Wilco Johnson Telecaster

This is a brilliant little video diary featuring the restoration of Wilko Johnson's original Dr Feelgood Telecaster. Wish i could do this!

Dickies - Paranoid 26-7-1979

This one's for Andy. Happy days eh?

Tiny Tim - Living In the Sunlight

The makers of Spongebob Squarepants must be fans of Tim as well - they used this song in an episode.

Earth Angel- Tiny Tim

I played some Tiny Tim on the radio show last time round. Have a look at this you've just got to love him.

Dr Feelgood Wilko Johnson Will Birch

Here's a bit of a clip with Wilko sharing his thoughts on pub rock and living in Canvey Island.

B&T'S RIDES AGAIN !

The publisher Felix Dennis has stepped in to help save Butler & Tanner. Hooray!
More news when i know the complete score.

New Job

It looks like my old company B&T's is gone for good. So i've had to move on i'm working for a quirky little company called Telperion printers and it ain't bad. Civil hours, a good boss and money about to come in.

The Detectives are playing in Bradford on Avon this Sat and we are recording on Sun at good ol' Western Star - should be doing a song called "Binge Drinkin' Baby".

I'm a working chap again from Monday!

DR FEELGOOD

I've been busy so i'm gonna be lazy and post one of my favourite vids here without much comment - but i'm back to monitoring the old blog again.

Where have i been?

No posts for a month and a bit!
This venture capitalist bloke called Mike Dolan suddenly shut down the firm i work for and left me and my workmates high and dry.
Back now though - and i should be posting stuff in the next couple of days.
If you go to the Print Week website there's a good history of the dispute and i might make some comments on it as time goes by.
We're organising a fundraiser in Frome with most of the Bad Detectives and our sister band the U.K. Stiffs more on this as it pans out.

Me First and the Gimme Gimmes - Goodbye Earl

A redneck tale of desperate trailer-wives written by the Dixie Chicks and peformed for your edification by Me First and the Gimme Gimmes. Punk cover band in excelcis!

The Sonics

We went up to the Forum in Kentish Town last night to see the Sonics. They were pretty damn good too.
Met up with my cuss Joss and Nadia his missis who took us to a pub called the Pineapple for a drink before the show.
The Forum has a dark past as it was a meeting place for Mosely's blackshirts in the 30's and there are still a couple of facisti emblems on the wall. These days it is a very good venue re-furbished from the old Town & Country Club by the Mean Fiddler mob.
A diverse group of Mods, Rockabillies, Punks and vinyl junkies gathered to watch the Sonics rip the place up and it is a delight to report they were still playing fast and loud.

New Tracks

We were in Western Star for a couple of days last week recording stuff. The plan was to put out an e.p. but we recorded three new tracks - Demob Suit, Put My Stoneage Woo On You and Crazywell Pool - and remixed four left from other sessions - Drummer Owns The Name, True Crime, Roadkill Grill and Dunmow Flitch so now we've got half an album and that's the new plan after more taping later in the year.
The picture above is of Alan Wilson formerly of Rockabilly outfit the Sharks and now head honcho and all round big kahuna at Western Star enterprises.
The recording involved the consumption of six portions of fish and chips, one king-size deep pan pizza, two tubs and three packets of sweets, one family size bag of quavers, one family size bag of crisps, assorted John's Bakers pasties and sausage rolls (+ some horrible pies from Asda), numerous cups of tea and a couple of family size bottles of fizzy pop.
That's one debauched rider!

The Race Is On

Here's George again performing a song thats been covered by the Stray Cats featuring Dave Edmunds. This must have been one of the hickest shows on American t.v. - but you've got to love the corniness of it all.

George Jones-White Lightning

Sometimes my old pal Ralph and i bounce topics off of one another. He's just posted The Fall covering White Lightning best known in this country as a hit for the Big Bopper. The original version was by the songs writer George Jones almost a parody of the wife beating, much married, alcoholic country star. Here's a young George performing the song - dig the buzz cut and the suits from Nudies western tailors.

Alice Cooper - Elected

A snake, a barrowload of money and a smoking chimp - i want to be elected too!

Ian Dury - Sweet Gene Vincent [OGWT]

Computers working again so to celibrate here's the late great Ian Dury performing my fave Blockheads song with Wilko Johnson going bonkers nut crazy on his telecaster.

New Song

We got the new song recorded last Friday - it's called Midnight Brighton Run. I sort of wrote the words, Andy wrote the skeleton of the tune, Paul stretched harried and shoehorned it all together, Chris tied it down and Ivan played bassline "B" of his epic repertoire.
Alan is going to submit it to the guys at the Ace for inclusion on the new c.d. (see previous post) so fingers crossed.
Quick post this as it's on a borrowed computer one of the kids has temporarily killed mine.

Ace Music

The above pic is me stood outside Londons Ace Cafe. The good people there are releasing an album related to the motorcycle scene and featuring bands with a connection to the Ace. Thus this Friday we're going into the Western Star studio complex to record a contribution to this illustrious project.

The Ace cafe was the meeting place of choice for the ton-up boys in the 1950's and is conveniently located alongside the North Circular Rd in London. It's been restored and refurbished and now holds hot-rod, vintage car and motorcycle rallies. Bands play there too - and of course you can get a fry up with a mug of tea. Well worth a visit.

Monkey

When i was posting that last video i remembered that Difford and Tilbrook wrote a song for Dr Feelgood (they toured together for a bit with Squeeze) called Monkey which nicks the riff and feel of the Undertones number. I searched for it without much hope but found this interesting clip of an unknown Japanese band covering it. Weird.

The Undertones - You Got My Number

Loved this single when it came out - still sounds good now. That Feargal turned into a very grumpy old bugger didn't he?

MST3K- Here Comes the Circus

They used to show this series on sunday mornings somewhere amongst the satellite channels. The premise is simple a guy is stranded in outer space with a crew of robots and forced to view b-movies and obscure shorts in a bid to crack his spirit. They resist this by taking the mickey out of the films and making comments over the soundtrack. Hugely enjoyable and a big underground cult success in the U.S.

Wanda Jackson - Cool Love

Leather lunged rock 'n' roller Wanda is here backed by fast picking country ace Joe Maphis. I'm not keen on double necked instruments but this specialy made early Mosrite don't look too bad.

The Renegades - 13 Women

British freakbeat combo The Renegades rip it up with a cover of Bill Haley's Thirteen Woman in one of the oddest promo films you'll ever see. Shot in a Finnish garment factory - unhinged and truly exceptional!

The Sunrays - I Live For the Sun

When Brian Wilson's dad Murray fell out with his son in the studio he signed, recorded and promoted this direct rip-off and made a pretty good job of stealing the Beach Boy sound.

Bobby Fuller 4 on Hollywood a Go Go

Covered by the Clash and written by Sonny Curtis of the Crickets this is the original version of I Fought the Law by Bobby Fuller.
According to music legend Barry "the walrus of love" White plays drums and produces on the Bobby Fuller track The Magic Touch. Tragically Bobby Fuller was found dead in suspicious circumstances, cut and covered in petrol on the seat of his car near to his Los Angeles home, at the age of just 23. Linking this to my love of beach movies the band appears in the film "The Ghost in the Invisible Bikini" with Nancy Sinatra, Boris Karloff, Basil Rathbone and Harvey Lembeck (as Eric Von Zipper).

The Saints - Lipstick On Your Collar (1977)

I always think of the Saints as not quite punk. However they were a great live band with an eye for a cheeky cover version such as this one. It's also worth checking out their version of Elvis' Kissin Cousins on their first l.p.

Kings Arms

Bit late with this one but we played at the Kings Arms Bath with the U.K. Stiffs on Saturday last and had a great time.
The people there were well up for a bit of live music and the place has a good atmosphere. We have been invited back to play gigs in the summer and autumn so looking forward to that.
The band received its first songwriting royalty cheque this week which by the time we divied it up came to about £13 each - a proper milestone!

That'll Be The Day

The bit in That'll be the Day where Billy Fury (Stormy Tempest) would like to get shot of Keith Moon. Terrific film and also follow up Stardust who's cast includes Brinsley Schwarz and Dave Edmunds.

Peter Cook - Superthunderstingcar

From Not Only - But Also - Pete and Dud take the piss out of Gerry Andersons creations. It was a bit of a curate's egg as programmes go but this is great.

Arrows, I Love Rock N Roll, Alan Merrill

This is another song with a big hit cover version - Joan Jett of course - the Arrows tv show used to be on when i got home for me tea off the day shift during my apprenticeship.
Cup of tea, fry-up and third division glam rock boy bands on the telly .... unbeatable times!

Hoodoo Gurus - What's My Scene

Top tunage from Aussie garage band and jangle rock specialists the Hoodoo Gurus. A big hit in their native country this did squat over here but it's a treat for the eardrums in my view.

Gary Lewis and the Playboys - Little Miss Go-Go

Not one of his best known numbers but this is beachtastic in the extreme. Group leader Gary is the son of comedian Jerry Lewis - they got their first gig (at Disneyland) without revealing this fact and started to attract big crowds then management stepped in and made a big deal out of his pedigree.
Gary Lewis had a weak voice and studio trickery was used to make it sound good enough to win him Cashbox vocalist of the year in 1965.

Yul Brynner as Transvestite Cabaret Singer

This clip is from the Magic Christian a film based on the book by Terry Southern. I'd read the book before the film came out and was quite disappointed with the adaption although it had some high points.
The cast included Peter Sellers, Ringo Star, Spike Milligan and almost every British character actor on the scene. There were cameos from Christopher Lee, Laurence Harvey and this one involving Roman Polanski and Yul Brynner. Paul McCartney, Badfinger and Thunderclap Newman were all involved in the soundtrack recordings so the film is very interesting to look back at just for it's "jam it all in" attitude.
It turns up in the schedules sometimes so try and catch it - there isn't much plot but it is a not very subtle reflection on greed and morals. The set pieces hit or miss in about equal measure.

The Velvelettes - He Was Really Saying Something

When we were on Frome F.M. this year we played original versions of songs that became hits as cover versions and here's a good one. Bananarama covered this and had a big hit but here are the original artists the Velvelettes.
They had a northern soul favourite with the song Needle in a Haystack too - it's one of the best girl group songs ever.

Nashville Teens - Google Eye

The Nashville Teens biggest hit Tobacco Road was written by John D. Loudermilk as was this great follow up. The Teens are the backing band on the superb Jerry Lee Lewis - Live at the Star Club Hamburg album.
Loudermilk was a cousin of the Louvin Brothers and also wrote Sittin' in the Balcony for Eddie Cochran. Other artists who covered his work include the Everly Brothers, Johnny Cash and Paul Revere and the Raiders. His own recordings, some made using the name Johnny Dee, are well worth looking out.

The Times - I Helped Patrick McGoohan Escape

I played this on our little local radio show to Ivan's derision - i have no excuse i just like it. They must have had oodles of fun making the video as well.

Yardbirds-

Here's a rare and great clip of the Yardbirds - with Jimmy Page on bass guitar!

Rama Lama Ding Dong

This is Rocky Sharpe and the Replays a British doo-wop revival group who did the groundwork for the more successful Darts to capitalise on (i've got an early single - Drip Drop on Chiswick). Den Hegarty and Rita Ray of Darts were in an earlier version of the backing band (then called the Razors). Den, who is now a lecturer in psychology, still sings and has recently recorded at Western Star with our producer Alan Wilson.

Dion and the Belmonts - The Majestic

Was there ever a better white doo-wop singer than Dion DiMucci? I'm gonna help you out here - the answer is no!

Beach Party - Frankie Avalon and Annette Funicello

My favorite Annette song is Pineapple Princess but i couldn't find a clip of it. I never saw any of these beach movies at the cinema as they weren't such a big deal in this country. The fact that Britain had only just ditched rationing and post war austerity was still in the air in the early 60's meant that British teens failed to equate with the Californian sun, sea and surf scene. Televisions hunger for material meant that they turned up as cheap filler on wet bank holidays and, although i know i shouldn't, i bloody love 'em.
Annette Funicello was the Britney of her day as she had been one of Walt Disney's mouseketeers. The song Happy Birthday Sweet Sixteen is a tribute to her from her friend Neil Sedaka. Unfortunately in later life she suffered from m.s.and her last appearance - in the final reel of her own made for t.v. life story - she appears in a wheelchair.

Iron Man Teaser Trailer

I was marvel comic mad as a teenager and had a lot of the early Iron Man comics. The upcoming film seems to stick very closely to the plot of the original series and i have great hopes for it. It can't possibly be as bad as the Hulk film which was rubbish (i see they're having another go at that one - good!)

Hurriganes - Tallahassee Lassie

I saw this Finnish band in the 70's supporting Dave Edmunds - i think - they were pretty good in a pub rocky way and this tune, originaly by Freddy "Boom Boom" Cannon is a good example of their live set. Check out the version by the Flamin' Groovies too - it's ace.

Hippies

Why isn't the world a better place? The hippy culture of the 60's preached love , sharing, peace and tolerance and there seemed to be a lot of high profile adherents to these tenets. The people who were amongst the movers and shakers of the counterculture often came from influential families and were well educated with every chance of changing the system as they inherited property and power.
Didn't happen though did it?
It seems that as the flower people grew older and reached middle age (during the "greed is good" 80's) they were worse than the generation they professed to despise. The hippies should have been able to change political goals and the exploitation of the least fortunate in society. They should have scoured the system like a peace and love enema. Instead when it became time for Moonchild and Bilbo to attend public school and living in a tee pee started to lose it's charms they grabbed everything that capitalism could offer. It's often stated that "if you can remember the 60's you weren't there" but i think it more likely this amnesia is caused by embarrassment that they had the chance to make life better and fairer and they blew it.
"Never trust a hippy" said the Sex Pistols, or at least Jamie Reid and they were right. The man that remark was aimed at was hippy poster boy Richard Branson who now fails to make the trains run on time - which makes him worse than Mussolini.
Joe Public smiles as Richard bleeds them dry in his role as the great British ballooning eccentric and alt capitalist icon so it's our own gullible fault really.
AND.....he's responsible for fuckin' Tubular Bells too!

Cud - Rich And Strange

We used to stumble across Cud at various festivals this is great other material was perhaps not so good - i think they're still going but i aint sure.

Chesterfield Kings - 99th Floor

Throwback garage sounds from 60's freakbeaty revivalists The Chesterfield Kings.

Camper Van Beethoven - Take The Skinheads Bowling (1985)

This is a tune of marvelous stupidity on certain drunken evenings we are occasionaly called upon to perform this and do so with great enthusiasm.

Carl Perkins - Matchbox

This is where i nicked the riff for Mole Man from. Carl Perkins is one of my favourite guitar players he got hooked on booze as the years went by but Johnny Cash hired him and stuck by him during the bad times.

Get Smart - First Season Theme - 1965

Here's another top notch opening sequence. I used to love this show, a lot of the gags were written by Mell Brooks fresh from serving in the pool of writers for Sid Ceaser's "Your Show of Shows" (including Woody Allen).
The number of jokes that Mike Myers nicked from this for his Austin Powers movies probably explains why a couple of planned revivals of the show came to nothing.

Tv Theme Joe 90

Our old pal Ralph has been suggesting favourite t.v. themes on his blog, Ralphadeus, this is one of my all time faves with probably more to follow.

Dickies Banana Splits theme song

We did a couple of gigs over xmas at Coleford and up the Griffin - thanks to everyone who came along. As per usual we did a version of the Banana Splits song but nowhere near as manic as this take by Andy's favorite band the Dickies All together now "Na na na - na na naaa na.......!"