Mandi Perkins - Live

Edited 10/02/2013

The video that was here is no longer available and so I thought I'd do a quick re-edit.

Mandi Perkins is a pretty cool lady. This her doing some solo bits before she got together with Of Verona.

Every Body Knows


Who Am I


Why Pretend (Live)

Aztec Camera - The Crying Scene

I was digging around the CD collection today and found some Aztec Camera that I hadn't heard in a while. 'Stray' is one of my favourite albums of theirs and it included a couple of great singles ('Good Morning Britian' and the excellent 'The Crying Scene')


Good Morning Britian (featuring Mick Jones)

Andrew Peterson - Matthew's Begats

Have a great Christmas. Enjoy the music.

Saving Grace - Everlast

'Saving Grace (theme song)' by Everlast


Here's a track that I quite like at the moment. It is the theme song for 'Saving Grace', a show that just recently finished its first season on TNT in the States. Holly Hunter plays the lead role and it is a powerful drama about a cop in Oklahoma who's family live in the shadow of the terrible Oklahoma bombing and is in desperate need to be saved from her crazy life. It contains an angel called Earl who spits tobacco and eats tacos. He is Grace's 'last chance angel'.

It's gripping stuff. The only hassle with it is that Grace sleeps with almost everyone to try and find true intimacy, but with little success. As the show develops we learn that Grace had been abused by a priest when she was a child and Earl's mission is to bring her to a place of healing.

The series is very dark at times and yet humor abounds in the midst of great gruesomeness. I'd be stunned if Holly Hunter doesn't end up winning awards for this show. It has a great supporting cast.

Alison Krauss & Robert Plant

'Raising Sand' is by far one of the great releases of 2007. The single 'Gone, Gone, Gone' is not even the best track on the album. I guess it is just the most well known song as it has been a hit for The Everly Brothers. 'Please Read the Letter' is my favourite track.

Here's the video for the single

77 The Year of Punk & New Wave

Just finished reading Henrik Poulsen's fine book '77 The Year of Punk & New Wave. It's a pretty good book that spotlights the bands from the UK and Ireland that released singles and albums in 1977 at the height of the Punk movement. By no means are all the bands in the book considered to be punk rock bands or artists (Kursaal Flyers and Graham Parker 7the Rumour do not even fit into the mould of New Wave) and Poulsen says that repeatedly when dealing with such artists.

Many of the bands listed in the book are bands that I had the opportunity to see when I was a kid (I was 14 in 1977) and of course many of the releases mentioned I actually had. It is a great reference tool but more than that it tells a little about the bands that to this day few people have heard of. He also tells a little bit about what happenend after 1977 and it is interesting to see the bands that have survived to this day (Stiff Little Fingers, The Buzzcocks, UK Subs, The Vibrators & a host of others who got back together in time). Some of the bands fizzled out very quickly and after going their seperate ways ended up gaining huge success in other musical styles (Jim Kerr once of Johnny and the Self Abusers hit the big time with Simple Minds. Mick Hucknel was in the band the Frantic Elevators but found fame with Simply Red. Those are just two examples).

I bought the book in Fopp. They were selling it for £10 (usual price £25.00) which is a real bargin. Not sure how limited the hardback edition is but Fopp had loads of them. A great way to spend £10 if you are still thinking of what to get someone for Christmas!

Here's a little bonus. Generation X on the Marc Bolan Show (Bolan embraced a lot of the punk bands. He had the Damned support him on tour) performing their debut single 'Your Generation'.

Lynyrd Skynyrd-Free Bird

No words are needed. Just listen to the music. 1975, the Old Grey Whistle Test and the best guitar solo ever!

Walk Forever by My Side - Mike Peters

One of my favourite Alarm songs. Here Mike Peters sings it at Mount Everest.

Hanoi Rocks - Live at the Marquee

Hanoi Rocks were another underrated bands back in the mid-80's. I guess if you grew up listening to guys like the New York Dolls then what Hanoi Rocks were doing was nothing new. I loved their sound, image and man could they put on a great live show.

Here's a few videos that were filmed at the legendary Marquee Club in Wardour Street . The show was released on CD and Video as 'All Those Wasted Years'. Man it would be cool to get that show on DVD! One of the finest shows ever.

1. Pipeline/Oriental Beat/Mystery City(part)


2. Motorvatin' (Live at the Marquee)


3. Don't Never Leave Me (Live at the Marquee)


4. Until I Get You (Live at the Marquee)


5. Blitzkrieg Bop (Live at the Marquee) - Razzle on Vocals

Transvision Vamp

One of the bands in the 80's I liked was Transvision Vamp. They got accused of being trite pop and Wendy James was constantly reviled in the press for being a bimbo. Wendy does not like the term and I can understand that. She is actually a very thoughtful lady. I met up with her earlier this year in Dublin where she was performing with her new band Racine.



Lest you forget the many great catchy tunes that Transvision Vamp recorded I thought I'd share my favourite three.

1. Landslide of Love


2. The Only One


3.Tell That Girl To Shut Up


As a bonus here's the video for 'London's Brilliant' from her underrated solo album that was produced by Elvis Costello. Shades of 'Clash City Rockers' but a great song nonetheless.