I now have proof that computers are bad for you, work isn’t fun and I’m not invincible, as my doctor this week confirmed I have RSI. So apologies if diskant seems quiet but I’m trying to cut down on my computer usage. The Reviewsblog is being updated regularly though so don’t leave us! I don’t have the really scary kind of RSI so I hope to be better soon.

I’m not sure if this is RSI-related but I seem to be listening to an awful lot of pop music at the moment. I don’t think my aim when buying an iPod was to find myself listening to Girls Aloud while the on-bus TV screen was playing, er, Girls Aloud.

It’s not all bad news though as Nintendo have finally built the theme park I’ve been building in my head for years – PokéPark! I want to go to this so badly I could cry but sadly it’s in Nagoya, Japan. It has Pokémon merry-go-rounds and Pikachu shaped cars! Kill me now.

Okay, back to my non-computer fun. I am learning how to use a drum machine and relearning how to draw. By the end of the summer I expect to have formed a terrible solo project and written a new actual paper-based zine. Wish me luck.

Three weeks without home internet and I barely missed it. And now that I have it back I seem reluctant to pick up where I left off. It seems I may finally have learned how to relax. I haven’t completely neglected diskant though ‘ you may notice I’ve recruited a bunch of new reviewers and the diskant review box is now almost empty. Hopefully from now on things will get reviewed in a more timely manner and by a wider range of people. I’m certainly looking forward to seeing all the new reviews and you should keep checking the reviewsblog.

I still have a personal review backlog as I’ve been blighted with a complete block on review writing for the last, er, 6 months or so (sorry to all those bands and labels). Help has come from unexpected places with some enforced fun at work. What started as a simple CD swap has now grown into a team CD ring requiring track by track reviews with scores. I’ll probably post up some of my reviews here at some point but it’s been a relatively unexposed opportunity to try and remember how to write about music. Not to mention the exposure to all kinds of bands I would never otherwise hear. And with no internet I’ve been listening blind, having to trust my heart and not what my eyes might tell me are a bunch of hipster losers. I may not get through this with my pride or my cool intact but that’s half the fun these days.

What little cool I still possess I will be clutching to my heart on the 19th of June at Mono in Glasgow where we will be sharing a stage with the mighty Wolf Eyes. Do come and see us.

They aren’t about “promo” – what they’re about is kicking the shit into the kids, man. They see music as a void. In the capital (thats London) there is a disgusting trend for style over substance. This band buck that trend. They mix Krautrock and Electronica. They are also crazymental and drink and do drugs. They are from Leicester.
They are KASABIAN.

I’m DJ’ing at a benefit gig on Wednesday. I’m sure I’ll be great, so come along to The Vale, just by Queen St. station.

But there’s more than just me trying to inflict my taste on hapless punters: there’s bands and video projections and an Easter egg raffle.

The bands that are playing are Magdalena, Yuffie and Transient Noise. I look forward to hearing what they’re like, they doubtless rock.

We’re asking for a £3/£2 donation to The G42 Collective. The money will be going towards opening a social centre space in the southside of Glasgow. We know what building we want and what we can do with it, we just need enough to get the ball rolling. There’ll be space for film screenings, cafe nights, exhibitions, talks, workshops and allsorts.

A bit of a Damn You! shaped plug here.
We have some fantastic, weird, unique gigs coming up in April. We’ve done a lot of heavy stuff of late so it might be coincidental but as spring arrives we have some perfect cool beer supping music on the horizon.
Friday April 8 sees a US double header with Thee More Shallows (Monotreme Recs) and Giant Haystacks ably backed up by our own progmeisters Souvaris and Brighton’s Projections who are ex-Cat On Form. Thats at the Bunkers Hill Inn and its £4adv.

Then on Tuesday April 12 we have moved heaven and earth (actually we got them to move a show in Germany) to get Fog to play. How can someone simultaneously play genius hip-hop inspired electronica AND sound like the best Will Oldham records? Come see. Last time he payed it was incredible. Not only that but you get an equally rare live outing from The Telescopes as support. Line opens up with his electrickery tunes. That one’s downstairs at the Cabaret and is £adv too.

Finally on April 20th we are super chuffed to present Chris Brokaw. Chris has played in/with (deep breath) Come, Codeine, The New Year, Consonant, Pullman, Evan Dando and GG Allin (!). He is the finest solo acoustic guitarist about. His show last time at the Social was perfect. Don’t miss this. Support is from me, aka Last Of The Real Hardmen, though for this one I have drums from Mr Gareth Hardwick and cello from Ms Lucinda. Two other bands will be playing, it’s going to be each of those bands’ first gig so I’m waiting on names…
That ones at the Bunkers and it’s £4 adv too.

We also have a special May Bank Holiday show on the Sunday planned for the Sneinton School Hall. It’s and it’s going to be the last-show-of-the-tour party for one of our favourite bands. If you like American Underground punk rock, wah-wah and the sounds of Prince you’re going to shit when we sort this out.

Click the link at the top for directions and tickets.
xxx

DCs finest psychedelic heaviosity merchants DEAD MEADOW are playing a one off at the BARFLY in CAMDEN on TUESDAY MARCH 15 – TOMORROW!
STINKING LIZAVETA are on in the middle, you might have seen them at the Shellac ATP
LORDS are ex Wolves Of Greece and open up and ARE ONSTAGE AT EIGHT O CLOCK NO FUCKING SHIT.
cheers

Also I saw Wilco last night and everybody NELS CLINE! Give it up! NELS CLINE!

FREE RECORDS!!!!!

I’m moving house soon so it is time for a clear out. I’ve already chucked out about ten million crappy old cassettes and am currently working my way through an ENORMOUS box of zines I found at the back of a cupboard. I also have some half decent cassettes, CDs and 7″s* that you are welcome to for the price of postage. Use the comments box or email marceline at diskant.net to claim anything, first come etc. Most of this is either review stuff, things I also have on vinyl or where I’ve copied the good songs to MP3. It’s all going to charity otherwise. More soon, maybe.

*I did go through my LPs and 12″s but only managed to discard one so I put it back in…

Ooh, I forgot I also have the following:

LEXMARK inkjet printer – does colour OR B&W but not both at the same time. It’s okay.
EPSON Scanner – only works with Windows 98, usefully. Pretty good scanner though.

These are FREE to anyone who can pick them up from Glasgow. I doubt they’re worth the cost of postage.

Fucking hell, SLINT. Wow. I forgot how much I like that band. I was a twat and sent a message to one of them on Friendster saying they shouldn’t reform. I also added to that message that if they did I would be there as I am a cocksucker. I am a cocksucker.

Anyway, following the break up of the Wolves Of Greece rock and roll band we find ourselves the owners of a pile of equipment which, frankly, we’re fucking sick of looking at. YOU the punter are the winner. Peruse this list and email me at my spanking new email address:
(honeyisfunny AAAAAAAAAT fastmail DOTTTTT fm)

COLORSOUND OVERDRIVER PEDAL – vintage as you like. rare as you like. £quite a lot
SQUIER JAGMASTER – white/red scratchplate, taken a beating but has new improved bridge and plays great (though cosmetically challenged) – £120
HARTKE 4X10 BASS CAB – rude sounding cab with aluminium speakers (no shit). Comes with spare speaker and spare driver – £175
SHIN-EI FUZZ WAH – total nutbar 60s fuzz thing £offers
and maybe an early 80s Squier Strat but that’ll be £350 minimum as they’re rare (check EBay dude!)

and the car that transported them:

1986 SAAB 900i AUTOMATIC. My baby. I call it Sven. Light blue metallic. Very quick. Low miles. MOT to Jan 06. Tax to July. It kills me to let it go but I’m cutting back. £575

also allow me to advertise some gigs I am part of:

FEBRUARY
23 – NAYSAYER, FABULOUS FOXES, NORDIC MILE
NOTTINGHAM BUNKERS HILL

MARCH
4 – TED LEO/PHARMACISTS, HELP SHE CAN’T SWIM, LORDS
HIGHBURY GARAGE UPSTAIRS
5 – TED LEO/PHARMACISTS, RED MONKEY, LORDS
NOTTINGHAM GREENS MILL SCHOOL HALL (DAMN YOU BIG NIGHT OUT)
15 – DEAD MEADOW, STINKING LIZAVETA, LORDS
LONDON BARFLY

APRIL
1 – THIS AIN’T VEGAS, LORDS, COWTOWN, EAGLE EYE
LEEDS FENTON
2 – LORDS, BILGE PUMP (TBC), JOEYFAT (TBC), DESIGNER BABIES
BRIGHTON FREEBUTT

London ones are early starters (Lords 8ish)
See you at ATP.