Category Archives: music

live europaturnén mcmxcvii 2

live in Köln

In case you missed this live Pavement LP sold on Record Store Day, I got you. And here‘s the one that came with last year’s pre-order.

live europaturnen mcmxcvii

years after the event (john and yoko august 1970)

august photo

Hiding out in Black Montague. Sending good wishes to the world. Photograph: Ethan A. Russell.

august 1970

august detail

I don’t have much in the way of “In My Life” outtakes but here are a few. And as long as we are on Rubber Soul outtakes, here’s twenty minutes of Paul and John being completely obnoxious while recording vocals for “Think For Yourself.”

cute band alert

Talking Heads.

years after the event (john and yoko july 1970)

july photo

“Smile” Yoko’s film Number ‘5’ sending John’s smile to the whole world. Photograph: John Reader.

july 1970

july detail

Here‘s Lennon covering a line of Curtis Mayfield’s “People Get Ready” before seguing into his own “How.”

vintage jam (one-off edition)

This was some hot stuff just over a decade ago: a one-off Daft Punk side project single that went by the ultracamp name Stardust. This track was a hit, particularly in the UK where it went to number two in the charts. (Yes, kids, this kind of goofball shit was at one time taken seriously.) To my knowledge, Stardust went out on top and thankfully didn’t throw together a quicky LP to capitalize on their single song success.

nine eight shit

years after the event (john and yoko june 1970)

june photo

“You Are Here” a show for Yoko from John. and you are still here and you were there and. “gallery show at Robert Frazer” Photograph: Associated Press

june 1970

june detail

Here‘s a little bit of nonsense based around the opening of “Happiness is a Warm Gun.” It’s nothing special though so don’t get your hopes up.

years after the event (john and yoko may 1970)

may photo

Arrival in a watching world. Picture by Associated Press at premiere of “In His Own Write”

may 1970

may detail

While listening to those Get Back tapes it became clear to me that the fabs thought that the German language was hilarious. Here‘s Lennon indulging his sense of humor singing the theme to The Blue Angel, Falling in Love Again in mock German.

vintage jam (star edition)

Primal Scream. Star.

nine seven shit.

cute band alert

A few day ago, this dubious NME story hipped me to the existence of a prefame recording made by The La’s in 1989. It features the band recording a handful of never-released songs in a kitchen and is nearly as good as their album–it might even be better despite the fact that the songs are mostly unfinished and fragmentary. It has the feel of the white album demos that the fabs recorded at Kinfauns. Here‘s a link to an edited version that removes the between song banter. A Kitchen Tape Thirty Days if you will. All killer. No filler.

The La’s, guided by their perfectionist leader, famously recorded their only LP a handful of times and then even disowned the released version of it. I always assumed that Mavers was being a crybaby for insisting on making the record so many times and ultimately not being happy with any of the results–even though the released version is one of the finest debut LPs around. But having heard the rejected versions, I can see why he was so unhappy. They’re pretty lackluster.

years after the event (john and yoko april 1970)

april photo

“This is what happens when two clouds meet.” Planting two acorn seeds as growing pieces in Coventry Sculpture Exhibition. Photograph: Keith McMillan.

april 1970

april 1970 detail

Here‘s an amazing 1969 home demo of “Oh, Yoko” that includes a bit of “I Want You (She’s So Heavy).”