Dirty Dozen

CocoRosie - 'Noah's Ark'

Ryan Adams - 'Wonderwall' (Oasis cover)

The Libertines - 'What A Waster'

Velvet Revolver - 'Mr Brownstone' Live @ Donnington 2005

Placebo - 'Every Me and Every You'

Kanye West - 'Gold Digger'

Modest Mouse - 'Black Cadillacs'

Iron and Wine - 'Evening On The Ground'

Bloc Party - 'So Here We Are'

Emiliana Torrini - 'Nothing Brings Me Down'

Chicks On Speed - 'Wordy Rappinghood'

Fruit Bats - 'Glass In your Feet'

Una

Kate (for the last time...maybe)

listening to: Say Hi To Your Mom: 'The Twenty-Second Century'

I understand American readers don't get Irish and British tabloids, so I've (badly) scanned the original supermodel does coke story for your benefit.



There's a good 'come back' article in defence of Kate by Tracy Emin in the Sunday Tribune today for some perspective.

But what I'm really wondering is, these are stills from a 45 minute video. When are we going to get to see the entire thing? Is that TV bidding war in the distance?

listening to: Antony & The Johnsons - 'Hope There's Someone'

Una

Gigs This Week

listening to: The Postal Service - Such Great Heights

Sunday
Laura Cantrell @ Whelans
Zrazy @ The George

Monday
Amadou and Mariam @ Whelans
Chuzzle @ Spiegeltent
Leya (supporting the Revs) @ The Hub

Tuesday
Super Furry Animals @ Olympia

Wednesday
Seven Deadly Skins @ The Mezz
The Marshall Stars (+ DJ set from BP Fallon) @ Temple Bar Music Centre
Talib Kweli @ The Village

Thursday
Polar @ The Village
Stephen Frettwell @ Whelans
Freeform Five @ Wax

Friday
Panda Kopanda @ Lower Deck
Dry County @ Crawdaddy
Andy Rourke (The Smiths) DJ set

Saturday
The Melvins @ The Village
Bugz in the Attic @ The Spiegeltent
Toaster Heretic @ Whelans

Sunday
X-Press 2 @ Spirit

listening to - Editors - 'Lights'

Una

Peel, Klein etc

listening to: The Strokes - 'Reptilia'

Visit regnyouth to get Peel sessions.

Naomi Klein on the ethnic cleansing of New Orleans This article also appeared in The Nation

listening to: The Bleedin Bleedins - 'Tonight'


William Saletan on anal sex

Homeless in Houston

worst Franz Ferdinand photo ever

JJ72 tour manager dressed as Mister Blobby

listening to: Ash - 'A Life Less Ordinary'


Three generations of French manicure

Tune your guitar

The Magic Numbers album (zip)

Una

I heart the Bleedin Bleedins

listening: Antony and the Johnsons - 'Hope There's Someone'

The lovely The Bleedin Bleedins sent me a very pretty ipod in the post. Thanks boys!

Una

First Kate Moss, now George Bush

http://www.nationalenquirer.com/celebrity/63426

tut tut

listening to: The National - 'Abel'

Last night was fun, even though I was working totally late and waiting for Elaine to finish staking out a secret union meeting so we could go for a drink. Sanctuary came in the form of Corina, when I sat in her gaff with Anto and Vince aka DJ Spinna drinking tea and waiting to head to Bia Bar.

In Bia Bar we met two of the dumbest guys ever (sample quote: "Hi, my name is Ray, as in sunshine." Second sample quote: "If I had a job would you sleep with me?") Then Spinna jammed it and I met Kieron, had a mini chat and bailed early, for more work in the morning.

listening to: Death Cab For Cutie - 'Debate Exposes Doubt'

Una

'New' Nirvana album out in November

listening to: The National - 'All The Wine'

The final tracklisting for Nirvana's rarities compilation 'Sliver' has been revealed.
The album, set for release in November, will include three previously unreleased tracks, which have been confirmed as
'Spank Thru (Faecal Matter)',
'Sappy' (Endino-produced demo),
'Come As You Are' (boombox).

The rest of the album is comprised of songs selected from last year's box set, 'With The Lights Out'.

The full tracklisting is:
'Spank Thru' (Faecal Matter) 3:10
'Heartbreaker' (first Nirvana show) 2:59
'Mrs. Butterworth' (band demo) 4:05
'Floyd The Barber' (live) 2:33
'Clean Up Before She Comes' (home demo) 3:12
'About A Girl' (home demo) 2:44
'Sappy' (Endino-produced demo) 3:46
'Blandest' (Endino-produced demo) 3:56'
Ain't It A Shame' (The Jury) 2:01
'Lithium' (KAOS/Calvin Johnson) 1:49
'Opinion' (KAOS/Calvin Johnson) 1:34
'Sliver' (home demo) 2:09
'Smells Like Teen Spirit' (boombox) 5:40
'Come As You Are' (boombox) 4:15
'Old Age' (Nevermind outtake) 4:20
'Oh The Guilt' (Touch and Go single) 3:25
'Rape Me' (solo acoustic) 3:23
'Rape Me' (band demo) 3:01
'Heart Shaped Box' (Rio demo) 5:31
'Do Re Mi' (home demo w/ Pat Smear) 4:24
'You Know You're Right' (solo acoustic) 2:30
'All Apologies' (solo acoustic) 3:33

listening to: The National - 'Cold Girl Fever'

Una

Kate Moss is so irresponsible

listening to: Arcade Fire - 'Forrest Fire'

Jesus Christ Kate. You are so irresponsible. Splashed all over the Mirror snorting lines off a CD case (which, by the way contained an unmixed Babyshambles album.) How terribly irresponsible, partying all night, why why why did you have to go get caught? Now look what's happening. Newspapers doing backflips admonishing their own drug habits and replacing them with sanctimonious lectures about someone who has more cool in their septum then they'll learn in a life time. How terribly irresponsible. With fashion week in NYC underway, and London about to kick off, surely this was an orchestrated gossip mill ready to be lashed into action. That's what EVERYONE will be talking about as they rub the bits they missed on their gums over the porcelain white of a toilet at the new Nobu (little known fact - toilets are white to make coke difficult to find. Buy a black toilet.) "Snffffff...seriously though...poor fucking Kate...like...snffff..ughhhahhh...scapegoat." "yeah...phhhfffff...I know...fucking nightmare." So as we all run after one of the only stars on the planet, the poor bitch is forced to do what no partier does. Apologise. Apologies are wretched things. No one should have to make them. We all behave badly, but shouldn't everyone else just forget about that thing you did, shots you bought, person you fell into, bouncer you punched, video of coke heaven the next day? Ugh, imagine replay and replication of such a cringing moment on every shelf in every coked out street across the world. Ugh. So an apology. No one wants an apology. No one wants Kate to go into rehab for a few I guess reasons. awwww, it's a bit sad isn't it? The party's over. No more entertaining dropped head out of a club one foot forward skinny jean snap cigarette dangling pics for those BIZZARRE Sun pages. Oh Pete Doherty's and idiot, ohh, she should dump in. Whatever, we all have stupid other halves. How irresponsible to try to destroy a fantastic rock and roll couple. Who the fuck do we want, Paltrow and Martin. Ugh, how repulsive, splash them on the fucking Mirror and make them fuck off, make them apologise for being so fucking boring. Celebrate this shit, and let it go. Hypocrits. How terribly irresponsible.

listening to: Hard Fi - 'Tied Up Too Tight'

Una

What Kid of Rocker are You?

listening to: The National - 'Wasp Nest'

You Are a Chick Rocker!

You're living proof that chicks can rock You're inspired by Joan Jett and the Donnas And when you rock, you rock hard (Plus, you get all the cute guy groupies you want!)

What Kind of Rocker Are You?

Una

Dirty Dozen

listening to: The National - 'Murder Me Rachel'

so here's a new thing: every week I'll post 12 killer tracks AKA Dirty Dozen, which will make it easier on archived posts to find links to mp3s I've put up. How kind.

Miles Davis - 'Shout'

Tom Waits - 'Union Square'

Death Cab For Cutie - 'Marching Bands of Manhattan'

Radiohead - 'Optimistic'

Black Rebel Motorcycle Club - 'Gospel Song'

Idlewild - 'Idea'

Electrelane - 'On Parade'

The Postal Service - 'Such Great Heights'

Devendra Banhart - 'The Body Breaks'

Of Montreal - 'A Question for Emily Foreman'

Secretly Canadian - 'Please Come Back'

The Pipettes - 'It Hurts 2 C U Dance So Well

Enjoy

Una

I miss Burco :( but at least her blog (http://aoifeabu.blogspot.com/) keeps me up to date with Barcelona madness.  

Today My Favourite Bands Are;

The National
JJ72
Levy
You Say Party! We Say Die!
Death Cab For Cutie
Coheed And Cambria
Elliott Smith
Arcade Fire
For Stars
Devendra Banhart
Editors
Blink 182
Math & Physics Club


Una

Hunter S Thompson's suicide note

"No More Games. No More Bombs. No More Walking. No More Fun. No More Swimming. 67. That is 17 years past 50. 17 more than I needed or wanted. Boring. I am always bitchy. No Fun -- for anybody. 67. You are getting Greedy. Act your old age. Relax -- This won't hurt."

The Veils

I know I didn't really liked the Veils when they released their first album last year, and I unfairly compared them with Starsailor (who I hate). But since then, I have listened to that album (The Runaway Found) so much. And the second track, 'The Valleys Of New Orleans' is so beautiful. It takes on a different resonance now, obviously.

The Valleys Of New Orleans
Someday the walls will tremble with terrible flames here
‘Til the mouth of some hurricane sweeps them away
And If I had either love or fortune I’d shed them both here
But those cards are so rarely played I’ve hid them away

The valleys of New Orleans

Oh Stanley I’ve heard you laughing your way around here
There’s a game that I wish to play, so slow down
I found another in Sidneys’ pocket, she knows my name
And she says she wants to drive all night in the dark through all

The valleys of New Orleans

Sidney says God is watching so don’t fear now
She says he’s bound to come, give him time
Her mouth is the taste of sea salt and saddled rum
She speaks in a vagrant language
I’d heard once in a film about

The valleys of New Orleans

Una

Unapedia

listening to: Clap Your Hands Say Yeah - 'Over and Over'

I decided to look my name up in Wikipedia. There are some good (and strangely appropriate) entries.

Una
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
Una can mean:
A character in The Faerie Queene (and the movie Legend)
160 Una, an asteroid named after her
Una River, in Bosnia and Croatia, tributary to Sava
Una, a city in Bahia, Brazil
Una, a district of Himachal Pradesh, India
Una-, a purported SI prefix.


The Una
The Una was the first feminist periodical that was owned, written, and edited entirely by women. Launched in Providence, Rhode Island by Paulina Wright Davis in February 1853, it eventually relocated to Boston, where it continued to be published until October 1855. Contributors included Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Lucy Stone.


Unas language
The Unas language from Stargate SG-1 is, although simplistic, a beautiful language that lends itself to quick, sharp sentences.


Una River
Una is a river in the western part of Bosnia and Herzegovina; in its lower course it borders Croatia. Una is a right tributary of the Sava river. Its river basin has an area of is 10,400 km² and it is inhabited by around a million people.


160 Una
160 Una is a fairly large and dark, primitive Main belt asteroid.
It was discovered by C. H. F. Peters on February 20, 1876 and named after a character in Edmund Spenser's epic poem The Faerie Queene (1590).


Una

listening to: Ash - 'Starcrossd'

A Goodbye Email

listening to: Be Your Own Pet - 'Damn Damn Leash'

I sent this email today to all the music people I've worked with:

Hey everybody,

as of right now and beyond, I am no longer with the Event Guide. It honesty was cool working with all of you over the past (nearly) two years and especially with my great editor Kieron. Thanks for all of the blags and opportunities to rock out.

If you wish to hunt me down (or send me the occasional 20 free CDs), I am now a news reporter with The Sunday Tribune.Take care, keep up the good work and rock on.

Una

It was kind of sad pressing the 'send' button. But there ya go.

Una

Quedate Luna

Here's a new Devendra Banhart track, for those who haven't got their hands on Cripple Crow yet.

Quedate Luna

I stole this one from another great

Six Eyes post

...

and because I'm nice, here's an old radio recording of 'In The Backseat' by Arcade Fire

right click and save

mmmm, what else to I have for you?

The Bravery - 'Fearless'

Kano - 'Ghetto Kid'

Death Cab For Cutie - 'Coney Island'

Billy Corgan - 'Walking Shade'

JJ72 - 'She's Gone'(wma)

Coldplay - 'Talk'(original mix)

Kate Bush - 'Sexual Healing'

Explosions In The Sky - 'Your Hand In Mine'(live)

Sigur Ros - 'Olsen Olsen'

Blink 182 - 'The Rock Show'

Gomez - 'In Our Gun'

Arcade Fire - 'Rebellion(Lies)' (live on Letterman)

Beck - 'Beercan'(live in japan)

Nancy Sinatra - 'It Aint Me Babe'

The White Stripes - 'Red Rain'(live on KCRW)

Antony and the Johnsons - 'Hope There's Someone(live)

Muddy Waters - 'I Can't Be Satisfied'

The Pipettes - 'I Love U'

Una




Una

The Importance of Being Idle(wild)

listening to: Black Rebel Motorcycle Club - 'The Line'

I know a lot of people/fans don't like the

new Idlewild record

because it sounds far too much like REM. But that doesn't mean it's so bad. I like 'Love Steals Us From Lonliness', otherwise known as 'the happy birthday song'. It's a great song. Saw the performance of it on MTV2 from SXSW, and based on that, went to see them at The Olympia during the

Hard Working Class Heroes Festival

which was good.

Interestingly enough, Turn, Gavin Fox's (Idlewild's bassist) old band have kind of gone and done an Idlewild on their new album, by leaving the rock behind. Results, hmm, I guess overall, both albums aren't fantastic. But they're better than a kick in the face.

Interviewed Gavin before HWCH.

THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING IDLE

Idlewild have just been announced as a headliner at The Hard Working Class Heroes Festival in Dublin. Changing direction with their latest album ‘Warnings/Promises’, Idlewild are brewing up a storm Stateside as Una Mullally found out when she spoke to Idlewild bassist Gavin Fox.

Joining a moderately successful band from a smaller local band is always going to be frowned upon. Selling out? Leaving your mates in the lurch? Being poached? These are terms that reflect resentment rather than reality and they were slurs Gavin Fox had to deal with when he left Turn for Idlewild a couple of years ago. But it seems time heals most wounds, and Idlewild and Turn are now different bands with different dynamics. “I think Idlewild had a philosophy before myself and Alan joined, but we changed it,” says Fox. “We went up to a mountain in Scotland an knocking things out and playing with each other…” He pauses from the seriousness of band work for a moment, “God, that sounded pretty dirty!”

As he walks “somewhere in London,” Fox sounds a little downcast as he muses over Idlewild’s latest record, ‘Warnings/Promises’, “we took a chance and it hasn’t paid off how we wanted it. We admitted we had taken a chance. We wrote the songs we wanted to record.” Idlewild abandoned a part of their rockier past in favour of tunes like ‘Love Steals Us From Loneliness.’ They were accused of apparantly the worst crime going -‘doing a Coldplay’ (along with Snow Patrol, Athlete and Embrace) by abandoning their heavier roots for a softer sound.

The album mightn’t have gone supernova in Europe, but in America, where the band played the South By Southwest earlier this year, things might be a little different. “The album is coming out next week and already it’s number 3 in the college charts there,” explains Fox, “maybe America is looking at it like we want people to look at it.” Their SXSW performance was aired on MTV, but the bassist is quick to downplay any praise of the gig, “I didn’t think it was very good. Actually, it’s a very bad idea to do a gig in Texas when the Frames are out there and we’re just going mental.”

Idlewild have been netting some pretty sweet support slots recently; U2 and REM to name but two. Unfortunately, Fox and co didn’t get to meet U2, “I was very dissapointed. But REM was a different deal, they watched us every night on stage and invited us to their dressing room for drinks and allowed us to go on stage to watch them.” But the highlight of close encounters with rock stars in Fox’s opinion was when Pearl Jam invited him on stage in Chicago to play drums, “you don’t get better than that,” he gloats, “to play with a band that I grew up having pictures of on my wall and then playing ‘Rockin’ In The Free World’ with them on stage was just brilliant.”
Idlewild will be back in Dublin for the Hard Working Class Heroes Festival, something that Fox is really excited about, especially considering his attachment to the city, “sometimes you start feeling a bit out of the scene, well I suppose I’m not really part of it anymore. But I left school when I was fifteen and have been playing in bands since, so I’ve done my fair share of the ‘working class’ stuff. I put in the work. I can’t wait for it. I’m delighted Brian (Carroll, one of the festival’s organisers) rang me up. We’re really happy about doing it.” At that, Fox goes off to prepare for that evening’s gig in Somerset House, anticipating a trip home here for a festival that will surely rock.

Una

HOWL

Ok, I know it's a bit late to be banging on about Black Rebel Motorcycle Club's latest album. But, it's my blog and I'll cry if I want to etc.

So, 'Howl' is amazing. Their debut was amazing. The one in the middle - not so much. BRMC are quite fantastic, and unbelievably hot, which is no harm.

Anyway, 'Howl' sounds in part like every photo of BRMC looks. Have you ever seen a photo of BRMC live that isn't greyscale and grainy? Some black and gray hair and guitar shots with a smokey white light shining near. It's just the way they are. But in other parts, the album is dirty americana, sounding like reverberations in the spit bucket that belongs to David Byrne and the Soggy Bottom Boys (most noticably on Aint No Easy Way.

But enough of that, listen:

Howl

And in passing, I interviewed Rob BRMC a couple of years ago. The recording I have of the interview is hilarious. You couldn't make out anything he was saying, because he was so fucked. I used to play it to friends on nights out for a while after because it was that hilarious - listening to a rock star attempting to form vowels while clearly not in the best shape, in the way that Nikki Sixx liked the odd drink. I remember the actual interview took ages to arrange, because they would only do it from New York (and they were in Europe) and then they would only do it at night (between 2am and 4am), but eventually, I got hold of 'em. Here's that interview anyway.


Hailed as saviours of rock and roll on the release of their debut record, BLACK REBEL MOTORCYCLE CLUB have kept the ante up with their second LP, ´´Take Them On, On Your Own´´. Una Mullally woke up bassist Peter Hayes in his London hotel room to chat about rebelion and rock ahead of their gig in Dublin´s Ambassador...

´´Ermm ugh fhurrgh ahhwgh´´. This is the sound a rockstar makes waking up. Which is what Peter Hayes was doing when confronted by a phonecall from the Event Guide. This is also what one third of the most celebrated rock band around sounded like for the next twenty minutes; mumbling mostly, occasionaly laughing uncontrolably and mainly making very little sense. Well, it was early in the morning (2PM).

Picking up from where The Stone Roses and Jesus and Mary Chain left off, BRMC injected an authenticity into rock when their epynomous LP came out. Their sound was instantly picked up on by the industry and the press and endorsed by most of their fellow musicians. So what did it feel like to be immediately touted as the commanders of `the new rock revolution´? “I take it seriously” mumbles Hayes, “we can only do our part. I don´t know if we spearheaded it. It takes more than one band and it takes fans of music.” Pausing awkwardly for a few moments, he adds, “hopefully we can be able to give a voice to people”.

Trying to write ´rock classics´ is usually a cliched experience, but BRMC manage to do it because for them, the rock comes from the heart and is without a doubt the essence of their material. Who´d of thought a song like ´Whatever Happened To My Rock and Roll?´ could be written with such authenticity and without a foundation of irony common to many so-called rock bands around at the moment. “I don´t care much for innovation”, declares Hayes, “I care about the spirit behind it”.

BRMC seemed to be obsessed with maintaining this authenticity of rock and roll. Like their music, they themselves constantly refer back to what has gone before them, “Rock and roll used to be pretty idealistic. In a way, it did everything. Rock has its enemy, but a lot of bands have lost sight of that.”

Despite their success, BRMC have turned away from the commercialism associated with today´s industry. Most recently, they turned down a six figure sum for a TV commercial. Were they trying to make a specific statement? “Yeah...I´m not sure what the statement was. It´s pretty easy to do ads, then everyone goes crazy for one song and your get albums sold”. Bohemian like who?, “well, we try to make it on our own”.

This self-sufficiant attitude extends all the way to the studio, where BRMC take care of production and engineering themselves, “it´s not really about independence, but if we do it all on our own, it feels a bit more honest in a way. It gives people more to hold onto than if it was done by somebody else”.

In Hayes´ rock opinion, a lot of bands have sold out when it comes to maintaining the rebelion that was once the centre of rock and roll, “It used to be ´us´ and ´them´ and I think that´s healthy. Now it´s ‘ok’ to do ads”. This is where, Hayes just goes a wee bit weird, “Republican/Democrat, Protestant/Catholic, all those lines are being blurred to make everybody happy and watered down”

This defiant attitude comes across more than ever on ´Generation´, a track on their current LP. Where The Who endorsed their peers, BRMC are rejecting theres, “we´re asking questions, ´where the fuck are we?´ Is it that generation they´re calling us? Do we love all this music being shoved down our throats? Is that really true? I don´t think so.” Not fans of Britney then, “We´re innundated with pop that doesn´t have a lot of purpose it´s the same crap over and over again. The American public is not given much variety. As far as I´m concerned, that´s the government controling it. If you control the art, you control the people”.

Whatever about their gripes and strange, hungover rockstar mumbles, live, BRMC continue to hit the g-spot of rock over and over again. Authentic, weird and pissed off - in other words, what rock and roll is all about.

Una

Gigs This Week

Sunday 18th
50Cent @ The Point


Tuesday 20th
Laura Veirs @ Whelans
Alice Jago @ Doyles
Yat-Kha @ Spiegeltent
Meat Beat Manifesto @ Temple Bar Music Centre


Wednesday 21st
Monoband @ Whelans
A Little Mor @ Spiegeltent


Thursday 22nd
Autamata @ Temple Bar Music Centre


Friday 23rd
Fingathing @ Crawdaddy
Turn @ The Village


Saturday 24th
Hal @ Ambassador
Damo Suzuki @ Spiegeltent

listening to: [LOST] - 'This Conversation Never Happened'

Una

soooo tired

listening to: Arcade Fire - 'No Cars Go'

I'm so tired this week. Must be all the work.

Thursday night, me, Lili, Corina and Simon (and Ro and her mates) were at Bia Bar at the Kistar single launch. After Anto was pulled from the decks, we went to Spirit for the Les Bien Fringe Festival gig. There were loads of dumbass actor types doing stupid 'I Am A Tree Watch Me Grow' type dancing.

Was going to go to Alfie at the Temple Bar Music Centre last night, but I was too wrecked, plus work this morning puts an end to Friday night partying to some extent.

Lili is going to Germany for 3 weeks tomorrow :(

Una

Some Newz For Youz

listening to: The National - 'All The Wine'

"The collapse of Arnold Schwarzenegger is one of the marvels of current American politics. Unlike President Bush, he's not responsible for a war gone awry or a rescue effort that was totally botched. Which makes the governor's fall from grace all the more dramatic and, ultimately, inexplicable."

read more

listening to: Pete Doherty - 'Un Bilo Titled'

"The still confoundingly young novelist Zadie Smith is talented, famous, and—if the publicity stills are any indication—very beautiful. As a 30-year-old with nothing much left to prove, Smith has permitted herself a final luxury, of being ambivalent about her own good fortune."

don't give the Booker Prize to Zadie Smith

"President Bush said Tuesday that "I take responsibility" for failures in dealing with Hurricane Katrina and that the disaster raised broader questions about the government's ability to respond to natural disasters as well as terror attacks."

Bush blames himself

Una

Plus Ca Change

listening to

Devendra Banhart, Live

Yesterday was results day in college. Results aren't my bag, but for the record, I got a 2.1. Whatever that's supposed to mean. Like most things, the excitement is in the aftermath. Knocked off work early thank God, due to my hyper work overtime mode last weekend. Lunch and coffee in me and Aoibhinn's old haunt of the Dome, and on to the Clarendon for vino, and then on to Hogan's for some old school JR fun, which eventually expanded to the Village, singing Simon and Garfunkel songs at the bar with Frisbee Rob, Dualta and Jen, with Jen screaming "S AND G MOTHERFUCKER" at the barman when he tried to quieten us down so the losers in their could listen to the shit music the DJ was playing. Then Elaine's ritual of FORCING me to eat garlic cheese chips. And then back to Elaine's very OC gaff. Unfortunately, I had to work this morning...


listening to

The Killers - 'On Top'

Una

European reaction to the recent terrorist threats

listening to: Built To Spill - 'Car'

Don't blame me for this comment, this is a typical email forward from Tadhg 'Mr News'/Henry Enright:

British Understatement

The British are feeling the pinch in relation to recent bombings, thesecurity level has just been raised from 'miffed' to "peeved'. Soon though, the levels may be raised yet again to 'irritated' oreven "a bit cross"!! Londoners have not been a "bit cross" since the blitz in 1940 when tea supplies all but ran out.

Terrorists have been re-categorized from "tiresome" to "a bloody nuisance", the last time a "bloody nuisance" warning level was issued was during the great fire in 1666.

Be aware that the French government announced yesterday that it has raised its terror alert level from RUN to HIDE. The only two higher levels in France are Surrender and Collaborate. The rise was precipitated by a recent fire that destroyed France's white flag factory, effectively paralysing their militarycapability.

It's not only the French that are on a heightened level of alert, the Italians have increased their alert level from "shout loudly and excitedly" to "elaborate military posturing". Two more levels remain, "change sides" and "fight eachother".

The Germans also increased their alert state from "disdainful arrogance" to "dress in uniform and sing marching songs". They have two higher levels, "invade a neighbour" and "invade Russia".

Seeing this reaction in continental Europe the Americans have gone From "isolationism" to "find another oil-rich nation in the middle east ripe for regime change". Their remaining higher alert states are "attack the world" and "beg the British for help".

Finally in GB they've gone from "pretend nothing's happening" to"make another cup of tea". Their higher levels are "remain resolutely cheerful" and "be a bloody nuisance".

END OF UNDERSTATEMENT


listening to: Sufjan Stevens - 'Jacksonville'

Una

Do They Make It Like This Anymore?

listening to: Dr Dre V The Bangles - 'Next Egyptian'

Sometimes I wonder, with all the good music around at the mo, will we actually be listening to it in ten years time. Will I be listening to Silent Alarm in 2015, the way I'm still listening to In Utero in 2005? Anyway, here are some albums to remind you of music they may or may not make like Mamma used to:

The Pixies - 'Doolittle'

The Pixies - 'Surfer Rosa'

Radiohead - 'OK Computer'

Mr Scruff - 'Keep It Unreal'

Muddy Waters - 'Muddy, Brass and the Blues'

Butthole Surfers - 'Live At The Fox'

Misfits - 'Earth AD'

Red Hot Chilli Peppers - 'RHCP'(1984)

Enjoy, I highly recommend the Muddy album, it's awesome.

Una

Pete and Kate tie the knot?

listening to: The New Pornographers - 'Use It'

So, according to Pete Doherty, he and Kate Moss have wed in secret.

shocker.

http://www.breakingnews.ie/2005/09/12/story220393.html

maybe he'll post the ceremony on his new

pay-per-view site

listening to: Bloc Party - 'Plans' (Mogwai mix)

Una

[LOST]

[LOST] are a really awesome band from Dublin. They're a bit Muse, a bit The Click, very young and very, very rockin.

Check out their new site www.lost-offfical.com where you can download 'Pattern In The Static' and 'This Conversation Never Happened'. Unfortunately, they don't have my two favourite [LOST] songs up there: 'Colder' and 'Incomplete'. I think they were released as a double A side, but I have no idea where you'd get 'em.

Anyway, if you like that, [LOST] are playing in The Sugar Club on Leeson St on November 11th. I know that's a long way away, but just keep it in mind.

Una

Could I Have It So Much Better?

listening to: Kaiser Chiefs - 'I Predict A Riot'

Now, first things first. I don't particularly like Franz Ferdinand. They have a couple of awesome pop songs, but I just don't like their image and calculating rhetoric. Grr. Anyway, just so you can see that they really, really, aren't very good at all, here's their new album

You Could Have It So Much Better...With Franz Ferdinand

listening to: Antony and the Johnsons- 'Fistful of Love'

So there it is, an average album with a shit title and cringey first single. See yiz on the flop side.

Una

Pug and Baby

Garrett came home today. He had to get the boat because he brought Pico with him, sending me this picture text just after he managed to force Pico into his boat cage. Check out how fucking miserable he looks:

Meanwhile, I got to see Orla's 6week old baby this evening. So cute, laid back and chillin, just like Orla herself. Oisin is his (new) name. Goo goo ga ga.

Una

Death Cab For Cutie

listening to: Coldplay - 'Talk'


Thought it was about time that I pay tribute to a band I love: Death Cab, especially since I posted that awesome Stone Roses cover below.

Check out this issue of Rolling Stone - there's a piece on how Death Cab could end up being the 'biggest' Seattle band since Nirvana. Ah, the sweet sweet power of the OC. Speaking of the OC, there's an article on Mischa Barton in today's Sunday Times style magazine.

Here is

The Photo Album

Here is

Transatlanticism

Here is

Forbidden Love EP

Here is

Something About Airplanes

Here is

Stability EP

Here is

We Have The Info

Here is

The John Byrd EP

Here is

You Can Play These Songs With Chords

and for good measure...

The Postal Service - Give Up

listening to: Arcade Fire - 'Une Annee Sans Lumiere'

Una

This Week I Have Been...

listening to: Say Hi To Your Mom - 'Twenty-Second Century'

...interviewing Bertie Ahern, spending way too much time in work, eating peanuts, listening to covers (like Death Cab For Cutie covering The Stone Roses, I Wanna Be Adored http://www.savefile.com/files2.php?fid=2729941), crying, stealing clothes from Lili, drinking red bull, being served coffee by Sarah, being late for work, getting rained on, drinking too much coffee at work, eating bacon, singing along to Frou Frou, having Arcade Fire whistling contests in my head, watching Ireland loose 1-0 to France, drinking Heineken, sniffing, going to dumb beauty salon opening for free make up, watching Crocodile Dundee 2, contemplating my hair, watering a plant the journo who used to have my desk left behind, eating gum, eating out a lot, hating banks, hanging with photo Justin, researching labia reduction, lying to nice people, being lied to, taking off my socks, contemplating new tattoo, wanting to leave, wanting to stay, wanting something to want.



Last night (in the interest of research of course - actually really, it's an article on Dublin nightlife blah blah) I stayed out all night and frequented:

sex shop
gay bar
call shop
salsa class
live outdoor drummers
hot dog stand
lap dancing club
vip club
basement sweaty dj dancing land
membership only casino
Lili's apartment

and then work the next day. I think I'm getting a cold :(

The finished article will probably appear here soon.

listening to: Corey Hart - 'Sunglasses At Night'

Missed Miss Kittin and Stars tonight because I'm tired and sick and some people have really pissed me off this week, so I plan to sleep and veg all weekend, read the papers, think of more story ideas and call down to see Bean and her baby.

listening to: Maximo Park- 'Shiver' (live)

On Tuesday I start my job fo'real, even though I've been there for 9 weeks already. Now it's all final and polished and shit. Which is scary, I suppose, knowing that I have a whole year mapped out. I didn't expect to. You spend so long in institutions that wrap you up in college-shaped bubbles, and you don't even think. Then, for once, the carpet gets pulled and you talk to everybody how freaked out you are. But it's exciting. You can pluck possibilities. Then some fucker offers you the exact job you want and you're back in security again.

Una

listening to: Death Cab For Cutie - 'I Wanna Be Adored' (live)

This is the best Electric Picnic photo I can find, and I stole it from Corina. From left to right, Meadzer, me, Anthony. Rawk. 

Pillow Mixtape

on my windows media player, I have a 'night' list. Not rockin night club music, but music that I need to listen to while writing at night. Here is some of it. I share with you.

Sufjan Stevens - 'Casamir Pulaski Day' mp3

Maths and Physics Club - 'Movie Ending Romance' mp3

Josh Ritter - 'Kathleen'

Devandra Banhart

Clap Your Hands Say Yeah - 'Over and Over Again (Lost and Found) mp3

Spoon - 'I Turn My Camera On' mp3

Wolf Parade - 'You Are A Runner And I Am My Father's Son' mp3

Say High To Your Mom - 'The Twenty-Second Century' mp3

The National - 'Cold Girl Fever' mp3

Antony And The Johnsons - 'Hope There's Someone' mp3

Mercury Rev - 'In A Funny way' mp3

The Arcade Fire - 'Wake Up' mp3

Bright Eyes - 'Lua' mp3

Nick Drake - 'Northern Sky' mp3

Great Lake Swimmers - 'I Will Never See The Sun' mp3

Billie Holiday - 'Gee, Baby' mp3

The Postal Service - 'The District Sleeps Alone Tonight' mp3

Devandra Banhart - 'This Is The Way' mp3

Ben Kewller - 'In Other Words' mp3

Ryan Adams - 'To Be Young...' mp3

Loretta Lynn - 'Miss Being Mrs.' mp3

Good night.

Una

Mercury Rising (in standard)

Antony and the Johnsons just won the Mercury Music prize.

good shit.


download the album: 'I Am A Bird Now'
(zip file)

the album

(rar file)

part 1

part 2

Hope There mp3

Cripple and the Starfish mp3

River of Sorrow mp3

Andrew James Brooks with Antony on vocals - 'A Little Bit Of Time' mp3

bunch of Antony samples from the album

Fistful of Love mp3

Bravo

Una

Una grows up

listening to: Laura Veirs: 'Rapture'

Today the Tribune offered me a one year contract as a junior news reporter. So I guess that's the next twelve months sorted.

Sorted.

Una

Good music for a good mood, I guess. Good.

get all the La's you'll ever need from this directory

and here's some Elliott Smith. For he is the one

Either/Or Sessions

Figure 8 Demos

Polyphonic Spree - 'The Beginning Stages Of'

Rilo Kiley mp3s

Arcade Fire - 'Us Kids Know' EP

Babyshambles live @ 333 Club

The Roots - 'Phrenology'

Kanye West mashed with the Beach Boys

listening to: The Subtonics - 'Get Fucked'

Una

Interpol tracks

Cubed

Mascara

Cutthroat

Interlude

Una

Props

listening to: Arcade Fire - 'Neighbourhood 1 Tunnels'

At De La Soul last night, every sentance any of the members said seemed to begin with "IF YOU LIKE HIP HOP MUSIC..." put your hands in the air, wave your hands, jump, scream etc. Hence, Corina and I have adopted the incredibly irritating yet addictive phrase at the beginning of each sentance that involves an action or order.

"If you like hip hop music, will you come with me to the bank?"
"If you like hip hop music, hurry the fuck up."
"If you like hip hop music, order me chicken wings and I'll be back in five minutes."

But that's just post-Electric Picnic madness. And it all ended last night, driving down country roads listening to Deveranda Banhart and eating onion rings.

So, (as I told you this morning Corina, here is Electric Picnic in a De La Soul summery of 'props')

PROPS TO:
Corina 'no otha meana' Gaffey, for having an AAA pass. Good girl.
Sarah 'J' Fox for rockin it as always.
Anthony 'gag' Mooney for thinking up as many De La Soul guestlist jokes as possible (1 + 3 is the magic number; it's just me, myself and all of us).
'Smile' De La Soul for fixing up the guestlist.
Sarah 'Speedo' Meade, for Sheryl, the kind car.
Simon 'first yoke' LaMonte, for the shades and moves.
Jenny Mao Massive, for fancying the guitar tech.
Nick 'Bad Seeds' Cave, for rocking out at the JJ gig.
JJ72 for rocking as always.
The Street Team dedicated motherfuckers.
Peter 'Totally Dublin' Steen for tent chats.
John 'Sack' Bereton for the same.
Kathy 'PR' Doyle, for the cocktail vouchers.
Slattery Communications for the VIP pass to the Bacardi Bar I didn't use once.
Maosters; Fiona (for the rum and coke), Kathy.
Sarah Retro for the smokes and nachos.
The Arcade Fire for the best gig this year.
El Smelly for going to James Blunt. Somebody had to.
The Pricillas for representing London Town
The Goonies for being the awesomist movie at the exact right time.
The VIP area for decent toilets and coked out d-listers to laugh at.
Backstage for clean portaloos and that bottle of Bud.
Fatboy 'Norm' Slim for the set, and the 3D glasses that turned all white lights into smiley faces.
LCD Soundsystem, for that short bit that sounded good as.
Back (Black?) to Basics in the Bacardi Bar on Saturday night. Sweet.
Asian Dub Soundsystem for dropping Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan.
De La Soul for ending it perfectly.


To all the haters, the fuckers who tried to dampen the blags, the dicks who played shit trance all night, to all you motherfuckers, if any of you love hip hop music, fuck off.

Una

This Boy Was Not A Friend of Mine

listening to: Bloc Party - 'Pioneers' (M83 remix)

Ms Sarah gasped in horror this morning when she discovered I wasn't on the HOLY MOLY mail out list. So here's an extract to get me on my way.

Una

Katrina

The poorest people in America suffer the harshest whiplash from the winds. Four days after the storm hit, aid eventually starts to arrive. A longer time period than it took America to send aid to the tsunami victims of South East Asia over the past new year. Hope for survival, and hope for, when everybody possible is out and safe, they fucking stick it to Bush for being the most insensitive and uncaring prick in charge of a country. The levees weren't finished, because budget was diverted to Homeland Security. The National Guard can't help as much as they should because 40% of them are in Iraq or Afghanistan. This is what happens when you seek trouble elsewhere. Eventually, you're own people will suffer.

Una

Hello, Chalets

Hello Chalets
Hello Una


How and where are you?
I'm a bit stressed. (Can you count bits of foam not sticking together properly whilst trying to make a hat that looks like a black forest gateaux as stress? I would say yes.) Oh, and I'm at home. In front of my computer. Typing. This.


Where do you want to be?
Upstairs in bed.


AT LAST! The new album, how do you feel about it now that it's all done and dusted?
*very* relieved.I can only compare the experience of the last few months to a particularly nasty bout of constipation. Knowing that the album is finally out tomorrow is like finding a motilium tablet you didn't know you had in the back of the medicine cupboard.


What are you happiest about on it, and what element of it or you most displeased?
Em, I really like the artwork...it’s hard to say what I like/don’t like about the musical content. I mean, I could sit here and pick holes in it all day, you know? But I wont. ’cos its Fucking Amazing.


The haters say you're a 'novelty act': response?
A slap in the face with my giant inflatable hand?


On the road essential item?
Hotels.


How are the Electric Picnic preparations going?
See first question. The hat is proving very troublesome. It looks more like a burger than a cake. (And people say we are a novelty act? tsssk.)



Has there been any particular gig that still remains particularly memorable for you?
I would have to say playing to 6 stunned punters in a nightclub in Fairyhouse racecourse this year. One guy actually walked up on stage, grabbed Caoimhe’s mic and shouted “play some hip hop, will yiz?”


You're gaining a bit of an underground following in the States - have you noticed? If so, how does that make you feeeeel?
Really? Is that a lie? If it’s a lie, it makes me (and baby Jesus) cry.



What % fighting does the song writing process involve for you as a band
I would say about 43%.


What is your ultimate goal as a group?
Probably to be rich. Come on, nobody *ever* thought we had any integrity, did they?


Where do we go from here?
We go to: Belfast, Limerick, Galway, Dublin, New York, Cork, Leeds, Manchester, Oslo, Stockholm, Brussels, Paris...and Laois of course.

Bye now,

Paula.