There's a bit in High Fidelity (the book not the movie, but that's another story) where the main character, Rob, meets some friends of his girlfriend, he says their record collection. He's horrified. And he's horrified that he was tricked into liking people with such poor taste in music.
Rob was a music snob. It was something I could relate to. Whilst not as extreme as Rob, back in my younger days I think I would have rather dated a Gooner fan than somebody with poor musical taste. Oh who am I kidding, beggars can't be choosers. Back then I would have dated a drug addicted-young Liberal-Gooner fan-with poor musical taste. Ok maybe that is an exaggeration, as I'm sure I'd of drawn the line at a young Liberal.
When I met Lisa she had some pretty great taste in music (well at least our tastes were pretty similar). She was a big fan of The Jesus and Mary Chain. She was way ahead of them with me, as it took me years to realise how good they were. Nowadays our musical tastes don't seem to match at all, well apart from older bands. For newer stuff there isn't much in common. I played Lisa some Courtney Barnett the other day, and it's fair to say we won't be seeing her at the Enmore in January, together. And I can barely tolerate some of Lisa's favourites like Pink or Linkin Park or Blink 182 (they have the odd song that isn't too bad). I think the only band I don't cringe when Lisa puts them on are the Killers.
After getting married I combined our record collections. We only has 3 albums in common. I think one was probably Duran Duran's first album. Not sure what one was, possibly it was Frankie Goes To Hollywood's 'Welcome To The Pleasuredome'. One we definitely both owned was 'Sleepless' by the Ups & Downs, which considering of how few copies of that album would have been sold, was rather remarkable.
It never quite happened for Ups & Downs. They were the sort of band I could imagine doing well on the indie and mainstream stages, getting airplay on Triple J and Triple M, say like Powderfinger. But the closest they got to getting played on Triple M was one of their songs was used in a promo and they were playing on some cruise that Triple M was giving tickets in some contest. They also didn't become really big on the indie scene.
They were part of close to the best concert I've been to, at Selina's with Caligula, the Falling Joys, the Clouds and Ratcat. The fact that they were the first or second band on gives some idea of how far down the totem pole they were.
I know Ups and Downs have reformed and play the occasional gig. Last year they supported the Wonder Stuff, but I didn't know a lot of stuff of the Stuffies, so we didn't go. Anyway last month they supported Painters & Dockers
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Ups & Downs and Painters & Dockers at the Factory Theatre, Marrickville.
It was one of those rare occasions where you go to a concert mainly to see the support band. I had wanted to stand near the front, but Lisa wasn't keen after we got a bit crushed seeing the Stranglers, (which wasn't helped by some woman who decided to stick her arm out stiff at 90 degrees from her waist which she dug into my ribs. For goodness sake if you want to stand at the front of a Stranglers concert, you should know things will get boisterous when they play 'No More Heroes'). I tried to convince her this would be much more sedate. However Lisa had worked that day and we stood near the back.
U&D played their set of about 10 songs. They played everything you would expect and finished with my favourite of their songs 'Travelling'. Anyway they were thoroughly enjoyable. Even if I didn't like Painters & Dockers I'd have considered it a decent night.
This was P&D's first concert in Sydney in about 20 years. I didn't know a lot of their songs. I knew 'Nude School' and 'Die Yuppie Die' which not only tells you a bit about their outlook on life, but also what era they were from. Anyway during the night, I realised I knew a few more like 'Eat Shit Die' and 'New World Order'.
What I also found out was that they were unexpectedly funky. That is Maynard F# Crabbes in the snazzy suit on the sax. During the show a largish woman, maybe in her late 30s or 40s got onto the stage from the back. She was dancing happily along. Then she sprinted to the front of the stage and absolutely flew into the crowd. Oh wow. I hadn't seen stage diving in about 20 years. Anyway during the show they bought lots of the audience onto the stage to either sing or dance. There was a fair bit more stage diving, including from the woman who started it. Once again Lisa was right, it was lucky we weren't at the front.
I thoroughly enjoyed it. Our friend Linda enjoyed it. Some blokes I know from trivia and the Western Sydney Wanderers loved it. A woman from work really enjoyed it. Lisa's verdict: she couldn't stand Painters & Dockers one little bit.
On the way home we listened to some Taylor Swift. It was lucky I met Lisa in 1989 and not in 2015.
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Morrissey - Sydney Opera House May 31st.
I think like most Morrissey fans, I came to love him when he was in the Smiths. And some of his early solo stuff was fantastic.
When you see anybody who has released an album in the last year or so, you know there will be a fair bit from that, and that is fair enough. And when you see a band or singer who has had a longer career I don't expect them to do all of their older stuff (but Kevin Rowland I do expect you to do 'Geno'. You only had 2 hits. Play both of them you arrogant twat).
I would have thought we would have got a set with 3 or 4 Smiths song and about the same of his early stuff. We got one Smiths song, 'Meat Is Murder' of course, you know this will get a run at all of his concerts. No 'Stop Me If You Think You've Heard This One Before' or 'That Joke Isn't Funny Anymore' or 'Sweet & Tender Hooligan' or 'Shoplifters Of The World Unite'. The Smiths have 'Best ofs' with 40 songs and there is hardly a poor song on them, with plenty of goods songs missing. But we only got to hear one of them.
From his early stuff he played 'Suedehead' and 'Everyday Is Like Sunday'. Both are fantastic songs especially the latter of the two. No 'Alsatian Cousin', or 'The Last Of The Famous International Playboys' or 'Interesting Drug' or 'Our Frank'.
He didn't even play his two big hits (both top 10 in the UK) from his second last album. 'Irish Blood, English Heart' might only be second behind 'Meat Is Murder' is defining who Morrissey is and what he stands for. It's a fantastic song. Morrissey has suffered claims for years about being racist. These are claims he strongly denies, although his stated views on reggae and songs like 'Bengali In Platforms hardly help his cause.
From 'Irish Blood, English Heart'.
I've been of a time when
to be English is not to be baneful
to be standing by the flag, not feeling shameful,
racist or partial
He also didn't play 'First Of The Gang To Die' (although he did play it on some other nights in Sydney). This is simply a fantastic song, close to his best ever solo song and stacks up well against anything the Smiths did. To take a song on such a serious subject (gang violence) and set in a pop song. And Morrissey makes his view on the subject crystal clear.
Besides the songs already mentioned only 'Ganglord' stood out.
Also Morrissey didn't seem in a great mood. I think the only interaction with the audience was to introduce the band halfway through the set and when he started to tell a story near the end of the concert, when I assume he got interrupted and wouldn't finish the story.
All-in-all it was probably my second least favourite concert I've ever been to, behind only a stinker many years ago from the Smashing Pumpkins (they at least had an excuse. They has stopped their tour due to some emergency. We saw them on the first night back).
In a 21 song set there just wasn't enough good songs played, which is staggering considering how many great songs he has made.
