Cor blimey, guv’nor. It’s all kicking off in The EU at the moment. All the faces that we have come to know and love in the higher echelons of that organisation are, having worked their fingers to the bone, now going to take time out to be with their families and consider their futures. Good luck to them. Continue reading “Pick of the Political Pops: The Staples Singers “Respect Yourself””
Here’s another voyage into the psyche of our writers and contributors in which we interrogate the (often) unfathomable reasons why we are all such junkies for this Americana stuff. This week self-confessed needle dropper Andrew Frolish documents his journey from the unfashionable to the deeply unfashionable (or fashionable to the uber fashionable depending on who you talk to). As a needle dropper we’re not sure if he’s a junkie, a vinyl junkie or just a rubbish seamstress (but we could probably find out). Continue reading “What Is This Americana Thing Anyway…”
As most of our regular reader(s) will know Americana-UK Towers is based in The People’s Republic of Liverpudlia. That said we do have brethren/sistren outlying communities in The People’s Republic of Birminghemia, The People’s Republic of Mancaphobia and The People’s Republic of Leysestor. Your regular correspondent in all things Politically Pop is from The People’s Republic of Kenilworthonia – however it’s a very small and insular affair, that one, and any visitors are most likely to be met with burning torches and pitchforks. Best avoided to be honest. Continue reading “Pick of the Political Pops: Mojo Nixon and Skid Roper “Jesus At MacDondalds””
This week marks the fiftieth anniversary of The Stonewall Riots. Fifty years, mark you. “Stonewall”, for those who are unfamiliar with the term, refers to The Stonewall Inn in Greenwhich Village, New York. This was a place (by all accounts run by The Mafia) which catered to the (illegal at the time) ‘gay crowd’. To preface things you need to understand this: being gay was illegal, serving gays was illegal and pretty much anything ‘gay’ was illegal. This pivotal moment, whilst not being the beginning or the end of the gay struggle, marked a point at which the gay community decided to stand up and tell the world that they ‘just wouldn’t take this anymore’. In 1969 – easily within living memory for some of us. We could explain all of the story in more detail but we are minded that this BBC link says most of what we want to say.
It’s that time again when the great and the good of Americana-UK ‘fess up and tell it like it is in their individual journeys into the genre we all know and love. This week Ben Roberts – a man who survived being a metalhead and a drummer to make it to the promised land of musical goodness (quite why he doesn’t have the mighty Wilco’s “Heavy Metal Drummer“ on his list we don’t know – but could probably find out…) Continue reading “What Is This Americana Thing Anyway…”
Here at Americana-UK Towers we are nothing if not democrats (that’s a small ‘d’ for our American friends). Every year we hold an election to vote in our glorious leader and every year The Editor wins. We have no issue with this because (a) we have gone through the motions and (b) everybody gets to live – so that’s a winner for us. Continue reading “Pick of the Political Pops: Guided By Voices “Vote For Me Dummy””
There was a big political event this week but our mums always told us that if you ignore something – like an angry wasp or an embarrassing rash – it will go away eventually. So that’s what we’ve done. On the other hand we do have a column to submit so I can tell you that we guffawed heartily down in The Bunker on hearing the news that The TIGS or The CHUCKups or whatever they are calling themselves this week have splintered, fractured and likewise fallen apart. Continue reading “Pick of the Political Pops: Todd Rundgren “Fade Away””
Over the past two or three weeks the door to The Bunker at Americana-UK Towers has been triple locked with a sturdy scaffolding plank being pushed up against it for extra security. In what has become known as “Election Season” we have felt the need to protect ourselves from the madness inflicting the general populous whilst they busy themselves with a plebiscite or two. We are nothing. Continue reading “Pick of the Political Pops: Patsy Cline “I Fall To Pieces””
Down here in The Bunker of AUK Towers we are champions of pointless exercises. The Editor is fond of making us do physical jerks first thing of a morning to set us up for the day’s work. Then we’ll take the landfill (we like to think of it as ‘recycling’) out, then we’ll discuss the hot news of the day whilst simultaneously patting ourselves on the back for our progressive politicality, then we’ll perhaps have a spot of lunch – generally a quinoa salad washed down with a pint or two of IPA from the local Brewing Co-Operative, then we’ll wash up (recycling the washing-up water because its better tasting than the IPA) and then we’ll begin the day’s work of writing reviews/features/news snippets/videos. It is nothing if not a picture of Elysian goodness. Continue reading “Pick of the Political Pops: Dan Hicks “How Can I Miss You When You Won’t Go Away””
There’s a TV in every room here at Americana-UK Towers (all fifty or so). None of them are connected, of course, but we need to be able to sell ourselves to visiting dignitaries to The People’s Republic of Liverpudlia and delegates attending the famous Americana–UK Towers ‘Phestival of Phun” – our annual event celebrating everything downbeat, miserable and featuring steel guitar. Our sister festival, the more ‘niche’ Phestivities of Phunnies, features everything downbeat, miserable and lap-steel is held every two years. This one is exclusive to musical pedants. If you haven’t yet received your invitation to either then please bear with us. There are two key reasons for any delay: (1) we phucking don’t like you or (2) we don’t give a phucking shit Continue reading “Pick of the Political Pops: Randy Newman “Short People””
