Column: Gordon Raphael #15, Oct 2003
By: Gordon Raphael
Again I'm writing from Berlin, working on some remixes of Crystal Radio songs with Moses Schneider and Benson Lauber at the original Transporterraum Studio...
And I was only just in sunny Mallorca this past week recording one of the best singers I personally know - Jordi from the Satellites; ten new songs, adding to the arsenal that is their repertoire... Back in London, meanwhile, I met Lemmy (again) and Robert Smith from The Cure, as well as Dave Navarro and Tricky, at a swanky awards-ceremony (my cohort was Toby L, rockfeedback's grand czar). I was on a panel of producers with Trevor Horn (Ex-Buggles and Yes) and the guy who helped record The White Stripes at his Toe Rag Studios - Liam Watson, and we were picking the best-produced album of 2003 out of the seven choices 'Q Magazine' picked for us. I chose Muse (who won!), and seconded with The Rapture; I couldn't believe that my choice actually won... Maybe it's a new day, after all...
Autumn 2003 continues with the gigantic developments as The Strokes' second album 'Room On Fire' comes out this week. More joy - they have initiated a massive US tour (of just the good/fun cities!) with Kings Of Leon and my dear friend Regina Spektor set to open the shows with her brand of piano, stick-hitting and super singing all delivered in a Spektroscopic sea of wit and down-home Russian charm. Tuesday, I was invited to Radio BBC 6 and XFM as they premiered 'Room On Fire' for the first time on the air. That and being asked by Sony to record a new track with Blondie are creating a decent-sized buzz to match the newly acquired ringing in my ears that came along with a certain live-show three weeks ago... massive decibel-levels (more of which later...).
A lot of interviews even came my way recently: 'Rolling Stone' Germany, 'EQ', 'Mix' and several newspapers have been over to the new Silver Transporterraum in London to chat about The Strokes and Shoplifter Records (click here), a fulfilling chance to spread the word about some upcoming cool bands, for sure; we are happy to be pushing five new bands this season, some previously highlighted here - Miss Machine, Kill Kenada, Regina Spektor, Crystal Radio and the Satellites from Mallorca. We all just played at In The City festival in Manchester, the first time these bands had met - and we travelled with 40 people in a magic bus of love to entertain the good people of Manc. Kill Kenada is blowing up in London thanks to BBC and MTV's Zane Lowe, who is really opening doors for this amazing group. To top it... we have been invited to tour New Zealand, Japan and Australia by 'SquareOne Magazine'. Sounds like a plan...
Happy Hunting, and Back to School, kids.