Musings on the byways of popular culture
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Gone at 51, pancreatic cancer. One of the greatest talents of his generation.
Fuck – and I can’t stress this strongly enough – this timeline.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cwynv40ly4vo
No words, just gutted. Post your favourite tracks here if you like.
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And why is the page not framed in black given the death of Budgie sqwarker in chief, Burke Shelley? For Shame. Power Trios became synth duos, and now we have one man bands. Its diminishing returns.
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The annual appreciation of Fareham’s finest. I do miss ’em.
Here’s Carnivalesque, with guest shouty bits from Frank Turner.
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Another of my boyhood heroes has left us at 97. He had the Right Stuff.
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It’s a blessed relief, of course, but such a shame that Tim Smith has died. The band that could have been so much bigger, and I never quite worked out why not. Probably too clever and just getting big when girl-power and boy-bands were the thing the kids want. I saw them in the mid-80s when in torpor due to girl troubles, a bevvy n’ whizz fuelled gig with them lived me up considerably. I had no idea what they were like, so it was … CRIKEY!
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Just heard that Neal Casal has died. Apparently took his own life. Very sad.
His song “Since I Fell On Hard Times” is still one of my favourites.
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Very sad to hear that Nick Walusko has died at just 59. The Wondermints were a treasured secret among pop-pop obsessives like me in the 90s. I saw them twice, and their gig at the Borderline was one of the very best shows I’ve ever seen.
The Wondermints are best known for backing up Brian Wilson, and an amazing job they did of it too, but I’ll always wish they got to record some more of their own stuff. Now it’s too late.
RIP Holger Czukay which mean Irmin Schmidt is the only surviving CAN man (I mean members from the beginning to the end obviously, I know Damo Suzuki and Michael Mooney remain)
This is one of his solo ones that I love. He looks especially “mad uncle” in it…
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Today: Peter Sarstedt. Aged 75.
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As a child of the mid 70s, the image and brand of James Last is seared into my consciousness, aided by having been brought to one of his gigs at a wildly young age. It’s nice to know that his talents for arrangements and choosing top players has had some recognition in recent years.
