That it arrived unsolicited from one of the musical firmaments most eclectic and singular of wizards, Evan Dando: the fact that it was then closely followed by an impromptu video message from a nameless, but perfect Pacific beach, inviting Alex Lipinski to “come fishing” and it should be immediately clear that this isn’t ‘same old, same old’.
The Lemonheads figurehead then picked up the phone, again, and invited Alex to open a few of his UK shows centred around the seminal ‘Shame about Ray’ album, starting with the recent Bristol 02 Academy and London Roundhouse.
Naturally, Lipinski said yes.
Liam Gallagher is a fan, which resulted in Alex belting out Elvis standards within the unlikely domesticity of Liam’s own North London kitchen, in a surreal battle of anthems; the voice of a generation responding with a heartfelt rendition of ‘Acquiesce’ much to the amusement of Bonehead, who just happened to be there because he and Lipinski just happened to be in the middle of the critically acclaimed ‘Phoney’s & The Freaks’ collaboration, which saw them perform live together from Rome to Los Angeles.
His last album, the self-titled ‘Alex’ was produced by The Brian Jonestown Massacre’s Anton Newcombe in Berlin. Hailed by Newcombe as “a young man worth my time and efforts” and also observing that “make no mistake, these songs have all the qualities of timeless music”.
Again, this is not ‘same old, same old’.
