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Here’s the 1st of a series of “Gig-Bites”, featuring a taste of a recent or past gig deserving of being heard beyond the venue walls.  And as a way to shine a light on bands who rock those walls mightily.

REASONS TO LIVE IN THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST #58: Ample opportunity to see Scott McCaughey, the Sangster brothers, John Ramberg, and the rest of their Seattle musical mafioso one way or another (quite the collective resume: The Minus 5, Young Fresh Fellows, The Tripwires, as The Longshots backing Roy Loney , and, in the past The Model Rockets, Stumpy Joe). And they have so much fun doing it too. If that wasn’t enough, McCaughey still finds time to play on albums by REM, Robyn Hitchcock, John Wesley Harding, Walkabouts, Liz Phair, Donovan’s Brain and more.

Last month, donning the moniker of The Lowe Beats, Scott & the rest of the Tartan Horde headed south to Stumptown, paying tribute to the wit & wisdom of pub rocker/crooner, Nick Lowe, it being the 30th anniversary of his legendary “Jesus Of Cool”album (now out on Yep Roc as an expanded 2 cd set). They invited The Shee Bee Gees (a Gibb brothers tribute band: Heather, Ellen, Anna & Alex have been perfecting their transcendent 4 part harmonies out in the garage & at NW gigs for a couple of years. They could sing pages from the phone book at this point and it would be a joy) as well as Casey Neill & The Norway Rats, a band you should run, not saunter, to go hear asap. Folk punk with a strong message and a healthy helping of Pogues-style delivery. Casey, Little Sue & band played a incredible set (despite being down 2 members). Featured here are only their 2 Nick Lowe covers (in keeping with the “Tribute Night” theme). And hurumph: pity the crowd is so loud during the “Faithless Lover”. It’s the powerful, original songs you’ll want to buy their cds & see them live to hear; they are touring in the Northeast next month and doing a West Coast run after that. I look forward to seeing them headline.

And now onto the main course of The Lowe Beats.  I don’t think they could have had more fun and still be legal. It was a new Lowe, so to speak (har, har….um, ….sorry).  One classic song after another with Sangster & Ramberg trading fiery licks, and mega-fan McCaughey taking immense delight in Lowe’s lascivious lyrics. But don’t take my word for it, listen to the podcast.  You might find yourself, afterwards, moving to the Northwest.

Dantes, Portland 23 FEB 08 The Shee Bee Gees: “Lonely Days” (by Barry Gibb) Casey Neil & The Norway Rats: “Faithless Lover” and “I Knew The Bride” (both by Nick Lowe) The Lowe Beats: “You Got The Look I LIke”, “Born Fighter”,”Shake That Rat”, “Cruel To Be Kind”, “Rollers Show” (joined by the Shee Bee Gees), “So It Goes”

www.myspace.com/thelowebeats http://www.caseyneill.org/ http://www.sheebeegees.com/

oh, and grab the new cd from John Ramberg’s band’s band The Tripwires.  In a perfect world, “Big Electric Light” would be a top 20 with a bullet. out on The Paisley Pop label: http://www.paisleypop.com/ ….wot a bunch a Huie

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It was 7 years ago that I first heard Tom Verlaine say: “This here’s a newie….goes like this”

And finally a new Television album is nearing completion, albeit without Richard Lloyd, who left to persue The Radiant Monkey and his own musical vision.  So its sheer conjecture as to which of these new TV songs will have made it into the studio along with replacement, Jimmy Rip.

Here, then, is a compilation of live performances of those new songs as performed in recent years.  May this serve as a fitting farewell to Mr Lloyd’s involvement with the group and an appreciation of his contribution to these new songs.

These are audience recordings so sonic quality is not ideal.  However,the passion is all there in the zeros & the ones… 01 I Could Sleep All Day (Washington DC 2003-03-24) 02 Rise & Fall (London 2005-06-21) 03 Frustration (Sao Paolo 2005-10-25) 04 Flower Spasm (London 2005-06-21) 05 Balloon (Washington DC 2003-03-24) 06 Persia (London 2004-06-23) 07 The Sea ((Hamburg 2004-06-18) bonus tracks: 08 Swells Pt 1 / Stars / Swells Pt 2 (Sao Paolo 2005-10-25) 09 Stax (Hamburg 2004-06-18) 10 Stockhausen Pysche Jam (London 2004-06-23) 11 Bowie medley (London 2002-06-18 12 Love Theme From Piranha (London 2002-06-18) 13 “Hits On TV” (London 2002-06-19)

buy Richard Lloyd & The Sfi Monkey’s new album: The Radiant Monkey

http://www.richardlloyd.com/

http://www.parasol.com/labels/parasol/parcd107.asp

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