Tone Rodent In Blogspace

the goods...

2009-09-05T10:29:00.000-07:00

Long time Coming...

2009-09-05T10:18:00.000-07:00

Here's a track I recorded in London earlier in the year with Rosco from Spacemen 2 and features Sky Sunlight Saxon (R.I.P.) and a bunch of other great people! They are listed in the vid! Thanks All!

Turnover Issues Put Contemporary Director At Center Of Controversy

2007-03-03T12:45:00.000-08:00

Paul Ha is being called out.
It's about time.

I worked there-I am one of those numbers. He doesn't care about anyone besides himself. After he came on and was very excited about the staff, one by one, month by month he took target practice. Making up lies and dismissing people. As I was being dismissed he told me to my face that at the Contemporary it wasn't about Art-It's about showing St. Louis what he has done for the city.

He is cold and calculating, he is not pleasant to work with and he plays out his "Napolean Complex" by dominating the people below him and especially those who are more educated than himself. It is sad to see that a once fine institution with wonderful people working hard for Art, has become only impressive because of a building.

I hope people take note!

Turnover Issues Put Contemporary Director At Center Of Controversy
By David Bonetti
POST-DISPATCH VISUAL ARTS CRITIC
02/18/2007

Today

2007-02-09T19:30:00.000-08:00

What a crazy world we live in... The Stooges get ready to release a new album some 30 years after the last, Jason Pierce aka J Spaceman of Spiritualized is continuing his Acoustic Mainlines tour, The Cure release an amazing DVD of live festival performances and our buddies The Black Angels (Austin. TX) get their first crack at the UK...and we're writing new songs!

Checkpoint Charlie

2007-02-10T13:02:00.000-08:00

This is the first take of a new song called Checkpoint Charlie that we recorded in the practice space with one mic in the middle of the room. This is actually the first time we tried to play the song, it sort of just happened.

Tone Rodent-Checkpoint Charlie (first take)

Ps

2007-02-10T13:24:00.000-08:00

Here are a few songs by my friend Patrick and his group Ps. He's from Ireland, but the band which has changed a bit over the years is based in New York. I think the group is down to a duo. any way enjoy the songs. and check out Ps at www.ps-nyc.com

Ps-I'm Human Too

Ps-Spelling

SXSW

2007-02-11T15:42:00.000-08:00

SXSW Line-Up

Bands I'd like to see:

Architecture In Helsinki, Badly Drawn Boy, The Black Angels, Bloc Party, Daedelus, The Fratellis, The Good, The Bad & The Queen, The High Dials, Lily Allen, Midnight Movies, MSTRKRFT, The Octopus Project, Gruff Rhys, The Saints, The Stooges, The Sunshine Underground, Turbonegro, VietNam, Amy Winehouse....to name a few!

Primal Scream: Godlike Genius

2007-02-11T16:05:00.000-08:00

Primal Scream have been chosen to receive the much coveted Shockwaves NME Award! Click below to hear a crazy sound piece of Bobby G compiled from his narration of a Spiritualized TV documentary.

BobbyG.SongX

Arab Strap: The Great Lost Arab Strap Album

2007-02-12T13:25:00.000-08:00

So the story goes..."After ten years, six studio albums, three live albums and all manner of everything else, we've decided the story should come to a close. There's no animosity, no drama, we simply feel we've run our course and The Last Romance seems to us the most obvious and logical final act of the Arab Strap studio adventure. Everybody likes a happy ending!"

Anyhow, I've come across "The Great Lost Arab Strap Album"...it's called Coming Down and it predates Malcolm. Aidan thinks it's shit! Anyway check it out for yourself.

Coming Down

The first band in history to tour online!

2007-02-12T20:23:00.000-08:00

This is »Röntgenschall« – the first band in history to tour online! 100 million people in the audience
We are sick of playing in small towns. Thus we don’t want to play on stages anymore – we want to play on websites. Your blog could be our stage!

The Pandas

2007-02-13T13:12:00.000-08:00

Check these guys! The Pandas! Hailing from Nevada and sounding like a mix between The Warlocks and BJM. Listen to Crystal Highway below and check them on on myspace for a few more songs.

The Pandas Are Not Cute and Furry. They are a Rockin Band. As a matter of fact, they aren't even named after the black and white animal. They take their name from a slang term used to describe Swedish girls who wear dark makeup on pale white faces. - I Rock Cleveland

The Pandas On Tour:
Feb 16 2007
The ArtBar w/ The Strays Las Vegas, Nevada
Mar 2 2007
The Bunkhouse First Friday Las Vegas, Nevada
Mar 9 2007
Beauty Bar w/ Midnight Movies Las Vegas, Nevada
Mar 15 2007
SXSW @ Molotov Lounge Austin, Texas

The Pandas-Crystal Highway

Control

2007-02-15T20:26:00.000-08:00

(Mojo) Directed by Dutch photographer Anton Corbijn, Control is set to open in UK cinemas in March, 2 years after its American producers Orian Williams and Tom Eckhert first contacted Mojo to discuss their new project. Eckert has spoken about their lengthy effort to get the film off the ground, having optioned the rights to 'Touching from a distance' in the late 90's. ''I don't think there are many really great stories out there.'' said Todd. ''But this is one of them.''

Williams, in particular, felt it crucial to find a director whom both Deborah and the surviving members of Joy Division could trust. Though Anton Corbijn had yet to direct a full feature film, the Dutchman’s credentials were impeccable. In 1980 he moved from Holland to Britain specifically to photograph the group, his iconic shots for NME launching a career that would see him in the 80's and beyond become first choice lensman for U2, Depeche Mode and R.E.M.

Indeed it was non other than Bono who told Williams at a party in 2004, ''You've got to get Anton to direct this movie''.

''Initially, (Corbijn) did not want to make a film about a musician”, explains Williams. ''But then he realized it wasn't a conventional biopic, it was a love story.'' Once on board the director's first stipulation was that the film should be shot in moody black and white. The result, says Williams has an ''abstract poetic, epic feel, but it's not arty, its not a fever dream. Its traditionally mapped out- Antons a big fan of old English movies, he loves David Lean, Truffuant, Jim Jarmush, (Loach's) Kes.''

Control - part-financed by Depeche Mode's Martin Gore - has, it seems won some important fans. The surviving members of Joy Division saw a preview on November 28th, reporting to Mojo that they ''very much approve of it and will be backing it 100%''. ''Initially the group were disinterested in the film, but at the same time were intrigued and wanted to get involved'' says Williams.''When we first met them backstage at a gig in Liverpool in 2005, Bernard said 'Just have some fun with it.' We did and the finished Movie is amazing.''

Control will be released in spring 2007, for more info go to www.controlthemovie.com

Spiritualized Live on BBC 6

2007-02-17T14:25:00.000-08:00

The Shaun Keaveny show on BBC6music will be playing out a classic Spiritualized set this very Monday night as their Main Feature on the show.

The live tracks will go out at around 00.25am (Mon night/Tues morning).

More info at...Shaun Keaveney BBC 6

Shoegazer's Dream

2007-02-18T13:40:00.000-08:00

For all of you Shoegazer's out there...Shoegazer's Dream

Need I Say More?
Enjoy!

Coachella 2007

2007-02-19T11:51:00.000-08:00

Wish I was going!

Also check this out Coachella: The Movie

The Duke Spirit

2007-02-21T14:17:00.000-08:00

The Duke Spirit-Cuts Across The Land

The Duke Spirit-Souvenir

This band is all inside my head-The record is amazing!!!

The Jesus & Mary Chain: JimTalks!

2007-02-21T22:16:00.000-08:00

Courtesy of Brooklyn Vegan:

The Jesus & Mary Chain return to play their first shows in nine years when they appear at Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival in Indio California on Friday April 27th and at the Summercase Festival in Madrid (Boadilla del Monte) and Barcelona (Parc del Forum) on July 13th and 14th.
Jim Reid answers some questions:

1/ why are you doing the show now?
"Well, I would say 'why not?' there are many reasons really. Firstly it's taken this long for me and William to get to a point where it would be realistic to do it, and to some degree each of us assumed the other wouldn't be interested, and it was only after we talked about it that we realised this. Also Coachella were very persistent."

2/ The last show was in 1998?
"Yes, the last Mary Chain gig was in 1998 and was such a bloody awful mess, too much drink, too many drugs, nobody seeing eye to eye on anything and the band just blew up, and I suppose you could say this is another good reason for our reformation, cause that was no way for the Mary Chain to end."

3/ William lives in LA and you live in Devon?
"You can imagine the problems this presents."

4/ Who else is in the band?
"On bass it's Phil King, on drums it's Loz Colbert, and on second guitar is Mark Crozer, and of course myself and William."

5/ Will there be more shows and an album?
"I really don't know. Maybe. I think we would like to and we're looking at another show or 2."

6/ Are William and yourself working on solo albums?
"Yes, both are at the recording stage at the moment, and both will hopefully be out later in the year."

The Jesus & Mary Chain - About You

Art & Politics: NoBomb

2007-02-23T18:49:00.000-08:00

HEY USA TAKE NOTE!

NoBomb

Damon Albarn and Massive Attack launch anti-nuke site
No-Bomb takes on UK government's weapon's spending

Damon Albarn and Massive Attack's Robert del Naja (3D) are among those behind a new website encouraging an artistic protest again the UK government buying more nuclear weapons.

The duo have launched no-bomb.com with Gorillaz' Jamie Hewlett and artist Peter Kennard. The site will exhibit works that oppose spending money on replacing the current Trident nuclear arsenal. An example of Hewlett's work is pictured.

"Over the next three weeks, until the vote on Trident renewal in parliament, no-bomb will be a continually expanding online exhibition and protest," explained the new site. "The aim is to get people thinking, talking, reading, protesting - to make a noise round an issue that has had shamefully little public or political debate."

Although the new venture is not connected to any particular political organisation, they are encouraging people to join CND's march against Trident, which takes place in London tomorrow (February 24).

"The UK Government wants to spend £76 billion of our money on renewing the UK's nuclear defence system, Trident. We don't think we should be spending billions on weapons of mass destruction and we don't believe we'll be any safer with a new generation of Trident," they added.

"We don't want to go quietly into the darkness of a new nuclear age. If you want to let the Government know that you don't want Trident, you should march in London tomorrow. Assemble 12 noon, Speaker's Corner, Hyde Park."

BRMC: I Gotta Say I'm Diggin' It!

2007-02-24T10:06:00.000-08:00

BRMC's follow up to the Gospel/Blues tinged or rather drenched "Howl" is due out in the US on May 1. You can listen to two new songs here including the first single Weapon Of Choice! Check it out for yourself. I gotta say I'm diggin' it. I've enjoyed all of the records thus far-I was just hoping for a little more rock this time out. I think we're gonna get it!

Nick Cave's Letter To MTV

2007-03-07T10:58:00.000-08:00

With all of the award shows happening here and abroad I can't help but be reminded of Nick Cave's letter to MTV in 1996...so I'll share it with you all!

TO ALL THOSE AT MTV,

I WOULD LIKE TO START BY THANKING YOU ALL FOR THE SUPPORT YOU HAVE GIVEN ME OVER RECENT YEARS AND I AM BOTH GRATEFUL AND FLATTERED BY THE NOMINATIONS THAT I HAVE RECEIVED FOR BEST MALE ARTIST. THE AIR PLAY GIVEN TO BOTH THE KYLIE MINOGUE AND P. J. HARVEY DUETS FROM MY LATEST ALBUM MURDER BALLADS HAS NOT GONE UNNOTICED AND HAS BEEN GREATLY APPRECIATED. SO AGAIN MY SINCERE THANKS.

HAVING SAID THAT, I FEEL THAT IT'S NECESSARY FOR ME TO REQUEST THAT MY NOMINATION FOR BEST MALE ARTIST BE WITHDRAWN AND FURTHERMORE ANY AWARDS OR NOMINATIONS FOR SUCH AWARDS THAT MAY ARISE IN LATER YEARS BE PRESENTED TO THOSE WHO FEEL MORE COMFORTABLE WITH THE COMPETITIVE NATURE OF THESE AWARD CEREMONIES. I MYSELF, DO NOT. I HAVE ALWAYS BEEN OF THE OPINION THAT MY MUSIC IS UNIQUE AND INDIVIDUAL AND EXISTS BEYOND THE REALMS INHABITED BY THOSE WHO WOULD REDUCE THINGS TO MERE MEASURING. I AM IN COMPETITION WITH NO-ONE.
MY RELATIONSHIP WITH MY MUSE IS A DELICATE ONE AT THE BEST OF TIMES AND I FEEL THAT IT IS MY DUTY TO PROTECT HER FROM INFLUENCES THAT MAY OFFEND HER FRAGILE NATURE.

SHE COMES TO ME WITH THE GIFT OF SONG AND IN RETURN I TREAT HER WITH THE RESPECT I FEEL SHE DESERVES - IN THIS CASE THIS MEANS NOT SUBJECTING HER TO THE INDIGNITIES OF JUDGEMENT AND COMPETITION. MY MUSE IS NOT A HORSE AND I AM IN NO HORSE RACE AND IF INDEED SHE WAS, STILL I WOULD NOT HARNESS HER TO THIS TUMBREL - THIS BLOODY CART OF SEVERED HEADS AND GLITTERING PRIZES. MY MUSE MAY SPOOK! MAY BOLT! MAY ABANDON ME COMPLETELY!

SO ONCE AGAIN, TO THE PEOPLE AT MTV, I APPRECIATE THE ZEAL AND ENERGY THAT WAS PUT BEHIND MY LAST RECORD, I TRULY DO AND SAY THANK YOU AND AGAIN I SAY THANK YOU BUT NO...NO THANK YOU.

YOURS SINCERELY, NICK CAVE 21 OCT 96.

Angel Sighs: Spiritualized Tribute Underway

2007-03-07T11:22:00.000-08:00

Angel Sighs: The Music of J. Spaceman and Spiritualized

click above to be transported to the Spiritualized Tribute album website-it's just gone live and more things will be added soon! You can check out our cover of THESE BLUES! Also we're looking for some capital make hard copies of the album so... anyone interested? Or know anyone? Get In touch!

Cheers-Adam

Bobby G + JAMC?

2007-03-07T23:30:00.000-08:00

Bobby Gillespie has revealed he would be up for rejoining Jesus & Mary Chain on their comeback tour.

The Primal Scream star was the group's original drummer, but hasn't played with the rock 'n' roll legends for more than 20 years.

Jim and William Reid confirmed news of their reformation recently, with the band set to play the Coachella Festival in California in May.

Now, Gillespie has suggested he would complete the original Mary Chain lineup if they wanted. "If they asked me, I would play," he explained. "I haven't played with them since 1985, you know--it's a long time ago. The last time I saw them play was '98 and then they split up three days later."

Speaking about J&MC's decision to reform, Gillespie told the BBC: "Fantastic, I love them, great friends, heroes of mine, and I am so pleased for them."

The Black Angels: Give Thanks, Passover (Again)

2007-03-09T14:33:00.000-08:00

These are fighting times, people. We are surrounded by grit, spit, and bloody war, but in the distance moving forward is The Black Angels. They’ve returned unscathed from their first tour of duty with Seattle-based Light In The Attic Records, still armed with their self-proclaimed "Native American Drone 'N' Roll" and set to release their debut long player. Passover speaks of real-life horrors, death, and destruction with doses of love, sex, and healing. Don’t lose track, these are caring times as well.

Formed in 2004 and hailing from the mescaline-infused outskirts of Austin, Texas, this gang of musical misfits has been on the road non-stop since their birth. Growing in spades since their debut, self-titled EP, Passover showcases a band on the make. Spiraling upwards to the skies with the enemy straight on their trail, "The Sniper At The Gates Of Heaven" sees The Black Angels reaching high and stretching out with trance-inducing guitar lines from Christian Bland, Nate Ryan’s filthy medical dumpster bass, and the grizzly preacher vox of lead shaman Alex Maas. "Black Grease" is a bluesy monster full of swagger propelled by the primitive beat of drummer Stephanie Bailey and the mourning drone of organist Jennifer Raines.

10-songs deep, Passover has come again. Reflecting and questioning the intergenerational psychosis of American social life that surrounds us, The Black Angels put forth their answers in song. It’s a call to arms for those ready to join the good fight, a rock 'n' roll salvation during the times we need it the most. As Maas bellows on "Young Man Dead,": Fire for the hills, pick up speed, and let’s go...

ON TOUR:
Wed 3/14/07 Austin, TX Emo's Annex
Thu 3/15/07 Austin, TX Red Eyed Fly
Fri 3/16/07 Austin, TX Red 7
Fri 3/16/07 Austin, TX Antone's
Wed 3/21/07 Houston, TX Warehouse Live
Thu 3/22/07 Shreveport, LA The Jackrabbit Lounge
Fri 3/23/07 Baton Rouge, LA Spanish Moon
Sat 3/24/07 Birmingham, AL The Bottletree
Mon 3/26/07 Atlanta, GA The Earl
Tue 3/27/07 Mt. Pleasant, SC Village Tavern
Wed 3/28/07 Chapel Hill, NC Local 506
Thu 3/29/07 Knoxville, TN Pilot Light
Fri 3/30/07 Nashville, TN Mercy Lounge
Sat 3/31/07 Newport, KY Southgate House
Mon 4/2/07 Cleveland, OH Beachland Tavern
Tue 4/3/07 Columbus, OH Little Brothers
Wed 4/4/07 Pittsburgh, PA Brillobox
Thu 4/5/07 Washington, DC The Rock and Roll Hotel
Fri 4/6/07 Philadelphia, PA Johnny Brenda's
Sat 4/7/07 New York, NY Mercury Lounge
Sun 4/8/07 Brooklyn, NY Luna Lounge
Tue 4/10/07 Cambridge, MA Middle East Upstairs
Thu 4/12/07 Toronto, ON Horseshoe Tavern
Fri 4/13/07 Detroit, MI Lager House
Sat 4/14/07 Chicago, IL Empty Bottle
Mon 4/16/07 Minneapolis, MN 7th Street Entry
Tue 4/17/07 Iowa City, IA The Picador
Wed 4/18/07 Omaha, NE The Waiting Room
Thu 4/19/07 Lawrence, KS Bottleneck
Fri 4/20/07 St. Louis, MO Duck Room
Sat 4/21/07 Columbia, MO Mojo's
Thu 5/24/07 Portland, OR Doug Fir Lounge
Fri 5/25/07 Vancouver, BC Richards on Richards
Sun 5/27/07 George, WA Sasquatch Music Festival

Spiritualized-Rated X

2007-03-10T07:12:00.000-08:00

Stylus Magazine's Seconds column examines those magic moments that arise when listening to a piece of music that strikes that special chord inside. That pounding drum intro; a clanging guitar built-up to an anthemic chorus; that strange glitchy noise you've never quite been able to figure out; that first kiss or heartbreak; a well-turned rhyme that reminds you of something in your own past so much, it seems like it was written for you—all of those little things that make people love music. Every music lover has a collection of these Seconds in his or her head; these are some of ours.

Like most things Jason Pierce has been involved with recently, there's a fairly ridiculous contributor/gear list on the inside of 2003's Amazing Grace, and as nothing is listed by song I have no real idea what specifically is being used on “Rated X.” There are the odd strings, horns, guitar playing both conventional and abstract (at one point it sounds like wire being stretched) and even vocals, but it's still an incredibly weird track by Spiritualized's standards: of the 5:19 running time just over a minute and a half is occupied with what I'd consider to be the actual song, and it's what happens for the rest of the time and the interactions between the two modes the song exists in that elevates the track into something special.

Part of its power lies wholly outside the song itself; at one point Pierce doubles a key lyric from the devastating elegy “The Ballad of Richie Lee” in “Rated X,” and with only the fiercely joyous “Cheapster” in between the two tracks your mind is dragged back to the total, wasted enervation of that song. But while “The Ballad of Richie Lee” is a remembrance of a friend who committed suicide, “Rated X” has broader issues, and a different kind of oblivion, in mind:
And you might think
The past is through
But the past goes right on through
And memory holds the hurt inside
Regret creeps up on you
So put your hand into my hand
And baby we'll forget
That life had even started
Before our hands had met
On “The Ballad of Richie Lee” those last four lines were as bleak as you can get, but here because Pierce is suffering not so much from a particular trauma as from memory itself, the obliteration of thought is presented hopefully; a slight amount of light seeps into Pierce's staticky vocals as he ends the “song” portion of “Rated X.” If he'd kept it short, like “Home of the Brave” off of Ladies and Gentlemen We Are Floating in Space he'd still have an incredibly affecting track. Of course, to get there, we had a minute and a half of what could be the band just preparing; the drum and guitar sounding incredibly tentative, the slight organ drone just a prelude. After he stops singing the song again subsides into this kind of half-existence for two minutes, the piano being tapped randomly, forlorn horns easing into view and apprehensively winding around the ductile guitar line, drums rumbling softly in the background.

On a purely sonic level the moment when the more structured part of “Rated X” kicks in, Mellotrons and soft distortion gently pitching the track aloft, is quietly stunning. But what makes the song so great is that the structure of the track, even of Pierce's delivery, mirrors the content to strongly. He begins the song by singing “If memory was written down / I'd cut it up / And cross it out,” and then proceeds to do just that, assembling and disassembling “Rated X” right in front of your ears. The first couple of times I heard the album the intro and outro were lengthy enough that I effectively forgot the middle part, as subtly rapturous as it is, and that Pierce would marry that structure to a song about the pain of memory and the trap of the past is a brilliant touch. He wants to externalize his history, make it something he can cut up and cross out, and although the less consonant parts of “Rated X” have their own musical appeal at first they serve precisely that function.

When I mentioned to Alfred Soto that I wanted to talk about the song's use of memory and the past, he said he was thinking of doing something similar with Japan's great “Ghosts.” But while that song does make extremely effective use of a fairly spectral backing track and plenty of space for David Sylvian's voice, it's still more present in a number of ways than “Rated X.” This is a song that barely exists, that functions more as a waking dream (right down to Pierce's murmur) than anything else, and even has the verve to slowly lull you into slumber and then wake you back up afterwards; “Ghosts” is a synth-pop song, albeit an incredibly accomplished and interesting one. “Rated X” is one of the most intriguing and successful fusions of form and content I've ever heard, and while Pierce's lyrics might not work in a more forceful context, here they sound not just fitting but convincing. If you're ever going to escape the snare of temporal existence, this is the way you're going to do it, not drugs.

By: Ian Mathers
Published on: 2007-03-06

J Spaceman Talks About Acoustic Mainlines

2007-03-13T21:41:00.000-07:00

here's a short interview with Jason about the Acoustic Mainline shows, here's the main bit:

So what are these shows all about, Mr Spaceman?

They’re special, smaller things. When you strip all the songs back to their bones it becomes just about the lyrics and my voice and if they don’t work then, they never will. I didn’t feel brave enough to do the songs on my own so I picked up this sort of accidental band. Now we’re a real band, I think we have something fresh. Spiritualizeds lives shows are full of electricity and LSD, whereas these are very fragile.

Who’s in your audience?

It’s a sort of split between people who’ve been there since Sapacemen3 days and there’s this other lot that have only recently found out about me. The audiences have been amazing. They feel it as much as we do. Someone mentioned me in the same breath as Brian Wilson recently and that was just completely bizarre. He’s such a big part of who I am.

How does stripping it all down affect the songs?

Some of the material works on a nostalgic level, some, with the more full on string arrangements work in other ways, as someone said to me, like Astral Weeks. It makes your brain do the work. Usually, acoustic shows are more folky, more story-songs, but these are something different. It is like church music.

What’s been your favourite show?

I think Edinburgh was the best show I’ve ever done- it was just beautiful. We played Ladies and Gentlemen We Are Floating In Space and people stood up to clap. Ten minutes later they were still clapping., The band were crying, I was crying, That was a really weird, snake-handling moment- everyone on their Saturday night drugs.

The band always look surprised by what’s going on.

They are, I think we all are! We take chances. I’m an alright electric guitar player, but I’m pretty amateur on the acoustic. None of us, apart from the string section, can really play, but we do try. I’ve got Doggen on Rhodes who’s usually a guitarist so we’re a bit tagged. But we’re ambitious.

What about your new album?

This year, I promise!