Meadies Musical Marconi

  Accompanying the forthcoming Library Music Film, which is an epic full length film telling the tale of some of the best unknown musical orchestrators of the modern era, is a wealth of associated releases, including a stunning book by writer and film collector David Hollander entitled Unusual Sounds released via Anthology Books. Matt Mead reviews the book. I was first introduced to Library Music by DJ Danny Roberts, who used to DJ at The Bomb nightclub in Nottingham  back in the mid 1990’s, which saw the birth of the so called Lounge Music. I have to admit I wasn’t struck with all the Lounge releases of the time, but the one release that did strike a chord with me was Sound Gallery. With its quirky sleeve, the outstanding music that accompanied it, including the rousing introduction to Grandstand, the reminder of the theme to Mastermind and the quirkiness of the Grange Hill opening credits, this pulled all the right retro heart strings. Looking back, this sta...

 After unleashing one of the best albums of the year, Moving Through The Dawn, The Coral have headed out on the road to support their album and to play some of their crowd favourites. Matt Mead caught the band live and direct on the floorboards at Birmingham’s 02 Institute. Having previously seen the band play live on Jools Holland’s Later TV programme, plus recently in session for Radio X, Radio 2 and Zoe Balls Sunday morning TV slot it’s evident The Coral are a live force to be reckoned with. Tonight starts with support bands Cut Glass Kings and She Drew The Gun. Cut Glass Kings are like a mixture of White Stripes meets The Who, loud, brash and playing tuneful songs. She Drew The Gun are bordering on Adam Any with their look and sound, if they had a double drum set up they’d have to have the white talc across their noses to match the any man. The Coral enter the ring to Sweet Release, one of many songs they play from their new album. They play the hits including Jacqueline,...

 Nick Ellis returns with another formidable release with his latest long player Speakers’ Corner which is the artist’s third album release in as many years, and was conceived in the heat of the historic, explosive Spring and Summer of 2017. His previous album Adult Fiction was my first introduction to Nick’s music which reminded me of John Martyn’s tones, with exquisite guitar playing and a voice sent directly from the gravelled tones of Mr Martyn, this is a winning formula from Nick, which is showcased stunningly with the new release. I Get Love gets things off to the familiar chords of Solomon Burke’s Everybody Needs Someone to Love, with perky shout back vocals intertwined with the resplendent guitar. Impractical Ideas has Nick singing about a ‘rich man’s purse’ with a solo bass drum and guitar. Is Nick busking on this one? If he is it’s the best ever busking session you’ll ever hear. On Nick’s last album Adult Education there were some delightful instrumental number...

Those funky cat purveyors of imaginary 1960’s Movie soundtrack themes, deep funk, silky jazz, smooth soul and covers of Lemmy’s Motorhead, Corduroy are having their classic first 3 albums re-released on strictly limited edition coloured vinyl by Acid Jazz records. Matt Mead rediscovers the albums to look at what makes them purr. For some people in the 90’s Corduroy were abit like Marmite. You either loved them or the bands taste was a little too strong for some indie kids. Personally I couldn’t get enough of them and lapped up any release I could get my hands on and so it would appear a whole new wave of fans will be able to experience the Corduroy experience with this mass re-release. There is nothing new amongst these releases, but who gives a monkeys when these albums rank as some of the best albums to ever be originally released by Eddie Piller’s famed Acid Jazz records. Dad Man Cat takes a stab at 1960’s Michael Caine, Alfie and Blow Up with its revved up organ groves, silky sm...

  What more can be said about Candy Opera that hasn’t been said in recent weeks and months? The Liverpool band who never got the plaudits their material deserved, whilst Aztec Camera, Prefab Sprout and Echo and The Bunneymen took it all. How times have changed, with Candy Opera’s first ever album 45 Revolutions Per Minute selling out faster than hot cakes leaving the bakery shelves, their 2 nd  album released on Firestation Records entitled Rarities should see further musical hot cakes flying from the shelves faster than you can say Roddy Frame’s leather jacket. Matt Mead reviews the album for Louder Than War. Considering Candy Opera’s material when originally created should have been a world changer, it still baffles me every day when I think that in 2018 the world are finally starting to wake up to the sound of this sumptuous sophisticated pop machine. With strong hints of Love Forever Changes and The Beach Boy’s Surf’s Up their songs are crafted with a mixture a...

  Anthology Recordings have joined the Library Music album release races with an album of their own to accompany the stylish Library Music book Unusual Sounds compiled by Library guru David Hollander. Mixing some of the most obscure Library music tracks, this compilation is not to be missed for all collectors of Library. The Unusual Sounds album is sure to be a hit with those that have already purchased the accompanying book, which has been said as being the ultimate Library Music book ever to be released thus far. Enclosed in similar lavish packaging as the book with detailed liner notes the album starts off in familiar fashion as Keith Mansfield hits you where it’ll groove you with Funky Fanfare, a killer breakbeat, elastic bass and Memphis horns explosion to the ears and the hips. From here on in you’re hooked like Scooby Doo and Shaggy hypnotised by great smelling sandwich, but this is a different type of food. The sort that feeds your feet and heart with feet shuffling delig...

  Following the release of Paul Weller’s acoustic masterpiece album True Meanings, Paul and his live band played some spine tingling live concerts with a full orchestra at the Royal Festival Hall in London. Other Aspects: Live at the Royal Festival Hall is the latest in a long line of stunning live albums by The Modfather which was released on 8 th  March 2019 by Parlophone records. Matt Mead reviews the album for Louder Than War. Many of the online forums reported these concerts to be something probably never to be repeated that will live long in the memory of those parka wearing Jam fans, to the Pringle cardigan wearing Style Council fans and the younger boys/girls about town who were fortuitous enough to grab hold of a ticket or 2. Luckily for those that weren’t able to be in that same room as the favoured few the gigs were recorded for posterity and what a treat has be preserved. Paul gifts the listener to a few surprises from his impressive back catalogue. The flamenc...

 Rod Stewart, former member of The Jeff Beck Group, The Faces and Steam Packet, is still gigging strong as he approaches his 75 th  year.  Matt Mead   went to see him at Wolverhampton Wanderers Molineux Football Stadium. As you think of approaching your 75 th  year you might think saturday evenings would be a quiet affair – maybe making a hot drink or two whilst watching late night TV will suffice for some. Ask Rod Stewart and you might be met with his cackled laugh whilst surrounded by a crowd of blonde-haired backing singers. And so that is the setting for Rod tonight beneath the lights of the famous Molineux football stadium. Let’s say it as it is – Rod is a performer and showman with a bag full of hits that’s as big as the leopard skin trousers Kenny Everett used to wear when impersonating Rod the Mod. Even the warm-up band Johnny Mac and The The Faithful deliver Ooh La La in their set. Tonight is a literal Rodfest. Things get underway with Infatu...

  When Robin Hood camped out in Sherwood Forest to rob the rich to feed the poor little did he know years later Paul Weller would go on to entertain with a band of merry men in his own backyard on a barmy hot night in 2019. Paul has been on a profound golden streak of late. Album releases Other Aspects, True Meanings, A Kind Revolution and Saturns Pattern are comfortably part of Paul’s greatest pieces of work. In recent years his song writing has become more experiential, ever evolving, forever changing, always looking for that perfect ingredient that will grant him his own Odyssey and Oracle. Additionally his live set is assured as ever, as recent accounts have attested. Tonight kicks off with I’m Where I Should Be, Weller confidently moves about the stage, nodding approval to fans in the crowd. The Changingman is at one within his circle of admirers but with a significant sprinkling of magic dust in those white Levi jeans and monkey boots. The rest of the band play as tight a...

 Poignantly this would be one of the last reviews of Denise Johnson in the live setting. I remember seeing her in the venue before the gig started, she was just politely wandering around without any fanfare. Her presence on stage was that of a tambourine shaking goddess. RIP Denise ~ Seminal Manchester punk-funk band A Certain Ratio are celebrating 40 years on the floorboards with a tour that has taken them to every breadth and stretch of the nation. Matt Mead catches the band in Nottingham at The Rescue Rooms, the band’s first visit to the city in 30 years. The force of nature that is A Certain Ratio are packing quite a punch as one of the very best inventive and engaging bands on the live circuit, something the band have had comfortably lauded upon their shoulders for years, with accolades showering down on them show after show for what can only be described as a samba, pop, funk electro masterclass the gang from Manchester sure know how to throw an unforgettable party. W...

  Hi Corey. Can you tell us abit about your upbringing? I was raised in a quiet town 15 miles east of San Francisco. Like many of my music heroes, i was a bored teenager looking for action and discovered skateboarding and punk rock at a young age, and was doing whatever I could to spend my time hanging out in the city and getting away from normality of the blue collar burbs. What was the first music you got into? My mom always had good rock n roll playing in the car and introduced my two brothers and I, to good stuff at early ages. I cant ever remember not having a turntable or boombox around for us to enjoy. In the car, even to this day, my mom still listens to the alternative rock station. In the 90s, it was MTV, and my older cousins would give us tapes with cool bands. I remember buying Beck ‘I’m A Loser’, at 9 years old. My mom took me to the store to pick up the cassette single. She probably picked up a Nirvana, album that day or Smashing Pumpkins. I remember thinking it...

Hi Chris, how are you? Hello Matthew, tonight im gonna be Chris Goodwin, all good in the hood. Tell us abit about your upbringing? Music was everywhere in our house growing up. My Dad was (is) a great singer and loved sinatra, my Mum was (is) into Shirley Bassey and the carpenters. My 3 sisters (no brothers) were massive fans of Bolan, Bowie then later punk and my youngest sister Gill is a Paul Weller obsessive!! Lol So i couldn’t have asked for a better grounding than listening to these artists booming out of every room ,so you could see from an early stage i wasnt gonna take up stamp collecting ……….saying that i did a good racket with the green shield stamp books………(older viewers only) How did you get into drumming? The first time i picked up two of my mums fat knitting needles and started whacking f@ck out of a cushion (percussion) i knew 2 things. 1: I was gonna be a drummer & 2: I’ve just found out im allergic to dust …. In the school holidays me and a couple o...