Hooks and choruses are for weaklings. At least, this seems to be the ideology behind tonight's aural assault of sonic death, bought to you by legendary Can vocalist Damo Suzuki and Acid Mothers Temple front man Kawabata Makoto at Mr. Kyps in Poole. Performing a fully improvised set with a collective of Bournemouth based noise-mongers, this was not a night for those who think a night out at Bliss or Toko constitutes hardcore. The crowd were made up of all the local weird and wonderful freaks; AMT obsessives who travel the length of the country to see Makoto attack his cheap Strat copy with steel rods; those who saw Suzuki with Can the first time round, and those who just wanted to see what the hell was going to happen.
The night was divided into two sets, the first distinctly reminiscent of Can, with hypnotic Krautrock rhythms keeping steady pace for the assortment of musicians to bend strings and minds over. Or to just swing a mic in the air and see what happened. Occasionally it seemed to lose its way, teetering on aimless dirge, but more often than not it was psychedelia at its most unconscious and expansive. Suzuki's improvised mutterings and wailings were almost an aside to the artful musical indulgence. Makoto stretched the limits of his arsenal to vomit inducing proportions. Guitars were never meant to make those sounds, but thank fuck someone has figured out how.
If set number one ripped up the book of music conventions, then the second set sodomised it and fed the raped corpse to its Doberman. It was easily the most ear splitting and self-indulgent spectacle I have ever seen. Whereas before the sound waves were exquisitely morphed into some kind of trippy tie-die kaleidoscope pattern, they were now being crushed, compressed and scraped down a black board until they resembled the sharp edge of a bread knife.
Almost giving up on traditional instruments altogether, the most impressive being a guitarist who left his axe feeding back on the floor to concentrate on a suitcase full of synthesizers and modulators. Makoto apparently couldn't handle the free noise, leaving the stage five minutes in (later blaming it on a broken amp). After forty-five minutes of dual drumming and free noise, I was finished. 'No more!' my ears begged. I felt compelled to obey them, and luckily the set finished. Awe inspiring and brutal, but in small doses please.
There were no students at this gig, and that's just unacceptable. There must be some of you out there whose taste expands from Bournemouth's infestation of clubs. Gigs like this come once in a blue moon, and next time one's on, go.
Friday 23 January 2009
Wednesday 21 January 2009
Mocked Running News Story
School hostage crisis ends in bloodbath
One man has been gunned down and two people injured in major hostage crisis at a Dorset school today.
It took 17 shots from armed police to bring an end to a bloody siege which occurred today at the Talbot Village Primary school.
The first man was shot after a “domestic dispute”, which was seen by Ian Rogerson, a resident of Talbot Village.
Mr. Rogerson saw a man walking through Talbot Village looking ‘very agitated’, followed by a “balding, quite chubby man with a shotgun”.
After screaming ‘stay away from my wife’, the gunman shot the victim in the buttocks.
Losing sight of the victim as he dove into a hedge, the gunman assumed he had run into the local school and proceeded to enter the grounds.
The gunman proceeded to hold a first year class of children and their staff hostage. After a police negotiator spoke to the gunman through a school window, he agreed to let the remainder of the children go.
More shots were fired around this time, but Assistant Chief Constable Alan Rose insists this was merely “bravado” from the gunman, although he does admit that a school staff member suffered laceration and grazes to the arms and face as a result.
Alone in the building, the gunman resolved to come out peacefully if he could speak to his wife, who was brought by police from Dorchester to speak to him via radio link.
The man agreed to leave the building and surrender himself, but was shot 17 times by six armed officers after taking aim at a police officer and refusing lower his firearm.
None of the children or school staff was witness to the shooting.
The man’s wife is currently being comforted by the police.
One man has been gunned down and two people injured in major hostage crisis at a Dorset school today.
It took 17 shots from armed police to bring an end to a bloody siege which occurred today at the Talbot Village Primary school.
The first man was shot after a “domestic dispute”, which was seen by Ian Rogerson, a resident of Talbot Village.
Mr. Rogerson saw a man walking through Talbot Village looking ‘very agitated’, followed by a “balding, quite chubby man with a shotgun”.
After screaming ‘stay away from my wife’, the gunman shot the victim in the buttocks.
Losing sight of the victim as he dove into a hedge, the gunman assumed he had run into the local school and proceeded to enter the grounds.
The gunman proceeded to hold a first year class of children and their staff hostage. After a police negotiator spoke to the gunman through a school window, he agreed to let the remainder of the children go.
More shots were fired around this time, but Assistant Chief Constable Alan Rose insists this was merely “bravado” from the gunman, although he does admit that a school staff member suffered laceration and grazes to the arms and face as a result.
Alone in the building, the gunman resolved to come out peacefully if he could speak to his wife, who was brought by police from Dorchester to speak to him via radio link.
The man agreed to leave the building and surrender himself, but was shot 17 times by six armed officers after taking aim at a police officer and refusing lower his firearm.
None of the children or school staff was witness to the shooting.
The man’s wife is currently being comforted by the police.
What Makes a good reporter? An Interview with Rob Young of Wire
What Makes A Good Reporter?
Bristolian Rob Young, 40, has written for venerable music magazine Wire for 15 years, as well as contributing to high distribution magazines such as Uncut.
Although most music and arts publications have a high turnover, Wire is in his words “unique in its continuity” as most staff writers stay there for an unusually long time.
Untrained as a journalist, Young has a degree in English and always aspired to be a writer. The attraction to music journalism for him was that it seems to be the “province of enthusiasts”, and he writes for Wire because it “follows the energy of less mainstream artists”.
Although not a news reporter, he feels that there are certain qualities which translate to the job of a music reporter, such as being able to react quickly to incoming news.
The most important feature of a reporter in his eyes is curiosity and the ability to “question everything and keep an open mind”.
He continues: “A reporter is always on the receiving end of new things” and they are responsible of “transmitting a way of approaching this new music”.
What differentiates a music reporter from news, is the need to “Get out and see what’s going on”, as opposed to sit at a desk and rifle through a pile of CDs. This practical approach is necessary in all forms of reporting.
When reporting it is important to “avoid clichés” and try and look at something in a way people haven’t before, while sticking to the facts.
The average wage for a staff writer on a magazine like Wire is around £24,000, but it is common for a writer to add to that with freelance work.
Rob Young currently lives in Norway, Wire is published monthly.
Bristolian Rob Young, 40, has written for venerable music magazine Wire for 15 years, as well as contributing to high distribution magazines such as Uncut.
Although most music and arts publications have a high turnover, Wire is in his words “unique in its continuity” as most staff writers stay there for an unusually long time.
Untrained as a journalist, Young has a degree in English and always aspired to be a writer. The attraction to music journalism for him was that it seems to be the “province of enthusiasts”, and he writes for Wire because it “follows the energy of less mainstream artists”.
Although not a news reporter, he feels that there are certain qualities which translate to the job of a music reporter, such as being able to react quickly to incoming news.
The most important feature of a reporter in his eyes is curiosity and the ability to “question everything and keep an open mind”.
He continues: “A reporter is always on the receiving end of new things” and they are responsible of “transmitting a way of approaching this new music”.
What differentiates a music reporter from news, is the need to “Get out and see what’s going on”, as opposed to sit at a desk and rifle through a pile of CDs. This practical approach is necessary in all forms of reporting.
When reporting it is important to “avoid clichés” and try and look at something in a way people haven’t before, while sticking to the facts.
The average wage for a staff writer on a magazine like Wire is around £24,000, but it is common for a writer to add to that with freelance work.
Rob Young currently lives in Norway, Wire is published monthly.
Running News Story
A heroic act by twins has saved the lives of four passengers after a plane crashed into an Army Firing Range at Bovington, but cost them their lives.
The Cessna 337 light aircraft was carrying four rookie parachutists on a charity jump, until a mechanical failure caused the plane to veer off course and plummet 500 feet to the firing range below.
Tragically, Pilot tony Sharman and his brother, Jump instructor Dennis remained aboard the plane, after ensuring the charity jumpers made a safe escape.
The plane took from Compton Avis earlier today, and came down at the firing range near Bere Regis at 1:05pm.
Tony and Dennis were former soldiers with over 3,500 jumps experience between them.
The parachutists all suffered shock and bruising, while Laura Cameron, 44, broke her leg.
Mr. McGrath, of Winchester, explained how as they readied for the jump, there was a large bang from the plane’s rear engine.
The plane then proceeded to spin as it fell, an experience he likens to “being in a washing machine on a spin cycle”.
As Tony Levelled the plane, Dennis pushed the women out one by one, opening their parachutes.
“The last thing I heard before I left the Plane was Tony Telling Dennis to save himself, but he refused and stayed on the plane with his Brother”, explains Mr. McGrath, adding, “We owe them our lives”.
The emergency services were immediately called to the scene, yet were faced with the task of making their way through the 12,000 acre site, on which 70,000 armour piercing rounds are fired every year. There was a danger that some had remained active.
Lieutenant Daltrey, based at the Firing Range, claimed he had never seen wreckage this bad from which people had escaped alive.
The plane was rented from the Dorset Parachute Club. Part owner “Big Mac” made it clear that the plane was in “tip top condition” and had only done 50,000 hours flying time, a relatively low amount.
The Cessna 337 light aircraft was carrying four rookie parachutists on a charity jump, until a mechanical failure caused the plane to veer off course and plummet 500 feet to the firing range below.
Tragically, Pilot tony Sharman and his brother, Jump instructor Dennis remained aboard the plane, after ensuring the charity jumpers made a safe escape.
The plane took from Compton Avis earlier today, and came down at the firing range near Bere Regis at 1:05pm.
Tony and Dennis were former soldiers with over 3,500 jumps experience between them.
The parachutists all suffered shock and bruising, while Laura Cameron, 44, broke her leg.
Mr. McGrath, of Winchester, explained how as they readied for the jump, there was a large bang from the plane’s rear engine.
The plane then proceeded to spin as it fell, an experience he likens to “being in a washing machine on a spin cycle”.
As Tony Levelled the plane, Dennis pushed the women out one by one, opening their parachutes.
“The last thing I heard before I left the Plane was Tony Telling Dennis to save himself, but he refused and stayed on the plane with his Brother”, explains Mr. McGrath, adding, “We owe them our lives”.
The emergency services were immediately called to the scene, yet were faced with the task of making their way through the 12,000 acre site, on which 70,000 armour piercing rounds are fired every year. There was a danger that some had remained active.
Lieutenant Daltrey, based at the Firing Range, claimed he had never seen wreckage this bad from which people had escaped alive.
The plane was rented from the Dorset Parachute Club. Part owner “Big Mac” made it clear that the plane was in “tip top condition” and had only done 50,000 hours flying time, a relatively low amount.
Students and Pigeons unite against shopping centre
Anti-Pigeon devices in place at the Sovereign shopping centre on Boscombe high street have been ticking off the younger locals for quite some time.
The Pigeon, often thought of as quite gentle on the ear, has recently become the cause of a slightly less pleasing sound to Boscombe residents.
The devices emit a high-pitched noise, inaudible to anyone under 25, in order to deter the common Pigeon, or Rock Dove, from flying inside the Centre.
Tourism student Lois Crispin, 18 living on Westby Road in Boscombe, spoke out on the indiscriminate nature of the devices “I don’t really care about the Pigeons, but toddlers and babies shouldn’t have to hear it too”.
When quizzed on the noise, a spokesperson for the shopping centre who preferred not to be named said “we have turned the volume down so most people can’t hear it”.
This is, of course, assuming that ‘most people’ doesn’t include the large amount of students who live in Boscombe and see the centre as a vital asset to the town. There has been no research into the possible adverse effects the units can have on hearing.
RSPB employee Lloyd Scott exclaimed dismay at the use of the device, claiming, “the negatives by far outweigh the positives” and even going as far as to call the initiative “daft”.
He explained that owing to the loss of natural habitat, lots of rare bird species are being found in built up areas, and as the machine is not species specific, it could put some endangered bird species at risk.
The Common Pigeon is thought to have a population of up to 28 million across Europe, that’s equivalent to the population of Iraq.
The Pigeon, often thought of as quite gentle on the ear, has recently become the cause of a slightly less pleasing sound to Boscombe residents.
The devices emit a high-pitched noise, inaudible to anyone under 25, in order to deter the common Pigeon, or Rock Dove, from flying inside the Centre.
Tourism student Lois Crispin, 18 living on Westby Road in Boscombe, spoke out on the indiscriminate nature of the devices “I don’t really care about the Pigeons, but toddlers and babies shouldn’t have to hear it too”.
When quizzed on the noise, a spokesperson for the shopping centre who preferred not to be named said “we have turned the volume down so most people can’t hear it”.
This is, of course, assuming that ‘most people’ doesn’t include the large amount of students who live in Boscombe and see the centre as a vital asset to the town. There has been no research into the possible adverse effects the units can have on hearing.
RSPB employee Lloyd Scott exclaimed dismay at the use of the device, claiming, “the negatives by far outweigh the positives” and even going as far as to call the initiative “daft”.
He explained that owing to the loss of natural habitat, lots of rare bird species are being found in built up areas, and as the machine is not species specific, it could put some endangered bird species at risk.
The Common Pigeon is thought to have a population of up to 28 million across Europe, that’s equivalent to the population of Iraq.
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