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Imagine clicking to view this blog, or any other online article and being told you had to pay. That’s what will happen when The Times and The Sunday Times begins charging users to view its online content.

Rupert Murdoch may be the most powerful media tycoon in the country, but his opinion towards the internet, as quoted in The Independent on Saturday (March 27^th) is nothing short of outrageous.

That one man believes he can halt the trend of a global internet news marketplace in favour of preserving physical newspaper sales is absurd.

Michael Wolff, Murdoch’s biographer said, “He does not care about the online business, it’s about “buy my newspaper I will give you something extra [on the fact that Times and Sunday Times subscribers will have free online access]. If you don’t, I’m going to make the cost of online reading really quite onerous.” Rupert wants to be the guy that saved newspapers. He hates the internet.”

Isn’t that just insane? We are a news junky society. We consume news like we breathe air. I regularly read The Times Online and enjoy articles and comment by the likes of Jeremy Clarkson, Giles Coren and A A Gill.

Will I pay £1 a day or £2 a week to access this information in the future? I bloody doubt it.

I’d probably just buy the paper.

Steve McNeill

MUSICIAN FOCUS - Herbie Hancock

I have recently been researching and writing an article called “The ten greatest jazz pianists”. As a pianist myself who loves jazz (note I can’t call myself a jazz pianist) its been great fun. I’ve listened to some incredible music and discovered a lot of interesting information about “the ten greatest…” and although the definition of opinion dictates few people will agree with my run-down, I feel I can justify my top ten list.

Herbie Hancock is not just one of the most influential jazz musicians that has walked this earth – he is one of the most influential musicians of all time. He continues to embrace new music while remaining fresh and innovative.

One of my favourite records of 2009 was Hancock’s album The Joni Letters, a tribute to his long-time friend Joni Mitchell. The album was only the second jazz album to ever win the Grammy Award for Best Album (do you know what the first was?). Featuring collaborations with Norah Jones, Corrine Bailey-Rae, Leonard Cohen, Tina Turner and more, The Joni Letters is a masterclass in jazz piano. Hancock’s rearrangements of classic songs like “Case of You” and “Both Sides Now” stay faithful enough to the original chords and rhythms to be recognisable, yet venture far enough into Hancock virtuoso territory to be suitably outstanding works of musicianship.

My greatest admiration of Herbie comes from two of the best examples of jazz-fusion composition –“Watermelon Man” (1962) and “Cantaloupe Island” (1964). In both songs, the classic piano riffs are instantly recognisable and helped bring jazz to a more mainstream, pop-orientated audience.

Out of all the jazz greats, Hancock has incorporated other genres of music into jazz the most. As influential on hip-hop, funk and soul as he has been on jazz, Herbie continues to make great music, perform knockout shows and inspire countless other musicians (and non-musicians) across the world.

This video is a classic performance of the superb “Cantaloupe Island”. Composer, virtuoso, innovator… Enjoy a dose of the truly legendary Herbie Hancock.

The Misanthrope, Comedy Theatre, London, SW1

Theatre Review

The Misanthrope, Comedy Theatre, London, SW1, Wednesday 10th March 2010

**** (Very good: recommended)

As I write this review, I must confess I am not a regular theatre-goer. In fact, I haven’t set foot near a West End stage since I was 14 years old (even that wasn’t close, up in the Palladium’s roof-tiles). My comments about The Misanthrope are on face value and entertainment factor.

I cannot pretend that I was at the Comedy Theatre last night keen to see how Moliere’s “most famous comedy” has been interpreted for the London stage. I was there to see two of Britain’s best actors, well known for their silver screen soirées rather than their theatrical credits.

Damien Lewis and Kiera Knightly are the undoubted stars of the show. Their performances were well groomed (the show is in it’s final week) and elegant. Their communication was always clear and their characters convincing.

Lewis plays Alceste, a playwright who seems at every turn to be frustrated with everyone around him. Accusing others of shallowness and arrogance, his own weaknesses are clear for the audience and other characters to see.

Alceste’s love interest Jennifer (Kiera Knightly), is an American actress who lives by the “life is a stage” cliché. Knightly pulls off the American accent with consistency, although at times the nasal texture of some words fills the room. Ironically, Alceste loves Jennifer for all her faults – faults that he despairs at the rest of society for.

One scene in particular – just after an interval, which was more at the three quarter mark than the halfway point – had the audience consumed with tension and anticipation. As Alceste and Jennifer migrate from hatred of each other to lust, Lewis executes a well-rehearsed slap and the play steamrolls towards the final scene in which Jennifer is revealed as back stabbing and self-centered. Didn’t see that one coming.

The play teaches us that everyone (at least in this portrayed media world) is selfish – we are all out for ourselves. When Jennifer’s malicious comments about her ‘friends’ are revealed, we see, one-by-one, how none of them gives a shit (the journalist files her story, the drama-teacher rejoices at seeing her name in the paper and the fellow actor has another attempt to bury his face in the furry cup).

Much to the misanthrope’s despair, Jennifer tosses his fantasy of eloping with her into the wind. She isn’t interested in leaving her world behind. Maybe she was only interested in Alceste for matters of professional interest, despite her early insistence, “I love you… and I don’t use that word lightly”. An actress is never off duty.

Backed up by a superb supporting cast, the two stars turn on a great show. The script is humorous yet serious, filled with wit and irony at every turn.

The Misanthrope is a play that can be enjoyed on face value. Critics will look beyond at the degree to which it is faithful both to the original script and the Martin Crimp reworking. I simply enjoyed it.

Steve McNeill

David Ford - Let The Hard Times Roll

David Ford – Let The Hard Times Roll (Original Signal Recordings)

A musical masterclass from the Eastbourne troubadour

***** (Outstanding)

“I don’t really understand how I have been allowed to continue for so long given my phenomenal lack of commercial success. What I have come to believe is that the honesty of music might just stand a chance against the tried and tested bullshit of the machine. Not a great chance, but a chance nonetheless.”

So blogged David Ford on his website, just prior to the digital release of Let The Hard Times Roll, his new studio album.

In the last five years I can count on less than two hands the number of albums that have reaffirmed my faith in great music. After ten years of trying, Ford sounds like the real deal.

Let The Hard Times Roll is Ford’s proving ground. In this arena he demonstrates an innate ability to glide from the powerful and majestic to the vulnerable and questioning. Humanity and politics are the adrenaline running through the bloodstream of this record.

Opener “Panic” breaks into drama at the halfway point, stylistically reminiscent of classic Josh Ritter while “Sylvia” strolls along with overtones of Oasis’ “She’s Electric”.

In some ways, Ford is competing on Ryan Adams territory. But Adams could never make a record like this. The depth and focus of the lyrics are crafted somewhere between the poetic and the genius and are at their strongest on the simple, heartbreaking “Stephen” and the resigning, condemning “Nothing At All”. It is during the latter that Ford’s lyrical precision shines through, “In some far-flung aggression/kids are dying for me/I am nothing at all/like I wanted to be”.

The album closer “Call to Arms” is the most overtly political song on the record. But Ford tempers his demands with love, “This is a call to arms/hold your darling tight/don’t let her go at the fork in the road”. His message – stick together. Make your decisions with belief and love. Fight for honesty and truth. The songs ending feels like an opportunity missed to bring the album to an epic close, with Ford instead choosing a choir-like hymnal finale and a slightly awkward key change.

I have always believed that the honesty of music might just stand a chance against “the bullshit of the machine.” Let The Hard Times Roll reaffirms my belief in real songwriting. It is a craft borne out of hard graft, an understanding of the world we live in and the ability to translate that understanding into something more than just words. Add to these skills David Ford’s outstanding musicianship and Let The Hard Times Roll will hold it’s own as one of the finest records of the year.

David Ford is taking his solo show on tour to Canada and the US until March 26^th. In the UK, don’t miss him with his full band in Leeds - Brudenell Social Club (April 11^th), Newcastle – The Kluny 2 (April 12^th) and London – Camden Koko (April 13^th).

Steve McNeill

Groove Armada, Forum, London NW5 3/3/10

Live Review

Groove Armada @ Forum, Kentish Town, London NW5 – Wednesday 3/3/10

** (solid performance)

Pulling in a packed house to Kentish Town’s Forum on Wednesday night, Tom Findlay and Andy Kato’s Groove Armada seemed keen to leave their arrival on stage to the very last minute.

Perhaps concerned that the crowd would still be funneling out of nearby boozers having watched the most anticipated England friendly in years, Groove Armada finally emerged at nearly a quarter to ten.

Huge applause, massive sound and a great venue, Forum was packed to the rafters with a crowd that was more experienced than baby faced but still punched its fair share of appreciative youth.

Introducing a heavy load of new material from recent album Black Light, the band met with a warm early reception. Too many seemed uninterested in new singer SaintSaviour – a bleach-blonde futuristic reincarnation of La Roux with a penchant for Yoga-style arm workouts.

In contrast, when long-time collaborator MC M.A.D landed, the show took off. Effortlessly guiding the band through Get Down, M.A.D’s performance went down a treat. A return to the stage in the encore saw the band finish with a rollicking Superstylin’ creating chaos in every corner of the venue.

Underneath the tripping laser show (no drugs were consumed by the writer), Groove Armada lacked true musicianship, leaving the show rather two-dimensional. A going-through-the-motions approach to Ibiza classic At The River had more than a few people wanting more in an encore that was worth the entry fee alone.

Everything was solid – everything sounded fine – everyone enjoyed the show. Black Light may demonstrate that Groove Armada’s sound is changing, but their live act still shows they are a band that can easily operate at the highest level.

Leaving themselves just an hour and fifteen minutes to wow an audience that could probably have danced all night was a hard task. Unfortunately tonight, Groove Armada didn’t quite hit the mark.

Steve McNeill