Gaps On My Radio

Celebrating Arthur 'Gaps' Hendrickson, 29th April 1951 to 11th June 2024.

 

I was terribly sad to read that Gaps has passed away after a short illness. Barely a week ago, I posted The Selecter delivering a brilliant live show in 2017, on the back of belatedly buying their 2023 album Human Algebra and being reminded how utterly fantastic the band were, and still are.

There are lots of lovely but deeply sad tributes out there and rightly so. I can't begin to come close to that, not least because the span of The Selecter in my collection amounts to the albums Celebrate The Bullet (1981), Human Algebra, a greatest hits collection and a random selection of singles, B-sides and live tracks.

So, it's a strange 10-song selection, veering wildly between 1980/81 and 2023 with nothing in between. Hopefully, like their last album did for me, it's a reminder that heritage bands can not only celebrate the hits but continue to have something to say. And does The Selecter's music deserve to be heard.

An absolute legend, Gaps, you'll be greatly missed. Thanks for everything.

1) Armchair Guevara (2023)

2) Murder (1980)

3) Celebrate The Bullet (1981)

4) On My Radio (1979)

5) Star Fell Out Of The Blue (2023)

6) Missing Words (Live @ The Old Grey Whistle Test, BBC TV) (1980)

7) Too Much Pressure (1980)

8) Three Minute Hero (1980)

9) Boxing Clever (2023)

10) Train To Skaville (Extended Version) (Cover of The Ethiopians) (1980)

Gaps On My Radio (40:00) (KF) (Mega)

It's (Not) Just The Same Old Show

A spectacular show from The Selecter at The Roundhouse in London on 6th October 2017.

 

Pauline Black and Arthur 'Gaps' Hendrickson are up front and in fine form, supported by John Robertson (guitar), Luke Palmer (bass), Lee Horsley (organ), Neil Pyzer and Orlando La Rose (saxophone) and Winston Marche (drums).

Seventy minutes of classics, covers and new material from a band bursting with energy.

1) The Avengers Theme (Cover of Laurie Johnson Orchestra)
2) Three Minute Hero
3) Frontline
4) Breakdown
5) Daylight
6) Missing Words
7) Remember Me
8) Danger
9) The Big Badoof
10) Train To Skaville (Cover of The Ethiopians)
11) James Bond Theme (Cover of Monty Norman)
12) On My Radio
13) Too Much Pressure / Pressure Drop (Cover of Toots & The Maytals)
14) Medley:

Carry, Go, Bring, Come (Cover of Justin Hinds & The Dominoes) / 

Everyday (Time Hard) (Cover of The Pioneers) / 

Murder (Cover of Owen & Leon Silvera) / 

My Collie (Not A Dog) (Adaptation of 'My Boy Lollypop' by Barbie Gaye)

 

If you liked that a lot, head over to The Selecter's online shop and you can buy the album in a variety of flavours, including digital, CD and double white splatter vinyl, the latter two both with a bonus DVD of the full show. 

 

You can also find The Selecter's 2023 album Human Algebra and a host of related goodies for that special someone in your life, even if that happens to be yourself.