http://www.diskant.net an independent music community Fri, 16 May 2008 14:43:06 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en Heard on the radio earlier today the controller of Radio 3, being told off for declining audience figures. One of the questions was "so as the audience for European classical music declines, you're happy for your audience to decline?" The guy's in an impossible position, between conservative classical fans and market-led ... http://www.diskant.net/blog/2008/05/16/radio-3-music-for-the-sake-fo-music/ [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yh1yY-QrRiw[/youtube] Proof that Brian Jonestown Massacre aren't the only band in LA still livin' like it's 1968, here are The Quarter After, who have just released their second album Changes Near. Yes, yes, you've heard this sound before, many times. But is anything really new any more? And isn't it the ... http://www.diskant.net/blog/2008/05/11/the-quarter-after/ I reprinted all my posters: http://www.flickr.com/photos/sumlin/sets/72157594212951999/ and did some limited prints of some of the illustrations I've done for Plan B. Slight price increase to £5 each for the posters or any 3 for £12 (Plus postage)   http://www.diskant.net/blog/2008/05/09/re-print/ Exciting news everyone - the one and only Wil Forbis has published a book! diskant oldsters will remember Wil who wrote a hilarious series of review columns for the now-defunct diskant zine on the bargain bins of the USA and also did a great interview with comic artist James Olsen ... http://www.diskant.net/blog/2008/05/08/pop-culture-trash-cinema-and-rebel-music/ Enjoying the spectacle of Michel Houellebecq's Ma giving him a well-deserved literary smacking over his treatment of her in his over-rated softcore whinefest Atomised. (Though it's unfortunate that the interview ends with the same cod-psychoanalytic drivel that characterises H's work...) In Standard Grade English classes, we had to put together a ... http://www.diskant.net/blog/2008/05/07/houellebecq/ Further to our cynical Triptych post below, the successor - Tennents Mutual - has now been launched. Providing you are of alcohol drinking age*, you can help "devise and programme a series of live shows in Scotland in October / November this year"; from what bands get to play, which ... http://www.diskant.net/blog/2008/05/02/for-music-fans-by-alcohol-drinking-music-fans/ I like this Muxtape lark. Here's a new one I did for knuckling down to work to with some obvious choices and even some Eric Clapton: http://sumlin.muxtape.com Toots & The Maytals - Pressure Drop Althea & Donna - Uptown Top Ranking Dave & Ansel Collins - Double Barrel The Meters - Cissy Strut Talking Heads ... http://www.diskant.net/blog/2008/04/29/new-muxtape/ I''m baffled by the praise lavished on pish-merchants Tenants and their soon-to-be-forgotten Triptych festival recently. Lots of ill-advised adjectives like "innovative" and "avantgarde". One Stockhausen gig doesn't make for an avant garde festival, and all that's innovative about Tenant's music sponsorship is their opportunism. From a corporate eyeball whore point-of-view, they ... http://www.diskant.net/blog/2008/04/28/and-the-wee-boy-says-i-can-see-triptychs-arse/ http://www.flickr.com/photos/tommm_sykes/2436782237/ http://www.myspace.com/summerlin  http://www.diskant.net/blog/2008/04/28/oh-god-no/ ...where the fuck is the 13th Note? Who goes to Brel for music? (A: people who think Ashton Lane is Glasgow's East End) The Scotia kicks the arse of the Halt Bar if you want authentic. When did the folk in Nice N Sleazy become "painfully well-dressed"? You put your page break in the ... http://www.diskant.net/blog/2008/04/21/can-i-be-the-first-to-say/ Does anyone really think ATP was better at Pontins? The info for Butlins ATP has just been emailed out including these gems: What WE Provide! Butlins Minehead looks out across a superb sandy beach. The site not only has a supermarket, newsagent and cash points, it also has Burger King, Pizza Hut, ... http://www.diskant.net/blog/2008/04/21/butlins-go-all-out-for-atp/ Some emails of possible interest * The legendary Creation compilation Doing It For The Kids has inspired a new 3CD charity compilation which features such Creation luminaries ex-Jasmine Minks members, Ed Ball, and um, one of Hurricane #1. There are also tracks by the likes of Ballboy, Popup, de Rosa and ... http://www.diskant.net/blog/2008/04/17/whats-cluttering-up-the-diskant-inbox/ In the pub last Sunday we found a fantastic mock-tourist guide to Glasgow. It's so well-designed and understated that we spent the first 5 minutes outraged at the latest Council-sponsored tack. Foreigners might be unfamiliar with the laughable Scotland with style rebranding / gentrification campaign underway here, much to the amusement ... http://www.diskant.net/blog/2008/04/15/glasgow-its-so-stylish/ Last 6 mins or so of Bilge Pump in Bletchley. Unbelievable. [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CAOkyCyKVbA[/youtube] http://www.diskant.net/blog/2008/04/15/nudity-bravery-rock-roll/ Well, thanks to our good pals at Microsoft, it looks like songwriters can pack up their guitars and NEVER BOTHER AGAIN, 'cos they've invented a program that writes a song for you if you sing at it. It's technically pretty impressive, but the funniest bit is the adjustable sliders that ... http://www.diskant.net/blog/2008/04/12/microsoft-renders-songwriters-redundant/ I forsee no sleep ever again. CLICK HERE for random diskant goodness from the archives, then CLICK on the same link in the left sidebar and CLICK CLICK CLICK CLICK. God, what a lot of amazing nonsense we used to post on here. (yesyes, there are still many untitled and uncategorised ... http://www.diskant.net/blog/2008/04/10/random-fun/ Just when you thought Flickr couldn't get any more addictive or time-consuming, the bastards have added a video function which is amazing. They've limited things to 90 secs to give the Flickr videos a feel of moving photographs and give an excellent place to upload stop-frame animations or quick movies ... http://www.diskant.net/blog/2008/04/09/flickr-video/ The Soundhaus is celebrating it's 10th birthday this weekend with DJs from (it looks like) all of the nights it hosts and a load of bands playing as well. Why should you care? Read on... I hate most nightclubs. The beer stinks, the price is excessive and in some venues the crowd ... http://www.diskant.net/blog/2008/04/09/soundhaus-10th-birthday/ http://sumlin.muxtape.com/ There you go, couldn't rename the tracks as it keeps telling me there's an error so here's the tracklisting: Saved Neil Young - Cinnamon Girl Jimi Hendrix Experience - Killing Floor (live) The Sonics - Have Love, Will Travel Oneida - Doin Business In Japan MC5 - Looking At You Ike & Tina Turner - Untitled Yardbirds - ... http://www.diskant.net/blog/2008/04/06/muxtape-2/ Finally, after about six months of procrastinating, thinking and watching the diskant review box spiral out of control, we are now accepting new submissions for review. You can see how it all works on the new Review Submissions page. The robot is now on a break and you can interact ... http://www.diskant.net/blog/2008/03/31/send-us-your-records/