Here’s a brilliant story from Scotland. Susan and Carl Smith had just been married and a band was playing at their reception. At the same hotel, Roger Daltrey was staying prior to The Who’s gig in Glasgow. He heard the music, went in to congratulate the couple, then did a song with the band.
No one could believe it, and the married couple say it is something they will remember for the rest of their lives.
According to this Classic Rock interview it doesn’t look like Rush will be touring in 2015 at the moment. It’s not definite that they won’t, but the fact that they’ve not decided yet is. Something is going to happen, that’s certain. It’s just a matter of when. Geddy also talks of “itching” to get back to the studio and record a new Rush album, and he says Alex feels the same way. 
Incidentally, my R40 Boxed Set arrived today, It’s a beautifully packaged product and I’m looking forward to some quiet time to go through the 10 DVDs it contains.
Mine’s already on pre-order from the Rush Backstage Club. There will be an R40 boxed set released in November, featuring over two hours of unseen footage and a couple of never-before heard songs from the early days.
I am convinced this is a precursor to the announcement of an R40 world tour in 2015.
A few people have found the blog on this search term in the last few days. I wasn’t sure why until I checked, but it’s because episode 11 of the documentary “Metal Evolution” is being shown, and all three members of Rush are interviewed in it (which is an achievement on the part of the producers and Sam Dunn, since Neil Peart doesn’t do many interviews, and he is very forthcoming in this one).
Actually, you can buy this highly acclaimed documentary series on DVD and Blu-ray, and it is really worth having if you’re into rock music.
It’s also worth pointing out that an R40 boxed set is planned for later this year featuring 6 discs and lots of bonus material as well as their recent (post-hiatus) performances. I’ll be getting it, that’s for sure!
Correction: There is a new show, Classic Albums 4, featuring Rush and their albums 2112 and Moving Pictures. Again, Neil is included prominently, along with Alex and Geddy. The show was originally aired in the US in 2010, but it has taken this long to come over here!
Regular readers will know that I enjoy going to live music gigs. One of the best smaller venues is Nottingham’s Rock City, which in the past has hosted the likes of David Bowie, Nirvana, U2, REM, Ozzy Osbourne, Oasis, and Blur. I’ve seen Gary Moore there a couple of times, along with The Darkness, Haim, Courtney Love, Steel Panther, Hawkwind, Black Star Riders, and Primal Scream. At the attached Rescue Rooms I’ve seen John Otway and Wild Willy Barrett, Evarose, CJD, and Mostly Autumn. There have been a few others.
A story came in on the newsfeeds about a club in Manchester – several around the country, in fact – which might face losing its licence because of complaints by people living in nearby flats about the noise. When I did a bit of searching, I found that Rock City had had the same problem back in 2004, where it was forced to spend £250,000 on new soundproofing because people who had moved in nearby had started whingeing about “the noise”.
The club had already opposed planning permission for the flats on the grounds that they were too close and were bound to be affected by noise, but since Nottingham City Council is run by money-grabbing idiots of the first order the flats were built, people who were too stupid to guess what might happen moved in, and… well, Rock City had to spend a quarter of a million on a new roof after the complaints started. At the time all this happened, Nottingham City Council “declined” to speak with the BBC.
Night & Day in Manchester is now going through the same unfortunate experience. Their plight is somewhat worse than the one Rock City went through, as the flats are in the building next door and adjoin the venue. Furthermore, although the venue is a successful business, it appears to be smaller than Rock City and probably couldn’t afford to shell out the money needed (scaled up to 2014 prices, and given the extreme proximity of the complainants) to address the problem.
Night & Day argue that it is not fair that someone can move next to a venue that has been open for 23 years and potentially bring about its closure.
And they’re right. Manchester City Council is likely to revoke their licence, having decided that there IS a noise nuisance.
“We’ve done what we do for over 20 years and nothing has changed,” the venue’s promoter Gareth Butterworth insists.
“There’s no new system. Nothing has been turned up or turned down. Why would we? Music too loud doesn’t sound good anyway.
“If a person wants to live in the city centre, there are things that go with that and noise is one of them.
“Venues are suffering up and down the country. Most of them are small businesses and they don’t really have the finances to fight this kind of thing, and they end up losing their business.”
Councils up and down the country are run by idiots. That’s the real problem. They insist on building “premium” accommodation in central locations where there is automatically going to be an issue with something or other. And the clowns who buy these properties really should do their homework, because you don’t need a degree to work out that you aren’t going to get a quiet life if you move in next to a bloody nightclub.
Delving into it further, it seems that the flats weren’t built properly – probably to save money – and the issue of noise transference is connected with inadequate soundproofing in those.
The story also reports other problems around the country. The Boileroom in Guildford is subject to a hearing in September. The Fleece in Bristol, which has been in existence for 32 years, opposed the conversion of an office block into flats because it was worried about a “deluge of complaints” (although Bristol Council appears to have addressed this with demands for soundproofing measures – even though the people who move in will probably still complain). The Blind Tiger and Freebutt in Brighton and the 200 Club in Newport, Gwent have already closed because of noise issues, and Le Pub – also in Newport – is trying to raise £10,000 for a new soundproofed roof after being issued a noise abatement warning.
The Music Venue Trust has been set up to lobby for a change in the law.
The Music Venue Trust wants the UK to adopt the “agent of change principle”, whereby the person responsible for a change in the circumstances must deal with the consequences.
So if someone builds a block of flats next to a venue that is not otherwise causing a nuisance, it will be down to the developer to pay for soundproofing. If a club turns the volume up, it is their problem.
This makes perfect sense. And I would add that the local council should also be included in that, inasmuch as if they’re stupid and greedy enough to grant planning permission for these locations, then they should be held partly responsible for any problems – prospectively or retrospectively – experienced by existing businesses..
This is bit of bad news. I’m due to go and see Status Quo later this year, but that might not now happen as Rick Parfitt has been taken ill and Quo have been forced to cancel several European gigs due to go ahead in August. It must be quite serious, since the band is touring pretty much all year round most of the time, and they don’t cancel lightly.
Rick has had heart bypass surgery in the past, and has also been treated for suspected (but ultimately benign) throat cancer (which I didn’t know about).
No word yet on what the problem is, but apparently we should find out this week. Hopefully, Rick – who is 65 – will be all right whether the tour continues or not. I mean, sod the tour – hope you get well soon, Rick!
Good news! It looks like Rick is OK and will be back on stage during the summer. Apparently it was a furred up valve from his previous bypass operations, which has been rectified by the use of a stent.
I’ve always been interested in Courtney Love’s music, as it teeters on the brink of the sharp divide between rock and pop. Songs like Celebrity Skin (with her band, Hole) are a prime example. Anyway, I went to see her last night at Rock City in Nottingham.
The support act was White Miles. Now there is a difference of opinion here – I thought they were great, and my mate (who I go to these gigs with) wasn’t too impressed. They describe themselves as “a dirty pole dance stoner blues rock duo”. If I was describing them, I’d say they were along the lines of The White Stripes, but more energetic. The sound that the two of them produced was quite impressive. Certainly, one to keep an eye on.
Courtney Love was on stage on time, and she put on an impeccable show. She kicked off with Wedding Day (apparently, her new single). Later on, a bit of The Beatles’ Hey Jude got my mate all cynical (as he always is of any attempts by other artistes to play “the classics”) was played Courtney-style. This was later followed by Skinny Little Bitch – another one I liked from a while back.
It’s hard to believe that she’s nearly 50. The encore of the hour and a half set closed with Doll Parts.
I was surprised at the relatively low turnout. I’d say that the hall was about 50-60% full, but at least it meant that you could stand comfortably without people trying to get in front all the time (plus it was easy to get out at the end).
Courtney didn’t swear anywhere near as much as I was expecting her to, but the brief periods of expletives brought squeals of pleasure from the mainly young (and probably underage) female crowd. In fact, given that she was interviewed on BBC Breakfast last week I suspect she might be mellowing a little with age.
Unlike her original band, Hole, the current supporting musicians are all male and they’re a very tight outfit.
The lighting was good, and it made for some great pictures, as you can see here (you can read Courtney’s tattoos in most of them on the originals).
We finished off the evening with an interesting curry in the Mogal-e-Azam, as usual. That place has gone weird – they have two chefs now, it seems, and both have totally different approaches. Pilau rice shouldn’t really have sweetcorn, green beans, and peas in it, and it shouldn’t be cooked in chicken stock – but it did last night. Add to this the one we had a few months ago, where my Chicken Methi had about half a kilo of fresh Methi leaves in it (dried Methi is the flavour you want when you order a Methi dish), and you can see why “weird” is the best word to use. It was still nice – just… odd.
Fortunately, I’d made sure I had no lessons until this afternoon. I miscalculated with my dietary preparations earlier in the day yesterday (line your stomach with something fatty) and the beer hit me harder than I would have liked, and I had a bit of a thick head this morning!
But another fine musical interlude in the middle of the business of teaching people to drive. At the moment, the only gig lined up is Status Quo later this year – December, I think – so something needs to come up to fill the gap in between.
I’d had my tickets for this gig on order from the moment they went on sale last year. Having seen Steel Panther at Rock City back in 2012 I just had to go again. To be honest, this show was even better than last time.
To begin with, the support band was The Cringe, who hail from New York. It made a pleasant change for a headliner to bring their own support – it’s become quite common for touring bands to hire a local group for each city they play in, and as the recent Haim gig showed, this doesn’t always come off. The Cringe were a good old rock and roll band with an alternative twist.
Strangely, it took a long time for the audience to warm to them (at the Haim gig, the crowd went nuts over the very average support). I always feel sorry for bands in these circumstances, but I guess they are used to it.
Steel Panther’s set up was over the top, as usual. The drums are on a four foot high plinth, and there were microphones on it either side for Lexxi Foxxx and Satchel to use as needed. Foxxx also had his dressing table and spent a lot of time preening and putting on make-up.
The lyrics to nearly all their songs are virtually unprintable (and, in most cases, unplayable on the radio because of their lewd and totally unambiguous content). Their set always includes a lot of talking (and swearing) because it’s a complete show, and it is always very funny indeed.
Steel Panther are a brilliant rock and roll band. They could cut it on their music alone, but as I say they are a complete show, and the lewdness is a huge and additional part of what they do.
Towards the end of the main set they did their usual trick of inviting girls on to the stage. They already had one girl in the audience bare her boobs, and they got two more to do it on the stage. There were maybe 15 girls, all wearing very little.
And no, I didn’t try to take any photos of the girls who got their boobs out (though I almost got arc eye from all the people who did). I can’t believe those girls weren’t paid performers, but Starr insisted that they weren’t, and that they turn up to their shows dressed like this.
There was a distinct change in the crowd compared to last time. There seemed to be a lot of bald-headed men who looked like amateur boxers, and there was a lot of stuff being thrown around (beer, beer glasses, and so on). To be honest, anyone who throws anything at a gig is a complete and utter wanker – but, as I said, there was a distinct change in the demographic, and so there were a lot of wankers present.
The floor at Rock City wasn’t quite as sticky as last time, but it was still TOO sticky. I’m taking a bag of sand next time so I can sprinkle that wherever I’m standing.
Some great photos for the collection, and all rounded off with a decent curry at the Mogal-e-Azam (they aren’t under new management, but they DO have new chefs).
Better start saving for this. Word on the grapevine is that Rush will be touring again in 2015 during what will be their 41st year together as a band. Depending on when they start, and when the UK leg is, they may hit us as late as 2016. We’ll have to wait and see how this develops.
They’re also releasing a special box set – Rush ReDISCovered – which is available for pre-order now (I’ve ordered mine). It celebrates the release in 1974 of their first album.
I first got wind of Haim following a feature in Classic Rock magazine, and when I saw that they were appearing at Rock City I ordered tickets way back in October last year. Then they appeared on Jools’ Hootenanny on New Year’s Eve. Well, I went to them last night, and they put on a great show.
Classic Rock’s review emphasised their rock dimension, whereas their appearance on Hootenanny was more of an exercise in pop – which made me wonder if I’d made the right decision.
No one can seem to make up their minds what genre Haim belong to. The Wikipedia entry describes them as “nu-folk-meets-nineties-R&B” – and if I’d have seen that on its own I wouldn’t have gone to see them for love nor money. The fact that they apparently signed to Jay-Z’s management group would have further dissuaded me.
Others suggest they are influenced by Fleetwood Mac, but whatever others say you should always go on your own judgement. So I did. And I wasn’t disappointed.
The support act was “Saint Raymond”. I can’t get my head around whether they’re actually a band, or some guy called Saint Raymond aka Callum Burrows who has a backing band. I think it’s the latter, which actually does them a disservice – to be brutally honest, Burrows came across as the weakest link. As a band they were, well… competent. Nothing to shout home about, and after a couple of songs very “samey”. They were straight out of the 1980s indie scene – and that scene could be excruciating even back then.
Haim were very late coming on stage – they must have appeared around 9.30pm. Their set lasted for little more than an hour, which is maybe not surprising when you consider that they only have one album to date, and maybe this had something to do with the delay. Don’t get me wrong, that’s not meant in a negative way, it’s just that a 45 minute album is 45 minutes of music, and you can’t stretch that much beyond.
As a result, Haim performed a couple of covers – the most notable of which was Fleetwood Mac’s “Oh Well”, which was a full on rock jam, and which expressed the side of them I like the most. Early on, Este also climbed on to the speakers.
Even their poppier numbers were interspersed with great guitar riffs and pounding percussion, so rock was never lost entirely – though it nearly was when Danielle took to the drum kit at the start of the encore. Nearly, but not quite.
The gig was a sell-out (it sold out months ago), but the big question is what direction they will take now.
For me, the rock path is without doubt the best option – but R&B and rap will pay much more, and I can see them heading that way. Most American bands do. It’s a shame.
I got some decent photos (well, not of Alana, as she had her back to the side I was on most of the time). The crowd was a bit on the immature side, and was about 80% female. Fortunately, that meant most of it was about half my height. I almost got arc eye from all the LEDs from the selfies that were being taken, and there was one close shave when some arsehole (tall female) attempted to stand in front of me after I’d secured a clear view for the whole evening to that point – people who come in at the last minute, and then expect to get pole position really piss me off.
Rock City needs to get its act together as far as the cleaners are concerned. The floor was the stickiest I have ever been stuck to. It was dangerously sticky – if you stood still for more than a minute, any attempt to move almost meant falling over as both feet remained in place.
An indifferent curry at the Mogal-e-Azam – I’m sure that place is under new management – rounded off a decent night of music.
Next gig is Steel Panther later this month, also at Rock City.