Here's Lookin' At You Kid: The Gaslight Anthem @ Hammersmith Apollo 21.10.10

Photo: Exposure Promotions

I went to see The Gaslight Anthem a few weeks ago and reviewed it for Subba Cultcha. You can read my review here.

A Lesson in Stage Presence: Mayday Parade @ Islington Academy 8.10.10

Derek Sanders & Alex Garcia of Mayday Parade

'Two entries in four days?!', I hear you say. It must be some kind of record. Having started my Newspaper Journalism MA at City University three weeks ago, I've constantly had drilled into me the importance of an active online presence, so here I am, attempting to write something interesting at least once a week and maybe more when times call for it.

While my classmates discuss some of their impressive blogs about current affairs, politics, and even sport (a timeless and honourable pastime), I find myself keeping rather schtum about the fact I like to write about the kind of music more generally favoured by those at least 5 years my junior, for fear of ridicule. However, this is what I know about, and what I enjoy, so better to write something well informed and fun than to drag out some unqualified and half-hearted comment about the inner-workings of North Korea's corrupt pastry industry in the hope that it might result in a smidgen of kudos, when the likelihood is it would result in equal ridicule anyway.

To the point of this entry, anyway. I popped to Islington o2 Academy on Friday evening (8.10.10) to see some of the aforementioned music being performed, as power-popsters The Maine and Mayday Parade played to the packed venue.

Jimmy Gets Old: Invented album review

The obligatory, over-used apology of the not-so-seasoned blogger "it's been a while" tarnishes the screen once more as I begin yet another entry that follows the previous one by at least 2 months. After the last, overly political essay, I thought I'd take this one back to basics with a simple CD review to try and tempt readers back in at a nice accessible level.

The CD in question is the latest release by one of my favourite bands, and one who I’ve gone on record as saying cannot write a bad album. Don’t worry, you won’t get the massive shock of Steve Anderson eating his words here (a very rare event), but I am afraid to say that seeming emo-pop untouchables Jimmy Eat World’s new album Invented (Interscope, released 28.09.10), for me, doesn’t quite cut the mustard in the way some of its predecessors did.

For me, JEW’s musical timeline has seen the Arizona boys go from strength to strength, with an exponential melodic growth between each release, driving the albums forward to poppier and more singalong-laden territory in more recent years. Granted, there was usually the odd track on each record that you couldn’t help feeling was a bit of a filler, but on the whole you could guarantee a quality feel-good, play-loud, experience when blasting out a new JEW album for the first time.

"Nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes" (and student loan repayments): Vince Cable's graduate tax

Again, it’s been far too long since I last posted anything, with a combination of (initial) busy-ness and laziness being the reason. Though you’re used to me discussing the ins and outs of my musical preferences and the scene surrounding these, I’ve decided to branch out a little with this post.

Since my last post I’ve handed in all of my work, partied hard, enjoyed my last surf on golden beaches of the Gower, departed Swansea for good and received my hard-earned degree results. Now stuck in that horrible in-between phase following graduation from my undergraduate degree, but before embarking on the next step (an MA in Newspaper Journalism at City University in September), I have been forced to consider my options for the summer. I have two months ahead of me to fill as I wish, or I would if one thing wasn’t standing in my – the fact that I am flat broke. With this being the defining factor dictating the way I spend my summer, and indeed how I will survive whilst studying in London, I did the standard call around of pubs and restaurants in the area and luckily secured some hours at a local watering hole (it’s really nice, you should really check it out).

This clown needs therapy, and taking back a lineup...

So, it's been a while since I last blogged, as I've been mad busy with final year work and postgrad applications/ interviews, but in the last week or so there's been a couple of things that I really thought deserved my attention and meditations within the great world of the 'punk' music scene (I use this term in the loosest sense of the word, so leave out the "OMG WTF, THAT TTLLY IS NOT PUNK. UP THE PUNX OI OI!!!" comments please).

Firstly, on March 21, NOFX frontman and legendary punk joker Fat Mike performed at Emo's Annex in Austin TX during the final night of SXSW festival. However, this was no usual performance and what happened on the stage that night was something that no music fan with any prior of knowledge of NOFX would have predicted.

Mike appeared as alter-ego Cokie the Clown (which also happens to be the name of NOFX's latest EP) playing an acoustic set of NOFX songs, both old and new, on a minimal stage that featured a stool, a small bar table and a television set. He came onstage, in full clown regalia, pouring a tray-full of shots of tequila before handing these out to the crowd and downing a few himself. Now, to anyone familiar with NOFX, a description of this behaviour might not come across as that out of character, being notorious for their onstage clowning around (excuse the pun) and intoxicated antics, but very early on in the set, with his sombre facial expression, it was very clear that this was going to be no party.

Tears of a clown: Mike at SXSW (Photo: Pinpoint Music)

"Not throwing stones at you anymore...": Kids in Glass Houses interview

For those of you who don't know, I occasionally write for our university's student newspaper The Waterfront, and more specifically, for its music section.

Last March I interviewed Aled Phillips, vocalist with Kids In Glass Houses, when they played at Sin City in Swansea, with the intention of getting the interview published in the paper. However, for one reason or another (it was the end of term, meaning the next issue was five weeks away, plus there was some kind of 'email glitch', apparently) the finished article never graced the pages of The Waterfront.

So now, seeing as the band are due to release their new album 'Dirt' next month, and I now have this blog, I thought it would be a good time to finally get the interview published in one form of another. I know it's old, but some of the questions are still kind of relevant.

Like I said, I spoke to Aled last March, the day before they embarked on an arena tour supporting Fall Out Boy. It's interesting to see how some of the things he said back then have changed, like the release date of the album (only seven months late).

Anyway, here it is, enjoy...

"Don't ever tell anybody anything. If you do, you start missing everybody."

It's been a while since my last entry, in which I said I hoped to write a review of the latest Relient K album, and I'm sorry that I never got around to that, maybe I'll do it at some point.

I was going to start the new year with reviews of both the new You Me At Six and Motion City Soundtrack releases, but today something happened that I felt was more important to comment on. And in the end, these reviews, much like the Relient K one, will wait.

It's not so much music related, but when I started this blog I did say that I'd inevitably use it as an output for my various meditations.

Sadly, today (ok, yesterday if we're being overly pedantic) the world received the news that the novelist Jerome David, or J.D., Salinger passed away at the age of 91 (a BBC article about his death can be found here). He the was author of one of my favourite books of all time, from which the title of this whole blog owes its name. Of course I am talking about 'The Catcher in the Rye'.