MELTING DOWN PT1...

Current mood: MIXING IT...
Category: MIXING IT... Music

Well, well, well...


I'm more or less back to London normal - or at least as London normal as I get.

Yes boss, I've forgotten all about catching trout, breathing fresh air and frollicking in the heather, and am instead back to GIGS and BIG DRINKING!!! and riding the bike home at great speed, scaring the living shit out of less unlightened people who've chosen to stagger home (especially last night: I had a puncture for 4 of the 5 miles home, meaning a rather nasty GRRUURNRGGGGGNNRNNNGGGNNNNNNNN!!!!!!! noise)


Anyway, this week is tripple busy with highmusic highjinks.

Yes boss, this last little while, I've been helping a bloke out with a myspace prescence for a festival tent as well as a band called Last Man Standing.

I appear to be developing this as a sideline:

'Talk to Paul: He'll sort out your myspace!!'

I get things going, people pay me and/or return favours - everyone's a winner!!!


So, the guy I'm currently working with runs the contemporary music events at The South Bank and perhaps the crowning event of his professional year is The Meltdown Festival.

Meltdown is 10 days worth of music and musical events as selected by a luminary of music. There's been Lee 'Scratch' Perry, John Peel, David Bowie, Nick Cave etc

This year it's Massive Attack. I'm not sure they quite fit into that kind of company, (and they should be shot twice for that stuff they did with Madonna), but they've done some good tracks down the years and their productions are always interesting - if somewhat dark...

My wages for this spazzing work therefore consist of the following..

Sunday: The Yellow Magic Orchestra

Tuesday: Massive Attack do Bladerunner

Thursday: Grace Jones

Saturday: George Clinton


Last night, I gave the main event of either Gong or Massive Attack play the hits a miss in favour of Russia Vs Greece in the Euro football finals, and instead swanned along for the late show which featured a band called Fuck Buttons.

I like Fuck Buttons.

I like overdriven distortion noise music very much indeed.

I love it when sound obliterates everything else - when it's abstract and heavy wierd and you've got people down the front on drugs, who's heads are EXPLODING!!!! I love to see these people undergoing their heavy musical religious experiences - that kind of thing really makes me smile.

So, chapeau Fuck Buttons!!! I'll definately go and see you again..


After the gig, Don Letts DJays.

I find the boss, and he presents me with a pass for the after Massive Attack reception. I go to floor 5, flash my pass and I'm in with the beautiful people.


So what does a Massive Attack aftershow look like???

Curiously normal..

Having reconitered the free bar and acquired 2 beers (first things first) I examine the room for major and minor musical celebrities.

I spy Massive Attack. They have a corner - it seems to be mostly made up of loyal family and friends - not much or many in the way of A-listers .

I notice that Daddy G is fucking HUGE. About 6ft 5 or 6. He's a very neat looking man.

Then there's people who I assume to be Gong - all super wierd outfits, growing old with a hell of a lot of colour..

But these stars of the show aside, there's just plenty of the usual hangers on, record company people, groupies and organisers, friends..


Now, I know that some of these people could BE SOMEONE!!! Someone who could help Giovanni's notorious rise!!!! But as I've said before, the problem that stunts my music writing career is that I can't much be arsed with all the business talk and I don't like talking to strangers or new media types and.

So instead, I briefly chat with the boss.

He says he has more work for me and that he's lost a bass player 10 days before the biggest gigs.

Riz MC drops in on the conversation on his way out.

Riz MC has been the support act for Massive Attack. He mentions Amy Winehouses manager is in the room - that he's said he likes Riz MC - or something like that. Riz MC is on the up. He's full of optimism and burning on the rush of playing a huge gig, then being told he's good by someone with clout..


Winehouse's manager is a big guy. In fact he looks like a rugby player. But his outer demeanor is super calm. He reminds of Leslie Vinakolo.

Until I know Manager Winehouses real name, I decide to call him Leslie.

I think Leslie lives on Fish Island - that's why Winehouse ended up here for that few weeks of drug hell..


I sit there wondering if I have anything to say to him.

Should I tell him that Mrs Giovanni works for the paprazzi agency that stiffed Amy with that Chinese impression song - that the worst is yet to come, that also on that stolen camera, no 'found in a toilet' camera, are old photos of Amy giving Blake a blow job?? Of the pair of them in the bath - really personal stuff...

He probably knows that already...

Perhaps I should convince him I'm the only important music writer on the planet and that Amy needs to pop over to Fort Giovanna for some crack and a good and indepth interview?!?

Or maybe I should simply adivse him to get his girl out of the spotlight - that I know a great Scottich retreat 4 miles off road, where the only crack is that which appears between the rocks...

Leslie doesn't look like he needs adivce - he leaves the room.


I concentrate on my own talents.

I've talked about my talents before.

One I didn't then mention then, was that I'm great at maintaining a 6ft personal space at all times I want it. I'm very able to send out ice cold 'DON'T FUCKING TALK TO ME!!!' vibes. It's a stupid thing to do at a party, but I prefer to watch..

A girl sits alongside. She breaks into the Giovan-zone. I consider it to be an illegal approach.

'Oh' she says 'You know that feeling when you're out and you've lost her friends and you can't find your mobile phone?!?'

The girl reminds me of Winehouse, that 'eyes all over the face, just about holding it together against huge odds' look...

Trouble.

'It'll turn up!!' I reply, keeping my focus on the crowd..

She rumages in her bag 'Oh yes, there it is!' she leaves the zone..


Winehouses manager is back.

I say nothing, watch everyone and drink the free beer.

There's a week of this to come - I don't want to peak too soon...

Currently listening : Use Your Illusion I By Guns N’ Roses Release date: 1991-09-17