Wednesday, June 22, 2005
On this day:

Vodka on the rocks

The Ice Hotel in Jukkasjärvi, Sweden is one of the wonders of our age. It's therefore doubly disappointing to see the ugly franchise it has spawned, namely the Absolut Ice Bar concept. When Ice Hotel founder Yngve Bergqvist opened the first Ice Bar in Stockholm's Nordic Sea Hotel in June 2002, it was a beautiful idea: Arctic purity in the heart of the city. Three years and 15 ice bars later and the thaw has defintely started. After all, there is nothing cool about pre-booked groups of tourists traipsing in and out of a 'Starbucks with vodka' that could be in Milan, London or anywhere. Let it be a real bar or let it be nothing. How's that for purity?

Watskeburt?

It's rare for the Dutch to pay any attention to Belgian politics, so it's nice to see two Belgian politicians have been in the limelight lately north of the border. Firstly, Foreign Minister Karel Gucht was forced to apologise for comparing the Dutch PM to Harry Potter, an easy mistake to make. Now, the flamboyant and openly gay Elio di Rupo, leader of the PS (Socialist Party) in Brussels and Wallonia, has been sampled speaking heavily-accented Dutch on the Netherlands' number one hit single, 'Watskeburt? (Wat is er gebeurd? - 'Wha' 'Appened?) by hip-hoppers De Jeugd van Tegenwoordig ('The Youth of Today'). Surreal and rather cool, you can hear the track here.

Sunday, June 12, 2005
On this day:

Warsaw Rising


Warsaw rising
Originally uploaded by MonkeyGone2.
This bullet-scarred building (72-73 ulice Wilcza) is one of the few visible reminders of the events of 1944. The Warsaw Uprising Museum, which opened last July, is an impressive and moving act of remembrance of the tragic attempt to achieve liberation from the Nazis on Poland's terms rather than those of the approaching Red Army. If you are in the city, do not miss it.

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Warsaw rising again


Warsaw rising again
Originally uploaded by MonkeyGone2.
This new shopping centre, next to the hideous central train station, is just one of many new building projects transforming the face of the Polish capital once again.

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Saturday, June 11, 2005
On this day:

Flemish hate update

Good and bad news concerning the Vlaams Belang's attempts to broadcast its message of hate from Rampisham in the UK: Permission has not yet been granted by transmitter owner, the VT Group. In a post on his weblog on June 2nd, Jurgen Verstrepen, the presenter of the programme, 'ZwartofWit' ('Black or White') and member of the Flemish Parliament representing Vlaams Belang, indicated that it could be June 23rd before a decision is taken on whether to allow the show to go out on digital shortwave from the UK. Kudos to Victor S and everyone else who has taken up the fight to stop this from happening. Please keep up the pressure back in Blighty to send a clear message to people in Flanders that there is no place n a civilised society for parties such as Vlaams Belang.
Now to the bad news: Verstrepen's latest post (June 10th) says that ZwartofWit will be broadcast this Sunday on an analogue shortwave band, 13680 KHz (take note frequency jammers) from an as-yet-undecided location somewhere in the former communist bloc. This is in addition to a podcast of the show via his website. The post includes some horrible cant from the far-right politician about how the West used to send broadcasts to Eastern Europe to promote the cause of freedom and now it's the other way round. I don't know whether to laugh or vomit. Let's hope our friends in the East show their love of freedom by giving these hate-mongers the raised middle finger they deserve.

Friday, June 10, 2005
On this day:

The American way

Disco record producer Bobby O (for Orlando) has probably never been compared with Abe Lincoln, John F. Kennedy or Martin Luther King before, and with good reason. But, like those rather more famous countrymen of his, he has come up with one of the greatest moments in the history of US oratory, and one that 51% of thst country's population doubtless hopes the other 49% will take to heart. Take it away, Bobby:
"If I don't give a woman at least five orgasms a night, I feel I've failed not only as a man, but also as an American."

Tuesday, June 07, 2005
On this day:

Kin'ell


Kin'ell
Originally uploaded by MonkeyGone2.
'The Fall' by Kendell Geers (pictured) is certainly an eye-catching work of art. According to the accompanying website, sorrywereclosed.com, the piece "Presents the classical image of 'The Fall' in Contemporary terms". There is also some flannel about the mysterious death of Palais de Justice architect Joseph Poelart and "The dissident vision of artists like Marlowe, Rops or Milton." If this is the kind of thing you have to write to be able to fill a shop window on one of Brussels' toniest streets with a big red neon sign saying 'Fucking Hell", so be it! Enjoy the spectacle at Rue de la Regence, 65a, Brussels until September 1st.

Sunday, June 05, 2005
On this day:

Dust blowing forward and back

On Friday night, myself, Victor S and Stephen Gardner ventured down to Cinema Nova, one of Brussels' hotspots of state-sponsored bohemia, to see a gig by Eugene Chadbourne, Jimmie Carl Black and Pat Thomas. Chadbourne has long been known in alternative circles (the John Peel show, etc) for his quirky take on popular US idioms (blugrass, country, jazz, punk rock), while Black was the drummer in the Mothers of Invention, and his post-Frank output is infused with a Zappa-esque sensibility. British-born keyboard player Pat Thomas, best-known for his collaborations with guitarist Derek Bailey, added an improv twist to the eclectic mix.
Arriving late, we took our seats in the paint-stripped cinema as Chadbourne, Black and Thomas fired into a kooky version of 'The girl from Ipanema' (re-styled 'The girl from Al-Qa-e-da'). At this point, Chadbourne was on electric guitar with Black behind the drums, later the ex-Mother would take the mic, with the guitarist switching to the banjo.
A comprehensive, two-part set included a few (forgettable) original compositions interweaved with a wide mix of covers - from The Dead Kennedys''Nazi punks fuck off' to Jimi Hendrix's 'Long hot summer night'. I found a lot of this rather blah, a tired 80s 'kill yr idols' response to the rock canon, essentially as pointless as Pussy Galore's note-for-note retread of the Stones' 'Exile on Main Street' in 1986.
Where the trio of performers did connect was when they covered Zappa/Beefheart numbers such as Hot rats' and 'The dust blows forward 'n' the dust blows back'. Then, the twisted Midwest bar band vibe seemed just right. Otherwise, it was certainly not a drag, but the question 'what's the point?' was never far from consciousness.

Chadbourne's use of the banjo and the quirky choice of material reminded me of the Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain. Here's a review of one of their shows that I wrote six years ago:

Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain @ Cecil Sharp House, London - June 4 1999

TONIGHT at the HQ of the English Folk Song and Dance Society, the UOGB proved that there’s far more to roots music than the po(lka)-faced asceticism with which it’s usually associated. Formed with the intention, doubtless tongue-in-cheek, of seeing the ukelele accorded the same status as the violin, drum and sax, the Ukes – as they are fondly known – have been giving audiences a good time for the last 13 years with their unique recipe of wildly eclectic music and witty repartee. Finding themselves in reduced circumstances – four of the orchestra are unavailable – doesn’t dampen their spirits, or the quality of the entertainment.
Sitting in a line facing a small but enthusiastic crowd, the four tuxedoed guys and woman in black Capri-pants kick-off with a rendition of the standard, 'Running Wild', followed by a bit of Tchaikovsky and a cover of Catatonia’s 'Road Rage'. Between songs, founder George Hinchcliffe and company engage in a steady stream of comic banter. (Sample gag: What’s the difference between a baritone and a soprano ukulele? A baritone ukulele burns for longer).
Despite the high humour quotient of tracks such as the cod-awful Bill Oddie-penned 'Ironing my goldfish', the UOGB are more than just a comedic turn, as their spelliinding 'Koto track' and Hester Goodman’s genuinely affecting rendition of Lou Reed’s 'Perfect Day' amply demonstrate. Covering a breathtaking range of styles with aplomb, the orchestra’s playfulness is seriously educative, especially when a cover of Bowie’s 'Life on Mars' transmogrifies into the (melodically similar) 'My Way' and 'For once in my life'.
In the tradition of English eccentricity exemplified by the Bonzo Dog Doo-dah Band, the Ukes possess a healthy sense of the ridiculous – from their promo literature advertising the University of Ukulele Studies, to their covers of X-Ray Spex’s 'Oh Bondage! Up Yours!' (from a forthcoming album of punk covers) and 'You make me feel (like a natural woman)' (complete with ludicrous falsetto harmonies).
Resident at Cecil Sharp House – Regent’s Park Road, NW1 – on the first or second Friday of the month, the UOGB like to keep things fresh by introducing guest performers. On this occasion it was Andrew Frank, a ‘tip-top dancer’, whose songs from the shows ('Putting on the Ritz') and of life on stage (the hilarious, 'The night I appeared as Macbeth'), reinforce a sense of the theatrical about proceedings.
An intermission follows, during which the orchestra, as good folk performers are wont, mingle freely with their fans in the bar.
There’s no falling off in quality after the break, if anything, the reverse, as a second dose of Andrew Frank and covers of 'Be-bop-a-lula', Bach, 'I, who have nothing' and 'Should I stay (or should I go)', amongst others, build us up to the inevitable showstopping finale: the theme from 'Dambusters'.
Mixing quantity and quality in equal measure, a two hour-show passes by in a flash. Don’t pass by the chance to see the Ukes: a good time is guaranteed.

ENDS

I'm not sure I would be so enthusiastic about the UOGB today. They are playing on London's South Bank next month, should you wish to try the experience for yourself.

The piss process

Receiving a press release from the World Toilet Organisation titled 'Debut Presentation of World Toilet Expo and Forum In Shanghai Receives the Thumbs Up' is enough to perk-up even the most jaded journalist. When you then learn that this WTO (Mission: To investigate and find out the root cause of dirty toilets and identify key motivations and incentives for good solutions, assume the role of a “Change Agent” to bring social change, accelerate the learning curve by sharing knowledge and mobilise and coordinate both volunteers and organisations) is also planning to hold a World Toilet Summit in Belfast this September, then the mind boggles. According to the WTO website, the Belfast event, "Will be the first major world conference devoted to toilet provision and standards ever held in the West."
One can picture it now: Gerry Adams and the reverend Ian Paisley side-by-side at the urinals, marking the opening of this breakthrough event with a breakthrough of another kind.

Saturday, June 04, 2005
On this day:

Dot to dot

A few years ago, I began keeping a notebook of musical segues based around a common theme or feeling, rather than generic conventions. As I recall, the inspiration for this was reading about the eclectic musical mixes of Grandmaster Flash at the 1970s New York block parties where hip-hop was born; of Frankie Knuckles at The Warehouse in Chicago (birthplace of House); and of David Mancuso at The Loft, the original disco, in early 1970s Manhattan (Do you spot a common thread here?). I have recently relocated this notebook, so here, in all its glory (or otherwise) is the list of connections:

Status Quo - Pictures of matchstick men <> Ol' Dirty Bastard - Hippa to da hoppa <> Lambchop - Garf.

Brecht/Weill - Benares Song <> Guns 'n' Roses - Sweet child o'mine.

Stone Roses - I wanna be adored <> Aneka - Japanese boy.

Prefab Sprout - Cars and girls <> David Bowie - Young Americans.

Petula Clark - Downtown <> Pet Shop Boys - West end girls.

Leviticus - The Burial <> Kwesi - Lovely (Dreem Teem) <> Fugees - Ready or not.

Bjork - Bachelorette <> Scott Walker - The Seventh Seal <> Propaganda - Dr. Mabuse.

Steps - 5,6,7,8 <> Grandmaster Melle Mel and the Furious Five - White lines.

The Verve - Bittersweet symphony > Massive Attack - Unfinished sympathy > Bim Sherman - Bewildered > Kishare Kumar - Chingare koi bhadke > Ennio Morricone - The ecstasy of gold > The Verve - Bittersweet symphony...

Kraftwerk - Antenna <> Nirvana - Serve the servants.

DJ Fresh Trax - 10 B&H <> Splodgnessabounds - Two pints of lager and a packet of crisps please.

Supergrass - Moving <> Bizarre Inc. - Playing with knives.

Manic Street Preachers - A design for life <> The Human League - The dignity of labour (parts one to four).

Smokey Robinson & The Miracles - More, more, more of your love <> Velvet Underground - Waiting for the man.

Kate Bush - Sat in your lap <> Tricky - Aftermath <> Japan - Ghosts

Sterling Holloway (Ka) - Trust in me <> Screaming Jay Hawkins - I put a spell on you <> Phuture Pfantasy Club - Got the bug.

John Coltrane - India > The Byrds - Eight miles high > Orange Juice - Salmon fishing in New York.

Chic - Just out of reach <> Chet Baker - My ideal <> Simple Minds - Someone, somewhere in summertime.

Embrace - Come back to what you know <> Lighthouse Family - High.

Kato - Disco Tech <> The Birthday Party - Mutiny in Heaven.

Judas Priest - Electric eye <> Scanner - Mass observation <> Photek - The hidden camera.

K.C. and the Sunshine Band - Shake your booty > The Tweets - The Birdie Song.

Madness - Embarassment > Pixies - Gigantic > Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band - Orange claw hammer > Van Morrisson - Brown eyed girl.

Associates - waiting for the love boat > Front 242 - Join in the chant.

Creedence Clearwater Revival - Proud Mary <> Van Dyke Parks - Riverboat <> Primal Scream - Rocks.

Elvis Costello - Tokyo storm warning > Robert Wyatt - Blues in Bob minor > The Human League - Being boiled > Roy Budd - Get Carter > Marvin Gaye - "T" plays it cool > The Mighty Upsetter - Enter the dragon.

Scott Walker - Time operator <> Little Feat - Long distance love.

Blondie - Call me > Jimi Tenor - Sugar daddy > Gary Glitter - Do you wanna touch me (oh yeah)? > Oasis - Hello > Young Gods - Did you miss me? > (Add N to X) - King Wasp > Wire - I am the fly > Elastica - Connection.

John Cale - Chinese envoy > Peter Gabriel - Games without frontiers.

Funkadelic - Maggot brain > Neil Young and Crazy Horse - Like a hurricane (Weld) > Liquid - Sweet harmony > Van Morrison - Beside you > The Sons of Light - Land of love.

Yvonne Printemps and Noel Coward - I'll follow my secret heart > Bjork - Hunter.

John Martyn - One world <> Genius/Gza - Cold world.

Massive Attack - Man next door > Company Flow - Last good sleep.

UB40 - One in Ten <> Chumbawamba - Top of the world <> Jah Wobble - I love everyone.
><(Earthling - First Transmission)><

Cornershop - Brimful of Asha > The Modern Lovers - Road runner > Stereolab - Super electric.

The Jaynettes - Sally go round the roses < The Velvet Underground - European son to Delmore Schwarz > Can - Father cannot yell.

The Blackbyrds - Rock Creek Park <> The Fall - In the park.

The Heptones - Party Time > Allen Toussaint - When the party's over.

Jimmy Ruffin - What becomes of the broken hearted? > Scott Walker - The Old Man's back again (Dedicated to the Neo-Stalinist regime) > Shane MacGowan and The Popes - The snake with eyes of garnet.

Martha Reeves and the Vandellas - (You're love is like a) Heatwave > The Byrds - Why.

Bahrainian pearl divers singers - Khatfat-Shra <> Miles Davis - Black satin.

Northend - Tee's happy - Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five - The Message.

Butthole Surfers - Johnny Smoke <> Van Morrison - Madame George <> DJ Shadow - Lost and found.

Blur - Bank holiday > Max Boyce - Ode to Barry Island > Morrissey - Every day is like Sunday.

OMD - This is Helena <> The Champs - Tequila.

Anne Briggs - The recruited collier <> Kate Bush - Army Dreamers.

Miles Davis - Sivad (excerpt) > Sistas with Voices - I'm so into you > Flowered Up - Weekender > Bocca Juniors - Substance.

Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds - People ain't no good <> John Cale - Thoughtless kind.

Barry Adamson feat. Jarvis Cocker - Set the controls for the heart of the bass <> Stone Roses - I am the resurrection <> Magazine - The light pours out of me <> Blue Cheer - I am the light.

Tim Buckley - Moulin Rouge <> Jeff Buckley - Je n'en connais pas le fin.

Alabama 3 - Hypo full of love <> Parliament - P. Funk (wants to get funked up).

The Beatles - She's leaving home <> The Raincoats - Family treet.

Blur - Song 2 <> Smokey Robinson and the Miracles - Going to a go-go.

Ben E. King - Stand by me <> Jimi Hendrix Experience - If six was nine.

Four Tops - Still water (love) <> The Housemartins - Caravan of love <> Keith Hudson - Depth charge.

The Verve - Sonnet > Geaorge Michael/Astrud Gilberto - Desafinado > Sam Cooke - Wonderful world > Grace Jones - I'm not perfect (but I'm perfect for you).

Pulp - Mis-shapes <> Smoke City - Underwater love <> The Byrds - Everybody's been burned.

Beloved - Hello > The Clash - White man (in the Hammersmith Palais) > The White Noise - My game of loving > The Associates - Q Quarters > Morrissey - Interesting drug > Body Lotion - Ik wil hakke! > John Lennon/Yoko Ono - Toilet piece.

Thursday, June 02, 2005
On this day:

The slow death of Sorbian

Trawling through Technorati, I was pleased to discover this interesting insight into Sorbian-German relations in Lusatia. With just 70,000 speakers, this Slavic language, most closely related to Polish, is near the point of no return for a living tongue. Within a couple of generations expect it to be the preserve of small groups of enthusiasts, in the same way that Walloon is in Belgium. As my friend, David Ferguson, has said by way of explanation for Esperanto's failure to become the modern-day lingua franca, a language without a state to support it is fighting an uphill battle. Sorbian, like Esperanto, needs an army.

Wednesday, June 01, 2005
On this day:

Wonderfully simple

Illustrating the power of the blogosphere to take a simple, but ingenious idea to absurdly brilliant lengths: Post Secret.

Known pleasures

Am I the only person who thinks the much-touted Bloc Party sound like Coldplay at an early eighties alternative disco? Too comfortable by half.

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