Monday 29 February 2016

Somebody Up There Likes You



This should put a spring in your step on a Monday. Jackie Wilson is the man responsible for my favourite northern song of all time. "Somebody" may not be in the same league as Because of You bit it is a cracking, joyous bit of music none the less.  I think that originally this track was only released as a 7" on MCA in Germany on the flip of Higher and Higher. My copy as with quite a few others comes courtesy of the Outta Sight repress from 2012.  Thank god for this Castle subsidiary as if it wasn't for them a lot of essential northern tunes would be way out of my price range.

Jackie Wilson - Somebody Up There Likes You

Sunday 28 February 2016

Mellow Sunday



I absolutely love this. You can find an extended,  self indulgent version of this live from Cyprus Avenue in Belfast recorded on  Morrison's 70th birthday last August on YouTube but for me this is the version. I am no literary expert but for me Desolation Angels is a better book than either Dharma Bums or On The Road.  Just saying like.

Friday 26 February 2016

It's Friday . . . Let's Dance



Theo Parrish once said "Love of the music should be the driving force of any producer, performer or DJ. Everything else stems from that core, that love. With that love, sampling can become a tribute. An expansion on ideas long forgotten, reconstruction , collage."

Inspired by this quote Tee Mango has released four limited singles so far built around different samples. For me the best is definitely, the a side of the second release, Throw. I wonder if you can spot the sample.

A second home game on the trot for Airdrie but they will have to play a hell of a lot better than they did last week to get anything from Ayr United who are two places above us in the league. I am not hopeful.

Have a good weekend people.

Tee Mango - Throw

Thursday 25 February 2016

When You Cry It Pulls Me Through



A couple of days ago Simon tweeted "Today Comedy by Shack is the greatest song ever written" although a slight exaggeration it is an absolutely gorgeous song just one of the many penned by Michael Head. If you don't own HMS Fable album that the song was the lead single from you really should rectify the situation at your earliest opportunity as you are missing out big time. Coincidentally I was supposed to be seeing Mr Head at Oran Mor last night but parenting got in the way. I bet it was a rather good evening (sigh!),

Shack - Comedy (Radio edit)

Wednesday 24 February 2016

Wise Old Man. Really?



I am beginning to wonder if my critical faculties are gone, At the weekend a new Fall 7 track twelve inch arrived on the doorstep and with much anticipation it was hurriedly fired onto the turntable and the emotion turned from slight disappointment from about 30 seconds into Wise Old Man, all very shouty and nagging to complete bewilderment after about four minutes of the second track, All Leave Cancelled had passed. To me this is not music, just noise overlain by unintelligible growling. Still there was the remix of Dedication to look forward to, one of the highlights of the recent album,  which was not bad (not much different) until the final couple of minutes of pointless noise and more indecipherable nonsense from Smith. It didn't get much better on the flip, a further lo-fi version of the title track, listed as instrumental but containing as much vocal as on the a-side, next up another version of a track from Sublingual Tablet, followed by another,  neither of which add anything. Then it gets even worse, an audience sourced bootleg of No Xmas For John Quays and a bit of  nothing in particular given a title and tagged on at the end. So to quote that man out of time Jacob Rees Mogg "this really is thin gruel" for the cover price of £12.99, two new tunes one of which is ok the other, 8 minutes of pish, three are remixes of tunes from the last album and one is a not great live version of a song over thirty years old.

The reason why I feel that either I am losing my critical faculties or have received a different record from everyone else is due to the gushing praise that the record has received on the Fall forum, the 8 minutes of pish has been described as "the best thing the Fall have done in years". Other comments include "a gritty well balanced offering"  and "strangely beautiful". We have definitely not been listening to the same record.

Here is the title track from the Remainderer, the 10" single  which moped up odds and sods from the Re-mit sessions which in comparison was surprisingly good.

The Fall - The Remainderer

Here is rather pointless interview with Smith for Channel 4 news. Still, he looks well.






Tuesday 23 February 2016

I Can't Change.



Another of those tracks that from the opening bars transport me back to the grubby back rooms or "function suites" as they were termed of the few licensed establishments in deepest, darkest Lanarkshire that either hadn't heard of the carnage that could ensue when a scooter club put on a do or crazily were willing to give us the benefit of the doubt, If the night didn't end with a rammy between different clubs we could always rely on the locals for a bit of trouble which would lead to solidarity between rival clubs, Happy days indeed.

I Can't Change was released on RCA/Victor in 1967 and was produced by Jack Ashford. It's lucky for the label that Motown were unable to copyright the sound of young America, as I think with this record Hitsville USA would have been due a payout.

Lorraine Chandler - I Can't Change

Monday 22 February 2016

Imperfect Product



Some of you may remember the excellent How Does That One Go Again blog, well Gareth the music obsessive and long suffering Queen's Park supporter responsible for it contacted me at the weekend to let me know that a track by the band, Imperfect Product  in which he is the drummer is being release today. What makes this interesting apart from the fact that Solina is a top track is that it was recorded seventeen years ago during a session at the Arches in Glasgow. The track is a mellow, slow groover with lovely analogue synth sounds which evokes images of warmer climes and clear blue skies,  just the thing to lift the February gloom. The 12" single which also has a remix by les crocodiles on the flip can be purchased here.



I can personally vouch for Gareth's musical taste as when I organised a series of three nights at the Flying Duck in Glasgow. six years ago now which we called Blog Rocking Beats, he was one of my partners in crime along with JC and Mark from another long since closed blog A North Country Bhoy. You can read more about the final night here and below is his set from the final night.

John Schroeder’s Sounds Orchestral: cast your fate to the wind. 1964
Al Hudson & The Partners: spread love. 1978
Diana Ross: surrender. 1971
Patti Drew: hard to handle. 1969
Mama Cass: it’s getting better: 1969
Kenny Dope: can you handle it (part one). 1999
Eruption featuring Precious Wilson: i can’t stand the rain. 1977
Deee-Lite: deee-lite theme (global village mix). 1990
The Saint Orchestra: funko. 1978
Set The Tone: rap your love. 1983
Hey! Elastica: eat your heart out. 1982
The Main T Possee: fickle public speaking. 1983
Fruits of Passion: all i ever wanted. 1985
The Icicle Works: birds fly (whisper to a scream). 1983
The Farmers Boys: for you (dj version). 1983
Friends Again: honey at the core. 1983
XTC: love on a farmboy’s wages. 1983
The Maisonettes: heartache avenue. 1982
Dennis Coffey: getting it on ‘75. 1974(!) + Jane Kemlow: flashlight (acapella). 2001
The Velvelettes: he was really saying somethin’. 1964
Shocking Blue: venus. 1969
Unlimited Touch: i hear music in the streets. 1980
LCD Soundsystem: daft punk is playing at my house. 2005
The Kills: u.r.a fever. 2010
Muskabeatz featuring Biz Markie: body rock. 1997
Sugarhill Gang: rapper’s delight. 1979
Wham!: wham rap! (enjoy what you do) [special U.S. mix]. 1982
Chad Jackson: hear the drummer (get wicked) [radio edit]. 1990
The Special A.K.A. featuring Rico: too much too young (live). 1980
Tom Jones: looking out my window. 1968

Friday 19 February 2016

It's Friday . . . Let's Dance



Following on from yesterday's post the Idjut Boy's produced an absolutely brilliant remix of today's track with their Sarbeni mix of Stella Sunday, who would have thought that you could make such an emotional mix in honour of a particularly tasty kebab from a Sauchiehall Street fast food outlet, or so the legend goes. Anyway, your not getting that version as it has been posted here a couple of times instead we have the original which was tucked away on the b side of Glasgow Underground's The Festival ep which was released way back in 1995 on Junior Boy's Own offshoot Jus' Trax.

A home game tomorrow and if we win we would remain in fourth place in the league, I may be asking for too much but a clean sheet would also be nice.

Have a good weekend people

Glasgow Underground - Stella Sunday

Thursday 18 February 2016

One For Kenny



For some reason the Idjut Boys album totally passed me by when it was released around the middle of last year, it wasn't until a guest posting by ISM at the Vinyl Villain in very early January that I was made aware of Versions a collection of tracks that they just happened to have in the vaults, however the "sub Fleetwood Mac outtake type bliss" description had me wondering what the hell had happened to the boys over the previous year or so since I had bought anything by them and so intrigued I decided to investigate. What I found was some serious blissed out sounds and long deep and dubby  but subtle house movers and no chiffon clad coke casualties in site.  I realised that the album had only whetted my appetite and so I decided to take a punt on the spin off 12" singles from the album, one of a couple of different mixes by the guys themselves and a further with a couple of tracks remixed by Prins Thomas and Bjorn Torske. I have decided to post the Bjorn Torske remix of One For Kenny which was a tribute to Kenny Hawkes, the house DJ/Producer who sadly passed back in 2011.

Idjut Boys - One For Kenny (Bjorn Torske For Kenny Remix)

Wednesday 17 February 2016

Rancho Relaxo


Until about two weeks ago I had never heard of Rancho Relaxo and the first thing that I thought when I saw the name was that's a bit of a shit name, apparently it is a health spa outside of Springfield that Homer once visited. What made me take a closer look was the album cover, the above picture of Edie Sedgwick at a time when I was immersing myself in the Velvet Underground once again it piqued my interest. I then read the description:

"from heavy psych-rock adreenalin kicks (Dead Space") and hot 'n' dirty grooving energy pills ("If You Want To") to mid-tempo jewels with a melancholically sparkling, romantic twist ("Strange Vibrations", "Stars") to noise-pop tinted ballads with bittersweet acoustic fragrance ("Taken") and psychedelic-driven, extraterrestrial-atmospheric soundtrack trips ("White Light")

which put me off a bit to tell you the truth, too many hyphenated words but then I listened to a couple of tracks and was totally sold. There are bits of Spiritualized in there, other tracks that sound like the Mary Chain at their most melodic and mellow, more reverb and echo than you could shake a stick at and of course the drone. What's not to like. I duly purchased the vinyl and immediately listened to the download. If you like what you hear below, you can do the same.here.

The band are apparently from Norway and not outside Springfield sadly and have been making noise since 2003 and have a further 5 cds to check out,

Rancho Relaxo - Clean Eyes

Tuesday 16 February 2016

Whirring



I had nearly forgotten about this mob until I saw a poster for the upcoming gig at the Wah Wah Hut next Thursday when there seeing Greg Dulli, which alas I will not be able to attend due to being stuck in the north east of England. Which really is a pity as they are excellent live. Ritzy the guitarist and singer is a bit of a nutter. The music is all crashing drums huge bass lines and lots of lovely feedback. This live version of second single Whirring recorded at Koko in London is included on the Big More ep and along with the Youtube clip from a performance for KEXP illustrated my point perfectly.

The Joy Formidable - Whirring (Live at Koko)

Monday 15 February 2016

What



My introduction like the majority of people who have heard What was via the synth pop cover by Soft Cell as in 1982 I was yet to discover northern soul. I often wonder what my life would have been like if I hadn't taken to northern, I would probably be financially better off but less of a person I think. Anyway, I digress, when I did eventually discover the northern Judy Street's cover of the song which was originally recorded by Melinda Marx was one of the tunes that I would listen to as it was on one of the early compilation albums I bought but it was only relatively recently that I owned the track on 7" firstly on a Goldmine split seven from around the millennium and then a couple of years ago on an outta sight repress with a further version of the song by Tina Mason which though not without merit for me is not half as good as Street's version. Interestingly both versions were produced by HB Barnum. What is another of those tunes that was not the plug side when first released, You Turn Me On is quite a forgettable ballad which certainly doesn't do it for me.

Judy Street - What 

Friday 12 February 2016

it's Friday . . . Let's Dance



I'm gonna stay with the dubious remix this week. I first heard this way back in 1994 on a Brothers In Rhythm Essential mix and I flogged it to death for ages, not that I was a big Eurythmics fan but I loved what Seaman, Anderson and Bremner had done with the track. I then forgot about it for over a decade and a bit until it was posted on the Pure Club Classic blog. I remembered that back in the day it had been available on one of the  monthly records which were sent to DJs who were members of DMCand so as is often the case I was Discogs bound and for a relatively reasoable price although a bit more than it goes for these days I purchased a copy of the double 12". I don't think that the mix has dated that much although it is quite easy to pinpoint it to 1994.

No home game this week, so I will mostly be not doing very much at all, Well not that I know of at the moment although I suspect that L will have shit for me to do.

Have a good weekend people.

Eurythmics - Here Comes The Rain Again ( The Big Brothers Annual Outing)

Thursday 11 February 2016

Nothing To Say Really



Last night I saw Greg Dulli at King Tut's and he just didn't really do it for me for a change. I think that one or two from his cannon of work done in a stripped back stylee is enough for me but over a whole performance it failed to hold my attention.

Here's one of my favourite tracks from a band that it's high time toured again. This recording is from an album recorded at the Captain's Rest which was an extremely intimate venue which held a hundred or so bodies. I saw Frightened Rabbit on their return there seven years ago on a Tuesday afternoon at the end of March. Apart from the excellent Frightened Rabbit gig what makes that day even more memorable as that evening I also saw Airborne Toxic Event at the QMU who were equally as excellent.

Frightened Rabbit - My Backwards Walk (live Captain's Rest 30 July 2008)

Wednesday 10 February 2016

Born Free



M.I.A certainly knows how to use a sample effectively as can be evidenced by the sublime Paper Planes which introduced a whole new group of listeners to the delights of "the only band that matters". With Born Free she samples Ghost Rider by Suicide with similar results. I still can't understand why this was never released as a single. especially as there was very powerful and quite brutal video made to accompany the song.

 A few commentators over at JC's bit last week were ruminating over the lack of protest singers about just now and MIA is one of the very few that I can think of that use music in this manner.

M.I.A - Born Free

Tuesday 9 February 2016

In The Basement



As anybody who has dipped in here with any regularity will know I'm a sucker for a re-edit, something about somebody stripping down and reassembling a track that I know appeals to me. Much more i would say than a straight cover version, although I am more than a little partial to those as well, although not ruined by either Michael Bolton or cack factor wannabe stars. Posted is a cracking strung out refit of a classic bit of soul but Theo Parrish doesn't just take one version of Down In The Basement but splices two versions, one, probably the better know by Etta James and the other by Sugar Pie DeSanto creating a ten minute funky groover. Rare as hen's teeth on vinyl.

Etta James/Sugar Pie DeSanto - Down In The Basement (Theo Parrish Re-edit)

* I have given you some duff info on this record, the record doesn't sample two different versions of In The Basement, apparently it was a duet released on Cadet in 1966, For years I have thought that the version I had was by Etta James alone which was rubbish.

Monday 8 February 2016

Miss Madeline



Today's soul comes from the Windy City and the Mar-V-Lus label. The single was released in 1967. It is one of those singles where both sides are equally as strong and as I cannot decide which one I prefer I will post both for your listening pleasure.

Prior to recording this single Madeline Strickland had recorded for the Mar-V-Lus label with a group of her contemporaries firstly know as The Young Miracles and then the Young Folk. The label thought that Madeline had the talent to make it as a solo artist and so this 7" was recorded which unfortunately bombed. I will never understand the decisions of the soul buying American public in the 60s as these two songs are the equal of most of the Motown 45s that were hits in 1967. Madeline returned to the fold of The Young Folks who split the following year with the girls forming a new group Love Column who failed to set the heather on fire. Later she and fellow member of both groups, Patrice Scaggs  sang backing vocals on Loleatta Holloway's early records.

Miss Madeline - Lonely Girl

Miss Madeline - Behave Yourself

Friday 5 February 2016

It's Friday . . . Let's Dance



By the time that house music and it's many offshoots sprung up bootleg had come to mean something different from the snidey live album or pressing of an all too rare soul single. It meant anything from an unsanctioned remix of a track like the Eren's Bootleg mix of You've Got The Love to a mash up like Don't Fight Control. I must admit that I don't have the same sort of love for these as I did and to an extent still do of getting a totally illegal recording of a band artist in concert.

This weekend will see the first Airdrie home game since 9th of January and a win over Cowdenbeath would keep us in the play-off places at the top of the table.

Have a good weekend people.

Chemical Brothers vs Primal Scream - Don't Fight Control

Thursday 4 February 2016

A Very Lazy Link



You don't need to be Einstein, or even much of a music fan to get the connection with yesterday's post. I know, not very imaginative but that's me in a nutshell. Anyway, the concert that was recorded and titled Purple Chain, your guess is as good as mine,  was a gig I was at in the Barrowlands in 1994 and from what I can remember it was a pretty good night, not as amazing as back in October 1991 when the Scream and the djs, Weatherall and Stuart McMillan were at their absolute best but good all the same. I picked up this cd at the Barras a few months later. The whole bootleg is worth having, I may have to upload the whole cd at some point.

Primal Scream - Jailbird (Barrowlands 02-04-1994)

Primal Scream - Loaded (Barrowlands 02-04-1994)

Wednesday 3 February 2016

Not Banned From The Roxy



It's not really a huge jump from the music of the Velvet Underground to that of East Kilbride's most famous dysfunctional brothers, However where yesterday's post saw a band at the very peak of their powers and ability the contents of today's bootleg shows a band with a rudimentary ability at best, I am probably being a bit unfair as I suspect that the members of the Mary Chain were more proficient musicians by the tail end of 1985 than they were letting on. This five track, twelve and a bit minutes of noise was more than half of a typical set by the band at this time. Attending a Jesus and Mary Chain concert way back then may not have been the most musical of events but it was exciting.

I'm not sure if enjoy is the right word here.

The Jesus and Mary Chain - In A Hole
The Jesus and Mary Chain - Taste of Cindy
The Jesus and Mary Chain - You Trip Me Up
The Jesus and Mary Chain - The Hardest Walk
The Jesus and Mary Chain - Never Understand

Tuesday 2 February 2016

I'm A Sucker For A Live Album



Through the years I have purchased a lot of Velvet Underground bootlegs, the quality of which have ranged from absolutely dire to just about listenable, actually some of them sound better than the quality of some of the legit offerings like Live At Max's Kansas City. There is usually something worth purchasing the bootlegs for, however, like a longer or different version of Sister Ray, you can never have too many versions of that. Anyway, a couple of years ago a 45th Anniversary edition of the third eponymous album was produced with extra's that included two discs of the performances Live At The Matrix in San Francisco in November 1969, Five of the 18 tracks had seen the light of day on the 1969: The Velvet Underground Live album and the monster version of Sister Ray clocking in at 36:53 was on the Quine Tapes box but this version comes from the professional four track recordings and not Quine's less professional set up which had me sold but as a bonus there were another. 12 previously unreleased tracks, making the purchase essential even before checking out the rest of the 6 disc set which to be honest didn't get me nearly as excited. Here is one of those exclusive tracks.

The Velvet Underground - I'm Set Free

Monday 1 February 2016

Sunny



I bet I'm not the only person glad that January 2016 is now history. It has been a miserable month on a lot of fronts.

So how about starting February off with an absolute stormer of a rendition of the Bobby Hebb classic, Sunny by Marvin Gaye. This version for me is the definitive one which just oozes what sounds like effortless cool. Prior to it's inclusion  on Richard Searling's Tamla Motown Connoisseurs it incredibly was only ever available on a Marvin Gaye 4 disc compilation that by the turn of the millenium had been deleted. I would love this to be pressed up on "7 inch vinyl.

Marvin Gaye -  Sunny