September 1998 - Sinister

Sinister: golfing pants kids. you heard it here first. mmm, yes.
by Linda Kerr 02 Sep '98

02 Sep '98

*---* HAPPY BIRTHDAY SINISTER BABIES *---* Heigh ho you lot!! OK, so I'm not Linda! Its Sarah/Fluffy/that silly lil' thing that won't stop posting poo to the list, and I'm using (by some clever technical wizardry no doubt) Lindas mail thingy 'cos......... I SAW BELLE AND SEBASTIAN LAST NIGHT!!! Not that it was one of the most gorgeous and beautiful things I have ever seen (excluding the delightful faces of our list, the glittery dinosaur wearing Honey and the lovely Linda of course...) and my heart was broken and repaired with sellotape in the course of each song or anything.... My gosh, I can't lie, it was absholutely amazing! I mean they actually could PLAY THEIR SONGS (yey! Apart from just a wee hiccup with Isobel but we can let her off 'cos she's cool. Huzzah!) and the effect is... wa-HEY! But in a more subtle understanted and gorgeous way :) And I shook hands with Stuart Murdoch...I can never wash my hand again...oh bugger it I did already last night...ah oh well then. Sadly, I didn't manage to bump into Stephen Pastel, which Keith was gutted at as well.....and also I missed Calumn, who apparently made a big impression on Monday night.... And the venue! It was so fun, it was like a cool youth club thing, we sat on the floor and jus' watched the band play ze blues (and LONELINESS OF A MIDDLE DISTANCE RUNNER!!!!! i thought they'd never play it live, but they did...and it was so beautiful!) Gosh! Them Belles are just so goood! Stuart David smelt of wee, but that was countered for by my special nosepeg which dispells any repellent odours, and er, Sarah, sorry if I pushed you about on the way to the toilet after the gig. Didn't mean to like. And Mick!! What can I say, your fantastic checked golfing pants are just going to be the latest fashion worn by all them "indieP!O!P!" kidz... he's just a dedicated follower of fashion! Ooh happyhappyhappyhappyhappybunny indeed! -- Sarah/Fluffy and Linda but not honey 'cos he's still in bed. +----------------------------------------------------------------------+ +---+ Brought to you by the Sinister mailing list +---+ To send to the list please mail "sinister(a)majordomo.net". To unsubscribe send "unsubscribe sinister" or "unsubscribe sinister-digest" to "majordomo(a)majordomo.net". For list archives and searching, list rules, FAQ, poor jokes etc, see http://www.majordomo.net/sinister +---+ "legion of bedroom saddo devotees" +---+ +----------------------------------------------------------------------+

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Sinister: i went walking..
by Emma Short 02 Sep '98

02 Sep '98

*---* HAPPY BIRTHDAY SINISTER BABIES *---* h'loo all, well, i'm extremely jealous of everyone, seeing as everyone in the entire world except me seems to be going to see the wonderfull belle & sebastian. and i've never seen them live once, even though i love them dearly and would do anything to hear them play their beautifull music in person. but *sigh* it seems it is not to be. i'm stuck at home answering the business line phone for my mum. just spoke to a guy with the most gorgeous scottish accent in the world. had to sound professional and take his adress while my stomach did somersaults and i nearly swooned my way off the chair. does anyone have any idea if there is *any* chance that belle & sebastian would play anywhere near oxford again (pleeease not the zodiac, pleeeease - they do have under eighteen fans, you know..or they could get the zodiac to make it an all-ages show....it's just so unfair that those of us who are sixteen, seventeen..whatever, get barred from hearing the music we love just kos people want to get pissed at gigs)? oh, and thankyou katrina for giving me jon jordan's number - i am now hugging a promo copy of the snow patrol album..*grin* ok i'm going now BYE *bug* +----------------------------------------------------------------------+ +---+ Brought to you by the Sinister mailing list +---+ To send to the list please mail "sinister(a)majordomo.net". To unsubscribe send "unsubscribe sinister" or "unsubscribe sinister-digest" to "majordomo(a)majordomo.net". For list archives and searching, list rules, FAQ, poor jokes etc, see http://www.majordomo.net/sinister +---+ "legion of bedroom saddo devotees" +---+ +----------------------------------------------------------------------+

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Sinister: Maryhill gigs
by Keith Watson 02 Sep '98

02 Sep '98

*---* HAPPY BIRTHDAY SINISTER BABIES *---* Hello people, made it back from my holiday. Too much booze = not good for you. I spent yesterday sitting on a bench in Argyle street bent over double with a dodgy stomach. Anyway, just for the record, here's the songs that were played over the last couple of days. I can't remember the set list as such, but I can remember which songs were played if I move through them chronologically. Was very nice to meet everyone over the course of the couple of days and I look forward very much to meeting more of you in England. The State that I'm In She's Losing it I Don't love Anyone Seeing Other People Get me away from here I'm dying Mayfly The boy done wrong again Judy and the Dream of Horses Dog on Wheels Belle and Sebastian Lazy Line Painter Jane Photo Jenny A Century of Fakers Beautiful It Could've been a Brilliant Career Is it Wicked not to Care A Summer Wasting Seymour Stein Spaceboy Dream Dirty Dream #2 The Boy with the Arab Strap ChickFactor Simple Things The Rollercoaster Ride The Lonliness of the Middle Distance Runner Slow Grafitti The Gate And that's about it I think. If I've missed any out, apologies, best I can do just from memory. Cheers, Keith. +----------------------------------------------------------------------+ +---+ Brought to you by the Sinister mailing list +---+ To send to the list please mail "sinister(a)majordomo.net". To unsubscribe send "unsubscribe sinister" or "unsubscribe sinister-digest" to "majordomo(a)majordomo.net". For list archives and searching, list rules, FAQ, poor jokes etc, see http://www.majordomo.net/sinister +---+ "legion of bedroom saddo devotees" +---+ +----------------------------------------------------------------------+

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Sinister: mm album review
by andrew dean 02 Sep '98

02 Sep '98

*---* HAPPY BIRTHDAY SINISTER BABIES *---* NOT entirely unlike your granny giving you a big, dirty French kiss when you were only expecting the customary peck on the cheek. Or finding out your mineral water's actually neat tequila spiked with white spirit and acid. Or reaching down to stroke a cute li'l doggy only to find out it's rabid, hungry and desperate to hump your leg. Too much, just too damn much. It's a "Noooooo! Bob Dylan's gone electric!" album this one, an electric bolt from Belle & Sebastian's previously placid blue lagoon. They've strapped on their guitars, their heavy-duty sweatbands and, quite possibly, their Arab straps, and produced an album that goes some way towards kicking arse. Well, thigh, at least. There's even a lumbering, dance-type thingy, "A Space Boy Dream", all "Starsky & Hutch" funk and Herb Alpert trumpet noodling. Not what we expected. And not exactly what we wanted either, because B&S don't do upbeat quite as well as they think they do. They ram some string- swept Motown euphoria into their pop washing machine on "Dirty Dream Number Two", but it just comes out as a soggy, crumpled version of McAlmont & Butler's "Yes", the faded, washed-out remnants of a song left sludgy and useless in its back pocket. They try their hand at melodious synth pop on the swooping, gobbling "Sleep The Clock Around", but the tune is just left to bob about in their self-conscious musical crocodile tears. By becoming a "real band" this time (instead of a living, breathing backing springing gently from Stuart Murdoch's head), Belle & Sebastian are in danger of losing their treasured identity, that priceless, erotic charm. It's not a disaster - not at all - it's just a shame. When Murdoch is left alone to get on with the poetic butterfly kisses of "It Could Have Been A Brilliant Career", the breezy sigh of "The Rollercoaster Ride" or the wry lyricism of the London-weary title track, the effect is almost unbearably beautiful. At other times (especially on the indulgent, watery songs contributed by his fellow Belles and Sebastians), this is a case of slightly too many bittersweet nothings. ROBIN BRESNARK 3/5 lots more b&s related bits in the papers this week too, v-twin interviews, little looper snippets, stuff like that... koogs == andrew dean (koogydelbbog(a)yahoo.com) _________________________________________________________ DO YOU YAHOO!? Get your free @yahoo.com address at http://mail.yahoo.com +----------------------------------------------------------------------+ +---+ Brought to you by the Sinister mailing list +---+ To send to the list please mail "sinister(a)majordomo.net". To unsubscribe send "unsubscribe sinister" or "unsubscribe sinister-digest" to "majordomo(a)majordomo.net". For list archives and searching, list rules, FAQ, poor jokes etc, see http://www.majordomo.net/sinister +---+ "legion of bedroom saddo devotees" +---+ +----------------------------------------------------------------------+

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Sinister: nme album review
by andrew dean 02 Sep '98

02 Sep '98

*---* HAPPY BIRTHDAY SINISTER BABIES *---* hot off the presses... SEBASTiAN COUP BY RIGHTS, of course, they should be failures. Sometimes it seems they'd be happier that way. Check the fuzzy and obscured 'candid' band shots on the cover, or the winsome sleevenotes, or the pervading air of indie sanctimony that ensures they can no longer be even interviewed, or that precious, precious tone of voice. Belle & Sebastian are, in essence, a peculiar musical accident: a band who aspire to be underachieving cutie elitists; but who - by virtue of their wise, uncommonly lovely music - find themselves just about the biggest 'unknown' band in Britain. There is a care and craftsmanship at work on 'The Boy With The Arab Strap', their third album, that leaves almost all their contemporaries for dead "Music which locates an emotional chord largely neglected by the British mainstream since the demise of The Smiths, but is presented with an air of aloofness and/or shyness more suitable to a tiny side project of The Pastels. Such eccentricities can be frustrating, especially vwhen there's a suspicion that B&S's contrived anti-image repels as many potential fans as it attracts and obscures the excellence of pure musical endeavour. For there's a vivid and confident swing to much of 'The Boy With The Arab Strap', as the eight band members lock into intricately layered arrangements or build to graceful and moving crescendos - check the bagpipe-dappled 'Sleep The Clock Around' - with the kind of intuition that recalls prime Tindersticks. It's an album that feels like a true band effort: there's a density of ideas in each song, as if every member felt obliged to add their own cello, or trumpet, or Hammond signature; and, for the first time, Stuart Murdoch cedes songwriting responsibilities on four of the 12 tracks here. Isobel Campbell contributes the lush folk of 'Is It Wicked Not To Care?', and Stuart David expands on his Looper side project with 'A Space Boy Dream', a deadpan narrative on childish astronaut fantasies in the style (if not subject matter) of Arab Strap. Stevie Jackson, meanwhile, opts for lonesome indieboy soul on the brilliant groovin' -on-a-sunny-afternoon-style 'Seymour Stein', a meditation on the trappings of success that habitually blight third albums. Here, again, there's the feeling of a band who'd rather be far less popular, that they're guilty of not failing. At least Stuart Murdoch, still the key to Belle & Sebastian's genius, seems relatively unmoved by such worldly affairs. His lyrical aim remains focused on the tiny triumphs and tragedies of his constituency of misfits, expressed this time with greater poetic resonance and, pleasingly, reduced tweeness. So there is less preoccupation with the trials of adolescence, even if 'A Summer Wasting' -an instant classic that recalls a much spruced-up early Orange Juice - does concern itself with doing nothing in the school holidays occasionally, he touches on the grubbier aspects of post-puberty: "Why is this happening to you, you're not a child?" he ponders in ' Dirty Dream Number Two' , his protagonist half-asleep and stuck to the sheets after dreaming of "a whole lot of fun with a comedian". 'It Could Have Been A Brilliant Career' opens the album with the story of 20-something stroke victims and a sense of awful pathos that transcends natural accusations of heavy-handedness or sentimentality. It's the title track, however, which is the most intriguing, using '70s pop swagger to score a richly detailed tale of the drunk and fashionable in secondhand suits. The character "constantly updating your hit parade of your ten biggest wanks", seems unambiguously to be sometime collaborator and "boy from the Arab strap", Aidan Moffat. What kind of Glaswegian alternative schism is opening up here? Is it a joke? Is the joke on us? For now, it's impossible to say. There's something noble and perversely heartening about the way Belle & Sebastian have become cultishly successful without playing the media game, in much the same way as the Levellers and Pearl Jam's old isolationism had a kind of stubbornly righteous allure. But there's also something fundamentally petty and cowardly about, say, writing a song that appears to trash the singer of another band, then refusing to discuss it openly. 'The Boy With The Arab Strap' is, unarguably, one of the best albums of 1998: it'd be nice to know how it got that way. (8) John Mulvey == andrew dean (koogydelbbog(a)yahoo.com) _________________________________________________________ DO YOU YAHOO!? Get your free @yahoo.com address at http://mail.yahoo.com +----------------------------------------------------------------------+ +---+ Brought to you by the Sinister mailing list +---+ To send to the list please mail "sinister(a)majordomo.net". To unsubscribe send "unsubscribe sinister" or "unsubscribe sinister-digest" to "majordomo(a)majordomo.net". For list archives and searching, list rules, FAQ, poor jokes etc, see http://www.majordomo.net/sinister +---+ "legion of bedroom saddo devotees" +---+ +----------------------------------------------------------------------+

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Sinister: Shall we have another Competition?
by Shearer, Calumn 02 Sep '98

02 Sep '98

*---* HAPPY BIRTHDAY SINISTER BABIES *---* I have finally recovered form the "monday high" I seemed to be suffering... I do, however, now posess a possibly unique piece of b&s memorabilia, an "Arab Strap" poster, signed (natch!) by the band, Some of the List Members (including such *superstar* names as honeypaul , keithy, tag, oon and loads, loads more) I also got the signatures of David, Katrina and Mark from Jeepster, Snow Patrol, Looper, some of the rest of the audience, most of the staff at the hall, and...... Isobel's Aunt (Top Autograph fame hunt!) So, In an amazing moment of magnanamous generosisity, I decided I'd give the thing away to a worthy cause... Hence the Competition.... I sat and thought about how to get rid of the poster, and decided to steal an idea from Radio 1. So, The person that comes up with the story (or poem or whatever) containing the most belle and sebastian song titles (and, if you feel like it like, albums/EP's , but there's no pressure) will be the proud owner of my poster. simple really. just in case you're still lost as to the concept,here are the words you've got to work with.... Song Titles:- Beautiful Belle And Sebastian (The) Boy Done Wrong Again (The) Boy With The Arab Strap (A) Century Of Elvis (A) Century Of Fakers Chickfactor Dirty Dream Number Two Dog On Wheels Ease Your Feet In The Sea Electronic Renaissance Expectations (The) Fox In The Snow Get Me Away From Here, I'm Dying I Could Be Dreaming I Don't Love Anyone If You're Feeling Sinister Is It Wicked Not To Care? It Could Have Been A Brilliant Career Judy And The Dream Of Horses Lazy Line Painter Jane Le Pastie De La Bourgeoisie Like Dylan In The Movies Mary Jo Mayfly Me And The Major My Wandering Days Are Over Photo Jenny Put The Book Back On The Shelf (The) Rollercoaster Ride Seeing Other People Seymour Stein She's Losing It Simple Things Sleep The Clock Around (A) Space Boy Dream The Stars Of Track And Field (The) State I Am In String Bean Jean (A) Summer Wasting We Rule The School You Made Me Forget My Dreams You're Just A Baby Extra Songs (Radio Sessions and Stuff) Hurley's Having Dreams Just Another Modern Rock Song London Has Let Me Down Again (The) Loneliness Of A Middle Distance Runner PocketBook Angel Rhoda Slow Graffiti Wrong Love Album and EP titles:- Tigermilk If you're feeling sinister The boy with the arab strap Dog on Wheels Lazy Line painter Jane 3...6...9... Seconds of Light Just make something up using as many of these words as you can, simple really. Silly Rules bit: 1) Marks will be awarded: one mark/reference. 2) The winner will be the deemed to be the person with the most marks (doh!) 3) In the event of a draw, I'll probably give a couple of "bonus marks" for "artistic intent" or something. 4) No-one that currently sleeping with me can win, but since no-one's currently sleeping with me - that's OK. (see rule 8) 5) The Competition will probably close sometime around the end of September, (the 30th, if you'r pressing me for a date!) but If no-one writes in ten I'll get bored and find some other way to give my poster away..... 6) There is NO RULE 6 7) If I say so, then it's true. (in the context of this competition, at least.) 8) ANYONE CAN ENTER. 9) Just in case you didn't get rule 8. - You're best mates girlfriend's brothers, dogs, mates, owners, son can send me an e-mail, and if it's got the most songs - He wins. No catch, No fuss, no Muss, not just for Listees (but it helps;-)) 10) I'll even pay the Postage..... (International, too! - hey sez - you listening?) 11) This is not the same as Chris' Competition. This one has more rules. And his prize is better. How to Enter :- Send me your stories! (doh!) DON'T SEND THEM TO THE LIST!!!! - unless, of course you think that the list'll be interested. But this kinda thing gets wearing after a while (are we _finally_ out of list songs?) and I'll probably appreciate it more. Calumn "whadda you mean *zany*?" Shearer... +----------------------------------------------------------------------+ +---+ Brought to you by the Sinister mailing list +---+ To send to the list please mail "sinister(a)majordomo.net". To unsubscribe send "unsubscribe sinister" or "unsubscribe sinister-digest" to "majordomo(a)majordomo.net". For list archives and searching, list rules, FAQ, poor jokes etc, see http://www.majordomo.net/sinister +---+ "legion of bedroom saddo devotees" +---+ +----------------------------------------------------------------------+

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Sinister: B&S: Dublin/Ireland gig(s)
by Martin Conneely 02 Sep '98

02 Sep '98

*---* HAPPY BIRTHDAY SINISTER BABIES *---* As David Kitchen advised on the list, I enquired from Neil at management about Dublin (and/or Galway) gigs. He told me that Dublin is on the planned gig list, probably in March as part of something special [B&S as Grand Marshals for the St Patrick's day parade?]. Thanks to Mr Trousers for putting the "Select" article on the list. I read it in a shop but didn't feel like buying a full magazine for a half page (especially since I'm so uptodate after obeying a listee's recommendation to buy Uncut*). The photo with the article was great. I haven't seen the album cover yet so maybe that's it . I haven't even heard one song - but Joss, of this list, on his radio show, (which had Looper, Mojave 3, Pernice Bros., etc. last Thursday) felt guilty enough to make an excuse for not having it with him to play. Martin C * which had a strange review of Rufus Wainwright's LP +----------------------------------------------------------------------+ +---+ Brought to you by the Sinister mailing list +---+ To send to the list please mail "sinister(a)majordomo.net". To unsubscribe send "unsubscribe sinister" or "unsubscribe sinister-digest" to "majordomo(a)majordomo.net". For list archives and searching, list rules, FAQ, poor jokes etc, see http://www.majordomo.net/sinister +---+ "legion of bedroom saddo devotees" +---+ +----------------------------------------------------------------------+

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Sinister: I think I sat next to Stuart M's parents on tuesday
by Sarah Wheeler 02 Sep '98

02 Sep '98

*---* HAPPY BIRTHDAY SINISTER BABIES *---* Wow........Monday and Tuesday night's gigs have totally blown me away. I never could have imagined that the band were able to sound as good as they did without loads of production type shenanigans.......aaaah, but now it's back to work. I'm so jealous of everyone who still has the experience to look forward to. Still, can anyone tell me if it's conceivable that I might have sat beside Mick Cooke in Chemistry in first year at Glasgow university (1991-92)??? I'm sure he borrowed my calculator off me, and more recently went out with a girl called Liz..............sheesh, I'm so star-struck. Right, I'm off to try and get over my debilitating crush on Stuart Murdoch.....gawd, I'm so sad......see a bloke who can sing, is funny and remembers 'Runaround' and I'm begging marriage. Byeee Sarah xx ======================= Sarah Wheeler Room 106 West Medical Building University of Glasgow GLASGOW G12 8QQ 0141-339 8855 ext.2860 ======================= +----------------------------------------------------------------------+ +---+ Brought to you by the Sinister mailing list +---+ To send to the list please mail "sinister(a)majordomo.net". To unsubscribe send "unsubscribe sinister" or "unsubscribe sinister-digest" to "majordomo(a)majordomo.net". For list archives and searching, list rules, FAQ, poor jokes etc, see http://www.majordomo.net/sinister +---+ "legion of bedroom saddo devotees" +---+ +----------------------------------------------------------------------+

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Sinister: dunno
by Andras Zalan Szolnoki 02 Sep '98

02 Sep '98

*---* HAPPY BIRTHDAY SINISTER BABIES *---* Hello everyone! This is my first letter to sinister and it feels a bit strange to write to so many people . I wonder if anyone knows if (though I`m pretty shure they will , but you never know) B&S are going to play in chilly-oslo or anywhere else here in scandinavia , and when..... and one other thing..............could I get hold of a copy of tigerm....(I hope you haven`t heard this one too many times) and is it true that they are going to release it again???? + are the bbc-sessions available on ANY format???????????? Thanks!! Ciao Szola ______________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com +----------------------------------------------------------------------+ +---+ Brought to you by the Sinister mailing list +---+ To send to the list please mail "sinister(a)majordomo.net". To unsubscribe send "unsubscribe sinister" or "unsubscribe sinister-digest" to "majordomo(a)majordomo.net". For list archives and searching, list rules, FAQ, poor jokes etc, see http://www.majordomo.net/sinister +---+ "legion of bedroom saddo devotees" +---+ +----------------------------------------------------------------------+

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Re: Sinister: who knows about NY dates?
by MWaggner＠aol.com 02 Sep '98

02 Sep '98

*---* HAPPY BIRTHDAY SINISTER BABIES *---* Megan and Brian were more fruitful in their information search than I: e-mail to the Supper Club netted the following: Subj: Re: Request for Information Date: 98-09-01 22:32:37 EDT From: Supperclub To: MWaggner iam sorry, but we dont have that information yet. thanks +----------------------------------------------------------------------+ +---+ Brought to you by the Sinister mailing list +---+ To send to the list please mail "sinister(a)majordomo.net". To unsubscribe send "unsubscribe sinister" or "unsubscribe sinister-digest" to "majordomo(a)majordomo.net". For list archives and searching, list rules, FAQ, poor jokes etc, see http://www.majordomo.net/sinister +---+ "legion of bedroom saddo devotees" +---+ +----------------------------------------------------------------------+

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