Proud dad Gordon with baby Scarlet. Pic Julia Corsaro

The rest of what you do isn’t as important any more

Seems obvious, but working this out was completely liberating. When I looked down into our daughter’s face for the first time I just breathed a sigh of relief: no longer would I have to run around justifying my place in the middle of the universe, no more need I try to lock horns with how things are and how I fit in. It takes all the stress out of life, not having to be defined by that stuff any more. Strangely though, the fact that I make my living playing in a band remains just as relevant as it was, if not more so. I can actually see all the better now how it fits into scheme of me and our family: now I go out on tour with a purpose, a job to do, a mouth to feed. I am here to provide, and it’s okay for me to enjoy what I do too, because what better an outlook can you pass on to your children than being proud of what you do, of enjoying your work?

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Bloc Party - “Signs (MMMatthias Remix)” (Y.S.I.)Bloc Party - “Signs (MMMatthias Remix)” (MediaFire)via http://pandatoes.blogspot.com

A security guard came along and put a notice on the door, which made absolutely no sense to me whatsoever. I’ll leave you to work it out.

They were late opening the doors for us to go get our wristbands. Must’ve been about 9.15. Tut-tut….

When we got inside we were told we had to buy the album, in order to get a wristband, which I thought was a bit of a con. Most of us [well, the true fans anyhow] had already pre-ordered the album [I got my copy Saturday morning]. Anyhow, I decided to buy the picture disc of the album, together with a spare copy for the car.

Afterwards, we were messing around in the shop and singing rather loudly as they were playing the album over the loudspeaker. I had to get back home, as I had to go to work half day, but ended up only staying for 45 mins [I was able to negotiate the rest of the day off….]

I got back to HMV just after 1pm and waiting it out with 2 others, who had the good sense to get there early [Hi Darren and Kathryn]. Aly, Sarah and Laurie came along after and we passed the time messing around and scrawling graffiti on the wall.

We got let in at 5pm, which was a nice surprise as we thought opening time was 6pm. When we got inside, they had erected weird barriers in each aisle facing the stage, that we had to stand in. The gap must’ve been about 5 feet, space enough for photographers. It was awkward because it wasn’t a proper ‘front row’ as such and you didn’t have any real room to jump about.

Bloc Party came along, not long after to rapturous applause and performed a blinding set, although it was a bit clinical because the crowd’s response was rubbish [not many knew the songs/moved about]. The setlist was originally going to be One Month Off/Trojan Horse/Signs/Better Than Heaven/Ion Square/Ares/Flux, but they changed it at the last minute to include ‘Halo’, which is a top song live. It came after Trojan Horse.

Kele wore his ‘Choose Life’ t-shirt inside out. I was going to ask him why after the gig, but I forgot. The sound quality of the gig was great - a lot better than the Apple Store gig. Matt’s drumming was extraordinarily superb this evening [when is it never?]. I am so in awe of his abilities. Ares was stonkingly good and you could hear Gordy’s synth-drums loud and clear. I did film some of the gig, but only clips as I wanted to enjoy it as much as I could [pictures are here]. There was some guy videoing it for the back screen anyway. Whether we’ll get to see that is another thing.

Bloc left the stage and we wanted an encore, but didn’t get one…

SETLIST

Trojan Horse
Halo
Signs
Better Than Heaven
Ion Square
Ares
Flux

They held the signing at the front of the stage, which was cool. We were amongst the first in line, but we got hurried on by the security, who said we could only get one thing signed [the actual ‘Intimacy’ album only] and no pictures were allowed. The guy did allow us to get setlists signed, which was just so nice of him…… Some other arsehole security guard kept saying that Bloc Party are ’shit’. I let it go once, but he kept going on and on and being really stupid, so I had to cuss him out in front of everyone - loudly. You’re being paid to be there and you have the audacity to slag off my favourite band! He was well out of order and totally unprofessional.

After we got our things signed, we hung out on the side of the stage as the band patiently and methodically signed for everyone. There were some people who were ‘guests’ and they got other stuff signed like posters and other Bloc albums, which I thought was a tad unfair. Plus, they seemed to have a bit more time with the band. I was trying to get some pictures of them signing, but the goon-headed security guards kept getting in the way.

When Bloc Party got through the queue, we went over and asked for pictures with them, which they happily obliged [thank you kindly]. I can’t believe it’s been over a year since I last got a picture with my boys. Time really does fly. I also got chatting with Matt and Russell. It was nice to spend a bit of time with them, even if it was fleeting.

I bumped into Rebekah and her cute little brother, who she is getting into Bloc Party [that’s it girl, start ‘em young].

It was my first ’signing’ and things went well on the whole. Bloc were very friendly, polite and generally awesome to all and sundry.

But, it can’t beat the Apple Store gig…

VIDEOS [More to follow]

Bloc Party signing autographs

The film was shot in The Pool Studio where the band recorded some of “Intimacy”.

And bassist Gordon Moakes admits it was a strange experience.

He says, “It was quite exciting when we first walked in and saw the runway right next to us… But the building… reeks of old Germany.”

The show is likely to be the last ever gig at the airport - it is due for closure next week (30Oct08) and will be replaced by the new Berlin-Brandenburg International Airport.

http://www.contactmusic.com/news.nsf/article/bloc%20party%20play%20airport%20gig_1084592

Dear Kele,
I am not sexy enough! I see you and wish I could be somewhere close to your level of sexiness. Or, even better, a bit like Russell. Could you please give me some tips on how to achieve this? I am desperate.
James,
Leicester

Babes, you’ve just got to own it. Sexiness is a state of mind and, in my opinion, there is nothing sexier than confidence. If you’ve got a pot-belly, start wearing some midriff exposing crop tops. If you’ve got a hunch back, throw some glitter on it and start vogueing down at BoomBox. Getting to where Russell and I are right now wasn’t easy, it was an exhausting process of reinvention (trust me, I have the dodgy secondary school photos to prove it!) but now we are here and we can offer our advice to any emerging swans in ugly duckling garb. In the words of one of my sexiest heroes and the mistress of chameleonic reinvention, you’ve got to “express yourself, don’t repress yourself” because at the end of the day, that’s what is hot!

Dear Kele,
If you could have sexy time while listening to any record, what would that record be?
Fondly,
Eric

To be honest, Eric, I’ve never been so good with music during “sexy time”. I can kind of get distracted and, anyway, I much prefer the natural music that two bodies make, if you catch my drift? But I would say something insistent and bass-heavy – maybe some sort of Ministry of Sound compilation – would be good. Banging, in fact! Although I am reminded of a time an ex put on Ravel’s Bolero as a joke. What started as a sensuous tease ended up as a sticky, intense crescendo for all involved. Result!

Dear Kele,
My girlfriend and I have been together for almost a year - the sex was pretty frequent and hot to start with, but recently things haven’t been feeling the same. I brought up the subject the other day, and she suggested a threesome to spice things up. I was kind of into the idea at first, until she clarified she wanted the third party to be another man! I’m the first woman my girlfriend has been in a relationship with and now I’m worried she’s missing something that I definitely can’t give her … should I go with it to try and help my relationship? Or should I tell her pretty ass no?
Please help Kele!
Anxious from Bristol

Ah, the good old double team. Why not pick one of your best friends? EVERYONE wants to have sex with their best friend. Maybe vet him first, though. Take him out for a friendly game of badminton and then surreptitiously check his junk out in the showers afterwards because a) if there’s the slightest chance that his balls might accidentally whack you in the face during the course of the proposed threesome, you want to make sure that there’s nothing gross going on down there, and b) it would be pretty embarrassing if he happened to have a massive wang. Oh! I’ve just noticed you’re a woman! I was answering this question thinking you were a man. I had the whole thing mapped out in my head, too. Hmm. Well in that case, I say just get involved and if the balance starts to tip in the third party’s favour, just go at him until he starts screaming and jumps out the window (er … that’s quite enough of this for now – ed)

http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2008/oct/24/kele-okereke-bloc-party-sex-doctor 

Kele Okereke, agony aunt

Hey Kele!
I like to listen to music especially while making love, but my girlfriend doesn’t seem to agree with Bloc Party as sexy mood music. What would you suggest as some sexy music to satisfy my girl?
Ali

Hi Ali,
Sounds like you’re letting the “music” take up the slack when it comes to pleasing your girlfriend. Does your bedtime styling not satisfy her enough? Our music was never designed with love-making in mind, so I can sort of see where your lady is coming from. Our music is more suited to applying lip-gloss, shoe-horning yourself into a well-worn pair of Dorothy Perkins leggings, and piling into the back of a minibus bound for Leicester Square with a crate of Barcardi Breezer (that is, it’s a prelude to the whole sorry ritual of finding yourself someone to get into a hot sticky mess with). When the lights go down, however, you could perhaps try Diamonds and Pearls by Prince. The power of suggestion is a fine thing. No need to worry about giving diamonds, but a well-placed (or aimed) necklace may well turn out to be a most welcome and pleasant nocturnal gift for your loved one. Don’t thank me. Thank Prince and his New Power Generation.

Dear Kele,
I am living in a shared house at university with very thin walls, so all my housemates know exactly when it’s sexy-time for me and the boyfriend, which is rather off-putting for all concerned. Once, one of them burst in, drunk, knowing that it was a fairly pivotal moment, and shouted ‘THIS IS SPARTA!!!” for a “hilarious” joke. Could you recommend some sensual, yet suitably loud, music I can play to drown out sexy noises and avoid further embarrassment for all concerned?
Love and hugs, Zara

Who the hell is your flatmate? He/she sounds like a total riot. Can we take this person on tour? Please? I’ve just spoken to Russell, our guitarist, and he’s quite happy to come round and noodle about on his guitar in your room while you get down to it. A live soundtrack tailor-made for your sexploits? I may be on to something here. Kele Okereke Ltd - The Bespoke Sex Soundtrack Experience. We could set up meetings. I’d show up with a clipboard and make diagrams of the space where the activity takes place. You tell me what you and your boyfriend like to do and in what order, and then I choose someone best suited to the job from my large list of musician chums. When the urge kicks in, you page me, and half an hour later, some feckless rock dude shows up on a scooter with a Squire Strat and Peavey practice amp strapped to the back.

Dear Kele,
All the men I meet online tell me it goes wrong because it’s too fast - and I’m talking about meeting face to face, and possible engaging in some more “hands-on” contact. I guess I just really don’t understand what men want. I seem to have gone from “Mercury’s in retrograde” to “I’m man-poison” in the space of a couple of weeks. What the hell do they want?

You’re mixing metaphors somewhat here. The following from Astrology.com explains that “… Mercury in retrograde gives rise to personal misunderstandings; flawed, disrupted, or delayed communications, negotiations and trade; glitches and breakdowns with phones, computers, cars, buses, and trains. And all of these problems usually arise because some crucial piece of information, or component, has gone astray or awry”. So, in effect, you’re saying you’re between a rock and a hard place and not the kind of hard place you necessarily seek. It isn’t that you’re not keen to get things going, you just need to parlay that enthusiasm into something more substantial. Men totally want to “get involved” on that front, make no mistake, but don’t just put it all out there on a cyber-plate. That’s plain confusing.

On one hand, the internet is great: you can go on a website, check some boxes in a number of categories and bingo, a list of boys tailor-made to fulfil your exact love criteria. But on the other hand, most people on the net just like the thrill of knowing that there are people out there who would willingly tap your ass – they don’t actually want to meet up in real life. So what I propose is that you go old-skool on the whole “hands-on” thing. Why not watch a few Robin Askwith films for a rough idea of what used to transpire pre-internet? You could perhaps bunk off work and invite the postman in for a cup of tea. Or how about offering a tantalising glimpse of the top of your stockings to the dressing room attendant at Marks and Sparks? Peep-hole bra to be worn when you go out to get the paper? You get the picture? Que?

http://www.guardian.co.uk

If you were lucky enough to catch Bloc Party’s set at the Apple Store a few weeks back, you’ll know how much they made the room bounce. Seriously, the floor and wall’s were shaking so much they made The Fresh Prince and Jazzy Jeff jealous.

Kele, Matt, Russell and Gordon played a killer set and lucky for us the lovely people at iTunes recorded the whole thing so that you can listen to Bloc Party live whenever and wherever you want. Or better still, dance around your room and pretend to be Bloc Party. Oh yeah!

In fact, you can live re-live the joy this very weekend as Xfm will be playing exclusive clips from Bloc Party’s set at the Apple Store this Sunday on the Live Hour with Jo Good from 8pm.

The band have added 6 live tracks to their album ‘Intimacy‘ which you can buy exclusively from iTunes.

The exclusive live tracks that will appear on the album are as follows:

Talons
Signs
Trojan Horse
Waiting For The 7.18
Ares
Ion Square

So what you waiting for? The tracks will be availaibe from Monday 27th October so get on to iTunes and get downloading!

http://www.xfm.co.uk/

http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/video/2008/oct/20/blocparty-popandrock