Don't Look Now But I Lost My Shoe

In case i forget:

-this Friday TONIGHT! Jason Collett has a showcase at the Roter Salon. It's invite only, but my lucky star came through and I get to go. I'll find out definitely on Tuesday but it's looking good.
-Two Gallants are playing White Trash next Tuesday, March 7th.
-Louis XIV shall be hosting a night of sexy rock at Magnet the following night.
-March 10th The Liars play White Trash
-i have drum practise tomorrow at 4 o'clock.

You're So Pretty I Could Talk to You All Night

Last night worked out really well. I was really excited about this gig which was sort of showcasing these up and coming bands. From what I'd heard I knew I was going to like them alot. First on was Field Music, who played some very lovely and very charming songs. This trio hails from Sunderland, and at one time or another the line-up has included Barry Futurehead and Tom English from Maximo Park. Well, last night it was brothers Peter (who used to be the Futureheads drummer...) and David Brewis who swapped around on drums and vocals, with Andrew Moore on keyboard. The last song of their set was the one that stole my heart. "Pretty". It's a really gorgeous song and is free to download at their site aswell as some others. "You Can Decide", highly recommended. I'm not sure, I'll take a guess that it's Peter, in the photo. he's so skinny, and his trousers are so high. You just want to take him by the hand and bring him home and give him a cup of tea. When he sings he stands on the tips of his toes.























Here's some interesting things that MaximoP singer Paul (who isn't too flattering on contemporary bands) had to say about them:

"It's like chamber pop. It is brilliant orchestration. There are string quartets on more of the album, but all the songs are in crazy time signatures. It's really sweet music, like Big Star and the Beach Boys. Some people wonder why Maximo Park brought this band on tour with them. They made one of the best British albums any band has done. When they play live it is quite different because they swap instruments. They have a younger drummer now since Tom left. They are quite genuine people. There is not much that in music I suppose.

Next up was My Latest Novel, who are just amazing. Their music is so powerful live. I nearly died when they played "The Hope Edition", that violin just kills me. This band has alot of absolutely fantastic songs and there's so much happening onstage, there's alot to take in. I found myself constantly hypnotised, whether by lead singer Chris Deveney as he gripped the microphone and stared piercingly into the crowd, or their guitarist who looked as though he was going to rip the strings right off his guitar he was playing so ferociously. Each member seems to work independently, and by doing so brings their own intensity. I felt like their personalities and characters really shone through as they played.





While they were playing, it struck me that My Latest Novel are the first band I've seen who manage to keep the depth and sincerity of their songs while adding a little bit of twee gloss and sparkle. That sounds funny. I dunno how to explain it better..the xylophone or mini keyboard blow-y thing didn't take away from the power that their songs have. You weren't thinking "aww" but "OWWWWWW THIS HURTS". I've never seen a xylophone so fiercely pounded before, either. They put so much into their songs, especially "The Reputation of Ross Francis"...and finishing up their set with "When We Were Wolves" was almost too much.

Er. I came across someone with a link to the whole of their new album, "Wolves". It's not the year of the dog, it's the year of the Wolf.





So then Tilly and the Wall came on and were really fun and I like them alot even though the tap dancing girl is kind of annoying. There i said it, i'm sorry but she kept reminding me of some little kid going "look at me everyone! look what i can do!" Maybe just cos im learning the drums, and the distinct absence of one (they totally disassembled the kit that the two previous bands had been using..) and blatant celebration of that fact may have pissed me off..on..some..level. But that would be really petty and small-minded of me. Okfinethen. She had a nice t-shirt and must be very fit. I kept trying not to get distracted by her and focus on the rest, especially the two main singers who were doing an amazing job of singing their gorgeous songs. One covered in tattoos with a bull-ring through her nose, the other looking like Chrissie Hynde's gorgeous younger sister. Then what looked like two absolute stoner boys on keyboards and acoustic guitar. Their songs were really pretty, they played alot of new material, one was practically a Spanish flamenco and I wonder if they have alot of country music influences going on in there too. My night had already been made though, I was under the spell of My Latest Novel and found it kind of hard to shake off. I really enjoyed their set anyway, I just think I was in the wrong mindset for it after the heartwrenching performance I had just seen. The whole tap-dancing thing is a pretty damn origional idea, and it did sound quite cool.

AH

On the off-chance that anyone reads this in the next hour or so, I have an extra ticket for tonight's label festival that i really need to sell! Tilly & the Wall,My Latest Novel and Field Music @ Postbahnhof, 9pm. Let me know if you're interested! It cost me 12.50. Tickets are usually 2euros more expensive on the night so you could save a couple if you haven't already got yours!

All I Really Can Tell is, I've Been Hit

I like We Are Scientists. That's why i went to see them last night. Even though all these stupid blah things happened like it was bitterly cold out, and my friend couldn't come, and the ticket was more expensive than advertised. Blah! i happened to arrive at Magnet in plenty of time; there was no support band, though, just a really bad mix cd playing while we were waiting for the band to come onstage. It was getting closer to an hour after the show was supposed to have started; each time another crap song came on, cries of outrage would erupt from the crowd. Finally a techie popped up onstage - i actually thought some fan had decided to get up there and start playing the drums to amuse us all, ha ha!

Everyone was cheering and clapping for them to come out and finally around 10pm the three dishevelled and hairy young men emerged from the side door to great whoops of delight. There was a big group of really excited (young) fans in the front rows and Chris Cain shook hands with each one and said hello, making sure to look them in the eye, from behind his googly glasses. He laid down the gauntlet and told us that the kids in Colon the night before were crazy and we'd have to work hard to live up to them. I think the crowd had no problem responding well to this challenge. People were fighting to get to the front and go crazy.



Their set was short and sweet. My favourites were definitely "It's a Hit" and "the Great Escape". They just make great music for jumping around to, even if the lyrics are a bit sad. They have such a big sound, like there's a secret guitar player and extra set of drums being played out the back or something. I was totally mesmerised by Chris Tapper's drumming all night. By the end of the show his sticks were totally splintered and his shirt was absolutely soaked through.














Too soon, Chris announced that the next song would be their last and apologised for We Are Scientists not having a vast repetoire. I wondered about old songs.. i was really hoping to hear "Selective Memory", but they didn't play anything old at all. I found out why from Michael Tapper - he appeared in the main bar after the show and I took the chance to give him a quick spanish inquisition. I was eager to talk because I was supposed to get an interview with them yesterday, but it didn't work out. Actually my first impulse was to thank him for a deadly show, I spent most of the time watching his fancy drumming.

This is going to be all "and then he said and then i said." sorry. ill try and come up with some good synonyms. i hope i remember everything. the gig finished right at 11, and since it was the Tuesday night rock bar, it was just in time to avail of free beer + tequila. Oh, i availed plenty.

Michael explained that their record company had arranged for them to spend the whole day doing interviews - i asked him how they stay sane, and he admitted to me that they don't. They just GO CRAZY! The most difficult part, he said, is being away from home. Especially for Chris, who is a dad. I asked if they were working on any new stuff at the moment, but there is no time for that with this crazy touring they are undertaking. What about other people's music? The Liars. They are his favourite band, listening to them alot.

We talked of course, about that night's show. The band felt bad that the crowd waited so expectantly for an encore and never got one. Once they had finished playing and were gone backstage, they could hear everyone clapping and hollering for more..The crowd didn't give up because the crap mix CD didn't kick in and the lights stayed down. The band was backstage feeling bad and wishing the soundsystem would come on so we'd realise there would be no encore. "You don't do encores?".."We just don't have that many songs." "What about Selective Memory?!!" "We only play new songs..i.e from the album or b-sides." Aha. Not only do they not really even like that song, it's the song which Michael himself dislikes the most. !!! Er, I've been totally addicted to it for the past age. (it's really good!)

So there we were, standing on the edge of the dancefloor. An Arctic Monkeys song came on as we were talking. Michael was all closing his eyes and singing along. Apparently they had an awesome time on the NME tour with them, the W.A.S boys are quite sad now that it's over. He related the awesome experience of witnessing the thousands of fans singing along to all the words of "I Bet That You Look Good on the Dancefloor" - Alex Turner just stopped to let them take over. Ok, i know everyone sings along at concerts, it sounded better when he explained it. On the W.A.S tour blog there's also a funny account of one of the boys going crowd surfing during the Monkeys show. I love hearing stuff like that. The band is now on their Continental Clampdown Tour, "during which we take a closer look at this 'Europe'." When they were in Berlin last, they played Rosi's. Michael was like, "i loved that place. i want to be there right now. are they partying there?" [Yes. 'was like' is totally a good synonym.] He informed me that they will be playing a gig in Dublin in April. They'll be somewhere else in this 'Europe', this gig is an extra stop-over, to play in Whelans. That will be special! I'd love to see them play there. I might try and make it.



What else? I asked about his drumming. At Michael's school they had a good "band" programme; basically each kid had to pick out an instrument. Because his surname was Tapper, he picked the drums. Ha. Any tips for an aspiring drummist? "Learn all the beats to our songs." The man is a demon on the batterie. [that is not red-eye from my camera, you know.] He is a man, too. "I'm older than I look." "28?" "Yep." He let me know that as they have a day off today, him and Chris planned to go to their record company's office and get someone to show them around. When i heard him say the office is in Kreuzberg, I was happy. That's my hood. I was even happier when he said, "I want to move to Kreuzberg. I'm gonna look for a place to live tomorrow. No just kidding. No but I really want to live there. It's the coolest place." Maybe he was just pulling my leg. Oh god. Flashback. I totally showed him the photographs I took. He was very polite and said, "awesome!..ah, it was smoky!" I was like, "yeh. and your techie dude was sitting right under the smoke machine for the whole show!...eh, why was he huddled in a corner onstage for the whole show?" Never seen that before, thought it was a bit mad. "Cos he's our only techie. we need him." I guess Magnet is just too small, there are no side wings. You can just about see him in one of my "awesome!" photographs. Poor chap.

Michael was very nice and charming and interesting and easy to talk to and though I was nervous i think it was a nice little exchange on the whole, helped along the way undoubtedly by my free beer + tequila sodden braincells. I hope i got everything right..another deadly gig. Woo!

Plans.

This week is going to be a bit ALOT fun. Indeed. Probably cos i can make it to see this cool exhibition before it finishes on Friday.



And also probably cos
We Are Scientists are playing Magnet on Tuesday night. And even more probably cos on Thursday there is a label festival at Postbahnhof. This looks to be a hoot.
Tilly & the Wall,My Latest Novel and Field Music are the three bands lined up for this event hosted or arranged or organised or whatever by Cooperative Music - Home of Independent Music (labels: Bella Union, Memphis Industries and Moshi Moshi). Ticket is only 10E. And the flyer is totally cute. I've been hearing various different pieces of information about tap dancing, the drummer from Maximo Park and various members of the Futureheads being involved. Who knows what the night shall bring! I'm excited.

What Happened To Our Heavy Metal?

This dude was so hard to catch.

Who - Will Get Me To A Party? Who - Do I Have Yet To Meet?

It was riot and mayhem at the Clap Your Hands Say Yeah gig tonight.

The support band came onstage and made everyone have a great time with their great music. Not only did i not miss them, I arrived 10 minutes early. I had time to leave in my jacket, get myself a beer AND get in the second row! Dr. Dog. Who the hell are they? I dunno, but they are the total opposite of their unimaginative crap name. i think i fell in love to "Wake Up" which is totally available for download at their website or their myspace. Though the live version is faster and noisier than that. This is not their website. This is. There's four songs for downloadin' there. Fetch! Sorry, ha ha! I have to say, those mp3s are nice but they aren't as energetic and noisy and full of harmonies and deadly guitar hooks as the live versions. This band sounds like Brian Wilson's neighbour's kids when they stayed over at Neil Young's house this one time and Beck came over. One of them was wearing the exact same sunglasses i had when i was 9, circa 1992. You know, with the neon pink...what's the word for part of the glasses that sit on your ears? I have to quote this. Just have to. "Seems sure to attract a rabid cult following." - New York Times. HAHAHA. Yes indeed, i totally agree.



We did not have to wait long for CYHSY to come onstage after the opening act. Well, the balloons had to be set up first. The stage was decked out in silver balloons. ("By The Skin of My Yellow Country Teeth") "Let the Cool Goddess Rust Away" started off all the craziness. It is a great opening song. Instantly there was pushing and shoving and jumping and alot of clapping. That was me, i clapped alot. And tried not to fall over. Well, i did last about a half an hour in the mosh pit. But I was getting totally trampled, and it was hard to take photographs. They played a new song that I loved, but it got no introduction. I think it had a line that went, "I've been waiting for your call..I've got a blister on my forehead from leaning against the wall." Right after that Alec Ounsworth said, "that was new. this is new aswell. it's called Satan Said DANCE!.." and i was the only one that went "WOOOO!". But people caught on pretty quick. It was so great to hear this song again, I LOVE IT.

The band seemed kind of sad and frosty at the beginning. Apart from the tall one with the shiny golden locks. With his floppy hair and tambourine and big smile. Gosh.

I think his name is Robbie Guertin.






They were getting such a great reaction though, they were ALL smiling by the end. Even AO, who even kept saying "thank you". The crowd was so into all the songs, not just "Over and Over Again (Lost and Found)". Their last gig here in December was in tiny Mudd Club. This time around the Postbahnhof was all filled up with mad, clapping, people. And they knew all the words. "In This Home on Ice" and "Is This Love" just brought down the house. I was beside two of the funniest dancing boys ever. They looked like they were having conniptions and if they didn't get to kiss Alec Ounsworth, they would just die. Clap Your Hands..finished off their main set with "Child Stars" and since the house had already been brought down, the sky fell in.

There were two encores. And then the lights came up and the background music started again. BUT THEY CAME BACK FOR ONE MORE SONG! And brought Dr. Dog with them! Omghootenanny.

What a deadly gig.


Clap your hands!
When I feel so lonely
Clap your hands!
When I won't do nothing
Clap your hands!
When I have no money
Clap your hands!
When it don't seem likely
Clap your hands!
Are you up to something?
Clap your hands!
Where's my milk and honey?
Clap your hands!
When I just look funny
Clap your hands!
I just wait, a while

You're My Favourite Waste of Time

An Arab Strap gig is kind of a fitting affair to attend on the eve of Valentine's day. They paid a visit to Berlin on Monday night; Magnet was totally packed out by around half past nine when I got there..yes i missed the support band. Everyone was quite happy that Arcade Fire was being played while we waited for the band to come onstage. It was hard to move..or avoid getting pressed up against the people around you in a rather familiar way. The crowd still tried to dance along despite the total squish, but most people ended up sort of hopping up and down on the spot.

Arab Strap have these intoxicating songs that you just get lost in. I loved when their songs kicked into the upbeat ending: the crowd, drawn into the realm of seedy affairs and jilted lovers that Aidan Moffat depicts so well in his gravelly voice, would be lulled out of their stupor and liven up. People seemed to enjoy just shouting "MALCOLM!" at random intervals. My favourite song was probably "New Birds". 1998. Most of the time each song was introduced not by name but by the year it was from. "19..what the fuck?...98? Ooh that was a lawng time agoo." I felt kind of disappointed when it was over. The ticket was quite expensive, i'd missed the support band, Arab Strap didnt give us much talk and I was waiting for "Love Detective" all night, but it never came. You can never count on anything when you go to a gig though, I know that..They did play two decent encores and finished with a cover that I can't remember. "Malcolm hates it." It was a lovely gig.

FUNNY:

AL: Why do you write these sort of lyrics?

Aidan: I just write to piss off my girlfriend.

AL: The lyrics seem like a diary.

Aidan: I never kept a diary. I like to think of the album as a diary. Just key events. Just what I'm mulling about at any given point. I like to mull. That's something I'm very good at.

Malcolm: Some journalist described it as picking scabs once.

AL: But from what part of the anatomy?

Aidan: The brain. A scabby brain. I don't care what anyone says. Doesn't matter.

Found that here.

You Are The Most, You're So Rad, You're So Fresh and I am Glad

February 14th. It's that time of year again. HAPPY BIRTHDAY WEEZER! The big one four.

Woohoo!

Everybody listen to Animal Parade! Kind of like Willy Mason.

Kind of like love.

Animal Parade, live in Berlin:
Hotel Bar, 28 February 2006.

The End Is Here In Noises

Went to a deadly gig last night. It was great, in a we-dont-really-know-our-lyrics-or-have-that-many-songs-to-play-
but-can-make-alot-of-noise-and-go-mental kind of way.

Test Icicles.

As part of their Boa V Python tour they played a show in Magnet last night. Woahz. Had i been in the form for it, there were some good opportunities to speak with the band last night - dudes were hanging about in the crowd when we walked in, talking to fans and looking belligerant at the merchandise desk. I sort of walked into Sam, who didn't seem to know where he was going, his hair was obstructing his view. He has alot of hair...I wasn't feeling very sparkly last night though, still kinda recovering from the late night on Tuesday. I should have saved myself for Test Icicles! This band demands energy. Literally.

They came onstage and didn't quite look like the band i'd heard about. Grey cardigan? Anorak? A t-shirt with a husky on it? ..At first the crowd seemed nonplussed. Devonté asked, "how are you? y'alight?" and "what do you kids do for fun?" and finally, "em, are you excited about the world cup?"...it was a painstaking effort to get some reaction. Sam was hurling insults at the crowd alot, Dev was telling him to say sorry alot.

The dynamic onstage is a wonder to behold. The boys swap the microphone around alot, everyone has a go - "oh, it's my turn to sing now then..?", they freestyle on the keyboard - "that sounds really fucking good, keep doing that!" (upon discovering a science fiction-y sound effect, which appeared on nearly every song thereafter.) I did see Sam play his guitar with his teeth. Or try to. There were alot of snapshot moments, like when Dev was jumping up the walls, or when Sam fell over and all you could see over the tops of people's heads was this sepulchral arm shooting up in the air (sort of like that scene at the end of Carrie when the arm reaches out from the grave...) Or when Rory was just being there on stage, he kind of looks like Johnny Rotten with that new haircut.

It took a few songs, but the crowd did start going mental, eventually. The best song of the night was "Circle, Square, Triangle" even if Sam forgot most of the lyrics. The crowd really went crazy. Though they had been jumping around alot already, this song really set it off. "That was the peak", Sam said. After spending a few minutes faffing about onstage wondering what to play, God was even called upon to intervene.."we would play longer but...we've no more songs", they ended up doing a cover of a song by the Go Go's. As it bounced around the room thanks to extra reverb on the mic, "Belinda Carlise -isle -isle -isle" was a name i hadn't imagined hearing a member of Test Icicles say at the gig.

It was bad form to just do nothing on stage for a while, which they did. People started shouting "boring!" and Dev warned against anyone coming up to them after the show to say "that was a shit gig"..My friend pointed out that this may have been in reaction to the crowd seeming ambivalent at first, though they did warm up to the Icicles eventually. The band finished up their set by making noise for ten minutes. Well, Rory and Sam scarpered, leaving Dev like a hunched scientist over the keyboard and his guitar. Sam ran through the bar making "magician fingers" in people's faces, then they left. My one regret from the night is that I have no photos. As they wandered through the bar on their way out my friend suggested shouting "hey motherfuckers!" and taking a photograph..I totally should have. I didn't particularly want to be in the picture myself - i went to my first gig when i was 11, since then, i've only ever asked for a picture twice. This one time at Oxegen, when I went over to say hello to Shaun Christensen as he was hanging out by himself, smoking a cigarette down beside the crowd after Stellastarr* had played. And this other time after seeing the Future Kings of Spain play a deadly gig. Myself and my friend ended up chatting with them for a while afterwards (nicest band, ever!)...a photo seemed inevitable. I dunno. I'm bad at stuff like that though, I hate asking for a picture.

the support band was deadly. The Taste.

After reading up a bit on Test Icicles i now know that Dev injured his foot quite badly on a shard of glass during a gig last year, "i just walk a bit different now"; Rory has joined a choir, "it's a 15 strong vocal crew. It's gonna happen." and Sam was born in Miami and grew up in Australia, his accent is funny.

I wonder if they will get a drummer, and if it will make things even more crazy on stage. I hope so!!

Motherfuckers! Indeed. I would very much like to see them again, they're a really fun band to see live, i was laughing alot. Plus, it does make a nice change from recorders and glockenspiels. We all agreed it was a not unsimilar experience to being at a band's practise. Which is kind of cool when you think about it. Test Icicles play like nobody's watching.

You Knocked On My Door And My Whole House Fell Apart

I got a heads up from a friend about a good party so I ended up in West Germany for the night: "5 euro or roll the dice and pay what it lands on. Plus free cake and a band." So, wondering about the cake, and the band, i got there by around midnight. I probably lost ten minutes trying to find the way in. i arrived at the right street address, but ended up wandering up some random stairs and parading around an abandoned courtyard wondering where the fun was. ("Beat It" by Michael Jackson was playing in my headphones, I really thought he was going to jump out from behind a wall and start moonwalking around me.) Looking around a corner I thought, this must be it when I saw that poster stuck on a door.

I rolled a five at the door, and when I got inside the band has just taken to the stage. They were like this 60's outfit. With a banjo, double bass, saxaphone, fancy drumming and rock and roll teurquoise guitar playing.

Snippets of lyrics that i caught:

"..like a love shanghai.."

"..my heart has rusty hinges.."

"..you knocked on my door and my whole house fell apart"

" you wanna stay up late? i've got days and days of tapes.."

"repitition. repitition. repitition. repitition. repitition. repitition."



I tried to find out who they were and asked the drummer. They might have been The Jimmy EEojodadjisad Incarnation. They might have been anything at all. I don't know if I wasn't hearing properly because I'd been standing beside the speaker for most of the show or because they just have a really complicated name. Encores went on and on and on on. First just Jimmy, (Timmy? Tammy?) then Jimmy and the bassist/banjo player, then the bassist/banjo player took over the singing as Jimmy clambered behind the drums to rock out there for a bit. It had been jazzy drumming until he got his hands on the drumsticks. He played like, BANG BANG ROCK AND ROLL. Then the drummer came back and there was a 10 minute excursion called "Reincarnation" (see last lyrics snippet.)

Previously a doctor's office,West Germany is another "home-made" venue, like Mama's. Most of the ceiling tiles were gone, you can see a little in the photograph how parts of the wall were ripped out. Mattress pinned up against the window, etc etc. Thankfully the police didn't come and bust it up. Tonight was a Save the Cake affair. There was free cake, I had some of the last slice of strawberry cheesecake, ha ha! The place was decorated beautifully with "baking art". Huge cupcakes were hanging from the ceiling, and adorning the walls were a series of oil on canvas: blender, cupcake, spatula, mixing bowl..I signed up to get notice of future Save the Cake happenings, I want seconds!



After the band 2 djs took over and played some very fancy tunes. Like the Sonics, Rolling Stones, Temptations. I swear, i had just thought of the Slits' version of "Heard it Through the Grapevine" when that older version came on! I also dropped my beer by the coats while attempting to shimmy along to it. They will be back again in a few nights time, this Friday in Sherriff Teddy's. From what i saw they were mostly working with vinyl. I didn't get his name, but one of them told me that next time, if i pass him the cd inconspicuously, he might play Gloria Jones' "Tainted Love" for me.

SHOW YOUR BONES

This is probably the best thing i've read all week!

Yeah Yeah Yeahs New Album

We have a title for the new record... SHOW YOUR BONES. It's coming out on March 28!!! Show Your Bones is what happens when you put your finger in a light socket. Maybe there is some of that electric current flowing through the tracks of our album illuminating us from the inside out for you to laugh at and cry to or fry to. Or not.

[posted 1/26/2006 U.S.A.]

The album is getting a UK release on 27th March. One week before that the single "Gold Lion" is gonna come out. I'M EXCITED!

There is this one band, The Kooks. And there is another band, The Books. Kind of spelled the same, but pronounced different...unless you're from inner city Dublin. Or Manchester. I think. Well, they're both playing Berlin this month. The world has turned and left me with three bands to pick between for the night of the 18th. Calla, the Figurines and the Kooks shall all be taking to various different stages across the city - at Knaack, White Trash and Magnet respectively. I don't know how I'm going to pick between all three...Although, I have seen the Figurines before...and the Kooks is a very cheap door-charge, plus a free drink. But dammit, I hate choosing. Free drink, eh?.. ITS ALL ABOUT THE MUSIC YESYES.

The Books play the Volksbuhne am Rosa-Luxembourg Platz, 12th February.

Why Is The Bedroom So Cold?

I've said before, this is no mp3 blog. Cept, i was just chopping up vegetables in the kitchen, listening to Jose Gonzalez do a cover of Kylie Minogue's "Hand on Your Heart"...it may have been the onions making my eyes stream, but... He mentioned something about a Joy Division cover. "Love Will Tear Us Apart" no less. Yeh, yeh, Nouvelle Vague, U2+Arcade Fire. His version is haunting and powerful and it just made me stop. He said it could be found on some Swedish website, so I don't think he'll mind much if it can now also be found on this music blog.

So, here.

It's taken from a live show, it's a little scratchy, he speaks some Swedish and there's rapturous applause.

Jose Gonzalez seems to be the perfect anomaly. His parents fled Argentina and 2 years after their arrival in Sweden brought him into the world. He used to play bass in a shouty/jumpy-aroundy band. Um. Bands. That is, one punk/hardcore band Back Against the Wall and one indie rock affair, Only If You Call Me Johnathan. When the Knife released Deep Cuts nearly 3 years ago he picked up on "Heartbeats" immediately, including it in his set list at a show only three weeks later. Of the Kylie cover he says, "underneath the pop and happiness is a great song."

The picture is from last June, when he played in Whelans to a couple of hundred people as part of the Budweiser Rising Festival in Dublin, opening up for Buck 65. While he played, it was one of those gigs where nobody dared to move. Or talk. Or breathe. I'm not surprised that he says he prefers to play gigs in small spaces rather than large ones, though he still played support to the dalai lama in a football field this one time.

"Hearbeats" has been a huge "hit" for him in Ireland. People just totally fell for him. Swoon, Thud. Last night he played to a packed out 10,000 full crowd in Dublin, opening for Bell X1.