I get ahead on my motorbike, I feel quick in my leather boots

The Jesus & Mary Chain were a band who excited me and scared me. I still recall the thrill of their early John Peel sessions - the buzz of the feedback, the ever so slightly offensive name (at least for a good Christian boy like me - it helped that it didn't actually mean anything), combined with press reports of 30 minute sets of white noise and rioting.
I'm not going to say they changed the way I saw music - I probably went to see Chris Rea live about the time Psychocandy was released, I certainly looked forward to the two Cocteau Twins EP's released that month more, and my other purchase in November 1985 - Suzanne Vega's eponymous first album - was arguably more influential on my musical tastes.
But I drink my coffee from a Psychocandy coffee mug, and - along with Rattlesnakes, Doolittle, Treasure and If I Should Fall From Grace With God - rate it as one of my favourite albums from the 1980's.
I don't go along with Gary Mulholland's opinion that it hasn't dated well (though I agree with him that Barbed Wire Kisses is probably a better listen). Sure, it's surprisingly tuneful, the feedback isn't as overpowering as you remember, and maybe there's nothing there that the Ramones hadn't done 10 years earlier. Doesn't stop it being brilliant.
I've also enjoyed my share of 80's reunion gigs - especially the Pogues & Pixies.
So it was with a mixture of excitement and uncertainty that I heard they were reforming to play at Coachella. I'd actually gone as far as buying the Sister Vanilla single with Jim Reid accompanying their little sister last year. But now with the Sister Vanilla album weeks away from officially being available, with both Reid boys in attendance, and maybe the possibility of the reunion lasting more than one gig (they've already announced one UK date - in the West of Scotland, in the town where I spent most of my childhood holidays, on the day I get back from holiday), I have to admit excitement. The B side of the Sister Vanilla single has been re-released (re-recorded? I'm not sure), and I'm realising that Can't Stop the Rock is one track I should not have dropped from my best-of compilation last year. "an unplugged JAMC on a Sunday morning with a girl singer that's a bit stoned" (Guardian), “What would a Jesus and Mary Chain album sung by their kid sister sound like?”(Times). Have to agree with them. This is classic Mary Chain - though the female vocal also reminds me of the C86 sound of The Pastels and the Shop Assistants.

a pop album for people who hate pop music

Other things I'm listening to:
Arcade Fire. Not sure I like it as much as Funeral, but it's clearly going to be in most people's best of 2007 lists.
Malcolm Middleton. Been listening to both Malcolm Middleton albums, as well as Arab Strap's farewell compilation.
Ballads of the Book. I need to give this one a few more listens. Some tracks work a lot better than others; I know that I'm really looking forward to Emma Pollock's solo album.
Tracey Thorn. I was a latecomer to ebtg; I loved the Todd Terry remix of Missing, and Tracey's vocal on Massive Attack's Protection. I think the first thing I bought from them was Walking Wounded - heavily influenced by trip hop. But I still go back to Amplified Heart and Idlewild, as well as the Acoustic album of covers and live tracks (including a cover of Tom Waits' Downtown Train). I'd strongly recommend the Like The Deserts Miss The Rain compilation; not a best of since there are a lot of obscure b-sides, album tracks and covers. But it works really well; it's not chronological, and it's surprising to hear how seamlessly a very early song like Each and Every One from the first album moves into a remix of Before Today from Walking Wounded. The new album is Tracey's first solo project in 25 years. It's not groundbreaking, but the combination of soft acoustic folky tracks, with others with a stronger dance/electronic influence reminds me of ebtg at their finest. It's a mature album - she's taken time out to have children, and apparantly didn't sing a note for 5 years. Nowhere Near and Hands up to the Ceiling are particularly strong tracks. Unfortunately there's no plan to tour, which is a pity.
Reading: Jesus for the Non-Religious. I've read a lot of Jack Spong's books. Always thought provoking and challenging. I don't agree with everything he says, and I think he sometimes seems to take too much pleasure in destroying the arguments of those who would claim to take the bible literally. But as someone who struggles to cling on to what is essentially good and true about Christianity within the context of the early 21st century, and without compromising rationality, his writing is always refreshing.

I'm still mad as hell

Just back from a week in Chicago, where the timetable was roughly work, eat, sleep - so really didn't read much or listen to much, and about the only TV I watched was college basketball (although I did watch Fox News for an hour one night, just to see how angry I got). Probably the first trip there where I've not bought any music at all, in spite of a strong pound and a Virgin megastore next to the hotel. Not much that enthused me to be honest. The new Son Volt had a so-so review in the A.V. Club - though maybe I should have picked up Neil Young Live at Massey Hall.
Watched a couple of really good films on the way home overnight. Emilio Estevez's take on the last day of Bobby Kennedy was very enjoyable. There seemed to be a tangible hope for change in 1968 that was blown away with the assasinations of RFK and Martin Luther King, which I find all the more fascinating given that it was the year I was born. Maybe the world would have been a better place with a second Kennedy in the White House, who knows. I tend to think that their assasinations have sanctified the Kennedys - JFK was President for the Bay of Pigs and the Cuban Missile Crisis - the closest we have come to all out nuclear war. But the film has some excellent performances from a very strong cast. Maybe it was the victim of too many biopics, too many ensemble films. But Sharon Stone would have been worthy of at least a best supporting actress oscar nomination.
Possibly even better though was Shut Up And Sing - the Dixie Chicks documentary. Now Dixie Chicks aren't my sort of country - always way too mainstream country music radio for me - although I'd already picked up on Travelin' Soldier being a great anti war song - in the tradition of Penny Evans - before all the controversy. But this was a fascinating documentary. I'm convinced that they weren't looking for notoriety as a cynical career move; if they did it went pretty dramatically wrong. And you really have to question what sort of new republic is being desired where free speech deserves the death sentence in some people's eyes. Probably the best music documentary I've seen since No Direction Home.

You're my favorite waste of time

A quick plug for Foxy Tunes Planet; the latest way to make a few minutes sat in front of the Computer stretch into the early hours. Type in a band, and a page links you into lastfm, youtube, pandora, flickr, google, hype machine, official and unofficial websites. Simple, uncluttered, dangerously addictive.

With you in that dress my thoughts I confess

Listening to the new Late Night Tales, selected by Nouvelle Vague. I think it's gradually taking over from Back to Mine as my favourite of the mix tape compilations. BTM went very quiet last year, and after very strong sets from Pet Shop Boys and Adam Freedland in 2005, followed up with fairly dull selections from Liam from Prodigy - including a totally pointless new Prodigy track, and a 10 month wait for a disappointing disc from Mercury Rev.
Late Night Tales, whilst having pretty much the same brief, has now put out three excellent selections in a row, from Belle and Sebastian and Air, before this new one. Equal parts New Wave, French, Latin and Country, it hangs together well, although it does seem a bit samey towards the end. Late Night Tales' USP is a new cover track from the artist making the selection. In this case, with the artists concerned being a covers band, it's easy, and the Nouvelle Vagues have gone for a cast off from the Bande a Part release, with a very different take on Come on Eileen (which made me realise that I've never really heard the lyrics before). So I've also listened to a lot of Dexys this weekend too, including the recently released Projected Passion Review - a lot of previusly unreleased immediately post Young Soul Rebels stuff. Too-Rye-Ay may have been the big commercial breakthrough, but the first album is a classic.
Also listening to: Grinderman - one of those times when a spin-off band seems to reach the heights of the main event very quickly indeed. Songs for the Young at Heart - a strange mixture of dark nostalgia and tweeness. The girls really enjoyed it. Kurt Wagner's take on Inch Worm is one of the highlights for me, but there are other dimmer memories of childhood here too - Uncle Sigmund's Clockwork Storybook, which I first heard on a Spinners album, and the themes to White Horses and Mary, Mungo & Midge. New LCD Soundsystem is also very strong.
Reading: The Damned Utd
Watching: Heroes (very silly, but enjoyable), Ugly Betty Had a bit of a Betty fest last night, watched episodes 13-15. I got bored towards the middle of the series, but the twists in the tale have been good. Gentle feel good comedy. Bit annoyed to find that Life on Mars took a weird break due to the football when I was away last week. And they re-ran S02E01 on BBC 4. Then instead of showing S02E04 on BBC4 tomorrow, they're going to re-run the 2nd episode. By next week it will be three weeks since S02E03 was first shown. Irritating.