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  • Bücher, schnell gelesen: 1.745

    Bücher, schnell gelesen: 1.745

    Alan Parks – Die April-Toten (Polar Verlag, 2024)

    Gelesen: 13. – 20.12.2024 (netto 426 Seiten plus ein kurzes Nachwort von Doug Johnstone)

    Aus dem Englischen von der wunderbaren Conny Lösch (ein Qualitätsmerkmal). 

    Ich hatte mich schon länger gewundert warum bei Heyne Hardcore nicht schon längst der “April” Roman von Alan Parks rausgekommen ist.

    Und, Überraschung, der Grund ist geradezu wunderbar: Alan Parks erscheint offensichtlich jetzt beim Polar Verlag!

    Und weiterhin dabei die wunderbare Conny Lösch als Übersetzerin. Cool. Coolomat!

    Der vierte Fall von Harry McCoy spielt 1974, genauer vom 12.04.1974 bis zum 22.04.1974. 10 Tage und das ergibt ein extem hohes Tempo. Einen extrem hohen Druck auf McCoy seinen Fall resp. seine Fälle zu lösen.

    Da ist zum einen sein Gangster Kumpel Cooper, den er aus dem Knast abholen will. Dann der Amerikaner Steward, der seinen Sohn – US Navy, stationiert in der Nähe von Glasgow – sucht und dann sind da Bomben, Tote und … die IRA. Und die Special Branch.

    Und mittendrin McCoy mit seinem jungen Kollegen Wattie. Und ganz viel Druck von oben.

    Und natürlich laufen irgendwie die verschiedenen Fäden zusammen, McCoy muss Cooper helfen, die Bomben sind nicht von der IRA und der verschwundene Amerikaner … ist die ärmste Sau.

    McCoy hat ja eine persönliche Historie, die mit dem berufsbedingten Konflikt zwischen Polizisten und Kriminellen kollidiert, und das bedeutet, dass McCoy eigentlich immer in einer Grauzonen wandelt.

    McCoy fühlt sich ganz offensichtlich auch wohl dabei und mit der Art von Gerechtigkeit, die der Rache nahe kommt. Er ist alles andere als ein angepasster Bulle. Ein typischer Macho-Typ der 1970er bleibt er trotzdem.

    Das Buch ist temporeich, das Setting mit einem liebevollen Blick auf das abgewarzte Glasgow der 1970er umgesetzt, mit sympathischen Charakteren und einer absolut spannenden Handlung.

    Es ist eine originelle Interpretation eines Polizeikrimis und ein weiteres feines Stück Tartan Noir.

    Mai (“May God Forgive“) und Juni (“To Die In June“) sind schon erschienen, auf geht’s Conny, auf geht’s Polar Verlag!

    Einfach eine saucoole Serie!

    Soundtrack dazu: The Adverts – Bombsite Boy, was sonst?

    PS: Und Alan Parks so?

  • … worthy goodbye for the Sky Bar with Clara Bow and Tan LeRacoon & Racoonery!

    … worthy goodbye for the Sky Bar with Clara Bow and Tan LeRacoon & Racoonery!

    The days seem busy in the run up to Christmas and Year End. On the show front there where choices like Peter And The Test Tube Babies at the Markthalle, 40 Years of Die Goldenen Zitronen at Kampnagel or … the final show at the Sky Bar above the Molotow. Low key, with Tanju and his Racoonery and in walking distance to home.

    And bonus: Early show, early doors – early bedtime.

    Easy choice for me and some friends, plus it would be the final show of the year for me as this year me and the love of me life will be away over the year end to our 2nd home up north.

    Support was from Clara Bow, self-proclaimed “Punk Barbies”.

    They are around since 2003, had a first album with loads of positive reviews in 2012 and fell victim to Covid somewhat. This show was their first after Covid times.

    Clara Bow (Molotow Sky Bar, Hamburg, 19.12.2024 (c) gehkacken.de 2024)

    I had not seen them prior but others recognized them as “ah, these girls“. That was not true anymore, they have added the bass player from the Racoonery on 2nd guitar.

    By and large they make Power Pop with a Girl-Pop scent, less Punk and i guess more Indy. But always with a smile, always with a harmony and multi-vocal singing.

    Clara Bow (Molotow Sky Bar, Hamburg, 19.12.2024 (c) gehkacken.de 2024)

    As it was their first show after an extensive hiatus not all worked well, not all songs were delivered hand-in-glove (namely the drums varied in speed a couple of times, not synced with the rest).

    But enough nuggets to dig deeper and as much as the pairing with Tanu went – that was a fit.

    Let’s see if they get the restart completed, also because that is the song i like best from their record. As ever, go an check it out for yerself.

    For Tanu it was a special evening too, though not a restart: It was 20 years of Tan U Sound and the 20th anniversary of the opening of the Hasenschaukel. And a final show slot up in the Sky Bar.

    Tanu and his Racoonery started off in the same fashion that i experienced at the Pretty Vacant HQ 3 months ago. What was right away apparent to me was that Rudis guitar had a near perfect sound: Well tempered and bright as a bell.

    Tan LeRacoon & Racoonery (Molotow Sky Bar, Hamburg, 19.12.2024 (c) gehkacken.de 2024)

    The Sky Bar was almost full, as much as Carla Blow they got a warm reception up to and including some dancing upfront.

    The further they went into the set the more they added: First a trumpet, then a keyboard and finally a 2nd guitar player.

    And that song, with 7 people on the tiny stage of the Sky Bar, then produced my personal highlight of the evening: No clue what the name of the song was but it was a near perfect mexican desert surf/western song of slower sorts – stretched out to i guess 7 minutes.

    Wow – i did not expect this, given the Racoonery is made out of musicans with a much harder background.

    If that one, in that form, is on record – bring it on, i’ll buy it straight away.

    Edit: Rudi tipped me off after the show, it is this song:

    The live version on this evening though outclassed the recorded version by far! Still, i guess i need to buy that record now. Promises, Promises.

    Tan LeRacoon & Racoonery (Molotow Sky Bar, Hamburg, 19.12.2024 (c) gehkacken.de 2024)

    For the grand finale they added just another guest from a sunny land up north:

    An old Ebba Grön classic from 1979, a song that Tanu claimed to have DJ’ed at 03:00 in the morning during the wedding party of the guest who entered the stage. And a song every Swede can sing to, apparently.

    Here is the original:

    They played for much more than an hour and really managed to entertain the crowd.

    I left as happy lad as i got live music, got something new and got entertained. Now i only have to finish work on Friday, turn to my loved ones for Christmas and jump with me love into the car up north.

    Done & Happy, thanks to all bands seen this year.

    And Tanu? Also has a christmas wish:

  • … there is always a first: FCSP discouraged, EA80 encouraging!

    … there is always a first: FCSP discouraged, EA80 encouraging!

    Somewhat it felt like a good idea: A late Saturday home game first, gentle stroll over to the Knust and some live mu-sick. But came fate, it is always fate that comes across any grand idea!

    The magical FCSP faced Bremen at home and most likely due to a joint enemy (the long time first league partner of Werder from the other part of town) the two fan groups are more friend then foe.

    This was shown in large prior to the game and in blistering fashion right after the half-time break (though not realizing that the December weather would turn the firework into thick fog – we lost complete sight of the green).

    FCSP vs. SVW (Millerntor, Hamburg, 14.12.2024 (c) gehkacken.de 2024)

    On the footie side it was really a bad game, FCSP very discouraged and more or less outdone by simple tactics and much more consistency (and striking ability). 3 shots on our goal, two goals. And never really fear on the Werder side that we would score.

    That paired with miserable weather led to much frustration, not the best ingredient for me and me mate (who sits next to me in the stadium) to enjoy EA80 (for both of us a first after all these years they existed).

    We were tempted to sell our tickets for this sold oput show whilst waiting outside the Knust but finally we decided to abandon the obvious and easy way out.

    Inside, much more dry, warm and cozy, it was True Moon from Malmö (in sunny Skåne, SE) who kicked off the show.

    Apparently they are from the ashes of Vånna Inget, who some dubbed as rightful continuation of the sound of Masshysteri (outta Umeå, capital of Västerbotten, SE).

    Already there Karolina Engdahl’s voice was like a signature thing (and i guess gained them a Granny nomination). In True Moon now she not only sings but also plays bass.

    True Moon (Knust, Hamburg, 14.12.2024 (c) gehkacken.de 2024)

    For my ears it was very much Siouxsie and not bad but not really my cup of tea. The internet (damn internet, never forgets) has some distinct notions on the sound:

    True Moon is truly a satisfying blend of goth rock and Fleetwood Mac. This Swedish dark alt-rock/post-punk band sounds a little like Stevie Nicks fronting Joy Division.

    Not sure if this actually holds true, the voice though carried a lot of the sound.

    They got more than friendly applause and those in the know assured me that EA80 tend to dig out future stars for support (like having the Sleaford Mods for 35rd Anniversary show supporting them in the sold out Markthalle – must have been 2014).

    On record True Moon sound like this:

    Next and with no fuzz on setting up the stage EA80 out of Mönchengladbach.

    For all these years (and i am seeing bands from the genre live since 1979, which is exactly when they started) i happily ignored them. Largely because they are German, sing in German and … uh, äh … i simply ignored them.

    On a side note that holds true for EA80 only, i have the first Ranola LP in my collection, Martin plays Bass on this one (also outta Mönchengladbach).

    My bad, as i already discovered that they have actually some good mu-sick and more so, that most likely they have been true to themselves for much more time than any other band that is still around.

    EA80 (Knust, Hamburg, 14.12.2024 (c) gehkacken.de 2024)

    Everything is DIY, all of their releases are low profile, they do not rehearse to perfection and they let out their energy as it suits them and where it suits them.

    Live they worked for me much better than on the few records it did listen into (though never bothered to buy one) and delivered a very real, very unpretentious “show” (there was no element of show anyway).

    They even had a couple of songs that i will need to dig into in more detail, sure the one with speed (short and hard) were the ones that appealed with my simple mu-sick-al mind more.

    They played quite long, until the fingers started to bleed on Martins battered guitar. He gave the guitar the plaster, not his finger. Style, very much street smart style.

    After the disappointment of the footie and surprising neat show to finish the day, i did not expect myself to stay to the end.

    But as ever, there is always a first and there is always a place with good music and good company.