Johnny Hit and Run Pauline - X

Finally got round to watching The Decline Of Western Civilisation documentary over the weekend featuring some of the cream of the late 70s early 80s US punk scene, along with the slightly more rockabilly stylings of a band called X who contributed this delightful little ditty.  

Same Old Drag - The Apples In Stereo

Picked up a bargain The Apples In Stereo compilation the other week and am currently digging my way through their back catalogue, including this little beauty. Psych tinged noughties pop at its very best. 

It was 20 years ago today (sort of)...

Being an old man I missed the 20th anniversary of The Hearing Aid a couple of weeks ago, so here's Jimi and co to make up for it!

Suffer - Split Dogs

One of the highlights of Beautiful Days 2026 for me...and a very appropriate track after spending one and half hours 'talking' to various Sky chatbots and overseas operatives to try to negotiate a better broadband deal. Fuck me, what a world we've created eh? Can you still say 'fuck' online? Yep, looks like you can. FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK. Ah, that feels better. 

Jolene (Destructo Remix) - Dolly Parton

This might be an act of musical heresy to some but I quite like it and as it's on Dolly's You Tube channel presumably she approved too. There's a bucket load of stories about Parton coming out today, all of them positive, but my favourite is the one about her giving up the chance to become the world's first billionaire by donating so much dosh to worthy causes. Whether it's true or not I have no idea but it's a nice story. And then there's the one about her writing Jolene and I Will Always Love You on the same day...that's not a bad afternoon's work is it eh? RIP Dolly. 

Beautiful Days Festival 2026 - August 21st - 23rd

Our ninth (I think...the cider's made things a trifle cloudy) Beautiful Days and the usual mix of great bands (albeit catering more for the older punter), random chats with strangers, catch ups with old friends and several pork baps. I do love a good pork bap. The bendy lady above is the lead singer of Split Dogs, one of the highlights of the weekend for me along with Super Furry Animals, Madness, The Wonder Stuff, Hannah Moule and Katherine Priddy. There were more clashes this year than in previous ones and the old energy levels are a tad lower in my late 50s than they were when I was a nipper so we missed a number of bands that I really wanted to see but that's the ying and yang of festivals for ya. Beautiful Days remains a joy pretty much from start to finish though and I guarantee it'll sell out months in advance next year as it does every year. Coming back to 'reality' though...ouch. 

PS: As someone who remains stubbornly smartphone free it was lovely to be pretty much out of touch with technology for a few days and great that plenty of stallholders happily took cash rather than looking at you like you've just asked them to swap their merch for a handful of excrement. 

PPS: The loos were great when I used them. TOP TIP: listen out for the sucking van in the morning then pop in as soon as possible after they've been. I appreciate that this doesn't help the ladies put there who can't have a piddle as easily as us chaps but having a piddle doesn't take as long as the other stuff. How the hell did I end up writing so many words about going to the loo? I'll stop now. 

PPPS: Shout out to Stagecoach for a great bus service after last year's fiasco. The driver from St David's at 12midday got everyone to dump all their stuff at the back of the bus thus preventing the front from becoming an obstacle course. He also avoided the queues by using the right lane...unlike the bloke last year who sat in the wrong lane for over two sodding hours.  

Everything's Odd - Misty's Big Adventure

It's been far too long since I last posted a Misty's track so wrap your ears around this mini masterpiece. 21 years since it was recorded and it's more relevant with each passing day. 

Derry RIP

Sad to hear about the passing of EMF's keyboard player Derry Brownson. I think it's fair to say that he had some difficult years but it was great to see him back on stage with the band last November in Bristol and he looked well chuffed to be there. If you've not heard of EMF before they released some cracking tracks back in the early 90s...

Singing In The Shower - Les Rita Mitsouko & Sparks

Happy 81st birthday to Ron Mael, one half of the mighty Sparks, seen here looking as Ron as Ron can be with Les Rita Mitsouko. 

Easy Street - Queens of the Stone Age

The first time I heard this track I had a vague thought that it might be a lost Bowie number, especially after the slightly Frippy guitar bit 3 minutes or so in. But nope, it's Queens of the Stone Age. Genuine contender for one of the tracks of the year... 

Yours 'Til the End - Kim Wilde

Picked up this Kim Wilde album from 2018 last weekend and it's an 80's tastic treat from start to finish. This track's possibly the highlight, with a nod to Duran Duran, Gary Numan and even a little Chic in there. Wilde's vocal's on fine form too, bonkers to think that her first record came out almost half a century ago...

Caught In My Shadow - The Wonder Stuff

Hoping to see The Stuffies again soon, so going on a bit of a trip down memory lane and stumbled on this video filmed in Brum. What a different world we lived in in 1991 eh?  

Hotdog - Room Service

Another brilliantly bonkers poptastic track from Brighton's Room Service, this'll get you through Monday afternoon.  

Hush - The Getup

Funky cover of the Deep Purple classic to get you over the midweek hump. I bought this CD online via eBay and sadly it's a 'tad' scratched. Unusually for a CD this makes it jump a few times, I'll have to try the old toothpaste trick to see if I can fix it...

Rapping With The Gods - The Mitchell and Dewbury Band

Picked up this CD tucked between a bunch of DVDs a few weeks ago and nearly didn't bother checking it out because it sounded like one of those god awful (as it were) religious albums that seem to be swamping some charity shops at the moment. Turns out it's a top notch jazz/soul release from the legendary Russ Dewbury featuring tracks like this Galliano tinged banger. Remarkably you can pick this up for a few quid on eBay at the moment...

Opinions Are Like Wormholes - Bandleader MPH

Yet another brilliantly catchy but equally clever track from one of this country's finest underground musical geniuses. If you know any record labels looking for a proper talent this dude has a back catalogue to die for...

Pretend We're Dead - L7

RIP Jennifer Finch, bassist and occasional vocalist with L7 who gave this memorable performance of classic grunge anthem on The Word back in 1992. I think this was the same show that Ollie Reed was on. They don't make 'em like that anymore... 

 

Burning Boats - Anni(e) Hogan ft Marc Almond, Budgie and JG Thirlwell

Picked up yet another copy of this album when I was in Brum recently and gave it a spin, reminding myself of just what an incredible track this is. For my money Anni(e) Hogan and Marc Almond's partnership over a decade or so produced some of my favourite tracks of all time, like this criminally underrated number...

Get It Right Next Time - Gerry Rafferty

Given last night's result this track seems pretty appropriate today. Thankfully I have little or no interest in sport but always get dragged into the football a little when it's the World Cup or Euros. I have no idea how fans cope with this level of stress and frustration week in and week out... 

Flowers In Our Hair - All About Eve

A gorgeous slice of 80s folk rock pop from the underrated All About Eve. I loved the self titled album as an 18 year old, fast forward almost 4 decades and it sounds just as good as a 56 year old...even if I don't have as much hair to wear flowers in if I was that way inclined.