It's been a long time coming but today sees the release of the first album for 8 years by The Bangles.The new album is entitled 'Sweetheart of the Sun'. Since the 2003 release of the brilliant 'Doll Revolution' things have been a bit quiet on the output front for the band. They did release a single in 2006 'Light My Way' (their first single for 3 years) but it failed to chart.
Light My Way (Single - not official video)
Anna Lee (Limited 7" Vinyl Release)
I Will Never Be Through With You (New Single September 2011)
The new album is produced by Matthew Sweet who in the past has collaborated with Susanna Hoffs. Tracks for the album were recorded at Sweet's home studio in the Hollywood Hills.
In 2003, Frank Stefanko released his book of photographs of Bruce Springsteen taken from 1978 to 1982. The photographs were from shooting sessions with Bruce and the E Street Band while working on album covers for Darkness on the Edge of Town, The River, and Nebraska. Along with many insightful and intimate images of Bruce and the Band, Frank invites the reader to join him at these sessions, writing a warm, narrative that places the reader at the scene, and gives you a perspective as if you were there.
The first edition of the book, printed as a softcover, sold out in the first few years -- copies have since appeared on eBay for big dollars. We are delighted to announce that, by popular demand, after a long wait, the second edition of Days of Hope and Dreams: An Intimate Portrait of Bruce Springsteen by Frank Stefanko (with an introduction by Bruce Springsteen, and a foreword by Chris Murray) will be released by Insight Editions in early September.
This new, second edition, unlike the first edition, will be a hardcover, coffee table edition with a new cover photograph. This will be the only change from the first edition. "Frank always shot your internal life. He let your external imperfections show. His photos had a purity and poetry; there was some humor in their laconicness. In the aftermath of Born to Run, he latched on to the very conflicts and ideas I was struggling to come to terms with. Who am I? Where do I go now? He showed me the people I was writing about in my songs. He showed me the part of me that was still one of them." -- from the Introduction by Bruce Springsteen Hardcover, 136 pages, 70 B&W photos, 18 color photos.
This was the tour that changed my perception of R.E.M. I heard this song on the radio and was stunned to find out that it was R.E.M. Went to the London show and was totally blown away.
From R.E.M. HQ website 21st September 2011: "To our Fans and Friends: As R.E.M., and as lifelong friends and co-conspirators, we have decided to call it a day as a band. We walk away with a great sense of gratitude, of finality, and of astonishment at all we have accomplished. To anyone who ever felt touched by our music, our deepest thanks for listening." R.E.M. In their own words: The guys share their thoughts on why now. MIKE "During our last tour, and while making Collapse Into Now and putting together this greatest hits retrospective, we started asking ourselves, 'what next'? Working through our music and memories from over three decades was a hell of a journey. We realized that these songs seemed to draw a natural line under the last 31 years of our working together. "We have always been a band in the truest sense of the word. Brothers who truly love, and respect, each other. We feel kind of like pioneers in this - there's no disharmony here, no falling-outs, no lawyers squaring-off. We've made this decision together, amicably and with each other's best interests at heart. The time just feels right." MICHAEL "A wise man once said--'the skill in attending a party is knowing when it's time to leave.' We built something extraordinary together. We did this thing. And now we're going to walk away from it. "I hope our fans realize this wasn't an easy decision; but all things must end, and we wanted to do it right, to do it our way. "We have to thank all the people who helped us be R.E.M. for these 31 years; our deepest gratitude to those who allowed us to do this. It's been amazing."
PETER "One of the things that was always so great about being in R.E.M. was the fact that the records and the songs we wrote meant as much to our fans as they did to us. It was, and still is, important to us to do right by you. Being a part of your lives has been an unbelievable gift. Thank you. "Mike, Michael, Bill, Bertis, and I walk away as great friends. I know I will be seeing them in the future, just as I know I will be seeing everyone who has followed us and supported us through the years. Even if it's only in the vinyl aisle of your local record store, or standing at the back of the club: watching a group of 19 year olds trying to change the world."
November 1985 saw the release of one of the most eagerly awaited debut albums ever. Throughout the year we had little tasters with three cracking singles ('Never Understand', 'You Trip Me Up' and the beautiful 'Just Like Honey'). The press had given the impression that these new wonders of the Indie Scene were just about riots at live shows and heavy duty feeback. But The Jesus and Mary Chain were so much more than that and the album 'Psychocandy' proved beyond doubt they were pioneering a new kind of sound. That sound combined The Beach Boys, The Shangri-Las, The Velvet Underground, the Phil Spector wall of sound and industrial noise makers Einstürzende Neubauten. Thrown together the end result was some of the most perfect pop to have ever been released (at least in my mind I think so). It's hard to believe that 'Psychocandy' only reached number 31 in the album charts (the follow up 'Darklands' would reach #5). Songs like 'The Living End','The Hardest Walk', 'Taste the Floor' and 'In A Hole' are just a few of the beautifully chaotic tunes that make 'Psychocandy' one of the best debut albums. Even today it still sounds so wonderfully uplifting. The reissue programme for The Jesus and Mary Chain looks like it might throw up some great material and if this first one is anything to go by then there's still so much to look forward to. One of the things on this Deluxe Edition that is priceless is The John Peel Session that has the band playing four songs Acoustic and these tracks a great reminder of just how good the band were back in the day and that their music didn't necessarily need all the feedback to stand up.
Disc: 1
1. Just Like Honey
2. The Living End
3. Taste The Floor
4. The Hardest Walk
5. Cut Dead
6. In A Hole
7. Taste Of Cindy
8. Never Understand
9. Inside Me
10. Sowing Seeds
11. My Little Underground
12. You Trip Me Up
13. Something's Wrong
14. It's So Hard
B-Sides
15. Suck - B-Side of 'Never Understand'
16. Ambition - B- Side of 'Never Understand'
17. Just Out Of Reach - B-Side of 'You Trip Me Up'
18. Boyfriend's Dead - B-Side of 'You Trip Me Up'
19. Head- B-Side of 'Just Like Honey'
20. Cracked - B-Side of 'Just Like Honey'
Disc: 2
Upside Down Single
1. Upside Down
2. Vegetable Man
October 1984 John Peel Session
3. In A Hole
4. You Trip Me Up
5. Never Understand
6. Taste The Floor
February 1985 John Peel Session
7. The Living End
8. Inside Me
9. Just Like Honey
October 1985 John Peel Session - Acoustic
10. Some Candy Talking
11. Psychocandy
12. You Trip Me Up
13. Cut Dead
Demos
14. Up Too High
15. Upside Down
16. Never Understand
17. Taste The Floor
18. In A Hole
19. Something's Wrong
20. Just Like Honey
21. The Living End
22. My Little Underground
Outtakes
23. Never Understand(Alternate version)
24. Jesus **** (Previously Unreleased)
Disc: 3
Promo Videos
1. Never Understand
2. You Trip Me Up
3. Just Like Honey
TV Appearances
4. In A Hole - Old Grey Whistle Test
5. Riot at North London Polytechnic - Interview and Live Clips
This is quite possibly the album of the year. I know there are other contenders, my own list includes 'Red Barked Tree' by Wire, 'England Sreaming' by The Hi-Fi Spitfires, 'Content' by Gang of Four, 'England Keep My Bones' by Frank Turner, and 'Walk The Walk, Talk the Talk' by The Headcat (just a few that could easily take the title of Best of the Year).
We all know Brian Fallon from The Gaslight Anthem and over the past couple of years they have produced some fascinating music so it was interesting to see him step out into a side project with his guitar tech Ian Perkins. You think about that for a moment...his guitar tech! Sounds like there is no hope that an album by that combination is going to work. But it does. Classic Rock Magaaine's Sian Llewellyn said that it is an album that is"steeped in sublime, gentle beauty." I heartily agree.
There are tracks that would seem to sit well in the canon of The Gaslight Anthem, and it's hard not to think of them when listening to the album. But last years 'American Slang' album, whilst good, did not feel like a good body of work and had it's brilliance in patches. 'Elsie' though sounds brilliant all the way through and feels like a complete work.
If you haven't heard it yet, I urge you, if you only get one more album this year, make it this one!
Interview
Cherry Blossoms Live Backstage
Behold The Hurricane (Debut Show at The Bowery Ballroom 9th September 2011)
I can't believe that I never posted about this night over here on my blogger page before, well better late than never I say!
Wednesday 25th May 2011 will live long in my memory as the day I joined The Alarm! "Are you kidding?" I hear you ask. It's totally true (see certificate below)
So, you are probably wondering how this all came about.
As part of the 30th Anniversary celebrations of The Alarm each night of the tour a new member was added to the band for one night only. Bids were placed (with the money going to Love Hope Strength Foundation) and the winner got the opportunity to come out on stage with the band to sing 'Love Hope Strength'. Some played Tambourines, others drums, and some guitar, whilst others just sang. I added two new instruments to Alarm history: A Kazoo and a Uklele! Was able to raise some good cash that would stay in Glasgow and go towards a Cancer Charity (and the bidding war was quite incredible and went right to the deadline).
Andy Labrow looked after me and got the band photos done in the dressing room. Got a bunch of stuff signed including the Uklele (which Mike insisted I took on stage with me) and some CD's (in particular one by a band called The Smart that James played in back in the 80's and there was much merriment over that!).
The Setlist for the show was pretty impressive:
Here's some footage from that night (apologies for the sound quality):
Strength
The Stand
Unbreak The Promise
Absolute Reality
Where Were You Hiding When The Storm Broke
Spirit of 76
68 Guns
I was a little bit nervous as the band ended their set with a mind blowing '68 Guns' knowing that I'd be up there any moment. After Mike gave his little introduction about Love Hope Strength Foundation he invited me onto the stage and what a great sight seeing The Alarm Crew warmly welcoming me to the fold.
To celebrate 15 Years of Fueled By Ramen Paramore played the first of three Anniversary shows in New York on Wednesday 7th September 2011. The performance is captured below.
The setlist was : Careful 0:00 - 3:00 For A Pessimist, I'm Pretty Optimistic 3:15 - 6:52 That's What You Get 7:00 - 10:31 Ignorance 11:31 - 15:15 Emergency 15:25 - 19:09 Playing God 19:33 - 22:33 Decode 22:47 - 26:55 In the Mourning/Landslide 28:32 - 32:45 My Heart 33:37 - 37:55 Crushcrushcrush 38:12 - 43:33 Monster 43:55 - 46:58 Here We Go Again 48:47 - 52:07 Pressure 52:18 - 58:33 Looking Up 58:36 - 1:02:02 The Only Exception 1:02:42 - 1:07:01 — Renegade 1:07:50 - 1:11:10 Brick By Boring Brick 1:11:27 - 1:15:35 Misery Business 1:15:39 - 1:21:46
• Tune-Yards – Gangsta
• Lykke Li – I Follow Rivers
• Cults – You Know What I Mean
• Santigold Feat. Karen O – Go
• Gwilym Gold – Flesh Freeze
• Black Milk Feat. Jack White – Royal Mega
• Suns – Armed For Peace
• WU LYF (Lucifer Youth Foundation) – Nic Cave
• Alex Turner – Hiding Tonight • The Vaccines – Good Guys Don’t Wear White
12. The Diodes – Child Star – 1978
13. Big Black – Kerosene – 1987
14. Mastodon – Crack The Skye – 2009
15. Aphrodite’s Child – The Four Hourseman – 1972
16. Bob Dylan – Mississippi – 2001
17. Girl Talk – Once Again – 2006 18. A Certain Ratio - Wild Party – 1985
• Crystal Japan – 1980
• Remembering Marie A – 1982
• Fly – 2003
• C’est La Vie – 1967
30 To 41 – Punk
• The Killjoys – Johnny Won’t Get To Heaven – 1977
• The Subterraneans – My Flamingo – 1980 • Penetration – Don’t Dictate – 1977
• Tom Robinson Band – Up Against The Wall – 1978
• Patrik Fitzgerald – Island Of Lost Souls – 1982 • The Rezillos – Top Of The Pops – 1978
• The Saints – This Perfect Day – 1977
• Buzzcocks – I Believe – 1980
• Crass – Shaved Women - 1979
• Ultravox! – Young Savage – 1977 • The Members – Offshore Banking Business/Pennies In The Pound – 1979
• The 101ers – Keys To Your Heart – 1976
42 To 91 – 50 From The 50’s
• Johnny Ace – The Clock – 1953
• Ruth Brown – Please Don’t Freeze – 1954
• The Big Bopper – Monkey Song (You Made A Monkey Out Of Me) – 1958
• Big Maybelle – One Monkey Don’t Stop No Show – 1954 • The Cadillacs – Gloria – 1954
• The Chantels – He’s Gone – 1957
• Bobby Charles – No Use Knocking – 1956
• The Checkers – I Wasn’t Thinking I Was Drinking – 1954
• Sanford Clarke – Son Of A Gun – 1959
• Sam (Dale) Cooke – Lovable – 1956 • The Davis Sisters – Rock-A-Bye Boogie – 1953
• Chuck Berry – Deep Feeling – 1957 • Fats Domino – You Done Me Wrong – 1954
• Esquerita – Rockin’ The Joint – 1958
• Bo Diddley – Heart-O-Matic Love – 1957
• Willie Dixon – 29 Ways – 1956
• Dinah Washington – Short John – 1954
• Billy ‘The Kid’ Emerson – When It Rains It Really Pours – 1955
• Charlie Feathers – Defrost Your Heart – 1956
• Eddie Fontaine – Nothin’ Shakin’ (But The Trees) – 1958
• Guitar Slim – The Things That I Used To Do – 1954
• The Drifters – What’cha Gonna Do? – 1955
• Screamin’ J Hawkins – She Put The Whamee On Me – 1955 • The Heartbeats – A Thousand Miles Away – 1957
• Howlin’ Wolf – You Gonna Wreak My Life – 1951
• Andre Williams – Down To Tijuana – 1956
• Rufus Thomas – Bear Cat – 1953
• Wanda Jackson – Mean Mean Woman – 1958
• Johnnie And Joe – Over The Mountain Across The Sea – 1957
• Lazy Lester – Sugar Coated Love – 1958
• Doctor Ross – The Boogie Disease – 1954
• Little Milton – If You Love Me Baby – 1954
• Little Richard – Hey Hey Hey Hey – 1958
• Magic Sam – 21 Days In Jail – 1957
• Percy Mayfield – Please Send Me Someone To Love – 1950
• Memphis Slim – Mother Earth – 1951
• Ricky Nelson – Waiting In School – 1958
• Willie Nix – Lonesome Bedroom Blues – 1952
• Ro Orbison – Go Go Go (Down The Line – 1956
• Carl Perkins – Dixie Fried – 1956
• Elvis Presley & Kitty White – Crawfish – 1958
• Charlie Rich – Rebound – 1959 • Jerry Lee Lewis – Put Me Down – 1958
• Billy Lee Riley – Flying Saucer’s Rock ‘N Roll – 1957
• The Spiders – I Did’nt Want To Do It – 1954
• Warren Smith – So Long I’m Gone – 1957
• Joe Tex – Pneumonia – 1956 • Big Mama Thornton – I Smell A Rat – 1954
• Ike Turner – She Made My Blood Run Cold – 1957
• Richie Valens – That’s My Little Suzie – 1958
92 – 101 PJ Harvey
• M-Bike – 1993
• Oh My Lover (Peel Session) – 1993
• Darling Be There – 1995
• 30 – 2000
• Primed And Ticking – 1993
• Rebecca – 1999
• Stone – 2004
• Claudine, The Inflatable One – 1996
• Naked Cousin – 1996
• You Come Through (Peel Session) – 2004
102. The Knife – This Is Now – 2004
103. Martin Carthy – Lord Franklin – 1966 104. Gillian Welch – Look At Miss Ohio – 2003
105. Peter Ivers – Terminal Love – 1974
106. The Microphones – The Moon – 2001
107. Syd Barrett – Octopus – 1970
108. Santo & Johnny – Sleep Walk – 1959
109. Big Flame – Why Pop Stars Can’t Dance – 1986
110 – 121 – Glam Rock
• The Rats – Turtle Love – 1974
• Hector – Wired Up – 1973
• Brett Smiley – Va Va Va Voom – 1974 • Mick Ronson – Angel No. 9 – 1975
• The Hammersmith Gorillas – You Really Got Me – 1974 • Suzi Quarto – 48 Crash - 1973
• Iron Virgin – Rebels Rule – 1974
• Milk ‘N Cookies – Little Lost & Innocent – 1975
• Bearded Lady – Rock Star – 1975
• The Jook – Aggravation Place – 1974
• Spiv – Oh You Beautiful Child – 1973
• Streak – Bang Bang Bullet – 1973
122 To 131 – Radiohead
• Nobody Does It Better – 1995
• Harry Patch (In Memory Of) – 2009
• 2HB (Venus In Furs) – 1998
• Rabbit In Your Headlights (Unkle) – 1998
• Big Boots – (AKA Man-O-War) – 1995
• Cinnamon Girl – 2001
• Nude – 1998
• Talk Show Host – 1996
• Follow Me Round – 2000
• Lift – 1996
132 To 151 – 1960’s Girl Groups
• The Marvelettes – The Day You Take One, You Have To Take The Other – 1967
• The Murmaids – Blue Dress
• The Ikettes – Peaches ‘N Cream – 1965
• The Gypsies – Jerk It – 1965
• The Dynells – Call On Me – 1968 • The Shags – My Pal Foot Foot – 1969
• The Cookies – Chains – 1962
• Reparata And The Delrons – I’m Nobody’s Baby Now – 1966
• The Orlons – Mama Didn’t Lie – 1963
• The Tammys – Egyptian Shumba – 1963
• The Exciters – Blowing Up My Mind – 1969
• Kelli And The Kittens – What Mama Don’t Know – 1964
• The Supremes – Stoned Love – 1970
• The Chantels – Swamp Water – 1963
• The Orchids – Love Hit Me – 1963
• The Blossoms – Lover Boy – 1966
• Ronnie Spector – Say Goodbye To Hollywood – 1977 • Martha And The Vandellas – Third Finger Left Hand – 1967
• Daughters Of Eve – Help Me Boy – 1967
• Gigi And The Charmaines – I Don’t Want To Lose Him – 1966
152 To 161 – Morrissey And The Smiths
• Jeane – 1984
• Please Help The Cause Against Loneliness (Demo) – 1989
• Interlude – 1994
• Piccadilly Palare (Long Version) – 1999
• How Soon Is Now? (Soundcheck Instrumental) – 1985
• Swallow On My Neck – 1995
• That’s Entertainment – 1991
• This Charming Man (Peel Session) – 1983
• Let Me Kiss You (Nancy Sinatra) – 2004
• Striptease With A Difference – 1998
162. Neil Young – Bound For Glory – 1985
163. Jc Carroll – Caveman Tv – 2008
164. Little Walter – Long Distance Call – 1951
165. Babe Ruth – Broken Cloud – 1973
166. The Angry Samones – Inside My Brain – 1980
167. John Cale – Heartbreak Hotel – 1975
168. Angie March – There Is No Such Place – 2001
169. The Wave Pictures – Leave The Scene Behind – 2008
170 To 181 – Soul
• Little Richard – Get Down With It - 1966
• Theola Kilgore – This Is My Prayer – 1963
• Syreeta – I Love Every Thing About You – 1972
• Sylvester & The Hot Band – Southern Man – 1973
• Dan Pen – If Love Was Money – 1973 • David Ruffin – I Want You Back – 1970
• Stoney And Meat Loaf – What You See Is What You Get – 1971
• Gwen Mccrae – 90% Of Me Is You – 1975
• The O’jays – Ship Ahoy – 1973 • Lou Bond – To The Establishment – 1974
• Ted Taylor – (Love Is Like A) Ramblin’ Rose – 1965
• Lee Moses – Day Tripper – 1967
182 To 191 – Blur
• Young And Lovely – 1993
• Luminous – 1991
• Never Closer – 1992
• The Man Who Left Himself – 1996
• Bone Bag – 1992
• Tame – 1996 • Dancehall – 1997
• Bustin’ + Dronin’ – 1997
• All We Want – 1999
• So You – 1999
192. Black Flag – Fix Me – 1978
193. Cheap Trick – I Want You To Want Me – 1977
194. Ron Wood – I Can Feel The Fire – 1974
195. Thee Oh Sees – Ruby Go Home – 2009 196. The Fifth Dimension – Go Where You Wanna Go – 1967
197. Chromatics – Night Drive – 2007
198. The Vaselines – The Day I Was A Horse – 1989
199. Kong – Wet Your Knives – 2009
• The Cowsills – The Rain, The Park And Other Things – 1967 • The Fun And Games – The Grooviest Girl In The World – 1969
• The Lemon Pipers – Green Tambourine – 1967
• 1910 Fruitgum Company – Goody Goody Gumdrops – 1968
• Jimmy Gilmer And Fireballs – Sugar Shack – 1963
• Crazy Elephant – Pam – 1969
• The Pussycats – Just A Little Teardrop – 1966
• Boyce & Heart – Alice Long – 1968
• The Archies – Jingle Jangle – 1969
• The Ohio Express – Down At Lulu’s – 1968 • Tommy James And The Shondells – Hanky Panky – 1966
• The Zig Zag People – Peel It Off Your Face – 1969
212 To 221 – Oasis
• Purple Parallelogram (Demo) – 1994 • Rock ‘N’ Roll Star – (Radio Session) – 1999
• Let’s All Make Believe – 2000
• Stop The Clocks (Demo) – 2001
• Don’t Look Back In Anger (SACD V6) – 1995
• You’ve Got The Heart Of A Star – 2003
• It’s A Crime – 2000
• If I Had A Gun – 2009
• Take Me – 1991
• Strange Thing (Demo) – 1993
222. Jeffrey Foucault – Ghost Repeater – 2006
223. The Hi-Lo’s – Fools Rush In – 1955
224. Randy Newman – I Think It’s Gonna Rain Today – 1968 225. Waylon Jennings – Dreaming My Dreams With You – 1975
226. The Flatanders – Bhagavan Decreed – 1990
227. Shit And Shine – When Extreme Dogs Go To Wrong – 2006 228. The Zombies – The Way I Feel Inside – 1966
229. Nico – It Was A Pleasure Then – 1967
230 To 241 – Krautrock
• Tangerine Dream – Birth Of Liquid Plejades – 1972
• Ash Ra Temple – Amboss – 1971
• La Dusseldorf – Dusseldorf – 1976
• Amon Duul II – Archangel Thunderbird – 1970
• Cluster – Hollywood – 1974
• Popol Vuh – In Den Garten Pharaos – 1971 • Can – Soul Desert – 1974
• Faust – Giggy Smile – 1973
• The Kyoto Imperial Court Music Orchestra – Etenraku – 2003
• Kraftwerk – Koln II – 1971
• Michael Rother – Sonnenrad – 1978
• Harmonia – Deluxe (Immer Wieder) 1975
242 To 251 – Neil Young
• Will To Live – 1977 • Ordinary People – 1988
• Crime In The City (Sixty To Zero Pt.1) – 1989
• Misfits – 1985
• Sample And Hold – 1982
• Over And Over – 1990
• Hitchhiker – 2010
• Cocaine Eyes – 1989 • Nothing Is Perfect – 1985
• Scenery – 1995
252 To 281 The 1980’s
• The Colourfield – Thinking Of You – 1983 • Propaganda – Duel – 1985
• A-Ha – I’ve Been Losing You – 1986 • Julian Cope – World Shut Your Mouth – 1986
• The Lotus Eaters – The First Picture Of You – 1983
• The Art Of Noise – Close (To The Edit) – 1985
• Fiction Factory – (Feels Like) Heaven – 1984 • The Go-Go’s We Got The Beat – 1980
• The Primitives – Crash – 1988
• The Darling Buds – Shame On You – 1988
• Transvision Vamp – Tell That Girl To Shut Up – 1988
• Kirsty Mccoll – A New England – 1984
• The Clash – This Is England – 1985
• Hipsway – The Honey Thief – 1986
• The Kane Gang – Closest Thing To Heaven – 1984
• Strawberry Switchblade – Since Yesterday – 1984
• Blancmange – Living On The Ceiling – 1982
• Abba – The Day Before You Came – 1982
• Bananarama – Cruel Summer – 1983
• Fat Larry’s Band – Zoom – 1982
• The Associates – Party Fears Two – 1982 • Aztec Camera – We Could Send Letters – 1981
• That Petrol Emotion – Big Decision – 1987
• Icicle Works – Love Is A Wonderful Colour – 1983
• Jane Wiedlin – Rush Hour – 1988
• A Flock Of Seagulls – Wishing (If I Had A Photograph Of You) – 1982 • Wah! – The Story Of The Blues (Part 1) – 1983
• Altered Images – Don’t Talk To Me About Love – 1983
• Dream Academy – Life In A Northern Town – 1983
• Omd – Souvenir – 1981
282 To 291 – Bob Dylan
• Percy’s Song – 1963
• Dirge – 1974
• When The Night Comes Falling From The Sky (E Street Band Ver) – 1985
• Cat’s In The Well – 1990
• Where Are You Tonight? (Journey Through Dark Heat) – 1978
• Red River Shore – 1997
• Brownsville Girl – 1986
• Dark Eyes – 1985
• Sign On The Window – 1970
• Series Of Dreams – 1989
292. Ian Mclagan – Never Say Never – 2008
293. Kris Kristofferson – Loving Her Was Easier – 1971
294. Yoko Ono – Why? – 1971 295. The Yardbirds – Heart Full Of Soul – 1965
296. Marilyn Manson – Dope Hat – 1992
297. The Vehicle Birth – Yankeedom – 1998
298. The Didjits – Jerry Lee – 1988
299. Big Chief – One Born Every Minute – 1993
• The Velvet Underground – I’m Not A Young Man Anymore – 1967
• Shuggie Otis – Inspiration Information – 1974
• Wimple Winch – Save My Soul – 1966 • The Byrds – Change Is Now – 1968
• The Factory – Try A Little Sunshine – 1969 • The 13th Floor Elevators – Wait For My Love – 1968
• The Riot Squad – Anytime – 1965
• Tintern Abbey – Vacume Cleaner – 1967
• Fenwyck – Mindrocker – 1967 • The Electric Prunes – Big City – 1967
• Pink Floyd – Vegetable Man – 1967
• The Syndicates – Crawdaddy Simone – 1965
312 To 321 – The Rolling Stones
• Travellin’ Man – 1970
• Too Many Cooks – 1973
• Diddley Daddy – 1963 • Drift Away – 1973
• Exile On Main St. Blues – 1972
• Empty Heart – 1964
• Cocaine (Keith Richards) – 1993
• Andrews Blues – 1964
• Blood Red Wine – 1968
• Claudine – 1977
322. J Dilla – Won’t Do – 2006
323. The Roches – Hammond Song – 1979
324. Humphrey Lyttelton – Bad Penny Blues – 1956
325. Bernard Herrmann – Sisters (Main Title) – 1973
326. The Abyssinan Baptist Choir – He Stays In My Room – 1960
327. The Kills – Gypsy Death & You – 2003 328. Motorhead – Born To Raise Hell – 1994
329. Cauldron – Torture’s Too Kind – 2007
330 To 339 - Arctic Monkeys
• Diamonds Are Forever – 2009
• Love Machine – 2006
• Curtains Close – 2004
• Bigger Boys And Stolen Sweethearts – 2005
• Piledriver Waltz (Alex Turner) – 2011
• The Bakery – 2007
• Mardy Bum (Acoustic) – 2005
• Cornerstone (Acoustic) – 2009
• 7 – 2006
• Baby I’m Yours – 2006
340. Wire – Outdoor Miner – 1979
341. Brother Ali – Daylight – 2007
342. Gong – Selene – 1973
343. Harold Melvin – If You Don’t Know Me By Now – 1972
344. Charles Aznavour – What Makes A Man – 1974 345. Matt Johnson – Red Cinders In The Sand – 1981 (It's released under the banner of The The)
346. Roland Kirk – The Inflated Tear – 1968
347. Jacques Brel – Ne Me Quitte Pas – 1959
348 To 359 – Hip-Hop
• Blak Twang – Real Estate – 1996
• Word Of Mouth Feat. Dj Cheese – Coast To Coast – 1986
• Sean Price & Agallah – Telemundo – 2002
• Shabaam Sahdeeq – 5 Star Generals – 1998
• Ultramagnetic Mcs – Chorus Line – 1986
• Me Phe Me – Keep It Goin’ – 1992
• Steady B – Let The Hustlers Play – 1988
• Siah And Yeshua Dapoed – A Day Like Any Other – 1996
• Kool G Rap And Dj Polo – Ricers Island – 1987
• Sindecut Posse – Sindecut’s Kickin’ Yeah! – 1987
• Jedi Mind Tricks Feat. Ra The Rugged Man – 2006
• Mc Evidence – Searching 4 Bobby Fisher – 2001
360 To 369 – Kate Bush
• Under The Ivy – 1985
• Sexual Healing – 2005
• Another Day – 1979
• You (The Game Pt. II) – 1980
• Lord Of The Reedy River – 1981
• Ran Tan Waltz – 1980
• December Will Be Magic Again – 1980
• Playing Canasta In Cold Rooms – 1977
• You Want Alchemy – 1994
• Warm & Soothing – 1980
370 To 389 - 1990’s B Sides
• Smashing Pumpkins – Starla – 1990
• Super Furry Animals – Calimero – 1997
• Suede – Feel – 1997
• Kenickie – Can I Take U To The Cinema? – 1997
• Gene – I Can’t Decide If She Really Loves Me – 1994
• Elastica – No Good – 2001
• The Stone Roses – Mersey Paradise – 1989
• Ride – Let’s Get Lost – 1994
• R.E.M. – It’s A Free World Baby – 1992
• The Boo Radleys – (I Wanna Be) Touchdown Jesus – 1994
• The Verve – I See The Door – 1995
• Teenage Fanclub – The Shadows – 1995
• The Cure – Halo – 1992 • Pulp – We Are The Boys – 1998
• My Bloody Valentine – Don’t Ask Why – 1990 • Manic Street Preachers – Donkeys – 1993
• Spritualized – I Think I’m In Love (Chemical Brothers Remix) – 1998
• Supergrass – Wait For The Sun – 1995
• Primal Scream – When The Kingdom Comes – 2000 • Saint Etienne – I Buy American Records – 1994
390 To 399 – The White Stripes
• Rated X – 2010 • Looking At You – 1998
• Who’s A Big Baby – 2005
• Signed Dc – 2011
• Candy Cane Children – 2002
• Red Bowling Ball Ruth – 1998
• Conquista – 2007 • It’s My Fault For Being Famous – 2007
• Cash Grab Complications On The Matter – 2007
• Lovesick – 2002
It's a rather strange list and oddly put together. There are some songs of interest to myself among the 501 Songs but there are also things that I care little for. What I'll do in posting the complete list is to post a couple of videos here and there of tunes that are worthwhile checking out. I'm not convinced that I "need to hear" these songs "now" and some of them I do not wish to hear at all. It's my choice that matters and I'm sure that you, the reader will have differing tastes. So check them out for yourself.
401. Pete Rock And Cl Smooth – They Reminisce Over You (Troy) – 1992
402. Cardinal – Last Poems – 1994
403. The Field Mice – Canada – 1990
404. Atlas Strategic – Smooth Nights – 2002
405. Skinnyman – Loves Gone From The Street – 2004
406. The Kossy Sisters – Bowling Green – 1956
407. Black Rebel Motorcycle Club – Fault Line – 2005
408 To 419 – Metal
• Marilyn Manson – Burning Flag – 2000
• Bring Me The Horizon – Who Wants Flowers When You’re Dead? Nobody – 2004
• Nine Inch Nales – Last – 1992 • Glass Jaw – Babe – 1998
• Tank – Shellshock – 1987
• Diamondhead – Borrowed Time – 1982
• Slipknot – Snap – 2003
• System Of A Down – I-E-A-I-A-I-O – 2002
• Deftones – Teething – 1996
• Metallica – Wasting My Hate – 1996
• AFI – This Time Imperfect – 2003
• Korn – Hollow Life – 2002
420 To 429 – The La’s
• When Will I See You Again? – 1990
• Tears In The Rain (Kitchen Tape Version) – 1989
• Was It Something I Said? – 1990
• I Am The Key (Key 103 Version) – 1989
• Rebound (Live At The Marquee) – 1990
• Who Knows – 1988 • Over (Liz Kershaw Sessions) – 1988
• Ride Yer Camel – 1989
• Callin’ All (Mick Moss Version) – 1987
• Tears In The Rain (Lost La’s Version) – 1986
430. Mark Lanegan – Mockingbirds – 1990
431. Chrisma – C-Rock – 1977
432. Rowland S Howard – Autoluminescent – 1999
433. In Flagranti – Brash & Vulgar – 2009
434 To 443 – Nirvana
• I Hate Myself And Want To Die – 1993
• Marigold – 1990
• Do Re Mi – 2004
• Bambi Slaughter (Fecal Matter) – 1985
• Moist Vagina – 1993
• Stain – 1989
• D7 – 1990
• Beans – 1988
• Opinion – 1990
• The Priest They Called Him – 1993
444 To 455 – Pop
• The Cardigans – For What It’s Worth – 2003
• Staygold – Feat. Robyn, Spank Rock – Backseat – 2010
• Robbie Williams – She’s Madonna – 2007
• Annie/Anthonio – Anthonio/Annie – 2009
• Gwen Stefani – The Real Thing – 2004
• Kelis – Young, Fresh N’ New – 2001
• Aaliya – We Need A Resolution – 2001
• Girls Aloud – Hoxton Heroes – 2008
• Performance – Surrender – 2005
• Ladytron – Destroy Everything You Touch – 2005
• Groove Armada – Song 4 Mut Ya (Out Of Control) – 2007
• Santogold Feat. Amanda Blank – I’m A Lady (Diplo Remix) – 2008
456 To 475 – The Libertines
• Smashing – 2001
• Never Never (Hancock Ver) (Pete Doherty) - 2000
• F*** Forever – (Radio One Evening Session) (Babyshambles) - 2004
• Seven Deadly Sins – 2003
• Songs They Never Play (Acoustic Demo) (Pete Doherty) – 2007
• Plan A – 2002
• Love On The Dole – 1999
• Albion (The Babyshambles Sessions) – 2003
• All At Sea – 2003
• ½ Cocked Boy – 2003
• The Whole World Is Our Playground (Pete Doherty) – 2004
• Hooligans On E (Demo) (Pete Doherty) – 2004
• Break Road Lover – 1999
• Who’s Got The Crack – 2003
• East Of Eden (Freewheelin’) (Pete Docherty) – 2004
• Ballad Of Grimaldi – 2000
• Bowhemia (Pete Doherty) – 1998
• Gang Of Gin – 2004
• At The Flophouse (Pete Doherty) – 2004
• The Delaney – 2002
476 To 487 – Electronica
• DJ Shadow – Building Steam With A Grain Of Salt – 1996 • Ultravox! – Hiroshima Mon Amour – 1977
• Arthur Russell – Our Last Night Together – 1986
• Phuture – Acid Tracks – 1987
• Fridge – Long Singing – 2001
• Cybotron – Alleys Of Your Mind – 1981
• Marshall Jefferson – Move Your Body – 1986
• Terry Riley – In C – 1968
• The Oscillation – Out Of Phase – 2007
• Rhythim Is Rhythim – Strings Of Life – 1987
• The Dice Man – Polygon Window – 1992
• Brian Eno & Robert Fripp – The Heavenly Music Corporation – 1973
488 To 497 – The Kinks
• Art Lover (Remix) – 1981
• Victoria (Bbc Session) – 1969
• Ballad Of The Virgin Soldiers – 1966
• Waterloo Sunset (Damon Albarn & Ray Davis) 1995 • All Night Stand (Demo) – 1965
• She’s Got Everything – 1968
• Susannah’s Still Alive – 1967
• This I Know (Demo) – 1965
• This Strange Effect – 1965
• When I Turn Off The Living Room Light – 1969
498. The National – Baby, We’ll Be Fine – 2005
499. Slowdive – Catch The Breeze – 1991
500. Cyan & Ben – A Moment Nowhere – 2004
501. Super Furry Animals – Smokin’ – 1998
So Kim Wilde is about to release a brand new album called 'Snapshots' (on September 13th) and from what I've heard and what the sample clips below it's a bit of a shocker! The four songs below are actually ones that I love and was horrified by what she has done to them. Whilst I admit that I care little for covers of East 17, The Sugarbabes, and Erasure, these four tracks below I find just shocking!
I have only one question for Kim Wilde, WHY DID YOU RUIN THESE WONDERFUL SONGS?
Mention the name Andy Kershaw and a couple of things will be said, I guarantee. Firstly, "he's the bloke who played all that jingle jangle guitar music back in the 1980's!" and secondly, "Oh him, didn't he just play unintelligable music from Africa and other places and after his show we had to endure that awful racket from John Peel!" Well, those things are partly true and of course they do get spoken about in Andy Kershaw's Autobiography 'No Off Switch', but there is actually more to the man than just music as I discovered reading the book (it arrived on Monday and I finished it today - totally captivating). The first part of the book deals with Kershaw's time at Leeds University and then his time on Radio 1, The Whistle Test and doing Live Aid (which is such a funny tale...poor old John Hurt!). A lot of that stuff I probably knew about before reading but what I hadn't known was that Kershaw was so madly passionate about the music he played on his shows. He was nothing like the usual daytime jocks and whilst the BBC thought they were getting a "Rock DJ" Andy was able to bring to the world's attention music that spanned the globe. I will forever be indebted to Andy Kershaw for introducing me to the music of Ted Hawkins and I love it how Andy tells the tale of Ted's first show at the 100 Club in Oxford Street. It is actually the second part of the book that made me sit up and take notice because not being a person who listened to Radio 4 or Radio 3 I had no prior knowledge that Andy Kershaw had been a travelling man. The tales from Rwanda, North Korea and other parts of the world were incredible to read about. Kershaw's brutal honesty about the sometimes dicey situations he found himself in were often humourous but also quite thought provoking. His experience of being in Rwanda and discovering dead bodies and of the devastation caused by landmines is both shocking and insightful. One of the things that really stood out in the book for me was the honesty of heart that Andy Kershaw displayed in this book. It would be so easy to write a book that left out all the "warts" but it would not have been an authentic book! When he made a mess of things in his life he comes out and says "I messed up". The final two chapters of the book though I think actually make the book as good as it is. It is gut wrenching and heartbreaking to read of the difficulties that he went through dealing with not being able to see his kids, and though he doesn't say a lot about it, his time in prison I'm sure added weight to that situation. So it is with a huge sense of relief to the reader (and even bigger sense of relief to Andy Kershaw) that the book ends on a high note with Andy back in touch with his children (his boy living with him) and him back in the world of Radio 3 and broadcasting. If you read only one Autobiography this year, make it this one. It's time well spent. Buy "No Off Switch" from Amazon
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