19/10/2016 – TheUse-On My Deathbed (2016)

TheUse and Rachel Mason set Xu Lizhi’s poetry to send a message about consumer society

 

 

Michale Durek’s TheUse solo project have teamed up with Rachel Mason and the results are, well, impressive to say the least. The song is called On My Death Bed, and is taken from a 7” released by Aagoo. The music is murky but there is an element of hope there. The lyrics are taken from Xu Lizhi’s poetry. Lizhi was a factory worker who sadly took his own life. His death, however, has been used as a wake-up call to look at the conditions of electronic factory workers and what is actually costs to have a new phone in your pocket.

 

 

On My Deathbed will feature in the documentary Who Pays The Price?: The Human Cost of Electronics. Over the last four years director Heather White has followed the story of a Chinese activist with leukaemia who helps young workers poisoned on the electronics assembly line. The trailer has over 1.2 million, yes ONE POINT TWO MILLION, YouTube views. White said recently “Xu Lizhi’s poems underline the alienation and despair felt by those trapped in a dead-end existence, where work is the only measure of one’s daily experience.”

 

 

 

 

Mason describes Lizhi’s this “(Xu Lizhi’s) Poetry just really sung themselves to me, and miraculously matched the songs that Michael was crafting. Some poems just seem to have a melody built into them and you can hear it.” Ultimately On My Deathbed is a folk song that has been updated and re-jiggled. In a way this is far more interesting. The electro pops and blips juxtapose Mason’s soaring vocals in a way that would have been lost if the song had been recorded in the Norma Waterson/Eliza Carthy vein.

 

The work of White, TheUse and Aagoo Records to bring this diametric problem to our attention. Yes we want to be in contact with the world at the touch of a few buttons, but what does this gift actually cost? Maybe next time we collectively bemoan the lack of WiFi and short battery life we give a thought to the lives that make this a reality.

 

 

TheUse featuring Rachel Mason and Black Saturn will be released on 4^th November through Aagoo Records

 

 

 

 

 

 

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07/03/2015 – Beastie Boys-Shambala (1994)

Another paradoxical weekend

 

 

The last twenty four hours have been a slight juxtaposition. Last night (Friday 6^th) I had the pleasure to watch AFC Bournemouth beat Fulham, at Fulham. This had a slightly pleasant feel to it. Firstly it was the first time I’d been to Craven Cottage. In nine years of living in London I am slightly ashamed at this, but I think my experience, and the result make up for this appalling statistic. The second reason was that over Christmas I went to the Boxing Day game, and good old Bomo beat Fulham 2-0. During this game Fulham had a bite to them and, at times, looked like inflicting serious damage to Bournemouth’s defence. Since then Fulham have sunk to just above relegation. Considering last season they were relegated from the Premier League, their current position shows how much is wrong with this once great club. The third and final reason why last night’s game was so satisfying was a few weeks ago I saw a good Brentford, and a bad referee deny Bournemouth any points in a miserable afternoon at Griffin Park.

 

 

Last night’s match started brightly. Fulham looked down but not out from the kick off. It wasn’t until the half hour mark that Bournemouth could make a dent in Fulham’s defence. Bret Pitman was the scorer and yes Pitness levels were raised. Seven minutes later Matt Ritchie made it 2-0. Then it was half time. The second half started brightly and just after an hour Bournemouth were 3-0 up. They were cruising. Then the inevitable happened. They got slack and complacent and Fulham got one back. 3-1. Fulham’s Fernando Amorebieta got sent off at 69 minutes for a rash challenge. The thought of a comeback was short lived as Ritchie scored again on 71 minutes. At this point Fulham’s fans, weary of a season which many had predicted promotion would be a formality, started to leave the ground. In droves. However the game was not over. Six minutes from time Steve Cook scored possibly the goal of the night. To make it 5-1. Being a humble and gracious fan the travelling away arm shouted “WE WANT SIX!” repeatedly until the fulltime whistle was blown. What a night to remember!!! What’s more Bournemouth were top of the league. They have scored more goals this season than any other team in Britain, and most of Europe.

 

 

After a night like that, how would you spend the following day? Reminiscing the events in their sepia tone? Staying slightly horizontal due to a slight hangover? Having a kick-a-bout in the park and trying to recreate the goals? Going to the local pub for a couple of pints in the glorious 17 degree Sun, then eating bread, cheese and an artisan porkpie? No, although they do sound great. Instead I took part in a march through central London with the Tibet Society, Free Tibet Students for a Free Tibet and Tibetan Community in Britain. It was to commemorate 56 years since the Tibetan National Uprising. The march took just over an hour to travel from Downing Street to Portland Place (just above Oxford Street). The end destination was the Chinese Embassy. As the weather was glorious it was a pleasant stroll through London waving banners and chanting call and response style protests. Like a lot of people of my age, the Tibetan problem was brought to our attention by the Beastie Boys. I remember reading a wonderful interview Adam “MCA” Yauch had with the Dali Lama. Then there were the Free Tibet concerts and albums. Sadly with MCA’s passing in 2012 one of the cause’s loudest voices was lost, but millions now know about Tibet’s plight and thousands have taken up this fight. As predicted the march went off without a hitch and everybody left feeling that they’d taken part in something important. Not bad for a Saturday morning eh?

 

 

 

 

 

 

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02/02/2014 – Neil Young-Pocahontas (1997)

Welcome in the Year of the Horse by playing Year of the Horse

 

I love Neil Young. I am unashamed to admit this. For months now I’ve been thinking about having a Neil Young song of the day. I could never think of the right occasion (not that there needs to be one to play a bit of Neil) or the song. As it’s Chinese New Year this weekend I thought why not use a track from Year of the Horse, as it is officially the Year of the Horse!

 

The track I have chosen is Pocahontas. There is a good story to this song, I won’t go into all the details, but I will mention some of the. Pocahontas was recorded in between 1975-1977 and was originally meant to be included on the Chrome Dreams albums. Unfortunately this album never saw the light of day. I can’t find out why this album was never released, but it is a shame that it wasn’t as it is one of this strongest albums. Over the years the tracks found themselves on live and bootleg albums. It is fantastic and I recommend you to listen to it even if you are not a massive Neil Young fan.

 

Anyway back to today’s track. Pocahontas is a weird song, as it jumps backwards and forwards in time. It’s basically a ballad about a massacre, but the song ends with Neil Young hanging out with Pocahontas and Marlon Brando at the Houston Astrodome. The version I picked today is from the Year of the Horse live album. I thought it was fitting to listen to this album today as its Chinese New Year is this weekend (and this year is the year of the horse). This was one of the first Neil Young albums I got when I started to get into him. At first I didn’t like it. It sounded really muddy and I wasn’t familiar with the songs so it took a while to get into it. After I had got the albums (and knew the songs better) I gave it another try and I loved it. Pocahontas is my favourite track on this album. It’s not as good as the version Rust Never Sleeps or MTV Unplugged, but it’s still great.

 

Right, I’m off out now for some Sunday lunch, but while I walk to the pub I think I have time to listen to it one more time…

 

Neil Young – Pocahontas – Live

 

February 2014

 

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