This Slipped Past Me!!!! 1 YEAR ANNIVERSARY OF THIS BLOG!!!!

I must really be out there and not realising that on January 20, this blog celebrated it's one year anniversary. Thank you to all of my readers who have been checking this blog daily and enjoying the things that I put in here. This blog will continue and I hope that you will continue reading and commenting. Thank you once again!!!

Always Alternative,

Edwin

Esto si se me escapo. Realmente si mi mente esta en tantas cosas que se me paso el primer aniversario de este blog que cumplio el 20 de enero. Muchas gracias a todos ustedes que han estado pendientes de este blog y las cosas que pongo aqui. Esta pagina seguira adelante y espero que ustedes sigan leyendo y comentando. Gracias de nuevo.

Always Alternative,

Edwin

ALBUM TO HEAR BEFORE YOU LEAVE THIS WORLD: ECHO & THE BUNNYMEN - PORCUPINE (1983)

This album split critical and fan opinion. Maybe, because of the troubled birth of the album and the thinking behind it. The band had found 1981's Heaven Up Here a breeze to write. Their third album was anything but. It was preceded by a period of writer's block.
Porcupine represented vocalist Ian McCulloch's most autobiographical writing and and it shyed many away with it's sharp lyrics, including their label WEA, who deemed it insufficiently commercial. Strangely, the band agreed and went back into the studio to use the first version as the springboard for a second try.
The first single, "The Back of Love" spoke perfectly the feelings of awe and otherness that only Echo & the Bunnymen seemed able to conjure.
Indian violinst Ravi Shankar recorded a sitar led intro and chorus to the second single "The Cutter" though it was against the wishes of the band. Manager Bill Drummond provides a trumpet section into the song. Despite their anger, they agreed that it impoved the song.
There is no easy listening to this album with McCulloch's isolationism and operatic delivery were little softened by the production and the Eastern sounds. But with repeated listens, one is fully rewarded with this truly fantastic album.



Personnel

Ian McCulloch – vocals, guitar
Will Sergeant – lead guitar
Les Pattinson – bass
Pete de Freitas – drums
Shankar – strings
Ian Broudie – producer
Dave Bascombe – engineer
Paul Cobald – engineer
Colin Fairley – engineer
Dave Woolley – engineer
Steve Short – engineer
Steve Presige – engineer
Brian Griffin – photography
Martyn Atkins – cover design

Release Date

February 4, 1983

Tracklisting

1. The Cutter

2. The Back of Love

3. My White Devil

4. Clay

5. Porcupine

6. Heads Will Roll

7. Ripeness

8. Higher Hell

9. Gods Will be Gods

10. In Bluer Skies

LUSH Remembered, Respected and Loved

This is the cover story Melody Maker magazine did on Lush on February 17, 1990. (click on the images to read the full story)

Alias R.E.M.

From their early days on the Athens, Georgia club scene through their more recent adventures as honest to goodness rock stars, the members of R.E.M. - both individually and collectively- have always found time to engage in a variety of extracurricular activities and pseudonymous projects of varying degrees of seriousness. This and future entries will take a look at them. Here's the first one:

1066 Gaggle O' Sound. In May 1981 frontman Michael Stipe used this name for a one-off one-man show he performed in Athens' 40 Watt Club. The set consisted of nonmusician Stipe making improvised sounds on an ols farfisa organ against prerecorded backing tracks, while photo slides were projected on stage. The show, incidentally, also marked the debut preformance of Athen' Oh-OK, which included stipe's sister, Linda and future Magnapop leader Linda Hopper.

Movies With Alt-Rockers in Acting Roles

Americathon (1979)

This juvenile political satire marked the film debut of Elvis Costello, who performs, "Crawling to the U.S.A."

R.E.M. Firsts

First Van: A green 1975 Dodge Tradesman, purchased for $1250.

Today In Alternative Music History: January 31, 2005

The Edge takes Ireland's Sunday World newspaper to court over its naming a seriously ill relative in an article about U2 postponing the start of its tour. The Edge gets a temporary injunction keeping the tabloid from printing the relative’s name again.

Today In Alternative Music History: January 31, 2008

The Pretenders frontwoman Chrissie Hynde participates in a PETA demonstation in New York. The animal-rights organization is protesting the use of horse-drawn carriages in the city. "I love horses and hate seeing them reduced to beasts of burden," says Hynde.

Born On This Day: John Lydon (a.k.a. Johnny Rotten), January 31, 1956

The vocalist for the Sex Pistols and Public Image Ltd. was born in London, England. Happy Birthday Johnny!

The Discreet Charm of Morrissey

"That's why I do this music business thing, it's communication with people without having the extreme inconvenience of actually phoning anybody up."

Phrase of The Day

In archaeology you uncover the unknown. In diplomacy you cover the known.

Thomas Pickering (1931 - )

SUNDAY'S TOP 5: JANUARY 31, 2010

MY TOP 5 ALBUMS FOR THIS LAST SUNDAY OF JANUARY ARE:

1. JOSH ROUSE - EL TURISTA

2. THE SUNSHINE UNDERGROUND - NOBODYS COMING TO SAVE YOU

3. CLASS ACTRESS - JOURNAL OF ARDENCY (EP)

4. SURFER BLOOD - ASTRO COAST

5. SUEDE - COMING UP

Phrase of the Day

Stress is an ignorant state. It believes that everything is an emergency. Nothing is that important.

Natalie Goldberg

Wrestle Quotes

"Whether you like it or not, learn to love it, because its the best thing going today. Wooooo!"

- Ric Flair

Born on This Day: Tommy Ramone, January 29, 1952

The ex-drummer of the Ramones has a birthday today! Tommy Ramone is born with the name Tamás Erdélyi in Budapest Hungary. He grows up in Queens, New York. Prior to the Ramones, the drummer is a studio intern for the production of the Jimi Hendrix album “Band Of Gypsys.” He's the group's manager before becoming a band member.

Today In Alternative Music History: January 26, 1977

The Clash sign a six-album deal with CBS Records.

Phrase of the Day

It is better to know some of the questions than all of the answers.
James Thurber (1894 - 1961)

Wrestle Quotes

"You sit there and you thump your bible, and you say your prayers, and it didn't get you anywhere! Talk about your psalms, talk about John 3:16 ... Austin 3:16 says I just whipped your ass!"
-Stone Cold Steve Austin

Today In Alternative Music History: January 24, 1979

The Clash debut with their single in the U.S., "I Fought The Law."

The Discreet Charm of Morrissey

"I feel like a complete imposter, a trespasser. I'm trespassing here tonight. I expect to be escorted off the premises."

SUNDAY'S TOP 5: JANUARY 24, 2010

MY TOP 5 ALBUMS FOR THIS SUNDAY ARE:

1. THE HOT RATS - TURN ONS

2. OCEAN COLOUR SCENE - SATURDAY

3. LHASA - LHASA

4. DELPHIC - ACOLYTE

5. THE JAM - IN THE CITY

Born On this Day: Robert Palmer, January 19, 1949

Today would have been Robert's 61st birthday. Robert was a successful solo artist and singer for The Power Station. He was born in Batley, Yorkshire, England.

An Apology

Dear Readers,

I must apologize for the lack of entries in the last few weeks in this Blog. I have been quite busy with personal things that have kept me from working on this web page. Things will be back to normal soon

Always Alternative,

Edwin

Born on This Day: Zack de la Rocha, January 12, 1970

The singer and lyricist for Rage Against The Machine turns 40 today. He was born in Long Beach, California.

Born on this Day: Kathy Valentine, January 7, 1959

The bass player for the Go-Go's has a birthday today. Kathy was born in Austin, Texas.

Today In Alternative Music History: January 6, 1977

EMI Records drop the Sex Pistols after only three months. The band’s “aggressive behavior” is cited as one of the reasons.

Born on this Day: Alex Turner, January 6, 1986

The lead singer and guitarist of Arctic Monkeys has a birthday today. Alex was born in Sheffield, England.

Quote of the Day

If we take care of the moments, the years will take care of themselves.

Maria Edgeworth, O Magazine, April 2004

Born On This Day: Chris Stein, January 5, 1950

The guitarist for Blondie was born in Brooklyn, New York today.

Phrase of the Day

Confusion is always the most honest response.

Marty Indik

Born on This Day: Michael Stipe, January 4, 196o

The lead singer for R.E.M. has a birthday today. John Michael Stipe was born in Decatur, Georgia.