Weekend music: This is why we prefer ゲスの極み乙女。 to Nicki Minaj

At the time of writing this American rapper Nicki Minaj's latest "controversial" song titled Anaconda is 500 000 views from 100 million on YouTube while the new one from Japanese band ゲスの極み乙女。 (Gesu no kiwami otome.) is closing in on 80 000.

Nicki Minaj: Thanks, but no thanks.

We guess both Nicki and Gesu are doing fine, but we prefer both the song and the video from the latter. Titled アソビ (Asobi) it is filmed in 4K on mobile phones and heaps more fun that Nicki's by-the-book butt-shaking.

(On a side note:
The music industry must wake up every day thanking our society for the never ending double standards and warped reactions around sexuality and nudity that help sell even the most mundane expressions of popular culture.)

If you feel a painful lack of ass in your musical diet we're sure you can google the Anaconda video, but we urge you to have a look and listen to a better, more creative and fun combination of music and images. And here it is:

Kate Bush live on stage tonight!

Kate Bush on the cover of this month's Mojo published today.

As we publish this item on the Radio Dupree blog the first of 22 shows is less than one hour away. It will be interesting to see if all of the 3 600 people in the sold-out Hammersmith Eventim Apollo venue can keep cameras and mobile phones in their pockets, and thereby accept Kate's wishes posted on her homepage a few days ago:

Hallo,
Many thanks to everyone who sent such lovely wishes for my birthday. I had a wonderful day.
We’re all very excited about the upcoming shows and are working very hard in preparation. It’s going very well indeed.
I have a request for all of you who are coming to the shows :
We have purposefully chosen an intimate theatre setting rather than a large venue or stadium. It would mean a great deal to me if you would please refrain from taking photos or filming during the shows. I very much want to have contact with you as an audience, not with iphones, ipads or cameras. I know it’s a lot to ask but it would allow us to all share in the experience together.
Looking forward to seeing you there.
Respectfully yours,
Kate.

So ... here's a few links to items on the katebushnews.com site about the media blitz that is on due to Kate Bush playing her first live gigs in 35 years.
We are looking forward to the reviews of the premiere evening!

http://www.katebushnews.com/index.php/2014/08/newsbits-roundup/

http://www.katebushnews.com/index.php/2014/08/newsbits-round-up-15/

http://www.katebushnews.com/index.php/2014/08/midday-newsbits-round-up/

http://www.katebushnews.com/index.php/2014/08/tea-time-newsbits-update/

UPDATE August 27:

>>> Here's a link to 30 or so reviews of the opening night (SPOILERS!)

Kate Bush on TV, radio ... and stage!

Tonight - Friday August 22 2014 - BBC 4 TV will air a new documentary about Kate’s career titled The Kate Bush Story: Running Up That Hill at 9.10 pm UK time

People popping up in the documentary include Del Palmer, David Gilmour, Lindsay Kemp, Peter Gabriel, Elton John, Stephen Fry and Nigel Kennedy.

That is followed by a another hour with the self explanatory title Kate Bush at the BBC.

And - as per usual - you can't watch this if you live outside the UK without a bit of trickery:

You will be better off listening to the three hour BBC Radio 6 Kate Bush Special Sunday morning at 7 am local time.

More here!

What's all this about then? The return of Kate Bush on stage Monday evening. The first of 22 shows and her first shows since 1979.

Radio Dupree will of course catch one of the shows and report. Here's what the ticket looks like:

Napoleon Murphy Brock and Mats Öberg play Zappa

Yesterday Zappa sideman Napoleon Murphy Brock and Swedish pianist Mats Öberg did a concert in Umeå, Sweden. According to Radio Dupree's correspondent the highlight was a set of several Zappa songs played in sequence: Take Your Clothes Off When You Dance/What's The Ugliest Part Of Your Body/Oh No/Son Of Orange County/More Trouble Every Day.

In July they performed with other musicians in Hamburg. Then the repertoire consisted of Zappa, Schubert, Satie and Bach. This time they performed as a duo, and about 75 % of the repertoire consisted of Zappa songs, to the audience's delight.

Legendary TV voice Don Pardo has died

From the album Zappa In New York.

Don Pardo, long time announcer of Saturday Night Live, has passed away at the age of 96.
One of the celebrities that Pardo would announce on the show was Frank Zappa, and Pardo also played a small part on the album Zappa In New York where he introduced a couple of numbers in his very own way.

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/don-pardo-dead-booming-voice-720129

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/08/19/nyregion/don-pardo-the-voice-of-saturday-night-live-dies-at-96.html?_r=1

Radio Dupree Top 20 - August 2014

1. Kate Bush - James And The Cold Gun
On Stage CD

2. The Beatles - When I Get Home
A Hard Day's Night [2009 Mono Remaster]

3. Frank Zappa - Eat that Question
Make a Jazz Noise Here

4. Gentle Giant - On Reflection
Free Hand

5. Emerson Lake & Palmer - The Endless Enigma Part 1
Trilogy

6. Sting - Bring On The Night/When The World Is Running Down
Bring On The Night

7. Parliament - Give Up The Funk
Greatest Hits (The Bomb)

8. Parliament - Chocolate City
Greatest Hits (The Bomb)

9. Steve Hillage - Musik Of The Trees
Green

10. Mahavishnu Orchestra - Miles Beyond
Birds of Fire

11. Pink Floyd - The Narrow Way, Part 1 & 2 - Ummagumma
12. Gino Vannelli - In the Name of Money - Big Dreamers Never Sleep
13. Sting - They Dance Alone - ...Nothing Like The Sun
14. Steely Dan - Razor Boy - Countdown to Ecstasy [2008 SHM-CD Remaster]
15. The Beatles - And I Love Her - A Hard Day's Night [2009 Mono Remaster]
16. The Beatles - Things We Said Today - A Hard Day's Night [2009 Mono Remaster]
17. Pink Floyd - Sheep - Animals
18. Sting - All This Time - The Soul Cages
19. Steely Dan - Pretzel Logic - Pretzel Logic
20. Peter Gabriel - Soft Dog - 1982 single b-side

-----------------------------------------------------

Chart compiled by listeners voting
on the songs they hear on Radio Dupree

And with her return to the stage next month it is fitting that a track from her last tour (1978!) makes it to numer one this month. Kate Bush live EP consists of four tracks and it's not often that singles or EP:s top the Radio Dupree chart.

We also note that although we've been playing both the stereo and mono versions of The Beatles A Hard Day's Night, it is mono all the way for the three songs that chart this month.

But Beatles isn't the only group with more than one song chrating. The same goes for Pink Floyd, Steely Dan, Parliament and Sting!

---N.S.

Three more ways to Countdown to Ecstasy...

And as we enter August 2014 we also enter the second month of the Steely Dan Jamalot Ever After 2014 tour. There are still a number of dates until the final one September 21 in Port Chester, Nwe York.

Meanwhile the bands 1973 record Countdown To Ecstasy has just been released once more in Japan as a paper sleeve budget 2014 SHM-CD, SHM-CD Platinum and SACD. Versions that we feel might interest mainly the most serious/hardcore collector and Steely Dan fan.

Weekend music: State Cows - Mister White

Local group State Cows made a rare live appearance this past Saturday in Umeå, Sweden. Here's a video of the song Mister White.