One day close to last Christmas i hit a coupla wrong buttons on the laptop and accidentally created my own blog (for someone who tries to work in IT, i really am that stupit). Just for a laugh i went with it. When it came to choosing a name for the thing, i looked round the room and saw a cd case for Super Furry Animals' Fuzzy Logic album. I'm no really a detail buff, like to make sweeping and ill-considered points and seldom think things through unless i'm lyin awake in the middle of the night. I also love the Super Furries so reckoned Fuzzy Logic would do just fine.
This morning's a crackin sunny summer one, started like most these days with coffee, toast and an interent job search. No much luck but next week i'll be deliverin the new phone book to people in the Leith Links/Restalrig/Lochend areas - 11 pence a copy. I didnae quite crack open the Bollie when i landed that one (nivir cracked Bollie in ma life, as it appens) but it'll get me ootnaboot and it's better than doing nowt ataw.
To cheer me up before a wee jog round the Links, i stuck on the Super Furry's latest Dark Days/Light Years album. Unusually for SFA, this one didnae really grab me at first but its cheeky melodies and subversive lyrics are slowly weavin a way right into ma heid. In a few minutes, i'm gonna be whistlin Lliwiau Llachar through my teeth as i puff along on the run. It's beautiful and the chorus is in Welsh. I kinda like the idea of singin along to something i don't understand. There's a whole SFA album in Welsh called Mwng and my good (monoglot) buddy Mert can sing every word. Lovely.
SFA are the greatest band that's still a band in the world. Their albums are chock full of great songs that sound like simple 4:4 pop, mental psychedelic noodling, thumpin techno, garish prog nonsense, folk songs, tv theme tunes. They're all underpinned by the barriest, most humane and funniest lyrics (when i understand them) i've ever heard (including those by bands that arenae bands anymore like the Clash). The words to "Juxtaposed" and "Cityscape Skybaby" can almost reduce me to tears when i'm in a certain kinda mood.
And tother day, Scottie B, who first took me to see them at the Corn Exchange (i was slow on the uptake) sent me this link to an interview wi lead singer gadge, Gruff Rhys. Makes me wish i had progeny that Gruff could run off with to work in the circus. I've seen the band live loadsa times now in Embra, Glasgow, several festivals and best of all, in Ullapool town hall (that gig was a one off and nowt to do with the apparently very wonderful Loopallu). As well as the barry music, when they play live, the Furries put on a bit of a show with silly costumes, projected films of their day in the locale and overhead hand-written projected messages to the crowd. Startlingly full on stuff.
One day soon i'm gonna sort masel out and go see them play in Wales. Despite my love for this band, i've never been there and that's just no good enough.
I have never heard of these bands you speak of, however I do know that you write the best comments (thanks). Also, I wonder if "Startlingly full on stuff" might be the ideal name for your autobiography.
ReplyDeleteI agree with PG above, Naldo's comments are always a pleasure (when I can understand wtf he has written). ;-)
ReplyDeleteI kinda figured that this was the source of your blog name, Naldo but after reading some of the stuff you've confessed to on my blog, I wasn't going to presume anything! ha! Cool stuff...
Is that really you in the pic in the post below? That's a great photo. It should be an album cover.
PG, glad you dig my comments. Wisnae sure if "shat" would be acceptable, very glad it is. I suspect you'll be reading more in a similar vein. Autobiography though? Hmmmm....think i better plead the 5th on that one.
ReplyDeleteMs TB, yep that really is me and my lemon curd one afternoon after the morning after the night before in the late 80's. We were rough as broken biscuits.
SFA - great band, and one I saw at Stradey Park in my hometown of Llanelli, many, many moons ago. they were excellent needless to say.
ReplyDeleteIf I saw these things walking towards me, I'd have to run the other way.
ReplyDeleteThey remind me of that Sashquatch creature that supposedly exsisted years ago. lol
Interesting.
Llanelli, P? Sounds flippin fab. According to their website, SFA's first release was the Llanfairpwllgwyngyllllantysiliogogogoch(In Space) EP. Glad i didnae have to go in and ask for that at the local Avalanche records.
ReplyDeleteJelly, they're quite cuddly really. But are you trying to tell me the Sashquatch no longer exists? I dinnae need shocks like that first thing on a Monday morn.
That SFA gig in Ullapool was one of the most hilarious weekends of my life.
ReplyDeleteI would recount the tale in more detail for the benefit of those that werenae there but at this precise moment I cannae be ersed.
Mibbes check my ain blog in day or two.
Furries playing at the ABC in Glasgow on 15th October. Might be worth checkin oot.
ReplyDeleteYou should mos def tell it how it happend, Al. A truly remarkable weekend for several reason. And mind that was also the time Scottie made Mand that barry birthday card/book thingy.
ReplyDeleteGreat shout Scottie, man. Nivir been to the ABC and 15th Oct seems as good a date as any to change that fact. We should get a wee squad o Furry heids together for it.
After a slow start, the new album's been blowin me away last few days. Gonna sicken masel of it at this rate. Well worth wrappin yer lugs aroond.
If you find yourself near Tregaron (ok, its a tiny village in the middle of nowhere in west wales so thats not going to happen accidentally unless you're really awful at reading maps) go into the Talbot - it is possibly the best pub in the world.
ReplyDelete