A train journey with Mrs Li and Lenny Kravitz
I was stuck on a train today with nothing for company but a Chinese tai chi manual (apparently written by a Mrs Li, but I can’t be sure of this) and a copy of Select magazine from December 1991 (with the terminally dull Lenny Kravitz on the cover).
From these I gleaned the following:
- A picture does say a thousand words. This is good in the case of the tai chi book as I can’t read a word of Chinese, but not so good when it comes to the ‘16 page photo supplement’ in Select which features the close-up delights of Erasure, Jellyfish, Levitation, Jesus Jones and Miles Hunt amongst others. Did anybody ever actually stick these on their wall?!
- Mrs Li and Select magazine take the weight of responsibility in their respective areas of expertise quite differently. Mrs Li has a stern look accompanying the many arrows in her pictures - it is very important that your flailing limbs are in exactly the right place. Select has the onerous task of reviewing the months new releases, and they certainly had their work cut out for them in December 1991. This month saw the release of classic 90s albums Bandwagonesque by Teenage Fanclub (4 stars) and Loveless by My Bloody Valentine (5 stars) , but what did Select award album of the month? Intastella’s Stella and the Intastella Family of People. I remember reading about Intastella but I absolutely cannot remember what they actually sounded like. How can I not remember something supposedly that good?
And with that said, I’m off to find some Intastella.
Tags: dirty nostalgia, music = opinions, tai chi, Teenage Fanclub
February 1st, 2008 at 11:34 am
Dig out some Jellyfish while you’re there - they were incredible, like the best bits of The Beatles, The Beach Boys and XTC with tip top production. Stunning. If you like Teenage Fanclub, I’m convinced you’ll love Jellyfish.
I’ve got a copy of Dynamic Strength by Harry Wong if you get weary of the Tai Chi book. It’s Kung Fu fitness in snug fit shorts.
February 3rd, 2008 at 1:43 am
Select has a very special place in my heart. It was a bit of a bible for me and I don’t think they ever properly replaced it as far as monthly music mags went. The weekly’s were fine for a while, but then Melody Maker died and the NME turned into a comic………..
I was left with Mojo which was aimed at old men and Uncut which was quite good, but seemed to be neither fish nor fowl.
I have stopped buying weekly or monthly publications of any sort now and feel better for it.
February 3rd, 2008 at 1:52 pm
Planet Mondo - Following your comment, I just happened to be in Fopp and saw Jellyfish’s Bellybutton CD so I finally got off my arse after 17 years and bought it. And you’re right, it’s very good.
Ill Man - I liked Select too, and also Q up until the late 90s. At the moment I’m still following the career trajectory of Mark Ellen and David Hepworth and reading Word. I have been reading the music press for so long now, I can’t stop, it’s like an addiction. I feel like an old man…
February 4th, 2008 at 2:38 pm
Bellybutton is good - Spilt Milk the follow up is stunning. The keyboard player Roger Manning went on to work with Beck and start the Moog Cookbook, who did a marvellous remix of Air Kelly Watch The Stars It’s here if you want to fill your boots
http://planetmondo.blogspot.com/2007/11/b-side-babies-pt-1-kelly-watch-stars.html
PS check issue 57 of Word (with the Springsteen on the cover)if you’ve still got it. I got asked to write up a Batman/Beatles piece from my blog for the mag. It’s on page 27 (I think)
February 5th, 2008 at 3:15 pm
Spilt Milk has ‘New Mistake’ on it doesn’t it? Top tune - will look out for the album.
And that is a damn fine remix of ‘Kelly Watch the Stars’ on your site. I’m adding the Moog Cookbook to my constantly growing list of things to track down…