Posts by Mike O'Connell
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And then Ronnie did this for their next single.
I have a green / orange version of this (Coat/Jim) - and it's an 'offset' which Roy tells me is even rarer..
Looking forward to your talk Russell. Later the same evening, Parquet Courts are in town @ Dux Live. They are I hear Gordons fans!
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What the accrued effect of all this change is you end up with a vague sense of exile in your own city. A city well served with the new wave of colonisers “here to help with the rebuild”. Intellectual hustlers so bereft of nous they fail to see the irony inherent in their generous offer.
Great piece Greg with some finely nuanced observations like this one. While my family and I haven't had to deal with EQC and related agencies as you, Hebe and family have, the post quake stress has certainly had an effect on us and for a while I was in exile here (out of work for a long period) and then 'exiled' beyond the city, in Auckland (which treated me well it must be said).
'Helping with the rebuild' I see as code for 'helping with the CBD rebuild'. The unwritten emphasis of the rebuild is more on restoring business (business as usual) and far less on restoring a more holistic, city-wide quality of life.
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Hard News: When the fast track seems a…, in reply to jb,
In Torquay, doctorates can be shared by couples - three for two!
In regard to German/Austrian doctorates, if the man is a PhD, and his wife isn't, he of course can be referred to Herr Doktor but his wife can also call herself Frau Doktor! Not sure if this applies too, to the 'real' doctors, those medical ones.
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Thought I'd throw this in the mix, The mystery of Mingering Mike: the soul legend who never existed.
It's a fabulous story which I chanced upon about how avid 'crate digger' Dori Hadar hit the jackpot one morning in Washington DC, chancing upon 38 albums by a soul singer he had never heard of. This, from a guy with an encyclopedic knowledge and 10,000 records at home.
If you happen to visiting the Smithsonian American Art Museum (in DC) between 27 Feb and 2 Aug you will catch the exhibition Mingering Mike’s Supersonic Greatest Hits.
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Hard News: Friday Music: Fickle Rock, in reply to Russell Brown,
Should be easy enough to track down. I had a quick check and Chc Library has 4 copies - all being read btw.
Shocking stuff and I was reminded of Strange Fruit and dug around a little and found some articles. This one Strange Fruit is still a song for today references of course the poem (by Abel Meeropol) turned into the famous song. Here's an extract from that:
The horrible truth is that in parts of the south in the early 20th century, the hanging of black people in public was a family occasion; lynching was part of the social fabric.
Family occasion!? Not too dissimilar really from the 'thrill' the public attending public executions which are taking place, both illegally (ie lynching) and state-sanctioned, in certain parts of the world currently. And in similar vein, there's this extract in Strange Fruit: the first great protest song from Dorian Lynskey, his book 33 Revolutions Per Minute, his history of protest songs,
...she begins her final number.
"Southern trees bear a strange fruit." This, you think, isn't your usual lovey-dovey stuff. "Blood on the leaves and blood at the root." What is this? "Black bodies swinging in the Southern breeze." Lynching? It's a song about lynching? The chatter from the tables dries up. Every eye in the room is on the singer, every ear on the song. After the last word – a long, abruptly severed cry of "crop" – the whole room snaps to black. When the house lights go up, she's gone.
Another book I must seek out.
Here's a live b/w recording of Strange Fruit
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Southerly: This Week in Parliament: 26…, in reply to Richard Aston,
Hi Richard, it's Ben from the Civilian...but yes I was in stitches over David's piece.
BTW, Ben describes Russell (with 2 Ls) as a 'borderline-elderly hipster' in The Luminaries fails to win local baking award due to tall poppy syndrome
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Capture: Laneway 2015, in reply to Russell Brown,
Media commentator and borderline-elderly hipster Russell Brown said that the award’s eventual winner could be explained by nothing other than “a ruthless desire to tear down Eleanor Catton and her success.”
Deviating slightly but I couldn't help putting this up, from a new Civilian post today. After quite some time away, Ben Uffindell is back with a vengeance on this last week, featuring the Key, Plunket, Catton 'triangle'. And another today on hipsters!
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No-one's mentioned Flying Lotus. When St Vincent finished, I was ready to head home and merely glanced across at the far stage and just kept going. Maybe it was good, maybe not but after SV, I was determined to leave on a high :-)
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Capture: Laneway 2015, in reply to JacksonP,
FKA Twigs visually impressive but she's not really my thing. I am so, so glad I made the breakaway to see St Vincent. Man, I have never seen anything like it, never seen a gal shred a guitar like Annie Clark did (3 guitars actually up - loved the green one at the end). One of the best live performances I've ever seen. Period. As it's been mentioned, don't know why she wasn't on one of the main stages.
Some of the earlier acts like Angus/Julia Stone and Angle Olsen would have worked better on the more intimate Cactus Cat stage. CC stage suffered I felt through being very bassy and distorted early on. Fortunately sorted out by time St Vincent closed the day.
Other highlights for me - the Kiwis - the cutesy tunes of Princess Chelsea right from the start and later Connan Mockasin, Craziest set of the day, Ariel Pink - who's ever seen a aqua bikini clad drummer with a stetson before?!); Royal Blood and Future Islands, especially the way they presented it and the audience vibe they created.
Whole day had a great vibe; saw no agro, just one couple being taken out who didn't have bracelets. Those drink chits were a little annoying, lost a couple in the queue in the beer tent. Great shots Jackson. I saw Leather Man walk right past too.
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Hard News: Friday Music: Auckland…, in reply to JacksonP,
and while I’m not as familiar with the acts this year as previous
Nice montage Jackson. Is that Parquet Courts top left? I think it's the unfamiliar that will make this Laneway exciting. Not too bothered by the programme clashes, should be a loada fun whatever the stage! And that water message important too.