SteveAJones Posted August 27, 2009 Share Posted August 27, 2009 Those Crooked Vultures Academy in Brixton August 26, 2009 http://www.independe....n-1777849.html First Night: Arctic Monkeys, O2 Academy, Brixton, London (Rated 4/ 5 ) Arctics return from wilderness with horizons broadened By Nick Hasted Thursday, 27 August 2009 Arctic Monkeys played their first UK show in two years last night with an ease confirming their special status. With Blur seemingly re-retired, and Radiohead these days floating above normal rock rules of engagement, they are the most respected UK band still standing. Barely three years ago, they were either dismissed as a MySpace-bred fad, or praised as chroniclers of their Sheffield hometown's seedy but vibrant life. They recovered from that fame's early shock to become a remarkably dextrous rock band. Their singer-songwriter Alex Turner, too, always a cool-eyed observer of street-life, wasn't phased by no longer living it. Second album Favourite Worst Nightmare and his subsequent side-project Last Shadow Puppets smoothly moved into moodier, more mysterious terrain. New album Humbug, partly recorded with Queens of the Stone Age's Josh Homme as producer, has been wrongly typed as a switch to harder, more American rock. In fact it's a continuing evolution into pop and lyrical classicism, where Hendrix meets forgotten Yorkshire folk satirist Jake Thackray as influences, in an elegant 21st-century version of Cream's "White Room". It's a long but steady course from the "mardy bums" and "scummy men" of their street-wise debut; progress maintained tonight. A dramatically sudden entrance soon leads into Nick Cave's "Red Right Hand", the diabolic fantasies of which are playfully approached. You'd never mistake the floppy-haired Turner, in his smart-casual short-sleeved shirt, for Nick Cave, much less Old Nick. Any demons he has stay private. It's his calmness on stage, his lack of star presence or messianic pretension, which keeps his band usefully anonymous. Even his relationship with the glamorous TV presenter Alexa Chung can't draw the paparazzi's glare. When he shakes his long locks as he cuts loose on guitar, it's a shock. It's left to the exact dynamics, thunderous riffs and tumbledown energy of the songs to purge his and the crowd's frustrations. Reversing through the three Arctics albums with "Crying Lightning", "Brianstorm" and "Still Take You Home", breathless precision unites them. Breakthrough hit "I Bet You Look Good On the Dancefloor" is sung by the crowd and seized as their own, lost in its precocious lyrics, and a riff tough and tight enough to kick-start a career. The dusty psychedelic expansiveness of at least one new song, "Dangerous Animals", bares the influence of Josh Homme's American desert-rock. In a set boldly dominated by Humbug only heard by most here since its Monday release "The View From the Afternoon", from their debut, is then greeted with relief. I too start to miss the precise, humane observation Turner mostly veils these days. As if in answer, Humbug's best song "Cornerstone" follows, exuding all the old storytelling warmth. Then there's the Hawaiian guitar of "Only Ones Who Know", and cinema-style organ in "Fluorescent Adolescent" which might have closed a Mecca ballroom in 1962, and the Arctic Monkeys have re-found their balance: a mixture of The Shadows, Pulp and Pearl Jam, made in Sheffield, but increasingly beyond time and place. http://www.thesun.co....er-UK-gig.html Vultures rip up the stage Four years ago ARCTIC MONKEYS were in the studio recording their record-breaking debut album. If anyone had told them then that in 2009 their warm-up band would feature LED ZEPPELIN's bassist, NIRVANA's ex drummer and the frontman of QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE, they'd have been treated to a withering Sheffield put-down. But last night JOHN PAUL JONES, DAVE GROHL and JOSH HOMME's new project THEM CROOKED VULTURES took to the stage before ALEX TURNER's gang. A lot has been made of the Monkeys' new muscular sound on third album Humbug, but it's featherweight in comparison to The Vultures. Joined by touring guitarist ALAIN JOHANNES, they tore through a ten-song set of pulverising rock. Tracks Gunman, Caligula and Nobody Loves Me And Neither Do I were rib-rattling heavyosity. But there were moments of gentleness too - including some mesmerising piano work from Jones. It's early days for the Vultures - this being their first ever show in the UK - but things bode well. The musicianship is virtuoso and the grooves mighty. Just don't stand too close to the speaker stacks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slagfarmer Posted August 27, 2009 Share Posted August 27, 2009 It is amazing how this project has exploded onto the scene(deservedly so)! Can you imagine if the JPJ,JP,JB had continued. What a buzz that would have been. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveAJones Posted August 27, 2009 Share Posted August 27, 2009 It is amazing how this project has exploded onto the scene(deservedly so)! Can you imagine if the JPJ,JP,JB had continued. What a buzz that would have been. Interesting that you should bring that up. I wish someone would corner JPJ for an interview and ask him how much, if any, Page/JPJ/Jason material was used for this project. How much, if any, material JPJ had written for another solo album was used for this project. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveAJones Posted August 27, 2009 Share Posted August 27, 2009 Them Crooked Vultures Lowlands Festival in Biddinghuizen, Netherlands August 22, 2009 This compilation of You Tube clips courtesy of Terry Stephenson: Presenting the full show (almost complete) from Lowlands Festival: http://www.youtube.c...h?v=EMNAq_r-694 Elephant http://www.youtube.c...h?v=Wr5HvmrFxT0 Dead End Friends http://www.youtube.c...h?v=fXsfm0Ja-us Gunman http://www.youtube.c...h?v=Wrl4m3-zAbo Scumbag Blues http://www.youtube.c...h?v=myBcyw1HX-k Mind Eraser http://www.youtube.c...h?v=lJHdsQJ5Cks Caligulove http://www.youtube.c...h?v=f0Wv_J_x_30 Daffodils http://www.youtube.c...h?v=OskBZesBKfY New Fang http://www.youtube.c...h?v=mn84ThF9Bpw Warsaw Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EzyEric Posted August 27, 2009 Share Posted August 27, 2009 Wow Steve you can take a break from this you know Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pagey_17 Posted August 27, 2009 Share Posted August 27, 2009 I think this is snowballing, i just hope they play Reading which it looks like they will. But after that its hard to imagine how things are going to develop. They surely cant continue supporting people and there are only a few summer festivals left! A small tour, then magazine and promotional features maybe then the Album Release followed by a US and world tour? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveAJones Posted August 27, 2009 Share Posted August 27, 2009 Wow Steve you can take a break from this you know ...but it's John Paul Jones news! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deborah J Posted August 27, 2009 Share Posted August 27, 2009 ...but it's John Paul Jones news! Exactly...keep it coming. Thanks for the info as always;-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveAJones Posted August 27, 2009 Share Posted August 27, 2009 Exactly...keep it coming. Thanks for the info as always;-) We'll have such a good time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveAJones Posted August 27, 2009 Share Posted August 27, 2009 News Just Breaking: Them Crooked Vultures Release Their Second Studio Promo Video Clip: Elephants (37 seconds) Previously Released: Nobody Loves Me And Neither Do I (33 seconds) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pagey_17 Posted August 27, 2009 Share Posted August 27, 2009 Really this stuff sounds awesome, it sounds nicely produced JPJ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
No1ZeppelinFan Posted August 27, 2009 Share Posted August 27, 2009 http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/8223934.stm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pagey_17 Posted August 27, 2009 Share Posted August 27, 2009 Dead End Friends - Brixton Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveAJones Posted August 28, 2009 Share Posted August 28, 2009 Them Crooked Vultures Academy in Brixton August 26, 2009 Play Paranoid Blogspot.com Them Crooked Vultures @ Brixton Academy. A small piece of rock history? I think I may have witnessed a tiny bit of rock'n'roll history being written last night. The mother of all of today's supergroups, , played their unannounced UK debut supporting Arctic Monkeys at Brixton Academy on a rainy wednesday evening. Well, "supported". When you put these guys together on stage, unless bringing back The Beatles or Iain Curtis to headline, support is not the verb. of Queens of The Stone Age, of Led Zeppelin and of Foo Fighters (and Nirvana) played an hour-long set which epitomised rock music. It was tight, tough and technically so advanced, that even the few overly lengthy instrumental bits went down easily and with pleasure. It was prog rock and hard rock, a bit of blues and a hint of jazz. It was fun. And it was fresh. Joining three immense musicians with backgrounds like these might result in a pompous and recycled collection of yesterday's hits, but not with TCV. It's clear that the gentlemen are driven by ambition and a passion to make good music; not by the fear of being forgotten with their current or past, perhaps somewhat tired, main bands. That's professionalism. Nobody Loves Me And Neither Do I, Caligulove, Elephants and Gunman raised perhaps the biggest applauds. The audience was there to see Arctic Monkeys but apart from , a few mandatory chavs and other unlucky souls I don't think there was anyone who hadn't heard the rumours about the "very special guests"; the queue was massive before 7pm. And the brightest star of the night? Dave Grohl. I'm not sure if his drum kit was screaming from pain or pleasure, probably both, but that man is a living legend. Grohl is not a drummer; a drummer is Grohl. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveAJones Posted August 28, 2009 Share Posted August 28, 2009 Them Crooked Vultures Academy in Brixton August 26, 2009 Photo Credit: James Sheridan Photo Credit: James Sheridan Photo Credit: James Sheridan Photo Credit: James Sheridan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zepaholic Posted August 28, 2009 Share Posted August 28, 2009 Dead End Friends - Brixton That was fucking awesome! Thanks for posting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aquamarine Posted August 28, 2009 Share Posted August 28, 2009 It was great, indeed. You know, I don't know why peole keep going on about Jimmy's age as the reason we haven't seen much from him lately--it doesn't seem to be stopping JPJ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zepaholic Posted August 28, 2009 Share Posted August 28, 2009 It was great, indeed. You know, I don't know why peole keep going on about Jimmy's age as the reason we haven't seen much from him lately--it doesn't seem to be stopping JPJ! Yeah, doesn't he look and sound fantastic? JPJ is ageless and rocking out...it gives all of us hope. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aquamarine Posted August 28, 2009 Share Posted August 28, 2009 It sure does. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
glicine Posted August 28, 2009 Share Posted August 28, 2009 And I like the working scene in the short Elephant video. Looks like a real working band. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leddy Posted August 28, 2009 Share Posted August 28, 2009 Thanks for pics and info, what a great riff Elephants sounds, hope to catch them in concert. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pagey_17 Posted August 28, 2009 Share Posted August 28, 2009 The truth is I think alot of fan boys want to see Dave Grohl drumming and thats why this group is getting hyped more and more. Anyone got news on supposed Reading gig?! Edit: I just realised Hommes wife is playing on the friday at Leeds fest (just 10 miles from me) and Reading on Saturday. They are the days with the slots right?! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveAJones Posted August 28, 2009 Share Posted August 28, 2009 The truth is I think alot of fan boys want to see Dave Grohl drumming and thats why this group is getting hyped more and more. I really don't see this "hype" some keep alluding to. There's been no magazine covers. No interviews. No full length promotional videos. It may seem "hyped" to those of us logging into message boards and actively following the group, but I'll bet the overwhelming majority of casual music listeners still have never heard of Them Crooked Vultures. I don't think it's a group designed for chart success or fame. I think it's a group designed to afford the guys an opportunity to perform new music together in live settings, nothing more nor less. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patrycja Posted August 28, 2009 Share Posted August 28, 2009 It was great, indeed. You know, I don't know why peole keep going on about Jimmy's age as the reason we haven't seen much from him lately--it doesn't seem to be stopping JPJ! Yeah there seems to be a perception that people ought to be slowing down with age - for most, retirement is something that they reach after years of slogging away. But for artists (and those who love what they do) it's about a lifelong honing of their craft. I don't know why this perception sometimes seems to exclude rock musicians, but Jonesy, among others, is clearly getting better with age. I really don't see this "hype" some keep alluding to. There's been no magazine covers. No interviews. No full length promotional videos. It may seem "hyped" to those of us logging into message boards and actively following the group, but I'll bet the overwhelming majority of casual music listeners still have never heard of Them Crooked Vultures. I don't think it's a group designed for chart success or fame. I think it's a group designed to afford the guys an opportunity to perform new music together in live settings, nothing more nor less. You know, when I went to see IMGL, I was obviously there to see Page. In my myopic enthusiasm, it surprised me that others were as excited to see Jack White or the Edge. Likewise, this hype seems to be coming from fans of the respective groups/musicians coming together. The ad campaign, if it can be called that, seems to be more about NOT advertising, or keeping things secretive. Anyway, the music seems to have a JPJ sound, like a development of his previous solo albums. I wonder how many of these new songs were originally destined for a third solo album? They sound really good, and seem energized by the creative collaboration. I wonder, too, if an album is forthcoming...? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pagey_17 Posted August 28, 2009 Share Posted August 28, 2009 My brothers at Leeds Fest and he said apparentley the word is they are going to be playing later this evening! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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