Big In Japan

Me and the band in Tokyo

Six thousand miles away in Japan, there’s a band that sell thousands of records and top the charts. They’re called Abingdon Boys School.

Abingdon is a town in Oxfordshire with a population of around 34,500 and there is a boys school called Abingdon School. The band have never played in the UK, let alone Abingdon, so why the name?

I was out on holiday in Japan and curious to meet this band that seemed to have a strange link with Oxfordshire.

Initial research showed me fan sites that claim the name links to Radiohead, as the band met and formed at Abingdon School.

However, the band claim this is not really the case.

Music Maestro!

Last night’s telly – Maestro, BB2 9pm

“Oooh another one of those programmes where C-list celebrities take up a new sport/hobby, hoorah!” was not my initial reaction to BBC2’s Maestro. Yet, as much as I try to pretend I don’t watch such lowbrow fare as Strictly Come Dancing, Dancing on Ice or The Games, I do and I love it. Oh dear. I start off sceptical and aloof, but seem to find myself glued to the TV every Saturday, to see if someone’s sequins fall off their dress or if Gareth Gates gouges out his partner’s eye whilst attempting a triple axle.

This time with Maestro, there was no such initial scepticism. Maybe it was the line-up of celebs, who seemed to be genuinely interested in music, not just trying to revamp a wilting career. Or perhaps it’s because I found myself warming very quickly to the celebs and their orchestra.

There was the usual ‘hopeless-from-the-start’ character in the shape of Peter Snow, but here’s there’s no Strictly-style sympathy vote so the orchestra dropped him. Bradley Walsh played the clown, but was sympathetic and surprisingly musical. Plus he has one of the most infectious laughs I’ve ever heard, making most scenes with him in lots of fun. Goldie was the ‘rough diamond’, showing great flair and enthusiasm. Sue Perkins was her dry, witty self (boosted in my affections following Supersizers) who was only really floored when she had to take some praise. Katie Derham is the terribly nice Head Girl figure, who has been set up for a fall by being naturally good. Jane Asher shows early promise although has a frozen-on face. David Soul has an uber-fan for a mentor but seems to be doing well. And Alex James has been told to assert himself on the orchestra, so wears a cracking suit. I like him.

Glasvegas @ Tunbridge Wells Forum

4^th July 2008, Tunbridge Wells Forum

Going back to the Forum last night was a trip down memory lane. Surely one of the best uses for an old public toilet in the country – the Forum was always a dark, sweaty place where teenagers would meet other teenagers, drink underage and perhaps start a couple of fights. In summertime you could loiter outside on the Common (much to the annoyance of the traditional Disgusted of Tunbridge Wells types). I haven’t been there since I was about fifteen and had mentally prepared myself for a night of being jostled by beered-up youths. But things have changed since I was fifteen. The Forum seems a lot brighter (perhaps something to do with reducing the haze of fag smoke that was there before) and for the first time I can see the walls are red, not black. The bar is small but reasonably priced (for a venue and for Tunbridge Wells) and there are even fairy lights on the wall. Fairy Lights! This is not the Forum of old.

First band up were Morning Parade, who had a few belting songs and lovely melodies. A surprisingly tight band who claim this was only their third gig. Will definitely be following them to see how they do.

Next were Electric light Company (I think. They didn’t ever introduce themselves). They also carried some good tunes, the singer sounded a bit Placebo and they reminded me of Broken Social Scene. I did spend most of their set discussing with my mate which famous band members they looked like. We came up with a mix of feeder, Foo Fighters, The Feeling and (unfortunately for the lead singer) Hanson. There was a touch of grunge in their music which harked back to old school Forum.

Headlining were the much-hyped (by that bandwagon starting rag NME) Glasvegas. They produced a great sound that really filled the place with energy, and their stand out songs ‘Geraldine’ and ‘It’s My Own Cheating Heart…’ went down a treat with the crowd. I didn’t know any of their stuff, so it did merge into one a bit, but I’m sure once you’ve listened to their music it becomes more distinct. They were only on for twenty five minutes but then for a band that hasn’t even released an album yet, that seems the norm. A promising new band with some good material, I only hope that the NME hype doesn’t backfire on them.

Not being at Glastonbury…

I knew this would happen. After three years of being a Glastonbury reveller I decided this would be my fallow year. A combination of lack of money and desire to get a job convinced me it was a mature, wise decision to sit Glastonbury 2008 out. Then the line-up came out and I continued to be confident in my restraint. There were a few exciting acts, but I didn’t have the burning desire to go of 2005 and 2007. Until today.

Me and my friend Jennie at Glastonbury 2005

Amtrak Adventures – Seattle

This is the travel journal of two British girls travelling across the great expanse of North America. Spending most of that time on very slow trains…

Feeling like we’d had a narrow brush with disaster, our train journey north to Seattle felt quite sedate. We had time to absorb the changing countryside as it got greener and greener – until we were in dense forestry. It also gave us a chance to chat to some of our fellow Amtrak travellers. We had some curious people who just wanted to look at our passports as if we were some kind of freaky zoo exhibit, and some people who defy description.

One of them introduced himself as Clayton Malloy Letson – a young bloke from New Mexico who played the ukulele. He started telling us about his life philosophy and his travels around America hitch-hiking. He was what my mother would call a ‘free spirit’ who had escaped New Mexico and was off to do some kind of work in Portland. After a while the conversation unavoidably turned to his ukulele, and he wanted to play me and Martina some songs. First up was the most high pitched rendition of ‘Sittin’ on the dock of the bay’ I have ever heard. Perhaps he was a eunuch in a previous life… Next up on the Clayton jukebox was a bit of the Beatles (“um, I dunno if you guys know this song or not, it’s pretty famous over here”). Yes Clayton, we do know ‘Yesterday’. His little musical rendition was gathering a small crowd in the lounge car (maybe they just enjoyed watching me and Martina squirm and stifle giggles) and before we knew if another bloke pulls out a flute and starts trying to join in. By this point my whole body is shaking trying to contain my laughter. Fortunately for us, Portland was the next stop and we had to wave goodbye to Clayton and his musical menagerie.

Bruuuuuuce!

Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band – Live at Millennium Stadium, Cardiff, 14^th June 2008

I felt a bit of a fraud when I queued up for a wristband with my dad as all the other people there were clearly much bigger Boss fans than me. I had no homemade t-shirt or tour t-shirt, in fact, I felt thoroughly underdressed.

After half an hour or so I had the number 447 scrawled on my hand and joined a new queue. In this way I spent 3 hours in various queues, reading the paper, surrounded by Springsteen fans who’d travelled from all over to get to Cardiff. I was a little bewildered as to why all these people were bothering – some had even camped overnight just to be near the front. But now I’ve experienced the benefits of the magic wristbands, I’d certainly happily spend a morning queuing again.

Some recent album reviews…

Just a couple of new album reviews that I’ve written for another site www.thefugitivemotel.org.uk and you might like if you’re keen on new (perhaps UK-based) music.

Guillemots – Red

http://www.thefugitivemotel.org.uk/?p=368

The Feeling – Join With Us

http://www.thefugitivemotel.org.uk/?p=336

Whiskycats – Whiskycats

http://www.thefugitivemotel.org.uk/?p=325

Some live reviews coming up for The Whip and Mystery Jets too…

This is an independent site run by a friend of mine, and the reviews are all written by a small group of music fans. It has great music reviews and features, so check it out…