Author Archives: Nick Kelly

Van Morrison (left) and Eric Clapton perform at the O2 Arena, London England  on March 3, 2020

Over the weekend.

Vaccine injured guitarist Eric Clapton appeared on the YouTube channel Real Music Observer (above) to talk about his anti-vaccine stand and collaboration with Van Morrison.

Clapton said:

“Whatever the memo was, it hadn’t reached me. Then I started to realise there was really a memo, and a guy, Mattias Desmet [professor of clinical psychology at Ghent University in Belgium], talked about it.

‘And it’s great. The theory of mass formation hypnosis. And I could see it then. Once I kind of started to look for it, I saw it everywhere.

‘Then I remembered seeing little things on YouTube which were like subliminal advertising. It had been going on for a long time: that thing about “you will own nothing and you will be happy.”

‘And I thought, “What’s that mean?” And bit by bit, I put a rough kind of jigsaw puzzle together. And that made me even more resolute.’

I joined forces with Van and I got the tip Van was standing up to the measures and I thought, “why is nobody else doing this” so I contacted him.

‘He said “I’m just objecting really. But it seems like we’re not even allowed to do that. And nobody else is doing it.”

‘He sent me Stand and Deliver, which he’d already recorded. And it was during the process of talking about that with another musician, getting excited and sharing the news I found that nobody wanted to hear that.

I was mystified, I seemed to be the only person that found it exciting or even appropriate. I’m cut from a cloth where if you tell me I can’t do something, I really want to know why.

He added:

‘My family and friends got scared, and I think they were scared on my behalf.’

Over the last year, there’s been a lot of disappearing – a lot of dust around, with people moving away quite quickly.

‘It has, for me, refined the kind of friendship I have. And it’s dwindled down to the people that I obviously really need and love.

‘Inside my family, that became quite pivotal… I’ve got teenage girls, and an older girl who’s in he thirties – and they’ve all had to kind of give me leeway because I haven’t been able to convince any of them.’

I would try to reach out to fellow musicians and sometimes I just don’t hear from them.

My phone doesn’t ring very often. I don’t get that many texts and emails anymore.’

Eric Clapton claims people who have had the Covid vaccine are victims of ‘mass formation hypnosis’ (MailOnline)

Getty

Moncrieff – Warm

We could drive forever.

London-based Irish singer/songwriter Moncrieff (top) celebrates his new deal with the German record label Energie Music with this single from his forthcoming EP.

Already hitting 20,000 streams, Warm is a big-hearted love song with a tremendous video directed by Antoine Poulard and co-starring Moncrieff and Sarah Teare.

Moncrieff writes:

“Nobody’s perfect. This song is about being that person, and that rare moment in life when you find that person that truly sees you for you, your imperfections, flaws and scars as well as your good traits and loves you for them. It’s a really comforting and happy feeling to just know that all you have to do is be yourself.”

Nick says: Two hearts in a can.

Moncrieff

Thank Jim Steinman it’s Friday.

This week’s voucher-less music corner is in honour of the late, great Meat Loaf  RIP.

Taking Bat Out Of Hell as our inspiration, this week I want to know: What’s your favourite song about or referencing an animal?

Here’s mine.

Please include video links if possible.

Lines close on Saturday at Midnight.

Meanwhile….

The Bangles – Manic Monday

Last week, in honour of Ronnie Spector’s passing, I asked for your favourite song by a girl group. The Tec Dr won my esteem with this entry.

“It has to be the catchy as hell Manic Monday written by the Genius Prince and recorded by The Bangles. The piano motif in the song is something else.”

Nick says: Congrats Tec Dr and thanks to everyone who entered.

Last week: Win Nick’s Esteem

Pic: Steamboat Records, Limerick

Eileen Gogan with Sean O’Hagan – Walking Lanes

Walkin’ down Walkinstown.

I’m getting Carole King vibes from this fruitful collaboration between Dublin songsmith Eileen Gogan (The Would Be’s, The Revenants, The Drays) and Sean O’Hagan (Microdisney, The High Llamas).

The 4-song EP Another Golden Day is released by Dimple Discs.

Eileen writes:

Cathal Coughlan got in touch in 2018 to ask if I would sing with Microdisney on their reunion gigs and that is how I met Sean. Sean then got in touch a few months after the gig as he was interested in doing some shows around Ireland. He asked if I knew any good venues. He then suggested that I might support him, so Sean, Brian O’Neill (from Dimple Discs) and I went on the road in a rented car and played some gigs around Ireland. It was the best fun ever!

“Sean and I stayed in touch, and then he helped out on my solo album. Later I think he was between projects and looking for something to do and he asked me to send him some songs. He liked some of them and he thought it might be fun to release an EP. I am completely blown away by what he has done. Whenever I listen to them I’m mesmerised by the amazing breath and ethereal life he has injected into the songs.”

Nick says: May all your days be gold.

Eileen Gogan

Gulp.

Anyone?

Earlier: Roll Out The Barrel

Meanwhile…

This morning.

Meat Loaf dies at 74.

RIP

Meanwhile…