The Foo Fighters, Frankie Goes To Hollywood, Q Awards, U2, Travis, Zane Lowe and Eminem...
Intro...
Welcome to today’s slice of stuff. Read on to learn about another 80’s band getting back together, the dodgy awards dished out by the writers at Q magazine, Bono’s deal with his fans, a scary meet and greet for Travis frontman Fran Healy, the cool list according to Zane Lowe and details of gobshite rapper Eminem’s latest attempt to make friends and influence people. But first up is your chance to see the Foo Fighters perform live for nothing...
Free Fighters...
Want to see the Foo Fighters for free? Well you can providing that a) you are available tonight (13th October), b) you are in Arizona and can get to Tempe Beach Park and finally c) you can visit Democratic candidate John Kerry’s official website.
Singer Dave Grohl has already lent his support to the Democratic campaign by playing acoustic sets at rallies in Wisconsin, Iowa and Missouri. Now the lads are taking a break from recording their fifth album in order to perform tonight.
The former Nirvana drummer is reported to have decided to take part in the campaign after he learnt that the President currently running America had been playing Foo Fighters songs at the Republican party rallies.
Hilariously ‘Dubya’ has been playing 'My Hero' although I don’t remember anyone doing a song called ‘Cheating, Lying, Halfwit’ so beggars can’t be choosers.
Going back to Hollywood...
Are you one of the many thirty-something’s who love the current trend for eighties bands to reform? If you are you will no doubt cream when you hear that Frankie Goes To Hollywood will be performing live for the first time in years – well most of them.
The lads will be playing a tribute concert for their producer Trevor Horn on behalf of the Prince's Trust on November 11 at Wembley Arena but unfortunately for all the true fans out there lead singer Holly Johnson is refusing to take part.
Apparently the author of ‘A Bone In My Flute’ still bears a grudge towards Horn due to past money disputes or something and is having none of it.
As well as Johnson’s absence the band may be without the services of guitarist Brian Nash who is undecided but backing singer Paul Rutherford, bassist Mark O'Toole and drummer Peter 'Ped' Gill are all set to play.
A shadowy source said: "Holly is the one saying no to it. Now the band are looking for someone to step into his shoes on the night."
‘Q’ the award for the sake of it having an award...
The 2004 Q awards took place the other night at some swanky hotel or other in London. As well as the normal awards Q have taken it upon themselves to invent a few categories to give their mates a night out and a shiny gong to polish. So without further a do here are the nominations (and winners):
Best New Act
Keane
Franz Ferdinand
Razorlight
Maroon 5
The Killers
The Zutons
Kasabian
Snow Patrol
Winner: Razorlight
Best Producer
Kelis - Tasty; The Neptunes, Various
Muse - Absolution; Costey, Cornfield, Reeve, Muse
The Libertines - The Libertines; Jones
Scissor Sisters - Scissor Sisters; Scissor Sisters
Morrissey - You Are The Quarry; Finn
Usher - Confessions; Dupri, Jam, Lewis, Destro, Thicke Pro J, Cox, Various
Winner: Mick Jones for The Libertines
Best Live Act
Red Hot Chili Peppers
Muse
David Bowie
The Darkness
The Pixies
Madonna
Winner: Muse
Best Video
Scissor Sisters - Laura
Outkast - Roses
Kelis - Milkshake
Franz Ferdinand - Take Me Out
The Streets - Fit But You Know It
Winner: Franz Ferdinand
Best Single
Franz Ferdinand - Take Me Out
Morrissey - English Blood, Irish Heart
The Streets - Dry Your Eyes
Goldie Lookin’ Chain - Guns Don¹t Kill People, Rappers Do
Maroon 5 - This Love
Jamelia - See It In A Boys Eyes
Winner: Jamelia - See It In A Boys Eyes
Best Album
Keane - Hopes And Fears
Dizzee Rascal - Showtime
The Libertines -The Libertines
The Streets - Grand Don¹t Come For Free
Franz Ferdinand - Franz Ferdinand
Scissor Sisters - Scissor Sisters
Winner: Keane - Hopes And Fears
Best Act In The World Today
Red Hot Chili Peppers
Muse
Radiohead
U2
Coldplay
Outkast
Winner: Red Hot Chili Peppers
And now the made up awards:
Q Merit Award - Shane McGowan
Q Innovation and Sound Award - Human League
Q Inspiration Award - The Pet Shop Boys
Q Classic Songwriter Award - Sir Elton John
Q Icon Award - U2
Q Lifetime Achievement Award - Roxy Music
Two is the magic number...
U2 frontman and political activist Bono has revealed that he has a deal with their fans - two crap albums and they're out. The singer, real name Paul Hewson, told Xfm about the deal when interviewed the other day.
Bono said: "There's a real deal. A real deal, between us and our audience.
"Which is we don't have to worry about where our kids are going to school, paying a hospital bill, paying the mortgage, in return we don't make a crap album.
"Two crap albums and you're out. That's our deal with our audience.
"Whether it's catholic guilt or whatever it is, it's not on to have this life that we've been given - this amazing life - and be crap... And have a fish farm in Wales. It's unacceptable."
The Dublin rockers new album ‘How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb’ is set to be released in November and Bono has revealed that he would be more than happy to tour to support it because of the quality of the new songs.
"For the first time we've made an album that we like which could mean the end of our band,” joked Bono.
"Cos normally we find the songs, when we go out and play them, that you step inside them. And you want to find some really good reasons to leave home.
"We've all got some nice houses and family and friends and it's hard to leave. We had to find some really good reasons to leave home and I think we've found eleven."
Almost straight to the point for Scottish rockers...
I don’t know, you try and help the homeless and end up nearly catching the bad HIV from some smackhead harassing you for cash. When I say ‘you’ I actually mean Fran Healy from Scots pop heart-throbs Travis obviously.
It turns out that our Fran was doing a bit of busking in Glasgow last week to raise some cash for the excellent Big Issue (you lot should really go out and buy it you know, it isn’t just helping the homeless it is a good read too) when the incident happened.
As he was belting out ‘Why does It Always Rain On Me?’ on Sauchiehall Street the dirty ‘brown’ addict came up to Healy with a syringe and shouted: "Give me money, give me money for a fix."
Like the true professional he is he carried on singing and eventually the bloke got off to find an old granny to mug or something.
The singer later told The Daily Record: "I just kept thinking, 'Don't stick that in me'. It was the maddest thing we've seen. I kept expecting to find a syringe stuck up my arse."
As well as ‘Rain...’ the band also performed 'Sing', 'Driftwood', 'Turn', 'Flowers In The Window', and their excellent cover of the Britney Spears number one smash 'Baby One More Time'.
This weeks cool list...
If you are reading this Blog you are either into your alternative music or (more than likely) have just stumbled across it and are thinking, “what the fuck is this crap”. Hopefully it is the former but if it is the latter then welcome to the cheap seats.
Anyway, one sure-fire way of staying ahead of the competition when it comes to everything ‘indie’ is to listen to the people in the know, people who get paid to find the best alternative music out there, people like BBC Radio 1 demi-God Zane Lowe. So Zane, whatcha listening to boi?
Nas - 'Bridging The Gap'
Franz Ferdinand - 'Thissss Fire'
The Departure - 'Be My Enemy'
Be Your Own Pet - 'Damn Damn Leash'
Roni Size feat Rahzel - 'Out Of Breath' (Live Track From Maida Vale)
The Beat 'Mirror In The Bathroom'
Snow Patrol - 'How To Be Dead'
Bugz In The Attic - 'Booty (La La La)'
Green Day - 'Boulevard Of Broken Dreams'
DJ Hype, J Magik & Wickaman - 'Dubplate Killa'
The Dears - 'Lost In The Plot'
Akon - 'Locked Up(Uk Mix)'
Black Keys - Girl On My Mind'
Bloc Party - 'Helicoptor'
Subways - '1am'
Calibre feat Fats - 'Drop It Down'
Metric - 'Combat Baby'
LCD Soundsystem - 'Movement'
Razorlight - 'Stumble And Fall'
Fans Of Kate - 'A Pattern'
Warren Suicide - 'Butcher boy'
The Drama - 'Nothing Can Tear Us Apart'
The Strokes - 'The End Has No End'
Sum 41 - 'The Bitter End'
Diefenbach - 'Make Your Mind'
Snoop Dogg feat Pharrell Williams - 'Drop It Like It's Hot'
Check out that lot and you will be the coolest kid in flares and a comedy t-shirt down the local alt-bar...
Just Lose cash...
Foul mouthed nugget Eminem might see his bank balance take a bit of a knock after it was announced that Michael Jackson is considering suing him over the rappers new video which depicts the ‘King of Pop’ playing with kids.
The video for ‘Just Lose It’ features Marshall dressed as Jackson, losing his cosmetically enhanced nose and jumping on a bed with young children – classy. Oh and then the rapper vomits on the under-fire singer and sticks his flaming head down the toilet.
Wacko Jacko is not a happy Hector. He spoke about the video on L.A. radio station 103.3 FM: "I am very angry at Eminem's depiction of me in his video.
"I feel that it is outrageous and disrespectful. It is one thing to spoof it is another to be demeaning and insensitive."