Merry christday from Thoughts, etc

ATP Breakdown

ATP was a resounding success (apart from some combined food poisoning/extreme hangover on Sunday) ... There was plenty of Burger King, random interesting films on the telly, and a few nice folks met at random (too drunk then to remember them now, but they sure seemed like fun at the time ...)

But it was all about the music. While there was some ultra self indulgent tripe (I'm looking in the direction of Team Brick here), it was in general a pretty tight line-up. The best three tunes for my money were as follows:

1. Gonna Break My Heart - Malcolm Middleton
I'd been willing him to play this song all set, and while massive tunes such as No Modest Bear and My Loneliness Shines were excellent, closing with Gonna Break My Heart was just about the perfect send-off from the discontented Scotsman.

2. Closer - Portishead
The new tunes were banging, the old ones almost flawlessly executed (Beth Gibbons missing a verse in the middle of a tune to the amusement of her band mates and the crowd notwithstanding), Portishead were consummate curators of ATP. This song has been an old favourite of mine for the last 10 years, and it didn't disappoint live either.

3. Swordsmen - GZA
Got there late, but even just catching the second half of Liquid Swords was fantastic. The Ws were flying up in the air for this one, even in the face of the disturbingly laid back ATP crowd, which was a mark of it's banging quality.

#1 In Alabama

This is a then and now with laziness levels worthy of Sky One.

Public Enemy - Harder Than You Think

Public Enemy - Welcome To The Terrordome

Although any single song off 'Fear of a Black Planet' fails to capture the records ear-shredding brilliance, the other above is the clear highlight of their latest record (which they chose to name 'How You Sell Soul to a Soulless People Who Sold Their Soul???' for some gott-damn reason).

My! Bloody Hell!

This post is behind the times, but hey, I seem to spend large amounts of time examining my laces these days. Hopefully we'll get a chance to catch these guys on their reunion tour because good Irish bands only come around once every...ever.

This is off the 'You Made Me Realise' e.p:

My Bloody Valentine - Cigarette in Your Bed

Just Chillin'

I'm tired and feel awful most of the time these days. Thank fuck for Savath Y Savalas then ...

Tormenta De La Flor.