Monster Zero

Kind of a last minute decision to go as I'd forgotten about it and got tickets no longer required, drove down and back same day but very worth it. Aidan Moffat was OK, similar set to Inverness with Mogwai and not really a great warm up, think he should have had a few more pints on Nice 'N' Sleazy's beforehand where he was spotted. Shellac were great, weird stage set up with Todd Trainer right at the front between Albini and Weston, tight as a gnat's chuff and they are far funnier and have far more banter than their reputation sometimes suggests. Great versions of 'My Black Ass', 'Squirrel Song' (even though largely instrumental), 'Steady As She Goes', 'Prayer to God', 'Wingwalker', 'Dog and Pony Show' and 'End of Radio' stand out in the memory, although I'd envisaged the latter being played first for some reason...no 'The Admiral' though....and no time to stay back and get a T shirt off them on the stage, took advantage of the 10 o' clock finish to scoot up the road...been a long tired day at work today....

'Wanted', which was ridiculous but also kind of fun, much as for 'Shoot 'Em Up'. Also watched 'Bottle Rocket' after picking it up on Amazon cheap, thanks to all who recommended it, great film. So 'Royal Tenenbaums' is definitely the only Wes Anderson film I dislike!

Yes, it is easy to sit on the fence and be critical, it's called freedom of thought, you should try it sometime. Why do I have to commit fully one way or the other? I never said I was 'into their message', I don't actually feel that they had any particular message, they just read some highbrow literature that made too many people think they had some sort of depth, a berk who cut himself up to prove how earnest he was (but of course was pretty enough to have the girlies falling over themselves) and came up with ridiculous statements of intent that they never really lived up to in the end. Oh and Nicky Wire in a dress - girls always seem to like men who could pass as women in a dress. Put it this way, if their first and only album had been the 'Holy Bible' album then I think they would have lived up to what they promised, much as PERSONALLY I feel that album is overrated. I think you are getting a tad more upset than I am, I'm just defending my right to state I think they are overrated.

I see. That statement kind of has to be from a viewpoint of someone who thinks they are something special though does it not? You could apply that to any band really.

Meaning what?

So the lesson is, if you are going to pick your bands you think are overrated, don't mention the Manics because some people are too precious about a band that became so mediocre after 4 albums and have to find excuses for them. I was there when they started out, it didn't appear very tongue in cheek, they were full of shit and pretty much a joke to a lot of people. They then became slightly less ridiculous before turning into a dad rock band, which seemed to go against their whole ethos. But of course this is my opinion if people want to worship them so be it....

The first 'Saw' film was excellent, the second not very good and teh third was painful to watch. Watched 'Iron Man' the other night, excellent, RD Jr is very good in it. Had a repeat viewing of 'The Departed' last night, gets better every time.

I'm not talking about the change in musical style from Nirvana, Foo Fighters still make the occasional OK song, and the thought of them trying to duplicate Nirvana is horrific. It's more the insincere twaddle he spouts at gigs nowadays, it's the same patter no matter the location I always thought he would be a bit more spontaneous and genuine than that.

Well their biggest one would be the fact they said they would split after their first album.

Stone Temple Pilots - too often derided as Pearl Jam clones due to similar vocal style, their first 2 albums however are far better than shite like No Code....good shout on Soundgarden being in the shadow of Nirvana - see also Screaming Trees on that front....

I pick up loads of 2nd hand goodies off Amazon cheap as chips. And One-Up veers between some great bargains and unbelievably over-priced rip offs considering it's 2nd hand. I looked at that Oxfam shop, total rip off was my consensus. Avalanche on Cockburn St in Edinburgh has led to a very heavy bag on the return journey on many an occasion....

Smashing Pumpkins - a couple of OK songs but I just don't get it. Foo Fighters - First couple of albums were good but Dave Grohl has turned into someone I never thought he would when he was in Nirvana. The Killers - Half the first album was good, the rest was pish and that has continued. Tool - I don't get it. Babyshambles - if it wasn't Pete Doherty's band this amateurish sounding cack would never be released. Franz Ferdinand - 1 or 2 good songs then just shite. Manic Street Preachers - basically sold out on all their own principles after 3 albums, everything since 'Everything Must Go' has been largely pointless, even that was going downhill but it does have more good tunes than bad.

I'm signed up to Seetickets.com mailing list and got the pre-sale link yesterday and got 2 tickets with little hassle. Had one tense moment when the first attempt at purchase didn't go through but second attempt worked OK.

This idea that if a gig isn't busy it's all the support act's fault is ludicrous - do promoters turn around to the headline act and say 'sorry I totally misjudged how few people would want to see you and so I can't pay you'? - course not, that would be admitting their own fallibility. If they have taken on the resposibility of deciding a band is worth booking it's their responsibility how many people do or don't turn up. A support band should try and drum up interest of course, but if their mates aren't interested in going it's not their fault.

Although the music at times was OK, it was comical how little effort they made to at least look like GnR - the fat bald guy who I think was 'Slash' took the biscuit for me. At least the drummer had the bleached blond long hair. Looked about 60 like but still....I wouldn't go back to see them I don't think.

Great film, I bought it recently in a cheap as chips Arnie binge along with T2 & 3 and Commando...Commando however is worse than I remembered!

Just ordered my 2 tickets...will be great never seen them before

I can't put my finger on why I disliked 'Royal Tenenbaums' so much, I think the presence of Gwyneth Paltrow, Danny Glover and Ben Stiller doing 'quirky' put me off....'Bottle Rocket' has now been ordered for a few quid on Amazon Over the past couple of days I have watched 'There Will Be Blood' and 'Treasure of the Sierra Madre', both fine films. I bought 'Judge Dredd' in Asda for a couple of quid the other week to see if it was as bad as I remembered...it isn't that bad compared to some of the shit that has come out since!

On Saturday I watched Ben Hur, pretty good. Yesterday afternoon I watched Rushmore, also good. Royal Tenenbaums appears to be the only Wes Anderson film i've seen that I really didn't like.

Great film and soundtrack, I have the CD

Grails ~ Take Refuge in Clean Living Was (Not Was) ~ Out Come the Freaks Wall of Voodoo ~ Call of the West

The film was OK but that performance kind of annoyed me as it just seemed like a copy of Ben Kingsley, except not nearly as good.

I had 2 male rats a couple of years back and while they generally didn't piss on floors etc once they had grown up, they did piss on me and my other half every time we handled them. It's apparently a sign of affection as they are marking you as theirs, but it's pretty hinging to be honest. Having said that they were good pets....

I mistakenly left an 18" Paiste Crash cymbal in Tunnels 2 after the 1864 in Art gig with Flatlands, Ablach and Kaddish, don't suppose any kind and honest soul has it?

Helmet ~ Betty Mudhoney ~ Since We've Become Translucent David Bowie ~ Young Americans Elvis Costello and the Attractions ~ This Year's Model/Armed Forces Grails ~ Doomsdayer's Holiday Au Pairs ~ Stepping Out Of Line Anthology