Music and Politics: Johnny Marr This is a really interesting interview with one of the great guitarists of our time. I always loved how Marr made the guitar sound and how he collaborated with such a variety of acts. I got to see the Smiths a couple of times and was really swept up by … Continue reading Music and Politics – Johnny Marr
Incredible web sites for people who love music.
I was reading about Orchestral Manouvres in the Dark on the Guardian website while eating my breakfast yesterday. In the comments section there was a link to this INCREDIBLE site. It looks like some Irish person has gone to A LOT of trouble to scan in copies of Smash Hits magazine from the 1980s. Most … Continue reading Incredible web sites for people who love music.
Happy New Year
I was watching the Jools Holland End of Year Show. It was really interesting to see the respect he gave to the Dubliners. It is funny how a folk band who emerged in the wake of the Clancy Brothers could still command such respect and prominence on the TV across the Irish Sea. It makes … Continue reading Happy New Year
Ireland’s Oddest Pop Stars Pt1
Michael Landers I was delighted to see a mention of Michael Landers on the excellent BrandNewRetro site. They have some really great scans of early Irish pop music magazines like Heat and Spotlight. It is always well worth a visit. http://brandnewretro.ie/2012/04/24/old-adverts-65-youngest-recording-artist-in-the-world-1971/ In 1971 a new face appeared in the Irish pop charts. He took to … Continue reading Ireland’s Oddest Pop Stars Pt1
Not only boxing at the Stadium
When Rock n Roll came to Ireland! The National Stadium was there! This is a great one. Front page of the Irish Press, November 19th 1956. It is one of the first, probably the first, rock n roll gig in Southern Ireland. I like the description of the crowd response: “The performances were punctuated by … Continue reading Not only boxing at the Stadium
The Olympic Bounce
Lots of the acts featured on the wondrous Olympic opening ceremony have enjoyed huge sales increases this week. Maybe that is the solution to the decline in music sales…hold the Olympics every week! 65 songs from the top 200 were featured in either the Olympics opening or closing ceremonies. It certainly proves that Mega Events … Continue reading The Olympic Bounce
Topping the charts is getting easier
Rihanna: Dismal sales take her to the top of the charts. Quite a few stories this week about how few copies Rihanna shifted of her new album. Yes it got to number 1. The problem is that it sold the fewest copies any number 1 has sold in a single week since accurate records were … Continue reading Topping the charts is getting easier
ticket prices, more olympics…
What happens when ticket prices fall? http://www.irishtimes.com/blogs/ontherecord/2012/08/14/the-new-rocknroll-ticket-price-discounts/ Jim Carroll on ticket prices for the Van Morrison gig. When the country is in such desperate financial straits should the authorities charge less for the use of their property? That way promoters would not have to take such big financial risks when putting on gigs? The … Continue reading ticket prices, more olympics…
2012 Olympics – Remember them?
The newspapers around the world had a mixed response to the closing ceremony of the 2012 Olympics. Here are a few of the negative ones? I picked them because you can learn more from mistakes than success. Do you agree with the criticism? What criticism do you have of the ceremony? “Music meant pop music … Continue reading 2012 Olympics – Remember them?
10 bands that I loved seeing live:
Dexy's Midnight Runners New Model Army Fugazi Senseless Things Snuff Rollins Band Jane's Addiction Ween Rage Against The Machine That Petrol Emotion The Wild Hearted Outsider