Another “Haunted Retro” video - yet more no budget fun, different to yesterday’s Gary War clip, but complimentary. This was directed by Wayne Coyne of the Flaming Lips, when Ariel Pink’s Haunted Graffiti supported them on a US tour last year. It was shot on an iPhone and after-effected by George Salisbury of Delo Creative. All notes for this video say the effects don’t come through fully due to YouTube bitrate-compression. Trippy!
 

You can find this tune on the latest Haunted Graffiti album Before Today (4AD). This short spell of “Haunted Retro” concludes with tomorrow’s post, part two of the made-up genre overview with Nite Jewel, Glass Candy and more.

This is an interesting concept - a group of people come together to listen to a particular album, in its entirety from start to finish, on a state of the art PA, with no talking or phones allowed. It’s pure appreciation of an album - its track list and running order, listened to in the format the artist intended. No skipping, shuffling or fast-forwarding. This kind of thing doesn’t really have a name yet, but “record club” (like “book club”) is probably a good place to start.

Classic Album Sundays is just such a group, put together by the well known DJ Cosmo, aka Colleen Murphy, who cut her teeth at David Mancuso’s legendary Loft parties in New York. From the BBC:

This monthly club in north London is run by Colleen Murphy and for her it is a strike against “‘download culture”, the sense that music has just become an endless compilation of random songs used as background noise.

“Everyone, stop multi-tasking, sit down, open your ears and do some heavy listening.”

The set album this month was Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars. We sat in silence even as David Bowie’s record was turned over to side two. The seats were soft, someone had lit some incense. Some people closed their eyes, others nodded in rhythmic appreciation. There was a sense of being collectively submerged in Bowie’s music.

“You’re not even allowed to use the bathroom here, it’s too noisy,” says Ms Murphy.

This raises some interesting issues. Personally, I like having the freedom to skip and choose tracks to listen to, as I see fit. For me there are very few albums that are worth gluing your ears to from start to finish. That’s not to say they don’t exist, but the “album” is a superficial format imposed on music only in the last half-century. I find individual songs to be more important, something I guess I have picked up from dance and dj culture. Or maybe I just have a low boredom threshold.

Listen to an audio report from BBC News on Classic Album Sundays.

 
Having more in common with the MC5 than the British Invasion groups, Coventry, England’s raw and explosive The Boys Blue shoulda been contenders. This 1966 performance on Italy’s Studio Uno TV program is dynamite. Lead singer Jeff Elroy (looking a bit like Arthur Lee) had a great voice, cool moves and star power. 

The Boys Blue released one single in 1965: “Take Heart”/“You Got What I Want.” The record failed to become a hit and the band faded into obscurity. Too bad. These guys had IT.
 

 
Rock impresario, record producer with the Midas touch and the unquestionably the most boring and wooden TV presenter of all time, Don Kirshner, known to millions as the host of late-night 70s TV show, Don Kirshner’s Rock Concert has died at the age of 76 of heart failure.

In the 1950s, Don Kirshner was co-owner of Aldon Music, a New York-based music publishing company that employed or had under contract, many of the most important songwriters of the “Brill Building” school, including Barry Mann, Cynthia Weil, Carole King, Gerry Goffin, Neil Sedaka, Howard Greenfield and Jack Keller. Throughout his long career Kirshner was most closely associated with Bobby Darin, Neil Diamond, Carole King, Kansas and of course, The Monkees and “The Archies.”

In 1973, he produced and hosted Don Kirshner’s Rock Concert, a 90-minute syndicated show that featured bands that you never would have seen on American television otherwise. On Rock Concert, America first saw acts like Sparks, Queen, Marc Bolan and T-Rex, Kiss, Cheap Trick, The New York Dolls and many, many, many others. It ran until 1981. Kirshner’s notoriously uncharismatic stage presence was mercilessly lampooned on Saturday Night Live by Paul Shaffer.

Below, the Ramones on Don Kirshner’s Rock Concert in 1977. Where ELSE would you have seen this on American TV at the time?
 

 
You don’t say, Lord Jim (if that’s really who you are). I would have never guessed.

“After a couple of days, your friends will think you always had a head of natural hair.”

(via Everlasting Blort)

 
Five foot one and 240 lbs.

Shocking video of a grossly overweight Iggy Pop performing “Lust For Life.”
 

 
Actually, this is Dutch actor Frank Lammers doing a spot on imitation of what Iggy would look like if he morphed into late period Elvis.

 

 
 
 

 
More at Cinesex and X-Rated

 
According to the gospel of Saint Anthony H. Wilson, Manchester, England, was the center of the universe during the 1980s and 1990s. Not only for its music, its talent, its imagination, and sheer brass neck, but also because it had the Haçienda, the fabled night club where you could see Madonna one night and William Burroughs the next.

Designed by Ben Kelly, The Haçienda opened its doors on Friday May 21st 1982. Owned by Factory Records and New Order (the latter plowed most of their earnings into the venue), it was given the Factory catalog number FAC51. The mix of who played there reads like an A & R man’s wet dream and included, New Order, The Happy Mondays, The Smiths, OMD, The Birthday Party, Husker Du, The Stone Roses, Oasis, James, Echo and The Bunnymen, A Certain Ratio, and Divine, amongst others. Mike Pickering, Graeme Park and Dave Haslam were host DJ’s, and in the late 1980s and 1990s, the club was the catalyst for Madchester - the music and drug fueled Second Summer of Love.

Yet, as it is said, all good things must end and the Haçienda closed down in 1997; and the club was demolished to make way for “luxury apartments” in 2002.

When Peter Hook (legendary bass-player with Joy Division and New Order), guest-blogged on the NME back in 2009, he recalled his top 10 Haçienda memories. At number three, was William Burroughs performance at The Haçienda, October 1982, of which Hooky wrote:

“That was one of those nights when there was hardly anyone in but it was quite intense because of what William Burroughs was doing. The funny thing was that one of Joy Division’s first gigs abroad was with William Burroughs, a William Burroughs evening in the Plan K in Belgium so we had a little bit of history with him ‘cos he’d told Ian to fuck off when he asked for a free book. Even at The Haçienda I didn’t ask for a free book either. I was as scared of William Burroughs as he was.

Burroughs was always impressive when presenting his work on stage, and this clip, posted by orange object, is a great piece of pop and literary culture.
 

 
Previously on DM

Divine performs in front of stunned punks in Manchester, England, 1983

 
Thanks for clearing that up, the Mirror! It all makes sense now. 

(via Das Kraftfuttermischwerk)

 
I’m pretty sure most people have seen this incredibly creepy John Wayne Gacy-esque Mr. Rogers clip before. However, I had no idea how many “evil’ Mr. Rogers videos existed on YouTube! If you’re curious to see more (sure you are), I’ve compiled a few for your viewing pleasure below:

Mr. Rogers is an Evil Man
Mr. Rogers: Private swimming lessons with an underage minor
Slug: Crawl (aka Here and Now)
Scary Mister Rogers
Mr. Rogers: Hugs From Hell
Mr. Rogers’ Satanic Neighborhood
Mr. Rogers LOL
Howard Stern on Mr. Rogers Quotes

(via Certified Bullshit Technician )