February 2009 Archives

Patrick Wells takes a listen to Rouarri Joseph's all encompassing new album.

With mounting concern I scanned the PR blurb for the latest effort by Rouarri Joseph.

At length I read that the album, "took shape after a spot of soul searching and a trip to Thailand."

Lordy. Damme if most singer-songwriters these days ain't a pack of insipid pretenders.

There are lots of people I could have picked to complete Stiff Records week - Elvis Costello, Madness, Nick Lowe, The Pogues, Ian Dury and the Blockheads.

But some of those have already featured in GP's Song of the Day and the others soon will anyway, so I've gone for someone a bit more obscure who shows the depth of the talent that there was on Stiff.

Rachel Sweet was a teenager from Akron, Ohio when she signed to Stiff and had a 1978 hit with B-A-B-Y. She is probably the only person on the label to have a minor role in the American sitcom Seinfeld (as George Costanza's cousin) and was also executive producer of the film Legally Blonde.

Mired in a never-ending maelstrom of controversy, Newcastle United Football Club is no stranger to drama.

The threat of relegation hangs ominously above like the Sword of Damocles, and the future looks bleak - these are truly dark days on Tyneside.

You Couldn't Make it Up, a topical depiction of the turmoil, is a heartfelt and humorous ray of hope that pierces the gathering clouds of discontent.

I was delighted today to attend a discussion on creative reading (what it might be and how it might be encouraged more widely) at the new Newcastle Library.

I have been watching the new library building arise from the site of the old one and have been very excited since the scaffolding came down to see the new building.

It's a beautiful glass tower that speaks much of Newcastle's commitment to universal literacy and reading for all. It also speaks much of Newcastle's commitment to window cleaning.

To prove the point I made on Monday about Kirsty Maccoll, here is They Don't Know: a song by Kirsty that because a big hit in Britain and America for Tracey Ullman.

Ullman signed for Stiff Records in 1983 and released a number of decent singles including They Don't Know, Breakaway (a version of the 1964 Irma Thomas song) and My Guy (a version of the Madness song My Girl).

Already a TV star in Britain, she went on to become even more famous with her own show in the US, and it is now the law in at least 48 states to say that her programme was the first place to feature The Simpsons.

I have to admit to being a massive fan of Third Angel's work, and was proud to bring Presumption to ARC a few weeks ago. It is a fantastic show that uses both humour and poignancy to explore the relationship between a thirty-something couple. It is exquisitely presented, every word, every action, every moment feels like it has been carefully considered, held, inspected and placed. And it's relevant, something I really like my theatre to be - it will touch you, whether you are in a relationship or not, as it neatly exposes some of the finer points about how humans interact with each other.

Probably signed by Stiff to be the female Madness, the Belle Stars had a number three hit in 1983 with the rather splendid Sign of the Times.

Like yesterday's pick, it's one of those songs I probably hadn't heard in 20 years until my brother bought me a four CD boxset of Stiff Records singles. Good to hear it again, though...

Sam Wonfor finds out what Dylan Moran is all about

Up until last night my knowledge of Dylan Moran could be summed up thus:

• He's Irish
• He wrote the VERY funny TV series, Black Books and starred in Shaun of Dead and Run Fat Boy Run
• He has bed hair at all times
• He does stand up comedy - although I'd only ever seen a clip here and there on those 100 Best... programmes - hence I could assume he's widely seen as being pretty good at it.
• I quite fancied him

Six months on from arriving on Teesside I feel totally at home, with a great venue and great people who are open-minded, and (as the strapline says) genuinely passionate about culture. It has been fantastic to see audiences at ARC show their appreciation for a comedian, a theatre show, a brilliant performance, an evening they have enjoyed.

But I am also lucky in that we are still enjoying discovering the region ourselves. I guess we really are cultural tourists when we travel, as we try and take in a true local flavour of life wherever we visit, as well as enjoying the essential sights.

Brilliant Mind by Furniture got to Number 21 in 1986 and is the second in our week of Stiff Records Songs of the Day.

Despite having that slight pompousness that blighted so many 80s bands, it's rather a top tune, especially if you associate it - as I do - with its use in the first series of Trigger Happy TV.

Some of Furniture went on to become dance act Transglobal Underground, while singer Jim Irvin is a well-known music journalist.