You should be listening to: Ilya
Hailing from Bristol and carrying on the city’s reputation for producing fine trip hop acts Ilya managed to produce one of the most magical albums of 2004 with They Died for Beauty. Combining elements of acts like Goldfrapp, Zero 7 and the obvious rulers of Bristol trip hop so far, Portishead, They Died For Beauty breathes ambient warmth, originality and grandiosity into your life courtesy of your stereo’s speakers.
Opening track Bellissimo wafts around you in a breathy manner rather like you are being swathed in silk whilst having rose petals sprinkled over your head. The album carries on very much in this vein. Pace is upped slightly on tracks such as Quattra Neon and Heavenly which pulses courtesy of a chunky bassline before letting the middle section escape into a swirl of brass and ghostly vocals. Happy and Weak sees vocalist Joanna Swan producing a gorgeous understated
They Died For Beauty oozes class and takes you on a journey of musical invention and emotions worn proudly on sleeves. Its constantly inventive throughout and stands up to repeated listens which will no doubt see it through to becoming a classic album of this decade.
Key Tracks: Bellissimo, Quattra Neon, They Died For Beauty, Happy and Weak
Link: http://www.vmg.co.uk/ilya
You should be watching: Spaceghost
If you’ve never seen Space Ghost Coast to Coast, where have you bloody well been? Presumably on Ghost Planet itself. Possibly one of the most surreal kids cartoons ever, there is some discrepancy as to what generation of person actually enjoys this show more. Space Ghost’s irreverent take on the role of chat show host could and should become legendary. Guests are beamed into the studio located on Ghost Planet and subjected to a bewildering array of questions and behaviour. For instance take an excerpt from our genial hosts interview with musician Beck.
“SPACE GHOST: Space Ghost would be down with Beck being his new bandleader.
BECK: I am down with that. Me too.
SPACE GHOST: You don't bust up people's stuff for no apparent reason, do you?
BECK: No, I don't, I don't, I don't do that.
SPACE GHOST: Good.
BECK: I don't play that.
SPACE GHOST: Because I think that would be very old school of you.
BECK: It's old school.
SPACE GHOST: And Space Ghost would not play that”
Later on this interview Space Ghost urges Beck to wear a lampshade on his head seemingly for no apparent reason, which Beck duly does. Make of this what you will, you’ll probably either find it increasingly bemusing or utterly hilarious. There are what should become legendary interviews with the likes or Michael Moore, The Ramones, Thom York and Matt Groening to name but a few in the annals of Space Ghost history, all of which freewheel in the same nonsensical style. The only shame is you can’t currently get hold of a video or European region DVD of this amazing piece of comedy excellence. Every so often Cartoon Network or Boomerang will run a few weeks worth of episodes but it’s not currently showing on UK satellite. There are however places on the Internet with episodes for download, though of course I cannot condone such behaviour. Ahem. The episodes are only around 10 mins in length each so are well worth hunting for. Everybody needs to be down with the Ghost. Fact.
Key Episodes: Edelweiss (Beck), Hungry (Michael Stipe and Lassie), Sleeper (Slash), Glen Campbell (Matt Groening), Telethon (Spaceghost does charity), Waiting for Edward (Dennis Leary)
Link: http://www.adultswim.com/shows/spaceghost/index.html
You should worship: Justin Lee Collins
Now a “proper” star after his stint hosting Strictly Come Dancing on BBC3 - the BBLB style show which accompanied the first series of SCD, the quirky Bristolian with the at times indecipherable accent is finding his career very much in the ascendant. It’s all becoming a far cry from his early days as stand up comedian or appearing in yoghurt commercials. The stand up routines led to being a finalist at the Edinburgh festival which in turn led to a stint as a presenter on MTV. Co-incidentally not the first hot youngish thing MTV have sourced from the north of the border institution, as Alex Zane was also spotted in similar fashion.
But enough of the tousle haired dreamboat and back to Justin. He’s been described as many things including the proclamation that he is “Bristol’s greatest son" a quote he himself refutes and also being “The bastard son of Silent Bob and Jennifer Aniston”, which surely must be the greatest compliment ever paid to anyone. More seriously he’s been touted as the new “Johnny Vaughan” but that’s startlingly unobserved really. Justin displays more originality than the previously over hyped over saturated chirpy Cockney.
Certainly better is the plaudit from Don William of The Comedy Store that Collins is one of the most original comics to emerge since Harry Hill. You don’t have to look much further than his stint on SCD on 3, or his programme “Ten Things You Didn’t Know About” which is currently showing on satellite for examples of his quick wit and ability to comically freewheel off kilter into the sunset with an idea.
Key Collins: Ten things You Didn’t Know About…. Currently showing on FTN weeknights. XFM show Saturdays 12.00-15.00
Biog: http://www.xfm.co.uk/article.asp?id=31471
Izzy Brooks.
pixie@happyandlost.co.uk
Previous Essential Selections:
The Mighty Boosh, Embrace, Ashton Kutcher.
Jamie Callum, I'm Alan Partridge Series 1 & 2, Bill Bryson, Owen Wilson.
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