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Live At The Roxy London WC2 / Hope & Anchor Front Row Festival

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What does it sound like?:

Two albums from a similar time period given a vinyl re-release – one on heavyweight black vinyl, the other on a rather fetching “bubblegum with a blue splat” coloured vinyl. (Personal Note: I used to own both these albums – no idea where they went? But now here’s a chance to get them back) Live At The Roxy was originally released on Prog Rock label Harvest in 1977, and offers 12 tracks drawn from the “legendary” first 100 days of The Roxy in Convent Garden. The club opened (officially) on 1 January 1977 with a headline performance from The Clash, and in it’s time featured just about every Punk band it could get on stage. (Trivia note: Iron Maiden were offered a support slot to Siouxsie & The Banshees in March 1977 – they declined the offer despite posters being printed, and the show was cancelled)

This album contains performances from the lesser celebrated end of Punk – Slaughter & The Dogs, Eater, Johnny Moped,– alongside their perhaps better known brethren – The Adverts X-Ray Spex, Buzzcocks and Wire. The one band not mentioned above – The Unwanted – are described somewhere on the » Continue Reading.

Richard Dawson – 2020

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What does it sound like?:

Wikipedia tells me this is Richard Dawson’s 7th album – which means I may need to go to Spotify and do a bit of catching up. On the other side of this, it means I have no pre-conceived conceptions about this offering – and if the back catalogue is as good as this, then I’ll be a happy bunny.

Phew! This is some special thing – a right old mash up of folk-esque story telling, indie grungeiness, a bit of prog-ish-ness – the introduction to “Black Triangle” could be straight out of the ELP songbook – , all bolted to a sometime Trumpton-ish tune coupled with some seriously hummable melodies. The voice veers between Northumbrian brogue, measured baritone and pained falsetto (with a couple of Ronnie James Dio-like screechy moments).

The songs themselves are basically sung in a spoken word like narrative – there is no attempt at a poetic turn of phrase or a levering in of a rhyming couplet. The instrumentation is relatively stripped back and simple, but can (and often does) explode into louder moments. Dawson is addressing the minutae, and sometimes absurdity, of everyday life – “we’re hurrying home from » Continue Reading.

National Album Day

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or … an excuse for more “new special pressings” at a premium price to coax people back into HMV (and/or appear at even more inflated prices on up ebay for the next week or so

Inspired by 6Music, I have dug out 3 perennial favourites and listened in full. The Who – Quadrophenia Sex Pistols – Never Mind The Bollocks Pink Floyd – The Wall

These 3 albums were. I thought, hard-wired into my brain, but whether it is the context of the day or the fact I haven’t listened to them in full for a long while, I’m hearing stuff in there which renews interest and reminds me what was so great about them in the first place. I can confirm that they are all … brilliant!

The album – a fine way to spend 40 minutes of your life

Next up: Damned Damned Damned – not just because of this National Album Day thing, but also because it’s Dave Vanian’s birthday

Liam Gallagher – Why Me? Why Not?

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What does it sound like?:

When a new album bearing the name “Gallagher” arrives, there are usually 4 stock questions:

1. Does it sound like it always sounds? 2. Are the lyrics peppered with bad or contrived rhymes? 3. Is it derivative / a slight knock-off of other peoples work? 4. Does it break any new ground, or in anyway a departure from the expected? And the answers, unsurprisingly, are: Yes, Yes, Yes and No

The full title of this album could/should be: ‘Why Me? Why Not? What More Did You Expect?’

But this is not a bad thing – it is comfortable, easy to access, and rewards quite quickly. The only fear is that the “reward” may not last and this will soon be consigned to the “might play again if I stumble across it” pile.

There are many people in this world who perceive Liam Gallagher as “that insufferable knob that used to sing in Oasis”. And, to be honest, his latest advert on Amazon hardly helps his case. But I maintain he has one of the greatest rock voices of the past few years (well, 25 since the release of Oasis’s ‘Definitely Maybe’). Just the right » Continue Reading.

Interactive Google Map of (apparently) Every Record Shop … In The World

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Who says the internet is just full of Brexit, xenophobic comments, photographs of food and old blokes making lists. There are very many useful resources too – not least this one. This map will now be utilised when planning holidays and city breaks so I can be sure I am always able to indulge in a bit of flicking when the mood (and opportunity) arises

Link to Map: https://www.vinylhub.com/map

http://www.openculture.com/2017/11/an-interactive-map-of-every-vinyl-record-shop-in-the-world.html

It started all so well …

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These are the opening words to Queen’s Save Me, but also an apt description of my day. Day off – got up normal time, porridge and coffee – the classic breakfast – followed by washing up. So far, so humdrum Episodes of The Sweeney and Minder on ITV4, quick mooch round the charity shop (nothing worth having), haircut, and then settle down for some reading, making fatuous comments on Facebook, and watching a couple of YouTube vids. Oh yes, this is going to be a good day – nothing’s gone wrong, and the dogs aren’t barking at anything that moves. And relax …

And then my email goes “ping” informing me that my Microsoft Account details have been updated. What? No they haven’t. Better go and have a look. The email was bloomin’ right – some barsteward in California has replaced my primary email address and is now doing who knows what with my account. I’ve been hacked and can’t get into my account.

Several Google searches later reveal nothing – except an online assistant who, for a £20 membership fee, will attempt to recover my account.

Think, think, think Hang on, that email I got informing me of the » Continue Reading.

Mattiel – Satis Factory

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What does it sound like?:

Yo know those moments when a song pops up on the radio, and you think “I know this. Oh no I don’t, it’s definitely new. Oh hang on, I’m sure I’ve heard this.”

A case in point here is “Keep The Change” by Mattiel – coming across like a sort of lost Northern Soul stomper/60s Garage Rock mash-up sung by Nico (a curious mixture, but one that is apt), and the attendant album (‘Satis Factory’) is more than satisfactory (some albums bought on the strength of one track can lead to disappointment, not this one)

The parent album contains 12 tracks with echoes of recognition throughout all adding to the “Retro, yet of itself” sound. The music on this album, at some point, touches most of the varying styles of the rock genre. But this is no pastiche of the styles, merely a starting point of recognition that hooks the listener in (or it did me anyway). The 12 tracks each clock in around 3 minutes, meaning this is a fine way to spend half hour of life.

Opener “Til The Moment Of Death” is a sort of Velvet Underground meets Country affair, with » Continue Reading.

Afterword Fantasy Football League

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It’s not even July, but the call for Fantasy Football is back. The virtual trophy seen here could be yours in 10 months time.

Season kick-off in 6 weeks, so plenty of time to sort out those bargain goalkeepers, premium defenders, wildcards and midfield differentials. (Observation: Harry Kane is priced at a very reasonable and tempting 11.0m – the same price as Aubameyang)

So … onward. Pick your best Team, and let battle commence.

Afterword Classic League – this League has auto-renewed, so if you were in it last year then there is no need to do anything. Code is: dhpz17

Afterword Head to Head League – Code is: fgnr26

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Humdrum Express

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In pre-Internet days, if you heard a new song on the radio you has to wait for the back announcement and then scour the local record shops in the hope of finding a copy. If non were to be found, you placed a special order from the Big Book, took your receipt and waited a fortnight for it to be delivered to the store. Now, you can hear a song on the radio, wait for the back announcement, get home, fire up the computer and place your order direct with the artist.

Or in this case – hear a song on the radio, wait for the back announcement, forget to do anything about it, hear it again 6 months later, get home, fire up the computer and place your order direct with the artist.

Well, I like it …

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QQbYL9GkzqI

Never Did Better Than Their Debut

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We always have to have an inverse to any thread. This one follows the “Best Album Was Their Last” This thread is not asking what are the greatest debut albums, but does ask who never managed to hit the same heights again?

The Arctic Monkeys – Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not Frankie Goes To Hollywood – Welcome To The Pleasure Dome Guns & Roses – Appetite For Destruction Montrose – Montrose New York Dolls – New York Dolls Wire – Pink Flag Yazoo – Upstairs At Erics

Others?

What was so great about The La’s?

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Their breakthrough single “There She Goes” is a mastery of jangle – very difficult to dislike, no matter how many times you hear it. But is their sole album really that great.

I know it didn’t have the easiest of births due to Lee Mavers constant striving for perfection, and it is indeed a fine album – but is it really one of the “Greatest Ever Debut Albums”? (c) NME and many other music papers at the time, and even more so nearly 30 years since it’s release

Do my ears need syringing again?

The Specials – Encore

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What does it sound like?:

From their first single (on their own label) in 1979 to their (slightly messy, but politically infused) break-up of the original line-up, The Specials packed a lot into their original 3 year incarnation (before splintering to Fun Boy Three and the Dammers-helmed Special AKA). A short period of time between the mashed-up ska-punk of “Gangsters” and the downbeat commentary of “Ghost Town”. They also managed two albums, and both are deemed (and rightly so) as classic of the time.

And now 40 years later, they’re back (in somewhat reduced original membership form). But … this aint no nostalgic re-tread, they have actually got something to say (even if it a very similar conversation to 40 years ago)

More laid-back than ‘The Specials’ and ‘More Specials’, but echoes of their past filter through everything. It may not have the energy of the debut – indeed it’s more in the late period Ghost Town vein. Songs with a message delivered carefully and concisely so you get the point, but still find your self bouncing and/or nodding to the infectious beat behind. The upbeat punky-ska party can be found on the accompanying Live disk where you’ll find » Continue Reading.

Stiff Little Fingers – Inflammable Material

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What does it sound like?:

40 Years old today (3rd February)

In 1978, two bands from Northern Ireland produced their first singles and sent them to John Peel in the hope of getting Radio airplay. One of them (The Undertones – Teenage Kicks) got played twice in a row and has passed into legend as John Peel’s favourite track of all time. The other (Stiff Little Fingers – Suspect Device) was played every night for a week and Rough Trade (the only place in London to stock the single) was constantly running short of stock. Demand was so great, Geoff Travis approached the band so his label could re-release it and satisfy his customers. A 50/50 Split Profit Deal was agreed with a handshake – no Contracts, no Lawyers, no future markets exploitation clause, just a straightforward Manufacturing and Distribution deal. Both had the desire to keep the arrangement simple – Stiff Little Fingers had already been disappointed by Island Records 6 months earlier (a tale told in the song “Rough Trade”, which is not about the label that released their records but about the label that signed them and then dropped them within a week, and signed The » Continue Reading.

Food and Drink

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What we need is an elongated, lame joke, Food and Drink punfest

Sushi and The Banshees Stiff Little Fish Fingers Dexys Midnight Runner Beans The Eat-alls Frankie Goes To Bollinger

Animals – House Of The Rising Bun Wings – Red Rosé Speedway

I know who you mean … or do I?

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Todd Rundgren / Ted Nugent – similar(ish) names, completely different people. Not in my brain – it takes about 15 minutes to decipher

I say one name and see someone elses face. Same with a bloke I used to work with – actual name was George, but I spent 2 years calling him Bill because I was convinced that was his name. He gave up correcting me after a few weeks.

Is it an age thing or just me?

(please don’t tell me I’m the only one who gets a bit confused sometimes)

The Last King Of Pop

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Paul Heaton has gone and released a Best Of/Greatest Hits/Career Retrospective thingy from The Housemartins to a re-recording (with Jacqui Abbott) of A Little Time, and abrand new track (is it possible to release a Best Of these days without including a new track?). The new one, 7″ Singles, has a whiff of The Specials about it, and is one of those “spot the artist references” toons.

My one criticism – it doesn’t include his cover of The Heppelbaums track This Old Skin

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7A0Td_G-j7E