IDEAS

Not really. But this time next week I’ll be here. Wowza.

Today is the last day of tracking newie “Rip Off”. Last Take! I’m loving it but we need some quality time apart, it’s not you it’s me. “Rip Off” orbits the beautiful world off Run This Town, In Bloom & My Lovely Man.

See what I did there! just dropped 3 mammoth songs with no hold back. I like that. When bands say “We’re like the Rolling Stones”, Are You? Really, When you write songs they’re better than this, well done you, order the champagne.

Anyhows I’ll upload it soon once it‘s passed the Mancunian Way drive by mix test.

Yes I am abit peeved about it. Yes it’s a low score cool points in your stratosphere but not in mine. The departure of John Frusciante from the Chili Peppers has funked me off. For me, I put the Peppers up there with the Beatles/Stones (probably higher than the Stones) so the thought of a new guitar slinger doesn’t appeal. No doubt the newie can play the notes but with Frusciante the songs are/were so much better. Damn It. Reasons why I like the Peppers 

1) They played the vision skate escape 1988 with prime time Hawk v Hosoi which was the start of all things good.
2) Flea & Anthony went to the Stacy Peralta film Z Boys premiere.
3) Anthony championed Robert Williams kinda.
4) They’ve gone from being all about their instruments and energy to all about the song.

So it’s 2010. Hello 2010 you look better than 2009 already. There’s been a lot of music prediction lists about. ALOT. I’m not a big fan of lists sorry. If The Drums get their songs mixed better and louder they’ll rule the school. I also like this song by Frankie & The Heartstrings called Fragile. Good song.

Exciting up Manchester at the moment is Dan Parrot’s Love & Disaster label. Check em in Dazed&Confused. 

This isn’t ohh its from Manchester must mention it. This is step the f*ck aside there’s a new label in town. I hope it does well. There’s no reason why Manchester shouldn’t have an ace label. Watching some old footage over Chrimbo about Creation Records (yes I know tis London) they sure had some fun. 2010 bring on the fun.

I am gonna keep it short and sweet. I’ve read some drivel this week mostly Where the Wild Things Are reviews and awkward Julian Casablancas interviews. (I’ve read that back. It unintentionally rhymes?) Anyhows… So I don’t want to add to the noise. Plus it’s nearly the holidays but nearly isn’t close enough. My feet are cold. And I want to sleep in. On Thursday I went to see Stephen Malkmus & The Jicks at the Deaf Institute, on Friday I went to see Julian Casablancas at the Ritz. Learn from the best fudge the rest. Here’s some noise.

 Stephen Malkmus & The Jicks – Thursday, Deaf Institute

Stephen Malkmus

Musical outro parts are good.
A great original guitar player, he sings he noodles, he plays lead parts that harmonise with his melody, he plays E9 chords. A slacker free zone.
Gary Jarman from the Cribs was roadie for him. You gotta love the Jarmans.
The Pavement band were much missed, they bring a lot to the table. More than I realised. 

Stephen Malkmus & The Jicks

Julian Casablancas – Friday, The Ritz

Julian Casablancas

Phrazes for The Young may go down as a great lost Strokes album.
Julian genuinely seemed to miss his Strokes brothers and was a bit downbeat they weren’t with him.
I really look forward to hearing Nikolai play bass live again. Melodic with aggression a great musician.
The band he had were ace and the two drummers were on it.
Twin guitar parts work really well.
 ‘Is This It’ is surpass able. Julian has more song writing nouse these days. Fingers crossed.

…I hear from my shoe shine guy there’s been some talk about Christmas singles this week. I’ve made my choice. Pure white virgin 7inch vinyl. Over and out.

Christmas Vinyl

Whilst making Headphones these songs influenced me. Have a listen see if you can spot where, when and what. PS Dearest Joe Satriani as much as I love the idea of suing other musicians over the use of notes. I didn’t use any of your notes, not even one. Love + Hugs Piran x

Britney Spears Toxic

Willy Mason Still A Fly

Friendly Fires Skeleton Boy

The Rolling Stones Sympathy For The Devil

Star Trek

Star Trek – A Review by Piran
It’s really good. Like how the new(er) Star Wars films should have been if they’d paid attention to what was good about the first three. Lesson 1: Have a story Lesson 2: Go easy on the green screen baby.

4/5 Stars Recommended.

In other news… I still don’t care much for the Star Trek TV shows, ermm expect some sci fi phased synth in one of the new songs (like that wasn’t gonna happen), and I now roll with the Vulcan salute round the house, “Live long and prosper”.

Piran Yesterday

Please note – Mark Kermode did not spam me on Bebo, it was Myspace. I changed it as my love for eye torture myspace is wa-wa-wa-waning.

“What?”
“Fancy some pills mate”
“Nah you’re alright”

It is Saturday night, it is a stormy November Manchester evening and I have just walked into the Warehouse Project. I haven’t even got from the entrance to the bar yet. In a fantasy realm somewhere aligned with a Freddy Mercury aftershow party or an outtake from the Motley Crew biog I would be talking to a Playboy bunny with a silver chrome dish of appetisers. Alas I am not. I’ve just turned down Bez’s ugly brother (note I say ugly).

What happens in Mordor when there’s no Hobbits to kill? …they breed. My first response is “I wouldn’t buy nuclear sealed tic tacs off yer you Middleton funk wit”. But I go with “Nah you’re alright”.

Why I am here…Friendly Fires. Who do stuff like this

Friendly Fires rule. Probably my band for 2009. Yes my band for 2009. Craftmanship musicianship and songs – bang bang bang the full house. They roll on at 2:30am. The guitarist and drummer look like they’ve just been woken up 40 seconds before walking on. They then plug in. They then tear the place apart. With ease.

Friendly Fires

During the set around the time I am realising Friendly Fires fill enough detail into their songs and enough layers of intricacy only equalled by Dangermouse, and Kanye West I get accosted by a pro-pickpocket. All smiles and dynasty hair and dress. Odd? It is the eastern European accent, the “Is this Friendly Fires?” dumb approach, the scary blatant over enthusiasm for Piran that alerts me something is amidst. It is also that both hands are bound for my wallet and phone. Probably marked as an easy target waving my camera about, I nullify  any advance whilst keeping a firm hand over my wallet. Till the cosy façade turns to harsh iceberg and she turns to her accomplish “Let’s move on”. “Bye bye.

Friendly Fires played formidably and I’m looking forward to album number 2, hopefully album 2 will be bigger heavier and erm song-ier.

Friendly Fires Jack Savidge

Here they are covering Baby It’s You. I like to think all great bands have the Beatles Live at the BBC in their collection. Don’t correct me.

Now that’s Big…

Big Wave

After an ace week back in Cornwall at the folks I have fallen back into my lazy trap that happens everytime I return to Manchester when talking with northerners.

Northerner: Do your folks live in Newquay
Piran: Erm Yeah

Northerner: Did you go surfing
Piran: Yeah kinda

Due to my lack of love for un-needed detail, what I should say is “No they live 20mins down from Newquay on the A39″ and “No I go bodyboarding”. It has dawned on me that I’m doing a disservice to my bodyboarding brothers. Caught up in the generation that gravitated to the ocean from the world of skateboarding at Mount Hawk skatepark it was the technical spins, airs, drop knees  and progression that made us opt for bodyboarding. Still not really in the mainstream, bodyboarding is where snowboarding was say 10 years ago, kinda.

Here’s the trailer from Brushed Aside BodyBoard DVD that was shot in Cornwall. My fave local is Damian Prisk as he still holds my record for the biggest air I’ve seen busted out at Porthtowan.

My fave move is the ARS, which stands for Air – Roll – Spin, Which goes alittle like this

Outside Cornwall in the big wide world bodyboardings equivalent of Tony Hawk is Mike Stewart and the current world champ is Uri Valadao (Brazil). Anyways here’s the big guns going for it in the Launch DVD …

Check http://www.kernowbodyboarding.co.uk if you’re into it.

Eveything Everything www.myspace.com/everythingeverythinguk

Everything Everything

Egyptian Hip Hop http://www.myspace.com/egyptianhiphop

Egyptian Hip Hop

May 68 www.myspace.com/may68uk

May 68 (by India Hobson)

Delphic www.myspace.com/delphic

Delphic