One more Monkees-related post: a seldom-seen clip of them (sans Peter) performing “Nine Times Blue” in 1969 on The Johnny Cash Show. And let’s not forget that “The Man in Black” was born today in 1932.
 

 
John Kowalski and Rian Trench formed Solar Bears in 2009, after they met at college. Their connection was a liking for world cinema, Andrei Tarkovsky, Stanley Kubrick, and science fiction. Their influences came from electronica, Death in Vegas, Primal Scream, and film composers like John Barry, John Carpenter, Ennio Morricone, George Delerue, Vangelis and Gorgio Moroder. All of which filters thru their work and tells you everything you need to know about their sound. Listening to Solar Bears is like listening to a beautiful and compelling soundtrack to a brilliant, cult sci-fi film:

...a mix of programming, acoustic instruments, synths and vintage tape machines. The freeform approach of their writing and recording lends itself to varying tones and colours. Tracks often have differing sound sources from each other creating a unique musical experience.

In September 2010, Solar Bears released their debut album She Was Coloured In. It was impressive stuff, a fabulous mix of sci-fi pop and pulsating soundscapes, which lead Obscure Sound to write:

...the duo are clearly masters of believable soundscapes, and their elaborate songwriting and production really go a long way in separating Solar Bears from the masses of atmospherically-dependent electronic artists.

While the Pitchfork said:

..the very best stuff on She Was Coloured In manages to touch all the bases, using the low-key moments for atmosphere and juicing them up with stylish genre tweaks. “She Was Coloured In” pulses with a progged-out, psychedelic energy, while “Crystalline (Be Again)” is a delicate club jam that oozes late-era New Order. Highlight “Dolls” ambitiously drags bleary, wistful keys and strings through an epically aggressive trip-hop suite, followed by an anthemic final act. In these moments, She Was Coloured In really pops; the mysteries of the universe as imagined in a pulp novel seem to come into focus.

It’s a fine album and Solar Bears are well worth getting to know, so here for your edification and delight are a selection of their tracks, some of which have been married to clips from the films The Planet of the Apes, Alejandro Jodorowsky’s Holy Mountain and Fantastic Planet. Enjoy.
 

 
Bonus clips form Solar Bears, after the jump…
 

 
Well, I say in full, but this is actually the shorter US edit, which cuts out twenty odd minutes of the film. Gone are most of the scenes between David Hemmings and Daria Nicolodi, which are actually quite sweet and charming, and add to whatever vague arc these characters are meant to have. This isn’t a great transfer (with a fair amount of color loss) but if you haven’t seen this before it’s worth a watch. The brutality is intact, and most importantly so is the soundtrack by Goblin. It’s one of those films that is worth watching just for the music.

The Profondo Rosso score is as good as any score that came out in the 70s. Yes, that’s saying a lot, as the mid-to-late 70s were a golden age of soundtracks—from Blaxploitation to John Williams to big commercial hits like The Exorcist/Tubular Bells, Grease and Saturday Night Fever—but with its combination of horror-atmospherics and tightly woven sleuth-funk it’s truly brilliant.

If Dario Argento is anything, he’s a master of atmosphere, and it seems obvious to say that he was at his zenith when he worked with Goblin. Profondo Rosso is the first fruits of that collaboration, and while they may have topped it with their work together on Suspiria, this is still a filmic landmark.
 

 
Goblin’s Profondo Rosso - The Complete Edition is available to buy on CD.

Deep Red has just been released on Blu-Ray, you can find it here.

 
The New York Dolls are playing two nights in an “exclusive London venue” on the 30 and 31 March 2011, to promote their new album Dancing Backwards in High Heels.

MOF Artist and Events ltd have teamed up with the Old Vic to produce a series of events “in a raw and outstanding space below London’s Waterloo station.” The events will take place in the Old Vic Tunnels, a series of red brick tunnels running underneath the main railway station. From here, MOF and the Old Vic will be showcasing a range of “profile artists, with one off shows, album releases, secret gigs & afterparties.”

To launch our unique event series, we are excited to present, original punk/glam instigators The New York Dolls promoting the UK release of their new album: Dancing Backwards in High Heels (produced by Jason Hill of the Killers, released Monday, March 14th)

These intimate shows are the only London dates of their short UK tour. (their last small venue show in London’s 100 Club sold out in 4 minutes)

Legendary guitarist Earl Slick, best known for his spectacular guitar work on David Bowie’s albums David Live (1974), Young Americans (1975) and Station To Station (1976), has officially joined the New York Dolls as the bands new guitarist on their exclusive London shows.

The New York Dolls’ fifth studio album, Dancing Backward In High Heels has received some very positive reviews:

New York Dolls are back on fantastic creative form with their wonderful new album, Dancing Backward In High Heels, which was recorded and mixed in sunny Newcastle – miles from their home in New York City…

The Dolls have proved that they can still produce an enjoyable, rocking album that does not show off their age at all. In comparison, they make their younger counterparts sound dull and dreary. With an upcoming UK tour, there is no stopping the original New York punk band.

Here are four tracks from the new album, and one golden oldie. For more information on The Dolls’ London gigs, check here.
 

New York Dolls - “Streetcake” (2011)
 

New York Dolls - “Round and Round She Goes” (2011)
 

New York Dolls - “I Sold My Heart to the Junkman” (2011)
 

New York Dolls - “Baby Tell Me What I’m On” (2011)
 

New York Dolls - “Jet Boy” (1973)
 
Previously on DM

All Dolled Up with The New York Dolls

 
These video paintings were created in 1984 by Brian Eno with friend, photographer and actress Christine Alcino as his subject. The soundtrack is from Eno’s Thursday Afternoon album which he produced with Daniel Lanois.

The visuals are as ambient as Eno’s music and move with a kind of meditative pace and therefore are best appreciated when you can pay close attention to them.
 

 
A reworking of The Orb’s “Little Fluffy Clouds” by Alan Parker, Urban Warrior (aka Simon Munnery).

 
Sad news, indeed, the former lead singer of punk pioneers X-Ray Spex, one of the most distinctive front-women of the punk era, Poly Styrene (real name Marian Joan Elliott-Said) is battling cancer, From her website:

It comes as a huge shock to all those who know Poly Styrene.

Poly has been diagnosed with cancer and is currently undergoing various treatments in her battle with this illness.

She is devastated that she cannot commit to any live dates at this stage, but her album remains a very positive force in her current journey.

“It’s been a bit of a battle fighting this cancer but hey ho I’m still alive, Luv Poly x”

Best wishes to the vocalist of “Oh Bondage! Up Yours!” (which I used in the Disinformation TV show incidentally). Poly Styrene’s new album is the critically acclaimed Generation Indigo. Wish her well on her Facebook page and consider buying her album. MOJO and Option magazines both loved it.
 

 
Yes, that’s THE Goblin, Italian prog supremos and soundtrack authors of Suspiria, Dawn Of The Dead, Tenebrae, Deep Red and more. Not only will this be the first time the band have played in Scotland and the North-West, but this will be their first shows in the UK featuring founder member Claudio Simonetti.

I know, right?! I haven’t been as excited about a gig in years!

OK, I know this is only relevant to readers in the UK, but amazingly there are tickets left for both shows (why haven’t they sold out?), so if you live in Newcastle/Gateshead or Glasgow, there’s still time to catch the band in action. I’ve had my ticket for ages - it wasn’t cheap but it wasn’t extortionate (£22 inc booking fee - it’s cheaper in Gateshead) and this is GOBLIN we’re talking about here. Beloved of horror afficianados, prog rock fans, electronica and dance artists, break spotters, goths, metal-heads, sleuths, zombie hunters and Black Forest headmistresses alike.
 
 
 
Tonight Goblin play at The Sage in Gateshead, with support from Warm Digits.

Tomorrow they play The Arches in Glasgow, as part of the city’s Film & Music Festival, with a special occult-cinema manifestation from the band OV.

Tickets are available directly from the venues (follow the links above) or from Ticketmaser (here’s links to The Sage and The Arches).
If you don’t go, here is what you are missing:
 
Goblin - “Tenebrae” live in Paris 2009
 

 
Goblin - “Suspiria” live in London 2009
 

 
Goblin - “Profondo Rosso” aka “Deep Red” live in Paris 2009
 

 
Previously on DM:

 
“Murmurs Of Middle-Earth,” a new work in progress from Australia-based remix wizard Pogo, is one of the sweeter things I’ve heard in the past couple of days. Pogo is a bit of a one trick pony, but I like the trick and still find it alluring.

Pogo, Nick Bertke, will be kicking off a tour of the USA in March. I’m wondering how his work will translate to a live context. Word is he’ll be at SXSW and if so I’ll be there to see for myself.
 

 
Via Pogo

 
Zimoun is a simply wonderful Swiss installation artist that I’ve blogged about previously. Here is some of his quite recent work from shows in San Francisco and Quebec. Somehow the combination of the soft, yet industrial materials amassed in large numbers coupled with the live acoustics leads one to think of any combination of rain, the purring of cats or distant, menacing drummers.
 

 


 
More Zimoun installation clips after the jump…