A group of us students "borrowed" the minibus from Newlands Park College and drove over to see the gig.
Much alcohol was consumed on the way and so memories of the gig itself are a bit hazy. Although it couldn't have been that bad as the bootlegs sounded good.
First off was always going to be something from The Residents but took a while to decide what (for a long while I was going with The Booker Tease, but it’s not really in my top 100 Residents songs so in the end went with ‘classic’ Residents). They are my musical equivalent of WWFC for over 45 years. Some of there stuff hasn’t worked but all of it has been interesting, sometimes amazing, mostly unique and my life has been all the more richer for their presence (and bank account poorer).
The easiest choice for me. The best opening few notes and the best opening few words to the best opening track of the best album ever released. I’ve listened to it thousands of times and it always sends shivers down my spine.
Like others, choosing the third choice is near impossible given who I need to exclude. I’ve gone with Janelle Monae as I find her one of the most interesting and exciting multi-talented artists out there at the moment. She is also commendably bonkers
@bookertease How could I resist such a kind request? I have decided to try and be the anti-@trevor and only post when we win.
As others have said....I would struggle to get it down to seven for Desert Island Discs but these are three of the records I turn to time and time again to remind me why I like music. None of them make me look particularly windswept and interesting though...and it could be three different ones tomorrow.
Hippy Hippy Shake - Swinging Blue Jeans
When my uncles decided that albums were the future we got all of their 60s singles which we played and played, stacked high on the radiogramme spindle. Being very young (ahem!), except for the Beatles, we were fuzzy about some of the other turns and had no real idea of the As and B sides so we often took to some of the flipsides of hits rather than the famous ones. This one always stuck out for us though...despite lots of people covering it at the time...the energy on this and the guitar solo still shake me out of any stupor.
(see also Bus Stop - Hollies & Tin Soldier by The Small Faces)
Sense of Purpose - The Sound.
Great song from an underrated band (contemporaries of the Bunnymen) from one of my favourite albums From the Lion's Mouth. (also very underrated). They faced the usual struggles for success and record company support with diminishing returns. Also one of those lyrics (among others) which, like Ian Curtis perhaps, hinted at the fragile mental health of lead singer Adrian Borland, who did for himself on a train-line in the 90s. Worth a listen...not as depressing as I've made it sound. Honest. One of the bands I always seemed to just miss seeing live.
Gloria- U2
Not hip I know but a stunning piece of new-wave guitar rock for me...a bit God-y I admit but long before Bono got too earnest and the in between song lectures took off. He just jumped around to this...as we all did.
I never saw Joy Division either...but as a student in Manchester in the 1980s, I saw New Order a lot, The Smiths and The Stone Roses before they became the vanguard of the baggy generation.
I've lost track who has contributed...shall I say @EwanHoosaami ?
@Wendoverman The Small Faces, by any chance? Great post: (1) Because of interesting choices, but mainly (2) for having the young generation rushing to Google to see what a radiogramme spindle was. Made my day.
Hah, I've been wondering who would nominate me and I guessed it would be my fellow crisp muncher! Please allow me until the morning and I will respond.
PS: I am not as "into" music as it would appear that many of you are, but I will come up with 3. Problem being my very eclectic likes of sounds which many of you will possibly make you spit your crisps out, if you eat them of course, so hope that some of you will find my selection acceptable?
There was a pub I found somewhere round Camden way that had it on their jukebox (the old 7inch singles one). Was fun to play it! Can be an acquired taste but worth acquiring I found.
The B side of Siouxsie & The Banshees Hong Kong Garden (Voices) was also an excellent jukebox option back in the day.
(And I am as surprised as anyone that no-one has actually smashed my head in against a pub wall)
Inevitably I've given Siouxsie & The Banshees a whirl (yes, I saw what you did there) and I'm sure it would go down well in plenty of pubs. I agree that it's odd you've never been beaten up for playing The Residents but if it's going to be acceptable anywhere it would be Camden.
Thoroughly enjoyed being reminded of Patti Smith & being re-introduced to Janelle Monae - I will have to root through my collection & see if I have any of theirs (I am fairly sure I have Horses, the real question is going to be where did I put it...)
God lord when I searched on YouTube for The Sound - the first clip was from The Old Grey Whistle Test & made me feel decidedly old and nostalgic, damn fine tune by the way.
Wendoverman I share your view of U2 - early albums are great but then Bono disappeared up his own ass & they turned into pretentious twats.
@Erroll_Sims though I had heard the first album, I went out and bought both after seeing that very performance on Whistle Test. Exciting debut, excellent 2nd album but sadly stuck two fingers up to the record company asking for hits with a 'difficult' third album. Lacking the comparative visual appeal for the music inkies of your U2s and your Bunnymen like the Comsats they spent years trying to find a way to turn a small.but dedicated following into a successful mainstream audience to no avail. @Chris they are worth a listen to be sure. As far as I know...they were a chino free zone.
@Erroll_Sims U2 live in the early 80s were brilliant. I think even Bono accepts the other three have considered him a bellend at various stages of their long career. @our_frank I fear I have seriously dated myself. It wasn't even a trendy Dansette.
Did the Dansette have spindle stacking? I had a Decca autodeccalian for a time in the late ‘sixties - a light blue box with a cream honeycomb plastic grill at the front and 18” screw-in legs. Beautiful sound but not quite as good as the Pye Black Box which I think I couldn’t afford at the time.
Radiogrammes of course were much larger and, as the name suggests, incorporated a radio tuner, usually with short,
That’s a Deccalian 88. My autodeccalian had a stacking spindle. Get me.
1st time at Friars supporting (I think) Rory Gallagher and they were like a poor man's Police (if that is possible)
Then saw them a year later supported by Altered Images and the same songs sounded so much better.
Then saw them at the Bowl in that northern Bucks town supported by the pretentious REM and the stunning Ramones and they were excellent.
Finally saw them at Wembley Arena in 1985 (Unforgettable Fire Tour) and Bono could have read the phonebook and the audience would have screamed. He called in his performance, talked pretentious bollocks and I have steered clear of them since.
However, I still enjoy listening to "The Electric Co"
I was at that concert at the bowl. Completely forgotten the Ramones being there. All I remember was it pissing down with rain and being a pretty unenjoyable afternoon/evening. The highlight being U2s impromptu (I assume) cover of the Beatles Rain.
OK, here goes. I have thought long overnight about this. Some have said that music can very often be about moods, a sentiment I agree with. In this case though, when you get to a "certain" age, its things that trigger memories, good & bad and I am of that age! Given my tastes range from Gospel Choirs, Popular, Classical, weird stuff like Medwyn Goodall, (not strictly my taste but when you do what I do for a living, some of my clients like it), Clannad same again, it has been a difficult subject to pick a top three. As I stated earlier it's my mood that reflects my choices so tomorrow could well be different!
1) Reminds me of my departed dad, (I am the 1st UK born of an Irish family, though conceived in Eire apparently). Strictly speaking I know it's predominantly Scottish but it has its origins in Celtic folklore. I remember when my dad used to take me back to Ireland for the summer holidays back in the late 60s/early 70s and it was a popular song sung in the bars by anyone who cared to sing after a few pints of Guinness. Wild Mountain Thyme or Will Ye go Lassie go. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SVQkdV4GwLc
2) One of my final years at Chesham Technical High School coupled with my 1st proper snog/girlfriend. I personally thought he was ahead of his time but not a popular choice with my peers at that moment. I have since been to where the site of his fatal car accident, as my dad lived just up the road from there and my daughter went to Roehampton University. T-Rex with Jeepster. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U8kGuZMHycU
3) Finally, this reminds me of the midweek drive to Col U, (apologies for the bad language), only to arrive & find the game postponed due to snow/frost. We went in to a pub for a quick pint before the drive back and this band was playing on the jukebox. What a great discovery, couldn't get the song out of my head and the next day bought the album and been an admirer ever since. Levellers with Men-An-Tol. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xdij1tzmaVk
Apologies for any offence caused by my selection, tomorrow it could be different!
Nearly forgot, I nominate @glasshalffull for the next pick. 🤷♂️
Jimi said that about half a dozen people if memory serves me correctly.
Never thought much of Rory Gallagher's studio output but live on stage he came alive (if you pardon the pun). It really was like the guitar was an extension of his body.
I suggest listening to the "Irish Tour74" album to get an introduction to him.
@EwanHoosaami thank you for the Corries tune, it too reminded me of my Dad, I grew up in a house where my Mum played a mixture of Irish rebel songs & church music (she was from a lowland scots catholic family with Irish roots) & Dad played scottish folk, pipe bands & country & western (he was a lowland scots protestant but the family had roots in the highland clearances). Whilst she seemed to appreciate much of her 4 sons musical choices, I think Dad generally hated most of it especially heavy rock & "reggie" as he called reggae.
@EwanHoosaami it's not like you claimed Making Your Mind up by Bucks Fizz was a classic...now that might have caused some doors to slam...no matter how good the production.
On an tangent, I saw the Elvis film the other day (which is great entertainment) but the eye-opener was at the end when they played some archive of The Pelvis at one of his final concerts (during the pill and hamburger on the toilet days) and I realised the 40 year old Fat Elvis we all were shocked and stunned by in 1977, looks positively svelte by modern standards.
Comments
Can't wait for your memoir: 'Tinbaths and Vespas'
I was there.
A group of us students "borrowed" the minibus from Newlands Park College and drove over to see the gig.
Much alcohol was consumed on the way and so memories of the gig itself are a bit hazy. Although it couldn't have been that bad as the bootlegs sounded good.
So…
The Residents - Satisfaction
First off was always going to be something from The Residents but took a while to decide what (for a long while I was going with The Booker Tease, but it’s not really in my top 100 Residents songs so in the end went with ‘classic’ Residents). They are my musical equivalent of WWFC for over 45 years. Some of there stuff hasn’t worked but all of it has been interesting, sometimes amazing, mostly unique and my life has been all the more richer for their presence (and bank account poorer).
https://youtu.be/9i-P73kUrt4
Patti Smith - Gloria
The easiest choice for me. The best opening few notes and the best opening few words to the best opening track of the best album ever released. I’ve listened to it thousands of times and it always sends shivers down my spine.
https://youtu.be/bPO0bTaWcFQ
Janelle Monae - Come Alive
Like others, choosing the third choice is near impossible given who I need to exclude. I’ve gone with Janelle Monae as I find her one of the most interesting and exciting multi-talented artists out there at the moment. She is also commendably bonkers
https://youtu.be/mOLFLabmffA
@Wendoverman
It is an absolute pleasure to see you back on here and would love to pass the baton of this thread on to you.
About time we had some Paper Lace.
@bookertease How could I resist such a kind request? I have decided to try and be the anti-@trevor and only post when we win.
As others have said....I would struggle to get it down to seven for Desert Island Discs but these are three of the records I turn to time and time again to remind me why I like music. None of them make me look particularly windswept and interesting though...and it could be three different ones tomorrow.
Hippy Hippy Shake - Swinging Blue Jeans
When my uncles decided that albums were the future we got all of their 60s singles which we played and played, stacked high on the radiogramme spindle. Being very young (ahem!), except for the Beatles, we were fuzzy about some of the other turns and had no real idea of the As and B sides so we often took to some of the flipsides of hits rather than the famous ones. This one always stuck out for us though...despite lots of people covering it at the time...the energy on this and the guitar solo still shake me out of any stupor.
(see also Bus Stop - Hollies & Tin Soldier by The Small Faces)
Sense of Purpose - The Sound.
Great song from an underrated band (contemporaries of the Bunnymen) from one of my favourite albums From the Lion's Mouth. (also very underrated). They faced the usual struggles for success and record company support with diminishing returns. Also one of those lyrics (among others) which, like Ian Curtis perhaps, hinted at the fragile mental health of lead singer Adrian Borland, who did for himself on a train-line in the 90s. Worth a listen...not as depressing as I've made it sound. Honest. One of the bands I always seemed to just miss seeing live.
Gloria- U2
Not hip I know but a stunning piece of new-wave guitar rock for me...a bit God-y I admit but long before Bono got too earnest and the in between song lectures took off. He just jumped around to this...as we all did.
I never saw Joy Division either...but as a student in Manchester in the 1980s, I saw New Order a lot, The Smiths and The Stone Roses before they became the vanguard of the baggy generation.
I've lost track who has contributed...shall I say @EwanHoosaami ?
@Wendoverman The Small Faces, by any chance? Great post: (1) Because of interesting choices, but mainly (2) for having the young generation rushing to Google to see what a radiogramme spindle was. Made my day.
The Residents - Satisfaction
Well that was different, @bookertease. I couldn't imagine choosing to listen to it but definitely interesting.
I’ve never heard of the Sound before but they seem like exactly my kind of thing.
Hah, I've been wondering who would nominate me and I guessed it would be my fellow crisp muncher! Please allow me until the morning and I will respond.
PS: I am not as "into" music as it would appear that many of you are, but I will come up with 3. Problem being my very eclectic likes of sounds which many of you will possibly make you spit your crisps out, if you eat them of course, so hope that some of you will find my selection acceptable?
There was a pub I found somewhere round Camden way that had it on their jukebox (the old 7inch singles one). Was fun to play it! Can be an acquired taste but worth acquiring I found.
The B side of Siouxsie & The Banshees Hong Kong Garden (Voices) was also an excellent jukebox option back in the day.
(And I am as surprised as anyone that no-one has actually smashed my head in against a pub wall)
Inevitably I've given Siouxsie & The Banshees a whirl (yes, I saw what you did there) and I'm sure it would go down well in plenty of pubs. I agree that it's odd you've never been beaten up for playing The Residents but if it's going to be acceptable anywhere it would be Camden.
@EwanHoosaami there are no right or wrong answers
Thanks @bookertease & @Wendoverman
Thoroughly enjoyed being reminded of Patti Smith & being re-introduced to Janelle Monae - I will have to root through my collection & see if I have any of theirs (I am fairly sure I have Horses, the real question is going to be where did I put it...)
God lord when I searched on YouTube for The Sound - the first clip was from The Old Grey Whistle Test & made me feel decidedly old and nostalgic, damn fine tune by the way.
Wendoverman I share your view of U2 - early albums are great but then Bono disappeared up his own ass & they turned into pretentious twats.
@Erroll_Sims though I had heard the first album, I went out and bought both after seeing that very performance on Whistle Test. Exciting debut, excellent 2nd album but sadly stuck two fingers up to the record company asking for hits with a 'difficult' third album. Lacking the comparative visual appeal for the music inkies of your U2s and your Bunnymen like the Comsats they spent years trying to find a way to turn a small.but dedicated following into a successful mainstream audience to no avail. @Chris they are worth a listen to be sure. As far as I know...they were a chino free zone.
@Erroll_Sims U2 live in the early 80s were brilliant. I think even Bono accepts the other three have considered him a bellend at various stages of their long career. @our_frank I fear I have seriously dated myself. It wasn't even a trendy Dansette.
Did the Dansette have spindle stacking? I had a Decca autodeccalian for a time in the late ‘sixties - a light blue box with a cream honeycomb plastic grill at the front and 18” screw-in legs. Beautiful sound but not quite as good as the Pye Black Box which I think I couldn’t afford at the time.
Radiogrammes of course were much larger and, as the name suggests, incorporated a radio tuner, usually with short,
That’s a Deccalian 88. My autodeccalian had a stacking spindle. Get me.
https://audiogold.co.uk/product/pye-black-box/
9 Below Zero at the Hammersmith Palais my first proper and still one of my all time favourite gigs
My Chinese friend begs to differ.
I saw U2 a few times.
1st time at Friars supporting (I think) Rory Gallagher and they were like a poor man's Police (if that is possible)
Then saw them a year later supported by Altered Images and the same songs sounded so much better.
Then saw them at the Bowl in that northern Bucks town supported by the pretentious REM and the stunning Ramones and they were excellent.
Finally saw them at Wembley Arena in 1985 (Unforgettable Fire Tour) and Bono could have read the phonebook and the audience would have screamed. He called in his performance, talked pretentious bollocks and I have steered clear of them since.
However, I still enjoy listening to "The Electric Co"
Was Rory as good as Jimi had suggested?
I was at that concert at the bowl. Completely forgotten the Ramones being there. All I remember was it pissing down with rain and being a pretty unenjoyable afternoon/evening. The highlight being U2s impromptu (I assume) cover of the Beatles Rain.
OK, here goes. I have thought long overnight about this. Some have said that music can very often be about moods, a sentiment I agree with. In this case though, when you get to a "certain" age, its things that trigger memories, good & bad and I am of that age! Given my tastes range from Gospel Choirs, Popular, Classical, weird stuff like Medwyn Goodall, (not strictly my taste but when you do what I do for a living, some of my clients like it), Clannad same again, it has been a difficult subject to pick a top three. As I stated earlier it's my mood that reflects my choices so tomorrow could well be different!
1) Reminds me of my departed dad, (I am the 1st UK born of an Irish family, though conceived in Eire apparently). Strictly speaking I know it's predominantly Scottish but it has its origins in Celtic folklore. I remember when my dad used to take me back to Ireland for the summer holidays back in the late 60s/early 70s and it was a popular song sung in the bars by anyone who cared to sing after a few pints of Guinness. Wild Mountain Thyme or Will Ye go Lassie go. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SVQkdV4GwLc
2) One of my final years at Chesham Technical High School coupled with my 1st proper snog/girlfriend. I personally thought he was ahead of his time but not a popular choice with my peers at that moment. I have since been to where the site of his fatal car accident, as my dad lived just up the road from there and my daughter went to Roehampton University. T-Rex with Jeepster. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U8kGuZMHycU
3) Finally, this reminds me of the midweek drive to Col U, (apologies for the bad language), only to arrive & find the game postponed due to snow/frost. We went in to a pub for a quick pint before the drive back and this band was playing on the jukebox. What a great discovery, couldn't get the song out of my head and the next day bought the album and been an admirer ever since. Levellers with Men-An-Tol. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xdij1tzmaVk
Apologies for any offence caused by my selection, tomorrow it could be different!
Nearly forgot, I nominate @glasshalffull for the next pick. 🤷♂️
No, he was not the best guitarist in the world.
Jimi said that about half a dozen people if memory serves me correctly.
Never thought much of Rory Gallagher's studio output but live on stage he came alive (if you pardon the pun). It really was like the guitar was an extension of his body.
I suggest listening to the "Irish Tour74" album to get an introduction to him.
@EwanHoosaami thank you for the Corries tune, it too reminded me of my Dad, I grew up in a house where my Mum played a mixture of Irish rebel songs & church music (she was from a lowland scots catholic family with Irish roots) & Dad played scottish folk, pipe bands & country & western (he was a lowland scots protestant but the family had roots in the highland clearances). Whilst she seemed to appreciate much of her 4 sons musical choices, I think Dad generally hated most of it especially heavy rock & "reggie" as he called reggae.
Don’t go apologising for any offence @EwanHoosaami - this is a thread about songs or music that matter to you.
And no-one in the world could possibly be offended by anything the Levellers ever do. A fine, fine band
After one of their gigs, The Levellers once turned up at my then-girlfriend's flat when she was having a party. I turned them away.
I was at the Joy Division gig, support may have been Killing Joke.
I believe one of them went to the RGS.
I have a bootleg of the gig signed by Bernard, my son is greamates with his son.
Great to see The Corries mentioned @EwanHoosaami . No other band reminds me of my childhood as much as they do.
I think you win the thread
@EwanHoosaami it's not like you claimed Making Your Mind up by Bucks Fizz was a classic...now that might have caused some doors to slam...no matter how good the production.
On an tangent, I saw the Elvis film the other day (which is great entertainment) but the eye-opener was at the end when they played some archive of The Pelvis at one of his final concerts (during the pill and hamburger on the toilet days) and I realised the 40 year old Fat Elvis we all were shocked and stunned by in 1977, looks positively svelte by modern standards.