In a very belated follow up to Dub '83, which I posted in September 2023, today's selection is a dozen songs from - you guessed it, 1985 - given a dub overhaul.
It's all about the beats and the edits, with varying degrees of vocals. Not for everyone, but I loved them. It wasn't unusual for me to opt for the 12" B-side over the main mix when compiling mixtapes in the 1980s and 1990s.
I think I may have set a precedent with the previous post, of homaging / ripping off (delete as applicable) another, far superior Saturday morning quiz. In for a penny, in for a pound I say, so I've invented five more brain teasers. An hors d'oeuvre, if you will, before the more satisfying meal over at Rol's place.
1) The Vinyl Villain blog covered the Pet Shop Boys singles in 36 parts from January to October 2023. In which part did today's featured dub first appear?
2) Which band features the offspring of legendary TV presenter Bob Holness?
3) What is Bad Manners' front person Buster Bloodvessel's birth name?
4) Which of these songs is a cover version of a flop single from 1983?
5) What do red hat obsessives Devo, singer songwriter Hugh Cornwell, avant garde drummer Robert Williams and 1990s animated TV show Rugrats have in common?
Answers will be posted in the comments later today.
1) I Like You (Dub) (Remix By Shep Pettibone): Phyllis Nelson
2) Here To Go (Here To Dub Version By Ivan Ivan): Devo
3) Sweet Murder (The Smile On Her Face) (Murderess Dub Version By Michael Baker & Axel Kröll / Edited By The Latin Rascals): The Blow Monkeys
4) Opportunities (Let’s Make Lots Of Money) (Dub For Money) (Remix By The Latin Rascals): Pet Shop Boys
5) It's Called A Heart (Emotion Dub) (Remix By Joseph Watt): Depeche Mode
6) Girls Night Out (Dub) (Remix By Nigel Wright & Robin Sellars): Toto Coelo
7) Living On Video (Dub Mix By Claude Allard & Pascal Languirand): Trans-X
8) Dub-Vulture (Remixed By John Robie) (12"): New Order
9) Blue Summer (Dub) (Remix By Steve Thompson & Michael Barbiero): Bad Manners
10) Kings And Queens (Geordie's Dub Mix By Geordie Walker): Killing Joke
11) Come Back (Dub) (Remix By Rusty Egan): Spear Of Destiny
12) Obsession (Dub) (Remix By Mark Berry): Animotion
It's fair to say that I didn't make a significant contribution to keeping live music alive in 2023. Even if I'd make it to all the gigs I'd bought tickets for, I wouldn't have hit double digits. In the end, I managed three and a half music events, one poetry performance and one stand up comedy gig.
But I enjoyed every second of every one that I made it to, revisiting some great venues, seeing artists I never thought I'd see, sharing the experiences either with family or friends (a shout out to Mike here).
Here's a rundown what I could've - and did - see in 2023, the hits and near misses.
The year should have got off to a cracking start with a chance to see Luke Haines (The Auteurs) and Peter Buck (R.E.M.) at Strange Brew in Bristol in February.
Unfortunately due to a family illness I had to skip the night but managed to find someone else to go in my place. Mike was also there and shared his thoughts on the night:
"The good news is it wouldn't have changed your life. I think it is in that category of 'glad i went but no real revelations to speak of'.
What I hadn't realised was Scott Macaughey would be playing as I imagine you know he was essentially a member of REM's touring party for 15+ years. Both Buck and Scott had aged quite a bit since i saw them with the minus 5 at the Fleece but two great musicians nonetheless.
[...] the songs were pretty much the Haines/Buck 2 albums [...] and I thought the songs from the first album stood up a bit better than the most recent.
Other observations - there was a point where the 50+ male brigade wanted a photo of Mr Buck for their collection and if we had been on the Thekla it might have tipped the boat over but normal service was resumed pretty quickly.
The beauty of last night was the fact that a music legend at 66 is still happy to play small venues."
So my first gig of 2023 ended up being a trip to Cheltenham with Clan K in March to see comedian Dave Gorman. It was a matinee show, something of a novelty for us, at the Everyman Theatre in the town centre, a lovely old building. We were up in the gods, with a great view of the main stage.
Mrs. K and I have enjoyed Dave Gorman for many years, including his show on TV channel Dave (what else?) called Modern Life Is Goodish. Which was handy as Powerpoint To The People is essentially an extended version of that, only with plentiful effing and jeffing from the outset. Lady K didn't know of Dave Gorman at all but had a great time too. And home in time for tea. Win-win.
I was especially gutted to miss The Anchoress at Gloucester Guildhall in May, not least because Catherine Anne Davies had been forced to postpone and reschedule dates a couple of times in the last couple of years.
My only consolation was that I got to see her (on TV at least) join Manic Street Preachers on stage at Glastonbury in June where, frankly, she smashed it. She also released the superb Versions album, collecting covers that she'd recorded and released individually during lockdown and beyond, including a sublime rework of Bizarre Love Triangle by New Order.
In August, I managed one and a half gigs. The half measure was a Clan K excursion to Bristol's legendary venue The Fleece to see Bad Manners.
Well, two thirds if I'm being pedantic, as I got to experience 10 of the 15-song setlist. You can find the full sorry story here. Great support from local band Belishas. Mrs. K and I contemplated heading back to The Fleece on Boxing Day to catch Bad Manners' annual festive show. Considering that yesterday was spent trying not to succumb to a food-induced coma, I'm glad we decided against it.
For our second gig in August and someone I never expected to see live in concert, Mrs. K and I spent an evening in the company of John Cale and band. The fact that we also got to experience it in the intimate surround of the Subscription Rooms in Stroud was a real pinch me moment.
Another opportune gig - and my first in 2023 with Mike - was Mozart Estate and Half Japanese at Strange Brew in Bristol in September. Two very different but compelling acts with charismatic front people in Lawrence Hayward and Jad Fair respectively. Not in the least bit daunted by this, local support act Bruno & The Outrageous Methods of Presentation more than met the challenge, led by 17-year old Bruno Bof-Wilkinson. My only regret is that we missed most of the latter, arriving just in time to catch the tail end of their set.
As I wrote at the time, a slightly mad - if slightly under-attended - night out in a great venue which I hope to spend more time in next year.
Another missed opportunity was GLOK (aka Andy Bell) playing an intimate gig at Moles in Bath, which would have been my first time for both artist and (incredibly) venue. Unfortunately, fate intervened and I was unable to go on the night.
As if that
wasn't gutting enough, 43 days later on 5th December Moles announced that they were closing their doors with immediate effect. After 45 years
of hosting everyone from Wolf Alice to King Crimson to Sleeper to James
to Laura Marling to Daniel Avery to Pulp to Katy J Pearson, it's a sad
end and a reminder of how much the incumbent government has shafted
grass roots music, particularly in the last few years.
My final gig of 2023 was Jah Wobble's Invaders Of The Heart featuring Jon Klein performing Metal Box Rebuilt In Dub in the bowels of the Thekla, a cargo ship-cum-venue in Bristol's central harbour area.
Of course, Jah
was a founding member of Public Image Limited and recorded the original
album so if anyone is qualified to rework the songs, it's him. And he and the band played a blinder, peppered with some truly hilarious asides and anecdotes throughout. It was another great night in Mike's company, a surprisingly punctual set and early finish (due to the Saturday club night straight after) but I can't think of a better way to have ended my gig-going in 2023.
Without wishing to tempt fate, Clan K already have tickets for three gigs in March, July and August 2024, and there's an impressive line-up of artists performing in Gloucestershire, Bath and Bristol from January onwards, so I am hoping to get over the line into double figures this year, whether with family, friends or solo.
A very special selection for a very special Lady on a very special day. Ten songs that have had a special place in our hearts at various points in our lives and especially on the rare occasions that I hand over the Car K playlist.
Love you always.
1) A Message To You Rudy (Single Version) (Cover of Dandy Livingstone): The Specials ft. Rico (1979)
2) Bicycle Race (Album Version): Queen (1978)
3) Levitating (Album Version): Dua Lipa (2020)
4) Der Kommissar (Remix) (Cover of Falco): After The Fire (1982)
5) Love Me Again (Live @ Jools Holland's Hootenanny): John Newman ft. Jools Holland & His Rhythm & Blues Orchestra (2013)
6) Special Brew (Single Version): Bad Manners (1980)
7) Night Boat To Cairo: Madness (1979)
8) Feel It Still (Album Version): Portugal. The Man (2017)
9) Bizarre Love Triangle (Single Version): New Order (1986)
10) Bleeding Love (Cover of Leona Lewis): The Wombats (2008)
Last Sunday, Clan K made a rare excursion to Bristol to see Bad Manners live in concert at The Fleece. Our first family gig was Madness last year so, continuing this ska-tinged theme, I'm assuming that our next outing will have to be The Selecter (no bad thing, of course).
The two gigs couldn't have been more different in terms of their setting. Madness performed at Westonbirt Arboretum, a beautiful outdoor setting with a large stage and plenty of space to dance, despite the sizeable crowd. The Fleece is a 450-capacity venue (formerly The Fleece & Firkin pub) in the heart of the city and under increasing threat from the encroaching gentrification of the area.
Unsurprisingly, the venue was packed solid, so even getting in and carving out a standing spot was a challenge. We didn't attempt to get to the bar, but no need because support band Belishas were about to take to the stage.
The first I'd heard of Belishas was earlier the same day when I checked social media for the set times. I'm one of those people who insists on trying to see the support act(s) - they've made the effort to turn up, why shouldn't I? - and I very rarely regret the decision.
Belishas are an all-male four-piece based in Bristol and appear to have clocked up a fair few gigs in the past few years, which showed in some pretty tight playing throughout. Heavily influenced by 1980s indie pop - no bad thing - it's left to singer and guitarist Ewan Ferguson to do the heavy lifting in terms of stage presence. This largely involved some frentic solos, head shaking and losing the sunglasses perched atop his head but I enjoyed their brief 30-minute set. Lady K was plugging her ears for most of it but in fairness to Belishas, I think that was more to do with the speaking-rumbling volume rather than the quality of the songs.
I couldn't hear much of Ewan's between song announcements but I did catch that one of the songs was 2021 single Whispers, for which there's an official video which wouldn't seem out of place on The Chart Show, circa 1987.
Whispers and another song called Brothers are both available on Belishas' Bandcamp page. Worth a listen.
Bad Manners were due on stage at 9.00pm. It was another 15 minutes or so before the band stepped through the curtain and took their positions. I think I counted nine in all, guitars (three), keyboards, drums, saxophone (two), trumpet and trombone.
Although Buster Bloodvessel is the sole remaining founding member, several have played with the band for over two decades now and notwithstanding the relatively younger and newer members, there is an energy and exuberance that emanates from the stage from the off.
The set gets off to a frenetic start with Echo Four-Two from their second album (and second in 1980), Loonee Tunes! Saxophonist Adrian Cox leads from the front and gets the crowd surging. I hesitate to say dancing as there's little room for it and already some are clearly pissed and being held up by the sheer press up of the crowd alone.
And then the big man himself arrives, Buster Bloodvessel taking to the stage to chants of "You fat bastard!", no doubt appreciating the irony even more having observed over the past four decades as the male audience have literally grown with him. The ratio of unintentional Buster look-a-likes in the audience was roughly 1:3. Countering the chants with a cry of "This Is Ska!" Buster launched into the 1989 song of the same name.
From there, a run of hit singles and covers, starting with their gender-swapped but otherwise faithful version of My Boy Lollipop by Millie and including one of my favourites, Walking In The Sunshine. Looking online afterwards, it seems that Bad Manners have been playing more or less the same set for years now, but the audience - including me - didn't seem to care and were having a good time.
So did Buster, although he was clearly physically struggling. There are several columns positioned throughout The Fleece, a couple directly along the stage edge. A few times Buster rested on one, holding the mic out to the crowd for what I assumed was some regular 'audience participation' in the songs but it was apparent that he often needed to lean on the pole for support. After Just A Feeling, Buster left the stage and the band carried on solo with Red River Ska.
And that was unfortunately the point at which we exited too. Early on in the set, as the crowd surged and the temperature soared, Lady K was finding it a bit much and stepped to the back with Mrs. K (which was equally rammed) and then outside for some air and calm. I popped out several times to check how they were and was urged to go back in, each time more of a challenge with the press of unyielding bodies squashed against the doors and walls.
Security staff had spotted a guy inside on CCTV who was clearly drowning in booze and crashing into people and in no fit state to continue. Lady K and Mrs. K recounted seeing the guy eventually emerge, accompanied by two security. As he was protesting that he was perfectly sober, he somehow managed to trip over his own foot and crash to the ground. I think that was the final encouragement for Lady K that the night was over.
I didn't blame her, to be honest. Much as I was enjoying the band and the music, even though Buster was conspicuous by his absence at the point, I was already feeling bruised, battered and covered in (other people's) sweat and decided that maybe it was time to go after all.
Having found Sunday night's set published online, it looks like we saw/heard roughly two thirds of the set, with only three more songs and a couple of encores after we left (and Buster had hopefully returned).
1) Echo Four-Two (1980)
2) This Is Ska (1989)
3) My Girl Lollipop (Extended Lick Mix) (Cover of Millie) (1982)
4) Lorraine (Extended Version) (1980)
5) Feel Like Jumping (1997)
6) Ne-Ne Na-Na Na-Na Nu-Nu (Album Version) (Cover of Jonathan Winters With The Martians) (1980)
7) Walking In The Sunshine (Extended Version) (1981)
8) Sally Brown (Extended Version) (1989)
9) Just A Feeling (1980)
10) Red River Ska (1997)
11) Special Brew (1980)
12) Inner London Violence (1980)
13) Woolly Bully (Cover of Sam The Sham & The Pharaohs) (1980)
14) Lip Up Fatty (1980)
15) Can Can (1981)
In the spirit of preserving the evening, today's selection therefore comprises the ten songs from the set that we got to experience, with 12" versions to bump up the playing time.
To make up for the absence of the big(gest) hits, here are unforgettable TV performances of Special Brew, Lip Up Fatty and of course their unique arrangement of Can-Can, based on Galop infernal, written by Jacques Offenbach and first performed in Paris in 1858.
I didn't take any photos on the night, so the headline photo was taken by Dod Morrison at a different gig but does show off Buster's jacket and gargantuan tongue, which doesn't seem to have aged a bit.
Bad Manners are returning to The Fleece on Boxing Day, continuing a long tradition of annual festive gigs in the city. Mrs. K and I are hoping to be there and celebrate with Buster and co in the same room and in full this time. Lady K has already politely but firmly declined.
