Posts by Mike O'Connell
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Hard News: Friday Music: Back on the K, in reply to Hugh Wilson,
I saw the Violent Femme's in the early 1990's
Their first tour here was in I'm pretty sure 1984. A blinder of a show at least at the Sandridge in Sydenham - with Chills and Sneaky Feelings supporting. I remember clearly the closing number - which brought the house down - Dance Motherf*cker Dance
They also had a crazy interview on RDU before the show including Brian the bass player making a quip about our 'exotic delicacy' Kiwi bacon, imagining how the little fella would jump up from the fire - into the frying pan!
Just reading Roger Sheppard's book, he doesn't mention the VF but they were here not long after that first (and memorable) Doug Hood Looney Tours orientation shows. Does anyone recall who brought the VF out in '84? It was about April/May.
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Southerly: A Tale of Two Iceblocks: Part…, in reply to Lilith __,
then load them on a ship and send them for vast distances across the ocean to India and China. How is that even viable?!
Lilith, it isn't! As David has outlined with the iceblocks, the emission counting system will count those burnt coal emissions in the GHG profiles China, India etc.So we're off the hook. Though as you say, they are in the same atmosphere and over time will (largely) mix evenly. A more highly vegetated and forested northern hemisphere does soak up some of the emissions but can't keep pace - the Keeling curve keeps climbing!
Also, the West Coast coal being exported - anthracite - is at the high end of the range of coals in terms of its calorific value – burns v hot and ideal for steel making - especially in countries which are rapidly developing. I Japan has bought a lot of our high-grade too over the years but stockpiles it in its harbours for ‘rainy days’. Japan of course being increasingly dependent on energy imports with its nuclear system way down in its operating capacity post-Fukushima.
The very same coal, you'd think could be used here but our coal-fired power stations, actually (power station singular now – Huntly – though we used Meremere until 1991), were designed that they could burn only middle or lower coal grades, pretty much of what's located in the Waikato.
In recent times, I understand Genesis Energy was importing dirty Indonesian-sourced coal, as much as a third, to make up the deficit in local stocks. Our GHG emissions profile would have taken a hit in those years if they were accounted for accurately – and our % of renewable electricity would have dropped down into the 65-70 % range.
For the technically minded, the 3rd Edition of the New Zealand Energy Handbook is a good resource describing our country’s energy resources
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He dragged the term “New American Century” out of some fetid neocon cellar,
Oh yes, the Project for the New American Century idea. One wonders if Trump is also creating space on his front bench for the likes of arch neocons like Richard Perle, head until 2003 of Dubya's Defense Policy Board during the launching of the so-called 'war on terror.'
Perle once said the award-winning journalist Seymour Hersh was 'the closest thing American journalism has to a terrorist' (!) Perle got very touchy about Hersh investigating his dual role as chairman of the Defense Policy Board and as a partner for Trireme (which invests in homeland security and defence-related industries.) Various people interviewed by Hersh in his story Lunch with the Chairman, indicated that Perle would use his Pentagon connections to influence U.S. policy in return for Saudi investment backing.
Scary stuff indeed if these kinds of individuals were to get back in the tent. God help us if he were to include the incorrigible pair of Douglas Feith or John Bolton.
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Nice obituary in the Guardian. Here's Cheree from the sefl-titlted debut
On a different, I-missed-it-totally, note, Bernie Worrell of Parliament/Funkadelic fame Parliament/Funkadelic also died recently.. Computer I'm on just now has no speakers so I'm hoping this is good! Flashlight, recorded live in NJ in June 1978
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Hard News: Friday Music: The Curse of…, in reply to Philternz,
Phil, I've worked out what Martin's guitar is/was, this one, a 1970's
Yamaha FG 230.Just a reminder too for those folk about to head along and see Lawrence Arabia and band in N Island - what a treat it will be. Get your tix quick, they were on fire last night at Blue Smoke, ably supported (here at least) by the up-and-coming multi-talented Ryan Fisherman who in his 'spare time' (he's in 6-7 bands at last count, including drums for Doprah) has conjured up a wonderful rendition on banjo, acoustic guitar and mandolin of LA's I've Smoked Too Much - enjoy!
Blue Smoke BTW and increasingly better venue, looking more like a band venue than the wine bar it started out as Gustavs. Among others Shayne P Carter is booked in with his piano for Aug 26.
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Hard News: Friday Music: The Curse of…, in reply to Philternz,
No, not that one. An earlier one, a Yamaha. Bro reckons it's on the 12" Dunedin Double. Martin used it up until about 1985 I think. I'm trying to find a pic.
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Oh, if anyone is at a loose end in Christchurch Tonight, the Androidss (sadly sans 4 original members) are set to perform their memorial gig at Churchills - doors 9pm, $10 on door.
I found this raucous Androidss number, Plasticene Babies - audio only, live at Gladstone,1981
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Hard News: Friday Music: The Curse of…, in reply to Russell Brown,
Apparently there were five attempts to record 'Oncoming Day'
i heard that too. I always thought Alan Haig was a great steady beat drummer but Martyn Bull certainly had a lot of subtleties as evidenced by the Mayfair Theatre clip. Nice seeing that 12-string again - my brother somehow acquired it off TradeMe a few years back for a modest sum. It's a bit of a bugger to tune up as a 12 string my brother finds, and that was why Martin got rid of it apparently. If there's ever a Chills exhibition...
Who was the 'replacement' drummer in 1985?Caroline Easther? BTW what's the source for that article?
One of my favs from the back catalogue has always been Juicy Creaming Soda
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could see myself standing in a field slightly altered and really getting into ELO.
That reminded me of ...Violinksi, an ELO spin-off, a vehicle for Mik Kaminski, ELO's violinist at the time. I think you'd have to be in a really altered state to enjoy this!
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Hard News: Friday Music: Summer in the Winter, in reply to Alan Perrott,
Hands up anyone who caught the church tour where he duetted a hymn with Tami N. Crazy good.
At St Michael's and All Angels in Chch. It was 'Oh Holy Night'. Wonderful it was. I can't find a version by the two but Marlon and Tim Moore (composer of Dark Child) do a back yard, in-yer-undies version!
I used to see Marlon a lot when he did solo nights in the Porthole in Lyttelton. Often joined by Hannah Harding for some equally stunning harmonies, One of favorites was The Trees They Do Grow HIgh, an old English folk number popularised by Joan Baez. Here 'tis, recorded in Switzerland last year.