12 May 2003
After years of hiding in the comforts of recording-studios in Mallorca, Berlin, New York and London, Gordon Raphael emerges from the shadows to perform his questionable blues-based space-rock with an amazing line-up of players called Black-Light. Left to Right, we see Jason; guitar-superstar and great singer (*update: he is now on his own recording his first album. Now Toni Ha-Iommi plays the axe in Black-Light!), Tim; the wirey yet imaginative bassist, Gordon; looking damn proud being a singer, guitarist and synth-badboy, Matt; drumhead who loves the challenge of constantly changing arrangements and being asked to play too many crazy fills with strange numbers attached to them, and Pete; our very own keyboard master and sweet vocalist from Sheffield, England. Black-Light has had eight practices over the last two months and will play their debut show at the Buffalo Bar/"The Basement Club" night on Thursday May 22nd at 10pm (brought to you by GR himself and the adorable and mystical elves at rockfeedback.com). Also featured that night will be a sneak set by Ed Harcourt, who is an outstanding singer, pianist and composer. Right after the show, Gordon leaves for New York to begin work on what may become the long-awaited and greatly anticipated, second The Strokes album. (Cheers for that, Professor Universe.)
06 May 2003
The uber-mistress of the piano and voice - Regina S - is nearing completion of her third album, tentatively titled "Soviet Kitsch". The addition of a live string-section, bashy drums, and a cross-continental performance by Kill Kenada (freakish punk rawkers...) takes this collection of songs to new heights of madness. We can't say enough good things about this terrific young composer/performer... You'll soon see.
06 May 2003
Pete Shelley and The Buzzcocks were extremely wonderful to tour with, according to Miss Machine. The shows were packed with a wide variety of humans: original punkers from the first time round, and fresh-face young fans eager to check out their infectious and hard-to-forget songs. All the bands on the tour (The Moonies, too) got on as friends, which is rare in the competitive backbiting world of rock... It was especially epic seeing Miss Machine playing live at Shepherd's Bush Empire, after only their eighth month of being a band... Congratulations, cheers for that.