Exercise is good for you

Just got back from fighting the onset of obesity in the gym of my local Sports Centre. Sweating off the KJoules and getting my blood pumping. Anyway, whilst I was there, pounding away on a treadmill, I saw something out of the corner of my eye that reminded me of this video...

Frank Black - Your Mouth Into Mine
Hear tracks from the new mini LP SVN FNGRS over @ blackfrancis.net
I only started going to the gym in the new year but I can feel the benefit already. I can't see my abs yet but I can feel them in there somewhere! More reps needed. More crunching required.

This fitness lark is quite a battle though, and I'd say it was more of a mental challenge than a physical one. It's not the exercise that's tough, it's what lies waiting outside; Just as you exit the gym you enter a snack area, piled up to the ceiling with scrumptious looking cakes, donuts and chocolate bars and thirst quenching sugar drinks. And then, as you leave the Sports Centre building, you are surrounded by a Thai restaurant, a Steak House, an All-U-Can-Eat Chinese and a pub. They are all very tempting, and the more exercise you take the hungrier you get! So far I've only succumbed to the pub, but I suspect it won't be long until my brave resistance fails completely and I submit to the heavenly smell of cooking beef and pork. Hmmmmm pork.

Time for me to lay down and take a rest.

Where's My Talcum Powder?

Finally, thanks to Amazon, a copy of Bluefinger is heading my way - I had to cancel my CD-WOW order, it was in delivery limbo... I guess them going into administration doesn't help!

Anyway, let's put on some tight black rubber baby... Ooo yeah

Black Francis - Tight Black Rubber

The Man In Black

Just how good was Frank Black @ the Shepherds Bush Empire last night? The show started with Frank playing a nice short solo set on acoustic guitar. He looked cool and dangerous in his 'man in black' guise; Black suit, dark red sunglasses and black nail polish. (An aborted) Velouria and Cactus were his only nods to his Pixies past. This was a show designed to highlight his solo career.

The band came on and kicked in, playing with an incredible intensity - Frank singing like had to get every word out before exploding and taking the universe with him. New song Threshold Apprehension nearly blew up the building.


It's the first time I've seen Frank perform without a guitar and I've got to say he makes a really enjoyable rock 'n' roll front man. Mic in hand he owned the stage, prowling around like a man on a mission. As each song ended he decided which song to play next and shouted/growled it out to the band. They obliged and gave a tight energetic performance - seemingly so much more vital than Frank's old band The Catholics. The drum tech looked a bit worried as big Black Francis sat astride the bass drum, screaming a song into the face of the drummer, shaking the cymbal stands and hitting them with his microphone. Did I say intense?

New solo 'best of' 93-03 out now. frankblack.net

Here Pussy Pussy

Bobby Bare Jr has a new CD out next week on Bloodshot Records. For The Longest Meow 11 musicians knocked out 11 tracks in just 11 hours - Including the fab The Heart Bionic (mp3) and a cover of Pixies song Where is my mind?


Available now from amazon UK

U.S. TV Marathon Weekend Pt 2

A late night bowl of Cornflakes and I'm ready for the next show...

The first episode of FBI drama Criminal Minds is pretty good, especially when compared to Bones (see earlier post). Mandy Patinkin (Dead Like Me/Chicago Hope/Alien Nation) plays a Behavioural Analyst who profiles serial killers. There's a good supporting cast and it's well thought out, although the show feels a little rushed trying to resolve everything in 44 minutes. A surprise ending (with added Pixies music) sets up episode 2 nicely.

Season 2 of Lost continues directly on from the previous season. What is through the mysterious hatch? Why is wet Walt seen on the Island? Who the f*ck is Desmond? As always more questions seem to be thrown up than answered, but hey it's great entertainment!

Pixies: Sell Out

Good news for fans who haven't had their fill of the seemingly everlasting Pixies reunion tour: A tour compilation DVD is coming out in October.

Tracks:
1. Bone Machine 2. Wave Of Mutilation 3. Something Against You 4. River Euphrates
5. U-mass 6. Cactus 7. Ed Is Dead 8. I Bleed 9. Monkey Gone To Heaven 10. Hey 11. Levitate Me 12. Broken 13. Subbacultcha 14. Dead 15. Gouge Away 16. Veloria 17. Mr. Grieves 18. Crackity Jones 19. Broken Face 20. Isla De Encanta 21. Tame 22. Here Comes Your Man 23. Where Is My Mind? 24. Vamos 25. Gigantic

Bonus Tracks:
1. Monkey Gone To Heaven - The Move Festival Manchester, England
2. Here Comes Your Man - The Move Festival Manchester
3. The Holiday Song - Fuji Rock, Naeba, Japan
4. Debaser - T in the Park, Edinburgh, Scotland
5. Gigantic - Coachella, Indio, CA

It wouldn't surprise me if a show from 2005 also ends up getting released as well. They are really milking it! C'mon guys let's have a new album eh?

More details at Pixiesmusic