Wet

Chet Baker - 'Come Rain Or Come Shine' (1957)

Meanwhile...

Perfection.

Roxy Music - 'Angel Eyes' (single) (1979)

1979

It would have been the Smash Hits with, of all people, Rod Stewart on the cover, or maybe a few issues later; it would have been all Dan Hartman, The Buzzcocks and Driver 67 and the words to this inside; and punk and post-punk and pub rock and new wave and disco and doowop revivalism and novelty schlock and good old silly old pop set all the singles charts on fire and bliss was it at that time to be alive (and 14!) with more records sold in Woolworths in one hour than in the entire 21st century to date (probably).

You could look, sound and talk 'underground' (i.e. be going to art college) but also pull off a big poppy chart smash and be on Top Of The Pops for everyone's Mum (including your own) to say 'What is she wearing?' or even, as mine did with Tubeway Army's 'Are Friends Electric?' (whilst ironing) 'I like that; it's something a bit different' (she was 57 at the time). You could do interviews in which you listed your influences as 'early Roxy Music' and 'Horses' and tell us your favourite sock colour was yellow and you hated Kia Ora, and good on you.

(None of this may be true, but it remains The Truth).

I pretended to hate this at the time, whilst secretly liking it. Last night I played it downstairs as I was knocking up a bit of tomato pasta and my eldest daughter (9) said 'Daddy, can I please have this on my iPod?'.

'It's just pop music' - Mick.

Eh ooh eh ooh!

Lene Lovich - 'Lucky Number' (1979)

Louise

Yes, I know, she's a novelist now.

Sleeper - 'Delicious' (1994)

Elizabeth

'Not that you're obsessed or anything'. But I do get obsessed, don't you? 

I latch on to certain songs sometimes, and they might not even be new to me and there might not even be an obvious reason - 'maybe it's the time of year or maybe it's the time of man, I don't know' - and this week it's been that last Cocteaus album, the one no-one really (ahem) treasures, and two songs in particular on it with real - terrifyingly, shockingly real after all the spooning good singing gum business - lyrics; and I've been playing them and playing them and playing them. 

And then, only today, and all this time later, do I hear for the first time that only those two songs from it (as far as I know) exist in earlier, very different, chamber versions on this* And if I thought I was in Heaven (or Las Vegas) before, I most certainly am now.  

Intimacy is when we're in the same place at the same time Dealing honestly with how we feel, and who we really are 

'You boys and your indie sirens'. 

Cocteau Twins - 'Half-Gifts' (Twinlights EP version) (1995) 

Cocteau Twins - 'Rilkean Heart' (Twinlights EP version) (1995)  

* oh yes, you all knew that. But I didn't. And I've enjoyed the discovery.

Harriet

On foggy London Wednesdays when he otherwise lacks inspiration, the blogger reserves the right to default to Harriet.

(I wanted to post the video to this, but they've done that 'embedding disabled by request' thing; how very annoying).

The Sundays - 'Love' (1992)

Raquel

From what is possibly the greatest concept album by a Welsh musician about a maverick American car designer featuring pastiche 80s synthpop music ever!

Neon Neon - 'Raquel' (2008)

All The Way From Memphis

Week-by-week our extended disco classics build into a magnificent collection your whole family will enjoy.

Tonight, incense and myrrh and girls that swirl to the music.

Pharoah nuff.

The Jones Girls - 'Nights Over Egypt' (12") (1981)

Norwegian Blue*

This isn't new, but it's new to me and perhaps it will be to you too. I like it a lot.

I've been playing it because I caught the end of an interview with him last night on Radcliffe & Maconie whilst relaxing in a hot Radox bath and 1) he seemed like a genial chap 2) he is from the Faroe Islands, which I'm sure you'll agree is unusual in 'rock' circles and 3) Maconie claimed to hear Bjork, Talk Talk, The Blue Nile and Rufus Wainwright in his music, which is recommendation a-plenty for me (well, OK, maybe not the Bjork so much).

He has a MySpace and website of course, but more excitingly indicated the possibility of touring Blighty this year, so I shall keep an eye out for that I think whilst investigating his music further in the meantime.

Anyone ahead of the game on this who'd willingly act as my guide, do call.

Teitur - 'I Was Just Thinking' (2003)

* actually the Faroe Islands are Danish, as the lovely Beth has helpfully pointed out in comments . But since Danish Blue is a sort of cheese I have decided to leave the headline as it is.

Frost Report

Decorations down, fairy lights wound up tight in the box they came out of and the Christmas tree leaning bare and dry and all-forlorn against the front hedge waiting for the man from the Council to come and collect it *sigh* - it's twelfth night and the end of All That.

The girls built a snowstump on the front pavement today (small and unfinished because they had to hurry to school, so I'd hesitate to call it a snowman) and it was still there tonight when they came home, unmelted, standing guard by parked cars in this parky suburban street.

This one's for Mick and anyone who's blundered in here from Miss P's kind link wondering where the heck all the '80s music' is.

Fiat Lux - 'Feels Like Winter Again' (1982)

Our Last Summer

Week-by-week our cut out and keep series builds into a superb collection of classic extended disco mixes your family will treasure for years.

Today, someone left the cake out in the rain. For 17 minutes 47 seconds.

Donna Summer - 'MacArthur Park Suite' (1978)

Contains cheese.

Deep Breath

This cartoon by Chris Riddell in Sunday's Observer said it all for me: have we ever been less optimistic about a New Year than this one?

Funny, because I'm sure the 2009 they told us about when we were kids involved hovercars, a Life Of Leisure, an end to world poverty, global peace, space travel for all and butler robots fixing cocktails.

Sheesh.

Thanks for your company during 2008 and in the words of the Desiderata - 'strive to be happy'.

Here's one for the stroke of Midnight x

Brinsley Schwarz - '(What's So Funny 'Bout) Peace, Love & Understanding' (1974)

Late Stalking Feller

Something else newish for the old year, and these quiet, frosty inbetween days, that I only heard because I've been stalking Colin on late night Last FM (sorry La, but Thought Leadership comes at a price - 'How shall we think for ourselves oh Lord?' etc - and there was nothing on the telly).

Turns out the band's entire album is free from their website, with a quote from And Before The Next Kiss ('The most exciting band of the year, bar none") on the homepage even.

I am less sure about some of the other songs at first listen, though the jury is only just out and probably still fussing round the drinks cooler, but I do very much like the synth washes, New Ordery-guitar bits and very English, Tennant-esque 'rapping' on this.

Vanilla Swingers - 'I'll Stay Next To You' (2008)

PS: I am aware that 'hip' bloggers were writing about this lot months ago but you know, things take a while to reach me out here in the sticks we call middle age.

Late Stocking Filler

No-one tells you when you buy the Bon Iver album on CD that the best song on it isn't on it. As it were.

So here it is, the 'download-only' bonus - all frost-bitten and rueful.

Hey! Hope Santa didn't bring you any Zavvi vouchers!

Bon Iver - 'Wisconsin' (2008)

A Glass Of Sherry And A Minced Pie

"Dahhhlings, Merry Christmas! How lovely to see you, we're soooo glad you could pop in! Let me take your coats! Have you finished your shopping at last? Marvellous! You all know Clarissa I think? Clarissa, the chaps, the chaps, Clarissa. Doesn't she look marvellous in that little Santa thing chaps? Marvellous! Now then, what can I get you? Sherry and a pie? Vol au vent Dickie? Clarissa darling, be a love and help and him out of that, he's working up a sweat. What me? This old thing? Oh, just something I slung on five minutes ago sweetie, you are a poppet. Everyone! Everyone!! Shall we raise a glass? To the most wonderful shower of blogging and commenting chums ever: may we have the most splendid Christmas and a marvellous New Year and blog bless us everyone!!!"




Judy Garland - 'Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas' (1944)

(I like old Christmas songs best. Dx)

Starrstruck

It's the last Friday disco before Christmas and I think we merit a smoker this week.

A gritty old school vocal over ticking synth rhythms and restless bongo beats that build to multiple climaxes* - with no added cheese!

Truly, this record is Friday night.

At seven minutes 16, heaven help me, heaven help us all.

Edwin Starr - 'Contact' (12" version) (1979)

* steady...

Satsumas To Peel

The girlies break up for the Christmas holidays today, and so do I. After all that hype and nonsense, the Christmas music in Starbucks since November, the Asda seasonal ads on the telly since October, this is really the start of Christmas proper for us as a family.

Tomorrow I'll buy the Christmas double issue Radio Times, not because we need it with all the free TV Guides in the weekend newspapers but because it's a tradition going back to the days when it was on ink-coming-off-in-your-hands newsprint with crinkly edges and you went through it in advance marking the films you planned to watch in blue biro and doing your best to make all of them ("Every Tarzan movie from the earliest Johnny Weissmuller through Lex Barker to Ron Ely's TV spin-offs? Ay carumba!"). There will be satsumas to peel, Cheesy Footballs and Quality Street too, I shouldn't wonder.

-------

In 1984 whilst he was a student working in John Lewis Oxford St in the holidays, my friend Carlos sold the production crew the actual Christmas decs fussed about with by George Michael in this video.

Meanwhile that 'a man undercover lyric' sounds a little prescient now, huh?

I'm not posting an mp3 of this because I figure if you like it you'll already have it, and if you don't...er...you won't want it.

Personally I think it is one of the finest Christmas pop songs of our generation, but please don't mention Whigfield.



Some disco later. Of course.

Davy Graham (26th Nov 1940 - 15th Dec 2008)

Sad news via Howard at Lonesome Music that British guitar legend Davy Graham has died of a massive seizure after a short battle with lung cancer.

It's really no exaggeration to remember him as the most influential guitar player of his generation, acknowledged as such by Bert Jansch, John Renbourne, Paul Simon, John Martyn, Nick Drake, Jimmy Page and many, many others.

I read a few months ago that he was still touring and resolved to catch him, but it's too late, too late now.

Which just goes to show we should always, always carpe diem huh?

Davy Graham - 'I Can't Keep From Crying Sometimes' (1964)

His unusually fine official site here. Buy stuff!

Blast

You know, for someone who has lived in London so long, I do still miss the sea. I miss that extraordinary tarty-salty ozone BLAST you get when it's rough, cold, blustery, sharp - winter: when I used to walk a lot down there by the shore in dark, dark Devon - lonely and dreaming of other places and this girl I might meet and when my life might.....begin.

I’ve been down to North Marine Drive
A road curling round by your sea
A sea that matches all of your moods
A place where we always agree.

And I’ve been down to North Marine Drive
Where I have scratched our names in the sandAnd watched the sea take them away
Two names scratched in every spray.

And I’ve been on a desolate cliffWhere once a great castle had been
And stood, with the wind in my mouthOn a wall so the sea could be seen
And here a chapel once stood
But now, just a handful of stones.
But we, we are building it up
Ours as we stand here alone.

Ben Watt - 'North Marine Drive' (1983)

Good Winter

Funny how being away and having your music but hearing it in a different place and different mood (tired, a bit melancholy, missing the people you love) some songs and artists take on a new resonance.

The last couple of times around in the moonstruck limits of outer Zurich (think Croydon - they even have trams) it was Tom Waits and Leonard Cohen and Brook Benton's 'Rainy Night In Georgia' and this time as the snow thickened it was this, which I played over and over and have been ever since.

I haven't been as struck by/obsessed with a 'new' song since Low's 'Just Like Christmas' this time last year; the brilliance of this is inestimable I think - the choppy acoustic and slide guitars, the heartfelt falsetto and the brass-effect bits which make me think of Sally Army bands on cold, foggy street corners in December. Forever ago.

Plus, anyone who has their picture taken with their pussycat is alright by me.

Bon Iver - 'For Emma' (2008)

His MySpace.

Guess what? This is my 400th post. Who'd have thought, eh?

Bubbly

I've been saving this up. It has one of those big, bouncy, booming basslines that when taken at top volume thumps right through your chest to your shaking disco booty behind, so it'll help us generate some heat on a parky night, right? Some bloke goes batty with a saxophone on it too! Sheesh, if I was a smart chap like Mondo I'd mix his long saxy note at 4:42 with the long saxy note that opens Tom Browne's 'Funkin' For Jamaica' and you would Fall At My Feet And Worship Me As A (DJ) God.

Meanwhile...I'm not that keen on champagne, are you? Bit dryyyyyy. I sometimes like to sluice a tad into the top of my Guinness of a New Year's Eve, but that's about it. Mrs H is fond, but then she's a classy bird.

Man, I love Friday nights. Proscht!

Evelyn 'Champagne' King - 'Shame' (1978)

The Terry Wogan Eurovision Memorial Post

Eurovision in our viewing schedule RIP - if Terry ain't doin' it, I ain't watchin' it.

Let those pesky Slovakians have it!

Flaky

They're forecasting heavy snowfall across the UK tonight and early tomorrow and wouldn't you just know it but I'm off to Nottingham on the train again first thing so I suppose I should prepare myself for a 'travel disruption' sketch....*sigh* Perhaps I should take a Thermos of soup or something suitably Bonnington-esque.

This lovely Aretha song from the 'Young Gifted And Black' LP always does it for me at this time of year - I think I dropped it to Mondo when we were talking about lost Aretha gems in April but never posted it here, so enfin...

I shall meanwhile have to computerise more stuff from my old vinyl versh of Billie Holiday's Songs For Distingue Lovers because I reckon it'll be sweet music for my final lonely, broken five nighter in Zurich next week, and it's looking like snow there too (though, strangely, their transport system will not cease entirely to function. Ho hum).

Aretha Franklin - 'The First Snow In Kokomo' (1972)

Magic Again

Perhaps I should have quit on Friday and left that Donna Summer picture at the top of the page forever, hanging in cyberspace as a talisman (taliswoman?) for all future visitors, a Moroderesque rune for those who come later, speaking the lost and lovely language 'disco' ?

And yet we must move on I suppose. Still, I haven't been able to post Teenage Fanclub's 'December' as I had planned because that would have meant following La Summer with a pic of some scrawny lank-haired Glaswegians and I'm sorry, I just couldn't do it.

Here's some Kate then. A seasonal single nobody bought!

Happy Advent!

Kate Bush - 'December Will Be Magic Again' (1980)

Summer's Lease

I hope you have your cheesy pineapple chunks at the ready because this is the full 16 minute 45 second love-a-thon version (oh yes!) and you'll most probably need a sustaining nibble part way through.

The sound and look that launched a thousand drag queen careers eh?

Parental advisory. Obviously.

Drink Tone?

Donna Summer - 'Love To Love You Baby' (1975)

We Come On A Ship They Call The Mayflower

I've been to Nottingham today. It was OK. It rained.

I thought I'd walk back to the railway station instead of getting a cab it seemed like such a short distance, and then I ended up getting lost and walking past redbrick terraced houses and what the Americans call auto repair yards and I had to ask a lady where the station was and she was tremendously friendly and helpful in the way that only people that don't live in London are but they were - and I'm sorry nice lady - the worst, most over-complex make-sense-only-to-locals directions I have ever been given and by the time I did get to the station (I did get to the station) I was wetter than a wet thing that lives in wet places and, well, you know, phew.

By the way, my been-away-for-a-day observations on re-entering London were

1. That new St Pancras Station is dead posh
2. Crikey there's a lot of people here, and
3. Hmm. Most of them are wearing black.

Anyway the point of popping in here tonight when I didn't really expect to is to wish, sincerely, all of our lovely American friends a very, very happy Thanksgiving.

*sings* 'Enjoy your turkey!'

God I do go on.

Paul Simon - 'American Tune' (1973)

PS: The Mayflower actually sailed to The New World from my old hometown. Oh yes.

Brass Monkey Weather

Richard Hawley - 'The Nights Are Cold' (acoustic) (2007)

Original on this.

The Legacy Continues

Since it is a traditionally dull and drizzly London Monday here I figured a dash of alternative (Canadian!) hip-hop with a Caribbean vibe might brighten things up a tad.

Dream Warriors were most famous for their 'My Definition Of A Boombastic Jazz Style' hit based on a (substantial) sample from Quincy Jones 'Soul Bossa Nova', but I always also liked this follow up that tipped the wink to their West Indian family and musical roots. So it was fun to find it for 50p a few weeks ago in a local charity shop.

For the uninitiated...

1. Those crackles are supposed to be there (how very arch)

2. Ludi is Ludo (of course) - a game I spent most of my childhood playing too*

Dream Warriors - 'Ludi (original mix)' (1991)

*actually if you played it with my Dad he would make you follow the rules of a variant called Uckers which he learned in the Navy. It is somewhat ruthless and used to make me cry.

Le Retour

A lie-in, buttered toast & coffee and cuddles from my girlies. *sigh*

Andy Williams - 'Home Lovin' Man' (1971)

Le Depart

The small tree outside our house earlier this week; the little London street I'm leaving for another full on working week and five nights in the 'functional' hotel room in the moonstruck outer limits of Zurich CH.

I'll have my eyes on the prize, which is a large and lovely gin and tonic with sliced lemon and crushed ice in the swish cocktail piano bar at Zurich Airport at about 6pm on Friday as I wait for my flight back home.

See you next weekend x

Coldcut - 'Autumn Leaves (Irresistible Force Full Chill Mix)' (1993)