I Declined An Offer Of Carrot Cake

Time for another dip into my Australian tour diary, thirty six years ago. Strap in, it's a wild ride....

I've always enjoyed the fair, so when Norm and Julie suggested going to the Canning Fair *, I was enthusiastic. It was only a short drive away and it was a glorious Saturday morning – what could be better? 

Unfortunately, as they told me whilst inspecting the show, I had come to the worst fair ever. 

Maybe I took their comment out of context, but I was inclined to agree. The sight of numerous birds, fish, hamsters and cats caged up on display was enough to make me want to run wild through the tents, opening them all up and freeing the poor creatures. 

The games stalls were little improvement, though I was rather impressed by the hamburgers on sale there.

We moved on rather quickly, going down to the nearby Canning River and trying to locate Ken windsurfing on the vast expanse. I was personally more interested in the attractive girl continually falling off her board. 

From there, we investigated the town and port of Fremantle **, proudly proclaimed as the "Home of the America's Cup"... once ***  It was very interesting and I may go there again under my own steam if the opportunity presents itself. 

I declined an offer of carrot cake.

We had a barbecue that evening and I feasted on the most delicious cooked prawns. The rest of the dinner was pretty good, too. 

By the time we ate though, most of the evening was gone. The TV is the only entertainment to be had at night, but The Bill was on, so I wasn't particularly disappointed. I stayed up later than perhaps I should have done to watch Mr. Lucky, a Cary Grant film from the 40s which was surprisingly watchable.

And, leaving you with that high octane cliffhanger, today's song pick was a new entry at #9 in the UK singles chart on 3rd November 1990 and couldn't be more appropriate, in respect of artist and song title...

* Actually, it's the Canning Show, it has been going since 1909 and, if you're quick, you can still get tickets for this weekend.

** Actually, Fremantle has been a city since 1929!

*** Actually, between October 1986 and February 1987, after Australia won the trophy in September 1983, ending the USA's unbroken 132-year winning streak.

Just Call On Me Uncle, When You Need A Hand

This one’s for Uncle K.

Lean On Me by Bill Withers, 1972. 

Sometimes in our lives we all have pain

We all have sorrow

But if we are wise

We know that there's always tomorrow

Lean on me, when you're not strong

And I'll be your friend

I'll help you carry on

For it won't be long

'Til I'm gonna need

Somebody to lean on

Please swallow your pride

If I have things you need to borrow

For no one can fill those of your needs

That you won't let show

You just call on me brother, when you need a hand

We all need somebody to lean on

I just might have a problem that you'll understand

We all need somebody to lean on

Lean on me, when you're not strong

And I'll be your friend

I'll help you carry on

For it won't be long

'Til I'm gonna need

Somebody to lean on

You just call on me brother, when you need a hand

We all need somebody to lean on

I just might have a problem that you'll understand

We all need somebody to lean on

If there is a load you have to bear

That you can't carry

I'm right up the road

I'll share your load

If you just call me (call me)

If you need a friend (call me) call me uh huh (call me) if you need a friend (call me)

If you ever need a friend (call me)

Call me (call me) call me (call me) call me

(Call me) call me (call me) if you need a friend

(Call me) call me (call me) call me (call me) call me (call me) call me (call me)

Hold Music

Normal service will (hopefully) resume later today.

In the meantime, here's some hold music courtesy of Architecture In Helsinki with, er, Hold Music.

A Five Stop Tour Of The Ultraworld

Sides 1 & 2 of a cassette compilation featuring The Orb, recorded 8th July 2002.
 

It might be "92 minutes of aural assault", as I so carefully wrote on my DIY sleeve, but it's also just five songs.

Yes, I'd decided that I wanted epic, original single versions of both A Huge Ever Growing Pulsating Brain... and Blue Room, the latter clocking in at a mighty 39 minutes and 58 seconds.

A Huge Ever Growing Pulsating Brain... (19 minutes) and Democracy (a smidge under 18 minutes) are way behind, Mickey Mars (nearly 10 minutes) playing catch up, whilst Delta Mk II is little more than an introduction at a mere 6 minutes.

As the C90 cover says, the five pieces span 1989 to 1998 and are bubbling away with tasty treats. All but the opener are releases by The Orb but then, remixes by The Orb are typically so far removed from the original that you may wonder when the Killing Joke remix ends and The Orb track begins.

Not that The Orb stay still: I've expanded the remix version credits if only to highlight that whilst Alex Paterson has been the constant, The Orb has had a turnover of fellow Orbsters. Make of that what you will, but there's no denying that when The Orb are on form, they are incredible.

 

Northern Face (Side One)

1) Democracy (The Russian Tundra Mix By Le Petite Orb aka Alex Paterson & Thomas Fehlmann with Sheldon Isaac): Killing Joke (1996)

2) A Huge Ever Growing Pulsating Brain That Rules From The Centre Of The Ultraworld (Loving You) (Orbital Mix By Alex Paterson & Jimmy Cauty): The Orb (1989)

3) Mickey Mars (Red X Mix By Alex Paterson, Thomas Fehlmann & Andy Hughes): The Orb (1998)

 

Southern Face (Side Two)

1) Delta Mk II (Dal Vivo A Roma) (Remix By The Orb aka Alex Paterson, Thomas Fehlmann & Andy Hughes): The Orb (1997)

2) Blue Room (Full Length Version By The Orb & Greg Hunter): The Orb ft. Jah Wobble & Steve Hillage (1992)

1989: A Huge Ever Growing Pulsating Brain That Rules From The Centre Of The Ultraworld EP: A2 

1992: Blue Room EP: B2

1996: Democracy EP / Alchemy: The Remixes: A1

1997: Toxygene EP: B1

1998: U.F.Off: The Best Of The Orb (ltd 2x CD): A3

 

Side One (46:48) (GD) (M)

Side Two (46:12) (GD) (M) 

Sounds Like A Spooky Saturday

Sixty eight minutes of Spooky music to send a shiver down your spine on Saturday.

Spooky aka Charlie May and Duncan Forbes first caught my attention in 1992, with the Land Of Oz single and their remix of Ultramarine on the Nightfall In Sweetleaf EP. Since then, they've released four albums: Gargantuan (1993), Found Sound (1996), Open (2007) and Lucent (2026); each one exists as a standalone experience, but also charts their incredible musical journey.

Today's selection focuses on the period from 1992 to 2007, mostly their own music, singles, EPs and album tracks mixed and remixed, with reworks of Waterlillies and the aforementioned Ultramarine added to the pot. 

And, perhaps inevitably, a stir of toil and trouble to make the cauldron bubble, courtesy of their team-up with Billie Ray Martin to create the monstrously magnificent cover of Throbbing Gristle's Persuasion.

Fourth album Lucent appeared in April, nineteen years on from its predecessor, and as fresh as ever. You can find it - and many more Spooky tricks and treats - over at Bandcamp, for scarily low prices. 

Happy Hallowe'en, everyone! (If that isn't a contradiction in terms)

 

1) Fingerbobs (Spooky's Toe-Nail Slice): Spooky (1996)

2) Tempted (Apple Crumble Mix By Spooky): Waterlillies (1993)

3) Strange Addiction (Original Version): Spooky ft. Celestine Walcott-Gordon (2005)

4) Orange Coloured Liquid (Album Version): Spooky (1993)

5) No Return (Dorset Echo) (Dub): Spooky ft. Julie Daske (2007)

6) Schmoo (Edit): Spooky ft. Heather Sian Wildman (1993)

7) Schmoodub (Album Version): Spooky ft. Heather Sian Wildman (1993)

8) Lowest Common Denominator (Album Version): Spooky (1996)

9) Lights In My Brain (Spooky Remix): Ultramarine (1992)

10) What Are We Waiting For? (Album Version): Spooky ft. Celestine Walcott-Gordon (2007)

11) Falx (EP Version): Spooky (1996)

12) Persuasion (Original Version) (Cover of Throbbing Gristle): Billie Ray Martin & Spooky (1993)

 

1992: Nightfall In Sweetleaf EP: 9 

1993: Gargantuan: 4, 7 

1993: Persuasion EP: 12 

1993: Schmoo EP: 6 

1993: Tempted EP: 2 

1996: Fingerbobs EP: 1 

1996: Found Sound: 8 

1996: Shunt EP: 11 

2005: Strange Addiction EP: 3 

2007: Open (limited edition 2x CD): 5, 10

 

Sounds Like A Spooky Saturday (1:08:40) (GD) (M)

Not enough for you this weekend? How about my Spooky companion selection, Sounds Like A Spooky Sunday, from February this year?

Make It So, Cowboy

Celebrating Sir Patrick Stewart, 13th July 1940 to 28th October 2026.

As Sir Patrick boldly goes where no-one has gone before, t'internet will be ablaze with tributes to his long and storied time on Earth.

When an actor passes, however great, and you're the publisher of what is essentially a music blog, this can present something  of a challenge.

Sometimes a legend has led a parallel life as an actor and singer or musician. For every Barbra Streisand, there's a J-Lo. For every Kris Kristofferson, there's a Bruce Willis.

And then sometimes, there is an actor that manages to perfectly walk the line between immense gravitas and having a laugh (and often at their own expense).

I give to you, from 2016 when he was a mere slip of a boy at 76 years old, Patrick Stewart's Cowboy Classics.

Go easy to the final frontier, Sir Patrick.

Hervé Goes Bananas

Rippin Kittin by Golden Boy aka Stefan Altenburger popped up on my playlist and I was a little shocked to find that it was released in 2001, a quarter of a century ago. Music nostalgia often has the ability to uplift and depress in equal measure...

I bought the CD back in the day from a "flop singles" bargain bin, purely on the strength of "With Miss Kittin" featuring on the cover. I didn't know a whole lot about Miss Kittin either, having just been introduced to her via Felix Da Housecat's recently released album Kittenz And Thee Glitz and in particular Madame Hollywood:

Miss Kittin aka Caroline Hervé appeared on the album alongside Michel Amato aka The Hacker, and the pair subsequently created three albums of their own: First Album (also 2001), Two (2009) and Third (2022).

Don't be put off by the perfunctory titles, the music within is an electro pop treat, for example 2009 single 1000 Dreams:

You can find the last two albums, plus solo Kittin goodness here.

Mommy, can I go out and kill tonight?

I feel, I feel like taking a life.

Please, I want to steal the kitchen knife

and feel, feel like taking a life.

Rippin kittin kidding on the round

Rippin kittin kidding on the round

Daddy, can I go out and hunt tonight

like you do on Sunday mornings.

Honey, give me a real jungle knife

to feel, feel like taking my life.

Rippin kittin kidding on the round

Rippin kittin kidding on the round

Rippin kittin kidding on the round

Rippin kittin kidding on the round

Mommy, can I go out and kill tonight?

I feel, I feel like taking a life.

Please, I want to steal the kitchen knife

and feel, feel like taking a life.

Rippin kittin kidding on the round

Rippin kittin kidding on the round

Rippin kittin kidding on the round

Rippin kittin kidding on the round

Mommy, daddy, please let me go

Mommy, daddy, please let me go

Young Soul Club Night

I was enthusing about Neil Young's new material literally this time last month, but today I'm going back over forty years, when Neil Young released his first ever 12" single, the Sample And Hold EP.

1982 was a strange time for Neil Young fans, well, the purists at least. In December 1982, Neil's thirteenth album Trans arrived, the bemusement and consternation of many.

Whilst it was reasonable to expect that the album would not just be a straight follow on from the previous year's Re-ac-tor, recorded with Crazy Horse, Trans was something else.

Crazy Horse were still present and correct, but what's this? Synths? Vocoder? Electronic shite?!

In fairness, Neil and Crazy Horse guitarist Frank Sampedro had snuck a Synclavier onto Re-ac-tor, but Trans was in-your-face about electronica.

Even today, opinions are divided on Trans' place in the Neil Young canon. It's never going to be my favourite album of his, but I like it and, even before I knew the background and motivation for Trans (Neil's attempt to reflect his relationship with his son, born with cerebral palsy), I liked the fact that the album even existed.

Clearly, Trans wasn't going to be a money maker for record label Geffen and, in keeping with the trends of the new decade, a decision was made to remix a couple of the songs for a 12" single and excite interest in nightclubs.

If you click on the info accompanying the YouTube video at the top of the page, you'll find a couple of interesting - if not entirely aligned - accounts from people who were involved in the process, a three day job that apparently turned into thirty days, way over budget and nearly at the cost of their sanity.

Two songs were picked for the remix treatment. Neil described new song Sample And Hold as "the future of my music as seen today. It's more automatic ... it's trans-music. That's why I want to call the album Trans." so it was perhaps an obvious choice for the remix treatment.

Arguably even more controversial than the album itself was the inclusion of an old song that Neil had written back in 1967. Not just that, but it was - and is - considered a classic in the Neil Young catalogue, dating from his time with Buffalo Springhold.

Mr. Soul is without question a great song and I think it weathers the transition to the vocodered, synthesized version 15 years later. In my opinion, the "Dance Remix" goes even further and is as good an example of the 12" version as many of the better known singles released during the 1980s. 

The Sample And Hold EP was only available in the USA and Canada. Neil apparently loved these extended and re-edited versions, but there's little evidence that either remixes set dancefloors alight, or achieved a significant (sample and) hold on the charts.

These days, a curio in the Neil Young archives, though I think they hold up well in 2026.

Remember The Revolution?

It's only Tuesday and it already feels like a long week...! So what better remedy than some reggae, specifically Dennis Brown performing Revolution at the Reggae Sunsplash festival, in the Bob Marley Performing Center Montego Bay, Jamaica, on 21st July 1991, at 11.45am precisely.

Revolution was originally a single in 1983, produced by Sly & Robbie and released on their Taxi label. 

In 1985, Revolution was the opening song of an album of the same name, this time produced by Dennis and issued on Yvonne's Special, the label run by his wife.

In 1986, Revolution again featured as an album opening song, this time the Sly & Robbie-produced version, again on the Taxi label, but titled Brown Sugar and featuring a completely different track list.

In 1991, the mood is good: Nelson Mandela had been freed 18 months previously after 27 years in prison, and the revolution in question was to bring about the end of apartheid in South Africa. 

In 1994, following South Africa's first multiracial election, Nelson Mandela was elected president.

Do you know what it means to have a revolution?

And what it takes to make a solution?

Fighting against oppression

Battering down depression

Are you ready to stand up and fight the right revolution?

Are you ready to stand up and fight it just like soldiers?

Many are called, few are chosen

Many are called, few are chosen

Got to fight the right fight in this time

We Chat And Sing In Happy Style

The Black Maria, O EP was released a month ago on Bring Your Own Hammer, operating as an imprint or partner of Dimple Discs, the independent label run by Damian O'Neill (The Undertones, That Petrol Emotion) and Brian O'Neill (not related).

To pinch their own promo blurb, "Bring Your Own Hammer is not a band, a group, an ensemble or even a collective. If anything, it is a faction but unlike nineteenth-century factions, who met, armed with sticks and wattles in fairs and markets, it is armed with voices and instruments and dedicated, as no faction before, to the re-interpretation of historical material in song form."

In practice, this has meant a series of quality releases since 2022, featuring a compelling roster of artists including Cathal Coughlan, Brigid Mae Power, James Yorkston and Michael J. Sheehy.

The lead song, The Black Maria, pairs Luke Haines with Mike Smalle, whilst the EP closes with Saucy Dogs, Mike again joined by previous collaborator Jah Wobble..

Five quid well spent for 4 cracking songs that breathe new life into old words, in the grand storytelling tradition.