OPO: Mekons

Hear the band play live from WXPN in Philadelphia on Friday at noon ...

http://www.npr.org/2011/10/07/141086823/live-today-the-mekons-in-concert

Oh, and - spoiler! - Tom now has a big mustache.

the longevity of this band warms my heart, and inspires me in my encroaching old age.

I saw the Mekons today at the free World Cafe Live show in Philadelphia. Of course they were wonderful, and the new songs sounded very fine. After the broadcast they played a few more, including Orpheus and Hard To Be Human Again. I was able to tell Tom Greenhalgh that I would buy his solo album if he ever made one, and Lu Edmonds promised it would happen if I could come up with the cost of 10,000 copies.

Orpheus is such an awesome deep cut.

Good show in Brooklyn w/ all the 1985-89 hits at the end. Timms called a do-over in the middle of "Learning to Loive on Your Own" bcz her voice was going. Sounds like Langford is going to OWallSt tomorrow. I think Christgau was standing next to me.

Tom usta look like Artaud, now he's getting near to Terry-Thomas.

also I met da croupier

That WXPN NPR radio gig sounds good

Seeing the Mekons/Freakwater supergroup next week, I think. Calling themselves Freakons, which is awesome. Also, Mekons doc is apparently locked and about to go on the circuit. And finally:

https://scontent-b-ord.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-frc3/q74/s720x720/1230063_210296325797656_1944161666_n.jpg

Thanks

"organisers"

obviously outside agitators!

I think they're in Canada?

well, that doesn't make sense, everyone knows it is a socialist paradise

documentary website hasn't been updated

It's a joke flyer, Morbs! "They will try and force: higher wages, workplace safety, paid holidays, sick leave , pensions and more DOWN YOUR THROATS! We wouldn't want that would we?"

Hi everyone, I've a few things to share.
Firsts, we've reached a significant milestone: "picture lock". What that means is the film is complete as far as editing, graphics and titles go. Hallelujah! Next up: heading into the studio for color correction and adding the end credit roll, and the sound mix. That should happen within the next few weeks. We need to finish quickly because…
I've accepted the invitations to three film festivals in November! I hate to be coy but I can't yet say which ones until the festivals are ready to make their official announcements. But you'll be the first to know as soon as I'm given the green light. Once again, Hallelujah!
Last, to help defray the cost of aforementioned color-correction and sound mix, I'm hosting a fundraising event in Chicago on Sunday, October 20. I'll send out details soon but if the event we had in NYC in April is any indication, it will be a fun event. Dogfish Head Brewery is on board as a sponsor. Some special guests will be on hand and I'll screen a 20-minute sneak peek of the film. Stay tuned.
That's it for now. As ever, thanks to all of you for your continued support of and interest in the project. It's been five-plus years, but i can finally say the finish line is in sight. (And this time I mean it!)
More soon.........Joe

I think he means Sun. October 22, btw, which is the same night as Freakons. Or maybe Friday Oct. 20. I'll check.

Oh, wait, October. Never mind. Freakons is 9/22.

I understood the flyer

I like that Fanglord is eating Smarties. Very European.

world premiere of film at DOC NYC in 3 weeks

http://www.docnyc.net/film/revenge-of-the-mekons/#.UmaqXvleaSo

Great choice of a picture on that site!

Do they have anything else that sounds like Ghosts of American Astronauts? I love that song.

Maybe "Millionaire"? You probably want to look at the albums like Rock and Roll, Curse of the Mekons, or I <3 Mekons.

Specifically? They've got a lot of lovely ballads, many sung by Sally Timms, but really, if you like that one, you'd like a lot of later Mekons. I'd check out the rest of that album, "So Good It Hurts," to start. Then maybe go to "Curse of the Mekons," or "OOOH" or "Journey to the End of the Night" or "I Heart Mekons."

Or maybe the Sally Timms solo album "To the Land of Milk and Honey," if you can find it.

Learning to Live on Your Own has a similar vibe.

Wow, thanks for all the great advise. I'm excited to discover some more of their stuff.

Advice too ;)

Gonna start with Curse of and look for the solo album by Sally Timms.

"Oblivion" off of The Edge Of The World is my favorite Sally sung track.

or the cover of Eric Anderson's "Wild and Blue"

John Anderson.

right

Saw her solo with a small band in a tiny 40 seat club once. Was an awesome show

or the cover of Eric Anderson's "Wild and Blue"

... on Curse, which I also highly recommend, I think it's my favorite.

Langford, Timms, Rico Bell will be at the film tnite... "Q&A to follow with director Joe Angio and the Mekons band members, moderated by Greil Marcus."

Def a must-see for fans... There are sequences about Lu's and Susie's pursuits (and now I'm curious what Tom does for a living that "should be done by robots"), and them all eating between writing and recording in Wales for Ancient & Modern. The Q&A took awhile to get going because everyone except Greil Marcus was in the loo; Sally expressed skepticism about all music documentaries, "but people seem to want them." Jon expressed amazement at the size of Steve Goulding's head.

Ha. Langford doesn't exactly have a small noggin himself. But seriously, Mekons banter is the best.

The last time I saw the band with Tom, who lately doesn't seem to travel much, Jon made fun of him a bunch for being a Hobbit farmer, tending to his many kids in the country. And Tom was rail-thin and mustached! The last time I saw them with him before that he was jetlagged and drunk and a mess, but so was the rest of the band.

Lu I know about. What does Susie do in her downtime? I love Rico's art. Steve is ... a paralegal or something like that?

Susie co-runs (or ran?) an art gallery, it seems. Dunno about Goulding.

Jeezus, Tom and Sally were primo sexbombs in the '80s. (which I remember, but it's nice to be reminded)

Luc Sante and Melvin Van Peebles (director's last film subject) were apparently in the audience too.

Steve pointed out that Kevin Lycett's head looked even bigger.

Wow, the Mekons doc is great. I actually learned quite a bit! Not least that the cover of "Curse" is written partly in Jon's blood but also features an honest to goodness pagan curse scribbled in real runes. I never thought about it before.

http://brooklynbugle.com/2014/07/10/this-is-the-greatest-rock-n-roll-song/

documentary gets week run in NYC late October, presumably treks across the US after.

good to hear! Thanks, will keep an eye open, very much wanna see this one.

Me too.

Langford was/is just doing some gigs in the UK. What's Sally Timms up to these days?

opening UK shows for Robbie Fulks the next two weeks

https://www.bloodshotrecords.com/tours-events/205

(Langford appears to be on most of those as well)

It's more than opening for Fulks. It's a full-on self-proclaimed "Mini Mekons," with the line-up of Jon Langford, Rico Bell, Sally Timms, Susie Honeyman *and* Robbie Fulks.

https://fbcdn-sphotos-h-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-xap1/t1.0-9/p370x247/10491065_10152326095011475_1453763667825830305_n.jpg

They had a send-off for Fulks, Langford and Timms here a week or so ago.

Oooh nice...

has to be said, if you follow jons facebook, the man looks to be loving every minute of his world at the moment.

its a joyous insight into the world of a man happy with his art and music.

He's a force of nature, and we are lucky to have him in Chicago.

He has a new band called Bad Luck Jonathan. Of course.

re chicago : yup.

used to be a constant presence of excellence in leeds during my time there.

you f*ckers got lucky.

(dont think we had the pleasure of a FAP when i was there a few years back josh ? shame .. was a great night !)

that said, if you were there, that just proves the night was even better than i thought !

met several of the chicago ile crew that night ..