Paul Schiernecker

Author: Paul

  • Music Jar – Week 7

    After reading about a project by The Larson House, I put the names of 52 bands/artists in a pickle jar. Each week I listen to one in the hope of finding new favourites and eventually, the leap home.
    This week was the turn of the thinking woman’s crumpet, Guy Garvey, and his sticky wicket band, Elbow.

    What I Knew Before: I have seen Elbow. I’ve been in their presence. At a Muse show in 2002 (approx), they were the support group. In a review I wrote for my student paper, I described the lead singer as “Samwise Gamgee with a capo”. That certainly hasn’t changed. I also think they played at Glastonbury for one of the years I was there. I don’t know if I saw them, which says a lot.
    I knew all the big songs. The ones that get played at festivals stuck in a perpetual sunset. The big choruses that everyone sings and that bit that goes BAAUUU BAAAU BUM BUM BAAA BAAAU BUM.
    I also remembered that they did an M&S version of Golden Slumbers that people got really mad about but which I quite enjoyed.
    What I Know Now: In the words of Talking Heads, I suppose it’s the same as it ever was. I enjoyed the earlier stuff more, almost found it to be diminishing returns as far as albums go. Saying that, Giants Of All Sizes (2019) sees something wonderful back in the fray.
    Favourite song(s): Anyone who says their favourite Elbow song isn’t Grounds For Divorce needs their head examined.
    Favourite album: I hate to say, I was into this band before they were cool but Asleep In The Back is probably the most interesting album they’ve put out. My opinion isn’t going to diminish the astounding career that they’ve had, it’s just not 100% my cup of grease.

  • Music Jar – Week 6

    Inspired by The Larson House, I am picking a band or artist I certainly should know a hell of a lot better out of a pickle jar and listening to their back catalogue for a week.
    This week, it was the turn of sexy Parisians, Nouvelle Vague. I didn’t think I knew the new and the recommendation came courtesy of my good friend Lefteris. I would like to take this opportunity to apologise to Stephanie, who had definitely sent me a number of their songs in the past. The name clearly hadn’t stuck.

    What I Knew Before: Possibly, very little. As I will detail, a number of their songs were immediately recognisable for tow reasons. The first is that they cover a lot of immediately recognisable rock songs in a swing/bossa nova style. The second is that their music is everywhere. You may not have realised it. i know I certainly hadn’t.
    What I Know Now: All of their music sounds like it should be on a soundtrack for a film that I want to write. It’s very cool and effortlessly sexy. Some of their covers are arguably better than the original. I would certainly rather get down to the Nouvelle Vague version of Too Drunk To Fuck.
    Favourite song(s): Guns Of Brixton, Ever Fallen In Love, Too Drunk To Fuck.
    Favourite album: This is tough. They’re all very good. The weak one is probably Version Francaise for me for that’s just my take. Bande a Part is the best.

  • Music Jar – Week 5

    This week, I pulled LA rock duo, Best Coast from the pickle jar. I dedicated seven days to them, which as luck would have it, ended with the release of their new album, Always Tomorrow.

    What I Knew Before: I knew there were two of them. I knew that they were a band who were around when I had some idea about music, when I prided myself on it, in fact. They seemed cool and aloof and kind of surf music-y and I was there for that. I remembered there was a cat on the cover of their first album.
    What I Know Now: As advised by my good friend Luke Stephen, who recommended they be included in the project, they’re often overlooked but are a solid band with four albums (now) under their belt. There is a lot to dig into here, which has been a nice break from the last two weeks where it was a more intense listen to one or two albums.
    Favourite song(s): Boyfriend (because it’s track one on Crazy For You (the cat album)), Happy, Dreaming My Life Away, Heaven Sent (which has a Nirvana vibe), Jealousy and This Lonely Morning.
    Favourite album: Weirdly, the album I enjoyed the most was a seven track EP, Fade Away, released in 2013 and buried in their Spotify page. There’s something musically and cosmically urgent about the songs featured there and I was all for it.

  • Music Jar – Week 4

    No two weeks are the same, whether you work as a bailiff or if you’ve put fifty-two slips of paper in a pickle jar. This week, I am the latter, and I picked Kiwi goth kid sister, Lorde.

    What I Knew Before: I was familiar with Lorde. I had listened to Pure Heroine, seen her perform All Apologies with Kim Gordon, St Vincent, Pat Smear, Krist Novoselic and Dave Grohl and am well aware that she’s actually a character that Randy Marsh created.
    What I Know Now: Pretty much that, but also that she is fucking rad and I was definitely overlooking her as an artist. On top of the brilliant Pure Heroine, there is also Melodrama (2017) which may be even better.
    It also reminded me that several years ago, I was away on a tall ship for ten days and as a group we covered Royals. Every time I listen to it, I can hear the screeching teenagers I was trapped with.
    Favourite Song(s): Royals, White Teeth Teens, Homemade Dynamite, Liability (which has the same vocal melody as Welcome To The Black Parade) and Supercut.
    Favourite Album: This is tough. It’s like choosing a favourite child. I would have to say that my favourite one is the one who will look after me in my old age, and that’s likely to be Melodrama.

  • Music Jar – Week 3

    Every week, I open up a pickle jar, take out a slip of paper and listen to that artist.
    This week it was the turn of Brighton Rock rockers, Black Honey.

    What I Knew Before: I knew the two words separately, but I don’t believe I had seem them working together.
    What I Know Now: Black Honey are a four-piece rock group from Brighton, England. The band is composed of lead singer and guitarist Izzy Baxter Phillips, guitarist Chris Ostler, bassist Tommy Taylor, and drummer Tom Dewhurst (thanks Wikipedia, here’s $5).
    Favourite Song(s): Corrine, I Only Hurt The Ones I Love and Midnight.
    Favourite Album: Black Honey were a recommendation from my friend Sarah at work. A lot of the other artists I have gone for are legacy and have a wealthy discography. Black Honey have one album, just one, it’s self-titled and it’s available as a (Deluxe) edition of 21 songs. That, my friend, is my favourite.

  • Music Jar – Week 2

    Each week, a different artist comes out of the jar and I listen to them solidly.
    This week it was the turn of duelling guitar aficionados, Thin Lizzy.

    What I Knew Before: My dad had Jailbreak on vinyl when I was a kid so I knew those songs better than I knew how to spell my own surname. It’s also very confusing that the opening lyric of the album “tonight there’s gonna be a jailbreak, somewhere in this town” is confusing because there’s only one place a jailbreak can take place, and that’s at the jail.

    What I Know Now: Phil Lynott was an incredible figure in rock ‘n’ roll and was unashamedly himself. He could party better than a lot of them and his songwriting is on another level.
    They went through a Spinal Tapian number of band members, particularly guitarists.
    Thin Lizzy pioneered/popularised the harmonised guitar sound for which they are known.
    Their work gets really interesting from 1974 onwards when they added a second guitarist because Phil decided it would be a good backup for when one of them quit. This became the sound for which they are known and during this period they produced my favourite albums of theirs (Jailbreak, Bad Reputation, Black Rose)
    This documentary is very important:

    Favourite Song(s): Cowboy, Whiskey In The Jar, Dancing In The Moonlight.
    Favourite Album(s): Bad Reputation, Jailbreak, Black Rose.

    My thanks to Sarah for the recommendation.

  • Music Jar – Week 1

    Each week, I pull a new artist from the jar and listen to their stuff.
    This week it was the turn of stomp-feet extraordinaries, The Lumineers.

    What I Knew Before: They played at some point during a Glastonbury I was at. I was on a massive comedown and someone told me the lead singer had tiny eyes. That and the Hey Ho song that my friend had as the first dance at his wedding.
    What I Know Now: The lead singer looks a bit like Father John Misty and all the band dress really nicely.
    A lot of their songs are girls’ names.
    Favourite Song: Ophelia.
    Favourite Album: III

  • The Music Jar.

    I can’t claim this idea as my own, as much as I would like to. It originally came from The Larson House and even finding that can be placed at Jazmine’s feet. My Spotify artist of the decade was The Beatles. There’s nothing wrong with that but I know I am missing out on listening to a lot of other artists because I’m stuck in an indie rut where I loop through Arcade Fire, Father John Mistry, Bright Eyes, Arctic Monkeys etc.
    The aim is to select the names of 52 bands or artists I feel I should know more about, place them in a jar and pick out one a week to listen to.
    My list is:
    Temples, Blanhavon, No Doubt, Pearl Jam, Post Malone, Mexrissey, Nouvelle Vague, Van Morrison, Leonard Cohen, Madrugada, Tom Petty, Prince, Thin Lizzy, The Distillers, Fall Out Boy, Lizzo, Alanis Morrisette, Death Cab For Cutie, Joni Mitchell, Sara Bareilles, Kacey Musgraves, David Gray, Elbow, The Lumineers, Black Honey, The Big Moon, Wolf Alice, Anna Calvi, Jessie Ware, Warpaint, Sam Fender, St Thomas, Brockhampton, FKA Twigs, Childish Gambino, Lana Del Rey, Lorde, Charli XCX, St Vincent, Wilco, Clipping, Best Coast, My Chemical Romance, Tears For Fears, Weezer, Cigarettes After Sex, Aretha Franklin, Lord Huron, Talking Heads, Elvis Presley, Macklemore & INXS.

    Here’s to 2020. Listening to different artists and learning along the way.


     

  • My big commitment.

    In 2019, I committed myself in a way that I had never done before. I paid in advance for a Odeon Limitless card for the year. This meant that I could watch as many films as possible for one fixed fee.
    I don’t know if it’s of any interest to anyone else but I watched:
    1. Bumblebee
    2. Aquaman
    3. Ralph Breaks The Internet
    4. Mary Poppins Returns
    5. Stan & Ollie
    6. Mary Queen of Scots
    7. Glass
    8. Vice
    9. If Beale Street Could Talk
    10. Spider-Man: Homecoming
    11. How To Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World
    12. Green Book
    13. A Star Is Born
    14. The Kid Who Would Be King
    15. Happy Death Day 2U
    16. The Lego Movie: The Second Part
    17. On The Basis of Sex
    18. Alita: Battle Angel
    19. Alien
    20. Captain Marvel
    21. Fighting With My Family
    22. What Men Want
    23. Fisherman’s Friends
    24. Us
    25. Pet Sematary
    26. Missing Link
    27. Avengers: Endgame
    28. Long Shot
    29. Rocketman
    30. Dark Phoenix
    31. Aladdin
    32. Toy Story 4
    33. Yesterday
    34. Midsommar
    35. Spider-Man: Far from Home
    36. The Lion King
    37. Horrible Histories: The Movie – Rotten Romans
    38. Blinded By The Light
    39. Playmobil: The Movie
    40. One Upon A Time… in Hollywood
    41. Crawl
    42. It Chapter Two
    43. Hustlers
    44. Ad Astra
    45. Ready or Not
    46. Dora and the Lost City of Gold
    47. Judy
    48. Joker
    49. A Shaun the Sheep Movie: Farmageddon
    50. Zombieland: Double Tap
    51. Terminator: Dark Fate
    52. Doctor Sleep
    53. Maleficent: Mistress of Evil
    54. Le Mans ’66
    55. Last Christmas
    56. Knives Out
    57. Frozen II
    58. Jumanji: The Next Level
    59. Home Alone
    60. Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker
    61. Cats
    62. Little Women

    I think that works out to £2.64 a film. It’s without a doubt one of the best things I did in 2019 and I’m going to renew in a matter of days,
    Go and support cinemas.
    Support smaller films.
    Experience it properly and appreciate it fully.

  • Top 10 of 2019.

    I’ve had an incredible year. To think that the Fyre Festival documentary came out this year means it really has been a wild ride. I didn’t have to resort to anything of the sort to make a deal with Evian but here are the ten best things that have happened to me in no real order.

    1. I quit my job.
    I hadn’t been happy with what I had been doing for a long time. The right thing came along and the last seven months have flown by. I feel appreciated and a part of something important where I’m working now and that’s not to be overlooked. If you are dreading the thought of getting up tomorrow and dragging yourself into work then now is the best time to start looking elsewhere.

    2. Spain.
    In January I went to Spain for five days and stayed with my friend Luke. He lives in a van now and has a life that is very different to mine. It was great to see him be so free and to experience hashtag vanlife for a spell.

    3. Costa Rica.
    In April, perfectly timed as I walked away from my job, I went to Costa Rica for three weeks. It was a last-minute booking based on where I could get to and from with the time I had. While there, I met up with a group of other travellers and we got to venture into the mountains, stay in a hut in the jungle and I got to try my hand at white-water rafting, canyoning and zip-lining. I met some amazing people that I’m hoping I will get to see again in 2020.

    4. Paris.
    In August, again on a whim, I got an overnight coach to Paris and spent two days wandering around and feeling very continental indeed. I got drunk in the Jardin du Luxembourg and made friends with an Australian girl who then saved my life.

    5. Iowa.
    In September, I flew to Iowa with my dear friends Darren and Laura, to be part of their continued wedding celebrations. I was welcomed like a member of family and had a wonderful time staying with Monica and Craig. It was close but the $250 cookie recipe nearly made the cut for this countdown.

    6. Copenhagen.
    In October, four of us went away for a long weekend by accident. We had an amazing time and I got to explore a city I had always had fanciful notions about.

    7. New York.
    My other BIG TRIP of the year. I got to live my best Holden Caulfield life in the city that never sleeps with Jaz as my tour guide. I ate my body weight in Dunkin’ Donuts and regret absolutely nothing.

    8. Writing.
    While I haven’t published anything this year, it’s been a strong year of progress. I have written three novels and abandoned a further two as well as constructing a stageplay which I’m hoping will see the light of day in 2020. The big thing was receiving a personal response from one of the top UK agents after submitting my novel, What We Want Most.

    9. Improv.
    Improv is always going to make the list. This year I’ve performed in six shows as part of the Laughter Academy showcases as well as others at other venues. I took on 12 hours of the Improvathon which was so much fun to be a part of. I started co-hosting Improv Jams with Robbie and this has renewed my passion for it. I’m hoping to host more in 2020. I also had a go at stand up again this year after not trusting my feet with it for so long.

    10. Improve.
    I’ve noticed a real difference in myself in the last year. I don’t know if it has come as a result of simply growing older but I certainly spend less of my time worrying about what other people think or “rolodexing” as I always called it, where my mind would flip through varying topics. It goes without saying that my mental health is in a better place than possibly ever before. I also recognise my abilities and limitations in a way I haven’t been able to before. I’m comfortable in my skin and better as a result of all of my experiences. Here’s to 2020.