I met Mick Harvey (ex-Birthday Party, ex-Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, PJ Harvey’s band) a few kilometers from Nimes France October 5th 2012 at the Hacienda during a kind of private party proposed by the Tontons Flingueurs a bunch of friends who are passionated people and music lovers. Thank to everyone for this warmhearted and very beautiful night !!
Mick Harvey at the Hacienda in Nimes France Oct 5th 2012
Just after the dinner we went both outside with Mick, sat down at a table under a tree and I recorded our very relaxed conversation about his new solo album (recorded in 2010, released in 2011 and effectively promoted in 2012 after he finished his world tour with PJ Harvey) « Sketches from The Book of The Dead«  and the probable songwriting of his future solo album…A dog invited himself to the talk and added a special note to this very strange night in an old farm lost in the country, far away from everything …it’s a kind of atmospheric podcast I propose to you this time illustrated by ones of Mick’s beautiful songs : I started with « Bethelridge » (Robbie Fulks) from his covers’ album « One Man’s treasure » (2005), then 3 excerpts of the songs from his new solo album : « The Ballad of Jay Givens, To Each his Own and A Place called Passion » then an excerpt of « The Colour of the Earth » a song he sang in duet with PJ Harvey in her last album « Let Egland Shake » and I finished with one of the new songs « Two Paintings ».
A short videoclip to share with you a bit of that unique experience with a very talentuous and so famous artist playing directly on the floor without his band, just a microphone, a guitar and some recording tapes…How not to feel each other very privileged and and completly charmed…
In this podcast N°110 I propose to you the second part of the Live interview I recorded with Chris Bailey from The Saints when he came to Marseille last year in October with his drummer Peter Wilkinson to perform the new album « Stranger » they co-wrote with two members of the French band H-Burns : Renaud Brustlein and Antoine Pinnet.
Chris Bailey and Peter Wilkinson during the soundcheck in Marseille at Cabaret Aleatoire Oct 2011
Chris Bailey and Antoine Pinnet, Peter and Chris in Marseille Oct 2011
A video I filmed during the show in Marseille Oct 2011 where Chris played in solo « Photograph » then « In the Mirror » with the Bailey Burns Gang !
In that part I talked with Chris about more personal things as his new solo album’s recording in Australia (release expected very soon, maybe this year, can’t wait!!), his projects with The Saints and his last duo tour with Ed Kuepper in May/June 2010.
As I can’t play songs from Chris’ new album yet, I illustrate the interview with some excerpts of that Australian tour with Ed, thank to a hard fan who sent me his audio recording in the audience at Troubadour in Brisbane.
Chris Bailey and Ed Kuepper in the recording studio to test some songs after the tour in 2010 : never says never !! (pic : Jude Dransfield Kuepper)
I chose three songs from Chris where Ed is playing guitar and doing the backing vocals : « In the mirror, Photograph and Gone with the wind ».
I finished with one of my favorite songs from Ed « The way I made you feel » where Chris is playing bass and doing the backing vocals ! Enjoy !!! Hoping they will record something together one day again or at the minimum wishing they will tour Europe with that duo !!
Chris Bailey and Ed Kuepper during their duo tour in Melbourne Australia (pics from Carbie Warbie)
In this podcast N°109 I have the great pleasure to propose to you a Live interview with Chris Bailey from The Saints. Chris came to Marseille October 13th with Peter Wilkinson his drummer in The Saints to promote during a French tour the new album « Stranger » they recorded with Renaud Brustlein and Antoine Pinnet two members of the French band H-Burns.
Renaud Brustlein at the vocals and guitar, Peter Wilkinson on the drums, Chris Bailey at the vocals and the bass, Antoine Pinet at the guitar.
Chris and Renaud put in common a few of their new songs and then asked Peter and Antoine to join the new band who can be called, depending the mood : Bailey Burns, The Burns Brothers Band or The Harry Burns Project…:)
Chris Bailey, Peter and Renaud
In that interview recorded before the show at Cabaret Aleatoire in Marseille, Chris talked about the album’s making in France and the pleasure to play with new musicians at the opposite of his habits with The Saints, being in that new context « only the bass player of a French band »!!
A short videoclip to give you an idea of the show in Marseille
Peter and Renaud, Renaud and Antoine
To illustrate Chris Bailey’s talk I play some songs’ excerpts from the new album « Stranger » : « Hey You and Cruel Sea » from Chris and « New Sidewalks and Postcards » from Renaud. You can order the album if you like it to their label Vicious Circle.
Renaud, Peter and Chris
Chris and the Burns Brothers Band gave us the pleasure to add to the show some songs of The Saints repertoire, here « Messin’ with the Kid »!!
I will publish soon the second part of the podcast where Chris talked about his personal projects : the next solo album he recorded in Sydney, his ideas about new albums with The Saints, his duo last year in Australia with Ed Kuepper : stay connected !!
The Cowboys from Outerspace the famous band from Marseille opened the night at La Machine à Coudre in Marseille May 26th 2011 for their friends Holy Curse from Paris who gave their last show in our town during a goodbye tour all over France : a great and moving rocking night in a terribly hot atmosphere around 50°Celsius…:) Enjoy this report with some pics and two videos clips with both bands !
Michel and Henry from the Cowboys; Paulo Eric and Vinz from Holy Curse
Holy Curse played some songs from their new album « Take it as it comes » produced by Rob Younger (The New Christs, Radio Birman) and if they were stopping the band after that tour they didn’t break their friendship as it’s obvious on the video and pictures : it was a very moving goodbye to the friends and a great musical performance !! Thank you guys for your passion and good luck for your new projects !!
Mr Henry from The Cowboys; Eric and Vinz’s hugs during the last song…
Young artists from the 3 harbour cities Shanghaï, Hamburg and Marseille met first time in Marseille in April 2011 in the context of the Helix project (financed by the French-German Office for the Youth, DRGSCS PACA and Marseille townhall) to build a show together crossing their cultural background around the Street Theater.
Big Bang Dockers Premiere in the Street Arts City April 9th 2011
The project called Big Bang Dockers started in Marseille in April and was artistically managed for the first part by Marseille street theater company Generik Vapeur. It was performed by the young artists first time in front of the audience in the Street Arts City April 9th 2011 after a week working together.
I filmed (below) a few moments of the show to give you an idea of their fantastic energy, creativity and good spirits !
After the show a big party and BBQ was organized by Eurocircle who technically initiated and managed the whole project and hosted by Generik Vapeur in their new place in the Street Arts City : another great moment to exchange around the food and the music !
Both last pics : a part of the Chinese group; 3 of the young artists from the 3 countries : China, France, Germany !!
Big Bang Dockers will be improved and developed in a second part in Shanghaï and then in a third part in Hamburg. We hope the final project will be performed in 2013 for Marseille European Capital for Culture.
For more info : A blog is opened to tell the story step after step at http://helixtheater.blog.com/
Kid Congo Powers an American/Mexican artist who co-founded the Gun Club in 1979 in Los Angeles with Jeffrey Lee Pierce, played with the Cramps and Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds…came to Marseille last week April 4th 2011 during his current European tour and performed at the Embobineuse with his band The Pink Monkey Birds for our greatest pleasure (Big Thank to The Depanneur who booked the show and Good Luck for the future !)
Kid Congo Powers (lead vocals and guitar)
I made a short video clip for you with some Live excerpts I filmed during the show with my small compact camera; you will maybe recognize there the signature of the great artists on stage : smiles and simplicity, the fun to play and to share the music in a warm-hearted ambience !! With Kiki Solis at the bass guitar, Ron Miller on the drums, Jesse Roberts at the guitar and keyboards.
Kid Congo and The Pink Monkey Birds played a lot of songs from their repertoire including some songs from their new album « Gorilla Rose » but also this famous old song « Sex Beat » from The Gun Club. Here a video for the people who like it a lot , like me…:)
Thank to Rudy for the sound, thank to Adam and Dimitri for the lights !!
Meltingpod Connections :
Happy to find out Kid Congo Powers’ own channel on youtube : http://www.youtube.com/elkidcongo and to see my videoclip was added among his last favorites !!! Thank you El Kid Congo !!
One of my favorite rock band from Marseille Conger! Conger! gave a show at The Cafe of the Espace Julien November 20th 2010 and tested that night a lot of their new songs before going to Toulouse to record there their new album…in fact this week !!!
Click to enlarge these pics at Cafe Julien with such a nice light-show !
As always each show is different with Conger! Conger! : the new songs brought a new color it’s clear but the performance is always surprising with Patrice De Benedetti the drummer and lead singer (former dancer with Ex-Nihilo and right now with his own dance company beside his creative activities with the band !!) which tries all the time to feel the intuition of the moment : very focused his both mates on stage Pierrot Gon at the guitar and Didier Bautzmann at the bass quietly followed him in each of his fantasies for our greatest pleasure !! (live video below)
BTW = You can find another review and longer Live video HERE on MELTINGPOD from one of their shows at La Machine à Coudre last April !!
On the left : Flying above the stage at Cafe Julien ! On the right : Patrice playing with small bells’ bracelets to increase the effect of his drumming !
Can’t wait to listen to their new album and talk to you more about it : an interview is scheduled !!
Meltingpod Connections :
When my friend Eric Tessier from Radio Libertaire hosting « Place aux fous musique » in Paris abandoned his backstage pass for the Alice Cooper’s show in Marseille that night and joined me at the Conger! Conger! show…:) The review in French is HERE !!
When my friend Bob Nebe writer of « That Striped Sunlight Sound » a music webmagazine came from Australia to Marseille and followed me a night of September at Enthropy to a Conger! Conger! show…:) The review in English is HERE !!
Thank to you both to help me to spread the good music around the world!!
Little Green Fairy a French band from Sete gave a show in Marseille at Enthropy November 6th 2010 (thank to Well Done who booked the show) and played a lot of songs from their new album « Stuck out of time »! A true pleasure for me to meet them again (among my first guests on meltingpod HERE) and for the audience which was formed with a lot of musicians (Cowboys from Outerspace, Irritones, Ze Cardiacs…).
Erik Dim at the guitar, Clarisse B on the drums and Rauky at the lead vocals and guitar.
A short videoclip to give you an ambience of the night is surely better than a long talk! For the rest, buy the CD without hesitation !! (soon a podcast!).
The after-party show was full of friends, laughters and smiles, just what we need !!
Clarisse, Erik and Rauky; Clarisse and Michel (Cowboys from Outerspace)
Erika (Pariah! Records) and Dimi; LGF PomPom Girls : Annie, Clarisse and Iza (Ze Cardiacs)
Meltingpod Connections
A review about the album in English and coming from the Australian Barman HERE !!
Mick Jones the famous Clash’s guitarist and the French-Algerian musician Rachid Taha rocked together the Casbah in Marseille for Marsatac 2009 !!
Rodolphe Burger and 8 French and Libanese musicians opened that unforgettable night with finalizing very properly and creatively (in despite very few days of rehearsals together) their musical project Mix Up Beyrouth (part 1 with interview in July at the festival de Marseille). The incredible good spirits between this relatively big young band made the alchemy around Rodolphe who was a very discrete but efficient artistic director.
Left to right (at the soundcheck) : Frederic (guitar, slam), Fady (multi-instrumentalist), Abed (buzuk), Youmna (guitar, voclas) Arnaud (drums), Rodolphe (guitar, vocals), Julien (bass), Rayess (rap; testing the sound in the venue) and Ziad (keyboards).
Live : Fady Abed Arnaud Youmna; Youmna Rodolphe Rayess Ziad.
Then it was the time for Rachid Taha to increase progressively the excitation in the crowd with a lot of guests and friends sharing the stage with his band, playing his repertoire but giving a deserved big place to Mick Jones, The Clash’s guitarist who looked like to have had a great great fun with us in Marseille, smiling and laughing the whole night ! As Rachid said : « It’s Christmas tonight…it’s madness !! »
Mick Jones started « Should I stay or Should I go » directly in front of me and it would be a crime not to try to film and capture that song despite my small compact camera’s weak abilities for this kind of act. So here you go :
Then, the wet atmosphere coming from the dancing crowd invaded the stage with a kind of fog which made heroic to take same good pics in front of the lightshow; it was a shame because Rodolphe Burger joined the team on the stage to add some electric guitar’s riffs between Mick Jones and his friend Hakim Hammouche (at the mandoluth in Rachid Taha), but here some family’s pics just for the fun and to see all these smiles on their faces : shared happiness ! Thanks to Marsatac !!
At last to conclude this report and give you as close as possible an idea of the Live ambience, a mix with a few short videos clips : Enjoy !!
Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds with Ed Kuepper at the guitar : I couldn’t miss that event for nothing even if I had to travel to Dresden in Germany (close to the Czech Republic !) June 21th (the Music Day in France !) to see them for the unique show which was not played in a festival during their current European tour 2009.
A nice intimate atmosphere in Junge Garde, an amphitheater with 3500 people (ref.the press) among the beautiful trees in the town’s central park, which allowed me to be in front of the stage without any big troubles : I can’t appreciate a show at another place, so close to the energy !
Nick Cave the charismatic poet and Ed Kuepper the guitar’s devil !!
Nick Cave taking the guitar to add still more electricity in the air…the threatened dark clouds disappeared subitely from the sky for our luck (it was raining almost all the time I was in Dresden !!).
Nick happy to have put the rose he got from a fan in Warren Ellis ‘ shirt : the poor had the both hands busy on his violin and couldn’t protest; Nick outside the stage, fascinating the audience with his voice and hands…
« Midnight Man »‘s excerpt just to give you an idea of the ambiance Live on stage and surely one of my favorite songs !
Ed Kuepper very focused in the music, Thomas Wyller who did a fantastic job using every tools which make sounds to beat his drums; Nick always involved 100% in his lyrics. The words I can remember which chronologically came through my head during the show : Magnifique, Excellent, Intensity, a dramatic intensity which gives you thrills on the skin.
« Papa Won’t Leave You Henry »‘s excerpt : a magic moment with Ed Kuepper at the acoustic guitar accompagning Nick Cave who told us a new story always as close as possible to the audience…
All the 7 Bad Seeds on the same pic (from right to left) : Ed Kuepper (guitar), Thomas Wyller (drums), Conway Savage (keyboards), Martyn Casey (bass), Jim Sclavunos (drums), Nick Cave (vocals, guitar and keyboards), Warren Ellis (very small guitar and violin).
Ed Kuepper and Nick Cave constantly moving from a place to another one; another word coming to my head later was : Elegance in their attitudes, subtleties in the light shows (which unfortunately were not really captured by my slow camera) and sometime the feeling to penetrate in their musical laboratory where they are re-creating Live a new performance every night. By the way, even if front of the stage the sound quality was simply perfect ! Congratulations to Matt Crosby the sound engineer !
Ed, Nick and Thomas; Nick often pointing the sky; everybody singing the backing vocals. The show started precisely at 8:30 pm with the twilight and fortunately finished at 10:30 in the night allowing us to appreciate at least the colorfull light show with the music climbing in crescendo until the last song « Get Ready For Love » and the red and white lights effects at their maximum : Nice sentence for a goodbye !
PS : I was allowed by the security to enter in the audience with my small compact camera (no extra lens; the clips are just filmed with the basic video option) thanks to the management teams who are admitting right now that everybody who has a mobile phone in his pocket has in the same time a camera and a video recorder too. Nice they accepted now my little camera without phone. In fact at the AC/DC’s show in Marseille it was allowed too but I didn’t know it ! I dedicated all these pics and clips to Nick Cave’s and Ed Kuepper’s fans in Australia hoping you could see them Live too one day ! Thanks to Martyn and Gudrun who were my fantastic hosts in Dresden ! Thanks to Ed for everything : terrific to see him again in person and on the stage ! Long Life to the Bad Seeds !! For the European fans, check their tour’s next dates on their myspace pages and don’t miss them !
Meltingpod Connections : Update June 29th
I found Dresden gig’s set list in Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds Forum : Tupelo, Dig Lazarus Dig !!!, Red Right Hand, Deanna, Midnight Man, The Ship Song, Henry Lee, Moonland, The Mercy Seat, Love Letter, There She Goes My Beautiful World, The Weeping Song, Papa Won’t Leave You Henry, Stagger Lee, (encore) Breathless, Straight To You, We Call Upon The Author, Jesus Of The Moon, Get Ready For Love and Lucy !! btw : I’m sure « Get Ready For Love » was the last song though…:)
PS : Thanks to the Queensland Music Festival, Ed’s next act after this tour, who chose my very first video at l’Olympia 2008 to present Ed’s work !!
I had no photo pass, got no interview with Angus Young, sorry but with an invitation in the pocket, dressed in black with my Tatts shirt I was ready to front the big stadium Velodrome in Marseille and welcome these Australian rockers in our town with 50 000 fans !! Who said rock and roll is dead in France !! The biggest moment for me was surely AC/DC‘s entrance on stage; watch this video thanks to a fan : Sex and Rock and Roll…train !!
Obviously there was a locomotive on stage, later a giant plastic Whole Lotta Rosie who rided on it, some excited girls in bra in the audience appeared shortly in the giant screens to cheers of the crowd, then Angus made his own striptease showing us at the end just his tagged underpants,
I danced like a crazy when I heard one of my favorite songs « Shot down in flames » but around me the people looked at me like a Martian…most of them only knew the last album…yeah the true fans were in front of the stage but the security guards didn’t allow me to join them. What can I say : I missed Bon Scott all the time but the Young brothers didn’t disappoint me, Angus was the devil incarnated all the time, even after a 15 mn solo in the middle of the stadium he kept giving and spreading his incredible energy in the show and in the music until the extreme limit.
Brian Johnson made his best though : « It’s rock and roll Marseille » and the public wearing thousands brighting red hornes on the head shouted : « Yeah » !! The band answered with an explosive cocktail : TNT, Highway to Hell, For those about to rock…we salute you !! and Firework !
A great rock and roll show in the tradition : it was the first time I saw AC/DC, I was happy to be there that night. Thanks to my sponsor and to my friend Pirlouiiiit from LiveInMarseille for the nice pics !!
Still a little video for the end ? Angus’ strip tease ?…:) Ok, here you go :
By the way if you want to hear a very special and seducing version from Highway to Hell, listen to the one from Ed Kuepper !! For info, Ed is playing guitar with Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds and touring Europe in a couple of days from June 12th to July 19th ! Try to cross their road if you can !
A little video I filmed during a funny party in Marseille and I chose to publish today to wish my blog Meltingpod a nice 4th anniversary : All their secret rituals will be revealed to you by the Irishmen themselves…at least !!
There even is a special mention to Chris Bailey from the Saints (the first Irishman I met in my life !!), if you’re attentive…:)
This « intercultural » party closed in fact an European one week long exchange between young people coming from Ireland, Spain, Italy and France organized by Eurocircle Marseille in September 2008.
First French Woman in Podcasting – Meltingpod : the Queen of Rock and Roll Podcasters will rock your world Live from Marseille
