The Stranglers – Gig Review (Sheffield O2)Friday 25th March 2012
April 2, 2012 | 
Author Excellent Stranglers gig last Friday 25th March 12 (Sheffield O2). It has stuck in my mind because the o2 was pretty rammed as apparently the gigs on this tour have been. This is impressive for a largely unpopular an decidedly ‘old’ band. especially considering line-up changes, some wilderness years and up to recent years, relentlessly negative press. Also, it’s hard to think what the Stranglers stand for now. It wasn’t all that clear back in 1978 when I first saw them. Never really Punk but they did scowling, growling Punk better than most of the ‘real’ Punk bands. Even back then though, the ‘nasty’ stuff also came with a smattering of eccentric nursery rhyme melodies and weird time signatures. I remember thinking they were rather odd. They sounded like nothing I’d ever heard, two of them were hairy, they were openly aggressive (Burnel apparently keen to pick a fight with the audience, security or anyone), all thrilling stuff but definitely odd.
What was also impressive last Friday was that they played a cracking set, with nothing more than the four personnel on stage and the instruments they had to hand. They were also clearly enjoying the task, which came over well into the audience. This was despite the absence of the metronomic Jet Black, who at 74, can perhaps be forgiven a sicky (and his drum tech doing a creditable job). The sinister growl of Burnel’s bass and the icy notes that Greenfield weaves around it, were definitely present though. And on classic tracks like Something Better Change and Hanging Around; this signature sound still sends a shiver down the spine and provokes unhealthy feelings of aggression, in people old enough to know better. There’s softer stuff too but not too soft. Golden Brown gets the hard live delivery with some great guitar work from Warns and Strange Little Girl is gentle but threatening as Burnel does some really fancy bass malarkey. The variety of the back catalogue is well represented but not in greatest hits way – the audience by and large, wouldn’t want that because we love the less well known tracks just as much as the hits and this isn’t a nostalgia gig. Then there’s also the new material, liberally sprinkled into the set. Now with most bands from this era, a new track usually signals the opportunity to go to A. the bar or B. the loo. Not here though, the new stuff provokes not only continued dancing but also a fair bit of singing along. Very unusual and to me this says as much about the fans as the band. It’s good stuff mind, the new songs are ‘proper’ Stranglers tunes, new but in keeping and suiting the current, no frills (second) classic, four man line up. Hard to say why I like this band so much: I have seen them upwards of thirty times and on Friday they still managed to surprise me. They’ve never been away but it is really good to have them back.
Can’t find a clip of the gig but here’s one from brum a little earlier in the tour. http://www.youtube.com/watch?
Reviewed by Ivan Marsden (Ops Director)
Posted in Uncategorized
Sales and Ops Trip to Oslo, Norway
After going to lovely hot countries over the past year, tsg decided to send me to Oslo. Yes that’s Oslo in Norway, where it is bloomin’ cold – minus 17 in fact!
Having had a journey from Hell driving to Gatwick (it was when the UK had the snow storm), we were at the Airport ready to board . Have to admit Norwegian Air is not a bad Airline to fly with, apart from it being very expensive – I’ll touch on the prices a little later… Landing in the slush on the runway was a little scary. Well, when I say a little, it was a lot scary – had my eyes closed until we come to a standstill……..
So, having landed in Oslo, Phil and I were met by the Customer with the as ever “Jo Logan, you are here darling” !
It was the day before the site was due to open, and being airside at the airport we had to go through security. We were given special passes which meant we didn’t have to be searched – bummer!! 
Phil had to do a fair bit to make sure the music and media was all commissioned, but, all in all it looked and sounded amazing, and our engineers had done an amazing job.
Having dressed accordingly for such a cold country, we thought the 5 minute walk from the airport to the hotel would be easy. HOW very wrong we were – it was so cold it hurt us to breathe, our bones ached and I’m sure I had an icicle forming at the end of my nose! Hello nice warm hotel, upstairs, put the case away, take my 100s of layers of clothes off and in the bar for a well deserved beer.
Now are you ready for this? … Two beers and two burgers – £78.00. As you can imagine my jaw hit the floor… I thought he was having a laugh, but no, he was deadly serious! Needless to say, we had an early night and didn’t eat or drink for the rest of the trip – I’d already spent my pocket money!
Up at 4:00 in the morning ready for the 5:00 opening of the site. All went really well and the site was busy all day, which was very good to see. Phil and I had an hour off so we went into Oslo to have a look around. Beautiful city, snow on the ground, snow falling from the sky and beautiful buildings – what more could we have asked for….. ? (The temperature to be above minus 10 would have been nice.)
Sooooo cold!
We had so much to get done for the 2 days we were there. We managed it though and the customer was very happy, and the locals we met were all very welcoming and loved to talk! All in all a great trip, and look forward to the next one. (a Hot one please.)
How much???
Another year over…
It’s almost time we disappeared for Christmas, and I think we’re all a little bit relieved. We’re ready to take some time off, relax with some drinks and not have to listen to any more bleak cover versions of ‘Last Christmas’.
And haven’t we earned it…
This year, we designed a new sound system for Meadowhall Shopping Centre’s £7million redevelopment of its Dining Quarter. To complement the new restaurants, which include Wagamama, Chaobaby and Las Iguanas, we designed and installed a high quality sound system using Bose products strategically (and acoustically) placed to make sure that music still sounds crisp and clear in the vastness of the food court.
We also supplied music programmes and hardware toGourmetGulf, which runs international restaurants from several countries in the United Arab Emirates, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Oman, Bahrain and India. Our system will enhance the casual and relaxed atmosphere in their California Pizza Kitchen, YO! Sushi, Morelli’s Gelato, Gourmet Burger Kitchen and Trader Vic’s restaurants.
We provided a music system to Pizza Hut Solihull Touchwood to complement its new, more ambient design. The system plays different music programmes at different times of the day to appeal to and enhance the dining experience of different groups of people.
We also created music programmes for Cash Converters, helping them to reduce perceived wait times and make sure that transactions are made in confidence, with no chance of being overheard.
After all that, we’re definitely looking forward to Christmas and the New Year! We think 2012 is going to be another massive year for us, so for our sake, we hope our hangovers go away before April. Wishing the same to you, have a great Christmas and New Year!
And on that note, have some Christmas music you (hopefully) haven’t heard everywhere already this month:
Don’t Shoot Me Santa – The Killers
Christmas Number One – The Black Arts
Christmas at the Zoo – Flaming Lips
Posted in Uncategorized
Adam Ant – O2 Acadamy Sheffield 15/12
Posted in Uncategorized
TSG Sales Trip to Dubai and Kuwait – Dec 2011
Sunday 4th December
Bags packed and off to the airport I go for the first leg of the business trip ….. Yep, it’s Dubai again for a jam packed couple of days of meetings, although we didn’t have time to do much else Nick Freeman did manage to wear his shorts as much as he could, cracking pair of legs – Look??
First stop Dubai, it was a flying visit, but nice to know that the people at the Hotel remembered us, not sure why but I was put down as Mr Logan…. Now I know I’m flat chested but come on guys!! Having been to Dubai before I was a little shocked at how cold it was, during the day it only reached 28 degrees! The meetings we had scheduled all went well along with other contacts we had been given.
So back to the airport for our flight to Kuwait, whilst waiting for the plane to taxi to the runway one of the stewardess was looking out of the window and calling her colleagues to come have a look, at this point I was thinking OMG has the wing fallen off, I have to say I prayed so hard that we would be ok.
Hello Kuwait City, after finally obtaining our Visa’s to enter after many ‘Visa’s upstairs mam, No mam Visa’s downstairs’ we were on our way to the Hotel, I had managed to smuggle Zumba DVD’s into the country….. Manal you owe me one!!
The next few days consisted of more meetings, more good news, more contacts, great company and I am pleasantly surprised at how nice as city Kuwait is! Definitely be returning for more Shisha……
Lastly I have to say a HUGE thank you to Manal who babysat us for the 2 days we were there, we got taken everywhere, made to have many Shisha’s and had a good old laugh, whilst discussing work of course.
Posted in Jo Logan/Sales Department
Portugal: TSG Media Sales trip
Having not long landed from my visit to Dubai I was back on the plane with ‘Nev’ from programming on our way to Portugal, I thought Emirates was a fantastic airline to fly with but let me tell you they have nothing on EasyJet!!
We arrived in Portugal at 10:30 and the weather was beautiful, we were informed that it isn’t usually that hot, we didn’t mind much apart from being suited and booted and having to leave our deodorant at security as the bottle was to big…. So off to the hotel to drop bags off, first stop was to check in on our engineers who were already out there completing an installation and what a spiffing job they did.
Then out with the customer to do site visits around Lisboa, what an amazing place it is, although everything we saw was either out of a taxi window or inside a shopping mall it defiantly looks like a great city
Whilst out visiting we were offered the customers juices to try as he wanted us to really understand him and is brand!! And let me tell you they were lovely….. (yes we had to stifle a little laugh when he wasn’t looking)
Back to the hotel for a change of clothes then out in the evening with another customer who is absolutely amazing, flamboyant isn’t the word for him, so as you can imagine there was lots of laughter and business talk of course…. We were made to try snails, I had to pass as their little heads were popping out but Nev bit the bullet and ate, oooh must have been 20+ (he’s such a man) J back in the taxi, and I have to say I didn’t think we were going to make it back to the hotel, I thought I drove erratic but these guys just don’t seem to care who gets in their way, I was saying a few Hail Mary’s in the 10 minutes back let me tell you.
All in all it was a fantastic trip and I am looking forward to my next visit in November.
Snails – just in case you didn’t believe me
Hotel – the colour wash that you can see was amazing, I was mesmerized
TSG Media – Arabian Adventure
For those seasoned Business Travellers out there, you’ll know well the reaction of Colleagues and Friends when you casually mention in conversation that you’re away to some exotic sounding location on Business.
The standard retorts are generally, “Oh yeah right, more like a sitting around the Hotel Pool”! or, “that’ll be nice, will you be able to see some of the sights while you’re there”?
Well guess what? – you certainly don’t get to see any sights, and you definitely don’t get the opportunity to lounge around the Pool, unless, of course you want to get a P45 on your return home – (that’s my story, and I’m going to stick to it !) – seriously, if you don’t believe me, feel free to chat with Jo Logan, “Nev” in Programming, or Andy Atkins and Jordan Packham about their recent visits to Portugal – overseas visits just aren’t as glamorous as the sound are they Chaps?
With Presentations complete and numerous Meetings arranged, Jo Logan and I set off for a 5-day “sortie” to the UAE.
Jo Logan and I arrived in Dubai at the start of the UK’s (so called) “Heatwave” – well, let me tell you, UK HEATWAVE!!!! – you’re just having a giggle! – 5-days of 44c in the day, 38c at night and 95% humidity, to be honest, I was grateful to get home to some central heating
I’ve not had the opportunity to visit The UAE before, and I can only comment on what I witnessed from either the inside of a Taxi, from inside Hotel Lobby’s, or, from Customer visits inside the enormously impressive Dubai Mall – adjectives I’d personally use would be “impressive”, “bold”, “brash”, “contradictory” and arguably “superficial”.
Would I go back? – for business, sure!, but, for pleasure, it’s not really for me.
From the business perspective, was it worth the time, investment and endless change of shirts? – only time will tell, but with orders already placed from Kuwait, plus a great deal of interest from Dubai, Morocco, Pakistan and Qatar, I’ve a notion it will be.
To finish off, Jo and I must say a huge Thank You to Tarek, Manal, and Mark for their Hospitality, and, to Mark Sankey from UKTI for his help in arranging the visit
Pics included are –
View from Hotel window – it’s as close as we got to the Pool and the Sea! (honest!)
A section of The Dubai Mall Foyer – Stratford, Bull Ring, Meadow Hall and Westfield please take note!
Jo Logan using Local Taxi and wondering why she’s going to be late for a Meeting
Posted in Nick Freeman
Non PPL & PRS (Rights Free) music
I always used to refer to rights free music as “lift music” non descript music ….or even “muzak”. However TSG have been recently building up a fantastic collection of music of all genres recorded by emerging artists who, as yet, have not signed rights to a record label or publisher. These artists have given TSG the rights to incorporate their material into music programmes for commercial background music use.
By using this material, the operator (end-user) does not have to pay any PPL (Phonographic Performance Ltd) or PRS (Performing Rights Society) licenses for their public performance of the music. This potentially saves thousands of pounds per annum on operating costs per venue.
It is easy to understand why this type of music profile is becoming our fastest growing market.
We ensure the songs are professionally produced by listening individually to and hand selecting each track. Our Music Programming Department ensure there no extremes, no swear words and that the recordings are of a high quality recording.
Posted in Ian Light/Music Programming
TSG at Bose Product Training Day (with added tanks!)
Bose Product Training Day…..we were working, honest!!
I happen to be an amateur photographer in my spare time (not that I get any!), therefore, my camera goes with me pretty much everywhere.
We were down in Gillingham on Bose Training Sessions – and our Hotel just happened to be next door to the Royal Engineers Museum, so, I popped across and started taking shots outside the fencing.
Whist happily clicking away, in the distance, I could see this rather red faced Official looking “Chappie” bounding towards me – “ooooops”, I thought, “could be in right trouble here” ? – as he bounded ever closer, I could see that the Official looking “Chappie” was in his later 50′s, a tad over weight and very sweaty – there was no way I was having my camera gear confiscated (at least not without a bloody good fight fight, I thought) – I mentally weighed up the odds, Me and Ash against an overweight sweaty 50 year old??? – Mmmmmm, shouldn’t be much of a contest I thought? – so, I shouted to Ash “RIGHT MATE, LET’S LEGGIT SHARPISH”
Just as we we’re about to turn tail and scarper, “Chappie” shouted “come in and take some proper shots, I can see you’re struggling to get the ones you want” – bear in mind the museum was closed at this point.
We got chatting, and I mentioned we were Sound Engineers blah blah etc etc- and whatd’ya know, he just happens to have been tasked with producing a Helmet with earphones that plays some sort of soundtrack, and he wasn’t sure how he was going to do it, so naturally I offered tsg’s help!
Official sweaty “Chappie” said he was a Carpenter by trade, and had just picked up some materials and was going back into the Museum – (I couldn’t help myself!), “Are you going to build a Tank”? I said flippently – “No”, I’m not” he said “but I can drive one… that’s mine over there”!!!
Anyway, to cut a long story short, it turned out that he actually owned one of the Tanks! – I arranged for Ash and I to go back the next Evening after our Bose Training and have a look – and guess what, he said if the Weather was nice we could have a go on one!….”kids in sweet shop” came to mind.
I can’t remember the last time I actually prayed for good Weather – needless to say, Ash and I had one eye out of the window of our Training Room all Day long..
Now, when he said ‘have a go on his Tank’, we thought we would just be sat on top of it while he drove it around…. NO!, we actually got to drive the bloody thing!!!!! – I can’t tell you the noise those things make when you’re actually sat in one.
We’re going back to Survey and give him some costs his audio Helmet (stop tittering at the back!) – plus, he’s promised us a go on the Chieftain!! (seriously now, STOP IT!)
Ash and I had the biggest grins on our faces for ages after – big kids?? – OH YES – and for the record, the “Chappie” wasn’t red faced, sweaty, or 50, he was a really nice bloke, but I thought red and sweaty sounded better!
Phil
Partially Rights Free Music – Cover Versions – How They Made Me Sell My Soul !
I must confess, when I was asked to source a supplier of “cover versions” for the business, my heart sunk, and at the same time I felt that I was about to betray an old friend – you know the sort, the one’s you tell your other mates about in the pub as being there for you, whatever happens….
When I started this business back in 1982 (or more correctly, one called “Candy Rock Recording” back then), I did so in order to offer a quality alternative to the “sound-alikes”, and “muzak” elevator trash that was being played everywhere – I was an evangelist – I’d seen the light…..and now I was being asked to put it back out again – or at best, dim it a little……
For the un-initiated, “cover versions”, otherwise (and probably more descriptively named) known as “sound-alikes” are versions of well-known songs, but not recorded by the original artist – think of your Mum singing Lady Gaga in the bath, or your Dad does Robbie, and you’ll pretty much get the idea….
Don’t get me wrong – I know why some of our customers, or potential customers, might want “cover versions” – it’s a damned sneaky way of avoiding PPL licence fees, which to some large retailers could save them BIG money – we’re talking 100K plus a year here…….. but, I’m still not about to betray an old friend……. well, not just yet anyway…..
Back in the 70′s there were no “Now That’s What I Call Music” or “Hits Of 1971” type compilations – the record companies could never agree to put out a compilation of their joint hits – they could barely bring themselves to speak to each other. So, when some bright spark at Pickwick Records realised this, and the fact that it’s perfectly legal to re-record someone elses song without the permission of the original performer, the “Top Of The Pops” compilation came into fruition (via their budget label – “Hallmark”) – these were albums (33’s to those of us who remember), which contained all of the latest hits, performed by anonymous session artists doing their best to sound as much like the original artist as possible…… I can already hear you thinking – “that’ll never sell !!!”.
“Oh Yes It Did!”
In fact, they sold millions from the early 70’s through to the early 80’s, when the “Now” albums started to come into fruition – although I’ve no idea why the young lads of the 70’s would even bother to pick this up from the record racks.
One of the classic Top of the Pops album covers
Interestingly, a young Elton John recorded a couple of these cover versions for Hallmark – not trying to sound like Elton John obviously….. although, with hindsight, perhaps he might have become rich and famous a few years earlier than “Your Song” if he hadn’t been messing about trying to sound like Mick Jagger
Whilst on the subject of famous people and sound-alikes, have you ever wondered why Benny Hill didn’t have any more hits after the infamous “Ernie” – no, neither had I, but don’t think that I’m not going to tell you anyway…….apparently, Benny was so incensed at the cover version of “Ernie”, released on “Top Of The Pops Volume 21” in 1971 that he threatened to sue – only to find out that it was perfectly legal and there was nothing he could do about it. Benny was so outraged by this discovery that he vowed never to release another record again – but I digress….and not for the first (or I suspect, the last) time either….
Anyway….move the clock forward forty years, and I’m trying to source “cover versions” for the business I founded in order to stop people playing sound-alikes in the first place – funny old world as they say…..and without too much searching, by complete co-incidence, I find that one of my co-workers mates produces such a thing !!!!
Grudgingly I request some samples, and to my absolute delight I find that one of the first he sends me is “Eminem” – I’m getting apoplexy at the thought of hearing the total slaughter of my favourite rappers material, so I make a coffee and sit back to listen to the track………..just over 3 minutes later I’m feeling totally destroyed…..I believe “gutted” might be the common phrase these days…….. this stuff is damned good….. this good in fact…..
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Obviously i realise rap music may not fit in with alot of our customer’s briefs so i checked out a current release by Rihanna called “California King Bed” which in my opinion is another decent cover version. Have a listen…
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So, the Devil now owns a part of me, I’ve betrayed my best mate, and TSG supplies cover versions to customers who want it. If you’re interested in hearing more, contact our sales team – just don’t contact me, as I still just can’t bring myself to sell it to you….
Some suitable music to bring this blog to a close………
PB
Posted in Paul Beech/Music Programming Director
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