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.