An unusually active nightlife for me this past week: on Saturday, I went to see Terry Riley and wrote about it here; then, on Wednesday, I was fortunate enough to be invited to a secret Mick Head gig in a small, incense-filled church around my old stamping ground of Stoke Newington. Time has conspir...
An unusually active nightlife for me this past week: on Saturday, I went to see Terry Riley and wrote about it here; then, on Wednesday, I was fortunate enough to be invited to a secret Mick Head gig in a small, incense-filled church around my old stamping ground of Stoke Newington. Time has conspired against me being able to write about it properly (though I can confidently recommend the review that should be appearing in The Observer and on the Guardian’s website this Sunday). Very special night, though, as a celebration of Head and his incredible songs, from “Emergency” (on the first Shack album, “Zilch”; how weirdly poignant to hear references to Channel 4’s Diverse Reports, 25-odd years on) up to “Velvets In The Dark” from the second Red Elastic Band single that came out earlier this year.
A lot of the songs, predictably, came from the ’90s, and the run from “Waterpistol” to “HMS Fable”, centring on “The Magical World Of The Strands” (Here’s my Strands review, and recent interview with Mick Head). Head’s apparently been staying in London for the last few weeks, and the church was full of old friends and family from there and from Liverpool. Not least Head’s sister Joanne, who sang “Daniella” (from “HMS Fable”) magnificently and almost stole the show – as you can hear on this desk recording of the whole show…
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1 Wilco – Star Wars (dBpm)
Get Wilco’s “Star Wars” for free here
2 Plainsong – Reinventing Richard: The Songs Of Richard Farina (Fledg’ling)
3 Alela Diane & Ryan Francesconi – Cold Moon (Believe Recordings)
4 Lee Bannon – Pattern Of Excel (Ninja Tune)
5 Golden Void – Berkana (Thrill Jockey)
6 Hallock Hill – Folsom Cave (Bandcamp.com)
7 Kurt Vile – B’lieve I’m Goin Down (Matador)
8 Duane Pitre – Bayou Electric (Important)
9 Various Artists – Don Letts Presents Dread Meets Punk Rockers Uptown Volume 2 (Universal)
10 Peaches Featuring Nick Zinner – Bodyline (Adult Swim)
11 AFX – Orphaned Deejay Selek 2006-08 (Warp)
12 Steve Hauschildt – Where All Is Fled (Kranky)
13 Gun Outfit – Dream All Over (Paradise Of Bachelors)
14 Bixiga 70 – III (Glitterbeat)
15 Simon Scott – Insomni (Ash International)
16 Unwound – Empire (Numero Group)
17 The Grateful Dead – Ramble On Rose (Uncut/Rhino)
18 Michael Head & The Strands – The Magical World Of The Strands (Megaphone)
19 James Elkington & Nathan Salsburg – Ambsace (Paradise Of Bachelors)
20 Henryk Gorecki – Symphony No 4: Tansman Episodes (Nonesuch)
21 Hauschka – A NDO C Y (Temporary Residence)
22 Julia Holter – Have You in My Wilderness (Domino)
23 Fuzz – Fuzz II (In The Red)
24 Natural Snow Buildings – Terror’s Horns (Ba Da Bing)
25 HeCTA – The Diet (City Slang)
26 John Grant – Grey Tickles, Black Pressure (Bella Union)
