…well, the bits in London, anyway.
Most of us who use trains to get in and out of the city will have noticed the temporary closure of usual routes to platforms over the past year or so while the new touchpads have been installed, and from the 2nd Janauary (a date famous for London public transport users to routinely whine about the fares going up even though it happens every year like clockwork), Oyster card users will be able to touch in/out of National Rail stations up to zone 9. The aim is to make public transport more convenient and, presumably, coax more people onto rail services to avoid going from (for example) Balham to Victoria via Brixton, or Ealing to Paddington via Notting Hill.
Click the map for a link to the full pdf
How will rail journeys be priced compared to tube and bus fares? The Evening Standard reports that fares will change for the better:
The move will make some journeys cheaper as passengers will not have to buy a separate ticket for the Overground. The biggest savings will be on long journeys, such as between Surbiton in Zone 6 and Waterloo for which the off-peak price will fall from £5 to £3.20.
The cost of travelling from East Croydon in Zone 5 to London Bridge in Zone 1 will drop from £4.40 to £2.60 — roughly 40 per cent cheaper. Shorter journeys such as a trip from Lewisham in Zone 1 to Charing Cross will cost £1.70 off-peak and £2.10 peak compared with £2.40 at present…
Whether or not this will affect season ticket holders – arguably the most frequent users of National Rail – remains to be seen. This is definitely a step in the right direction nonetheless, and will hopefully encourage more people to rediscover London.
Read the full press release here and TFL media briefing here.
- Mew at Shepherd’s Bush Empire 10.11.2009
- Ash at Gipsy Hill Tavern 16.11.2009
- Alec Empire at Islington Academy 19.11.2009
In the morning RSS-trawl I came across an article about the FAME500 – “a comprehensive depiction of where Britain’s shining stars spent their younger years” . This isn’t really a new phenomenon – actually, between Time magazine and BBC3 you could argue that these countdowns are quite trivial and meaningless, but it’s essentially about how great Britain is, and I’m always down for some British pandering in all but BNP ways.
Perhaps surprisingly, Lancashire came out as the biggest producer of UK talent, even beating Beatles homestead Merseyside, with 1 out of every 29,438 person growing up there becoming famous. Once you realise that Manchester is in Lancashire (wikipedia explains why there might be some confusion over this) – it’s clear to see why it’s at the top of the list. Manchester doesn’t just produce famous bands, it creates whole movements, from Oasis’s working class Brit Pop, to the Hacienda era, to the Stone Roses and even post-punk pioneers Joy Division (apart from the guitarist who is from Salford, a very important distinction).
Here’s a pictogram of the top 10 for the geographically-challenged (click for a larger version):
It’s an interesting analysis, but one with an alterior motive. The study’s producers, 1click2fame say that it was inspired by the UK’s X-factor fever, and as you may have guessed by the company name, their main objective is to try their own version of the “democratic” audition system. With the tenuous link that “accessibility to the lime light has always been an obstacle for those in pursuit of celebrity”, the company state that they will be putting “audition pods” in Tesco stores across the country to give people a chance at auditioning, and these videos will then be put to public vote (the site essentially works a bit like youtube in terms of online community). Head over to the 1click2fame talent competition site if you’re curious.
I probably shouldn’t be so cynical – at least this method gives ANYONE the chance to audition – and that’s the niche talent as much as the crazies, without a judging panel that will filter them out due to “sellability” and good looks, but it probably won’t change the world. I won’t be engaging in any of this business, but I’m grateful that these guys did something a little useful by way of the study to make up for their bandwagon-jumping!
Yet another group of already-famous musicians (Ken Andrews, Charlotte Martin, Justin Meldal-Johnsen, Sharky Laguana, Tommy Walter, Fernando Sanchez, and Jordon Zadorozny) have joined forces to form Digital Noise Academy. The first single, Melting Inside is free to download here, and it’s actually quite good.
Last night Robbie Williams joined Take That on stage for a charity gig at the Royal Albert Hall. Both acts performed separate sets, but sang the final song together, along with the evening’s other stars including Paul McCartney and Dizzee Rascal. It’s all over the print and broadcast news this morning.
image via bbc.co.uk
But hang on, this has kind of happened before hasn’t it? I remember quite vividly that in December 1997, there was a concert for hope for Princess Diana, organised by Gary Barlow. Robbie Williams headlined, and other performers included Boyzone and All Saints. It was even aired on TV. At the end of the show, the entire line-up sang Let It Be by the Beatles together, and Gary and Robbie hugged, not dissimilarly to the image above.
Here’s a video of that song. Look, at 03:44, THEY KISS AND HUG!
Mew returned to the UK this week for a short tour, continuing an extremely busy and successful year for the band, with the release of their new album, a European support tour for some band I like, and a museum exhibition in LA.
I attended the London show with Mark “Wix” Higgins, who has given the show a fairly accurate review:
On Tuesday 10th November, I popped down to the Shepherd’s Bush Empire (or rather, the O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire as it now is) to see Mew for the fifth time as a headlining band. As you might have guessed, I’m a pretty big fan of this Danish group that’’s pretty difficult to define to one genre – wild, far-reaching prog rock with a hefty dose of ambient dream pop is probably about halfway there.
More here.
The show was equally a pleasure to watch from my left of stage position, an experience possibly enhanced by leaning against the front speakers for the evening. Mew’s ambient yet energetic rock style holds together a full art spectacle comprising of metal tins, face masks, psychedelia and stop motion animation – a show that bursts with life when not restricted to a 20 minute opening slot. Highly recommended.
These tidbits were originally published in the 2008 issues of The Carnaby Newspaper
Image by nic0 on flickr
- Celebrated poet, painter, and printmaker William Blake was born into a lower middle class family in the now disappeared 8 Marshall Street, which runs parallel to Carnaby Street. His parents ran a hosiery shop in Broad Street and, homeschooled, he would go on to produce wonderfully imaginative creations that influenced the likes of Wordsworth and Yates (and, arguably, set a precursor for the cultural tone of his birthplace). The dedicated William Blake House on Marshall Street remains a centre of cultural activity, housing several events in the poet’s name and a massive celebration in 2007 to commemorate his 250th birthday.
- Did you know…that Carnaby Street used to be spelt Karnaby Street? It takes its name from a building erected in 1683 by bricklayer Richard Tyler, called Karnaby House. The origins of this name is unknown.
- Carnaby on Film: Several well-known films have used the Carnaby area for dramatic effect. Boris Karloff’s 1967 film The Sorcerers features a search for prey among the young hipsters in the area. Micheal Winterbottom’s exploration of alienation in Wonderland features a striking scene on Old Compton Street, making use of hidden cameras for an authenticity.
- The London Palladium had a varied history before being transformed into one of London’s most loved theatres. The grade II listed building that stands today was erected in 1910, but the facade dates back to the 19th century, when it was a bazzar set up to attract the custom of what is now Marks and Spencers on Oxford Street. It has since been a circus, an ice skating rink, and a cinema, before becoming the home of variety. The royal seal of approval came in 1914, and the London part wasn’t added until 1934! Interesting addendum: this building was designed by the same architect who created the London Coliseum.
- The cover of Oasis album What’s the Story, Morning Glory? was shot on Berwick Street, a location famous for its record stores, quirky shops, and proximity to Walker’s Court. According to the photographer, the shot is intended to symbolise the meeting of the north and south of England, though Noel Gallagher disputes this.
As a kid, I used to be completely up to date with the latest pop tunes – listening to the entire top 40 and to the extent that every song on the NOW collections would be familiar. These days, I’m so busy exploring little ambient and garage bands, that there’s barely time to listen to the radio – I get most of my pop knowledge from Hollyoaks.
It’s probably not as bad as I think, though. The new Floorfillers (super hip compilations made for the tubthumping youth of today) features several artists that I would consider non-mainstream. (Well, several artists that get played on XFM, but really if they’re playing Pixie Lott and that new Muse rubbish, they have no reason to think they’re above the Sugababes).
Employing the Facebook-meme approach to lazy blogging, here’s how many of these song I’ve heard of*, from which we can calculate how “cool” (do they still say cool?) I am.
*the songs themselves as opposed to the remixes – I don’t think even the most hardcore clubbers could name those!
…are glowing!
“”Robbie Williams has returned to what he knows best… delivering a glorious pop album that wears its influences on its sleeves.” – Music Week
“Mainstream pop with twists of lyrical wit, irony and imagination – classy piece of work, mature, reflexive and substantial” – The Telegraph
“the flow of the record is excellent when heard as a whole – his finest album since I’ve Been Expecting You. The ego has landed, again, but he’s a lot more endearing this time around” BBC
“Engagingly mature return from Stoke’s favourite son” – Uncut Magazine
“it’s fantastic: a brilliant reminder of how his songs can combine wit, strangeness and accessibility” – 4 stars – The Guardian
“The signs are that the now-married singer has regained his waning zest. Though less experimental than Rudebox, it’s more accomplished and generous-spirited.” – The Independent
“his best since 2002’s Escapology – a No1 hit. Simple as that” The Sun
‘The album bulges with fantastic melodies’ 4/5, The Guardian
“the most engaging album Williams has produced in years” In The News
‘Robbie Williams makes his much-heralded return to form’ InStyle Magazine
‘The king of charisma returns’ Album of the Month, Marie Claire
‘Robbie’s excelled himself and we’re thrilled to have him back and better than ever’ 5 stars, Heat
“Welcome Back – Five Stars!” OK Magazine
via Handsome Man at trws.com
You can stream the album for free here (or, if you like a version you can scrobble, here).
I have to admit, I don’t really like Queens of the Stone Age. I stopped liking Foo Fighters a long time ago, and (I’m sorry) I only vaguely like Led Zeppelin.
But I love Them Crooked Vultures. A smart viral campaign (google earth clues to secret gigs, short track snippets etc) and a few youtube bootlegs have not only given them a cool image from the outset, but showcased some fantastic music – which, to say the least, isn’t always a common occurence for a superstar-cast side project. The music, and it’s delivery is so fresh that you forget that the musicians have over 60 years’ experience in the music industry combined. That they’re approaching the project this way is really inspiring.
The full album is now available to stream on youtube. You can digg it here.
