Merry Chris-mix 2020

As is traditional I've trawled the internet for a suitably funky Christmas mix and this year's offering's from Lou Dav. Lord knows what 2021 has in store for us all but let's not thing about that for a while eh? Whatever you're doing and wherever you're doing it (getting squiffy at home I'm guessing) have a very messy Christmas and a Happy New Year! 

Ana Gasteyer - Sugar and Booze

 

Heard this for the first time on 6Music last week and it's pretty much the perfect tune for our times...not only locked out of different parts of our own country but now the rest of the world too...it's going well this isn't it eh? What's next, an order banning us from getting out of bed? Hmmmm, I could work with that. 

Strangelove - Another Night In

If there was ever a time to re-release Strangelove's Another Night In it's now. I suspect we've all got a few more 'nights in' over the coming months too sadly. Oh well, great tune though! 

Captain Yaba - Yaba Funk

 

On an all too rare (this year at least) visit to the charity shops I picked up a copy of Captain Yaba's Yaba Funk Roots for a mere 50p (purely on the strength of the cover). It's a jazzy, funky gem too! Sadly the good Captain's no longer with us but the whole album's well worth a spin. 

System Of A Down goes Bardcore

 

Ever wanted to hear what System Of A Down's Toxicity would sound like in a medieval style? Yes...me too. This cover's got a bit of a festive vibe to it as well, makes a change from Shakin' Stevens. 

Yvonne Baker - You Didn't Say A Word

6 Music's been spinning this track a few times recently (possibly thanks to Mr Craig Charles championing it) and it's an absolute classic, part Northern Soul banger part James Bond theme tune. If you've not heard it yet (and hell, it's only been around since 1966) do your ears a favour and give it a spin. Talcum powder optional. 

Katherine Priddy - Still Winter, Still Waiting

Beautiful new festive track from Katherine Priddy with an equally heart/hands/feet warming video. 

Marc Almond - Tears/Tiers Run Rings

As of I need an excuse to stick up Tears Tiers Run Rings eh? "The nation's in disorder..." you can say that again. Does Guinness count as a substantial meal? 

Matt Philip Hale - Lived Thru the End Times More than Twice with Sugar and Spice and Everything Nice

Trust MPH to come up with a suitably bonkers (in the best possible sense of the word of course...and these times are pretty bloody bonkers) soundtrack for today's tier jerking announcements. Looks like it's time to stock up on that sugar, spice and everything nice again. 

Phil Ochs - The Crucifixion

 

It never ceases to amaze me how little known Phil Ochs is but it does give me a great excuse to keep posting up tracks from the great man. This one's a complete and utter epic too. 

The Blue Nile - Happiness

Have you found peace at last? Somehow I doubt it at the moment but in the meantime wrap your ears around The Blue Nile's Happiness and just pretend. 

Wizzard - Angel Fingers

I've caught this tune on TV a couple of times recently and it's really grown on me. Wizzard may be more well known for a certain festive ditty but I reckon this is every bit as good, especially as Roy and co seem to have thrown everything including the kitchen sink into it. Legend has it that the band spent more time in the studio recording this track than Paul McCartney spent recording the whole of Band On The Run. Genius. 

Darrow Fletcher - (Love Is) My Secret Weapon

Who knows why some artists make it and some don't or why some records never see the light of day when they're quite clearly gems. This cut from 1976 festered away for years before finally getting a release in 2012. If you're interested in finding out a little more about Darrow there's a great interview right here. 

Matt Philip Hale - Sanguine Rooster

Is there a better way to start the new week than a new vid from Mr Matt Philip Hale, now with added mother in law? No...I don't think there is. Enjoy! 

Eric Burdon & War - Spill The Wine

I'm more a wine drinker than spiller but this live version of War's Spill The Wine is beaujolais (see what I did there?) good isn't it eh? 

Everything I Do Gonna Be Funky (From Now On) - Lou Donaldson

If you've not seen it yet I can highly recommend the Blue Note doc that was on BBC 4 the other week. Damn that's one cool record label, set up and run by people who cared more about the music than the moolah (granted that's perhaps not the best way to run a business but where's the fun in being sensible eh?). 

Yard Act - Peanuts

 

How many 'pop' songs do you know about the peanut related murder of an imaginary husband eh? I'm guessing none so that's a good enough reason to stick up the latest from Yard Act which (to my ears anyway) is part The Fall, part Arab Strap, part Vic and Bob and part Kaiser Chiefs. Enjoy! 

Sure Is Sure - The Style Council

There's a new doc about The Style Council on Sky Arts tonight (I think) and it reminded me of the band's last album which was rejected by their record label for some inexplicable reason (I think it was too house-y or some such nonsense). Buffoons! 

Chanson - Don't Hold Back

Popped into the wonderful SPS Records in Teignmouth on Saturday and took a punt on an album by a band called Chanson for 50p and it contains this little disco funk gem! Awsome. Enjoy!

PS: SPS have just launched their new website too, here's a link. 

Solomon Bites The Worm - The Bluetones

 

One of my teeth broke completely in two this week...yes, I know, nice eh?...and when I was sitting in the dentist's chair having it whipped out I couldn't help thinking of this track for several reasons. Getting old and having bits of you fall off (or be removed) may suck but I guess it beats the alternative. And with that cheery thought ringing in your ears have as good a weekend as it's possible to have right now. 

Tim Cole RIP

Very sad news this morning with the passing of Tim Cole, one half of The Correspondents (the chap with the beard), aged just 35. Anyone lucky enough to have seen the band live will know what an awesome show they put on and, in a fairer world, they would have been so much bigger than they were. No cause of death has been announced yet but the suddenness of it all and Mr Bruce's tribute to a 'brilliant complicated man who never fully appreciated the extent of his talent' sadly makes you fear the worst. RIP Tim.  

Yello - Waba Duba

 

Forty odd years into their uniquely odd career Yello are back with a new album and single (okay so this track came out back in June but I was all locked down and stuff), the latter giving more than a gentle nod to their greatest hits The Race and Oh Yeah...and why not eh? If I looked as cool as Dieter Meier at 75 I'd be a happy chappy...hell if I'm still able to feed myself at 75 I'd be a happy chappy. 

Happy birthday Vermin in Ermine

 

Apparently Marc Almond's debut solo album Vermin in Ermine hit the racks (ahhhh, those were the days) on this day in 1984. Good grief. If you've not heard it it's an extraordinary work and the opening track Shining Sinners is a ruddy great place to start. I've watched entire seasons of TV series with less of a plot than this song. 

Blue Monday - Orkestra Obsolete

 

Ever wondered what New Order's Blue Monday would sound like if it was played by a bunch of oddballs in a cellar in the 1930s? Yes...me too. 

Gorillaz - Strange Timez

I'm pretty sure we can agree that these are indeed strange times, there's something odd about Robert Smith leaving the se-cure-ity of his regular band for the cartoon dance pop world of Gorillaz too. It works though. It also reminds me a little of this complete and utter classic from Dan le Sac and Scroobius Pip. Enjoy! 

Time (Clock Of The Heart) - Culture Club

 

Okay, this is getting silly now...where's the last week gone eh? Ah well, at least the rapid passing of time reminded me of this classic from the mighty Culture Club. Enjoy. 

October Song by Amy Winehouse

October already eh? Good. The sooner 2020's over with the better. 2021 might not be much cop either but at least we'll hopefully be on the way to some kind of normality...surely?! Anyway, in celebration of the start of the new month here's a little Amy from when the poor soul could still stand up straight and belt out a tune. 

The Wonder Stuff - There There My Dear

The Wonder Stuff covering Dexys? What's not to love eh? 

Hard Times by Baby Huey

Funny this, I was only just reading about Baby Huey in a back issue of Mojo magazine (a physical copy too...not online) whilst lounging in the bath last night and lo and behold You Tube suggests a track for me this morning...is You Tube reading minds now? Spoooooooky. Anyway, I took this as a sign to stick up yet another sadly appropriate track for these 'hard times'. Still, at least it's the weekend eh? They can't take that away from us...yet. 

My Shit's Fucked Up by Warren Zevon

 

Blimey, can there be a more perfect record for 2020...and quite possibly 2021...and 2022 too. Yes, our shit's well and truly fucked up right now and old Warren nailed it before sadly falling to the big C in 2003 at just 56. Before dying he was asked what he'd learned from life and replied, "Enjoy every sandwich", substitute sandwich for pint of cider or glass of red and I reckon he was onto something. 

Supermarket Sweep by Billy Nomates

Having worked in the odd supermarket/convenience store (very odd actually...in both cases) I can kind of relate to this track. Oh the happy hours I spent behind the counter of 7-Eleven drinking my own body weight in hot chocolate. 

Suzannah's Still Alive - Cardiacs

 

Another classic Cardiacs track from the archives, why the hell weren't they up there with the likes of Blur and Pulp back in the day?  

O-O-H Child by The Five Stairsteps

 

Heard this track for the first time in years on Lauren Laverne's show and it seems pretty appropriate for these days. I can't imagine what it must be like to be a younger person right now, if it's not coronavirus it's the climate crisis, Brexit or any one of a million other worries to contend with. Okay, so we had the threat of a all out nuclear war and AIDS back in my day which weren't much fun either but at least this was before anti-social media which seems to make everything so, so, sooooo much worse. My best advice? Shut the curtains, turn off Twitter, Tik Tok, Arsebook, Instagram and listen to this track on repeat until everything's better again. 

Kool and the Gang - Open Sesame

In tribute to Kool and the Gang's Ronald Bell who died yesterday (having sired 10 kids...blimey) here's a lesser heard track from the band, mixing a little bit of Jungle Boogie-ness with some Funkadelic nuttiness. Ruddy ace. 

Try A Little Sunshine by The Factory

Obscure psych time and here's a gem from The Factory (not sure what kind of factory...pretty sure it didn't make pork pies though) dating all the way back to 1969 when I was barely a twinkle...

Canadee-I-O by Nic Jones

For a decade or so I'd have been at Moseley Folk festival by now, just tucking into that first pint of scrumpy and looking forward to three days of great music (and possibly another pint or two of scrumpy). Since relocating to the West Country I've not been back to MoFo but hopefully I'll make it back there one day. Of course no bugger's going to be able to make it this year are they eh? Anyway, enjoy a little Nic Jones by way of compensation. The good folk behind MoFolk are also doing the crowdfunding thing to help protects the festival's future, here the link. 

I Can't Give You Anything by The Stylistics

 

On top of being an absolute belter of a disco classic I just lurrrrrve the video for this track. Stick the band on the roof of an office block, turn on the tape player (8 track, naturally) and let 'em lip sync whilst making up their own dance moves. The dude in the hat's having a great time...not so sure about the others. 

Sweet Child O'Mine by Scary Pockets

In the mood for a funkified version of Sweet Child O'Mine you say? No problem, here you go. There are literally trillions of cover versions of hit songs on You Tube these days of varying quality but this one's pretty ace. Enjoy. 

Real Role Player - Matt Philip Hale

Sporting what's surely set to be the next big fashion brand and belting out another piano banger here's the latest massively marvellous missive from MPH. Play it loud, sing it to your neighbours, scribble the lyrics on the back of that bloke in front of you on the number 11 on the way to Kings Heath (one for the Bearwood posse there). 

Walk The Thin Line - Mick Fleetwood (ft George Harrison)

 

Several years before Paul Simon stirred the cultural melting pot and came up with Graceland Mick Fleetwood pitched up in Ghana to record an album featuring, amongst others, George Harrison on slide guitar. I had no idea this album existed until I picked up a copy from the always ace SPS Records in Teignmouth. It's a bit of a grower but if the track above don't float yer boat try this, featuring the late great Peter Green on guitar and vocals.  

Born This Way - Dusty Springfield

 

Twenty odd years before Gaga Dusty sang a song called Born This Way on her comeback Reputation album. Who knew eh? It's got a bit of a similar vibe too...coincidence? 

The Politicians featuring McKinley Jackson - Free Your Mind

How about a slice of prime 70's Detroit funk for a bloody awful wet and windy Wednesday? Play this loud and you'll feel at least 75% cooler. 

Yard Act - Fixer Upper

 

Heard this track this morning and it floated my boat, bonus points for using the words 'existential' and 'walk on gilded splinters'. I wonder how many lovely homes have been fixed up/wrecked by people like Graham and his ilk...

Gallows - In the Belly of a Shark (live)

Throwback Friday to the time I saw Gallows at the old Bar Academy in Brum on a Sunday night. Genuinely one of the best live acts I've ever seen...and I've been lucky enough to see one or two. 

Killer Klyve at the Barn Dance - Matt Philip Hale

Take some Jerry Lee, add a dash of Subterranean Homesick Blues and feed the whole thing through the twisted gut of Matt Philip Hale and you've got Killer Klyve at the Barn Dance, the kind of track Tarantino would give his left nut for...and possibly his right too...if he was remaking Pulp Fiction in the Black Country. "Lets get sweaty and move about UH HUH!" All killer, no filler. 

Insane In the Membrane - Cypress Hill

 

It's been one of those weeks...you know the sort...the kind of weeks when Insane In The Membrane keeps going round and round in your head. 

2Cellos - Thunderstruck

Been going through a bit of an AC/DC phase recently and came across this little gem of a cover by Croatian cello nutters 2Cellos, the kind of thing you discover wandering round a music festival with a pint of scrumpy in your hand...good grief I  miss festivals. Anyway, enjoy. 

Pozi - The Nightmare

Not been the best of weeks. Raging toothache over the weekend and a bit of a temperature which, in these times, set off the old alarm bells. Cue calls to the Doctor, a remote diagnosis of a possible abscess...nice eh, a Coronavirus test, and three days of self isolation until the all clear came through (fair play to the NHS...or whoever's doing this stuff, tests delivered on Tuesday, sent back and received by them on Wednesday and results by Thursday morning). Then all I had to do was find a dentist willing to see me, which thanks to the loveliest bloke in the world happened yesterday. Okay, so the whole thing was wrapped up in a week but I'm persistent, persuasive and other words beginning with 'p'...how do older people (and/or those without access to tech) cope these days? Gawd help us all if we end up with another lockdown in the winter too, that's almost too grim a thought to imagine. Oh well, at least we have a great tune courtesy of Pozi to soundtrack it all. Enjoy!   

Nice and CD does it...

Still buying CDs by the sackful when I dare venture out to this strange new world that we find ourselves trying to live in and last week picked up The Allman Brothers Live At Fillmore East 1971 for 25p. Yes. 25p. That wasn't the biggest bargain of the day though, that accolade's reserved for the box set of Madonna's first 11 studio albums that cost a whopping £1...that's less than 10p per CD. The 18 year old me would have flipped his lid if you'd told him that one day he'd be buying CDs for less than the cost of a carrier bag but I guess that's progress for you.

Tarred and Feathered by Cardiacs

RIP to Tim Smith of Cardiacs who died today at just 59 after spending 12 years 'locked' in his own body following a heart attack and stroke, poor bugger. I've really not investigated the band as much as I should've done but judging by this piece of beautiful insanity (surely an influence of Modern Life Is Rubbish/Park Life era Blur and quite possibly Mistys Big Adventure too) I really must.
  

Thank Q for the music

I could ramble on for weeks about the sad decline of the physical music press (and the physical world in general...don't get me started) but suffice to say that without the likes of Smash Hits, NME, Melody Maker, Record Mirror, Q, Vox, Select, Mojo and Record Collector my life and musical education would have been a lot less rounded. Most of those names bit the dust ages ago but Q battled bravely on for 34 years only to fall yesterday. I stopped buying it and migrated to Mojo (free CD with every issue) quite some time ago after Q went with more of a list based formula but I must’ve been a loyal buyer and reader for 20 years or so. Goodness knows how many great bands and albums it turned me onto and how many hours I spent happily trawling through every issue (and back in the 80s and 90s some of them were epics)...  

Joy Division Oven Gloves by Half Man Half Biscuit

Friday banger courtesy of HMHB. I bet you can actually buy Joy Division oven gloves these days too...yep...here you go. Quite possibly not authorised by Barney and co though I'm guessing.

Dark Necessities by Red Hot Chili Peppers

Gave the Chili Peppers' most recent album (2016's The Getaway) a spin last night over a cheeky pint of Venton's Apple Vice. The single from it's racked up a mere 271 million plays on You Tube so there's no chance you'll have heard it eh?

Gotta Get Up - Harry Nilsson

Dug this out the other week and it seemed appropriate this morning when I was trying to heave my aching old bones out of bed at 6.27am. Gotta love a little Nilsson on a Monday...

Cud - Through The Roof

Spent a very happy hour or so on Wednesday night lying on the floor listening to a bit of Cud. Did they ever make a duff record? Nope, I don't think they did. And yet they hardly get a mention or any airplay these days. Hang your heads in shame DJs.

Take Back The Radio - Katy J Pearson

I've been meaning to post this track up for weeks now but weeks mean nothing in this strange semi locked down limbo land do they eh? I mean what month is it? April? June? March? Buggered if I know. Anyway this track's as close to pop perfection as you're likely to get with its upbeat catchy chorus, ear wormingly insistent synth line and trumpets...oh yes...trumpets. Why aren't there more trumpets (and brass instruments in general) in music these days? Come on pop kids, get blowing. Hmmm...that sounded better in my head. 

PS: Want to hear a little more from Katy J? Try this...

Melt Yourself Down - It Is What It Is

I was supposed to be spending my 50th birthday back in May with these dudes but the gig was postponed for...well...you know. It was rescheduled for October but that date's just been scrapped too and the gig's now due to take place in March. It sucks for me but it must suck 100% more for the band whose album, 100% YES, comes out today. Still, it is what it is (see what I did there?)...let's hope 2021 is 100% better than 2020 eh? 

Sunflower - Vampire Weekend

Heard this on 6Music this morning and was reminded how great the album (Father Of The Bride...bought for 50p from a charity shop about a month after it came out) is. Plus the weather's so relentlessly shitty, as per the usual British summer, and the crappy coronavirus is still with us that we could all do with a sunflower or two in our lives.

Best Times Ever - Lions Tigers and Bears

Lions Tigers and Bears · Maxi

In a change to posting tributes to the recently departed or tracks that were released on wax cylinders (ask your great, great grandparents) here’s a bostin’ brand new debut album from Lions Tigers and Bears, a bit of a Midlands super group (featuring as it does members of Supercaan, Flamingo Flame, Hey Pablo, The Bourgeois Four, Recall 34, Fillmore Gears, The Rebel Party Band...blimey). 

Entitled Best Times Ever, perhaps ironically given the unending clusterfuck that is the world right now, it’s 10 tracks of the very finest scuzzed up indie grunge with hints of Interpol and The Strokes at their early New York City Cops baiting best. Pick of the bunch Maxi adds a little math rock to the mix whilst rollocking along like a greased up rollercoaster on a highway to PiL, quite possibly one of the tracks of the year.

You can buy, stream, download the whole shebang from a dizzying array of platforms. channels or whatever else you're supposed to call these things...I'm still trying to get over the miracle of CDs...

Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/album/1od0cVjemOzfMXA1urlc08
Apple Music - https://music.apple.com/us/album/best-times-ever/1518115666
Soundcloud - https://soundcloud.com/lionstigersandbearsgrrr
Bandcamp - https://lionstigersbearsgrrr.bandcamp.com
Deezer - https://www.deezer.com/en/album/154191972
Amazon - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Times-Explicit-Lions…/…/ref=sr_1_2…

Dudley more from MPH

Another cracking guerrilla gig from MPH, this time in Dudley. Speaking of guerrillas here's MPH doing Great Ape Rock on a roundabout in my old stomping ground Bearwood too. With no Glastonbury this year it's great to see some live music on t'You Tube...who knows perhaps by 2021 the world will have caught up with Miles and he'll be u where he belongs on the Pyramid Stage.

Summer In The City (Disco Version) - Evolution

Wonders will never cease, we're actually getting a few days of nice weather...and when Glasto was due to start too...oh the irony. Time to dig out this classic disco version of Summer In The City which I'm pretty sure I have on yellow vinyl somewhere. Groooooovy baby.

Rupert Hine RIP

You might not know the name but if you were around in the 80s you'll know some of the songs he produced, in particular Howard Jones' run of classic albums including Human's Lib, The 12 inch Album and Dream Into Action. And let's face it, who doesn't feel like throwing off their 'mental chains' right now eh? Oooooh, oooooh, ooooh. 

Dame Vera Lynn RIP

That's not a bad innings eh? 103! And she never retired either. To be fair I'll never retire but that's down to the ever rising pension age rather than personal choice. Anyway, in tribute to Vera's passing here's a remix of her greatest hit that I like to think she'd approve of. 

In The Midnight Hour by Goodnight Lenin

Goodnight Lenin · In The Midnight Hour

Two years after going into hibernation (and despite at least one of the band now living on a different continent) Hearing Aid favourites Goodnight Lenin are back with a brand new track, In The Midnight Hour, the first from a forthcoming album intriguingly entitled 'Never Ending Album'. Building to a soul stirring wall of guitars that's practically guaranteed to send coronavirus packing it's the kind of tune you can imagine playing over the last scenes of a movie as the lead character walks into the sunset after being relentlessly kicked in the balls by life but overcoming all the odds and living to fight another day...and...cut...that's a wrap. Who says movie making's tricky eh?

XTC - The Mayor of Simpleton

As the world gets sillier and sillier by the second I've had The Mayor of Simpleton, from the criminally underrated XTC, going round and round in my head all day. Enjoy.

PS: If you want a little more of the lovely Andy Partridge here's a full 48 minutes of the man in full chatty flow.

Bah Bah Um Wah - Matt Philip Hale

And the songs keep coming from the one man tune fountain that is Matt Philip Hale. If you're in or around the Midlands keep your eyes and ears open and you might just catch a live performance somewhere in the bushes...up a tree...in the middle of a lake...Bah Bah Um Wah-ll worth looking out for. 

Icona Pop - I Love It

I was vaguely aware of this track before catching it on one of the many music channels I randomly trawl through and, coming from the 70s as well as being a bit of a 90s bitch, I was quite taken with it. Hell, it's Friday...you need a bit of dance pop perfection on a Friday. 

Diane Solo - N'Ziketio

I can't say I've heard many disco funk tracks sung in Godie and I suspect I'm not the only one but apparently this is just such a rarity. It's a bit of a gem too...makes me think of happy days frugging away at the Jazz World Stage in Glasto...ahhhh...festivals...remember them?

Searching For The Young Soul Tweeters

Tim Burgess is doing another of his listening parties tonight, this time it's Dexy's Midnight Runners' seminal album Searching For The Young Soul Rebels with guests including Kevin (Al) Archer, Pete Williams, Kevin Rowland and Big Jim Patterson...given the history of the band (ahem) that should be interesting! If nothing else it's a great excuse to crack out one of the best albums of all time.

Anyway it all kicks off (quite possibly literally) at 9pm and you'll find the instructions for how to participate here.

Mari Wilson - The Rhythm

dpmclain · Mari - The Rhythm (Club Mix)

Good grief, what's happened to the weather? I mean there's sun...and heat...in England...in May...for more than a day at a time. You'd almost think it was summer. It'd be three flavours of ironic if this summer turned out to be a cracker after every single event, festival and gathering seems to have been cancelled but there we go. Anyway, to celebrate the almost tropical conditions here's a little Mari Wilson for you. Enjoy.

The Wild Ones - McAlmont and Webb

I love David McAlmont's voice and delivery and this lockdown gem's well worth a listen. Harking back to his legendary pairing with Bernard Butler this is a cover of Suede's The Wild Ones that takes the original and jazzes the bejesus out of it. Apparently there's a whole album full of covers called The Last Bohemians which I'll have to investigate.

PS: Here's a little throwback track courtesy of McAlmont and Butler, bet you'd forgotten this one eh?

Altern-8 Activ-8

If you're of a certain age this track might stir a few memories. Mind you if you...er...got 'sorted' maybe it won't. Good to see that Altern-8 were fully masked up almost 30 years before Coronavirus too. Top one, nice one, sorted.

The Polyphonic Spree - Light and Day/Reach For The Sun

I'm not religious, fair play to those who are...I daresay it makes life a lot more bearable from time to time...but I have had the odd moment of fervour watching bands and few acts have come close to The Polyphonic Spree for sheer hands-in-the-air-praise-whoever-or-whatever-bought-us-here joy. And this track's the Spree at their absolute best.

Come on...they even manage to make Nirvana's Lithium seem joyful...

Matt Philip Hale...LIVE...in Romsley!

Sadly it looks as though the joys of sitting/standing/vogueing (voguing?) outside listening to live music in the sun (ah, alright then...rain and thunder) are going to be denied us this year. That sucks balls. Big sweaty hairy four days in a field with just a wet wipe or two balls. Thank goodness then for the latest missive from MPH in which our hero wanders the hills of Romsley in the sun, treating the wildlife to some of many new classics currently spilling from his endlessly creative gut. Enjoy!



PS: You can keep up with Matt's output via his You Tube channel.

Robbie Basho - Wine Song

Here's a new name to me (and you I'm guessing) but an old track that has a touch of the Buckleys (Jeff and Tim), John Martyn, John Fahey and Michael Chapman about it. Poor Basho got very little recognition when he was alive as well as suffering from mental and physical ill health and then, aged just 45, died after a visit to a chiropractor ruptured blood vessels in his neck leading to a stroke. Blimey. I've yet to investigate much of his work but this song's a folking beauty. Enjoy.

Loads of people RIP

Good grief, it's been difficult keeping up with music deaths over the past week...Dave Greenfield (The Stranglers), Millie Small, Sweet Pea Atkinson (Was Not Was), Florian Schneider (Kraftwerk), Little Richard, Ty and finally (for now) Betty Wright all passed away in just 6 days. RIP to each and every one of them. I figure we could all do with a little cheering up so here's Senor Coconut's cover version of Autobhan.



There, now isn't that better?

50 Not Out!

Well, tomorrow, providing I make it through the night I reach the grand old age of 50. Good grief. How did that happen? It's fair to say that a lot's changed in the past half century so I thought I'd look back at the 5 number ones on my various 10 year anniversaries from zero to 50...

1970 - My first birthday...awww bless...isn't he cute?



1980 - My tenth birthday...slightly less cute.



1990 - My twentieth birthday, now a student in Brighton and working at 7-Eleven to pay my way...that was fun...



2000 - My thirtieth birthday, married and with a mortgage, now working in training and development.



2010 - My fortieth...ouch...recently made redundant from the crazy world of advertising following the 'credit crunch' and working from home as a self employed copywriter...also a few years into this blog.



2020 - My fiftieth...double ouch...now living in Devon, just a brief hobble away from the beach...still married, still working from home (albeit a different home)...mind you aren't most of us working from home at the moment?



I'd never heard the 2010 track before and to be brutally honest I never want to hear it again, but the rest are pretty good. I'm particularly chuffed that Geno was number one on my 10th birthday. Lord knows what'll be number one in 2030 or if I (or anyone else for that matter) will be around to hear it but my money's on Captain Tom doing a cover version of Space Oddity. 

The Nightingales - Everything, Everywhere, All Of The Time

Now 41 years into their existence (granted there have been one or two...ahem...line up changes over the years) The Nightingales are back with a new track from forthcoming album Four Against Fate and it is, as you'd expect, a cracker. Enjoy!

PS: Here's another one from the new album to pogo round your house to...

Tony Allen RIP

Arguably one of the greatest drummers in history and a founding grandfather of Afrobeat Tony Allen joined Ginger Baker on that great drum stool in the sky yesterday. There's a lovely moment in this clip (around 4 minutes 38 seconds in) when Ginger looks across at Tony and smiles...not something Ginger seemed to do a great deal in his latter years...seemingly at the sheer  joy of playing with a fellow genius.

Broadcast - Come On Let's Go

I was reminded of how good this track was when it got played on 6 Music yesterday. File under 'Other Worldly'. Sadly the group's vocalist, Trish Keenan, contracted swine flu whilst on tour in Australia and died from pneumonia in January 2011.

PS: Whilst we're at it let's have a spin of The Book Lovers too.

James Brown - I Feel Good (Sam Redmore's Afromix)

Hardly a week seems to go by without Craig Charles playing a tip top Sam Redmore mix on his Funk and Soul show but I don't think I've heard his Afro-tastic version of the Godfather of Soul's I Feel Good before...and who doesn't need a little JB in their day right now? 

Thomas Truax & Budgie - A Wonderful Kind Of Strange

I'm lucky enough to know a few wonderful kind of strange people (some might suggest I'm just a little odd myself) so this new track from Thomas Truax and Budgie (ex Banshee and Creature) has been working its way into my brain over the past few days. I signed up to Truax's mailing list about a decade or so ago and he's still sending out regular updates bless him. Here's another taste of Truax for you to enjoy but all of his stuff's well worth exploring...and let's face it you've probably got the time to do it now haven't you eh? 

Billy Bragg - The World Turned Upside Down

You can't argue with the song title right now and the track mentions St George (well, his hill at least) which, as today is St George's Day, makes this track twice as appropriate. There's something about the song's theme of standing up for your rights that chimes with these strange old times too.

Clearly no one wants to spread a nasty virus all over the place and/or put healthcare and other front line workers under additional pressure but equally I'm seeing a lot of friends who are finding this 'lockdown' increasingly difficult to cope with, both emotionally and financially, and endless talk of extending it by weeks or even months is pretty grim.

I have far more questions than answers when it comes to what's going on at the moment but as wiser souls than me have pointed out might there come a time when the 'lockdown' ends up causing more harm than the virus itself? Only time will tell I guess...

Balaban and the Bald Illegals - Blossom

New week, new music...and a lyrically poignant (especially for these times) belter from Balaban and the Bald Illegals! Crank it up, bounce around and work off that family size bag of Celebrations you polished off with a bottle of red wine last night. What? Just me? Oh...

Hot 8 Brass Band - Ghost Town

No explanation needed for this one is there eh? Ahhh for the simple pleasures of a wander around town...any town...

Purple Mountains - All My Happiness Is Gone

I think we can all agree that things ain't exactly 100% right now but at least we still have music eh? I love a happy tune as much as the next bloke but if the next bloke happens to be having a particularly tough time then maybe this track's more appropriate. Very sadly the songsmith (and there really are some great lyrics on offer here) behind it, David Berman, decided that his happiness really had gone and took his own life back in August 2019. I wonder what he'd have made of 2020?!

Selfish Cunt - England Made Me

As I crawl ever closer to my half century Selfish Cunt remain the most intense live act I've ever seen. How this dude managed to avoid death or serious injury during some of these gigs I'll never know. Hell, I'm amazed some of the audience members survived. I kept moving...and ducking.

Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros - Home

Continuing the theme of vaguely Coronavirus related tracks here's another beauty from Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros. Whatever you're up to this Easter break make sure you try to get up to it at home.

Dr John - Locked Down

I'd not heard this track or the late period Mac album that spawned it before reading about it in an old copy of Mojo magazine but it's not only a groovy tune but pretty darn appropriate for these strange days too. Enjoy!

Antibodies - Poni Hoax

Here's another track that's been going round and round in my locked down mind for the past few days. It's a strange old video but then again these are strange old days...

The Dresden Dolls - War Pigs (Live)

I was lucky enough to see The Dolls do this live myself back in 2004 (?) at The Medicine Bar in Birmingham and I had to scoop up my jaw after witnessing it. Amanda's ace as ever but Brian's drumming is something else.

And just in case War Pigs is a bit heavy for you right now here's something a little more soothing...

Live's what you make it...

Kudos to all the musicians out there still doing their thing whilst Coronavirus (aka Covid-19...what...ain't one name good enough for you eh...going all P-Diddley on us already) does its thing.

I'll try to stick up a few highlights of these home gigs/sessions over the coming weeks/months/years/decades starting with Matt Philip Hale's set from last Friday (he'll be doing another one this Friday at 7pm).

On a different tip here's Katherine Priddy and friends doing Nick Drake's Northern Sky. 

And finally for all you lovers of Norther Soul and Motown here's some of Mazzy's Night Owl set.

Enjoy.

Stay safe and stay in...it's the new going out don't you know.

Reasons To Be Cheerful - Ian Dury

Facebook informs me that it's 20 years (!) since Ian Dury passed away, so what better Friday banger than Reasons To Be Cheerful...and we could all do with some of those right now eh?

Keep It Chill! - Jeffrey Lewis

Trust Jeffrey Lewis to come up with the (un)official international anthem for the Coronavirus pandemic, just listening to this dude is guaranteed to make you feel at least 85% more chilled.

Pottery - Texas Drums Pt 1

Teardrop Explodes' Reward meets Talking Heads meets Vampire Weekend meets Yello...is there a better single out there right now than Pottery's Texas Drums Pt 1? No...I don't think there is. The weird vid's almost as awesome too. 

Krush - House Arrest

As we're all effectively under 'house arrest' for the next few months...years...decades...who knows...this tune kept popping into my head last night. More Coronavirus themed musical choices will follow as restrictions gradually get tighter and tighter until we're no longer allowed outside our own pants.

The The - Infected

Well this is a bit of a rum do isn't it eh? If someone had told you just a few short weeks ago that most of planet earth would be on 'lock down' by March you'd probably have called the mental health experts in. And yet here we are. At the time of writing this it looks possible that life as we know it could be on hold for months (if not years) and all because of one teeny tiny little virus. Given this it's perhaps not unexpected that The The's classic Infected keeps going round and round in my head so I might as well share it with you. Whatever you're up to this weekend...dusting, weeding, going through that kitchen drawer you've been stuffing things into since 2006...stay safe.

Genesis P-Orridge RIP

Whilst s/he'd been very unwell for quite some time the news of the death of Gen still came as a bit of a shock, even at a time when the whole world seems to be imploding. I'd been a fan since discovering their work via Psychic TV's acid house phase and through their links with another musical hero of mine Marc Almond. Of course Gen first became infamous fronting godfathers/mothers of industrial music Throbbing Gristle who are/were often a challenging listen. Their PTV output was/is a lot more accessible though, even grazing the nether reaches of the charts thanks to a Godstar, the band's tribute to Brian Jones (my own personal favourite was Gen's tribute to Ian Curtis I C Water though, apparently Gen was one of the last people to speak with Ian).



I was lucky enough to meet Gen once and spent a little time with them and the band backstage after a gig in Brum and found them to be wonderful company as we bonded over a one particular shared life experience that shaped us (for better or for worse) both. At that point they'd embarked on their pandrogeny project, during which time Gen and partner Lady Jaye had a series of fairly radical surgeries to try to look like each other, predating today's somewhat fluid gender identification. Quite frankly Gen was too original to look like, behave like or be like anyone else on planet earth though and whilst s/he clearly pissed off a lot of people during their 70 years on earth their contribution to art, music, politics and culture will be felt for as long as the human race survives...hmmm...that would have sounded a lot better a few weeks ago eh?! Anyway, RIP Gen, see you on the other side.

Deee-Lite - Groove Is In The Heart

Can Deee-Lite's Groove Is In The Heart really be 30 years old this year?! Oh my. What a complete and utter tune.

Sports Team - Here's The Thing

Anyone else think that Sports Team should release a Coronavirus version of this track? As it's virtually impossible to separate fact from fiction right now it would probably be a lot more informative...and certainly more entertaining...that the current Government 'guidance'.

Kitten - Panic

At the rate things are going by the time you read this toilet rolls will be fetching more than Apple shares and we'll all be under a six month curfew...well that's one way to hit those climate change targets I guess. Odd that the flu kills tens of thousands of people a year and no one bats an eyelid but Governments across the world are now falling over themselves to cause as much panic as possible about Coronavirus. Still, it did lead me to find this ace cover version of The Smiths's classic so silver linings and all that...

Bentley Rhythym Ace - Bentley's Gonna Sort You Out

Aaaaah, the 90s...if you remember them then you're probably as ancient as I am. Picked up a copy of BRA's classic debut album from the three for £1 rack in a local charity shop on Saturday and was sent hurtling back to 1996 when I first heard Bentley's Gonna Sort You Out...yes...1996...that's almost a quarter of a century ago. Bonkers. Anyone up for a Big Beat revival? Here's another classic from Bentley's live drummer Mr Fuzz Townsend.

Adult Contemporary - Matt Philip Hale

Chuffed to see/hear a top notch new offering from Matt Philip Hale, as lyrically laser guided as ever but with a more stripped back sound than his days with Miss Halliwell/The Day Ends. On a personal note it's nice to see a little of dear old Brum/Bearwood on the video too...

PS: Just in case you missed it here's Matt's last massive musical missive from October 2019. 

NOFX - I Am an Alcoholic

My NOFX album collection's been coming along nicely recently (at between 50p and 99p each it's been a bit of a bargain too). Here's one of the picks of last weekend's haul...you've gotta love a trumpet solo. 

David Roback RIP

I loved Mazzy Star's Fade Into You back in the 90s so was sad to learn a few minutes ago that the group's founder, David Roback, had faded away permanently. His previous band, The Rain Parade's well worth checking out too. Cop a listen to this little 'Paisley Underground' classic...

'Til Tuesday - Love in a Vacuum

My seemingly insatiable appetite for CDs shows no signs of diminishing with another 30 or so finding their way home last Saturday including 16 neofolk, experimental and doom metal albums (don't ask) and 'Til Tuesday's 80s-tastic Voices Carry. This track's one of the picks of the bunch and if you like Tango In The Night era Fleetwood Mac the chances are you'll love (in a vacuum or otherwise) it too.

Give Brits a miss

I've not watched the Brits for 15 years or so but from what I saw in the press coverage it's really not my bag. I'm sure some of the winners are lovely people and all that but good grief...

Happily there's plenty of great music being made right now...even if most of the population ignores it...and here's just 6 tracks currently rocking Baron Towers that might float yer boat.

Andrew Weatherall RIP

If you had ears in the early 90s the chances are that you heard a fair bit of Andrew Weatherall's music, whether through his utterly seminal remixes (see Primal Scream's Loaded and Happy Monday's Hallelujah) or in his role as producer (notably for Beth Orton and the criminally underrated One Dove).



By all accounts he was a genuinely nice bloke, shunning the superstar DJ path for a career that gave him the chance to do pretty much whatever he wanted. On top of all that towards the end of his life he sported some of the finest facial hair ever seen behind a turntable too. RIP Mr Weatherall.

Sébastien Tellier - La Ritournelle

Valentine's Day and a Friday?! That's a double whammy well and truly deserving the full 7 minute and 39 second version of Mr Tellier's complete and utter classic La Ritournelle. If music be the food of love this tune's a roast dinner with all the trimmings. Enjoy! x

Coucou Chloe - Gecko

If Uffie (remember her) had shacked up with Soft Cell in a Berlin sex dungeon and taken a shitload of Xanax this track might well be the result. It's so woozily addictive that it's been banned in at least 68 countries...possibly. I'm on my 274th listen to it today alone.

Bobby McFerrin - Sunshine of Your Love

Picked up another stupidly large number of CDs over the weekend including a stash of Elvis Costello albums, Miles Davies' Milestones, a little Cradle of Filth (as you do) and Bobby McFerrin's Simple Pleasures, which spawned the 80s feelgood mega hit Don't Worry, Be Happy. It's also home to this little beauty, an awesome a cappella version of Cream's Sunshine of Your Love...and who couldn't do with a little more of each right now eh? Enjoy.

Pull Tiger Tail - Lets Lightning

With another one of those silly storms that they've suddenly started naming due this weekend we may well get a little lightning, so what better excuse to dust off sadly forgotten noughties popsters Pull Tiger Tail eh? Enjoy (the song that is...not the storm...unless you have a thing for storms...whatever floats yer boat...or smashes it to pieces if you happen to live down here on the Devon coast). 

Con Funk Shun - Chase Me

Nearly Friday...and if you're in need of a quick pick me up to get you there here's a slab of prime late 70s funk courtesy of the hugely underrated Con Funk Shun. Fans of Prince may be able to spot Sheila E on percussion before she hooked up with His Purpleness.

The Lemon Twigs - I Wanna Prove To You

In another amazing haul of CDs on Saturday I picked up a copy of The Lemon Twigs instant classic Do Hollywood. I'm not sure how old they were when they wrote and recorded it but I seem to recall that they were 17 and 19 (?!) which is pretty darn amazing. And just in case you thought they could only cut the mustard in the studio here's a live take of another of the album's highlights These Words.

Matthew Wilder - Break My Stride (Disco Purrfection Version)

Having banged on about this track for a mere 37 years or so I'm chuffed that the Millennials have finally caught up with the genius that is Break My Stride, even if I have no idea what the chuff Tik Tok is. I bought the album (on vinyl naturally) back in 1984 and I've still got it somewhere...it's soooooo awesomely 80s. Here's another choice cut with an equally brilliant video. Matthew Wilder, what a dude.

Flogging Molly - Float

If you've done dry January (I did it once...never again...can't be good for you) the chances are that you'll be thinking about having a cheeky one on Saturday so here's a cautionary tale from Flogging Molly just in case you're tempted to...ahem...over do it. Cracking tune and even better video. Mine's a pint of scrumpy...

PS: If you like this you can catch 'em at Beautiful Days in August.

Mark Morriss @ The Blue Anchor, Teignmouth - Friday January 24th 2020

Waaaaaaaaaaaaaay back in 1995 a 25 year old me went to see up and coming popular beat combo Supergrass at Edwards in Brum supported by some band called The Bluetones. I fell for 'em that night, in particular Mark Morriss's lyrics and vocals, and even bought a 7 inch single for the not inconsiderable sum of £4...except Mark didn't have any change so I paid a fiver for it. In the intervening years I saw The Bluetones probably half a dozen times at various venues and stages in their career. And now, QUARTER OF A CENTURY since I first encountered the band, an almost 50 year old me's standing four feet away from their lead singer in a pub in Teignmouth. Time flies eh?

Morriss is in fine form, playing a set that spans the hits as well as a selection from his solo career (which is something that I really need to investigate). There's some comedy too, especially when the audience of mainly 40 somethings get the words wrong during Slight Return, "Come on, it's my big song...for f***** sake" he smirks before talking us through the right words. It's as good natured, heart warming and intimate a set that I've ever had of the pleasure of attending and a gentle reminder (and at my age you need that from time to time) of just what a great singer and lyricist Morriss is. Here's hoping he'll make a return, slight or otherwise, before too long. 

PS: Kudos to The Blue Anchor for putting on this gig, it's a great little venue and pub with a decent range of ales and cider on offer and a friendly bunch behind the bar. 

Hip Hip A Hale

If you're in Brum tomorrow night head over to The Old Moseley Arms for 23...yes...count 'em...23...original songs from Matt Philip Hale (of Miss Halliwell/The Day Ends fame/infamy). Not sure if he'll be playing this one but trust me every single chuffing tune will be well worth hearing.