14th February: A Fine Day For Spooning

"Our career's about small milestones. Little bursts of elation as opposed to, We've finally made it! I'm still thinking about my mortgage..." - Jim Eno, Spoon

As I escape the central Valentines afternoon bustle of Glasgow and hike up St Vincent Street to enter the legendary King Tut's Wah Wah Hut it dawns on me that I haven't been to this basement joint since my first ever live review of an unsigned act two years ago. A haunt that's currently celebrating its 20th year, it is renowned as a much adored launchpad for new acts in the industry, most famously housing Oasis the night they were discovered and signed. I climb the steps inscribed with all the names of now successful artists who once began here, and wonder why, seven albums in, the band Spoon (whom I'm meeting to interview) are dragging their equipment amid the chemical stench of the bar's industrial cleaner like some sort of pre-mania Beatles in a Hamburg nightclub.

Forget maximising profits, pushing "product" and building an electric fence between the fans and the act, Spoon work for pure satisfaction and they adore these venues. They want to see the faces in the crowd who are just as much a part of their show as the musicians themselves. No surprise then that as Britt Daniel adorns his guitar his first utterances to the audience are: "Is this barrier always here? It's ridiculous!"

What follows is a mature accomplished performance to reflect the 15 years he and Eno have been on the road together. Their consistency and simple sophistication as an in-tune cohort of instrumentalists, whether performing coveted favourites such as The Way We Get By or the new album's lead single Written In Reverse, is the direct result of a dogged approach to the art of rock'n'roll. They appreciate the wider commercial use of their material but they've seen the ugly side of a major label. Ultimately it really is the music that matters. Tonight in a venue where others dreamed of global domination, Spoon are just looking for that elusive moment to play for each and every one of you. Forget your individually cut roses and your Hallmark sentiments, that's real love on Valentines Day.

Read the full interview at: http://news.qthemusic.com/2010/02/interview_a_fine_day_for_spoon.html

Jaz x

P.S. Remember to tune into the 30th Anniversary of the BRIT Awards tonight...

Roses Are Red, Chivalry's Dead

John Mayer isn't known in the UK so much for his love-centric guitar odes as he is renowned for his serial romanticising of Hollywood A-listers. For any valentines out there planning on dusting off one of his many non-distinct albums (I'm hoping a great deal of dust has accumulated) in order to woo your loved one, think again. Not only did he recently play a Q show during which he offered to indiscriminately impregnate members of the audience, the penman of love themes such as Your Body Is A Wonderland (pass the sickbag) has just likened ex-squeeze Jessica Simpson to "sexual napalm". Wonderland... Napalm... Vietnam warfare. It's not sounding too gooey now, is it? Jaz never usually vindicates this but if you are so inclined we propose you stick to your Westlifes and Manilows for minimal controversy. Jaz will probably be airing old Oasis albums. Having yet to commemorate their split last year, Valentines Day is a perfect occasion to appreciate music that is heady but nonetheless utterly meaningless. If you do choose to fall into the romcom trap, watch a decent one. Wedding-related titles are usually safe (bar the exception of The Wedding Planner) - My Best Friend's Wedding and The Wedding Singer are Jaz favourites. See Adam Sandler doing J Gelis Band's Love Stinks:




Jaz x x x