Film Review : Mesrine - Public Enemy No 1

I've previously extolled the many virtues of the film which formed the first part of this series. Everything that was present and correct in the first film is similarly so on the follow-up. Nevertheless, it is still a very different movie.

Picking up from where Killer Instinct left off (and making no allowances for those who haven't seen it) it soons become clear that the break in the story made necessary by having to tell it over two movies marks the apogee of Mesrine's career. This movie follow's Mesrine through his last decade to his inevitable demise (and no spoiler there as his ultimate fate was laid out clearly in the opening scene of the first movie - and the aftermath of which is visited here in the opening scene again).

After spending some years in prison Mesrine springs another headline grabbing escape with a new partner. The difference is that now he is a little too taken with his own self-image and the headlines he generates. This comes across humourously in his frequent corrections to the way his name is pronounced, to his tantrums when other crimes or atrocities keep him from centre stage.

His self-delusion leads him to believe he is fighting for the overthrow of the system, and this leads him to other routes and opportunities to create his mayhem.

Of course, whilst this is going on the police are running short of patience and the seeming inability of France to hold him in any of their jails, leads them to forget the finer points of policing in their efforts to stop him.

I'd like to be able to watch the two films back to back. It's a story that would be worth seeing in total but, equally, the two halves to tell a different tale of this fascinating French criminal.

Film Review : The Hurt Locker

In a world where films are accompanied by loads of publicity from getting the greenlight all the way through to its' initial showing, the first I had heard of this particular was when I saw the exemplary review in Empire magazine. Of course, this meant that I turned up at the cinema this morning with a sense of expectation that I might not otherwise have had.

It would be fair to say that the expectation was well and truly met. This is an excellent movie that works just as much on the basis of what it's not, as much as for what it is.

Focusing on an elite Army Bomb squad in Iraq the film focuses on the job that they have to do, the risks that they face each day out on the streets and, ultimately, the effect this has on the soldiers themselves.

It would be wrong to reveal too much of what happens - in some ways, the story is no more and no less than the team getting through about a month of the war in Iraq when that will mean the end of their post.

It's a powerful drama that has you overcome with tension as you get a real sense of the danger that exists in every street, and where lives are at risk all the way. Don't be fooled by the star names appearing in the film - this story isn't about them and they make brief appearances. The focus is very much on the Bomb Techs and the absence of any obvious "star" means that you have no sense of who may or may not get through the month.

The film's effectiveness is magnified because it focuses exclusively on the team, and makes no attempt to questions the rights and wrong of the war that they find themselves a part of. Although set within a current conflagration, the circumstances that the team find themselves in and their varied reactions to it would apply equally in any modern war.

If you're looking for a night's light entertainment then this movie isn't for you. However, if you prefer a meaty drama which tells you something uncomfortable of the world we live in then this film could be for you. I'd certainly recommend it highly.

Film Review : Funny People

I've generally thoroughly enjoyed the films which have been associated with the multi-talented Judd Apatow, although Year One and Step Brothers were notable exceptions to this. The films where has previously taken on the roles of writer, producer and director (The 40 Year Old Virgin and Knocked Up) have managed to be both intelligent and amusing which is a combination often missing in the same film.

On that basis, expectations are high for Funny People where Apatow takes on the full weight of responsibility for the movie. Starring Adam Sandler, the inevitable Seth Rogan alongside Jonah Hill, Jason Schwartzman, Eric Bana and Leslie Mann this is actually a serious film set in the world of stand-up comedy. As such, there are jokes but they are mostly there to expand on characterisation and form more of a backdrop to the tale to be told rather than being the point of the exercise.

Sandler plays comedian George Simmons who has a succesful career as a stand-up comic and actor who discovers that he is suffering from a rare form of leukemia. Whilst undertaking experimental therapy he begins to appreciate the emptiness in his lifestyle and the opportunities missed in life.

Alongside this Messrs Rogan, Hill and Schwatrzman are all on the bottom rung of the ladder desperate to find means to reach the second and subsequent rungs. Simmons takes on Ira Wright (Seth Rogan) firstly as a joke writer and then as his assistant.

The root of the film is the interplay between the experienced and cynical Simmons, and the naive but well-meaning Wright, particularly as the woman spurned enters the fray on the end of a struggling marriage to a man she's convinced is cheating on her (played by Eric Bana as a zen-loving but typically macho Australian)

During all this, Simmons discovers that the unorthodox treatment appears to have been succesful and he has the opportunity to address the inadequacies and the wrong decisions he's made in his life.

Sandler has already demonstrated his ability to play a serious role with some style and he is generally excellent here, and does demonstrate clearly the dichotomy between the melancholy of his circumstance whilst needing to be "on" whenever he meets his public.

So does it compare favourably with the other films mentioned? I'm afraid not. It's a bit overlong and you do struggle to empathise with any of the characters. As noted, the humour is mostly in character and although there are laughs to be had, it mostly demonstrates those involved hiding their personal inadequacies behind a joke.

The ending is a little downbeat as well, and there is only limited resolution for the main characters. As such, it tends to work more as a commentary on the selfishness of the lifestyle of those involved rather than a tale of an individual being given a second chance at life.

Much more of a serious film than his other movies, it's probably best to approach it with this knowledge - for a Friday night, post-office view I was maybe looking for something lighter in tone.

Music Review : Procol Harum - Reclaiming Their Place In History

Procol Harum have been in the news recently as a result of Matthew Fishers' victory in his court case claiming rights as one of the composers of A White Shade Of Pale. This is all very bizarre as the part he claims authorship to (the organ part) is a blatant rip-off of Bach's Air On A G-String. A somewhat bizarre and dangerous judgement in my opinion.

However, something much more important has been happening in the world of Procol Harum and that is the reissue of their complete back-catalogue by Salvo Records. Salvo are a relatively recent label and have already been responsible for excellent reissue campaigns for Slade and The Move. The latter, in particular, were one of the best of the British bands of the 1970's and Salvo are to be complimented for treating their catalogue with the respect and love it undoubtedly deserves. Next up will be Nazareth.

The first seven of Procol Harum's albums are now available and it is more than fair to say that they've been treated to the same exemplary standards. The huge success of A White Shade Of Pale in 1967 did them no favours as the end result appears that they've become one of the crucial bands that history has forgotten, they are so linked with that debut single.

They did seem to me at the time a little po-faced and serious but listening to the albums now suggest I was mistaking that for style and grandeur. What the albums do contain are a series of consistently excellent songs by pianist/vocalist Gary Brooker and his lyricis Keith Reid. They are all very well played by a superior bunch of musicians covering a wide range of styles and subject matters.

Outside of that song, many people may know Procol Harum as the band that Robin Trower used to play with. Over the first five albums, you can feel Trower's influence growing peaking on the excellent Broken Barricades. With hindsight, it's really no surprise that he chose that time to leave for a solo career. Equally, though, I doubt if the band with Trower could have made the live album with the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra or the studio album Grand Hotel which is possibly their masterpiece.

We've still to get the remainder of their Chrysalis years in the 1970's and there's a couple of more recent albums (including a reunion set with Trower) to come as well. In the meantime, you can either bask in the glory of their first seven albums or enjoy the reasonably priced box set that is due out shortly.

And Matthew Fisher has a sole composition credit on the debut album called Repent Walpurgis. It's all classical rip-offs too!

Read All About It...

I consider myself a reasonable voracious reader of both books and magazines. I get a regular group of magazines on a monthly basis which are supplemented by a number of music fanzines. I do like to read these cover to cover (although tending to skim the reviews sections with the exception of Empire where the reviews are a fundamental part of the reason I buy the magazine.

One problem this presents me with is that with other activities I get involved in that finding time to extend my reading beyond my monthly mags to "proper" books can be a bit of a challenge. Mind you, nothing that a modest lottery win and early retirement couldn't resolve!

That being the case, why am I investigating some other magazines with the thought of adding them to the list. (Like most things of this natures, items are easily added but less easily removed!)

An awful lot of the films that I like fall into the SciFi/Fantasy/Comic Book category and there are a number of magazines that cover these areas in more detail, including the source material in books and also some of the areas that follow on - for examples, games and toys (neither of which I'm particularly interested in though). So I thought I'd check out some of the titles to see if they would make worthy additions to my regular purchases.

First up was SFX. It was the content of this magazine that first attracted me and there were a couple of articles of particular interest that parted me from my cash. Overall, the magazine was of a good quality treating the subject matter in an adult manner (which meant that things like games and toys, whilst not entirely ignored, were downplayed).

They do have their own little game on a monthly basis which involves ensuring that the cover stars partially obscure the title making you think it might just say something else. You'll see what I mean by the cover shown.

Overall, I liked this magazine a lot and felt this covered its' subject matter in a matter akin to Empire which I like very much. A good bet then to be that extra magazine but I though it would be worth checking out something else to provide, at the very least, an element of corroboration to that view.

Next up then was SciFi Now which I think plays the role of Total Film to SFX's Empire. The articles are less substantial and there's more focus on the reviews although these are equally less impressive taken as a whole. However, what this magazine does have in its' favour is an excellent archive section where the writing and analysis raise the bar considerably compared to the other parts of the magazine. That on its' own makes it a serious contender. In addition there two particular points that attracted me to the magazine - see if you can spot them from the cover shot shown here!!

Being a glutton for punishment I did notice another magazine going under the title of DeathRay. Duly purchased for a read, I realised that this was a substantial read (dwarfing the other two in terms of content) but that it was a bi-monthly publication. The quality of writing was on a par and perhaps better than SFX, with a good focus on the past to perhaps rival SciFi Now and the added bonus of a couple of short stories by writers of some considerable reputation. It took a fair old while to read it from cover to cover and the two stories were most enjoyable encouraging me to dip into some other material by these authors. Yes - that would be books to add to the existing pile still waiting to be read (to which I added four books today!).

DeathRay is also put to market by the same publishers as the recently launched Filmstar. The look and feel of the magazines are similar so I may investigate this too - although if I do take this it would have to be at the expense of Empire which would make it an extremely tough call.

Rather than make a tough decision, I think I'm likely to add SFX to my monthly purchases at least for a month or two. I will definitely be adding DeathRay to my regular purchases - and hope that it doesn't turn monthly any time soon!

Concert Review : U2 - Under A Dark Grey Sky

It was the turn of U2 to entertain the masses at Hampden Park last night, albeit in competition with the Champions League encounter between Celtic and Arsenal on the other side of the city.

Two weeks ago I hadn't intended to go to this gig (do you still describe events of this magnitude as a mere gig?). I do really like U2 but despite owning all of their albums and concert films I never had any burning desire to see them. Not sure that I can fully articulate why that was the case but it remained the case nevertheless. However, for reasons best known to my inner being, I had checked out the website and noticed that £30 tickets were still available and, more particularly, seats available in one of the upper sections of the South Stand. I've wasted this amount on sillier things in my life so took the plunge.

I ended up going to the show last night with an increasing sense of anticipation. I think this was largely down to my decision to go being almost last minute - so often these days, you buy tickets for these show months in advance and whatever excitement may have accompanied the emptying of your wallet had dissipated with the passing months before the event.

Given my seat I had also downgraded my expectations about how much I was going to see but was more than comforted by the publicity that had accompanied the announcement of the tour as it was clear that the screens would allow a good view of what was going on regardless of how gnomic the band appeared on stage.

Having arrived at Hampden and made my way up the escalators to the section that my seat was in the first surprise that I had was how comfy the seat was and also the presence of quite generous legroom. However, our travel arrangements had proved a little too efficient as we still managed to catch the last number played by the risible Glasvegas. Oh well, I can't get everything right.

The seat gave a grand view of the substantial stage - the main area in the centre with the surrounding walkway linked to the front area by movable runways. The screens were positioned all round the top of the claw structure and allowed a closer feel for what was happening during the show. It also allowed a super view of the crowd packed onto the pitch as well. All in all, one of the best set of cheap seats that I've ever had the pleasure of sitting in.

At just after 2020hrs, U2 took to the stage having been introduced by David Bowie's Space Oddity. Rather audaciously, they opened with four numbers in a row from the latest album, the very fine indeed No Line On The Horizon. After this, Edge started to pick out the opening of Beautiful Day followed by Bono with the first verse. As the chorus approached you really could feel the atmosphere in the stadium and that when the chorus kicked in that the place would explode. It did.

This was followed by a rousing version of Elevation which paved the way for one of the more remarkable incidents in my concert going career. Bono asked for the crowds assistance as Edge played the introduction to I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For - the Hampden Choir may be a little silent at the football these days but the sound of the audience leading the way on this was simply awesome. I'm not sure about the hairs on the back of my neck, but I had more than a tear in my eye. Luckily for those around me, I didn't join in.

The whole show was full of similar incidents. You could see from the crowd on the pitch that the band had the audience by the short and curlies and weren't likely to be letting go any time soon. Even up in the lofty climes of the Upper Tier of the South Stand the place was bouncing. It was, quite simply, a display of pure, unalloyed joy and a hugely emotional experience to be a part of.

All this despite the fact that the sound was a little muddy from our vantage point. Indeed, during a performance of Walk On dedicated to Aung San Suu Kyi the PA gave in leaving the band continuing to perform on stage for a minute or so until the sound was restored.

The individual members of the band made full use of the walkway and it meant that there were occasions when the four musicians were quite considerable distances from one another. This included Larry Mullen during a remix version of I'm Going To Go Crazy If I Don't Go Crazy tonight - all held together by backing rhythm track.

The show moved to a conclusion with a series of the band's prodigious catalogue of anthems. During the encores we got a mix of classics (One, With Or Without You) and lesser known songs (Acrobat, Moment Of Surrender). My only complaint would be that Bono didn't treat the vocals to With Or Without You with appropriate seriousness as he was more intent with playing with the suspended microphone to detriment of his performance.

All in all, a terrific night and I am mightily pleased that I made the decision to go. Now I can't wait for the inevitable concert film from the tour.

Film Review : Inglourious Basterds

Not a film to test your spellchecker out with, Inglourious Basterds is the latest movie by Quentin Tarantino and all of the indications were that this was a movie worth seeing. That rather underplays its' many virtues, as it's a movie that undoubtedly worth seeing a second time (and more!).

I'm not sure if there's anything in the movie that will convert those not already fans of Tarantino's hugely entertaining canon but then again, I can't fully understand anyone who doesn't find something in at least a couple of his movies. There's also nothing here for those that have a dislike of history being messed with - it would be fair to say that just one or two things happen in this movie that didn't happen during the Second World War.

The film itself is made up of two back stories which come together allowing the tale to reach a fiery conclusion. As ever with Tarantino, there's great dialogue along with an ensemble cast who all give terrific performances. Oh yes, and some pretty gross-out violence.

Brad Pitt is great as the gung-ho leader of the Basterds which forms one of the threads, whilst Melanie Laurent leads the other as the surviving daughter of a Jewish family slaughtered by the Nazis. That slaughter was led by Colonel Landa of the SS who is superbly played by Christoph Waltz in the outstanding performance of the movie. In a single scene, he is able to generate both the chills you would expect from the heartless thugs you expect to find and generate laughs.

The film balances some serious(ish) intent with humour throughout. All the main characters find themselves in absurd situations which both provide hearty laughs as well as the move the story along.

The last number of Tarantino's films have played very much to his fanbase (Death Proof plus the two Kill Bills) but this is very much a return to his best form and might even be his best movie.

Now when will I be able to get to see this again?

Film Review : The Time Traveler's Wife

I caught the trailer for this film a few weeks ago and was somewhat taken with the concept of a couple conducting while one of them involuntarily indulges in a little time travel. It certainly brings a whole new meaning to the idea of playing away from home!

They say that you can usually tell what a film will be like when you see the audience. Apart from a handful of older couples, the cinema seemed to be filled entirely with young girls! Being there on my own after work, it certainly made me feel a little like a fish out of water (for want of any other description that may be considered more appropriate!).

I quickly got the impression that what was coming was going to fall into the territory of chick-flick and so it proved. What I had also discovered since seeing the trailer was that the film was based on a highly regarded book with some question marks over its' ability to transfer credibly to the screen.

So how was it. A gentle romance which unfolds over its' 107 minute duration revealing the background to the romance and the circular nature of the story, it was perhaps a little bland despite good performances from the versatile Eric Bana and Rachel McAdams who is beginning to prove that she has something more to offer than her extremely good looks. There are a number of interesting areas where the paradoxes of time travel impact on the lives of others that certainly had me thinking them through as I made my way home after the film had finished.

The film was enjoyable enough but given the high reputation of the book I suspect it won't satisfy the expectations of its' fans. It has, however, made me interested in checking out the book which I suspect will be a better format for developing the themes evident from the film.

Music Review : The Stone Roses - Twenty Years On.....

The Stone Roses debut album is one that's frequently referred to as "the greatest debut album ever made" and even reached the ranks of "the Greatest Album of All Time" in the NME.

We're now twenty years down the road since it was released and perhaps we're now able to look back on the band and their achievements with some perspective. What would certainly have been difficult to predict is the fact that Ian Brown is now a solidly recognised star, and that guitarist John Squire (perhaps the most lauded of the band in their heyday) and drummer Alan "Reni" Wren would have all but dropped out of the music business entirely. More predictable would have been that Gary "Mani" Mounfield's always impressive bass playing would continue to be underpinning a band with the profile of Primal Scream.

Less of now, though - what about then? To celebrate the 20th Anniversary the eponymous debut has been remastered and reissued in the customary multiple formats. For myself, I was happy with the Legacy Edition which contains the original album (plus an extended version of Fool's Gold), an album of demos plus a DVD with the Blackpool show plus promotional videos of most of the singles (including One Love which would otherwise be a notable absentee from the songs were this not the case). The Collectors Edition simply wasn't worth the additional £50-£60 for a vinyl version, USB stick (why?) and an extra disc with both sides of all the Silvertone singles.

So how does it sound? Terrific, to be honest. The project has been overseen by Ian Brown and John Leckie and the album has a much improved bottom end and a sharper sound at the top end which benefits Squire's guitar. There's a power to the music that's not always been so evident in the previous CD editions - and, of course, this is music that has been recycled, reissued and otherwise regurgitated in many forms by Silvertone in the past. Of course, it was a dispute with the label that was partially responsible for the extended length of time before Second Coming appeared, including an infamous court case where the band took out their anger at the company by turning up with paint which was liberally shared round the office but without too much artistic licence being shown. All in all, this can be regarded as the definitive edition - or should that be editions - of this album.

So to the music - does it merit the praise lavished on it over the years. Well, frankly, no it doesn't. That's not to say that it's not a very good album, it's just not a great album. The single are all great, as is I Am The Resurrection and Waterfall but the other tracks are no more than very listenable and passing off a track (Waterfall) in reverse as another cut on the album just strikes me as a band short of good enough material. The Roses' place in history is cemented in history by Fool's Gold which strikes me as a confluence of a band and history passing each other briefly in the night - no more and no less. Subsequent material, specifically One Love and the mediocre Second Coming album suggested that the band were on a downward spiral by the time they hit the heights of popularity.

The album of demos is enjoyable as I tend to find the more direct, and less produced versions of songs that usually populate such ventures. What is emphasised particularly on this is that this was a band with a superb rhythm section and a guitarist who, far from being a guitar hero, knew when not to play and also concentrated on a sound which though not in any way original was a perfect fit for the songs they were playing.

Of course, whatever your view of the Roses and their places in history it's almost taken as read that whatever else Ian Brown was he certainly wasn't a singer. As such, I watched the Blackpool DVD with some trepidation but, to be fair to the guy, his performance is no different than the album would have you expect.

The real tragedy of The Stone Roses is that they seemed incapable of moving on from the first album. It's iconic status is perhaps as much for what might have been, rather than for what was. It's a very good album, as noted, but worthy of the acclaim mentioned in the opening paragraph? No, it's not.

Film Review : Mesrine - Killer Instinct

There's just something about a movie that gets involved with the criminal underclass that helps to ensure that each generation throws up more than its share of classics. From Bonnie & Clyde to The Godfather through to Goodfellas, Scarface to more melancholic fare like Donnie Brasco the whole subject lives in an utterly ambiguous world where you're equally attracted to the romanticism of the lifestlye, the thrills of being on the edge and, ultimately, disgusted (but perhaps not enough) at the sheer disregard of consequences for others that such a lifestyle entails.

The good news is that this film which is the first part of a double header about legendary French criminal Jaques Mesrine looks more than capable of finding itself recalled alongside the best films of this genre.

Featuring the excellent Vincent Cassell in the title role (and he has to be excellent to allow me to forgive him for being the husband of Monica Belluci!) the film traces the journey of Mesrine as a man who fought in Algeria and who subsequently used both his skills and his bottle to develop a reckless and fearsome life of crime involving daring bank raids, audacious jailbreaks, travels into Canadian exile and a developing love of the reputation he gains along the way.

Also featured is French movie icon Gerard Depardieu as the local "godfather" under whose tutelage Mesrine builds his reputation and who ultimately contributes to his mentors' inevitable demise.

Having subsequently investigated some of the real Mesrine's exploits the film does appear to break at an appropriate point. However, it is very much Part 1 of the story - the film doesn't really make any concessions to trying to stand up on it's own account (like, for examples, Stephen Soderbergh's two films on key parts of the life and legend of Che Guevara).

The next part is due out on 21 August and I am really looking forward to seeing the conclusion - if it maintains the exceptionally high standard of this first part then its' recognition as a classic is all but assured.

Film Review : The Taking Of Pelham 123

This picture has generated a lot of comment on the basis that it is a remake of a much loved movie from the 1970's which is a decade where many classic movies that were worth rewatching were made. I'd suggest that movies which fall into this category are rather similar to books which frequently draw critical comments from fans of the original - if you're heavily invested in the original in whatever form it takes either lower your expectations (which are likely to be too high to ever be matched) or give it a miss.

I'm not encumbered with solidly held views on the original which featured Walter Matthau and Robert Shaw. I'm sure I've seen it as the premise was more than familiar to me, but I can't recall any of the detail of the movie. This meant I had the benefit of entering the cinema without the presence of the original looming over me.

The other factor (and about which less has been made in reviews) is the fact that this movie is directed by Tony Scott. Scott is a very stylised director and makes very flashy, visually arresting films which can also be described as an acquired taste. Indeed, it has often been suggested that some of his films are just that.

All of that is present and correct in Pelham 123 but we are also blessed with the presence of Denzel Washington and John Travolta who are both actors more than capable of matching the visual pizazz offered up by Scott. The relationships that develops between the protagonists during the film is what provides this film with its' spine and keeps a reasonable level of suspense. I'm not sure to what extent this was also covered in the original movie, but it turns out to be a tale of redemption for one of the characters (and, no, you probably don't have to guess which one that is).

All in all, a most enjoyable movie that's certainly not a classic by any manner of means but still better than some of the more mean-spirited reviews that it has received.

Concert Review : Another Bruce in Glasgow

Last night saw Jack Bruce play a hometown gig in Glasgow in the company of Robin Trower and Gary Husband. Bruce had recorded a couple of albums with Trower in the early 1980's and recently resumed their partnership with the fine album Seven Moons.

Whilst it's easy to suggest that this is simply a rerun of the power trio setup, it does have to be said that Robin Trower does bring something different to the format. In comparison to his more famous compatriot in Bruce's past history there is a funkiness to his playing that Clapton can't match and which helped light up a number of the songs played.

The set was largely based around the Seven Moons album with a couple of tracks from the earlier collaboration. There are some things that can't be avoided and we also got Sunshine Of Your Love, We're Going Wrong, White Room and Politician - the last two as closing number of the main set and encore respectively - from the Cream back catalogue. The different qualities offered by Trower were more evident in these numbers. Although recognisably the classics that they are, there was a sufficient twist to make them more than worthwhile contributions and, as such, made them so much more than just trotting out the hits.

Jack was on strong voice all night, and you really do have to see him perform to appreciate the different approach he has to bass playing to so many of his colleagues. It makes you appreciate just why so many copyists of Cream and the power trio format just can't pull it off - he's a pretty unique player imposing his style on the music played. That's something that's not up for repetition in less skilled hands.

The concert was in the O2 Academy and whilst reasonably busy, there were still tickets at the door. I suspect that a man with Bruce's history really should be better loved by his hometown, but he seemed to be having a good time and seemed genuinely appreciative of the love showed to him from the audience.

I was particularly pleased as I had expected this to be an all-standing show, but the seats were set up in the front area and were available on an unallocated basis (perhaps that was a tactic to "fill out" the hall if ticket sales hadn't met expectations). Consequently I ended up in the third row.

Support was provided by Joanne Shaw Taylor. I had noticed her from an article in last month's Classic Rock - to be more precise, I noticed her picture as she is an extremely attractive woman!! However, she plays a mean blues guitar and has an excellent singing voice as well. Her CD was purchased and autographed and I'm able to confirm that she's just as attractive up close too!! Well worth catching if she's in your area.

Ian Hunter Gets Captured By The Game (with apologies to Smokey Robinson)

I've waxed enthusiastically elsewhere on this blog about the prospect of Mott The Hoople reuniting for some gigs. As the better informed amongst you will know, these gigs are happening with five shows at the Hammersmith Apollo in early October.

Despite my enthusiasm, I won't be attending the gigs as they are just happening in London. However, I feel sure that they will be filmed and those of us outside of London or with insufficiently deep pockets will get the chance to enjoy the event.

What is most interesting about this reunion is that it's happening alongside a remarkable resurgence in the profile of Ian Hunter who, at the age of 70, is on something of a hot streak with his writing and performing at a level of quality and consistency that you might argue he's never quite been able sustain previously in his long career. He also seems to look better now in his advancing years than he did when Mott were at their post-ATYD peak.

His latest album, Man Overboard, follows on relatively shortly after Shrunken Heads and both are excellent albums full of quality songs with pithy lyrics and backed by a superb band marshalled by Andy York.

It seems from recent interviews that Hunter took a long, hard look at his life following the death of his long term colleague Mick Ronson and realised that he'd been perhaps been selling his gift a little short. Since then his creative juices have been flowing more freely, and his touring workrate has been enviable for a man his age (and one who is not able to revel in the luxury available to the major bands which seems to take a lot of the drudgery out of the gigging experience).

Whilst both Rant and Shrunken Heads generated positive reviews, it seems to have been the release of the new album allied with the Mott reunion that has sparked a considerable increase in his profile in the music press. This is one of the more welcome features of 2009 and it a joy to me as a long term fan to see Ian get the credit that he so richly deserves.

And I do still hope that they find room for The Moon Upstairs, The Journey and Thunderbuck Ram in the Hammy Apollo shows!

What I Surrounded Myself With On Holiday

I'm just back from a relaxing week in Ireland - to be more precise in Cushendall on the Antrim Coast. As much of a family visit (my wife's mother and brother live over there) as a holiday we had rented a rather lovely holiday flat for the week as the picure below shows. The weather was a little iffy but this did not cause too much concern on my part, not least as in my advancing years my need for activity on holiday diminishes and the availability of books to read and a ready supply of liquid sustenance (and that's usually coffee!) is good enough for me.


There was one considerable additional attraction to our home for the week and that was the presence of a 5.1 Surround Sound system. Much as I love movies I've not yet indulged in a home surround system and have been a little sceptical of the benefits of this to music. For the latter, I remain wedded to the view that I'm (at least in theory) listening to a performance by a band where I'm in the audience and they are on stage in front of me, and not surrounding me. In other words, my preference seems to sound very much like stereo

Conclusions? Mixed, I think.

The live concert DVD's I took along with me (all Bruce Springsteen as it happens) did not much more than to give an expanded version of the Stereo soundstage. The back channels were not much more than the sound of the audience and it did give some impression of sitting in a concert hall right down to, rather bizarrely in my opinion, the echo of the drums coming off the back wall! As such, much of the music was drenched in a greater amount of echo than is the case for the stereo mix.

I also took Brian Wilson's DVD's of SMiLE and That Lucky Old Sun. Although live performances (and I remain of the view that there has been an element of post-performace sweetening) these were set out with a view to recording and so are not the same as a live concert as such. My first disappointment was in being reminded that my version of SMiLE was a Region 1 disc so it would not play. That Lucky Old Sun was able to play and was thoroughly enjoyable but I'm not sure how much of a benefit there was to my ears - it certainly put you in the middle of the stage but that does seem a false place to be when listening to music.

I had also taken the 40th anniversary DVD of Pet Sounds and this was most interesting as the 5.1 mix allowed a better seperation of the instruments from the voices. If anything would encourage me to invest in surround sound this would have been the best advocate amongst the things I took along.

I did have another disappointment when listening to the DVD of the The Beatles' Love album - this plays as a continuous edit but there were gaps between the tracks which broke the magic of this album and I must confess that I didn't listen to it fully.

At this point in time, I think home surround sound is grand for movies (and probably those of a particular kind with lots of effects) but I think the jury remains out for music.