In Amongst The Moshers

January will be a gig-free month for me, so to fill the void I've compiled a imaginary live set featuring some top-notch performances from 1977 to 1979. And imagine the mosh pit!

 

The formidable line-up includes The Fall, Joy Division, Blondie, The Clash, The Specials, Scritti Politti and Magazine with heavyweight appearances from The Police, John Cale and David Bowie.

I even managed to sneak in some John Cooper Clarke.

Enjoy! But no spitting. I don't like spitting.

 

1) Stepping Out (Live @ Electric Circus, Manchester): The Fall (1977) 

2) Detroit 442 (Live @ The Walnut Theatre, Philadelphia): Blondie (1978)

3) Sabotage (Live @ CBGB, New York): John Cale (1979)

4) Armagideon Time (Live @ Hammersmith Odeon, London): The Clash (1979)

5) Guns Of Navarone (Live @ The Lyceum, London): The Specials (1979)

6) Be My Wife (Live @ Earls Court, London): David Bowie (1978)

7) Persecution Complex (Live @ Electric Circus, Manchester): The Drones (1977)

8) Tomorrow (Live @ University Of California, Riverside, California): Wall Of Voodoo (1979)

9) Bronze Adonis (Live @ Rafters, Manchester): John Cooper Clarke (1978)

10) Miracle Man (Live @ The Nashville Room, London): Elvis Costello & The Attractions (1977)

11) She Can Only Say No (Live): The Undertones (1979)

12) Art Forever (Live @ Acklam Hall, London): Scritti Politti (1979)

13) Time's Up (Live @ Electric Circus, Manchester): Buzzcocks (1977)

14) Message In A Bottle (Live @ Park West, Chicago): The Police (1979)

15) At A Later Date (Live @ Electric Circus, Manchester): Joy Division (1977)

16) Definitive Gaze (Live @ Lesser Free Trade Hall, Manchester): Magazine (1978)

In Amongst The Moshers (49:49) (KF) (Mega)

Fearlessness

After a week of bombarding you with music from this year, time for a trip in the Dubhed time machine (one careless owner, 23 million years on the clock, needs some re-upholstery and an oil change).

Materialising in 1977, your soundtrack today is 15 songs spanning punk, dub, alternative, (Egyptian) reggae, lovers' rock and most definitely not a Christmas song from Neil Young, handily split into two sides for your listening pleasure.

Settle back with a pack of Rowntrees Tots, a can of Blue Raspberry Panda Pop and a copy of 2000AD or Blue Jeans and enjoy the music before the sugar-induced coma hits.

 

Side One

1) Screwed Up: Menace

2) Judgement Dub: Tapper Zukie

3) Nightclubbing: Iggy Pop

4) Cheat: The Clash

5) Rasta Dub: Lee 'Scratch' Perry

6) Bored Teenagers: The Adverts

7) Star Of Bethlehem: Neil Young

8) We Are The One: The Avengers

Side Two

1) Sweet Gene Vincent: Ian Dury

2) Neat Neat Neat: The Damned

3) Zion Gate: Yabby You

4) Alison: Elvis Costello

5) Reuters: Wire

6) Egyptian Reggae: Jonathan Richman & The Modern Lovers

7) Someone To Love Me: Candy McKenzie

Side One (22:17) (KF) (Mega)

Side Two (22:36) (KF) (Mega)

Try Telling Him The Subtle Difference Between Justice And Contempt

A change in today's planned post. After watching the political farce play out on Thursday, these three song titles immediately sprang to mind.

 

Get The Message (7" Version): Electronic ft. Denise Johnson (1991)

Go Now (Cover of Bessie Banks): The Moody Blues (1964)

Fuck Off: Mindless Drug Hoover (1994)

 

And although this song was written and recorded with another Prime Monster in mind, it's lyrics inspired today's post title and the sentiment feels just as relevant for the current Crime Minister, thirty-odd years on.

Tramp The Dirt Down (Live On The Late Show, BBC2 TV): Elvis Costello (1989)

 

Normal service - at least on this blog, if not the UK - will resume tomorrow.

Who's Afraid Of Virginia Woolf?

You can thank/blame John Medd for today's selection. His quite literally stunning post of Elizabeth Taylor photos inspired a playlist of songs named after her movies (I attempted the same trick with Faye Dunaway last year). No clever sequencing here: I started with the earliest match - and Elizabeth Taylor's 2nd film from 1943 - through to her uncredited appearance in a 1979 political conspiracy movie starring Jeff Bridges, John Huston, Anthony Perkins and Toshirô Mifune "as Keith". 

 

I think it mostly works, though for 1976 film The Blue Bird I was torn between equally great songs from Hope Sandoval & The Warm Inventions and Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds. Hope prevailed.

 

Who's Afraid Of Virginia Woolf? was one of the set texts for my English Literature O Level (too many years ago to count) and we got to watch the 1966 film as part of the study. It's a great play and a great cast, but Elizabeth Taylor transcends all. Arguably her greatest performance, and that's saying something.

Unfortunately, I don't currently have a song named Who's Afraid Of Virginia Woolf? but Jimmy Smith has kindly obliged with this classic from 1964, which I must get hold of.

 

1) Lassie Come Home: Alphaville (1986)

2) A Place In The Sun: Stevie Wonder (1966)

3) Rhapsody: Siouxsie & The Banshees (1988)

4) Giant (Radio Edit) (Cover of The The): DJ Food ft. Matt Johnson (2012)

5) Cleopatra (John Peel Session): Adam & The Ants (1978)

6) The Comedians: Elvis Costello & The Attractions (1984)

7) Ash Wednesday: The Psychedelic Furs (2020)

8) Blue Bird: Hope Sandoval & The Warm Inventions (2009)

9) Winter Kills (Electronic Periodic's Sub / Piano Mix): Yazoo (2008)

Who's Afraid Of Virginia Woolf? (42:00)

W.O.R.K. Is A Four Letter Word

After what simultaneously seems like a long time and no time at all at home, Christmas and New Year is well and truly over and I'm back at work. I've mixed feelings, but today's selection will get me through the commute, at least.

Sadly, I couldn't find a place for this stone cold classic.

1) Welcome To The Working Week: Elvis Costello (1977)

2) Julie's Been Working For The Drug Squad: The Clash (1978) 

3) Don't Work That Hard: Scritti Politti (1985)

4) Women Around The World At Work (Album Version): Martha & The Muffins (1981)

5) From Bed To Work: Pony Club (2004)

6) Hard Work: Teitur (2013)

7) Finest Worksong (Album Version): R.E.M. (1987)

8) Model Worker (Live @ The Santa Monica Civic, Santa Monica): Magazine (1980)

9) Barnaby, Hardly Working (Version): Yo La Tengo (1989)

10) All Work And No Play (Extended Mix): Hüsker Dü (1986)

11) I Work In A Health Spa: The Go-Betweens (1986)

12) Right To Work: Chelsea (1977)

13) Birth, School, Work, Death (Extended Mix): The Godfathers (1989)

14) This Woman's Work (Director's Cut Version): Kate Bush (2011)

15) How To Hate The Working Classes: Luke Haines (2001)

16) I Can't Wait To Get Off Work (And See My Baby On Montgomery Avenue): Tom Waits (1976)

17) Fit And Working Again: The Fall (1981)

18) Let's Work Together: Canned Heat (1969)

19) At Home, At Work, At Play: Sparks (1974)

 

1969: Let's Work Together 7": 18

1974: Propaganda: 19 

1976: Small Change: 16

1977: My Aim Is True: 1

1978: Give 'Em Enough Rope: 2 

1978: The Outrageous Soundtrack From The Motion Picture "Jubilee": 12

1981: Slates: 17

1981: This Is The Ice Age: 4 

1981: Urgh! A Music War: 8

1985: Cupid & Psyche 85: 3

1986: Don't Want To Know If You Are Lonely 12": 10

1987: Document: 7 

1989: Out On The Floor EP: 13

1989: President Yo La Tengo: 9

2001: Christie Malry's Own Double Entry. OST: 15

2004: Family Business: 5

2004: Liberty Belle And The Black Diamond Express (Expanded Edition): 11 

2011: Director's Cut: 14

2013: Story Music: 6

W.O.R.K. Is A Four Letter Word (1:14:19)

Now That's What I Call Jangly

Side 1 of a mixtape, originally compiled for me by my girlfriend, sometime around 1996.

Despite the title, it's not entirely jangly but it is resolutely indie. She was a big fan of The Wedding Present, The House Of Love and James and I was immersed in their music for a few years. 

I haven't heard many of these songs in over a decade: I'd completely forgotten about Bedflowers; there's a lovely post about them on the Cloudberry Cake Proselytism blog, which provides some backstory. 

The David Bowie track closing side 1 feels like a bit of an anachronism, though it may have been added because I loved the song so much. 

We didn't part on the best of terms - my girlfriend, that is, not Bowie and I - but this is a reminder of happier times and some great music.

 

1) Ceremony (1st Version By Martin Hannett): New Order (1981)

2) Road: The House Of Love (1988)

3) My Ex-Lover's Address: Bedflowers (1991)

4) Suck: The Wedding Present (1991)

5) Sensitive: The Field Mice (1989)

6) Push: The Cure (1985)

7) Pink Glove: Pulp (1994)

8) Five-O (Album Version By Brian Eno): James (1993)

9) The Old Main Drag (Album Version By Elvis Costello): The Pogues (1985)

10) Jesus Says: That Petrol Emotion (1986)

11) In The Heat Of The Morning (Mono Single Version): David Bowie (1967)

 

Side One (45:13) (GD) (M)

Wednesday Songs

Yep, you guessed it: 11 songs with Wednesday in the title. This selection includes much loved songs by The Undertones, Elvis Costello & The Attractions and The Woodentops, an instrumental from Pete Shelley & Howard Devoto (was it really nearly 20 years ago?!) and a song from The Psychedelic Furs' spectacular comeback album last year.

 

A tip of the hat to Flimflamfan and Strangeways for introducing me to The Hardy Boys and The Siddeleys respectively via two excellent Imaginary Compilation Albums over at The Vinyl Villain. There's another brilliant ICA courtesy of Martin, the Swedish Correspondent, up this morning. 

 

Side One (17:33)

1) Wednesday's Emotional Setup: ShelleyDevoto (2002)

2) Wednesday: Drive-By Truckers (2006)

3) My Favourite Wet Wednesday Afternoon (Single Version): The Siddeleys (1987)

4) Wednesday Week: The Undertones (1980)

5) Ash Wednesday: The Psychedelic Furs (2020)

Side Two (16:39)

1) A Wednesday In August: The The (2017)

2) Wednesday's Child (Album Version): Emilíana Torrini (1999)

3) Wednesday Week: Elvis Costello & The Attractions (1978)

4) Wet Wednesday Evening: The Hardy Boys (1992)

5) Wednesday Jones (Dixie) (Version): Stephen Duffy (1986)

6) Tuesday Wednesday: The Woodentops (1988)

Side One (17:33)

Side Two (16:39)
 

These Things Elevate Me Above Animals

A headlong rush from 1958-1998, 10 songs, all two minutes or less, lyrically brilliant.

 

1) Adda Lee: Frank Black (1993)

"And the lake sings and the dogs don't, they are quiet for Adda Lee"

2) Phasers On Stun (Single Version): Urusei Yatsura (1996)

"I went walking under the streetlights with my sneakers filled up with snow"

3) Being A Girl (Part One) (Single Version): Mansun (1998)

"I'm so boring my clothes wanna keep someone else warm"

4) My Beautiful Leah: PJ Harvey (1998)

"If I don't find it this time, then I'm better off dead"

5) The King Of Carrot Flowers, Pt. 1: Neutral Milk Hotel (1998)

"I sank into your soul, into that secret place where no one dares to go"

6) Summertime Blues: Eddie Cochran (1958)

"I'm gonna take my problem to the United Nations"

7) Talking In The Dark: Elvis Costello & The Attractions (1978)

"We can talk like we're in love or we can talk above it"

8) Breakdown: Buzzcocks (1977)

"I feel me brain like porridge coming out of me ears"

9) Windout (Outtake): R.E.M. (1984)

"Tick tock time to clock my band"

10) Unsolved Child Murder (Demo): The Auteurs (1996)

"Sod this town and people's pity, let's get on with the nitty gritty"

These Things Elevate Me Above Animals (19:36)

I Want You (Again & Again & Again)

Four-nil. Wow, that was really something, wasn't it?

Anyway, it's Sunday, it's raining, it's time for the post that was originally planned for yesterday. Just under an hour of musicians repeatedly telling you that they want you for a variety of reasons. 

1) I Want You ('Feel So Sad' EP Version): Spiritualized (1991)

2) I Want You Back: Hoodoo Gurus (1984)

3) I Want You: The Godfathers (1985)

4) I Want You: Salad (1996)

5) I Want You (7" Remix By Mark Kamins): Animotion (1986)

6) I Want You Back (Medicine8 Mix): X-Press 2 ft. Dieter Meier (2002) 

7) I Want You Now (Alan Wilder Reconstruction Mix) (Re-Edit By Andy Dominatrix): Depeche Mode (2014)

8) I Want You: Tindersticks (2003)

9) (I Want You) More Than Ever: The Clientele (2000)

10) I Want You (Single Mix By Pascal Gabriel): Inspiral Carpets ft. Mark E. Smith (1994) 

11) I Want You (Edit): Utah Saints (1993)

12) I Want You (Album Version): Cabaret Voltaire (1985)

13) I Want You (Cover of Bob Dylan): Phosphorescent (2016)

14) I Want You (Album Version): Elvis Costello & The Attractions (1986)

I Want You (Again & Again & Again) (54:24)
 

Black Swan To Blue Mountain

Bristol on the mix: Easton to Stokes Croft in seven steps.

 

1) Black Steel (In The Draw Mix By Substance) (Cover of Public Enemy): Tricky (1995)

2) Love Will Be On Your Side (Massive Attack Tabla Remix): Indo Animata (1996)

3) Roads (Monk & Canatella Remix): Portishead (2009)

4) Distorted Angel (Remix By Tricky): Elvis Costello & The Attractions (1996)

5) Spooned (Smith & Mighty Dusk Mix): Coldfeet (2001)

6) Burning (RSD aka Rob Smith Remix): Kakhand ft. Sizzla (2013)

7) Nefisa (Portishead Mix): Earthling (1995)

Black Swan To Blue Mountain (37:06)