TOP 50 SONGS TO MAKE ANYONE DANCE (50-40)

Sorry it’s been a while, but it takes longer than I thought to compile a list of this kind… I was right when I said before that the Top 500 songs of all time by the Rolling Stone Magazine must have been a right pain. So here is my first list of cool, happy, groovy tunes to make you shake that ass…

50. My Girl - The Temptations

The only reason why this is number 50 is because I wanted to start on a high note. I mean, this song is good for dancing and for any situation in life. Driving, hand out of the window, chillin in a beach, drinking beer… you name it. This son is like a pair of jeans… Good all the time, but it really gets my feet moving for some reason. My dream is to go to a job interview, or an elegant reception and walk in doing the first step…

49. Bad Girls - Donna Summer

Tut tut, beep, beep… I wanna be a bad girl!

48. Train in Vain - The Clash

Not all dance songs have to be funky-disco-soul tunes… Even punk rock can get everybody’s feet going. And to think this track was only included in the very last minute… we nearly missed it.

47. Victoria - The Kinks

VICTORIA!!! VICTORIA!!!! VICTORIA!!!! VICTORIA!!!!! Good old rock and roll music…

46. Pais Tropical - Jorge Ben Jor

“I live in a tropical country, blessed by god and beautiful by nature… Oh, but what a beauty… In February there’s Carnival…”

45. Agadoo - Black Lace

Everything about this song is perfect. You can just see the drunk 55 year-olds drinking Pinha Colada and dancing by the pool…

44. Around the World - Daft Punk

What can you say about this tune? I dare you not to move… I DOUBLE DARE YOU MOTHAFUCKA!

43. Baby Workout - Jackie Wilson

Come on hit the floor and lets rock some more… You can see why Mr. Excitement was an inspiration to James Brown, Michael Jackson and many others…

42. Funny Break - Orbital

Late 90s house parties. That’s what this reminds me of… God I was young and impressionable then. The video is great but isn’t it sad how she gets locked up everyday in that little prop room?

41. Rappers Delight - Sugarhill Gang

I said a hip hop the hippie the hippie to the hip hip hop, a you don’t stop. The rock it to the bang bang boogie say up jumped the boogie to the rhythm of the boogie, the beat…

40. Nem Vem Que Nao Tem - Wilson Simonal

From the 60s and 70s, the golden age of Brasilian Popular Music, comes the lesser known figure of Wilson Simonal… There are hundreds of tunes from that era that could be listed here, but I had to choose one so: “Deja comigo… uma musiquinha para machucar os coraçoes” (leave it with me… a little song to break hearts).

WHY IS BAD AND UGLY BETTER THAN GOOD IN MUSIC?

I’ve often talked about things I don’t believe in, like “stop and quick chats” in the street, elevator conversation, tight jeans, cats, and other important issues… Musically I think that lists and “TOP thingies” are absolutely pointless and intrinsically wrong. I also believe that people who say that a musician/singer has to suffer or feel the blues in order to be a true artist are full of shit and should be talked to in elevators and be forced to wear tight jeans. Another load of bollocks is that only deep, sad or depressing songs are truly great classics… The absurd notion that only the Bob Dylan’s, Lou Reeds, Tom Waits, Nick Caves and Nirvanas of this world can truly claim to have written sublime meaningful classics… Don’t get me wrong, I love those guys and think that deep, sad and meaningful songs are essential to music, but it really gets on my tits when people criticise musicians or singers based on the fact that the music is not played on a minor key to incite suicide.

You know what I mean… this whole aura of “heroin addicts with scruffy hair, who die young and live dangerously” (i.e. Jim Morrison, Kurt Cobain, Jimi Hendrix, Jannis Joplin, Pete Doherty, Amy Winehouse, etc.) seem to have this “legend” status were their songs are considered better just because they couldn’t or can’t sort their lives out. Everyone thinks Paul McCartney is a prick and John Lennon is a demi-good, nearly as veered upon as Steve Jobs (god himself), and Paul might be a bit of a twat, but he’s as much a musical genius as poor old John.

Music is music and songs are songs, and we should enjoy and analyse them for that, but music is also a social status and a statement of our personality so nobody wants to sing “How Sweet it is to be loved by you” (even if it’s a fucking great song) and would rather beg for people to “Rape me”.

I love happy tunes, uplifting melodies and songs about how great the world is. There I said it. Anyone who doesn’t should spend some time in Brazil. One of the richest musical cultures in the world is all about the celebration of life through music. All its musical genres (samba, bossa nova, etc.) are about happy people singing about how wonderful life is even if it isn’t for most Brazilians. Tom Jobim’s music, songs and lyrics are as good as it gets.

So because I like contradicting myself, I’m going to make a list of “the top 50 dance hits of all time” to celebrate happy music. Lalalalalalalalalaa

SUBSTANCE vs SENSATION

What do you like to hear in music? I guess for each of us it depends on the occasion and the surroundings, but I have a theory. We all tend to go for substance or sensation, and one of them more than the other. Let me start by saying I am more of a substance man. I wouldn’t like to sit on a fence on this for arguments sake.

The reason being, when I go to see a gig and really like it, the GREAT sensation I get usually comes when there was substance there. It doesn’t happen the other way around very often. Other people delve much more into sensation because “that is what music is all about”! Well, I disagree. Those sensations for them often came about as a result of a great song, a catchy hook or a contagious or hypotonic effect. However, I think those people must realise that for them to like that “simplistic approach” with the music, there was probably a great lyric behind it or some depth in the musical intention.

Those sensations are more convincing I believe when the delivery is cleverly thought out and profoundly felt of course. This does not mean being a purist-perfectionist twat; it simply talks about certain care artists take with their music.

I am a fan of a lot of Coldplay songs but if I was to choose between Chris Martin’s piano playing and Keith Jarrett’s, the debate would be ridiculous and pointless. The songs are good, and his simplistic piano playing fits well with the songs; so why compare mainstream pop with hardcore jazz? Because both fulfil the intrinsic needs for a substantial contribution. They both care and construct substance, from that often come amazing sensations for the audience.

In the British Indie scene, it often works the other way around. The Klaxons give you a “buzz”, Bloc Party give you the “chills” and the Artic Monkeys have it all; “vibe, attitude, originality and genius”. I find all these prepositions false or at least excessive. I give them quite a lot of credit to connect with their audience, but as far as sensation, I get very little because their substance is minimal. This I know goes 100% against many people’s opinion. I hate sounding like a music snob, self-indulgent or condescending; it is just something I I believe in.

Didn’t Miles Davis, John Lennon, Brian Wilson, Freddie Mercury, Bob Dylan all give you sensation? OF COURSE THEY DID!!! But what lies behind all that? A hell of a lot more than just making you cry or smile…

It’s a bit like “the chicken or the egg” discussion and I’m sure many feel very heated about this, please let me know what you think.

On that note, I’ll go and write a sensational song…

NINE INCH NAILS - THE SLIP (Free)

They’ve done it again. Following Radiohead’s announcement that they would not be giving their music away, Nine Inch Nails are giving their new album “The Slip” away for FREE saying: “as a thank you to our fans for your continued support, we are giving away the new nine inch nails album one hundred percent free, exclusively via nin.com.

the music is available in a variety of formats including high-quality MP3, FLAC or M4A lossless at CD quality and even higher-than-CD quality 24/96 WAVE. your link will include all options - all free. all downloads include a PDF with artwork and credits.

for those of you interested in physical products, fear not. we plan to make a version of this release available on CD and vinyl in july. details coming soon”.

Go, don’t delay, go and enjoy free music. As if anybody is paying…

THE BLAG CLUB vs THE FIDDLER´S ELBOW

Or Notting HIll Gate versus Chalk Farm. Sure the trendy musical area should make up for a better, trendier gig…..but very much the opposite is the case!

I have recently gigged for London Unplugged @ The Blag Club in Notting HIll Gate, and for Club Fabulous @ the Fiddlers Elbow as a contrast in Chalk Farm, Camden.

The difference lies in two things: 1) How good a job the promoter does and 2) How up for making a great night the venue is. On both fronts The Blag Club and London Unplugged do the proper job.  There is something in caring about the small details to make a great night of it and a profit for everyone. From weeks before, the proper promoter is enthusiastic about you playing at their hired venue. E-mails are sent to clarify information about the venue, the promoter and all the variables. Guest lists, promo, offers, etc.

The artist also does his/her part, but the promoter does not depend on that alone. They have a job to ram the place with regulars that know that a reliable level of artists attend during gig night. This motivates you, the artist and/or manager to motivate your friends/ fans and try and bring down as many as possible. This only works both ways, but the vibe of the venue, the numbers and responsibility usually lie on the promoter. With a proper job, the night will be a good one.

As a contrast, the Fiddlers Elbow was empty, the promoter left an hour before the acts had even finished because he didn’t care and knew no more people would come through the doors. It seemed like there was no real attention to talent out there, the acts would simply stumble on the stage, and no one was really there for them and that’s exactly how it felt!

In the end you just get up on both stages and plug away your stuff, but the two nights are worlds apart. It’s a shame for the Elbow, where great acts and nights have filled the room with vibe, but it just seems like incompetent promoters often get in the way or out of the way of a good night.

Here’s a clip of my unforgettable performance at the Fiddler’s…

DAMON ALBARN - Brave and versatile

You have to admire Damon Albarn´s constant work. One moment he’s doing a monkey opera (last year at the Manchester International Festival) “Monkey; journey to the west“, another he is involved in a semi-clandestine music festival in Liverpool, hardly even promoted, supporting original African acts unheard of before and blending them with British Indie acts.

When I was young he always struck me as a cocky, self-indulgent, arrogant little brat in his BLUR years. I still liked his songs. Now I take things from a different perspective and I acknowledge his efforts all the time. From Blur, to Gorillaz, to the Good the bad and the Queen, to countless collaborations and production work with lesser known artists. He is a relentless songwriter-producer-ideologist-futurist-pioneer.

His work for Gorillaz was striking, original and marked a clear point in recent music history. Pop culture devours new futurists breaking the boundaries, contributing new ideas and going against the establishment of top 40 hits and FM culture.

Whilst rehearsing at The Grove studios in west London a few months ago, we bumped into him at a nearby coffee place, on his bicycle. He seemed the most relaxed and at ease with his pedestrian status, nothing to do with his great music contributions.

I’ve also watched a BBC documentary on learning to play the piano, in which a classically trained tutor embarks on the ins and outs of playing piano and on a mission to discover its mystical properties. In his approach to “pop music” with the piano, Damon Albarn in his studio is surprisingly slick and capable. Whilst still maintaining a chaotic and free improvisational approach, he also combines some nimble and technical action on them ivories.

Damon Albarn and Kano and Scratch Africa Express

HOWLING AT THE MOON

I was reading EL Pais today, Spain’s leading newspaper and there’s a very nice article on the music industry… The old one, not the one with the 2 and the . and the 0. The one we all like to talk about. The article is also about the relationship between creating art and selling music… It talks about Howling at the moon: The odyssey of a Monstrous Music Mogul in an Age of Excess, a book by Walter Yetnikoff, a big boss in CBS from 1975 and 1990 a time of bonanza.

Diego A. Manrique’s review starts with a well known fact: you don’t need to love music to succeed in this business. Yetnikoff was a skilful lawyer that’s all. The book deals with musical egos: Dylan and his jewish mother, Paul Simon always requesting more support, and Mick Jagger a singer with a nose for tax-efficient money movements. Even Michael Jackson requested that strings be pulled so that Quincy Jones would not win a Grammy for Thriller, considering it an auto-production.

Yetnikoff, a consummate hedonist believed that the Sony takeover of CBS in 1987 would need his leadership services.

But he was in denial. Unable to appreciate music as the basis for his empire he loses touch with reality. In 1990 he gets his 20 million dollar golden handshake from Sony. All his musical friends disappear. He creates his own company but things are different and hits the floor to produce unheard sound tracks. Then he writes this book to say he is sorry. Now he helps the needy.

Some reviews say: The music industry’s most outspoken, outrageous, and phenomenally successful executive delivers a rollicking memoir of pop music’s heyday. Yetnikoff traces his journey as he climbed the corporate mountain, danced on its summit and crashed and burned.

Looks like a good read but from the review it sounds like the moral of the story is that we need each other in this business.

Look at him now talking about file sharing and music 2.0…

REAL MADRID - Champions once again

Sorry, I just couldn’t help this post… Its not related to music, songwriting or anything I’ve written here before, but Real Madrid won La Liga last night and beeing a life-long supporter I just had to pay a small tribute to my team… My whole family is from Madrid and I’ve supported them for as long as I can remember. Going to the Bernabeu every other Sunday is one of the things I miss most here in London…

This is the second year in a row that Madrid wins the title, something that hadn’t happened in 18 years, which speaks of the increasing competition in La Liga. I’m also glad Real Madrid has won these two titles after changing its super-star philosophy. There are no more Ronaldos, Beckhams, Figos or Zidanes (the only one missed), but the new players have built a very strong side that plays as a team and has the fighting mentality that produces come-backs such as last nights… Good stuff!

Here’s the Real Madrid hymn to end on a musical note:

Hala Madrid!!

Surreally does it…

This weekend I had one of those surreal gigs. The venue was lost in between council flat paradise, nowhere to be seen for people passing by around the area. A stage was set for some hard-rock outfits or misfits, whilst a back door gave way to a small “room” converted into acoustic-songwriter oblivion. In this room an affable Geordie sound man worked his magic in between diner-like booths, three wooden canteen-like tables, a fireplace and three people as audience for good measure. It got better.

Arriving again after sound check, we found that the room was now light with two massive studio-lighting devices, a camera on a tri-pod and the room now looking more like a kitchen than a cosy novelty. An act had arrived from Hollywood on a mission to create awareness about vegetarianism and the environment. She was stirring things up in front of three people, I hope the continuation of her tour carries on successfully.

My set was atrocious, under the influence of beer constantly forgetting lyrics and replacing them with improvised rants about where I was and what I was doing. Jokes were experienced as was escapism, disbelief, making belief, and yes those ever imposing realms of surrealism.

And so the beat goes on…

GLASTONBURY FESTIVAL - WHY ARE PEOPLE SNUBBING THE MUD?

I have been very interested in the recent news developments surrounding the Glastonbury festival. The news is filled with reports of poor ticket sales and an apparent lack of interest in the festival this year. England’s biggest and most famous music festival has historically been the key music event of the summer, possibly the year, and tickets sell out in minutes becoming gold dust on the black market.

This year however, something has gone wrong. Something has changed. Ticket sales have been poor and apparently are still available to buy weeks after going on sale.

The announcement that this year’s Glastonbury Festival line-up will include a Welsh Elvis (Shakin’ Stevens), the most despised man in pop (James Blunt) and the godfather of misery (Leonard Cohen), has been greeted with a groundswell of disenchantment. For the first time in a decade, Britain’s biggest music festival is struggling to sell out.

Michael Eavis, Glastonbury’s 73-year-old founder, has blamed the weather and has suggested that having Jay-Z as the Saturday night headliner has put people off. Are British people so scared of rain and gangsta rappers? I doubt it.

The real reasons are more likely to be the rising cost of attending the event, the hassle of having to organize photo ID months in advance, last year’s poor sound system and growing competition. There are now dozens of summer festivals - most far cheaper than Glastonbury, with equally eclectic attractions and nearly all laying claim to the ‘outsider’ status it has now lost.

The choice of headline acts is odd and does go against the traditional mold of the past Glastonbury line-ups. The festival will always attract loads of good bands and artists and the line up will always be of a certain quality owing to the pulling power the festival has. However the main draw has always been the headline acts and historically Glastonbury has had the bands of the moment headlining and those bands have often played legendary sets such as Radiohead closing the festival in 1997, voted the best festival performance of all time!

This years line up is far less attractive and lacks the ‘must see’ factor of years gone by

James Blunt, The Fratellis, Crowded House and 1980s star Shakin’ Stevens will be among the acts performing at this year’s Glastonbury Festival, organizers announced on Tuesday.

The Editors and The Raconteurs will also join previously announced headliners The Kings of Leon, U.S. rapper Jay-Z and the Verve at the world’s biggest greenfield music and arts festival.

“It is our most diverse line-up,” organizer Emily Eavis told the BBC. “We’ve never ever been led by what we think is fashionable.”

Performers on the main Pyramid Stage include KT Tunstall, Kate Nash and Goldfrapp while We Are Scientists, Massive Attack, Groove Armada, Mark Ronson and the Hoosiers will be among those on the Other Stage.

Earlier this month organizers defended their choice of Jay-Z to headline the event amid claims it had upset traditional rock fans and led to poor ticket sales.

The festival has met criticism from some key music figures over the choice of acts and its crediblity in recent weeks

Comparing his performance at last year’s festival to that in 1994, Paul Weller told BBC 6Music: “The difference between doing it in ‘94 and doing it last year was that most of the audience knew the greatest hits, whereas in ‘94 they were music fans. You didn’t just have to do the greatest hits, that was very noticeable to me.”

“The conditions are disgusting aren’t they?,” he continued. “I don’t know how people can… I mean, you’d have to be off your box to stay there for three days wouldn’t you?”

“I’m not a big lover of festivals at the best of times, I like proper gigs… and it’s just really corporate now isn’t it?”

So, have Glastonbury tried too hard to be diverse and in doing so lost the love of the true festival goer?

The summer will decide.