24TH FEBRUARY 2012 – JoGa Launches
24TH JULY 2011: GOOD BYE AMY….YOU WILL BE MISSED.
As I arrived on the Island I actually almost ran into her, tanned, long limbed, her hair lighter and curling softly around her face. She was smiling and was chasing a little girl off the beach.
It took me a triple take to realise that I had glimpsed the woman people back home had grown to loath.
Everyday in London seemed to bring another newspaper splashed with shots of the singer bleeding, snotty with her eyes rolling.
But here, she appeared to have transformed, relaxed, been eating, and looked a picture of health.
Not only that, but as i booked into reception, I saw she was staying 2 cottages along in the 5 star complex I had been flown out to cover the St Lucia Jazz festival on a press trip.
From my upstairs roof terrace, I could see her out on hers, smoking and chatting to friends, her band members and a very big bouncer – who made it clear we were not to approach.
Speaking to the Tourism Minister for the island, I was told she was getting along famously with locals and as a Thank You, had offered to headline the Jazz Festival.
Despite her fresh faced look, I still had doubts about whether she would turn up. However, with the world’s media looking on, including me, with high expectations, Amy appeared in a small blue dress a guest told me she had borrowed to perform in.
Hopes were soon dashed. Amy had, it became clear within a nanosecond, morphed into her old London self.
Gone was the healthy sparkle and in its place a wobbly, glassy eyed mess had returned. I felt so sad I felt tears spring to my eyes unexpectedly.
Vox popping the crowd after there was a lot of anger, but all I felt was that Amy was not born to perform. It isn’t not something she appeared to enjoy…and maybe this is why she felt the need to get smashed before every gig?
I am feeling really sick about the whole affair right now…it has left me with a bad taste in my mouth and more than a few tears.
This is the report I filed for BBC 6 Music back in 2009 just after the show….
St Lucia Jazz Festival Amy Winehouse FEATURE 100509 by JoYoule
24TH MAY 2011: PERFORMANCE ARTIST LAURIE ANDERSON ON WHY THE MP3 SUCKS
The Brighton Festival has this year surpassed itself, with the musical goodness it has supplied. It kicked off with the legend, that is DJ Shadow in his Shadowsphere in the Dome, hot on his heels came Sufjan Stevens in head to toe neon, Lee “Scratch” – mad as a box of frogs – Perry and Max Romeo, Velvet Underground founder John Cale and this week, her royal highness, Laurie Anderson lands.
Being a bit of an 80′s kid, I was always a huge fan of O Superman, the track that catapulted her from artist to pop icon, sky rocketing into No. 2 in the charts in the process.
However, her supreme geekyness is what I love most, as well her ability to invent stuff for her shows that demonstrates a woman, ready to tinker with technology and rival any of Inspector Gadget’s finest feats. Fact.
Listen to her full scathing attack on the merits (there are none) of the MP3here in a high-tech talk.
26 FEBRUARY 2011 – MUPPETS V LCD
Recently I went round my friend Joel’s house in Brighton for a Sushi night and as the wine began to flow, I unwittingly picked up a whole ball of Wasabi thinking it was Sashimi (albeit a potentially slightly off colour type of fish) and gobbled it whole.
As the intial eye watering effects began to wear off, I spotted Miss Piggy planted on his couch….and realised it was not some kind of mustard induced hallucination. We brought her in the kitchen to join the party….soon Kermit had made a whole Sushi roll and the mini muppet rave was in full swing.
It was only this week I realised why Joel had these muppets in his flat…and the awesome results can be seen here, as he is a camera man and had been shooting a video with them.
22 SEPTEMBER 2010 16 SHADES OF BLACK AND BLUE
…and for once I am not talking about a tumble I took at the weekend.
Today I was sent a link to the brand new track from a quartet that is Fujiya &Miyagi. Never heard of them? Neither had I, but their superb new album Ventriloquizing, caught me by surprise and for today you can listen to a nice sample of the new LP right here
01 SEPTEMBER 2010
Komedia Brighton have signed up to take a monthly podcast written and produced by Jo for their website.
This month the Komcast focuses on headline act Al Murray as he unveils his brand spanking new show, Compete for the Meat.
As well as talking about the perils of a defrosting frozen chicken and his favourite sausages, Al tells us what he’d have done if The Pub Landlord was not popular (as if!).
Krater comedy compere and local legend Stephen Grant also delves into his 11 years of backstage stories to tell us about stroppy comedians and how he curates the award winning series.
Next months Komcast will feature music interviews, as well as your Guilty Pleasure track, as voted by you at this months Popstars party.
WEDNESDAY 18TH AUGUST 2010 – WE LOVE TO COUNT….ON THE REMIX
The Count….AKA Herve takes over The Remix reigns this weekend for one night only.
Remixing under the names Speaker Junk, Herve, The Count and Sinden and just simply The Count, the man has been a busy boy this summer putting out smash hit, After Dark featuring the Mystery Jets and new release, Machines Can Do The Work with Fatboy Slim.
He and the Brighton legend both play London’s SW4 festival over the August Bank Holiday weekend, on the same bill as Salt N Pepa. Get ready to Shoop!
MONDAY 26TH JULY 2010 – SW4 COMPETITION – SALT N PEPA – competition now closed……
If silky shell suits are no longer a thing of the past in your book, then you may be interested to know Salt N Pepa are making a come back at this summer’s SW4 festival on Clapham Common next month.
Marking more than 15 years since they played London if you can answer this question, you can win a chance to see them in action.
What name did Salt N Pepa originally launch under before they became a hip hop trio to release their first single? Tune in to The Remix this weekend to find out how to enter….
MONDAY 19TH JULY 2010 – “I SPEND 20% OF MY LIFE LISTENING TO CRAP REMIXES”
On the eve of launching their hotly anticipated 24 hour audio visual feast that is Radio Soulwax, one half of the Belgian duo, David Dewaele, confessed he is a little sick of remixes, and can’t see the point: “There’s so much crap out there, why add more to the pile?”
Despite having made a fair few in his time he told me it is only 5 % of what they do and he can’t understand the reason most people remember them for creating them. “We’re friends with a lot of bands whose music I love and then they’ll ask us to do a remix and a lot of times we’ll turn it down just because I think it is wrong for them to play that game where very often it’s not about the music, it’s not about the song or what the person does to it, it’s about a certain scene or getting it played in clubs.”
The band are working on a track for Erol Alkan’s latest production project, Late of the Pier, which the brothers asked to have a go at, however David says he reckons re-working a song just to get DJ’s to play it is wrong:”Does anyone really hear a starsailor remix and go, ah, I should buy that album? No!”
Radio Soulwax will finally get launched this summer after two years in the making. Meantime check out a taster here
TUESDAY 13TH JULY 2010 – A-TEAM GET THEME TUNE M-O-T
Renowned for their ability to build the meanest leanest fighting machine out of a few garden shed goodies and come out on top – one man is now re-building their signature tune.
Check out how MSTRKRFT does it A Team style here
MONDAY 12TH JULY 2010 – COME TO DADDY!
This weekend East London’s Victoria Park will play host to a Dizzy Friday, Roxy Saturday and Sunday A-mazing Grace will prevail. Fast foward to the final August Bank holiday weekend and it’s all about the Windowlicking Aphex Twin.
The Cornwall born and bred master of all that is warped in the world of electronic wizardry is signed to appear at the first ever L.E.D festival.
Lets just hope this chap doesn’t rear his ugly head there…
FRIDAY JULY 2ND 2010 – DAY DREAMING WITH…
Self styled king of collaboration, Unkle’s James Lavelle, is curating a new Exhibiton in London next month, called Daydreaming with…James Lavelle.
It’s not the first time he has hand picked a group of artists to work together on a project like this, but this is his biggest yet, with some key names from the world of fashion, film, music and art on board.
All installations and works in Mayfair’s Haunch of Venison gallery will be inspired by music from the new Unkle album.
Jo found out more details about the new material for BBC 6 Music here
