Give Stupidity A Chance - Pet Shop Boys from the EP 'Agenda' x2 Recordings Digital Release 8th February 2019 To be Released on CD with the book 'Annually' and 12" Vinyl 12th April 2019
It's only every once in awhile that I dip in and see what the Pet Shop Boys are up to. There are a few songs over the years that have caught my attention but I have to admit to not being a huge fan who buys everything (mainly just the compilations). So I was quite taken with their latest release, an EP called 'Agenda' and especially the opening track 'Give Stupidity A Chance'.
Pet Shop Boys have that uncanny ability to take a very serious issue and actually make a statement in a very pop style without being over the top about it. Lyrically, 'Give Stupidity A Chance', is a fantastic insight into the world as we know it today with the wrong people in power making the dumbest decisions for the many.
I have to say that I'm pretty impressed with it and that's why it's today's Tidy Tune.
Recorded over two nights at the Union Chapel, London back in July 2018, Mavis Staples treats us to a wonderful cover of the Talking Heads classic 'Slippery People'. She's been performing it for quite a few years now and it never fails to delight.
The new 'Live In London' album is her first live album for a decade and predominately spotlights the music she has been releasing the past few years alongside Jeff Tweedy of Wilco.
Mavis Staples is aged 79 (she'll hit the #80 in July) and she continues to play live shows and record new music. Ain't no stopping this lady!
The Weight - Mavis Staples with Jools Holland & His Rhythm & Blues Orchestra
Something That I Said - Ruts Virgin Records Released 31st August 1979
In a few days time Ruts DC are to begin their UK Tour to celebrate the 40th Anniversary of the release of the Ruts debut album The Crack. They will be playing the album in sequence and probably a bunch of great classic Ruts tunes as well as Ruts DC songs.
Seeing as that's about to happen I thought I would post 'Something That I Said' as today's Tidy Tune. Also below is a link to listen afresh to the debut album 'The Crack', as well as the Ruts with Henry Rollins performing two classic tunes live and Ruts DC performing the Ruts debut single 'In A Rut' acoustically. Enjoy.
Another Kind of Blues GEM Released 14th September 1979
There are so many Singles and Albums that fall under the banner of 'My Soundtrack4Life' and they each have a different tale to tell.
Almost a year before the debut album from the U.K. Subs was released in 1979 (another that will celebrate its 40th Anniversary this year) they issued their debut single/ep C.I.D. on City Records.
I think I first heard them on the Farewell To The Roxy album that had been released in April 1978 and contained two songs with a total time of two minutes and twelve seconds (I Live In A Car and Telephone Numbers) and then came their debut session for John Peel.
Debut John Peel Session
Recorded 23rd May 1978
Broadcast 31st May 1978
1. I Couldn't Be You 2. Tomorrow's Girls 3. Disease 4. C.I.D. 5. Stranglehold
**********
It must have been within a month or so after hearing the Peel Session that I went to see them for the first time in concert, the first of many shows over the years!
On 'I Couldn't Be You'Charlie Harper brings to bear some of those R&B chops from his days fronting his first band back in 1964! It always seemed odd hearing a harmonica on a Punk Rock song but the song is actually a cover version by a British Rock and Roll singer John B. Presley. I've tried hunting for a version by him but to no avail at present. The song in a way seems a little bit out of place on the album but I think it is still one of the standout songs by the band.
I pulled the album out a few days ago having not played it for sometime and a host of memories came flooding back of running around with the Forest Hill Punks, bouncing around London and just outside going to U.K. Subs shows and other bands with my mates.
The lyrics always made me laugh (I can't ever recall wanting to wear a "cowboy hat"!) and yet they seem so relevant to things today when people are forced to work way beyond pensionable age with great uncertainty about actually getting a works pension let alone the measley sum paid out for the State Pension! The other thing of course is that Charlie rejected that 9 to 5 to do something he loved and even though he is now beyond pensionable age he is still doing what he loves whether it be solo or with the band that has given him a lifeline since the 70s.
"They said that you’re a big boy now, it’s time to set you free in the world Don’t forget that steady job, and don’t forget that steady girl They said you start at nine o’clock and then we let you out at five And if you act very smart you get a pension when you’re 65
I said I couldn’t be you if you wanted me to And you couldn’t be me if I begged you to be"
Protection - Graham Parker and The Rumour Vertigo (UK)/Arista (USA) Released February 1979
There are so many great singles and albums that hit the 40 Years Old mark this year and one of my many favourites from back when I was a little 16 year old lad is this one from Graham Parker and The Rumour.
Graham Parker was always one of those guys you thought had the promise of being a huge star but for one reason or another his record sales never translated into massive sellers. That's not because his music was bad, that's so far from the truth as to be a totally ridiculous accusation, but for reasons unknown he wasn't taken to heart by the masses. I have put a load of links down below so give the man a shot if you've never really listened to him before.
The Protection single never even charted in the UK which I found quite surprising. The album from which it sprung from, 'Squeezing Out Sparks' didn't manage to break into the Top 20 UK Album Chart, stalling at #22! He only ever had three chart placings with his singles: Hold Back The Night ( #24 The Pink Parker EP 1977), Hey Lord, Don't Ask Me Questions (#32 1978) and Temporary Beauty (#50 1982). As for his albums, his first two in 1976 Howlin' Wind and Heat Treatment never charted in the UK; Stick To Me (#35 in 1977); The Parkerilla (#14 in 1978); The Up Escalator (#36 in 1980); Another Grey Area (#98 in 1982); The Real Macaw (#57 in 1983); and the last album to chart (#81) was in 1988 with The Mona Lisa's Sister. Since then he has released a further 14 studio albums and numerous live albums which have not got anywhere near to the charts in the UK!
A Wee Bonus:
To celebrate the up and coming
40th Anniversary
of
Squeezing Out Sparks
you can listen to the whole album below.
Squeezing Out Sparks - Graham Parker and The Rumour Vertigo
Produced by Jack Nitzsche Released March 1979 UK Chart #22 US Chart #40
Last year The Alarm reissued their debut album 'Declaration' in a remastered format both on Vinyl, CD and Download and in March they will be doing likewise with their second album 'Strength'. This news was announced just a couple of days ago at The Gathering in Llandudno.
There will be different track listing on the CD and Vinyl versions.
The CD features the US released version and comes as a Double CD with the second disc featuring some songs that appeared on the Alt-Strength album that was floating around a good few years ago.
STRENGTH 1985-1986 CD ONE - Original US album, Singles and B-sides Remastered.
KNIFE EDGE [Album Master] STRENGTH [Album Master] DAWN CHORUS [Album Master] SPIRIT OF '76 [Album Master] DEESIDE [Album Master] FATHER TO SON [Album Master] ONLY THE THUNDER [Album Master] THE DAY THE RAVENS LEFT THE TOWER [Album Master] ABSOLUTE REALITY [Album Master - CD / Digital ONLY] WALK FOREVER BY MY SIDE [Album Master] STRENGTH [7" SINGLE VERSION] MAJORITY [Strength B-SIDE] STRENGTH [12" POWER MIX] ABSOLUTE REALITY [IMPROMPTU ACOUSTIC VERSION] SPIRIT OF '76 [7" SINGLE VERSION] CAROLINE ISENBERG [Knife Edge B-SIDE]
STRENGTH 1985-1986 CD TWO [ALTERNATIVE STRENGTH ALBUM VERSIONS AND STUDIO SESSION OUT TAKES]
INTRO GET IT ON [OUTTAKE] DAWN CHORUS [OUTTAKE FROM ROUNDHOUSE STUDIOS] SUMMERTIME BLUES [OUTTAKE] KNIFE EDGE [ROUGH MIX FROM ROUNDHOUSE STUDIOS] ALARM ALARM / RADAR LOVE [OUTTAKE] ONLY THE THUNDER [OUTTAKE FROM MARCUS STUDIOS] BURN [OUTTAKE] SPIRIT OF '76 [OUTTAKE FROM MARCUS STUDIOS] WALK ON THE WILD SIDE [OUTTAKE] FOR TOMORROW [OUTTAKE FROM MARCUS STUDIOS] VICIOUS [OUTTAKE] DEESIDE [OUTTAKE FROM MARCUS STUDIOS] ALL RIGHT NOW [OUTTAKE] ABSOLUTE REALITY [OUTTAKE FROM MARCUS STUDIOS] UNKNOWN [OUTTAKE] THE DAY THE RAVENS LEFT THE TOWER [OUTTAKE FROM MARCUS STUDIOS] COMMUNICATION BREAKDOWN [OUTTAKE] ONE STEP CLOSER TO HOME [OUTTAKE FROM MARCUS STUDIOS] MAGGIE MAY / MAGGIE'S FARM / STAND DOWN MARGARET [OUTTAKE] BRASS BAND [OUTTAKE] WALK FOREVER BY MY SIDE [OUTTAKE FROM MARCUS STUDIOS] UNTITLED JAM SESSION [OUTTAKE] STRENGTH [OUTTAKE FROM MARCUS STUDIOS] OUTRO
The Vinyl version comes as a Double Album and features the UK track listing plus bonus tracks:
LP SIDE ONE - ORIGINAL UK ALBUM Remastered
KNIFE EDGE [Album Master] STRENGTH [Album Master] DAWN CHORUS [Album Master] SPIRIT OF '76 [Album Master]
LP SIDE TWO - ORIGINAL UK ALBUM Remastered
DEESIDE [Album Master] FATHER TO SON [Album Master] ONLY THE THUNDER [Album Master] THE DAY THE RAVENS LEFT THE TOWER [Album Master] WALK FOREVER BY MY SIDE [Album Master]
LP SIDE THREE - [ABSOLUTE REALITY ALBUM DEMOS]
ABSOLUTE REALITY [Demo] SONS OF DIVORCE [Demo] ONE STEP CLOSER TO HOME [Demo] THE DAY THE RAVENS LEFT THE TOWER [Demo] STEELTOWN [Demo] WE ARE MAJORITY [Demo]
LP SIDE FOUR - [ABSOLUTE REALITY ALBUM DEMOS PLUS SOUNDCHECK AND STUDIO DEMOS]
KNIFE EDGE [Demo] MEMORIAL DAY [Demo] BLACK SIDE OF FORTUNE [Demo] GIVE ME LOVE [Soundcheck Demo] IN THE COLD LIGHT OF DAY [Pluto Studios Demo] RIVER STILL TO CROSS [Marcus Studio Demo]
A number of the songs from the 'Strength' album are still played as part of the set with current line up of The Alarm.
You Must Be Prepared To Dream - Ian McNabb featuring Crazy Horse Taken from the album 'Head Like A Rock' Single Released 13th June 1994 Album Released 4th July 1994
Later on this year it will be the 25th Anniversary since the release of Ian McNabb's classic second Solo album 'Head Like A Rock'. 'You Must Be Prepared To Dream' was the 1st single taken from the album and it reached #54 on the UK Singles Chart, the album achieved his highest Album Chart placing in his Solo career by reaching #29. Four tracks on the 'Head Like A Rock' album feature Crazy Horse members Ralph Molina (Drums) and Billy Talbot (Bass).
There's a couple of the verses near the end of the song that I really love:
"You're unique, one of a kind, You know it's coming, you can see the signs All your life, you waited for this moment Pretty soon you're gonna fall in love, and it's going to last forever
So set a course for the furthest star, You know you're good, now you know where you are Nothing's going to stop you, no-one's going to top you, believe it You're going to explode in a jewelled sky, and they'll all be there to see you"
McNabb has continued touring and releasing records and last year unleashed his latest and 12th Solo Studio album Our Future In Space.
It seems only right today to pick a classic tune that featured the late Buddy Holly as today is the 60th Anniversary of his untimely death along with The Big Bopper and Ritchie Valens and pilot Roger Peterson (he tends to get forgotten often when people speak about the plane crash with the focus being just upon the rock and roll stars who lost their lives that day).
There's a few bonus links to check out as well so just click on them to hear more from the boy from Lubbock, Texas. Buddy Holly was only 22 years old when he died. He had only three albums released, one with The Crickets (The "Chirping" Crickets - Brunswick 1957) and two under his own name (Buddy Holly - Coral 1958 and That'll Be The Day - Decca 1958) and around 18 singles between 1956-1959.
Since his passing there have been so many collections of his music released. Over on Discogs it currently stands at more than 300 Compilation albums!
That'll Be The Day - The Crickets Brunswick 27th March 1957
A Personal Word and a wee Bonus:
Although Buddy Holly died four years before I entered this world (in 1963) his music has always been something that I can recall being a part of my life when I was a kid and even now as I am in my mid-fifties his songs still hold a special place in my heart.
My #1 Favourite Song of All-Time just happens to be a Buddy Holly song:
Yesterday we mentioned about it being 40 years since the release of the debut album by Joe Jackson, well funnily enough today's choice, The Specials, are also celebrating the 40th Anniversary of their self-titled debut on Two Tone. They also happen to have released a brand new album called 'Encore' just yesterday. It's the first one since 1980's 'More Specials' to feature Terry Hall and he's joined by the only other remaining original members Lynval Golding and Horace Panter. The rest of the originals are off doing their own thing (it's way to complicated to go into all the details here!) apart from John Bradbury (he wasn't an original but was part of the classic line up of the band and played with the reunited band from 2008-2015) who sadly passed away four years ago. Listening to the new album it's very clear that the world into which they were born way back in the days of The Automatics/The Coventry Automatics (in 1977) has changed in many ways except for the fact that many of the things they were standing for back then are even more higher profile now, the issues of racism and sexism for instance. Today's pick from the album is actually a cover version of a song that Terry Hall and Lynval Golding wrote with former Special Neville Staple and released in 1981 when they had left The Specials and formed Fun Boy Three. The Lunatics (Have Taken Over The Asylum) peaked at #20 in the UK Singles Chart.
The Lunatics - The Specials from the album 'Encore' Released 1st February 2019 (Island Records)
Making a comeback for the month of February 2019 is Tidy Tunes. A Tune a day to help you work, rest and play.
First up at the start of the month is an artist who has been on the go since the early 1970's before getting a huge break in 1978 by signing to A&M Records. He brings together Pop, Rock, Jazz, New Wave and has also composed Classical music and Soundtracks.
Tidy Tune #1/28 is none other than Mr Joe Jackson.
It's been forty years since Joe Jackson released his debut album 'Look Sharp' and four years since his last studio release 'Fast Forward' and he's still sounding pretty good on his 21st studio album 'Fool' that was released 18th January 2019 on Ear Music.
There's a few other links that are a wee bonus for the day so feel free to check them out also.
Fabulously Absolute - Joe Jackson from the album 'Fool'
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