Something for the Weekend: The Damned "New Rose"

Seeing as how this is Halloween weekend, one can scarcely go wrong with the Damned.  One of the original generation of punk bands to come out London in 1976, the Damned have the distinction of being the first UK punk band to release a single.

Indeed, it took them only a few short months for them to launch "New Rose", whereas the Clash waited nine months to release "White Riot".  Even the Sex Pistols had a year long lead-in, before "Anarchy in the UK" hit the shelves.

Backed by Stiff Records, the single's B-Side was a cover of the Beatles' hit, "Help", albeit played at twice the speed of the original.  "New Rose" was written by guitarist Brian James, who helped pen much of their material in these early times, before he left the group in late-1977.

James' style was often manic and driven by speed, his guitar wielding an instantly recognisable buzzsaw sound, yet it is the gothic-leanings of vocalist Dave Vanian that has driven the group to be categorised as a goth-punk band.

The Damned took a five-year break in 1988, before getting back together - no doubt prompted by attention following covers by Guns and Roses ("New Rose") and the Offspring ("Smash it Up").

The Damned "New Rose"



...and just because it's Halloween...
The Damned "Video Nasty (on BBC's, The Young Ones)"

Delorentos "Sanctuary" Tour

Delorentos have released their new single, Sanctuary, today and it will be accompanied by their biggest tour yet.

The critically acclaimed four-piece will be performing at the all-ages Halloween Festival at O’Moore Park in Portlaoise today and will follow that up with dates in Limerick, Waterford, Carrick-on-Shannon, Cork, Tipperary, Galway, Westport and Derry in a tour that spreads over the next two months.

To top it off, the band will also be performing an extra special show in Dublin’s new Workman’s Club on Thursday December 16th – tickets are still available and can be found here. In the middle of all this, Delorentos will also be playing three shows in Spain.

Delorentos “Sanctuary” tour:

Friday 22 Oct - Ennis, Queens

Friday 29 Oct - Trick R Street Halloween Party, O'Moore Park, Portlaoise

Thursday 18 Nov – Sala BeCool, Barcelona

Friday 19 Nov – Sala Faktoria, Terrassa

Saturday 20 Nov – Sala Caracol, Madrid

Friday 26 Nov – Limerick, Dolans

Saturday 27 Nov – Waterford, Traffik @ The Forum

Saturday 4 Dec – Carrick On Shannon, The Cartown Club

Wednesday 8 Dec – Cork, The Old Oak

Friday 10 Dec – Tipperary, Barcode

Saturday 11 Dec – Galway, Roisin Dubh

Thursday 16 Dec - Dublin, Workman's Club

Saturday 18 Dec – Westport, Walshes

Sunday 19 Dec – Derry, Masons

Graham Crowden (R.I.P)

The rather marvellous Graham Crowden passed away last week following a short illness.  To many Doctor Who fans, the Scottish actor will be remembered as the evil Soldeed in the season 17 story, The Horns of Nimon, alongside the then Doctor, Tom Baker.

However, Crowden is probably best known for playing the dementia-suffering Tom Ballard in another BBC series, Waiting for God with Stephanie Cole.  For five years, the brilliantly offbeat show on Thursday nights, as two pensioners - left to a retirement home - keep themselves amused, by fighting against boredom and nursing home oppression.

Crowden's sole appearance in Doctor Who came several years after he was initially considered the lead part - a role that eventually went to Baker.  According to then producer Barry Letts, Crowden was unwilling to commit to one job for such a long period and turned it down.

So here, find Crowden's death scene, as the deluded Soldeed finally gets his comeuppance from the wonderful Romana (played by Lady Lalla Ward) and the hero of Nimon, Seth (Simon Gipps-Kent).

Graham Crowden (R.I.P., 1922-2010)

Something for the Weekend: The Slits "Typical Girls"

Initially, this week's Something for the Weekend was to be "Runaway" by Del Shannon, but following the untimely death of the Slits front-woman Ari-Up on Wednesday night, Del Shannon can wait a fortnight.

Starting out as a quartet in 1976, the band were one of the pioneers of dub-infused punk as demonstrated by songs such as "New town" and "Typical Girls" on their 1979 début LP, Cut.

Produced by Dennis Bovell, the album steered clear of many rock's tepid formulations and instead embraced quite loose and avant-garde arrangements and aggressive character.  Although their raucous beginnings had been tamed somewhat, the slightly polished natured still had the power to move and unnerve.

Cut was the child of the Slits' classic line-up featuring Up, Viv Albertine, Tessa Pollitt and Palmolive; however by the time the album hit shelves, the band had already begun to disperse with Palmolive leaving to form the Raincoats in late-1978.

The Slits originally split (ahem) in 1982 after the release of their second album Return of the Giant Slits in October 1981 on CBS Records.  They reformed in 2005, eventually releasing a third album, Trapped Animals late last year.

The Slits "Typical Girls"

Ari Up (R.I.P.)

Earlier this morning, I heard that Slits front-woman, Ari Up died yesterday  of cancer. She was 48.

Considered one of the most influential women of the punk era, Ari formed the Slits in 1976, producing flamboyant and often striking dub-fused music that ingratiated itself with its punk surroundings.  

After the Slits broke up in 1981, Ari formed the New Age steppers before going solo- in 2005 she released her début solo release, Dread More Dan Dead.

Always interesting, always challenging, always with depth.  She will be missed.

Heartsrevolution album soon

Although no date has been announced as of yet, electro-duo Heartsrevolution will be releasing their début album sometime soon.  Their 2009 EP, Ultraviolence, was easily one of the best releases of the year and hopefully their long player will only add to that class.

Also, I would quite like to see the HeartsChallenger ice-cream truck. A mega band indeed, I simply cannot wait.
Heartsrevolution on MySpace



CRITICAL MASS from HEARTSREVOLUTION on Vimeo.

Gig: Adebisi Shank (Button Factory, Dublin; November 20th)

This gig happens next month.  It will be Adebisi Shank's last show for some time.  They will be supported by the rather marvellous Not Squares - perhaps you should go to it.

The poster was designed by photographer and artist Loreana Rushe.  Now, isn't that nice?!

Something for the Weekend: A House "Endless Art"

Formed in 1985, Irish band A House and after minor success in their home country with the singles "Call Me Blue", "I'll Always be Grateful" (1988) and "I Think I am Going Mad" (1990).  When A House released their third album, I Am the Greatest, in 1991, the Dave Couse led band scored the first of only two UK top 50's with the classic single "Endless Art".

Produced by Edwyn Collins, "Endless Art" featured something of an odd structure - opening with a quote from Oscar Wilde ("All art is quite useless, according to Oscar Wilde"), the rest of the song runs through a list of dead and much celebrated artists, occasionally telling of their ages.

Most notable about the song is its fabulous video - utilising stop-motion techniques, the video showed the trio standing still amongst ever changing props.

Controversy surrounded the single upon its release - as Couse ran through a long list of the dead, it's quite apparent that no women are present, something that was picked up upon on its original release.  Following much criticism, the band re-recorded the song listing purely female artists - renamed "More Endless Art", the new version found its way as a B-side at a later time.

There were other problems for the release - despite constant television and radio play, "Endless Art" could not be found anywhere.  Poor distribution meant the single was generally unavailable when at the height of its popularity - as a result, A House were never able to build on its success.

Something for the Weekend: New Order "Blue Monday"

One of the most successful band's of the 1980's, New Order emerged from the shroud of Joy Division to produce some of the most dynamic and critically acclaimed music of the decade.
From the sombre Movement, to the charming Power, Corruption and Lies and later works such as Brotherhood and Low-Life, the quartet grew to be the powerhouse band of the Hacienda nightclub and of course, Factory Records.

Despite the death of Joy Division lead Ian Curtis in May 1980, the group decided to carry on, but under a new identity.  Following a short tour as a three-piece, the group brought on board Gillian Gilbert prior to the recording of Movement to take some guitar / keyboard duties and allow Bernard Sumner to take centre stage.

Two months before the release of their second album Power, Corruption and Lies, New Order launched was to be their biggest hit, "Blue Monday".  The single - which is still the biggest selling 12-inch single of al time - was paired with a remix called "The Beach".
"Blue Monday" is a far cry from the dark sound of Movement, yet it does still contain dour leanings; however so uplifting is the presence of music, that these depressive moments to not push too much.  What's left is simply one of the finest songs of all time.

(October 2010) Easy Music for Difficult Ears Spotify Playlist

The mists, the mists, the mists of October...

October 2010 (Spotify playlist)

1. Ken Nordine "The Vidiot" (Word Jazz: The Complete 1950's Recordings, 2010 Chrome Dreams Music) Buy it here!!
2. The Breeders "Cannonball" (Last Splash, 1993, 4AD Ltd) Buy it here!!
3. Violators "Gangland" (Punk and Disorderly Deluxe Edition, 2009, Anarchy Music) Buy it here!!
4. X-Ray Spex "Oh Bondage, Up Yours!!" (Germ Free Adolescents, 1978, EMI International) Buy it here!!
5. The Rezillos "Destination Venus" (Can't Stand the Rezillos, 1993, Sire Records) Buy it here!!
6. The Flying Lizards "Lovers and Other Strangers" (Fourth Wall, 1981, Virgin Records) Buy it here!!
7. Apostle of Hustle "Folkloric Feel" (Folkloric Feel, 2004, Arts & Crafts Productions) Buy it here!!
8. The Clash "Sean Flynn" (Combat Rock, 1982, Sony Entertainment) Buy it here!!
9. New Dawn "There's a New Dawn" (There's a New Dawn, 1970, Akarma) Buy it here!!
10. Air "Dirty Trip" (Virgin Suicides OST, 1999, EMI Records France) Buy it here!!
11. Broadcast "Goodbye Girls" (Tender Buttons, 2005, Warp Records) Buy it here!!
12. Pram "The Archivist" (Dark Island, 2003, Domino Recordings Ltd) Buy it here!!
13. M "Pop Musik" (The History, 2006, Union Square Music Ltd) Buy it here!!
14. Percy Faith and His Orchestra "Theme from a Summer Place" (A Summer Place, 2002, Hallmark) Buy it here!!

September 2010
August 2010
July 2010
June 2010
May 2010
April 2010
March 2010

Something for the Weekend: Mungo Jerry "In the Summertime"

The sun was out today on this rather nice October afternoon, so I thought I should visit a song that was supposed to be posted months ago.

In 1970, British pop / blues / skiffle band Mungo Jerry released their début single, "In the Summertime" - a song celebrating the care free days of summer. Admittedly, while it is indeed a very good song (and one of the biggest sellers of all time), the lyrics and style have really not stood the test of time.
Words and music are testament to the age that bore them and while it is easy to imagine rappers wax lyrical about gangs or how a majority of indie bands busy themselves writing songs about nothing, it is highly unlikely that many modern songwriters would come out with these verbitoid beauties;

"In the summertime when the weather is high, you can stretch right up and touch the sky,
When the weather's fine, you got women, you got women on your mind,
Have a drink, have a drive, go out and see what you can find.

If her daddy's rich, take her out for a meal, if her daddy's poor, just do what you feel,
Speed along the lane, do a ton, or a ton and twenty-five,
When the sun goes down, you can make it, make it good in a lay-by."

If anything, this tells it best...

"We're always happy, life's for living, yeah, that's our philosophy..."

It is also noteworthy that for all the joy and happiness of the song, the video is filmed on a rather grim road side spot, surrounded by the concrete hell that are tower blocks - a vision perhaps of the economic hell that the 1970's became once the summer fell away. Twinned with the half-smile / grimace by lead singer Ray Dorset, as well as some incredibly dodgy shots of bassist John Godfrey and you have a slightly odd example of a very early music video with little or no direction whatsoever.

Following this, Mungo Jerry would have several more successes before interest waned in the mid-70's. The band is still performing today, but has had an ever changing line-up throughout that time with Dorset being the only common factor.
"In the Summertime" is one of those songs that just gets covered by artist after artists after artist; including versions by Derek Sherinian (with guests stars Billy Idol, Tony Franklin and Slash), Idle Rice and Shaggy. Earlier this year, a "family friendly" version was recorded by Disney artists Adam Hicks, Daniel Curtis Lee and Hutch Dano to promote Disney XD's summer programming - it needs to be heard to be believed...

Below is the original video for "In the Summertime" as recorded in early 1970, and while the sound quality is not the best, it is worth it just to see Dorset's incredible sideburns and stompy stomp left leg.