The Focus Group is Go

The Focus Group is Go. If you expected a focus group invite and haven’t got it, it’s because:

i) I didn’t know you wanted one. E-Mail Me if you do.
ii) I’ve got your e-mail wrong. See above.
iii) I drink with you and you’re coming to the main focus group event. Don’t bother e-mailing me if that’s the case, since I’ll be in touch anyway.

Expect the results before the end of November.

Napster in Bertelsmann deal

Napster in Bertelsmann deal: inevitably.

Once again I am ashamed to be British

Once again I am ashamed to be British: not even Travis think Travis are the best band in the world, for pity’s sakes. And David Gray winning Best Single??

Platter sightings.

Platter sightings. Actually this post is not about the most used word on the publog at all. Instead it is a bonafide review of a pub, something we occasionally get round here. But since i rather like this boozer, and will be recomending its idiosyncratic Robert Robinson’s front room ambience - I though I’d best not put its name up top for fear of it getting swamped.

The Bricklayers Arms, just off Stephen Street is yet another Sam Smith’s pub. They are getting everywhere like a vaguely perturbing rash. And surely they flaunt the guest beer regulations - since they don’t carry any. I have a vague idea that the guest ale law has gone the way of all fleshy anti-market regulation, but it still shocks a regualr number of punters to go into a Sam Smithery without recognising a single beer. This would be a great problem is it was not for the fact that their house beers, lagers at least, are rather tasty little buggers., And the Fatman, the token cooking lager, is still a good 4%. Its cheap, its stronger than the average session beer and it actually tastes good.

But to the Bricklayers itself. Downstairs is very brick, its the most brick pub I have seen in some time. And pokey. Its got a tiny front bar, and an even tinier set of nooks out back. Often full of fat men drinking the fat man (a blind leading the blind situation) the alleyway to the stairs is nearly always blocked. If you drink downsatirs its in a convivial huddle round smallish tables. Its upstairs where the revelation comes in.

Ignore the blackboard which offers the pubs ubiquitous platters. The staff do, they’ve put a nice red chalk cross through it. The upstairs bar has (as is the Sam Smith’s way) a wholly different atmosphere to the downstairs. here we have armchairs, sofa’s, coffee tables and beer. The sofa’s are green cotton with gold latin words tastefully jumbled on them. They are inordinately comfy, whilst the glass topped coffee tables are great for reclining feet and beer. This is the only pub i regularily smoke cigars in, and last night lighting one of the open fire was a joy.

Whilst The Bricklayers Arms is quite difficult to find, those who know it cherish it. Hence it is usually rammed of a Thursday or Friday. that said the upstairs can be hired out for those poncy receptions if you so desire. Of a Monday or Tuesday I cannot think of any pub at the moment I would rather be in.

transcription of the actual radio on where chuck eddy made the controversial bone thugs comment:

transcription of the actual radio on where chuck eddy made the controversial bone thugs comment:

seems like phil dellio misrepresented him in the critique linked below. he didn’t say “i haven’t decided if i want to like this yet” but “i haven’t decided whether phil wants me to like this.”

The State Of UK Garage 2000

The State Of UK Garage 2000. If you read Tim Finney’s Skykicking then you’ll have read this already, the blog entry which mutated into a full article. Otherwise if you’ve got any interest in UK Garage you’re in for enlightenment and a treat.

Julie London

Julie London: Freaky Trigger remains crippled by the loss of its main server but it staggers on nonetheless, with the first of several new pieces today - an essay about Julie London and oldies, by me.

Bitchpork

Bitchpork: you may well have seen this link elsewhere - it’s the unofficial (oh really?) Pitchfork message board. So far it is talking about the Albums Of The Year, as all music message boards everywhere ever must by law do, or they get their indie rock license taken away. I’ve put up two messages, which won’t even be interesting because if you read this you almost certainly know what I think about everything.

Billie Piper explains JFK’s death

Billie Piper explains JFK’s death courtesy of Pop Skool. Very good animation, and for Josh, interactive pornographic bits too. From the people who brought us the tremendous TV Go Home, and the rubbish 11 O’Clock Show.

POP-EYE 29/10/00

POP-EYE 29/10/00

This week’s chart offers us an object lesson in fanbase loyalty. When a band have been going for a number of years, and have - to be frank - lost their bloom somewhat, and when the singles they release are sub-par outings, either ill-advised excursions into fresh genres or sickly reminders of former glories, then it is time for the ‘core fanbase’ to step in and save the day, commercially speaking.

Certainly I can offer no other explanation for Iron Maiden getting their 29th top 40 hit with “Out Of The Silent Planet”, which at a life-endangering stretch might be some sort of ecology parable, but is basically an excuse for riffing and Bruce Dickinson to bellow weedily about “demons of creation”. Complete rubbish but you have to admire the doggedness of the singles-buying fans, who must realise that Maiden these days are as heavy as a feather pillow and about as good at aiding sleep. I am very much in favour of the riff as a tool for rockin’ fun but Maiden have always seemed a joyless, blustery crew and this single does nothing to remedy that.

We grit our teeth and move higher up the charts (pausing only to note a satisfyingly enormous plunge for Blur). Gabrielle’s wafty “Should I Stay” (Ans: No) limps into the teens; Coldplay and their nasty balladic bombast cling to the 10; Ricky Martin’s “She Bangs” lands surprisingly high for a man I had pegged as a definite one-shot; and the Wheel Of Limp Motown Pastiche has been spun once again and pointed to Martine McCutcheon, to the delight of far too many.

And that’s it. Oh? What’s that? A new number one? Yes, damn it. The Spice Girls have scalped the chart once again - if only one of the other companies had had the guts to send proper opposition up against the pitiable “Holler” this might have been prevented, but Martine it was, and so the inevitable happened. We spend a whole day last week raking over why this is their weakest ever single, no need to spend any more time on it.

THE FIVE BEST
ALL SAINTS - “Black Coffee” (9)
EMINEM - “The Way I Am” (18)
AZZIDO DE BASS - “Dooms Night” (23)
FATBOY SLIM - “Sunset (Bird Of Prey)” (24)
PINK - “Most Girls” (25)