Lucky Bastard

Responding to absolutely no demand whatsoever, here's another trip back twenty years to the sounds of 2003.

My original shortlist was 20 songs, 10 forming yesterday's selection and the remaining 10 (in my mind at least) working well enough to provide another selection, just shy of an hour.

After a bit of a red herring with the opening two tracks, yesterday's turned out to be more of a downtempo, relaxed affair. Not so today. You want beats? You've got them. Well, at least until the closing track. But then, it's a remix by Boards Of Canada. You didn't really expect a gabba rave country crossover, did you?

A few of the big guns brought out for this one: Justin Robertson gets things off to a rousing start, Trevor Jackson ramps it up in his Playgroup guise and Ian Pooley's Solid Dub of a Nick Holder track is, well, solid.

After yesterday's DFA remix of The Rapture, two other bands from that (kind of) dance punk scene in the early 2000s - did it ever have a label? - come together. Dance To The Underground by Radio 4 was originally produced by The DFA and remixed by Trevor Jackson/Playgroup, both versions are personal favourites. The Faint (who also appeared in yesterday's selection) take the song in a different direction yet again and I like it.

 

Dubhed hero Rob Smith gives a shout for Bristol, whilst the rest of the mix variously takes in Bamako, Berlin, Paris, Ravenna, Cincinnati, Toronto, New York and Hull.

Today's title is lifted from a song by French DJ and producer Agoria aka Sébastien Devaud. Don't be fooled by the innocent sounding name, Spinach Girl is pure smut.

Enjoy!

1) Do It Proper (Justin Robertson Remix): Chicken Lips (2003)

2) Strict Machine (Rowan's Remix By Rowan Oliver): Goldfrapp (2003)

3) Bucci Bag (Playgroup Remix By Trevor Jackson): Andrea Doria (2003)

4) Serious (Album Version): Da Lata ft. Mamani Keita & Bémbé Ségué (2003)

5) Spinach Girl (Album Version): Agoria ft. Sylvie Marks & Kofea (2003) 

6) Dance To The Underground (Prance Mix By The Faint): Radio 4 (2003)

7) On My Mind (Ian Pooley's Solid Dub): Nick Holder ft. Sacha Williamson (2003)

8) Dead Again (Shirner Dub) (Remix By Reiner Schirner): Billie Ray Martin (2003)

9) Rock Dope Stupid (R & R Mix): Rob Smith (2003)

10) Last Walk Around Mirror Lake (Boards Of Canada Remix): Boom Bip (2003)

 

Lucky Bastard (59:46) (Box) (Mega)

Open Your Eyes And See

A fond farewell to Olivia Newton-John, 26 September 1948 to 8 August 2022.

 

I saw Grease on it's first release at the cinema in 1978, aged 7, and fell in love with Olivia Newton-John (although, in fairness, I loved all of the Pink Ladies) and I've lost count of the number of times I've seen it on TV since. Not that I actively seek it out or own the VHS, DVD, Blu Ray... but it's one of those films that's so embedded that a flick through the channels, a line of dialogue, a bars of a song, and I've found myself hopping on for the rest of the ride.

 

With the sad news of Olivia's passing, I'm guessing that clips and quotes from Grease will be all over the blogosphere and social media today, so I've opted for something else, but equally embedded in my young mind.

 

First off, I'll admit that I've never seen the movie musical Xanadu, which came out in 1980. Depending on which reviews you read, it's either brilliantly ambitious or woefully underwritten. However, it did contain a couple of pop song gems in the title track (with Electric Light Orchestra) and follow up single Magic. Xanadu spent two weeks at #1 in the UK whilst Magic managed a less impressive peak of #32.

I was less enamoured with follow up single Physical with it's, let's face it, pretty shonky video even for 1981. I'd assumed it was also a #1 as it felt like Top Of The Pops was always showing it (or at least an extract with the allegedly "racy" bits excised). I was surprised to find it only got as far as #7, although it managed 12 weeks in the Top 40.

 

Anyway, I still can't bring myself to post a link to that song/video so here's Goldfrapp performing a re-titled cover version of Physical in 2020, having originally recorded it as a B-side to her single Utopia in 2001.

Xanadu (Single Version): Olivia Newton-John & Electric Light Orchestra (1980)

Magic (Single Version): Olivia Newton-John (1980)

U.K. Girls (Physical) (Live Version) (Cover of Olivia Newton-John): Goldfrapp (2020)

No Colours Or Shapes, No Sound In My Head

A return to my very infrequent selections based on past gigs I've attended. Today it's the turn of Goldfrapp.

 

Mrs. K loves Duran Duran* so when the original line-up, including errant guitar player Andy Taylor, reformed in 2004, then it was a no-brainer that we'd get tickets to see them live in concert. I'm not particularly a fan of Duran Duran or arena concerts, but the fact that the "special guests" were Goldfrapp was greatly appealing.

 

Being in Block G, Row H, I'll admit that the view of Alison Goldfrapp, Will Gregory and band was a tad distant and the nuances of the costumes and set pieces were a little lost on us. Aurally, the band were in great form and Alison inevitably in stunning voice. It was a relatively short support slot of just seven songs, heavily focused on second album, Black Cherry, with a couple of Felt Mountain tracks to open and their cover of Yes Sir I Can Boogie by Baccara thrown in for good measure. It's fair to say that for Mrs. K, like the PJ Harvey gig later the same year, Goldfrapp fell into the category of 'didn't like' but Duran Duran were great that night, so that's all that really mattered.

 

For today's selection, I'll dusted off some little-played remixes, the promo-only extended mix of Yes Sir and a nice new Italian bootleg re-edit of Lovely Head that I stumbled across recently.

 

1) Utopia (Sunroof Mix By Daniel Miller & Gareth Jones) (2000)

2) Lovely Head (Mix 2022 By Gianluca Avagliano) (2022)

3) Tiptoe (Album Version) (2003)

4) Twist (Single Mix) (2003)

5) Train (Ewan Pearson 6/8 Vocal) (2003)

6) Yes Sir (Extended Mix) (Cover of 'Yes Sir I Can Boogie' by Baccara) (2003)

7) Strict Machine (Paris Loaded) (Remix By Dave Bascombe & Tom Elmhirst) (2004) 

 

2000: Utopia EP: 1

2003: Black Cherry: 3 

2003: Train EP: 5

2003: Twist EP: 4

2003: Yes Sir EP: 6

2004: Strict Machine EP: 7 (aka Guitar Mix)

2022: Lovely Head EP: 1

 

No Colours Or Shapes, No Sound In My Head (41:41)

 

* Unlike my unconditional, arguably obsessive, love for certain acts, Mrs. K is a bit more discerning with Duran Duran. It's the original line-up only: little or no interest in their albums once Andy Taylor had slung his hook (both times).

Nothing More, Nothing Less, Love Is The Best

Today is a special day for a very special person. We've been to relatively few gigs together over the years, but they've always been special occasions.

 

Sometimes she didn't like the act (PJ Harvey), sometimes I haven't (Meat Loaf), sometimes the band have been damned awful on stage (Simple Minds), sometimes it's been possibly an emotional and brilliant experience (McAlmont & Butler, Green Gartside).

 

Regardless, it's always been all the better for the person at my side. 

This one's for you, Mrs. K.

 

1) At The River: Groove Armada (1999)

2) We Belong In This World Together: Stereo MC's (2001)
3) Bring It Back: McAlmont & Butler (2002)

4) Everybody Knows: The Free Association (2002) 

5) New Religion: Duran Duran (1982)

6) Black Cherry: Goldfrapp (2003)

6) Teardrop: Massive Attack (1998)

7) This Is Love: PJ Harvey (2000)

8) Spacehopper: Julian Cope (1987) 

9) New Gold Dream (81-82-83-84): Simple Minds (1982)

10) The Boom Boom Bap: Scritti Politti (2006)

11) Paradise By The Dashboard Light: Meat Loaf (1977) 

12) Suspicious Minds (Cover of Elvis Presley): Jools Holland & His Rhythm & Blues Orchestra ft. Roland Gift (2013)

13) It Must Be Love (Cover of Labi Siffre): Madness (1981)

Footnote: Today’s selection is made up of songs we heard at gigs between 2001 up to & including Madness, postponed from 2020 but hopefully going ahead in June. 

With the latter exception, all of the songs featured in the set lists and are presented here in the order that we (first) saw them live. Julian Cope’s the only act we’ve seen together multiple times. 

Stereo MC’s & Simple Minds were both unlikely headliners at the Bristol Community Festival aka Ashton Court Festival. The latter really were appallingly bad.

Roland Gift was the guest vocalist when we saw Jools Holland’s band at Westonbirt Arboretum in Gloucestershire. And bloody good he was too. 

Goldfrapp supported Duran Duran at the NEC in Birmingham for their first (only) reunion tour with the original line up including Andy Taylor.