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Listed: Jon Langford + Octavius

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Dusted Features

Every Friday, Dusted Magazine publishes a series of music-related lists determined by our favorite artists. This week: Jon Langford and Octavius.



Listed: Jon Langford + Octavius


Jon Langford

After more than twenty-five years, this legendary insurgent punk band is still churning out the snarling country inspired-rock for which they became known when they first emerged from the Leeds University scene back in the late 1970s. While known for classics such as 1985's Fear and Whiskey and 1991's Curse of the Mekons, their last two albums have been nothing short of masterpieces. 2002's OOOH earned the band attention from a brand new, younger audience, and their latest album, the very recently released Punk Rock finds them revisiting many of the same tunes that made them famous in the first place. Mekons founder and main man Jon Langford participated in this week's Listed.

1. Paul Burch - Fool For Love (Bloodshot) - Probably the best songwriter in Nashville (or maybe the world).

2. Kevin Coyne & Dagmar Krause - Babble (ancient Virgin vinyl) - I stole this off the shelf in the publicicist's room at Virgin Records in 1979 and it's one of the most amazing things I've ever heard - disturbing duets for disfunctional lovers.

3. David Bowie - Young Americans (Rykodisc) I still love Dave but I'd pretty much forgotten about this one - oooh all the bubbles are tickling my nostrils.

4. The Johnsons Big Band from Pittsburg (in need of a label) - Huge avant-ska force to be reckoned with summon up all the grandeur and melancholy of heavy industry in decay (with a brass section).

5. Johnny Dowd - unreleased new CD - There's a great song on here about wearing your mum's clothes and being a butcher.

6. Dylan Thomas - A Child's Christmas In Wales (ancient Caedmon vinyl) - Dead 50 years he's never sounded better.

7. Entire Bee Gees back catalog (illegally burnt by mad pal in NYC) Who knew?

8. Johnny Cash - Unearthed Box set (American) - Sat up very late drinking with Waco relief drummer Joe Camarillo and got a bit weepy over Joe and Johnny's Redemption Song - which brings us to...

9. Joe Strummer - Streetcore (Hellcat)

10. Althea & Donna - Uptown Top Rankin' (45) - Easily the best #1 on the British charts ever, totally uplifting, life affirming and cool and I still can't make out half of what they're saying


Octavius

Octavius is the hiphop/electronic project masterminded by vocalist/programmer William Marshall. Working under various incarnations, Octavius has released two limited issue eps and a single leading to his recent Mush debut, Audio Noir. His approach to developing sound employs augmented samples, live instruments, and software-based editing techniques. He is also an employee at LA's massive Amoeba Records, which allowed him to contribute the following Listed feature:

Top Ten Celebrities Sighted at Amoeba Music - Los Angeles.

People watching is an undervalued use of time. This massive pop- emporium on Sunset Boulevard offers collectibles, DVDs and a distinctively L.A. mix of numbing mediocrity and extraordinary strangeness.

10. Kool Keith - Octogynecologist, champion of forgotten 90s R & B.

9. Wynona Ryder - Before I moved to Los Angeles my friends would always say that sooner or later I'd be dating Wynona Ryder. I swear to God, in the 6 months I've lived here, I've seen this woman about a dozen times. I think I should ask her out.

8. Twiggy Ramirez - No coke straw hanging from nose, no make-up, didn't even seem that evil - Big disappointment.

7. Benicio Ded Torro - Benicio Del Torro: "Where is the bathroom?" Amoeba Music Employee: "Sorry Sir, we don't have a public bathroom." Benicio Del Torro: "Then where do YOU take a piss?"

6. Paul Oakenfold - See #8.

5. Tony Todd (actor in cult horror film Candyman) - The legend of the Candyman is a potent one around the high-rise tenements of Chicago's Cabrini-Green housing complex, where the residents speak of a dark, ominous figure who appears when his victims say his name five times in front of a mirror - then mercilessly slashes them to death. When I was 12 I was terrified of this man.

4. Bjork - It's not so much seeing Bjork, it's watching other people pretend to not notice her.

3. Morris Day - Sharp as a tack. Will steal your girlfriend given the opportunity.

2. Abraham Benrubi (school bully Francis Lawrence (Larry) Kubiac III better known as 'Kubiac' or 'Kube' from TV's Parker Parker Lewis Can't Lose) - Abraham Benrubi's longest-running character, 'Kube', began as the primal force behind the High School in Santo Domingo. Larry was not known for his intelligence, and was several years older than the others in his grade, being kept down a grade for a number of years. Initially feared by all, 'Kube' gained a softer edge as the show continued, and became largely a misunderstood giant. Now that the show has long been axed, people still seem to love 'the Kube'. It appears to be considered one of Abraham's best performances to date

1. Michael J. Anderson (the backward-speaking dwarf from 'Twin Peaks') - Forward-speaking in real life.

Other Things to See and/or Hear...
Irreversable - Unbelievable film now on DVD. Written and directed by Noe.

The Order from Matthew Barney's Cremaster 3 - Visually stunning.

Thavius Beck & Subtitle - 'June Gloom' - One of many great songs from Beck's new album.

T. Rex - Electric Warrior (Reissue) - There's a 20 minute interview at the end where he discusses his scheme to 'break' America. Lovely.

RZA - The Cure - Hasn't actually been released yet but RZA's a complete genius and I have an unwavering faith in his abilities. Seriously.

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