The Do

Saturday Afternoon. Colette. Listened to an obviously perfect song and got to know the band "The Do".

The Do consists of Dan and Olivia - Dan plays, and Olivia sings. The Do is influences by various music genres like blues, rhythm & blues, jazz, bebop, doowop & hip-hop and rock & roll. The song I listened to first is called "On my shoulders" and reminded me of a more profound version of The Cardigans.

Their first CD has been released on 14th of May and is called "A Mouthful". I baught it and I am stunned by diversity of songs you get to hear. Like I stated above it is a creative mix of different genres perfectly accompanied with Olivia's child-rebel voice.

Shows
06.Feb.2008
20:00 Trioletto Montpellier

08.Feb.2008
20:00

Espace Julien Nuits Zébrés Radio Nova Marseille

14.Feb.2008
20:00

Le confort moderne Poitiers

15.Feb.2008
20:00

le Paul B Massy

16.Feb.2008
20:00

La Clé des Champs Plaisir

23.Feb.2008
20:00

Festival Generiq La Poudrière Belfort

24.Feb.2008
20:00

Festival Generiq Le café Atlantik Frieburg

29.Feb.2008
20:00

L’autre canal Nancy

01.Mrz.2008
20:00

Festival Generiq Le Cylindre Besancon

02.Mrz.2008
20:00

Festival Generiq Le Cylindre Dijon

05.Mrz.2008
20:00

La laiterie Strasbourg

07.Mrz.2008
20:00

Le 6 par 4 Laval

08.Mrz.2008
20:00

Run Ar Puns Chateaulin

12.Mrz.2008
20:30

L’olympic Nantes

13.Mrz.2008
20:00

Barbey school rock Bordeaux

14.Mrz.2008
20:00

Espace Leclerc Niort

15.Mrz.2008
20:00

Fuzzyon La Roche sur Yon

20.Mrz.2008
20:00

La Cigale Paris, Ile-de-France

27.Mrz.2008
20:00

Ancienne belgique Bruxelles

28.Mrz.2008
20:00

Paradiso Amsterdam

03.Apr.2008
20:00 Rote Fabrik Zurich

04.Apr.2008
20:00 Fribourg

11.Apr.2008
20:00 Motel Mozaique Rotterdam

18.Apr.2008
20:00 Le splendid Lille

06.Jul.2008
20:00 Main square festival Arras

From Subculture To Mass Culture...Hip Parties In Changing Mode...

Having just returned from Dinner with my friend Julia at "Jaeger's Restaurant" (btw manifique french restaurant) in Heidelberg, I would like to summarize some thaughts of our discussion on subculture, hip parties and what happens when the promoters become famous. On my train back to Germany, I read an article on the party promoters of Misshapes in the german issue of the Park Avenue Magazine written by Jessica Joffe. I was really wondering that the Misshapes project became that famous now, even that famous that a magazine like Park Avenue writes about them.

Most of the really cool parties are first a kind of "subculture thing" of a selected group of people and after some time, when more and more people join the group to party with them it changes. The changing point when it's getting a mass culture phenomenon is when famous people join the parties. It is normal because the parties getting published in magazine and then everybody want to have a piece of this glamorous unique cake - even when they just go twice they can say "Hey I was in NYC and I attended the same party Madonna did a while ago". But what I ask myself then is "When a subculture becomes famous can you still declare it as subculture?" I don't think so...with this changes it looses its exclusivity, which is worse for the group of people who first attended that it is for the promoters theirselves. Wasn't it exactly the same in the 60's with Andy Warhol's factory and their parties: A group of extraordinary people standing outside the crowd get together and should bring some glamour in the lives of the ordinary ones not having the chance (or maybe not really committing) to the free spirited livestyle they live.

It is a chance to escape from normal live and join the glamorous part of live without really doing anything for it. This means that the creative people are just used as entertainers, which is somehow a sad thing. How can this be avoided? I think it can only be avoided if parties are being kept secret and exclusive (which doesn't refer to money but the people visiting) so the success would go on. If this is not being done all this will turn from exitement to boredom because everybody knows it and is talking about that. The Misshapes stated in the interview that this is so big right now that the have to continue with this fast way of living. Let's see what time brings and if continues quality can be delivered if you have to "party under pressure"...

Gainsbourg Revisited

I recently baught the Gainsbourg Revisited CD. It was a tribute to his 15th day of death. It is a new musical interpretation of his songs in english language. Most of the songs still match to his original melodies and some have been recorded as electronic version as Tricky did with "Emanuelle". But no matter which artist did what...he or she did it perfectly. It is a wonderful multi facetted CD I would hightly recommend. Artists include Franz Ferdinant, Jarvis Cocker, Jane Birkin, Carla Bruni, Marianne Faithful, Portishead and more. You can find more information (like interviews and videos) on the homepage which has been exclusively built for this project: www.monsieurgainsbourg.com .

Forever Favorite: Pulp - Different Class

I know it is kind of weird posting my opinion regarding Pulp now, 15 years too late. The album "Different Class" was launched in 1995 and at that point of time I was 15 years old and not interested in any other band than "Nirvana". Now, 12 years later I baught this album and love it so much. The lyrics are fantastic and there is no CD except of this I listen to since 3 months now...I really have to publish the lyrics of my favorite song in this blog because it's perfect....I want a band singing this song on my wedding (if I ever marry of course...)

"Something Changed"

I wrote the song two hours before we met.

I didn't know your name or what you looked like yet.

Oh I could have stayed at home and gone to bed.

I could have gone to see a film instead.

You might have changed your mind and seen your friends

Life could have been very different

then but something changed.

Do you believe that there's someone up above?

Does he have a timetable directing acts of love?

Why did I write this song on that day?

Why did you touch my hand and softly say.

Stop asking questions that don't matter anyway.

Just give us a kiss to celebrate here today something changed.

When we woke up that morning we had no way of knowing

That in a matter of hours we'd change the way we were going.

Where would I be now if we'd never met.

Would I be singing this song to someone else instead I dunno

But like you said something changed.

The Don Music: Akira the Don

If you like Indie and Rap Music you should definitely have a look at the site of Akira the Don. Akira The Don (born Adam Narkiewicz) is an independent Welsh rap artist. His song lyrics are very sarcastic (most of them) but very affecting. He deals with politics, social environments and of course with love. The songs are influenced by different rappers like Ice Cube or Wu-Tang Clan. He also performs together with other artist who influence his music. He calls them his Donsquad (including Bashy, Mary Turner, John Leigh, Wade Crescent from Stunners International)and many more. Unfortunatly I never saw him performing but when I am in the UK again, I will defitinetelly go to one of his gigs. On his site you can download various mixtapes (I have all of them and listen to them quite often) as well as order his new LP. Check it out via www.akirathedon.com or his myspace via http://www.myspace.com/akirathedon