When Hypocrisy Reigns And Nothing Is True

Arab Strap are back! Back!! BACK!!! with You You You.

Aidan Moffat and Malcolm Middleton continue to make genuinely thrilling and engaging music. Aidan's words in particular capture the moment - particularly if you're a man on the other side of 50 whose feelings range from numbness to bewilderment at the state of the world - with the merest glimmer of hope in that "I've got you, you, you."

Whether that's a loved one, friends or the community occupying a little corner of the blogosphere, and I can relate to all three, when the writing is this good, how can anything I write about the song feel anything more than gilding the lily?

At the time of posting, it looks like You You You is available for streaming but not (yet) purchase or download. Rest assured, as soon as it's available to buy, I'm buying it!

I’ve got a hole in my shoe that lets in rain,

and another new lump in another vein;

I’ve got pills for breakfast every day,

to keep my pains and fears at bay.

I’ve got a portly paunch I just can’t shift;

I feel undesired, dismissed, adrift.

My get-up-and-go is long gone,

and the days keep dragging on.

But I’ve got you, you, you, you;

I’ve got you, you, you, you;

I’ve got you, you, you, you;

I’ve got you, you, you.

I’ve got a hole in my head that can’t be filled;

time is never spent, it’s only killed.

I’m always bored, it seems nothing excites me –

my own limbic system fights me!

I’ve got watchlists I’ll never watch,

and pruritus scroti in my crotch;

I’ve got a seething sadness in my soul,

that might just swallow me whole.

But I’ve got you, you, you, you;

I’ve got you, you, you, you;

I’ve got you, you, you, you;

I’ve got you, you, you.

I’ve got tears in my eyes again tonight,

as the tyrannised unite and fight;

there’s a fiery frog in my throat now,

from all that singing: Bella ciao!

I’ve got my day in court that can’t be missed,

‘cause the government claims I’m a terrorist;

I fear for my son, I fear for my daughter,

but in this world of slaughter

I’ve got you, you, you, you;

I’ve got you, you, you, you;

I’ve got you, you, you, you;

I’ve got you, you, you.

(Yes I do)

And if you’re streaming this song on Spotify,

then we both fund weapons-grade AI.

But if it wasn’t here, then how would you hear it?

We’re over a barrel, but we don’t have to cheer it.

I DON’T KNOW WHAT THE FUCK TO DO

when hypocrisy reigns and nothing is true,

and nobody pays for abhorrent behaviour –

FUCK THESE DEMAGOGUES COSPLAYING SAVIOURS

With a rose in my fist,

and a song in my lungs,

I reach for a hand,

and I’ve got you, you, you, you;

I’ve got you, you, you, you;

I’ve got you, you, you, you;

I’ve got you, you, you.

The First And Latest Chapters Of The Book Of Love

I think that I first heard Book Of Love in 2006 when they featured on Future Retro, a remix compilation of 80s artists. After that, they seemed to be ubiquitous on US-only compilations and music blogs with a leaning towards that era.

It's no surprise that that name didn't register to begin with: although Book Of Love's first two singles and debut album were released in the UK in 1985-86, they failed to make any impression on the respective charts. 

What was a surprise was that Book Of Love similarly lacked any mainstream chart success in their home country. In fact, only single #5, Pretty Boys And Pretty Girls, cracked the Top 100 (peaking at #90) in 1988.

The 2006 remix was of Book Of Love's debut single, Boy. Although inferred rather than explicit, writer and co-founder Ted Ottoviano revealed that the song "describes the frustrations of a woman with feelings for a gay man", later adding that Boy was “written about Boy Bar, which was a very exclusive gay club in the East Village.”

Book Of Love's sole US hit, Pretty Boys And Pretty Girls, addresses (again, somewhat obliquely) fears about the AIDS epidemic, 

(When I'm without)

Pretty boys

(I dream about)

Pretty girls

Strangers in the night

Exchanging glances

But sex is dangerous

I don't take my chances

Aside from the 2006 'rockstar' rework by DJ Irene, Boy has been given the remix treatment numeroous times since it's original release in 1985, including Peter Rauhofer in 2000 and, in April 2026, Dave Audé. You can find them here and here.

Boy (Uh-huh), boy (Uh-huh) x6

I want to be where the boys are

But I'm not allowed

I wait outside of the boy's bar

I wait for them to all come out

I'm not a boy

I'm not a boy

It's not my fault that I'm not a boy

It's not my fault I don't have those toys

I'm not a boy

I'm not a boy

Boy (Uh-huh), boy (Uh-huh) x4

But now it's alright (But now it's alright)

Without those boys (Without those boys)

I stay at home at night (I stay at home at night)

And I play with my toys (And I play with my toys)

Boy

I'm not a boy

Boy

I'm not a boy

Boy

I'm not a boy

Boy

I'm not a, not a, not a boy

Boy (Uh-huh), boy (Uh-huh) x4

Still Can't Stop To Mess Around

Following on from Sunday;s post, Side 2 of a punk and post-punk period piece, cramming eleven songs into twenty nine and a half minutes.

Another mix of the obvious and the obscure (at least in the UK), from X-Ray Spex (England) and The Boomtown Rats (Eire) to The Kids (Belgium) and Ebba Grön (Sweden).

I must have heard Sonic Reducer dozens of times before I was aware of or heard the original version by The Dead Boys as it was go-to crowd pleaser for any band with a bit of attitude on the Bristol live circuit in the last 1980s.

999 are the only representatives from Urgh! A Music War, whilst The Adverts have managed to to slip a song in on both sides, Gary Gilmore's Eyes yesterday and One Chord Wonders today. To be honest, it was supposed to be either/or but I couldn't choose and there was room for both.

And the collection closes with a classic that's less punk and more pop, but just had to be included. I can't name another song by Plastic Bertrand, but when the one song is this joyous, who cares?

Next Monday is a bank holiday. Today isn't, so I grit my teeth, gird my loins and prepare to enter the fray. See you on the other side!

1) Sonic Reducer: The Dead Boys (1977)

2) Fascist Cops: The Kids (1978)

3) Oh Bondage Up Yours!: X-Ray Spex (1977)

4) Wild Youth (Single Version): Generation X (1977)

5) Lookin' After No. 1: The Boomtown Rats (1977)

6) Emergency (Album Version): 999 (1978)

7) This Perfect Day (Album Version): The Saints (1977)

8) One Chord Wonders (Album Version): The Adverts (1977)

9) Mona Tumbas Slim Club: Ebba Grön (1979)

10) Lexicon Devil (Single Version): The Germs (1978)

11) Ça Plane Pour Moi: Plastic Bertrand (1977)

1977: An 1: 11

1977: Oh Bondage Up Yours! EP: 3

1977: The Boomtown Rats: 5

1977: Wild Youth EP: 4

1977: Young Loud And Snotty: 1

1978: Crossing The Red Sea With The Adverts: 8

1978: Eternally Yours: 7

1978: Lexicon Devil EP: 10

1978: 999: 6

1978: The Kids: 2

1979: Prorock EP: 9

Side Two (29:24) (GD) (M)

Can't Stop To Mess Around

Since last Sunday's post about Urgh! A Music War, I've been listening to a lot of music from the punk and post-punk period. So much so, in fact, that I've got two Dubhed selections in the bag.

I considered whether to include them all in one bumper post, but reason prevailed (and the realisation that it's Monday, i.e. work, tomorrow). So, it's Side 1 today and Side 2 on Monday.

In the spirit of my original Urgh! mixtape, both of these selections will fit neatly on each side of a C60 cassette. 

As well as some very familiar names such as Stiff Little Fingers, The Only Ones, The Damned and The Slits, I've included a few from outside the UK that I've been introduced to in more recent times by the wonderful blogging community. A couple of examples today: The Rude Kids from Sweden with (I guess) a Stranglers diss song and, from Germany, Abwärts with the title track of the VFM 5-track Computerstaat EP.

The thing that all ten songs have in common is that they are designed to be played LOUD.

More on Monday.

1) Blank Generation (Album Version): Richard Hell & The Voidoids (1977)

2) Suspect Device (Album Version): Stiff Little Fingers (1978)

3) New Race: Radio Birdman (1977)

4) (Get A) Grip (On Yourself) (Single Version): The Stranglers (1977)

5) Stranglers (If It's Quiet Why Don't You Play?): The Rude Kids (1978)

6) Another Girl, Another Planet (Album Version): The Only Ones (1978)

7) New Rose (Album Version): The Damned (1976)

8) Gary Gilmore's Eyes (Single Version): The Adverts (1977)

9) Typical Girls (Album Version): The Slits (1979)

10) Computerstaat: Abwärts (1980)

1977: Blank Generation: 1

1977: Damned Damned Damned: 7

1977: Gary Gilmore's Eyes EP: 8

1977: Grip / London Lady EP: 4

1977: Radios Appear: 3

1978: Stranglers (If It's Quiet Why Don't You Play?) / Punk Will Never Die! EP: 5

1978: The Only Ones: 6

1979: Cut: 9

1979: Inflammable Material: 2

1980: Computerstaat EP: 10

Side One (29:56) (GD) (M)

A Million Different People In Here

Side 1 of an cassette compilation, recorded 27th December 1997.

An end of year 'best of' with an opening song from Björk that had charted less than a fortnight previously. 

Bachelorette is an astounding song in it's original form, and the list of artists brought in to remix the single included RZA from Wu-Tang Clan. He doesn't mess with it too much, mainly a switch of beats, but it makes a big difference.

I've included the UK chart peaks for each of the singles here, which in turn highlights how many of them actually failed to crack the Top 100! 

Smoking Pot by Wubble-U is no surprise as the BBC no doubt slapped a discreet airplay on it due to it's title and sampled refrain of "Why are you children smoking pot?" Lionrock and The Aloof were robbed, though.

This was the era of multi-format CD singles and offers to buy all two (or three, in some cases) for a bargain price in order to secure that all-important chart placing. Therefore, quite a few here found that the single crashed in on the first week, and disappeared without trace by the second.

Only two Top 10s, the first from James with a more commercial punt at pop, produced by Stephen Hague, following a couple of more experimental albums with Brian Eno. 

The second was far more radical: Tori Amos' song Professional Widow was put through the garage grinder by Armand Van Helden, released as a single, and gave Tori her first #1 in the UK. The remix is of it's time admittedly, but it's still a thrilling listen.

Also thrilling, though for different reasons, were Gold Blade, fronted by John Robb (belated happy 65th birthday for 4th May!). I saw Gold Blade play a gig in the super cosy upstairs room at The Louisiana in Bristol in November 1996 and they were just brilliant, full oif energy and Robb resplendent in lamé and quiff.

As a nod to the excellent series at The Vinyl Villain, Edwyn Collins released The Magic Piper (Of Love), a one-off single that incredibly - and delightfully - found itself playing over the closing credits of smash hit movie Austin Powers: International Man Of Mystery. You can read JC's thoughts on the single here.

It may be a little while before I get around to Side 2, though the mixtape's title gives a clue to one of the songs. Can you guess any of the other eleven?

1) Bachelorette (RZA Remix): Björk (Bachelorette EP) (#21, 14 December 1997)

2) She's A Star (Album Version): James (Whiplash) (#9, 27 April 1997)

3) Professional Widow (Armand's Star Trunk Funkin' Mix - Radio Edit): Tori Amos (Professional Widow EP) (#1, 12 January 1997)

4) Pussycat (Rosetta Stone Mix By Porl King & Karl North): Mulu (Pussycat EP) (#50, 27 July 1997)

5) Sinking (Radio Edit): The Aloof (Sinking EP) (#n/a, 01 June 1997)

6) Sand (Album Version) (Cover of Lee Hazlewood): OP8 ft. the ilk of Lisa Germano (Slush) (#n/a, 12 January 1997)

7) The Magic Piper (Of Love) (Edit): Edwyn Collins (The Magic Piper (Of Love) EP) (#32, 27 July 1997)

8) Not Even Jesus (Album Version): Gold Blade (Hometurf) (#86, 22 June 1997)

9) Angels Go Bald :Too (Original Mix (Edit)): Howie B. (Angels Go Bald :Too EP) (#36, 13 July 1997)

10) Smoking Pot (Original Mix): Wubble-U (Smoking Pot EP) (#n/a, 27 July 1997)

11) Wet Roads Glisten (Radio Edit): Lionrock (Wet Roads Glisten EP) (#80, 18 May 1997)

Side One (46:00) (GD) (M)

The Rebel In My Soul

A (slightly early) happy birthday to Toyah Willcox, born 18th May 1958.

Prompted by listening to and watching Urgh! A Music War in the past week or so, and particularly enjoying Toyah's live version of Danced, I'd already started on today's selection when I realised the upcoming birthday. 

I should have held it over until Monday, but I don't have any 'spare' posts good to go, so here it is, three days early!

When I was ten years old, I wanted to marry Toyah. I wasn't bothered by the 12 year age gap, or the fact that she was extremely busy with her recording, touring and TV commitments. I overlooked the fact that my only set of wheels was of the bicycle variety and that my only income was pocket money.

As i gazed at the poster-cum-fact-file of Toyah, ripped from the pages of Look-In, the clear and uncontested fact of our connection was right there. We were both 5' 1".

It maybe should have occurred to me that even that tenuous connection would be fleeting, as Toyah's height had presumably stabilised whilst my growth was still (literally) on an upward trajectory. It stalled at 5' 11", if you're wondering.

Next to Toyah was a poster of Adam Ant and they are forever linked in my formative music years. Perversely, whilst I actually shelled out my pocket money for Adam's albums, I didn't own any Toyah records until I found Ieya on 12", plus the Four From Toyah and Four More From Toyah 7" EPs in Plastic Wax Records later in the 1980s.

Instead, back in the day, my Uncle Mike, who lived in London at the time, borrowed Toyah's albums The Blue Meaning and Anthem from his local library (along with Dirk Wears White Sox) and ripped them onto a C90 cassette. He didn't think much of either, but it opened up a whole world for me.

I saw a link to a reprint of a 1980 interview with Toyah in The Guardian that labelled her "The thinking man's punkette", a riff on an equally risible phrase. I was a bit late for punk, but I never made that connection. Mainly due to the visuals more than the music, I didn't see much difference between Toyah, Adam, Steve Strange, Kate Bush and the flamboyance of the New Romantic movement.

When I bought the secondhand vinyl years later, I was struck by the prog elements of Toyah's music. There were some early parallels with Kate Bush in that respect, though whilst Kate's music evolved, progressed and transcended any further categorisation, Toyah's pop music became, well, less popular with the music buying hordes.

I'd lost interest by 1982, drawn more to Annie Lennox/Eurythmics and Alison Moyet/Yazoo... ah, fickle childhood!

It's been a joy to see Toyah and hubby Robert Fripp find a whole new fanbase via their Sunday Lunch series on YouTube, and I still have a soft spot for the music she made that’s rooted in my childhood.

So, it'll be no surprise that today's selection focuses squarely on recordings by Toyah the band, circa 1979 to 1983, rather than her considerably more expansive career as a recording artist.

Split into two sides, which should fit onto one side of a C90 (in tribute to Uncle Mike RIP), my picks lightly touch on the first two albums, one-off singles, B-sides and EP tracks. I will admit that the studio version of Danced isn't a patch on the live version that I featured last weekend, and Ieya remains my favourite Toyah song of all time, but I love 'em all.

Happy birthday, Toyah, have a good one!

Side One

1) Thunder In The Mountains (1981)

2) I Explode (Album Version) (1983)

3) Neon Womb (Album Version) (1979)

4) Angels And Demons (1981)

5) Be Proud Be Loud (Be Heard) (1982)

Side Two

1) Danced (Album Version) (1979)

2) Laughing With The Fools (1982)

3) Tribal Look (1980)

4) Baptised In Fire (1983)

5) Ieya (Album Version) (1980)

1979: Sheep Farming In Barnet: A3, B1

1980: Bird In Flight / Tribal Look EP: B3

1980: Ieya EP / The Blue Meaning: B5

1981: Four From Toyah EP: A4

1981: Thunder In The Mountains EP: A1

1982: Be Proud Be Loud (Be Heard) EP: A5, B2

1983: Rebel Run EP: B4

1983: The Vow EP / Love Is The Law: A2

Side One (22:34) (GD) (M)

Side Two (23:36) (GD) (M)

What You Do When You Got Nothing To Lose

I can't tell you much about Caroline Rose for the simple reason that, approx. five and a half minutes before deciding to write this post, I'd never heard of them.

The five and a half minutes is crucial, because that's how long it took me to listen to new single, Yip Yip Yow, think "wow!" then listen to it again.

Though when I say new single, I should also say old song, as it was written over ten years ago. Exhibit A: Caroline's performance of Yip Yip Yow as the support act for Violent Femmes at The Capitol Theatre in Port Chester, New York in October 2016.

Going back to August 2015, Yip Yip Yow was the opener of a 3-song Tiny Desk Concert.

So why so long between writing, recording and releasing Yip Yip Yow? Over to Caroline Rose:

"I wrote Yip Yip Yow 10 years ago 

about feeling like I was born in the wrong time, 

in the wrong place 

and probably in the wrong body. 

10 years later 

the only thing that is different is 

I finally have a recording of it I like."

After Jon Spencer's bluesy, scuzzy rock on Wednesday, it feels a natural step into Caroline's brand of countrified rockabilly, fizzing with energy and full of fun.

Yip Yip Yow is available from all the usual suspects. Personally, I'll be taking the long route through their six albums and one-off singles to date.

Orange Slice, Orange Peel, Talkin' Blues

Jon Spencer is back, sans HITmakers, with new song Orange Slice Blues. Reassuringly, it follows the tried and tested blueprint, ever since he stepped from the ashes of Pussy Galore into the Blues Explosion. A lot of fun packed into a brisk two minutes, with a dayglo video to boot.

It's not the first time that Señor Spencer has expressed an interest in the colour (or fruit, if you prefer). In the autumn of 1993, The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion recorded a BBC session for John Peel, including the title track of fourth album Orange, which emerged a full 12 months later.

And, for little other reason than it's a great song and the video features Winona Ryder (sigh) impersonating Mr. Spencer in an orange shirt, here's Talk About The Blues from 1999.

Sadly, I'm going to miss the Jon Spencer trio on their UK tour, starting later his month, as the Bristol date is the night after another gig that I'm going to, but you can check full dates and places here.

A Night On The Town

Mrs. K and I have been avidly following Married At First Sight Australia (MAFSAUS) on TV, which as ever has proved to be treasure trove of narcissism, mendacity, affectation and drama. 

With the exception of one couple, who genuinely seem to have developed strong feelings for each other - they use the 'L' word a lot, but let's see how things are at the 'weeks later' reunion - we're surprised that any other couple made it to the 'final vows' ceremony.

As the couples left their temporary home/bubble in Sydney in last night's episode, I thought of my stay in the city during my backpacking tour of Australia. As it happens, Saturday 11th and Sunday 12th May 1991 coincided with the tail end of my time there, and a memorable night time tour of King's Cross.

Looking back from a distance of three and a half decades, I'd forgotten how wet behind the ears I still was at twenty years old...

Take it away, er, me....!

Saturday 11th May 1991

The day didn't start too well, weather-wise, so I chose to stay in and write. Talking with my room-mate Jonathan on the roof of the hostel, it transpired that he was also a writer, which led to some interesting conversation.

Later, there was a new arrival from Canberra in our room. My suspicions were aroused when he praised the city, the totally opposite reaction to everyone else I've met who's been there. He complained that he was lonely after a few months' travelling. I was unsympathetic; I mean, how hard is it to make friends here?! After our tedious small talk, he decided to go for a walk.

Jonathan reappeared with an American girl, called Michelle. They'd bumped into each other earlier: it was Michelle's last day in Sydney, she'd run out of money, so was it alright for her to crash in our room? No problem.

The hostel had largely been taken over by the Malaysian national Dragon Boat team, who were competing in the annual race in the harbour over the weekend. I don't remember quite how this happened but, as night drew in, Jonathan, Michelle and I, and four of the Malaysian team, decided to go on a tour of King's Cross, Sydney's notorious red light district.

The Malaysians didn't actually speak a lot with us, and I didn't catch any of their names, although they all appeared to work for Malaysia Airlines. They seemed affable, but they were not destined to be with us for very long.

Arriving in separate taxis, we disembarked and walked along the main street. It was unbelievable. Every second building, it seemed, was a strip joint, with three or four men outside, trying to entice people to enter.

Most of them looked stoned and didn't waste time on a person, quickly moving on to the next passerby. Prostitutes and pimps were intermingled with street salesmen and panhandlers, and numerous police paraded the area, pretty much turning a blind eye to all that was taking place around them.

I'd been walking with Michelle, when we realised that the others were no longer with us. Pausing next to a 'Gypsy Rose Lee' and watching her read tarot cards for a punter, Jonathan eventually caught up with us and explained that the Malaysian quartet had succumbed to temptation a few strip clubs back. They'd made some vague promise to meet us outside McDonalds at 10.30pm.

We wandered around some more, taking in the sights: the drunk being forcibly evicted from a club by a mean-looking bouncer; a fight breaking out between two rival 'gangs' of security staff; a prostitute calmly waiting in a café for her 'pickup', then stepping into a white Rolls Royce, and the cocaine scales and equipment on display in the window of a tobacconist.

There was a little boy, he must have been about eight years old, watching everything with disinterested eyes as he sucked Coca Cola through a straw [yes, he was accompanied by an adult - K]

I mean, parts of Bristol were full on, but this was something else entirely!

After a drink at McDonalds and no sign of our newfound (and lost) Malaysian friends, we carried on to the outer limits of the district. We saw another prostitute, wearing a bikini and an overcoat, climbing into an expensive car. I hate rich people.

Our taxi ride home was a nightmare. The cab driver was literally half asleep, and admitted as much. What he didn't admit to was his flatulence, which he generously expelled for the entirety of the interminable journey. Even the windows wound down couldn't shift the fug. 

Needless to say, we were surprised and relieved to get back to the hostel in one piece.

Post Script: Sunday 12th May 1991

We got up at 8.00am to get ready for the Dragon Boat races and, to be honest, we didn't make too much of an effort to be quiet. Our new room-mate stared at Michelle uncomprehendingly and said, "What brings you here?"

MIchelle replied (and I love her for this), "Oh, you know, these guys found me in King's Cross last night and I had nowhere to sleep, so they brought me back".

He said nothing, but the expression on his face was priceless.

In 2007, Tracy Thorn recorded a beautiful cover version of King's Cross. I've also picked four other theme-appropriate classics to accompany this sordid tale.

 

 

 

No More Wars

Why Can't We Live Together by Timmy Thomas entered the UK singles chart in February 1973 and a month later peaked at #12.

I don't think the song will have made much impression on two-year old me but, since rediscovering the original via Sade's cover version on her 1985 debut Diamond Life, it's now guaranteed to send a shiver down my spine ever time I hear it.

Is it minimalist music, just a swirling organ and programmed percussion, that moves me? 

Is it Timmy's aching, yearning voice, the sound of a man who has made this plea so many times, yet has not given up hope for change. 

Is it the courage to go 1 minute 33 seconds into a song that is only 3 minutes 45 seconds, before Timmy utters his first line?

Is it the song's simple yet powerful lyrical message which, after the horrifying yet perversely unsurprising outcome of the UK elections last week, are as relevant now as they were half a century ago?

It's all of these things, of course, which make this one of the greatest songs ever written. Much covered, never bettered.

Tell me why? Tell me why? Tell me why?

Hmm, why can't we live together?

Tell me why? Tell me why?

Hmm, why can't we live together?

Everybody wants to live together

Why can't we live together?

No more wars, no more wars, no more war

Hmm, just a little peace in this world

No more wars, no more war

All we want is some peace in this world

Everybody wants to live together

Why can't we live together?

Can't live, can't live

Can't live together

Can't live together

No matter, no matter what color

Hmm, you are still my brother

I said, "No matter, no matter what colour

Hmm, you are still my brother"

Everybody wants to live together

Why can't we live together?