The Reality Is . . .

I'm too old to to party all night!

Last night I rediscovered the delights of Red Stripe and this morning I remembered why I stopped drinking that particular beverage.

Isobel Campbell - Why Does My Head Hurt So?

The Bottle

So much for being "aff it" for the whole of January. Tonight I'm off to a party to celebrate my brother in law's 40th. I have dug the old decks and mixer out of the cupboard and will be spinning some banging tunes as they say while giving people withering looks and choice words when they ask me to play something that they know!

Happy Birthday and welcome to the club G

Here is a cautionary tale of the consequences of the demon drink.

Gil Scott-Heron - The Bottle

Blood On My Hands

This, I suspect will not be everyone's cup of tea, but I really love it, it also scares the shit out of me. Don't play late at night, in a darkend room using headphones.

In it's original form Blood On My Hands is a classic quite minimal track but Ricardo Villalobos, strips it down even further while making it more dance floor friendly and extremely hypnotic. I am at a loss trying to describe the track further except that it is not the most comfortable of listens, full of foreboding and at 18:34 not the shortest of tracks either. I think that it one of those tracks that you will instantly make your mind up about and will either love or hate.

The version posted is from the excellent Soundboy Punishments compilation as the 12" version is split over both sides of the vinyl and I can't seem to edit it without at least a slight bit of fresh air. If you like what you hear the compilation is definitely worth investing in and can be bought here for a very reasonable price.

Shackleton - Blood On My Hands (Ricardo Villalobos' Apocalypso Now mix)

It's Friday . . . Let's Dance

When I heard the track posted today for the first time, I think that it was the moment when I finally realized that there was more to music than punk, indie and northern soul. I certainly remember taking notice and buying the 12" at the first opportunity and flogging it to death for ages afterwards and the record has never been far away from the turntable ever since.

The release of Kiss coincided with a feeling in me that there had to be more to dance music than obscure 7 inch singles from Detroit, most of which were as old if not older than myself. At this stage I was still brainwashed into thinking that modern soul was all awful and to be avoided at all costs. When I heard Kiss, I knew that this was the kind of thing that I was looking for and from there it wasn't a big jump to Go-Go and the early Chicago House sounds that were beginning to be heard this side of the Atlantic.

Kiss started out as no more the a minute long demo that Prince gave to the band Mazarati, who were signed to his Paisley Park label. However when the purple one heard what the band had transformed the acoustic demo into, he decided that it was his baw and he was taking it back. The song became Prince's third US number 1and earned him another Grammy. It did okay this side of the pond reaching number 6.

Prince did turn into a bit of a cock later on with all that slave, symbol shit and not allowing his music to be played with the videos on youtube is really annoying but I can forgive him most things after listening to the minimalist funkiness that is Kiss.

The song has been covered a few times, abysmally by The Art Of Noise and Tom Jones and brilliantly tongue in cheek  by Age of Chance.

Prince & The Revolution - Kiss (12" mix)

Lazy Post

In the comments for the post on Brilliant Mind, Mr H of the always excellent Ghost Of Electricity stated that he always grouped the song with Driving Away From Home by It's Immaterial.

So I decided to dig out the single but couldn't find it, don't know where it is.

Yesterday I had reason to be in the West End of Glasgow and decided to check out Oxfam music on Byres Road as I usually do when I'm in that neck of the woods.What did I find in the 12" singles bin, yes a pristine copy of Driving Away From Home, quelle coincidence, and for only £1.99. It had to be purchased. I also managed to pick up a copy of The Crown by Gary Bird And The GB Experience and a mint copy of Stutter by James for a criminally under priced 99p. Not a bad lunch time haul.

As usual,  Davy was spot on with his comments, as when playing the tune, it did kind of remind me of Brilliant Mind but that may be because the idea had already been planted in my head.

Driving Away From Home was released in 1986 and got to #18 in the UK singles chart. I seem to remember that it became quite a favourite with the balaeric crowd a year or two later.

It's Immaterial - Driving Away From Home (Wicked weather For Walking)

How to beat those midweek January blues.

If like me, you are beginning to get a little sick of these short days and long cold dark nights, then you will be needing something to perk you up a bit. Since it is only mid week and if you haven't made the decision to forsake the bevvy for the month of January, you have probably resolved not to partake of any alcohol on a school night at least, in a vain attempt to offset the over indulgence during the Christmas and New Year festivities. So a little libation to lift the spirits is out of the question.

I have the solution right here, how about a little hardcore?

You know it makes no sense what so ever.

Acen - The Life And Crimes Of A Ruffneck



Now,  isn't that better?

Happy Birthday

It's L's first birthday today. I can't believe that it's been a year already. I also can't believe that he sleeps 12 hours at a time (probably put a hex on that now).

This is the first track that came on the iPod when I left the hospital to come back home after he was born.

Audrey Hepburn - Moon River.

Brilliant Mind

Gareth over at How Does That One Go Again?  had a post yesterday regarding the band Furniture but didn't post the single for which the band will always be remembered, technically he did but you can't download it.
So I thought that I would post the track as it is a something that I have thought of posting a couple of times .

Apart from being one of the best singles released in 1986,  it also featured in my favourite John Hughes film, Some Kind Of Wonderful, which starred Mary Stuart Masterson and included the first time The Jesus And Mary Chain had been heard in a Hollywood movie a good 16 years before Lost In Translation.

For more info on Furniture go over to Gareth's site as there is absolutely no point in me repeating what he has already posted.

Furniture - Brilliant Mind

Crawl Babies

The first time I remember being aware of the Pastels was the first of June 1985 when they played at a Scottish Youth CND rally in the Kelvinhall in Glasgow, Strawberry Switchblade were also on the bill that day. I have to admit I wasn't that impressed with them, they were a shambles live, a view which hasn't changed over the years on the few occasions I have seen them. On vinyl, however I love their stuff, especially the output from 1986 to 1994.

Pastels have been around since 1982 and were built around the core members of Steven McRobbie, Aggi Wright and Katrina Mitchell, however quite a few members of the Scottish  indie mafia have lent a helping hand over the years for example Norman Blake, Francis McDonald and David Keegan.

The band released an album last year in collaboration with Japanese duo Tenniscoats called Two Sunsets on which there is a rather fine cover of About You, originally by the Jesus and Mary Chain amongst the original compositions.

Crawl babies was released as a single on Glass Records in 1987.

Pastels - Crawl Babies

Pastels/Tenniscoats - About You

Suburban Smog

Here is a track from the recent album from everybody's favourite ambient collective.

I sort of lost track of The Orb after the Orblivion album, I think that I just got bored of that sort of music at the time and also I was compairing every release to Adventures Beyond The Ultraworld and nothing after wards quite made the grade in my opinion to that seminal album.

A couple of months ago I took a punt on the Orb's latest offering Baghdad Batteries, the third in a series of Orbsessions albums. although this is all new material not rare session tracks. The music is quite different from the early stuff but at the moment I'm really loving it. There is one problem with this, it now means that I will have to go back and fill in the gaps in my Orb collection now, which won't be cheap.

See what you think?

The Orb - Suburban Smog

It's Friday . . . Let's Dance

I thought that instead of just random dance tracks that come into my mind,  that for the next few weeks or until I get bored I would post some of the tunes that turned me from a Northern Soul and indie loving scooter boy  into,  well a Northern Soul and indie loving scooter boy with a penchant for electronic and sample based tunes.

By 1987 I was getting increasingly interested in sample based music and Beat Dis fit the bill nicely.

When first released it was thought to be an American import on the Mister-Ron label. this piece of disinformation was released  to add kudos to the release as it was thought that it would get more attention if it was thought to be by an underground NYC producer rather than a homegrown DJ.

The bass line and drum programming were original, composed by Tim Simenon, however the rest of the track was made from a collage of an alleged 72 samples, ranging from hip-hop and soul  to old film and TV dialogue. The record was reputedly recorded for 500 quid, not bad considering that it went on to end up #2 in the UK charts.

On the back of the success of the single Simenon ended up on the front cover of the NME, no mean feat for an emerging DJ, the first to be featured in a magazine which was very much a spotty indie kids mag which had been rather disparaging about house music and dance music in general in the past.

Twenty two years on it still sounds magic to me.

Bomb The Bass - Beat Dis (Extended Dis)

One

The Pale Fountains - . . . from across the kitchen table (12" mix)

Cavern

Liquid Liquid were a New York band who were around from 1980 to 1983. There sound combined elements of funk, dub and punk to produce what I think is the most danceable tunes of the post punk era.

Although the band were never commercial due to the fact that the eps were released in very limited numbers there tunes have been heard in the more discerning dance floors ever since. The Glasgow DJ duo Optimo are named after one of there tracks and the track featured here was played by the Sugarhill band as the backing track to a far more famous single.

In 1997 Mo Wax re released all of the eps as an album and during the subsequent couple of years released remix twelves of Bellhead and Cavern. The track posted is the Cut Chemist remix of Cavern.

Predictably, like so many other bands from the early 80's they reformed in 2008.

Liquid Liquid - Cavern (Cut Chemist Rocks A Rave In A Missile Silo)

Call Me

No, not that one.

Call Me was the second single from Tweet's debut album, Southern Hummingbird. The first single Oops (Oh My) was a huge single in America due in part to the guest vocals by Missy Elliot, whose producer Timbaland produced 4 tracks on the album including the first 2 singles.

I was not really a big fan of what the Americans call R&B then,  but bought Tweet's album on the strength of the 2 singles. I think that she has a great sultry voice and the album is better than I expected with only 2 or three of the 17 being filler.

She has released a further 2 albums with another planned for 2010, however can't tell you if they are any good or not as I didn't buy anything else after the first album, sort of forgot about her.

Tweet  - Call Me

Bloody Work!

First day back today and I'm not looking forward to sifting through the emails to find the ones that are actually important or completing the tasks that should have been finished last year but somehow got forgotten about.

I need something with a bit of oomph to get me going.

The Go!Team - Ladyflash

That'll do nicely.

Bloody Snow

The weather up here is getting on my nerves now. I thought that by the time I would be going back to work all this white stuff would have disappeared. But it doesn't look as if it's going to thaw out any time this decade. I may be forced to dig the bloody car out of the drive tomorrow in time for Tuesday, however the fact that it hasn't even been turned over for a fortnight in these sub zero temperatures may provide other problems.

Still, I'm not going to think about it again until tomorrow. I think that a mug of hot Ribena is called for and just sit here for a while enjoying the silence. No more shaking of hands, wishing people I hardly know a happy New Year or making of idle chit chat to do. Absolute bliss.

After the silence, something a bit special. I've posted this before but for anybody who missed it and just because it has been running through my head for the last couple of days.

Orchestra JB - Come Alive

Just Chillin' . . . I Wish.

It's bloody snowing here again!

It's the 2nd of January and as we're in Scotland, there is another party to go to today, when all I want to do is sit at home and chill. I don't know about chilling but it may be possible to freeze, as the boiler is acting up again but because it is still "technically" working we are not a priority and so British Gas will not come out until tomorrow, we contacted them on the 29th Dec, five star cover, my arse.

The Libertines - Don't Look Back Into The Sun 

Happy New Year!

Forgot to post this at Christmas. It is the fabled (was when I was a teenager, thought that it was one of those urban myths) Hendrix Christmas/New Year medley recorded in Baggy's studio, New York, late 1969 with the Band Of Gypsies line up.

Jimi Hendrix - Little Drummer Boy/Silent Night/Auld Lang Syne

Hogmanay and All The Best When It Comes

I've never really been a fan of Hogmanay, well not since I got lifted aged 18 about 5 minutes after the bells and spent the night in the local cells. It is a long story and I will not bore you with the details, however I will stress that I was completely sober and eventually found innocent of all charges. Since then and until I got in tow with L I tended to avoid the celebrations. With L this was not possible as she rather enjoys this time of year.

Since M came along, what we have done is have our closest friends up for a meal and see in the New Year in the comfort of our own home. So tonight, I will be cooking, what on paper looks like a rather good 4 courses which will be critically picked at by 7 of our friends, one of whom happens to be a rather good Chef .

Another aspect to bringing in the New Year since after the arrival of number one son was to record Stuart Maconie's excellent All Singing, All Dancing All Night which used to be on straight after the bells for 3 hours on Radio 2,  as trying to listen to it was a bit ignorant when you had a house full of guests or so i kept being told.

I can't think of a better way to see in the New Year than with some good northern soul, so with that in mind here are the "three before eight", the final three tracks played at the end of every Wigan Casino all-nighter.

Tobi Legend  -  Time Will Pass You By

Jimmy Radcliffe - Long After Tonight Is All Over

Dean Parrish - I'm On My Way

All the best when it comes, as is said in these parts

Just Because

Gary Mulholland in his excellent book " This Is Uncool - The 500 Greatest Singles Since Punk And Disco" reckons that everybody has one good single in them. I tend to disagree with this fact as their are countless artists, who in my opinion haven't released a half decent single in their careers. I will however agree with him in relation to today's posting.

Never really got Dinosaur Jr at all, those guitar solos hark back to a time that I have very little enthusiasm for. However Freak Scene is 3and a half minutes of pure joy even the guitar solos sound right.

Dinosaur Jr - Freak Scene.

Kosmos

I'm sure that the first time I was aware of Kosmos was after reading a review of it in Mixmag, which must have got my attention as it's not every day that you get a review of a Paul Weller record in that journal.

I wasn't aware of the track in it's original 12 minute form as I didn't buy Weller's first solo album at the time. What I had heard of it,  apart from Into Tomorrow, didn't appeal to me.  I found it quite bland, like a lot of the solo stuff that followed if I'm being completely honest.

The Lynch Mob mix of Kosmos on the other hand I think is just brilliant. The track was originally released as a promo 12" on Go!discs in 1993. I eventually got my hands on it when it was released on the b-side of the Hung Up 12 inch the following year.

Paul Weller - kosmos (lynch mob bonus beats)

What to Do?

The 27th of December, what's it for?

For recovering from 2 days of excess, whether that be food, drink, relations or all 3? Or for contemplating the festivities of next weekend.

In this household, I have decreed that it is for doing sweet FA. Apart from maybe playing Mini Ninja's on the X-Box or being Boba Fett chasing Han Solo in what is a damn impressive Millenium Falcon with M. But what there will be is lots of music, of my choice,  played loud and there won't be a Christmas themed song in the mix.

I can't think of a better way to start than playing this, from a box set, that I didn't really need, as it contained about 8 tracks that I didn't own  but which was a much appreciated gift from L last Christmas.

The Jesus And Mary Chain - Just Like Honey (Demo Oct '84)

and as a bonus the Reid Brothers take on Leonard Cohen. I wonder what Christmas would have been like in the Reid household?

The Jesus And Mary Chain - Tower Of Song

Picture taken from M's bedroom window on Christmas Day

It's Christmas Eve . . . Let's Dance

Well. if I haven't got everything,  it's too late now.

Gone are the days when I used to go clubbing or an all night lock in, in the pub on Christmas Eve. These days I spend the night scraping M off of the ceiling and trying to get him to go to sleep.

When I do eventually get him down tonight I think that I will sit down with a G&T or my favourite new drink, Crabbies Ginger Beer and listen to some mellow tunes. I would love to crank up the amp and play the track posted at full volume as that is how it should be played but I would wake up the boys and the wrath of the better half is something I do not wish to incur on Christmas Eve.

Here is some sublime nonsense from the JAMS which I think has stood up to the rigours of the twenty two years (that's right 22!) since it was released.

The JAMS - Whitney Joins The JAMS

Groovy Feeling

Shall we continue the upbeat vibes?

Here is Fluke with a really bouncy track from 1993. My mate Starkey used to go mad for this.

Fluke - Groovy Feeling (Lolly Gobble Choc Bomb)

Sharia Don't Like It, But Then There Is No Accounting For Taste

I am starting to get a bit of demob fever and I still have, officially, 2 days left to work. This evening I have been listening to old tunes which get me in the party spirit and I suspect that nothing except more upbeat, dancey tunes will feature around here for the next week or so.

Thee first time I heard Mustapha Dance, would probably have been in the Mudd Club in Aberdeen around 1987, it was certainly Aberdeen. I thought that somebody had remixed the Clash, as in 1982  I didn't buy 12" singles and neither did anybody else I knew, so I was unaware that the track had been the b-side of Rock The Casbah, a single which I had bought but to be truthful was never that fond of. From the singles released from Combat Rock I much prefer straight to hell.

But this dubby, dancey,  b-side mix is a different story I love it and it always gets me in the mood for a good jig although there won't be much chance of that this Christmas. The reality will be more like me spending my days helping M build Lego creations. Still there is the prospect of playing with a rather large Millenium Falcon to look forward to.

The Clash - Mustapha  Dance

Oh, Okay Then

Just for chocolategirl64

Amazon II - King Of The Beats

From This Day On

I was first introduced to the song posted today when it was used in Cut Chemist and DJ Shadow's live mix of exclusively 7 inch singles, Brainfreeze.  Being a lover of all things Shadow I searched for the cd everywhere, eventually tracking down  a copy in Fopp on Cockburn Street of all places. After considerable research ie looking up Wikki,  I have ascertained that my copy is in fact one of 1000 repressed bootlegs which were sold to local record shops in California, so how a copy wound its way to Edinburgh is anyone's guess..

The cd is a mix of mainly old soul and R&B records, more than a few of which I had never heard of before and which I had great difficulty in identifying as there was no track listing.

A couple of months later I came across a cd called Brainfreeze Breaks in the same shop. Someone had the clever idea of compiling a cd with 26 of the tracks in the mix, in complete form and releasing it, illegally I think, which begs the question as to why it was on the shelves in Fopp.  This is when I learned that the outstanding song for me on the mix was called From This Day On by Eddie Bo.

Eddie Bo was a musician from New Orleans, whose career started in 1955. Over the years he recorded for over forty labels, knocks the Fall into the shade. He was so popular in his hometown, that the Mayor Of New Orleans decreed May 22nd 1997 "Eddie Bo day".

Bo died of a heart attack on March 18th this year.

Eddie Bo - From This Day On

And The Christmas #1 2009 Goes To . . .

SONY BMG

Congratulations,  all those who paid their 79 pence to stick it to the Man. Feel happy, satisfied in the knowledge that you helped to more than double the profits that Sony thought they would make off of the Christmas number 1?

Still, we have a song with the word fuck in the lyrics at number one, radical!

Merry Christmas

Chumbawamba - Revolution (HMV side)

Chumbawamba - Revolution ( Fence side)

Just Because . . .

I think that this is the finest thing that Paul Weller ever wrote, tucked away on side two track three of The Jam's second album This Is The Modern World. I have no explanation why I like this more than say Down At The Tubestation, Going Underground or That's Entertainmet, I just do. Every time I hear the opening bars I get goose pimples and I never get sick of hearing it.

The Jam - I Need You (For Someone)

Last Festive Tunes, I Promise

Here we have a couple of festive tracks that I've not seen posted anywhere and I really like.

Weather Update - Mental snow up hear with thunder & lightning. Supposed to be going to friends for dinner tonight but they live in the back of beyond, the chances are looking slim at the moment.

Klaus Says Buy The Record & Josie Vanders - Winter Wear

The Wedding Present - Holly Jolly Hollywood

Wasn't I Your Babysitter?

Sitting in the dentist yesterday morning, I was asked "Are you . . . ., I used to babysit you?" Very strange moment. I thought that I recognised the girl opposite when I walked in but couldn't place her. It must have been nearly twenty years since I last saw her.

Back then I had just turned a teenager I had a major crush on her for a good couple of years.

Jesse Malin - Wendy

It's Friday . . . Let's Dance

I've been in a bit  of a dilemma over this Friday's post. It being Christmas party season, (L is away to another one tonight), do I post a banging house track which hopefully people will like or do I go for something cheesy which will definitely put a smile of folks coupons? Or play it straight with an out and out northern dancer.

I really couldn't decide, so I've decided to give you a choice, well it is Christmas after all.

Firstly, a bit of cheese. This is another of those Oxfam Music finds. It is a white label in a plain white sleeve, with the words "Kenny Dope Gonzalez mix of Shirley Bassey Light My Fire, Tune!!!" scrawled on it. I got it home and played the Gonzalez mix, which is good but the belter is on the other side. Not beingt hat familiar with Dame Shirl's back catalogue I consulted the oracle that is Discogs where I discovered the song is called Where Do I Begin and the remix is by The Away Team, echoes of The Day Before You Came for me.

Shirley Bassey - Where Do I Begin (Away Team mix)

Track two is by Jersey Street and was released on the Glasgow Underground label in 2001. An absolute stormer of a deep house tracks with great horns, for some reason it reminds me of the Ballistic Brothers

Jersey Street - Born Again (classic vocal)

To finish with we have a track which is up there with the best northern soul tracks ever. Number 34 in the Northern Soul Top 500. If you've heard it and can't quite place it, it was used last year in a slightly bastardised version in an ad for a credit card. Here it is in its original, should not be tampered with form.

Don Thomas - Come On Train

Now it Feels Like Christmas!

We've had about 4 inches of snow here today which is still lying, yipee.

I took the day off, went into Glasgow and finished my Christmas shopping. I am now in the festive spirit and thus will post probably the most miserable seasonal song I own. I have a certain Mr Peel to thank for bringing this song to my attention quite a few years ago now. One night while I was wrapping presents he played this and I got over emotional, it must have been the rum.

BTW - Has anyone tried Crabbies Alcoholic Ginger Beer?  It is the business.

Okkervil River - Listening to Otis Redding At Home During Christmas

Allo Darlin' - New Single

Elizabeth Morris first came to my attention nearly 2 years ago with her brilliant rendition of You Shook Me All Night Long which unfortunately I was too slow off the mark to acquire a copy of, since then there have been a couple of releases and another great cover, this time of Atlantic City for a Springsteen tribute album earlier this year.

Anyway, her band Allo Darlin' have just released a new single as a free download, which is well worth a listen to, in fact it is worth forking out the 3 quid for it on 7" as well.

http://www.fortunapop.com/

Raveonettes Again

Saw the Raveonettes last night and again they did not fail to meet expectations. The sound was great although due to the venue not quite as loud as usual. I'm still in two minds over the ABC 2 as a venue, after a good few years, sometimes I quite like it, for example when I saw Isobel Campbell there, it was great as I had a seat. However when the music,  like last night is that bit heavier it sort of loses something when the place isn't quite as closed in as King Tut's. One good thing for oldsters like myself is the fact that the main band comes on at 8:30pm a whole 2 hrs before the Wah Wah Hut, meaning you get to your bed at a reasonable hour on a school night.

My fears as far as the live Raveonettes experience losing its bite due to the poppier direction of the new album were unfounded. All of the tracks were still drenched in the reverb and distortion of old. There wasn't a great deal of reliance on the the new material with  tracks spanning all the albums and the first ep being present; including Bowels of the Beast, the first time i've ever heard that track live.

I really like the sound of new line up made, especially the extremely primal Moe Tucker style drumming. A couple of tunes including Little Animals had a really bizarre arrangement, just vocal and extremely distorted guitar which just about worked. My only gripe about it being that the show was too short running at just under an hour and another 10 mins of encores. It is not as if they are lacking in material these days.

Still can't complain too much as got a set of rather fetching Raveonettes mugs from the merchandise stall where I was served by the very lovely Sharin herself.

Walking up Sauchiehall Street, Stiff remarked that we must be getting old, he never thought he would see the day that we would buy souvenir mugs at a concert and be chuffed about the purchase. Changed days indeed.

The Raveonettes - Ode To L.A.

The Raveonettes - Get Lost

Apologies.

It seems that I may have been a little hasty and jumped to some misguided conclusions on my last post regarding the culprit of the complaint to boxnet over my posting of the Withered Hand track. I own Dan an apology, as he was unaware of this blog's existence so was not in a position to complain. I also received rather a nice email from Ed at SL Records, Withered Hand's label, saying that they were happy for me to post the material.

I apologize to Dan unreservedly for jumping to conclusions.

If you haven't already done so, you owe it to yourself to buy the Withered Hand album, it can be purchased here.

I Am Kloot - Proof

Copyright Infringement Again

Seems like Dan from Withered Hand objects to me posting Oldsmobile Car, fair do's really, if I had been informed of this I would have pulled the track right away and apologized most profusley, however I was mailed by  Boxnet, stating that I was in copyright infringement as someone had complained which I suppose is also fair enough, however it may have been a little more civil to have emailed me direct.

No tune or picture as I'm presently in Manchester.

Joe Gibbs

Here is a little bit of dub to brighten up and hopefully warm you up if the weather where you are is anything like what it's been here over the weekend, still could be worse could be in the Mid-West of the States.

Joe Gibbs was an influential Jamaican producer, who started off working with Lee Perry in 1967 until Perry left to start his own Upsetter label. Gibbs was responsible for many rocksteady productions during the early 70's.

In 1973 he released the first of his African Dub series of albums with his in-house band The Professionals which included Sly Dunbar and Robbie Shakespeare . A further 3 albums followed in the series. Both tracks posted are taken from these albums.

The first track is from Chapter Two and is a remake of a track by Alton Ellis called I'm Still In love and was later used as the backing to a major hit single.

Joe Gibbs & The Professionals - Angola Crisis

The second track is from Chapter 3 and is a remake of Rockfort Rock by Sound Dimension.

Joe Gibbs & The Professionals - Dub Three

Random

L had the girls up for the yearly cack factor final party last night.  For someone who saw the Smiths in the early days, was right into Nirvana and has a very good taste in music, the Killers being an exception, she really has got an unfathomable interest in such pish.

I went out for a few pints with my mate and the two of us moaned about the music, we moaned about the pubs and how they weren't like they used to be etc etc. For years people have been telling me that I'm turning into Victor Meldrew but I just didn't believe it. Unfortunately I think it may be true.

This tune was running through my head all evening.

The Rolling Stones -  Waiting For A Friend.

Mr Pharmacist

If there is one thing that MES likes doing, it's covering, some would say murdering other peoples songs. Everything from rockabilly to heavy metal  to disco is up for grabs. Some of the time it is just a godawful mess for example White Line Fever; more often than not, the re-interpretations are at least interesting if not wholly enjoyable. The list of diverse artists the Fall have covered include, Deep Purple, Gene Vincent, Franki Valli and William Blake.

The Other Half were a psych-rock band from, where else but Southern California who formed in the mid 60s and released one eponymous album in 1968. The track Mr Pharmacist was released as a single that year on GNP Crescendo Records and was later picked up and included on one of the Nuggets lps in the 80s.

The Fall recorded it for the Bend Sinister album and also released it as a single in 1986 and got to the heady heights of number 75 in the charts. I remember this and the gruppe's cover of There's A Ghost In My House being played at many a scooter dance around 86 - 88 both being tracks that could be slammed to.

The Other Half - Mr Pharmacist

And for those who haven't heard it, the pretty faithful cover version.

The Fall - Mr Pharmacist

It's Friday . . . Let's Dance

Today's track comes courtesy of my latest haul from Oxfam music on Byres Road. Somebody had obviously got sick and tired of the sounds of Mu as there was a job lot of mint KLF twelves all going for a song at 99p each. So I treated myself to 3 that I didn't already have.

There is not a lot for me to add to the myths/facts already published elsewhere regarding the inventors of "Stadium House".

3 AM Eternal was the second single from the KLF and originally came out in 1989, can you believe that it was 20 years ago! The version posted comes from the 1990 remix 12inch and is mixed by the Moody Boys (Tony Thorpe)and is typically spaced out and dubby,  not a million miles away from something the Orb would produce.

KLF - 3A.M. Eternal (Wayward Dub Version)

Not bad for under a quid.

Only Lies

We continue on the northern soul vibe with a single that,  had it been discovered at the height of the scene's popularity in the mid to late 70's would have been a monster due to the stomping beat and incredibly powerful vocal . However the fact that it only came to light in the early 90's means that although popular with those that have heard it, the tune has yet to get the recognition it deserves.

Only Lies by Reatha Reese was released on the Dot label and is as rare as hens teeth as only a few copies have surfaced. I recently saw a copy going for £450. So if by chance you ever see a copy do not hesitate.

I can find out absolutely nothing about Reatha. This single seems to be the only thing she has released which is a pity and a waste of a voice like that.

Reatha Reese - Only Lies

Drew's Concession to Christmas Songs

Contrary to popular belief at my work and amongst my friends I'm not against Christmas songs, I love the Phil Spector Christmas Album, and yes the man is a lunatic and murderer but still produced some amazing music, I'm not making excuses for him but I will still listen to the music but I digress. I just hate the ubiquity of Christmas music, it is fucking everywhere, shops, cafes even piped down our main street on speakers from lamp posts and most of the time not even the original or very good cover versions of the songs but this decade's equivalent of Top Of The Pops does Christmas album, those of you who grew up in the 70s will know what I'm talking about.

The other day over at 17 Seconds, Ed posted my favourite all time festive tune, Christmas (Baby Please Come Home) by Darlene Love,  some rather good covers and also a version by Bonzo and the other 3, that I have not heard and will try to avoid at all costs as I already have enough against the self righteous, short arsed, stupid hat and sunglasses indoor wearing git to be going on with.

I remember last year being excited by the prospect of the Raveonettes covering Baby Please Come Home, I thought that if anyone apart from the Jesus and Mary Chain could do the song justice then it would be them. I was rather disappointed with the lackluster result, judge for yourself but it falls a bit flat to these ears.

The Raveonettes - Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)

My second favourite christmas song

Tom Waits - Christmas Card From A Hooker In Minneapolis

something a bit thought provoking

Simon & Garfunkel - 7 O'clock News, Silent Night

and some nonsense and brilliance from the Fall

The Fall - Jingle Bell Rock

The Fall - (We Wish You) A Protein Christmas

Come Go With Me

I'm back on a soul tip this week, after digging out Frank Beverley last week I have been listening to a lot of the stuff. It had taken a back seat here recently.

Here is Gloria Jones, who is probably best known for Tainted Love, which until recently I didn't realize that she recorded when she was only 18. The track posted today is the title track from her 1966 album recorded for the Uptown label and was originally recorded by the doo-wop group the Del Vikings.

Gloria Jones - Come Go With Me

Thanks to both Davy H and Danny for putting me on to 2 brilliant versions of the song Giving Up which was sampled on yesterday's post. The versions are by the Ad-Libs and Gladys Knight & The Pips.

Givin' Up

I know very little about this track apart from it is on Gusto records, I bought it in 2000 and it has a Van McCoy sample which I'm not familiar with.

If anybody out there can help me with the track the sample comes from, it would be most appreciated.

Hairy Diamond - Givin Up

Why Have I Never Heard This Before?

Yesterday L and I decided to take a trip in to Glasgow, more specifically Byres Road much to the consternation of M who is realising far too early that weekends are for doing as little as possible.

On loading up the car with more kit than a platoon of soldiers would need for a week in the field, I found out that I had left my keys in the ignition of the car all night, which due to the fact that the car is a Saab meant that the battery was flat, those clever Swedes. What a twat, was lucky that nobody had noticed the keys in the unlocked car. So had to borrow a set of jump leads before we could go anywhere.

On arrival in the West End after a quick look around Fopp, which is bloody difficult with a push chair; and for the umpteenth time not finding anything that I wanted to buy, we headed down to Oxfam music, which had similarly proved fruitless on the previous visit.

What a difference yesterday, within 10 minutes I had a potential 15 12" singles without checking the 2 other "dance" bins that some geezer with an extremely stupid looking ethnic hat was hogging, thanks btw. By this time M was bored, Ly was looking slightly dischuffed and L was starting to get restless, meaning  "feed me", so I decided on 11 of the 12" singles, which came to a very reasonable £11.49. Not a bad haul.

One of the singles was on Junior Boy's Own and by Lemon Interupt. I was in 2 minds over this, as when I first looked at it, I thought I had it. But on closer inspection, the track I thought was the a-side was actually the AA and the A side was a track that was totally unknown to me, so decided that it was worth the 99p, even if just to fill a gap in my JBO twelves. Thank fuck I didn't put it back or an absolute belter of a track would have remained unknown to me.

When I got home and played back my purchases, I left the Lemon Interupt 'til last. When I put it on, it started pleasantly enough but as the tune progressed it just got better and better. A bit of a Balearic feel to it, not unlike Fallen by One Dove or Come Alive by JB Orchestra. I'm a sucker for spoken lyrics and a laid back vibe. I still can't believe that I haven't heard this before. It is, however a bit different from anything else by Lemon Interupt or Underworld.

Enjoy!

Lemon Interupt - Eclipse

Tracks of My Year

I've thought long and hard about this and whether to post on not. I know that best of lists are totally subjective and that nobody will be in the slightest bit interested in what I deemed to be good this year but what the hell. I like lists even if it is just to shake my head and tut tut at in a very condescending manner.

Anyway, I make a best of compilation up for my mate and his 2 brothers every year and thought that I would share the results with anybody who can be arsed to read. The number of tracks is down to how many I can fit on 2 cds.
 
1 - Meursault - Red Candle Bulb
2 - La Roux - In For The Kill (Skream's Let's Get Ravey Mix)
3 - The Third Degree - Mercy
4 - Withered Hand - Oldsmobile Car
5 - Chew Lips - Solo
6 - Jamie T - Chaka Demus
7 - Withered Hand - I Am Nothing
8 - The Jezabels - Disco Biscuit Love
9 - Joy Orbison - Hyph Mngo
10 - The Joy Formidible - While The Flies
11 - Unknown - Unknown (Wax 20002 side two)
12 - The Big Pink - Velvet
13 - Burial & Four Tet - Moth
14 - Andrew Weatherall - Brother Johnston's Travelling Disco
15 - Real Estate - Fake Blues
16 - The Fall - Slippy Floor (mark mix)
17 - The Wave Pictures - If You Leave It Alone
18 - God Help The Girl - Come Monday Night
19 - Dark Star - Aidt's Girl's A Computer
20 - Slow Club - Trophy Room
21 - Myron and E with the Soul Investigators - Cold Game
22 - Fuck Buttons - Olympians
23 - Speech Debelle - Spinnin'
24 - Raveonettes - Last Dance
25 - Gui Borrato -Take My Breath Away
26 - Clubroot - Sempiternal

I know tracks 1 and 4 are the same song but they are both brilliant and technically the Jezabels came out at the end of 2008. But it's my list my rules, you are all free to make up your own.

It's Friday . . . Let's Dance

Here's a bit of speed garage sampling Nina Simone from 1997. This sub genre of garage was basically sped up garage with mega heavy baselines  and timestretched vocals and effects. It was popular for about a nano second during 1996/97 before the next hip genre came around. A couple of other fine examples of speed garage were 187 Lockdown's Gunman and Armand Van Helden's remix of the Sneaker Pimps Spin Spin Sugar.

If I remember correctly the Epic mix of this was flogged to death at the time, the mix posted here is remixed by Rob Bee.

huff & herb - feeling good (Rob Bee's Sub For Murray mix)

If That's What You Wanted.

Far too much going on right now. I haven't had a chance to think about the blog this week. Should be able to get things on an even keel by the weekend.

In the meantime . . .

I haven't posted any northern soul for quite a while, so here is one of my favourites and number 9 in the Northern Soul Top 500. Frank Beverly would later find fame as the lead singer of the band Maze but here is the best thing that he's ever done, in my opinion.

Frank Beverly and the Butlers - If That's What You Wanted

Mix/Tapes

Here is another guy that I found courtesy of John in the Morning on KEXP, if you have never listened to it, give it a go.  I have never found another radio station that plays as many records that I like, 6 Music doesn't come close, apart from when Weatherall is guesting on the 6Mix but that's different.

Rocky Votolato, don't let the name put you off, started playing in a band called Waxwing, a rock band with punk leanings, however he began writing mellower songs which didn't fit in with the band's style and decided to go it alone. To date he has released 7 albums and the track posted today comes from the 2003 album Suicide Medicine, which is the best of the 3 albums I own.

Rocky Votolato - Mix/Tapes

Orange Sky

The first time I heard this track I reckon was early afternoon a good few years ago. At the time I was office based and to break the tedium, when not in meetings and such like I would listen to KEXP Seattle over the net. This radio station put me on to a good few bands, as I've probably mentioned before.

John in the morning which over here in the UK is actually Jon in the afternoon is exceptionally good. If only we could get these kind of tunes at that time in the morning, instead of Chris Moyles inane drivel and what ever has been deemed to be on the Radio 1 playlist that week.

One day John played this track and it totally stopped me in my tracks.  It sounded not unlike John Martyn but with better pronunciation. After playing the track John mentioned that this was the first time that he had been able to play the track since asking for it to be played at his mother's funeral a few months before, not the sort of revelation that you are expecting over the airwaves on what to all intents and purposes is a drive time show.

For a couple of days after I found myself going back to the KEXP website and playing the track over again. Through the wonders of the internet I found a copy of the 4 Songs ep and purchased it. Later, after extolling its virtues to friends late one drunken night I was informed that it had been played on the OC,  a series until then  I had been oblivious to.

Not the worst way to start a Monday.

Alexi Murdoch - Orange Sky

Candie Payne

Candie Payne was a lady I had high hopes for after hearing her first single, All I Need To Hear.  The cool sixties stylings of the track sounded like something from a film soundtrack from that era bringing to mind sharp suits and girls in mini skirts, bobs and too much eyeliner. She was a bit more poppy than Amy Winehouse, whose Rehab had yet to be released but which I had heard on The Funk And Soul Show when Eddie Pillar was sitting in for Craig Charles as he had been a naughty boy and actually was in rehab at the time.

I went to see Candie Payne in King Tut's a couple of months later and I don't think that I have ever seen anybody so scared of an audience in all my life, she was shaking when she started, however her voice was something else, understated but boy could she carry a tune and as I said at the start, I thought that she was destined for the kind of attention that Amy Winehouse got for her music before she became tabloid train crash  fodder.

Another couple of singles were released, Take Me and the download only By Tomorrow but she didn't get the breaks she deserved and both sunk without a trace. In May 2007 she released her debut album I Wish I Could Have Loved You More which charted in the UK album charts and a single with the same title which crashed into the charts at number 84! Her next single One More Chance was a desperate attempt by her record company to break the charts, Payne left the track off of her album as she didn't think that it fitted with the rest of the tracks. The record company however thought that with the assistence of Mark Ronson, producer of the moment , they would be on to a winner. Candie was proven to be right as the highest position the single reached was # 122. An injustice in my book as the track is good, especially in it's original form before Ronson did his thing to it.

Since then, nothing which is a real shame, as she has a better voice than Duffy, Adele and that Leona Lewis combined. Let's hope that she comes back with something soon.

Candie Payne - All I Need To Hear

Candie Payne - One More Chance (original)

Candie Payne - One More Chance (single Ronson mix)

And as an extra, the b-side to One More Chance, the other vocalist may be familiar and he also wrote the track.

Candie Payne - Shopping

Just Because

My second favourite version of this song after Chuck Jackson's.

Scott Walker -  Any Day Now