Monday 29 June 2009

Jocknroll Website

I've been having a few problems updating things on the Jocknroll website recently. I'll endeavour to sort as best I can but I'm no expert on Dreamweaver by any manner of means. Your patience and understanding is most welcome.

The Cat
=^..^=

Saturday 20 June 2009

Back From My Holidays - An Update

After a week in the Neuk Of Fife, I'm back and fighting fit. I'd missed the first two days of the holiday thanks to the New Taste of China who decided to poison me with their King Prawn Curry (if that's the "new" taste, I'd hate to try the old one).

In my absence the following has happened:

Camera Obscura have made a super video for "Honey In The Sun", which, in my hu8mble opinion is not only the best track on the album but the song of the year so far. View it here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZfDg7Vz8Ow4 The video also features the wonderful Cairn String Quartet, well, most of them!

Susan Boyle's making a few quid and good luck to her.

Jim Gellatly and Vic Galloway tied the knot at Rockness!

Biffy Clyro announce a UK tour, with tickets on sale with the usual outlets:The full list of shows are:-


Som more Proclaimers news and bits and pieces:

"A few wee Proclaimers things, you can listen for the next 7 days to Craig and Charlie's interview with Mark Lawson on BBC Radio 4's Arts magazine programme, Front Row at http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00kwp11


Two songs live acoustically at The Fly's Courtyard Session can be seen at http://www.the-fly.co.uk/words/news/top-news-stories/5331/flytv-in-the-courtyard:-the-proclaimers


Orange The Music Show interview at
http://web.orange.co.uk/p/music/orange_play


Holy Moly interview
http://www.holymoly.com/video/when-hm-met/we-would-walk-500-yards-meet-proclaimers15500.html


GMTV performance http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3jJnTX-kM-s


TuneTribe interview at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2YnVfq3GKMQ


The Proclaimers are delighted to return to Shetland for a gig at the Clickimin Centre on Saturday 29th August Tickets on sale 9am Saturday 20 June at Shetland Box Office, Islesburgh Community Centre, 01595 745555 and at www.seetickets.com


Also, the final date in July's Canadian tour has been added, Ottawa Bluesfest on July 10th on a new downtown stage at Byward Market and this will be a free show www.ottawabluesfest.ca"

Here are DeRosa doing "Cathkin Braes" during the recent Tigerfest and there will be a debut (i.e. a full proper gig) Glasgow gig for Lord Cut-Glass on the 27th of June at King Tuts.

Not really Jocknroll but the Joe Meek biopic "Telstar" is out now, finally, and is so much better than "The Boat That Rocks"!

Monday 15 June 2009

Scottish Radio

From www.radiotoday.co.uk:

"Several presenters on Bauer's AM stations in Scotland are thought to have lost their jobs as Bauer introduces networking on their Scottish medium wave stations from Monday.

The five stations, Clyde 2, Forth 2, Westsound, Tay AM and Northsound 2 have until recently enjoyed mostly local programming, but from Monday will be networking for 14 hours per day, leaving only local overnight and breakfast slots.

The new network will be managed by Radio Tay Station Manager Ally Ballingall who has been promoted to the newly created position of Director for AM Scotland for Bauer Media’s Big City Network.

Some presenters have been on their local stations schedule for decades, including Bill Smith who has been with Clyde 2 for 35 years and Father Monaghan who first hosted a show on Forth 2 in 1979.

Commenting on Ally's new position, Graham Bryce, Managing Director for Scotland at Bauer Media, said: “Ally is passionate about the future of Scottish radio and knows exactly what listeners want. He is simply the best person for this new role which will allow him to focus his energy and passion on the listener experience and deliver broadcasting excellence for the AM output."

Ally said: “I am really delighted to be taking up this new challenge and am committed to bringing quality local programming to listeners across Scotland. Commercial radio in the UK today is more competitive today than ever, so my vision is to create stations which will be at the heart of the local community for many years to come. We are broadening listener ship with new programmes which we are sure will delight audiences around the country.”

The changes will take place just a day before Lord Carter's report on digital Britain is due to be published, which is expected to open the gate for further networking and co-location for stations such as these."

They might aswell call the Bauer network Radio Wallpaper because wherever you go in Scotland you're going to hear the same uninspiring dated playlist-dominated bland radio that has been killing radio for years. Do the people in the Borders really want to tune into a Glasgow-based DJ? No, and neither do I.

The Scotsman's Recommends section recently published my Best 5 Scottish Radio Shows and not one of them was from local radio. We used to listen to Forth One in our office but we got fed up hearing the same songs over and over. The only show we did enjoy was the Top 10 at Ten with Grant Stott, very much the natural broadcaster. We now listen to Radio 2.

There's a reason Radio 2 is the most popular. It has the much-loved well-kent voices during the day for the masses and the speciality shows in the evenings and weekends. It has a playlist but you wouldn't really know it.

Talk 107, the music-free Edinburgh station which recently bit the dust, had been replaced for a trial by The Coast 107. The Coast 107 boasts "more tracks, less chat" and the format seems to work. Aimed at a slightly older audience, I think it has a place for people who don't want to hear self-congratulatory presenters.

Friday 12 June 2009

Roddy Frame - Maybes Aye, Maybes No

From The Queen's Hall:

"Roddy Frame was originally scheduled for the 18th at the Queen’s Hall and that’s why it went into the Fringe programme.

The promoter has since changed the schedule and we now have Frightened Rabbit on that date.

There is still a possibility that Roddy Frame will be given another date but things are still unclear."


Fingers crossed!

The Proclaimers - Free Track/Media Appearances

Amazon UK are offering a track "I Know" from the new Proclaimers album "Notes & Rhymes" as a free mp3.

The Proclaimers will be making a number of UK TV/Radio appearances over next couple of weeks including:

Fri 11th: 7pm BBC 1 "The One Show"
Sun 14th: 7pm to 10pm Craig and Charlie will be co-hosting on the entire three hours of "The Billy Sloan Show" on Clyde 1FM www.clyde1.com
Mon 15th: 5pm STV "The Hour Show"
Weds 17th: ITV 1 GMTV (due on air 7.40am)
Thurs 18th: 5pm Absolute Radio Geoff Lloyd's "Hometime Show"
Fri 19th: 12.30pm ITV 1 "Loose Women"
Fri 19th: 2.30pm BBC Radio London "Robert Elms Show"
Fri 19th: 7.15pm BBC Radio 4 "Front Row"
Mon 22nd: 2pm BBC Radio 2 "Steve Wright In The Afternoon"

Trashcan Sinatras - News

News from Trashcan Sinatras:

""In the Music" will be released in north america on july 14.

the trashcans will be on tour in the usa this summer and the tour dates have just been announced:

july 16 san juan capistrano, ca - coach house
july 28 san diego, ca - casbah
july 29 los angeles, ca - troubadour
july 31 san francisco, ca - cafe du nord
aug 2 portland, or - aladdin theater
aug 3 seattle, wa - triple door
aug 5 salt lake city, ut - club vegas
aug 6 denver, co - larimer lounge
aug 9 chicago, il - schuba's
aug 10 milwaukee, wi - shank hall
aug 11 cleveland, oh - grog shop
aug 13 washington, dc - rock & roll hotel
aug 14 philadelphia, pa - tin angel
aug 15 new york, ny - bowery ballroom
aug 16 boston, ma - t.t. the bear's

another show or two could be added.

tickets went on sale this week for a couple of venues and all should be on sale by the end of the week.

they will be doing a lot of radio and some record store appearances.
all of that is still being scheduled.

the band is also playing at the fuji festival:

july 25, 2009 niigata, japan fuji festival

the album release date in the uk/ireland is august 31. "I Wish You'd Met Her" is the first single, followed by "People".

the band will likely be on tour in the uk/ireland in the fall.

the band starts rehearsing in july and will be making at least one video at that time.

new t-shirts and other merchandise coming in july.

you can follow the band at trashcansinatras.com, myspace, facebook, twitter and ilike."

Over and out.

Belle and Sebastian/God Help The Girl news

A message from those lovely people at B&S HQ:

"Hi Folks,

Here's a quick note from b&s HQ to keep you up to date with the God Help The Girl releases.

Another download & 7" from the album will be released on 20th July. "Funny Little Frog" is a version of the 2006 Belle and Sebastian single, sung by Brittany Stallings and the b-side is non album track "Mary's Market". You can download both "Mary's Market" and "Funny Little Frog" for FREE from the GHTG Myspace so go have a listen today!

As you may know the album "God Help The Girl" is released on the 22nd June by Rough Trade in the UK and the following day by Matador in the USA & Canada. It features fourteen tracks including the singles "Come Monday Night" and "Funny Little Frog" and the initial CD copies in the UK will come in a lovely hardback booklet with lyrics, and an introductory story by Stuart. For all you LP lovers, a vinyl edition will be available which comes with a download code.

We will of course be stocking all formats in the b&s online shop but you will also find these at the usual retailers online and on the high street.

As well as the above, there is a God Help The Girl subscription package available now which in addition to all planned releases for the coming months, includes a 5 track 10" EP "Stills" which features non-album tracks. If this sounds like your cup of tea then visit the GHTG website.

Lastly, if you've been following the progress of the GHTG release you should check out Stuart's blog on the Guardian website which accompanies some great clips about the making of God Help The Girl by Marisa Privitera. Follow this link to THE GUARDIAN.

Thanks for your support!

Banchory/b&s"

Wednesday 10 June 2009

Edwyn Collins, Roddy Frame (?) and others playing Edinburgh

According to the Edinburgh Fringe programme, Roddy Frame is playing The Queen's Hall in Edinburgh on Tuesday 18th August at 8pm (tickets priced £15) but according to the Queen's Hall's own website Frightened Rabbit are playing at the same venue on the same night!! Can anyone clarify this?

Edwyn has announced three midnight gigs (with "Special Guests" - Roddy?) at the Assembly Hall, Mound Place, Edinburgh from Friday 20th to Sunday 22nd August. Tickets priced £20.

Other gigs in August:

Sat 8 Aug: David Byrne @ Edinburgh Playhouse
Mon 10 Aug: Calvin Harris @ Picturehouse
Mon 17 Aug: Broken Records @ Queen's Hall
Tue 18 Aug: Frightened Rabbit@ Queen's Hall
Thu 27 Aug: Malcolm Middleton/Pictish Trail @ Cabaret Voltaire

The Cat
www.jocknroll.co.uk

Tuesday 9 June 2009

Edwyn Collins - New Website and Gigs

Edwyn has a superb new website/social networking page at: http://edwyncollins.ning.com/ and it's well worth a look.

He's also doing a three night residency at The Assembly Hall during the Edinburgh Fringe but I don't have the exact dates yet.

Thursday 4 June 2009

The Proclaimers - Single and Album

The new single from The Proclaimers, "Love Can Move Mountains", will be available in the UK as a digital download from 8th June. You can pre-order from Lost Tunes where tracks are available as a 320k DRM-free MP3, link below and the track will also be available at iTunes and all digital download platforms on release.
http://www.losttunes.com/artists/the-proclaimers/love-can-move-mountains/

Lost Tunes also have widgets available for Love Can Move Mountains
http://www.losttunes.com/widget/widget.aspx?sid=10970682

See the video for Love Can Move Mountains, filmed by 3 Pronged Attack http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4UuTJTmBRwM

The new album Notes & Rhymes is available in the UK from 15th June.
Produced by Steve Evans and recorded at the legendary Rockfield Studios.

There is a limited Special Edition double album with "Notes & Rhymes" + bonus disc, which has four songs recorded acoustically at Rockfield Studio by John Williams, who also produced The Proclaimers debut album "This Is The Story", + six tracks recorded live at Edinburgh Castle concert in July 2008. Order this limited version of "Notes & Rhymes" and be in with a chance to receive one of 250 copies specially signed by Craig and Charlie, pre-order with Amazon HERE:

1. Notes & Rhymes
2. Love Can Move Mountains
3. Three More Days
4. Just look Now
5. Sing All Our Cares Away
6. It Was Always So Easy (To Find An Unhappy Woman)
7. Like A Flame
8. I Know
9. Shadows Fall
10. Free Market
11. Wages Of Sin
12. On Causewayside
13. I Know (reprise)

Special Edition Album 2

1. Love Can Move Mountains (Acoustic)
2. Three More Days (Acoustic)
3. Sing All Our Cares Away (Acoustic)
4. It was Always So Easy (To Find An Unhappy Woman) (Acoustic)
5. I'm On My Way (Live)
6. Letter From America (Live)
7. Scotland's Story (Live)
8. Sky Takes The Soul (Live)
9. Life With You (Live)
10. Whole Wide World featuring Wreckless Eric (Live)

Also the regular album version, which you can pre-order the album with Amazon HERE.

1. Notes & Rhymes
2. Love Can Move Mountains
3. Three More Days
4. Just look Now
5. Sing All Our Cares Away
6. It Was Always So Easy (To Find An Unhappy Woman)
7. Like A Flame
8. I Know
9. Shadows Fall
10. Free Market
11. Wages Of Sin
12. On Causewayside
13. I Know (reprise)

Digital versions of both are also available from iTunes and www.losttunes.com. widgets for the album can also be found at Lost Tunes, HERE.

Cheers,

Persevere

The Sounds of Avalon Concert - QMU, Glasgow 6th June

The Sounds of Avalon concert will be held on the 6th June 2009 at Glasgow QMU in honour of the late, great Ann Boyle, who died in 2008 from oesophageal cancer.

The bands playing will be Pop Up, Attic Lights (on stage at 10pm), Solareye and Alto Elite and tickets are a very reasonable £10. Doors open at 7pm and chucking out time is 3am.

The concert will honour Ann's memory in the best possible way by celebrating her life with music and entertainment from a diverse range of exciting acts including appearances from some high profile guests and performers. The overall aim of the concert is to raise funds for and awareness of the two designated charities, Ochre, the dedicated oesophageal cancer charity and the Balcraig Foundation's Kenya Christian Homes orphanages. In addition, there will be an auction taking place with a host of incredible items up for grabs, including jewellery from Tiffany's and festival tickets, with all proceeds going to the charities.

The concert is a lasting gift to Ann which will allow all of the people she touched to be involved in giving something back, whilst raising funds for two charities whose aims touched upon Ann's life in two very different ways.

Ann's Angels remembers all of those lost to oesophageal cancer and would like to extend a warm welcome to anyone who has been touched by this illness in any way.