words: Paulo Carmona (edited by Raquel Pinheiro); photos: Telma Mota
I knew that Bernard Butler was a guitar genius due to his creativity and originality.
I confess I didn’t knew he was such a communicator. He is very humorous, entertaining and truthful in his discourse, not even shying away from self-deprecation.
His pop rock is of a singular richness and his ease in transposing it on stage is, to say the least, appreciably comforting. I can feel colours from all shades of the rainbow in Butler’s songs, coated in intense, personal and introspective lyrics. It’s not hard to see yourself in one song or the other, and that’s why it’s easy to navigate his world.
In this concert at Casa da Música, Bernard’s first ever in Porto, he presented Good Grief, his new album in 25 years, gave us songs such as Deep Emotions and Pretty D, and obviously iconic songs from People Move On, such as My Domain, and the closing Not Alone.
From his collaborations with other artists he brought songs like Although (McAlmont & Butler) and Shallow The Water (Jessie Buckley & Bernard Butler).
A solo concert so intimate, just the man and his guitar(s), that you could talk to the musician and sip the stories from his Gibson ES-355, which, in his hands, almost speaks.
I was delighted by the riffs, sometimes intense, sometimes soft, but all of them imbued with charismatic melodies. Butler is a storyteller and a speaker of the sensations that come from those stories. What’s impressive is the way in which those same sensations fit, in a perfect symbiosis, with the dynamics of his songs. It’s a gift.
My Amazing Songs & Other Delights #72 – The Ecosystem edition is now on mixcloud.
Of late, I’ve been coming upon the word ecosystem from different sources. Or happen upon lyrics, or otherwise that mention the concept that we’re all one, we’re connected, that we depend on each other.
That concept is part of Body Count’s Comfortably Numb version of Pink Floyd’s Comfortably Numb the song that opens this edition. Ice-T writes and says: “Listen… ’cause I’ve been on both sides of the gun As you stand before me we’re all here as one We gotta come together or our chances are none Maybe I’m just a dreamer, too many obstacles” (full lyrics here)
An ecosystem implies environment and those in it interacting, forging connections, relationships, one thing leading to another. That is how both Mondo and Yé Yé came to be. The longer text about My Amazing Songs & Other Delights #72 – The Ecosystem edition can be read here.
Tracklist: 01: Body Count – Comfortably Numb (feat. David Gilmour) 02: Raveloe – Passing Place 03: 12 Roads – Waiting For JB 04: Rowland S. Howard – Shut Me Down 05: Ned Swarbrick – Somebody, Something, Somewhere Else (live York City FC) 06: Mick Harvey – October Boy 07: Johnny Marr – New Town Velocity 08: The Birthday Party – The Friend Catcher 09: Saint Sappho – Grass is Gold 10: Oh Bobby (Bill Rivers and Simon Hayward) – Are You Still There 11: Sorry Monks – One Rule For Them 12: Paradise Lost – The Last Time 13: Harry Howard And The NDE – Sensitive To The Cold 14: Mark Robin White & Adam Lato – Rabbit Hole (Tranquility mix) 15: The Courettes – Shake! 16: A Resistência – Maré Alta
Good morning with Preaching To The Choir (Live At The Green Note) by Bernard Butler. Have a nice weekend.
An essay, in the form of a tragicomedy letter is accompanying today’s song choice. It’s in the vein of what I, in my Picky INTJ Fairy incantation have been posting to Bernard on his Instagram.. It’s also a shout-out to my essay on Deep Emotions and to my note on Camber Sands.
Oh mine! Where did that super deep, manly, hoarse voice came from? Me thinking live at The Green Note was safe. You live on youtube or social media tend to be . It’s live, no risk. Turns out, it’s a minefield. Urg! Urg! Urg! Picky INTJ fairies don’t know what to do when we’re nearly in tears with emotion. There’s a glance at the guitar, a “maybe the bass?”, a “poem, write a poem, pour it on the page” I’m always doing it, like right now, writing this). But it’s too much, and too many hours of non-creative discomfort, and of being silent and still.
Preaching To The Choir gives me the chills, it’s too close to home. It’s home, times ago. Preaching To The Choir is, or is supposed, to be about politicians, rulers, their deceit and lies and hypocrisy. That’t not my meaning of the lyrics. Songs are this, they mean a different thing to each of us.
“… Oh I’ll reach across the covers to caress your skin / The memories we overcome could mean anything / The words I use to hurt you disappear / Their presence only lingers in your tears…”
Those words always, always, get to me. They cut deep, they have a multilayered, multi side meaning to me, and there are almost, if not really, tears. I don’t know the exact meaning Bernard had in mind when he wrote them. For personal purposes, it doesn’t matter. They bring me memories, they bring out a “good grief”, they’re touching.
“Isn’t it a good thing that you have emotions.” asks Bernard on the Super Deluxe Edition interview. It is. But… but I keep being amazed at how, why, Good Grief, the album, and now it’s companion Live At The Green Note bring out such emotions in me. It’s unusual.
Therefore, congratulations, Mr. Butler. You did it again! Fortunately I have forever cancelled you a few months ago because you don’t like to play bass! You may recall that from Instagram. It has now become hazardous to attend your concerts. However, you will not get away that easily. For purposes of practice and reharsals duty, coupled with protection I’ll most likely turn up with my guitar. It’s becoming something of a trademarks to show up at concerts with my guitar on my back. Don’t worry, I will not take to the stage. It’s all yours. But I will have my safety blanket. Dark glasses are also useful and a side blessing in disguise of photosensitive. Any possible tears Will be hidden.
The hallmark of a great artist is not measured in record sales, size of venues played or any other similar thing. It’s in how deep and truthfully how many hearts and souls are touched by the artist’s work. You’ve deeply touched and moved a few, if not a lot, of us, Mr. Butler.
Signed Picky INTJ fairy.
Bernard Butler is currently touring the UK. Bernard Butler plays in Portugal for the first time in November. 14 (Thursday), Casa da Cultura de Setúbal, Setúbal, 9:30pm 17 (Sunday) 1, Sala 2 Casa da Música, Porto, 9pm
Amazing Songs & Other Delights #72 The Ecosystem edition airs Monday 21st, 3-4:30pm (gmt+1) on Yé Yé Radio: yeyeradio.com (or on the app).
Of late, I’ve been coming upon the word ecosystem from different sources. Or happen upon lyrics, or otherwise that mention the concept that we’re all one, we’re connected, that we depend on each other.
That concept is part of Body Count’s Comfortably Numb version of Pink Floyd’s Comfortably Numb the song that opens this edition. Ice-T writes and says: “Listen… ’cause I’ve been on both sides of the gun As you stand before me we’re all here as one We gotta come together or our chances are none Maybe I’m just a dreamer, too many obstacles (full lyrics can be read here.).
An ecosystem implies environment and those in it interacting, forging connections, relationships, one thing leading to another. That is how both Mondo and Yé Yé came to be.
There are a few ecosystems on the programme. Birthday Party that lead to Rowland S. Howard and Mick Harvey. Mick Harvey song October Boy is about Pop Crimes – The Songs of Rowland S. Howard. Harry Howard is Rowland’s brother with whom Mick has played with. Interviewing Mick and Harry (and J.P. Shillo and Genevieve McGuckin) along a group of old friends – an ecosystem – lead to a number of Australian musician starting reaching out and sending their music.
When two weeks ago Bernard Butler was looking for opening acts for his current UK tour the Mild Ones, a Suede fan group, shared the request and so did I, adding I would be listening to Bernard’s choices and pick what I like from those. Raveloe (a Mild One Member herself), Ned Swarbrick, Saint Sappho and Sorry Monks (other Mild One) songs are my choices from Bernard’s selection of opening acts. Meanwhile, Ned and, Tammy Dyson, of Saint Sapho, just joined The Mild Ones. Proof that ecosystems are a real thing and work.
Mark Robin White and 12 roads other Mild Ones. I found them on the group and liked their music. Johnny Marr’s New Town Velocity is from a post by Liza Hadiz, another Mild One. I was mentioning how Johnny Marr solo albums have songs I may select to play, but don’t stay with me long time. Liza asked what I thought of Velocity Girl, her favourite solo Johnny Marr song. I replied it was nice and would one day play it on the show. Johnny Marr influenced Bernard Butler, both have played together.
Oh Bobby are Bill Rivers and Simon Hayward. Bill has been part of my ecosystem for a few year. We did a few song together for my third anniversary show. Bill and Simon created together.
The Courettes are released by Damaged Good, a record label Mondo has been close to for twenty five years. Resistência are a Portuguese supergroup. Although I know some of the musicians, or other musicians from their other bands, I don’t have such a direct connection, but Resistência are an ecosystem themselves.
Resistência means Resistance. Maré Alta (High Tide) is a 1972 song by Fausto Bordalo Dias, José Mário Branco and Sérgio Godinho, three Portugue protest singers, released when Portugal was still a dictatorship. The lyrics mention getting ready because an high tide is arriving and freedom is about to come.
Tracklist: 01: Body Count – Comfortably Numb (feat. David Gilmour) 02: Raveloe – Passing Place 03: 12 Roads – Waiting For JB 04: Rowland S. Howard – Shut Me Down 05: Ned Swarbrick – Somebody, Something, Somewhere Else (live York City FC) 06: Mick Harvey – October Boy 07: Johnny Marr – New Town Velocity 08: The Birthday Party – The Friend Catcher 09: Saint Sappho – Grass is Gold 10: Oh Bobby (Bill Rivers and Simon Hayward) – Are You Still There 11: Sorry Monks – One Rule For Them 12: Paradise Lost – The Last Time 13: Harry Howard And The NDE – Sensitive To The Cold 14: Mark Robin White & Adam Lato – Rabbit Hole (Tranquility mix) 15: The Courettes – Shake! 16: A Resistência – Maré Alta
Amazing Songs & Other Delights #71 is the The Desert Blues and Not Just edition is now on mixcloud.
This edition opens with Imajighen by Mdou Moctar and closes with Tom Huddleston singing a live version on Hank Williams’ I Saw The Light. Once more, I’m travelling through connections, details, inspiration. I’ve wrote an essay for it that can be read here.
Imajighen means free men in Berber. Although the lyrics specifically, or more specifically, address the free men of the Desert, the song’s words can be transposed to encompass us all. The chorus goes: “Imajighen, we can’t afford to be divided Imajighen, We can’t afford to be divided Imajighen We have no time for hate Imajighen Calling on you all wherever you are! We are all Imajighen” Full lyrics in English, Tamasheq and Tifinagh can be read here. here.
What do Mdou Moctar and Hank Williams have in common? Everything, I venture. My essay about the programme further speaks about it.
Tracklist: 01 – Mdou Moctar – Imajighen 02 – ANOHNI & The Johnsons – Breaking 03 – Tiwiza – At u Azeka 04 – Bombino – Mahegagh (What Shall I Do) 05 – Rui Veloso – Sayago Blues 06 – R.L. Burnside – See My Jumper Hanging On the Line (live at home, 1978) 07 – Tarwa N-Tiniri – Taryet 08 – Tom Verlaine – 5 Hours From Calais 09 – Dead Combo – Lisboa Mulata 10 – Fatou Seidi Ghali (Les Filles de Illighadad) – Telilit (live from Story of Sahel Sounds) 11 – Manu Chao – Tu Te Vas Feat. Laeti 12 – Felt – The Stagnant Pool 13 – Boubacar Traoré & Ali Farka Touré – Duna Ma Yelema 14 – Buzz Ayaz – Buzzi Ayazi 15 – Soledad Brothers – This Guitar Says I’m Sorry 16 – The White Stripes – Suzy Lee 17 – Etran de L’Aïr – Imouha 18 – Ben Watt with Bernard Butler – New Year of Grace (Upstairs at the De La Warr Pavilion Bexhill 5th April 2016) 19 – The Legendary Tiger Man – Keep it Burning 20 – Majid Bekkas – Daymallah (feat. Rachid Zeroual, Khalid Kouhen, Paolo Radoni, Marc Lelangue) 21 – Tinariwen – Sastanàqqàm 22 – Tom Hiddleston – I Saw The Light (with Mark Kermode on double-bass, live in the Wittertainment studio)
Amazing Songs & Other Delights #71 is the The Desert Blues and Not Just edition airs Monday 7th, 3-4:30pm (gmt+1) on Yé Yé Radio: yeyeradio.com (or on the app). This a longer, special edition.
This programme opens with Imajighen by Mdou Moctar and closes with Tom Huddleston singing a live version on Hank Williams’ I Saw The Light. Once more, I’m travelling through connections, details, inspiration. And writing an essay.
Imajighen means free men in Berber. Although the lyrics specifically, or more specifically, address the free men of the Desert, the song’s words can be transposed to encompass us all. The chorus goes: “Imajighen, we can’t afford to be divided Imajighen, We can’t afford to be divided Imajighen We have no time for hate Imajighen Calling on you all wherever you are! We are all Imajighen” Full lyrics in English, Tamasheq and Tifinagh can be read here. Tom Hiddleston plays Hank Williams in the film I Saw The Light.
What do Mdou Moctar and Hank Williams have in common? Everything, I venture. Amazing Songs & Other Delights #71 the The Desert Blues and Not Just edition could be said to be part of my “self taught” guitar schooling, mostly related to what Grupo Operário do Ruído, of which I’m part of, have been working on music wise.
Desert and African blues often have clapping. Clapping, including Arab clapping, a dry, hand palm against hand palm, clap, along with the fat clapping, is also something we have been exploring on Grupo Operário do Ruído. The same goes for rhythm, space, speed, rests, tone, intensity, ambient, emotions, silence, continuous, abrupt or smooth changes.
Since I elected the electric guitar as my main instrument in Grupo do Ruído, I have been paying a different kind of attention to the many faces, possibilities, approaches of the instrument.
This year, on Grupo Operário do Ruído we even created our own blues. A not so standard one, nonetheless, a blues.
Which take us to, what is the blues, what is a standard blues? The answers may require a many volumes encyclopedia. Or music theory explanations. I’ll leave both aside. As my choices for this Amazing Songs & Other Delights show, the blues is many things, everything, often not what a rigid blues school would call blues. Yet, it’s precisely the richness, the uniqueness, the emotions, feeling, sentiment that make the blues. Not being a never-miss-a-note-i-can-play-it-at-1000-miles-per-second master of the mimor blues pentatonic scale, proper chords progression, and on. If that’s all you got, you don’t have the blues, you have technique.
On these blues choices of mine we go on a journey with stops on Niger to Portugal, through the United States, Argelia-France, Marocco, United Kingdom, France-Spain, Mali, Cyprus, Algeria. Or, as sang Mdou Moctar’s Imajighen “We can’t afford to be divided”. Therefore, let’s have, sing and play the blues!
Tracklist: 01 – Mdou Moctar – Imajighen 02 – ANOHNI & The Johnsons – Breaking 03 – Tiwiza – At u Azeka 04 – Bombino – Mahegagh (What Shall I Do) 05 – Rui Veloso – Sayago Blues 06 – R.L. Burnside – See My Jumper Hanging On the Line (live at home, 1978) 07 – Tarwa N-Tiniri – Taryet 08 – Tom Verlaine – 5 Hours From Calais 09 – Dead Combo – Lisboa Mulata 10 – Fatou Seidi Ghali (Les Filles de Illighadad) – Telilit (live from Story of Sahel Sounds) 11 – Manu Chao – Tu Te Vas Feat. Laeti 12 – Felt – The Stagnant Pool 13 – Boubacar Traoré & Ali Farka Touré – Duna Ma Yelema 14 – Buzz Ayaz – Buzzi Ayazi 15 – Soledad Brothers – This Guitar Says I’m Sorry 16 – The White Stripes – Suzy Lee 17 – Etran de L’Aïr – Imouha 18 – Ben Watt with Bernard Butler – New Year of Grace (Upstairs at the De La Warr Pavilion Bexhill 5th April 2016) 19 – The Legendary Tiger Man – Keep it Burning 20 – Majid Bekkas – Daymallah (feat. Rachid Zeroual, Khalid Kouhen, Paolo Radoni, Marc Lelangue) 21 – Tinariwen – Sastanàqqàm 22 – Tom Hiddleston – I Saw The Light (with Mark Kermode on double-bass, live in the Wittertainment studio)
My Amazing Songs & Other Delights #68 – The Bric-à-New edition can now be listened to on mixcloud. It a lovely programme of new songs, or songs that are new to me.
Tracklist: 01: A Working Man’s Guide to Comedy – Imitation (Last Serious Man) 02: Adelaida – Las Flores No Saben Qué Decirse 03: Beak> – The Seal 04: Bernard Butler – Preaching To The Choir 05: Bill Rivers – No Pity 06: Bright Eyes – Bells and Whistles 07: Dorothy Carter – The King of Glory 08: Fontaines D.C. – Favourite 09: Guster – Maybe We’re Alright 10: Joe Goddard – Follow You 11: King Krule – Time For Slurp 12: Lara Taubman – Love Is The Rule 13: Marc Lemon – Meet Me In The Morning 14: Population 5 – Midnight Surfer 15: Salétile – Dürüm 16: The Milkshakes – For She
My Amazing Songs & Other Delights #68 The Bric-à-New edition airs Monday 1st, 3-4pm (gmt+1) on Yé Yé Radio: yeyeradio.com (or on the app).It a lovely programme of new songs, or songs that are new to me.
Tracklist: 01: A Working Man’s Guide to Comedy – Imitation (Last Serious Man) 02: Adelaida – Las Flores No Saben Qué Decirse 03: Beak> – The Seal 04: Bernard Butler – Preaching To The Choir 05: Bill Rivers – No Pity 06: Bright Eyes – Bells and Whistles 07: Dorothy Carter – The King of Glory 08: Fontaines D.C. – Favourite 09: Guster – Maybe We’re Alright 10: Joe Goddard – Follow You 11: King Krule – Time For Slurp 12: Lara Taubman – Love Is The Rule13: Marc Lemon – Meet Me In The Morning 14: Population 5 – Midnight Surfer 15: Salétile – Dürüm 16: The Milkshakes – For She
Tracklist: 01: A Working Man’s Guide to Comedy – Imitation (Last Serious Man) 02: Adelaida – Las Flores No Saben Qué Decirse 03: Beak> – The Seal 04: Bernard Butler – Preaching To The Choir 05: Bill Rivers – No Pity 06: Bright Eyes – Bells and Whistles 07: Dorothy Carter – The King of Glory 08: Fontaines D.C. – Favourite 09: Guster – Maybe We’re Alright 10: Joe Goddard – Follow You 11: King Krule – Time For Slurp 12: Lara Taubman – Love Is The Rule 13: Mark Lennon – Meet Me In The Morning 14: Population 5 – Midnight Surfer 15: Salétile – Dürüm 16: The Milkshakes – For She
My Amazing Songs & Other Delights #65 – The Rockamatic edition now available on mixcloud.
This edition name comes from the image transmitted by the songs. A mix of cinematic and rock covered by songs of diverse genres and ambients.
Tracklist: 01: Barry Adamson – The Last Words Of Sam Cooke 02: Belle & Sebastian in – What Happened To You, Son 03: Bernard Butler – Deep Emotions 04: Beyoncé – Blackbird 05: Dark Miles – The Waiting 06: Fat White Family – The Work 07: Girl and Girl – Oh Boy! 08: Guided by Voices – Serene King 09: Janita Salomé & Camané – Homens do Largo 10: Johnny Moped – Things May Happen 11: Mark Knopler – Two Pairs of Hands 12: Martin Savage & The Jiggerz – Observer 13: Myriam Gendron – Terres brûlées 14: Of Montreal – It’s Different For Girls 15: Pernice Brothers – Look Alike 16: Prickly Pear – At The End 17: The Decemberists – Burial Ground
My Amazing Songs & Other Delights #65 The Rockamatic edition airs tomorrow Monday 6th, 3-4pm (gmt+1) on Yé Yé Radio: yeyeradio.com (or on the app).
The programme name comes from the image transmitted by the songs. A mix of cinematic and rock covered by songs of diverse genres.
Tracklist: 01: Barry Adamson – The Last Words Of Sam Cooke 02: Belle & Sebastian – What Happened To You, Son 03: Bernard Butler – Deep Emotions 04: Beyoncé – Blackbird 05: Dark Miles – The Waiting 06: Fat White Family – The Work 07: Girl and Girl – Oh Boy! 08: Guided by Voices – Serene King 09: Janita Salomé & Camané – Homens do Largo 10: Johnny Moped – Things May Happen 11: Mark Knopler – Two Pairs of Hands 12: Martin Savage & The Jiggerz – Observer 13: Myriam Gendron – Terres brûlées 14: Of Montreal – It’s Different For Girls 15: Pernice Brothers – Look Alike 16: Prickly Pear – At The End 17: The Decemberists – Burial Ground
Mondo Bizarre Magazine 