Amazing Dave

Celebrating my friend Dave Scantlebury, 11th December 1957 to 20th January 2009. 

We first met in 1998, both working for the regional careers service, based in Bristol. Dave was in ICT, although I quickly learned that in his case it was most probably an acronym for irreverent, cool and tireless. We worked together for nearly 10 years and in that time must have shared thousands of hours of music, either swapping our latest finds and purchases, CD rips of DIY mixtapes or DJ mixes or experiencing it firsthand at various venues around Bristol and Bath. 

Dave changed jobs in the mid-2000s and we kept in touch. One of the last gigs we saw was Green Gartside at the Arnolfini in June 2007 as part of the Venn Festival. In truth, it was the full Scritti Politti band, 9 songs in roughly 45 minutes. One of the best gigs we'd ever heard. 

I attended Dave's service at South Bristol Crematorium on 29th January 2009. There was much to celebrate about his life and, of course, he curated his final playlist and it was impeccable.

So What: Miles Davies (1959)

All The Young Dudes: Mott The Hoople (1972)

Soul On Fire: Spiritualized (2008)

Two Sevens Clash: Culture (1977)

In 2010, Anita Blay aka CocknBullKid released her variation on Amazing Grace. This may be the only song in my collection that includes the name Dave in the title, but it's a good one.

and the old life that we lived so fondly together is untouched, unchanged.
Whatever we were to each other, that we are still

Source: https://www.familyfriendpoems.com/poem/death-is-nothing-at-all-by-henry-scott-holland

the old life that we lived so fondly together is untouched, unchanged.
Whatever we were to each other, that we are still.

Source: https://www.familyfriendpoems.com/poem/death-is-nothing-at-all-by-henry-scott-holland

Amazing Dave: cocknbullkid (2010)

Cheers, Dave

Forever Green

On 27th August 2020, I had the privilege of having my first guest posting on The Vinyl Villain, part of the long-running and always excellent Imaginary Compilation Album series. I chose to feature Scritti Politti aka Green Gartside, in my opinion one of the finest voices and songwriters there is. The ICA featured 10 songs, spanning 1979-2020, plus a bonus EP with 4 Green Gartside collaborations and guest spots. 

 

To celebrate - and in growing excitement at the prospect of seeing Scritti Politti live in concert at the Shepherd's Bush Empire in London in 5 weeks' time - here's both sides of a mixtape that I recorded on 24th April 2000. I'm pretty sure I did a previous version of this for a girlfriend in the early 1990s, with a fairly similar tracklist. The mixtape title is a play on Gartside's name but it would also have been inspired by the completely unrelated song by Finitribe. 

 

This selection focuses very squarely on the 'pop' period, covering the albums Songs To Remember (1982), Cupid & Psyche 85 (1985) and Provision (1988), plus a few 12" mixes thrown in for good measure. Several tracks have been taken from vinyl rips and earlier CD issues, so please excuse the variable quality across each side but turn up the volume and enjoy some perfect pop sounds for the next hour and a half.

Today's post is dedicated to JC, for his encouragement and positive feedback with each guest post, and The Vinyl Villain family, who have been a constant source of inspiration and motivation, particularly in the pandemic years, both on TVV and their own music blogs. Thank you!

 

Side One (46:23)

1) First Boy In This Town (Lovesick) (Extended Remix) (1988)

2) A Little Knowledge (Album Version ft. B.J. Nelson) (1985)

3) The 'Sweetest Girl' (Album Version ft. Robert Wyatt) (1982)

4) Sugar And Spice (1988)

5) Faithless (Triple Hep 'n' Blue) (Part I) (12" Edit) (1982)

6) Overnite (1988)

7) Philosophy Now (Album Version) (1988)

8) Perfect Way (Album Version) (1985)

9) Gettin', Havin' And Holdin' (1982)

Side Two (46:28)

1) Absolute (Version) (Remix By Gary Langan) (1984)

2) Best Thing Ever (Album Version) (1987)

3) Jacques Derrida (Extended Version) (1982)

4) Sex (1982)

5) Hypnotize (Long) (Remix By Gary Langan) (1984)

6) Asylums In Jerusalem (Album Version) (1982)

7) Wood Beez (Pray Like Aretha Franklin) (Album Version) (1985)

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

9) Oh Patti (Don't Feel Sorry For Loverboy) (12" Version ft. Miles Davis) (1988)

Side One (46:23)

Side Two (46:28)

If that's whetted your appetite for more Scritti Politti goodness, I posted another item in July, featuring a selection of radio sessions.

 

Scritti Politti's official website lists the upcoming UK tour dates in September and October and available tickets and (as yet) nothing else. In November, Scritti Politti will be supporting O.M.D. on 6 dates of their Architecture & More UK tour