Rastaman Vibration (Bob Marley & The Wailers: Exodus)

"Axe-Ceee-Dos! Movement of Jah people!" Not very many people can sing with a thick, indecipherable accent & make it sound fooking cool, but Bob Marley is one of em. Was just jammin' to this masterclass of an album over the weekend & never ceases to amaze me just how utterly fooking brilliant this album still sounds today.

And what is even more amazing, there are music fans who are NOT moved by this man's genius. Better yet are those who give the "one or two songs, ok lar" response when all they've heard is bloody Buffalo Soldier & No Woman, No Cry.

This album rocks with a vitality & energy that give all the songs here an urgency that is quite simply illuminating. Maybe, it was the fact this was recorded shortly after a Marley was shot in an assassination attempt. Maybe, it was some fooking super-strength gun jah. Whatever the muse, Exodus is a prime example of a musician touched by a higher power. Me remembers watching a vid of him laying down the vocal tracks to Could You Be Loved clad in only a singlet & sandals, and me kids you not, you could literally see an aura around his dreadlocks.

Me truly hopes those who don't own a copy to take the time to download this absolute gem of an album. As the cliche goes, every home should have one . . .

As usual, me looks forward to reading yer comments on the LP as well as yer fave Marley moments. Below is a typically scintillating performance of the title track in California, 1979. Irrreeeeeee, maaan!


ps: Fer more info, click here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Exodus_(album)

pps: Track listing: Natural Mystic" – 3:28; "So Much Things to Say" – 3:08;
"Guiltiness" – 3:19; "The Heathen" – 2:32; "Exodus" – 7:39; "Jamming" – 3:31; "Waiting in Vain" – 4:15; "Turn Your Lights Down Low" – 3:39; "Three Little Birds" – 3:00; "One Love/People Get Ready" (Marley, Curtis Mayfield) – 2:53

Breaking Glass - RIP JG Ballard

"In his vision of a car crash with the actress, Vaughan was obsessed by many wounds and impacts--by the dying chromium and collapsing bulkheads of their two cars meeting head-on in complex collisions endlessly repeated in slow-motion films, by the identical wounds inflicted on their bodies, by the image of windshield glass frosting around her face as she broke its tinted surface like a death-born Aphrodite, by the compound fractures of their thighs impacted against their handbrake mountings, ban above all by the wounds to their genitalia, her uterus pierced by the heraldic beak of the manufacturer's medallion, his semen emptying across the luminescent dials that registered forever the last temperature and the fuel levels of the engine." - excerpt from Crash (1973).

Anyone who can make a car crash sound erotic & horrific at the same time is pretty fooking cool by me.

RIP - James Graham Ballard (November 15, 1930 - April 19, 2009).

ps: Fer more info, see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J._G._Ballard .

Free Sounds fer the Weekend - Godflesh!!!

Just goes to show just how out of touch me has been with extreme music is the fact that me wasn't even aware of the existence of a dub mix album of Godflesh's Songs of Love & Hate despite it being out there fer over a decade. (It was recently re-released as a two disc box set alongside the original long player).

Thanx to the joys of the Internet, me not only found out bout it but also got to download both albums. Those not familiar with Godflesh, just imagine one of those concrete steamrollers slowly grinding away & flattening the inner highways of yer cranium.

Slow, heavy, doom-laden sounds fer a wasted industrial age. Fer a traditionalist like who likes to see four-, six-strings & two sticks in band, me was pretty fooking blown away with what a couple of noiseniks could achieve with a drum machine. Of course, Godflesh went on to become an underground sensation paving the way fer the likes of Ministry, Pitchshifter & KMFDM.

So fer yer enjoyment this weekend, me presents to you a double download package. Both the original album & its dub companion.

To download Godflesh's Songs of Love & Hate (1996), go to:
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=5AM0LV11

To download Godflesh's Song of Love & Hate in Dub (1997), please click here: http://www.megaupload.com/?d=L1KFZK6W

Enjoy!



ps: This posting is especially fer El Premo!

pps: Anyone interested in downloading this Brimingham outfit's entire output, please visit: http://angrychairs.blogspot.com/2009/04/godflesh-discography.html

Everyone's a critic . . .

"Her face not so cantik la, I have seen prettier examples." - Madam O

"Her body out of shape a bit la." - Fat Boy Georgie

And who were they talking about? None other than Salman Rushdie's ex-paramour, Padma effing Laxmi!!!

Fer fook's sake, everyone's a critic these days . . .

ps: Yer cordially invoted to post yer comments (after wiping away drool) . . .

In Remembrance - Hillsborough

Forget the disappointment of this morning's titanic struggle at The Bridge. We tried, we lost. Life goes on. But fer 96 souls, life certainly did not go on 20 years ago in what was supposed to be an afternoon of exhilarating footie.

What should have been a great day out fer those Kopites witnessing arguably the best Liverpool team of all time turned into tragedy at the dilapidated Lepping Lanes stand at Hillsborough just before the FA Cup semi between us & Forest.

Till today, many pertinent issues remain unanswered as well as many grieving families having no closure on this horrible episode. Me recalls watching the chaos unfold on telly but was none the wiser to the events until the casualties were reported the next day. It was sickening to think that an afternoon out fer footie would end like that.

Events like this (& the recent tragedy in Ivory Coast) put the game we all love into perspective. So while many of us are still licking the wounds of this morning's defeat, spare a thought fer our fallen comrades & their families.

Yer all invited to post yer thoughts & tributes in the comments box.

ps: Fer those to young to remember or indeed would like to read more, go to http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/article6083159.ece (just one of the many links recounting the horrors of that fateful day).

pps: Also see http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/news-and-comment/i-was-a-witness-to-the-needless-death-of-96-football-fans-the-memory-still-sickens-me-1668852.html

ppps: http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/news-and-comment/the-big-question-will-liverpools-sense-of-injustice-over-hillsborough-ever-be-resolved-1668823.html

pppps: To feel the pain & loss, read the letters at http://www.liverpoolfc.tv/news/drilldown/N163817090414-2359.htm. Tears to me eyes.

Top Hats & Bandanas (Guns N Roses: Chinese Democracy)

The last time a Guns N Roses album was released, China was a closed off, backward communist state reeling from the aftermath of Tianamen Square & a certain George Bush was President of the USA . . . senior, that is.

When the near-mythical Chinese Democracy was released last November, China has hosted an Olympic Games & is now one of the world's economic powerhouses. And Bush Junior was in his last days in office. Now, that's what you call taking yer own fooking sweet time.

Fer some of us older dudes & dudettes, tunes such as Welcome to the Jungle & Sweet Child O'Mine will forever be burned into counsciousness & remind us of our younger carefree days.

Me remembers first getting Appetite For Destruction back in '88 when me was doing me 'A' levels. And fook me, did it sound fooking dangerous. Despite me ears preferring thrash metal from the likes of Anthrax, Testament & Slayer, that debut GnR platter certainly prompted plenty of devil signs & air guitar posing.

Me knows the word 'classic' is a touch overused in these parts but Sweet Child is one of them. The moment ye hears Slash's sweet Gibson guitar intro, you'll be punching the air with yer fists & doing that silly Axl Rose gliding-around-moonwalk dance.

Things fizzed out fer the original band after too many drug & alcohol induced breakdowns & the last release bearing the GnR logo was the poonk covers affair The Spaghetti Incident way back in 1993. Since then, sporadic news of Chinese Democracy being released surfaced & as the years rolled by, it became a Roswell Incident all of its own.

Finally, after 15 years of blood, sweat & cocaine, Chinese Democracy is upon us. Too little too late or does it do justice to the moniker of Guns N Fooking Roses? Me humbly invites you to decide fer yerself.

To download, Guns N Roses Chinese Democracy, please click here: http://www.mediafire.com/?i41f1oyolzi .

Fer a trip down memory lane, me has posted the vid to THAT tune below. Enjoy!

ps: Fer more details, see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_Democracy .

Compare & Contrast

We often hear that we should NOT be envious of the West or ape & mimick their culture & actions. But just compare & contrast the images below & tell me you don't feel a twinge of envy . . .

Exhibit A: First Lady of France - Carla Bruni, who is so conscious of public spending that she often appears without a stitch . . .


And Exhibit B: Malaysia's First Lady, who is er . . . me will let you decide fer yerself . . . words fail me at this time . . .

Get the message, Barisan Najis?

On behalf of the nation, the good people in Bukit Selambau & Bukit Gantang have sent the brand new PM a clear message.

FFS says 'Syabas'!!!

Yer all invited to post yer thoughts & analysis on the results of the three by-elections yesterday.

ps: Quite funny how the mainstream media played up Barisan Najis's "victory" in Batang Ai on the front pages as if it was a resounding result fer najib's regime.

Fer a few lousy dollars & empty promises . . . (Ref Malaysiakini)

Two days to three massive by-elections to go & if reports are to be believed, things don't look good fer the opposition.

With limited resources stretched to the limit & people growing weary of the continuing political brickbats, BN have become more confident that they will win all three polls.

Batang Ai is almost a done deal fer BN as 98% of the electorate are Iban & they seem to think that only BN can rule. The sheer remoteness of the area is also a major stumbling block to Pakatan canvassing.

Bukit Selambau has been riddled with problems arising from the Indian community. Very sad this & as this plays straight into the hands of Barisan Najis. To think, even that irrelevant piece of shit that is Semi fooking Value can open his fooking trap to say MIC will be a better alternative fer Indians there!!! All the hard work of Mar8 in kicking these arseholes out will have been in vain!

As fer Hindraf being played with the release of their five leaders, how can people be such willing victims to blackmail? (see http://malaysiakini.com/news/101725). Fact is they were unjustly held under a piece of shite leislation. Why should the Indian community be grateful to BN fer their release?

Needless to say, me is fooking worried that Malaysians have thrown in the towel & decided to support the new goon on charge. We have done that before & fell fer the new man's empty promises. Remember the landslide fer Bodohwi after his infamous "work with me" speech? Are we so gullible to think the new bandit in charge will be any better?

Forget local politics. The electorate in the three areas must know that to give Najib the stamp of approval will be akin to signing their own death warrants. To sell their vote fer a few extra ringgit & the promise of infrastructure means a thumbs up to the ISA, race-based politics, UMNO's supreme rule & most importantly, the right fer the new Imelda Marcos wannabe to start burning our nation's cash at her fave salons & boutiques. Wanna see how one person can spend an entire nation's reserve? Give the new Imelda & her Balki cohorts some time & you'll see fer yerselves.

People please. Change will require patience & we are in battle fer the long haul. To the people of Bukit Selambau, Bukit Gantang & Batang Ai, please don't sell yer nation down the river fer a few extra lousy dollars . . .

The Dark Age is finally here . . .

What is me talking about?

Today, our dear country takes its first step into the abyss.

It will be oily . . . sweaty . . . & fooking STINK of BOTOX!!!


Ladies & gents, you are invited to post yer thoughts on our country's first ever female PM . . .