Dan Sartain RIP

Listening to Marc Riley's show on 6Music last night I was gutted to hear that Dan Sartain had passed away at the age of just 39. The cause of death hasn't yet been announced and maybe it never will but, once again given his age (how often have I written that recently?), I hope it wasn't what I fear it was.  

I had the very great pleasure of seeing Dan play live a couple of times, once at the legendary Coldrice 5th Birthday Party in 2006 (see photo above...I still haven't recovered from that night) and once back in 2010 at the Hare and Hounds when we chewed the fat for a while and he posed for the photo below (taken by the lovely ShakeyPix). 

Having released a stunning debut album (Dan Sartain vs The Serpientes) and opened for The White Stripes and The Hives back in the mid noughties he really should have been a star...and if there's any justice maybe he still will be. 

My thoughts and sympathies are with his family and friends. RIP Dan, you'll be missed. How bloody poignant is this, seemingly his last video and song, now eh? 

Lesley Gore - Sunshine, Lollipops and Rainbows

On the first properly warm(ish) and sunny day of the year (for most of the UK at least) let's have a little Sunshine, Lollipops and Rainbows from Lesley Gore. Is it too much to now hope that life might return to some sort of normality this year? Answers on a lollipop...

Matt Philip Hale - Contents and Index

 

Cramming more lyrics into one song than some bands manage in an entire career here's the latest instalment from the many minds of Matt Philip Hale, suitably represented by several Matt's in the vid...and who doesn't want more Matt's in the world eh? Musically it's a million miles an hour boogie woogie blast from the past, present and future, like Jerry Lee on speed and best bitter. File under 'essential listening'.  

Black Midi - John L

New track from Black Midi with a suitably bonkers but brilliant video. Strong contender for video of the year? Yep. 

Duke Ellington and Juan Tizol - Caravan

 

Watched Whiplash yesterday, well worth catching if you get the chance (it's available on i-Player at the mo). I think it's safe to say that the drumming on this track from the movie's about as good as drumming gets. Although I suspect that Buddy Rich might have had one or two things to say about that...hmmmm, it's a close call. 

Har Mar Superstar - Where We Began

Har Mar Superstar gets his yacht rock on with this fine slice of glossy 80s style pop perfection taken from forthcoming album Roseville. If this doesn't get to number one across planet earth I'll eat Duran Duran. 

George Harrison - This Song

At almost 51 years old I'm still hearing loads of 'new' old music for the first time and I guess I always will (as long as my ears carry on working). This simple but catchy little number popped up on Now 70s the other day and is, quite possibly, one of the best post Beatles numbers any of the band recorded in my humble opinion. I apologise in advance if it ends up going round and round and round in your head for the rest of the day/week/month. 

PS: The track was written after George was taken to court for copyright infringement by the owner of The Chiffons' back catalogue who alleged that his song My Sweet Lord borrowed from their hit He's So Fine. George lost and it cost him a bob or two...

Tear Gas - That's What's Real

One for fans of The Sensational Alex Harvey Band out there, Tear Gas were essentially SAHB without (and before) Alex. This is as fine a slice of early 70s rock as you're likely to hear this side of lockdown.  

 

Dodgy - Staying Out For The Summer

Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaay back in 1995 I went to my first proper festival, Glastonbury (and saw this very set by Dodgy), and ever since then I think I've done at least one a year...until the unrelenting misery that was 2020 of course. In the grand scheme of things not being able to go to a festival in the summer isn't the be all and end all of life and...oh screw it...yes it is...if you can't have a weekend or two in the mud necking a pint of red wine at 9am and talking bollocks to random strangers whilst having a piss in an overflowing trough what's the point in waking up eh? Perhaps somewhat optimistically we've already got three festivals booked for this summer and if I can possibly heave my knackered old corpse to another three then I damn well will do. Mine's a pint of scrumpy by the way...make that several pints of scrumpy...make that a barrel of scrumpy. 

Beach Boys - I Just Wasn't Made For These Times

 Anyone else feel like this right now? Just me? Oh, okay. 

X-Ray Spex - Oh Bondage Up Yours

Watched the Poly Styrene doc (I Am A Cliche) yesterday, well worth catching if you can. As a fan for the past 35 years or so I knew most of Poly's back story but didn't realise quite how fragile her mental health was for a while. Sadly she passed away back in 2011 aged just 53 but she did manage to reconcile with her daughter and record a new record before ascending to that great gig in the sky. If you only ever listen to one punk album Germ Free Adolescent's pretty much as good as it gets. 

Sweet - Alexander Graham Bell

There's something a little Sparks-ish about this early track by Sweet. I'd not heard it before digging out a 2CD hits collection (50p from a local charity shop) but it's surprising how many other tracks were familiar...mind you I was around when they were originally released. Yes, I'm that old. Here's another Sweet classic, you've gotta love Steve Priest's glamtastic look...

I'm Glad That We Broke Up - Du Blonde (featuring Ezra Furman)

Been meaning to post this up for a couple of weeks now, Du Blonde (aka Beth Jeans Houghton) and Ezra Furman's scuzzed up 2 minute anthem for break ups and make ups. 'Du' have a listen...

Left Out In The Cold - Sparks

 

After a sunny weekend it's bloody cold again today so here's the perfect little ditty from those first class Maels, Ron and Russell, who are now entering their 54th year in the music biz with no sign of giving up or losing that essential 'spark' (see what I did there?) that's made 'em one of the most fascinating bands in the history of the universe. Yes, the whole universe. Have you seen the footage from Mars? No sign of a single gig venue or record shop, what's that all about eh? 

This year sees the release of The Sparks Brothers movie too...cinema or living room? Hmmmm, I guess that depends on how many more variants of bloody corona bloody virus bloody well bloody spring up.