Live in Edinburgh This Week – 7th June 2009
Well the mammoth video nightmare of the last week is nearly over. This week I will be working in the Meursault tour diary from when they went away to the North of England for a few days in our big green van. They recorded some excellent sessions while they were touring, including three songs in the back of the van from some campsite in, erm, Lancashire somewhere I think, and also a few songs at a bandstand in Newcastle. The tour diary itself might just be mental, and but for some judicial editing could easily become the most offensive musical document ever recorded (thank you Fraser, Preston’s a bit ‘rapey’ is it?) so I hope I can get it trimmed down to something vaguely family friendly before I go away.
Here’s a preview for those of you who are interested – this is a version of a new song called Sleet, as played in the Newcastle bandstand to an appreciative audience of a great many birds, and no, not the kind your average rock star aspires to have in his audience either:
As you know, Mrs. Toad and I are off in Italy for a couple of weeks from this coming Saturday and in our absence the splendid Three Toadsketeers of Dylan, Bart and Euan have agreed to take over the Good Ship Toad. I will be enforcing a strict regime of alcoholism and offending vegetarians, so it should hopefully not be too far from the sort of unprofessional garbage you’re used to around here. But I owe them all a massive thank you for taking this on, because I think it will be much nicer for everyone than just leaving it quiet for two weeks.
So, before I bugger off, what will I be attending? Some of these things, I suspect:
Monday 8th June 2009: Cherbourg at Sneaky Pete’s.
Formerly Davie Fiddle and tour-mates of Mumford & Sons, these chaps play a very English-sounding indie folk. If anything, actually, it harks back more to the folk rock of the late 80s and early 90s rather than the more glacial stuff of the last couple of years.
Cherbourg – Man
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Tuesday 9th June 2009: Withered Hand, Benni Hemm Hemm, Ish Marquez & Emily Scott at Electric Circus (map here).
This is the official launch for the EP Withered Hand recorded with King Creosote earlier this year. He’s currently working on an album, which is almost through the mixing process and vaguely pencilled in for release in August or September this year, I believe. The album is a full band job, but this EP is a much more acoustic, and the lineup for the launch party is nothing if not eclectic. Incidentally, I filmed a couple of songs by Emily Scott at Homegame but she still hasn’t got back to me to tell me what they’re called. They can be viewed here and here if anyone can supply me with the missing information!
Withered Hand – Shooby (Demo)
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Wednesday 10th June 2009: Cheveu & White Heath at the Bowery.
Cheveu are French and a little bit mental from the sounds of it. Still, this kind of, erm, noisy, crackly post-stuff music should make for a good evening. I hesitate to imagine what it might sound like live, but I think this is one of those gigs where you just have to turn up and see what the hell you get. Support comes from the very promising White Heath, making what is I believe their Bowery debut.
Cheveu – Like a Deer in the Headlights
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Thursday 11th June 2009: Woodenbox with a Fistful of Fivers, The Kays Lavelle & Kristoffer Morgan at Sneaky Pete’s.
Woodenbox are a terrific live band, who have been working on some new recordings recently – as, incidentally, have the Kays Lavelle. The former play stomping Americana, full of brass and rhythm, and the latter play piano-led indie ballads, which cross over into that sort of post-rock atmospheric aesthetic from time to time. And both bands now share a piano player, as far as I am aware. Kristoffer Morgan is a bit of a mystery to me, I must confess, this being the first time I think I’ve seen his name on a bill in these parts.
Woodenbox – Situations (I think this was recorded before the addition of the Fivers)
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Friday 12th June 2009: 7VWWVW, Albaross, Kyon & Spells Tower play This is Music at Sneaky Pete’s.
This is a crossover night between the ever-excellent This is Music characters and Crystal Wish Records, with a lineup full of bands I’ve never heard of. Crystal Wish appear to be pretty electronically and experimentally orientated though, and these are always great nights, so I’d definitely recommend popping along. This is Music generally do a podcast as well, in advance of their night, and that will appear here at some point in the next week, I assume.
Saturday 13th June 2009: Meursault, Wounded Knee & The Foundling Wheel play Trampoline at the Wee Red Bar.
I don’t really know what to expect from this gig. The Foundling Wheel and Wounded Knee are a little more experimental than Meursault tend to be most of the time, but Meursault have been slipping some new material into their recent Edinburgh gigs and they definitely have it in them to be a little weird from time to time, so this might well be a bit of a treat for everyone. If you like your music a little off the beaten track, that is.
The Foundling Wheel – Out to See
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Saturday 13th June 2009: Diane Cluck & Mary Hampton at the Bowery.
Diane Cluck is an (anit-)folk legend, so I really wouldn’t miss this if I were you. Unless you’re going to the Wee Red, because I wouldn’t miss that either. Thank fuck I’m not here to have to make this terrible decision!
Diane Cluck – Save Me
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Phew, and I thought it was going to be a quick on this week!
Oh… Band job.
Sorry, had to read that twice.
I didn’t know you were going to Italy. Whereabouts?..
Oi! Whats with the link????!!!
insert smiley face…..:)
thats better!
Preston is a shit-hole…FACT and the scariest place i’ve ever been to
A new council survey in Preston has revealed that 50% of all children living in the city are living in families suffering from financial depression.
On a brighter note the guy who played R2D2 lives there.
Withered Hand’s album has been mixed & mastered by Kramer (someone I hold in very high esteem & call a friend), who’s currently finishing off a 4week production stint in Australia.
That I was eagerly looking forward to a Withered Hand album is one thing, the fact it has the genius touch of Kramer all over it now makes it very, very, very anticipated indeed.
Cheers DC
you feeling better
I’m not, to be honest, Tom. I am rough as fuck, but I had to get into work today as I have a very important all-day meeting in London tomorrow that I have to prep.
First set of blood results back Thursday, so I hope they diagnose something, even if it’s not LD, as I feel like a building fell on me.
Yeah, yeah? Well maybe I’m friends with Kramer too. And R2D2. And Ford Fairlane. And your Mum.
The only reason I didn’t mention the Kramer link is because I honestly don’t care very much. People keep mentioning it when he has something to do with their albums as if this somehow validates the work above and beyond any innate quality it may have already.
I know a decent mixing job is important, but I am getting kind of tired of people mentioning it every time this album comes up. It’s almost as if Dan (and another Fife band Ambulances mention it as well) wouldn’t have a great album anyway. Did anyone hear Religious Songs? Did anyone have any mixing issues with it?
No, thought not, it was brilliant.
This is not to have a dig at Kramer, who I don’t know, nor to denigrate his skill, which I can’t comment on, just that I am getting a little tetchy at the extent to which this is almost becoming a Kramer album, with the Withered Hand bit in small print, when in actual fact it is the other way round.
The new Withered Hand album would be a great album whatever happens. I don’t care about Kramer.
Rant over.
Euan – what’s the problem with what link, they all appear to be working.
“Insert one of those fucking smiley faces here.”
Tough day at the office, dear?
I think Dan might care…..not to put words into his mouth.
Oh I know he would, he’d care a great deal. I don’t mean to denigrate the guy’s contribution, I just get fed up with hearing his name mentioned every damn time this album comes up. There are a lot of reasons to be excited about this record, though, and most of them are to do with Dan.
You know the first time i heard it mentioned i thought it was going to be Eddie Kramer, the guy that produced all the classic Kiss albums…..
i still laugh at my naivety……
Now that would be worth mentioning!
Talking of gigs, I went along to the charity gig at Old St pauls on saturday which was very good it has to be said. It was the 1st time I’ve seen Bart without his beard. It makes him look about 12!!!!. Maybe that’s his real age?
I think Bart doesn’t actually have an age. I think you’ll find that he is as old as the city itself, has always been here and always will. There will be future generations wondering the very same thing, when in fact he is some sort of ageless music spirit, condemened to wander the DIY music venues of the city for thousands of years, imparting sardonic witticisms to all conversations and playing in every band in the universe until hell itself freezes over.
Bart is Kramer in disguise.
Which one?
Both.
OK, my original comment wasn’t entirely without its points for derision, but I’m in the grip of a rather nasty malaise at the moment so I didn’t really capture what it was I was trying to convey from my head to print. So my hand is forced & I shall retype, slowly, with a big fuck off spoon.
I only mentioned it because I do know Kramer & have been a big fan since the mid 80s (& we’ve known each other for about 4) & the fact that he’s mastering an album by an artist I know by association is fucking huge news as far as I am concerned. So it is certainly worth celebrating, in print & LOUDLY.
I felt the same excitedness with Anni Rossi being produced by Steve Albini. But, as it’s not as big news round these parts as a local band pulling off such a noteworthy coup, I didn’t bring it up. Still, that she’s on 4AD is also worth noting given the company she now keeps under that umbrella, eh?
Bands, labels, the media make a hoohah all the time about big names behind the mixing desk etc., so I don’t think its going to distract from the actual music itself, though, now, is it?
I happen to think that the Withered Hand output & Kramer will work extremely well. I don’t think it has any danger of turning into a ‘Kramer’ album, other than on paper, the liner notes & the invoice. It’s only musi-geeks who look for stuff like that, anyway, & I’m happy to be a musi-geek in this instance because I love the guy & the combined elements of him & Dan’s wonderful music make me very cunting excited about the release. So, well fucking done to Dan for getting him on board.
By the by, I love Religious Songs & the new EP turned up last week, which I’m currently enjoying immensely.
All your producers are belong to Bart.
And don’t mind me, DC. I’m having one of those days.
I’ll swap that for my week any time.
Kramer organised my itinerary this week.
Kramer produced this http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O5dMBmfMZb8
He also produced this (the song, not the video), which contains a mention of Art Fag(s):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QVdNW0qRh5s&feature=PlayList&p=C67DC16491A07247&index=4
Mental and brilliant.
And mental.
Mental is great, but it’s these that make me love him.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uvufaL5B_iM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z6o2mc-xKa8
I’m confused.
Yes, well, they do say that the first step toward recovery is acknowledging you have a problem, so…
i like how you can hear thunder in the background of that great Meursault vid you posted!
^,^
That’s a great new song.
And can you pass on that the Meursault gig at the Slaughtered Lamb in London was jolly good.
Excellent, they really enjoyed it from the sounds of it.
I like the birds too. Some of the other ones we’ve got have got pissing rain in them as well, and in Nothing Broke it goes from quite pleasant out to torrential in the space of the first verse.
I remember neil playing that at some solo gig or other and me thinking “fuck thats good”. it really is.
Don’t go thinking you got away with that TPM earlier, Euan.
how many weeks are you gone, dearie? I’m getting a little stressed now with DC ill and these three in charge… C&B maybe you can take some parental vow or something to keep this thing from going completely off the rails!
I love Withered Hand and I don’t give a flying fuck if deaf baboons mixed their new record. It will be brilliant I’m sure xoxox
I’m not in charge! It’s Euan’s gig this time!
I’m just taking on an executive adviser role, with Bart as a specialist consultant.
Think of it like The A-Team.
Euan’s in charge so he’s Hannibal. I’m Face and Bart’s B.A.
How can this possibly go wrong?!
Oh Jesus fucking Christ.
Two weeks in the hands of these clowns. I’m going to come back to a smoking pile of digital rubble, aren’t I.
I love it when a plan comes together.
I’ve already recorded a toad session of the bloke who plays accordian outside Tesco on Leith Walk. It’s pretty good.
I think a Toad Session freakshow is in order. First, someone who can play When the Saints Come Marching In by making fart noises in his armpits. Dylan, I’m talking about you. Then Euan’s accordionist (be sure to feed him, otherwise you might lose a finger). And last, Bart needs to belch-sing the entire For the Thoughts You Never Had EP. Euan, you do belch harmony vocals.
That’s entertainment.
You know, I’ve never been able to do that. I could never make that noise at all, let alone play a recognisable tune. Even back in junior school when the other kids were all at it. I was shunned for my silent, unamusing armpits.
I’ve never been able to roller-skate either.
then you can rollerskate whilst trying, but failing, to make any noise with your arm pits. honestly, we’re going to revolutionise songbytoad.
I’m just looking forward to renaming the site Song, by Van Halen as soon as Matthew’s gone.
you know how Fence Records have The 3 Craws….well Song by Toad can have The 3 Cunts for the next couple of weeks
ha ha
Just in case anyone’s still interested in what’s happening in on the Edinburgh music scene, Aberfeldy with support from The Gillyflowers are playing this week as part of the Leith festival on Thursday.
always interested Ed
I’m totally Murdoch. You guys have no idea what you’re talking about.
And I actually just tried Oh When the Saints on my arm pit, and think I could probably do a pretty decent interpretation.
Maybe we can have a ‘Name That Tune’ competition on armpit farts?
And, Bum Clocks and Sellotape are playing Leith Festival tomorrow night.
And there’s a Giant Tank noise out tonight at Queen Charlotte rooms.
and i think a certain Alex Cornish is playing at The Village in Leith this Saturday
I can only do 4′33″ by John Cage.
Dear Ed and Chutters. Thank you for your efforts to keep this thread even vaguely relevant. I’d forgotten all about the Leith Festival, too.
Link to the programme is here, if anyone’s interested.
No, wait, my mistake.
According to Wikipedia, I can also do Alphonse Allais’s Funeral March for the Obsequies of a Deaf Man, Erwin Schulhoff’s In Futurum from the Fünf Pittoresken for piano, and the second and fourth movements of Yves Klein’s Monotone-Silence Symphony.
I really am quite the talented performer!
Dylan you’re making me feel sick…stop it
Well at least you’re talking to me now.
at you boy….at you!!!
You could always do a tribute to any noise artists like Merzbow or Wolf Eyes, Dylan : )
Ed wins.
Well, no.
If I could make a noise with my armpits, any noise, then perhaps Wolf Eyes and Merzbow would be interested in me.
But, being as my armpits remain woefully silent, the best I can do is offer a rendition of Cage et al.
And her’s me thinking C&B could muster some authority, ha!
May I advise that all such comments from here forawards should be directed to Captain Jean-Luc Euan of the Starship Toadiprise?
Ta.
I’m listening to one of the US Meursaults at the moment, & I have to say it is rather fucking good (albeit demo heaven).
Yeah, there doesn’t seem to be a bad band out there called Meursault – it’s quite funny actually.
Late to the party, but – Cherbourg. YES. Made of win. (Am so excited that the internet speak comes out.) Have downloaded the EP, and ‘Man’ is still the best track, but the others (sadly, only three) are still incredibly awesome.
Huzzah!
‘Made of win’ is such a fucking silly expression that I think it gets a free pass for being hilarious.
Why thank you, oh benevolent one.
Aside: free Willy Mason EP (I say EP, it’s a live session thing) on team-love today.
Callooh Callay!
That is good news. I found his last album a little patchy, but the first one was amazing.
And I’m a sucker for a stupid phrase as much as the next person don’t be sarcastic.
Because sarcasm isn’t tolerated on this site.
Oh.
Willy Mason FTW.
(On the Subject of Wills’ – The sundowners. Who knew that existed? Probably everyone but me.)