Andy Lobban's blog

Barry's at it again

Any regular readers of Mogwai's website will know that Barry Burns likes to sound off, and really likes to take the piss. It's generally very funny too.

This morning in my feed reader was an item posted by Barry entitled "Bitchfork: Worse than the 11th of September." The article has since disappeared from th site so I thought I'd post it for posterity (it's very funny, and not nearly as offensive as the title suggests.

Enjoy:

I never said which 11th of September so don't be getting all upset now, kids.

Honestly though, if you like an empiricist's view of all the current news in the music-world, the Bitchfork is great. Comprehensive, all encompassing and fairly non-esoteric. But if you want to read an informed review of either a concert or a recent album then please, please, please, direct your gaze elsewhere. Direct your weary retinas to where a snotty 17-year old ex-record store virgin preppy isn't attempting to sagely write about something he /she has no knowledge about. The review section of that mincing website is beneath contempt. I can't really pinpoint it's faults exactly but every person i know says the same thing, "Great news section, I avoid the stumbling, inept reviews like Diana should have avoided that tunnel". Other members of my band, feel free to delete this high-spirited rant with gusto but for goodness sake..... avoid listening to what amounts to Ferris Bueller's opinions on what you should be listening to in order to remain cool to your pals.I just thought it needed saying. Curse the internet. Damn myself for accidentally clicking on an album review tonight.

Barry

Drugs are bad

Today I feel like fucking crying, so I watched this clip to cheer me up.

SPAIN EUROVISION 2008 FINAL

Watch the girl in pink. People are saying she was drunk. Was she fuck. She was off her face on something.

The Nonimage 2007 Review

Late you say? Well yes, but I've been busy.

And I'm still too busy to do this properly, so I shall quickly list some stuff that rocked my world in 2007.

Events

SXSW was one of the best things I've done in a long time. i can't wait to do it all again in 2 months, this time with for Interactive and Music (and Film, although I'm not sure how much of that I'll see). Going to Ibiza off season was a great experience and just the relaxing time I needed. Continuing Black Tape has been great fun, especially having our first band, Broken Records. I started my own freelance business, which has been incredibly rewarding and fun so far, and pleasing successful for a new startup. I really am very lucky to be doing this.

Music

My 4 new obsessions from 2007 were Cut Off Your Hands, Ra Ra Riot, Broken Records and Black Kids (in order of discovery). I also was loving Kissaway Trail, Jens Lekman, Twilight Sad, Menomena, Seasick Steve, Beirut, Low, Malcolm Middleton, Justice, Simian Mobile Disco, Voxtrot, The Hold Steady, Radiohead, Modest Mouse, Gruff Rhys, Field Music, Battles, Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin, CSS, You Say Party! We Say Die!, Frightened Rabbit, Fujiya & Miyagi...and a huge amount more that I cant think of right now. Plus the usual stuff I have loved for years.

Live highlights were all of SXSW, all of Connect, finally seeing The Verve, Ra Ra Riot, Broken Records a few times, Foals, Kissaway Trail, Flaming Lips (as always), Twilight Sad, Jens Lekman, Menomena, Sonic Youth performing Daydream Nation, Al Green, Seasick Steve, Low, Bis, Battles, Dartz! and the NME New Rave Tour. Oh and Josh Ritter.

Films

I'm no film Buff, and I can't really remember what films I saw that I liked. Superbad was funny. If you are interested in visual culture at all, Helvetica is a documentary worth watching. And while I havent actually got round to sitting down with peace and quiet to watch it yet, the trailer for Heima, the Sigur Ros documentary looks incredible.

Other stuff

Coda is amazing and has changed the way I work. Ace Jet 170 is my favourite discovery, blog-wise. It gets me wanting to go out and find great old design stuff.

And that's all I have time for, which is a shame. So much more I want to say. Maybe I will soon.

Favourite Christmas Songs

1. The Pogues & Kirsty MacColl - Fairytale of New York

2. Paul McCartney - A Wonderful Christmas Time

3. The full Phil Spector Christmas Album

I'm a bit bored, you see.

Post Office

A true story about the Post Office:

Today I went to the Post Office for some stamps for work. I asked for a book of stamps, and asked for a reciept. I then handed over my Switch card to pay. I was told that I couldn't buy stamps with a card, as she had already rung it through as cash. I asked if she could ring it through again as a card instead, to which I was told that it would make her till short, so no, she could not. I actually just laughed. She eventually did ring it through as a card, while giving me a stern telling off for not stating that I wanted to pay by card. She almost sent me away without stamps because of this.

And the Post Office and Royal Mail wonder why they are in trouble financially.

Relaunch

I just relaunched my personal site at nonimage.co.uk. 

Wispa are back

I had a Wispa the other day. Amazing

Country Gent

Country Gent

My outfit for Connect this weekend. It's going to be a fairly well behaved festival on the west coast of Scotland, in the grounds of Inveraray Castle, so we have decided to dress as country gents for the weekend

Blunt Triangles

This is actually the best thing on YouTube. I mean it.

Sneak Peak of James Blunt on Sesame Street

Wispa

I am overjoyed to learn that Cadburys have bowed to internet pressure, and are to bring back the Wispa. This is amazing news. Perhaps they will have a midnight opening at corner shops around the country for the relaunch. It could be like Harry Potter books or Radiohead albums, big queues, 'copies' signed by Cadbury staff, free giveaways of Fudge bars for the first hundred throught the door. Fanatics dressed as their favourite Wispa bubble.

I'd go.