Overdue but if you’re looking for a few new bits n’ pieces to check out in the New Year I’m sure there’s some good stuff herein.
My big pick was the Dumb Numbers/Melvins/David Yow/David Lynch boxset from Joyful Noise. An awesome thing in every way with the musical contents matching the beauty of the handmade wooden box, printing and sleeve designs (plus vinyl patterns.)
Split Series w/ David Lynch, Melvins, David Yow
I’ve an undeveloped theory about the human brain’s musical capacity – that it’s possible to become saturated. Likewise, now, it’s ever rarer to feel something is ‘an event’ as opposed to just more product hitting the market. Increasingly the greatest pleasure and greatest gift, for me, is when I receive music direct from people, where I can purchase their works from them directly (and hopefully my money therefore keeps them funded and surviving to produce more music) or where a label has an aesthetic and a vibe I appreciate and want to support.
Over the past few months of received music from Jean-Marc Montera (improvisational combinations including a release of French female poets set to music), Siobhan Duvall (quintessential, charming, delightful punk rocker with punk charm), Adam Golebiewski (talented percussion improviser), Eleanor McEvoy in collaboration with Chris Gollon (painter and musician working together – gallery showings in January I believe), Jooklo Duo (glorious Italian avant garde unit)…And many more. Thank you!!
The honourable mentions (Fennesz/King Midas Sound, the Libertines, Sicko Mobb, Eccentronic Research Council, Johnny Thunders and the Heartbreakers) were all 2015 releases. I’ll admit I’ve been listening to and valuing a lot of stuff that wasn’t released in the past year. Any favourites?
Yeah, A$AP Rocky, the Coil ‘Backwards’ release, Bill Wells & Aidan Moffat, Nothing But Thieves had a good album out, Black Honey…Can I recommend the Space Lady once more? I adore the album. Haunts me.
https://night-school.bandcamp.com/album/the-space-ladys-greatest-hits-2
Been quite a year really…The ‘No Seattle: Forgotten Sounds of the Northwest Grunge Era’ compilation did OK apparently and I was delighted to help bring an eye to some of the bands and artists who were forgotten or passed unnoticed at the time. ‘I Found My Friends: the Oral History of Nirvana’ drew a lot of eyes and its been fun to chat on U.S. radio a few times (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pRpIXUWGk1c) and to various newspapers and magazines (http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2015/may/6/nick-soulsby-nirvana-book-tells-story-from-view-of/?page=all). Finishing touches to ‘Cobain on Cobain’ which comes out on February 1st (I believe, I admit I’m not entirely sure…) Then there’s been work on this oral history related to the non-Sonic Youth discography involving Thurston Moore to keep me occupied. Book due to publisher middle of 2016 and apparently to be released in late 2016. Around that, quite a bit of writing for the Vinyl Factory and Words & Guitars…A busy ol’ year even without mentioning the blog, at last count, adds up to 440 articles; 1,400 comments; just under 1 million words… Amazed to be honest that it’s still going Nov 2012 to now.
You’re always welcome to get in touch, NirvanaDarkSlivers@gmail.com – apologies in advance for any slow reply over the New Year period.
Nirvana Legacy 