Gamson is very busy these days.  He is credited as producing and  writing “Stephen” and “Backstabber” on Ke$ha’s album “Animal.” This album was #1 on billboard recently. “Tik Tok” on that ablum (which Gamson did not do) just might break Debby Boone’s 1977 hit “You light up my Life” record of 10 consecutive weeks at number 1 by a female artist.  ”Tik Tok” is # 1 now in its 9th week! (Not really Scritti related, but big music news)

Gamson also and recently wrote “Sure Fire Winners” for Adam Lambert’s recent album “For Your Entertainment.”

Current Scritti Politti keyboardist Rockin’ Rhodri Marsden pointed out the revelation of the new best of compilation album on a french website which makes the assertion that it will be available March 29th, 2010. Click here for a link.

update: added album title, ‘Absolute best of album’, Rhodri’s revelation, details on Gamson’s recent work.

Fruit tree

Free Ride

4 dates are announced:

• 20 Jan in Glasgow
• 21st Jan in Brighton
• 22nd Jan at London Barbican
• 23rd Jan at Warwick Uni Arts Centre

Way to Blue: The Songs of Nick Drake
Featuring Danny Thompson, Vashti Bunyan, Green Gartside, Lisa Hannigan, Scott Matthews, Teddy Thompson, Krystle Warren, Robyn Hitchcock & more
22 January 2010 / 19:30
Barbican Hall

Tickets: £15-25

Undoubtedly one of the most influential English singer-songwriters of the last 50 years, Nick Drake found little mainstream success during his lifetime; however, since his untimely death at the age of 26, his fragile acoustic, autumnal music has touched the hearts of millions of people.

This very special evening, curated by his producer Joe Boyd, features original orchestrations arranged by Robert Kirby, who passed away very recently. Also featured is Danny Thompson, the legendary bassist who played on many of Drake’s recordings, who anchors the house band along with special guest artists including Vashti Bunyan, Green Gartside, Lisa Hannigan, Scott Matthews, Teddy Thompson, Krystle Warren & Robyn Hitchcock who will celebrate the music through modern reinterpretations of his timeless songs.

Thanks Mr. F and mystery man for the pic and live tunes.

Wood Beez

Where Fat Lies Ant Follow

Human Fly

Queen Elizabeth Hall
ROBYN HITCHCOCK AND HIS FRIENDS
Diaphanously Yours
Friday 4 September 2009, 8pm

Robyn Hitchcock and his friends featuring Alessi’s Ark, Graham Coxon, Green Gartside, John Hegley, Mike Heron and Max Eastley play a selection of his own and other insect-related songs with added sound effects, including clicks, rubbings and hisses. Plus the premiere of Mandible Raga, a devouring instrumental, and the Abdomen Suite, a mating drone. Songs include ‘Madonna Of The Wasps’, ‘Insect Mother’, ‘Antwoman’, ‘Red Locust Frenzy’, and a cover Wire’s classic ‘I Am The Fly’.

http://www.southbankcentre.co.uk/calendar/productions/robyn-hitchcock-and-his-friend-47930

(As if the pics weren’t enough- Thanks for the video and article too Matt!)

I’ve been visiting London this past week, and as a longtime fan of the British folk-rock musician Richard Thompson, I bought tickets to a pair of related Barbican Centre concerts held over the weekend. Saturday’s concert was a reunion of Thompson’s original band, Fairport Convention, and Sunday’s was a tribute to the Incredible String Band, with Thompson as one of many special guests.

I know Fairport’s music well and very much enjoyed that show, but having never quite connected with ISB’s albums, I wasn’t quite sure what to expect last night, especially with the non-participation of central band member Robin Williamson. So although I was curious to see Thompson outside of his usual context and I’m always happy to catch Robyn Hitchcock live, Rhodri’s report that he and Green would be participating was responsible for making me excited to attend. Happily, it proved to be a worthwhile evening.

Before I say anything about the show, I’d like to note that the opening song on “Daring Adventures,” Thompson’s 1986 solo album, is “Bone Through Her Nose,” a seemingly snide song about a glam woman who adheres to all the rituals of being an urban “tribal animal” save having the aforementioned bone. And one of her attributes, he snarls, is a “boyfriend who plays in Scritti Politti.” So I never in my life expected to see Messrs. Thompson and Gartside sharing a stage, which they repeatedly did last night. I’ve sent John Hyde a fuzzy image of the two together, which he’s free to post somewhere for all here to see.

Because I’m not familiar with ISB’s music, I’ve copied a detailed set-list report that was posted overnight on the ISB group’s site by one “N. Lowe.” Well done, N., whoever you are. But for several reasons, I can report that Green appears to know the ISB’s music well. For one, on the ensemble numbers for which he provided harmony vocals, I often saw him mouthing lyrics that someone else was responsible for singing.

Green also told a delightful tale before performing “God Dog” about how ISB’s music made his not very nice town more livable, and also how he got his ears pierced after seeing Robin Williamson’s piercings on the cover of an ISB album, causing him to be exiled by his parents to his grandparents’ home. Green also brought down the house with his anecdote about hearing ISB live in Bristol, which so excited him that he ran out into the street after the concert and was struck by a car, causing him to lose the feeling in his leg for six months. “So,” he concluded, “they had quite an impact on me.”

Anyhow, as you can see from the set list below, Green was a frequent participant in the evening’s festivities, performing two featured songs with Rhodri and also providing vocals on ensemble numbers, including the opener and the final encore. For both featured tunes, he was paired with Camilla (Kami) Thompson, the daughter of Richard and Linda Thompson, whose sweet voice melded perfectly with Green’s.

I’ll leave it to Rhodri to assess the musical success of the evening, but to these ears, both “Dust Be Diamonds” and “God Dog” sounded great. Green was in superb voice throughout, and I repeatedly heard his voice soaring over the massed ensemble vocals. Both in the set list below and at the lobby bar afterwards, people were appreciative that Rhodri seemed to playing the Dolly Collins arrangement of “God Dog.” I’m afraid I don’t understand this, but good on ya, Rhodri.

I went out to the lobby with friends during the interval/intermission and was amazed to see a number of the performers mingling with the crowd. I spotted Rhodri and buttonholed him. He was as gracious and informative as ever, and also insisted that I say hello to Green, which I did, briefly. I asked Green about “Bone Through Her Nose” and he chuckled, jokingly adding that Thompson had promised him a “cash settlement” for the song mention.

Anyhow, I’m not quite sure how Scritti’s participation in this one-off evening came to be, but for me, the presence of Green and Rhodri immeasurably enhanced the evening’s musical value. And now I’m wondering if Green will mention Fairport on his next album.

–Matt

He will be playing together with Rhodri Marsden, who posted this news in the Yahoo Scritti Politti group:

Just a quick heads-up: This Sunday (19th July) Green and I will be performing two songs originally recorded by the Incredible String Band at the Barbican in London. Just a small part of a big tribute concert featuring Robyn Hitchcock and various others.

Looks like we’ll be joined onstage by Richard & Linda Thompson’s daughter, Kami, too.

More information on this event at the Barbican Website.

For those who go, have fun you lucky bastards!

On Sunday February 15th there is a panel discussion in The Roundhouse, Chalk Farm Road in London, featuring Tom Morley (Scritti Politti), Colin Newman (Wire), and Viv Albertine (Slits), moderated by Simon Reynolds. More information.

More information on the book.