Madden on Telly Tonight
Seeing as you might see me with your own eyes I might as well publicly mention that I’m appearing on the Jonathon Ross show tonight as part of the Liam Gallagher John Squire live band which I think airs this evening, I’m not prepared to check. I wasn’t involved in the album, which is now another number one for Liam, but Greg Kurstin was so there’s enough keyboards on there to merit my presence on a tour. I’ve seen some positive reviews of the album and some fairly scathing ones from writers who are annoyed at how this pairing produces exactly the music you’d expect. That’s not a valid criticism for me, if I didn’t get what I expected when I picked up a Booker T record it’d annoy me, I want to hear him on organ not bagpipes. So if when you think of John Squire and Liam Gallagher making music you don’t like what you imagine then swerve it, we’ll all be fine as the gigs are sold out and the album is number one.
The band is different to Liam’s normal touring outfit, Little Barrie makes a return but on bass instead of guitar and the drummer is Joey Waronker. They really are a phenomenal rhythm section and it’s an easy pleasure to play over. Dan and Drew are a excellent rhythm section for Liam normally, I feel like I have to explain my musical adultery a little bit so I should mention that a lot of what they do on the regular gig is going out and representing Tony McCarroll and Guigsy grooves whilst trying to sound good, they can play it well but ultimately they have to play it like it was. Joey Waronker is a phenomenal drummer who’s been given free reign on the album and even freer reign for the live shows so it’s quite a different proposition. Sounding good by playing like yourself is as easy as it gets and this isn’t a project where the fanbase is looking over your shoulder to check your authenticity at every juncture so it isn’t a fair comparison. But Joey is very good and with every passing day I find out another major artist from his session career. it’s best to be drip fed them so my inferiority complex can stay at manageable levels. I now know he’s played with Beck, Roger Waters, REM, Paul McCartney and Elliot Smith so I think the rest of it will be pub band gigs.
There’s a lot more room for me on this one anyway, only one guitar means that there’s more value in my additions and John is a beautiful player. Liam is in excellent voice and fine spirit. This might not be everybody’s cup of tea but I’m really looking forward to the tour, it’ll so if you’re out and about I’ll se you there.
A Tribute to Garth
I watched this beautiful little tribute to Garth Hudson the other day and I couldn’t have said a word of it any better myself so I’m glad to share it here. It is completely unexpected but also quite wonderful that the last man standing is the weirdest, most bafflingly unapproachable enigmatic figure amongst them and indeed the era. I should add that I don’t endorse anything else this guy has made, his youtube channel is full of videos attacking NPR so he might be a nutjob. He’s so right in this video though that you should watch it.
I’m A Virgo
I’m late to the party with this but I really enjoyed I’m A Virgo on Amazon Prime. It’s a brilliantly different take on the superhero genre, I wouldn’t have guesses we needed anything else in that space but it turns out we do and this is stylish, surreal and hilarious throughout. One thing that stuck out over and over again whilst I was watching it was the amazing soundtrack and after one last analogue synth flourish I had to look up who was responsible and it was the excellent Tune-Yards. I’ve seen them before at Band On the Wall but I’d forgotten about them a bit to be honest, it happens. I’ll get right back in.
And Finally
Weren’t this proper telly.
Wonderful news my friend. Suzy and I are chuffed to bits. Will be watching later, hope it doesn’t clash with the live Smile gig from the BBC 6 Music Festival.
Woohoo!!! 🙌