Archives for March 2008

I'm a major fan of the Soul Jazz label, who are still bashing out tasty compilations of Seventies reggae, New York post punk, Philadelphia soul and the soundtrack to a Brazilian cultural revolution.

Their latest is a second volume of New Orleans Funk which was a perfect additive to my Friday night show.

The new REM album sounds good but rarely classic, but I'm liking the Scorsese soundtrack to the Rolling Stones film, 'Shine A Light' To hear Jagger and Jack White tackle 'Loving Cup' together is a rare pleasure. Also, I'll happily endorse Alexander Tucker, who is wondrously out of sych with everything.

PLAYLIST 28.03.08

STUART BAILIE

BBC Radio Ulster, 92-95 FM, 1341 MW

Online: www.bbc.co.uk/radioulster

Fridays, ten – midnight

Bonnie and Sheila – You Keep Me Hanging On (Soul Jazz)

REM – I’m Gonna DJ (Warner)

Mark Lanegan and Isobel Campbell - Come On Over (V2)

Rolling Stones – Shine A Light (Rolling Stones)

Young Knives - Turn Tail (Warner)

The Charlatans – The Misbegotten (Cooking Vinyl)

The Coal Porters – Adam And Evil (Prima)

Tift Merritt – Tell Me Something True (Fantasy)

Lee Dorsey – Four Corners (Soul Jazz)

Martina Topley Bird - Poison (Independiente)

Oppenheimer – Look Up (Fantastic Plastic)

Nick Cave – Moonland (Mute)

REM – Mr Richards (Warner)

Hot Chip – The Pure Thought (EMI)

Dandy Livingstone – Message To You Rudy (Trojan)

Cyril Neville – Gossip (Soul Jazz)

The Shortwave Set – Yesterdays To Come (Wall Of Sound)

REM – Man Sized Wreath (Warner)

Vincent Vincent And The Villains – Killing Time (EMI)

John Hiatt – Have A Little Faith In Me (Capitol)

Ben Glover – Strong Enough For This (Mr Jones)

Carl Perkins – Matchbox (Sun)

Alexander Tucker – Phanton Rings (ATP)

Rolling Stones – Loving Cup (Rolling Stones)

The Ting Tings – That’s Not My Name (Columbia)

Tift Merritt – I Know What I’m Looking For Now (Fantasy)

Tom Waits – That Feel (Island)

The Clash – Bankrobber (CBS)

Stu Bailie presents The Late show on Radio Ulster, every Friday from 10pm until midnight. See his playlist here.

It’s the last of the four programmes in the Radio Ulster series, So Hard To Beat. Tonight at 7pm it’s Michael Bradley, bass player with The Undertones. I hope I’ve done justice to the guy and his excellent stories, but the intensity of the last few weeks have drained the system of adrenalin and the deadline is precariously close as I write.

There are anecdotes all the way, including the tale of how an assassination threat kept the Clash away from Derry and how the Undertones didn’t really rate the singing of Feargal Sharkey until the world told them otherwise. Mickey is also very good on the long evenings in the O’Neill house, where the trainee ’Tones would sit and talk music for hours, fuelled by tea and the indulgence of the parents.

Anyone know the difference between highboys and French flares? We got lost in the vagaries of ’70s working class couture, but agreed on the might of Iggy and the New York Dolls, and how John O’ Neill can still write an amazing song. You can hear the show again on Saturday, 11am.

Stu Bailie presents The Late show on Radio Ulster, every Friday from 10pm until midnight. See his playlist here.

To the average passer-by, it’s just another fat dad with a digital camera, taking a photo of his kids at the O2 Arena in London. The Tutankhamen exhibition bag is possibly a giveaway, and the shot has probably been taken a thousand times.

The only difference is that this dad has pretentions of being a classy photographer, and in his head, he is actually Anton Corbijn, taking a cover session for the U2 album, ‘All That You Can’t Leave Behind’. Hey it’s not Hall 2F of Charles de Gaulle International, and the equipment is a little cheaper than Anton’s kit, but c'mon, a fella can dream, can’t he?

Stu Bailie presents The Late show on Radio Ulster, every Friday from 10pm until midnight. See his playlist here.

I have loads of admiration for the new Elbow album, 'The Seldom Seen Kid'.

The music is so bold and twisted and uncommon. Guy Garvey sings like he's an accomplice to murder and the duet with Richard Hawley, 'The Fix' is two deadpan talents giving it their all. Elbow play the Mandela Hall, Belfast, April 22.

Like many people, I was drawn into reggae music by The Clash, and Mikey Dread was a feature on the 'Bankrobber' single and over the 'Sandinista' album. News of his premature death was a chance to listen to one of his old albums. There's a heart-felt obit by Don Letts here.

Also recommended is the new album by Eileen Rose, an Irish-Italian from Boston who always delivers with gusto.

PLAYLIST 21.03.08

BBC Radio Ulster, 92-95 FM, 1341 MW

Online: www.bbc.co.uk/radioulster

Fridays, ten – midnight

Graham Parker – Hold Back The Night (Vertigo)

Jens Lekman – The Opposite Of Hallelujah (Secretly Canadian)

Billy Bragg – I Keep Faith (Cooking Vinyl)

Chatham County Line – Thanks (Yep Roc)

Elbow – The Fix (Polydor)

Eileen Rose - $20 Shoes (Evangeline)

The Boothill Foot Tappers- Jealousy (Mercury)

The Jane Bradfords – Little Miss Sunshine (Simple Tapestry)

Isobel Campbell and Mark Lanegan – Who Built The Road (V2)

Mikey Dread – Jah Jah Love In The Morning (Dread At The Controls)

Lowgold – Burning Embers (Cooking Vinyl)

Sia – the Girl You Lost (Sia)

Willie Nelson – Gotta Serve Somebody (Lost Highway)

Little Richard – Great Gosh A’mighty (WEA)

DeVotchKa – Head Honcho (Anti)

Elbow – One Day Like This (Polydor)

Candi Statton – When Will I (Rhino)

Tom McShane – Promise Me (Hearts Of Age)

Eileen Rose – Doesn’t Mean A Thing (Evangeline)

Elvis Costello and the RPO – I’m Your Toy (Demon)

Dawn Landes – Tired Of This Life (Rough Trade)

The Undertones – Precious Little Wonder (Cooking Vinyl)

Elbow – Starlings (Polydor)

Stu Bailie presents The Late show on Radio Ulster, every Friday from 10pm until midnight. See his playlist here.

Onwards, then to Part Three of the music series, So Hard to Beat. Tonight I’m in conversation with Barry Devlin from Horslips. The guy is a deeply funny man. He’s a natural born raconteur and he does a fine line in self-depreciation. This is perhaps necessary as the band are probably still wanted by the fashion police on several continents. Meantime their back catalogue contains so many instances of prog rock crimes. But we should still love the Horslips.

Barry talks about his upbringing in Ardboe, Co Tyrone and his teenage days at a seminary in Navan. Thereafter we’re into the ferment of Seventies Dublin, where Barry chanced it with style and became a big-haired role model for rural fantasists. Also, they recorded ‘The Tain’ and ‘The Book Of Invasions’, so all was ultimately worthwhile.

There are few second acts in Irish rock, but Barry rode shotgun with U2 through their most exciting days, filming and documenting. He then wrote a bunch of screenplays and watched in amazement as Horslips reformed, almost by accident. My ears are still ringing with his laughter. Listen in at 7.30pm and again at 11am, Saturday.

Stu Bailie presents The Late show on Radio Ulster, every Friday from 10pm until midnight. See his playlist here.

I’m just back from London where I was combining business with a little recreation. As ever, I was constantly looking up the A-Z directory to get my bearings on the place. Not your average A-Z, mind. I was using my Fleetwood Mac, ‘Everywhere’ guide.

This is not an item that you’ll find in any shop. It was issued by Warners as a promotional item in 1988 to alert the privileged media people that an important single was on the schedules. And so a few hundred of these pieces were mailed out to radio producers, journalists and TV executives. And since I was in the record company press office at the time, I was allowed one for myself.

It’s one of the few bits of promo that I’ve kept from that era. I’ve somehow lost the Ah-Ha ‘Stay On These Roads’ car maintenance set. And I fear that the Debbie Gibson ‘Shake Your Love’ cocktail shaker has also gone missing. Mind you, a metal container with the singer’s name on it looks more like a funeral urn than anything else. Debbie Gibson came into the office with her mother a few times. A peculiar double act, let me say. Frankly I was much more excited about Prince protégée Taja Sevelle. She was big in Warner world back then with ‘Love Is Contagious’ and actually, I was severely smitten. Perhaps I should have suggested a promotional surgical mask...

Anyway, it was the age of the record company freebie. In my journalistic capacity I was wooed by countless T-shirts, jackets and even Filofaxes. I had monogrammed pyjamas, fluffy toys and leather bags. I wouldn’t like to think that any of this had influenced my reviews in the slightest. Although I still have my Thin Lizzy, ‘Whisky In The Jar’ bottle of the actual hard stuff. A shame they couldn’t actually spell the single title correctly, but who needs accuracy when the marketing department is cranking out the hits?

Stu Bailie presents The Late show on Radio Ulster, every Friday from 10pm until midnight. See his playlist here.

A simple plan last night. The first hour was a recording of the 'Astral Weeks Revisited' gig from January 5. I'm still amazed by Duke Special, the Inishowen Gospel Choir and 'Ballerina'. Listen online for the next week and you will be also.

Second hour was a bunch of Van covers. Nice to hear Elvis Costello and the Voice Squad again. And of course, Jeff Buckley at Sin E, getting beautifully abstract with 'The Way Young Lovers Do'. Ten minutes of rampant precocity.

PLAYLIST 14.03.08



BBC Radio Ulster, 92-95 FM, 1341 MW

Online: www.bbc.co.uk/radioulster

Fridays, ten – midnight

First hour – Astral Weeks Revisited (live recording)

Brian Houston – Astral Weeks

Cara Robinson – Beside You

The Four of Us – Sweet Thing

Matt McGinn – Cyprus Avenue

The Winding Stair – The Way Young Lovers Do

Ursula Burns - Madame George

Duke Special, Innishowen Gospel Choir – Ballerina

Tom McShane – Slim Slow Slider

Second hour

Dexy’s Midnight Runners – Jackie Wilson Said (Mercury)

Dusty Springfield – Tupelo Honey (Mercury)

Bettye Lavette – Real Real Gone (Evidence)

Martha Reeves – Wild Night (MCA)

Elvis Costello – Full Force Gale (Polydor)

Art Garfunkle – I Shall Sing (Connoisseur)

The Waterboys – Sweet Thing (Ensign)

Maria McKee – My Lonely Sad Eyes (Connoisseur)

Marianne Faithful – Madame George (Polydor)

The Tender Trap – Irish Ivan’s Spirit Song (Musidisc)

Jeff Buckley – The Way Young Lovers Do (Big Cat)

Stu Bailie presents The Late show on Radio Ulster, every Friday from 10pm until midnight. See his playlist here.

The second part of So Hard To Beat went out this evening on Radio Ulster. It repeats tomorrow morning at 11am and I believe it will be online for a week after. This week’s subject was Moya Brennan, voice of Clannad, Irish icon and exceptionally kind human being.

We met a few weeks ago at her home, overlooking Dublin Bay. She’s got a Grammy on top of the piano, and she let me hold it. I felt like making a speech. Instead, she talked me through her eventful career, from publican’s daughter to amateur folk singer (with a penchant for Joni Mitchell songs in Gaelic) to a vocalist of international standing and 20 million record sales.

I have some tremendous memories of Moya and her family. She’s married to Tim Jarvis, a music photographer, and together we’ve travelled through some excellent adventures. I also spent some quality time in Leo’s Bar, near Gweedore, where the dad plays accordion and the walls are festooned with Enya and Clannad gold discs. I’ve even sang on that stage, but embarrassment prevents me from telling more about that.

Hey, Moya sang at our wedding. It all seems so weird now, but herself and Tim drove up to Manchester. It was raining badly and many guests were late, so we reckoned they had missed the gig. But she literally walked into the church and sang ‘Close To You’. The tears were splashing everywhere, as Moya changed the tone of the ceremony with that voice. Amazing.

She’s released some fine solo albums and her biography is shockingly honest. Now she’s received another Clannad call-up and old hits like ‘Harry’s Game’ are being lifted into the ether again. Everyone should experience that, at least once.

Stu Bailie presents The Late show on Radio Ulster, every Friday from 10pm until midnight. See his playlist here.

I occasionally ask myself that if Bono hadn’t encouraged Trimble and Hume to shake hands ten years ago, would we currently have peace in Northern Ireland? This might seem like a facetious idea, but really, if the ‘Yes’ referendum had died back then, the centre ground might also have perished. We could still be living in a mean, fractious place. We might not have witnessed the housing boom, the construction fever and the arrival of Wagamama.

The feature on this week’s ATL TV was a perfect time to consider all this. Rigsy, myself and Rick McMurray from Ash spent some time at the Waterfront, musing over that intense run of events on May 19, 1998. The ‘Yes’ concert had followed on from a series of bad news days, featuring Michael Stone and the Balcombe Street Bombers. The posters on the wall had been urging us to ‘Build The Peace’ but the wreckers were everywhere. And the poll predictions were looking nasty.

So U2 and Ash played to 2 000 Sixth Formers at the Waterfront, and Bono copied an old trick that he’d learned from Bob Marley at the One Love concert in Kingston, 1978. The reggae boss had pulled the political leaders Manley and Seaga together onstage, to send out a positive signal to the riotous city. And so Belfast got its first public handshake from Trimble and Hume, while the U2 singer held their arms up like prize fighters.

John Hume was in tears afterwards. He was all used up, emotionally busted. We watched the News At Ten and the story had made the third bong. Larry Mullen grinned the biggest grin and Edge did the inscrutable zen twinkle. Rock and roll had turned impending disaster into a publicity coup. It saved Northern Ireland from an uncertain nightmare. That’s not me being absurdly dramatic. That’s simply what happened.

Stu Bailie presents The Late show on Radio Ulster, every Friday from 10pm until midnight. See his playlist here.

Back in 1997 I wrote an enthusiastic review of the Whiskeytown album, 'Strangers Almanac'. It was doused in cool Americana, and seasoned with a little danger.

Soon after, I was on the phone to the singer of the act, Ryan Adams, who was still drunk after a huge party, and who rambled with panache. Not long after, Whiskeytown was over and Ryan was rambling on his own. Anyway, 'Stranger's Almanac' will be reissued on March 31 with a bonus disc and the chance to hear Adams tackling the songbooks of Gram Parsons, Johnny Cash and more. There are also acoustic versions of signature tunes such as 'Dancing With The Women At The Bar'. Perfect for the radio show.

BBC Radio Ulster, 92-95 FM, 1341 MW

Online: www.bbc.co.uk/radioulster

Fridays, ten – midnight

Ernie K Doe – Hurry Up And Know It (Charly)

Whiskeytown – Excuse Me While I Break My Own Heart Tonight (Mercury)

Sam Isaac – Fire Fire (AM AK)

Watermelon Slim – Hard Times (Northern Blues)

The Temptations – Law Of The Land (Motown)

Jay May – Blue Skies (Heavenly)

Barry Adamson – Spend A Little Time (Central Control)

Leonard Cohen – Democracy (Columbia)

The Long Blondes – Guilt (Rough Trade)

Jack Rose – Miss May’s Place (Black Cat)

Southern Tenant Folk Union (Ugly Nephew)

The Small Faces – Autumn Stone (Castle)

Goldfrapp – Little Bird (Mute)



Joey Ramone, Holly Beth – I Got You Babe (Virgin)

Whiskeytown – Luxury Liner (Mercury)

The Mountain Goats – San Bernadino (4ad)

Jens Lekman – I Met Her In The Anti War Demonstration (Secrtly Canadian)

The Marvelettes – Because I Love Him (Spectrum)

Beth Rowley – Nobody’s Fault But Mine (Universal)

Keith Richards – You Win Again (Lost Highway)

Willie Nelson – Gravedigger (Lost Highway)

Goldfrapp – Cologne Cerrone Houdini (Mute)

Jimmy Scott – Someone To Watch Over Me (WSM)

Tindersticks – The Hungry Saw (Beggars Banquet)

REM – Supernatural Superserious (Warner)

Sonny J – Enfant Terrible (Stateside)

Stu Bailie presents The Late show on Radio Ulster, every Friday from 10pm until midnight. See his playlist here.

Last year I presented a TV show about Ulster music called ‘So Hard To Beat’. While people seemed to like the result, it was frustrating to chop out so many amazing stories from the edit. So this year, I’m back with a radio version of the story, allowing extra space for the anecdotes.

So the plan is to have a weekly chat with one of the fascinating characters from the plot. Tonight, I’m starting with Terri Hooley, a friend, a folk devil and the guy who released ‘Teenage Kicks’ on his record label, ‘Good Vibrations’. He’s a lovely man but he tends to ramble, so the edit has been demanding. But it’s a tremendous journey, from Hank Williams to punk rock in bombed-out Belfast. The stories are funny, tragic and era-defining along the way.

So Hard To Beat goes out on Radio Ulster tonight at 7.30pm and is repeated on Saturday at 11am. Other names in the series include Moya Brennan from Clannad, Barry Devlin from Horslips and Mickey Bradley from The Undertones.

Stu Bailie presents The Late show on Radio Ulster, every Friday from 10pm until midnight. See his playlist here.

Bad hearing tends to go with the rock and roll territory. In the old days, it was almost a badge of honour, a sign that you’d been through the wars, battling with feedback, crash cymbals and house-shaking PA speakers.

A friend of mine was in a Camden basement bar when her eardrum spontaneously ruptured, spraying the place with blood. Steve Lamacq called his autobiography ‘Going Deaf For A Living’ while Pete Townsend, who once wrote about a deaf, dumb and blind kid, is severely challenged in the hearing department. Are you surprised?

This morning, I was talking on Good Morning Ulster, explaining that a quarter century of music journalism has left me with permanent ringing in my ears. Tinnitus isn’t a great laugh, especially at night when you’d rather have a gentle sleep, or when tiredness and stress turn the tones into a howl-around chorus.

There’s a new campaign called Don’t Lose The Music, telling people about how to avoid such conditions. They’re aiming to find cool designers who can make ear plugs look more attractive, and delivering easy hints about prevention. Tinnitus, you see, has no cure.

Alternately, you can put your head in the bass bins and hot-wire your MP3 player to hit 11 on the volume scale. The royal prerogative of youth is to ignore the future, to damn the reasonable advice, to crash the car. But consider the fact that your precious music needs a couple of sensitive instruments to channel the tunes. If you abuse ’em, you lose ’em. Really.

Stu Bailie presents The Late show on Radio Ulster, every Friday from 10pm until midnight. See his playlist here.

If you like old Billy Bragg, then the 2008 version will surely delight you. As far back as 'Levi Stubbs' Tears' you appreciated that he was into his soul music. His voice has become looser and deeper over time, resulting in a voice that can cajole and testify, big style. And on the Hammond organ he's got Ian McLagan, sometime member of the Small Faces and then the Faces. Together they are beautiful on 'Mr Love & Justice'.

So there was plenty of Bragg on the Friday show. plus a chance to hear myself in conversation with Ben Glover, author of the excellent 'The Week The Clocks Changed' album. Note to self: must listen more to that bijou Miracle Fortress record.

STUART BAILIE

BBC Radio Ulster, 92-95 FM, 1341 MW

Online: www.bbc.co.uk/radioulster

Fridays, ten – midnight

Manic Street Preachers- Motocycle Emptiness (Epic)

Vincent Vincent and The Villains – Blue Boy (EMI)

Billy Bragg – Sing Their Songs Back Home (Cooking Vinyl)

Frank Turner – Photosynthesis (Xtra Mile)

Duffy – Serious (A&M)

Kathleen Edwards – I Make the Dough, You Get The Glory (Rounder)

Miracle Fortress – Maybe Lately (Rough Trade)

Billy Bragg – I Keep Faith (Cooking Vinyl)

Ben Glover – No Direction Home (Mr Jones)

Ben Glover – Mercury Is Falling (Mr Jones)

Sambassadeur – Subtle Changes (Creeping Bent)

Willie Nelson – Louisiana (Lost Highway)

Billy Bragg – I Almost Killed You (Cooking Vinyl)

Kathleen Edwards – The Cheapest Key (Rounder)

Josh Ritter –Empty Hearts (V2)

Devotchka – The Clockwise Witness (Anti)

Duffy – Syrup And Honey (A&M)

Emily Loizeau – Autre Bout Du Monde (Fargo)

The Four Seasons – Rag Doll (Rhino)

Gary Louris – She Only Calls Me On Sundays (Ryko)

The Cave Singers –Elephant Clouds (Matador)

Bruce Springsteen – Atlantic City (CBS)

Two Gallants – Miss Men (Saddle Creek)

The Cinematic Orchestra – All That You Give (Ninja Tune)



Stu Bailie presents The Late show on Radio Ulster, every Friday from 10pm until midnight. See his playlist here.

Saturday night finds us at the Alexander Hotel in Dublin to witness the Irish Blog Awards. For this, their third year, it’s a family reunion and the chance to share a real-time experience with Twenty Major, Grannymar, Ice Cream Ireland, Little Bird Eats and Gingerpixel.

While there are several nordies in the room (goodonpaper, Phil O’ Kane, ulstermusic.com), the trophies are staying down south. It’s nice that I’ve been nominated in the Best Music Blog category, but as predicted, the honour goes to nialler9. Here’s a photo of the guy with Aoife from indiehour and myself, swapping thoughts.

While the tone isn’t anti-corporate, much of the energy is coming from individuals outside the traditional media. In time, the best of the talent will be absorbed by the mainstream, just as David Fanning went from pirate broadcasting to establishment. But for now, it’s enough to witness the adventure, the camaraderie and the barmpot humour. It doesn’t always amount to great writing, some of it is merely daft, but it’s a talent funnel, a deal of self-expression and it keeps some rather deviant souls off the streets.



Stu Bailie presents The Late show on Radio Ulster, every Friday from 10pm until midnight. See his playlist here.