0
comments
Monday, April 30, 2007
The Trio are fronted by singer Martyn Jacques who trained himself as an opera singer with a castrati style voice of heartbreaking beauty, whilst living alone above a strip joint in Soho for seven years.
Until he was 30, Martyn Jacques was living in a tiny flat in London's vice district, selling drug paraphernalia in the market and taking sporadic singing lessons. "I was living a kind of shady existence," he says. "I had a few criminal ways of making a living, just surviving; I never had a job, I didn't like working. That was really what I did for about 10 years before I bought an accordion and started the band."
Jacques, whose remaining hair is long and hangs in a stringy grey plait down the middle of his back, is the guiding spirit and piercing falsetto voice of the Tiger Lillies. At 19, when everyone else was into punk, he was listening to Kurt Weill and Billie Holiday."
Accompanied by drummer Adrian Huge, whose appearance was described by David Byrne as James Joyce on drums, and who must doubtlessly be one if not the most famous drummer to frequently exchange his drumsticks in favour of rubber chickens and toy babies, and double bass / musical saw player Adrian Stout. Jacques plays accordion as he sings savage and passionate songs about the darkest side of human nature, his voice soaring and growling like a man possessed.
Musical Influences include:
Gypsy music, Russian music, Greek folk, Blues ( early recordings) , Italian Opera (early recordings), Kurt Weil, 30's Berlin cabaret, French chanson, Flamenco.
Sounds Like Nothing on God's earth... http://www.tigerlillies.com
Saturday, April 28, 2007
What about the time?
You were rollin' over
Fell on your face
You must be having fun
Walk lightly!
Think of a time.
You'd best believe
This thing is real
Put away that gun
This part is simple
Try to recognize
What is in your mind
God help us!
Help us loose our minds
These slippery people
help us understand
What's the matter with him? - (He's alright!)
How do you get over? - (The lord won't mind..)
Don't know no games - (He's alright!)
Love from the bottom to the top!
Turn like a wheel! - (He's alright!)
See for yourself! - (The lord won't mind..)
We're gonna move! - (Right now!)
Turn like a wheel inside a wheel!
I remember when
Sittin' in the tub
Pulled out the plug
The water was runnin' out
Cool down
Stop acting crazy
They're gonna leave
And we'll be on our own
Seven times five
They were living creatures
Watch 'em come to life
Right before your eyes
Backsliding!
How do you do?
These slippery people
Gonna see you through
What's the matter with him? - (He's alright!)
How do you get over? - (The lord won't mind..)
Don't know no games - (He's alright!)
Love from the bottom to the top!
Turn like a wheel! - (He's alright!)
See for yourself! - (The lord won't mind..)
We're gonna move! - (Right now!)
Turn like a wheel inside a wheel!
Alright!
The lord won't mind..
Alright!
Love from the bottom to the top!
Alright!
The lord won't mind..
Right now!
Turn like a wheel inside a wheel!