Public Address | Cafe | Hard News: Music: In before Christmas

Public Address

Wed, 19 Dec 2012 10:42:28 +1300

Discussion from blog post.

James Butler

Wed, 19 Dec 2012 10:42:28 +1300

I was mistaken – two Song Quest winners, and it's been sponsored by Lexus for ages apparently.

I was saying to Russell that it's a pity all the best choral music is for Easter; but then I also think all the best pop music is about existential angst so maybe?

Grant McDougall

Wed, 19 Dec 2012 10:56:10 +1300

Is the bar in the Street Chant clip an actual bar in Auckland or just a studio mock-up ?

Either way, it's a cool clip.

James Butler

Wed, 19 Dec 2012 11:14:58 +1300

?Sink?

God that mystery meat spit behind the bar is almost Cronenberg-esque. I'm never eating a kebab again.

Dave Patrick

Wed, 19 Dec 2012 11:17:14 +1300

This is the only Christmas song you need
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HwHyuraau4Q

And it's a valid question, the one about where does someone like Katie Thompson get public exposure – it's a similar situation for Delaney Davidson, who's last two albums have been in lots of "best of" end of year lists, but?

Russell Brown

Wed, 19 Dec 2012 11:24:27 +1300

Is the bar in the Street Chant clip an actual bar in Auckland or just a studio mock-up ?

Reminiscent of Whammy, but I'm pretty sure it's a mock-up.

Russell Brown

Wed, 19 Dec 2012 11:27:12 +1300

I meant to say: thanks to Hugh Sundae and the Herald Entertainment team for making their video premieres embeddable.

I had to consult with Hugh and tweak the code to turn off autoplay on those two clips, but I've had a report of autoplay happening anyway in IE9 on Windows?

Grant McDougall

Wed, 19 Dec 2012 11:39:04 +1300

I use IE on Windows 7 and the top clip started playing automatically. It was a bit embarassing as a) it was loud and b) I'm in the public library.

Grant McDougall

Wed, 19 Dec 2012 11:46:53 +1300

Sorry this isn't on topic, but looks like Leslie Longstone is falling on her sword over the Novopay debacle.

Emma Hart

Wed, 19 Dec 2012 11:48:42 +1300

Isabel recently reminded me of this, a Christmas song which is kind of corny, but which always makes me cry:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fCNvZqpa-7Q

Hugh Sundae

Wed, 19 Dec 2012 13:06:55 +1300

Sorry about the autoplay thing – I've sent a support request to our video provider so hopefully we can sort that out soon.

In the meantime – today's premiere (with thoughts from Stuart Page) is
Bailterspace: World We Share.

Cheers

Hugh

Mark Cubey

Wed, 19 Dec 2012 13:24:18 +1300

it's a similar situation for Delaney Davidson, who's last two albums have been in lots of "best of" end of year lists, but who could just as well not exist as far as radio or TV coverage goes.
Ahem. I had Delaney playing favourites with Kim Hill last December. For?

Dave Patrick

Wed, 19 Dec 2012 16:58:17 +1300

(If you missed it, catch the repeat on Saturday 19 January).

Thanks!

jasonhighet

Wed, 19 Dec 2012 17:35:33 +1300

This is the only Christmas mix album you'll ever need, IMHO.

Praise Jah It's Christmas – A Yuletide Ska & Reggae mix

You can never have too much Christmas reggae.

David Hood

Wed, 19 Dec 2012 18:01:46 +1300

I was surprised to learn, the other day, that "Jingle Bells" was originally written as a Thanksgiving song.
The other bit of Christmas song trivia that I was reading recently (I think in a Gaurdian article) was that for making the video for Fairytale of New York, they hired the?

Ian Dalziel

Wed, 19 Dec 2012 18:22:20 +1300

Looking for lost photons...
(and braincells IIRC, which I don't...)
Has anyone out there got, or know of, a photo of The Hillsborough Tavern as it was in the '80s, maybe it's in the background of that shot your friend took outside, just before going in to see The Dance?

Hebe

Wed, 19 Dec 2012 19:37:36 +1300

a photo of The Hillsborough Tavern as it was in the ?80s

Isn?t the Hillsbrew in one of the Dance Exponents videos? We saw it in video on a music tv channel a while ago; I?ll ask the brain when he gets home if he remembers which band. Something seedy?

Ian Dalziel

Wed, 19 Dec 2012 22:14:41 +1300

good old Chchch?
While waiting for the brain I?ve been trawling, I remembered Kevin Hill?s Flickr thread of ?70s & ?80s Chchch bands (thanks Mysterex ) which only has a coupla interior shots of the Hillsborough
but a wealth of other heady nostalgia:
– ? [[http://www.flickr.com/photos/christchurchrockbands/6402702029/in/photostream|Outdoor gig at old uni / arts?

Biobbs

Thu, 20 Dec 2012 00:25:05 +1300

The other bit of Christmas song trivia that I was reading recently (I think in a Gaurdian article) was that for making the video for Fairytale of New York, they hired the NYPD pipe band (as there was no NYPD choir) but being pipers not singers they did not know?

Tristan

Thu, 20 Dec 2012 05:46:54 +1300

Isabel recently reminded me of this, a Christmas song which is kind of corny, but which always makes me cry

oh shit that made my cry to!

Tristan

Thu, 20 Dec 2012 05:55:37 +1300

There?s a fascinating BBC doco on the making of Fairytale of New York on YT i think it just got rickrolled!

JacksonP

Thu, 20 Dec 2012 07:29:28 +1300

It wouldn't be Christmas without frosty and Calvin and Hobbes...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xsUIDez0sZw

Russell Brown

Thu, 20 Dec 2012 08:49:18 +1300

While waiting for the brain I?ve been trawling, I remembered Kevin Hill?s Flickr thread of ?70s & ?80s Chchch bands (thanks Mysterex ) which only has a coupla interior shots of the Hillsborough

Look at the size of that effing stage! In a pub!

Russell Brown

Thu, 20 Dec 2012 08:57:00 +1300

I took this picture of Bill Direen playing with the Bilders last night. I think it might be the best gig pic I've ever taken.

Ian Dalziel

Thu, 20 Dec 2012 10:18:06 +1300

Look at the size of that effing stage?
?well sometimes they had to set up for the band,
the dancing girls, the DJ and the Housie caller,
all at once!
:- )

Ian Dalziel

Thu, 20 Dec 2012 10:21:22 +1300

Bill Direen playing
Great pic, indeed...
It looks like Bill is becoming
our Leonard Cohen,
and deservedly so!

kiwicmc

Thu, 20 Dec 2012 10:30:47 +1300

Another in a line of soppy Xmas songs that I quietly love....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yb4YWJgfmQE

James Butler

Thu, 20 Dec 2012 10:30:57 +1300

Just hours after I'd been scratching around trying to something vaguely local and Christmas-themed for Russell, Atoll Records put up a couple of clips from Musica Sacra's "Christmas Spectacular" CD

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0OW0izYpWRI

Nat

Thu, 20 Dec 2012 10:42:35 +1300

And it?s a valid question, the one about where does someone like Katie Thompson get public exposure ? it?s a similar situation for Delaney Davidson, who?s last two albums have been in lots of ?best of? end of year lists, but who could just as well not exist as far?

James Butler

Thu, 20 Dec 2012 10:47:05 +1300

I also had a long Twitter conversation with Sophie Yana Wilson from Radio NZ yesterday, after I realized that they record almost all of Musica Sacra's concerts and in fact a large fraction of the best classical concerts in New Zealand each year, but the recordings might as well have?

Russell Brown

Thu, 20 Dec 2012 10:48:47 +1300

Great pic, indeed?
It looks like Bill is becoming
our Leonard Cohen,
and deservedly so!

It's funny — there are a few dozen of us who convene every time Bill plays in Auckland, and we're all convinced he's a bloody genius. We are the Billievers.

Mike Etheridge

Thu, 20 Dec 2012 10:55:09 +1300

Hunters and Collectors with masses of percussion fitted on there with ease...

Grant McDougall

Thu, 20 Dec 2012 10:57:14 +1300

Still problems with the autoplay, Russell.

Russell Brown

Thu, 20 Dec 2012 11:09:28 +1300

Hunters and Collectors with masses of percussion fitted on there with ease?

I have fond memories.

Hebe

Thu, 20 Dec 2012 13:37:21 +1300

good old Chchch?
While waiting for the brain I?ve been trawling

The brain was unable to reboot last night. I found this trove which may be of some help:
http://thebigcity.co.nz/category/livemusic

You have posted some true hideousnesses: Adam's Apple. I had forgotten that place; my first foray into a nightclub. OMG.?

BenWilson

Thu, 20 Dec 2012 15:00:05 +1300

Cheers, that's cool. Can't remember who..Jack Elder, maybe...on Twitter, perhaps, who said that Christmas for most of NZ is really more like the American Thanksgiving. Excellent way of looking at it.

And "drinking white wine in the sun" is such an antipodean thing to be sentimental about. Most of the?

Emma Hart

Thu, 20 Dec 2012 15:05:54 +1300

And "drinking white wine in the sun" is such an antipodean thing to be sentimental about. Most of the rest of the world just thinks it's bizarre that Christmas to us is about BBQs, cricket, the beach, etc.

Yeah, I think that's one of the reasons it touches me so?

BenWilson

Thu, 20 Dec 2012 15:13:01 +1300

Oldie, but a goodie. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OR07r0ZMFb8

Ian Dalziel

Thu, 20 Dec 2012 15:41:52 +1300

We are the Billievers
Monkee see, Can do?
Now I?m a Billiever,
you made a Billiever out of me?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XfuBREMXxts

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A54ZQQlusRo

JacksonP

Thu, 20 Dec 2012 15:47:00 +1300

Watercolours Remixes.

Ok, Ok, I'll move on. Soon.

John Armstrong

Thu, 20 Dec 2012 16:02:30 +1300

there are a few dozen of us who convene every time Bill plays in Auckland, and we're all convinced he's a bloody genius.

About four years ago I was the only person who turned up to see Bill and band (can't recall if it was the Bilders proper) play at?

Paul Williams

Thu, 20 Dec 2012 16:27:07 +1300

Memory suggests there's a Paul Kelly song that's similar.

I'm guessing you mean How to Make Gravy? It's a tear jerker. Here's a nice live performance.

edit: snap @kiwicmc

Ethan Tucker

Thu, 20 Dec 2012 18:28:16 +1300

Only heard this for the first time the other day – straight outta 1982, it's The Waitresses' Christmas Wrapping. Yep, it's a rap:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B_qck_zNUNk

Geoff Lealand

Thu, 20 Dec 2012 18:38:47 +1300

Wow, someone else knows of The Waitresses, I have the vinyl, bought in Ohio in the 1980s

Islander

Thu, 20 Dec 2012 19:43:48 +1300

Just us, several million Pacific Islanders & the Aussies eh?

Ana Simkiss

Fri, 21 Dec 2012 10:18:23 +1300

Love the Waitresses & that song in particular, which I found on this rather neat little Christmas album when it was re-issued a few years ago: http://www.discogs.com/Various-ZE-Christmas-Album/release/365452

Danielle

Fri, 21 Dec 2012 10:48:17 +1300

You can't go wrong with Vince Guaraldi.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2gmiSPMHrWQ

And (although I have been a Nancy Wilson fan since I was quite young), I discovered this song via the Ultra-Lounge Christmas Cocktails CDs (both of which are basically my favourite thing to listen to on Xmas day). There's something about swinging?

Mark Cubey

Fri, 21 Dec 2012 11:37:11 +1300

That ZE Christmas album is SUCH a killer record. Especially Nona Hendryx and Material doing "It's a Holiday".

Russell Brown

Fri, 21 Dec 2012 11:38:22 +1300

We recorded a great Media3 last night with Matthew Dentith and Pam Corkery (aka The Gingapocalypse) and after we'd had a few celebratory drinks, some of us went down to the King's Arms to see Watercolours (as a two-piece!), Voom and She's So Rad.

I've never seen She's So Rad?

Alan Perrott

Fri, 21 Dec 2012 11:52:16 +1300

Merry Christmas and stuff Russell – from this distance you seem to have had an, erm, odd couple of days.

Just wanted to share this find – I've been after T-Rex's Futuristic Dragon for yonks and finally turned up a minty copy in Melbourne.

Calling All Destroyers might be a?

Russell Brown

Fri, 21 Dec 2012 12:12:27 +1300

Merry Christmas and stuff Russell ? from this distance you seem to have had an, erm, odd couple of days.

Ah yes, the PAS Christmas Meltdown, again. It's all sorted out now.

Alan Perrott

Fri, 21 Dec 2012 12:25:55 +1300

never doubted it would be...

Russell Brown

Fri, 21 Dec 2012 12:27:41 +1300

The Richmond Road party band from the 90s are back!

This week, 'Refugee' and 'Born to Run' get the treatment.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_PadFvpza68&feature=share&list=UUE0BZhJpj-sfQ344dHFMd9g

Barnard

Fri, 21 Dec 2012 13:32:51 +1300

The other Tim Minchin Xmas song also bring tears...of laughter

http://youtu.be/_SFdUJLebzU

Emma Hart

Fri, 21 Dec 2012 13:56:00 +1300

Cheers, Barnard, I've just played that for my daughter, who loved it.

David Hood

Fri, 21 Dec 2012 15:45:09 +1300

How could I have forgotten the first professional gig of Jon Bon Jovi "R2-D2, We wish you a Merry Christmas" from the Star Wars Christmas album of yore.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dUFZklIOFvg&sns=em

Alan Perrott

Fri, 21 Dec 2012 16:44:24 +1300

it's end o' year bubbles o'clock here, so that's my excuse for a little selfindulgence...hic

I share Danielle's enthusiasm for Nancy Wilson...have you heard this one?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0HwnTfK5Jxw

I've also finally found a decent copy of Helen Shapiro's finest hour – the single is insanely rare, but I spotted it last?

Russell Brown

Fri, 21 Dec 2012 16:49:35 +1300

I share Danielle?s enthusiasm for Nancy Wilson?have you heard this one?

Tune! Well, all of them, really.

Alan Perrott

Fri, 21 Dec 2012 17:06:53 +1300

hey matey, I'm here all week...not really, but do try the veal.

and this...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c_DAyrB_-s0

Alan Perrott

Fri, 21 Dec 2012 17:34:58 +1300

now I'm just the early doors boozer who won't go home, and I seem to be the only one left at the party, but I wanted to plus one on the Builders references above before heading back to the fan-damly.
aside from the odd – at times very odd -?

Geoff Lealand

Fri, 21 Dec 2012 19:18:35 +1300

Great stuff! Just what a Jewish boy needs to get through Christmas

Ian Dalziel

Fri, 21 Dec 2012 21:13:41 +1300

Mr Direen
Us Southerners (& Melburnians) get a chance in the new year:

Sunday 13 January
Tago Mago, Melbourne
with Barry Stockley (bass), Jess McCann (accordion) and Tama Stockley (dr)

Wednesday 16 January
Dark Room, Christchurch
Music and readings
Bill Direen with Stuart Page and Mick Elborado

Friday 18 January
Taste?

Hilary Stace

Fri, 21 Dec 2012 21:32:29 +1300

Just been reminded how apocalyptic Johnny Cash could be (and such a wonderful voice and musician) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k9IfHDi-2EA

Mike O'Connell

Fri, 21 Dec 2012 22:40:17 +1300

Great to see Mr Direen back in Chch soon, The last time I recall he was down this way was a gig at the now demolished El Porto Santo in Lyttelton, Dec 2010. Mick Elborado is always good on bass accompaniment, Stuart Page of course on drums. What always amazes?

Hebe

Fri, 21 Dec 2012 22:45:31 +1300

Bill Direen

Well hell; it's Mayan New Year's Eve and I'm waiting for the apocalypse, which then led to thinking about my old friend Tom and how he would've been enjoying today enormously. Then Bildireen comes up...so I shall mention (because it's fated — and I can see Tom's mouth?

FletcherB

Fri, 21 Dec 2012 23:35:02 +1300

your starter for ten: what telly theme did this inspire?

Unfortunately, my Friday evening alcohol addled brain is unable to fathom which TV theme was inspired by this (slightly brilliant) tune... On the other-hand, It is hugely evident that said tune was (more than a little bit) inspired by "Wild?

Joe Wylie

Fri, 21 Dec 2012 23:50:12 +1300

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N1OJD3DEjOs
the song he wrote called Beating Hearts about Aztecs and sacrifices.
Hey maybe it's a genre.

I always liked Robyn Hitchcock's Mexican God:
__Cruel, magnificent, roasting your people
I am secure at the end of your rod
Cut out my heart and it flies to the ceiling
Time will?

Yamis

Sat, 22 Dec 2012 00:19:56 +1300

Crank this Christmas epic.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0kRAKXFrYQ4

linger

Sat, 22 Dec 2012 02:31:12 +1300

The TV theme is of course that of Futurama.

Ian Dalziel

Sat, 22 Dec 2012 08:36:02 +1300

beet red heart....
Tom Scully was a good friend...
...me too, from South Intermediate and sporadically thru High School and beyond – he went off to St Bedes (I think that's where he met Bill) and then he ended up at Cashmere, we met up and camped together on the?

DexterX

Sat, 22 Dec 2012 08:40:22 +1300

.DWFO #6: "A Christmas Carol (Suite)"

http://youtu.be/OVECUTwY9fw

Danielle

Sat, 22 Dec 2012 10:19:05 +1300

Alan Alan Alan! So excited to see that linked here! I absolutely love 'The Clapping Song'! (In fact it may have been the genesis for our household theory that all songs containing handclaps, numbers, days of the week, or spoken word interludes are awesome. Which doesn't necessarily hold up under?

DexterX

Sat, 22 Dec 2012 10:27:59 +1300

http://youtu.be/Lue4w6Dixrk

linger

Sat, 22 Dec 2012 11:17:29 +1300

Not music, but audio links anyway:
Two BBC4 programmes on 21/12/12 (so they?ll be around for at least a week; possibly longer) are connected to A Recent Thread. (I?d have put the links there instead, but, well.)
(i) The Listening Project: parents of an autistic boy
(ii) [[http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01pcwqx| __More?

John Armstrong

Sat, 22 Dec 2012 11:41:44 +1300

The cyclic nature of it all, makes me wonder about the connections, coincidences and holographic distribution of concepts at all levels (and that's just before breakfast)

Can I just say, Ian, that you come across as the most interesting bloke? And, I suspect, a more than useful ally for doing?

Russell Brown

Sat, 22 Dec 2012 11:50:23 +1300

A Christmas song from Sun Ra's wonderful, slightly mad, doo-wop era:

http://youtu.be/HEpFZmN0USQ

Hebe

Sat, 22 Dec 2012 20:22:34 +1300

Tom Scully was a good friend?

?me too That's a "Hey Doris" moment.

Ian Dalziel

Sat, 22 Dec 2012 20:44:48 +1300

That?s a ?Hey Doris? moment
Now all we need is a water cooler!
;- )

Hebe

Sat, 22 Dec 2012 21:18:13 +1300

You know that one too!

Ross Mason

Sat, 22 Dec 2012 21:18:24 +1300

Two BBC4 programmes on 21/12/12

Convenient day what with Mayan Apocalypse and all. The things one does to get on the tele.

You can tell from the counts that they were very popular downloads......hahaha...bonk.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=841bIdxMXsI

and

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AfO8beqb-48

Ian Dalziel

Sat, 22 Dec 2012 22:19:52 +1300

Invoking Sgt Schultz...
You know....
...Google� knows

But I gotta say 'Headless Body in Topless Bar' is way up there!
;- )

Ian Dalziel

Sat, 22 Dec 2012 22:29:56 +1300

On tally...
You can tell from the counts....
If it had come to pass that our number was up, this Live World Population Clock site would've been the one to watch...
just to see that "Deaths Today" counter leap up 7,086,795,514 (give or take a few thousand)!
Oh, hang on...

Hebe

Sat, 22 Dec 2012 22:53:25 +1300

But I gotta say ?Headless Body in Topless Bar? is way up there!
;- )
Back in the mists of time, when dinosaurs like RD Muldoon roamed the earth, Henry Porter used that phrase in a book about the redtops. He said it was because the test of a good?

Ian Dalziel

Sat, 22 Dec 2012 23:11:39 +1300

Heliosfear?
Mayan New Year?s Eve
?waiting for the apocalypse
while we got away with merely entering a new count cycle
it looks like our dark twin, the Alternate Earth that orbits unseen half a year away, behind the sun may well be toast!
from Spaceweather

Pictures at 11?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-OxuD2ULMsY

DeepRed

Sun, 23 Dec 2012 03:26:54 +1300

...Google� knows

But I gotta say 'Headless Body in Topless Bar' is way up there!

I'd have to say nothing tops "The Filth and the Fury!"

Danielle

Sun, 23 Dec 2012 11:30:32 +1300

I think I will be listening to James Brown's Funky Christmas today.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cz48PR__uSo

Geoff Lealand

Sun, 23 Dec 2012 18:27:38 +1300

You have seen that Elvis Costello has shifted his outing at a highly inappropriate vineyard, to The Civic on Jan 19? I have my ticket.

DexterX

Sun, 23 Dec 2012 18:29:26 +1300

In and Out before Christmas – I know what the Black Quacks want for Christmas – to be able to bat and bowl.

But if they could then Black Quacks wouldn't rhymne as easily with batting collapse.

Then the tide has long been out in their tidal talent pool.

Russell Brown

Sun, 23 Dec 2012 18:48:21 +1300

You have seen that Elvis Costello has shifted his outing at a highly inappropriate vineyard, to The Civic on Jan 19? I have my ticket.

I'm stoked! The two support artists I had no interest in seeing, Tim Finn and James Reyne, are gone from the bill, and we're in?

Geoff Lealand

Sun, 23 Dec 2012 19:27:21 +1300

I wonder if he is bringing his Spinning Songbook thingy,

Excellent end-of-year Media3, Russell. You need to invite PK back next year,

Danielle

Sun, 23 Dec 2012 19:44:54 +1300

I broke the glad tidings on Twitter. :)

Because we bought GA tickets for the winery we are in Row M (Row B, Russell? Winner!), which isn't sucky but isn't brilliant either. Oh well. (I do have a front row seat for the Sydney show. I am not quite sure?

Chris Waugh

Sun, 23 Dec 2012 20:25:56 +1300

Excellent end-of-year Media3, Russell.

Yes. And Pam Corkery's comparison of media coverage of National's "brighter future" with media coverage of doomsday was brilliant. And her point about media, ummm... "corpse pron"?.... I dunno about the specific NZ situation, but it's something I've seen more widely, and I couldn't agree more.

Alan Perrott

Mon, 24 Dec 2012 09:04:42 +1300

well done that man. it's all in the bells.

it comes an oddball French dance troupe soundtrack album, Bejart.

And hell yeah Danielle. Never understood why Ellis wasn't more known. I guess you've got Nitty Gritty and The Name Song as well? Fair dinkum good times.