What Album Have You Just Bought?

[Jeff Roesgen]

Billy Bragg - Back to Basics

The Shaggs - S/T

I'm enjoying both a lot!

[Shaz]

PJ Harvey: Let England Shake
June Tabor: Ashore

[philipchevron]

Die Lustigen Nibelungen ["The Merry Nibelungs"] by Oscar Straus (1910?)

(Capriccio, 1996)

Oscar Straus's "burlesque" of The Ring is the first widely known spoof of Wagner's epic, coming less than 40 years after its source material and in the wake of Franz Lehar's international mega-success with the operetta Die Lustige Witwe ["The Merry Widow"]. Straus wrote mainly, at this time, for the Berlin Cabarets, and the spoof is written very much in that spirit, though disappointingly, it is more inclined to parody Lehar than Wagner.

Straus went on to a successful career himself as a composer of operettas, the best known of which is probably Die Tapfere Soldat ["The Chocolate Soldier"], with a libretto by a fellow performer/writer on the Berlin Cabarets, Rudolf Bernauer, who just happens to be the father of my mentor, colleague and friend, the late Agnes Bernelle.

[RoddyRuddy]

Nigel Burch - Fascists In The Snug Bar lp

[firehazard]

Lau vs Karine Polecat: Evergreen
Lau vs Adem: Ghosts

Two EPs from the lovely Lau lads.

[Hennybhoy]

Dropkick Murphys - Going out in style

[cagliostro]

I'm thinking of getting this one, but on second thought, not.

[philipchevron]

William Shatner The Transformed Man (1968)

[Smoz]

William Shatner The Transformed Man (1968)

Have you heard Has Been, the album he brought out about five years ago? The album was produced/arranged and largely co-written with Ben Folds and is well worth a listen.

There has apparently also been a ballet set to the music of Has Been which was performed by the Milwaukee Ballet, a film was made about this called William Shatner's Gonzo ballet, I haven't seen the film but its title sounds like the title of an obscure Fall track.

http://www.specialentertainment.com/wil ... zo-ballet/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Sh ... nzo_Ballet

[RICHB]

William Shatner The Transformed Man (1968)

I have a recording of this. Top draw

[Low D]

William Shatner The Transformed Man (1968)

I've heard some of this on the compilation Spaced Out (a mix of Transformed Man & stuff from two Leonard Nimoy albums). I think "Lucy in the Sky..." is my favourite. For me, the show-stealer on that one was Nimoy's raw, sincere take on Joni Mitchell's "Both Sides Now".

But i have to say, William Shatner might just be the coolest celebrity around. Able not only to play along with the joke that is him, but continue to make a living at it decades later. He had a hilarious part in the film Fanboys, which everyone of the original Star Wars generation really must watch.

[Low D]

The Belfast Gigs (1980) by Horslips. Found at a garage sale yesterday, paid every cent i had with me for it ($3.65). I must admit i hadn't realized they'd released a live album before the recent reunion one (i see now they another in '76). On first listen, the highlight for me was actually their cover of "Shaking All Over" which i always forget is not actually a Canadian song (it was the first big hit of the huge Canadian band The Guess Who, back when all those Winnipeg bands were obsessed with surf guitar & the British invasion).

[RoddyRuddy]

Just came across this that may be of interest to some;
Quote"...
Horslips - the punk rocker's friends
Mickey Bradley | 21:45 UK time, Tuesday, 15 March 2011

I will be unable to attend Thursday night's Horslips vs Ulster Orchestra showdown, unfortunately. The BBC arranged St Patrick's Night on a Thursday this year, which was inconsiderate of them as it is the night I have my After Midnight show. An excuse surely, you suggest, as a punk rocker of considerable vintage like myself would not be seen enjoying a Horslips concert. Horslips ? Long hair , moustaches, mystical melodies, concept LPs ? Yes, but also a band who knew that punk rock was worth celebrating in 1976 and 1977, without jumping on to any bandwagon that was passing through Dublin. I remember being in a band that was part of a Punk festival in Dublin in May 1977 - UCD at Belfield, marred by a stabbing fatality - and being informed by a member of The Radiators From Space that Horslips were known to include 'Blitzkrieg Bop' in their repertoire, up and down the dancehalls of Ireland. As someone who had been a Horslips fan before the year zero of punk, I was happy to learn that they were early adopters. The cool big brothers of Irish punk. Have a grand night in the Waterfront. And take no lip from those proper musicians with the sheet music......."end quote.Radio Ulster presenter and Undertones bass player Mickey Bradley
http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/bradleyblog/ ... s-fr.shtml

[Low D]

I remember being in a band that was part of a Punk festival in Dublin in May 1977 - UCD at Belfield, marred by a stabbing fatality - and being informed by a member of The Radiators From Space that Horslips were known to include 'Blitzkrieg Bop' in their repertoire, up and down the dancehalls of Ireland.

I've heard this on some bootlegs, great stuff. But clearly a band like Horslips wasn't concerned with definitions of genre, otherwise they would never have been, would they?

[ray69]

Roy Orbison - The monument singles collection....