Resolution

Let's face it, the vast majority of people who make their new year resolutions at the start of January will be well and truly off their respective wagons by now, rendering the whole charade a little futile. I've never been much good at keeping them myself - in fact the only one I can seriously remember upholding was my 2006 vow to give up my job before the year was out. Eight months later I escaped the shackles of full-time employment, and I've been skint but happy ever since.

This year I thought I should try and post more music here on L'Amour Electronique. A resolution which was somewhat at odds with last years not-so-successful plan to spend less time on my computer. In the first week of January my computer had to be taken in for some repairs to stop big blocks of white obscuring the display. It was gone for over 2 weeks, which was enough time to get me used to a life sans ordinateur. Yes, I denounced the teachings of Kraftwerk, I fell out of love with computer.

My plan is to make more posts, but to be a bit less elaborate with them. 2010 will be the year of the more prolific/less verbose L'Amour Electronique.

On the subject of New Year's resolutions, any red-blooded males out there trying to give up the smokes, I suggest you look away now.


You see Miss Hills has been hanging out with that bad boy Jimmy. She's only sweet sixteen and he's her little champion, taking her behind the bike-sheds for that quintessentially 50's/ 60's rite of passage. We tried to warn her, Jimmy's nothing but a bad influence, she'll be rolling round naked with Jane Birkin before you know it.

*puff* *puff*

Gillian Hills - Ma Première Cigarette
[buy Gillian Hills: iTunes | Amazon.fr]

Vive la Résolution

Overdid it at Christmas? Time to start that exercise regime.

Here’s Professeur Dutronc with a quick aerobics lesson:

Jacques Dutronc - La Leçon de Gymnastique du Professeur Dutronc
[buy Jacques Dutronc from iTunes / Amazon]

As a child, I remember being taken along to the village hall to hang out with the other toddlers whilst our mums partook in the latest exercise craze ‘Pop Mobility’.

Looking back, I can see this experience probably had more than a little influence on my musical tastes…

(image courtesy of retro trash)

Let’s start with a gentle warm-up:

Jean-Michel Jarre – Oxygene (Part IV)
[buy Jean-Michel Jarre from iTunes / Amazon]

Even the penguins have over-indulged during the festive season

(image courtesy of retro trash – look! This one’s got Space on it!!)

Got those muscles all warmed-up? Time for a hi-energy workout, just keep something in reserve for when those break-beats kick in:

Hot Butter – Popcorn
[buy Hot Butter from iTunes / Amazon]

[We love Popcorn round here! Verity is particularly fond of her French Version Originale 7”. The original was written by electronic pioneer Gershon Kingsley, but we think the Hot Butter version is the best. Someone’s dedicated a whole website to the song (including an ace Russian surf-guitar version). Not even the Crazy Frog could spoil it! One day well dedicate a whole post to Popcorn.]

At the end of each Pop Mobility session they would have a warm-down to Fleetwood Mac’s Albatross. But we’ll ignore that one...