Music
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THE STROKES
Venue, Edinburgh, Tue 19 Jun; King Tut's,
Glasgow, Wed 20 Jun.
Retro. So there we all were rediscovering the white suits and experimenting with Barry Gibb hairiness (where were you?) when along comes Newton’s unstoppable law of reaction to tell us it’s the last days of disco (again) and wouldn’t we rather have some arty punk and replace the cocktails with bourbon? The fact is, ‘retro’ is a dirty word nowadays, having been thoroughly used, abused and refused by the fashion press. So now we should all have learned our lesson, be ‘big up’ for mocha speed skiffle, and should certainly give New York’s The Strokes a wide
benh.
The Strokes would, of course, beg to differ, and on hearing how they’ve managed to recapture raw 705 new wave on to a CD — namely forthcoming double A-side ‘Hard to
Explain'/’New York City Cops’ — and still keep the tunes foil-fresh, it might just be you next in line
for a pair of drainpipes and a bedhead coiffure. The Strokes are a publicist’s dream: five scruffy but downright handsome chaps in black with names straight from a Brazilian soap - Julian Casablancas (vocals), Nikolai Fraiture (bass), Albert Hammond Jr. (guitar), Fabrizio Moretti (drums) and Nick Valensi (more guitar) — and a nice line in modesty. ‘I don't want to sound like a cocky bastard,’ Casablancas was heard to say recently, ‘but we are young and good looking and
the music is good.’
The music, let’s be blunt, is unashamedly Doors.
derivative, but crucially captures that
Cl ASSlt ZAl
RSNO SCOTTISH POWER PROMS
Usher Hall, Edinburgh; Royal Concert Hall, Glasgow, various dates.
The original celluloid jukebox
Unless you were fortunate enough to spend your torrnatwe years trotting to the local concert hall tor the latest Dvorak season. then chances are the Proms were your first Introduction to live classical music. leleyised scenes of llé1§]\.‘r.’£l\’lll(] exuberance at london's Albert Hall quickly became part ot the nation's psyche and the word ‘Piorns' has since become a byword tor £t\7(‘{?t%t§ll)llll\. Here in Scotland. the Royal Scottish National Orchestra have long since embraced this opportunity to appeal to those unfamiliar with the liye classical arena. Which is not to say the series is dexoid of challenging unor'ks. but that for
50 THE LIST ‘
the most part. the programmes are as
user. listener friendly as they come. Dip into any of this year's concerts and you'll find a stalwart ol the Classic FM Hall of Fame; Tchaikovsky's Piano Concerto No I. Elgars Ce/lo Concerto. Strauss's B/r/e Danube. Pachelbel's Canon. ()rll's Carmina Burana and Gershwin's An American /n Par/s —- all easy on the ear and a great introduction for the uninitiated.
When it comes to recognisable tunes, however. there aren't many works which can rival a film score. And one concert which is sure to pull a crowd is 200] —- A Fr/m Odyssey (Glasgow Royal Concert Hall. Fri 22 Jun). With the BBC Philharinonic's Assistant Conductor, Rurnon Garnba at the helm. this musical journey through some of Hollyxmod's finest should set both the pulse racing rM.’1g/7.rfr<:e/rt Seven. Apoflo 73. Star Trek. Star ll/arsr and the tears flowing (Doctor Zhryago. Sc/rrnd/er 's List. Out OfAf/‘rca. Titan/cl.
Garnba was in on the concert programming from day one. and has no dOubt about his personal lave: ‘lt would have to be Star Wars l'rn afraid. It's fantastic. and it’s the one film that really doesn't work wrthout rnus‘icf 'Kelly Apter'r
fundamental element that fuelled the late-70$ CBGB’s scene based on the wake of the Velvet Underground: Raw Power, as The Stooges themselves called it. This is what drives the band’s appreciation of all things Iggy, Television and New York Dolls, although Casablancas has stressed, ‘That was a cool era, but I feel we’re doing something new . . . Our aim was simply to make music that no one could deny was great.’ Other musical pointers include a strong Stones attitood and even occasional snippets of The
So is this band the perfect amalgam of
Yesterday is the new today with The Strokes
American music thus far? All will be revealed in their upcoming nationwide jaunt with fellow Manhattaners Moldy Peaches and our very own Mull Historical Society, in a tour which, incidentally, should return the bands‘ Rough Trade label to the spotlight. lf history and retro really do work in circles, let‘s hope the upcoming feast of garage punk and overdoses of Nooyawk cool that The Strokes promise will be the starter we can't get enough of. They‘ll completely put us all off waking up to an early 80s hangover of pastels, popsocks and Wham tribute bands.
(Jan F Zesckhy)
Al l.(l()lJl\'lltY WILLARD GRANT CONSPIRACY The Counting House, Edinburgh, Sun 17 Jun.
How many tintes have you heard n‘usrr: ((Jtill‘étllfrf‘, l'fii'v-r' rtt‘ ‘ 'z' the new gi'unge' or ‘skillle is the new rock ‘n' r: 'w-rfl :' '- ' :1: to the collection < alt/:ourztrj, rs the ne.'./ punk,
But (lorrt take my word tor rt. here's ‘.‘."rliarrl t irarrt (L r' i l . n r) :. l‘lSllOT to fill in the blanks. “ft/ell. I think it's a rut lh‘" r r ' -- ' : 2 :. '- says of the nets/lishr Iotr countr‘, tag that lzi'r‘“, " ' ' : z 2: 2' : well as the likes of Calexrrm. l {trinix‘lr' ip anrl ( ria"? :; 2' 'r.
‘lt's a reaction against big h,ped rock rimsrr', v: - "r )«f ,T ' i: rather than the big architectural production nu'r‘i»:'n trrzt are ,ill 1 -- 1‘ records. I dunno. does that rrtake sense tr. 4/... tin ,rrs‘ rr‘.'e'~‘,'rr ; f' " " r" : of my head. but rt sort ot makes sense tr, rr
For on the spot phrloso;rinsing). rt's ".ot bad. tlr-r' ' : :- counti“; sound has little rr‘ ccrnrrton .2th the fiex l’m'y Tum; '
attitude to rnusrc making. and a lrrrrtr,’ antrestablishment ethos applies to both.
And Fisher's band. a r‘agtag collection of eight or nine riiiismans. grew out of exactly this hornenrade music philosophy ‘It just came out of these ‘.'.re<->kly sessions where got together and pla,ed rnusrr; ill the hung; room with frrends.' he s; ,s of ‘.".’GC"; formation in 1996.
The result was a selHrnanced record. 3am Sunday '0 Fern/no Ofr'o's ".‘JlllCll contained the telling sleeperiote ‘Anyone who tells you they pla,ed on this probably did.' The subsequent trxe years have seen the band graduall, refine their sound. .vrth last year‘s Evertut/rings Fave ‘.'.'rnnrrrr; rage re‘.':e.'./s
tr'ovr‘ darr‘n near e.~’,-r‘,r,r1e.
As for their :.nr,la".rr~’;fl and cr‘twi hacha/ard lr.e j)f:t'l0t"t‘£i'l’/;‘;, liege-yrs got the perfect deser‘:_r,‘.",'r. 'l iii/4;;
the best to ’l(:f§’jt'll/: :t rs a "oak 'r:
roll churcn.‘ he sa;.s. 'lll‘ézi,1l‘l‘st'~’;éil cornrrtunrt, feeling to rt.‘ the congreuatcru, Dori-{j Johnstone
The very reverend Willard Grant
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