So, an anonymous painter (actually Dubliner Conor Casby) who put up two caricatures of our Taoiseach up on the walls of two Art galleries is being investigated. This is in connection with three charges: incitement to hatred, indecency, and criminal damage (for hammering a nail into a wall of the National Gallery).
So RTE news runs a tongue-in-cheek piece on the practical joke, involving a smirking gallery representative and an art valuer and also notes that Cowen "is not thought to have posed for the anonymous artist".
Funny joke, right? Whether or not its a satirical take on his tenure or whatever, the people need a laugh, right? Well, the Government apparently don't think so, so when Today FM's Ray D'arcy found out the identity of this nail-hammering vigilante the police apparently told his producer that “the powers that be want action taken” and he was to hand over all information relating to the incident. Meanwhile, that night, the RTE News ran an apology to the office of the Taoiseach and the Cowen family for "any disrespect" or "personal offense caused".
So someone drew a funny picture of our great leader. Suddenly the media are being strong-armed? I wonder will Ann Doyle be Chloroformed from behind live next time she mentions the recession.
Maryland's finest musical export (apart from David Hasselhoff) promote their critically acclaimed new album Merriweather Post Pavillion in Tripod on Friday, in one of the most anticipated gigs of the year so far.
Tickets are tight so grab them before they sell out here
Some of the songs from the second series of New Zealand's popular folk parody duo Flight of the Conchords have appeared on youtube, and this one is my favourite so far.... Featuring Randy Jones of the Village People, Pornstar Ron Jeremy and directed by Micheal Gondry, It's "Too Many Dicks on the Dancefloor".
Before we begin, lets be clear, i believe Heartworm to be one of the best albums ever released. Not the best Irish album, not a lost gem, not the best album by a band who never did anything else. Just, on it's own, a great piece of work. From Paul Page's hyper-actively inventive guitar to Fergal McKee's dark-but-beautifully-weird vocals, from the haunting backing vocals to the unlikely singable melodies and everything else, i think its a piece of genius. Granted, sometimes it's easy to throw the eyes at couplets like "Today is not a good day for me, for today i found out i was mad" and that kinda thing, but overall, to me it's a classic. In 1995, Not many people were waiting for a Whipping Boy record, 1992's Submarine had come out to not much fanfare, and well, people were looking at Blur and Oasis and britpop and not really paying attention to four distressed misfits from Dublin. I personally didn't really discover the album until a year or two later, enticed by the single "When we were young", a feelgood, uptempo, and not very represenative single from the record. From Opening track "Twinkle" McKee's love/hate relationship with women begins, "She's the air i breathe... She's the only one for me". I can't help thinking every song in someway is about his mother, although who knows. Sonically there's a bit of My Bloody Valentine in the guitar sounds, but as with the rest of the album, McKee's half-talking vocal style and lyrics dominate. "When we were young" is a shiver-up-the-spine type of song, a tune which can drag you back to your teenage years, so much so that it feels he's singing about you. Sad and romantic while being affirming and joyful, its a song they should play to every young band trying to write - if you want to know about subtle melancholy, this is it. Every song is a further dip into McKee's Issues, he (mistakenly) puts his faith in womanhood in "Tripped", admits he's been a liar all his life in the gorgeous "The Honeymoon is over" and as the song crescendos he calls "so you remember now what it takes to make a mother cry... you stupid boy". When "We Don't Need Nobody Else" comes around, you're converted, you understand. Detailing a domestic argument where he hits out for the first time, maybe its no wonder why it didn't strike the charts alight, a song so nakedly bitter and, well, adult must have been odd for a 15 year old to get. All the while the music is subtly affecting the mood and ratcheting up the tension, and through the brilliant Blinded, the affecting Personality (and the only weaker tracks Fiction and Users) its the melodies that grab you. Come for the crazy frontman, stay for the gorgeous music. Finally the last two songs, both on one track, like his "twin mind". A twisted love song, on "Morning Rise" McKee gently sings "When our time comes, i will know...", whether he's talking about the start of love or the end i don't know, but it sounds like he doesn't really know either. The last track is a pretty self-involved mostly spoken-word piece, and while i never really got it, its confession serves as a bookend, the final reveal of his cartoonish problems to colour all the rest of his outpourings. Either way, The whole album works as a piece, almost like a weird play, and comes from a possibly gone time where a body of songs could work together as a cohesive album, not just a list of singles or a showcase of styles or different random ideas. While it possibly is a lost gem, its not lost to anyone who loves it.
So, as you may have seen by now US President Barack Obama compared his bowling to being "like the Special Olympics" on Jay Leno. Up to now he's been pretty bulletproof regarding the things he's said, not making too many mistakes, and certainly not putting his foot in his mouth too often.
While our own Pat Kenny on the Late Late Show on Friday asked the breakdancing kid from the All Ireland Talent Show if he'd "put a bit of colour on his face" because "most of the great great great breakdancers are black".
So should Obama be ashamed of himself? Should Pat Kenny? I mean neither was being intentionally mean or nasty, they just said stupid things that would probably not offend that many people. Obama called up the commissioner of the Special Olympics when he realised his mistake, while Pat probably wouldn't think anyone would find fault with it. On the other hand, If former President Bush had said that it would have been printed on posters under another gormless photo. Political Correctness? No big deal? I don't think i know anymore.
So the Meteor Awards are over, and apparently great fun was had by all in the RDS.
It was strange having it on St. Patrick's Day, as well as the general drunkness level being higher then usual, lots of our more in-demand acts were abroad being musical ambassadors, while another bunch were in the states for South By Southwest. As a result the usual amount of Irish Acts weren't about, and Band and Best Album winners The Script phoned in their acceptance speeches. Still it's good to see rising stars like Imelda May, Mick Flannery and Wallis Bird (Best Female, Male and hope for 2009) get recognised, and as Amanda Byram would shout "C'mon guys, it's PADDY'S DAAAY!" Anyway, What's the point of giving Westlife another award? They didn't even release another album last year. Why isn't there a "Best New Band" award any more? Why does everything have to be chosen by text message these days? Do i really care who wins the best pop act award? While i don't know if its worth wondering too much about the answers to these questions, i do find myself caring less about the outcomes of these things every time one comes about.
Still, nice to be recognised for those nominated. Here's a little clip:
Two bands that arguably broke up before they reached their potential (or else just in time that they didn't get found out, depending your perspective...) have been in the news recently rumoured to be on the verge of reforming. Firstly, The Daily Mirror reports that Manchester's Stone Roses are to reform for a summer tour and festival performances. The tabloid says the original members of the Manchester band will reunite for 21 UK gigs this summer. Secondly, Pete Doherty said on Zane Lowe's Radio 1 evening show that he'd "love" The Libertines to reform. He went on to say that it was up to co-frontman Carl Barat to also get on board. While every band who ever formed seems to have to reunite these days, both acts would certainly still command quite a crowd, and the money offered for these kind of reunions must be staggering.
Stone roses guitarist John Squire has denied these reports as being false, but who knows? The lure of the money and reclaiming your crown must eat away at you till you just cave in.
Either way, i wouldn't bet against either act coming back together someday...
