The Listening Club - 3rd May 2020

Greetings folks,

Hope you're all doing OK. Same same here in Amsterdam, not much change in circumstances, although infection numbers are dropping, but we're still a long way off from normality. I'm keeping busy though, not via Lockdown Radio this week (apologies if you were expecting a show or two), as I've been kept busy doing a little work on my own tunes, and also doing some investigation into methods for playing online back-to-back DJ sets (if you have any ideas on this front, or are interested in helping me try out some possible apps and platforms, let me know!)

Last week, o my #LC brothers and sisters did conspire and, with the mighty helping hands of @JimMcCauley, did surprise me with a Secret Kleptones Vortex, on the occasion of me becoming a bit more justified and ancient.

I have to admit that I did not see it coming at all, and therefore was pretty damn shocked. But I extend huge thanks to all of you for picking your faves and joining in to help me celebrate remotely, and double plus huge thanks to Jim for doing an awesome job sequencing the finished article. You're all very lovely.

Speaking of @JimMcCauley, seems the frisb landed in his court after @EmmaPrice's sweet deception last week, so here he is with tonight's back-to-normal broadcast...

"I absolutely, unironically love this album, and have done ever since I bought it on vinyl 30-odd years ago, either in Scorpion Records in High Wycombe, more likely in Our Price. I'd figured I should try something by this band, and this one, with its ludicrous, naive and grotesque cover art, cried out to me. It didn't disappoint.

I've nearly picked it on a number of occasions and always talked myself out of it at the last minute. Finally it's time to grasp the nettle. Bite the bullet. Get it over and done with. Grab the bull by the horns. Face the music.

You'll thank me later, maybe. Enjoy!"

Okaydoke. Direct download's here, and the stream's below:


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

The Listening Club - 26th April 2020

Greetings folks,

Hope you're all doing OK. Yeah, I'm feeling pretty sad that this weekend has not turned out the way we'd hoped, but trying hard not to dwell. Next yeat we can make up for it. Being consoled by my good friend Stagger Lee, who's been doing a 24-hour DJ set here (finishes at 7pm BST), and has kept the air filled with a ton and a half of excellent tunes.

Also in related news, and possibly of interest to #LC folks is an online event next Saturday, the return of The Peoples Republic Of Disco, a club night that Lee co-helmed and I had the honour of guest-DJing at the last one, 9 years ago. In their words, "We swore we’d never do it again. But when the going gets weird, the weird get online." The essence of PROD is, basically, you give them a tune or two, and they play them all back at you (or as many as they can get through) whilst everyone gets drunk and has a boogie. Sound familiar-ish? Well, the invite's here, if you fancy joining would be great to have you along.

Last week chez #LC, @zbendr was in the chair, firing off a double bill of  "Dusty Trails" eponymous album, followed by The Josephine Wiggs Experience "Bon Bon Lifestyle", both of which went down very well indeed. Thanks to Ben for the pick, and for sailing the frisb over to @emmaprice, who is right here with tonight's intro...

"Evening all. So this weekend I was due to be at an epic party. (cue an 'I'm not even supposed to be here today' whinge)  But the 'rona has put things on ice for a little while, so I reckon it's time to revist a party from times past. Right now we're all looking for something to make us smile and distract us from the goings on outside our windows. So I'm taking us back a while to simpler times where the sun is shining, the beer is flowing and people are chilling on the grass somewhere in a field in Hampshire/Somerset. This band have brought an awful lot of joy to me over the years and so I'm sharing it with you lovely lot.

It's a long one - But the best parties often are, I mean it's not like you had other plans for tonight. No sneakily eying up the bleach bottle while my back is turned! 

Talking of #Drinkingclub I am going to make the first Pimms jug of the year - What's everyone having?"

Direct download is here, and the stream's below.


See you at 8pm BST (GMT+1) tonight!

The Listening Club - 19th April 2020

Greetings folks,

Hope you and yours are all doing okay. Still bright and sunny here in Amsterdam, which is very pleasant, but the days and weeks are starting to blur together more than a little, to be honest. Happy to have Lockdown Radio to keep me occupied, last night's raveathon will be available for downloading here some point this evening, once I've ironed out the stream glitches. Thanks to everyone who's been tuning in so far, and @JimMcCauley for adding his lovely spacey visuals again last night also!

Last week on the regular, wor @nessiest was in the chair with a bona fide Icelandic classic in the shape of The Sugarcubes debut from 1988, "Life's Too Good", which was well received by the attendant posse. Many thanks to Vanessa for the pick, and for sailing the frisb across to @zbendr, who is right here with tonight's intro....

"Nobody is sure of anything, at the moment, and that’s okay. Lack of clarity gives us time to settle down in the autumn sun with a tall drink and relax. 

What? It’s not Autumn? Sure it is, this album says so. No, really, stop messing around: I’m just hanging out with a big, mixed, group of friends here, and I alternate between chatting together and wistfully listening alone.

In Listening Club, you’re not alone: we're together, apart. Relax and float, fly, sink, lose yourself.

And…………there’s a small afterparty……"

Okay, direct download here, in Flac or MP3, and stream is below....

And the afterparty, in Flac or MP3, and stream below!


See you at 8pm BST (GMT+1)

The Listening Club - 12th April 2020

Greetings, folks.

... and on it goes. Hope you and yours are doing OK. Still warm and sunny here in Amsterdam, which is bringing folks out of their homes in droves, although most of them do seem to be keeping a respectful distance from each other...ish. No new lockdown radio this week, partially as I haven't really been in the right mood, and partially due to the amount of other entertainment that has been pouring out and grabbing my attention (like Jarvis Cocker's Saturday night Domestic Disco, which is a haphazard delight if you haven't seen it - highly recommended).

Last Sunday @samquitter was in the chair, bringing an interesting Liverpool beat combo to #LC for the first time, in the shape of The Beatles' "Abbey Road", which brought some quality repartee and the occasional teardrop. Thanks to Sam for the pick, and for sailing the frisb across the sea to @nessiest, who is right here with tonight's intro...

"Trying to pick an album for this week went all over the place, and all the times. I struggled, finding the right sound and feel is not the easiest. Especially as I love me some yearning and angsty bits in my music but honestly, after my last pick I couldn’t do that to you again.

Fittingly this album is all over the place too, gleeful, off-kilter but never out of control and never trite. I don’t want to say any more because I want you to experience it rather than be told about it - even if you’ve heard it before hopefully you’ll enjoy listening together. 

One advisory though, especially for those on headphones - don’t up the volume at the start whatever you do. I love you guys and don’t want anyone to blow an eardrum or a speaker."

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


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

The Listening Club - 5th April 2020

Greetings folks.

Hope you're surviving OK. Warm and sunny in Amsterdam, which is just fucking typical, so perching on the stoop with a beer or a wine and keeping a safe distance has been the order of the day, not just for us, but for most of the neighbourhood. Not much else we can do right now. Still entertaining myself, and hopefully a few other people, with the Lockdown Radio transmissions, which should continue this week if all goes well. Thanks extended to those tuning in, and if anyone else fancies doing a show / set in any form, let me know, always good to have company!

Last week chez #LC, the dynamic duo of @rougeforever and @mrhig managed to agree on something and delivered REM's 1998 opus "Up", which brought forth a fair assortment of opinions, as you'd expect. Thanks to them for the pick and for sailing the frisb across to @samquitter, who has this to say by introduction to tonight's pick...

"OK folks, keeping it simple this week. Normally I have a little mental list of possible clever listening club picks, but having tried to listen to them this week they all did my head in due to our strange and unnerving times, and I did not wish to inflict the same on you fine people. So I've gone with an all time favourite that to this day makes me smile when I hear it. 

The group and the album won't be any mystery to anyone. To me its the sound of sunshine rather than summer, and for some reason, and appropriately enough for our current predicament, it reminds me of being indoors in sunny weather, with sun streaking through the windows.

When I was a toddler I used to drive my parents mad by pulling records off the shelves. Then I liked to look at the covers, spread out on the floor. For that reason the cover of this album is even more imprinted on my mind than it is on the tourists who in normal times attempt to recreate it on a daily basis. I rediscovered the album as a student when I bought a CD of it, then recently went back to vinyl when one of my own kids made me a gift of it on special new heavy vinyl, whatever that is. And it still sounds great to me. 

Anyway, enough of my yakkin... hope you find it suitable! Sam x "

Direct download is here, and the stream's below:


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

The Listening Club - 29th March 2020

Greetings folks,

Hope you're all doing okay and keeping safe under the circumstances. Feeling a little tender here following one or two glasses of wine too many during last night's Lockdown Radio session, but it was a lot of fun, thanks to everyone that tuned in, and @JimMcCauley for the visual accompaniment!

Last Sunday @faberfedor was in the chair, sending us back to the 90s with his pick of the eponymous debut album of Days of The New, which provoked some fine reactions. Thanks to Faber for the pick, and for sailing the frisbaton over to the sofa of @rougeforever and @mrhig, who have both written an intro for their collective pick...

"Once upon a time I wasn’t married.   That time seems impossible now.  Matt and I started dating at the beginning of 2002, so in not too many months it’ll have been 20 years since I’ve been part of the biggest adventure I’ve ever signed up for.

Very early into our dating life we did the music conversation.   I bought a bottle of gin and we sat up till very very late playing each other songs we loved and hearing things  for the the first time that we would grow to love.   Given our age difference (Matt was only 23 at the time) it’s inevitable that we didn’t share a huge amount of similar music.   Of course I liked to think (at the grand old age of 33) that I knew more, was cooler and had better taste than anyone.  Obviously I was wrong.

That night, we found there were only a few albums we had in common.   We both loved Radiohead (I love Kid A and I Might Be Wrong),  Matt loved OK Computer.   We both loved singer-songwriters.  And we both loved gin.  

And there was this album.   I will always remember the delight of finding someone who loved this album more than this band’s more popular work.    I will always remember lying with Matt in his single bed listening to this and marvelling that I’d found someone who understood the oily streak of melancholia that weaves through even the happiest and most beautiful times.

Listeningclub, I wish for you what I found in that man, in that album.

--

There are the albums you had before you met each other, that the other will never get, enjoy, or understand - not to the degree you do alone. There are the albums you get after you got together - sometimes you’ll both enjoy them, sometimes only one of you will, but regardless, after the Big Bang point of meeting each other your tastes will begin to intertwine, no matter what you do to try and stop it. You can no sooner put a stop to the chain reactions of musical taste that emerge from that initial point than you could getting together in the first place.

(Did I think I’d ever appreciate folk music? I did not. There’s good reason so many folk musicians put their fingers in their ears while singing.)

Then, for some, there are the albums you buy after you break up. Maybe you’ll be consciously steering yourself away from the sort of music you both used to enjoy, out of spite, or sadness, or self-preservation.

Finally, there’s the smaller category of albums purchased somewhere along the relationship timeline - the albums you both bought copies of before even knowing each other at all. The points at which your individual lines of taste already intercrossed without knowing.

This is one of those.

To me it speaks of aloneness, of trying to understand the concerns and problems of others, to empathise, to try to help. And perhaps most strongly of hope, even through the most trying of times. I’m sure we can all relate at the moment. It’s hard to see sometimes, obscured, as the sun through dark clouds; perhaps just a reflection of it, viewed at a distance through a camera obscura, but it’s there, all the same. It’s always been there even when you couldn’t see it, couldn’t sense it. The constant. Hope."

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

Note the clocks have changed here! so see you at 8pm BST (GMT+1)

The Listening Club - 22nd March 2020

Greetings folks,

Hope you're all doing OK and keeping safe. Not quite lockdown here in Amsterdam, but expecting it to come soon as the numbers keep rising, and not before time in my own humble opinion, we need to shut this thing down asap. In the meantime, as you may have noticed, last night I inaugurated #LCLR (Listening Club Lockdown Radio) with a three-hour test transmission, which was a lot of fun, and seemed to go down well, so looking forward to doing more of them in the very near future - and as I mentioned yesterday, if anyone else fancies doing a mix, live or otherwise, let me know and I will share details and tech help on streaming set up if required. At the moment, loads of good tunes are really what we need, more than ever....

Last Sunday, @wojsvenwoj was in the chair, sending a serious curveball in the shape of Planet P Project's "Pink World", which was an opus if ever there was one, and triggered some quality discussion. Thanks to him for the pick, and for sailing the frisb across to @faberfedor, who's right here with tonight's intro...

"As I mentioned last week, I came across of stash of CD and DVDs from the back of a closet. There are plenty of interesting (to me, at least) possible #listeningclub selections amongst these. I narrowed it down to four for this week's selection: one of _the_ first concept albums, an 80's indie band, some blues, and a one-hit wonder from the 90s. I was going to try and come up with a witty intro, tying the music to the times and current events but in the end I just said "Screw it, just pick the album you like the most" and here we are."

Okidoke. Direct download's here, and the stream is below:

See you at 8pm GMT tonight.