Hiya kids, I was so busy last week that I've had to bin a week's worth of digests, but I'm back now, bringing some semblance of organisation to my 'interupt mode' existence. Good to see that Evan's still banging on about Giant Sand and OP8. I played their version of 'Round And Round' last night after a typically frazzled, semi-mythical night in the life of our band, Matinee. It started with Nick turning up with a pizza and a great new song 'Safari', dedicated to his girlfriend, Sara. Next to show was Michael, with a suitcase of recording gear and the fantastic new Grand Drive single ('Wrong Notes'). We set up and took all day to demo up three songs, before our old mate John came round and we decided to pop up to the Garage to meet up with his brother Mick.... Now I've never liked the Pastels, but as we sat setting the world to rights with Mick's pal, Damo out of Randy (!), whose brother Kieron I subsequently knew from way back, it became clear that something was afoot in the Minibar. Tjinder out of Cornershop was there, as were assorted ex-BMX Bandits and lo-fi luminaries (last week down at ULU, it was the same - Michael actually talked to that young Elliott Smith!). Mike and Damo hit the Garage, John went home (domestic scenes) while me and Michael finished our pints. As we made for the door, who should we see grinning characteristically but Gerry Love. Only then did it sink in that the Pastels had been playing... After five minutes catching up with Gerry and passing on Matinee's details for him or Johnnie Smillie to come down and stay for the weekend, we finally repaired to the indie disco at the Garage. Mick was utterly wankered and got involved in a moshpit calamity (which he attributes to Steve Lamacq!), while Michael was showing signs oof fatigue (no wonder after lugging those suitcases up to my place). Me and Damo talked relentlessly about Brian Wilson and Neil Young (interputed only by Mick coming over and bellowing to everyone "I FUCKIN' HATE T-REX I DO"). By the time we were ready to crash at mine, Mick and Michael were sleeping like babies in the Garage, which would have made a very ironic photograph. Of course, tea, toast and acoustic guitars came into play back at Matinee mansions (though Damo only got his wish - to hear Wild Honey and Sail On Sailor - around 5am. It was Grand Drive and minidiscs of Pink Floyd up to then). We then got up early next morning and demoed up another song, 'Thoroughly Modern' (one of mine!), to which the ebullient but still addled Welshman added off-kilter harmonies. Finally, after more Stephen Duffy and Grand Drive, we called it a day and slipped out to the White Bear for a drink and a ponder. I dpn't know if there any conclusion to be drawn from all this except that I fucking love rock and roll and that hopefully Matinee and Randy will continue the great work laid before them by Belle and Sebastian and Gorky's Zygotic Mynci repectively. Yours, Martin Horsfield, overcome by hapiness PS/Stevie Trousers, did you like the tape I sent you? +----------------------------------------------------------------------+ +---+ Brought to you by the Sinister mailing list +---+ To send to the list please mail "sinister@majordomo.net". To unsubscribe send "unsubscribe sinister" or "unsubscribe sinister-digest" to "majordomo@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" +-+ +----------------------------------------------------------------------+