ballboy

ballboy are a band. They are 4 people from Edinburgh. They make music that will make you laugh, sigh, smile, and cry. So, what about them?

Apologies, this one won't be nearly as long as the other post.

They released their first EP, Silver Suits for Spacemen in 2000. But I'm not wikipedia. They complied 3 EPs into an album called, rather facetiously, "Club Anthems". Since then, they've released 3 other albums, with album 5 due in august.

So, how did I get into them?

Well, back in the day, before this thing called Myspace, there was a website for discovering music, called peoplesound.com. It's probably still active, but never mind. It wasn't the most useful website - you'd search for bands like Oasis (it was exclusively for unsigned bands) and it pointed out everything from iron maiden soundalikes to twee indie pop. Anyway, I stumbled across ballboy's "a day in space", which is on Club Anthems.

I had never heard the like of this song before. I can still recall almost word for word what Gordon says during it. It's spoken word set to a gorgeous crashing, swooshing ambient noise of 4 people playing at a moderate volume. Anyway, I thought, "This is interesting..." and promptly investigated no further, as I couldn't without paying for it, and I couldn't really afford to risk buying an album I might get bored of if it was only spoken word. That, and for some reason, it being called "Club Anthems" put me off.

Anyway, fast forward 2 years, and for some reason I'm listening to the BBC session in Wales with Huw and Bethan (I live in Manchester, which makes this odd), and according to them, John Peel has a band called ballboy in session that very evening.

So, I stayed up, recorded all of the tracks on cassette (home taping is killing music, kids). To my surprise, HE WAS SINGING!! AND IT WAS AMAZINGLY HEARTBREAKINGLY GOOD. They were promoting album 3, The Sash My Father Wore, and that version they did of "You Should Fall in Love With Me" is the best there is, it's on the ballboy website  in all it's glory for all to hear.

So, I ofcourse backtracked through their catalogue, heard the next session they did for Mr. Peel the next year for album 4, and have been a fan ever since.

Start off with A Guide For the Daylight Hours. It strikes gold, midway between gorgeousness of it's successor with the rawness of it's predecessor. Club Anthems is the next logical place to go, then the Sash My Father Wore and The Royal Theatre with mean you have the lot.

This song, I Hate Scotland, got them a lot of press, unsurprisingly. It's possibly the only occasion in which a man talking about his dislike for his country of birth is anthemic, and so amazingly uplifting.

Then, there's the other side of ballboy, the wry smile in the side of your mouth when you talk about how much fun you used to have seeing people you know snort glue.

Very few bands are so joyous, uplifting, endearing, beautiful, quietly angry, and across the board brilliant. They will change your life in the way only a special kind of band can. If Morrissey wasn't up his own arse he'd be Gordon Macintyre, a schoolteacher from Edinburgh. 

Need I mention, they've got their most extensive tour to date happening this month, look here for dates. Cardiff, Edinburgh, London, Oxford, the Indietracks festival (where I'm seeing/interviewing them) are all I can remember, so go see them live! As the late, great John Peel said, "see them live, or curse yourself for being a fool for all of eternity, and possibly beyond."

Good Times. Happy Face/John Cale

Well, a good friend of mine (Savy Gamer) went to Glastonbury this weekend and saw John Cale, but was disappointed when he didn't play his cover of LCD Soundsystem's "All My Friends". So, I Songwriter/musician/Radio DJ/Physicist/All round renaissance man have taken it upon myself to impart my love of music in your eyes and ears. More for the ears later.

Now, John Cale: why I love him (And more importantly, why you should)

First off, he was in the Velvet Underground. If you don't know who they are, y'know that BBC children in need song "Perfect Day"? Written by the less talented member of the band Lou Reed, who also was the vocal on that shitty dance remix of "Satelite of Love" that came out a few years back. Now, go and buy "The Velvet Underground & Nico" (The one with the banana on the front). If you like it, buy "White Light/White Heat"

Then, there's his solo work. In my opinion, this is the biggest reason. His first six or so albums are all classics, but Paris 1919 is one of the best albums ever, up there with The Beatles, Manics, MBV, all the usuals, yes? Go and get it, even if you don't enjoy the more visceral Velvet's stuff, it's absolutely gorgeous.

So, John Cale's solo albums. The first four being Vintage Violence; The Church of Anthrax; The Academy in Peril and Paris 1919, followed by Fear; Slow Dazzle and Helen of Troy, but I'm sure you can look that up on wikipedia. Paris 1919 is the most accessible, follow it up with Vintage Violence, and Fear, then go wherever from there.

He's also kept up with the solo stuff, his last album blackAcetate came out in 2005, and Hobo Sapiens in 2003, the latter receiving the critical acclaim due to such a genius.

Yes I did just use the word genius. It's true.

Another reason would be "Hallelujah". Y'know, when in every TV show they need a heartbreaking song to roll out when they turn life support machines off? Leonard Cohen wrote it, but as Neil from the Young Ones said "No-one ever listens to me. I may as well be a Leonard Cohen record", you can guess that such a heartbreaking song was not best as an original. As I'm sure you'll guess, Cale's version is my favourite, the piano i think works better than the guitar, and Cale's voice betrays the depth, pain and life experience the song requires. I know he's dead, but Jeff Buckley's version is no way near as good, his voice is too thin, and he turned a song about God into a song about sex, which is awful, frankly.

Then, his work as a producer. Not the most prolific producer, but doing Patti Smith, the Stooges, The Happy Mondays and The Modern Lovers gives you some idea of what he's about.

Anyway, the more knowledgeable of you will have noticed I haven't mentioned the "A-G" word. For those of you who know the velvet underground, after Cale left, they became a whole lot less interesting. The last track proper of Vintage Violence is a track called "Wall". I'm not claiming he invented noise, but he certainly brought it into the more mainstream consciousness; I mean, not many people who read the NME have heard of people like John Cage (key piece being 4.33). Without Cale we may not have had shoegaze. On first glance a good thing, but a world without "Sometimes" by My Bloody Valentine is a world not worth living in.

After that, he worked with Terry Riley on "The Church of Anthrax", Cale could be a scary Jackson at times, and was as a consequence a massive influence on Nick Cave. Produced Nico's classic The Marble Index, reinvented the wheel, and picked up Dracula in Memphis

Anyway, what are musicians if you never hear them play?

First, get Paris 1919. If it doesn't change your life you probably don't have a soul and should consult the nearest available priest. Then, Vintage Violence, Slow Dazzle and Fear. If you're hankering after something a little more strange, go for the Church of Anthrax and Nico's the Marble Index, if it's something pop you're after, Nico's Chelsea Girl is the album for you.