September 1998 - Sinister

Sinister: Where're the Hardy Boys when ya need 'em?
by Reid 09 Sep '98

09 Sep '98

I love the album, of course, but I just thought I'd get this out of the way before I write back and gush: MYSTERIES OF THE BOY WITH THE ARAB STRAP --All three Belle and Sebastian albums start out almost identically. Stuart singing a line as fragile as possible and a barely audible piano or acoustic guitar in the background. Intentional, or is this just the best way to start an album? --Why, after ten months work, are there so many bum notes (think of the violin solo and every other bass note) in "Ease Your Feet Into the Sea"? --How come, in ten months, no one noticed that the s's in the spoken part of Dirty Dream #2 are so pronounced and hot as to render your average human immediately deaf? "In a town SSSo SSSSmall..." AAAAGGGH FUCK! --The biggest mystery: the Sinister masses, long ago, ask "Where did B&S get their name?" "From a French cartoon", most sources say. "No", official people say, "They got it from a piece of fiction that Stuart M. wrote. The cartoon is just coincidence." But we've all read on the back of the album now that Belle and Sebastian officially announce that they DID get it from the French children's book/cartoon. ???? What's going on? Were they afraid of getting sued, so they made up the story about Stuart M's fiction? Or did they really get it from the Stuart M. story and just figured that it'd be better to just *pretend* they got it from the book to avoid legal wrangles? Or were they just yanking our chain as usual? Or ARE they just yanking our chain as usual? --Once again, the band witholds all mentions of songwriting credit, leaving listeners to wonder...if that IS Isobel's song, why are her lyrics so eerily similar to those of one Stuart Murdoch, Glasgow? Stevie's songs aren't very mysterious. But who wrote the music to "Spaceboy Dream"? Just a few things to keep you up at night... By the way, I'd just like to interject my feelings about the whole "Seymour Stein" controversy (okay, it's not very controversial). I really like the fact that Stevie writes about the events of a highly sought and cherished band as though they were everyday, normal occurences. Why shouldn't he write about such things? And just because they didn't sign with Sire, why should we assume that the song is "scathing"? I don't think that Belle and Sebastian necessarily *didn't* want to be rich and famous, but they had enough smarts and foresight to see the shit that you have to go through in order to get to that point, and they didn't want to do it. Most bands don't have that sort of self-restraint. Point being that having dinner (or missing dinner) with Seymour Stein is a pretty damn cool story. I knew a couple of the guys in the band Athenaeum...they used to come into the record store I worked at in Greensboro, NC, and they were being courted by major labels (they're on Atlantic now). Their music is okay...didn't really twirl my ticket...but Nick (drummer) and Mark (singer) are about two of the nicest guys around, and it was fascinating to hear their stories of being flown to LA or going out to dinner with label heads, etc. Seymour Stein is appealing to me in the same way those stories are appealing. It's also interesting to not that Athenaeum's Atlantic album hasn't sold much, which kind of points that much more to Belle and Sebastian's smarts. You can get wined and dined and promised the moon, but that certainly doesn't guarantee that you'll be rich and famous. Enough already! Reid +----------------------------------------------------------------------+ +---+ 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" +---+ +-+ "the cardie wearing biscuit nibbling belle & sebastian list" +-+ +----------------------------------------------------------------------+

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Sinister: Lunnon tahn
by Lucy Munro 09 Sep '98

09 Sep '98

*---* HAPPY BIRTHDAY SINISTER BABIES *---* London? Well, I *did* enjoy it - it was certainly the best I've *heard* them, but it's a bit odd going to a comparatively big venue when you've got used to seeing bands play in grubby little back rooms. I've only ever seen B&S in small places or churches before. Oh, and a shop... A little shakey at the start, especially as portions of the crowd seemed a little pissed (or indeed pished) off, to say the least. Sadly, as I was busy talking to some friends I hadn't seen for a couple of months I didn't even realise that they'd been so long. Though if I'd had an early train to catch I'd have been cross - a friend had to leave after 5 songs. Had the same thing happen to me at a Shack gig at the Jazz cafe a couple of years ago when I was living in Cambridge & distinctly remember stomping past Martin Rossiter on the way out, and him looking really taken aback, as if he thought I was scowling at him. But B&S really came together about a third of the way through, & they sounded far less shambolic than any other time I've seen them - harmonies actually coordinating rather than wavering. I kind of thought about going to the front, but I didn't have the sheer blind reckless courage - made do with standing on tip-toe and just about seeing the top of Stuarts Murdoch and David's heads from time to time. Until the end when it cleared out a little & I got a glimpse of Stuart M.'s Felt t-shirt. Honey informs me that Mick Cooke was wearing a kilt, but I have no way of knowing whether this is true. Did anyone else see the boys on the balcony air drumming? I had a bit of nightmare getting home. Had to wait ages for the Hammersmith & City tube at Shepherds Bush & then it stopped at Edgware Road and an announcement said there wouldn't be another train for 20 minutes or something. So I decided to get the 27 bus to Chalk Farm instead of waiting for the tube, as the last trains go from Baker St to Finchley Road go at about 12:40, if not earlier. Kind of appropriate to ride home on a bus, now I stop to think about it. My friend Ben saw me at Edgware Road (we'd lost him in the venue - he was off talking to friends near the back), and I didn't see him. I don't think I actually walked past him, but it was pretty near. I've told him it wasn't my fault, I was stressed. He says he was testing my powers of observation and I failed. Bah! Sorry not to have introduced myself to anyone in the pub - I got there late, & had to try and find the man with my ticket before he got tempted to sell it to a tout (apparantly they were selling them for 35 quid). And then it took me 20 minutes to get served at the bar - I really should have got the hang of it by now, but no. Oh, this is far too long and dull... Lucy ---------------------- Lucy Munro lucy.munro(a)kcl.ac.uk +----------------------------------------------------------------------+ +---+ 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" +---+ +-+ "the cardie wearing biscuit nibbling belle & sebastian list" +-+ +----------------------------------------------------------------------+

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Sinister: leeds...
by Heinitz 09 Sep '98

09 Sep '98

i know it's a bit after-the-event to be talking about the leeds gig, but i'm on the digest and i've only just got about a hundred delayed digests to read through, so my head's all sinister-y, no, what was i saying? about the leeds gig. well, me and my friend went to the whitelocks on the off chance i would be able to summon up the courage to say to complete strangers, "hey, are you sinister? i am the girl who briefly had a mouse, you may have read my strange messages. let's talk about belle and sebastian." and it transpired i didn't have the courage to do this, so i just sat down outside with my friend and we chatted and looked at other people out of the corners of our eyes, guessing who were fans. so, i failed at the gathering part, but i think maybe by the time belle and sebastian next come to my county i'll know you all a bit better, and it'll be enough to say "hello, i'm abi". the gig itself was quite the loveliest gig ever. i'm usually not in favour of sitting down at gigs, but it worked so well. and ice creams? ambassador, you are really spoiling us. "get me away from here i'm dying" is maybe my favourite belle and sebastian song i've heard so far at the moment, but stuart forgetting the words was such a gorgeous moment, i will be smiling my little smile whenever i think of it. me and my friend were enjoying ourselves so much, and we would have loed to go to brighton beach afterwards (and maybe with more alcohol in me i would have been able to meet people properly) but we had to get to our respective homes, being only teenagers and both travelling home alone. i haven't got TBWTAS yet (can you sense my jealousy?) because although i spent six hours on saturday with a three year old on my knee, her parents STILL haven't paid me (grr). when they do, i will be on the bus to town as much like a shot as i have ever been. and the whole thing about turning tables round... is it not connected to the phrase "turning the tables" on somebody, which is... how do i explain... it's like changing the situation so it's the other way around. oh dear, that's about as clear as chocolate (preferable to mud), isn't it? ignore me, i'm probably wrong. love, abi xxx ps. hannah? are you the hannah i went to see kenickie with and who recently sent me an item of confectionary? if so, hi. +----------------------------------------------------------------------+ +---+ 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" +---+ +-+ "the cardie wearing biscuit nibbling belle & sebastian list" +-+ +----------------------------------------------------------------------+

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Sinister: Ask David Bailey or Richard Harris
by PJMiller 09 Sep '98

09 Sep '98

*---* HAPPY BIRTHDAY SINISTER BABIES *---* Let's hear from Mr. Conneely's PJ MIller doll: What a crap album! I *knew* it was going to be like that! If that's a rollercoaster ride, I'll stick to a quick trot along the sands on a mangey donkey. Sleep the Clock Around? I very nearly did when this limp-wristed ditty put me into a deep coma. The Boy With The Arab Strap? The boy with Queen's Greatest Hits, more like, becasue that song also sounds just like "You're My Best Friend", written by neither Freddie nor Brian. What a load of pish. It would have been *so* much better as twelve free flexi discs given away with "There's a Little Bear" fanzine. Sell out bastards! How sad. And the gigs were shit too. I *knew* it was going to be too hot, that's why I didn't go. Only joking, of course. I think it's a super album, just as it is. I listened to it on a decent pair of headphones (people always say "decent pair of headphones" as if you've got to be a wanker to have crap ones. Why? One-upmanship again. I've got nice headphones, but the world's pishiest stereo) yesterday, and there are lots of sounds that probably shouldn't be there, like counting and talking, so that should come as a bit of a relief to those who don't like the apparently posh production. I don't know if anyone has already pointed this out (still haven't read Cock Fun) but "Is the Wicker Man Scared?" seems to quote a keyboard line from Felt at the end. It took me ages to identify it, so I was quite excited when I noticed that the song contains the words "by the river". Surely no coincidence when the Felt song is called "She Lives By the River". A few days later I realised that song is not called "She Lives By The River", it is called "She Lives By The Castle". I also live by the castle, if anyone would like to see a photo of the street leading up to the castle, look at http://www.diariovasco.com , under the headline "Hondarribia fue una fiesta". It's not a very exciting picture, but gives some idea of the general level of lunacy in the air. But I digress. The song "A Summer Wasting" - I think it sounds a bit like The June Brides, but I can't remember very well. We bought some fertilised soil for the house plants and it smells terrible. I'm sure it's fertilised with dogshit. love to all, Bobby Chariot "Dream one, you had a whole lot of fun with a comedian" +----------------------------------------------------------------------+ +---+ 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" +---+ +-+ "the cardie wearing biscuit nibbling belle & sebastian list" +-+ +----------------------------------------------------------------------+

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Sinister: Dawkins, the unstoppable sex machine
by Funkyseb＠aol.com 09 Sep '98

09 Sep '98

I've just had a post from erstwhile listee dickon (I'm sure I used to read your mails) which neatly sums up the tiny Richard Dawkins thread (apologies if he's posted it too): << Not content with being a world-famous authority on Darwinism and evolution, he took his King Scientist role even further and married the second Romana off Doctor Who, y'know, the one that Tom Baker wed for about 6 months. She's probably the one most B&S fans would want to marry: blond, a bit wet, childlike and girly, with a penchant for school uniforms and an overbite that only the real upper classes have (she's titled aristocracy )... presumably handy for opening bottles, too. There was a recent TV documentary presented by Dawkins which had one scene of him punting down the Cam with his wife. One can only imagine he watched that Doctor Who story where the same thing happened and thought "I could do that..." dickon x >> Evolutionary scientists kick ass! seb (incidentally, this post may not be read in certain parts of the US) +----------------------------------------------------------------------+ +---+ 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" +---+ +-+ "the cardie wearing biscuit nibbling belle & sebastian list" +-+ +----------------------------------------------------------------------+

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Sinister: stuff ...
by Katrina House 09 Sep '98

09 Sep '98

Hi everyone, well after my last post re: The Lucksmiths, i got quite a few mails about them, so i though i'd pass on their US tour dates ... Wednesday September 9 Lounge Ax Chicago, IL, USA Thursday September 10 (with Trinitone, Shoestrings) Magic Stick Detroit, USA Friday September 11 (with Trinitone, Vulva Ultra) Vinyl Solution Grand Rapids, MI, USA Saturday September 12 VENUE TO BE CONFIRMED Detroit, MI, USA Tuesday September 15 (with The Heartworms, Honeymoon Diary - Free Entry) The Galaxy Hut Arlington, Washington DC, USA Thursday September 17 (with Clock Strikes Thirteen, Cuppa Joe - All Ages) Bryn Mawr's Campus Center Philadelphia, PA, USA Friday September 18 VENUE TO BE CONFIRMED New York, NY, USA Saturday September 19 (with Poundsign, Aisler's Set, The Fairways, Clock Strikes 13 - 3pm) House Party - Shelflife hq 38 St.Marks Place Brooklyn, New York, USA Tuesday September 22 (Onstage 8pm) The Kendall Cafe - 233 Cardinal Medeiros Ave Cambridge , MA, USA cheers, Katrina. -- ************************************************************************ jeepster recordings ltd. - mailto:a-and-r@jeepster.co.uk 217 canalot, 222 kensal road, london, w10 5bn, uk phone - 0181 964 9432, fax - 0181 964 8600 http://www.jeepster.co.uk +----------------------------------------------------------------------+ +---+ 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" +---+ +-+ "the cardie wearing biscuit nibbling belle & sebastian list" +-+ +----------------------------------------------------------------------+

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Sinister: Seymour Stein mishearing?/non-home homesickness
by Jonathan Wren 09 Sep '98

09 Sep '98

Is it just me or is part of the lyric to Seymour Stein different to what's in the inlay? In the book it reads: North of Scotland has he seen? Won't he hire a limousine? Now to me this sounds like: Has he ever seen Dundee? Ronnie, Harold and Rosemary? Now, I think it *is* `Has he ever seen Dundee?' but I think the second line is just my fanciful (mis)interpretation. I hope the Dundee bit is really there; first mention I can recall in a song since Panic by The Smiths. I have been experiencing a very strange phenomena. It's homesickness but, well, I'm in London and I'm at home. I've always lived in this part of East London, bordering on Essex, bar Uni at Canterbury and seven months in Dundee. But ever since Monday night and meeting all the lovely people I met (mostly Scottish) I have been pining for Scotland; I think it was Keith's accent that finally did it, for some reason making me think of the hills around Dundee I used to look at on the 32/33 bus ride back to Fintry. This is a strange phenomena and I think unless I see Scotland again in the next twelve months I may flip out. I'm not fetishising Scottishness (oo-er) but something about speaking to all the friends I've met from Scotland gives me this weird sort of ache. S'funny, I suppose. I've been listening to the album loads, promising myself I will make renewed effort to think of intelligent things to say about B&S to you lot and hoping that The Boys (and Girls) with the Arab Strap might take a trip down to Exeter (where I'm moving to soon) so's I can see them this autumn. Who knows what time will bring? Take care pop kids, Jon -- ****************************************** FANTASTIC O's!!! The unofficial Leyton Orient Mailing List Sponsors of DAVE MORRISON All subscription queries can be found at: http://www.isfa.com/isfa/lists/orient/ SAVE XFM: LONDON'S ONLY ALTERNATIVE MUSIC STATION HAS BEEN MUTILATED BY CAPITAL RADIO GO TO: http://www.netcomuk.co.uk/~nsheff/xfm/index.html for the full story and help save XFM! ****************************************** +----------------------------------------------------------------------+ +---+ 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" +---+ +-+ "the cardie wearing biscuit nibbling belle & sebastian list" +-+ +----------------------------------------------------------------------+

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Sinister: An Ink Polaroid (with apologies and thanks to Stuart David)
by Funkyseb＠aol.com 09 Sep '98

09 Sep '98

I've just put on 'If you're feeling sinister' for the first proper listen in ages, and with the sun going down, and the light in my room fading, i've just remembered a beautiful memory, linked inextricably with 'seeing other people', well, the first half of the whole album actually. I've taken a quick picture of it before it's lost forever: This one's quite faded now, but then it is a few years old. It was taken on the first day of 1997, a day when the heavy snow kept the real world at bay for a just little while longer. It's mostly white of course, but that dark shape in the distance is me, in a big wooly overcoat, with my back to the camera. I always wore a big wooly overcoat in those days. Despite the snow, the trains are still running, and so that's what I'm doing on the station platform, I'm waiting for the train home. You can't see my actress friend in the picture, 'cause she's just left, wrapped in a big scarf, with her big hair full of big white snow flakes. And despite the snow, it's quite dark, so you can hardly read where I've written in the snow 'I will love catherine for ever'. The snow's falling in a trance, and right in the corner of the picture, you can see the end of the train to paris, sliding away into the dark mouth of the tunnel. funkyseb +----------------------------------------------------------------------+ +---+ 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" +---+ +-+ "the cardie wearing biscuit nibbling belle & sebastian list" +-+ +----------------------------------------------------------------------+

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Sinister: music sounds better with you
by mctag＠bigfoot.com 09 Sep '98

09 Sep '98

Hello, I thought of doing a review of the Leeds concert, but I can't improve on Risso's. And not just because he paid me a compliment. Instead then, here's some moments to treasure from the weekend.... 1 Live at Leeds. All of it. Oh yes. Even Aberdonian bruiser John Warrender is on the verge of tears. Leeds is a 24 hour city. And is it me, or is Stuart Gardiner growing? Quote of the night from Little Sarah: "So is this what it means to rule?". Exactly. 2 At the pub before the Nottingham show, where a drunken mob inside are singing "You've lost that loving feeling", "Do you they know it's Christmas", and other hits. A man in the toilet tells Chris Leonard that "it's a sad arse that can't rejoice". 3 Running into my old drinking partner, the Boy Naughty, for the first time in 4 years, in Nottingham when he was supposed to be in Dublin. A confirmed techno enthusiast, the boy had lost his voice, but still managed to croak the words "Fucking beautiful" when I asked him what he thought of the show. 4 "Pass the duchess on the left hand side." Well, it made me laugh. 5 Isobel belting out "Poupee de cire, poupee de son". Serge himself would have been proud. Apparently someone was overheard during the song, shouting the title, the singer, the writer, the precise date of its entry into Eurovision, and the name of the engineer's pet goldfish. In the olden days, it was enough to shout "Huzzah! Splendid show". 6 Spinmaster Symington playing "I believe in miracles" by the Jackson Sisters sending me scuttling to the dancefloor. Chris and Julia laughed at my expression of rapt concentration. Philistines. 7 Tim Hopkins, after realising that his happy smiling face will be once again be gracing the gutter press, hopefully accompanied by words like "vignettes" and "maladroits". 8 The journey back from Nottingham, getting lost in Derby (Keith's helpful advice "you need to find the big fuck-off dual carriageway" was greatly appreciated) and being too proud to consult a map, then driving through "a veritable pea-souper", and singing "The day we went to Scropton" in a desperate attempt to stay awake as swamp fever set in. 9 Rod's look of sheer terror when I introduced myself to him. Rod, you don't half write some bollocks sometimes, but you're OK. 10 Lastly, Keith "I bump for a buck" Watson, whose antics almost merit a post of their own. He began by clipping my ex-flatmate round the ear, and finished by taking the phrase "flower-bed" rather too literally. Rock, thy name is Keith. So maybe the London show was too quiet, maybe it was too hot, and maybe some of the audiences could only be described as wankers. But it was a pleasure to meet you all. The kids are alright, we've got it going on, and don't you forget it. Love Tag xx +----------------------------------------------------------------------+ +---+ 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" +---+ +-+ "the cardie wearing biscuit nibbling belle & sebastian list" +-+ +----------------------------------------------------------------------+

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Re: Sinister: robust opinions
by Stu 09 Sep '98

09 Sep '98

>things really picked up towards the end. In fact after the raffle (god >bless B&S!) I think it really got going. I thought I'd just post a few humble opinions about Shepherds Bush too..... I thought both the support act were cool, especially Elliot Smith. Unfortuneatley most od B&S was spoilt for us some really rude people. Being short, I stood just at the top of the stairs. I don't know what the sound was like anywhere else but it was dead quiet and reallt hard to make out what was being said when they spoke to the audience. I don't think B&S are the sort of band that can simply 'turn up the volume' what with being folky, close-mike, gentle sort of music, yet loads of people near usust talked really loudly the whole way through, and it really spoilt it for us. HAving said that, the moments when that loud blond tart was smoking and was quiet for a few moments, I really enjoyed it and I agree that it got much better towards the end. I loved the French song that isobel did at the end very much. In fact, I think she did really well all night. I loved 'is it wicked not to care?' too and I think she really carried a lot of the show. Has anyone seen B&S in smaller venues and would I be right in assuming that they suit a smaller audience a lot more, or am I just getting snobby because I still see them as 'underground/cult' kind of music??? love and sweets..... christine xxxxxxxxxxx +----------------------------------------------------------------------+ +---+ 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" +---+ +-+ "the cardie wearing biscuit nibbling belle & sebastian list" +-+ +----------------------------------------------------------------------+

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