Pi Ja Ma - I Oh I

Bonjour! Loving this track from Pi Ja Ma at the momento, sounds a bit like Stereolab if they'd gone a bit wonky pop and who wouldn't want to hear that eh?

Here's another rather spiffing track from 2016's debut EP. Enjoy!

Ranking Roger - RIP

Yet another sad passing to report, this one's a lot closer to home though. The Beat's Ranking Roger, who's passed away at just 56, lived in my old patch (Bearwood) and we'd see him round and about sometimes. He was clearly a genuinely lovely chap and the well deserved outpouring of grief from fellow Brummies and musicians speaks volumes. I last saw him performing down here at Let's Rock Exeter in 2016 and he seemed like a man in his prime. Just a few months ago his version of The Beat released a darn fine new album and an autobiography's due later this year which makes his death all the sadder. RIP Roger.

PS: It seems appropriate to use this post to wish all the very best to another Brum musical legend (and equally lovely bloke), Brian Travers, who's facing an op to remove two brain tumours tomorrow. Get well soon dude.

Scott Walker RIP

I have Marc Almond to thank for turning me on to Scott Walker. Back in the mid 80s when I was buying up anything Almond had recorded I picked up the first Marc and the Mambas album which included a Brel number (If You Go Away) which Walker himself memorably covered and Walker's own Big Louise (from Scott 3). Walker's trio of Scott albums (1,2 and...quelle surprise...3) are quite frankly amongst the finest recordings ever committed to vinyl and whilst he may be something of a cult figure these days (due in no small part to his unwillingness to play the fame game or record anything remotely commercial for the past 40 years or so) expect to see a thoroughly well deserved outpouring of praise / grief from many of today's more interesting artists. RIP Mr Walker.

 

Love - 7 And 7 Is

I was never any good at Maths at school but I'm pretty sure 7 and 7 is...er...hold on...14 right? I'm equally certain that this track's an absolute belter and in the unlikely event that you've never heard it before I have very great pleasure in sticking it up here. The fact that it out punks a lot of punk records despite being recorded in 1966 is pretty remarkable and I count myself ruddy lucky to have seen Love with Arthur Lee perform it live before he passed away back in 2006. I can heartily recommend that you spend a day catching up on the band's entire output via whatever 'channel' floats yer boat too.

Night Trains - Gunshot

How funky/acid jazzy is this eh? If Starsky and Hutch had been made in the late 80s/early 90s instead of the 70s this would have been a shoe in for the soundtrack album.

Squeeze - Slaughtered, Gutted and Heartbroken

Thankfully I'm not slaughtered, gutted or heartbroken but I do love the "stitch short of a tapestry" line on this pretty obscure Squeeze album track. I must've listened to this album a million times when I was a student (hey, you had to pay for your music in those days...and it wasn't even my copy) but, for some reason, this track's suddenly started popping into my head again.

The same album spawned the rather lovely 'If It's Love'...



...and Jools Holland at his boogie woogie best on Dr Jazz...



...despite all this it only reached number 58 in the charts. Pah.

Incognito - Don't You Worry Bout A Thing

S'Friday and for many reasons this track feels particularly appropriate today. Turn it up loud, dance around in your pants and hopefully whatever's worrying you will disappear into the ether...for 4 minutes and 7 seconds at least.

Siouxsie and the Banshees - Kiss Them For Me

If there's a reason why I don't post so many Siouxsie and the Banshees tracks on here it's because I struggle with spelling 'Siouxsie'...but seemingly I've nailed it today...Siouxsie...Siousie...Susie...oh bollocks.

Anyway, Kiss Them For Me, a great track from an equally great album, Peepshow, which I had on tape (yes, I know, how hip eh?) back in the very late 80s, in fact it was '89...30 years ago. Good grief.  Let's celebrate by sticking up Peek-A-Boo from the album too. Enjoy!

Cud - Lola

Picked up a bunch of cool (well cool to me anyway) 7 inch singles for just over a quid each on Saturday, including this little beauty from Cud. Shocking that this band's not better known. Cop a load of these other Cud classics...

Katherine Priddy - Wolf

Now officially approved by none other than Richard Thompson here's the latest release from Katherine Priddy, an utterly beguiling track that'll soothe even the most furrowed of brows. I'd like to say that no priceless antiques...oh alright then, knick-knacks...were harmed in the making of the video but quite clearly that's not true.

Was (Not Was) - I Feel Better Than James Brown

Picked up a £1 copy of Was Not Was' Are You Ok? album at the Exeter Record Fair on Saturday and listened to this track for the first time in...ooooh...probably 15 years. Bonkers but quite brilliant, kind of like a cross between an 80s James Brown track and a Hunter S. Thompson short story...

Keith Flint - RIP

Genuinely shocked to hear that Keith Flint, lead screamer and master of mayhem with The Prodigy, has passed away at just 49 years old. No idea what the cause was yet, not that it really matters, but sad news indeed. The Prodigy started off as a bit of a rave novelty act with Charly but over the years grew to become one of the more interesting and entertaining 'alt dance/big beat' bands around. I genuinely remember hearing Firestarter for the first time lying in bed one Saturday morning and thinking "What the hell is this...?" and being amazed that it was The Prodigy. I mean, where the hell did that come from eh? It still sounds epic a mere 23 years later. RIP Keith.

Honeyblood - The Third Degree

A rather fine 60s girl group tinged newbie from the now solo Honeyblood. I've liked pretty much everything they've/she's put out so far and it's a ruddy shame they/she aren't much better known. Come the revolution though eh?

PS: Here's another belter from when they were a two piece...