I'm on the mailing list for The The and received an unexpected email regarding Matt Johnson's brother, Andy Dog, who passed in 2016. My love of The The's music as a teenager went hand in hand with a love of Andy Dog's unique and striking artwork on their singles and albums. The email promotes the Andy Dog Collection, with a few new items of merchandise bearing iconic The The images but also including a couple of beautiful tributes to Andy from brothers Matt and Gerard.
Mrs. K bought me a The The T-shirt in 2020, featuring an alternative illustration of the character from the classic album Soul Mining. The latest addition is Andy's illustration for the Sweet Bird Of Truth single and will be another must-have.
The The's videos have always been striking accompaniments to the music, lyrics and record artwork and I've previously featured a Dubhed video selection as well as standalone posts on Slow Train To Dawn and The Mercy Beat, from the ground breaking and jaw-droppingly wonderful video realisation of 1986's Infected album.
Receiving the email immediately made me think of another video from Infected, the closing song of Side 1, Angels Of Deception. It's directed by animation legend Alastair McIlwain, whose career kicked off with kids' TV classic Roobarb in 1974 and has gone on to include films such as Heavy
Metal (1981) and Pink Floyd’s The Wall (1982).
A perfect choice then for Angels Of Deception, which brings Andy Dog's illustrations to the fore via animation, model sets and Matt Johnson's make up. It's quite different from every other song on the video album, which makes it all the more amazing. I need little excuse to listen to The The, but it was joy to be reminded of this song, video and artist.
Thank you Matt, Alastair and, of course, Andy Dog, whose work continues to inspire and delight.
Well, it's high noon at the U.K. corral,
And it's high time I got myself back on the rails,I'm the lonesome cowboy, ridin' across the range,With just a hand held radio to keep me sane,Ridin' through the F.M. stations, the tumbleweed, the petrol stations,Will all on board this Yankee stationPrepare themselves for battle stations
Jesus wept, Jesus Christ,I can't see for the tear gas and the dollar signs in my eyes.Well, what's a man got left to fight forWhen he's bought his freedomBy the look of this human jungleIt ain't just the poor who'll be bleeding!
Most everyone round here thinks they're something special, That destiny will be kind, While they're digging for gold, diving for pearls,
And aiming for heaven from this man made world.Come on down. the devil's in townHe's brought you sticks and stonesTo bust your neighbour's bones,He's stuck his missiles in your gardens,And his theories down your throat
And god knows what you're gonna do with him'cos I certainly don't
Jesus wept, Jesus Christ,I can't see for the tear gas and the dollar signs in my eyes.Well, what's a man got left to fight forWhen he's bought his freedomBy the look of this human jungleIt ain't just the poor who'll be bleeding!
Down by the river, I've been washing out my mouth,'cos deep in the heart of meThere's a frightened man breaking out.Oh, I was just looking for paradiseAnywhere in this worldWhile they're gunning for heavenFrom this man made hell!
(ad lib)
Well, oh
God knows, 'cos they don't.
Come on down, the Devil's in town Oh, the Angels,
Angels of destruction.The Angels, Angels of deception
Hope Matt J tours again soon. Whilst it was great to see him pre-pandemic underneath the main stand at BCFC is not really an ideal venue ......
ReplyDeleteWhen I saw The The in 2000 at the Anson Rooms in Bristol, I was content at the time that this would be the only time I saw Matt live on stage. I was then tempted by the return visit to Bristol and, having seen the Comeback Special on Sky Arts this year, I would love to see The The again, regardless of venue.
DeleteI lived near to BCFC in the early 00s and could sit in the back garden and get a free audio experience of any gigs that were taking place. Unfortunately, at the time, that meant Elton John, Rod Stewart, Bryan Adams and Bon Jovi...
Lovely post, Khayem. I had a little cry on seeing Andy's smiling face again when I opened the newsletter last night, it hit me all of a sudden again. Just so thankful that his legacy of creativity lives on, as do our happy conversations in my head.
ReplyDeleteThanks, C, I was thinking of you as I posted this. I found some old The The sketches of mine a while back where I was clearly trying to channel Andy's style. A friend recently picked up paint and brushes again and one of his pieces was evocative of Andy's early 1980s work. Completely subconscious, as it happens when I mentioned it, but a wonderful reminder of how deeply his talent affected and influenced so many of us.
DeleteGreat stuff Khayem. Was listening to Giant again recently, so much on that album
ReplyDeleteThanks Adam, I couldn't resist the urge to dig out Soul Mining and Infected for another spin.
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