http://www.camdenenterprise.com/

And yes, I'm sure many have you have worked in bars and that's *exactly* what it's like for the poor staff, but does that justify this?

A brief fact check at work led me to the list of credits for Usher's latest album (as they appear on All Music Guide) http://www.allmusic.com/album/raymond-v-raymond-r1700764/credits

There were apparently no fewer than 112 people involved in its making, including 33 composers, 22 mixers/engineers and 19 'assistants'.
So… is it any good?

What happens when you attach a camera to a balloon and send it up into space…
Homemade Spacecraft from Luke Geissbuhler on Vimeo.

Getting a bit of 'help' from autotune, that is. If the answer's yes, surely that's pretty outrageous? I've seen it suggested elsewhere that she is, and it certainly sounds like it. What does anyone else think?

(NB the fact that The X Factor is the devil's work etc etc etc can be taken as read).

http://www.wordmagazine.co.uk/content/a-swiss-all-girl-band-cover-slade-...

Sadly you can't go and visit them, apparently.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/36844288@N00/sets/72157624079183751/

The answer is the Brotherhood Of Man.
Dunno who these imposters are, though.

Anyone else attending any of the Edgard Varese concerts/activities at the South Bank this weekend? I'm quite excited about it… One recent performance of his music in Barcelona caused a near riot. Not bad for a composer born in 1883. But it's not just about being 'out there'; his music is fantastic (if not exactly easy listening).

Then catch this while you can (which won't be for long):
http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b00gd3c3/Judy_Frank_and_Dean/
It tells you all you need to know. The programme is called Judy, Frank and Dean, but the last two are just there to make up the numbers - it's Judy's gig all the way. I'm not even a Judy Garland fan (in any sense of the term), but the last 14 minutes or so of this are astonishing - her voice is shot, she looks like a freakish dwarf, but there's something going on there that you just can't bottle and sell.

Sometimes there's only one type of music I want to hear, especially in times of stress, and that's the kind of superficially undemanding – but deceptively complex and expertly played - music from the late 60s/early 70s that is Sunshine Pop. Sure, it was the industry's non-challenging response to the drug-oriented explosion of psychedelia and hippiedom - lyrical concerns centred instead on (surprise!) sunshine, not to mention rainy days and Sundays, with a side order of circuses and clowns; it was never cool, and I realise that to many people it might seem like the most anodyne fare imaginable, but to me it feels like a warm musical hug. Here are a few favourites of many:
Northern Lights (from 1973!)

Inner Dialogue

Free Design

Any other fans?

… let's celebrate by - for no especially good reason - exploring just how strange French pop music could get in the 60s:

Sorry, I don't normally do this, but I thought I'd mention that The Redlands Palomino Co (with whom I play) are celebrating 10 years of never-say-die persistence at the Golden Lion In Camden this Sunday. It's free, so if (occasionally raucous) country rock plus stunning female vocals is your bag, do come along.
(PS it's an early evening event; we're on about 7).

On another thread I posted a Ramones clip from January 1975, a good 18 months before their debut album and the first supposed 'summer of punk'. Here are two more clips - the first from 1973 by the Hollywood Brats, who later morphed into 'proper' British punk group the Boys;the second from 1975 by the notorious Electric Eels from Akron - that are just as punk as anything that came out in or after punk's Year Zero. In fact, they're snotty as hell:

Any further contributions welcome…

I know there's no shortage of Midlake admirers here, so in case you weren't aware, they've announced UK dates in January to coincide with the new album release. Details on their MySpace blog:
http://www.myspace.com/midlake
I'm quite excited. Apparently they listened to a lot of Fairport prior to recording the album.

According to Gigwise, at any rate. Some pertinent selections here, plus a few I've never heard of. Any glaring omissions? I'd have put Vampire Weekend in there, for starters...
http://www.gigwise.com/photos/53029/The-20-Worst-Bands-of-the-2000s