Dead Whingers Society

Originally published on SoundsXP, 4th May, 2005 Scene 13 – The Rector’s Office, St Xenolith the Pure, Boarding School of Music THE RECTOR IS SEATED IN A LEATHER CHAIR BEHIND A GIANT MAHOGANY DESK. ENTER THE DEPUTY, A TROUBLED LOOK UPON HIS FACE. THE RECTOR PEERS OVER HIS SPECTACLES AT HIM, AS THE DEPUTY ADVANCES […]

Pointless Nostalgia: Patrick Hernandez

When Jim Carroll posted details about the latest round of Electric Picnic acts on his blog, one reader was so bewildered by the inclusion of Kid Creole & the Coconuts that they replied, “Kid Creole !!?? Mother of God! Anybody for Patrick Hernandez?” Now there would have been a reason for me to go without […]

Windy & Wild

(One Foot In The) Grave News

40 years ago today, this rather brilliant piece of music was No.1 in the UK charts. Coincidentally, my poor mum was enduring an experience she said she “wouldn’t wish on anyone” – namely, giving birth to me. I think I’m correct in saying she hasn’t had too much cause to regret it since, despite consistent exam […]

“Sure, we understand irony…”

“..it’s like rain on your wedding day, right? Or a free ride when you’ve already paid. ”

Good Old American Indie-Dependence

There’s a huge underground hype-machine winging its way to Whelan’s later this year, if whispers whizzing around hip musical circles are to be believed. A new North American 5 or 6 piece are pencilled in to be the new ‘thing’ for the entire month of November. From Baltimore or Brooklyn, or maybe it’s Canada, they’re said […]

Sloppy, Ploppy Nizlopi

I just accidentally heard a song by Nizlopi as I was trying to find something else on the wireless. I had to double check, though; as I find myself saying more and more often the older I get, I thought they were dead. But, no, I just looked them up and apparently they had an […]

“Time is of the essence, get your ears to the ground…”

Best. Pop. Star. Ever.

I’ve Not Been Sleeping Well…

…so I ended up having a really silly dream. I obviously read too many papers, spend too much time reading worrying stories online and then spend hours processing this information (poorly) inside my head. So, the dream. Basically, they (by which I mean, “boffins”) invented a new, giant telescope to investigate the so-called ‘Space Blob’ . […]

National Treasures. Or Not.

For any Irish band, dipping their toe into the murky, uncharted waters of music criticism beyond these shores can be quite telling. No matter how an act styles itself, unless they have crafted their sound and image entirely within the confines of their own imaginations, they’re almost certainly going to sound derivative. Most Irish bands […]