Named after songs, but yes, both ugh
Author (Pig City, Something to Believe In), freelance journalist. Content: music, wildlife/biodiversity, AFL, cats. patreon.com/andrewstafford
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Named after songs, but yes, both ugh
I know. There were far too many to mention and also, I prefer not to remember Ugly Kid Joe at all
My petty music gripe: get your own name, copy cats www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle...
you don't understand. as someone who isn't inherently good at art, stealing paintings from the museum is the *only* way i'm able to express myself creatively. i wouldn't be able to paint beautiful portraits. but by breaking into a museum and stealing the paintings, now i am
“Rougher than usual handling” is the, er, benchmark here
It is really good. Good enough to buy the vinyl (which I still do, despite reviewing)
It bothers me when you’re unnecessarily rude. There’s plenty of local-context stuff on your account I’d require a translation for, too, but I don’t jump in demanding you speak English
I guess the lesson here is not everything on the internet is directly relevant to your life, and you can just scroll on by
(*from 2023*) "In both your cases your prospects of rehabilitation are good” www.abc.net.au/news/2023-10...
OK, basically the Australian equivalent of Republican politicians misappropriating songs by artists who want absolutely nothing to do with them. I hope that helps. My post was written for an Australian audience and followers
Maybe to an American
Or anything much beyond 19, but yes, especially that one!
Better look out boys, ya life’s in a data bank at ASIO m.youtube.com/watch?v=A3qK...
Incredible, but honestly not surprising to hear that flag-waving nongs were marching to Redgum in Brisbane. One of the most staunchly left-wing bands Australia ever produced, but John Schumann fooled ‘em all with that ocker strine
An aside: journalism exists in an attention economy where demand drives editorial decision making. If you find something you enjoyed, learned from and that moved you, share and share widely -- even four days late. I, and others, don't get to keep doing this stuff if no one reads it.
I was reminded (even at the time) of Jon Landau's "I have seen rock & roll future" review of Springsteen, before becoming his manager. Same thing I described: great singer, great bandleader, great songs, great performer, looked great, too. Totally different artists, of course, but both had the lot
@birmo.bsky.social's send-off of Bjelke-Petersen in the Bulletin was exactly as you'd expect and no less than what the bastard deserved
Darcy Moore has spoken on behalf of the AFLPA, Jack Crisp also. Statement was issued earlier today www.theguardian.com/sport/2025/a...
I don’t want to go on the cart
Oh don’t be such a baby
I feel your pain - I drove cabs from 2000-2015 and missed a lot, too (though it wasn’t unusual for me to sacrifice a couple of hours and drop in on gigs, in full uniform
Massive LOL, especially given he was obviously a Zep fanatic
I felt a bit iffy about writing this, because he polarises people, including some very good judges, and the legacy has been poorly served IMO. But it’s validating to hear others’ experience have remain as undimmed as mine
Fair to say there was a whole lot of teenage lust in the room 😄
You were more than a bit unlucky there, especially given P & P were massive fans
Writing about Jeff Buckley makes me feel 24 again and not entirely in a good way … but jeez he was good. You had to be there www.theguardian.com/music/2025/a...
They still don’t get it. The earnest journalists who always gave him time/laughs/respect now tut-tutting Katter skip over the context of that self-hating spray of violence: demands to deport Palestinians & support for a neo-Nazi nationalist march. That matters at least as much.
Oh OK, you were just repeating a variation of what I said then. Cool cool
Threatening *anyone* with physical violence, on or off camera, is not OK and not a schtick. For a public representative it’s deserving of censure from all sides, and calls into immediate question their fitness for office. It should have been stopped on the spot.
This is disgraceful behaviour by anyone, let alone an MP. You don't get a free pass for being perceived as an eccentric old dingbat www.abc.net.au/news/2025-08...
Was controversial when released as a single in 1977 (Gene was 28 at the time). Went to 25 on the Billboard charts. Still makes occasional appearances in their setlists, but not a staple item. Like most Gene songs, it gives me the ick
I’m talking about the lyrical content of the band though, not Gene’s general repulsiveness
Nothing against Snoop but I reckon that's probably right. Will be interesting to see how it goes down
(I love Kiss, by the way. And Love Gun. Sorry not sorry, etc. But yeah, that double standard...)
A friend of mine posted yesterday that he couldn't understand why people were complaining about the AFL hiring Snoop Dogg, considering some of his dubious lyrical content, when no one seemed to have the same issues about Kiss the previous year... 🤔 www.youtube.com/watch?v=wGqr...
Yes, it's horrible. But also, when trash takes itself out, it's doing you a favour, really. I met my life partner about eight months after that awful experience, and it taught me a lot about what I valued in relationships - kindness and care being the biggest.
😬😶
An ex walked on me days after I got home from open heart surgery, but your story … is … quite a lot worse
Sounds like Queensland TBH
I also have some personal news: after 25 years of self-employment, I'm starting a six-month contract in AAP's Brisbane bureau next week. It's been a long time coming and I'm excited. (Of course I continue to support freelancers in this campaign.)
I urge all Australian freelance journalists to complete this survey as @withmeaa.bsky.social builds momentum for greater respect within the industry, so we're not just an endlessly exploitable pool of cheap labour. Last meeting had close to 200 (!) on the call form.jotform.com/251618654922...
Nas might be worth that much. TDK is very good but even if he becomes great, you can cover him more easily. Wouldn’t lose too much sleep. Saints will pay in other ways
Have closed comments and quotes since this broke containment lines. Anxiety management 🙂
Onya @richarddenniss.bsky.social. Let’s reverse the normalisation of brazen daylight robbery: artists’ work is not content fodder. Art and knowledge are our most valuable treasures. They’re our culture. They’re our future. www.thesaturdaypaper.com.au/news/politic... via @thesaturdaypaper.com.au
This is still one of my favourite songs from last year. Brilliant lyrics, great delivery, great clip www.youtube.com/watch?v=RV9r...
He has some fine original songs on this, too. Such a great turn of phrase
You've reminded me of something truly great, though - Adalita singing my fave Patti song, Free Money, backed by drummer Jen Sholakis (Jen Cloher's band) and Dan Luscombe at the Recital Hall some years back. Heart-stopping. www.youtube.com/watch?v=3SDh...
I don't think so myself, I actually think Adalita (who has dramatically improved as a singer as she's aged) has a much fuller, richer tone. That's not to diss Patti of course! I love her
Indeed. I intend to be there if they make it
This is really rather good, despite the goth-lite name www.theguardian.com/music/2025/a...
Setting weirdly reminds me of this
Quite the mutual admiration society! And what a version, too
PS #fuckspotify
This is wonderful - King Gizz joined by Jello Biafra for a rip-roaring version of the Dead Kennedys' Police Truck. Jello: "This is a great fucking moment in my life, this is my favourite band in the world!" www.youtube.com/watch?v=16m1...
This is why you’ll never see my byline in a Murdoch or Stokes publication. (Not that they’ll have me)
Exactly the same as the Courier-Mail in 2016. www.themonthly.com.au/blog/bleachi...
Tidal provides the best recompense to artists www.theguardian.com/music/2025/j...
Good piece by Michael Dwyer on the ethical disconnect between ARIA, labels and musicians over Spotify www.smh.com.au/culture/musi...
No need for apologies! It’s always a good challenge writing about music I don’t feel a strong connection to (though I do love that song)
Hey @lewwelchthepoet.bsky.social thanks for becoming a patron! www.patreon.com/posts/136675...
Sweet Old World and the 1988 s/t album… 💕
Me too, although there is just the one at the Sydney Opera House (as mentioned in the first paragraph)
Music read 2: something new and fun from me, on another of the great American songwriters www.theguardian.com/music/2025/a...
What an wonderful piece by Michael Hann on one of the greatest American songwriters, who recorded so many songs that will never die in the space of 18 months, all before he was 25 www.theguardian.com/music/2025/a...
Paywalled out, Emily - is this re the Bali Nine?
You phrased it well enough. It is, for all but a tiny handful of top-tier participants, correct
I think it would be a neat reversal of who usually wields power in these situations. Daniel Ek would go broke if musicians refused to so much as play footsie with him
No writers = no festival. How’s that for the power of the pen?
Approx 50 of 80 guest speakers have withdrawn their (low paid) cultural labour. 15 sessions cancelled, inc opening & closing keynotes. Will this stop other writers festivals from caving in to draconian partners' & bad faith lobbyists' demands? No. Buckle in. Things are going to get wilder in oz lit
This list of authors from @deepcutnews.bsky.social newsletter deserve a standing ovation. The action they have taken withdrawing from Bendigo Writers Festival will have impacts across the whole sector. Boards and staff of festivals will need to consider the reputational risk of silencing artists.
A delight www.youtube.com/watch?v=NZxg...
A piece on the godfather of New Zealand comedy and the king of Farnarkeling www.theguardian.com/film/2025/au...
I think you might want to have a look at the timeline and tenor of the replies by the person I was addressing (whom I have blocked)
Remember, foreign journalists are not allowed into Gaza. So, we've been reliant on journalists who actually live there. So far, more than 200 have been killed in the war - almost all of them Palestinian. Yet Al-Jazeera's report that their own staff have been killed is not enough for Gollum here
It sounds like you need white journalists to confirm some brown journalists have been killed
‘The Israel Defense Force confirmed the strike, claiming the reporter had “served as the head of a terrorist cell in the Hamas terrorist organisation and was responsible for advancing rocket attacks against Israeli civilians and IDF forces”.’
www.theguardian.com/world/2025/a...
Al-Sharif killed in what appears to be a targeted Israeli attack on tent housing journalists outside al-Shifa hospital.
Well, that’s a sad and surprising way to get insta-blocked by a poster I respected and enjoyed following 🤨😔
Sure, and I’m not denying your right to feel uncomfortable with them. I find lots of lyrics repellent too, especially in heavy metal and hip hop. Machismo generally makes me nauseous
Any good art gets to some truth in the human condition. Sometimes it’s autobiography and other times it’s acting; we need to be careful to distinguish the two. But if it was only wholesome stuff it would be dull. This goes for literature, movies etc too (ironically, I can’t watch violence on screen)
That’s not to say that there aren’t terrible lyrics across all genres of music. Of course there are. But music is an art form, and great performers (like Cash) are also great actors - they are believable in all their darkness, but also their humanity
Whenever this kind of thing comes up I always like to remind people that while Johnny Cash was a badass, he didn’t actually shoot that man in Reno, just to watch him die.
The crux of their argument is that if they're found liable, then the consequences of their own actions that no one forced them to take could ruin them and the rest of their industry that undertakes similar practices. To which I say motherfucker did you never hear about Napster
All the energy has been poured into the box sets, and apparently the first one is about to be reissued. It’s bizarre. A stand-alone of 16LL should sell tens of thousands worldwide now
Anyone interested in the Go-Betweens, see my pinned post for a chat with Robert Forster
All the GoBs albums are in dire need of stand-alone releases (and IMO the band has been poorly served in this regard). Big thumbs up for the remix of this, as Andrew says
Good stoopid fun 🤩 I have a couple of their records m.youtube.com/watch?v=36hw...
We've put together our top tips for journalists to help guide you through the do's and don'ts of reporting on neo-Nazis. Please share it with your colleagues, and feel free to get in touch with us with any feedback. thewhiterosesociety.writeas.com/9-principles...
This reminds me of another joke q. How many men does it take to wallpaper a room a. Depends on how thinly you slice them
For those wondering about the randomness of all of this, check out today's toon www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
And here's that time they terrified the squares from Dull City on the short-lived Willing and Abel (one for you too @ozkitsch.bsky.social) www.youtube.com/watch?v=NTT7...
For @firstdogonthemoon.bsky.social, here's that time his favourite Oz Rawk band the Psychotic Turnbuckles appeared on Star Search - not the first time they would flunk out in a popularity contest www.youtube.com/watch?v=GNJT...
Fabulous piece on Trump's bizarre relationship with music - wish I'd written this one, @theshufflediary.bsky.social ($) www.crikey.com.au/2025/08/08/d...
Hooray for you, Kaz. It is indeed an overwhelming time for all of us 🤗
My cat Priscilla has been very sick, poor thing, but still loves her dad, still wants snuggles, and she’s on a new treatment, so hopefully she’s starting to feel better (hyperthyroidism plus IBD)
