I was very excited to find out yesterday that the debut, and only album by the Shop Assistants was reissued on the 26th July, I ordered it right away and it arrived this afternoon. The album of course was first released in November 1986 on Blue Guitar (a sub-label of Chrysalis Records). It had its first reissue on CD in 1997 (Overground Records), 2008 & 2012 (Cherry Red) and the only Vinyl reissue came in 2012 on American label 4 Men With Beards.
If you like Vinyl, then all you'll get is the 2024 Remaster of the album, but if you want more then it's best to go for the 2CD Expanded Version which includes the 2024 Remaster, B-sides of the only single released from the album, Instrumental Demos, Rough Mixes, Alternate Versions, tracks from two concerts in October 1986 and their second John Peel Session. Thirty-seven tracks in all.
Hopefully this new Remaster might open up some new ears to the wonderful sound of the Shop Assistants, one of Edinburgh's finest Indie Bands of the 1980s. I highly recommend it and I have no doubt it will feature highly on my end of year list of Reissues of the Year.
Will Anything Happen (2024 Remaster Expanded Edition) - Shop Assistants
🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 Chrysalis Records 26th July 2024
Produced by Mayo Thompson, John Ryan & Shop Assistants Released on Vinyl & 2CD Digipack
The Band:
Alex Taylor - Vocals & Tambourine David Keegan - Guitar & Noise Sarah Kneale - Bass & Backing Vocals (Lead Vocals on "What A Way To Die") Laura MacPhail - Drums & Percussion
Tracklist for 2CD Expanded Edition
Disc 1: Will Anything Happen (20024 Remaster)/B-Sides/Demos 1-1 I Don't Wanna Be Friends With You 1-2 All Day Long 1-3 Before I Wake 1-4 Caledonian Road 1-5 All That Ever Mattered 1-6 Fixed Grin 1-7 Somewhere In China 1-8 Train From Kansas City 1-9 Home Again 1-10 Seems To Be* (Missing) 1-11 After Dark 1-12 All Of The Time 1-13 What A Way To Die 1-14 Nature Lover B-Sides 1-15 Looking Back 1-16 All Day Long (Slow Version) Instrumental Demos 1-17 I Don't Wanna Be Friends With You 1-18 After Dark 1-19 A Million Miles From Home
Disc 2: Studio Outtakes/Live/Peel Session 2-1 Looking Back (Rough Mix) 2-2 Caledonian Road (Rough Mix) 2-3 What a Way To Die (Rough Mix) 2-4 Fixed Grin (Roundhouse Version) 2-5 Train From Kansas City (Roundhouse Version) 2-6 Before I Wake (Roundhouse Version) 2-7 All That Ever Mattered (Alternate Take) Live In London 03/10/1986 2-8 Seems To Be 2-9 Nature Lover 2-10 Something To Do 2-11 Switzerland Live In Deinze 05/10/1986 2-12 Home Again 2-13 It's Up To You 2-14 Safety Net John Peel Session 11/11/1986 2-15 Fixed Grin 2-16 I Don't Wanna Be Friends With You 2-17 Ace Of Spades 2-18 Before I Wake
In May 1968 Louis Armstrong was in the studio making his final trumpet recordings on the album 'Disney Songs The Satchmo Way'. A couple of months after this he was in London to perform and film for the BBC TV"Show of the Week". The video of that performance is included below. It was filmed 2nd July 1968 and first broadcast 22nd September 1968 and is considered one of his last great live performances. The filming of the show came hot on the heels of Louis Armstrong reaching the #1 spot on the UK Singles Chart (and stayed there for four weeks) with "What A Wonderful World".
I mentioned it is considered to be one of his last great live performances and that was because by 1968 (not sure of dates on this matter) his poor health (heart and kidney issues) had forced him off the road. He wouldn't play live again until 1970 when he had to curtail his live shows due to a heart attack. Against medical advice he would take to the road again in March 1971 but after a two week stand in Manhattan he had another heart attack. He was still hoping to get back on the road again but on 6th July 1971 he died in his sleep from a heart attack, he was aged 69.
I'm no expert on the music of Louis Armstrong (Jazz is not really my thing) but his voice I remember as a kid was something I felt comfortable with, even if it was just him singing the songs of Walt Disney or the childish safety blanket I experienced thinking everything was going to be okay when I heard "What A Wonderful World".
It may appear a bit odd of me to post a piece like this but the way I look at it is the world is even crazier now than when I was a five year old kid in 1968 and sometimes there's nothing wrong in finding a shelter in the storm of the madness and listening to a voice you sense you can find consolation in.
Louis In London - Louis Armstrong Verve Records 12th July 2024
🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
Here is the actual BBC Footage and below that are links to the audio and a few High Defintion videos that have become available leading up to the release of the album.
Louis Armstrong - Vocals & Trumpet The All Stars: Tyree Glenn, trombone Joe Muranyi, clarinet Marty Napoleon, piano Buddy Catlett, bass Danny Barcelona, drums
***************************
A Wee Bonus
Disney Songs the Satchmo Way - Louis Armstrong Beuna Vista Records 1968
A nice treat yesterday evening was being able to watch a live stream of Simple Minds on YouTube coming live and direct from Lyon, France. Being a total numpty it only clicked half way through the instrumental "Somebody Up There Likes You" that they were playing the 'New Gold Dream (81–82–83–84)' album in sequence. 😲 To be fair on myself though, I was also trying to follow the football at the same time. 😁
I really enjoyed the performance and I realise that a show like this lends itself to the format of the "big hitters" but it was a bit disappointing not to have at least one or two newer songs thrown into the mix just for the contrast that Simple Minds are still making new music and are not resting on the laurels of a well stocked back catalogue. Maybe that's just a me thing so I can't help but mention it.
Jim Kerr & Charlie Burchill are the only original members of the band but the rest of the team have been playing alongside them for quite a number of years (apart from the keyboardist Erik Ljunggren who is a recent addition) and man, they are a tight unit. Cherisse Osei (Drums) gets a lot of praise among Simple Minds fans and rightly so, she's like watching a fireworks display in action. As for Sarah Brown, I could listen her endlessly. Taking the lead vocal for "Book of Brilliant Things" was pretty special and also her vocals with Jim Kerr on "Mandela Day" were just lovely. Sarah, by the way, has an excellent solo album out called 'Sarah Brown Sings Mahalia Jackson', that's worth checking out. I should also give a shout out to Bassist Ged Grimes (no Bass Guitar Player Jokes please! 😉) who has been with the band since 2010. His name was always familiar to me but for one reason or another I never checked his details out until last night. He has quite the musical history starting with Dundee pop band Danny Wilson and a lot of surprises along the way (for more info check out his Wikipedia page).
Jim Kerr celebrated his 65th Birthday the day before this gig (9th July) and despite the age he still sounds good and covers every area of the stage throwing shapes as he goes. "Belfast Child" was the moment you really got to hear the power of his voice and I think that song never sounded better than at this show, though near the end of "Don't You (Forget About Me)" his voice cracked a bit. Charlie Burchill (who will also hit 65 in November) was on great form. I think he often doesn't get the credit as a good guitarist among his contemporaries as some fella called The Edge (U2) always seems to get the top spot.
As to the broadcasters, ARTE Concert, they did a superb job in capturing the sight and sounds, only one little glitch during "Sanctify Yourself" kept it from being perfect. You should check out their YouTube ChannelARTE Concert for more performances, especially the recent films from Hellfest 2024.
Set 1: 1 Waterfront New Gold Dream (81–82–83–84) Album In Full 2 Someone Somewhere in Summertime 3 Colours Fly and Catherine Wheel 4 Promised You a Miracle 5 Big Sleep 6 Somebody Up There Likes You (Instrumental) 7 New Gold Dream (81-82-83-84) 8 Glittering Prize 9 Hunter and the Hunted 10 King Is White and in the Crowd ****** 11 I Travel
Interlude (25 Minutes)
Set 2: (starts at 1hr 24.19 on the video) 12 Book of Brilliant Things (Vocals by Sarah Brown) 13 Mandela Day (Vocals by Jim Kerr and Sarah Brown) 14 Come a Long Way 15 Let There Be Love 16 Sanctify Yourself 17 Belfast Child 18 Don't You (Forget About Me) 19 Alive and Kicking
The show ran approx. 1h55min (taking out the 25 Minute Break)
Current Tour Line Up Jim Kerr - Vocals Charlie Burchill - Guitar Ged Grimes - Bass Sarah Brown - Backing Vocals Gordy Goudie - Guitar, Backing Vocals Cherisse Osei - Drums Erik Ljunggren - Keyboards
One of the things I love about doing a music blog is being able to share some of the music that I am enjoying listening to at any given moment. I realise that not everyone who reads the blog will have the same musical taste, but that's okay, I'm not going to get on your case about it. I guess the one thing I have always tried is to do put something up that might give you the reader an opportunity to experience something different from what you normally listen to. Today's choice is a collection of songs by Tom Petty performed a number of artists from the world of Country Music.
For those who may be wondering where Country Music fits among all the other types of music I listen to, let me assure you that it's not a new thing at all with me. As a kid I grew up with a Mother, who among her own musical tastes, absolutely loved Country Music. It was not uncommon to hear the sounds of Hank Williams, Hank Snow, Johnny Cash, Charlie Rich, Dolly Parton, Glen Campbell and Tammy Wynette plus loads more playing on the living room stereo. Add to that my own delving into the genre with the music of Hank Wangford, Emmylou Harris, Buddy & Julie Miller, as well as newer artists like Miranda Lambert, Jason Isbell, Ashley McBryde, Eric Church, and oh so many more.
So if you are open to experiencing something new to your ears this might be a good starting place. There are links for every song on the album and as a wee bonus I'll post a few links for some other artists covering the songs of Tom Petty.
Petty Country: A Country Music Celebration of Tom Petty - Various Artists Big Machine 21st June 2024
Tom Petty (pictured above, credit to Sam Jones) and Country Music, it's not going to be everyone's cup of tea (some Petty fans are already foaming at the mouth in rage that such a thing is happening!) but I think it's a gem of an album. It also has the seal of approval from the family of Petty and even a couple of Heartbreakers turn up on the album (Mike Campbell and Benmont Tench). I guess if folks have an axe to grind about the album they should take it up with those who gave it the okay in the first place rather than attack the artists involved in the project.
It's ten days after the 40th Anniversary of the release of 'Born In The U.S.A.' and to celebrate this milestone Sony Music have put out "a special-edition release featuring new coloured vinyl and expanded packaging on 14th June 2024. Arriving via translucent red LP, this anniversary edition of 'Born In The U.S.A.' will feature a gatefold sleeve and exclusive booklet with archival material from the era, new liner notes penned by Erik Flannigan and a four-color lithograph" (from the press release). To obtain one of these you are going to have to hand over between £29.99-39.99, depending where you purchase it from. I will not be purchasing it as I do not have a record player and it seems rather pointless splashing out cash on something I'm never going to play.
Like most Springsteen fans I had thought that there might be another Boxset issued, similar to what had been done with the 'Darkness On The Edge Of Town' and 'The River' albums. Such a thing had been spoken about in many Springsteen groups going back to even the 30th Anniversary and lots of rumours and speculation were thrown around as to what it might contain. You can imagine the sense of disappointment when the announcement came that it would only be the album on Red Vinyl as a Limited Edition!
I decided that to get over this disappointment I would envisage what I thought a 'Born In The U.S.A.' Boxset might look like (saying this I realise that most fans might have their own ideas, and that's a good thing. Maybe leave a comment if you are able to outlining what your Boxset might contain). For the record, let me say again, this is not something that's an Official release, it's just something from the imagination of a Springsteen fan who has too much time on his hands! 😀
Of course, the first thing in the Boxset is the album itself. I'm going with a CD/DVD package as Vinyl would be too expensive. As we go along maybe I'll add some history of the album and the songs that didn't make the record. There's lots of links to music and video below, so click on them to enjoy the sounds.
Born In The U.S.A. - Bruce Springsteen Columbia/CBS 4th June 1984 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 By The Numbers: Charts US Chart #1 UK Chart #1 Australian Chart #1 Austrian Chart #1 Canadian Chart #1 Dutch Chart #1 French Chart #2 German Chart #1 Italian Chart #2 Japanese Chart #6 New Zealand Chart #1 Norwegian Chart #1 Spanish Chart #2 Swedish Chart #1 Swiss Chart #1 By The Numbers: A brief snapshot of Certification* Over 30 Million Copies Sold Worldwide Australia 14x Platinum Canada Diamond Germamy 2x Platinum New Zealand 17x Platinum Portugal Gold UK 3x Platinum US 17x Platinum * The amount of sales that gets a Diamond, Platinum and Gold Certification is different in each country mentioned
The next addition to the Boxset would be the singles. Seven were released from the album (too many I think but it happened) and I would have the seven singles on CD with their artwork featuring the Born In The U.S.A. material from both the 7" and 12" where applicable.
I think there should be at least one DVD included of a live show. I have no idea how much footage there is sitting around but there was a bootleg DVD doing the rounds for a while that could maybe be cleaned up visually and the audio quality as well.The Parc De La Courneuve, Paris, France 29th June 1985 show appears to have been Pro-shot, but I don't know exactly what it was filmed for. It's a great setlist as well (see below)
1 BORN IN THE U.S.A. 2 BADLANDS 3 OUT IN THE STREET 4 JOHNNY 99 5 ATLANTIC CITY 6 SHUT OUT THE LIGHT 7 THE RIVER 8 WORKING ON THE HIGHWAY 9 TRAPPED 10 DARLINGTON COUNTY 11 GLORY DAYS 12 THE PROMISED LAND 13 MY HOMETOWN 14 THUNDER ROAD 15 COVER ME 16 DANCING IN THE DARK 17 HUNGRY HEART 18 CADILLAC RANCH 19 DOWNBOUND TRAIN 20 I'M ON FIRE 21 BECAUSE THE NIGHT 22 ROSALITA (COME OUT TONIGHT) 23 CAN'T HELP FALLING IN LOVE 24 BORN TO RUN 25 BOBBY JEAN 26 RAMROD 27 TWIST AND SHOUT - DO YOU LOVE ME 28 ROCKIN' ALL OVER THE WORLD
********************
QR Code Live Show Download
The Boxset is already CD heavy (1 album and 7 singles) so for a change of pace I thought including a QR Code that would take you directly to Springsteen's website where there will be a choice to download a show from the Official Archives from the 1984-85 Tour. As far as I can recall (I'll have to double check) four shows from the Brendan Byrne Arena, East Rutherford NJ 10 night stand in 1984 are available and the Giants Stadium, NJ 22nd August and Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum 27th September from 1985 are also available. Here's Links to two of the 1984 shows as an example :
Another QR Code link could also be used for the bringing together of the numerous outtakes both released and unreleased (a number of them were released as the B-sides of the singles already mentioned above and 12 tracks were featured on the 'Tracks' Boxset and two tracks on 'Essential Bruce Sringsteen'. Others still remain unreleased to date). The link could go directly to Springsteen's Website where all the tracks can be downloaded or even streamed if you so wish.
It would probably be better to do it this way rather than have CD copies as there's so many of them. I have put together a playlist of my own with about 41 songs that you can see below:
There was actually a really good Bootleg put out called 'Unsatisfied Heart' that brought many of the 'Born In The U.S.A. Sessions' songs together that could easily be co-opted for a great playlist (see below).
Disc 1: 01 Born In The U.S.A. (Contains a different Springsteen vocal overdub and a very long, extended jam ending) 02 Murder Incorporated (This track has the original Van Zandt background vocals) 03 Downbound Train (Slighly different version / mix) 04 Glory Days (Unedited, contains an entire extra verse (about Bruce’s dad) that was cut from the officially released version) 05 This Hard Land (Original Take-re-recorded the song in 1995 and released that re-recording on 'Greatest Hits') 06 My Love Will Not Let You Down (Different Mix compared to Tracks) 07 Johnny Bye Bye (Bruce borrowed the first two lines from Chuck Berry’s song “Bye Bye Johnny) 08 Frankie (No Sax Solo) 09 I'm Goin' Down (Complete) 10 Working On The Highway (Slighly different version/mix) 11 I'm On Fire (Extended) B-sides: 12 Sugarland 13 Follow That Dream 14 Dont Back Down 15 One Love 16 Little Girl
Disc One Recording details: Track 11 recorded at The Hit Factory, Feb 1982. Tracks 1, 3, 4 recorded at The Hit Factory, March or April 1982. Track 2 recorded at The Power Station, April or May 1982. Track 10 recorded at The Hit Factory, April 1982. Track 5 recorded at The Hit Factory, May 11, 1982. Track 8 recorded at The Hit Factory, May 14, 1982. Track 6 recorded at The Hit Factory, May 5, 1982. Track 9 recorded at The Power Station, November 9th 1983. Track 13 recorded at Thrill Hill West, LA, CA, January 30, 1983. Track 14 recorded at Thrill Hill West, LA, CA, January 4, 1983. Tracks 7, 12, 15, 16 recorded at Thrill Hill West, mid Jan to mid Feb 1983.
Disc 2: 01 None But The Brave (The original mix without the new (90's) vocal track or the overdubbed second guitar) 02 Murder Incorporated #2 (Different mix permutation of the same core recording as #1) 03 (Drop On Down And) Cover Me 04 Janey Don't You Lose Heart (Same Mix as the one on tracks, longer fade out, and features Steve Van Zandt on background vocals and guitar) 05 My Love Will Not Let You Down #2 (Different Mix) 06 Cynthia (Different Mix) 07 Darlington County (Slightly different lyrics and an alternate beginning and ending) 08 Protection (Different Mix) 09 TV Movie (Original Mix with Saxophone) 10 County Fair (Ruth Jackson on background vocals) Solo: 11 Shut Out The Light (Additional Lyric) 12 Richfield Whistle 13 Fugitives Dream 14 Delivery Man 15 The Klansman 16 Unsatisfied Heart
Disc Two Recording details: Track 1 recorded at The Hit Factory, from the April-June 1983 sessions. Track 3 PROBABLY recorded at The Hit Factory during Jan or early Feb 1982. May be from later. Track 2 recorded at The Power Station, April or May 1982. Track 4 recorded at The Hit Factory, June 16, 1983 Track 5 recorded at The Hit Factory, May 5, 1982. Track 6 recorded at The Hit Factory, April 20, 1983. Track 7 recorded at The Power Station during April or May 1982. Track 8 recorded at The Hit Factory, Feb 1982. Track 9 recorded at The Hit Factory, June 13, 1983. Track 10 recorded at The Hit Factory, April or May 1983. Tracks 11,13 recorded at Thrill Hill West, August 1982 through April 1983. Tracks 12,14,16 recorded at Thrill Hill West, January through May 1983. Track 15 recorded at Thrill Hill West, January 4, 1983.
********************
If you are a total music nerd like me and want to read more on the making of the 'Born In The U.S.A.' album then please go and check out BRUCEBASE WIKI. There you will be able to find all the details for the songs recorded during the Sessions between January 1982 - February 1994.
****************
The last addition to the boxset I would put in a Born In The U.S.A. Tour Poster.
I thought it was about time I posted something from the current tour by Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band. Next stop is Cardiff, Wales on the 5th May 2024.
Official Audio Picture Sleeve:
The Official Audio of the show clocks in at 2hrs 44mins and 2secs and is available here, as are all shows from the 2023 and 2024 Tour.
"Roll of the Dice" was a Tour Debut and played for the first time since 2017. "Viva Las Vegas" was also a Tour Debut and had only been played live twice before with The E Street Band, the last time being in 2002 in Las Vegas and the first time also in Vegas back in 2000. Here's the dates for the Tour:
Current Line Up: Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band Bruce Springsteen (vocals, guitar, harmonica) Roy Bittan (piano, synthesizer) Nils Lofgren (guitar, vocals) Garry Tallent (bass guitar) Steven Van Zandt (guitar, vocals) Max Weinberg (drums) Patti Scialfa (backing vocals, guitar) (some shows) Charlie Giordano (keyboards) Soozie Tyrell (violin, guitar, vocals) Jake Clemons (saxophone, vocals) The E Street Horns Barry Danielian (trumpet, percussion) Eddie Manion (saxophone, percussion) Ozzie Melendez (trombone, percussion) Curt Ramm (trumpet, percussion) The E Street Choir Anthony Almonte (percussion, vocals) Ada Dyer (vocals, percussion) Curtis King (vocals, percussion) Lisa Lowell (vocals, percussion) Michelle Moore (vocals, percussion)
I've done a lot of posts on Soundtrack4Life over the years spotlighting the Ramones but I was flicking through many of them recently and noticed that most of them have dead links and pictures that are missing and so I thought maybe I should redo some of them and there's no better place to start than the debut album which was released on this day 48 years ago in 1976. There's lots of links to the music so click on them to enjoy.
Ramones - Ramones Sire Produced by Craig Leon Released 23rd April 1976 US Chart #111 🌟🌟🌟🌟
It's been 48 years ago since my ears first heard the sound of the Ramones blaring out of the radio (thanks John Peel) and in that moment the way I listened to music totally changed. The world of music was a bizzare place in the mid seventies. There were Prog bands playing songs that sometimes lasted 20 minutes or more, hard rock bands who seemed divorced from reality, and a pop world that was even more confusing at times. Enter into this mix the self titled debut album of a band from Forest Hills, New York called Ramones. Released on April 23rd 1976, containing 14 songs that clocked in at 29 minutes and 4 seconds! This album was a radical departure from what had been the norm. Even in New York City bands like Television and Talking Heads were quite arty whereas the Ramones were a band that had their sight clearly set on reclaiming true pop music! Though in saying that, the themes of their songs were not exactly "radio friendly" and on release the album was pretty much ignored by American Radio and the record only reached #111 on the Billboard Chart. You wonder if today a number of these songs would not see the light of day due to their subject matter. The album cost $6,400 to record over a period of seven days. There's no guitar solos, no pompus musical arrangements, just plain old rock and roll played at breakneck speed. It was an album that for many changed their whole musical landscape and 48 years on it still sounds incredible. "Hit it Dee Dee...1-2-3-4!"
There was a 40th Anniversary Mono Mix of the album released by Rhino Records in 2016 that came as part of a 3CD, 1 LP Limited Edition of 19,760 set (the LP was the Mono Mix). You can listen to the Mono Mix by clicking here. You can also listen to the complete 40th Anniversary Deluxe Edition by Clicking Here. CD1 includes the 2016 Remaster & Mono Mix on CD1. CD2 is a mixture of Single Mixes and Demos. CD3 features two identical sets from The Roxy, CA on 12th August 1976.
**********
Joey Died 15th April 2001 Dee Dee Died 5th June 2002 Johnny Died 15th September 2004 Tommy Died 11th July 2014
All the original members of the band have passed away but their legacy still lives on through the music of CJ Ramone, Richie Ramone, Marky Ramone and loads of bands scattered across the world.
It's been a couple of weeks since the last post so let's get down to business spotlighting the new album from Cock Sparrer and a little look back at some of their previous releases.There's many links to the music so click on them to enjoy.
Hand On Heart - Cock Sparrer Captain Oi/Cherry Red (UK) Randale Records (Germany and Europe) Pirate Press Records (US) 5th April 2024
For a band formed in 1972 the catalogue of Cock Sparrer could quite easily be classed as "lacking", especially when you consider the output of bands who have been around just as long. I feel though that it's not the quantity of released titles that defines them but the quality of those titles. 'Hand On Heart' is only their eighth studio album and from what I gather it's their last.
Current Line Up: Colin McFaull – vocals (1972–1978, 1982–1984, 1992–present) Mick Beaufoy – lead guitar and backing vocals (1972–1978, 1982-1983, 1992–present) Steve Burgess – bass guitar and backing vocals (1972–1978, 1982–1984, 1992–present) Steve Bruce – drums (1972–1978, 1982–1984, 1992–present) Daryl Smith – rhythm guitar and backing vocals (1992–present) Former Members: Garrie Lammin – rhythm guitar (1976–1978) Chris Skepis – rhythm guitar (1982–1984) Shug O'Neill – lead guitar (1983–1984)
One of the things that stands out about the band is the consistency of line up. As you will see from above, all the original members are still in the band despite the passing of fifty two years. The stability of band members has also meant a consistency to that Cock Sparrer sound that has rarely deviated from the first time I heard them singing "Runnin' Riot" in 1977 to the present day with the new album 'Hand On Heart'.
In 1977 they were signed to Decca and released two singles: "Runnin' Riot" and "We Love You". Decca dropped the band in 1978 and even though they had enough songs for a debut album it never got a UK release, but for some reason it was only issued in Spain as 'Cock Sparrer' (and it got an official UK release as 'True Grit' in 1987 and has since been reissued "unofficially" a number of times in Germany, Russia and on different labels in Europe. It did finally get an Official UK release in 2022 on Captain Oi as part of Cock Sparrer's 50th Anniversary celebrations and was a Limited Edition of 2000 on vinyl). To date I have still never seen a physical copy of the Decca release but did purchase the 'True Grit' album in 1987 released on Razor Records. The band ceased activity in 1978 but caught a new lease of life when a couple of their songs appeared on the Oi! compilations 'Oi! The Album' (1980) and 'Strength Thru Oi!' (1981). In 1982 Cock Sparrer returned with an exceptional single, "England Belongs To Me" followed in 1983 by their "debut album" (in the UK at least) 'Shock Troops'. One more album, 'Running Riot in '84', followed before the band for a second time ceased activity.
In 1992 the band reunited for a second time and played a number of reunion shows and released in 1994 the excellent 'Guilty As Charged' album and 'Two Monkeys' in 1997. Since then the band has toured and played at festivals like Wasted/Rebellion, Punk & Disorderly and Riot Fest in Chicago. 'Here We Stand' album came ten years later in 2007 and then 'Forever' in 2017.
Thanks goodness we haven't had to wait until 2027 for another new album! Have a listen above to the 'Hand On Heart' album.
To follow on from the big post about Dion I thought it would be really good to get a perspective on the songwriting of Mr DiMucci and there's probably no one better to ask about that than Mike Aquilina, who just happens to be the Co-writer of many of Dion's songs since 2011. I'm grateful to Mike
for taking some time out of his day to do this interview. There's some
links throughout the interview that will lead you to some music, click on them to enjoy the sound of Dion.
S4L:I've
been browsing your website and biography on Wikipedia and even from a
casual glance the title Songwriter doesn't really stand out. So before
we get to that c'mon, and don't be shy, and let us know what your daily
profession is.
Mike:I'm
a freelance writer, and that's what I've been doing since 1996. Before
that, going back to 1983, I had writing jobs in newspapers, tech,
advertising, marketing. As a freelancer I've taken on all sorts of work,
from ad copy to television scripts. But it's all writing. Songwriting
is writing.
S4L:You
have written a lot of books and it's quite interesting gazing through
the list on Amazon because there in the middle of all these books on
various aspects of Catholic History is Dion: The Wanderer Talks Truth
(stories, humor & music)! Are people surprised that you have written
a book with one of Rock 'n Roll's great legends?
Mike:They are! I often boast that I'm the only guy in Catholic media who's had Lou Reed write a foreword to one of my books.
I'm known to my friends as a rather extreme nerd, so I often play up the incongruity for comic effect.
Even Dion makes fun of me for it. He calls me "Clark Kent,"
because I can disappear into a phone booth and come out with a song
sung from the perspective of a man having an alcoholic blackout.
S4L:I'm
interested how and when you first met Dion? Was it when you teamed up
to write the book? Were you aware of who he was and his place in the
history of Rock 'n Roll music or was it at first "just another job"?
Mike:I met Dion
years before the book, closer to the turn of the century. We were both
on a religious pilgrimage in Italy, visiting the tombs of Peter and
Paul, the sites associated with St. Francis of Assisi, and eating a lot
of pasta and gelato together. We hit it off and stayed in touch after we
got back home. We have many common interests — the Bible, early Church
history, rock and roll music, Italian food, and the meaning of life.
Dion
is an early-morning walker, and when he walks he thinks, and often when
he thinks he wants to talk. So we spent a lot of time on the phone, and
we got to know each other very well. He also lives pretty close to my
brother, so I was able to visit him when I was in town.
When he
was asked to write a memoir, he got me to collaborate. That was around
2011. I was thrilled to do it. It was certainly different from anything
else I'd done. And by then I considered him one of my closest friends.
He's like a brother to me. In fact, he's like a brother to my siblings.
By now they probably prefer him to me.
S4L:A
question I'm sure the readers of this blog will find fascinating is how
a Catholic Hiistorian, author, speaker, journalist ends up becoming a
Co-songwriter for Dion DiMucci? Did you tell him that you were into
writing poetry and songwriting? Did you just turn up on his doorstep one
day and say, "Hey Dion, I've written a couple of songs that you might want to record"? I know that might sound daft but I'm genuinely interested how the whole thing came about.
Mike:Dion had been writing for decades with Bill Tuohy, but Bill's health was failing. So Dion made the decision to stop doing original music and just do covers and tributes.
One
day, though, on a whim, he called and left a message on my answering
machine. He recited a line and then repeated it, and then said: "I want
to sing that line in a song, and you're gonna write that song." And he
hung up.
I saw what he was doing. He was daring me to write a song. It's Italian-American machismo. I had to prove myself.
By then I'd done a lot of writing with him — his book and some other small things. I guess he saw potential in all that.
S4L:Do you recall the first song you co-wrote with Dion, was it one that ended up on the 'Tank Full of Blues' album, which I think was the first time your name pops up on the songwriting credits on any of his albums?
Mike:It was "I Read It in the Rolling Stone," which was our first single from TANK FULL OF BLUES. The title was the line he had recited into my answering machine.
It worked out well. Rolling Stone magazine
took notice. We didn't make it to the proverbial cover, but we were
featured on page 3. I couldn't buy five copies for my sainted mother
because the other thing on page 3 was a nice young woman who was wearing
nothing but her tattoos and a gigantic snake.
Jann Wenner sent Dion an email saying that our tune was now his favorite song that namedrops his magazine. So I guess that puts us ahead of Dr. John, Joni Mitchell, and the Rolling Stones on at least one chart.
S4L:I
have known and know quite a number of songwriters who also write with
other folks who are usually in the music business and so forgive me for
sounding a bit basic here, how does the whole thing of co-writing a song
happen when one of the writers is not a full time musician? Can you
pick a song from the many you have co-written with Dion and give us an
insight into how it came together? Does it happen the same way every
time or is each song unique in its creation?
Mike:I
think of our songs as an expression of our friendship. We've known each
other a long time. I know his life, I know his memories and
experiences. I know his concerns for the future. Songwriting has become
just another avenue we take in our conversations.
But there's no one-and-only way we write. There's no process. Sometimes we start with a line of lyric, as we did in "Rolling Stone." Sometimes
we start with a melody. Sometimes one of us will come up with a melody
and lyric that are almost finished, and we'll just touch it up together.
We tend to work fast. We like to ride the momentum of that first
creative moment. And I have to admit the initial impulse is usually Dion's. His creative energy is astonishing.
S4L:You
have co-written with Dion now on five albums, is there a level of trust
that goes into writing with someone, like you know how he might be
thinking or feeling about the subject of the song and so you don't, for
want of a better phrase, "cross any lines"? Does he challenge you to
write better?
Mike:Absolutely.
The fields where I do most of my work are history and theology. I've
published poems that are in my voice, and sometimes I wax cerebral. If
I'm writing a song and I slip into that kind of talk, Dion's standard response is: "We don't say that in the Bronx."
Listen,
I love writing songs with him, but he's the one who's going to sing the
song, and it has to be in his voice. By that I mean his literary voice,
his performer's persona — the guy who sings "The Wanderer" and "Runaround Sue."I'm not there to indulge my own inclinations. But, really, I love those constraints, and I love Dion, and I love the on-stage character he inhabits.
It
helps that our friendship predates our professional relationship by
many years. I can anticipate his reactions while I'm writing a song. If I
type the word "erstwhile" or "albeit," I know immediately I should back
up.
S4L:Now,
this is a part you might struggle to answer (or maybe not if you are
extremely confident), can you name five songs that you have co-written
with Dion that you think are your finest?
Mike:I tried. I can't. I'll give you nine, in no particular order:
S4L:A
thing a like to do with everyone who I interview on Soundtrack4Life is
to ask my guests to name a number of songs or albums that you would say
are part of your very own Soundtrack4Life?
Mike:Dion's "The Night Stood Still," from his 1989 album YO FRANKIE!, still captures the feelings of love I have for my wife of thirty-nine years. It also happens to be my wife's favorite Dion song.
John Michael Talbot's music is a big part of the soundtrack to my spiritual life. I cannot hear or sing "Holy Is His Name"
without weeping. Recently I led the retreat at John's monastery, and
he'd walk into my conferences with his guitar, and I just knew I'd be a
puddle before the hour had passed.
I appreciate you giving your time to doing this Mike, many thanks and as you will have noticed I borrowed a few of your pictures from your FB page. Hope that's okay?
Posts
