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One of the more disturbing aspects of the latest KT Tunstall album was the cover and the advertising, which seemed to want to turn her into a latter-day Suzi Quatro. I'm not sure why I found it so offensive, but I suspect that it's because anyone with half a brain knows that she has the musical talent that should make such distortion unnecessary.
As if to bounce back in rebellion against this crap, KT was on Jools Holland last night in specs, hardly any make-up, and distinctly "non-big" hair ( what is it with big hair? Who likes it? Why do nearly all American actresses appear to have fifteen tons of horse extension coming out of the top of their heads?). Yay KT.
And her first song, a rockier version of Hold On, was a tour de force. I first heard this when she did an acoustic version for the Beeb at Glastonbury. I commented at the time that she had two backing singers who looked about 12, but were probably 18. Anyhoo, I think that she had the same two backing singers here, but in the case of at least one of them I couldn't be sure, because the make-up people had gone to work. Possibly 18, possibly 25. You can tell how some guys in their late 20s end up in trouble over under-age sex.
KT slightly let herself down in the Birks camp (although probably not in the "Hell, I liked Suzi Quatro" camp) when for her last song she appeared to belie her studious image by performing in what appeared to me to be the style of Avril Lavigne (the song, not the singer). Now, and whisper it soft, dear friends, I think Avril Lavigne sings some darned good pop songs, even if her videos are ghastly and her lyrics are repulsive. But it's not the kind of thing I would have expected from the inimitable KT Tunstall. Mainly, I fear, because Avril Lavigne does that kind of thing quite well herself.
The rest of the show had some nice surprises. When I saw the amazing Beirut was on, I rushed to see if there were any tour dates in the UK. No such luck. Next tour date, Australia, March. What was he doing on the show then? Perhaps he was here on holiday (with his band). Meanwhile, another group proved that long hair and beards will never go out of fashion in a certain type of band as long as Neil Young is alive and Seattle hasn't sunk into the Pacific. Rock on, Band of Horses.
++++++
In my long-term quest to transfer some of the rarer stuff that I have on Video to DVD, I played an old Later With Jools, from 9/11/01 (that's the 9th of November -- an old joke, I know, but when I saw the date, I couldn't help but think of it). This featured what was certainly the first UK TV appearance of Meg and Jack Stripe, wearing the same gear and playing the same instruments then as they do today. I was reminded of the shot of Pauly's wardrobe in one of the last episodes of The Sopranos. Four pairs of white loafers, all precisely the same.
And there was also a very early appearance from Muse. I'll be honest; if you had watched this, you would not have predicted great things of them. It was also interesting to see that in 2001 they had not honed that ability to produce such an amazing sound from three instruments -- they needed Jools to accompany them on piano.
+++++++
( hands )
As if to bounce back in rebellion against this crap, KT was on Jools Holland last night in specs, hardly any make-up, and distinctly "non-big" hair ( what is it with big hair? Who likes it? Why do nearly all American actresses appear to have fifteen tons of horse extension coming out of the top of their heads?). Yay KT.
And her first song, a rockier version of Hold On, was a tour de force. I first heard this when she did an acoustic version for the Beeb at Glastonbury. I commented at the time that she had two backing singers who looked about 12, but were probably 18. Anyhoo, I think that she had the same two backing singers here, but in the case of at least one of them I couldn't be sure, because the make-up people had gone to work. Possibly 18, possibly 25. You can tell how some guys in their late 20s end up in trouble over under-age sex.
KT slightly let herself down in the Birks camp (although probably not in the "Hell, I liked Suzi Quatro" camp) when for her last song she appeared to belie her studious image by performing in what appeared to me to be the style of Avril Lavigne (the song, not the singer). Now, and whisper it soft, dear friends, I think Avril Lavigne sings some darned good pop songs, even if her videos are ghastly and her lyrics are repulsive. But it's not the kind of thing I would have expected from the inimitable KT Tunstall. Mainly, I fear, because Avril Lavigne does that kind of thing quite well herself.
The rest of the show had some nice surprises. When I saw the amazing Beirut was on, I rushed to see if there were any tour dates in the UK. No such luck. Next tour date, Australia, March. What was he doing on the show then? Perhaps he was here on holiday (with his band). Meanwhile, another group proved that long hair and beards will never go out of fashion in a certain type of band as long as Neil Young is alive and Seattle hasn't sunk into the Pacific. Rock on, Band of Horses.
++++++
In my long-term quest to transfer some of the rarer stuff that I have on Video to DVD, I played an old Later With Jools, from 9/11/01 (that's the 9th of November -- an old joke, I know, but when I saw the date, I couldn't help but think of it). This featured what was certainly the first UK TV appearance of Meg and Jack Stripe, wearing the same gear and playing the same instruments then as they do today. I was reminded of the shot of Pauly's wardrobe in one of the last episodes of The Sopranos. Four pairs of white loafers, all precisely the same.
And there was also a very early appearance from Muse. I'll be honest; if you had watched this, you would not have predicted great things of them. It was also interesting to see that in 2001 they had not honed that ability to produce such an amazing sound from three instruments -- they needed Jools to accompany them on piano.
+++++++
( hands )
