Trevor's extra strong mints.

Hey y'all!


One recent release that's barely left my CD player since I got my mitts on it is the latest in BBE/Rapster's The Kings Of... series. As you can see, this one is a two-disc offering of electro cuts, compiled and mixed by Trevor Jackson (Playgroup, Output) and Alter Ego (them of 'Rocker' fame). As with the previous entries in this collection, both discs try to offer a glimpse into the specified genre's past, present and future. With electro - as with most things, in my opinion - there's more fun to be had digging into the past (I didn't mean that to sound as retrogressive as it does. I'm as forward-thinking as the next man. Honest. I'm into dubstep and everything.), so it's Trevor Jackson's Playgroup mix that floats my boat the most out of the two.

It's not that the Alter Ego mix is necessarily bad, they just miss the point a little ('Doom's Night' = electro?! Yer kiddin'?!), whereas Jackson goes for the part of your brain known as the nostalgia reflex (it's real, look it up). His mix is chock full of 808s, vocoders, phased synths and pop-lockin' grooves, as characterised by its highly recognisable tracklisting ('Turbocharged' by Just Ice, Arkade Funk's 'Tilt' and C-Bank's 'One More Shot' are all present and correct). It harks back to a time when the future seemed like somewhere you'd really want to be, full of friendly, helpful - and preferably funky - robots, hover cars and buggin' fashions, not the future of today which is all nuclear war, lowered life expectancies and crippling debts. So, I guess in taking a look back, Jackson has kind of reminded us all that we should want to look forward, just like the futuristic sounds of early-80s electro. Does anyone know a channel that runs repeats of Metal Mickey?

Hashim - Al-Naayfysh (mp3)

Model 500 - No UFOs (mp3)


Speaking of Trevor Jackson (seamless segue there, I should work in television), the last word on his label, Output Recordings hit the shops last week in the form of I Hate Music, a two-disc compilation of some of the label's best bits all in one neat package (with bonus DVD, naturally). Output was one of the most intriguing, innovative labels of its time, so it was saddening to see it take a nosedive last year, even though it could be argued that its best days were behind it (a point highlighted by this chronological compilation's patchy final stretch).

This is a timely reminder of just how diverse and risk-taking a small, boutique label should be and covers pretty much all what made Output such a great label. It's a shame they couldn't license some of the early DFA releases (before DFA had EMI's backing, they entered into business with Output who put the early 12-inches from LCD Soundsystem and The Rapture out in Europe), but who really needs another compilation with 'House Of Jealous Lovers' and 'Losing My Edge' on it (the full version of 'Olio' would have been nice though)?

There's some really great stuff over I Hate Music's two discs though, from the likes of Gramme ('Crooks & Criminals', which I still think The Juan Maclean lifted the melody pretty much wholesale from for 'Give Me Every Little Thing'), Blackstrobe ('Innerstrings', forever to be their finest moment in my eyes), Mu ('Paris Hilton', but everyone knows 'Chair Girl' is way better - again this is probably a licensing issue as it was a co-release with Tigersushi, whom the Fultons fell out with rather acrimoniously not long after), two of Output's most-likely-to's, DK7 (represented twice, but, alas, they had to use the inferior album version of 'The Difference') and Colder (who would have been a great pop producer if he weren't so in debt to Joy Division and Gallic indifference) and a handful of great lost pop songs from San Serac (the brilliantly pervy 'Tyrant'), Kreeps ('All I Wanna Do Is Break Some Hearts') and Tall Blonde ('Don't Stop').

Jackson showed the rest of the UK how DIY was done for a decade and his label will be missed. Now we have this fantastic time capsule though, it's going to be difficult to forget at least.

OUTPUT MP3 BINGE!!!!

Dempsey - ODB On The Run (mp3)

Fridge - Lojen (mp3)

Kreeps - All I Wanna Do Is Break Some Hearts (mp3)

San Serac - Tyrant (mp3)

And some that were criminally left off I Hate Music...

The Rapture - Olio (Full Length Version) (mp3)

DK7 - The Difference (12" Version)

Mu - Chair Girl (mp3)




I regret to announce that December's Get Girl. Kill Baddies. Save Planet. is to be the last. Yes, that's right, my favourite monthly shindig is calling time after just shy of a year in the game. In the typical live fast, die young, leave a good-looking corpse tradition however, they're bowing out with what could possibly be their most high-profile and best guest to date. D*I*R*T*Y Soundsystem's very own Pilooski will be manning the decks on December 7th and hopefully he'll be dropping some seriously bad-arse twisted disco bombs to take the boys out with a bang.

Backing Pilooski up will be Get Girl ressies, Grammar and Pasta Paul. There won't be a dry eye in The Roadhouse come 3am and if I don't hear the next two tracks at some point in the night, then I'll be severely pissed off...

The Pointer Sisters - Send Him Back (Pilooski Edit) (mp3)

Herbert - Movin' Like A Train (Smith 'N' Hack Remix) (mp3)


R.I.P. GGKBSP

In other news: I have a Robyn live review up at High Voltage and I'm also on this week's Blog Fresh Radio, yammering on about the new Burial album. Get about, me, don't I?

More mixtape action coming soon...

JMx

"Then you think again..."

I sent an email to Jon from Black Country Grammar the other day which detailed my initial thoughts on the upcoming LCD Soundsystem remixes package, which went a little something like this...

"On first listen... They're all pretty great. The Windsurf remix is nice and spacey and a little proggy. More of a tripped-out cover than a remix though. Soulwax's take on 'Get Innocuous!' is surprisingly subtle and not the durr-durr-durr overload I was expecting. Gucci Soundsystem amp up the funk in 'Time To Get Away' turning it into a tough little electro-cowbell-house doozy. Major plaudits reserved for Carl Craig who turns in a crowdpleasing tech-soul re-fit of 'Sound Of Silver'. Points deducted for the slightly lazy fade-out at the end but it's probably because it could have gone on for days without it.

All in all; OMFG! DFA is teh shiznit!"

I still stand by these sentiments now I've had quite a few more listens. The fade at the end of the Carl Craig mix still bugs me as it needs at least another three minutes and I've cooled a little on the Gucci Soundsystem mix of 'Time To Get Away', but the Windsurf cover of 'Us Vs. Them' gets better everytime I hear it and I'm still surprised by Soulwax's display of subtlety while working over 'Get Innocuous!'. It'd be unethical to post one of them at this early juncture but I'm sure I'll get around to it at some point so keep an eye out.

This is essentially a really lazy Sunday afternoon post to show you, if nothing else, that I speak to people I know exactly like how I write on this thing.

Just one more thing; Shit Robot was excellent last night at Get Girl. Kill Baddies. Save Planet. banging out a tough, funky techno set that really got the crowd moving. He dropped this little blinder from about four years ago and it was most definitely the tune of the night, in my opinion...

Freeform Five - Perspex Sex (Ewan Pearson's Hi-NRG Mix)

Earlier in the night, I played a brief set to two - count 'em - punters (note: they were both friends of mine too). I couldn't really have expected any more than that as I was on at 9pm and it didn't really get rocking until midnight anyway, but I had fun all the same. Here, if you're interested, is what I played, roughly in order...

Västkustska Ryggdunkarsällskapet - Town Out Of Order
Don Armando's Second Avenue Rhumba Band - I'm An Indian, Too
Ministry - I Wanted To Tell Her
Shocking Pinks - SmokeScreen
Liquid Liquid - Optimo
Stevie Wonder - Do Like You
Hamilton Bohannon - Let's Start The Dance III (FK Instrumental Club Mix)
Chic - I Want Your Love (Todd Terje Edit)
Chaz Jankel - Glad To Know You
J.A.M. - Number One

That may look like a pretty great set written down, but wait 'til you hear it complimented by my shitty mixing skills. Hot like fiya!

Also, you can now join the Yer Mam! facebook group, should you be interested in such a thing.

Laters,

JMx

Plug me in.

It's that time of the month again. Yup, it's Get Girl. Kill Baddies. Save Planet. time! Tomorrow (Saturday 8th) the Get Girl crew have a very special guest in the form of DFA's in-house crap android, Shit Robot. It's going to be a good one, so get down to The Roadhouse from 9pm. If you get there really early, you'll be able to see yours truly playing a set that shouldn't really make any sense and, naturally, doesn't. I know you all want to see that.

For a flavour of what to expect from Shitbot's set tomorrow, go here.

Shit Robot - Triumph (mp3)

The buffet is now open.

Just wanted to say a big thank you to everyone who came out to the Get Girl. Kill Baddies. Save Planet. all-dayer, Attack Of The Giant Woman (the Get Girl people don't like to make things easy) yesterday. It was a great day and even though NO-ONE danced while I was DJing (think it might have been a bit too early for rug-cutting, to be honest), thanks to everyone who was there.

For those who are interested, here's what I played, though not necessarily in this order...

S.O.S. Band - Just The Way You Like It
Chaz Jankel - Fuse/Am I Honest With Myself Really?
Chaz Jankel - Ai No Corrida
Sly & The Family Stone - Underdog
Sorcerer - Egyptian Sunset
Aeroplane - Aeroplane
Primal Scream - Screamadelica (OOFT! Music Edit)
Linkwood Family - Piece Of Mind
Marvin Gaye - Funky Space Reincarnation (OOFT! Music Edit)
Blockhead - Put Down Your Dream Journal And Dance
Breakwater - Release The Beast (thanks to Best Foot Forward for this one)
Lyn Collins - Rock Me Again & Again & Again & Again & Again & Again
Charles B & Adonis - Lack Of Love
Inner City - Big Fun
Lisa Lisa & Cult Jam - Let The Beat Hit 'Em (The Brand New Super Pumped-Up C + C Vocal Club Mix)
Mr. Fingers - Can U Feel It?
LCD Soundsystem - Freak Out
Beatconductor - Sumthin' Betta
New Fast Automatic Daffodils - Big
Lee Douglas - New York Story
Edwin Birdsong - Cola Bottle Baby
Crue-l Grand Orchestra - Spend The Day Without You
The Staples Singers - Slippery People
Chicago Transit Authority - I'm A Man
Sister Sledge - Lost In Music
Trusme - Tony Does What Tony Wants
Owusu & Hannibal - What's It About
Armand Van Helden feat. Roland Clark - Flowerz
Maze feat. Frankie Beverly - Twilight
Jape - Floating (Prins Thomas 0.75 Miks)

There was probably more than that and I might not even have actually played some of the ones I've listed (memory is decidedly foggy today), but you get the gist. How the hell did not even one person dance to that?! As you can see, I've thrown in a few mp3s there for you.

Anyway, I'll be back as soon as I've come down with a proper post. In the meantime, read Charlie Brooker's latest hilarious, righteous diatribe. That guy doesn't like nightclubs.

Laters,

JMx

"I'm a union man now, all the way."

Hi!

Sod all this new music crap...


Okay, gun to my head, forced to choose or die, The Band's second album - the self-titled brown one - is my favourite album of all time. I'm posting about this now, rather than, say, two years ago because if I hadn't made the snap decision to pick this up to take to work this morning, somebody would have been killed and I would be in jail.

Yup, The Band saved the life of one of my co-workers (doesn't really matter which one, any of them could have got it today I was that wound up), not that they know. It's a testament to a record that I've lived with for about the last ten years or more that I still get that prick of excitement the minute the mournful horns that open 'Across The Great Divide' strike up and Richard Manuel intones "Standing by your window in pain, a pistol in your hand" like a man with the weight of many a world on his shoulders. Every minor little thing that's stressing me out just falls away at that point and I lose myself in this timeless music once again.

I remember my first encounter with this album was the Classic Albums documentary on it and just being enraptured both with The Band's music and their story. Arguably the tightest, most accomplished band of their time (of all-time, maybe), they also had their fair share of tough times and tragedies, most of which occurred after The Band had split. Co-vocalist and pianist, Manuel committed suicide in 1986 at the age of 42, while fellow vocalist and bass player, Rick Danko died from heart failure in 1999 at 56, following a long battle with drug addiction that he'd recently kicked.

Their eponymous 1969 album stands, in my opinion at least, as their finest work. In fact, even though the albums that followed all had reasons to recommend them, it was their last great record and doubles up with their 1968 debut, Music From Big Pink as one of the most formidable opening one-two punches of any band ever. Fusing country, rock 'n' roll, folk, r&b and soul in their own inimitable style, this record also acts as a retrogressive document of a bygone American era.

I'm not Greil Marcus, so I'm not about to analyse the album's core themes, but I will say that the 'old-timey' feel of the album - for want of a better descriptor - is intoxicating and enveloping (just try to sing along to 'Jemima Surrender' without mimicking Levon Helm's Arkansas inflections). Anyway, whatever, this is one of those albums that I believe everyone should own and cherish, as I have. The Band: it calms your murderous instincts.

The Band - Whispering Pines (mp3)

The Band - King Harvest (Has Surely Come) (mp3)


Another album from 1969 that helped me through a particularly hellish day today was The Flying Burrito Brothers' debut, The Gilded Palace Of Sin (spotting a trend?). Gram Parsons was a god, 'Hot Burrito #1' makes me weak at the knees (we've all been there, haven't we?) and this album is just the tits. That's all I have to say.

What?!

Sometimes you just have to let the music speak for itself...

The Flying Burrito Brothers - Hot Burrito #1 (mp3)

The Flying Burrito Brothers - Do Right Woman (mp3)


And finally, as you can see from the above pic, I'm DJing at Get Girl. Kill Baddies. Save Planet again next month. It's shaping up to be a good one, with an arse-load of bands and DJs all doing their stuff between the hours of 2pm and midnight on Sunday 12th August. It's at The Roadhouse on Newton Street and, oh well, just look at the poster! How could you not want to come to that?!

Get in touch if you want cheap guestlist. Plug, plug, plug...

A couple more shameless plugs...

I'm on Unity Radio on Monday night, guesting on the rather fine Makin Music Show, between 10pm and midnight. The show is hosted by the guys from the also pretty darned great Cosmic Disco blog, so expect the unexpected. Should be good fun, if nothing else.

Also, I'm on this week's Blog Fresh Radio talking about that Italians Do It Better After Dark compilation.

And definitely finally, read my review of Spoon's new album, Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga, over at High Voltage.

Hasta luego,

JMx

Get Down Saturday Night

What are you doing tomorrow night? If you say anything other than "I'm going to Get Girl. Kill Baddies. Save Planet. at the Night & Day Cafe in Manchester", then I'm cutting you off.

I kid, but seriously, you all should come down, because Grammar & Pasta Paul will be rinsing the plates until the early hours, alongside guest DJ Selina (from Invest In Property) and live sets from The Delta Fiasco and Deluka. I'll be there, generally acting the goat and dancing like an epileptic gibbon, so you know that's going to be fun.

Anyway, if you email the good people from Get Girl at ggkbsp@googlemail.com, you can get in for three nicker! Bargain!

See you in the speakers.

JMx

On the ones and twos.

Howdy!

Just a quick one tonight. First up, the belated single of the week.

SINGLE OF THE WEEK

Battles - Atlas (Warp)

And lo, the first warning shot from Battles' face-meltingly excellent full-length debut proper, Mirrored is fired. It's called 'Atlas' and it totally fucking rocks. Layers of crunchy electronics and distorted guitars are piled atop a galloping glitter beat, while Ty Braxton sings sweet nonsense into a voice manipulator. Punchy, visceral and, dare I say it, life-affirming, it's math-rock, Jim, but not as we know it. Think Animal Collective with the funk and you're halfway there. Blistering stuff.



Secondly, a shameless plug. Saturday 14th April sees the monthly instalment of Get Girl. Kill Baddies. Save Planet. at Manchester's venerable night-spot, the Night & Day Cafe. Alongside the residents, Grammar and Pasta Paul are ex-Bureau synthist and keytar fetishiser, Flickerrr and yours truly. Yes, I'll be spinning the platters that matter, rinsing the plates and drink-driving the wheels of steel for a cameo DJ set. Hopefully, you'll all be able to come out and watch me make a tit of myself/turn the dancefloor into a writhing, lurching mass of bodies worshipping at the altar of disco.

If you fancy it, e-mither the guys at ggkbsp@googlemail.com and you'll be able to get in for four quid. That's two whole English pounds cheaper than you would pay normally! Bargain! Supplying the live music on the night are Zapped By A Million Volts and Shakes, so you know that you're in for one hell of a night.

Plug over.

Laters,

JMx