Jim Carroll

• Randomiser
• September 28, 2007, 17:59

On the train from Toronto to Montreal and, what do you know, there’s Wi-Fi onboard. I just turned on the Mac and, to quote Tag Team, whoop there it is. Wonder will Irish Rail get the memo? Beats that mobile …

• Live music
• September 28, 2007, 13:25

Trust Kevin Drew and friends to go to town with their homecoming (or, more likely, we’re-leaving-home-again) show. There was one show early doors and another which kicked off late and finished much, much later before depositing everyone out onto Bloor …

• Clubs Live music
• September 28, 2007, 06:55

It’s back to school time for a group of DJs and music producers from all over the globe, who are attending the Red Bull Music Academy (RBMA) in Toronto.

• Media Music business
• September 28, 2007, 06:51

The cast of lecturers and talkers at this year’s Red Bull Music Academy come from all walks of musical life. Martyn Ware, formerly of Human League and Heaven 17 told how he made tracks such as Being Boiled – “it …

• Music business
• September 28, 2007, 06:47

The people behind Toronto’s Arts & Crafts label were in party mode this week and threw a swish soiree in the city to celebrate some recent events. It was a chance for them to mark the ongoing worldwide chart success …

• Music business
• September 28, 2007, 06:44

Montreal’s Patrick Watson – who plays Dublin’s Ambassador on November 13th – won this year’s Polaris Music Prize for his Close To Paradise album at an event in Toronto on Monday. There were 10 albums in the running, including Arcade …

• Babs
• September 27, 2007, 12:28

The Barbra Streisand Irish concert saga looks like it’s coming to an end. The report has been issued, the apologies have been given and 2,500 Babs freaks are going to get either their money back or a “voucher”. The report …

• Tune of the Week
• September 27, 2007, 04:24

I could probably fill this Tune of the Week slot for the next couple of years with acts from Canada.

• Randomiser
• September 27, 2007, 04:18

The Red Bull Music Academy is quite an operation. While throwing 30 tyro producers and DJs together for two weeks and hoping they don’t come to blows is one thing, the actual logistics (and cost) of putting on the gig …

• Randomiser
• September 26, 2007, 14:07

(1) Fuming is a great word. Probably my word of the year. I’ve discovered that On The Record blog readers love to fume. They fume about the price of tickets and not getting tickets. They fume about MCD, Ticketmaster, Arcade …

• Music business
• September 25, 2007, 04:50

Patrick Watson was the happiest man in Toronto last night as he left the Phoenix Theatre with the Polaris Music Prize’s $20,000 cheque under his oxter. The judges decided that the Montreal man’s “Close To Paradise” album was the one …

• Music business
• September 24, 2007, 13:52

…make sure it’s this one. From his blog on the New York Times site, Freakonomics co-author Stephen Dubner posed the question “what’s the future of the music industry?” to a number of players and pundits (including Fredric Dannen who wrote …

• Clubs Live music Music business
• September 24, 2007, 06:16

Your favourite waste of that time which should really be spent doing productive things for your employer will have a Canadian flavour to it for the next week or so. On The Record is currently in Toronto to observe what’s …

• Retail
• September 21, 2007, 09:09

The Virgin Megastore brand is the latest marquee name set to vanish from the streets in what has been an eventful year for the music retail sector.

• Hip-hop
• September 21, 2007, 09:06

Who’s the man? Well, in hip-hop blockbuster terms, Kanye West is the man, shifting 957,000 copies of his Graduation album in one week in the US, compared to the 691,000 sales accrued by his rival 50 Cent for Curtis. It’s …

• Live music Music business
• September 21, 2007, 09:05

Gigonomics present plenty of difficulties for Irish bands seeking to haul their asses around the country and play to the people. While singer-songwriters can simply stick the guitar in the boot of the car and head off, bands face other …

• Art New releases
• September 21, 2007, 09:04

They’re coming home. Earlier this summer, Galway’s Cane 141 took their Lost at Sea collaborative installation with artist Róisín Coyle to the GraceSpace gallery in New York. The installation will now feature at Nimmo’s in Galway on October 4th, along …

• Media Randomiser
• September 20, 2007, 14:22

Bet you didn’t know that the Irish government used to keep tabs on UFOs? Until 1984, the Department of Defence kept a file on Irish UFO sightings. Since then, the government has been busy with other things (ensuring we have …

• Tune of the Week
• September 20, 2007, 10:05

No, I didn’t see this one coming.

• Media Politics
• September 19, 2007, 08:23

A couple of years ago, an old mucker of mine Katie Hannon wrote a great book about the Irish political process. The Naked Politician looked at just why hundreds and hundreds of seemingly sane men and women would go through …

• Live music
• September 18, 2007, 17:09

Our favourite French duo Justice are the latest act to go under canvas this autumn/winter – they play Live at the Marquee in the Phoenix Park on December 1. Tickets on sale from Saturday. Support bill TBC. They’re probably the …

• Media
• September 18, 2007, 15:21

Via Rev Jules, here’s the sponsorship document which Channel 6 were flinging around in the search to get someone to give them some cash for proposed surfing show Cois Farraige (mmm, wonder where they got that name from?). Per the …

• Ireland
• September 18, 2007, 14:40

The run on Northern Rock’s one lonely outpost in Ireland seems to have crawled to a stroll. Maybe this is down to the announcement by the British Chancellor of the Exchequer to promise to pay the bills or maybe it’s …

• Randomiser
• September 18, 2007, 12:31

Last week would have been a great week to issue this report. From Reuters, American radio is beginning to show a lot of love for text messages. So 2005. Miranda Sawyer’s views on why the kids are listening to BBC …

• Irish Times
• September 18, 2007, 09:55

The letters are flying already. Madam, – In light of the comments made by the German ambassador to Ireland I have taken the time to draft the below letter as I realise the Taoiseach may well be busy this week: …

• The Far Side
• September 17, 2007, 11:10

As played on Phantom 105.2, Saturday September 15, 10pm-midnight Loads and loads and loads of new stuff – well new to me at any rate. If you haven’t done so already, check out Windmill’s album “Puddle City Racing Lights” on …

• Politics
• September 17, 2007, 09:34

The fuming has already begun. There was some fuming on Morning Ireland earlier and I reckon we’re in for a whole week of fuming. All thanks to the German ambassador to Ireland, Christian Pauls, who made a couple of observations …

• Live music
• September 17, 2007, 09:11

It seems that Some Days Never End, the series of gigs from POD Concerts to be held in the grounds of the Irish Museum of Modern Art in Dublin during October, will feature THREE tents. That counts as serious oneupmanship …

• Politics
• September 17, 2007, 09:11

From That’s Ireland via The New-ish Journalism and The Warholiser

• Arcade Ire
• September 14, 2007, 09:15

Shock, horror, Johnny Drama – the second show in a big tent from the Canucks who sound like The Waterboys is now sold out too. It looks like only John Paul Two could have drawn more people to the Park. …

• Media
• September 14, 2007, 09:00

Already a well-established title in Northern Ireland, AU magazine will be appearing on newstands all over Ireland from October.

• Live music New releases
• September 14, 2007, 08:56

With music industry despatches dominated of late by tales of woe, more and more acts are finding that a little bit of imagination goes a long way when it comes to grabbing attention. It also helps that the act has …

• Clubs
• September 14, 2007, 08:53

Along with Shine in Belfast and Freakscene in Cork, Strictly Handbag is one of the veterans on the Irish club scene. The Monday night hang-out in the capital city for 1980s revivalists and people who don’t have to get up …

• Tune of the Week
• September 13, 2007, 14:56

You need tea leaves to make a proper pot of tea.

• Football
• September 13, 2007, 12:10

By the looks of this, he was quick off the mark this morning.

• Media
• September 12, 2007, 14:32

I watched The View last night. Yes readers, I did and you poor saps are going to have to put up with me dissecting the show for the next few paragraphs. It’s a strange beast, the TV arts show. In …

• Festivals
• September 12, 2007, 09:21

One of this year’s more interesting fests was the Life weekender in Gort, Co Galway in June. The organisers decided they wanted to end the season with a bang and put together the After Life one-day bash featuring Coldcut, Tayo, …

• Randomiser
• September 10, 2007, 11:14

(1) Rugby sucks. Golf sucks too but not as much as rugby. (2) Some advertising and PR hype does not work. I’ve lost count of the amount of clueless press releases, photo ops and stupid stunts from mobile phone pimps …

• The Far Side
• September 10, 2007, 09:25

As played on Phantom FM, Saturday September 1, 10pm-midnight Just as it was inevitable that this show would start out with that remix of RATM after I heard it last weekend (cheers to Annie Mac for the hook-up), it was …

• New releases
• September 10, 2007, 08:53

Hugely popular Crumlin troubadour Paddy Casey has sold a staggering 250,000 copies of his two albums to date in Ireland alone. Last Friday, he released his new album “Addicted To Company (Part 1)” and marked this occasion with an in-store …

• Live music
• September 7, 2007, 13:52

Ahem. Kanye West plays Live at the Marquee in the Phoenix Park, Dublin on November 30th. Yes, another bloody tent. Kanye will also play Belfast’s Odyssey Arena on December 1st. Expect Aiken Promotions to announce more Live at the Marquee …

• Live music
• September 7, 2007, 12:48

Some online sleuthing shows that Dizzee Rascal will be playing the tent pitched in the grounds of the Irish Museum of Modern Art on October 25th and Jose Gonzalez will be playing on October 26th. UPDATE 1 It looks like …

• Arcade Ire Live music
• September 7, 2007, 11:39

Arcade Fire to play a second show in Dublin in October. Have a great weekend y’all. UPDATE As exclusively, er, rumoured here, Arcade Fire play an extra date at Dublin’s Big Top on October 23. Tickets go on sale on …

• Festivals
• September 7, 2007, 10:28

The best music festival of 2007? Don’t take our word for it. On The Record blog readers were asked to give us their verdict on the Electric Picnic and here’s their take on it.

• Live music
• September 6, 2007, 11:11

It’s interesting to see that one of the Big Three concert promoters in Ireland are not bothering with tents for their shows this autumn. With the Point closed until early 2009, Aiken Promotions seem intent on putting all their big …

• Media Music business
• September 6, 2007, 11:05

Some day, all record executives will be like Rick Rubin. A Mercury Music Prize judge tells all. Just a pity Jude Rogers forgot one vital detail: the panel do not get to select their shortlist from ALL albums released, but …

• Tune of the Week
• September 6, 2007, 09:33

Here’s where it starts to get interesting again.

• Media
• September 5, 2007, 18:20

Good news: Sinead Gleeson has recommenced blogging.

• Festivals Photos
• September 5, 2007, 18:05

I’ve seen loads and loads of really cool photos from last weekend online so here are some links. Get clicking! And also check out Kate Geraghty’s great pics for The Ticket at the Electric Picnic here. Una introduced me over …

• Live music Media
• September 5, 2007, 10:43

They haven’t gone away, you know. While On The Record readers (and writers) recover from the Electric Picnic, some old topics are still rumbling on. No, not that one. Or that one, though we expect it to return next week. …

• Festivals
• September 4, 2007, 15:54

I’ve noticed a few people mentioning The Dukesbox in the comments below as one of their Picnic highlights, which is cool to see. I bumped into two very unhappy Dukes when I was wandering around the site on Friday afternoon. …

• The Far Side
• September 4, 2007, 11:42

As played on Phantom FM, Saturday September 1, 10pm-midnight Yeah, yeah, it was a pre-record. Bjork “Earth Intruders (Instrumental)” (One Little Indian) Spiritualized “Electricity” (Dedicated) Magik Markers “Taste” (Ecstatic Peace) Josh Ritter “Real Long Distance” (Independent) Les Savy Fav “The …

• Festivals
• September 3, 2007, 12:10

Enough about the weekend from me, what about you? How was the Electric Picnic for you? Let us know your thoughts, raves, faves, quibbles and stories. I’m planning to round up the best of the rest of the Picnic for …

• Festivals
• September 3, 2007, 12:08

(1) What idiot booked the Jesus & Mary Chain for the main stage? If ever there was a band doing a TTMAR (take the money and run) gig, it was the Reids and their hired hands. Still, Jim Reid looks …

• Festivals
• September 2, 2007, 11:59

Sunday’s issue of The Ticket at the Electric Picnic is currently in circulation in Stradbally. There you go, The Irish Times gets published on a Sunday from a shed in the middle of a field in Co Laois. You can …

• Festivals
• September 1, 2007, 12:37

Read all about it! The first issue of The Ticket at the Electric Picnic is currently in circulation in Stradbally or you can read it here. For those who want more Picnic coverage, my colour piece from the Picnic ended …