More bad news...

The Seeds were one of the great garage bands of the later 1960's and it was with sadness that news emerged of their lead singer and bass guitarist, Sky Saxon's death. This performance sees them at their best - performing their 1966 top 40 hit 'Pushin' too hard;' to the usual uninterested, unappreciative audience. 'Can't seem to make you mine,' one of their previously lesser known tracks - a minor hit in their native California - has been covered by Alex Chilton, Johnny Thunders and The Ramones - evidence enough of their creative credentials...I'm sure the late, great Steven Wells - polemical journalist on the NME in the 1980's/90's - wouldn't have enjoyed this too...R.I.P. both...

Thanks, Michael...

"Don't stop til you get enough." Michael Jackson has been a part of all of our musical lives for the past 40 years and it was with tremendous sadness that news of his untimely passing was received last night. Michael's was a unique talent. With his brothers he conquered the world, the Jackson 5 achieving an unprecedented four number one hits in the US with their first four recordings. In 1979, 'Off the wall' was released - a genre defining album and a great artistic and commercial success with two massive number one records in 'Rock with you,' and 'Don't stop 'til you get enough.' Three years later, Michael repeated this success all over again. 'Thriller' was released to unanimous critical and commercial acclaim eventually becoming the most successful album release of all time - a feat that will never be surpassed. Michael achieved much in the years that followed but he never achieved the same level of artistic or commercial success again. But he continued to give musical meaning to many many peoples lives all over the world and the happiness he brought to countless numbers of fans cannot and should not be underestimated. The world, and especially the world of music, is poorer on his passing.

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The year 2000 was a special year for comedy from the BBC. Two of the finest comedies ever produced by the corporation were shown - both starred and were written by Rob Brydon. Human Remains, written by Brydon and Julia Davis; of Nighty Night and Jam fame, is one of the darkest and most quietly subversive pieces of television ever broadcast. Davis and Brydon forge a unique partnership - there is an almost symbiotic relationship between them - as further witnessed in the extras accompanying the DVD release. In turns, viscerally funny and achingly poignant, Human Remains is matched only by Brydon's other comic masterpiece - Marian and Geoff. Written by Brydon and Hugo Blick, it is difficult to imagine any other show since attempting and achieving successfully the same levels of tragi-comic brilliance. In the intervening ten years nothing has come close to their genius - Amazon has all three DVD's available at a ridiculously low price - enrich your life and enjoy them now.

There is just the void

"Jim Thompson's usual anti-hero is a troubled, perhaps even schizophrenic, misogynist who drinks a lot and kills people when he feels like it," Meredith Brody has written. This is just the way it should be - in the typical Thompson novel, the American dream; its pathology, and those who wish to succeed within its morally dubious definitions, is cross examined revealing its scabrous core, its rotten hinterland. No other writer has written with such conviction about the absence of values in American society - for those new to his work, 'The killer inside me' is a particularly vicious introduction.

stereomonically speaking...

Twatbubble is particularly fond of anniversaries - the more tenuous the better. It's 50 years since Toni Fisher had her biggest hit with this highly unusual, hugely influential recording. Scott's version, isn't all that bad either...

Just another mad mad day on the road...

Former Playboy and Spin writer Steven Kurutz has written this hilarious and affectionate account of the nano-industry that is the tribute act - in this case, Rolling Stones' tribute act, Sticky Fingers. The book is at turns hysterical - we are informed that Van Halen have no less than twenty five tribute acts while Kiss have two tribute bands peopled by dwarves - and tellingly poignant - when we read of the musicians juggling work commitments, family relationships and the growing realisation that they will never achieve the stardom they deserve...Kurutz has written an eminently readable and likeable book about an area of the music industry that is often ignored, more usually ridiculed. The hardback is out now, paperback next year.

This star has not lost her glitter...

Judy Garland's star continues to shine undimmed nearly 40 years after her death. In 1954, George Cukor directed Garland in what was surely her finest performance - the role of Vicki Lester in the film, 'A star is born;' here, exemplified in this magical version of 'The man that got away.'