The Listening Club - 25th June 2017

Evening all! @kleptones – along with other #listeningclub chums – is away at CorbynFest 2017 this weekend, so once again it's @JimMcCauley at your service, observing my annual ritual of not going to Glastonbury despite it being only a 40 minute drive away. Looks like they're having a nice day of it there, despite some pretty horrid drizzle this morning; me, I've been doing some washing and ranking the most powerful video game characters of all time. Gots to earn a living.

So, let's see, last week it was @saucer in the hot seat, taking us back to Old London Town with the Small Faces' "Ogden's Nut Gone Flake", which put some pretty big grins on the assembled faces, all told. Deep joy. Thanks to Murray for the pick, and for hoofing the frisball at @SimonLandmine, who has the luxury of an extra week to agonise over his pick.

Because yes, it's the #FirstGigVortex! 15 tracks inspired by our first live music experiences, possibly when we were a bit too young to know better. It's splendidly eclectic and poptastic collection, folks; I'd expect nothing else from us.

Direct download's here, and the spoilerific HearThis stream's below:


See you at 8PM! BST!

The Listening Club - 18th June 2017

Greetings folks,

Hope you're doing well and good, which in this particular section of the sphere probably involves a cool, possibly alcoholic, drink under some sort of outdoor shade. Yes indeed, Monsieur Le Heatwave has come to visit, broiling us all in 30°C temperatures. All very lovely, and personally pleasing as it means Glastonbury is looking like being far less of a mudbath than in previous years - there are some showers forecast, but it's been dry as a bone there for weeks, so in these temperatures they're probably going to be welcomed by both the punters and the parched countryside alike...

Next Sunday, whilst I cavort on Worthy Farm, @JimMcCauley will be running the #firstgigvortex, so we call upon you all to dig out prime examples of your first gig experience and pass them on to himself, please and thankyou!

Last week, @akx was in the chair, fruitlooping everyone with his pick of Asa-Chang & Junray's "Jun Ray Song Chang". Many thanks to him for the pick, and for sailing the frisbo across to @saucer, who's here with this week's pre-match...

"I once had a musical friend named Peter who DJ'd at the club where I worked. He played records between the live sets. Peter was also the manager at a record store named after two albums (one by Skip Spence, one by Roy Harper). 

Above the record store was an apartment where Peter lived along with his girlfriend Linda. Linda turned me on to Vladimir Nabokov. Her brother did sound for NNB and, after I left Minneapolis, went on to play bass with them. I spent a lot of time in Peter's apartment listening to records from Wire, Paul McCartney, Public Image, and The Only Ones. 

Sometimes I would drive Peter and Linda around town and they'd navigate. I'd say, "Straight?" They'd say, "Forward, never straight."

Peter introduced me to countless fantastic albums. One of those was tonight's selection.

This album is very much of its time but still sounds fresh to me. If you listen on headphones, or especially then, you might have some time-travel production-esthetics adaptation in store. 

Drinking club members: something vintage. 

I can't wait to hear how this hits your ears if you haven't heard it, or your history with the album if you have."

Right then. Direct download is here, and the HearBeSpoilers stream is below:


See you at 8pm BST!

The Listening Club - 11th June 2017

Greetings folks,

Hope you're good. No need to comment much on the political turmoil that has hit the UK this week, sure you're all aware that things are currently more chaotic than ever in Blighty. Who knows how this is going to play out, but personally hoping that long-term damage is kept to a minimum before the tide finally turns... and that that tide turns sooner rather than later.

Last week @samsmitter came up with the fine idea of a #myfirstgigvortex, which, appealing to the majority like the absolute boy, is now slotted in for Sunday 25th June. The man @JimMcCauley will be running it, as I'll be away in a (hopefully not too soggy) field down near Pilton. So, what we need from you before then are audio mementos of your first concert experiences, whatever they may have been. Should be quite an eye-opener this one...

Also last week, @cakehugga was in the chair, boggling the faithful with some oddball Mancunian psych courtesy of The Sisters Of Transistors' "At The Ferranti Institute". Many thanks to her for the pick, and for sailing the frisb across to the ever-punning @akx, who's here with this week's intro...

"I'm still terrible at writing anything thoughtful for these blurbs, so I'll keep it short.

You might have heard the opening track somewhere, but the band has otherwise kinda flown under the radar (at least in these parts?), so you probably haven't heard the rest.

Fun fact: While trying to narrow down my shortlist of choices to, well, this one, I came across a Discogs review that describes some of the tracks as "circus on acid" and "freaky festival". So there's that.

#drinkingclub: sake or umeshu might be too obvious"

Okaydoke. Direct download is here, and the HearBeSpoilers stream is below:



See you at 8pm BST (GMT+1).

The Listening Club - 4th June 2017

Greetings folks,

Hope you're all doing as well as can be, as per. We're feeling culturally fulfilled here following a couple of days down in Maastricht, enjoying fine weather and artistic delights courtesy of Stanley Donwood and Raymond Pettibon. A very chill and enjoyable time indeed. Speaking of excursions, don't forget I'm off to Glastonbury in three weeks time, so looking for a temporary custodian here for Sunday 25th June. Let me know if you can help!

In the land of #LC, last week @wojsvenwoj was in the chair, dazzling the assembled with a pick of "Love Waves" by Veda Hille, which went down rather well indeed. Many thanks to him for the pick and for flipping the frisb across to @CakeHugga, who is here with this week's intro...

"So the last few weeks have been a little crazy to say the least. The Manchester bomb (where 22 innocent people were killed and 116 injured) after attending a gig at the Manchester Arena has played large on my psyche.

I first moved to Manchester 20 years ago as a fresh-faced student - excited for the possibilities of this city and for myself.

Music was always a draw for me – I lived for gigs and live music and found plenty of venues (big and small) in this city. I loved the buzz, the meeting of like-minded people, the shared beautiful experiences.

One of my fears after the bomb is that people will be scared to go to gigs and there will be a generation of kids who don’t get to experience the highs of a crowd of hundreds or thousands all singing along at the top of their voices, the shared magical energy.

I wanted to choose an album this week by a band I’ve seen live in Manchester as this city has given me so many fantastic gig memories. It was hard to whittle the bands down to a shortlist. I’d almost decided on another album when I remembered this band and the fabulous experience of seeing them live.

They are undoubtedly musically talented but I really remember the visual beauty of the gig – 4 of them wearing what I can only describe as space age kimonos. I have never experienced anything quite like this gig and it shines bright in my memory.

This band have eclectic influences, their sound veering between 70s horror soundtrack to upbeat sing-a-long choruses.

This is a band formed in Manchester and I hope that the youngsters of Manchester (and everywhere else) don’t give into those who want to stop us living bold, bright, lives full of shared experiences and connections with others.

I hope it will lead to toe tapping, head nodding and slipper shuffling wherever you are listening. 

Enjoy!"

Okaydoke. Direct download is here, and the stream-of-spoilers is below:


See you at 8pm BST (GMT+1).