Archives for February 2011

I'm partial to books about artistic awakenings. Bob Dylan's 'Chronicles' was a wondrous account of the Greenwich Village folk scene of the early Sixties. 'The Bell Jar' was a less cheery version of Sylvia Plath's introduction to the magazine world of Manhattan. Meanwhile, a few pages worth of 'A Moveable Feast' and you want to haul a typewriter up to the top of a Parisian garret and to hammer out manly copy like Ernest Hemingway,

while getting soused with F Scott Fitzgerald and out to lunch with Gertrude Stein.

Along the way, there are incidents with playwright Sam Sheppard and author Jim Carroll. At The Chelsea, we meet Janis Joplin and the great alchemist Harry Smith. Over at Max's, the transvestites are preparing to take their place in Lou Reed's 'Walk On The Wild Side' and William Burroughs is uniquely weird. It's a royal piece of namedropping, but never just for the sake of it. Patti took a long time to realise her power of self-expression. She wanted to live out the creative fever of Rimbaud, but instead she found a whole sea of possibilities.

My old dad had driven a couple of Anglias, back in the day. The first was an ill-fated 105E model in duck egg blue that corroded with awful haste. The second was a white Super update with a larger engine and a more racy interior.

The Anglias were notorious for the mudwings, which collected rot and rust. My father was a sheet metal worker by trade, and while he kept the skies over Sydenham alive with bright-winged jets, he could not save those cars. Every Saturday afternoon, he would be out on the driveway with the aluminium sheets, the pop rivets and the Isopon filler, trying to tame the decay. It was hopeless. And so when he got the Vauxhall Viva with the enormous boot, I was made up. My bass amp fitted in the back. We were mobile and rocking.

In Diary Of A Rock And Roll Star, Ian Hunter is setting off for the States with his band Mott The Hoople. His first priority is to get his Anglia sprayed gold, before he gets on that plane. A bad financial investment, dude.

Well, we might all dine out on the mythology, but the record is tops and the sentiments are right. Along with Anna Calvi, we have all the sustenance we need.

BBC Radio Ulster, 92-95 FM

Online: www.bbc.co.uk/radioulster

Mondays, ten - midnight

New Order - Regret (Factory)

Timber Timbre - Black Water (Full Time Hobby)

Ella Mae Morse - Rock Me All Night Long (Signature)

American Aquarium - Nothing To Lose (Floating World)

Sean Rowe - Surprise (Anti)

Radiohead - Lotus Flower (radiohead)

Japan - I Second That Emotion (Virgin)

Anthony David - 4 Evermore (Dome)

Thomas Truax - February What Ya Doin To Me (SL)

Teenage Fan Club - About You (Creation)

PJ Harvey - Let England Shake (Island)

Feldberg - Don't Be A Stranger (Smalltown America)

Nick Lowe - Cruel To Be Kind (Radar)

Anthony David - Keep You Around (Dome)

Sean Rowe - The Long Haul (Anti)

Secret Sisters - Tennessee Me (Decca)

The Head And The Heart - Sounds Like Hallelujah (Heavenly)

Radiohead - Codex (radiohead)

Allie Bradley - Elliott (Love Gum)

Kris Kristofferson - Just The Other Side Of Nowhere (Columbia)

David's Lyre - These Trees (Hideout)

PJ Harvey - The Colour Of The Earth (Island)

American Aquarium - Brother O Brother (Floating World)

Alela Diane - To Begin (Rough Trade)

King Creosote - Bats In The Attic (Domino)

Radiohead - Little By Little (radiohead)

Other musical adventures in London involved live tunes from the Supernovas, The Pierces, Bone and Summer Camp. The city was positively spring-like and I worked the streets hard, meeting and shaking and getting some of that capital tempo in my stride again. I will put a deal of that energy into tonight's radio show.

And while she's now stomping around the secular world with ease, you feel that the sense of mission has never left her voice. She now lives in Manchester, she's friends with Elbow and The Eels, and her 'Snow Globe' EP is an assembly of awesome ideas.

BBC Radio Ulster, 92-95 FM

Online: www.bbc.co.uk/radioulster

Mondays, ten - midnight

Playlist 14.02.11

Jimmy Cliff - Wonderful World, Beautiful People (Island)

The Strokes - Under Cover Of Darkness (Rough Trade)

Gryff Rhys - If We Were Words (Turnstile)

Thin Lizzy - The Boys Are Back In Town (alternative vocal) (Mercury)

Jesca Hoop - City Bird (Stage Three)

James Walbourne - Cocaine Eyes (Heavenly)

Sister Wynona Carr - Don't Miss That Train (Specialty)

PJ Harvey - The Words That Maketh Murder (Island)

Bone - In The Garden ( white)

The Human League - Never Let Me Go (Wall Of Sound)

Gryff Rhys - At The Heart Of Love (Turnstile)

Amr Diab - El Yaani (Mango)

Second Hour - Valentine's Day Special

The Marvelettes - Please Mr Postman (Motown)

ABC - Valentine's Day (Mercury)

The Undertones - Valentine's Treatment (Dojo)

Chet Baker - My Funny Valentine (Blue Note)

Bjork - Like Someone In Love (One Little Indian)

Janis Ian - At 17 (CBS)

Richard Hawley - Valentine (Mute)

Doris Duke - Since I Fell For You (Kent)

Curtis Mayfield - So In Love (Snapper)

Steve Earle - Valentine's Day (E Squared)

Al Green - LOVE (Demon)

Wolfman, Pete Docherty - For Lovers (Rough Trade)

Elvis Costello, RPO - I'm Your Toy (Demon)

Billy Bragg - Valentine's Day Is Over (CV)

Kind readers, I'm pleased to announce that I'm nominated for the Irish Blog Awards. This is the second time that I've been selected, and while it's actually a sizeable shortlist, it's sweet to be noticed.

Music bloggers in Ireland have many reasons for putting the hours in. Some are possessed by the need to discover new bands, putting their marker on a sound, a talent, a development. A few regard themselves as news syndicates, importing stories from elsewhere, while others have the fanzine mentality of righteousness, opinion and apoplectic froth. Which is all good, essentially.

I still like a nice bit of writing, though, and that's the kicker for me. A nicely turned sentence, a bit of soul, some knowledge and a riff you can believe in. some of the other stuff can be misleading and overwrought.

My other motivation is the notion that the blog can be a satisfying aide memoire. I think I can recall most of the big musical occasions in my time, but sometimes it's the little moments, the asides and the half truths that give music its revelatory value. Time can give the strangest perspective, and sometimes the actual story has nothing to do with the copy you filed a decade ago.

Therefore you keep on pecking at those keys, looking back, listening forward, trusting that you'll be perpetually lost in music.

One of the best indicators of rock and roll value is the photographer Pennie Smith. She has given us immortal images of Led Zeppelin, The Clash, The Stone Roses and The Manics. And in 2001 she had decided that there was a new chapter in the story: The Strokes.

My own defining moment was the sight of The Strokes on Ormeau Avenue, Belfast, just ahead of the Limelight gig. They looked immaculate and self-possessed and there was a generational change that night. Rock and roll had a chance to be important again.

Every time I saw them after this, their stature seemed to diminish. Sure, they were selling more records, staying at fine hotels and were feted in the fashion magazines. But their faces were getting jaded, the clothes were mannered and the music went off.

Now there's a new single, 'Under Cover Of Darkness'. They are done with the solo records, some personal issues have been figured out and apparently they are now working as a collective. The record is half familiar although the vocals are rather odd, as if Julian's been taking lessons. They took 100 000 views of YouTube in the day it appeared, an indicator of just how much we're yearning for something substantial and true. Unfortunately, this ain't it.

The first version of Thin Lizzy's 'Still In Love With You' was recorded in 1974, when Gary Moore was covering for the recently departed Eric Bell. Pretty soon, he was also gone and after some unsuccessful line-up experiments, the band arrived that the classic format of Scott Gorman and Robbo on the dueling Les Paul guitars.

And so they started work on the album 'Night Life'. The new unit was starting to work and a distinct sound was blossoming. But however they worked on 'Still In Love With You', they could never improve on the Gary Moore solo. So they left it on the record, untouched and ringing beautifully into posterity. Frankie Miller helped out on vocals and Phil gave it his all. Impressive.

BBC Radio Ulster, 92-95 FM

Mondays, ten - midnight

Online: www.bbc.co.uk/radioulster

Gary Moore, Phil Lynott - Parisienne Walkways (MCA)

Skid Row - New Faces Old Places (Columbia)

Paper Cuts - Marie Says You've Changed (Sub Pop)

Dee Dee Warwick - Worth Every Tear (Spectrum)

Anna Calvi - Blackout (Domino)

Thin Lizzy - Little Darlin (Decca)

Alexander - Truth (Rough Trade)

George Jones, BB King - Patches (MCA)

British Sea Power - Who's In Control (MCA)

The Decemberists - Don't Carry It All (Rough Trade)

Gary Moore - Still Got The Blues (Virgin)

Billy Bragg - Waiting For The Great Leap Forward (Cooking Vinyl)

David's Lyre - In Arms (Hideout)

Iron And Wine - Tree By The River (4ad)

Thin Lizzy - Roisin Dubh (Mercury)

Deer Tick - When She Comes Home (Fargo)

John Mellencamp - Coming Down The Road (Rounder)

Benjamin Francis Leftwich - Pictures (Dirty Hit)

Susanna Hoffs, Matthew Sweet - Willin (Shout Factory)

Paper Cuts - Do You Really Wanna Know (Sub Pop)

Primal Scream - Shine Like Stars (Creation)

John Stammers - Idle I'm (Wonderful Sound)

Thin Lizzy - Still In Love With You (Vertigo)

In 1963, he saw The Beatles playing at the Ritz in Belfast and soon became a feature in the nearby Maritime Hotel, active at 13 years old with The Beat Boys. The son of a ballroom manager, he was born into showbusiness, playing covers such as Alma Cogan's 'Sugar In The Morning'. After a stint with The Method, he was installed in Dublin, where Skid Row was taking shape. Phil Lynott was on his way out but Brush Shiels would steer the three piece to America, managed by Fleetwood Mac's handler, Clifford Davis. Gary was mentored by the Fleetwood guitarist Peter Green, who even gave Moore his white Les Paul guitar. The gesture was later returned when Gary delivered 'Blues For Greeny'.

He made several appearances with Thin Lizzy, replacing Eric Bell in 1974 and recording the track 'Little Darlin', plus an early version of the live showstopper 'Still In Love With You'. He was touring with the band on a 1977 US tour with Queen and in 1979 he featured on the 'Black Rose' album, rocking hard and throwing 'The Mason's Apron' and 'Danny Boy' into the heroically overdone 'Roisin Dubh'.

Around 1990 he had reconnected to his first musical passion, signified by 'Still Got The Blues', another top 40 tune. He became a Travelling Wilbury for the band's third album and experimented with sampling technology, always curious and looking for a new plan.

I spent the best part of a day with Gary in November 2006, interviewing him near his Brighton home for the music documentary, 'So Hard To Beat'. He was amusing and open-minded, sharing great stories and clearly still affected by the passing of Phil Lynott.



We're shocked by Gary's sudden demise, this morning in Spain. He was only 58 and we had assumed that he would have been a feature for a few more decades. I'll be playing some of his music on Monday's show, February 7 and I'd welcome your thoughts and musical requests.

In recent years the guy has been lying low, with just a Hank Williams cover, 'I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry' keeping the fans morose and expectant. Soon, there will be a new album, 'Last Of The Country Gentlemen' and I'm encouraged by the fever of 'Country Dumb'.

BBC Radio Ulster, 92-95 FM

Mondays, ten - midnight

Blog: https://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/stuartbailie/

Online: www.bbc.co.uk/radioulster

Playlist 31.01.11

Lee Dorsey, Betty Harris - Love Lots Of Loving (Soul Jazz)

The Chapman Family - Sound Of The Radio (Electric Toaster)

10 000 Maniacs - Like The Weather (Elektra)

The Decemberists - Rise To Me (Rough Trade)

Charlie Louvin, Will Oldham - Knoxville Girl (Tompkins Square)

Two Door Cinema Club - What You Know (Kitsune)

Ben Folds - Claire's Ninth (Nonesuch)

Phil Ochs - One Way Ticket Home (A&M)

Joan As Police Woman - Kiss The Specifics (PIAS)

Nina Simone - Seems I'm Never Tired Loving You (BMG)

Adele - Rumour Has It (XL)



Greg Allman - Please Accept My Love (Rounder)

Lucinda Williams - Buttercup (Lost Highway)

Josh T Pearson - Country Dumb (Mute)

Charlie Louvin - Down By The Riverside (Tue North)

Daniel Lanois - Still Water (Opel)

Sam Hare - Her Time Of Day (Sam Hare)

Jolly Boys - Perfect Day (Geejam)

Hooray And The Riff Raff - Take Me (Loose)

Rufus Wainwright - Foolish Love (Dreamworks)

Duke Special - I'll Come When You Call (Reel To Reel)

Jessica Lee Mayfield - Our Hearts Are Wrong (Nonesuch)

Reel People - Golden Lady (Reel People)

Joan As Policewoman - Forever And A Year (PIAS)

John Barry - Midnight Cowboy Theme (Sony)