Just Have Fun. Smile. And Keep Putting On Lipstick.

Celebrating Diane Keaton (née Hall), 5th January 1946 to 11th October 2025.

I adored Diane Keaton in spite of, not because of, her association with Woody Allen and was a huge fan of her films throughout the 1970s and 1980s. I started losing track of her appearances in the latter part of the 1990s and into the 21st century, and in some cases Diane was the sole saving grace of some otherwise bland movies. 

I knew that Diane had also stepped behind the camera to direct, but not that this included a season 2 episode of Twin Peaks and several videos for Belinda Carlisle, including arguably her best known song, Heaven Is A Place On Earth.

Throughout her life, Diane always carried a deceptively simple yet striking image, be it a penchant for pants (trousers), wide brimmed hats or gloves. And always that incredible smile.

Diane has occasionally committed her voice to vinyl: I Don't Want To Play In Your Yard featured in the 1981 film Reds, and was released as a single in the USA.

However, for today's selection, I've fallen back on the tried and tested approach of a 12-song, 45-minute compilation of songs that (more or less) match the titles of films from Diane's extensive CV.

There were a few also-rans: if Lloyd Cole had only moved upstairs, he could have been a shoo-in for 5 Flights Up. Similarly, Anne Clark is kicking herself that Woody Allen never got around to making a sequel to his 1973 hit, and calling it Sleeper In Metropolis.

I've also taken a few liberties: Something's Gotta Give is replaced with a more grammatically satisfying B-side by The Comsat Angels. And Akron/Family drop the 'And' for So It Goes, but it's close enough for me.

Kicking off the second half of this mixtape, it was too good an opportunity to pass up a reference to Because I Said So, not least 'cause it's sonic equivalent was recorded by The Godfathers, a wonderfully unsubtle reference to the fact that Diane played Kay Adams in all of Francis Ford Coppola's legendary trilogy.

Aside from all that, I think it's an eclectic but entertaining selection, which is a (very) simple way of summing up Diane's film career. If you're in the mood for a Diane Keaton marathan, then click on any of the titles for more info (courtesy of IMDb) and fill your boots.

I'm going to end with a quote from Diane, which inspired today's title and is something we could all do more of.

Don't give up on yourself. 

So you make a mistake here and there; 

you do too much or you do too little. 

Just have fun. 

Smile. 

And keep putting on lipstick.

Thanks, Diane, you were - and will always be - wonderful.

1) Morning Glory (Edit): Chairmen Of The Board (1974)

2) Northern Lights (The Freelance Hellraiser Mix): Ian Brown (2002)

3) Something's Got To Give: The Comsat Angels (1986)

4) Sleeper: Espiritu (1997)

5) Manhattan: Cinerama (2000)

6) So It Goes: Akron/Family (2011)

7) 'Cause I Said So: The Godfathers (1988)

8) Mama's Boy (Album Version): Ramones (1984)

9) Hampstead (Demo): Adam & The Ants (1977)

10) Interiors (Song For Willem De Kooning) (Album Version): Manic Street Preachers (1996)

11) Love And Death (Re-Recorded Version): Ebo Taylor (2009)

12) Plan B (Single Version): Dexys Midnight Runners (1981)

1974: Skin I'm In: 1

1981: Plan B EP: 12

1984: Too Tough To Die: 8

1986: The Cutting Edge EP: 3

1988: Birth, School, Work, Death: 7

1996: Everything Must Go: 10

1997: Another Life: 4

2000: Antbox: 9

2000: Manhattan EP: 5

2002: Remixes Of The Spheres: 2

2010: Love And Death: 11

2011: S/T II: The Cosmic Birth And Journey Of Shinju TNT: 6

Just Have Fun. Smile. And Keep Putting On Lipstick. (44:42) (GD) (M)

The End Of The End Of Year Lists

In my final post of 2024, I have taken another look at the Dubhed Top 20 most popular posts. As with 2023's list, these are in descending order to manufacture some countdown tension, again with a few video inserts at various points. Or you can scroll down the page to see what's at #1...

The spread is more uneven is more uneven this year - January and October are the most popular months, April not far behind. March, June to August and, perhaps less surprisingly, December don't even get a look in at the Top 20. My Dubhed selections feature in just over half of the Top 20, which is good to see.

January's birthday nod to Susanna Hoffs hit the mark and was well inside the Top 10 for most of the year, only dipping out when posts from the last few months starting climbing up. Jesse Fahnestock also scores a triple whammy, with Jezebell and 10:40 respectively.

 

Sadly, too many obituaries this year, the tributes to J. Saul Kane, Chris Cross of Ultravox and Keith LeBlanc being particularly well received, even though the news of their passing wasn’t.

 

And two comebacks also attracted a lot of attention, one very welcome (The Cure, crashing into the Top 10 in October) and one very much the opposite (#15 in November).

 

I'm delighted that this year's #1 featured what for me is the best album of the year, in any category or genre.

In case you missed them first time around, click on the titles for the original post. Dubhed selection links have also been restored, where appropriate. When you get to #1, go and read my review of the album, posted shortly after I played it for the first time, then you'll understand why there was never any doubt in my mind. Happily, as the most visited post in 2024, it seems that you all agree.

Thanks so much for your support this year. I love writing this blog, but your comments, suggestions and gentle editing corrections give me the motivation to keep writing, keep wanting to do better and, in simple terms, give a shout out for all those talented people whose passion to create music inspires me every day.

Have a great New Year's Eve and best wishes for a brilliant 2025. I'll be here as usual tomorrow.

 

20) Roll With Me 'Til The Sun Dips Low (Khruangbin) (18th October)

19) Swallow It Up (Lee 'Scratch' Perry) (1st October)

18) If Ever The Devil Was Born Without A Pair Of Horns, It Was You Jezebell, It Was You (Jezebell) (5th May)

17) I'm On Fire, Boss! (Bruce Springsteen covers) (19th January)

16) These Things That Stir Me Will Not Deter Me (Jo Bartlett) (7th February)

 

15) Who Is More Fascist? The Fascist? Or The Fascist Who Follows Him? (7th November)

14) Les Disques Du Crépuscule En Sept Sélections Pour Sept, er, Quid (2nd May)

13) Citizen Kane (J. Saul Kane) (19th November)

12) Unplug The Jukebox (Adam & The Ants) (15th January)

11) Be Still My Beating Heart (Susanna Hoffs) (17th January)

 

10) Dubcamp Friday (4th October)

9) Name After Name After Name (Chris Cross / Ultravox) (2nd April)

8) Summer Alone (The Cure) (8th October)

7) Clues To The Edit (Jezebell) (22nd September)

6) ACT 1.5 (Massive Attack) (2nd September)

 

5) Sub Dub (African Head Charge) (20th October)

4) LeBlanc Beats (Keith LeBlanc) (5th April)

3) Chart History (Top 20 UK singles) (20th January)

2) Thousand (Dubhed's 1,000th post) (6th January)   

1) A Gift (Sounds From The Flightpath Estate) (6th April)     

When I posted the Dubhed 2023 Top 20 on 2nd January, John Medd was quick to respond with a suggestion:

 

"I know it would be like knitting fog 

but have you thought of condensing the year down 

not just into 20 posts, but 20 tracks 

- segued into a 60/70/80 minute megagmix? 

Push the boat out, 

make two sides of 40/45 mins 

and whack it out as a C90!"

I replied, filed it away and then pulled it back out of the drawer when I started this post. 21/22 tracks segued into an 85-minute mix. You can split it in half and fit onto a C90, if you don't mind some spooling at the end of Side 2. 

This selection is dedicated to John Medd (thanks for the suggestion, hope you're doing well) and Swiss Adam (not least for his contribution to this year's #1). 

 

And to everyone else, whether you're a fellow blogger (active or lapsed), commenter or silent visitor - not forgetting those lovely bots in China and South Korea - thank you again!

1) Three Rings: 10:40 ft. Emilia Harmony (2024)

2) 1000 Fahrenheit (Welsh Version): The Wedding Present (2014)

3) Camouflage (Single Version): Campbell / Mallinder / Benge (2021)

4) A Love International (Album Version): Khruangbin (2024)

5) Roll Away The Stone: Mott The Hoople (1974)

6) Hymn (Album Version): African Head Charge (1990)

7) Mega Mix (Remix By Grimm Death aka J. Saul Kane): Bomb The Bass (1988)

8) Donkey: Jezebell (2024)

9) Young Savage: Ultravox (1977)

10) Alone (Live @ BBC Radio Theatre, Broadcasting House, London): The Cure (2024)

11) ID (Unreleased early version of 'Eutopia'): Massive Attack x Young Fathers (2020)

12) (I Want To) Kill Somebody (Keith LeBlanc Mix): S*M*A*S*H (1994)

13) 100lbs Of Summer (Tricky Remix): Lee 'Scratch' Perry ft. Greentea Peng (2023)

14) Tuff Gong: Creation Rockers (2012)

15) They Don't Know (Cover of Kirsty MacColl): Matthew Sweet & Susanna Hoffs (2013)

16) A.N.T.S.: Adam & The Ants (1981)

17) We All Need (Jezebell's Ghost Train Mix): A Certain Ratio (2024)

18) All You Fascists (Cover of 'All You Fascists Bound To Lose' by Woody Guthrie): Broken Chanter (2024)

19) I'm On Fire (Cover of Bruce Springsteen): Anna Ternheim (2023)

20) Drawing A Line (Ghost Tape No.2): Jo Bartlett (2024)

21) Smokebelch II (Khayem's Second Cut Won't Hurt At All): Andy Bell & The Sabres Of Paradise (2024)

The End Of The End Of Year Lists (1:24:50) (KF) (Mega)

(Sleeve) Notes: 

 

1) The songs by The Wedding Present, Broken Chanter and Anna Ternheim didn't respectively feature in the original posts #2, 15 and 17 but would have if I'd had the songs at the time!

 

2) Same for J. Saul Kane's brilliant Bomb The Bass megamix from 1988.

 

3) I still haven't actually bought or listened to The Cure's new album from start to finish, but I have dipped into the concert for BBC Radio 2. Isn't it wonderful?

4) You'll quickly twig that A.N.T.S. by Adam & The Ants is set to the tune of Y.M.C.A. by The Village People. And why not?

 

5) Jesse Fahnestock is not paying me to get maximum exposure in the annual Dubhed Top 20, honest.

 

6) Jesse's contribution as 10:40 to Sounds From The Flightpath Estate was released as a standalone single in the summer, which is why it's included here. The album in general was only available as a limited edition double vinyl, which sold out in (excuse the pun) record time.

7) In March 2020, during the COVID lockdown, Andy Bell was taking song requests to perform and post on YouTube. Andrew Weatherall had passed mere weeks before, and @supawide45 suggested Andy have a go at Smokebelch II in tribute to The Guv'nor. Which he did, commenting, "Makes me want to actually record an acoustic arrangement of it!"

In March 2024, after a close-to-the-wire completion and submission, Andy's recorded version of Smokebelch II was released as the closing song on Songs From The Flightpath Estate. As it was perhaps always meant to be.

I've not included Andy's 2024 version, as it's place is on the album that Swiss Adam and his Flightpath Estate colleagues poured their hearts and souls into creating. 

 

Instead, I've taken Andy's lockdown sketch, itself barely half a minute, looped and re-edited it a bit, then spliced with a section of Andrew, Jagz and Gary's Beatless Mix of Smokebelch II from 1993. It's an amateurish edit, but I think it (just about) works.         

Unplug The Jukebox

Here's Adam & The Ants to kick start your week...literally, the opening song of today's selection is called Kick! (Adam's exclamation mark, not mine).

The first album I ever bought was Kings Of The Wild Frontier, £3.99 from Sound Seekers for the vinyl edition with free magazine. The latter blew my 9-year old mind as it revealed that not only had the band existed before Dog Eat Dog and Antmusic forcibly grabbed my attention, but that apart from Adam Ant, it was a completely different line up with a completely different look and sound.

A year or so later, after I'd bought follow up album Prince Charming and with no inkling that the end was nigh for the band (or that I would pretty much lose all interest in Adam's solo ventures, having moved on to synth pop), I got hold of Dirk Wears White Sox. My uncle, who I think lived near Shepherd's Bush at the time, used to borrow albums from his local library and dub them onto a C90 cassette. My brother and I were fascinated by this and as our parents had a turntable but not a fancy schmancy tape deck combo, we didn't have the means to make our own contribution to killing music with home taping.

So, a few requests and blank cassettes later and our uncle had a little cottage industry of supplying my brother and I with a bunch of albums we might otherwise not have access to. My main recollection was that my brother took the opportunity to catch up with the ouevre of E.L.O. and The Police. I was quite specific: I wanted Dirk Wears White Sox, with The Blue Meaning by Toyah on the flip side.

A while later, our package arrived. My uncle's exact comments haven't been recorded for posterity but he wasn't overly impressed by my choices, which I think pleased me at the time. He had a point: whilst some of the tunes are really great; I've always found Adam's lyrics so-so. For every Antmusic, there's Ant Rap; for every Stand And Deliver! there's The Idea. In a parallel universe, Adam Ant wrote Sex Farm and gave it away to Spinal Tap.

Despite all that, there's a real buzz listening to their music. My vinyl copy of Kings Of The Wild Frontier and magazine are long, long gone but I still play Adam & The Ants' music regularly. I've since dipped into Adam's solo stuff but it just doesn't resonate with me in the way that this music from my childhood does.

Today's selection is split into two vinyl-friendly sides, quite heavy on the Dirk Wears White Sox period, with a couple each from Kings Of The Wild Frontier and Prince Charming, as well as various B-sides, sessions and demos. 

 

Enjoy!

 

Side One

1) Kick! (Remixed Version) (1982)

2) That Voodoo! (Album Version) (1981)

3) Deutscher Girls (Album Version) (1978)

4) Antmusic (Album Version) (1980)

5) The Human Beings (Demo Version) (1980)

6) Zerox (John Peel Session) (1978)

7) Never Trust A Man (With Egg On His Face) (Album Version) (1979)

8) Young Parisians (Demo) (1977)

 

Side Two

1) Beat My Guest (Single Version) (1981)

2) Animals & Men (Album Version) (1979)

3) Mile High Club (Album Version) (1981)

4) Christian D'Or (Single Version) (1981)

5) Tabletalk (Album Version) (1979)

6) Killer In The Home (Album Version) (1980)

1978: Jubilee OST: A3

1979: Dirk Wears White Sox: A7, B2, B5

1980: Kings Of The Wild Frontier: A4, B6

1981: Prince Charming: A2, B3

1981: Prince Charming EP: B4

1981: Stand & Deliver! EP: B1

1982: Antmusic EP: A1

1990: The Peel Sessions: A6 

2000: Antbox: A8

2004: Kings Of The Wild Frontier (Expanded Edition): A5

Side One (23:04) (KF) (Mega)

Side One (23:13) (KF) (Mega)

Loitering With Intent

The joy of the three-minute pop song in 1978*, however else you want to label it. I missed most of these first time around, as they were B-sides or album tracks, but this music refuses to be denied and at various points in my life have gatecrashed my consciousness and my record collection.

A collection of the usual suspects perhaps though when the songs are this great, is it any surprise? A rollercoaster ride that's over in under 36 minutes but packs a lot in to it's wild ride. Strap in!

* Or, in the case of The Stranglers, the six-minute-plus cover version of a stone cold classic pop song.

The selection includes several songs that appeared in JC's excellent 60 Albums @ 60 series, which revealed All Mod Cons by The Jam at #1. So today's post is dedicated to JC with thanks and love.

1) Friends (John Peel Session): Adam & The Ants

2) Radios In Motion: XTC 

3) Reasons: Skids

4) Action Time Vision: Alternative TV

5) Touch And Go (Single Version): Magazine

6) Just Lust: Buzzcocks

7) Billy Hunt: The Jam

8) Suicide A Go Go: Big In Japan

9) I'm Gonna Love You Too: Blondie

10) Drug-Stabbing Time: The Clash

11) Sand In My Joints (Album Version): Wire

12) Walk On By (Cover of Dionne Warwick): The Stranglers

 

1978: Action Time Vision EP / The Image Has Cracked: 4

1978: All Mod Cons: 7 

1978: Chairs Missing: 11

1978: Charles EP: 3

1978: Ever Fallen In Love... (With Someone You Shouldn't've) EP: 6 

1978: From Y To Z And Never Again EP: 8

1978: Give 'Em Enough Rope: 10

1978: Parallel Lines: 9

1978: Touch And Go: 5

1978: Walk On By EP / Black And White (ltd LP+7"): 12

1978: White Music: 2

1990: The Peel Sessions: 1

 

Loitering With Intent (35:51) (Box) (Mega)

Six Degrees Of The Vinyl Villain

In a double first for this blog, today sees the return of Six Degrees Of Kevin Bacon, which proved popular enough last Friday that it inspired one regular visitor to submit their own 'Six Degrees' suggestion. And, in an unplanned but wonderful bit of music blog synchronicity, who better for Dubhed's first ever guest post than JC, whose own blog - the legendary The Vinyl Villain - encouraged and supported my return to music blogging back in 2020?

 

It's not a spoiler alert to say that you're in a for a treat. Without further ado, JC, it's over to you!

 

1) One of the most important punk rock records was the Spiral Scratch EP by Buzzcocks. It proved to be the only release on which the band’s original lead singer Howard Devoto was involved before he left to form a new post-punk band, Magazine.

 

2) Magazine’s debut single was Shot By Both Sides. It aired on Top of the Pops on 16 February 1978 but proved to be the only time Howard Devoto would ever appear on the programme. This was not the case for the song’s co-writer, and Magazine guitarist, John McGeoch, who later became a member of Siouxsie & The Banshees.

 

3) Siouxsie & The Banshees, thanks to having numerous chart hits between 1978 and 1995, got to the TOTP studios on numerous occasions. But prior to this success, their career had gotten underway in September 1976 when they debuted at the 100 Club Punk Festival. Their guitarist on that night, and it proved to be the only gig he played with the Banshees, was Marco Pirroni, who later found fame and fortune as a member of Adam & The Ants.

4) Adam & The Ants was fronted by, surprisingly enough, Adam Ant . He had previously been a member of a band called the B-sides, alongside Andy Warren and Lester Square. While Adam went away to form the Ants and become, among other things, a swashbuckling pirate and dandy highwayman, Andy and Lester joined forces with Bid and John D. Haney to form The Monochrome Set.

 

5) The Monochrome Set have never got beyond cult status despite releasing what is now 16 albums in a more than worthwhile career which is still on the go today. One of their many non-hit singles, from 1993, was Forever Young.

6) Forever Young* was also, coincidentally, the name of a non-hit single by The Comsat Angels in 1987, on which the bass guitar was played by Kevin Bacon. 

 

Note from the editor: JC didn't include a specific playlist so I've taken the liberty of curating a Dubhed selection from the above. A couple of songs and an EP (Magazine, The Comsat Angels and Buzzcocks) were specified so I've included them, whilst tracks 3 & 4 are completely my own choice. Likewise, The Monochrome Set song choice, mainly because I don't have Forever Young in my collection and couldn't track it down in time for this post. I hope you - and especially JC - like the final selection.

 

1) Time's Up (Single Version): Buzzcocks (1977)

2) Shot By Both Sides (Live @ Melbourne Festival Hall, Australia): Magazine (1980) 

3) Happy House (Album Version): Siouxsie & The Banshees (1980)

4) Picasso Visita El Planeta De Los Simios (Album Version): Adam & The Ants (1981)

5) Fun For All The Family: The Monochrome Set (1982)

6) Forever Young: The Comsat Angels (1985)

Six Degrees Of The Vinyl Villain (22:12) (KF) (Mega)

 

Two posts does not a series make, but I have an idea for at least one more post and I welcome further guest suggestions if you feel suitably spurred on by the two offerings so far. Contributions can be emailed to phatdubhed at yahoo dot co dot uk

Normal service will resume tomorrow.

* In another example of blog harmony, Forever Young (and a whole bunch of other single releases) by The Comsat Angels was featured last month on another excellent music blog, My Vinyl Dreams. Get yourself over there right now!

Another Happy Jolly Tape Thing

Side 2 of a mixtape, recorded sometime in 1992 for my then-girlfriend.

 

We went on a couple of camping holidays, the first of which was a return to Bowleaze Cove in Weymouth where my parents used to keep a static caravan for several years. There's a photo in a dusty album somewhere of me as a baby, having a bath in the caravan's tiny sink. I suspect I looked as bemused as I do now. 

 

We also used the take the cat with us, which seems bizarre in retrospect, but I guess we just didn't have the money to afford the luxury of a cattery for a week. I remember one trip where the cat hadn't returned from their daily patrol on our last day and we were actually driving (albeit very slowly) along the track out of the holiday park, windows open, shouting their name, when they suddenly appeared at the top of the hill, racing down to join us. I don't think my parents really would have left without the cat...would they? The cat was named Sacha, after the popular French singer, although my folks had never shown any particular fondness for his music. Parents are weird like that.

 

We swapped a caravan for a tent in 1992. I hadn't admitted to my girlfriend that I'd actually done very little camping at this point in my life and putting up a tent almost proved to be beyond my capabilities. Relatively early in our relationship, she may not have experienced quite the level of expletives that undoubtedly burst forth as I took about four times longer to get the darn tent up and staying up than any other complete novice.

 

Little had changed in the decade and a half since I'd last visited Weymouth, not least the shift from pebble (& tar) beach at the Bowleaze Cove end to golden sand as you got further along the promenade and into town. At the far end of the beach, before the pavilion and pier, the sand sculptor was still at work, creating scenes and still life art to wow and delight. We ventured into town to the fishmongers, sampling jellied eels (still disgusting) and whelks. All in all, a great few days away and some happy new memories to treasure. 

 

I've been back a couple more times since with Clan K and whilst the town and seafront have experienced more dramatic changes - and the beach-based sand sculptures have now moved slightly inland and upscaled to become Sandworld - we have had a great time, each time.

I like to think that Happy Jolly Tape Thing was playing on the drive from Bristol to Weymouth and home again, back in 1992. It's certainly chock full of travelling, sing-a-long tunes from Depeche Mode, Primal Scream, Talking Heads and Prefab Sprout. The Undertones are the only act to appear on both sides of the cassette, whilst my girlfriend was a huge fan of The Smiths and liked The Doors, although I think that was more to do with Jim Morrison in leather trousers than their music in particular.

Tacked onto the end of the compilation was a hidden track that played out following the closing seconds of the final song on Adam & The Ants' 1981 album, Prince Charmng. Sounds of waves lapping on a beach, guitar strums and a 'wimoweh' refrain, what better way to end, then and now?

 

1) Boom! There She Was (Sonic Property Mix By Steve Thompson & Michael Barbiero) (UK Edit): Scritti Politti ft. Roger Troutman (1988)

2) (Keep Feeling) Fascination (Extended Version): The Human League (1983)

3) The Meaning Of Love (Single Version): Depeche Mode (1982)

4) Movin' On Up (Album Version By Jimmy Miller): Primal Scream (1991)

5) Tell All The People: The Doors (1969)

6) Road To Nowhere (Album Version): Talking Heads (1985)

7) Downtown ('Shag Times' Album Version): The Justified Ancients Of Mu Mu (1988)

8) It's Going To Happen! (Album Version): The Undertones (1981)

9) Faron Young (Truckin' Mix By Thomas Dolby): Prefab Sprout (1985)

10) Ask: The Smiths (1985)

11) Streets Of Your Town (Album Version): The Go-Betweens (1988)

12) untitled: Adam & The Ants (1981)

 

Side Two (46:55) (Box) (Mega)

Side One here

Car Trouble

My car's currently sitting in the snow outside my house, where it's been for over a week now. I won't bore you with the full story, but it's out of action and, after a garage inspection and service didn't resolve the issue, I now have to wait until 11th January when the nearest Vauxhall garage, north of Bristol, can take a look. It'll require a recovery vehicle to get it there, with an uncertain but undoubtedly expensive outcome. 

The week has therefore involved some creative efforts to traverse the county for work. Getting to Gloucester (approx. 25 miles away) took the best part of two hours via bus and train (thankfully on the day when they weren't on strike). Yesterday, I was able to work a bit closer to home (approx. 5 miles) which took about an hour, door to door. It was the same driver on the homeward bound journey. At that point he'd already worked seven hours and had another three to go. He told me he'd been doing this for twelve years and had had enough of rude people, delivery drivers blocking the roads whilst dropping off parcels and the godawful snow and ice. I didn't really know what else to say other than to empathise and thank him for getting me home safe and sound.

Things will be difficult - and expensive - this month and next, but I try to keep a sense of perspective. When employees get to the point where they have to go on strike, you know things are bad. And those who are criticising and vilifying the very same people who they clapped every week during the lockdown, shame on you.

 

Back to cars and music, today's selection has taken my sorry, first-world problem as inspiration, offering up 45 minutes of car-related musings. 

 

Adam & The Ants to start with Cartrouble. I've got the original vinyl issue of the Dirk Wears White Sox album on Do-It from 1979 but here I've plumped from the label's cash-in remix and reissue from 1982 on the Antmusic EP, following Adam & co's commercial success on CBS. Do It cannily drafted Chris Hughes - one of the two CBS-era drummers in the band - to remix Cartrouble. Unsurprisingly, the drums are a lot bigger here. I believe the Antmusic 12" split parts 1 & 2 across the two sides of vinyl but I got the unedited version with 2004's expanded CD edition of Dirk...

 

I couldn't resist including 4ft Car from Chris Morris' incredible Blue Jam radio series, later including in a CD of choice sketches released on Warp Records and then recreated for Channel 4's TV series, simply titled Jam. Kevin Eldon is the irate car owner in both, effing and jeffing all the way through. Seemed apt as the duff car in question is a Vauxhall. "Who do they think I am? Fucking Noddy?!" still makes me laugh out loud.

 

(By the way, the music underpinning 4ft Car is Go Faster by Propellerheads, seguing into Day For Night by Moloko).

 

Cars by Gary Numan is of course one of the greatest songs of all time about the motor vehicle and this demo version from 1979 shows that he was bang on it from the start.

 

And the selection had to end with Prefab Sprout. I bought this as a 10" single back in 1988 and it still holds a special place in my heart, 35 years later. Paddy McAloon is a superlative songwriter, but weren't Wendy Smith, Martin McAloon and Neil Conti fantastic also? Given it's the festive season, maybe it's a good time for a Sprout selection...

 

1) Cartrouble, Pts. 1 & 2 (Remixed By Chris Hughes): Adam & The Ants (1982) 

2) Car Crash: TrIcky ft. Costanza Francavilla (2003)

3) In The Back Of Your Car: Client (2005)

4) The Wrong Car (Single Version): The Twilight Sad (2010)

5) Killy Car Thieves (Special Mix): Band Of Holy Joy (1988)

6) 4ft Car: Chris Morris ft. Kevin Eldon (2000)

7) Cars (Demo Version): Gary Numan (1979)

8) Carwreck (Wagon Christ Mix By Luke Vibert): Funki Porcini (1996)

9) Fast Car / Slow Traffic (Erland & The Carnival Carnivalization): Paul Weller (2010)

10) Car: Built To Spill (1994)

11) Cars And Girls (Album Version): Prefab Sprout (1988)

1988: From Langley Park To Memphis: 11

1988: Gigantic! (Melody Maker magazine promo cassette): 5

1994: There's Nothing Wrong With Love: 10

1996: Carwreck EP: 8

2000: Blue Jam: 6

2003: Vulnerable: 2

2004: Dirk Wears White Sox (Expanded Edition): 1

2005: Pornography EP: 3

2009: The Pleasure Principle (30th Anniversary Edition): 7 

2010: Wake Up The Nation/Change Up The Nation (Deluxe Edition): 9

2010: The Wrong Car EP: 4

Car Trouble (45:09) (Box) (Mega)

What's The Prediction? I'll Betcha It's Friction!

Listening to the Ramones recently got me digging out more tunes from 1976 to 1978, leading to today's selection, spanning 19 songs and a smidge over 1 hour.

There are perhaps some obvious choices: Ready Steady Go by Generation X, Friction by Television, What Do I Get? by Buzzcocks, The Passenger by Iggy Pop. I've thrown in a few other singles, B-sides and live performances by Elvis Costello & The Attractions, Eater, Protex, Magazine and Joy Division (belated happy 65th birthday for yesterday, Stephen Morris!)

 

I've also included a few choice album tracks by Ramones, The Clash, David Johansen, Talking Heads and Wire. Add to that a handful oddities and 'lost' tunes by Big In Japan, The Scenics and Adam & The Ants (covering Perry Como!) and it's enough to stir this sedentary sequencer of songs.

 

1) Ready Steady Go (Album Version): Generation X (1978)

2) What's Your Game (Album Version): Ramones (1977)

3) Tiny Steps: Elvis Costello & The Attractions (1978)

4) Thinkin' Of The U.S.A.: Eater (1977)

5) Catch A Falling Star (Unreleased Version) (Cover of Perry Como): Adam & The Ants (1977)

6) Last Gang In Town: The Clash (1978)

7) Confusion: Sparks (1976)

8) Cindy And The Barbi Dolls: Big In Japan (1978)

9) Friction (Album Version): Television (1977)

10) Touch And Go (Live @ Lesser Free Trade Hall, Manchester): Magazine (1978)

11) At A Later Date (Live @ Electric Circus, Manchester): Joy Division (1977)

12) In The Sun (Album Version): Blondie (1976)

13) Not That Much: David Johansen (1978)

14) Don't Ring Me Up: Protex (1978)

15) What Do I Get?: Buzzcocks (1978)

16) Stay Hungry (Album Version): Talking Heads (1978)

17) Do The Wait: The Scenics (1977)

18) The Passenger (Album Version): Iggy Pop (1977)

19) Champs: Wire (1977)

1976: Big Beat: 7

1976: Blondie: 12

1977: Leave Home: 2

1977: Lust For Life: 18

1977: Marquee Moon: 9 

1977: Pink Flag: 19

1977: Thinkin' Of The U.S.A. EP: 4

1978: David Johansen: 13 

1978: Don't Ring Me Up EP: 14

1978: From Y To Z And Never Again EP: 8

1978: Generation X: 1

1978: Give 'Em Enough Rope: 6 

1978: More Songs About Buildings And Food: 16

1978: Radio Radio EP: 3

1978: Short Circuit: Live At The Electric Circus: 11 

1978: What Do I Get? EP: 15

2000: Ant Box: 5

2009: Play + (Expanded 2CD Edition): 10

2009: Sunshine World: Studio Recordings 1977-78: 17

What's The Prediction? I'll Betcha It's Friction! (1:01:30)