Well it’s that time of year, where I make my yearly pilgrimage to the site to post about Electric Picnic. This year has been a dodgy year in the realm of will it/won’t it go ahead. A few weeks ago it was confirmed that it was indeed going ahead on the usual weekend in August, 30th, 31st and 1st September.

Then earlier this week the pricing was confirmed, and seems a little convoluted, but to what end? The official status states:

Between April 27th – May 27th
€149.50 if you can prove you have been to 3 or more Picnics.
€169.50 if you can prove you have been to the Picnic once before.
€189.50 if you haven’t been before.

Between May 28th – July 28th
€189.50 weekend tickets.

After July 28th
€229.50 weekend tickets.

Day tickets
€85.00 Sunday tickets.

The curious statement being “if you can prove”. How do you prove exactly? Obviously receipts and maybe the likes of admittance wristbands would cover that but is that it? What if you’ve lost them? Well, seemingly, the organisers are accepting pretty much anything to prove this, from official merch, to receipts for transport or accomodation to photos of you at the gig! It also seems like they don’t really care that much as reports have emerged that people have sent in dimly lit night shots at a random concert of themselves and have been sent a code for the discounted tickets. You’ll never know yourself until you try, and there is no harm in trying, the worst thing that’ll happen is you pay the €189.50 price. Which is still cheaper than previous years.

But this afternoon was the official announcement of the first draft of acts playing at this year’s festival, it’s safe to assume that the headliners are among this list, but more will be added as we get closer to the time. So without further ado, this year’s current lineup.

• Bjork
• Fatboy Slim
• Arctic Monkeys
• Franz Ferdinand
• David Byrne and St Vincent
• Eels
• Noah & The Whale
• Johnny Marr
• Disclosure
• Ocean Colour Scene
• Hurts
• Mick Flannery
• The Walkmen
• Baauer
• Tiga
• Warpaint
• Savages
• The Strypes
• Policia
• Chvrches
• Parquet Courts
• Clinic
• Deep Valley
• Soak

Obviously not the best line up that they’ve produced but there’s certainly a solid enough base with some interesting acts on the outside of the headliners. The likes of Soak and Savages could use this sort of experience as a springboard to better things while St Vincent’s collaboration with David Byrne could prove interesting. The likes of Arctic Monkeys and Ocean Colour Scene could appease some people after Oxegens lineup announcement, while Eels’ lo-fi rock could be a perfect fit for the EP stage. No doubt Bjork and Fatboy Slim could steal the show, but what are your thoughts on the lineup so far?

Same speil as last year, I’m not even going to read the previous post!  Parenthood = little time for tracking new releases and the latest sweet underground band.  I’ve just battered along and tired to listen to new stuff where I’ve found it and stuck close to old favourites.  Some nice stuff in this mix, hopefully it flows for you from start to finish, I always enjoy that challenge.   I’m most pleased to have picked up a 32gb iphone just this month so I can finally get a proper mobile music listening setup which I think will greatly help!  Lots of good local music on this one too.

The highlight for my year is undoubtably the Weekly Rations house band ‘I THINK IM A CYLON’ making and releasing their debut ep.  You can enjoy a track from it on this mix and look forward to the official release this week.   Love it!

The Internet and cheaper recording means that anyone can have a go.  Fuck, if I can, you can!

Stream here:    Download Here:

2012 by Weekly_Rations on Mixcloud

Tracklisting:

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I lived in Iowa for a year a LOOOONG time ago now.  I arrived in late summer, alone after 3 long flights fron Ireland.  My bags were lost so I had only the clothes I was wearing and no one was waiting to collect me (having turned up at the airport the night before).  After finally getting sorted and setup in my dorm, only to meet my roommate, a more typical american you could ever meet, obese and into Garth Brooks & NASCAR.  I felt to myself, this is going to be a loong year!

The Irish student from the year before had left me a bag with some bits n bobs including a mini hi fi.  I fired up the stereo and it was tuned to the college radio station, KMSC 88.3fm.  That was interesting as I fancied a go at presenting a show.  What was coming from the stereo speakers?? DRUM N BASS!  I couldn’t believe it.  Was I saved?   It made me feel much better immediately and when the presenter came on, he was asking for requests and sounded pretty cool.  I rang the station, he answered and we made some chat.  He asked was I the Irish placement student?  It turns out that his parents were to be my ‘foster family’ and were there to help me.  Nice co-incidence!  I made my way up to the station within a matter of minutes and we bonded instantly over a love of DnB, DJ’s, Vinyl, comics.. all the good stuff!  Ryan and his family looked after me that year and we whizzed around town in his cool little 2 seater car drinking sodas (I drank the booze, Ryan stuck to softies as you can see below)

Thanks to Facebook we’ve kept in touch, I found this tape when tidying my Attic.  I get the feeling that Ryan must have made it for me before I left for Ireland.  I left in a kindof hurry (due to being pennyless and missing my girlfiend (now wife!)) and ive kept the tape knocking about.  In answer to your comments on the tape Ryan, I managed not to give it away and I did think of you guys often.  Whizzing around in the car, going to Bryce & Carla’s farm for drunken antics and being snowed in.   Underground parties with Colin.  Don, R.I.P.  A great year in the wilderness!   I will try and find some of my old KMSC shows and rip them eventually!

So here is the Mix (Right Click / Save As)  or stream it here:
 

New Opposing Forces mix, this one blasts in under 30 minutes with 20 songs so you would be correct to assume that its a mostly punk mix. We do have a dancy jazz spoken word breakdown in the midle then finish strongly with so more face melting punk rock. Be warned!

Listen:  
Download, right click/save as: iloveshortsongs

Fattakin Blue, Tonehead Green

Dead Kennedys: Short Songs
Stiff Little Fingers: Here We Are Nowhere
The Misfits: Last Caress
Ramones: I Don’t Care
Minor Threat: I Don’t Wanna Hear It
The Undertones: She Can Only Say No
Crass: Do They Owe Us a Living?
Wire: Three Girl Rhumba
Crash and the Boys: We Hate You Please Die
Sebadoh: License To Confuse
Throwing Muses: Him Dancing
Robyn Hitchcock: Uncorrected Personality Traits
Tonehead: Tony Cranium
Herb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass: Walk, Don’t Run
Smiley Lewis: Shame Shame Shame
Elvis Costello: Mystery Dance
Guided by Voices: #2 in the Model Home Series
The Breeders: New Year
No Age: Brain Burner
Black Flag: Wasted

Live one form Malojian. Look out for his album soon!

Wee Vinyl Rip from John McGurgans latest album

Always liked this song

Belfast’s finest ska band

Pretty well established bunch of lads now:

Found this C60 in the attic today. Its from about 1994 I think. Some wee guy down the street was a rave DJ and lent me his decks for a single Sunday afternoon. I didn’t want his records, so made this ‘indie’ mix on the fly. I didn’t know how to use the mixer, cue up records or anything. Look out for some spectacular Cardigans V Cardigans crossfade wizardry.

Truth is even when I got my own decks a few years later and was doing Drum n Bass mixing, I was crap at it. Couldn’t beat match to save my life! It must have sounded horrible as my wife used to tell me often!

There is really no reason in the world why you’d want to listen to this but I ripped it in so Tonehead could have a laugh at it! Its only real value is that its a Proto Weekly Rations so i’ve christened it wombly rations

Side A
 
feat: Mercury Rev, Smog, Throwing Muses, Joy Division, Simon & Garfunkel, Kilgore Trout, Liz Phair, The Cardigans, Ciccone Youth, Sparklehorse

Side B
 
feat:
Public Enemy, Digable Planets, Beastie Boys, St. Ettiene, Sonic Youth, Eric’s Trip, Therapy?, Pavement, Star 69, Dinosaur, Morrissey

Another Opposing Forces battle with tonehead.  He approached me for this one, had the title and his opening track ready to go,so for a change tonehead has the opening track and sets the tone.  And some tone it is, this mix throwing enormous 70′s pop, 80′s cock rock and a little pop at the end.  In fact I think we could have done with another hour so maybe we’ll do a follow up if people enjoy it!  The idea was tunes that you secretly like and wouldn’t admit in public.  Play it loud and embrace the Cheese.

Old Style Podcast:  
Download Here (right click/save as)

So we lead with tonehead and my tunes in italics

1. Chicory Tip: Son Of My father
2. Prefab Sprout: King of Rock and Roll 
3. Yello: The Race
4. Golden Earring: Radar Love
5. ELO: Don’t Bring me Down
6. Elton John: Crocodile Rock
7. Cohen, Izhar & Alpha Beta: A ba ni bi
8. The Carpenters: Please Mr. Postman
9. Hot Butter: Popcorn
10. Alice Cooper: No More Mr. Nice Guy
11. Joe Esposito: You’re The Best Around
12. Stan Bush: The Touch
13. John Barry: Florida Fantasy
14. Denny Crockett and Ike Egan : Ulysses 31
15. Osibisa: The Coffee Song
16. Queen: Crazy Little Thing Called Love
17. Strawberry Switchblade: Since Yesterday
18. Laugh and Peace: Sunny Day

This is a mammoth collaborative playliost put together by 4 people for a massive farwell party.  It hits upon pretty much every genre you want to drink to, Punk, Ska, Reggage, Rock, Metal, soundtracks.. the lot.  With 250 songs im sure you’ll hear something you enjoy!

Direct Link

Where the fine lads of Ireland emigrate for work and pleasure.  For a good decade the young lads & ladies of Autsralia made their way to the UK & Ireland but it has certainly reversed since 2008 and we are out there in force.  I heard a nice story a few months ago about a mate jmick who has followed some friends out there.  Shortly after arriving he was out wandering the streets/bush/outback with his housemates ipod for company.(Aidie)  This ipod happened to be loaded with a load of Weekly Rations mixes & podcasts and jmick had the quite surreal experience listening to a few of his Irish mates talk shit about music in his ears while out wandering.  I got a real kick out of this story, it reminded me of a LONG time ago when i lived in the USA and had a few different slots on the local collage radio station.  Occasionally I’d tape the shows and send them home to the lads for a listen and do the odd shout out.  In one Particular tape I was doing a series of shout outs and pinpoined one mate and said .  ”Oh Peadar, by the way.. YOUR MA!!!”  By all accounts the room went silent then erupted into laughter while he could only mumble.. “…but why me???”  I’d love to hear that one now!  So the story of the lads in Oz cheered me up so decided it was time to do a wee Australia based mix for jmick and the lads.  Mostly Australian artists with a few others for good measure, hope you like it!

Old Style Stream  

Download here - right click / save as

I’ll do a full write up of this band once the album comes out!

My wifes band, just a few live clips overdubbed with a studio track

youtube.com/weeklyrations