Stretch Out In The Sun

I hope you're all doing okay, wherever you are. This week, I've been frequently dipping into my collection of 12" mixes from the 1980s, the random shuffle throwing up lots of familiar tunes, as well as plenty of more obscure songs and/or versions.

I've created a 46-minute selection of eight, none of which have appeared on this blog (at least I'm 99.9% sure of this), spanning 1981 to 1988 and several genres, but all extended to enhance their danceability as Heaven 17 (cruelly omitted here) once said.

Touched By The Hand Of God is one of my favourite New Order songs, with a fun video to match. The remix here is from the soundtrack to Salvation!, a 1987 US film and an early credit for Viggo Mortensen. 

I've never seen Salvation!, but the soundtrack album (issued in 1988) is top notch, with contributions from New Order, Arthur Baker and Cabaret Voltaire. The Arthur Baker remix of Touched By The Hand Of God featured in today's selection is a bonus track on the CD and as far as I'm aware is unique to this release.

Dale is better known as Dale Bozzio, a Boston-born musician, former Playboy Bunny, member of Frank Zappa's recording ensemble and most famously (in the USA at least), co-founder of Missing Persons in 1980.

Fast forward to 1st Janaury 1988 and Dale's debut solo album, Riot In English, was released on Prince's label Paisley Park Records. Simon Simon was the opening song and lead single, remixed here by superstar DJ Shep Pettibone (CV includes the stellar remix of New Order's Bizarre Love Triangle) and Junior Vasquez, also on the ascendant.

By the mid-1980s, any artist was fair game for the extended 12" remix treatment and Bruce Springsteen was no exception. Arthur Baker (him again) was drafted to remix a trio of singles from Born In The U.S.A., the title track, Dancing In The Dark and Cover Me. 

The latter is today's pick and it's probably the best of the three, although if you're not a fan of this kind of thing, then it will not be the one to convert you. 

Bow Wow Wow shone briefly in the early 1980s, more than just another Malcolm McLaren vehicle to incite controversy but it feels often unfairly overshadowed by the latter. I was ten when the Prince Of Darkness single came out. Annabella Lwin was five years older than me at the time. 

Boggles the mind but, to this tiny listener, she had an incredible voice and presence and the songs were a lot of fun even if I didn't understand what they were really about. I've just discovered a performance of Prince Of Darkness on German TV, followed by an awkward though thankfully brief interview with Annabella afterwards.

The Pasadenas, from their name to their image, of 50s-style greased back quiffs, leather jackets and denim, to their sound, a contemporary update of soul, funk, do wop and R'n'B, screamed America. 

In fact, the 5-piece was a British group, originally a dance troupe called Finesse, before taking a punt at pop success in the late 1980s. And it worked: Riding On A Train, which they also wrote, got to #13 in the UK and their debut album peaked at #3.

So why The Pasadenas? It was the birthplace of founders and twin brothers David and Michael Milliner, before their relocation to England.

An early building block in my vinyl record collection was The 12" Album by Howard Jones, with the on-the-nose cover featuring Howard in profile standing next to an image of a 12" wooden ruler. Presumably not an indication of Howard's actual height, though I must ask Mrs. K as she has seen him out and about in his old stomping ground of High Wycombe.

Whilst four of the six songs were extended versions of Howard's singles, Total Conditioning was an album track, then a B-side of the Pearl In The Shell 12". Ironically, the version on The 12" Album is about a minute shorter than said 12" album. I'll leave you to decide whether that's a travesty or a small mercy.

I'm sure that I trot this out every time that I mention Bananarama, but Sarah and Keren used to go to the same secondary school as me. Unfortunately, unlike Annabella Lwin, the age gap was sufficienty great that they were long gone by the time I arrived at the gates, wet behind the ears, crap haircut and sweating in my school blazer and jumper (it was a hot September).

Do Not Disturb sits, in my mind at least, in that transitional period between the early, vaguely indie/DIY feel singles and the full-blown bouncy pop (especially with Stock, Aitken & Waterman) that top and tailed the 1980s. It's fun, but less memorable.

Closing out this collection is a cover of Low Rider, originally by War in 1975, recorded a decade later by Quando Quango. in 1985, they had gained cool points for being on the Factory label, but disbanded following their debut album, Pigs + Battleships. The remix of Low Rider here is by 400 Blows and appeared on volume two of the Funky Alternatives compilation series, which was always worth a punt.

Ten years later, Quando Quango co-founder (and Hacienda DJ) Mike Pickering found global success with M-People.

Stay cool out there today!

1) Touched By The Hand Of God (Remix Version By Arthur Baker): New Order (1988)

2) Simon Simon (Extended Remix By Shep Pettibone & Junior Vasquez): Dale (1988)

3) Cover Me (Undercover Mix By Arthur Baker): Bruce Springsteen (1984)

4) Prince Of Darkness (12" Version By Bow Wow Wow & Brian Tench): Bow Wow Wow (1981)

5) Riding On A Train (Album Version By Pete Wingfield): The Pasadenas (1988)

6) Total Conditioning (12" Version By Rupert Hine & Stephen W. Tayler): Howard Jones (1984)

7) Do Not Disturb (12" Version By Steve Jolley & Tony Swain): Bananarama (1985)

8) Low Rider (400 Blows Remix By Andrew Beer & Robert Taylor) (Cover of War): Quando Quango ft. Beverly McDonald (1985)

1981: Prince Of Darkness EP: 4

1984: Cover Me EP: 3

1984: The 12" Album: 6

1985: Do Not Disturb EP: 7

1987: Funky Alternatives Vol 2: 8

1988: Salvation! OST: 1

1988: Simon Simon EP: 2

1988: To Whom It May Concern: 5

Stretch Out In The Sun (46:36) (GD) (M)

A Taste Of Philadelphia

After yesterday's Philadelphia-based post, Pennsylvania’s largest city cropped up three more times in my playlist.

Too much of a coincidence to ignore and the inspiration for today's trio of songs.

First up, although second in the order that I experienced it, is the snappily titled The World Is A Beautiful Place & I Am No Longer Afraid To Die. Bandcamp lists the band as being currenlty based in Philadelphia, although according to Discogs they originally formed in Willimantic, Connecticut in 2009.

2015 album Harmlessness was one of the #last4albums picks by j-e-l on BlueSky and a quick listen to a couple of songs is enough for me to set aside the album for a proper listen this weekend. Here's track 10 (of 13), Haircuts For Everyone:

Second (but third, if you get my meaning) is Victoryland aka Julian McCammon. 

"Aha!" I hear you cry. 

"Victoryland is based in Brooklyn, New York! 

Nyah nyah nyah nyah nyah!"

"Aha!" I counter, confidently. 

"Julian may be based in Brooklyn, New York now, 

but Victoryland started in Philly in 2023!"

(but those "Nyah nyah nyah nyah nyah!"s still burn in my gut...)

Victoryland was another #last4albums pick on BlueSky, this time courtesy of Mykhailo, whose choices have introduced me to a lot of new music, for which I'm grateful. My bank manager less so.

My Heart Is A Room With No Cameras In It is Victoryland's debut album, released in January this year. Again, based on a couple of song samples, I'll be going back to investigate further. Here's track 8 (of 10), Beach Death: 

And this song that started this off?

Of all the Magazine albums, I just happened to have The Correct Use Of Soap on my current playlist and the closing song of Side 1 is of course this absolute beauty:

A classic among classics, although the recurring line, "Maybe it's right to be nervous now" resonates even more strongly in 2026...

(Note: personally, I'm not a huge fan of the "fresh and creamy taste" of Philadelphia)

Your clean-living, clear-eyed

Clever, level-headed brother says

He'll put all the screws

Upon your newest lover

Buddha's in the fireplace

The truth's in drugs from outer space

Maybe it's right to be nervous now

Who are these madmen?

What do they want from me?

With all of their straight-talk from their misery

Everything'd be just fine

If I had the right pastime

I'd've been Raskolnikov

But Mother Nature ripped me off

In Philadelphia

I'm sure that I felt healthier

Maybe it's right to be nervous now

I had liberty of movement

But I'm so lazy

I'm so lazy

I'm just so lazy

You're just a big kid

You're not so big at that

You never got the hang of it

Now you're being looked at

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I Want to Burn Again

Magazine

You Never Knew Me

Magazine

Shot by Both Sides

Magazine

Where have I seen you before?

'Same place you saw me, I expect

I've got a good face for memories'

In Philadelphia

I'm sure that I felt healthier

Maybe it's right to be nervous now

Nothing Can Change It

Seal's band taking this quite literally with an almost note perfect recreation of Life's What You Make It by Talk Talk, performed at the free One Philly: Unity Concert For America in Philadelphia on 4th July 2026.

I've seen a lot of online comments about whether artists should attempt to cover Talk Talk at all, on the basis that the songs are perfect to begin with, others arguing that it's another way to bring a classic artist or band to attention of a new generation and/or wider audience.

I'd definitely go with the latter. I've heard my fair share of dodgy songs that, on discovering that they are cover versions, have tempted me to track down the original, to my benefit and education. 

Seal delivers a typically strong vocal and the band - including Philly-born Gail Ann Dorsey on bass - is tight, though the percussion is so note perfect that I can't believe that it's all played by Drew McKeon, not least because it required three for Talk Talk's own live rendition: drummer Lee Harris, accompanied by Leroy Williams and Phil Reis.

And Seal's vocals, whilst on point and a good match for the music per se, never quite nail the emotional depth of Mark Hollis' performance. The latter is also a lot more animated on stage, you can feel what Mark feels when he's singing it.

Here's a prime example, Life's What You Make It by Talk Talk at the Montreux Festival on 11th July 1986. Same song, almost identical arrangement, forty years apart but oh, what a difference.

For all that, I'm glad that Seal chose to include a Talk Talk song in his set and that there were people in the audience so inspired by this that they were instantly looking up the original song. 

Of course, in these days of streaming that means naff all royalties for anyone involved with the Talk Talk recording, but the band and their music remain as relevant and as thrilling now as they did all those years ago.

Life Just Seems A Dream, Yet It's So Real

Mrs. K and I have been catching up with the TV series Ragdoll, which originally premiered on US channel AMC+, then alibi (now U&alibi) in late 2021, and now be found on More 4.

The series is based on a novel by Daniel Cole and - five of six episodes in - it's been an enjoyable psychological thriller, with a compelling lead cast, though subject to the usual irks of frequently inaudible dialogue.

What's left the greatest impression on me, however, is the theme tune and opening titles which are frankly brilliant. The latter are credited to Matt Willey and Pablo Delcan, Matt having previously worked on the similarly effective Killing Eve.

The music is by Moses Boyd, summed up on Bandcamp as "a multi-award-winning drummer, producer, composer and DJ from South London." Even that doesn't do the Ragdoll theme justice.

It's 45 seconds of brilliance is matched only by the astonishment that, five years on, it doesn't appear to have been developed further or released officially. 

By sheer coincidence though, I've discovered that Moses has a new single out, his first since...well, 2021, called Say Yeah. And it's great.

Here's a 28-second teaser...

...and the 'proper' studio version., which you can buy for a mere £1.50...

Genes Are Dangerous

Sometimes what I need is a blast of guitars and Karen Dió has delivered with Free Yourself, a short sharp blast of pop punk that hits the spot.

And there's more where that came from, with previous single Cut Your Hair (no, not a cover of the Pavement song). Both videos involve Karen running through the streets, which is clearly her go-to keep fit regime, but they - and the songs - are also a lot of fun, something we all need in our lives at the moment.

For once, an artist that hasn't been steadily putting out music for the past decade before I belatedly 'discover' them, Karen currently has nine releases for sale on Bandcamp, including Bexy from March this year and Sick Ride, her debut release from April 2024.

 

Whilst the touchstones and inspirations are Blink 182, Avril Lavigne, Sum41 and early Green Day, none of who I have much interest in to be honest, I've really enjoyed Karen's own take through these handful of songs.

Confusingly, Bandcamp lists that today Karen is playing both the Mad Cool Festival in Madrid and The Croft In Bristol. Not exactly Phil Collins traversing the Atlantic for Live Aid (thank goodness) and, with an early enough slot at the former, certainly doable.

Sadly, I'm going to miss both, but I will be giving my ears a blast with Karen's music today.

What Have You Done To My Head?

When I went to sleep last night, I'd never heard of Tokyo Tea Room; less than an hour after waking, I can't get their single All Night out of my head.

Billed by music magazine/website Indie Is Not A Genre as "Margate's premier dream-pop outfit" is either a cheeky piss take or knowingly underselling the ambition of this Kent four-piece. It's the latter, to be fair, as writer Katie Macbeth later describes the band as "a globally recognised musical force".

Tokyo Tea Room is made up of Beth Dunn (vocals), Ben Marshall (bass), Sam Teather (drums) and on everything else, including guitars, songwriting and production, Daniel James Elliott.

All Night has an infectious groove, complemented by Beth's vocals, and if you aren't compelled to move, then the video has some dance moves that anyone could get to grips with in the confines of their own home.

Eyes Off You, released a month ago, follows a similar template and suggests that upcoming album Feel Forever will be the soundtrack to late summer roadtrips and autumn indie discos everywhere.

Their tour of the USA and Europe brings Tokyo Tea Room to the Exchange in Bristol in late November and it's on my "would like to go" list.

For a lazy comparison which I haven't 'researched' but is likely to have been made a thousand times already at least, if you like Khruangbin, then I think you will like Tokyo Tea Room very much. At least, based on the total four songs by the latter that I've heard so far.

Here are the other three.

 

 

 

...No Sweeter Genius

The second half of tunes that have tickled my fancy in the first 26 weeks of '26

 

The final thirteen feature a couple of returning artists in The Rotations and Fluke, more than justified in both cases. The rest are new to this selection, even if the names are familiar.

deary has confidently picked up the shoegaze baton and are running away. Thankfully, being shoegaze, it's at a fairly languid pace so you'll have no trouble catching up. And it is worth catching up with their debut album, as today's pick No Sweeter Feeling will attest.

 

With A Sense Of You, The Rotations offer up another song that sounds like it's been transmitted from a parallel universe, very much like our own, just a little...off. The vocals sound like Tom Waits belatedly finding out that Neighbours has been cancelled (again), which only adds to the charm.

 

If you only remember Chad Jackson for Hear The Drummer (Get Wicked) way, way back in the mists of time, then you are in for a pleasant surprise. Genius Of Skank Pt. 1 is not an overreaching title and sums up the track perfectly. This track appears on the excellent Evil Acid Barons double album and is well worth your pennies. Now, when we get Pt. 2, Chad?

 

I enthused about Fluke's gorgeous new double album The Second Bite yesterday, albeit as a side reference to an accompanying Daniel Avery remix of their classic Atom Bomb. This time, I've picked from the album itself. Several of the tracks are subtle tweaks, polishes and updates of the original, others take the song on a bit more of an excursion. Case in point: 1995 single Tosh goes cruising around mid-70s New York, gets funked up and wakes up the following morning, wanting to do it all again. Great stuff.

 

In the 1980s, both The Bluebells and The Kane Gang flirted with the UK record-buying masses. The former have come back in the 21st Century, arguably even stronger than before and latest album This Is... proves more than a match for anything they've done.

 

Whilst The Kane Gang are no more, two thirds of the band have reconvened as Autoleisureland. In many respects, the New Road Movie album sounds like barely a day has passed since Closest Thing To Heaven and Motortown. Your personal history with 80s pop whether you enjoy Autoleisureland's album or not. I like it.

 

In the 2000s, a band called The Strange Death Of Liberal England existed. No, me neither. However, thanks to being a fan of Roberta Fidora, I've been hooked up with TSDOLE's former organ player and their latest project, dee eye why. Debut song Autonomous features Roberta on vocals and is most enjoyable.

 

Spanish DJ/producer Roglar aka Victor Balaguer Alonso nest, getting the remix treatment courtesy of London boy Ian Vale and, as ever, neither disappoint. Fly With Dumbo is pumped up without going over the top...

 

...by contrast with the dappled sounds of Rays Of Sunshine, just one example of why Pye Corner Audio's current album More Songs About The Sun is a gift to the ears. Writer Ian Rankin features on another song and Andy Bell (Ride/GLOK) lends his guitar talent to several others.

 

Speaking of which, Alliance, the GLOK / Timothy Clerkin album from 2025 has been reworked and remixed by a host of contemporary artists. I've gone back to the old school for a remarkable job by Richard Sen. Well, I say remarkable, but I'm struggling to think of a time when Richard has been anything less. The competition is stiff, but this reimagining of The Witching Hour is a standout on the record.

 

The Moonrocks are new to me but their song Cardiac Arrest definitely leans more heavily on the classic rock stylings that the cosmiche that their name suggests. You don't always have to innovate to be fun.

 

That said, Broken Chanter is a perfect example of great pop rock songs that manage to sound familiar and catchy whilst having something fresh to play and say. I've fallen deeply in love with Broken Chanter since being introduced them a few years ago and the latest album is brilliant. 

 

Almost as a response to Scarlet Fantastic's opening call on Volume 1, a year without a summer is almost too much to contemplate.

 

And, as if on cue, rays of sunshine through the window and a nudge for me to get up and get out. 

 

 

1) No Sweeter Feeling: deary (Birding)

2) A Sense Of You: The Rotations (Gung-Ho)

3) Love Is Gonna Keep Us Cryin': Autoleisureland (New Road Movie)

4) Nave (Malaphors Mix): Sister Ray Davies (Holy Island Baby EP)

5) Autonomous: dee eye why ft. Roberta Fidora (Bungalow Legs EP)

6) Tosh (The Second Bite): Fluke (The Second Bite)

7) Cardiac Arrest: The Moonrocks (A Room With A View)

8) Fly With Dumbo (Ian Vale Remix): Roglar (I Know EP)

9) Rays Of Sunshine: Pye Corner Audio (More Songs About The Sun)

10) Indian Summer: The Bluebells (This Is...The Bluebells)

11) Genius Of Skank Pt. 1: Chad Jackson (Evil Acid Barons)

12) The Witching Hour (Richard Sen Remix): GLOK / Timothy Clerkin (Alliance Remixed)

13) A Year Without A Summer: Broken Chanter (This Could be Us, You, Or Anybody Else)

  

Summer Feeling, No Sweeter Genius (1:00:47) (GD) (M) 

Summer Feeling...

As we're halfway through the year, it's time to pause and enjoy the music that's been assailing my senses in the first 26 weeks of '26.

So, 26 songs split into two volumes, today and Sunday. And, unsurprisingly, a fair few mention summer, sunshine and sunsets. Ironically, it's pretty overcast as I create this post in the Cotswolds.

But what would we feel like, without summer? To answer that question, Maggie De Monde is back with a fab album as Scarlet Fantastic, ably assisted by Hifi Sean. The answer? Like being without someone you love, obviously.

Song Of Siraba by A Space Age Freak Out has already appeared on an earlier Dubhed selection of 2026 highlights, but both the original and the ten (count 'em, ten!) accompanying remixes are so good, I make no apology for this. Last time, it was Cosmikuro's take, this time I've gone for Viper Patrol.

Fluke's unexpected and very welcome return in 2024 has been gathering momentum, leading to the release of The Second Bite, a glorious double album reworking classics from their catalogue. Not only that, but Daniel Avery has delivered the first of two remixes of Atom Bomb. This is a dreamy delight, not least for showcasing Leah Cleaver's updated vocals.

Justin Robertson remixed Fluke back in the day and he's still turning it on, most recently as Five Green Moons on a wonderful overhaul of Freedom by Das Druid. They bang on about national treasures on the TV all the time. Justin's a national treasure, as far as I'm concerned, even if he hasn't received an award from Carol Vorderman to prove it.

Speaking of which, Mr. Richard Norris. His latest album is a soundtrack to a clutch of 8mm films that he has acquired, both described as "reflective, atmospheric, lo-fi, a bit wobbly". I've picked Dreamtime, the most blissful two minutes you're likely to experience today. 

In amongst these are a mix of sounds from King Ayisoba, produced by Adrian Sherwood (thanks, Ernie!), Erin Farley and Stephen Clarke 1980, Wrongtom, Kolegos, SAULT, 6161 and The Rotations, Nothing particularly in common, but all finding their own place and space on this selection. It perhaps shouldn't work, but it does.

The sun sets, appropriately enough, with Sunset by Doublespeak, an electronic supergroup comprising Neil Arthur, Vince Clarke and Ben Edwards aka Benge. Happy 66th birthday for yesterday (3rd), Vince!

Hopefully, this has whet your appetite for tomorrow's 13-song selection, including a couple of today's artists, back for more. But who?

1) Without Summer: Scarlet Fantastic (From Montreal To Rotherham)

2) Song Of Siraba (Viper Patrol Remix By John McIver): A Space Age Freak Out (Song Of Siraba EP)

3) False Tongue: Erin Farley & Stephen Clarke 1980 (PSC#001: The Beautiful Flowers Wait For Peace)

4) Love, Refrain (Reprise): The Rotations (Gung-Ho)

5) Bemba (Album Version By Adrian Sherwood): King Ayisoba (Pure Confusion)

6) Atom Bomb (Daniel Avery Nuclear Summer Remix): Fluke ft. Leah Cleaver (Atom Bomb EP)

7) Freedom (Justin Robertson's Five Green Moons Remix): Das Druid (Das EP)

8) One Man Army (First Dub Part II): Wrongtom Meets The Rockers (One Man Army EP)

9) Dreamtime: Richard Norris (8mm)

10) Arbeit: Kolegos (ALG EP)

11) Fulfil Your Spirit: SAULT (Chapter 1)

12) Up (Ben Nascosto Remix): 6161 (6161 (Remixes) EP)

13) Sunset: Doublespeak (Sunset / Strange Weather EP)

Summer Feeling, No Sweeter Genius Vol. 1 (58:47) (GD) (M)

"What I Did On My Summer Holidays" By Khayem, Age 35 ½

I have a much-needed week off work next week. No plans, other than to have some fun... well, apart from the long 'to do' list of chores pinned to the wall...! But mostly fun.

In that spirit, I came across this dusty old post, recounting a similar week off, twenty years ago. What was floating my boat in July 2006? Read on!

Saturday 15th July 2006

I attempted to paint a couple of coffee tables in my back garden, with primer that had the consistency of tar thanks to the excessive heat. 

Why do I ever decide to do these jobs? 

I’m crap at DIY!

Sunday 16th July 2006

Mrs. K and I tried and failed to rent Pirates Of The Caribbean: The Curse Of The Black Pearl – or anything else for that matter – on DVD. Spent an inordinate amount of time in The Lounge café bar, getting drunk instead.

[2026 P.S. in July 2006, The Lounge was singiular, a cosy little place in a former opticians, less then 5 mins walk from our home. These days, there are approx. 250 Lounge bars across England and Wales]

Monday 17th July 2006

Left England, entered Wales, left Wales, re-entered England. Arrived at Mallards Pike Lake, the Forest of Dean, to Go Ape in the treetops. 

Severe doubts about my judgement kicked in when I saw people thirty feet up flinging themselves onto cargo nets, balancing on precarious platforms and screaming as they descended the ‘zip slides’ (hey, we know they’re really called ‘death slides’!). 

A faltering start at the briefing session as I put the harness on inside out, but I was determined to show both the slew of hyperactive teens and the inconceivably elderly gent in our group that I had what it takes. I felt adrenalin hitting hitherto unexplored parts of my bloodsystem… as I travelled the ten-foot practice zip slide, a few feet above ground level. 

Three hours later, Mrs. K and I completed our final ‘death slide’ descent, pumped up and ready to take on the world! That said, it’s unlikely that next month I’ll be writing of rap jumping down the side of a skyscraper. Small steps, small steps... 

We stopped off at the appropriately named The Gr(ape) in Chepstow for a bite to eat. Mrs. K ordered feta and vine tomato salad, which was lovely despite the fact that the feta became brie, the vine tomatoes were clearly the common-or-garden variety and the salad was largely conspicuous by it’s absence. 

My choice – black pudding and chorizo on a bed of rocket – uncovered the AWOL vine tomatoes, though the rocket seemed to have launched into the stratosphere, in pursuit of Mrs. K’s salad. However, the combination of meats was surprisingly effective, and ably assisted by full-bodied local beer, the Reverend James.

[2026 P.S. The Grape is sadly no more] 

Tuesday 18th July 2006

Mrs. K and I joined our close friend Jason at the local mutiplex to see Pirates Of The Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest 

A tad overlong, but great fun. If you’ve not seen the first film, no problem: as there’s no ‘plot’ to speak of, there’s no chance of feeling ill informed. Bill Nighy delivers a star turn, despite having an octopus for a head throughout; likewise, barnacles proved no obstacle to Geoffrey Rush’s sterling performance. 

It’s easy to understand that Johnny Depp has been likened to Keith Richards in this film, but I’ll admit to a slight disappointment that Depp didn’t fully realise this by taking a tumble from a coconut tree. 

We’re both looking forward to Pirates 3, and may even get around to seeing the first one someday…

Wednesday 19th July 2006

I received an outline of my pre-job interview assignment: to prepare a briefing paper for a presentation/discussion with a panel. 

I successfully avoided soiling myself and dealt with my nervous anxiety by spending the day clothes shopping at Cribbs Causeway with Mrs. K.

[2026 P.S. Twenty years later, the self-proclaimed "South West's premier shopping centre" has dropped 'Causeway', settling for the mononym 'Cribbs'] 

Thursday 20th July 2006

A lazy day at The Relaxation Centre in Clifton, a first-time experience for the two of us. 

We sampled the outdoor hot tub, steam room, the indoor hot tub, sauna and floatation room and felt unbelievably great afterwards. 

I then blew it all that evening as my oldest friend Stuart was in town (check out his film Outlaw in 2007). Mandatory ale quaffing in The Three Sugar Loaves and The White Lion ensued, including pints of the prophetically named Doom.

Friday 21st July 2006

The hangover from hell, accompanied by the obligatory depression and lack of motivation. 

Mrs. K and I started watching a fascinating documentary on Blondie but I passed out before they’d even reached ‘The Tide Is High’ era.

Saturday 22nd July 2006

I spent the morning sitting in Queen Square whilst Mrs. K was having her hair styled by either Toni or Guy, I’m not sure which. I wrote some prep notes for my interview briefing paper, some of them even forming coherent comments. And that was about it.

Sunday 23rd July 2006

As it was a blazingly hot day, we put off going to the Ashton Court Festival until the last minute. 

I remember my earliest visits, when it was a sprawling, seemingly shambolic free community festival. Overflowing with pub bands, cheap lager, variations on goat curry and spicy noodles, and volunteers circulating with buckets to collect money for the following year’s event, the stumble out of the estate grounds in pitch blackness was a veritable rite of passage. 

How things have changed. 

Now, the entire event has been fenced in, lit up and corralled into submission. The £9.00 per day entry fee now offers you the likes of Simple Minds, The Go! Team and Dreadzone, though ‘pub bands’ still dominate. 

The latter two had headlined the previous day, so Mrs. K and I experienced the mighty ‘Juan’ Kerr and co. I only recognised about half of Simple Minds’ songs and those that I did – Don’t You Forget About Me, a dire cover of Van Morrison’s Gloria and the closing third encore (!) of Alive And Kicking - were little more than extended karaoke tracks, with Kerr preferring the audience to do the work on the choruses. 

The sole redeeming moment was a rendition of New Gold Dream (81-82-83-84) seemingly inspired by Utah Saints’ rousing mid-1990s cover version. Apart from that, neither of us were sorry to see Simple Minds return to the ‘where are they now?’ file. 

Still, the walk home was fun, as we dove into the stream of human traffic heading south of the river. Along the way, pockets of inebriated male violence broke out, causing the occasional log jam. Perhaps the festival is still a rites of passage for some, but my feelings towards Ashton Court were aptly personified by Jim Kerr: over priced, over the hill, out of touch and with an inflated sense of self-importance.

[2026 P.S. Bit harsh, eh? I've a lot of love for Simple Minds' first few albums and they have admittedly come back stronger with some good songs in the last twenty years. But this still ranks as one of the worst gigs I have ever experienced.]

Holiday Reading:

Feeding Frenzy: Will Self (2002)

Jimmy Corrigan, The Smartest Kid On Earth: Chris Ware (2000)

Black Hole: Charles Burns (2005)

Planet Karen: Karen Ellis (2006)

Holiday Music:

Time Boom X De Devil Dead: Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry + Dub Syndicate (1987)

Live In London: The Go-Betweens (2004)

Scary Monsters ('Sound + Vision' Expanded Edition): David Bowie (1980/1992)

Pure: The Times (1991)

69 Love Songs: The Magnetic Fields (1999)

Riot City Blues: Primal Scream (2006)

The Infotainment Scan (Expanded Edition): The Fall (1993/2006)

Holiday TV:

Lost

Big Brother’s Big Mouth

Saxondale

Nathan Barley

Grumpy Old Holidays

Dog The Bounty Hunter

A Kind Of Vendetta In My Gesture

Pierre De Maere's Je Pense à Vous (I Think Of You) is a wonderfully light and funky slice of Belgian pop, sung in French, with a video set in the suburbs featuring people of all ages breaking into choreographed dancing - "bouncing grandad" a particular highlight - whilst the lead grooves on through. All in a smidge under three minutes.

And sometimes that's all that's needed to lift the spirits and get the day off to a good start.

Works for me.

I've no idea who Pierre De Maere is, or if this song is typical of his music to date, but Je Pense à Vous is going into my shopping basket.