Hello, my name is Looptron.

Hello, I'm an electro.

This article on the BBC News site is the first time I've heard or read of people who listen to emo music being referred to as being "an emo". Is that right? Shurely not. Are YOU an emo? And does this apply to other genres of music? Some work obviously (e.g. punk, goth) but others less so. Folk? Easy listening? Are YOU a Jazz?

It also reminded me of this sticker for a metal band seen inside a rehearsal studio once:

Oh, how we laughed.

Still, anyone who the Daily Mail describes as a sinister death cult is alright by me (as long as they pick up their rubbish). Yes, it's horrific and tragic when a teenager (or indeed anyone else) self harms or commits suicide. Can you really blame it on the music they listen to and the way they dress though? Art immitates life, kids, not the other way round.

i can't believe the daily mail made me stick up for emo of all things now i hate them even more than i did before the stupid right wing panicmongering scumbags i hate them sooooooo much goddamit

A little respect.

Honestly! You get update after update, bandspam after bandspam, gently but firmly cajoled into attending a gig in a basement when you'd rather be watching the footie, beeped at in a reckless manner for half an hour and then it all goes deathly quiet on the Looptron front....

But hey, I never promised to respect you in the morning.

(And thanks to those who did make the effort, spurned the match and braved the door gestapo to make it downstairs. I can't believe no one got a picture of my nasty teal suit, mind you. And I had my best bit of feedback ever: "You looked thin on stage." Thanks Mart!)

This week I have mostly been working on the Cassette Electrik remix I started 1.2 million years ago. Unfortunately, as a side effect of all the nasty French electronica I've been listening to lately, it's gone from sounding a bit Blondie-ish to being a bit, well, French. So it goes. I'm also vaguely toying with an acoustic thing which I've been meaning to do something with for years and I think Sarah's coming round to put some final vocals down on the new tune we did before we both forget how to play it.

So there.

Checklist.

Rehearsed for the gig this evening? Check. Gear packed and ready to transport? Check. Nasty teal-coloured suit primed and ready to roll? Check. Dodger primed to sing the last couple of tunes (including a never before heard and as yet untitled finalé)? Check. Copies of the product to flog to unsuspecting punters? Check. Champions League final tonight preventing any living soul attending the gig*? Check.

Mission control we are ready to fly. In, uh, 8 hours.

It's the waiting that kills you.

* if anyone reading this is actually coming to the gig rather than watching Man U v Chelsea scrape to another tedious 1-0 finish you're under orders to bring anyone you can with you. Seriously.

A reminder (about a gig).

Yes, I know there's a football match on Wednesday, but frankly this is the 151st time they've played each other and it's all getting a bit dull now. Besides, when we are living in a world where f***ing Pompey can win the f***ing FA Cup I personally want nothing more to do with the whole thing! If that's not a sign of The End Of Days I don't know what is....

So, escape from the chaos of impending Armageddon with a eine kleine nachtbeeping with Looptron at The Comedy on Wednesday. (I promise I'll be done by the time the second half starts. Which they'll be showing upstairs. I haven't got a hope really, have I?) Important logistical information and flyer at the end of this mail.

Happy Monday,
Nx

PS: My former employers Cassette Electrik have a surprise gig tomorrow (to them, at least) and generally lovely people Sid Sings are doing their first ever deployment under a new moniker/line up on Thursday. Absolutely no excuses for staying in on a school night this week, eh?

--
Wednesday 21st May

Dead Or Alive presents:

Looptron @ The Comedy
7 Oxendon Street,
London SW1Y 4EE [ map ] [ facebook ]

Nearest tube: Leicester Square / Piccadilly Circus
£4 with flyer. Onstage 8pm sharp thanks to evil Westminster Council curfews meaning that we can't risk running over or they kneecap everyone.

Usual DoA mixup night: Earl Grey & The Mugs (very bluesy), Venkman (dunno), Native Souls (who sound like Pearl Jam to me, which is nice) and Looptron (sort of "beep beep" noises).

Random things.

I'm not sure why it tickles me so much that Radiohead soundcheck with new Portishead songs and old Kinks songs but it does. Particularly as I can really hear Thom doing a Beth Gibbon impression for a song like The Rip.... I guess it's nice to know that they still get excited enough about music to sit down and learn other people's songs after all these years.

Oooo, which reminds me - I must find a proper ending for Obsolete instead of just thwacking in The National Anthem for the gig next Wednesday. Sarah and I have mostly completed our new piece which will be getting it's final layout and tweaks at the weekend. All in good shape so far. Hope you can make it... details/flyer can be found here.

Oh, and the Dan le Sac vs. Scroobius Pip record Angles is completely fucking awesome.

That is all.

Sunshine.

Rocks.

That is all.

(Although in order to keep this post vaguely music related I'll mention that Dodger is coming over later to work on a new tune what we is constructerising for your listening pleasure at the May 21st gig. A caveat though: I've been listening to a lot of Jean Michel Jarre's Oxygène lately and my radio station of choice in GTA IV is currently The Journey. Expect heavily flanged synth pads all round.)