you talking to me? I might just laugh right in your face.

first, here's what I've got for you regular readers...gig and interview posts from January 2010:

We Are Scientists (Uninhabitable Mansions supporting) - 21.01.10 - Black Cat, Washington, DC - my Popwreckoning review my There Goes the Fear review

my interview with Chris Cain and Keith Murray of We Are Scientists part 1 part 2

the Cribs (Adam Green and the Dead Trees supporting) - 19.01.10 - 9:30 Club, Washington, DC - my Popwreckoning review tag team interview with Ross Jarman

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word of note to any aspiring bloggers:
you will receive far more personal insults and complaints about your writing than you ever will compliments.

last night before bed, I made the mistake of visiting the Web's authoritative blog/site for all things We Are Scientists. the owner, the lovely Renee Barrera, had kindly posted links to my two gig reviews (done separately for PW and TGTF) and my two-part interview with Chris Cain and Keith Murray. I don't know why I bothered to look at the comments. well, actually, I do know why I bothered. I was hoping someone would say, "great job!" or "this was a fun interview, I'm glad she was able to meet them and post the interview for us." I had expected the complete gloss over of me as interviewer - after all, this was a WAS interview, and they're the stars of the piece, not me.

I was, however, not expecting for one female fan to say she wanted to punch me in the face for the way I laughed in the interview, with another fan concurring with her statement.

really? you're threatening someone with physical force for having a good time? while they're interviewing your favourite band? and getting insights about the said band for you?

I'm never going to apologise for the way I laugh. there's a reason why I laugh when I'm interviewing someone: it's because I approach band interviews in a light-hearted way. I know bands are usually tired and having already been through their umpteenth interview, they're not looking forward to talking to some blogger like me that they've never met from a blog they've never heard of.

so I try to make my questions interesting. I do my research way ahead of time to come up with some queries for them that they haven't heard before, so it's more fun for them and they'll feel more comfortable talking to me and feel like they can trust me, like we've been mates for years. that's the goal anyway. and comfort is key to a successful interview, in my experience.

my first big interview (with Friendly Fires) worked out extremely well because we had already broken the ice (the Ed[d]s couldn't believe I'd travelled by myself to another country to see them) and they seemed to appreciate the questions I'd asked them weren't the same run of the mill "how did you guys get together?" (answer: they met at school) types. when you can prove to someone that you've done your homework and that you're a real music fan, things usually come together better than you expect.

and I've thought to myself, if Chris Cain really hated the way I laughed, I doubt he would have talked to me for over an hour beyond the interview itself. agree?

and going back to my laugh...I have many stories about my "unique" laugh. the most recent I can think of is being in hospital last summer and having been "heard" before I had been "seen" by my attending nurse, who swiftly explained that my laugh was particularly joyous. at the time, I was getting blood drawn in the infusion (cancer) ward so I was happy to provide a little sunshine. so apparently my laugh is memorable by the good folks of Georgetown Hospital. and that's a good thing, b/c people who get stuck there often don't have much to smile - or laugh - about.

folks, this isn't 'Dateline', '20/20', or '60 Minutes'. and feel free to discuss the content of the interview, b/c that's what I work hard at. but taking pot shots at my guffaw? that's going below the belt.

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however, today was an eminently better day:

Friendly Fires came to the Radio1 studios for a chat with Fearne Cotton about their chances for the two BRITs they have been nominated for. as usual, it was lolzworthy, including Fearne imploring a wary (and trying desperately not to give any more fuel to the fire that he's fey) Ed Macfarlane to stroke Jack Savidge's newly clean shaven chin (er...?); Jack mispronouncing the name of his "favourite" member of JLS; and Edd Gibson insisting that should Peter Kay ring them in Australia at 4 AM local time with the news that they've won a BRIT, they'll all be dressed in their nightgowns ala Wee Willie Winkie.

I would also like to note here that both Fearne Cotton and Ed Mac have equally unique and possibly annoying laughs like mine so really, if those WAS fans have a beef with the way I chortle, they can take similar complaints to them as well.
listen here

Fanfarlo were Marc Riley's live in-session guests at the Manchester Oxford Road studios this evening, and they played four songs on 6music. absolutely brilliant.
listen here

the danger of Tweeting

apparently communication via Twitter - no doubt b/c of the 140 character limit - is dangerous.

I Tweet-commented "tosser" to a favourite guitar tech of mine in November last year in response to his Tweet to cyberspace that someone called him a pansy whilst he was tuning a Fender onstage. and then he responded, "what?" which freaked me out b/c I thought maybe he meant I was calling him a tosser. I tried Tweeting him again to clarify but he never responded back, which further worried me that he was mad at me. thankfully, this was all cleared up in person in Boston and hugs all around. thank goodness.

then this very morning my fave lunchtime DJ Nemone asked people about Manchester Academy. I emailed her saying I missed the Apollo - meaning I missed SEEING gigs there. she misinterpreted this as meaning that the Apollo was now gone:

greekydj

Having hazy memories of nights out at the acadenmy - and one of you has said the Apollo no longer there NNNNOOOOOOOOO! favourite venue ;-(

so I hastily Tweeted to clear up the misunderstanding:

theprintedword

@greekydj no the Apollo is still there! think you misunderstood my email, I said I missed it (as an American) want to see another gig there!

to which she responded:

greekydj

phew now found out Apollo lives on yey!!!!!!!!!!!

oh dear. Nemone just returned on Monday from maternity leave and I probably just gave her a near heart attack :/

in a future post (that has already been lovingly handwritten by yours truly) I will share with you my favourite Tweet moments of 2009. it will surely be much happier!

x

this week's Roundtable (04/02)

Steve has Radio2 late night stalwart Janice Long, Robin Ince and Tom Ravenscroft (aka 6music presenter and probably better known as John Peel's son) as guests on Roundtable on Thursday

(FYI: Janice Long s a celebrity in Morrissey fan world, as she and Stuart Maconie are two of the chosen few that el Mozzer has allowed into his secret realm again and again.)

1. Jonsi - 'Go Do' - don't know anything about this band. not getting this.

2. General Fiasco - 'Ever So Shy' - I am really eager to see this band live sometime. not only are they mates with *my* mate Matt of S&D, this and the excellent 'Rebel Get By' would be awesome live. Northern Ireland has been doing well as of late - GF, the renewed Ash, and Two Door Cinema Club. Janice, I wuv you, I wuv his voice too!

3. Goldheart Assembly - 'King of Rome' - I know this band is one of Lammo's favourites. it's poppy, but not terribly exciting to me.

4. Tunng - 'Hustle' - the winner - twee. I prefer Camera Obscura, thank you very much.

5. Midlake - Acts of Man - this band (or perhaps more correctly, their album) was panned by a hapless ignoramus of a reviewer on PW. how embarrassing. while I'm not wild about it, I wouldn't say it's as terrible as the reviewer said she thought it was. you like Fleet Foxes, but darker? then this is for you.

6. French Horn Rebellion vs. Database - 'Beaches and Friends' - LMAO this reminds me of Sister Sledge and 'We Are Family' - anyone else? is disco staging a comeback?

7. Massive Attack's new 'Heligoland' album including 'Pray for Rain', 'Splitting the Atom' and 'Paradise Circus' - atmospheric, fuzzed out relaxed dance music. just perfect for this winter. I can't wait to hear Guy Garvey's voice on one of the tracks!