Now Then: The Field

Sometimes it’s necessary for electronic music to provide some warmth, depth, sometimes it’s ok to combine a hybrid mix of luddite and technophilic sensibilities, man maketh the machine, the machine do not maketh the man. Sometimes techno can do with a god damn heartbeat. Enter The Field to provide the circulatory electronic system needed to pump some blood through the wired veins of Bungalow and Bears sound system.

Joining Sheffield’s Pygmie Globetrotters and Forest Creature for an extraordinary rare free gig, (yurp that is correct, FREE) the Kompact signed swede, known also as Axel Willner, is accompanied by live guitar, bass and drums. Together they look more like a warped metal band, all tattooed up with a wife beater vest thrown in for good measure but the sound produced is far removed from what their attire might suggest. Delicate, danceable rhythms that pull in a large hipster crowd and most importantly get them moving. The sort of beats that are repetitive but not tediously monotonous, the sort of driving beats that make you want to dance until your feet bleed. Motorik beats that give a mechanical nod to Can and Neu!

80’s power ballad ‘Everybodys Got to Learn Sometime’ by The Korgis is translated into a dreamy, whimsical mantra, gently aided by light tribal like drumming. As much as some are transfixed by the beat, others are most probably lost in the cyclical luscious soundscapes The Field is clearly renowned for.

Watching from the side of the stage to admire the drumming, the live instrumentation really elevates the spectacle, it’s no longer Vladislav Delay (whos performance at East London based Concrete and Glass last year failed to thrill visually) hunched over a laptop with an icy stare transfixed by a blank screen. What kind of a human being can pretend to be enthralled by that?

It’s often hard to catch any of the onstage antics, every so often the tip of a shiny bald head bobs up above the crowd at the front, but maybe sometimes a shiny bald head is all you need to see.

Who said you can’t get something for nothing.

Now Then: Hicks Review

Sheffield docfest: American: The Bill Hicks Story

(Directors Matt Harlock and Paul Thomas)

The Resurrection of Goatboy

‘Ever notice how we always kill the good guys and let the demons run amok?’

The self proclaimed ‘Chomsky with dick jokes’, Bill Hicks was a prophet and philosopher, embittered by religion, American unipolarity and capitalism, i’m yet to come across anyone who wouldn’t agree with his wise musings. Three years in the making, it was two brits Matt Harlock and Paul Thomas that were granted the divine right to tell the story of one of comedy’s if not humanity’s most iconic figures. This feature length documentary adopts innovative animation technique, using photos and snippets of footage of Hicks’ family and friends to go above and beyond the conventional talking heads set up. Harlock and Thomas speak to those who knew Hicks best, with each one capturing the essence of Bill with their amusing anecdotes and memories of the fellow. His close family recall his Baptist upbringing, which seemed to be the butt of some of his more extreme material. His childhood friend Dwight Slade reminisces over the duos high school days, performing guerrilla routines in front of anyone who happened to be within their perimeter. We’re launched into an animated recreation of the world of Hicks, his beginnings in Houston sneaking out of the house to perform at the Commix Annexe. Perhaps the most impressive footage is 15 year old Hicks performing to a crowd twice his age as the accompanying voiceovers recall his rare observational talent from such an early age. With the footage of Hicks live routines we feel as if we are in the audience, we cringe when he puts down drunken hecklers in the audience and almost compelled to shout praise in agreement of his poignant quips. The animation really excels itself during the documentary’s ‘squeegee clean’ third eye segment; recounting Hicks experiences with magic mushrooms and goes hand in hand with his liberal take on the ‘war on drugs’. A notorious chain smoker, the documentary deals with Hicks struggle with alcohol and pancreatic cancer without too much unnecessary hyperbole and sentimentality culminating with footage of Hicks last show in New York in 1994 just before his untimely death at the age of 32. As one friend puts it, as is so often the case with reluctant heroes, If Hicks was able to see the messianic status he’s been afforded in the entertainment industry he’d either find it highly amusing or be disgusted by it, but as biographic documentaries go ‘American...’ is a much needed celebration of Hicks life and philosophy; the vital importance of which in this day and age I cannot stress enough. After all It’s just a ride.

NOW THEN

So I made the concious decision to get off of my bee-hind and attempt to start some writings again. I've had an influx of ideas for articles and other things, MOLE has a facebook group now so if your interested, join it, if you aren't interested, die. simple.

In other news there's a awesome magazine in these sheffieldian parts called Now Then
it's a arts, music, culture and politics free physical magazine that comes out monthly and I asked them if i could contribute a few bits and pieces. I have a gig review of The Field and the Bill Hicks doc (see below post) so that's pretty tidy, as one might say if they were northern...perhaps, i'm not sure i haven't learnt many northern colloquialisms since i've been here to be quite honest, which actually is a bit shit. anyway if you are from sheffield get the freebie copy of Now Then, not just because my shites in there but it is a genuinely nice little publication and it doesn't cost you anything. which is good isn't it?

ooh and psssst... MOLE 3, JAN 5TH, THE CAMDEN HEAD, CAMDEN, LONDON, ENG-ER-LAND. We're putting on bands and whatnot, it's gonna be a QUHWOOT.

American: The Bill Hicks Story

Bill Hicks= saviour of all mankind. 15 years after his death at the age of 32 and Hicks is still as hilarious and relevant as he ever was. just saw a brand spanking new awesome documentary on the man himself and it was fantastic. the doc comprises footage of some of Hicks' material, anecdotes from close family and friends all pasted together with creative animation and photo montages. it really is an inspiring film about a very inspiriational man.
Here is the official website for the film.
if you've never heard of bill hicks or never really watched any of his standup then do yourself a favour and go forth and research.

OXBOW

You like big burly men who play 'a blend of Noise Rock, Experimental Jazz and Musique Concrete , that creates caustic soundscape with constant overtones of paranoia and revulsion'(!) who write books about fighting and like to strip down to their pants everytime they perform? yes? well then go see Oxbow at the Star and Garter in Manchester on tuesday please, because this will probably be one of the very few events which will satisfy your perverse interests...


Me and The Moon
Time, Gentlemen, Time
S Bar X



Oxbow are quite the intense band, notorious for their live performance and even more for their well hung front man (if you go then you'll understand, i'm not saying i know from experience, it's just well known...) there was an intereting article in The Wire or somewhere similar about the band saying something along the lines of why people have this curiosity about the group. is it purely due to their music? is it because Robinson is black? do people have this weird colonial interest in this seemingly ferocious, feral black fellow who strips down to his panties and often gets in fisticuffs? i t would be insulting to the band and to Robinson to suggest this, the music speaks for itself that's a certainty.
like Swans, Neurosis and oodles more hardcore, no wave, drone metal, whatever you want to call them bands, Oxbow produce a hypnotic soundtrack with layers of sound, whilst Robinson mutters and howls ominously underneath. they've got some nice collaborations featuring Jarboe and Robinson also features on Ruder Forms Survive the debut album by British doomy, ‘instru-prog-metal’ band Capricorns.

Robinson is quite the jack of all trades, writer, singer, agony aunt, actor and 1998 CAAT Heavyweight Men’s Sanshou champ...woof. his book is called 'Fight: Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Ass Kicking But Were too Afraid you'd Get your Ass Kicked for Asking. ' the chapter on knives has been censored over here, what with everyone knifing each other and all that, we just cannot be trusted!

A worth while purchase i think you'll agree, i've always wanted to know how to kill someone with a palm strike.

Black

some nice music that i have been listening to recently. None of it is new but all of it is nice...click on the title of this post if you want to hear a lame little mix/ sample of these nice tunes.


Black Rhythm Happening- Eddie Gale
Melt!- Flying Lotus
BANG- DJ Dijital vocals Mr. Bubble (Underground resistance)
Dread Cowboy- Tayo meets Acid Rockers Uptown
Krautrock- Faust
Orthodox Caveman- Sunn 0)))
Theme de YoYo- Art Ensemble of Chicago

bbbbbbbbbbbback

so i'm at uni in the city of steel, i haven't written any reviews or articles for some time, but i find myself on facebook constantly posting videos and links like mad, i figure if i'm not gonna spend my time doing any god damn work and the shite newspaper and radio station refuse to answer my questions about contributing i may as well stick some shit up on this bad boy blog! shame to let it go to waste is it not!?
i guess i should inform anyone who may be interested in the MOLE night at the George Tavern way back when, nearly 2 months ago now, jeeez louise. we had an awesome night thanks a hella bunch to those who came along and took part in the mixtape amnesty, hope you enjoyed the fine tunes being played:
LATE THANKS TO Cgul, General electric (ahaha), Gavin Gaa Gaa, Ellen Percival, Massoud Barzani and Lucy Tesco...
we had some super cool mixtapes with some special artwork, the venue was nice, laid back and relaxed, we had a LOT of funky soul sounds going on with some noise and a bit of ska to start of the evening, next time we'll stick some metal up yo' ass and put some heavier tunes on.
speaking of next time there IS another MOLE going on, next tuesday at the George Tavern, I'm not involved in this particular MOLE but it looks awesome

MOLE 2: ROCKABILLY VS NOISE, check it...