I’m unable to put in words the horror that I feel looking at the death and devastation after the Tsunami in South Asia.

It makes a person, sitting in a comfortable and secure living room in central Auckland, with satellite news, feel so absolutely impotent, helpless and insignificant.

And the west’s reaction to date has been nothing less than appalling…the US’s initial offer of US$35 million sits next to its hourly expenditure (excluding Iraq)of over $50 million on its military.

Hundreds of millions of dollars would need to be delivered by international governments within days to prevent a humanitarian catastrophe, a spokesman said. The United Nations said that US$80m (£41.5m) had been pledged, although donors would need to raise more than four times that amount to cope.

says The Independent today

The US government has spent hundreds of billions of dollars in recent times causing great misery and death in its strategic manoeuvring around the world but seems unable to find the money to alleviate pain, money that wouldn’t cause a blip on it’s military economy.

And Bush is on holiday again.

Then there is this…

Obscene.

Happy birthday to this fella today:

Bloody awful picture (where do they find these bloody things) but I’ve known the old bugger now for some 30 years and he’s one of the most decent loyal people you could hope to meet

And happy birthday to James Pinker, who I first met at a Suburban Reptiles gig at VUSA in 1977, another close and good buddy (he had pink hair at the time but that’s another story). Big party yesterday which has left me with another stonking headache (see above).

Ain’t nothing like an old friend..I’m allowed to get a little over sentimental at Christmas

Quincy Jones-There’s a Train Leaving-A&M-1976
Supremes-I’m Gonna let my Heart do the Walking-Motown-1976
Dazzle-You Dazzle Me-De-Lite-1979
Donald Byrd-Love has come around-Elektra-1981
Hamilton Bohannon-Wake Up (Neroli re-edit)-Slam Jam-2004
Alexander O’Neal-Whats Missing (remix)-Tabu-1985
MC Shan-The Bridge-Cold Chillin’-1987
Hot RS-Slow Blow-Slam Jam-2004
Tilt-Arcade Funk-DETT-1984
Fatback -Girls on my Mind-Cotillion-1984
Change-A Lovers Holiday-WEA-1980
Smokey Robinson & The Miracles-Soulful Shack-Tamla-1967
Musique-In the Bush (FK Mix)-Prelude-1978
Jean Carne-What’s on Your Mind-Philadelphia Int-1979
Duane & Co-JB Piano Trax-Trax-1987
Jamie Principal-Cold World-DJ International-1987
Innocence-I’ll be There (MAW 12” mix)-Cooltempo-1992
Mondee Oliver-Stay Close (Larry Heard Fingers club vocal)-Gherkin-1989
Hardhouse-Check This Out-Easy St-1988
Heaven 17-Lets all Make a Bomb-Virgin-1981
The Reese Project-Direct Me (Underground Resistance Mix)-Giant-1981
Soulwax-E Talking (Nite mix)-Pias-2005
DK7-Slipstream-Output-2004
Tyree Cooper -Acid Over (Matey mix)-DJ International-1988
Chaka Khan-Krush Groove-Warner Bros-1985
Cajmere feat Dajae-I Need You-Cajual-2004
SIN-So Sad (Abe Duque mix)-Sin-2004
Rhythim is Rhythim-It is what It Is-Transmat-1988
Adamski-The N-R-G Symphony in F Minor-MCA-1990
Wham-Everything She Wants (12” mix)-Epic-1984

Who the hell would want to be a music critic, especially one who writes those 50 word reviews for the local mags like Real Groove (which has its moments and is worthy, especially in an era where the rock mag has largely become redundant with the rise of the electronic media), or Rip It Up.

I should know – I used to churn them out in days gone bye for Murray, and some of what I wrote is simply embarrassing – the 200 hundred words by 9am for an album you’ve never heard before syndrome – a record that some poor bastard spent a year of blood and toil making – as Lou Reed said “you spend a year and a half making an album and some arsehole gives you a b+”

In the grand tradition of embarrassing reviews, both the above magazines gave Brian Wilson’s Smile fairly luke warn reviews. They included one from a reviewer that I would have thought better of – but, hey, everyone has an opinion and they’re entitled to it.

Including me. And my opinion is that they’re wrong. Beyond question.

As if to nail that point home, Brian Wilson astounded and mesmerised 3000 odd people on Sunday night past, at the Aotea Centre here in Auckland. Russell Bailey actually nailed it pretty well in the NZ Herald and I’m loathe to try and better his review.

Suffice to say that Brigid – who has always looked strangely at my Brian Wilson fixation – and was less than convinced by the rocky ending to the first half, is a newly born convert. Smile is everything it was always supposed to be and something more. I hate the way the word genius is so loosely applied, but with Brian, the notoriously tragic genius is unquestioned.

Mike Love can trek around the world recycling surf hits endlessly (and providing Mojo with odd “I’m a good guy…really….” interviews that seem to just dig his hole a little deeper) and suing people like poor old rather talentless, Al Jardine, but Brian left him behind decades ago. I dug the acoustic bracket at the beginning, and the way he pulled out lesser known early tracks (“Wendy” & “Forever”…bliss) – and when he ended with a bracket of hits, it was because wanted to.

Unlike Love’s oldies crew trading on the Beach Boys name, it wasn’t the reason we were all there.

Fucking genius. I said it.

The first is from one arguably one of the most talented rappers to ever pass through the West: The D.O.C. Before a car accident destroyed his vocal chords and ended what would have been a career that could have made Snoop seem like a little doggy dogg, D.O.C. was THE Man. Powerful voice, untouchable flow, and just a presence on the mic that towered over the entire NWA posse. “The D.O.C. and the Doctor,” was my first introduction to him and it remains my favorite song by him even though he’s had bigger hits (“Funky Enough”). It’s just how ill the song opens – the thrash guitar, the convo b/t him and Dre, and the explosive: “I’m the diggy-diggy-Doc-ya’ll” which is only outdone by the opening to the 2nd verse: “When I hear a BASS drum/I gotta get dumb.”

So says Oliver Wang on soul sides. I’m a massive fan of the D.O.C., and the album remains a hip-hop classic.

However, Wang is wrong to dismiss the hip house version of “Portrait” as cheesy. I assume he’s refering to one of the CJ Macintosh remixes, which came on two uk 12″s, one of which is mentioned here. There were two separate CJs: the red sleeved one already mentioned, and a blue sleeved one with a hip hop and a tougher house mix. I have a real soft spot for the CJ (& Dave Dorrell) mixes of the late eighties. There was a rolling charm to many of them, and at their best (Roxanne Shante’s “Live on Stage” & The D.O.C. mixes) he added something without belitting the original at all – something rare with UK mixes of US hip hop of the era (as Eric B & Rakim found out).

In particular their remix of “Boops’ leaves the original in the dust.

I’ve also just rediscovered CJ & Einstein’s electric scratchfest, “The Tables are Turning” on Simon Harris’s label, Music Of Life. Hard as hell to find but worth grabbing if it turns up, as one did the other day in the cheapie bins at Real Groovy (where all the best records are).

Willie Williams-Armegideon Time (discomix version)-Studio One / Soul Jazz-1980
Dunn Pearson-Groove On Down-Shrylden-1978
Martin Circus-Disco Circus (FK Edit)-Prelude-1979
Captain Sky-Station Brake-WMOT-1981
Common Sense-I used to love H.E.R.-Relativity-1994
Mantronix-Who Is It (Club mix)-Ten-1986
Public Enemy-More News at Eleven (Funk Minister Mega length mix)-Def Jam-1992
CJ Macintosh & Einstein-The Tables are Turning-Music of Life-1987
Simon Harris-Bass (Bomb the House mix)-FFRR-1988
Siouxsie and the Banshees-Hong Kong Garden-Polydor-1977
Rex the Dog-I Look into mid air-Kompact-2004
New Young Pony Club-Ice Cream-Tirk-2004
Rong Edits-Edit #1-Rong-2004
Ragtyme-I Cant Stay Away (Knuckles vocal)-Bright Star-1987
Sounds of Blackness-I Believe (Morales classic Gospel mix)-Perspective -1992
Free Chicago Movement-Recognize-Nuphonic -1995
Seven Grand Housing Authority-The Question -Simply Soul-1993
Frankie Goes to Hollywood-2 Tribes (Carnage mix)-ZTT-1984
S- Express-Theme from S Express (Carl Craig’s Birthday Surprise Mix)-Rhythm King-1996
Unit 4-Bodydub (Freak Electric mix)-Clone-2004
Josh Wink-516 Acid (Chicken Lips Acido de Boogie mix)-Ovum-2004
Alden Tyrell-Disco Lunar Module-Clone-2004
Roach Motel-Wild Luv-JBO-1994
Underground Track Master-Battle Cry-Mix Inc-2004
Powerhouse 3-The Magnificent-Nu Groove-1991
Fingers Inc-Bye Bye-Jack Trax-1988

MFSB-Love is The Message (Tom Moulton remix)-Philadelphia Int-1973
Sandy’s Gang -Hungry (Sean P re-edit)-Tirk-2004
Womack and Womack-APB-Elektra-1983
Eric B & Rakim-Mahogany-MCA-1990
Rong Edits-#4-Rong-2004
Alexander O’Neal-Criticize-Tabu-1987
Incognito-Everyday (MAW Dobie mix)-Talking Loud-1995
Grace Jones-Feel Up (Larry Levan mix)-Island -1984
Frankie Knuckles & Jamie Principal-Your Love-Trax-1984
Basement Boys-Love Don’t Live here Anymore (Zanzibar mix)-Jump Street-1988
Rythim is Rythim-Strings of Life (Carl Craig / Derrick May unreleased mix)-Mastercuts-1994
PIL-Rise (instrumental)-Virgin-1986
Liquid Liquid-Bellhead-DFA-2004
Mr Fingers-Stars-Black Market-1992
Bomb the Bass-Beat Dis (Bonus Beats)-Rhythm king-1987
Sharam Jey-Feel Nobody-Underwater-2004
Dee-Lite-Runaway (Kenlou Dub)-Elektra-1990
Swan Lake-In The Name of Love-Bad Boys-1988
Lopazz-Blood (Tiefschwarz mix)-Output-2004
Abe Duque-Besame Mucho-Duque-2004
Turntablerockers-TTroy Dub-Fine-2004
Cameo -Money (Reese Hardcore mix)-Reprise-1992
Human Resource-Dominator-R&S-1991
Psyche-Elements-Transmat -1990
The Ballistic Brothers-I”ll Fly Away-Junior Boys Own-1995
David Duriez-On My Elbows (Hard Floor mix)-Duriez-2004
Blake Baxter & Abe Duque-Battle Cry-Mix Inc-2004