God Save The Pony - Big Special

Another slice of Black Country brilliance from Big Special, "I want to do a backflip at a French sex party". Classic. Failing that they could always try getting a hand job in the Aldi car park in Bearwood... 

Don't Rain On My Parade - Japan

As a fan of Japan's early 80s era I was vaguely aware of their earlier work but had no idea they'd produced this glam punk version of the Funny Girl classic. It's a world away from their hits and ever so slightly nuts but all the better for it. If I ever get around to launching my DJ career I'll be playing the hell of this one...

The Revolution Will Not Be Televised - Brian Jackson

Gil Scott-Heron's classic updated for the modern world by his friend and musical collaborator Brian Jackson, a mere 50 years or so after the original. I wonder what state the world will be in in another half a century? Doesn't bear thinking about does it eh?  

Cut & Rewind - Say She She

I meant to post this weeks ago but, you know, I'm old and stuff. A slight change in direction from Say She She but still an instant banger, as the kids probably said back in the day. It looks like they're only playing a couple of UK gigs this year in Oxford and London. Wot, no Dawlish dates? Pah. 

War Pigs (Live In Paris 1970) - Black Sabbath

The fact that Ozzy's death was still the number one news story on the BBC at lunchtime today shows just how important his contribution to music and popular culture was. As a proud Brummie and Sabbath/Ozzy fan myself it's a sad day but what a way to bow out eh, playing a triumphant gig in your home city just a few days before going to that great gig in the sky. Sadly I don't think we'll ever see the likes of Ozzy and Lemmy ever again but let's be grateful that they walked among us for a while. 

Work Song - Cannonball Adderley

Prompted by rumours of the government considering upping our state pension age even higher than 67 let's have a little jazz to kick off the week and a tune that Cannonball was inspired to write by hearing a convict chain gang paving the street in front of his home. Sadly prisoners aren't made to work anymore, perhaps if they were there might be some money left to pay those of us who've paid into the system for half a century enough to live on if we're lucky enough to make it to 67, 68, 69...or whatever number the pension age will end up being. 

On drums...Brian Viglione

This popped up on my You Tube feed just now and just watching it has left me feeling like I need a lie down for a week. I've been lucky enough to see The Dresden Dolls a few times and Brian's always come across as an awesome drummer, this pre-tour rehearsal footage shows why. 

PS: Brian's latest project is a band called DAME, there's not a lot of material out there yet but here's a little teaser...

The Makings @ The Canteen, Bristol - Thursday July 10th

 

Had the great pleasure of catching this band on our mini break in Bristol (quite possibly my favourite city in the world right now) at a place called The Canteen. It was hotter than the surface of the sun in there but they played a blinder, sweating up a soulful storm of self penned belters and culminating in a truly gloria-ous cover version of the Them classic. I got the impression that the band's been on hiatus for a while and some of the members have changed since this video was recorded but on tonight's form this current line-up's got 'the makings' of something pretty special. 

What's he like...

 

A mere 40 years or so since I first heard Dexy's I finally got to meet Kevin Rowland last week at an interview and book signing in Bristol. Despite suffering from some dental discomfort he was very chatty and put up with my random gibberings, especially in relation to what I consider to be one of the band's and music's highpoints, the epic This Is What She's Like. Here, just in case you haven't heard it is the full 12 minutes and 23 seconds version. 

And yes, apparently they really did used to meet up at The Little Nibble (now, sadly, a chicken shop) in my old home of Bearwood! 

The Heel - Eartha Kitt

I first heard this track on Marc Almond's sublime mini album A Woman's Story way back in the mid '80's but Eartha's original version is pretty hard to beat. It's the perfect example of a story song too, in just 2minutes and 45 seconds you get more action and intrigue than the average movie. Purrrrrrrrrrrfect. 

Mothers Talk - Tears for Fears

I'd forgotten how great this track, one of the picks of Tears for Fears' epic Songs From The Big Chair, was until I dug out the CD version of album at the weekend. This year the album turns 40 too, how the hell did that happen? I had it on vinyl (still got it somewhere) and played it to death at the time. Classic.  

Wonderwall - The Mike Flowers Pops

I hope Oasis will give full credit to the man who made 'em...Mike Flowers...on their reunion tour. The original version of Wonderwall's sooooooooooo much better than the Oasis cover. Yes, I know...

Dust On The Wind - Velvet Sundown

So, here we are then. An AI generated band, 'singing' an AI generated track that's racking up hundreds of thousands of plays on Spotify. I daresay the 'band' will go out on tour soon in an Abba Voyage style and hundreds of thousands of people will pay hundreds of pounds to see 'em. Truly it's the end of days...

Everybody Laughs - David Byrne

The amount of bile spewing through the internet these days convinces me more than ever that it's probably the worst thing the human race has ever created. Next to AI that is. That's going to be a doozy. Call me a luddite if you will but wasn't the world a better place when you could only argue with the person opposite you and discuss things rationally, over a pint or a cuppa, rather than trading badly worded insults, memes (whatever the hell they are) and emojis from behind the safety of a screen? Ah, happy days. I could be wrong but I suspect David Byrne may feel the same way.