All The Ladies In The House

It just occurred to me how much people like writing songs about ladies.

Off the top of my head:

• Lady - Kenny Rogers
• Lady - Styx
• Lady - Lionel Richie
• Lay Lady Lay - Bob Dylan
• The Lady Is A Tramp - Sinatra etc.
  
• Ladies Night - Kool and the Gang
• Ladies First - Queen Latifah
• Hey Ladies - Beastie Boys

I can hardly type fast enough to catalog all of the Ladies I'm thinking about. Yet oddly, does anybody use the word Lady in real life? Isn't it kind of thought of as creepily retro-sexual now?

Great Escape Festival - Brighton UK - If only I could have escaped!

It's fun to have a fantasy life, but sometimes things can go to far. For instance the fantasy that Brighton's Great Escape Festival is "Europe's answer to South by Southwest" is a somewhat insane assertion at least. And when insanity is involved, someone is going to get hurt - in this case festival attendees. Unlike the noted 'alternative to alternative music industry festivals' that takes place in Austin, Texas every year, Great Escape - at least on the night I attended was filled with sophomoric bands who hardly seemed ready to take the stage (Telepathe), tiresome noodlers (Lightspeed Champion), and don't get me started about the Danish Music showcase.... dear God! This added to the fact that for the overpriced wristband there was in fact no way to really go between venues because all were booked to capacity meant my time there was less than satisfactory.

Upside? Finally getting to tape Fujiya & Miyagi (now a tiresomely over-referenced band in this blog, sorry) doing a song I believe called "Um" - sure to be on their upcoming release "Lightbulb" - which has been my favorite upon seeing them the last few times. The bands also appeared with their new drummer for this hometown show. Sounded awfully cool. Lets keep it that way.



Fujiya & Miyagi - Um

Meatloaf hawks cellphones while Fujiya prefers beer

Plus side - Fujiya & Miyagi have sold another song into slavery, this time stateside, for Miller Lite. Since I always endorse situations where musicians get paid for making music, and additionally endorse ones where i don't have to listen to horrible jingles, I declare this a win-win situation.

Minus side - What is far from a win-win however is the newest ad for AT&T's Go Phone starring Meatloaf and his family crooning about getting their teenage son a cellphone to the tune of 'Paradise By The Dashboard Light" Question: Mr. Loaf, are you sure that doing this ad this provides you more dignity than say, having a job at a potato chip factory? Because if you were working at a potato chip factory you'd probably get free potato chips. Also, you wouldn't have to be a public embarrassment on national TV. Not really being much of a bat out of hell lately, are you?

Big Dipper Reunion

The last time I saw Big Dipper was at the Channel. I don't remember who they were playing with or what year it was, but I do remember diminutive singer Bill Goffrier belting out a cover of Madonna's "You're An Angel", a move which at the time both perplexed and delighted me. Tonight I'll feel the same when the band (now reunited from the 4 corners of the country to support the release of compilation "Supercluster") end the evening with a set of awesome covers that include Shonen Knife's "Making Plans for Bison" and Wings' "Jet".

I suppose this anecdote just goes to show that even though it's been surely 15 years since these gents were last seen locally some things never change. Tonight the pop remains bright and the band don't even show that much wear and tear, save bass player Steve Michener's hair which has turned from brown to shock white, making him look a bit like a 6 foot tall bass playing ghoul. New record wasn't on sale at the merch table, all they had were t-shirts. Luckily I was wearing the one I bought in 1990. Money saved.



Above - Big Dipper perform "Loch Ness Monster" at the show.