birminghamskasounds

for the best part of three or four years now. I'm not a huge fan, but have kept tabs on them because they're a local Midlands band (and the hooks in 'Prodigal Son' and 'Rubicon' were just irresistible). I was quite dismayed when I'd heard they'd entered the mobileAct thing - out of all the bands in the Midlands, it seemed like they needed it least. They were putting out singles and records themselves and doing a lot of high profile stuff (radio play on Kerrang etc..)... such a shame that this tv show fiasco could ruin a good band. I hope they get through it.

puts on 'children of bodom' before he goes to bed

and I also saw him a few years back when he did the Greendale tour. I was pissed off that it had cost a helluva lot of money (the Greendale tour) and he'd played this weird concept album that no one had ever heard. But then I realised after - that's the beauty of Neil Young - he doesn't give a fuck. He doesn't give a fuck what the crowd thinks, what his record company thinks - or what it will do for his reputation.

It's art, what Neil does - he tranmits his feelings and emotions through his music without pandering to any commercial guidelines. Like with his 80's albums - it was him trying to communicate with his sons. And then Geffen tried to sue him for 'producing music that was unrepresentative of Neil Young'. They completely missed the point.... doing Trans etc... was precisely what Neil is about - doing whatever the hell he likes.

I am always reminded of his comments after the Ditch trilogy - 'Harvest was successful, and took me to the middle of the road - but I found it a bore travelling there, so I headed for the ditch. It was a rougher ride, but I met some more interesting people there'.

fantastic videos of an instore live set he did at zulu records.....watch all the parts to it, the guy is nuts! listen out for the story he tells about getting signed to a major label...