from Gary's blog
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
achtung baby! hero lodger transformed into low idiot!
Berlin. Ah, Berlin. Already a city of my heart. Broken but healing and so full of hope and energy that it's hard not to be enthralled and elated by it's modern self. It feels like the beginning of something special here. From the day we got here we all felt something shift in the record. We had spent the last seven weeks in the pastoral womb of Grouse Lodge and hadn't seen neon for close to two months so it could just be we're all now suffering from toxic shock. Think we needed a change though as much as we love Grouse Lodge and all the people down there, so Claire, Paddy, Gav, Franny, Tracy, Evan, Lizzy and Kate thank you for having us and for looking after us in your own wonderful way.
Sorry there has been so peeps from me on this forum for a while. My head has been disappeared. Think we're in a good place now although it's always hard to know when you're far too close to it. Like trying to see the Empire State Building from the lobby.
So from the cosy bosom of nature we find ourselves in the electric embrace of the city and it feels good. Great to be around people and buildings and traffic and bars (oh bars) and cars and bicycles (watch your ass though as those guys'll run you down for fun if you stray onto the bike path). Berlin is also the easiest place on earth to get a cab. Being in a new city and walking as much as I do you tend to find yourself lost a hell of a lot and the only thing you're sure of is that you're far, far away from the place you started. Also i never seem to have had the presence of mind to buy a map or guide book thinking this time I'll remember my way back. Bread crumbs don't work so well in the city or out side of fairytales for that matter (actually not sure they worked that well inside fairytales either. Bit rusty on my Brother's Grimm but I don't remember too many happy endings) so I rely on my idiot-like reverse super power of 'get lost/it get's dark/the wolves get my scent/get cab'. In a lot of cities especially in the wee hours cabs are harder to find than sober people. In Berlin though you just have to think 'cab' and there's one. Little bit of urban magic.
Enough about cabs man fer god sake!
So to the things we are loving in the time since the last post:
FLEET FOXES. Of course. Extravagantly stunning and lush vocal maelstrom that continues to open and surprise with further listens.
MySpace.com - Fffffllle eeeee et t Fffff oxxxes - Xachua’bsh, Washington - Zouk - www.myspace.com/fleetfoxes
LATE OF THE PIER. The Daniel Brereton videos on the tube of you. Each one very different, each one equally brave and mad. Check these….
YouTube - Late of The Pier - Focker
YouTube - Late of The Pier - Bears Are Coming - OUT NOW!!
YouTube - Late Of The Pier - Bathroom Gurgle
SUNSET RUBDOWN 'Random Spirit Lover'. Second record of Spencer Krug from Wolf Parade's side project. As wild and brilliant as the first album 'Shut Up I Am Dreaming'. Loving this right now. The first record is partly the inspiration for me and Garret's Listen…Tanks project.
MySpace.com - sunset rubdown - Quebec - Indie / Indie / Indie - www.myspace.com/justchoke
WOLF PARADE 'At Mount Zoomer'. Seeing we're talking about Mr. Krug may as well mention his regular gig too. Another amazing record although a departure from the last 'Apologies To The Queen Mary' record. Less wrapped in violent fuzz this time. Still stunning though.
MySpace.com - Wolf Parade - Montreal, QUEBEC - Indie / Experimental / Other - www.myspace.com/wolfparade
SIGUR ROS. The album, the naked video, the lot. Just a stunning piece of work all round. The scope and scale is breathtaking on it's own. The music achingly as beautiful and inspirational as they've ever made. The video…
YouTube - sigurros's Channel
REIGNS 'Styne Vallis'. Check out the lyrics on 'Wedding Of Weed And Dead Weed'. I was in tears by the last few verses. No link to this one unfortunately so only if you trust me then….
FANFARLO. This is very new to me. Garret played me them and I was instantly hooked. It's very hard not to fall in love them. Now you try and resist….
MySpace.com - Fanfarlo - London, UK - Alternative / Pop / Folk - www.myspace.com/fanfarlo
Haven't had the chance to get to the cinema recently so I've no movies to talk about. Very excited about Batman, Hellboy, Wall-E, Tropic Thunder, The Spirit, Where The Wild Things Are, Get Smart, Bond… oh it's gonna be a bumper summer of movies. Sweet.
Reading the new Iain Banks 'The Steep Approach To Garbadale' and very good it is too. His best in a while.
So I'll let you know when we're closer to the truth and give you some song titles and a few details of what to expect from the record in the next post. It's a hip hop jazz techno umpah odyssesy at present so I'll let you know if it changes any.
Peace to you all. Gary.x
). I am really diggin the album titles for both. Keane's is called Perfect Symmetry and this one is hella cool too.
trying to keep up with it all... oy vey mama!
Snow Patrol! I 
Snow Patrol!!
but it's all fixed now thanks to sicy..
Die Radio Die! Sorry... anyway, hope this is good.
