You like the shoes I wear #8 - Shannon Wright

Posted on May 23rd, 2007 by Andy

Shannon Wright
(Photo Rod | Le-HibOO.com)

I’m a very recent convert to Shannon Wright but the two albums I’ve downloaded have pretty much convinced me that I’ve been missing out on something…and part of that’s a classic rock and roll look - jeans and trainers (OK I’m aware that downloaded albums can’t really convey a look but I needed an excuse to squeeze this into a category!)

Let In the Light was released a couple of weeks back and is well worth a listen.

MP3: St. Pete (4.4Mb)

#7 Shannon Wright and her white trainers

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You like the shoes I wear #7 - Kim Gordon of Sonic Youth

Posted on May 17th, 2007 by Andy

Sonic Youth
(originally uploaded by davidflowerz)

And in celebration of getting older here’s the footwear choice of someone old enough to know better - Kim Gordon was 54 last month and, it seems, often opts for girly footwear…

#7 - Kim Gordon of Sonic Youth in her spangly bass-stomping heels.

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You like the shoes I wear #6 - Stereolab

Posted on May 16th, 2007 by Andy

A sensibly shod band

Now Stereolab are clearly a very sensible band - I couldn’t find a single picture of any of them not wearing comfortable shoes and looking content and relaxed because of it.

#6 Laetitia Sadier in her loafers and the rest of Stereolab in equally smart footwear

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You like the shoes I wear #5 - Aimee Mann

Posted on May 11th, 2007 by Andy

Aimee Mann’s red boots

After Bjorks silly shoes I thought I’d pick someone wearing something very sensible…so I turned to Aimee Mann - every picture I’ve ever seen (well the ones on Flickr anyway) has her wearing jeans and flat shoes - it’s what she wears…all the time or so I thought…



#5 Aimee Mann and her big red high-heeled boots

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You like the shoes I wear #4 - Bjork

Posted on May 10th, 2007 by Andy

Bjork_Live
(originally uploaded by gymothy)

I somehow never expected Bjork to be easily categorised by her footwear - she was barefoot at Coachella (although I couldn’t find a decent pic) and no footwear is definitely the most comfortable way to go (assuming the weather and the floor allow comfort) - but then…

#4 Bjork and her…erm…frilly…platform…things

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You like the shoes I wear #3 - Naomi Yang of Damon & Naomi

Posted on May 9th, 2007 by Andy

Damon_and_Naomi
(originally uploaded by PtolemyPhil)

…and what could be more sensible than a pair of wellies, under appropriate circumstances of course…

No.3 Naomi Yang in her green wellies.

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You like the shoes I wear #2 - Ira Kaplan of Yo La Tengo

Posted on May 8th, 2007 by Andy

Yo La Tengo, the Showbox, Seattle, 10/15/06
(originally uploaded by photophonic)

I suspect that on the “sensible” side of the rock and roll footwear fence sit Converse and Dr Martens and this series may turn into a parade of little else but those…

No.2 Ira Kaplan of Yo La Tengo and his red Converse (also available in black).

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You like the shoes I wear #1 - Kristin Hersh

Posted on May 7th, 2007 by Andy

Kristin Hersh @ El Cid, 10/13/2006
(originally uploaded by Boris Badenov)

After the shock of (and slight nausea induced by) seeing all the scary footware on display at last week’s Howe Gelb and Friends show in London I thought it was time to track down and reassure myself that indie-pop stars do in fact wear sensible shoes.

No.1: Kristen Hersh in some very sensible Birkenstocks (probably - I’m no shoe expert although maybe I will be if I keep this series going).

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Fancy versus comfortable

Posted on May 3rd, 2007 by Andy

Howe Gelb and friends

Last night I went to see Howe Gelb and friends at the Barbican. I’d seen his similar "do" back in 2001 and this time around it never really seemed to get going like it had back then, I think mostly because the "friends" weren’t really given the free reign that the 2001 friends had been given. All of the women were duetting with Howe whereas the (mostly) men from 2001 were given more room to do their own thing.

I could live without seeing the (not very) The Handsome Family again because I found their tiresome, "funny" americana mostly tiresome and not that funny. Isobel Campbell never really seemed to get the chance to get involved. Mary Margaret O’Hara was interesting and funny and behaved and looked like a drunken auntie (thanks Staurt for that description). And most of the rest was just a wash of a little too gentle and a little too fractured and a little too dull and a little to samey.

Now maybe it’s because I don’t often get to see the feet of performers but I was mostly taken by the inappropriate, uncomfortable (looking) or just plain silly footwear that most of the women chose to wear. Henriette Sennevaldt wore scary looking high heels. Emiliana Torrini wore these high-heeled frilly (I think) grey boots that made her look like she was going to lose her balance at any time. Mary Margaret O’Hara wore drunken auntie footwear - little strappy heels. Isobel Campbell had some fancy high-heels on as well. The problem I guess is that in my world of indie-pop (or at least in my imaginary ideal world of indie-pop) all the girls wear Dr Martens or other similarly sensible shoes so seeing such a range of very VERY girly footwear was just a little distracting - but then a distraction was probably what I needed.

I didn’t mention Lonna Kelley who was the first of Howe’s friends (not counting John Parish - who sadly never got to do his own thing). She was probably the highlight of the evening with a lovely cracked voice that suited so well its duet with Howe. I also didn’t notice her shoes but suspect that they were of the comfortable and sensible kind.

Last time round the line-up was a little more varied - John Parish did a great mid section that was so wonderfully at odds with the rest of the set - and Mark Linkous (Sparklehorse) was superb and dueted with PJ Harvey on Homecoming Queen which reminded me how much I loved both of them, and even Evan Dando reminded me how enjoyable he was capable of being.

I first saw Howe with Giant Sand at the Mean Fiddler (Harlesden version) so many years ago it scares me - he had a phenomenal amount of hair back then. Last night when he turned his back on the audience and under those lights you could see the bald patch pushing through - welcome to the club Howe.

Howe Gelb with hair

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