Blog
To Succeed In Music... Posted by on 30 September 2009 in blog
When Rough Trade garage rock fave The Strange Boys came over here last month for their blistering UK tour, we of course hung out with the boys.
It’s interesting talking to a band about influences and all that into the night,
and as we did they got me into the late great fellow Texan…Townes Van Zandt.
Check out the TVZ documentary Be Here To Love Me to see why some people said that he was the greatest songwriter in the world here is a clip where Townes explains what a musician should do if he wants to suceed:
I Gotta Feeling... Posted by on 29 September 2009 in blog
I’d like to encourage more flash mobs and group dance routines at Rough Trade gigs please….
Doing It For The Kids Posted by on 25 September 2009 in blog
Twee DIY virtuoso Dallas Clayton recently unearthed this sweet little ditty that features Binki Shapiro from Little Joy, Jason Boesel of Rilo Kiley and The Mystic Valley Band and more. The song was inspired in part by Dr. Seuss‘ “Did I Ever Tell You How Lucky You Are?”. Dallas writes of the collaboration:
“A few years ago I was putting together a small kids album for my son and I asked a bunch of my friends to record some songs. As tends to happen I got about half way through before being taken away by more pressing projects. The other day I unearthed this track, which I thought might be nice to share with the world…
Run To You Posted by on 15 May 2009 in blog
Bryan Adams, ‘Run to You’, now there’s a tune. It never made the top 10 in the UK and was nominated for 5 MTV awards… but didn’t win ANY. That’s two travesties we’ve not quite been able to get over here and that’s why we were so chuffed with the news that the Hold Steady will be performing a homage to it this Monday on Radio One in collaboration with ex Arab Strap member Malcolm Middleton. You can listen live online or again online here.
There’s also a few chances left for those of you...
Where's Micachu's Guitar From? Posted by on 29 April 2009 in blog
Probably this guy…
You can listen to Mr Vickroid’s music and purchase your very own amplified cigar box
here.
Where Did Frank Zappa Come From? Posted by on 29 April 2009 in blog
Here apparently:
I had always kind of assumed that he fell to Earth one day, but no, he had had a ‘normal’ home back in the 70’s, when purple was certainly a lot more purple. The Crosby family (the other one) it appears opted for a more neutral colour scheme, here’s David with his father Floyd in 1970:
And lastly, Elton’s mother’s boots:
The Reel Jimi Hendrix Posted by on 28 April 2009 in blog
When Rough Trade recently released a Cassette compilation called C09 to mark Record Store Day a lot of people’s reaction was ‘what the hell am I meant to do with a tape?’. Well, apart from listen to it and treasure it always, you could do as one inventive young lady has and make some incredible art with it.
The artist goes under the name of Iri5 and she specialises in using non traditional media such as old books, audio cassettes, playing cards, magazines, credit cards, basically whatever she can find. These images come from her...
Listening to Sufjan Stevens Makes Kids Smarter... Posted by on 23 April 2009 in blog
Well, maybe. Basically, a Californian computer graduate named Virgil Griffith has studied the relationship between bands and the SAT scores of those listening to them. He found that the smartest students listened to Beethoven, closely followed by Sufjan (average SAT of 1371) and the students who rung in at the bottom of the SAT scores listened to Lil’ Wayne (average SAT of 889).
But of course there is the causality of it all to consider, are the smart kids naturally attracted and stimulated by the complexity of Beethoven and Sufjan’s compositions or are these...
Jarvis on Record Store Day, His New Album & Pirates Posted by on 20 April 2009 in blog
Micachu - 'Innovative Pop Genius, Bona Fide Album of the Year' Posted by on 9 April 2009 in blog
An American journalist has written more than just a review of Jewellery, he’s created a piece that reads more like a hymn in praise of genius. He feels ‘blessed to even have heard such a staggering work of ingenuity’ and gives a brilliantly reasoned and detailed case for why this is an ‘astounding artistic masterpiece’. It’s well worth a read for its great deconstruction of what can be an intimidating album that’s hard to untangle. Click here to see what I mean.
Tuesday the 7th Posted by on 3 April 2009 in blog
If you’re in the mood getting out of the house and hearing some good music this Tuesday, which I expect you should be, then come and see one of our own spinning some tunes down at Cargo. He’s Ben Ayres of Cornershop as the flyer beneath denotes and is lucky enough to own one if the the most interesting, varied and tasteful record collections of all of us here. You’ll also hear the sounds of the legandary Dr Kiko on the decks alongside 4 decent up and coming bands and best of all it’s in aid of a
A Tribute to Arthur Russell (NY) Posted by on 31 March 2009 in blog
Le Poisson Rouge presents a tribute to the composer Arthur Russell, who established himself in New York’s vibrant downtown music scene of the 1970s as an eccentric chameleon, creating across and playing his cello in a wide variety of experimental and popular genres. When Russell died in 1992 at age 40 due to AIDS-related illness, his most celebrated output was the collection of leftfield disco records he produced under monikers such as Dinosaur L and Loose Joints, although he left a huge body of work behind him—minimalist chamber music; country-tinged rock from...
Youtube Remixed Posted by on 17 March 2009 in blog
Rather brilliantly an Israli producer named Kutiman has sifted though youtube and sampled video clips of people playing instruments, and then mixed them all into the following impressive little ditty…
Rough Trade Counter Culture Playlist: 12th March Posted by on 16 March 2009 in blog
Jean Pierre Massiera – Visitors ‘Visitors’ – Compilation CD (Finders Keepers)
Funky B Movie music from ‘The French Joe Meek’. If you cant handle the 9 headed monsters and zombie dogs then try some of the later disco work.
Douglas Wood – ‘Folk Ghost’ – G-Spots Compilation CD (Trunk)
Belbury Poly – ‘The All At Once Club’ – ‘From An Ancient Star’ CD (Ghostbox) Unsettling soundtrack from the co owner of Ghostbox that brings to mind Raymond Scott and the 60’s / 70’s holy BBC Radiophionc Workshop trinity of Derbyshire,...
Rough Trade Counter Culture Radio Playlist: 5th March Posted by on 6 March 2009 in blog
2-1PM EVERY THURSDAY ON RESONANCE 104.4FM
in the London area, and online at resonancefm.com
Wavves – Loser Year (Woodsist) Wavves CD
Wavves’ eponymous first studio album. The man behind it, Nathan Williams, has a penchant for cassette releases although luckily for us has also started to embrace the digital age.
These Are Powers – Life Of Birds (Dead Oceans) All Aboard Future CD
Blank Dog – Spinning (Woodsist) The Fields LP
And another cracking one:
Rough Trade Counter Culture Radio Playlist: 19th February Posted by on 25 February 2009 in blog
12 – 1PM EVERY THURSDAY ON RESONANCE104.4FM
in the London area, and online at resonancefm.com
Wavves – So Bored (Young Turks) 7
Dent May & His Magnificent Ukulele – You Can’t Force a Dance Party (Paw Tracks) The Good Feeling Music of … CD
People Like Us & Ergo Phizmiz – In The Waking (Touch) Withers In The Waking 7
Weave! – Laveau (Pacific Reasons)...
Rough Trade Shop Picks... Posted by on 17 February 2009 in blog
This weeks round up of all the best and most interesting new releases with little videos and facts to keep you all entertained along the way…
Peter, Bjorn & John – Seaside Rock
Peter, Bjorn & John aren’t a real rock band (Peter doesn’t like to sign breasts, Bjorn bought his first leather jacket at the age of 27 and John can neither spit cool nor spin his drumsticks). Despite a lack of proper “rock band history”, they’ve produced a gorgeous record, inspired by their hometowns in Northern Scandinavia. Enjoy!
Buy from Rough Trade
Cooking With Steve Brule Posted by on 6 February 2009 in blog
Not music, just brilliantly stupid…
Right Attitude Posted by on 4 February 2009 in blog
Attitude is Everything is an organisation that improves disabled peoples access to live music by trying to implement a long over due charter of best practice across UK venues.
I know, charity can be seriously boring. But, surely not when two of the patrons are Robert Wyatt and Alan Mcgee! The former evidence of the fact that anyone could be affected in an instant, he was left partially paralysed after a drunken fall from a fourth floor window (so for some of you it could even be likely). So imagine that, most gig venues would no longer be...
Good tunes I have recently uncovered. Posted by on 30 January 2009 in blog
First up, ‘It’s Just Begun’ a classic tune from the Jimmy Castor Bunch…
Jimmy says he’s given permission for artists to sample that song over 3000 times, and claims ‘it’s the backbone of hip hop’, so on the subject of which here’s some classic Biggie..
Next up here’s The Nazz (Todd Rundgren’s first band) with ‘Open My Eyes’ from 1968. For some reason it was deemed only worthy of a of a...
Rock Vs Tom Snyder Posted by on 22 January 2009 in blog
Tom Snyder was the host of a high profile hard hitting Q&A show during during the 80’s and some equally hard hitting eye brows. He had a knack for booking stars peak of their careers and often insanity. These guests would then arrive expecting to be indulged but Tom was never one for humouring, hence a Youtube search of his name reveals a few fascinating and spikey moments from rock history, enjoy…
Snyder Vs a pretentious Public Image
Snyder Vs Lennon
Better than a van... Posted by on 21 January 2009 in blog
http://www.betterthanthevan.com/ is a new website directory of free couches and floors across the country for touring bands to rest their weary heads upon or most likely pass out upon. Watch out for weirdos kids, I have images of Uncle Monty from Withnail listing his country retreat on here…
Jeff & Jack Lewis on LaBlogotheque Posted by on 20 January 2009 in blog
Performing Roll Bus Roll, from their as yet untitled forthcoming album…
It’s not the first Blogotheque appearance of Jeff’s, here’s a slightly younger fellow performing one of his films…
Run DMC Enter Rock Hall Fame Posted by on 19 January 2009 in blog
Hip hop pioneers Run-DMC have been inducted into the Rock and Roll hall of Fame. Rap duo Run-DMC said they couldn’t perform at the induction ceremony though without their late DJ Jam Master Jay – “We can’t do it without Jay,” said Darryl ‘DMC’ McDaniels. “I want people to remember the last time they saw us together, the three of us.” So let’s do that just now with a performance of Sucker MCs…
Why can’t all Tv be like that.
Tribute to Stooges legend Posted by on 12 January 2009 in blog
Following the tragic and untimely death of Stooges legend and punk guitar pioneer Ron Asheton check out this tribute doing the rounds on the net, featuring an interview with the man himself. Mr Asheton, we salute you…
Thurston Moore talks new album Posted by on 6 January 2009 in blog
With the legendary Sonic Youth set to release their new album this May why not indulge yourself and get the excitement juices flowing with this clip of the Youths’ frontman talking Bowie, bogus cds and internet bullshit.
So long Schneider Posted by on 6 January 2009 in blog
Following the news that original Kraftwerk member Florian Schneider has quit the band – just weeks before they are due to support Radiohead on their Central and South America tour – we thought we should take a moment to appreciate the band in all its glory with The Robots. Auf Wiedersehen Florian.
An Afternoon with Steve Barron Posted by on 12 December 2008 in blog
It’s friday afternoon and what better way to waste it than sneakily enjoying a visual treat-a-thon of youtube treats. So to aid the nations weekly decline in standards here’s a few classics from the Barron.
and best of all Billy Jean. So yeah, just a few a good ones. If you’re interested in more things Steve, then check...
Music Video News Posted by on 3 December 2008 in blog
I’ve only just got around to watching the MTV Music Video awards from a couple of months a go, it seems Rough Trade missed an important meeting…
A really great music video for a fantastic song is one of the most inspiring things one can see. It brings a bit of warmth and even meaning to a world that is all too often cold, meaningless and random and it doesn’t get much more random and meaningless than the recent accidental death of Gideon Baws, one of the founder members...
I Met The Walrus Posted by on 15 November 2008 in blog
I stumbled across this beautiful animation that literally animates the words of John Lennon. Apparently the recording was taken from an interview conducted by a boy of just 14 who tracked Lennon to his hotel room at Toronto’s King Edward Hotel after hearing a rumour that Lennon had been sighted at the Toronto Airport. My favourite bit is near the end when he’s talking about finding meaning in music and says ‘it’s all there either trivial or profound’.