The Fall's new LP

Here's a link to an interview from our Mark confirming a new LP will be out next year.

http://thequietus.com/articles/05340-fall-to-release-greek-heavy-metal-album

Grogeous George and George

The following link (if it works: I think if you copy and paste it into the address bar of Explorer or Safari it will work) takes you to an interview on one of my favourite shows in Canada, George Stroumboulopoulos Tonight

http://www.cbc.ca/strombo/videos.html?ID=1652524726

The interview is with our very own George Galloway and touches on his recent spat with the Canadian Federal government when they attempted to bar his entry into the country because of their perception that he was funding terrorism.

The claim originated from a video clip that was distributed throughout the world in which George hands over cash to the Palestinian government, lead by Hamas. Because Hamas have been responsible for rocket attacks on Israel in the past few years they have been formally named as terrorists by the Canadian government, although, apparently, not by the British government.

In the interview George Galloway offers that the money he handed over was for humanitarian efforts paying for health supplies and medical staff and that he was handing the money over to the Ministry of Health. However, due to the fact that the ruling party in Palestine is Hamas, they are involved and hence the allegations of "funding terrorism".

I'm always fascinated at the attention George Galloway receives from the politicians around the world and from the press; bordering on hate. I can understand why. The papers are the puppets for whatever political party they favour and print stories that put those political parties in a good light and their enemies in a less favourable light. The political parties do not like outspoken characters like George publicly denouncing their activities and when those opinions touch on globally significant events like the war in Iraq, the debate becomes very heated.

I'm a great believer in "don't believe everything you read in the papers or on the internet or what you see on the TV or internet" from politicians and the visual media. Organizations like Fox News are as controlled by their favoured party as are the print media in the UK and they are not the only ones in that boat.

So when the world's press call George Galloway a terrorist, a terrorist sympathiser or even an anti-Semite take it all with a sackful of salt.

If you actually listen to the man or read his columns you will and should conclude that he is nothing of the sort. He is outspoken, yes, and if he talks in terms that go against your political bias then you will clearly disagree with what he says but don't label him as a terrorist sympathiser. And he's not a racist either. If you listen to his radio show in which he invites members of the public to phone in with their views on the topic of discussion he always agressivley disagrees with those that offer racist views.

He is, in fact, a supporter of the underdog an almost uniquely British past time. That's why he supports and speaks for the Palestinians, that race who have been bullied by their neighbours for years. You could claim that they have simply been standing up for themselves although I don't agree with their methods in the past. Killing is wrong whoever perpetrates it. But why are the worlds press and their controlling political colleagues so quick to call them terrorists when they, through their conventional armies, are also responsible for killing thousands of innocent people? Pot/kettle.

That is why George Galloway was so against the war in Iraq, a view I share. Why invade a country that stands little threat to anyone, least of all the US and UK? All George Galloway does is highlight this to the world.

My advice: listen to what George actually says rather than rely on what you read in the papers or hear from the mouths of his enemies.

I admire him. He stands up for what he believes in and speaks his mind, eloquently, articulately and with much intelligence.

Free Pixies Digital EP

Go to the following for a free copy of a free live digital EP:

http://www.pixiesmusic.com/tour-archive/

At Last, The Truth

Check this out for the answer:

http://blatmandesign.com/Danny%20Baker.mp3

Beady Eye

Liam Gallagher has formed a new band with Gem and Andy from Oasis and they have a new single out that can be downlowded for free at the following:

www.beadyeyemusic.co.uk

It's a slight departure from the previous sound and well worth checking out.

Catch-22

I've just finished Joseph Heller's classic anti-war novel. Set on, I think, an Italian island during the Second World War, the novel tells the story of Captain Joseph Yossarian who is part of the US bombing crew stationed on the island and his various attempts to be sent home due to his increasing fear of being shot down during his numerous bomb raids. He sees the war as in very personal terms and not in the typically patriotic notions that conventional text is written and movies filmed.

The text takes a shot at the lunacy of war and the bureaucracy involved in fighting them and introduces us to many characters who are trying to live through the war as successfully as possible, whether it be in terms of commercial gain as in the case of Milo Minderbinder who uses his mess funds to create international havoc in an attempt make money for himself or Major Major who deals with his feelings of inadequacy by avoiding contact with everyone; asking his subordinate to only admit people into his office when he is not actually in it.

I's an excellent read and well worth fishing out of your local book shop or library.

I want to see the film now.

It's incredibly funny

Gorillaz in Vancouver

I took Josh to see the Gorillaz at the Rogers Arena last week and we both found it an exciting show. Both of us are Gorillaz fans having bought their first album as Josh's first CD when it came out a few years ago and since then we have collected the rest including the G-Sides and D-Sides remix albums.

We arrived a little earlier than I normally arrive because I wanted to see the support band, N*E*R*D with Pharell Williams at the helm. They were pretty good but didn't play any of the songs from the only album of theirs that I have.

Gorillaz came on relatively quickly afterwards and started with the same orchestral section that starts their recent Plastic Beach record, followed immediately by the penning track featuring Snoop Dog. He wasn't there but featured on the big screen at the back while the live band played on the stage in front.

The band is the real life version of the cartoon characters themselves and features half of the Clash; Paul and Mick among other less well known musicians. In fact I've never heard of any of them. It was great to see these two punk heroes live on stage having only ever seen Joe Strummer on stage at the start of his solo career in Liverpool with the Incredible Mr Ford. There were a few more people at the Gorillaz last week than turned up for our Joe.

For the rest of the show we were treated to De La Sol for a few of the songs, a couple of other rappers, Little Dragon and the infamous Bobby Womack. The guy is soul and funk royalty although I'm not sure Josh quite appreciated who he was. Sadly we were not treated to the ramblings of Mark E. Smith for Glitter Freeze but you could still here him ask "where's North from here" at the start.

Damon has created an eclectic sound that has attracted a wide audience and a wider selection of guest artistes and it works. You get punk, hip hop, orchestral music, soul, funk, house music and Mark E. Smith.

I was surprised that they were playing our local hockey arena being as they are a little know act here in canada but they are obviously better known than I thought.

I'm not sure Blur were ever this popular.