PAUL HAIG DAY II

Thanks to everyone who has signed up for Paul Haig Day II in which bloggers the world over show their appreciation of one of the most talented and unique musicians ever to emerge out of Scotland.

For those of you who don't know why a number of us are doing all of this today, it has its genesis in some unhappy times back in Spring 2009 when this and many other blogs were being bombarded with all sorts of dmca notices that led to postings and accompanying mp3s being removed without warning. One such incident on The Vinyl Villain involved a Paul Haig posting and a few days later, completely out of the blue, I received an email from Paul's manager saying that they were both bemused by the whole thing given they were the copyright holders of the track and hadn't made any demands for a takedown. Furthermore, Paul was in fact totally relaxed about bloggers promoting him and his work through making mp3s freely available.

As a way of saying thank you for these words of support, I asked if folk would be interested in designating April 6th as Paul Haig Day when we would collectively write about him and make some songs available. It proved to be a success, and so I thought it worth repeating the venture in 2010.

The response has been magnificent, and the honour roll on the right hand side of the blog lets you know who is all participating. The participants and supporters come from all across the world, including Australia, Canada, USA, Europe and all parts of the UK. As and when I see what folk are posting, I'll add it to the foot of this posting (albeit, many of the additions will only be made during 'down time' during my day job).

But what makes Paul Haig Day II so very special is the amazing support being offered again by Paul and his management. Not only have they given words of encouragement, but have provided a brand new remix of a song for exclusive use by bloggers:-

mp3 : Paul Haig - Trip Out The Rider (remix)

It's a great version of the opening track from Paul's most recent LP Relive, released to great critical acclaim at the tail end of last year. This particular remix is one that has been done by Paul for today.

However, I'm delighted to reveal - and this is a world-wide exclusive - that a further remix has been done by Fred Deakin from Lemon Jelly, the highly innovative UK electronic act, and it will be made available as a very exclusive 7" vinyl single later this year........more of which later.

I dont know about the rest of you, but I'm totally blown away by this act of generosity. I reckon the very least you could do is leave a comment either here or at one or more of the blogs of the other participants as a thank you gesture to the great man.......

Oh and last week I mentioned that I picked up a compilation LP that featured a Paul Haig rarity. Stupid bugger that I am, I left the record in the office all weekend and wasn't able to get back in and pick it up. So that track will have to wait till another time in the very near future. Instead, here's a handful of some of my favourite but perhaps harder to track down Paul Haig solo efforts:-

mp3 : Paul Haig - Blue For You
(12" single from September 1982, released on Interference Records)

mp3 : Paul Haig - Torchomatic
(12" single, March 1988 - also available on LP European Sun on Les Disques du Crepescule)

mp3 : Paul Haig - Over You
(b-side of single Something Good, released in February 1989 on Circa Records)

mp3 : Paul Haig - I Believe In You (Dolphinarium Mix)
(12" single from October 1990, released on Circa Records)

mp3 : Paul Haig - Oyster World
(from the LP Cinematique 2, November 2000, released on Rhythm Of Life Records)

Visit Paul Haig's website here. For one thing, you could also of course register your interest and pre-order the very collectable 7" of the Fred Deakin mix of Trip Out The Rider that I mentioned earlier........

(NB : Evan, who is Paul's manager is advising that the best way to register your interest is to either subscribe to the ROL newsletter or send an email to evan@ROLinc.co.uk )

For another, you can also purchase some of Paul's more recent releases, all of which come highly recommended. But especially the LP, Relive. Proof??? Have another listen to the stunning track of the same name:-

mp3 : Paul Haig - Relive

And here's some other places to read about Paul Haig today (more to be added as and when details come through):-

Ed from 17 Seconds is featuring Trip Out The Rider and Sorry For Laughing

Webbie from Football and Music is featuring Sorry For Laughing and Revelation
and making a football connection between Pat Nevin and Paul Haig (something which I know will amuse a number of dearest and oldest friends!!!)

Brian from Consolation Prizes is featuring the 12" cuts of Running Away and The Only Truth PLUS the b-sides!!!!!

(Brian also did a posting here a few weeks back that featured a very rare Paul Haig cut....)

Mona from Exile on Moan Street is featuring Chance Meeting and Romance
(and thanks to the time differences to Australia were the first to get PHD II officially up and running)

Arrangements have also been made for the same posting to appear on Pathway To Unknown Worlds

The Cat from Jock'n'Roll is featuring The Only Truth

JJ from Spirolphobia doesn't post any mp3s but provides a cracking review of Relive. If only I could come up with such brilliant one-liners.

Davis McArdle doesn't have a blog....but he did his bit two weeks ago with an offering on TVV. Click here for a reminder. Oh and you'll also access mp3s of three (count 'em) versions of Justice as well as the rare On This Night Of Decision

Chris and everyone at the internet station Exit 97.7 WEXT will be playing all sorts of Paul Haig songs throughout the day. Click here to access the station.

Phil Spector from Plain Or Pan features Josef K amidst a fantastic posting featuring ALL of the singles ever released on Postcard Records.

Greer from A Sweet Unrest features So Contemporary and tells how good reviews from blogs can lead to increased sales

Jim from Aye Tunes features Relive (and isn't the title of his blog just the best?)

Ctel has come out of retirement and resurrected Acid Ted for one day only. He's featuring a great remix of Justice along with Something Good

Swiss Adam says some really nice things over at Bagging Area and features Paul's cover of Ghost Rider

Friend of Rachel Worth from Cathedrals Of Sound reminds us that Paul has a great voice and shows it off on the song Faithless

HD from Helpless Dancer recalls Paul Haig Day I in 2009 where among many other wonderful things he features Paul & Billy Mackenzie's collaboration, and with the posting of Beyond Love makes a lovely and personal tribute to his late wife.

G has done things a wee bit differently. If you pay a visit to How Does That One Go Again you will get some great footage of Josef K playing live as well as Paul's take on The Theme From The Persuaders (NB ; Earlier mistaken link now sorted!!!!)

The ever amazing tart from Love Shack, Baby waxes lyrically about the LP and features the lead track, Relive

One of the first bloggers I ever stumbled across, and who has therefore a big inspiration for the concept of TVV, was Adam from Pretending Life Is Like A Song. He has chipped in with some fine words and features Its Kinda Funny

Dirk from Germany and the wonderful Sexy Loser blog has joined in the fun with Sorry For Laughing. Enjoy!!!! (little joke there for anyone who ever listens to Contrast Podcast)

Rol from Sunset Over Slawit gives us the video for Something Good. Oh and you do worse than invest in a copy of Rol's comic PJANG, named after a Nick Cave composition that has also been covered by Lloyd Cole

Simon from The Songs That People Sing has also gone down the video route, and gives us Paul's debut single Running Away

Mel from the Montreal-based London Cafe : The Best of UK Indie shows her support and features Work Together, which seems very apt.

Paul from You Would Say That, Wouldn't You has come to the party and features The Missionary, Heaven Sent, Ghost Rider and Mind

Postpunk has joined in from Germany. Not sure what he has said at Postpunk as I don't speak the language but it looks highly complimentary. You can also find the video for Justice

Sean from Battery In Your Leg has analysed the whole DMCA thing and rounded it off with the track No Reason

Blogmeister from Everything Starts With An A has focused on the tracks available on the 12" of Heaven Help You Now but also highlighted many other places where the blog has featured Paul in times gone by

Duncan from Flippin Kids tells a great tale and also features Somewhere Inbetween

Nat from Another Aging Hipster tells how she dug deep to find a track that suited her own musical tastes which are distinctly not dance/rock, as she wanted so much to part of PHD II. he selected Gone In A Moment. Excellent choice Nat. And a big thank you for joinimg in.

Fernando joins in from Argentina at his site Por Si Llueve and gives us his take on Running Away

The Hangover Helper is on board from Washington DC with all sorts of love for Paul, including Listen To Me, Looking and Irresponsible. There's also some videos including True Blue with a cameo from Charlotte Rampling. Visit The Hangover Helper and see for yourself.

Erika from 1001 Fun Things To Do In Aberystwth (yet another cracking name for a blog) has gone back to the days of Josef K and featured a live recording of Chance Meeting

Herbal T from The Mixed Up World of Herbal T gives some very rare and choice cuts in Atmosphere and Theme From The Persuaders

ally from Dusty 7s really has done something special. Not only has she posted images of a very rare Josef K booklet from the Postcard era, but you can download a file that gives you access to 45 minutes of music from John Peel shows of the same era - including exclusive Josef K sessions!!!

FiL from Pogo-A-Gogo spendidly rounded things off long after most of us had gone to bed. At 11.10pm in Vancouver, he added his weight to our efforts with some well-selected words and a chance to listen to Sorry For Laughing

Various aggregator sites etc such as:-

The Hype Machine
elbo
Broken Controllers
Pop Librarian
Cowbell FM
Lintom
Indieblips
gigulate
Blip FM
wikio
Friendfeed

have picked up on Paul Haig Day II and given it a mention.

We also got a great mention from Drew over at the always entertaining Across The Kitchen Table as well by James over at the wonderful Appetite For Distraction

And although it's not a habit I indulge in myself, it lloks like Paul Haig has been the subject of many a twitter

If anyone spots any other mentions, please drop me an e-mail : thevinylvillain@hotmail.co.uk

Cheers