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Zombiehamster



Last Updated: 11/4/2009

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Gender: Male
Status: Married
Age: 28
Sign: Cancer

State: Galway
Country: IE
Signup Date: 6/22/2006

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Wednesday, September 16, 2009 

Current mood:  savage
Category: Music
Hank3

After a nine year wait, I finally got to see Hank III perform live last Sunday night (13th Sept). I’ll cut to the chase by saying that it didn’t disappoint. In fact, it excelled any expectations that I may have had. I travelled (once again) from Galway, the bog’s arse of Ireland over to London to catch his second night at The Garage in Highbury. The dark, beer sodden cavern being the perfect setting for what would evolve into a gargantuan display of raw, unadulterated talent. There’s something so visceral it’s almost feral dwelling within Hank III, this manifests itself within the skill in which he writes his songs and the passion with which he delivers them.

With full (Damn) band, he had the crowd going from the get go, tearing through favourites from his back catalogue such as ‘7 Months, 29 Days’, ‘The Grand Ol’ Opry (Ain’t So Grand Anymore)’ ‘Mississippi Mud’, ‘My Drinking Problem’ and ‘Dick In Dixie’. It was evident that the audience comprised of proper fans, both old and young. The rockabilly kids were all out in form, sporting the best hair and outfits I’ve seen in some time, rubbing shoulders with the crusty punks and the dreadlocked metal heads. This mixture worked so well, resulting in the perfect atmosphere. Everybody there was aware of what a treat this was, and so no one set out to mess it up for everyone else by being a drunken idiot (the downfall of so many concerts).

Hank2

The sound was great and the lighting minimal. With such a large band and a mass of equipment, they dominated the stage. The line that Hank draws between punk and country is entirely his own and ultimately inimitable. He draws from his influences (as covers of songs such as ‘Cocaine Blues’ and Hank Williams classic ‘I’ll Never Get Out Of This World Alive’ display) but morphs them into his distinct and incendiary fashion. His ethics are ingrained deeply within his lyrics and he is never one to shy away from expressing his opinions, which are generally ones which I can relate to. He is a man who sees through all the bullshit, someone who knows what it’s all about and above all, a highly talented individual.

All of the supporting and accompanying musicians on the night were fabulous. After a dream like set of his Hellbilly classics, the pace lifted as the amalgamation of the Damn band and Assjack began to take place. I don’t know if the crowd were ready for Assjack, maybe they all just needed a smoke, maybe they were afraid of messing up their hair, I’m not sure, but there was a definite lull in the crowd once the country set finished. Thankfully, this proved to be temporary as within a few songs, there was a great number of people back up at the front. Nothing, I repeat, nothing could have prepared me for the onslaught of Assjack, and I wouldn’t have had it any other way.

Melting punk, hardcore and balls out metal in a manner of which I have rarely witnessed carried out to such success; this was the ultimate second half. Favourites from the new album including ‘Cocaine’, ‘Choking Gesture’ and ‘Gravel Pit’ blew my spiky haired little mind. Endless riffs and the addition of a second (man mountain of a) vocalist really meant that all the hardcore heads had something to take away with them. Hank’s time in bands such as Superjoint Ritual and Arson Anthem really shows when he lets loose with the heavy stuff. I have to say, I loved every moment. The man did not take a single break from start to finish and I think that’s it’s fair to say that there is a new contender for the crown of ‘Hardest working man in rock’.

Hank4

Ghostly, enigmatic and powerful, Hank III leaves you with something indescribable. An artist who appreciates the fact that anyone comes out to the shows, expressing sincere humility and respect for the fans, a rare thing in the ego obsessed, image conscious façade that permeates the musical culture of today. I’d have been happy after an hour, we were lucky enough to be given several. Speaking of luck, I got to meet Hank briefly after the show and managed to have a brief chat with him. I am not one to usually do this, but I felt compelled to say hey and overall, ‘Thank you’. He is as charismatic and charming an individual as I could have ever hoped. I look forward with baited breath to the next time I get to see him live, let’s hope it’s just not another nine years before that happens.



For some more Hank III and over an hour of the best Death Country out there, click HERE.

And remember, even though artists like Hank III are totally cool with fans taking video and making recordings at the gigs, they need us to help them survive. Do this by buying your albums or merch from the official site (HERE) or just go to a show. Let's not let great music die.

Hank5

More footage available HERE
Wednesday, September 16, 2009 

Current mood:  ecstatic
Category: Art and Photography

Beneath_Us_by_CopperAge


Regular readers and visitors to these shores (Quick, what’s that behind you? Nothing? Well, you’ve looked away and back again, which now makes you a regular reader.) will know that I have been a long-time admirer of the art of Tom Brown of Copper Age fame.


A few months ago I posted an article in relation to the upcoming ‘Hopeless’ a collaboration between Brown and UK based writer Bryn Colvin. Their unique and simply breathtaking Maine based horror fantasy will simply have you reassessing any existing preconceptions which you may have concerning the genre. The art itself bridges a gap between hyper-realism and the opaqueness of nightmares. We have been treated to several previews via Brown’s Twitter and DeviantArt sites, but finally, it’s time for the release. With an introduction being posted via the new website (www.itisacircle.com ) this weekend, I caught up with both Brown and writer Colvin to ask them a little about this unholy union, and if they have in fact, come for our souls.


Zombiehamster: ‘Greetings! How do I find you?’

Tom: Well and busy.

Bryn: Slightly garlic flavoured, and not very awake.

ZH: Now that I am very pleased to hear.


•    ZH: ‘Can you please elaborate for the ignorant and uninitiated, a little upon the origins of Hopeless’?

Bryn: It’s entirely Tom’s fault.

Tom: Mea Culpa! It is a project that is an outgrowth of a story that I started a long time ago called New England Gothic. The idea was good but it didn’t really come together until the character of Salamandra arrived, and meeting Bryn, and discovering manga.


ZH : ‘Who are the main characters and can we expect to be following them for some time?’

Bryn/Tom: Salamandra (experimental occultist) Owen (priest’s son), Reverend Davies (priest) Melisandra and Durosimi (Sal’s creepy parents) Annamarie Nightshade (witch) – just to start with, there are a lot of others who turn up along the way and the story arc is HUGE.


ZH: ‘How would you describe the overall tone of the story? Is this something that you would feel comfortable doing, or would this be a piece of work that you would prefer to lie outside the confines of descriptive categorization?’

Bryn: Gothic, with humour.

Tom: Owing something to the roots of the ‘weird tale’.

Bryn: With tentacles.


ZH: ‘How many hours a day would you spend on average working on your art and writing? On average, how long would an individual page take you?’

Tom: When I’m producing pages, between eight and thirteen hours a day. An individual page takes me two days due to lunatic amounts of detail.

Bryn: Varies a lot, I usually spend an hour or two writing most days (I also edit and other stuff) a comics page for me takes less than half an hour to write. Frequently a lot less.


ZH: ‘Are you now dedicated to the artistic media which you work in, or are there any plans to experiment or alternate the existing formats?’

Bryn: I do all sorts – I write smut, and folk songs, sing a lot, am interested in film and theatre. I’ll try anything really.

Tom: I have a long history and deep love for this media and its potential, am also branching out into other forms and formats and as Bryn would say ‘open to suggestion’.


•    ZH: ‘There are several glimmers of influence to be found within Hopeless, but it is very much its own beast, what would you cite as having a definite creative influence on you?’

Tom: Mike Mignola, Hayao Miyazaki

Bryn: For Copper Age stuff, my biggest influences would be Neil Gaiman, Nathaniel Hawthorne, and Tom. He’d written a few scenes when we started and I put in a lot of time trying to emulate his voice. That’s where most of the humour comes from – I don’t think it’s actually mine!


ZH: ‘I was going to ask if Lovecraft was in there somewhere. I’ve seen some of the images taken from the upcoming story and Cthulhu would be proud. It’s like watching his babies run amok throughout coastal New England.’

Tom: I do confess to being exposed to Lovecraft at a tender age, am much more     enthusiastic about the legacy of his work at this point than I am about his original     stories. If you look at Lovecraft closely, he’s a very problematic figure.

Bryn: What can I say? Tentacles. Mmm.


•    ZH: ‘Are there plans for a hard copy release for those of us who haven’t embraced the digital or onscreen formats yet?’

Yes. (But we haven’t got that organised yet)


•    ZH: ‘On that note, what are your feelings on digital comics compared to traditional publications? Do you feel that an equal balance is essential, or do you have a personal favourite?’

Tom:  I think the medium is irrelevant and any way the story can get out there is a good thing. I’m actually excited by the possibilities of new format delivery to mobile phones and whatnot. There’s also the environmental impact of it not being made out of dead trees.

Bryn: I’ve been doing ebooks for years, I like the way they democratise things, anyone who wants to play, can.


ZH: ‘Aside from www.itisacircle.com, are there any places where people can check out more of your work, both together and individually?’ (*Whispers* that’s where you do the plugging!’)

www.hopelessvendetta.wordpress.com – fictional newspaper for Hopeless.

Tom on deviant art – www.copperage.deviantart.com

And Serendipity - http://www.serendipityartsales.net/Brown_T_Index.html

Merchandise is at www.zazzle.com/copperage

Bryn’s erotica is at www.loveyoudivine.com and her music videos are at www.youtube.com/mistressnimue


ZH: ‘What do you soundtrack your working days to? Or are you both only able to work in silence?’

Tom: Bryn and a steady diet of Amanda Palmer and Dir en Grey

Bryn: We use skype so I’m doing most of my music practice while Tom listens and passes comment – is good to have an audience. I tend not to have music on when I’m working, but otherwise mostly it’s folk and rock for me. Currently Show of Hands are my main obsession.


•    ZH: ‘What would your cinematic preferences be and do you find yourself occasionally seeing things that you find thinking to yourself would work within the Hopeless universe, even in diluted and reimagined ways?’

Bryn: I like dark, weird, surprising. But mostly I am limited to films I can take my 7 year old son to!

Tom: Going back to Hayao Miyazake and we’d like Guillermo Del Toro as a director.


•    ZH: ‘You seem to both have a great knowledge of demonology and mythology, where does this stem from and is it a major factor within Hopeless?’

Tom: I know nothing about demonology at all! It’s more fun to make things up. A lot of grounding and interest in mythology and archetype.

Bryn: Yep, mostly the demons are invented. I grew up exposed to paganism and folklore, and between those two fascinations, I’ve picked up a lot of stories. I love myths, and magical things, and I have done all kinds of peculiar stuff, so have a sense of what some of it feels like!


Shipwreck_by_CopperAge


Hopeless is now live and available HERE



Wednesday, September 16, 2009 

Current mood:  awake
Category: Music
rock_en_seine2009

You would never have known there was a festival on as you approached Pont de St-Cloud on Saturday 29th August. The trains were sparsely crowded with the usual mixture of commuters, tourists and kids. Only walking up to the densely foliated parks, did crowds begin to assimilate and flow into the slipstreams. Promoters handed out everything that one might require for the festivities, programmes were supplied free of charge, as were condoms, earplugs and various other memorabilia. It was a great introduction to how the French manage their festivals, and manage them well they do.

The surroundings were so picturesque they belied the nature of the event in the best possible way. At no point did I see the thronging crowds of yahoos that exist at the likes of Oxegen, Electric Picnic or Glastonbury. Gone were the screeching hordes that act as if they were just let out of the house for the first time. Replaced were they with amiable, pleasant people in their thousands. I was confused and a little bewildered. More so once again when we sampled some of the amazing food that was on offer. The bars never had more than two or three people in front of you and accepted cash!

We wandered through the galleries and poster exhibitions that were on display and idled away a few hours underneath the shady trees until it was time for the first act, one which we (Lady P and I) had been anticipating greatly since seeing the lineup several months previously. Kitty, Daisy & Lewis is a (very) young London band, comprising of the synonymous Kitty, Daisy and Lewis Durham (and their parents). Their style is that of classic swing and rock and roll (I am not going to use the term Rockabilly, because it’s connotations of late have been more style oriented than musically descriptive). Switching instruments between each track, the siblings display something resembling a sixth sense when it comes to timing. They play off each other’s abilities and seem to be challenging each other within the songs, in regards to the impromptu tonal and pace changes that pepper the tracks. The crowd seemed mostly unfamiliar but exceptionally eager and they were met with a great response which is encouraging. Authentic is a dangerous word to use when describing anything, but I really feel that there is something timeless and beautifully imperfect about them which in turn serves to accentuate their unique and captivating presence. The setlist featured two covers, Johnny Horton’sMean Son Of A Gun’ and Canned Heat’sGoing up the Country’, both were met to rapturous applause. It was almost a shame to see them so early on in the day, as judging by the amount of dancing that was going on, a later slot would have guaranteed that the whole floor would have been swinging like it was prom night on Happy Days. (Kitty, Daisy & Lewis are signed to Sunday Best Recordings and seem to be on tour all of the time.)

A later set for K, D & L may have also meant that we could have missed some of the bends that we did see with more desirable slots. The Noisettes were so pointless and squeaky that I won’t even bother to elaborate any further. I’m sure they have their fans, but I don’t have anything nice to say and as my Granny always says…….

After The Noisettes, The Asteroids Galaxy Tour was up next. Now, I’m not going to win any friends with this one, but when I see someone walk onstage in oversized sunglasses, with a gold sparkly jacket and gold tights on, sporting the trendiest of trendy hair and then proceed to squeal incoherently over some insipid blibbidy bloop beats that don’t go anywhere, things are not off to a good start. My instincts were correct and after Lady P wittily dubbed them as The Hemmorhoid Galaxy Tour, we agreed that would be a good high note to leave on.

There were a few weird times during the festival when there was only one band playing, which could be heard echoing across the park. This was a bit odd, but the atmosphere was so relaxed that nobody minded, it gave for good time to get a few beers in and take another wander around the amenities. The crowd gathering for Ebony Bones was impressive in size, but unwilling to give away my energies to stand whilst there were luscious embankments to rest upon; observation was chosen in relation to participation. I doubt that I would have lasted too long anyway. EB lie somewhere between Fela Kuti and Basement Jaxx, except done very ham fistedly and having the downfall of being far too inane and saccharine. Day-glo felt costumes, endless shout outs to things like ‘Adversity’ and ‘Being different’ started to get on my nerves, especially when combined with entire songs in which every second line is ‘Now jump to the left, now jump to the right, now take a step forwards, now take a step back’, I’m not five, I hate the hokey cokey and I don’t want to play, needless to say, toys were gathered, gardens were left.

I was cheered up instantly by Dananananaykroyd! I love happy Scottish bands, they’re so much more fun than the misanthropic, yet fingernail removingly twee and painfully stylish ones (Camera Obscura you sit back down right now!). Just hearing someone with a strong Glaswegian accent announce ‘Hallow, we’re Dananananaykroyd!’ made me smile with so much glee you could have used it to bring a dead horse back to life. I was really surprised with how heavy they were live, so much shouting! So many really nice riffs! They were like a cute little Fugazi, and that’s not a comparison I make glibly. A band who are, dare I say it ‘fun’. You may not like them on record (they under whelm in that respect a little) but live, they are a must see.

The Horrors were next and they not only lived up to, but surpassed any preconceived ideas that I may have held. Thoroughly enjoying their debut when it was released several years ago, I was an enthusiastic champion of them, especially in the face of such adversity as all of my mates slagging me off and saying that they were shit. Well, I now have fewer friends and love The Horrors more than ever. Now, before you begin the onslaught, please be advised that I am aware of the arguments. I know that they sound like Joy Division; I know that they’re so Shoreditch that it hurts; I know that there are several other huge influences that bear down on their shoulders, threatening to disallow them to justify themselves. Faris stalked around the stage like some sinewy, goth mantis whilst the introduction of ‘Mirrors Image’ drifted through the trees like acrid, translucent smoke. The domination of the synths and bass being more reminiscent of ‘Pornography’ era Cure than anything else. And this is a bad thing for absolutely no reasons at all.

Highlighting both albums and captivating all who witnessed, The Horrors not only portrayed themselves as musicians who are more than ready to take on the world, they have settled into themselves so much more within the last two years. Just off the back of a support slot with Nine Inch Nails on their later tour, their fans extend as far as Faith No More, who referenced them directly in their set later in the night. They will have their haters and they will certainly take a lot of flack with their ascension, but I have a feeling that we are yet to see the best work from this band. They pulled off bleakness and desolation during the brightest part of the day; now get me to a smoky underground club with them as the headliners and we’ll talk then.

Unfortunately, this elation was somewhat short-lived, as to attain a good spot for Faith No More, it would be necessary to endure an entire set from The Offspring on the main stage. Not even alcohol or nostalgia could rectify the effects of this band. I admittedly used to like them when I was about 13 and ‘Smash’ came out, although their late 90’s return with such ‘classics’ as ‘Pretty Fly For A White Guy’, ‘Why Don’t You Get A Job’ and ‘Hit that’ simply annoyed me, having more sense by that stage. This was an almost two hour ideal of songs that I had happily forgotten existed until now. I was amazed when this bleached haired group of elderly gentlemen continued to play on, and on, and on…….. The crowd loved it and they have no small following (outnumbering the number of Faith No More t shirts on display that day easily), announcing that they were happy to have the number one rock album in France that week. Oh dear.

The awfulness continued for some time, with Dexter Holland having the audacity to send Grandpa Noodles and the gang away whilst he subjected us to a solo piano performance which made my bum rumble and the middle of my brain itch. Still, it ended and like any successful campaign we stood in our conquered spaces, front and centre, exactly where I like to be. Then there was the wait……..

This

Went

On

For

Quite

Some

Time

Well over an hour in fact, whilst they played us Abba songs and people smoked a lot. This was a long hot hour, feeling the occasional slimy passing of an exhausted reveller making their way to less crowded climes. The red curtain was up, Mike Bordin’s drum kit was on display and I reflected briefly on just how amazing their Download show was a few months previously and the initial excitement and anticipation that I had felt returned in electrifying sensation.

Then it was time.

Gliding onto the stage and launching into the now familiar ‘Reunited’, the band once again generated a feeling of elated relief and joy, the sharp exhalation of an entire generation, fulfilling one of their musical cravings that they never thought would be satisfied. Faith No More are well and truly back, over this summer they have become the talk of the forums, the seasoned concert goers and the bloggers, and every positive word is entirely validated. The band know this as well, they never disappoint and tonight was no exception.

Forsaking first leg second track ‘The Real Thing’ for ‘From Out Of Nowhere’ the crowd exploded. A sea of bodies rushed, swelled and swayed like a powerful current. This was not assisted in any way by the one flailing drunk who kept trying to send us both under so that he could take our spots. After an entire song of getting elbowed incessantly by this nine foot douchebag, I did the only thing that a man should do when presented with such buffoonery and I punched him hard upside the head, which made him go away promptly. The force from FNM continued with ‘Be Aggressive’ which continued the frenzy, albeit in a far more civilized fashion at this point. The favourites continued to be exhibited as ‘Caffeine’, ‘Evidence’ & ‘Surprise! You’re Dead.’ maintained a heavy, fast paced vibe which solidified FNM’s status as rock legends.

Patton has a beautiful awkwardness when he talks to the crowd, a modesty that belies his infamous onstage demeanour. Billy Gould was thrust prominently to the front of the bass heavy sound for the night, to wonderful results; this added heaviness and vigour to the show. When this element is combined with Puffy’s drumming and Bottum’s astounding keyboard skills, you have a magical outcome. John Huston erases all requirement of big sick hairy ugly Jim Martin (I think it was Metal Hammer or Raw used to religiously refer to him that way). There were some nice setlist changes from the first leg of the tour including ‘King for a Day’, ‘Just A Man’, ‘Midnight Cowboy’ and ‘I Started A Joke’ (All of which were magnificent, especially Patton making everybody give jazz hands for ‘Just A Man’).

Halfway through ‘Midlife Crisis’ during the breakdown, they threw in the Eastenders theme song, complete with whistling section, which was glorious, if a little lost on the majority of the audience. ‘The Gentle Art of Making Enemies’, ‘Ashes to Ashes’ and ‘We Care A Lot’ were stormed through with such force that the crowd were now feeling the fatigue. No less enthusiastic, just more eager to stand back and watch, enjoying for what will be many, a once in a lifetime chance to see their idols. It is not known how long this reunion will last, and so every fan is taking the opportunity to witness them with a reverence and admiration that would warm the coolest of hearts. A fabulous performance and another fantastic evening spent in the company of a band who may be more relevant now than ever before.

We though it was all over. A bit battered and sweaty, we strolled towards the far stages where, to our amazement not only all the bars and merch stalls were open, but the bands were still performing. This was unusual to find after the main stage has cleared, the last act on the second stage being Birdy Nam Nam. Their stage set up was equal to that which I have seen Kraftwerk and Daft Punk use, towering layers of luminescence split the silhouettes of thousands as some severe and enthralling turntablism was taking place. The four French DJ’s created everything from their decks and using the skills that they displayed at the 2002 DMC’s, combined with a wry awareness of electro and techno, blew me the hell away. We spent the next hour dancing like it was 1994.

Overall, the organization was excellent, the bands superb. The experience was sublime and the memories fantastical.

Here’s to next year.

(For more Mike Patton goodness, click HERE for an hour of his best tracks, for FREE!)
Friday, August 07, 2009 

Current mood:  rockin
Category: Music
Mix5

It's Friday. That's Mixtape day! This week's will not only divide opinion, but will probably scare off all the extra traffic that last week's Mike Patton one brought in.

Ah well, I did say that they would be varied. ^_^ This is the shit I like peoples.

This week's features some of the best Country (and some stuff that was included simply becasue it rocks) that is out there, not that bullshit country that you hear on the radio, or that namby pamby 'Alt Country' that was lauded by the rock press the last few years. Scoundrel country, vagabonds, drunkards and hoodlums. Mostly in celebration of the fact that Hank III is beginning his very first European tour along with his badass metal band 'Assjack' (who are also on here), something that I am very excited about. Make sure to check out the tracks here and to go to the shows if he comes round your way. Check his website HERE. Also check out Gravewax Records, they do fantastic work and are one of the best indie labes out there right now.

There are also several tracks by another of my favourite bands ever, Those Poor Bastards, who should be the biggest thing in the world ever, but aren't for some unfathomable reason. There's some guitar shredding magic from Wildhearts frontman Ginger, a Devil courtin' ditty from the sublime .357 String Band. There's abject misery from the Handsome Family, an acapella Leadbelly cover from Nick Cave, some beardy washboard goodness from The Reverend Peyton's Big Damn Band. Why am I still trying to convince you?

So, get into that rocking chair, load up the shotgun, place it firmly under your chin, start drinking some whiskey and if you make it to the very end, you get a special prize. If not, you can join me and the rest of this devislish crew down in Hell, we'll be at the bar.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD

Tracklisting is as follows:

1: 'This is Desperation' Those Poor Bastards (Songs Of Desperation)
2: 'The Accident' Those Poor Bastards (Country Bullshit)
3: 'Two Bottles Of Wine' Jason Webley & Reverend Peyton (Two Bottles Of Wine)
4: '7 Months, 39 Days' Hank III (Lovesick, Broke & Driftin')
5: 'Up Jump The Devil' The .357 String Band (Ghost Town)
6: 'Black Betty' Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds (B-Sides & Rarities)
7: 'Drunk By Noon' The Handsome Family (Milk & Scissors)
8: 'Las Cruces Jail' Two Gallants (What The Toll Tells)
9: 'Pills I Took' Hank III (Straight To Hell)
10: 'Crooked Man' Those Poor Bastards (Satan Is Watching)
11: 'Goin' Home To Satan' Howling Willie Cunt (Word Of Filth)
12: 'Dick In Dixie' Hank III (Straight To Hell)
13: 'John Brown' Masters Of Reality (Feat Chris Goss) (Blue Garden)
14: 'Ballad Of The Broken Seas' Mark Lanegan & Isobel Campbell (Ballad Of The Broken Seas)
15: 'Atlantic City' Hank III (Lovesick, Broke & Driftin')
16: 'I Walk The Line' Those Poor Bastards (Satan Is Watching)
17: 'Drinking In The Daytime' Ginger (Valor Del Corazon)
18: 'Chokin Gesture' Assjack (Assjack)
19: 'Shotgun Willie' Willie Nelson (Essential)
20: 'Piss Up A Rope' Ween (12 Golden Country Greats)
21: 'I'll Fly Away' The Barrier Brothers (Gospel Songs Bluegrass Style)
22: 'Simple Man' Lynyrd Skynyrd (Pronounced Leh-nerd Skin-nerd)
Currently listening:
AssJack
By AssJack
Release date: 2009-08-04
Thursday, July 30, 2009 

Current mood:  accomplished
Category: Music
Mixtape4

Over one hour of Mike Patton's finest moments taken from his plethora of magnificent bands.

CLICK HERE TO STREAM / DOWNLOAD

Enjoy!

Tracklisting is as follows: (Song/Artist/ Album)

1: 'Kickin'' : Mike Patton (Crank 2 Soundtrack)
2: 'Anger Management' : Lovage (Music To Make Love To Your Old Lady By)
3: 'Mojo feat Rahzel and Dan The Automator' : Peeping Tom (Peeping Tom)
4: 'L.O.L. (Loser On Line)' : X-Ecutioners (General Patton Vs The X-Ecutioners)
5: 'God Hates A Coward' : Tomahawak (Tomahawk)
6: 'Spider Baby' : Fantomas (The Director's Cut)
7: 'Midlife Crisis' : Faith No More (Angel Dust)
8: 'Pig Latin' : The Dillinger Escape Plan (Irony Is A Dead Scene)
9: 'Labsent' : Kaada (Romances)
10: 'Carousel' : Mr Bungle (Mr Bungle)
11: 'G.I. Joe' : The Melvins (The Crybaby)
12: 'Porno Holocaust' : Mike Patton (Adult Themes For Voice)
13: 'Desert Search For Techno AllahMr Bungle : (Disco Violante)
14: 'Chariot Choogle' : Mike Patton (Collected Psyche)
15: 'The Gentle Art Of Making Enemies' : Faith No More (Live at Download 2009)
16: '4/10/05' : Fantomas (Suspended Animation)
17: 'The Omen (Ave Satani)' : Fantomas (The Director's Cut)
18: 'Surprise! You're Dead' : Faith No More (The Real Thing)
19: 'This Town Ain't Big Enough For The Both Of Us' Mike Patton (Collected Psyche)
20: 'Ashes To Ashes' : Faith No More (Album Of The Year)
21: 'Come To Daddy' The Dillinger Escape Plan (Irony Is A Dead Scene)
22: 'I Started A Joke' : Faith No More (Is This It? - Their Greatest Hits)
Friday, July 24, 2009 

Current mood:  rockin
Category: Music
Mixtape3

It's Friday, which means that it's time for the weekly installment of the zombiehamster.com mixtapes. The previous ones have been great fun and thanks to everyone who downloaded them. This week sees a change in direction as I had initially promised. I'll be keeping you on your toes with these.

Mixtape #3 contains some of my favourite Rockabilly, Surf and Soul tracks from the 50's and 60's. There's some oddities, some rarities and some classics to ensure that no matter how familiar you are with this, you'll certainly get a kick out of it and hopefully discover a few new favourites for yourself.

There is something amazing and fantastical about this era of music. It sounds fresher and more impassioned to me than 90% of the contemporary records that I hear. May it bring you similar joy.

Click HERE To Download / Stream

Tracklisting is as follows. As some of these songs are 45' vinyl rips, I will not include the album title for each one.

1: 'Rumble' - Jack Nitzsche

2: 'Jack The Ripper' - Link Wray

3: 'Red Hot' - Billy Lee Riley

4: 'Crazy Beat' - Gene Vincent

5: 'Run, Chicken, Run' - The Memphis Rockabilly Band

6: 'The Lonely Dragster' - The Bobby Fuller Four

7: 'Underwater' - The Frogmen

8: 'Mr Moto' - The Belairs

9: 'Sophisticated Sissy' - The Meters

10: 'Rock N' Roll Radio' - Joe Boot & The Fabulous Winds

11: 'Teenbeat' - Sandy Nelson

12: 'Bengazi' - Insect Surfers

13: 'Ah, Poor Little Baby' - Billy 'Crash' Craddock

14: 'Penetration' - Blue Hawaiians

15: 'A Shot In The Dark' - Boardwalkers

16: ' Letter From Jeepers' - Mr. Guy (Frank Zappa)

17: 'Whistle Bait' - Larry Collins

18: 'Why Do Fools Fall In Love?' - Frankie Lymon & The Teenagers

19:  'Ain't Got No Home' - Clarence 'Frogman' Henry

20: 'In My Moondreams' - Brian Wilson & Andy Paley

21: 'Let's go Sexin'' - James Intveld

22: 'Hold On To What You Got' - Joe Tex
Wednesday, July 22, 2009 

Current mood:  productive
Category: Art and Photography


Tintin and Asterix were the first comics that I became truly obsessed with. I will always remember lying in bed reading those big, musty smelling hardbacks from the 60's and 70's that lined the walls of our attic.




Tintin was always a more 'serious' read, however, the satire and social commentary which the books contained was no less hilarious than what was on offer in that little Gaulish village. There is no real point in comparing the two,  as it would be like trying to chose a favourite grandparent.



I am as of yet unconvinced that Peter Jackson's imminent Tintin movie will capture the true essence of the stories, because as this documentary shows, they were very much a work of their time. Hollywood already owes a lot to Tintin, with many adventure films, in particular the Indiana Jones series, borrowing heavily from the plot points and structures used in several of the books.



This is an extremely moving and informative documentary and will benefit and delight anyone with even passing familiarity to Hergè and that inquisitive reporter that he devoted his life to telling the stories of. Backgrounds of characters and situations are explained, and the origins of Hergè's desires and influences are detailed like never before, including a very emotional reunion with his old mentor. A rather heartbreaking experience to witness.

So, for any kid who ever spent a day off school, with a hot chocolate and a stack of Tintin books beside his bed, take an hour and let yourself revel in the delights once more.

Oh, and in case anyone is wondering, yes, I thought that the cartoon series was dope!

Currently reading:
The Adventures of Tintin: Collector's Gift Set
By Herge
Wednesday, July 22, 2009 

Current mood:  restless
Category: Blogging

Apologies for the brief absense of posts. Illness and obligations took over as they sometimes do. Still, back to normal we are and in celebration of this fact, we will be having a busy week.

Let's start with some comics and bizzare sexual practices.

The first treat that I have in store for you all is The Confessions Of Robert Crumb. This is a fantastic programme that was originally aired as part of BBC's sublime 'Arena' series. It makes a great companion piece to Terry Zwigoff's 'Crumb' documentary.

Crumb is exceptionally reclusive, now spending his days idly sketching away in the south of France. This and 'Crumb' are the only two times which he has contributed anything more than a short interview to camera.

Investigating and self analysing his own sexual obsessions, alongside what drives him to create as an artist. This is a worthy and fascinating film for fans, and a great introduction for those who may only associate Crumb with his better known imagery such as 'Fritz The Cat' or 'Mr Natural'.
Currently reading:
Robert Crumb's Sex Obsessions
By Dian Hanson
Friday, July 17, 2009 

Current mood:  busy
Category: Music
1991

There are definite advantages to the occasion whereupon your PC tells you that you need to clear some space because its full and sore. It wasn't entirely unexpected. I had recently received a call from my broadband provider asking how I had managed to exceed my 350gig per month download limit, three months in a row.

So, a spring clean was long overdue and as I trawled through the depths of my music folders (the films stay where they are) to find a few hundred gigs of stuff I never listen to, I found some real treasures.

Again, synchronicity, I was just fresh from listening to Nas's 1991 Demo tape, which was posted earlier by Akira The Don. I had just written a whingey email about how I missed that era of rap so much, mainly becasue 97% of contemporary rap sucks more than Annabel Chong when she's catching up to meet a deadline. Most Hip Hop now consists of reciting a shopping list over a beat. Inspired, it is not.

So to find several Mixtapes by The Rub, was a thrill and a pleasure. They range from two to three hours long and contain reworkings of the best of early 90's Hip Hop. All new reworkings for Brooklynradio.net.

So I am posting one here to share with you, inkeeping with the unearthing of the aforementioned Nas Demo, here's the 2 Hour Best of 1991 Hip Hop extravaganza. Enjoy.

To Download the Mixtape Click Here!


To read more on The Rub Click Here!

To check out Brooklynradio.net Click Here!
Currently listening:
Death Certificate
By Ice Cube
Release date: 2003-02-25
Thursday, July 16, 2009 

Current mood:  busy
Category: Music
Mixtape#2

As promised, here is the second in the new series of weekly Zombiehamster.com Mixtapes.

 They will change in theme and content over the coming weeks, so if this one isn't quite to your taste, be sure and check the next one, and so on.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD / STREAM.

Tracklisting is as follows: Artsist / Song / Album

1: John Cooper Clarke : 'I Married A Monster From Outer Space' (Word Of Mouth)
2: Barry Adamson : 'Who Killed Big Bird?' (Stranger On The Sofa)
3: Mansun : 'Wide Open Space' (Attack Of The Grey Lantern)
4: Devo : 'Uncontrollable Urge' (Are We Not Men? We Are Devo)
5: Ramones : 'Now I Wanna Sniff Some Glue' (House Of 1000 Corpses OST)
6: Strapping Young Lad : 'S.Y.L.' (Heavy As A Really Heavy Thing)
7: Primus Feat Tom Waits : 'Tommy The Cat' (Sailing The Seas Of Cheese)
8: The Cramps : 'Can Your Pussy Do The Dog?' (Date With Elvis)
9: NOFX : 'Hobophobic (Scared Of Bums)' (Heavy Petting Zoo)
10: Everclear : 'Santa Monica' (Sparkle & Fade)
11: System Of A Down : 'Metro' (Dracula 2000 OST)
12: Machine Head : 'Message In A Bottle' (The Burning Red) *Police Cover
13: AFI : 'Head Like A Hole' (December Underground) *NIN Cover
14: Ugly Kid Joe : 'Everything About You' (America's Least Wanted)
15: Metallica : 'Last Caress / Green Hell' (Garage Inc)
16: Surprise Ending Theme