The Darling Buds - Hit The Ground

Back to the late 80s for a little slice of indie pop heaven courtesy of The Darling Buds. For some reason I've heard this track played on 6 Music a couple of times recently and I'd forgotten how good it was (that'll be the dementia setting in no doubt). After a few breaks and one off reunions the band reformed in 2013 and released a new EP back in 2017. Here's the title track off it, it's like they'd never been away.

Mark Hollis - RIP

Good grief, Peter Tork last week and the voice of Talk Talk this week. Mark Hollis may have pretty much vanished from the music scene altogether back in 1998 but the singles Talk Talk, It's My Life and Life's What You Make It remain three of the very best from the 80s, grown up and sophisticated pop that still sound great almost 40 years later. If you've not heard 'em (unlikely I know but it's remarkable how some people are oblivious to anything other than Ariana Grande) give 'em a spin. I'd never seen this footage of a run through another classic single, Dum Dum Girl, before. Nice to see the real geezer behind the dark shades for a change.

RIP Mark.

Sunwatchers - Illegal Moves

Heard this last week on 6 Music and it floated what's left of my boat. It's a little bit Zappa-ish and a little bit proggy, perfect for losing your mind to on a nippy February morning. Turn on, tune in and drop out as a wiser soul than me once said. Mind you he was off his box on LSD so I'd take what he said with a pinch on snuff. Anyway, enjoy!

Peter Tork - RIP

Shockingly little coverage of the death of Peter Tork last night but there you go, I guess Brexit's pretty much all everyone's interested in these days. The Monkees sold an incredible 75million records, had a rather groovy TV show (that I can remember watching when I was 3...a mere 46 years ago...ouch) and successfully transformed themselves from pop puppets to a 'proper' band, practically inventing country rock along the way courtesy of the Mike Nesmith penned and sung Listen To The Band.



RIP Mr Tork.

Mature Visions Impaired - The Day Ends

I'm just 1 minute 43 seconds into what could well be the last will and testament of The Day Ends and I have to get this posted right now. Already I can physically taste the blood, sweat, tears and bile that went into making it and whether, as a result of this post, it gets heard by 1 more person or 1 million (ha, fat chance eh?) I just have to do what I can carry on spreading the gospel according to St MPH.

Sure he's a polarising figure, he's pissed people off, some who may not have deserved it and some who undoubtedly deserved a lot worse, but true passion and belief is an uncontrollably explosive force my friends and in a world in which far too many people hide quivering behind their screens or a thin veil of virtue signalling bullshit voices like Miles' should be clutched to our hearts like a barbed wire pacemaker. The Day Ends? Maybe. But the realisation of the importance of the body of work that Miles and co (in all of their various guises) leave behind is something that hasn't even begun. 
 

The Plasmatics - Butcher Baby

I doubt you'll ever see a more deranged and energetic live performance that this one dating, I guess, to the early 80s. Townsend may have smashed his guitar and Hendrix set his on fire but Wendy O. Williams is quite possibly the only one to have cut hers in half with a frickin' chainsaw. Imagine the health and safety hoops you'd have to jump through (carefully mind you and with an appropriate safety net) these days to pull such a stunt. Sadly Wendy O was a troubled soul and after a couple of failed suicide attempts finally succeeded by shooting herself with a pistol almost 21 years ago noting in a note she left behind that 'much of the world makes no sense'. Blimey imagine what she'd make of 2019 eh? 

Boy Meets Girl - Waiting For A Star To Fall

Happy Valentine's Day and all that jazz. I'm pretty sure I've posted this track at least once before but you can't go far wrong with a bit of Waiting For A Star To Fall can you eh? Ahhhh those sax breaks...what's not to love.

Ministry - Jesus Built My Hotrod

Heard this track on 6 Music a few weeks ago and thought it might be something by The Cramps but nope, it's a 1992 single from Ministry. I can't recall hearing it at the time but I was a student back then and to be honest can't recall much from those years so, you know, maybe I did. Anyway if you've not heard it or if you have but you'd forgotten because your brain's turned to mush give it a spin/click as it's brilliantly bonkers.

PS: And here's The Cramps Surfin Bird, surely Jesus Built My Hotrod's spiritual cousin.

Vampire Weekend - Harmony Hall

It's been a bit of a grower here in Baron Towers but Vampire Weekend's new one, Harmony Hall, is now well and truly installed in what's left of my ageing brain. Topically enough in the week that the extinction of every living insect (except cockroaches I'm guessing, aren't they practically indestructible?) was predicted the video features loads of 'em. Awwww bless.

PS: Can't resist sticking up Cousins too...great track and equally great vid. 10 ruddy years ago though...whooahhhh!

Sabrina Johnston - Peace

Back to the 90s for the Friday banger this week courtesy of Sabrina Johnston's rather fine uplifting anthem Peace. Here's wishing eh...?

Sports Team - M5

There's something more than a little bit Britpoppy about this new track from the hotly tipped (by the band themselves as much as anyone but, hey, if ya don't believe in yourself who will eh?) Sports Team. And no, that's not a bad thing, far from it. It may still be a bit too soon to view the Britpop era as a genuinely great time for music but as someone who lived through it, saw the bands (oh so many bands) and bought the CD singles (parts 1, 2 and 3...the labels sure knew how to milk the fans in those days) I just so happen to think it was. Sports Team have that same literate bent possessed by some of Britpop's finest, step forward Strangelove, Spearmint, Pulp, My Life Story, Art Brut etc and, let's face it, music could do with a little more brains and a lot less autotuning right now. I'm going out on a bit of a limb here but I reckon they could be ruddy HUGE...or at the very least ruddy IMPORTANT. Anyway, here's another fine offering, imagine the bastard offspring of the Stones and The Buzzcocks, enjoy...

Mason Williams - Classical Gas

Yesterday was a new experience, evacuated from my home due to a monumental gas leak. If someone had walked past and lit a cigarette I may well have been talking to you from the other side as it's highly likely I'd have been blown into little tiny pieces. It makes ya think dun't it eh? Anyway to celebrate not being dead what better tune that a little Classical Gas...ahem...eh? Enjoy.