Skinner Alive

Abso-bloody-lutely. Don't knock Jon McClure too much. He may come across as a bit of a d!*kh**d, and he can't sing, but at least he says something meaningful once in a while. 'Joe Lean and The Jing Jang Jong' - need I say more? The NME were right about the Arctic Monkeys, Team Waterpolo, Friendly Fires - but that band, and most of the 'cool list' is a big let-down.

For once, a band that deserves the hype - Friendly Fires.

I've tried to find a link by typing into Google 'Lamaq Rebel Playlist, Team Waterpolo' but I can't find it! Sorry about that! So Called Summer is out on 27th October, if that's helpful...?!

What do people think about this so-called 'Rebel Playlist?' Never heard of it until Team Waterpolo got new single on it which, funnily enough (!), is called So Called Summer. Is there a history of bands suddenly becoming massive because Lamaq picked them out of nowwhere? I thought Jo Whiley was meant to do that. :)

Never Miss a Beat is about national apathy - or so I was told by someone far cleverer than me! :)

What's everyone's favourite Cornell song? For me it's a close one between Black Hole Sun and Gasoline...

Freddie can't be replaced - end of discussion.

Reviews I've read so far haven't exactly been glowing. 'Tunes wanted not pointless sounds' seems an appropriate way to sum up the reaction. And is Kele really as nasty as people say he is? Not that his personality ought to detract from the wonderful music he's making. :)

Ronson seems to be generally regarded as a malevolent influence. I tend to think Ricky Wilson is more so. I predict a quiet falling off of their respective perches unless they bring back singalong pub tunes.

Black Kids are getting a lot of buzz but I'm not digging them too much. Supported by Team Waterpolo in Nottingham last night. Just read a review of Partie Traumatic in NME that was fairly glowing but the press hasn't been unanimous. Wonder when TW will have an album out. Only seen them on the free compilation. You can get it at www.catcutter.co.uk if you're interested. It's free, though isn't all music free these days?!

You what? Team Waterpolo are nothing like Franz Ferdinand! Not that Franz Ferdinand are terrible or anything. Problematic Girls is a great track. It's a B-side but it's on the compilation I mentioned. Go see www.catcutter.co.uk. Some other good bands on it as well like goFASTER>> and Turnpike Glow, both of whom are nothing like Franz either. Why isn't Friendly Fires generating more chat? It's lovely and spacey and catchy and much better than a lot of dross at the moment. I'm glad they're signed.

Mmm...Unfinished Business sounds like a slower Editors. White Lies got great reviews for their NME New Music Tour. What about the others? Team Waterpolo and Friendly Fires are fantastic. Crystal Castles are pants - f I wanted to listen to a smashed up version of Super Mario then I'd get my broken nintendo out of the attic. Team Waterpolo and Friendly Fires still unsigned I think, which is mad. TW on a CD of unsigned bands called 'A Sketch For Summer', which is out on Cat something Records... CatCutter Records, that's it!?! Why are TW not signed when bands like Joe Lean and The Jing Jang Jong are? Grrr...

Not seen enough live music. Foo Fighters, Turin Brakes, The Bluetones, I Am Kloot, Kings Have Long Arms...those are the ones that immediately spring to mind. Some good new bands at Glastonbury this year. Team Waterpolo are a bit different. The singer looks like a young Andrew Marr though. I don't like Andrew Marr or any other smug BBC trype for that matter... Anyone else seen a new band at this year's Glasto that they'd recommend?

Mykonos is rather beautiful. Like Love...

Didn't they play Left Behind on The Culture Show recently? I was more interested in Lovefoxx's eyelids than the song...

It's not bad when they sing, but it is a racket when they're not singing. Saw them once, supported by a band called Targets. Why is it often that support acts are better than the act you pay to see?!

Greay video. They're playing at the Cambridge Folk Festival. I'm not going though...

Why, of all the bands out there, have The Courteneers been focused on so much? Is it a case of if you have a big mouth and slag off people you haven't met you get lots of publicity? And there was me thinking it was about music. Good music.

Why aren't Pete and the Pirates bigger than they are?

I don't really 'get' the video. It's a bit unpleasant. Is it meant to be some sort of satire?

I don't think reviews affect album sales that much, particularly those for second albums, as a lot of people who bought the first one will buy the second one without possibly having read any reviews.

Thank you for reminding me of Spacehog's 'In The Meantime' - great track! Listening to it now on youtube.

The Klaxons hype really did my head in. "Oo-wee-oo-wee-oo-wee-oo-wee-ooh...ah!" What was all that about? Nu-rave? I think John Harris had something less than complimentary to say about that concept in The Guardian recently.

No way! I love the origin of their name: 'Everybody in Liverpool said we sounded "dead 60s"...' Nae bad toons, either! Dead 60s are dead. R.I.P.