Trembling Blue Stars - Idyllwild

Idyllwild is a wonderful song which reminds me of how different things could have been. Idyllwild also confirms what the song Helen Reddy made ​​me suspect - Beth Arzy could have saved Trembling Blue Stars. I really love Beth's voice, but I find it difficult to learn to like or for that matter even accept Trembling Blue Stars.

In all subcultures, there are heroes and idols who can not be questioned. Bobby Wratten is a pop icon who has lived on his name ever since The Field Mice. Fans around the world kneel before the Emperor, although he has not delivered in more than 15 years. Wratten's Trembling Blue Stars were an uninteresting project for many years, and it was only when his thoughts began to revolve around other things than his ex-girlfriend Annemari Davies that the music was worth giving a chance. Nowadays, Bobby Wratten is together with Beth who also sings in his band.

Beth's pop history began in a small town in California. It was the early nineties and Beth met John Girgus through mutual friends during her time at Palm Desert High School. Beth and John soon became a couple as well as the core of the band they later would rename to Aberdeen after Beth fell in love with the city at a vacation in Scotland. After high school, Beth and John moved to Los Angeles where they began recording music which later was released by Sarah Records and Sunday Records. But everything was not as perfect as you might think. Beth and John's ever-turbulent relationship ended after six years. 1995 became 1996, and the band Aberdeen no longer existed.

There seems to be something special with former Sarah Records bands and reunions. Five years later, John contacted Beth via email with the excuse that he wanted Aberdeen tapes that Beth took with her when the band broke up. Soon they were in the studio together, and although the love for each other was not there anymore the music sounded better than ever. The album Homesick and Happy to Be Here was released in March 2002 and followed up by the EPs The Boy Has Gone Away and Florida.

Well, I was not supposed to tell Aberdeen's story in this post. Aberdeen has, however, toured with Trembling Blue Stars and comparisons between the bands become inevitable as Beth has sung in both. Idyllwild is the best song by Trembling Blue Stars since Helen Reddy. Unfortunately, that is because Bobby Wratten is happy to retell stories which he himself has already written better before.

Trembling Blue Stars are not Aberdeen. Idyllwild is not Sink or Float and John Girgus' contribution to the 2000s is vastly more interesting than Bobby Wratten's ditto. Idyllwild still shows that Trembling Blue Stars are on the right track and what I have heard from the new album The Last Holy Writer bodes well. But I can not stop thinking about how different things could have been. I can not stop dreaming of a reunited Aberdeen.

A different Walpurgis Night

The DJ set was not quite as I expected. No one told me that the dance floor would differ so much between a Walpurgis Night and a regular Friday night. I got a real challenge this time, but in the end I had no problem to deliver a set that made people have a great time. It was, however, sad to see that the recognition factor outweighs the hit factor. I had to compromise early on, but from Canada on I only played songs that I truly love. The night was great in the end, but I will definitely not be the DJ on any more Walpurgis Nights.

(23.30)
Air - Sexy Boy (actually, I had intended to start with Where You Belong but it would be pointless this night) )
Ride - Twisterella
Au Revoir Simone - Dark Halls (and here I wanted to play Laurel Music)
Headlights - TV
My Favorite - The Informers
Another Sunny Day - You Should All Be Murdered
Stars - Ageless Beauty
The Postal Service - Such Great Heights
Looker - Hey Kids
The Long Blondes - Only Lovers Left Alive
(00.00)
Franz Ferdinand - Take Me Out
The Cure - Friday I'm in Love
Morrissey - First of the Gang to Die
The Strokes - Last Nite
The Smiths - This Charming Man
Le Sport - Tell No One About Tonight
Human League - Don't You Want Me
Depeche Mode - Just Can't Get Enough
The Knife - Heartbeats (This was where the dance floor really came to life. Such a predictable response. I felt like I could be replaced with a jukebox at this time.)
New Order - True Faith
The Undertones - Teenage Kicks
Saint Etienne - He's on the Phone
Blondie - Maria
Belinda Carlisle - Heaven Is a Place on Earth
Pet Shop Boys - It's a Sin
Eurythmics - Sweet Dreams
Bloc Party - Helicopter (this song emptied the dance floor ... )
(01.00)
Franz Ferdinand - Do You Want To
Pulp - Disco 2000
The Smiths - Panic
Looker - Hope and Anchor
The Long Blondes - Once and Never Again
The Magic Numbers - Take a Chance
The Essex Green - The Late Great Cassiopia
Cyndi Lauper - Girls Just Want to Have Fun
Belle and Sebastian - Electronic Renaissance
Interpol - Obstacle 1
The Knife - Listen Now
Baxendale - Music for Girls
Suede - Trash
Ramones - Sheena Is a Punk Rocker
The Libertines - Can't Stand Me Now
The Field Mice - Canada
Lucky Soul - Lips Are Unhappy
My Favorite - Absolute Zero
(02.00)
Langauge of Flowers - If It's Not You (here I said that it was the last song but I was allowed to play more)
Belle and Sebastian - Another Sunny Day
The Arrogants - Lovesick
The Field Mice - Emma's House
Comet Gain - You Can Hide Your Love Forever
My Favorite - The Happiest Days of My Life
The Aislers Set - The Red Door
My Favorite - Working Class Jacket (at the end of the song the kids on the dance floor turned to me and sang the last lines loudly. That was a fine moment )
Cats on Fire - Draw in the Reins
Langauge of Flowers - Tara Mascara
Broder Daniel - Shoreline

Those Dancing Days - Hitten

It has been an eventful weekend which in some ways felt like a fast forward play of last autumn. I was back at Blekingska last Friday. At the preparty I met a nice girl who shares the interest and taste in music with me. I had a good time at the preparty but the club night was not that good due to several reasons. First of all, why the hell are smokers privileged compared to other club visitors who just want some fresh air? That question was very relevant last Friday as the club was packed with people while the ventilation not worked at all. Secondly, Club Indigo at Blekingska is a small club and two persons who are there one evening will not manage to avoid each other. After a while I got tired and said hello to her. It was, in other words, nice to go home and sleep. For once I had a very short walk home after a club night out at Blekingska. Their DJ booker invited me to stay in his apartment over the weekend and it was perfect with only a two minutes walk home from the afterparty.

Nearly eight hours later, I woke up to my cell phone ringing. A friend of mine called me and asked if I wanted to play a match with my old hobby football team. We had met at Blekingska the night before, but he called me 20 minutes prior to the kick off. I ran from Blekingska to the sports field Smörlyckan in 25 minutes. In the first half I did not play that well as a midfielder with shoes that slid on the gravel. In the half time pause I quickly changed to goalkeeper trousers and then made a world class reflex save in the second half. The cup match ended 0-0 and was decided on penalties. We lost but I saved the first penalty just as Liverpool's goalkeeper Pepe Reina saved Arjen Robben's penalty in yesterday's Champions League semifinal, with the difference that my shooter was right-footed. I read him as an open book and I have really missed those types of challenges. I played in a new pair of converse shoes which really were not meant for football. My feet were chafed and hurt as much as I deserved for that stupidity.
I spent the afternoon in Malmö. A two hour walk resulted in damaged feet and a potential future friendship. It was definitely worth it but I should really stop buying shoes based on looks rather than comfort. I was invited to a housewarming party in Malmö later in the evening but declined. I instead lay awake all night thinking about my life. I did not cry myself to sleep but those hours could certainly had been my most difficult ones this year. Finally, the tiredness took its toll on me.

I felt better in the morning and listened to Those Dancing Days and was happy again. Both Sunday and Monday were calm days. I knew that I would not stand all the drunken people in the city park so I stayed inside and listened to Let's Go Sailing instead. When the dinner sesssion at Blekingska was about to end, I took off my headphones and left the mp3 player in favour of the DJ booth at the club to finally start the music on the dance floor.