It's Christmas and I'm Crying - Du Blonde

Here's a very 2023 Christmas song to end this year's blogging nonsense on. Amazed to see that the blog's just clocked up 700,000 hits. Hurrah! It's only taken 17 years...

Whatever you're up have a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!!!

Funky Christmas - Various funky folk...

Struggled to find a new funky Christmas mix this year but I did stumble on this album from 1976 that should do the trick. Enjoy!

A Stupid Xmas - The Sensible Gray Cells

 

I've been meaning to post this for a couple of weeks now but as we're just a week away from the big day I'd better get on with it. It's a instant new Christmas classic from Captain Sensible and chums, with a video filmed in my home town too! Apologies in advance if this track gets stuck in your brain for the next few weeks...it makes a change from Slade though eh? 

December (Bongo Mix) - Kate Bush

Apparently recorded for a 1979 ABBA Snowtime Special here's the rarely heard Bongo Mix of Bush's festive classic December to jingle your bells. Next year Kate embarks on 360 date world tour unveiling 40 new songs planned for a triple album release...you never know...if could happen.   

Just Friends - Charlie Parker with Strings

Didn't pick up many CDs over the weekend but I did find Charlie Parker with Strings on CD for £1. Bargain. If you're in the market for a copy HMV are currently knocking 'em out for just £3.99!

And if you like your jazz a little faster try this for size...

Benjamin Zephaniah RIP

Exactly a week after losing one 65 year old poet we lose another, this time fellow Brummie Benjamin Zephaniah. His loss is far more of a shock that Shane's passing though. Benjamin looked a lot younger than his 65 years and, by all accounts, only his close family and friends knew he was ill. There's a campaign to get Fairytale of New York to Christmas number one right now, how about getting this folk banger into the charts too? 

Denny Laine RIP

Sad to hear of the passing of Denny Laine (apparently my mother used to watch him rehearse at Silver Blades Ice Rink back in the 60s!). On top of his solo career he played with a trio of great bands starting with The Moody Blues, then Ginger Baker's Air Force (I bet that was an experience)... 

...and finally Wings where he co-wrote the classic Mull Of Kintyre, which stayed at number one for a chart busting nine weeks (at a time when getting to number one really meant something). 

Nearly Daffodils - English Teacher

We might be a long way from daffodil season right now (if it rains much more I suspect we'll never see the poor yellow blighters ever again) but at least we've got this touching tribute from English Teacher. Great to see and hear proper smart indie music still being made, even if there'll soon be no bloody venues for bands like this to play in any more. RIP Bath Moles. 

If I Should Fall From Grace Of God - The Pogues

RIP Shane MacGowen, who I had the great pleasure of seeing live at one of The Pogues' last shows (Birmingham Academy December 18th 2010). As the old Irish saying goes 'We're here for a good time, not a long time' and whilst Shane's later years might not have been a riot you get the impression that he packed more into his 65 years than most of us. Here's a lesser known solo cut, enjoy! 

Danse Macabre - Duran Duran

I'm still not sure what to make of Duran Duran's new rap/goth/pop direction but it's growing on me. Fair play to the band for trying something new a mere 43 years or so into their career though. And they're (mostly) fellow Brummies too, so that's worth at least 5 bonus points.

Groovy Blues - Roy Milton & Camille Howard

I've been buying a load of blues CDs from the local charity shops recently and there's some darn good stuff out there, like this beauty from...wait for it...1945. Who says I don't have my finger on the musical pulse eh? 

BC Camplight / Personal Trainer @ Exeter Phoenix, Tuesday November 21st 2023

 

Back at Exeter Phoenix for the second time in a couple of months, this time for a dose of BC Camplight (aka Brian Christinzio) who I last saw waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay back in 2007. Who knew then what a ‘shitshow’ (his words) the next 16 years would turn out to be for him but with a quadrilogy of critically acclaimed albums under his belt I had high hopes for this evening’s gig.   

BC (that’s Before Camplight) though Personal Trainer put us through our paces with a set that scaled the heights of Polyphonic Spree at their soul lifting best (see set opener Big Love Blanket) and got the booty shaking courtesy of the LCD Soundsystem-ish Rug Busters. 

In a world increasingly stuffed full of AI generated pop trash and wannabe gangsta grime shite it’s refreshing to see a band (all 8 of ‘em too) that can really cut it live.

Speaking of cutting things live, just one song into his set and Brian’s keyboard’s a bloody mess (the result of an ill-advised attempt to spin a glitter ball like a basketball backstage, not realising that glass is a tad sharper than rubber) and his mic stand’s collapsed. With no one rushing to his aid an audience member steps up to hold the mic for the second song after Brian ruefully acknowledges that this is typical for a BC Camplight show. 

It takes more than a bloody finger and knackered mic stand to keep a good man down though and, with his digit clotting rapidly and a new stand rampant we spent the next hour and a half in the company of a performer who’s weathered more storms than most and come out with s series of classic albums to prove it. Unsurprisingly a number of cuts from current album The Last Rotation Of Earth (a top 40 hit as Brian reminded us several times) get an airing, including I’m Ugly, tonight bringing to mind Robert Wyatt at his fragile best. You Should’ve Gone To School (from 2015’s comeback album ‘How To Die In The North) was another highlight and possibly Brian’s poppiest and most upbeat moment since his great lost track Lord, I’ve Been On Fire which he doesn’t seem to play these days. Shame! Pop it back in the set Bri. 

With a top-notch band behind him and some great one liners, one addressed to a heckler, “Two rules sir…don’t talk to me during the show…or after it” and “Anyone been in a mental home?”, the whole set was a delight from start to finish and possibly not since Billy Joel in his 70s prime (hey, don't knock the Piano Man) has the piano been used to such fine effect. Addiction, mental illness and heartbreak may have fuelled Brian’s muse over the past 18 years or so but judging by tonight’s sold out show hopefully there’s (camp)light at the end of the tunnel for Brian now.

Yesterday - Marvin Gaye

It's Monday! Again. So what better track to kick off the week than Yesterday, 'cos that would be Sunday. Picked up another bundle of bargain CDs over the weekend including a Norman Jay compilation album containing this little gem of a cover version from Marvin Gaye. 

While My Guitar Gently Weeps - The Jeff Healey Band

Picked up some CDs by The Jeff Healey Band a few weeks ago and finally got round to listening to one of them last night which includes this blistering version of My Guitar Gently Weeps...or has a Multiple Orgasm in Jeff's case. I wondered what Harrison thought of this version and thumbing through the CD booklet was amazed to discover that he actually played and sang on it. Sadly both Healey and Harrison are now playing that great gig in the sky. Healey lost both his eyes to cancer when he was just one year old and the big C claimed the rest of him in 2008. 

Topless Mother - Nadine Shah

Probably best not to type in the words 'topless mother' into your preferred search engine...ahem...so I've saved you the trouble. There are a handful of artists and bands who consistently pump out the good stuff at the moment and Shah's one of 'em. Enjoy. Whether you're topless or not. 

Goldfinger - James Bond Sextet

Hey hep cats, how's it hanging? Picked up a cool collection of lounge music tracks courtesy of the Shaken Not Stirred compilation CD (Ryko) over the weekend and this is one of the pick of the bunch...a cocktail hour reworking of the Goldfinger theme tune. Anyone else fancy a Martini? 

Sad For Me - No Doubt

Gave the first No Doubt album a spin last night (picked up for 49p from a charity shop recently) and in amongst the early 90s ska punk stuff was this more low key track that's well worth a listen.

There was also this track too, possibly the only ska song in history about going to the dentist, cop a load of the lyrics...

Shiny Happy People - Micky Dolenz

While half the world was losing its collective mind over the last single by The Beatles (or at least the last single until they start bringing out AI versions of The Beatles covering the greatest hits of whoever the flavour of the month/day is...and it'll happen, trust me) a real, live contemporary of the Fab Four, Mr Michael Dolenz Esq, released his latest music, an EP of REM covers. He doesn't stray massively from the original (which was apparently inspired by The Monkees in the first place) but still, it's all rather lovely and the accompanying video, showing Micky's formative years, is a treat too.   

Cry Boy Cry - Blue Zoo

Heard this last night on one of the many, many music channels that I spend far too much time watching. Shades of Ultravox and Classix Nouveaux. As if I need an excuse to stick up a Classix Nouveaux video...

 

Paperlate - Genesis

Classic but all too rarely heard gem from Genesis dating back to...oh my...1982. Phil would go on to employ a similarly kickin' brass section a few years later on Sussudio which also features legendary bassist and groovy Santa lookalike Leland Sklar... 

Evolution Of The Friends Theme - Postmodern Jukebox

RIP Matthew Perry. Hardly a day goes by without me catching at least a few minutes of Friends, a show I've watching for over 25 years now, so I wanted to find some kind of appropriate musical link to post up in his honour. Could this be more perfect? 

Necessary Genius - David Holmes (featuring Raven Violet)

I do love a good 'list song' and David Holmes's latest track's a classic of the genre. If you're in the mood for another give this all too rarely heard gem from Holly Johnson a spin. 

Wonderful To Be With - Mari Wilson

After scoring a couple of relatively rare Mari Wilson CDs on eBay as well as the 3 disc compilation Neasden Queen of Soul last night (for just £5.99...bargain) my Wilson CD collection's almost as complete as the vinyl version. If you're still not converted here's a wonderfully glam performance of Baby It's True featuring none other than Michelle 'Cindy off EastEnders' Collins on backing vocals. 

And here's Mari's biggest hit (and one of the first singles I evet bought) Just What I Always Wanted (there's Cindy again!). Pure class. 

Tears For Fears...as (first) seen on TV

Great clip of Tears For Fears, sort of...it was a band called Graduate featuring Roland and Curt...and a pretty cool track too. It's a bit mod, a bit prog, a bit post punk. Fast forward three years or so and they'd gone all shiny synth pop, albeit with a bit of a dark edge. 

Marriage - The Bug Club

Lo-fi loveliness from The Bug Club to get the blood pumping on the coldest Monday morning since...ooooh...probably our glorious 'summer'. 

Let's Make This Last (Tony Mansfield's De Lorean Style Mix) - Mari Wilson

Here's something to kick off the weekend. I've been a Mari Wilson fan since waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay back in '82 but somehow I've never heard this track. In contrast to a lot of Wilson's stuff from this era it's as 80s as...well...a DeLorean. A lost pop classic? Yep, I reckon so. 

The Summer Has Flown - Katherine Priddy

It looks as though the last vestiges of our late (very late) summer are about to vanish in a blast of cold air. So what better song to soundtrack it than Katherine Priddy's The Summer Has Flown, especially as she's just signed a record deal with legendary indie label Cooking Vinyl. Who knew the barefooted dancing teenager that me and Mrs B first spoke to at Moseley Folk all those years ago would go on to become one of the finest new voices in folk. Priddy cool eh?

FHS - The Miserable Rich

I make no apologies for posting another new track from The Miserable Rich and what a joyous thing it and the accompanying video are. Whether you're feeling on top of the world or a little bit pants this one's guaranteed to make your day at least 78.9% better. 

If I Go Mad - Madness

Just a couple of years shy of their 50th anniversary and Madness are still cranking out some great tracks. Here's their latest. Can it really be 31 years since I saw 'em reunite at Madstock in Finsbury Park?! Good grief. 

Glue - The Miserable Rich

If this song - and the story behind it - doesn't melt your heart then you probably don't have one. A glorious comeback from the criminally underrated The Miserable Rich. 

Loving Arms - Lack Of Afro

It's been out for a while but Lack Of Afro's new(ish) one's been growing on me lately. It's got a bit of a The Go! Team vibe, oh go on then...any excuse to post up something by The Go! Team...

Strange Things - Tom Jones

Enjoyed a relaxing soak in the tub with Tom Jones the other night...by giving his Praise and Blame album a spin...he wasn't actually there. He's more than welcome to pop round for a pint or two though if he's in the area. Anyway...this track's been going round in my head today.  

The Jazz Defenders...niiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiice

Fresh from some dates in Paris (although the clip above's from a previous visit) The Jazz Defenders hit Teignmouth on Saturday night and played a blinding set of originals that are up there with some of the best Blue Note influenced jazz I've ever heard. If you like jazz...or just have ears...this lot are highly recommended. 

PS: For those who like their jazz with some hippity hoppity rappity in it check out their new single with Doc Brown.

Theme From Dirty Harry - James Taylor Quartet

Good grief, a whole week without a post. I'm getting even slacker in my old age. In my defence it was Lady Baron's birthday on Wednesday. Still found time for a quick trawl through some of Exeter's charity shops though and picked up this little gem from JTQ. Thank funk it's Friday... 

Victory Dance - Ezra Collective

Well, it's only taken 32 years for a jazz band to win the Mercury Music Awards but better late than never. Apparently they've got a sold out gig at the Royal Albert Hall and have ambitions to play stadiums...and why not eh? Hopefully this will bring jazz to a much wider audience, something that's been building up for a number of years now, and encourage people to dig into the older stuff too. There's a lot to listen to...a hell of a lot...shedloads...literally...here's a cheeky little number from a mere 80 years ago...and yes, they really are dancing like that...no CGI needed here. 

Jeffrey Lewis/Moya Silk @ The Phoenix, Exeter – Tuesday September 5th

 

Regular readers of the Aid over the years (and apparently there are a few of you…bless) will know that my live gig going pretty much slowed to a dribble after we moved to Devon, mainly due to the frankly lousy public transport (and the fact that we got rid of our car back in 2007). Our last train back home leaves Exeter at 10.55pm, which doesn’t leave a lot of room for error, but the chance to catch up with the great Jeffrey Lewis again was too much to resist. Would we catch the train…or am I writing this from under a bush somewhere…oh the suspense.

Anyway, for those of you unfamiliar with The Phoenix it’s a decent venue (more of an arts centre really) with an above average bar - I can highly recommend the Mena Dhu Cornish Stout - just a short stagger away from Exeter Central Station. Tonight’s gig was seated, which was a little unusual, but given that I’m 103 I ain’t complaining. Opening act Moya Silk (sometimes a band but tonight flying solo…her name’s not Moya Silk either but I forgot her real name…as I say I’m 103) warmed things up nicely with some spiky grunge/Riot Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrl tinged tracks including recent release Grotbag Girl, which wouldn’t be out of place on a Kim Gordon album in my humble opinion. Moya Silk, the band, play Exeter Cavern on October 31^st.

I’ve lost count of the number of times I’ve seen Jeffrey Lewis over the years but it’s been a while since we last shared oxygen. Joined tonight by his band The Voltage I’m happy to report that he’s lost none of his unique charm, the only slight change being the use of a projector rather than a flip chart to illustrate some of his tracks, including brilliantly witty summaries of Star Wars Episode 4, The Great Gatsby and part 7 of his history of communism…you don’t get that from a Megan Theeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee Stallion gig do you eh? Lyrically Jeff pisses all over…well, pretty much everyone…and it’s a constant source of amazement to me that he’s not revered but there we go, give it another 30 years and maybe the rest of the world will catch up. Tonight I particularly enjoyed his Covid tracks (they’re just begging for an album release) and a speedy thrash through Except For The Fact That It Isn’t, which is rapidly becoming my theme tune. 

Sadly no outing for LPs, possibly the greatest song about collecting music ever written, but that’s just a good excuse for him to come back to Exeter again. How about next week Jeff? Actually screw that, I'd be up for another show tonight.  

PS: I had the great pleasure of briefly meeting Jeff after the gig before making a quick dash to the station, making the train with…ooooh…a good four minutes to spare. What a bloody lovely bloke. 

PPS; Bought one of his bootleg CDs and a signed UK tour poster to add to my stash of Jeff stuff, the lady in front of me dropped £100 on merch which tells you something about the kind of fandomania that Jeff brings out in people.   

La Vie En Rose - Belinda Carlisle

I have to admit that Carlisle's Voila album passed me by back in 2007, so when I found a copy in a charity shop last weekend I was intrigued. As the title hints at it's an album of 'tracks de Francais' (who knew I was fluent in French eh? Sacre blue!) and it's really rather good. At the time of recording Belinda and her family were living in France and the accent sounds pretty spot on to me. Plus she covers one of my favourite tracks of all time Ne Me Quitte Pas...

Crosstown Traffic - The Gil Evans Orchestra

Picked up a CD of The Gil Evans Orchestra Plays the Music of Jimi Hendrix at Beautiful Days festival and gave it a spin last night. I know it might be controversial but might this be one of those cases of the cover version being even better than the original? Answers on a flaming Fender Stratocaster... 

PS: Gil was supposed to meet up with Jimi the week after he died to discuss recording an album together, so it's fair to say that there was some mutual admiration there. 

Chop Suey - The Rock Orchestra

In the absence of a review of this year's Beautiful Days Festival (my sixth...what stamina) enjoy a little ditty from one of the undisputed highlights, The Rock Orchestra who, in a 'does what it says on the tin' fashion, play orchestral versions of rock classics...dressed as Day of the Dead characters. And why not eh?  

The Big Picture - Miles Gurtu

Still ploughing through the epic haul of jazz/jazz fusion stuff I picked up from a car boot sale a couple of weeks ago and recently landed on the Miles Gurtu album, a collaboration between Robert Miles (RIP) and Trilok Gurtu. The whole album's well worth a spin if you ever come across a copy but this track's one of the picks of the bunch. 

Sugar Man - Sixto Rodriguez

Blimey, the Grim Reaper had a field day yesterday...Jamie Reid, Robbie Robertson and Sixto Rodriguez. If you don't know the latter's story there's a great documentary film called Searching For Sugar Man, hopefully it'll be dusted off and shown again on TV soon but if you can't wait you can buy or rent a copy on You Tube. 

Wild Forever - Sophie Ellis-Bextor

I first encountered Sophie Ellis-Bextor when she was in underrated Brit Poppers theaudience waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay back in 1996/7 and I followed some of her early solo work with Spiller and, of course, the classic Murder On The Dancefloor, but I'd lost track of her output recently. So, when I spotted a copy of her 2016 album, Familia, in a charity shop at the weekend for £1 I thought I'd take a punt on it (yes, I know...a whole pound...reckless eh?). 

Co-written with Ed Harcourt it's top notch pop stuffed full of instantly memorable tracks, several of which remind me of other tracks but I'm buggered if I can remember what they are. Maybe that's why the album's called Familia (no, I know it's not but I can't resist a bit of mild punning). She even strays into folk territory in Unrequited (surely ripe for a Marc Almond cover version?). 

You can pick up a copy of Familia for a few pounds online if it floats yer boat or head down to your local chazzas to see if they've got one. 

PS: If you've not heard of theaudience here's one of their best tracks...

Give It To Me Baby - Rick James

 Thank funk it's Friday...

Los Angeles - Lol Tolhurst, Budgie, Jacknife Lee and James Murphy

Ever wondered what a record by The Cure, Siouxsie and the Banshees and LCD Soundsystem might sound like? Wonder no more...

This Here Ain't Water - Big Special

Loving this track right now, the fact that it's come straight outta the Black Country, my previous home for 20+ years, makes it just that bit better. I've got a feeling I may have seen one or both of the band in one or more of their previous incarnations but the past's a bit of a blur at the best of times.   

Accentuate The Positive - Dr John

Had one of those weeks? Me too. Relax, it's Friday. Pour yourself something alcoholic, sit back and chill with the good Dr. 

Chris Cross - Jimmy McGriff

Another great track from last week's car boot haul, this time from Jimmy McGriff. Funky as a festival tent on day four!

DJ Didgeridoo - Trilok Gurtu

Popped to a local mid week car boot sale yesterday and picked up a ridiculous amount of jazz/jazz funk/jazz fusion CDs including a small collection of Trilok Gurtu albums. He's a new name to me but the seller convinced me to give him a go. Loving what I'm hearing so far...

Take My Bones Away - Baroness

 Not often that you find a Baroness CD in a charity shop for 65p. This should wake the neighbours up...

Cruel Summer - Bananarama

I hate the summer. Correction, I hate the English summer. Whilst most of Europe melts gently into a puddle the first 14 days of July here have been relentlessly grey, wet and cold. You expect it in the autumn and winter but every summer taunts you with the prospect of lazy days in the sun supping a cider or three... 

Pah, fat chance. Roll on October. 

PS: Here's another suitable track...

The Trench Coat Museum - Yard Act

Epic new track from Yard Act who, in my humble opinion, are one of the best bands in the world right now. It's like The Fall partying with Tom Tom Club in a Berlin basement...

High In Brighton - FIZZ

Heard this on Craig Charles's 6 Music show yesterday and it struck me as just the kind of summertime track that we all need right now. As someone who lived in Brighton back in the last 80s/early 90s it takes me back to simpler times too. 

PS: For extra summertime fun have a listen to The Ripps' Holiday. How the hell can this be 16 years old?!!! Good grief I'm ancient. 

Let's Rock Exeter @ Powderham Castle, Saturday July 1st 2023

 

Another year, another Let's Rock (our sixth I think) and as usual it packed in more 80s acts than a KTel Raiders Of The Pop Charts album (remember them kids?). First up Livin' Joy, Neal X (Marc Almond's musical foil for the past decade or two and former member of Sigue Sigue Sputnik), Janet Kay (pictured above) and Odyssey, all of whom did a couple of tracks designed to warm up the crowd which, let's face it, is a bit of a challenge at our age. 

Blancmange up next. Always a favourite of mine and Uncle Neil gave us a particularly spirited rendition of Livin' On The Ceiling in an all too short set. Speaking of short sets who the hell gave Hue and Cry just 20 minutes? 

I was halfway to the loo/bar when they came on, kicking off with Looking For Linda, and managed to dash back (sloshing pints in hand) just in time for the remaining three songs including the truly funktastic Labour Of Love. Give 'em an hour next time please. 

Sinitta had a bit of a wardrobe malfunction and threw her toys out the pram, berating her poor dancers when she couldn't find her Toy Boy t-shirt appropriately enough. She could've borrowed Roland Gift's jacket if she'd waited around for a few minutes. 

Gift's one of the 80s great lost voices in my humble opinion. Fine Young Cannibals were massive for a while but I believe he packed it all in to spend time with his kids. Fair enough. That voice is still in fine form though, especially on a spunky run through one of FYC's finest ska/jazz/rock/pop fusions Johnny Come Home. 

From one Brummie to whole bunch of 'em...The Beat...and I was dead chuffed to see Dave Wakeling up there as I was expecting the Ranking Roger Jnr version (nowt wrong with that but I'd seen that version...with Ranking Snr before). Wakeling still has that fire in his belly, ruefully noting that the world's in just as much of a mess now as it was back in the very early 80s when recession, inflation and the imminent threat of nuclear war was just a moment away. 

Still, he did play a light and breezy Can't Get Used To Losing You and awesomely brooding Mirror In The Bathroom, so if we all go up in giant mushroom cloud next week I can die a happy man. 

Next up The Farm. Lead farmer Peter Hooten looks barely a day older than back in the late 80s/early 90s...but maybe he just looked a bit knackered back then. 

Anyway, I finally got to see 'em do Groovy Train live so I could do that weird Bez type dance with my hands in the air and All Together Now, possibly the only top 5 single to fuse lyrics about a World War 1 footie match with music from Pachelbel's Canon. 

I had reservations about a Fergal Sharkey-less Undertones but 'new' (24 years and counting) lead singer Paul McLoone does a top notch job of delivering some of the finest two minute pop songs the world's ever heard. 

He's got a bit more swagger than Fergal and managed to blaze through everything from Jimmy Jimmy to Here Comes The Summer (a set and festival highlight for me) to the anthemic Teenage Kicks without seeming to pause for breath. Alright! 

Having stood at the front for 6 hours or so we needed a wander so we only heard Go West in the distance but they sounded okay. 

Still with me? Good. Nearly there. Midge Ure next and it was nice to hear Fade To Grey get an airing again but it was the twin classics of Dancing With Tears In My Eyes and Vienna that got the biggest cheers. 

I love Tony Hadley. I'll just put that out there if he fancies a pie and pint one day. 

Forty plus years on from Spandau Ballet's first hits that voice has mellowed and warmed like a big piece of brie left out in the sun. He makes it all look and sound so effortless (and this after playing a gig in Italy the night before). Gold, True, Through The Barricades, To Cut A Long Story Short...all backed by a band that clearly love playing this stuff as much as Tone does. Surely a Glastonbury legend slot beckons?  

All too soon we were down to the last two acts, OMD, who seemed to be the highlight for a lot of the crowd (I loved 'em too but I've seem 'em play Let's Rock a couple of times already) and then the mighty Soft Cell. Amazingly Dave Ball showed up, despite his pretty serious health issues, and the whole set (bathed in the western world's entire supply of dry ice) sent me spinning dizzily (maybe that was the vodka?) back to hearing Non Stop Erotic Cabaret for the first time in 1983, a mere 40 years ago. Good grief. 

As a massive fan of the Cell I would've liked an eighteen hour set but over sixty minutes they crammed in most of the hits, ending on a particularly emotional Say Hello Wave Goodbye, as several thousand slightly squiffy 50 somethings waved their hands and inflatable pink flamingos in the air in perfect sync. As Dave waved back from his wheelchair I wondered if I'd ever get to see them play live again. I do hope so, but if this was my last night (in sodom) I had really a Ball... 

There Is A Light That Never Goes Out - Rick Astley with Blossoms

In the absence of a Smiths reunion I reckon the world can be more than happy with this. Coming soon...Morrissey sings Never Gonna Give You Up with Hot Chip. 

Heroes - David Bowie (Live at Glastonbury 2000)

As always at this time of year I'm more than a tad jealous of all those who've made it to Glasto. Sure it's changed a lot and it takes 6 hours to shuffle from one stage to another but it's still arguably the greatest music festival on earth. I made it to 10 of 'em and was lucky enough to witness what's now been rated as the best ever set, Bowie in 2000. Pulp in '95 were pretty damn good too, as were REM in '99. And of course then there's Paul McCartney in '04. And then there were this lot...rated by the late, great John Peel as "very good indeed".  

Caravan - The Great Jazz Trio

How about some jazz to kick off the week? Niiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiice.  Picked up this CD, pressed in Japan waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay back in 1984 and it's still going strong 37 years later. Amazing. According to Barry Google CDs could last 200 years though, so I suspect it might outlive me somehow. 

That's Just What You Are - Aimee Mann

Another pick from last weekend's CD haul, Aimee Mann's I'm With Stupid, which features Squeeze's Difford and Tilbrook on a couple of tracks. If you like things a little grungier give this one a spin...

Up Town Up Tempo Woman - Randy Edelman

Picked up a Japanese version of Edelman's 1975 album Farewell Fairbanks on CD on Sunday and had a vague memory of hearing this track waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay back. It's a bit Randy Newman/Billy Joel which is a pretty great combo in my book. Friends fans may recognise another Edelman track featured in the 'duck swallows the ring' flashback scene! 

Life's Been Good - Joe Walsh

 Heard this on a compilation CD the other day and it struck a chord!

Ice In The Sun - Status Quo

Trippy late 60s hit for the Quo in their pre denim days. Seems pretty appropriate for the unusually sunny and settled weather we've been having lately too. 

I Want To Take You Higher - Sly and the Family Stone

As if buying CDs by the dozen wasn't bad/good enough I'm now finding them for free at the side of the road. Someone was having a clear out and there was the 2CD remastered soundtrack to the Woodstock movie just sitting there. For free. Bargain. Also picked up Pretzel Logic by Steely Dan, a Spyro Gyra album, a Rocky Hill album and a Free Best Of...appropriately enough. 

Great Things - Echobelly

Picked up the Britpop-tastic debut album by Echobelly on CD (obvs) a few weeks ago and found the original receipt tucked into the booklet. The original buyer had snapped it up for £13.50 from Woolworths in 1995, it should have been £14.99 but they got a 10% staff discount. Bargain! £15 in 1995 equates to roughly £28.77 nowadays, just a tad more than the 75p I paid for it. It struck me how many jobs that single CD supported back in the 90s, from the band itself and the studio staff through to the graphic designers, the CD manufacturers and distributors to the reps and PR people, the shelf stackers and cashiers...and now? I suppose you might still have some studio involvement (although you can probably do most stuff in your bedroom) but I'm guessing the majority of music goes straight online. With the looming spectre of AI already costing tens of thousands of jobs in the UK alone you have to wonder what people are going to do to earn an honest living in the future.  

Just Another Day - Misty's Big Adventure

It's just over a year since Misty's Big Adventure's Grandmaster Gareth departed this world for that great Jug Of Ale in the sky and barely a week goes by without me thinking about him and silently cursing a world that, by and large, ignored his talents. 12 months ago I promised to carry on doing what I can to share the band's music and I'm determined to stick by that so here's a few more classics. If you can share them with everyone you know...and perhaps even some random strangers in the street too...it'll be greatly appreciated.

Nothing Is As Good As They Say It Is - Sparks

Heard this last night for the first time on one of the last ever 'prime time' Marc Riley 6 Music shows (hang your head in shame Samantha Moy - 'Head of 6 Music', the sooner you're gone the better) and it immediately became one of my top 5 Sparks tracks of all time. Written from the perspective of a 22 hour old baby it's it's utter genius from start to finish and, just in case you don't get it, the video well and truly rams home the point. 

Madame Van Damme - Lightspeed Champion

Picked up the double album of Life Is Sweet! Nice To Meet You for 50p on Saturday. Bargain. This track's the pick of the bunch so far. One for the nihilists out there.  

Happy 30th Blur-day Modern Life Is Rubbish!

On May 10^th 1993 Blur’s second (and make or break) album, Modern Life Is Rubbish was released in turn helping to kick start arguably one of the most fertile and fun musical movements of my brief lifetime, ‘Britpop’. I've heard Modern Life Is Rubbish being referred to as a bit twee before now but some of the stuff on there, like Advert, clearly points to Blur's post Britpop anthem Song 2. 

And then there's the instrumental pub piano insanity of Intermission...cor blimey...

The album's title strikes a chord too, even more so these days. As a recently turned 53 year old the world I grew up in seems like a different but infinitely better planet. Sure it was harder to access music, film, literature etc etc but that made it more special. And don't get me started on 'smart' phones. Is there a sadder sight than watching couples sitting in a pub totally ignoring each other and glued to whatever the hell they watch or read on the internet? Or people walking down a country lane ignoring the beauty of nature in favour of a bloody video of it? Or rows and rows of boarded up shops, each one representing the loss of dozens of jobs, not to mention the opportunity to, you know, actually talk to someone in the REAL world? Nope. I don't think there is. But then again I'm ancient. Anyway...happy Blur-day Modern Life Is Rubbish! 

Prince Of Peace - Galliano

Thinking of a suitably topical track for this weekend's coronation I came up with the double whammy of PRINCE Of Peace by Galliano, whose lead singer was, from time to time, known as EARL Zinger. Not sure if King Chuck III's an Acid Jazz fan or not but when the tune's this great who cares eh? 

If You Could Read My Mind - Gordon Lightfoot

RIP Gordon Lightfoot, the genius behind this perfect slice of 70s folk rock. I'm guessing a lot of people my age will have come across it courtesy of its use in Trigger Happy TV but you might also hear a slight echo of the track in a certain Whitney Houston number too...

Veronica Lake - Sparks

Yet another cracking new single from Sparks, this one a homage to 40's femme fatale Veronica Lake...and why the hell not eh? Not only was she an actress she was seemingly a mean magician too. 

Breathing Is E-Zee - E-zee Posse

Dusted off a copy of Now Dance 91 last night and heard this E-Zee Possee track for the first time in...oooooh...32 years. If you like a bit of Deee-lite you'll probably enjoy this one. You're welcome.  

Fire - Koko Taylor

Smokin' hot blues from Koko Taylor to kick off the new week. I hadn't heard of her before I picked up this CD a few weeks ago but she had a hell of a voice. They don't make 'em like this any more. 

Kandy Pop - Bis

Great to hear Bis's Kandy Pop get an all too rare spin on 6Music this morning. How the heck can this track be almost 30 years old though? Very happy memories of seeing the band play at The Flapper, mine's a pint of Dog Bolter. If Kandy Pop's your bag you'll be chuffed to know that Bis are still releasing great tunes, here's one of their most recent.

I can heartily recommend Manda Rin's solo stuff too. 

Billy Hyena - Wide Boy Awake

Just finishing off the excellent Jordan (Mooney) autobiography Defying Gravity and decided to check out the band formed by her husband (and ex Adam and the Ants Ant) of the time Kevin Mooney. Jordan managed the band but despite her best efforts they didn't really get anywhere...clearly the drugs didn't help. Musically there's a touch of Adam Ant and Bow Wow Wow about their stuff, as you'd expect, but with a bit more of a electro clubby feel, especially on a track like Slang Teacher. 

A bit of an early 80s gem eh? 

Tarred and Feathered - Cardiacs...cover by Abel Tuinestra

My fixation with Cardiacs led me to this impressive piano cover version by Abel Tuinestra. I'm frankly amazed that human hands can do this stuff without falling off. Just in case you've never heard this original (which I've posted at least once but hey...if a thing's worth sharing once it's worth sharing a dozen times) here's the original. Prepare to have your minds melted. 

I'm Going To Get Free - Dexys

Dexys (or at least a version of Dexys) are back with a brand new single and album. Hurrah! Once again Kev's pounding the streets, no doubt hoping to repeat Come On Eileen's success, but this time he's swanked up to the eyeballs in the kind of suit that's quite possibly never been seen in Bethnal Green. Amazingly the locals barely give him a second look. Perhaps they're used to him by now eh? 

The Girl Is Crying In Her Latte - Sparks

Been meaning to post this up for a few weeks but...you know...I'm old and all that shit. Anyway, Sparks are back with album number 25! Or 26 if you count FFS! Or 27 if you count their live album! Or 29 if you count their soundtrack albums! Good work chaps. 

Action - Sweet

Sad to hear that 6Music's shoving Marc Riley aside after 18 years service but I did like his choice of opening track last night. Listen to the lyrics. Surely that selection wasn't an accident? I suspect/hope he'll leave rather than accept the graveyard shift and trust that some of his long serving colleagues will join him in leaving what's now, very sadly, a sinking ship. Once again the BBC just can't leave things alone can it eh? The sooner the licence fee's scrapped the better. 

Ryuichi Sakamoto RIP

Only just heard that Ryuichi Sakamoto's passed away. Loved this track when it first came out back in the early 80s and this inspired me to explore his work with Yellow Magic Orchestra by picking up the odd album at Record Fairs in the far off days when the net was something caught fish in. 

Sayonara Mr S. 

Party Fears Two - The Divine Comedy

Picked up another ridiculous stash of CDs on Monday and came across this pleasingly jaunty cover version of one of my favourite ever tracks. For contrast here's the original...absolute genius.

Cockwood Shanty Festival

Spent a very enjoyable afternoon at the Cockwood Shanty Festival on Saturday (this vid's not from the festival itself but this is one of the groups or 'crews' we saw). Not sure if this is the first one they've done but hopefully it'll be back next year. Coming from Birmingham I'm a bit new to the whole shanty thang. Who knew there were so many 'crews' around keeping this wonderful tradition alive a live o eh? 

Cello Song - Fontaines DC

Loving Fontaines DC's beefed up with still respectful cover of Nick Drake's Cello Song right now. It's taken from an album (The Endless Coloured Ways) of Drake covers that'll no doubt fan the flames of his legacy a little more. What a pity so few people paid any attention to him when he was alive eh? Just in case you've never heard the original wrap your ears around this...

I Need More Love - Robert Randolph and the Family Band

Bought a ridiculous number of CDs over the past few days including this little gem. It's a new one on me but it rocks and funks its ass off...not bad for 33p. CDs people...they're the future. 

We Were We Still Are - Future Utopia featuring Kae Tempest

Proof that I do listen to music made this century (LOL, as the kids used to say when they still had something to LOL about) comes in the form of this sublime track from Future Utopia featuring Kae Tempest. It got played quite a bit on 6Music last week but it seems to have dropped off the playlist already, so before I forget what the hell it was called here it is! 

As Good As New - ABBA

Picked up the 2001 reissue of ABBA's Voulez-Vous album on CD for £1 on Saturday and gave it a spin last night. We all know the hits but I reckon the opening track's every bit as good...just imagine what they could have come up with if they'd stayed together through the 80s, 90s, 00s, 10s...

If As Good As New's got you in the mood for some disco ABBA check out this live version of Summer Night City too. 

Revival Song - Gregory Porter

Added to our collection of Gregory Porter CDs this weekend by picking up a copy of All Rise and gave it a spin last night. Pukka Porter! If this is up your alley I can heartily recommend...well...everything he's done so far. Like this classic...

Steve Mackey RIP

Can it really be 30 years since I first got into Pulp? Yep, apparently so. I was lucky enough to catch some of their iconic early-ish gigs too (yes, I know they formed in 1864), including THAT 1995 Glastonbury headliner set when they were called up to replace Stone Roses. So it was particularly sad to learn that Pulp's bassist Steve Mackay had passed away at just 56 years old (three years or so older than I am now...jeez...that's a sobering thought). RIP dude. 

I only just discovered that he worked with another of my favourite bands from back in the day, The Long Blondes, too. 

RIP dude.

Cardiacs - Burn Your House Brown

Stumbled on this darn fine fan video for the Cardiacs' Burn Your House Brown track. Like many of those who comment on the Cardiacs' videos on You Tube I wish I'd been able to see 'em play live. Mad as several boxes of frogs on crack, but all the better for it. 

Last Shop Standing

Enjoyed a cracking Saturday night in the company of Graham Jones and Pip Piper, the team behind Last Shop Standing which came out waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay back in 2012. In the intervening years record shops seems to have gone from strength to strength as owning 'a vinyl' (as the kids say) is about as cool as you can get. 

If you read this blog regularly (bless you) you'll know that I've been banging the drum for CDs for a while and I reckon if record shops got on board with this they'd get even more people through their doors. Why? Well, owning, storing and playing a CD's a doddle compared with vinyl (as I have far too much of both, you can trust me on this one) and you can pick second hand ones up for pennies right now. Of course record shops would want to charge a little more than the charity shops but I suspect they'd do pretty well if they sold a carefully selected range of CDs for a few quid. Vinyl heads can be pretty sniffy about CDs...I used to be...but if you want a physical copy of your favourite music with the same artwork and liner notes that you get with vinyl (albeit in a handier size) CDs are a great bet. And, unlike vinyl, it'll sound just as good on the 1000th play as it did on the first...which certainly can't be said of any other format. If they launch National CD Day soon you'll know who to blame. 

Omnibus - XTC

It's rare to find XTC CDs in the chazzas so I was chuffed to pick up a first pressing of their early 90s masterpiece Nonsuch for £1. It's a genuine shame that the band pretty much stopped working together almost 20 years ago but there's still time for a reunion right? Over you you Andy and Colin...

The Songs We Were Singing - Paul McCartney

Picked up McCartney's Flaming Pie on Saturday for a whole £1 and gave it a spin last night. Well worth a listen. Is it me or does this track have a slight echo of Mull of Kinytre in the chorus? Answers on a flaming bagpipe.  

The Gumbo Variations - Frank Zappa

Stocked up on Zappa CDs from eBay while they're still stupidly cheapo and picked up the original 1987 CD release of Hot Rats for less than the price of a loaf of bread. Pretty sure I have at least one other copy somewhere in my many mountains of CDs but every home should have at least two copies of Hot Rats, just in case. Right? Right?! Oh...just me then. Anyway, if you like jazz, funk, prog, rock, folk, death metal...this track's likely to float yer boat. Enjoy! 

Trugoy RIP

Another day, another sad loss for the world of music. This time it's Trugoy from De La Soul, one of the most positive and upbeat rap and hip hop groups of all time...not words usually associated with those genres sadly.  

 If these tracks don't make you feel at least 78% happier then you need some new ears.

RIP Trugoy. 

Burt Bacharach RIP

How many classic songs did Burt write? And how many of these did you know he wrote? I had no idea he wrote Little Red Book! Good grief... 

...I knew this was a Burt track, but what a classic. And then there's this...

and this co-write with Christopher Cross, Carol Bayer Sager and and Peter Allen...

and this absolute gem written with Hal David...

and that's not even scratched the surface. The greatest songwriter of all time? I reckon so. Cheers Burt. 

Thank You For Funking Up My Life - Donald Byrd

Just heard this track on Craig Charles' weekday 6 Music show, funking great stuff. If your life's not funked up enough get on it. 

Moira Jane's Cafe - Definition Of Sound

Picked up another load of CDs at the weekend including Definition Of Sound's classic Love and Life album for a non digital £1. Bargain. It's more than worth it for this track alone but then you've got this gem too...

Most people still look at me as though I've lost the plot when I bang on about buying CDs but they're probably the same people that told me I was mad when I came home from car boot sales with carrier bags full of vinyl in the 90s and look how that turned out. Trust me, one day the likes of Spotify will start charging for every single track you stream...music...and the internet itself will become like every other utility, you'll pay for what you use. Which seems entirely fair and logical to me. Given the Greta Thunberg melting levels of energy that the damn thing uses every second it's only a matter of time. 

Great Escape - Gemma Rogers

Okay, so this track may be a year old but it's new-ish to me and it's pretty perfect for a Friday afternoon. Plus it sounds as though it was recorded back in the early 80s, always a winner in my book. 

Another Journey - Joie Dead Blonde Girlfriend

Picked up a bunch of CDs from the chazzas on Saturday and took a punt on this in the 4 for £1.50 section. Turns out to be a rather spunky antifolk classic, not what I was expecting from the cover or artist's name but a pleasant surprise. Here's another one that might float yer boat...

When We Were Young - Belle and Sebastian

Rather splendid but troublingly reflective new track from Belle and Sebastian, who's lead singer and vocalist Stuart Murdoch seems to be going through a bit of a rough time right now. Wishing him all the very best, in the unlikely event that he'll ever read this... 

Breakout - Swing Out Sister

How can this be 37 years old? Good grief. I must still have several copies of the album it came from (It's Better To Travel) on vinyl but picked up an original pressing of the CD at the weekend for a mere 99p and gave it a spin last night. Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh the memories. Amazingly the band's still a going concern although their last album was six years ago. Maybe they need to...wait for it...breakout a new one eh? 

Hi Ren - Ren

This has been popping up on a few friends' Facebook pages recently and it's well worth a share. Apparently Ren was signed by Sony back in 2010, then he got ill (Lyme Disease) and was dropped like a sack of spuds. Clearly he's been through the mill over the past few years then but he's seemingly doing his own thing now and it's starting to pay off. At seven and a half minutes this track's a bit of an epic, if it gets your juices flowing try the newbie Sick Boi too. 

What a Bloody Long Day It's Been - Ashton, Gardner and Dyke

Picked up an Ashton, Gardner and Dyke compilation CD (for a mere 50p) when we were in Brighton last year and only just got round to listening to it. What a gem! Take this track, which seems pretty appropriate for a Friday afternoon. Enjoy! 

Enjoy Yourself - The Specials

Did you see the news yesterday? Taking cake into the office is the same as passive smoking? Health Canada claims that there's no safe drinking limit but you should stick to no more than two a week?  Wow. Just wow. What's happened to the world eh? Until recently no one had any idea what a 'unit of alcohol' was or how many calories such and such contained and everyone seemed a hell of a lot happier. It's the young I feel sorry for, they're fed this bullshit from day one. No wonder the poor sods are self harming and committing suicide like there's no tomorrow, which sadly there isn't for far too many of 'em. I'm not advocating injecting heroin into your eyeballs or stuffing you face with lard but we're here for an all too brief time so just enjoy yourself.  You might knock a few years off your life, but lets face it they're unlikely to be the best. Mine's a pint of scrumpy. Cheers! 

Barney - The Toasters

You know you're getting old when the stuff that was brand new and cutting edge when you were a kid ends up in an antiques centre, but that's where I picked up an excellent ska punk CD compilation called Know Your Skalphabet 2 (for a whole £1) released waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay back in 2002 on the seemingly now defunct Good Clean Fun Records. This track by The Toasters is one of the picks of the bunch but there's not a duff one on there. Expect to see it on the Antiques Roadshow any day now...

Louis Jordan - Caldonia

Picked up a rather spiffing Louis Jordan compilation CD this week and couldn't resist sticking up a vid. Neon bedecked (yes...bedecked...I've been reading the dictionary again) instruments, dance routines and the blueprint for rock 'n' roll, all in one three minute clip. Enjoy! 

Roy Wood, Phil Lynott, Chas Hodges and Bev Bevan mash it up...

Came across this clip on Facebook courtesy of Bob, our old postman from back in Bearwood. Allegedly it was filmed at The Dog on the Hagley Road too...wherever it was imagine popping in for a pint that night eh?   

Septober Energy - Centipede

I know what you need at the end of the first week of 2023...85 minutes of progressive jazz! Trust me, it's worth a listen, even if bits of it are, let's say, a little 'challenging'. Enjoy! 

Alan Rankine RIP

Sad to learn of the passing of Alan Rankine yesterday. The Associates are one of my favourite bands of all time and they're criminally underrated. Pretty much everything they ever recorded is worth listening to but if you're new to the band start with their Sulk album and go from there. Here's a gem from Rankine's solo work too...