So it says on the back of the new Lightning Bolt DVD, entitled “The Power of Salad”. And I’m happy to confirm that the rock contained on said DVD could indeed sink ships. It’s a film made by Peter Glantz and Nick Noe which follows the Rhode Island band around on their 2001 US tour, with lots and lots of great live footage, interviews with fellow freakboys Pink And Brown and a bunch of ker-ay-zee animations that do bad things to you if you stare at them for too long. I know I’ve gone on a bit about this band on this weblog before, but they really are fucking tremendous, the most refreshing and original band I’ve heard in a very long time. Stupid fucking noise. With cats. Luke says they’re meant to be playing here some time soon, which will make me very happy indeed.

Well, we went to see Spiderman last night and it was actually not bad at all. I was trying to think of any similar kind of blockbuster superhero type films that I’ve seen but I couldn’t so I’m comparing it to how I imagine other blockbuster superhero type films to be like. So the main good thing about it is how not blockbustery it is. Okay, you’ve got all the good vs evil, special effects filled battles, etc etc. but mostly it’s about the people and not their superhero alter egos. There’s a lot more Peter Parker in the film than there is Spiderman. It’s all very cartoony and colourful and fast and enjoyable really. Well, providing you can blind yourself to some of the really annoying plot holes [might be more fun in your own home so you can shout frustratedly at the screen]. It’s not the best film in the world and I imagine it will go into ever decreasing sequel madness over the years but it’s fun and worth seeing if you’re going to the cinema with a bunch of people or if you’re bored and you’ve already seen Star Wars.

I’ve just seen the poster for the Stallone remake of Get Carter. hahahaha. No wonder it went straight to video here.

But I want to see it!

A chance to see him throw someone from an american soap opera offof Gateshead carpark. (Or wherever the septic equivalent of newcastle is.) And the scene where he orders a pint of bitter IN A TALL GLASS:

Carter: “give me a bottle of Budweiser / Miller / Coors [Sly, who’s your agent dealing with for this scene? – hack director]. IN A TALL BOTTLE.”

Hey, feeling a lack of indiepop and socialism in your life? Well, lucky you cos there’s a new issue of Tasty zine out right now to fill that gap. This here issue is number 16 and is a Jubilee special which means a pull out interview with Billy Bragg and some moaning about how horrible old people are [oh, hang on, that’s actually not about the Queen, hoho!]. The Billy Bragg interview is particularly good as there’s very little of the ‘ahhhhh, Billy Bragg, socialist songsmith of the people’ and instead they take him to task over the slight dubiousness of the anti-Jubilee but pro-English sentiments of his new record. Left nationalism, hmmmm. That aside you also get good chats with Milky Wimpshake, Comet Gain, Chris T-T and The Icicles. They’re not convincing me that British Sea Power are good though. There’s also record reviews and a briefing on the Italian General Strike. And all wrapped up in a good old communist styled cover. Convinced enough to send em your cash? Well, you don’t have to because it’s FREE! That’s, er, socialism for you. So drop them an email, tell them you’re special friends of diskant and I’m sure they’ll sort you out. One way or the other. Or you can just read it online. So, no excuses, get on with it.

Wandered over to West 13th last night to see Enon. Firstly we got The Magnificents who are still crazily great. They were having some sound problems that only made scary eyed keyboard man all the funnier. One day he will have an onstage mental fit and rampage around killing people and we’ll all think it’s hilarious. Especially if he continues to shout into microphone while on killing spree [KIIILLLLL, AAARRRGHHH! RAAAAAAAARR! etc.].

Enon, however, did not gain anything from the dodgy sound (hey, mr rich person, give the venue money for a new PA) and it was only after a few songs that they started to sound like a vaguely good hardcore guitar band. Which is still not good because Enon are a wonky electronic band. There was too much emphasis on the guitar bits and not enough electronic fun or singer running around the place inspiring fun and amusement. This was mostly upsetting because they were ace last time they played Glasgow, upstaging Les Savy Fav no less (!). I didn’t know any of the songs they played until the last two but I could hear some ace tunes buried under the sludge so I’m betting on the new album being fantastic. Luckily the sound got ever so gradually better and they played a rather awesome version of Conjugate The Verbs to finish on so it didn’t end up a total disappointment. Ho hum etc.

audiogalaxy has had its ass kicked.

I’m just back from the fine city of Edinburgh where I was amusing myself in the style of someone with no money. Firstly I took myself to The Art of Star Wars exhibition with unemployed person discount yay and spent a good couple of hours wandering about engrossed in the pictures and costumes and spaceships. More on this later but go if you get the chance.

After that and some nice dinner we watched television, sorry watched Television [ha ha HA! see what I did there?]. We arrived about 9pm only to discover much cheering as Television took to the stage. So no James Orr Complex for us, boo. The venue was utterly packed and we could not see a single thing. If I stood on tiptoe I could make out the lights at the top of the stage but that was it. Luckily we were tipped off to the back stairs and side stage views so got ourselves a prety great view. I spent most of the set just thinking ‘Loooook! It’s Tom Verlaine!’ which was almost exciting enough for me. When I got a copy of Marquee Moon back in 1990ish and named my pot plant after Tom Verlaine I never thought I’d get to see them live, even when they reformed a couple of years later. So, to be standing mere feet away and hear all the hits had me unable to remove the stupid grin from my face. I’m glad I didn’t listen to the records or anything before I went to the show as it was way better being reminded of everything as it happened, the guitar lines seemingly indelibly imprinted on my memory. Highlights were pretty much everything they played off Marquee Moon and a fantastic Little Johnny Jewel. I’m listening to a live tape of them from 1978 as I write this and apart from the sound quality you’d hardly notice those 24 years in between. The Strokes wish they were half as cool as 2002 Television in their dad clothes, let alone 1970s hipster Television.

Primary school kids running part of their school.

“There was some consternation at the SAC when they rang to speak to the managing director of Room 13 and were told by the school secretary that she would call back when she was out of PE”

Hehe. Noisy Buckie-punk action last night with The Alpacinos at the Cathouse. It must not have been a school night because the place was packed. Easily the busiest I’ve seen it on a Monday and folk were jumping about too (gasp). Kids, eh. Too much cola and fizzy pop. Dead good set from the band: big fast and dumb with quality band banter. What’s the word? Oh aye, Fun. No kilts though. Grr! Punk! Yacuntya!

Electro-acoustic show at the RSAMD tonight.

On account of forthcoming enormo expenditure, I am forcing myself to limit what I spend money on very strictly. This includes records, to some degree – or more specifically, I’m not buying so many random things ‘just to hear what they’re like’, and ending up with piles of half-listened things all over. This has had the fortunate consequence of forcing me to delve into records gone by, so I’ve been rediscovering nice things like the Tortoise albums, lots of crazy old psychedelia, and all of Sonic Youth’s back catalogue. I’m also LISTENING to things over and over now, and become rapidly obsessed with/deeply acquainted with the first two Shellac albums, and OXES of course.

I have also been making interesting food with vegetables, but that’s another story.