and the message being thinned out to play to the many.
 Heaven knows, if I could dj to 3000 people every week-end rather than four codgers awaiting the racing results and a collie that has one leg and suffers from tinnitus then I would before you could say Pete Tong.
Similarly, if offered the hand of Mammon I would less grasp it than gnaw it's whole arm off from the shoulder.
You cannot criticise with any fervour a man who has honed his god-given talent to such an extent that nearly ten thousand good citizens will  suffer the seats in the SECC, the bar queue and the parking nightmare to see him. Izzard may have talked about Moses in the desert but that prophet never had to get his camel out of the SECC car park after a sell out gig. That would sorely have tested his faith.

 I sympathise. When I play to twelve folk I try to gauge what they all like and select songs that they will appreciate. I try to lead them to songs they may not know but could learn to love. I take risks. I wonder 'can I get away with this?' When I am djing to a big crowd I play the hits. It is what is expected. It is what works.
Sure I will clear the dance floor and do this quite deliberately at times. But I'll always bring it back quickly to where the punters think it should be i.e. songs folk know, dance tunes people like and no surprises. I can't blame Eddie Izzard for the same thing.

Where once in my heart he was Eddie Stardust, now he is more Eddie Starbucks.When once he was the double espresso of eye watering, sphincter loosening comedy, now he is the latte of mirth .

I wish him well and thank him for the memories. It was me who was once again just out of time.

Meanwhile,  there are two old geezers in my bar talking about my djing prowess and telling their friends that they should have been here years ago when it was just the two of them nursing whisky and hangovers how good was dj alan then.

 This Christmas I may buy my acquaintances Eddie's new dvd. They are sure to like it.

The Airborne Toxic Event - Glasgow

ABC 1 is sold out. This for a band who have spent the last two years touring and touring. This for a group with a solitary album to their name. Mikel Jollet tells us from the stage that this is the seventh time the band have played this city. The first time to a small group of twelve at Barfly, then back to play to a hundred, return once more double that, last year they were on stage in front of several hundred more and tonight the packed venue with over a thousand is ready to illustrate the reward of hard work.  The band are keen to finish the tour and get home. There is an air of de-mob happiness about them tonight. All smiles, jokes, energy, shouts out to the crowd all cascading together in an enthusiastic thrash through Jim Carroll's 'People who Died'. 

Stunning stagecraft is evidence of their time on the road. They are a blur of energy, shape throwing and crowd pleasing banter. Confidence stemming from the large festivals the band have played over the summer making a venue like the ABC an intimate soiree.

Alongside the professionalism in their approach lies the small band attitude of making each gig special for the punters. So the crowd get the album played with respect and then the bonus of an almost acoustic version of 'Wishing Well', a couple of new songs and a vocal flirtation with The Smiths 'Ask' and 'Panic'.

Huge cheer for Anna Bulbrook's viola start to 'Sometime Around Midnight' as everyone sings along with one of the best songs about the aftermath of heartbreak. 'Gasoline' has us all yelling the story of how we let our only true love slip away to be replaced by a succession of paper thin imitations, the other songs tell of lonliness, loss and isolation all hidden underneath power pop chords and anthemic hues. 'Happiness is Over rated' and 'This is Nowhere' are more explicit about lives damaged and hope extinguished.  Under the sugar coated surface the songs of The Airborne Toxic Event contain more than just traces of despair and distance. You can understand why they reference Jim Carroll at the show. His 'Catholic Boy' lays down the template for Jollet's songs. 'I was a Catholic boy, Redeemed through pain, Not through joy.' in other places Carroll sings, 'Everything you ever wanted, Is passing with the driving rain.'  Compare with ATE's 'Happiness is Overrated', 'But you know those words that you said, They get stuck here in my head, And this feeling I dread, it makes me wish I was dead, Or just alone instead.'   From the smiles on stage to the sing-a long crowd you'd never know what lies beneath.

Where will that leave the band in 2010? One new song played was 'Goodbye Horses' which was both bold sounding and infectious. But this is a cover. So will the band have the depth of songs for another class album and will success and the love of 1200 Glaswegians affect their muse? In future releases, will the inspirational sound of Airborne Toxic Event be matched with uplifting lyrics of hope?  

It'll certainly be fun finding out. I, for one, will be back to cheer them when they return to play to thousands more at the SECC.


                                            Sometime Around Midnight

And it starts...
sometime around midnight
or at least that's when
you lose yourself
for a minute or two

As you stand...
under the barlights
and the band plays some song
about forgetting yourself for a while
and the piano's this melancholy soundtrack
to her smile
And that white dress she's wearing
you haven't seen her
for a while

But you know...
that she's watching
She's laughing, she's turning
she's holding her tonic like a cross
The room suddenly spinning
she walks up and asks how you are
so you can smell her perfume
you can see her lying naked in your arms

And so there's a change...
in your emotions
and all of these memories come rushing
like feral waves to your mind
of the curl of your bodies
like two perfect circles entwined
and you feel hopeless, and homelss
and lost in the haze
of the wine

And she leaves...
with someone you don't know
but she makes sure you saw her
she looks right at you and bolts
As she walks out the door
your blood boiling
your stomach in ropes

and when your friends say what is it
you look like you've seen a ghost
And you walk...
under the streetlights
and you're too drunk to notice
that everyone is staring at you
and you don't care what you look like
the world is falling
around you

You just have to see her
You just have to see her
You just have to see her
You just have to see her
You just have to see her

and you know that she'll break you
in two .

November Flagrant Self Promotion

Wrong side of the decks.

At Little League's Halloweentastic Indie Pop Disco on Saturday night. Dancing shoes gleaming, imaginary Morrissey quiff groomed and genuine original Orange Juice badge glinting on the lapel.

We arrived early as I had offered John, who runs the night, some disco lights and a projector to throw some spooky black n white classic horror films up on to the wall. Wow, looks like I have just taken a quiet walk down the lonely street of adjective avenue.
It meant we were there from the opening song of 'Sandman' by The Chordettes followed by John Carpenter's Halloween theme to the closing chords of The Associates, 'Party Fears Two'.

Watching the place fill up was interesting. It would appear that the more vacant seats there are the more indecisive folk are about where to sit. The first two punters sat in their first choice seat for all of ten minutes before the dreadful feeling that their seats may not be the best in the place and hastily scrambled to other ones. If Mr Malcolm Gladwell wishes to discuss this phenomena as a basis for his next best-seller I will very happily suggest a co-authorship and a share of the profits.

By 10pm the place was rammed and no seats were to be had. The night had sold out weeks ago.

Danced with gay abandon (and when he was tired with the wife) to Stone Roses, Tindersticks, Roxy Music, Go-Betweens, Smiths, Camera Obscura, Weather Prophets and Orange Juice.

Really enjoyed but couldn't get the zimmer on to the packed dance floor for Public Enemy, REM, Pavement, and Arcade Fire.

Best Dance Floor reaction was to X-Ray Specs with'Oh Bondage'.

Fave song of the evening 'Judy and the Dream of Horses' by Belle and Sebastian.

Next event is just before Christmas and we have tickets.  Heigh Ho!

Back behind the Laptop of Steel

Smugglers last Saturday. Track list below. 

1. (Let Me Be Your) Teddy Bear [Spankox Mix) - Elvis Vs Spankox

2. 20 Flight Rock - Eddie Cochrane

3. Brown Sugar - The Rolling Stones

4. Bad Moon Rising - C C R

5. Like A Rolling Stone - Dylan

6. Lost Highway - Bon Jovi

7. The Galway Girl - Steve Earle

8. Barrowland Ballroom - Amy Macdonald
9. Long Time Gone - Dixie Chicks
10. Twisting By Pool - Dire Strait
11. It's Still Rock N Roll To Me - Billy Joel
12. Shake Rattle Roll - Bill Hayley
13. Rock This Town - Stray Cats
14. A Town Called Malice - The Jam
15. You Can't Hurry Love - The Supremes
16. Bad Boys * - Alexandra Burke
17. Meet Me Halfway - Black Eyed Peas
18. Everywhere - Fleetwood Mac
19. Here Comes The Rain Again ( Mashup 09) - The Eurythmics
20. Break My Heart (Cassette Club Mix) - Taio Cruz
21. Money's Too Tight To Mention - Simply Red
22. Sexy Dancer - Prince
23. Need You Tonight (Streetlab Mix) - INXS
24. Heatwave - Martha Reeves
25. Flashback - Calvin Harris
26. I’m Not Your Toy - La Roux
27. Sweet Disposition - The Temper Trap
28. You Make My Dreams - Hall & Oates
29. You Got The Love (Pitron And Sanna Mix) - Florence And The Machine
30. Fight For This Love (Cahill Club Mix) * - Cheryl Cole
31. Bulletproof - La Roux
32. Fade To Grey 2009 (Future Breeze Mix) - Future Breeze
33. Ready For The Weekend - Calvin Harris
34. We Are The People (Shazam Remix) - Empire Of The Sun
35. Sexy Bitch (Robson Michel Ext) - David Guetta & Akon
36. Rock The House Yo - Black Raw
37. I Gotta Feeling - Black Eyed Peas
38. Just Get Up And Dance (K J Freak Mix) - Afrika Bambaataa
39. Come On Girl (Wideboys Club Mix) * - Taio Cruz
40. Empire State Of Mind - Jay-Z

41. Superstar - Jamelia

42. Buffalo Soldier * - Bob Marley & The Wailers

43. Reggae Got Soul - Toots And The Maytals
44. You Get What You Give * - New Radicals
45. Dancing In The Moonlight - Toploader
46. 2 Many Shots Of Jagermeister ( Garraud Remix) - Tocadisco
47. Bambuddha Groove (Huggy Remix) - Philippe_B._
48. Missing Rotterdam - Abel Ramos
49. Insomnia * - Faithless
50. Spaceman - The Killers
51. Flashback - Calvin Harris
52. One More Time - Daft Punk
53. Strings Of Life - Soul Central Krivit
54. Pjanoo - Pryda
55. Popiholla - Chicane
56. Fight For This Love (Cahill Club Mix) - Cheryl Cole
57. Show Me Love - Robin S
58. What A Wonderful Surprise - Louis Armstrong Vs Radiohead

* Request.

Some oldies at the start. Pub filled up by 10pm and stayed busy right through till nearly close.
Requests for Insomnia which I really don't like playing any more. It is now too cliched and I think it makes me sound lazy especially when I am playing out some up to date club music. It's like I have run out of tunes when I could play a two hour set of up to the minute house music.
Also Jay asked for the New Radicals 'Get what you give'. Not so bad you might say but , as a dj, I remember him asking for the same tune the last time he approached the booth in 2002. Even in 02 it was a good five years old.
So there have been no good tunes to replace that in your heart since then?  
There are times when you play and can forget small town parochialism and times when you can't.

As ever really heartening to see the butts sway to Toots and the Maytals. I enjoyed 2 Many Shots Of Jagermeister, Bambuddha Groove,and Missing Rotterdam.
Punters liked Guetta, Calvin Harris and Taio Cruz.

Not back now until the 21st November. Plenty time to dig out some new club toons and how good does
Mauro Picotto's 'Love Message' sound?
 
 

Looking for a happy ending.

Off to the local Odeon multiplex cinemall to catch 'Looking for Eric'.

Us and a further 5 folk. Yep a total of seven paying customers in Kilmarnock to see Ken Loach's

'feelgood fantasy footy' film. Meanwhile 101 others, carrying mega tubs of popcorn headed in to see 'Couples Retreat'.
I had some reservations as Ken Loach and feelgood go together as easily as Dundee United and the quarter finals of the League Cup (thanks Saints!).
I also had to wait patiently at the end as the other five folk filed out as I was convinced that beyond the credits a film postscript would see Cantona shooting up in grisly Greenock, as Ken had the last laugh.
No such joy. I bet he is keeping that for the director's cut.
Good film, please go and see it so our Ken starts to make some more happy films. I need to do something with my evenings as I won't be watching United in the quarter finals any time soon.

Found.

Deep, deep within the bowels of the p.c. Hidden within some weird file structure I stumbled across a History section and there unloved and abandoned lay the tracklisting for the gig on 10th October.
So fo anyone who is trying to collect the full set, here it is.

1 Wishing Well - Free

2 Let's Spend The Night Together - The Rolling Stones

3 Watch That Man - Bowie

4 Sha La La La Lee - The Small Faces

5 Are U Gonna Be My Girl - Jet

6 Molly's Chambers - Kings Of Leon

7 A Town Called Malice - The Jam

8 Where Did All The Love Go? - Kasabian

9 Golden Touch - Razorlight

10 Laid - James

11 Little Green Bag - George Baker Trio

12 Don't Get Me Wrong - Lily Allen

13 Just Can't Get Enough - Nouvelle Vague

14 Im Not Your Toy - La Roux

15 Call Me - Blondie

16 Celebration - Madonna

17 Love Takes Over - David Guetta

18 Love Kills (Buffetlibre Vs Sidechains Remix) - Little Boots

19 Here Comes The Rain Again ( Mashup 09) - The Eurythmics

20 Sweet Disposition (Dirty South Remix) - Temper Traps

21 Ready For The Weekend - Calvin Harris

22 Don't You Want Me - The Human League

23 Temptation - Heaven 17

24 I Can't Wait - Original Mix - Another Chance

25 Break My Heart (Casette Club Mix) - Taio Cruz

26 Knock You Down - Keri Hilson

27 Empire State Of Mind - Jay-Z

28 Controversy - Prince

29 I Gotta Feeling - Black Eyed Peas

30 Gettin' Over - David Guetta

31 I Want Your Soul ( Dusty Kid Mix) - Armand Van Helden

32 Beautiful ( Rizzo Funk Generation Mix)* - Akon

33 Happy Birthday* - Stevie Wonder

34 Dirtee Cash - Dizzee Rascal

35 Finally - Ce Ce Peniston

36 Show Me Love - Robin S

37 Sexy Bitch (Extended Version)* - David Guetta & Akon

38 I Know You Want Me (Calle Ocho) - Pitbull

39 Downpipe - D.Ramirez, Mark Knight

40 Sweep The Floor - Joris Voorn

41 I Got You (I Feel Good) - James Brown

42 Bulletproof - La Roux

43 Ready For The Weekend - Calvin Harris

44 Do Your Thing - Basement Jaxx

45 Poker Face - Lady Gaga

46 Mr. Brightside - The Killers *

47Sex On Fire - Kings Of Leon

48 Jump Around (Deadmau5 Remix) - House Of Pain

49 Riverside - Sidney Samson
50 Thriller (David Jones Mix) - Diva & Jones
51 Boogie Wonderland - Earth Wind And Fire

52 Footloose - Kenny Loggins

53 La Bamba - Los Lobos

54 You’re The First The Last My Everything * - Barry White

55 I Want U Back - Jackson 5

56 All Night Long (All Night) - Lionel Richie

57 Rock Yr Body ( Oakenfold Mix) - Justin Timberlake

58 Love Sex Magic - Ciara

59 Get Down Tonight (Soulmakers Remix) - Supafly Inc

60 Not Fair - Lily Allen

61 Valerie - Mark Ronson

62 Walking On Sunshine - Katrina And The Waves

* Request

Like I said, couldn't remember much of it at the time. Recollection now is even more sparse.

Usual stuff- all guys, hence the rock stuff, for the first hour then 'here come the girls'. Emma's birthday as well and a few older folk who tolerated the dance stuff but then were happier with the party classics later.

Still working out the whole Traktor Pro malarkey and managed to drop a new track in over the one that was playing. This, obviously, resulted in the original track stopping and plunging everything into silence. No one would have noticed except it was at the peak time and the girls were having a dance off to 'Riverside'. Not the best time to draw complete attention to yourself and your inept dj skills.  With the laptop though you just hit a different button and a new track starts instantly so it wasn't quite as awful as it could have been. Bad enough though!.

Thought 'Ready for Week-end' sounded really fine with the volume behind it.

Punter's favourites were Guetta, Killers, and 'Riverside'.

My faves ; Jay Z, Joris Voorn and 'Downpipe'

Back tonight - we'll see what that brings.

Smugglers 10th October

Have just upgraded my digital dj software from Traktor 3 to Pro. In so doing I have managed to lose the History section (don't ask, I don't know what I did. Might have to break with a habit of a lifetime and read a manual). Long story, short outcome - no tracklisting for last night.
I could try and remember it but that's tricky at my age.

Busy night - all guys till 10pm, then the girls until 12:30am leaving a few party stalwarts till 1am.

On Friday, went up to Spit Fire at the Merchant City in Glasgow. The guys who run it are the opposite of me. Where I try to make the music flow whilst still going through various genres, Keith and Scott just play what they think of at the time. When it works, it is wonderful. It contains the element of perpetual surprise because you genuinely do not have a clue about what song will appear next. When it fails, it does so spectacularly.

So on Friday, Keith felt that Joy Division's 'Transmission' should be followed by Toni Basil's 'Mickey'. No where else on Earth would two more incongruous toons be played back to back.
Not to be outdone Scott felt the world was now ready for the Tavares revival ( ask your mother).
Did some drunken shuffling on the dancefloor to the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Pains of Being Pure at Heart and Camera Obscura. Also liked hearing 'World Destruction' by Afrika Bambatta and John Lydon, Wave of Mutilation by Pixies and Subterranean Homesick Blues by Dylan.

A good night, despite Ms Basil, with us again still standing, if a little unsteadily at 2am.

I have lost the wee picture icon at the top of this post. It was the same for my Pixies piece- so no pics. Sorry.    Ooh- it's back.

Pixies at Glasgow, SECC

'Been dying to meet you'

Twenty years since the release of Doolittle and eighteen having passed since the band last played indoors in Glasgow means that expectations are high. It also means the venue is packed transforming the venue from a soulless, sterile, atmosphere lacking SECC into a soulless, sterile,atmosphere lacking SECC that is full of people.

Sons and Daughters did the honours as support act. Happy to be there in front of a crowd that was, even at that early hour, packed in front of the stage awaiting the headliner. They sounded bright and fresh making sure that 'Dance me in' and 'Johnny Cash' got a good airing.

As ever the mavericks, Pixies began the set with no stadium rock grand entrance followed by the big tune to get the crowd jumping, instead with the band on stage and with backs turned to the crowd we all watched five minutes of Bunuel's surrealistic film 'Un Chien Andalou' An eye opening start to a major gig.

To bemuse and scare more than Buneul's movie the band opened up with a string of b-sides. It had been interweb rumoured that the group were going to do a b-side gig but most of us had conveniently dismissed this before parting with our £30 for a ticket. For four songs some of us had that sinking feeling that this might just be the worst concert ever.

Ever the tease, remember that fun day when Frank Black announced on radio, without telling any of the rest of the band, that the Pixies were over? A joker is that Mr Thompson IV. Kim Deal then announced the start of Doolittle. Cue tears of gratitude as 'Debaser' kicked in.

The band then played the whole lp right through in order. The biggest cheers were obviously reserved for 'Monkey's gone to Heaven', 'Here comes your man' and the album's opener.
Surprisingly, I really enjoyed the other tracks much more. I felt that 'Crackity Jones', 'Mr Grieves' and 'Tame', songs that I thought were lightweight on the lp, came across with more conviction than the hits. Perhaps they scored more highly as a result of not being so well known and so often heard.

An encore of 'Into the White' with Kim Deal in the spotlight and then gone.

Only for the band to return to the stage and play what would have been the songs lost to the audience when the stage gave way in 1991.
So we got 'Caribou', 'Holiday Song' 'Isla de Encanta' and a blistering 'Nimrod's Son'. This was the highlight. Whereas, 'Doolittle' had been played with reverence it did all seem a bit heritage band stylee. If you look at their touring schedule you'll see that the 'Doolittle' tour continues into March 2010. Same songs, same order every night. By contrast the punklike thrashing given to the songs of 'Surfer Rosa' was enthusiastically the real thing.

So a great ending to a gig that is as good as it can get in the cavern of the SECC. The added value of the songs from their 1988 album sealed a wonderful evening.

The question left unasked though was, 'At what point does a band move from being relevant to the zeitgeist to being on the heritage tour stage?'
I mean is going to see Pixies now absolutely no different from heading out to see The Swinging Blue Jeans or Kajagoogoo? Is it all just a paean to nostalgia?
Sobering thought? Not half as sobering as 'Un Chien Andalou'. Gouge Away.

Self Promotion

Raging against the dying of the light.

Sandwiched between the Gang of Four last week-end and Pixies next sits a trip to King Tut's to hear Bombay Bicycle Club.

Whilst I have no issues with the quiet desperation that underlies the reliving of my youth by attending concerts by bands whose defining moment was either thirty or twenty years ago, I believe that catching up and coming bands prevents me from totally becoming the very thing that I railed against all those years ago.
And Heaven knows we have now just bought tickets for The Fall in November.

So to try and follow Dylan's advice (Thomas, not Zimmerman) and ensure no gentle disappearance into the good night we enjoyed a night up town catching Bombay Bicyle Club.

The gig was sold out which means about 100 sweaty teenagers have turned out to catch 'this years best up and coming band'.

Certainly, if you wish to get close up to a band then King Tut's is your ideal venue. BBC were excellent. Full of energy, catchy toons, enthusiastic about being on stage and aided by a great sound system and an up for it cos tomorrow is a holiday crowd.

It all reminded me of the times I used to catch bands like The Clash and The Ramones at a similar sized venue called Clouds in Edinburgh back in 1977.

So for genuine reminiscing catch Gang of Four and Pixies but for remembering the emotion of youth catch Bombay Bicycle Band.

To be insulted by an old grumpy, cantankerous Mancunian, catch The Fall

Six Sleeps

Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Saturday

= 6 Sleeps!!

Normal Service Resumed : Saturday, 26th

Back behind the wheels of steel on Saturday.

Quite quiet to start with. So some general inoffensive stuff whilst I wait to see if the pub will start to fill around 10pm. Thankfully it did.
Kicked off with Confusion Girl, as Jamie asked for it as I was setting up and I thought, like bad medicine, might as well get it over and done with quickly.

Played Hall and Oates as I had laughed at a scene in 500(Days of Summer) which used one of their tracks really well and as a result their tunes were in my head.

If you'd asked me on Tuesday the liklihood of playing three tracks by Jay-Z, I would of raised a quizical eyebrow. However, I picked up the cd during the week and was greatly impressed by 'Empire State of Mind' so that got flung on early for me and then on later when they place was busier. It's been hammered on the i-pod too. Seems to me there is one outstanding track on each Jay-Z lp. 'Roc- Boys' on the previous one and 'Empire State' on this. Almost makes you want to visit New York.

A run of rock oldies to break things up and cheer up the less young punters after Jamie, him again, asked for Baba O Riley.



Then some up to date House including 'Jack is Back' which is getting mentioned a lot in blogland. My personal fave being Joris Voorn's 'Sweep the Floor'which sounded fantastic. Also happy to play Temper Traps tune remixed by Dirty South.




Some oldies to sing- along to as the pub emptied to catch The Arms' curfew.

Finished on a mash-up of Louis Armstrong and Radiohead which mixes 'What a wonderful world' with 'No Surprises' to great effect.
You'll find it in hyper web land if you go looking for 'What a Wonderful Surprise'.
You'll probably also find some naked Romanian wrestlers as well but hey-ho!

Tracklisting below.

1 Confusion Girl - Frankmusic *
2 17 Together - Metro Station
3 Stone Cold Sober - Paloma Faith
4 Super Duper Love - Joss Stone
5 Long Train Running - The Doobie Brothers
6 Harvest For The World - The Isley Brothers
7 Just My Imagination - The Temptations
8 I'll Be Around - Detroit Spinners
9 Kiss On My List - Daryl Hall And John Oates
10 Still Rock N Roll To Me - Billy Joel
11 Master And Servant - Nouvelle Vague
12 Im Not Your Toy - La Roux
13 Everywhere - Fleetwood Mac
14 M79 - Vampire Weekend
15 Never Forget You - Noisettes
16 Fruit Machine - The Ting Tings
17 Love Shack - The B-52's
18 Remedy - Little Boots
19 Ready For The Weekend - Calvin Harris
20 Never Leave You - Tinchy Stryder
21 Knock You Down - Keri Hilson
22 Empire State Of Mind - Jay-Z
23 Groover's Delight - Dr Kucho
24 Peace Song - Bob Sinclar
25 Ride The Rhythm - Joey Negro
26 Here Comes The Rain Again ( Mashup 09) - The Eurythmics
27 I Can't Wait - Original Mix - Another Chance
28 Why Dont You (Original Mix) - Gramophonedzie
29 Dream On ( Rise Remix) - Aerosmith
30 Its My Life - Bon Jovi
31 Baba O'Riley - The Who *
32 Gimmie Shelter - Rolling Stones
33 Roadhouse Blues - Doors - Doors
34 Molly's Chambers - Kings Of Leon
35 Shoot The Runner - Kasabian
36 Pyjamarama - Roxy Music
37 Hiding All The Stars - Chicane
38 I Gotta Feeling - Black Eyed Peas
39 Gettin' Over (Original Mix) - David Guetta
40 Run This Town - Jay-Z
41 Shake My - Three 6 Mafia
42 Bulletproof - La Roux
43 Call Me - Blondie
44 Sweet Disposition (Axwell & Dirty South Remix) - Temper Traps
45 Downpipe - Original Club Mix - D.Ramirez, Mark Knight
46 Jack Is Back (Albin Myers Remix) - DBN
47 This Is Our Night (Shepard Mix) - Sander Kleinenberg
48 Sweep The Floor (Original Mix) - Joris Voorn
49 Where Is The Pjanoo ( Atee's Bootleg) - Guetta Vs. Prydz
50 I Feel Good (Piano Mix) - Jason Herd
51 I Feel Good - James Brown
52 Move On Up - Curtis Mayfield
53 Empire State Of Mind - Jay-Z
54 Good Morning - Kanye West
55 The Whistle Song - Frankie Knuckles
56 Music Matters (Axwell Edit) - Faithless
57 All Night Long (All Night) - Lionel Richie *
58 You've Got The Love Candi Staton
59 Never Leave You-Uh O - Lumidee
60 Superstition - Stevie Wonder
61 Slippin' And Slidin' - John Lennon
62 (Let Me Be Your) Teddy Bear [S - Elvis Vs Spankox
63 I Saw Her Standing There - The Beatles
64 Cracklin Rosie - S McGowan
65 What A Wonderful Surprise - Louis Armstrong vs Radiohead

* Request (obviously!!)

Busy Week

Gang of Four gig on Saturday night was excellent. All the hits!! It took a while to get going, I think folk hadn't realised that the band would be on so early. I presume so that the venue can get ready for the freshers disco at 11pm.
Thoroughly enjoyed the gig, along with a whole host of other balding, overweight fifty year olds with one eye on the past. It's hard to believe I bought the lp 'Entertainment' thirty years ago. I was a twenty year old whippersnapper then. I won't comment on what I am now!
Sunday - on to the pub Pop Quiz.
We managed a respectable joint last due to the fact that I cannot do the backwards round( which unfairly is worth 20 points!) and although I know all the songs by the time my brain has rooted around in the darkened corners of my rapidly diminishing mind ( refer back to that bit about being a whippersnapper so long ago) and emerged triumphant with the answer 'Flock of Seagulls' the quiz has moved on a further five questions. This is followed by a shake of the head and apologies all round when the correct answer happens to be Toyah. I thought there could only be one correct answer to the question, 'Which 80's artist should have drowned in a freak yachting accident years before entering a recording studio?'. Must have been a trick question.

Tuesday - Off to see 'The Damned United' at the flicks. Enjoyed this, having read the book but felt there was not enough football in it, strangely enough. More of dvd for home than a cinema film. My advice, read the book.


Wednesday - Back to the pictures to catch 500( Days of Summer) which was just fine.
Genuinely amusing, great soundtrack, nicely understated. As all lazy commentators will say 'this years Juno'. Being both lazy and old I will say, 'this years Gregory's Girl' just to be different.

Dissonance

Not behind the decks this Saturday. Instead am off to Glasgow to catch The Gang of Four in concert.
If you like Franz Ferdinand, Bloc Party or Maximo Park then you should check these old geezers out. Michael Stipe and Flea from the Chili's both cite this band as a major influence.
First lp is the best. It's called 'Entertainment'. From a time when irony stalked the earth.
Original lp sits in my attic. Makes me wish I still had a record player.
Good Times tomorrow.

2nd Annual After Park Life Shin-Dig

A late licence at The Smugs as the bar stays open to welcome back the survivors of Eddie Halliwell and Co's Park Life Festival.

It means I have permission to play as many house/club tunes as I like with the volume turned right up and a bar full of party spirited folk.

It's as close as I am going to get to being on the decks at a club night!

, I can't really enjoy the night as much as I would want to because, although I can put the tracks together easily enoughI haven't much experience with this year's tunes in a live setting. This means I am concentrating hard on the mix and, therefore, don't relax and just listen to it all coming together. Now if I got the opportunity to do this more than once a year it would be a different story.

On the plus side, with the help of several cans of Red Stripe, I pretty much play the songs I want to play. So say hello to 'Lost in Acid', 'Mamdaye', Downpipe' and 'The Take'. Also dropped in my faves, 'E-Talking'and 'Sound of Violence'.

Best bit; being asked to play Maggie May whilst the minimal sounds of Julien Chaptal were blasting out. It was a request for the older folk! Well I was nearly the oldest person there and I certainly didn't wish to hear it. Also being asked if The Temper Traps track which was mixed with the Eurythmics was the new Tiesto song. Really.

My fave bits ; 'It's 6am in the morning and the dj is playing acid'. 'It's not me, it's the e-talking' and 'Mamdaye, Mandaye'.

A great night. Let's hope that Parklife celebrates it's third year in 2010.




Tracklisting Here :

1 Barely Breakin Even - EL B & T
You're The One For Me - D Train
3 Promised Land (Middleton Re-Edit) - Joe Smooth
4 Lost In Music (The Revenge Rework) - Sister Sledge
5 Tears Of A Clown (Actionjacksonremix) - Smokey Robinson
6 Hard To Handle - Otis Redding
7 Hold On! I'm Comin' - Sam & Dave
8 For Once In My Life - Stevie Wonder
9 Come On Train - Don Thomas
10 Mercy - The Third Degree
11 Stone Cold Sober (Radio Edit) - Paloma Faith
12 Low Rider - War
13 Papa's Got A Brand New Pigbag - Pig Bag
14 And The Beat Goes On - The Whispers
15 Everyman - Double Exposure
16 Get Down Tonight (Soulmakers Remix) - Supafly Inc
17 I Gotta Feeling - Black Eyed Peas
18 Bulletproof - La Roux
19 Be The One - The Ting Tings
20 Ready For The Weekend - Calvin Harris
21 We Are The People (Shazam Remix) - Empire Of The Sun
22 Don't You Want Me - The Human League
23 Brown Sugar - The Rolling Stones *
24 Red Morn Light - Kings Of Leon *
25 Spaceman - The Killers
26 Eurhymic Disposition ( Eddie Thorniek Remix) - Temper Traps
27 I Will Be Here (Tiesto Remix) - Tiesto & Sneaky Sound System
28 Under The Sun - Kidda
29 Good Life ( Fai Remix) - Inner City
30 Put Em High - Stonebridge
31 Where Love Lives (Club Mix) - Buzz Junkies Vs. Alison Limerick
32 I Can't Wait - Another Chance
33 Sexy Bitch (Feat. Akon) - David Guetta *
34 Yeke Yeke - Makrolon
35 Let Your Love Flow -- Bellamy Brothers *
36 Take It Easy - The Eagles
37 Mr Blue Sky - Lily Allen
38 Knock You Down - Keri Hilson
39 96 Degrees - Olivier Giacomotto
40 Sound Of Violence (Deadhau5 Mix - Cassius
41 I Know You Want Me (Calle Ocho) - Pitbull
42 Gotta Let You Go (Dutch Mix) - Michael Mind
43 Do You Remember House - Blaze
44 Anyway ( Dlg Bigroom Remix) - Ducksauce
45 Blame It On The Boogie - The Jacksons
46 Oyo Como Va - Tito Puente
47 Do Your Thing - Basement Jaxx
48 Holiday (Laidback Luke's Rave It Up Remix)- Dizzee Rascal
49 Ride On Time - Black Box
50 9am Acid Trip - Richard Grey
51 Lost In Acid (Tim Berg's Acidic Mix)- David Tort
52 Acid Mode - Steve Angello
53 Mamdaye - Julien Chaptal
54 La Mezcla (Gaudino Mix) - Michel Cleis
55 Bye Bye (Club Mix) - Moire
56 Why Dont You - Gramophonedzie
57 Rose Rouge (Original Mix) - Analog People In A Digital World
58 All You Need Is Love - The Beatles
59 God Is A DJ (Deadmau5 Remix) - Faithless
60 How Soon Is Now (Extended Mix) - David Guetta, Sebastian Ingrosso
61 Organ Of Love (Original Mix) - Jerry Ropero & Java.
62 Find Yourself - John O'Callaghan
63 Harder Better Stronger Remix - Daft Punk
64 Never Leave You-Uh O - Lumidee
65 Superstition - Stevie Wonder
66 Jump Around (Deadmau5 Remix) - House Of Pain
67 Riverside - Sidney Samson
68 Billie Jean (Biancale Remix) - Michael Jackson
69 Sweet Disposition (Axwell & Dirty South Remix) - Temper Traps*
70 Disco Ballistic - Lazy Rich
71 Downpipe - D.Ramirez, Mark Knight
72 This Is Our Night (Shepard Mix) - Sander Kleinenberg
73 I Feel Good (Piano Mix) - Jason Herd
74 The Take –( Sultan & Ned Shepard Dub Mix) - Paul Harris, Obernik
75 Lola's Theme (Made In Italy Mix) - Shapeshifters
76 Sandstorm - Darude *
77 Adagio For Strings - Tiesto
78 E Talking (Nite Version) - Soulwax
79 Madagascar 09 (Marco Demark Summer Mix) - Denzal Park
80 Kidsos - Sebastian Ingrosso
81 Human (Ferry Corsten Club Mix) - The Killers
82 Popiholla - Chicane
83 Imagine - John Lennon

* request. Normal Service will be resumed in a fortnight.

Last Night a Dj was my Wife.

Friday night was spent with the folks at Spit-fire in Glasgow. With Anne taking a turn as guest dj. She used to dj, back in the day with vinyl! and has helped me out when I have been incapacitated, struggling to know what to play next or in the loo!
So after a ten year absence she returns to the decks of steel.

Her tracklist as follows:
Remember - The Ravonettes
Cha Cha Twist - Detroit Cobras
Johnny got a Boom Boom - Imelda May
Fruit Machine - Ting Tings
A Teenager in Love - Pains of being pure at heart.
Here comes your man - Pixies
Love Goes On - Go-Betweens.
Victoria - The Fall
Start - The Jam
Move on Up - Curtis Mayfield
Rock the Casbah ( Rhythm Scholars Mix ) - The Clash.

Movin' on up by Primal Scream was due up next but she got thrown off before she could unleash it.

It all sounded great, the mixing was top notch and a whole lot of folk got up to shake their bits about. All helped by the arrival of about twenty folk to the door at the same time making the whole place really busy.

After she was finished, a guy came up to her and introduced himself with the words. 'I'm a dj too.' So there you go, play eleven records in a row and you are now a dj. It's as if it was as simple as just playing one damn song after another!

In true hardcore dj style, Anne celebrated with a bottle of Jack Daniels and we did some jiving to the usual Spit Fire smorgasbord of tracks including De La Soul, Graham Coxon, Belle and Sebastian, PIL, Yeah Yeah Yeahs and Gang of Four.



Had to drag the missus out at 2am!
Is this really any way for old folk to behave?








My turn tomorrow night.