The Listening Club - 25th June 2023

Hey there, listening chums! It's me, @JimMcCauley, doing hosting duties again because @kleptones is down the road from here at some pop festival or whatever; nice weather for it. I'm making the most of a quiet-ish weekend, as it's only a couple of weeks until I start rehearsing another show, and then that's likely me mostly out of #ListeningClub until January.

Last week @faberfedor stepped up with his choice of 'The History of The JAMs A.K.A. The Timelords', or as it's known over here, disc one of 'Shag Times' with added Gary Glitter. Naturally it went down a treat, and it leaves us, I think, with just two legit KLF albums unpicked. So big ups to Faber for the pick and for flipping the frisbaton at @eastvanhalen who, of course, has an extra week to come up with her choice.

Because, yes, it's the more-or-less-annual #ListeningClub #LiveVortex (and, come to think of it, the 10th anniversary edition). A number of live tracks chosen by you and lovingly assembled by @saucer; what more do you need?

Download it here or stream below.

Catch you later! (8PM BST, obvs.)

The Listening Club - 18th June 2023

Greetings folks,

Hope all is going good, whatever you're up to. Still dry and hot here in Amsterdam, although some stormy bits and pieces are floating about, maybe we'll get hit, maybe not, it'd be nice to damp the dust down a bit to be honest. Looks like more of the same for us next week at Glastonbury, with a dust-dampening shower forecast for early Tuesday morning, then dry and not-too-hot for the duration of the festival, which, to be honest, is most regular glasto-goers dream forecast. Me? I'm always happy to be leaving the boots and waterproofs at home, especially when long distances have to be traversed... So on y va we go...

Not that it got mentioned last week (oops), but next week, as any fule kno, is Vortex week, and I'm away, so @JimMcCauley (blessim) will be running things here, and someone (@akx or @saucer? I forget, soz) will be compiling our customary mid-year #livevortex, so from you we require one or two fine examples of live musical performance, all the better to celebrate the solstice - dropbox details will follow I am sure.

Last Sunday @EmmaPrice was in the chair, sharing some super-boisterous festival-packing soundtrack in the shape of Call Me Malcolm's "Me, Myself And Something Else", which got the assembled pogoing as one for sure. Thanks to Emma for the pick and for ensuring safe transfer of the frisb across to @FaberFedor, who's here with tonight's intro...

"I stumbled across this blast-from-the-past while looking for something  to play in the club and thought Why not? 

These guys didn't chart over here IIRC but they were big, or at least pretty influential, Over There. I know at least one of these songs charted in the UK, not sure about any of the others. This particular album was a US-only release but still, I'm sure several of you will know these(?) guys from the outset. For those that don't, well, it's time for you to get edumacated [sic].

See y'all tonight!"

Okaydokay. Download's here, stream's below:

See you 20:00 BST (GMT+1)

The Listening Club - 11th June 2023

Greetings folks,

Hope you're all doing good and dealing with whatever climate-related issues your part of the globe is faced with right now. FWIW, Amsterdam has moved rather speedily from nicely-summery into crikey-its-boiling territory quite quickly. Not complaining much for now though, although the prolonged dry spell both here and back in Somerset has got me a little concerned for the upcoming festival, as always, it's in the hands of the gods, so I'd better go find my sacrificial dagger then, eh?

Last Sunday it was the @woj that was in the chair, hitting the assembled hard with their pick of TEKE::TEKE's "Shirushi", which got the assembled cheerfully grooving and debating in equal measures. Many thanks extended to the W for the pick, and for sailing the frisb over to @EmmaPrice, who reaches up from her festival packing and deftly catches it, then proclaims this by way of introduction to tonight's pick...

"Greetings all.

Currently sitting amid a pile of sequins and sparkles as I pack for the wonder that is the Glastonbury festival. I shall be spending 8 glorious days in my spiritual home among friends old and new and hopefully making some new musical discoveries to share. This time I've gone with a band who I discovered about a year ago in a small venue near me, I've since seen them live a bunch of times and they're incredible fun as a live act who certainly know how to get the crowd moving. I'm also big fan of their messaging which I'll talk about during the playback.

Hurrah for live music and new discoveries so raise a glass of your finest festival beverage of choice and come have a dance with me."

Right then, download's here, stream's below:

See you 20:00 BST (GMT+1)

The Listening Club - 4th June 2023

Greetings folks,

Yep, @kleptones back again, after a sweet soujourn down to Paris, to eat, drink and swelter in unexpected high 20s heat. A little early in the year for a heatwave, but they do it differently down there, so it seems... 

Thanks to @JimMcCauley for minding the shop last week, and assembling a mighty fine #WorkingVortex whilst he was there. An impressive spread of tunes indeed, thanks to everyone who chipped in. Looking back, we find @woj with the fris, so over to them for tonight's intro...

"Today's selection comes from a band I only found out about in the past few weeks. Came across a song of theirs and the combination of instruments and styles and energy caused my head to explode and made them a slam dunk candidate for my next #ListeningClub pick. Unfortunately, that song turned out to be from a yet-to-be-released album. Fortunately, they released their debut album in 2021 and it's just as good as the song I did hear so that is what we are listening to today. Even more fortunately, the sophomore album arrives this coming Friday so if you dig this and want more, you won't have to wait long! Enjoy!"

Right then, download's here, stream's below:

See you 20:00 BST (GMT+1) tonight.