The lost Art of the Encore

What has happened to the encore? I've been to many many many gigs, and in my opinion the encore was warranted in 1. (bloc party doing skeleton at the forum - video)

Now, I'm not against a genuine encore, where a band has played their entire set, and caved into audience pressure. They should be special, not dealt out at every single gig. However, I have come to realised that for many gig attendees, the encore is now expected (its special if there isn't one - damn), so I have compiled my encore rules. If you must:

1. Make the break short (<>
2. NEVER ever do the MULTIPLE ENCORE, whats the fucking point Metallica.
3. Play something special, fan favourites (not big songs / hits - these should have been in the set anyway)
4. Keep me guessing. Put the house lights on or put the DJ back on, makes a nice little surprise when the encore does happen.

There you go, Dasal's rules for encores. Take note you 1000's of bands that are reading this, my opinion rocks.

Dasal

Tin Trains Twitter is Launched

Pointless I know, but fun nonetheless.

http://twitter.com/tintrains

Follow us and we promise to follow you!

In Transit Show 22nd March 2009

Guest host Tom Allen

Playlist:

Format: Artist - Song (Album)

1. Bloc Party - Like Eating Glass (Silent Alarm)
2. The Apples - Killing (Buzzin' About)
3. Passion Pit - Sleepyhead (Chunk of Change)
4. Camera Obscura - Honey in the Sun (My Maudlin Career)
5. Desmond Dekker & the Aces - Mount Zion (Black & Decker/Compass Point)
6. The Stone Roses - I Wanna Be Adored (The Stone Roses)
7. Doves - Kingdom of Rust (Kingdom of Rust)
8. Roots Manuva - Witness (1 Hope) (Run Come Save Me)
9. Tiny Masters of Today - Hologram World [feat. Karen O and Nick Zinner] (Bang Bang Boom Cake)
10. Franz Ferdinand - What She Came For (Tonight: Franz Ferdinand)
11. Babyboom - Sister (Babyboom EP)
12. Brendan Benson - I'm Easy (Lapalco)
13. Penguin Cafe Orchestra - Music For A Found Harmonium (Broadcasting From Home)
14. Radiohead - There There (Hail to the Thief)
15. [Secret Track: Tom Allen - In Transit Freestyle Rap]
    

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In Transit Show: 1st March 2009

This is Olly's last show. If you're interested in guesting in the upcoming weeks get in touch with either me or Dasal.

Playlist:

Format: Artist - Song (Album)

1. The Pains of Being Pure At Heart - Contender (The Pains of Being Pure At Heart)
2. Pet Shop Boys - It's A Sin (Actually)
3. The Proclaimers - (I'm Gonna) Burn Your Playhouse Down (This is the Story)
4. Here We Go Magic - Tunnelvision (Here We Go Magic)
5. Grizzly Bear - Little Brother (Yellow House)
6. Bob Dylan - Girl From The North Country [feat. Johnny Cash] (Nashville Skyline)
7. N.A.S.A. - Spacious Thoughts [feat. Kool Keith & Tom Waits] (The Spirit of Apollo)
8. Anvil - Metal on Metal (Metal on Metal)
9. Dr. John - Right Place Wrong Time (In the Right Place)
10. M. Ward - Stars of Leo (Hold Time)
11. Jaydiohead - Dust Off Your Android (Jay-Z x Radiohead)
12. Starland Vocal Band - Afternoon Delight (Starland Vocal Band)
13. Fleet Foxes - Ragged Wood (Fleet Foxes)

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In Transit Show: 22nd February 2009

This week we had the wonderful Nick Taylor filling in for Olly, and he did a great job! Check it out!

Playlist:

Format: Artist - Song (Album)

1. Joy Division - Disorder (Unknown Pleasures)
2. Sondre Lerche - The Tape (Phantom Punch)
3. Nirvana - Lithium (Nevermind)
4. The Walkmen - I Lost You (You & Me)
5. The White Stripes - There's No Home For You Here (Elephant)
6. Dexy's Midnight Runners - Geno (Searching for the Young Soul Rebels)
7. The Whip - Divebomb (X Marks Destination)
8. The/Sections - Take Me Back in Time (http://www.myspace.com/thesections)
9. Michael Jackson - Stranger in Moscow (HIStory: Past, Present and Future, Book I)
10. The Smashing Pumpkins - Mayonaise (Siamese Dream)
11. Supergrass - Caught By The Fuzz (I Should Coco)
12. Foo Fighters - Baker Street (The Colour and the Shape [Bonus Track])
13. Conor Oberst and Gillian Welch - Lua (Dark Was the Night)

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This is why you're fat.com

This is the best diet motivation in the world! I recently came across the gut wrenching, heart attack inducing, cardiac causing "this is why you're fat.com" Check that shit out.

I've always thought I have a bad diet, what with chocolate, cake an the Woody Grill featuring in my diet, however when I stumbled across this website, I realised I have treated my body like a temple.

I am so, so, so glad that I don't live in the USA, a place where food like this is still legal. Possibly the worst dish on here is the "Baconnaise."

Oh dear.

Truly yours,

Dasal

In Transit Show: 15th February 2009

1. Jeff Buckley - Mojo Pin (Grace)
2. Jonathan Richman - Abdul and Cleopatra (Back In Your Life)
3. Brooke Benton and Dinah Washington - Baby (You've Got What It Takes) (Endlessly: The Best of Brook Benton)
4. Fanfarlo - The Walls Are Coming Down (Reservoir)
5. The Beta Band - Wonderful (Heroes to Zeros)
6. Paul Simon - 50 Ways to Leave Your Lover (Still Crazy After All These Years)
7. The Dears - Money Babies (Missilies)
8. Patrick Wolf - The Magic Position (The Magic Position)
9. Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell - Ain't No Mountain High Enough (United)
10. Grizzly Bear - He Hit Me (Friend EP)
11. Tilly and the Wall - Love Song (Bottoms of Barrels) [N.B. We played the version from their Daytrotter session]
    
12. Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Maps (Fever to Tell)

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In Transit Show: 8th February 2009

Format: Artist - Song (Album)

1. Modest Mouse - 3rd Planet (The Moon & Antarctica)
2. Seasick Steve - Dog House Boogie (Dog House Music)
3. Blink-182 - Adam's Song (Enema of the State)
4. Green Day - Welcome to Paradise (Dookie)
5. Sly and the Family Stone - Everyday People (Stand!)
6. M.I.A. - Boyz (Kala)
7. Radiohead - Climbing Up the Walls (OK Computer)
8. Beach Boys - Surfer Girl (Surfer Girl)
9. The Flaming Lips - Brainville (Clouds Taste Metallic)
10. GDSP Music - Not Right Now (http://www.myspace.com/gdspmusic)
11. Aretha Franklin - I Say A Little Prayer (Aretha Now)
12. Panda Bear - Comfy in Nautica (Person Pitch)
13. RevoLucian - Bale Out
14. Ray Parker Jr. - Ghostbusters (Ghostbusters Soundtrack)
15. Doves - There Goes The Fear (The Last Broadcast)

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NoRave

Hate nu-rave? Feel the joke has gone too far? Too hipster for ex-hipster music? Then NoRave music is for you.

Last week i found out about the brilliant no rave genre whilst "DJing" an event. I rushed home eager to find out more. I had only been told about it, now I needed to hear it. The premise of NoRave is essentially to be a big wet slap in the face of pussy southerners bopping along to their supposedly cutting edge hipster rhythms, a.k.a. nu rave. In their own words,

"The whole thing came about because we were listening to a lot of music that was quite experimental and joking about the acts that were supposedly the hip new things but that were really conservative. So we thought, why not create something like an inverse of what is happening in London and that is musically exciting?"

This compilation album comes from Glasgow label 'little rock records' and essentially features artists all from their label or artists originally from Glasgow itself. The music itself isn't too bad, but the principle of it is in my eyes, funny yet a little pointless. While all the music on the album is listenable, I wouldn't say it was enjoyably listenable. Whats the point of music which isn't enjoyable, or even remotely danceable. This isn't intelligent dance music, just novelty. Actually, no the only use I can think of it is scary horror films or some sort of torture to give people on acid. Euurgh. I'll probably play a song next time I'm DJing just for kicks.

Dasal

Ateaseweb.com - A Community. A Way of Life. A Religion. (My reply to Dasal)

I feel in Dasal's previous post he has been a bit harsh on atease, which to me is the greatest community on the internet.

Yes, most people there are attracted to the Main Forum where the only thing discussed is Radiohead, Radiohead and more Radiohead. I spent my first two or three years on atease only in this forum in threads where we made up and posted fake IM conversations with band members or discussed why Phil always wears a purple shirt or ranked their songs for the THIRTY MILLIONTH TIME.

But one day I ventured outside the Main Forum and discovered that atease offers SO MUCH MORE.

If I were to list for you all the bands that I have discovered through the atease Music Forum it would... well it would be a damn long list!! If you want to be cool and talk about bands that nobody's heard of, go to gigs that aren't sold out, criticise Pitchfork yet still comply to what it dictates as 'Best New Music' or develop an addiction to obscure music that means you have to download at least 5 albums a week then this is the place for you!

Atease has also led me to discover plenty of other great things such as what.cd, Arrested Development, last.fm, Twin Peaks, the ABSOLUTELY AMAZING Mark Gormley... I could go on, whereas Dasal has introduced me to, amongst other monstrosities, Ken Park and Girls and Corpses.

On atease there is always somebody there to listen. Who else out there is going to debate with me over whether Locke is actually dead or not? Where else can I state my opinion and have a 50% chance that someone will listen (and a 10% chance that they will give a crap)? Where else can I complain about my musically ignorant friends and know that they'll never find out?

So if any of this sounds of any interest to you, please come and join us at Atease, the coolest place on the internet for uncool people.

Rob

p.s. Avoid Main Forum and only go into General Chat if you aren't easily offended.
p.p.s. If you decide to join us, I'm Temporaryism, say hey!

Scattergories - i hate/love it

Our house has found a new love, the board game without a board, the brain aching word puzzler. Scattergories.

This game sees each player try and come up with a word for each category on a prechosen list. Unfortunately this isn't so easy. The word must begin with a letter randomly chosen by a 26 sided die, and the list must be completed in a time limit. Tricky.

Since getting this game before for Christmas, it seems our house, and everyone who visits our house will be unwittingly drawn into a game. Even worse, once you've played one game, you can't stop, and invariably carry on till your brain cells collapse. I wouldn't be surprised if this game led me to a stroke one day. I hate this game, but unfortunately I'm addicted to it. I seem to have an uncanny knack for it and end up winning nearly every time, leading to a small fleeting high. This game is worse than crack.... I'd imagine.

Essentially we on In Transit have become so obsessed with this game that we're spreading it to the world, evangelising (dealing) this game (drug) to the masses by playing the game live on air in next weeks show. Don't worry we won't waste your time, we'll use song time as our timer! Anyway, you won't get bored, you'll get hooked and intrigued, possibly even buy it. Don't get drawn in, those damn Parker Brothers don't need any more money.

Dasal

Internet Music Forums - A Dark Place

The ever lovable Rob, has a dark secret. Well, i say secret, but if he's within 10 yards of a computer you'll see it soon enough. That's right, he's an ateaseweb member.

I recently decided i needed to get to know my co-host better, and, as i was bored, i thought there was no way better than to delve into the depths of the most argumentative, pretentious and critical music message board around.

For those of you who have never heard about this shady place, atease is originally an radiohead message board, but has grown since its conception into a music and even general message board. I personally ended up spending most of my time browsing the food threads, but i found my enemies even in this seemingly benign topic.

I think atease can be summed up by encylopedia dramatica's article in:
"There are three types of people on Atease: those who post strictly in the main forum and worship Radiohead members' various body parts, those who post strictly in the other music forum and compulsively create lists to prove their musical nerdiness, and those who stay mostly in general chat and are obsessed with pwning one another"

My first horrific encounter with this obsessive and frankly angry side was when i was posted a thread asking if there are any foods which Americans like and British people don't; such as root beer. One ateaser came up with the sensible suggestion of grapefruit. This was followed up with "gRAPEFRUIT - brilliant cut in half, sprinkled with sugar then shoved up a girls c*!t." Highly inappropriate and ungentleman like behaviour I'm sure you'll agree. Unfortunately these sorts of replies are far too common. However, even more annoying are the pointless polls such as "is ice a real food?"

Damn these people are bored.

After my short spell on ateaseweb, i have concluded that this world isn't for me. I can't cut it with these people, there constant need for oneupmanship, pretentiousness and inappropriate conduct have got to me. How this website has been going for 10 years is beyond me. Actually, its because of the obsessive and ever so slightly neurotic fans. I believe I've gained a quintessential view into Rob's psyche, and can happily conclude he isn't one of these sorts of fans, but is simply part of the small minority of ateasers that are actually normal.

resources, if you dare - ateaseweb

Dasal

In Transit says Sorry!

This is our collective apology for promising you a show on the 11th of January and then not being able to provide you with one. We hope you forgive us.

Indie - Obscure & Pretentious

"In Transit" and therefore "Tin Trains" is supposedly an indie targeted show. I think we can all acknowledge this, what with the show featuring the likes of The Muppets and Mary Poppins whilst displaying a penchant for Leonard Nimoy.

Lately, we have been shocked at how "un-indie," and thus obviously uncool (not pretend indie uncool) we have become. Everyone knows, at least the ones who are hip, that indie is a state of mind, a nirvana if you will. A constant quest that we must all strive for and only a few of us, such as In Transit, can ever possibly achieve. Unfortunately for the normal human being this is all too hard and thus, we are better than you. However it seems we have lost sight of this, so in an attempt to revive all credibility I tracked a video which explained just how. What it means to be indie.



Summing it all up is my favourite line, "You're born Indie, they've proven it, it's genetic."
Bastards, these guys are wannabe In Transiters. They'll never be as obscure and pretentious as we are in heart. This new year the radio show will be back, better, and even more obscure and pretentious, probably not on the last one .

Dasal

Do not watch "Ken Park" unless Recording a Reaction Video

It seems i have received a veritable flurry of messages (2), law suits (1-ish) and threats on my life (0) from people who have, against my advice, watched the controversial film "Ken Park" by Larry Clark.

I mentioned "Ken Park" in my first blog on Tin Trains as an example of a director who made one messed up awful film and followed it with a fun, cool and still slightly strange film (Wassup Rockers). It seems i didn't make a good enough case for how weird, distasteful and well, fucked up this film is, instead making it sound almost intriguing. Now i had two ideas on how to correct this. One to write a post explaining how shocking the film is, and the other was to try and post a few more blogs around making it sound more enticing, creating some sort of new, albeit longer, "2girls1cup."

This idea appealed to me. I could see it. Five years from now there would be 1000's of YouTube videos of peoples reactions to watching the film and office workers would send each other disguised links to the worst bits of the film just to mess with their minds. A more elaborate, extended rickroll say.

However i decided to choose the first option, missing out on my chance of becoming an urban legend. There is a reason why "Ken Park" isn't heard of much. It wasn't allowed a cinema showing in 100's of countries. I'm not even talking the fun ones like Saudi Arabia or China, even supposed liberal ones such as New Zealand banned the film. The film almost made it to release in the U.K. until Larry Clark, the director, punched and strangled the head of the film's distribution company backstage at a film festival. I have decided to create a user-friendly handy list for all the reasons why this film shouldn't be watched / will scar you for life.

1. Suicide in the 1st minute of a teenage boy
2. Incest
3. Rape
4. Auto asphyxiation Masturbation - choking oneself whilst knockin' one off
5. A naked kid murdering his grandparents in their sleep
6. A false marriage of a father and daughter
7. BDSM
8. Underage sex - incredibly graphic ( actors weren't actually underage)

Right, i think i made a good enough case for how messed up this film is, and hopefully now that i have educated the masses, i won't get anymore complaints. Hopefully in the process, somehow i have made it sound even more intriguing, giving me hope of starting something horrific.

DO NOT WATCH THIS FILM

Dasal

New Years Resolutions

It's that wonderful time of the year again where i can make wishful promises to myself, talking of turning over a new life and taking my life in a better direction. This annual ritual is always a highlight of my year along with its accompanying healthy constructive week which, as custom dictates, follows.

This year my two main resolutions are biggies.

1. Get fit and healthy enough not to loose in the annual 10km race against one of my friends as per every year (whom unfortunately for me is also a triathlete).
2. Give up the horrific devil machine which every day cons me out of £1. It lures me in with it's promises of riches and without fail, 10 minutes later i leave empty handed. Of course i am talking about that dreaded device, the "It Box."

Now, these two resolutions seem simple enough, well not really, but in this hopeful optimistic time of the year i have geared up my lumbering body and mind to confront this Herculean challenge. Why? I have no idea. I put myself through this arduous assault of aspiration every year to no avail. This year however, this is THE year.

So far, this has taken me to new all heights of exercise, a whole 2 trips to the local "leisure centre" in the past two days accompanied by 8 fruit and veg' portions a day. Wow. I only tentatively use the term "leisure" centre. To get to the gym in this place takes one through seemingly endless lengths of cold bland subterranean corridors till one finally enters a cavernous cold room which i could only compare to some soviet "Olympic excellence camp." Even worse, upon leaving there is an arduous trek back up to sea level through dark dismally lit passageways, all the time with my muscles and joints aching. I liken this "leisure centre" experience with medieval torture.

Upon typing this I have started to question the point to this mission of turning over a new leaf because at the moment i feel shit. Heck, I can't wait till i fall to peer pressure and drop these resolutions. I'm missing my baby It Box and Woody Grill Kebab. I've heard there's a new game on the It Box, "Are you smarter than a 10 year old?" I know i am, I'm going to win this time, i can feel it. I can't wait. Screw my student debt and health.

I call for a resolution revolution. Down with theses foul things! What have they ever done for us except give us hope! nothing, and i intend to keep it that way.

Dasal

Computer Sings in the New Year

Just before Christmas i stumbled upon the unstoppable electronic harmonizing vocalizing wonder laptop belonging to a "Mr Hopkinson." This is no Microsoft speech generator though, Mr Hopkinson's laptop is a true emotional heart touching performer, the likes of David Bowie and Thom Yorke. However he prefers to compare himself to "Cylob, Morrissey, Eddie the shipboard computer, Stephen Hawking, Satnav & BT call minder."

This Winterval / Christmas / Hannukah / Eid / Divali / Winter Solstice has been passed not with the usual selection of classic tunes but instead to the vocoder tender tones of Mr Hopkinson's computer. My festive fave covers of his are "Happy Xmas (war is over)" and "Fairytale of New York."

However where this pitch perfect machine comes in to his own is with, in his own words, "indie songs from the 80's & 90's." His cover of Fake Plastic Trees was even described by Radiohead themselves as "better than original, way better. It's amazing, it brings tears to your eyes, his voice is so beautiful. I wish we could have done that." Now that's a pretty mighty accolade.

No robot should ever be able to bring tears to my eyes, not until Skynet invents the T-1000 and fucks us all, but Mr Hopkinson's laptop does. On a side note I reckon Mr H's Computer is our last chance against this, as Arnie is too busy driving his hybrid bioethenol electric hummer. I won't stop till i get to see Mr H's computer perform live (and he does). Infact iwon't stop till i get Mr Hopkinson's computer to headline UCL.

Some of his highlights include:
Fake Plastic Trees
Fools Gold
The Power of Love - duet w/ laptop The Audrey 3000
Nude

But my favourite, if not simply for his stage presence in this live video is Where is My Mind, the Pixies Cover.

Myspace - myspace.com/computersings

Dasal

The Muppets Rock

Our 7th December radio show had the classic "Mahna Mahna" and ended with my two muppet heroes, "Statler and Waldorf," otherwise known as the two grumpy guys on the balcony.

Everyone loves the Muppets, and if they don't, they HAVE NO SOUL. I remember my days toddling along to Sesame Street and the Christmases spent watching the muppet movies. Heck i might even go to the extreme of saying that the combination Dr Bunsen Honeydew and Beaker inspired my love for science.

This sudden resurgence in love for the muppets made me track down some of their best musical moments. Who knew furry monsters with guy's hands shoved up their rear ends could produce music gems like these:















and finally, the immense james blunt:


Dasal

I hate Myspace Bands

I've finally had it with myspace.

No, it wasn't the horrific design, or the fake profiles, or the scams, or the $500 Macy's gift cards, or the bulliten whores.... the list goes on. It's the annoyingly massive number of bands that seem to single me out every week to add me as a friend!

Okay, i have nothing against am up and coming band trying to promote itself, but no, i don't like mexican soul or mongolian techno (maybe a little), but i most definately do not enjoy being deluged with requests and messages from these bands telling me that i'll love there new EP. They somehow think they can read my mind, admitedly myspace adverts try there hardest to this already.

Oh myspace, where once you were new, savvy, cutting edge and hip, now you just irritate me. You're lucky you have all the music and bands on your side, but even that is starting to wear thin now.


Dasal

Science > Sex

Dasal