June 2006

This month, Anna Wood assesses ‘United 93’, Paul Greengrass’s take on 9/11, while a DVD reissue of Escape to Victory provides a rather less demanding history lesson

United 93
Director: Paul Greengrass
Cert: 15

United 93 shows events, as best we can imagine them or piece them back together, on the morning of September 11 2001 on the fourth plane, the one that was hijacked but didn’t hit its target in Washington, in which the passengers realised what was happening and attacked their hijackers. We see it almost in real time, over 111 minutes, with no context, no characterisation, no hindsight, almost like a crime reconstruction. (more…)

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June 2006

With the World Cup upon us, Khalid Mallassi goes football crazy

Football Manager 2006 (PS 2 / Xbox/  Xbox 360/ PC)

This is the most fucking boring game EVER! I’ve seen some sad fucking games in my time but this takes the motherfucking half-time biscuit. In this sad-sack excuse for a game you play a – get this – football manager while you guide your chosen team through the trials and tribulations of modern football. Well, there’s a reason why football mangers are, like, three thousand year-old bald men in smelly sheepskins. Their life is OVER! (more…)

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Maverick scribbler Tim Wild reviews… things.

This month – The top 5 reasons to get fired

You’re not really that important

The dishwashing gig has begun to go sour. Having begun in a blitz of cheeky good humour and hard work, the relentless grease, detergent, heat and smoke have fogged your adolescent brain and dulled your spirit. The previous week, you have disobeyed the only clear instruction the boss gave you, and allowed a chunky piece of carrot to block the sink, flooding the service area on a busy Friday and earning you the displeasure of a waitress. (more…)

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Earl Brutus
Your Majesty, We Are Here (Deceptive)

The freshest forgotten albums of yesteryear. Not the usual fawned over suspects (usually due for re-release and consequent advertising revenue) but albums that ‘net-trawlers and second-hand shop aficionados may come across and should snap up NOW…

Jim Paranoias Recommends

All great bands are born in pubs. But only truly great bands go the distance; sticking doggedly to that slurred manifesto, that ‘fucking come and have a go’ mentality, and the purity of inspiration that can only be attained in a moment of booze-fuelled clarity. So it must have been with Earl Brutus. (more…)

Filed under: Great Lost Albums by Flexmaster Nylon
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June 2006

Beatmag’s run-down of the best to throw your hard-earned money at.

SOUND TEN

Album of the Month

1. The Longcut
A Call And Response (Deltasonic) (more…)

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June 2006

Single of the Month

Diastole
Escalade EP (Diastole) (more…)

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Mina Agossi

(photo by Juan Carlos Hernandez)

African Wild Cat Blues

Thomas H Green catches up with the zestiest, sexiest, most invigorating new voice in cutting edge jazz – Mina Agossi

“I have no routine,” says Mina Agossi with a raucous laugh, “I am this wild blues-jazz girl who doesn’t take care of anything else. The only thing for a singer is to sleep – you can have fun, you can drink, you can smoke, but if you don’t sleep it’s really bad.” (more…)

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Beatmag Interview – Max Sedgley

Max Sedgley tells Andrew Laughlin that, food poisoning aside, he’s as happy as his most successful song claims

“I basically spent the weekend hunched over the toilet!” explains Max Sedgley, “But I’m all better now!” (more…)

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Mick Karn

Referred to by some as the ‘best bassist in Britain’, Mick Karn has been quietly releasing a steady stream of acclaimed solo albums since the demise of new romantic pioneers Japan in 1982. Although he remains best known for his phenomenal fretless bass skills, he’s gone on to incorporate ghosts of Motown, world music, folk and pure pop into his unique and ever-evolving sound. He’s about to release his seventh solo album, ‘Three Pieces’, a shimmeringly accessible but also strangely surreal collection of his latest work. Lee Smith catches up (more…)

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Suzi Quatro

Detroit-born Suzi Quatro became a European (and Australian) chart sensation when producer Mickie Most brought her to England in 1971 and paired her with glam-rock songwriting team Chin & Chapman. She had great success throughout the 1970s with hits such as ‘Can The Can’ and ‘Devil Gate Drive’. Having famously played the rocker Leather Tuscadero in ‘Happy Days’ in 1977-8 she developed a parallel acting career during the ‘80s and ‘90s. She currently has a weekly rock’n’roll show on BBC Radio 2 (http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio2/shows/quatro/) and is promoting her new album ‘Back To The Drive’ (www.suziquatro.com), the title track of which was written by Mike Chapman. Beatmag caught up with her as she prepared to go to Birmingham NEC as musical headliner for comedian Jasper Carrott’s Rock With Laughter event. We fired readers’ and contributors’ questions her way… (more…)

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