I was challenged to find five songs with the word 'bike' or 'bicycle' in the title by
amanda_pink.
It's been rather hard, given that it was followed in my head by the phrase 'that I like'. This immediately discounted 'Bicycle race' by Queen. The only nice thing I can say about that record is that it's been a very long time since I last heard it.
Meanwhile Kraftwerk, inventors of all that is good about modern electronic pop music and the people who define the rock/cycling interface, have yet to release anything with those words in the title. Even though there are two fine singles (one a remix, admittedly) and a cracking album about Le Tour. Annoying doesn't come into it. Boards of Canada have a stab with 'Happy cycling' (on 'Music has the right...') but though it clatters along cheerfully enough, the title's wrong and there's nothing to be done.
However. The first name that popped into my head was 'Bike-ride to the moon' by the entirely splendid Dukes of Stratosfear. You can't go wrong with rustic English psychedelia, and at the distance of some twenty years from the source, XTC in funny hats make an endearing and cosy racket.
I guess it's redundant to point out that it was probably a homage to Tomorrow's 'My white bicycle', which is a genius slab of phasing, backwards guitar and happy fun with the stereo image. What more could you ask from a song influenced by Dutch anarchists?
Hanging around a bit more in the West Country, we find Ted Milton and the rest of Blurt giving it some skronk with the rocking 'The fish needs a bike'. Blurt were recently in receipt of a bit of a critical shoeing not far from here, which isn't entirely surprising given the, um, somewhat exacting nature of the music. I think they're bloody marvellous, mind, and have done since viewing them at Pittville Pump Rooms ably (and drunkenly) supported by a worryingly young Attila the Stockbroker. (Which
uk_jon may or may not remember. I wonder if I've still got my Mustaphas badge?)
'Bike' on the other hand, appears to be pre-ElectroSkronk Autechre. It's positively restrained, sounding a lot like it should have been on 'The Man-Machine'. I first came across them via the 'Artificial Intelligence' LP, where they managed to sound a lot like Black Dog/B13, rather than people feeding astronomical data into a confused sequencer.
And then there's Pink Floyd. I approach with trepidation, given there's a good chance that I'll have a terrible psychotic fugue as I flash back to a grim evening of being forced to watch The Wall while (un)suitably medicated and run amok with a large hammer...
... Actually, I think I rather like the song. Especially the second half. Pitch a canteen of cutlery down the stairs, record, play backwards. Groovy daddio! It reminds me of early Severed Heads, in a wrong-end-of-the-telescope time travel sort of a way.
Elsewhere, it appears that there intro-quiz-thing was a bit harder than I thought. Answers real soon now.
It's been rather hard, given that it was followed in my head by the phrase 'that I like'. This immediately discounted 'Bicycle race' by Queen. The only nice thing I can say about that record is that it's been a very long time since I last heard it.
Meanwhile Kraftwerk, inventors of all that is good about modern electronic pop music and the people who define the rock/cycling interface, have yet to release anything with those words in the title. Even though there are two fine singles (one a remix, admittedly) and a cracking album about Le Tour. Annoying doesn't come into it. Boards of Canada have a stab with 'Happy cycling' (on 'Music has the right...') but though it clatters along cheerfully enough, the title's wrong and there's nothing to be done.
However. The first name that popped into my head was 'Bike-ride to the moon' by the entirely splendid Dukes of Stratosfear. You can't go wrong with rustic English psychedelia, and at the distance of some twenty years from the source, XTC in funny hats make an endearing and cosy racket.
I guess it's redundant to point out that it was probably a homage to Tomorrow's 'My white bicycle', which is a genius slab of phasing, backwards guitar and happy fun with the stereo image. What more could you ask from a song influenced by Dutch anarchists?
Hanging around a bit more in the West Country, we find Ted Milton and the rest of Blurt giving it some skronk with the rocking 'The fish needs a bike'. Blurt were recently in receipt of a bit of a critical shoeing not far from here, which isn't entirely surprising given the, um, somewhat exacting nature of the music. I think they're bloody marvellous, mind, and have done since viewing them at Pittville Pump Rooms ably (and drunkenly) supported by a worryingly young Attila the Stockbroker. (Which
'Bike' on the other hand, appears to be pre-ElectroSkronk Autechre. It's positively restrained, sounding a lot like it should have been on 'The Man-Machine'. I first came across them via the 'Artificial Intelligence' LP, where they managed to sound a lot like Black Dog/B13, rather than people feeding astronomical data into a confused sequencer.
And then there's Pink Floyd. I approach with trepidation, given there's a good chance that I'll have a terrible psychotic fugue as I flash back to a grim evening of being forced to watch The Wall while (un)suitably medicated and run amok with a large hammer...
... Actually, I think I rather like the song. Especially the second half. Pitch a canteen of cutlery down the stairs, record, play backwards. Groovy daddio! It reminds me of early Severed Heads, in a wrong-end-of-the-telescope time travel sort of a way.
Elsewhere, it appears that there intro-quiz-thing was a bit harder than I thought. Answers real soon now.
no subject
Date: 2006-08-11 08:09 pm (UTC)You are getting on, aren't you?
no subject
Date: 2006-08-11 08:25 pm (UTC)(I'll be old when I cave in to Q Mag and R2)
no subject
Date: 2006-08-11 08:29 pm (UTC)Q (last time I looked, hundreds of years ago) seemed to be all about crawling up the execrable Oasis's collective fundament. Vile, but not specifically what you meant, I suspect.
no subject
Date: 2006-08-11 08:41 pm (UTC)I ought to buy The Wire, though.
no subject
Date: 2006-08-14 09:21 am (UTC)(strokes jazz-bearded chin thoughtfully)
no subject
Date: 2006-08-11 08:11 pm (UTC)Huh, it's not a very common word at all, it looks like.
"Bike Thief" by Freezepop is all I can find on the laptop (Meaning my Dukes CDs aren't on here!)
no subject
Date: 2006-08-11 08:38 pm (UTC)It misses the point quite spectacularly, calling Syd's 'Bike' fairly uninspiring and 'Happy cycling' by BoC I couldn't find an MP3 or even lyrics, but it's purported to be electronica. Kraftwerk (Tour de France) are dismissed with An offering from the German synth/dance band. The lyrics are brief and uninspiring.
That's because you gormlessly quote the English translation you monomaniacs. The correct version to listen to over and over until it's ingrained in your head is the French one. Kraftwerk lyrics are entirely minimalist and that is why they're marvellous. No over-egged sixth form g*th poetry here.
no subject
Date: 2006-08-11 08:58 pm (UTC)o_O
no subject
Date: 2006-08-11 09:06 pm (UTC)BLURT
Date: 2006-08-11 08:59 pm (UTC)Question: Gaz Mayal, who *was* he?
Re: BLURT
Date: 2006-08-11 09:04 pm (UTC)You spoke to JCC?
[FX: Fanboy]
Re: BLURT
Date: 2006-08-11 09:12 pm (UTC)Yes I did, Otway was much nicer.
Re: BLURT
Date: 2006-08-11 10:36 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-08-11 10:27 pm (UTC)I don't think that song is even mentioned here (http://bicycleuniverse.info/stuff/music.html).
no subject
Date: 2006-08-12 09:29 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-08-12 10:26 am (UTC)Lustmord: Has (s)he/they indeed? On which recording is that to be found?
no subject
Date: 2006-08-15 08:07 pm (UTC)kind of like ryoji ikeda's more introspective pieces, without the blips. it's damn hard to find, if you can't find it let me know and i'll hook you up with something.
no subject
Date: 2006-08-13 12:22 pm (UTC)Bicycle Bicycle, You Are My Bicycle - Be Your Own Pet
Side Care Bicycle - Jab Mica Och El (from a compilation album made entirely of bicycle noises called Project: Bicycle)
Midnight Bicycle Mystery - Deerhoof
I was wondering what happened to my Mustaphas badge just the other day.
no subject
Date: 2006-08-13 01:13 pm (UTC)Coo. That's rather good. Have I annoyed you about Akufen?
no subject
Date: 2006-08-13 08:24 pm (UTC)