Yacht Rock

Possibly it's because the sun is shining, possibly it's just because we've been drunk pretty much the whole summer so far, but we were introduced to the concept of the 'Yacht Rock' tv show the other day and now we're totally addicted. Basically, it's the story of how the Michael McDonald & Kenny Loggins invented smooth music in the 70s, all acted out by a bunch of deranged fools and badly put together on purpose as a 4 minute VH1 style rockumentary. It's genius. If you're not hooked by the time Michael Jackson and an uber-gay Vincent Price come into it (Episode 5), then I really think I've misjudged your sense of humour...

Check the untold story of Guilty Pleasures here

Still No Sign Of Davros

So the new Dr Who series finished at the weekend with a huge Dalek vs Cybermen battle and a load of scenes shot on the beach right by where I grew up (which is featured in next issue of Socialism, Wales fans!). Anyways, great TV show and that, but, even better, the kind people over at the BBC decided to put all the samples from the BBC Radiophonic Workshop theme music up on their site for you to dick around with til your heart's content.

Check this out...

Just got the latest issue of Mojo, I'm wondering...

...why the fuck does Thom Yorke insist on doing that stupid face the whole time? I realise it's partly down to genetics, but, come on, I mean...

Surely everyone has had enough of this guy now, the ultimate ‘typical of my luck’ miserable student wanker, the kind of bloke found down the S.U. bar, like some crudely imagined Viz character, pissing and moaning on because the prices have gone up by 2 pence a pint, they started selling meat again and someone took “L.A. Woman” off the jukebox. The kind of bloke who invites the leaders of all the major British political parties (well, nearly all – thankfully, I don’t think Nick Griffin got the nod) to a Friends Of The Earth gig he’s doing then fucking moans about it when one of them (the Tory obviously) says they played a song for him (what did Yorke expect from the opportunist prick? Humility?) The kind of bloke who bangs on and on and on and on about the evils of ‘the man’, the corporate world etc et fucking cetra then goes and headlines Richard Branson’s V Festival. V as in Virgin, as in planes, cola, records, and, possibly spaceflights should everything go according to plan.

Maybe it’s just me and I’ve missed the boat (again!), and, like Pink Floyd, that other middle class rock snob cornerstone band, I’m destined never to ‘get’ Radiohead. Well, if it is, thank fuck. Life is too short. The sun has been shining for weeks and Kasabian have a record out soon called “The Doberman” (fucking yes, of course they do and thank God for that). Maybe Yorke will look out his monochrome, pinched, painful world and hear the birds singing, see the flowers growing. Actually, I'm pretty sure the fucker would probably only start bollocking on about fucking hayfever and global warming.

Anyways, rant over. I’ll leave the last word to Richey Manic, a man infinitely more interesting (and, sadly, a lot more fucked up) than that bloody twerp, who, when quizzed on Yorke during Radiohead's early days, said this:

“He’s not a creep or a weirdo. He’s just an ugly bloke with a gammy eye.”

Queer Noises, finally out!

Here at Socialism we've been banging on for ages about Jon Savage's legendary 'Queer Noises' CD. Basically a history of gay music pre Hi-NRG (it finishes with Slyvester's "You Make Me Feel Mighty Real"), it's thought provoking in that you wonder where pop music would be today without it's influence. It's also, at points, hilarious - it beats sitting there with "The Eraser" for company, thats for sure.

Anyways, the album is a no-brainer, buy it even if just to have your mind snapped in half by The Tornados' "Do You Come Here Often?" a Joe Meek produced cruising anthem and one of the most compelling and addictive pieces of odd pop ever made.

See You Down The Dilly