It wasn't something I was keeping a check on, but I was just about to start drafting a new post a few minutes ago, when I caught a glimpse of my 'blog archive' over on the right there...
2007 - 19 posts 2008 - 59 posts 2009 - 21 posts
So this is my 100th post! Not much of a feat I know, especially when compared to some of my bloggin buddies (Furtheron has almost chalked up 100 THIS YEAR ALONE for example!), but y'know I was never going to be able to bang out dozens of posts a month, and when I started bloggin I was only a month away from becoming a dad, which has kept me rather busy! So in my own way, I'm pleased that I've at least been able to keep a fairly regular bloggery going.
Right, I'll carry on with that post now! See you in a bit!
It's not something I was really aware of at the time, but one of the real bonuses I got from having 'older' parents was the music that I was brought up with. At school, many of my friends had mums and dads who were into the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, The Who etc etc. But mine were fans of music from decades earlier, and I was brought up on a heavy diet of easy listening... Sinatra, Crosby, Mathis, Nat Cole etc etc. I don't think I appreciated that much of it at the time, but it was the soundtrack to my early years, and as I've got older, I've noticed that much of it has matured in my brain, and I now genuinely enjoy most of the artists that my parents liked. I see this as a complete 'Brucey Bonus' as this is in addition to all the music I've discovered on my own. It works like a dream, and the combination of the two gives me an interest in music spanning from the 30's right up to today, and I'm pleased to be able to appreciate such a wide variety of music. And I really don't care if it's cool or not, if I like it, that's good enough for me!
The Ink Spots... even the name is iffy. But I guess the 1930's were pretty unenlightened times, leading to four black guys from Indianapolis (Orville "Hoppy" Jones, Ivory "Deek" Watson, Jerry Daniels and Charlie Fuqua) being given the name 'The Four Ink Spots'. Formed in the early 30's, they were one of the pioneers of a new style of music called 'Jump'. In time, Jump would lead into Rhythm and Blues, and ultimately, Rock n Roll.
In 1936, Jerry Daniels was replaced with a ballad singer called Bill Kenny, and their style changed to a more laid back croonin' sound. Success finally came for them in 1939, when they released the single If I Didn't Care, which would turn out to be their biggest hit. Believe it or not, If I Didn't Care, is STILL number 10 in the list all time biggest selling singles - Worldwide! It shifted 19 million copies, which is impressive enough in itself, but it's even more so when you compare it to what else is up there with it (and what else ISN'T):
Elton John - Candle in the Wind - 37 Million Bing Crosby - White Christmas - 30 Million Elvis Presley - It's Now or Never - 28 Million Bill Haley - Rock Around the Clock - 25 Million USA for Africa - We Are the World - 20 Million
The Ink Spots - If I Didn't Care - 19 Million
Beatles - I Want To Hold Your Hand - 12 Million (the biggest selling Beatles single) Band Aid - Do They Know It's Christmas - 10 Million There is something about the sound of the Ink Spots that sends me back... bizarrely, it's back to an era that I don't even know, but it's a cozy, simpler time. There is something dreamy and comforting about Bill Kenny's incredible tenor voice and the way it contrasts beautifully with Orville Jones' deep bass vocals. Listening to them also reminds me of 'old skool' Sundays, when nothing was open, sitting around the house listening to programmes like Family Favourites on BBC Radio 2!
The Ink Spots toured England a number of times, first making the trip in 1934. My father has vivid recollections of seeing them at the London Palladium in September 1949, although by this time, they were certainly past their peak, and had had numerous changes in line-up (but Kenny was still on lead vocals when my dad saw them).
It's pretty twee sounding stuff today, but in their own way, they must have been pretty revolutionary at the time. They may not have known it, but they certainly did their bit to pave the way for the pioneers of Rhythm and Blues in the late 40's. Other than their recordings, very little remains of the original Ink Spots (officially, they continue to perform to this day, with a 'conveyor belt' approach to the line up). Not the original line up, but here is a clip of one of the later line ups (still with Bill Kenny on vocals) performing Do I Worry as a musical interlude in the 1942 Abbott and Costello film Pardon My Sarong. Orville Jones has gone by this time, and his replacement is awful! A horrible rasping voice that is quite unnerving!
Sit back with a cup of cocoa, and listen to 'I Don't Want To Set The World On Fire'
The fallout from the G20 riots in London earlier this month, continues to, well, fallout I guess. I don't want to get involved in the rights n wrongs of it all, there are many others much more qualified to do so... But whilst perusing the many thousands of photos that have appeared on-line, this one in particular caught my eye. Anyone else spot the irony??!
If you are one of those with limited time on your hands, and think this looks like some boring history lesson, PLEASE just fast forward to the pictures at the bottom of the post, I wouldn't want anyone missing the weirdest gravestone I've ever seen!!
Pitsea, Essex... the unofficial capital of all things 'Chav'. It's not a place particularly known for its heritage, culture and art... there's a McDonalds AND a KFC (both drive-thrus!), a LIDL, Aldi AND a Farmfoods, there's several burger shops and kebab huts.... But hidden away in this concrete jungle is quite an interesting piece of history. Perched on top of a steep hill ('Pitsea Mount' to give it it's proper name), are the remnants of St Michael's church, which is mentioned in the Doomsday book... These days it looks rather like a low rent, scruffy, run-down version of Glastonbury Tor, but Pitsea Mount must once have been the focal point for miles around. Today it is mostly 'lost' by the town that has risen around it, in particular the flyover that now obscures it from any decent view.
The church was originally built in the 13th century, although much of it was rebuilt over the years. All that remains now is the tower, which is believed to have been built in the 16th century. The 'outline' of where the rest of the church once was is still visible, and incredibly, the font and alter are still standing (now out in the open of course) - you can see the outline and the alter in the picture above. In theory it's a nice interesting place to visit, and could be an lovely spot to sit and contemplate the world for a while... but every time I've tried to have a good look (most recently last week) it always seems to be over run with Vicky Pollard types with unruly, unleashed Alsatians, drunks, druggies or hoodies. There are a number of crumbling graves surrounding the church remains, and one in particular really took my eye....
Just behind the church tower is a family grave for the Freeman family... What looks to be like a Mother, Father and two daughters, nothing out of the ordinary for 3 of them, yet one of the daughters, Ann Freeman (born March 1837, died March 1879) has the following inscription:
Here lies a weak and sinful worm, the vilest of her race, saved through God's electing love, his free and sovereign grace
Which even today seems a bit harsh!
Apparently the grave has intrigued people for many years, and nobody has been able to fathom out why she should have been given such a hateful gravestone. Original schoolboy rumours that she was a witch are all unfounded, and recently, someone even managed to trace her in the 1851 census, which showed her at the age of 14 working as a servant for a piano maker in Paddington. She remained a servant until her death from heart disease at the age of 42.
I've never seen anything like this before, and I guess it will always remain a mystery as to why it was felt she deserved such a disrespectful epitaph.
I've mentioned in previous posts (like HERE for example!) that collecting\reading comics can have a pretty bad 'rep' in some places. Yet the medium is so diverse these days, I'm convinced that there is a comic book\graphic novel out there for everyone, if only people would give them a go.
Well if collecting comics has a bad rep, imagine the stigma associated with attending comic conventions!! Yet the other week, Mrs P and I attended the coolest comic convention I've ever been to... The UK Web and Mini Comix Thing is a yearly event held in Mile End, London. It's a chance for independent artists to get out there and ply their wares, and for once, not be overshadowed by the Marvels, DCs, Dark Horses etc etc, that dominate the comic world.
The event didn't have the feel of your usual comic convention, and you couldn't help but be impressed with the effort and passion that had gone into every single stall-holders products. This is truly a labour of love thing, many of the artists looked very bleary eyed, due to staying up all night putting the finishing touches to their comics... Of course, some had been able to obtain professional print runs for their titles, but many others had printed, bound, and on some occasions even 'coloured' their treasures all by hand... which I must say were the ones I was particularly interested in.
Amongst the large number of stall holders were a few of artists in attendance who produced strips for the much missed DFC, and it was particularly interesting to see what else these people had to offer... quite a bit as it turned out!
The person I was most keen to visit was Sarah McIntyre, who we first became aware of via her wonderful 'Vern and Lettuce' strip in The DFC. In recent months I've also become a regular reader of her very lively blog, where I have been able to get a glimpse of some of her other amazing work. Her style of drawing really appeals to me, and I was eager to pick up more of her handy work... and on finding her stall I picked up one of just about everything she had for sale! Sarah was an absolute pleasure to meet, and her enthusiasm was extremely infectious. She chatted away as though we were old friends, and she happily signed all the items I bought. She even personalised a beautiful art-print for our son, which is now framed and proudly hanging on his wall!
But that's not to say the other artists were not friendly, everyone we stopped and chatted to was very pleasant, and keen to talk about their work and how it came about. All of the titles I bought were signed by the artists, and some even did a sketch inside them too. Here are the little gems I came home with.
On return I've been delighted with the quality of just about everything I purchased at 'The Thing'... But I must just give a special mention to the fab "This year I Will Write More Letters..." that I bought from Sarah, which is a mini comic book in the form of a letter. The 'cover' is an envelope, and the 'title' is the address on the front. The content is a 5 page (drawn) letter, in which Sarah recalls a special book that she made for a friends young son in Connecticut... It's a joy to read, and I just love the whole quirky idea to publish it in this way.
All in all a great day out, and I will be sure to make it a regular in my calender.
You can see more reviews of this years event (with photos too!), plus more photos of some of the goodies that were on offer at the following pages:
See what Sarah McIntyre made of the event on her blog post. She has some great photos too!
Artist Jim Tyson gives his verdict, plus more pics!
Shug gives an in depth review of his day behind a stall, plus loads of photos.
Stephen Betts wrote a great review over on Comix Influx
And yet another fab review and photos over on Mondoagogo
Eddie and the Hot Rods are one of the biggest and most successful Pub Rock bands in British music history... but in MY part of the country, they are nothing short of legends!
Formed in 1973 just up the road from me (in Southend, Essex), their original name was Buckshee, but was changed to Eddie and the Hot Rods in late 1975. Their blend of R&B, 60's\70's Britpop and rock, mixed with a truly mesmerising stage performance, ensured they went down a storm on the emerging pub rock circuit... They were 'punk' before the word had even been invented... in fact, Eddie and the Hot Rods were the 'missing link' between British pub-rock and British punk-rock (Just check out their debut album Teenage Depression if you don't believe me!). During a residency at the Marquee club in 1976, they were even supported by The Sex Pistols.
Eddie and the Hot Rods hit the charts on a number of occasions in 76 and 77 ('Do Anything You Wanna Do' reaching the top 10 in August 77). After a few changes in the line up, they eventually called it quits in 1981. Since then there have been periodic re-forms, but the success of a get together back in 2000, has kept them busy and together ever since! They continue to perform to packed houses all over the world, and this month see them off for a 16 date tour of the USA. On their return from the States, it's a scoot round Great Britain (local readers note, there is a chance to see the boys in action at Club Riga on 20th June), followed by a tour of Poland and Germany at the end of the year... like I said, they are being kept very busy!
Despite the changes in the line-up over the years, there is one man who's been there throughout, lead singer Barrie Masters. Barrie has been kind enough to put the USA tour preparations on hold for a bit to answer my 19 questions, so without further ado, lets here from 'His Masters Voice'!
2. Where are you at the moment? I'm still in Southend.
3. Who inspired you as a child? didn't really have 1 person but it was mainly boxing champs, that's what i was into at school. 4. What was the first record you ever bought? Cant remember probably a Rolling Stones record.
5. What's your all time favourite song(s) or album(s)? That's a hard one i have many favourite songs.
6. What was the first gig you ever attended? Rod Stewart and the Faces.
7. What was your 'biggest break' or 'luckiest moment' in establishing your career? Biggest break was meeting and getting signed by Island records.
8. How would you describe the music you make? Loud exciting music that makes you feel young.
9. What's your most 'Rock n Roll' moment? Appearing in the sun as the page 7 fella and having a beer with Keith Moon.
10. Worst moment of your career? Drugs
11. What are you most proud of? People from all over the world still tell me that our music changed their lives.
12. One bit of advice you'd like to be able to give the 17 year old you? Don't do hard drugs, don't trust your manager.
13. If you could perform with any artist (dead or alive), who would it be? Jim Morrison.
14. Name one artist you really think I should check out? Prima Donna from the USA.
15. What's currently on your iPod\CD player? I don't have one!
16. What's the last album you bought? Employment - Kaiser Chiefs.
17. Which song do you enjoy performing the most? I enjoy all the songs we play.
18. What are you working on at the moment? Working on writing a new album for a USA record company release/ USA tour dates and promo.
Whilst over at the official website, be sure to check out the merchandise, where you can get a reproduction of the classic black and white Teenage Depression t-shirt. I remember when I was at school, they used to have this shirt for sale in the small ads of NME, Melody Maker etc etc. I thought it was the coolest punk t-shirt ever!
EDDIE AND THE HOT RODS VIDEOS:
Do Anything You Wanna Do - Performed on the last ever episode of Marc Bolans' MARC TV show - Recorded on 7th September 1977 (9 days later, Bolan was dead). This is the same show that included the Bowie\Bolan jam at the end of the programme, where Bolan falls off the stage!
The quality of the footage is poor, but the quality of the performance is dynamite! 96 Tears:
And just to show they have lost none of that spark, here's some clips of Barrie and the boys performing in 2005:
Sparks: Exotic Creatures Of The Deep and No. 1 In Heaven, Live at the Forum, Kentish Town, London. 21st March 2009. Before I start this review, I'd like to once again say a big thank you to photographer extraordinaire Tony Bartolo. Tony is a committed Sparks fan, and was the only press photographer to cover every night of 21x21. He was back again for both nights at the Forum, and has once again kindly allowed me to use some of his stunning photos for this review. You can see more of his work in my 21x21 reviews (links at the bottom of this review).
After a horrendous journey I arrive late (but still before my friend who I was supposed to be meeting!)... it's taken me the best part of 3 hours to travel the measily 42 miles from Piley Towers to Kentish Town. Multimap rather cockily reckoned I could do it in a hour!! Mind you, Multimap has still yet to grasp the concept that there may be more than just MY car on the road! As it turns out, the world and his wife are out tonight, and I've been stuck in 4 separate traffic jams on route....
I'm a stressed, gibbering wreck on entering the venue, yet within minutes, the nightmare of the last 3 hours disappears, and I have a inane grin stuck to my face.... you just can't feel pissed off at a Sparks gig can you?! The handy thing with turning up late to a live run through of an album is you know exactly how much you've missed!! It could have been worse, I make it that I was 3 minutes and 37 seconds late (approximately!)... So it's midway through 'Good Morning' that I join the fun. Russell was well in his stride - strutting and skipping the length of the stage, safe in the knowledge that this audience was already in the palm of his hand.
It looks like I'm in for another one of those inspired Sparks performances, so much more than 'just' a gig. Once again the trademark video screen is in operation... but it's not there as a simple backdrop, theses days the screen is part of the band, there to be interacted with and provide further interpretation to the lyrics. The screen is bordered by a thick, golden, antique style picture frame. Either side of the screen are the band, Steven Nistor on drums, Jim Wilson on guitar and Marcus Blake on bass, each band member is also encased in an equally impressive wooden frame, leaving just Ron and Russ as the only members of the team not boxed in!
'Strange Animal' is a joy, and the band break into the frenzied chorus with ease. Next up is 'I Can't Believe That You Would Fall For All The Crap In This Song'.... which brings that famous Mael sense of humour to the forefront once more. Ron spends much of the song centre stage alongside Russell, joining his brother in performing the 'actions' that go with this track. I can't imagine anyone else getting away with something like this, it would leave just about every other artist looking ridiculous!! Yet for Sparks, it's a slice of genius and the oddness fits perfectly into their world. Top marks also must go to the crowd, the vast majority of whom have memorised the actions and join in! An impressive feat, made all the more so when you consider this is only the 3rd time Sparks have perform this album to a British audience (and the 2nd time was last night!!) The power of YouTube I guess!
Ron has competition on 'Let The Monkey Drive', as an animated version of the monkey from the albums cover takes to the keyboard on-screen! 'I've Never Been High' is as beautiful and moving as ever, and really shows just how incredible Russell's voice is sounding. '(She Got Me) Pregnant' is another slice of wonderful Mael madness!! The 'pregnant' dancers are a master-stroke, as they huff and puff their way through the routine, whilst holding on to their 'bumps'! Very funny, very enjoyable, VERY Sparks!
Next up is the gentle poke at one of their biggest fans... 'Lighten Up Morrissey' (how I'd love to know what he thinks of this song! my guess is he can't believe his luck!), followed by the majestic 'Renaissance'. Once again the dancers are used to great effect on this ode to the cultural period of the 16th Century.
Middle ages sucked, Spent all day in prayer, Judgement Day was everyday and Witches burning everywhere But now we are in luck Beauties everywhere Paintings filled with foxy women No one's got a cross to bear
'The Director Never Yelled "Cut"' is almost hypnotic, and it's the first alarm bell in my head that this album is almost through. I've been in a timeless 'dream state' since I walked in! 'Photoshop' once again allows for more humour. The video screen has turned into a desktop monitor, with a freshly 'cut n pasted' piano on it. Ron, with his back to the audience, proceeds to 'play' the piano, whilst fighting throughout with the mouse operator who is forever manipulating the picture! it stretches, it shrinks, it twists, it turns, it duplicate... all the while Ron is battling to catch up and continue playing it! How do they come up with these ideas?! By the time the song has ended, I realise that I have hardly looked at Russell, transfixed on Ron's appearance in his very own Looney Toon cartoon.
'Likeable' is the final, rather emotional song of the set. As the band extends the final few bars of the tune, Russell continues to loop those haunting end harmonies. This gives Ron the chance to once again leave the confines of the keyboard, and head towards the video screen. The cover of the very first Sparks album (1971's Halfnelson) appears to to a huge reaction from the crowd. Ron pulls out a lighter, flicks it, and bends down the the bottom of the screen.... Whoooosh!! the cover is engulfed in flames (well... video flames!), and as it burns away, the image is replaced with the second album (1972's A Woofer in Tweeter's Clothing)... and so it goes on, as Ron systematically destroys each of their previous 20 albums. Each album receives a great response when it appears on screen, but for some, the cheers are deafening.... so much so that Russell (who is busy concentrating on keeping those repetitive harmonies going) can't help but take a sneaky peak at the screen behind him to see which album is creating such a reaction! He grins widely, then returns to face the audience. As album number 20 (2006's Hello Young Lovers) fades away, the current album cover appears, Ron throws the lighter over his shoulder and walks away.... It's quite a poignant finale to the set, although maybe not as poignant as it seemed when they performed this ending for the first time. Seeing this ritual performed on the final night of the 21x21 concerts last year, left many fans wondering what the significance was.... were Sparks really saying goodbye to their back catalogue? Had the previous 20 nights been a farewell to those albums loved by so many? In some ways I guess it was, it's unlikely they will ever perform them all again in their entirety like that, but it's a pretty safe bet that we will continue to enjoy seeing their many highlights performed live in the future.
By the time Sparks re-appear for the second half, all traces of picture frames and video screens are gone. It's a stripped down look and feel for the performance of the hugely influential album 'No. 1 In Heaven'. Make no mistake about it, although there had been electronic albums before this one, No. 1 (produced by Giorgio Moroder) influenced a whole generation of Euro electronic dance music when it was unleashed in 1979. The Pets Shop Boys, Soft Cell, Bronski Beat, Erasure and many more were all playing this in their bedrooms! Yet unlike so many of those early 80's electro albums, which sounded stark and tinny, No. 1 In Heaven has such a full and rich sound. So much so that it has taken almost 30 years for technology to catch up sufficiently, and enable Sparks to replicate the sound in a live environment (last year was the first time they had ever performed it live)... and boy was it worth the wait!
It's a stunning run through of this album that I have know for almost all of my life! It's faithful, yet so very fresh sounding. It sounds of it's time, yet still so futuristic. Russell seems to have unlimited energy, as he transports us back to the late 70's. The moment 'Tryouts For The Human Race' started, the whole venue seemed to be dancing, and they don't stop until the very last note of 'Number One Song In Heaven'. Every one of these six tracks is a masterpiece, and every one is perfectly performed... Russell still hitting that incredible falsetto on the chorus of 'Beat the Clock' with ease. Each track is greeting with an incredible reaction from the crowd, and the atmosphere is nothing short of electric (rather appropriately!). I'm left feeling breathless.
The band return once more to give us a few more treats from the 70's... Propaganda, At Home At Work At Play, B.C. and finally This Town Ain't Big Enough For Both Of Us.
As is usually the case at the end of a Sparks show, Ron and Russell seem a little overawed at the audience reaction.... they seem genuinely touched by the warmth and love in the room. I don't think I have seen any other performer who is as 'in tune' with their audience (and vica versa). Going to see Sparks is a real event, but I'm pretty sure it's a real event for the band too... and that's what make these shows so very special.
SPARKS RELATED LINKS:
Tony Bartolo is the only photographer in the world who took professional photos every night of the whole 21x21 event. Be sure to visit his excellent website - Snazmusic here
See my review of the 21x21 Propaganda show here complete with exclusive professional photos.
My review of the 21x21 Hello Young Lovers show with exclusive professional photos is here.
Download or listen to the full 22 minute interview that Sparks gave Simon Mayo to promote 21x21 here
See my Introducing Sparks article here, containing exclusive comments from Ron and Russell Mael!
My exclusive interview with ex-Sparks member Martin Gordon is here and here
My interview with indie popsters Silvery is here, and there's plenty of Sparks related chat!
My live review is coming VERY soon.... Complete with some exclusive professional photos by Tony Bartolo... the only photographer in the world who took professional photos of the whole 21x21 event.
But if you're all Sparked up with nowhere to go, why not check out some of my other Ron n Russ articles and reviews....
See my review of the 21x21 Propaganda show here complete with exclusive professional photos.
My review of the 21x21 Hello Young Lovers show with exclusive professional photos is here.
Download or listen to the full 22 minute interview that Sparks gave Simon Mayo to promote 21x21 here
See my Introducing Sparks article here, containing exclusive comments from Ron and Russell Mael!
My exclusive interview with ex-Sparks member Martin Gordon is here and here
My interview with indie popsters Silvery is here, and there's plenty of Sparks related chat!
You've put up with me banging on about the British kids anthology comic 'The DFC' a couple of times already... Once when it started, and again earlier this month when news came through that the publishers (Random House) were pulling the plug on the title.
Well this week saw the launch of a brand new blog here on blogspot, Save the DFC. So strong is the belief in this comic that a group of readers\parents plus the creators of many of the DFC strips have got together to try and raise enough money to stage a subscriber 'buy-out'.
The artists and writers seem as genuinely upset about the news, as the kids who read it. They have worked hard to produce quality stories, some that have been serialised over many weeks and months - many of which will now not be able to have their conclusions published. So they are asking people who would like to see the title saved to pledge money and help them to buy out the comic from the publisher. A bold idea indeed! and a genuine show of solidarity and respect from those who have bought or contributed towards it. The blog is keen to point out that they "are not looking for any money unless we manage to raise sufficient pledges". I wont go on again about why this comic is so unique, and why it is worth saving (see my 2 previous posts for those details), but I've already been over and offered em a few quid (there is a pledging link on the site), and if you...
a) have fond memories of 'proper' comics when you were young;
b) believe in giving kids a quality product, with intelligent stories, aimed at introducing them to the world of reading; or
c) just really admire this amazing show of support from the artists and writers...
why not pop over and offer them a little something too... Let's see if we can Save the DFC.
It's funny how you get the sudden buzz to listen to stuff.... stuff you haven't played for years... stuff that's been lying dormant in the record collection, untroubled by a needle for a decade or more... All of a sudden it becomes essential listening again. And that is just one of the reasons I never chuck out old records, coz you just never can tell what's gonna be floating your boat next time... this last couple of weeks it's been Zodiac Mindwarp and the Love Reaction!
There were two things that put Zodiac Mindwarp back on my radar...
1) Bloggin buddy Planet Mondo doing a recent post about his days in an 80's Glam band, who supported the Zods a few times back in the day (Mondo went on to get an article publish in The Word magazine, regaling his tales of sharing a stage with the self proclaimed "love dictator").
2) Someone at work asking me what was the worst autobiography I ever read (worst as in filthy/outrageous, rather than poorly written!).... I may not have read them for some years, but BOTH of Mark Manning's (for t'was he that was, and still is, Zodiac Mindwarp) disgusting tomes have permanently scared my brain, so it was an instant reply. After my 'recommendation', the person asked if they could borrow them, so I dug them out and had a quick flick... Shit! Although I have them both lodged in my brain as pure evil, I couldn't quite remember why any more... the quick flick provided a handy reminder!! And I'd just agreed to lend them to a girl in the office!
Anyway, all this Zodiac talk got me a-buzzin to hear some of their stuff again, and in particular their defining moment (for me anyway), the mini album they made for Food records early in their career - High Priest of Love. Unlike some old treasures that you dust down, I was delighted to find that this LP still hits the spot, 6 dirty, biker rock tracks full of the sleaziest guitar riffs and Zodiacs trademark single-entendre lyrics!
It's almost exactly twenty three years since I discovered Zodiac Mindwarp... 27th March 1986. They were the 'filling' in a 3 band sandwich at the Queens Hotel (a legendary Southend venue in the 70's and 80's.. now a block of flats). Zodiac were the only group in the line-up that I didn't know. First band on were Mondo's Ladykillers and the main act were Dr and the Medics. In between stumbled the dirtiest bunch of reprobates I think i'd ever seen! all decked out in Nazi regalia and German helmets.. It certainly got your attention, as did the blistering set they proceeded to perform. I went on to see them a few times in the next year or so, they had an aura of danger about them, they were edgy and not a little psychotic (the two autobiographies have since proved my initial instincts to be completely correct!).... But looking back on them now it all looks quite comical!! More 'Bad News' than anything else!! but time's a funny thing isn't it?! They still sound pretty convincing though, check out these videos...
My favourite Zodiac Mindwarp track 'High Priest of Love'... Fast forward to 1 minute 30 as the song doesn't actually kick in till then! Some great early footage weaved in to this compilation vid.
The big 'hit' Prime Mover:
Hows this for an odd-ball match up? The Love Reaction mime backing band for Belinda Carlisle!
One of my all time favourite bands is The Sweet... I've always felt that they never got the credit they deserved, and are often dismissed as some sort of novelty joke band. Yet the truth of the matter is they were always a bone-fide rock band, struggling to break free of the restraints that record companies, marketing departments, song writers and ultimately the fans put on them.
You have to go back to the mid 60's to find the origins of The Sweet... when in 1965 a certain Mr Brian Connolly joined a band called Wainwright's Gentlemen. Connolly was signed up as a replacement for their recently departed lead singer, Ian Gillan. The band continued until 1968, when Connolly and the drummer, Mick Tucker decided to call it quits and start a new band, Sweetshop, later to be shortened to The Sweet. A bass player, Steve Priest, was recruited, and the search was on for a guitarist.... Frank Torpey came and went (but not before playing guitar on the debut single Slow Motion), as did Mick Stewart (who was in the band for the next three singles), finally Andy Scott joined in 1970 and the line up was complete.
Their first hit single - Funny Funny - soon followed, starting a love\hate relationship with writers Nicky Chinn and Mike Chapman (the 'Stock, Aitken, Waterman' of the 70's). The band had always seen themselves as a rock outfit, but RCA, Chinn and Chapman had other ideas, and the lightweight hit singles continued (Poppa Joe, Little Willy, Wig-Wam-Bam), with the band sounding more like The Archies than Aerosmith! The only saving grace on these early singles was the band insisting they put their own material on the b-sides, where they were finally able to find an outlet for their real sound (and no doubt causing a fair few raised eyebrows when played for the first time but the unsuspecting punter!). Despite the now regular hits, the bands first proper album (Funny How Sweet Co-Co Can Be) did nothing in the charts, and left them branded as a 'singles only' band.
The onset of glam pushed the band in that direction, and with it came a ballsier sound to their recordings, although at this point the hits were still all being written by Chinn and Chapman. Monster glam hits came thick and fast in 1973 and 74... Blockbuster, Hell Raiser, Ballroom Blitz, Teenage Rampage... Incredibly, nobody at RCA thought of giving the band another try at an album whilst they were having all this success. The band grew sick of glam as well as all the puppet masters controlling them, and decided enough was enough and turned down a string of potential new glam hits (including Dynamite and Tiger Feet, that eventually the band Mud went on to have big hits with). They dropped the glitter, replacing it with a tougher rock image, and set about writing an album on their own terms. Over the next four years, the band would release 4 cracking rock albums (plus a live album too), not only writing almost all of the material, but eventually even producing themselves.
They released two albums in 1974; Sweet Fanny Adams, and Desolation Boulevard. Sweet Fanny Adams is still a great album. Opening track 'Set Me Free' tee's you up a treat for what's in store... and check out the 6 minutes that is the title track - Andy Scott's guitar musta been on fire after that! Desolation Boulevard was yet more of the same... heavy riffs and those incredible trademark harmonies. Check out their frenzied cover of the theme to the Sinatra film The Man With The Golden Arm... it still blows me away!
In 1975 the double album Strung Up was released... two sides were the band live at the Rainbow, whilst the other two sides mostly hoovered up recent singles (A and B sides) and a new track too.
It was back in to the studio for 1976's Give Us A Wink. The first album completely written by the band, and also the first one to be self produced. This album is even heavier than the previous two, is full of attitude and swagger and contains plenty of instrumentals\solos, showing what great musicians these guys really were. The album contains their classic song Action, which has remained in my all time top ten for over 30 years.
1977 saw the release of their last heavy sounding album (and also their last release for RCA) Off The Record. Again fully written and produced by the band, this carries on where Give Us A Wink left off.
So these 4 faultless albums finally showed the British music fans what the band was all about then eh?? Well unfortunately... not really. Unless you moved on pretty sharpish (Bowie, Roxy, Sparks etc), being lumped in with 'glam' meant you were pigeonholed, and it was hard to be taken seriously later on. As Andy Scott said on the subject years later 'You are not allowed, or very rarely allowed, to change your spots: you're a leopard, mate.' When The Sweet moved from glam to their rock sound, the were throwing down the gauntlet, and demanding to be taken seriously. Sadly, it didn't work for them, well not in Britain anyway... Purist 'rock' fans seemed to spurn The Sweet because of their glam past, and glam fans spurned them because they didn't like the new 'heavier' sound. The Sweet found themselves alienated, sitting somewhere between the fans they once had and the fans they wanted. It wasn't all doom and gloom though, as much of the rest of the world were happy to embrace their new sound... USA, Canada, Australia, Germany, Holland, Sweden, Norway, Austria, they all loved these new albums, and bought them in big numbers. In fact, guess the ONLY country where Desolation Boulevard, Give Us A Wink, Strung Up and Off The Record all failed to enter the top 100 album chart?? Yup , you guessed it, Great Britain!
The weird thing is, The Sweet were Queen before Queen! yet nobody was really interested in The Sweet. Whilst they were churning out these great albums, Queen hit the big time. The sound and the harmonies used in tracks like Killer Queen and Bohemian Rhapsody have a real likeness to what The Sweet had been doing for some 18 months prior.
In 1977, The Sweet signed to Polydor and went into the studio... New label, new album, and new sound as it turned out. 1978's Level Headed was a much mellower affair, a sort of classical rock kind of feel. The one song everyone remembers from this album is Love is Like Oxygen... the only trouble is, most people always think it's ELO!
Brian's alcoholism had been causing a problem for some time - some say as far back as the glam years, but by 1979 he had become a real liability, and was kicked out of the band. Brian stumbled (no doubt quite literally) into a solo career, and The Sweet spluttered on as a three-some for another three albums... but the magic was gone from both camps. There was a very brief re-union in the late 80's but Connolly had still not dried out and it came to nothing.
I was too young to see The Sweet in the 70's, but I did get to see bits of them in the 80's and 90's, as various original members started up their own versions of The Sweet - (a Sweet selection you might call it!). In 1984, after the failure of his solo career, lead singer Brian Connolly took his version of The Sweet (AKA: New Sweet) out into the nostalgia circuit (often on bills with the likes of the Rubettes and Mud). He would carry on this band (which had an almost constantly changing line-up of young musicians) pretty much until his death, pumping out all the hits to the best of his ability. These gigs were pretty lively affairs at the start, but by the 90's, it was a sorry sight to see this once beautiful man, ravaged by alcohol, and allegedly in later years Parkinson's disease, so obviously on his last legs. I say 'allegedly' on the Parkinson's disease, as there now seems to be little mention of this. However, it was a stock answer from his management during the last few years, when people used to complain after gigs that Brian performed like a shaking shambling wreck. I will always remember the last time I saw him perform... he was shaking uncontrollably on stage, and was holding on to the mike stand grimly with both hands just to support himself. During a guitar solo, he slowly made his way to the back of the stage to get himself a much needed drop of liquid (strictly non-alcohol by this time). He picked up a pint glass of orange juice, but was shaking so much that not one drop made it to his lips. He returned the empty glass to the stool, and made the slow return to front stage to continue the song. I don't know now if it was Parkinson's or just a completely wrecked body from years of alcohol abuse, but it made me want to weep there and then, and was just about the saddest thing I've ever witnessed at a gig. Brian passed away in 1997 aged just 51. In 2002, Mick Tucker died aged 54.
Guitarist Andy Scott has been touring his own version of The Sweet since 1985, and they are still going strong. As you might expect, Andy's band have always had the best sound of the spin offs (his incredible guitar playing is still top notch). However the lack of Brian on vocals (they have had something like 6 or 7 vocalist since the formation) has always made me feel this is little more than a glorified tribute band. Bass player Steve Priest also has his very own Sweet, which tours predominantly in America.
A really under-rated band, who rocked much more than people think. Here's a few video clips of The Sweet at each stage of their career... but if you're in a rush, my tip is to go straight for number 3 (Action)... Enjoy!
Y'know, chocolate bars they come and they go.... and the ones that stick around, they go up and up in price, 60p now for most of your average choc bars. But there is one little fella who has been kicking round since I were a nipper, offering the lure of a tasty treat and acne to kids for generations.... the credit crunch bustin' Freddo bar! Yup, Freddo's are a regular staple in my diet, and of course, it all helps to get that all important 5-a-day...
Still only 15p, Freddo offers a surprisingly decent amount of chocolate for your money, yet apart from me, does anyone ever buy one??! Believe it or not, the 'ol Freddo bar has been going since 1930, but originally it was made by MacRobertsons (who??!). In 1967 Cadbury's bought out MacRobertsons and the bar started to turn into the bargain bite that we know today.
Freddo facts that will rock your world!!
1) Freddo is the number one chocolate in Australia! They get through 90 million of them every year (not sure if it's the most popular based on quality or thrift tho!)
2) Due to it's incredible popularity, in Australia there are no less that eight, yes EIGHT, variations of the Freddo bar: dairy milk, dairy milk with caramel filling, white chocolate, rice crisp, strawberry, peppermint, rainbow crunch (no, I don't know either!) and milky top (a Frankenstein's monster of a bar where one half is milk choc and the other half is white choc)... Finally emigrating starts to appeal...
3) The creator of the Freddo bar (Harry Melbourne) only died in 2007, aged 94. I wouldn't be at all surprised to hear he put his long life down to a daily diet of all eight varieties of his invention!
Can anyone beat the Freddo for quality AND price? Any other gems past or present??
Piley
UPDATE: Over on the Cadbury's website they have a whole page devoted to long gone Snacks from the 70s.
You may remember me championing the launch of a new 'anthology' kids comic last year, The DFC. A brand new (admittedly rather middle-class) title that has real morals, aimed at children aged 8 to 12 (although this 40-something has enjoyed the ride too!). The serialised stories within (a mix of humour and serious) are of great quality and, unlike the dumbed down pap we tend to expect these days, actually treat kids with a bit of intelligence. To date there has never been a single advert inside, no cheesy promotions for products or plastic toys stuck to the cover... just wall-to-wall original stories.
As a subscriber from the start, I've really got rather used to it arriving in the post each and every Friday (oh yeah, that was the other thing, rather than be held hostage to the like of WH Smith who demand something like 35% of the cover price, they went it alone and made it a mail order only affair).... but today I hear the comic is in deep trouble, and in a press statement has been labelled "not commercially viable". The title has been offered up as a 'going concern' if anyone wishes to take it on, but when labelled by its own publishing company as not commercially viable, I doubt they will be queueing up to take it on. That being the case, the comic will cease on the 27th March.
As a life long lover of the British comic this is sad news, and possibly the final nail in the long tradition we have with anthology comics for kids. Who knows why it didn't work... Maybe it was the cover price (£3)?, but the production quality was such that it was actually worth it, maybe it was starting a new luxury comic for kids during a recession? Maybe it was the lack of awareness of the title and the fact that nobody 'bumped' into it in Tescos or Smiths? It certainly wasn't down to the quality of the stories, artwork or the effort that went into getting it out there every week.
I've been filing my copies away safely, and was looking forward to introducing my son to the comic when he was old enough, sadly that's unlikely to happen now. His only glimpse will probably be as a defunct piece of history.
This post marks the start of a new semi-regular feature here at 'Start the Revolution Without Me'. 19 questions, to be posed to various musicians, bands and people I like... It'll always be the same 19 questions, so it will be interesting to see how the answers vary over the months.
2. Where are you at the moment? at my mum's in timperley..
3. Who inspired you as a child? scott, the tracy brothers..
4. What was the first record you ever bought? one of paul mccartneys first band (the beatles)....
5. What's your all time favourite song(s) or album(s)? i like all my songs and the mini album "introducing thunderbirds"
6. What was the first gig you ever attended? i supported r.e.m. at the gallery in manchester in the early 80's (there were 35 people in)
7. What was your 'biggest break' or 'luckiest moment' in establishing your career? supporting r.e.m. at the gallery in manchester in the early 80's .... their singer said i was "far out" !!!
8. How would you describe the music you make? ace,.. fantastic ,... and top!
9. What's your most 'Rock n Roll' moment? being chased by gary glitter's roadies at salford university... (you'll have to wait for the movie).
10. Worst moment of your career? being chased by gary glitter's roadies at salford university.... (the movie is currently being cast,... but i don't know who will play me yet !).
11. What are you most proud of? having a movie made about my life (by film 4)
12. One bit of advice you'd like to be able to give the 17 year old you? "only a year to go till your 18 frank!"
13. If you could perform with any artist (dead or alive), who would it be? paul mccartney (without wings)
14. Name one artist you really think I should check out? my manderin greenhouse
15. What's currently on your iPod\CD player? i've been listening to "tadpoles" - the bonzo's,.. "lil' beethoven" - sparks ,... and camera rolls a & b from the "get back" sessions this week.
16. What's the last album you bought? "coco rosie" i think ?
17. Which song do you enjoy performing the most? "mr. custard" at the mo,... and "this perfect day" - the saints.
18. What are you working on at the moment? "frank sidebottom saves coney island" u.s. vinyl only release,... and two tribute tracks for a john cooper clarke album,... plus my own "e,f,g & h" album,.. and my next "franksworld" animation.
19 cracking answers there ("...you know they were... they really were...")!! Many thanks to Frank for being such a good sport. As well as his official site, you can also find out more about Frank at the following sites:
Way back in 2007 I did a post about my first ever gig. It was in 1981, when a 'heavy metal' band called Cyrus played at my school. The postscript to this story was that 15 years later, a chance conversation with a work colleague (Martin) exposed the fact that he was IN Cyrus!! Well, I now have an even better postscript to my postscript!!!
I rarely look at my site stats these days, but as luck would have it I did have a glance a couple of weeks back. I was surprised to see that someone had hit my blog by typing in the following on a search engine "Pete Calvert Cyrus"... Blimey I thought, what's the chances of that?? But when I checked my e-mails later that evening, it all became clear. A certain Mr Pete Calvert was on-line, and couldn't help doing a bit of 'ego surfing', and stumbled onto my post.
The best bit about it though, is that Pete and Martin had lost touch with each other about ten years ago, and 'Start the Revolution Without Me' has been able to re-unite 'em!
I've been speaking to Martin in the last few days, he told me they became friends at Grays Comprehensive school in the early 70s, and Pete was responsible for teaching Martin to play guitar. They started their first band together at school, called 'Bad News' - which I'm reliably informed was years before the Comic Strip spoof heavy metal band! Pete later went on to start Cyrus, and in the early 80's recruited Martin into the band when their original lead guitarist threw in the towel.
According to Martin, the last he heard from Pete was a phone-call sometime in the 90's. Half way through, Pete said "can I phone you back in ten minutes..." Once the new millennium kicked in, I think Martin finally realised the return call may not be coming, and he later heard Pete had upped-sticks to Hong Kong! Pete is now back living in deepest, darkest Essex, and the lads have arranged a hook up. No doubt first on the agenda will be what the hell happened to that return phone call!
So there you have it, the internet works in mysterious ways! If you have a long lost buddy, or are looking for that perfect partner, why not drop me a line and I'll see what I can rustle up!
The below video is especially for Pete and Martin!
Oh and by the way, should this lead to a reform of Cyrus or Bad News, I'm putting in my stake now for 10%!
Every Christmas, the 'lads' get together for their seasonal drink, and every year a 'top 5' list is requested in advance. We've had top 5 films, albums, debut albums, tracks, disappointing albums etc etc, but Christmas 2008 was "all time worst records". Now in my book there's really only two types of bad record... things that can't be taken seriously (e.g. Barbie Girl, Mr Blobby, Timmy Mallett etc etc) and things that ARE supposed to be taken seriously (e.g. anything by Cliff Richard!). I can't get too worked up about the first lot, but I can about the second!
The thing is, everyone knew what my worst ever record was going to be before I even turned up, as it's been the same record for over 25 years, and I doubt it'll ever be beat... Uptown Girl by Billy Joel. I hate every possible thing there is hate about this record, I hate the cheesy sound, I hate those "wooo-ooooo-oooo-ooooh" bits, I hate that pathetic little drum roll towards the end, I hate the use of the word 'mine' like this.. my-yi-yine, and the word 'time' like this... tie-yi-yime', I hate that smug video, and I HATE when they play it at naff weddings or parties and people start linking arms and kicking their legs... why do they do that??!
But now here's the rub, and promise me you wont tell anyone... I like Billy Joel! And the REALLY surprising thing is that I got into him after Uptown Girl!
Between about 1984 and 1988 I ran a record shop (and it really was records in those days!). Around 1986 a guy opened up a shop opposite me selling sports shoes. He was a really nice guy, and turned out to be the brother of my hairdresser at that time. The only problem with him was his obsession with Billy Joel! From opening time to closing time he played Billy Joel, every single moment of every single day. Uptown Girl was still fairly fresh at that time (only 3 years old), and I made sure I let him know how much that record sucked! But over the months, the more I heard, the more I realised there was more to 'olBJ than I thought. Eventually, the guy compiled me a tape of bits and pieces and I have to say it won me over. I'm pleased to say Uptown Girl was not on the tape! In fact, nothing much past the 70's was on there, and for me, that is the period where the mans genius lies.
I guess like many artists who keep going through the decades, Joel's career has been 'watered down' over the years, and is now no doubt seen as some kind of sub-Elton John non-entity. Yet believe it or not, in the 70's and very early 80's (i.e. pre Uptown Girl!) he was a musical force to be reckoned with, and his first 9 albums are all pretty much essential listening. I've picked them all up over the years, but have never dared venture any further. Yeah, there are the lovey dovey romantic ballads in there (Just the Way You Are, She's Always a Woman etc), but there are also some raw, angry songs in there too.
Lyrically the songs he wrote for these albums are incredibly clever and intelligent, they are Dylan-esque at times, sometimes Springsteen, sometimes McCartney\Beatles... but always Billy Joel, and he can tell a story through a song like no other. Take Piano Man for example, which tells of a young Joel, when he used to play in bars and clubs, highlighting the unfulfilled dreams of both himself and the clientele...
Now John at the bar is a friend of mine He gets me my drinks for free And he's quick with a joke and he'll light up your smoke But there's some place that he'd rather be He says, "Bill, I believe this is killing me" As his smile ran away from his face "Well I'm sure that I could be a movie star If I could get out of this place"
Or how about Captain Jack, about the neighbourhood dealer he used to see selling heroin to the local kids when he was growing up in Long Island.
You sister's gone out, she's on a date And you just sit at home and masturbate Your phone is gonna ring soon, but you just can't wait For that call
But Captain Jack will get you high tonight And take you to your special island Captain Jack will get you by tonight Just a little push 'n' you'll be smilin'
Then there is Tomorrow Is Today from his debut album in 1971. The lyrics to this one come from the note Joel had written when he tried to commit suicide the previous year.
People tell me life is sweeter But I don't hear what they say Nothing comes to change my life So tomorrow is today
Though I'm living and I'm singing And although my hands still play Soon enough it will all be over 'Cause tomorrow is today
Scenes from an Italian Restaurant is a masterpiece. An incredibly complex track, which at times sounds like McCartney at his tip top 70's best. This almost 8 minute track is 3 songs fused together (much like Macca used to dabble with), and tells the story of a restaurant called FontanadiTrevi that Joel used to frequent. In the song he recalls some of the diners and the conversations he overheard.
For me, my favourite will always be The Entertainer. At first listen it sounds like a nice jolly affair, but listen to the lyrics and find a barbed song highlighting his frustrations during the early years of his career, when he was being generally ripped off by the music business. When Piano Man was released as a single, the record label decided it was much too long (almost 6 minutes), so drastically cut it to make it radio friendly (and cutting half the story it tells in the process). Joel was incensed by this, and there is a reference it in The Entertainer:
I am the entertainer, I come to do my show. You've heard my latest record, It's been on the radio. Ah, it took me years to write it, They were the best years of my life. It was a beautiful song But it ran too long If you're gonna have a hit You gotta make it fit So they cut it down to 3:05
The other thing I love about this track is how it builds up momentum as the song progresses. It starts with a simple acoustic guitar riff, then adds more and more instruments with each verse. Have a listen here:
BILLY JOEL - THE ENTERTAINER
ENTERTAINER - Live on the OGWT
PIANO MAN - Live on the OGWT
SCENES FROM AN ITALIAN RESTAURANT (audio only)
CAPTAIN JACK (audio only)
If you asked me for one essential Billy Joel album to pick up, it would have to be 1977's The Stranger. More than 30 years on, it is still a stunning piece of work.
It wasn't something I was keeping a check on, but I was just about to start drafting a new post a few minutes ago, when I caught a glimpse of my 'blog archive' over on the right there...
Apparently the grave has intrigued people for many years, and nobody has been able to fathom out why she should have been given such a hateful gravestone. Original schoolboy rumours that she was a witch are all unfounded, and recently, someone even managed to trace her in the 1851 census, which showed her at the age of 14 working as a servant for a piano maker in Paddington. She remained a servant until her death from heart disease at the age of 42.
Piley
Formed in 1973 just up the road from me (in Southend, Essex), their original name was Buckshee, but was changed to Eddie and the Hot Rods in late 1975. Their blend of R&B, 60's\70's Britpop and rock, mixed with a truly mesmerising stage performance, ensured they went down a storm on the emerging pub rock circuit... They were 'punk' before the word had even been invented... in fact, Eddie and the Hot Rods were the 'missing link' between British 
