Listen up...

Time for a few more tracks currently getting a spin at Hearing Aid Mansions and this week's selection's a real kick in the teeth for anyone who keeps trotting out all that guff about how music was "better in my day". With the exception of the mighty, mighty Classix Nouveaux that's complete cobblers of course. Check this out...and yes, it is the scary bald man singing all the high bits too.



Anyway, back to the future. First up, The Cast Of Cheers. Sadly there's no Frasier Crane in the line up, instead you've got one glorious mash up of Battles, first album era Foals and a little early XTC (one for all the granddads out there). Top marks for the simple (but no doubt monumentally time consuming) vid too.



Next up, the new sound of Scotland, Django Django. With bits that sound like a robot having an epileptic fit, bits that sound like the Kings of Leon having a warm up and the kind of catchiness that should frankly be illegal (you'll have kids gathering in parks listening to this rather than downing gallons of White Lightening, you mark my words) it's as good a reason as any for stopping the devolution.



Manchester's We Have Band have been floating around for a while now(makes them sound like pooh...they're not...honest)but with new single Where Are Your People coming off like Depeche Mode getting it on with Bronski Beat I reckon their time has come brothers and sisters.



I've only just come across this one, Trogons...Contina, it's been out a few months but given its distinctly '60's vibe (shades of the B52's too) I guess timing ain't an issue right?



Last up, The Phenomenal Handclap Band with their particular brand of twisted disco.Studio 54 meets Sun Ra...sort of.



PS: Just in case you're the only person who hasn't seen this Ferris Bueller teaser yet relax, it seems as though it's just going to be a commercial or something super lame like that. Arse.



I reckon the world really needs Ferris Bueller's Next Day Off though. Can't you just see Ferris with two ex wives, five kids and a prostate problem desperate to escape some some dead end office job? Hmmmm...just me then. Oh well we'll always have the original...

Pete Williams...Dexys, Loves and Rock n' Roll

My hood, Bearwood, has been home to more than its fair share of celebrities, from Julie Walters to Fleetwood Mac’s Christine McVie…in fact the entire band can often be found arguing over the last pots of yoghurt – three for £1 – in Heron Foods to this very day. That’s why they keep falling out. Fact. Anyway, one Bearwood name we’re all about to see (and hear) a lot more of over the coming year is Mr Pete Williams, original bassist with the…and for once I'm not exaggerating…legendary Dexys Midnight Runners, who’s not only been recording the band’s first new album in a quarter of a century or so but has also just released his debut solo long player (long player…hey how old school am I eh?). And it’s really rather special. I was quite frankly delighted beyond belief therefore when he agreed to give an exclusive (well, pretty exclusive…it's also appeared on We Love Bearwood too) interview! So settle down, pour yourself a cup of something (tea, coffee, meths…the choice is yours):

(1) Hi Pete,your new album comes out very soon. What’s it called and when’s the release date?

It’s called “SEE” and was officially released on the 8/1/12. (EDIT: you can get it on iTunes...here)

(2) How would you describe the album?

“A smorgasbord chaffinch of great bustard proportions, catering for those choughs of a particular arctic skua or cormorant frame of mind.” Chuck Paudermilch (Upper Gornal Pigeon fanciers and bantam breeders Gazette). So say the Press, and who’d argue with them eh?...It’s quite a personal record, my take on where I am now as a Black Country father, looking back and moving forwards, referencing places I’ve been and stuff that I’ve been through, accepting that I’m now in my fifties, learning to reach out and accept the things that bring me joy.

(3) I love the track ‘Reconsider This’. What are your favourite songs from the album and why?

Thanks for saying so, it’s hard to say, some of these songs have been with me in one form or another for many years, I do like “Are You Listening?” There’s a very light feel on it, which underlies the subject matter of my sometimes turbulent relationship with my Dad. It features trombone, clarinet and banjo with the rhythm section swinging sweet and hard! Very happy with “Black” a quick look back at my time living and starving in Santa Monica and East L.A. Richard Hawley’s guitar on this is razor sharp. My long time mate and collaborator Fred Skidmore plays overdriven Hammond organ on “Until We Empty Off This Bottle” like Ben Hur controlling his chariot.

(4) This is your debut solo release, why have you waited until now to record and release it?

Actually I released the 3 track ‘Black’ E.P. in 2005 after Mark Lamarr asked me to send him some of my music, the demo was played on Jonathan Ross’ Radio 2 show for 3 weeks running, his producer mailed me after show 2 and advised me to get a web presence quick (!) because “loads of people want to know how to get the track”. But as for SEE Dean Beresford, my drummer, suggested we visit Axis Studios in Sheffield, he had got to know Mike Timm (who produced and engineered this record ) during his work in Richard Hawley’s band.(Mike is the Live sound engineer for Richard). As soon as I met Mike I knew we would get on, he had an agile, open and experimental mind and shared our vision of the kind of record we wanted to make, he had the ideal studio space (a large oak paneled live room) and ultimately delivered it. Things then just started to fall into place, I grew to really like Sheffield and the people that I met ,they have a very understated honesty and warmth that the best Black Country people have, there’s a similar industrial past and like here, there’s no shortage of hills. I’ve been very lucky and feel extremely thankful and proud of all my friends that have helped me realise ‘SEE’.

(5) Has the current state of the music industry made it easier or harder for you to make your album?

Once we started this CD, nothing was going to stand in our way. Obviously it’s had to have been paid for, and that (through sales) has to be squared. Thankfully we managed to source the initial finances “close to home”. The “major” labels are being eaten up or merged and sold and I haven’t approached any of them with ‘SEE’. It would be good to have had a team of radio and TV pluggers, people to manage my website and online presence 24/7, competent and accurate physical and digital distribution, Art dept and all the rest that a label is supposed to provide. But in all my years having been signed to E.M.I., Warners and Island, in my experience they usually royally balls things up. I’m not saying there aren’t good people with real vision who work in the music Industry just that I haven’t met many, I have met quite a few A&R (pronounced Um and Aah?) men and industry execs who have told me candidly that they don’t really care for music, but quite like the lifestyle. It’s a different process now and the Internet and Digital distribution have changed so much, for so many. There’s so much “out there” and available which can be both a blessing and a curse. Social networking and promotion using Tweets, Facebook, You Tube and Blogs like this can’t be overlooked and are powerful promotion tools, giving fans a chance to be close to artists and bands and vice-versa.

(6) Your album launch is at the Glee Club on 21st February, what can we expect from the gig and do you prefer playing live or being in the recording studio?

I’m looking forward to our run of shows at the end of February, I’m confident these will be the best I’ve ever done. The rehearsals so far sound fantastic, it’s great to have the rocksteady Rhythm twins of Al Gare (Imelda May band) and Dean Beresford (Richard Hawley band) in the engine room driving the whole thing. I’ve played music with Fred Skidmore for close to 20 years and he just gets more exciting, expressive and surprising as a player. I’m also over the moon that Shez Sheridan (Hawley band) and Paul Taylor (Snowboy and Roberto Pla) are with us. I couldn’t wish for better personnel. I don’t want to give too much away or talk anything up but this is going to be a powerful, intimate show. I’ve always loved the recording process, witnessing a track grow. As bassist in Dexys and The Bureau, myself and Stoker (Andy Growcott, Drums) were first to record, before anything else was added the Bass and Drum rhythm track has to be ‘nailed’ if there’s a lacklustre feel there it’s not going to happen. The old adage “you can’t polish a turd” is still true, though in this age of autotune and sophisticated digital FX it’s becoming possible. Overall I prefer playing live.

(7) What was your favourite album or artist from 2011?

I saw this bloke at a great little venue The Hideout at Wishaw this summer www.darrenhanlon.com/ also a few months ago at a pretty empty Yardbird I saw this bloke (now being talked up) michaelkiwanuka.com/ a really lovely bloke who I chatted with after his set, great songs, he shows real promise. I’m a big Tom Waits fan and his album ‘Bad As Me’ is very good, also ‘Under Branches High’ the debut by these www.nativeandthename.com/ comes highly recommended. My friend Imelda May very kindly asked us to open for her at Nottingham Rock City and She and her band turned in an outstanding performance, they just go from strength to strength.

(8) Who or what are your musical influences?

Too many and varied to mention but here’s some in no particular order: Bowie, Jacques Brel, Lotte Lenya and Brecht/Weill, John Steinbeck, Knut Hamsun, Jacques Tati, Ludwig Van, Marvin Gaye, Stevie Wonder, Bob Marley, Augustus Pablo,Wes Montgomery, Nina Simone, Federico Fellinni, Willem De Kooning, Holman Hunt, Millais, Arvo Part, Charles Mingus, Gyorgy Ligeti, Laurel and Hardy, Elvis…

(9) Of course you began your career with Dexys Midnight Runners and I believe there’s a new album coming out soon. Is there anything you can tell us about it? What was it like recording with Kevin Rowland again?

Well we recorded together in 2003, Manhood and My Life in England (Mike Hedges produced). Prior to The ‘To Stop the Burning’ tour. But, yes, it’s true there is going to be a new Dexys album released this year. It features meself, Kevin Rowland and Mick Talbot along with some amazing players including Jim Paterson, Neil Hubbard and Lucy Morgan, meticulous in its planning and execution, recorded during 2011, these are very personal powerful songs. Kev’s in fine voice and form and its always a pleasure working with my old mate Mick, All I can say is that you won’t be disappointed, there isn’t a record remotely like this around today.

(10) What do you hope 2012 will bring for you?

Fulfillingness’ first finale.

PS: A slightly longer version of this interview appears on We Love Bearwood.

PPS: Pete Williams plays The Glee Club on the 21st February. Tickets here.

PPPS: It's unmissable.

M83 / Porcelain Raft @ HMV Institute, Saturday 21st January 2012

It’s all a bit Eurovision tonight with headliners M83 hailing from la belle France and support, Porcelain Raft, originally from Italia. Ciao bella! All we need is a cross dressing Latvian and a Danish heavy metal band and we’d be sorted...whoops, there I go airing my private fantasies again...



Ahem. Anyway, first up the rather lovely sounds of Italian composer Mauro Remiddi, now trading as Porcelain Raft. With Mauro on keyboards, sampler, other electronic gizmos and guitar backed with a guy on drums it’s a pretty simple set up, but together they’re capable of creating some truly dreamy moments with Mauro’s accented falsetto and fine collection of effects pedals being a particularly impressive mix. Veering from the swirling sonics of the Cocteau Twins through to the jangly indie guitar of The Smiths and onto thrashier sounds (vague echoes of the Jesus and Mary Chain in places) the ‘80’s are clearly an influence but Mauro neatly updates it with a fresh twist of electronica. Beneath it all though is proper emotion with both Put Me To Sleep and Tip Of My Tongue (charmingly pronounced “teeeep of my tongue”) really capturing what it is that makes this particular Raft something that we could all do with clinging on to in these troubled times. As beautiful as their name suggests.



M83 have also been soothing furrowed brows for years now with 2008’s Kim and Jessie becoming a firm favourite on my own personal ‘chill the hell out’ playlist. I’d kind of neatly pigeonholed them as fine purveyors of dream pop with a bit of a kick but, whilst their set had its fair share of heart melting moments, they were clearly in the mood for a bit of a party...actually make that a rave. Yep, who’d have thought it (not me, that’s for certain) but the live M83 show has real teeth...and I’m not just talking about that weird fox / alien creature that wandered on at the start of the show (what the hell is that?! scared the bejesus out of me...). Even more recent stuff like Midnight City (featuring an awesome sax solo this evening) felt like it’d been in the gym for a while and beefed itself up. Maybe it’s the new double album, Hurry up, We’re Dreaming, that’s given the band the confidence to go out there and really blow the place apart but whoever or whatever’s responsible for the added ‘va va voom’ this current touring incarnation seems a world apart from their more shoegazey early days. And I like it that way. Take We Own The Sky as another example. The subtly speeded up live version sounded like it’s got a rocket up its bum compared with the original, prompting one of the many outbreaks of hands in the air bouncing up and down euphoria amongst the sell out crowd. On top of the musical tweaking Morgan Kibby’s vocals on this and many other tracks undoubtedly play a big role in making the live show something special too. Swiftly moving from sweet n’gentle whispering to full on larynx shredding she’s the perfect foil for Anthony’s more subtle instrument. Set highlight and current single Reunion became one glorious sing along this evening, the kind of truly anthemic moment that Coldplay would sell their souls for, and if I’d had a glow stick (thankfully for all concerned I didn’t), I’d have been waving it in the air like a nut job. Not sure what the last number of the encore was called but it wouldn’t have been out of place on a Justified Ancients of Mu Mu/KLF album. A suitably lively ending for an unexpectedly euphoric show. Quelle surprise!

Fierce Festival 2011 – Felix and the Machine(s)

Felix's Machines from Felix Thorn on Vimeo.

April sees another Fierce Festival in Birmingham and one thing that’s already caught my eye/ear is the frankly magical Felix’s Machines, music making sculptures straight out of some kind of dreamy fairy tale. Just beautiful. Isn’t this one of the most amazing music related videos you’ve seen in a while? Felix and his machines can be seen at the Birmingham Symphony Hall on Saturday 7th April as part of its 21st birthday celebrations. Awww bless, will there be cake? And goody bags? And pass the parcel? Awwww go on. Anyway, the Fierce Festival itself runs from 28th March – 8th April. Details here.

PS: Sad news about the cancellation (and end of?) The Big Chill Festival. I only made it to three of them (one pre takeover by Festival Republic and two after) but thoroughly enjoyed them all...even if the 2011 bill was perhaps geared to a more commercial market. Shame though...perhaps the era of the big festivals is slowly coming to an end? What’ll they do with all those portaloos eh? Make nice homes for first time buyers perhaps?

Meet Team Me

Only just come across this band and track but loving it/them more than Fray Bentos steak and kidney pies. Now that's real love. Team Me is a Norwegian 6 piece that make the kind of life affirming epic pop that I reckon you need in your life right now. That's a massive assumption of course...you could be perfectly happy listening to JLS. Good for you...

Peace of the action

Great to see Birmingham band Peace getting some respect in what's left of the mainstream music press with a Guardian New Band Of The Day slot and a listing in the NME's top 100 bands of 2012 (as if such things really matter nowadays but still, it's good and all that). There's not a huge amount of stuff out there by them yet but you can get a decent idea of their sound with last year's BBLOOD. BBrilliant.

Maybe it's just me but it's getting harder and harder to avoid drowning in the deluge of new bands, new music, new mixes...I reckon Warhol got it wrong...in the future everyone will be in a band for 15 minutes. Personally I fancy being in a 47 piece all girl funk group that lives in a converted bus in Las Vegas and plays for wealthy business men who shower them with gold (no, not golden showers, that's a different kettle of pee). I can't play, dance, sing or do anything of much use for that matter...and I'm not technically a girl...but I do have a silly moustache, that's got to count for something right? Anyway...Peace...great band, go listen.

SXSW 2012

I've never been to South By Southwest (SXSW)...seemingly the most exciting new music showcase on this or any other planet...but maybe one year eh? If anyone should fancy paying me huge amounts to cover the thing you know where I am. Actually I'd accept small amounts. Scrap that, just get me over there, find me a dumpster to kip in, throw in a bottle of Jack Daniels and a hot dawg or two and we'll call it quits okay? Judging by the videos being uploaded by the organisers there's the usual winning mix of the brilliant and the bonkers, cop a look for yourself at the SXSW Yoo Toob channel.

Here's just a couple that leapt out, first off some Danish art prog from Thulebasen...



...and how's about this then from a freshly re-animated VHS or Beta. That's a nasty case of thrush (1 minute 18 seconds in) you've got there young lady...



PS: All offers of a fully expenses paid trip to SXSW to thehearingaid@googlemail.com

Wanna be Sartain something...

Yep, Hearing Aid favourite Dan Sartain's back with a brand new album, Too Tough To Live, and it's all a bit of a departure really, being head bangingly, spit in the eye, hammer a knitting needle through your head punkier than most of his previous stuff. With few tracks making it past the two minute mark there's no excess fat or piffle here, just Ramones-tastic bounce up and down loveliness. As an added bonus he's looked up (not literally...that's his gynaecologist brother, Jim Sartain's job) ex Go-Gos member Jane Wieldin to duet with. Suitably enough, today being Friday, there's also a neat little ditty called Fuck Friday too. Here's a live version from his 2011 UK tour...possibly recorded on a Friday. Hell yeah!



Too Tough To Live is out on One Little Indian on 30th January