More Altered Perceptions

Side 2 of an 80s mixtape recorded 26th November 1999.

Another compilation that's taken me ages to return to, Side 1 making an appearance here in November 2023. Better late than never...!

In 1987, Get It On by T. Rex was re-released with a new remix by Tony Visconti. I don't remember why exactly, as the (rather excellent) Best Of The 20th Century Boy compilation had already been out for a couple of years and there was no jeans ad tie-in as far as I recall. There were two 12" singles with new extended versions: the Dawn Mix on yellow vinyl and the Dusk Mix on blue vinyl; I've got both, there's not a lot of difference between the two.

Propaganda's second single was Duel, a gorgeous slice of Germanic pop. On the flip side was its roughneck relation, Jewel, Claudia Brücken's sweet voice replaced by Susanne Freytag's shouty vocals. Similarly, their album A Secret Wish was mirrored with a remix companion, Wishful Thinking. It's a bit hit-and-mix, but the remix of Duel/Jewel is superb, creating a sublime duet between Susanne and Claudia.

Love Like Blood is arguably Killing Joke's defining song and originally came out in two extended 12" single formats. Not content with that, producer Zeus B. Held had a go at the song, providing the flip side to his other remix of 1986 single Adorations. This one adds a few contemporary remix touches, including some crowd noises for some reason, to firmly root the song in the mid-1980s.

I do have the 12" single of More by Doctor & The Medics, which features a remix by an up-and-coming artist called William Orbit. Unfortunately, I don't have a MP3 rip and couldn't find an alternative on t'internet. So, I've grabbed the intro from the video version and spliced it with a slight edit of the album version and Hey Presto! a DIY extended version to fill the void. Derivative it may be, but I like this song.

Derivative is not a word that could be used to describe Peek-A-Boo by Siouxsie & The Banshees. When I first heard it in 1988, I was thrilled by this change of direction for the band. Unfortunately, the rest of the album is less experimental and more familiar, but the impact of this song hasn't diminished. Peek-A-Boo was released on 7", 12" (two of 'em) and CD single. The eight minute Silver Dollar Mix which appeared on the limited edition 12" single is in fact an edit; the full length version appeared in the USA and runs for another two minutes.

Whilst Siouxsie and co were trying to push themselves in a new direction, by 1988 Iggy Pop had pretty much gone full hair metal. I like the album Instinct but it's dumb rock, even by Iggy's standards, though unapologetically so. I first heard this remix of Cold Metal on the Sounds Blasts! 1 EP, a freebie 7" single with music paper Sounds that also featured The Blue Aeroplanes (yay!), Fishbone (mmmm) and the Dan Reed Network (meh). 

Closing out this compilation is my favourite version of Two Tribes by Frankie Goes To Hollywood, the Carnage remix by Trevor Horn and Stephen Lipson following the standard ZTT format of instrumental first half and vocal second half. However, they also chuck in a few vocal snippets from Nash, Peds and Mark taken from throwaway B-side 'interviews', which add a bit of colour. 

As with my previous post, I've tracked down the videos for each song, or TV performances where these aren't available. The clip for Jewel by Propaganda is a real treat. The others run the range from so so serious (Killing Joke) to stunning (Siouxsie) to silly (Doctor & The Medics) to... well, you've just got to see Iggy Pop's video to wonder how many cans of hairspray the film crew got through for this one.

And then there's Two Tribes, possibly one of the greatest videos ever made. If a band tried to do that today, the pustulous orange turd would probably buy MTV, install himself as CEO and shut it down. That's if the barrel chested bareback rider hadn't already dealt with them permanently.

 
1) Get It On (Dusk Mix) (Tony Visconti 87 Remix): T. Rex (1987)

2) Jewelled (Remix By Robert Kraushaar & Paul Morley): Propaganda (1985)

3) Love Like Blood (The '86 Remix By Zeus B. Held): Killing Joke (1986)

4) More (Full Video Version By Doctor & The Medics & Graham Meek): Doctor & The Medics (1987)

5) Peek-A-Boo (Silver Dollar Mix By Mike Hedges) (Edit): Siouxsie & The Banshees (1988)

6) Cold Metal (Rock Version By Andy Wallace): Iggy Pop (1988)

7) Two Tribes (Carnage) (Remix By Trevor Horn & Stephen Lipson): Frankie Goes To Hollywood (1984)

Side Two (46:06) (KF) (Mega)

Side One here

 

 

 

 

 

 

They Could Have Been Contenders

I'm having a lot of fun compiling the Decadance series and revisiting tunes from the 1990s. 

Making the cut for the final dozen can be a challenge though, and many excellent, or memorable, or both, songs get discarded along the way (and not just Pop Will Eat Itself, I mean).

I've rescued a couple from each year that I've covered so far, not least because most of them were accompanied by hugely enjoyable videos, albeit each for different videos. Step up (or step on) Pet Shop Boys, The Disposable Heroes Of Hiphoprisy, R.E.M., Siouxsie & The Banshees, Depeche Mode and Happy Mondays.

There was no video for Her Jazz by Huggy Bear, but they did make an unforgettable appearance on Channel 4's The Word, not least for their post-performance diss of Terry Christian and subsequent removal from the studio. 

Likewise, no pricey promo for Middle Of The Road by Denim. What you get instead is a video filmed specially for ITV's graveyard shift music programme The Beat in 1993. With an intro by presenter Gary Crowley and Lawrence and co. squashed into the back of a stretch limo, of course it's brilliant.

1) I Wouldn’t Normally Do This Kind Of Thing: Pet Shop Boys (1993)
2) Her Jazz (Live @ The Word): Huggy Bear (1993)

3) Television, The Drug Of The Nation: The Disposable Heroes Of Hiphoprisy (1992)

4) Middle Of The Road: Denim (1992)

5) Losing My Religion: R.E.M. (1991)

6) Kiss Them For Me: Siouxsie & The Banshees (1991)

7) Enjoy The Silence: Depeche Mode (1990)

8) Step On: Happy Mondays (1990)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Decade II: 1983

Side 2 of a mixtape, compiled circa March 1990, lost along the way, reimagined and recreated 12th August 2024.
 
I hope you've brought your cardboard, there's some electric boogaloo ahead...
 

Again, as the cassette, sleeve and track listing are lost in the car fumes of history, I've recreated this from scratch, a dozen songs culled from my collection in spring 1990, when I originally recorded this thing.

I'll acknowledge the elephant in the room and say that yes, Temptation by Heaven 17 got to #2 in May 1983 and even that wasn't enough to secure a place in this collection, much as I love it. 

Was swapping it out for Kissing With Confidence by Will Powers (a mere #17 in Oct 1983) a step too far? Not for me, it's not. Besides, it's got Carly Simon on vocals and it's produced by Todd Rundgren! And the video's lots of fun.

At the expense of other contemporary classics, I've also given a nod to the fact that though I'd been blown away by The Message and Buffalo Gals, The Rock Steady Crew were the ones that my mates at school were more interested in. Whilst I didn't feel particularly inclined to wear a Sergio Tacchini tracksuit or start body popping behind the Science block, I did enjoy the music. 

I do remember that the original 1983 cassette started with Burning Down The House by Talking Heads, which is an obvious choice, perhaps. What's more surprising is that when released as a single in the UK in July 1983, it failed to chart. It took 16 years, Sir Tom Jones leathery lungs and The Cardigans' polish to take the song into the Top 10.

 

More debuts on this side, including Cocteau Twins with the beautiful (but non-charting) Sugar Hiccup. I perhaps should have picked something from the equally wonderful Sunburst And Snowblind EP as the record buying public at least managed to get that release to #86, but it's all good.

Talk Talk, Siouxsie & The Banshees and Depeche Mode are all back, with debuts from Aztec Camera, Shannon, Wall Of Voodoo, Fun Boy Three and an up-and-coming band from Manchester, with a striking lead singer and lyricist. Sadly now a complete twit, but made a big impression on me as a 12-year old.

 

More from this decade next weekend. Don't miss it, Big Brother is watching....

1) Burning Down The House (Album Version): Talking Heads
2) Oblivious (Album Version): Aztec Camera
3) (Hey You) The Rock Steady Crew (Vocal) (Single Version): The Rock Steady Crew
4) Let The Music Play (Radio Edit): Shannon
5) Kissing With Confidence (12" Mix): Will Powers ft. Carly Simon
6) Everything Counts (Single Version): Depeche Mode
7) This Charming Man (Manchester): The Smiths
8) Mexican Radio (UK Extended Mix): Wall Of Voodoo
9) My Foolish Friend (Extended Version): Talk Talk
10) Sugar Hiccup (Single Version): Cocteau Twins
11) Dear Prudence (Single Version) (Cover of The Beatles): Siouxsie & The Banshees
12) Our Lips Are Sealed (Singles Version): Fun Boy Three

Side Two (46:00) (KF) (Mega)

Decade I: 1980

Side 1 of a cassette compilation, recorded 3rd February 1990.

 

In 2023, Toby Roberts dreamed of competing in the 2024 Olympics, qualifying in October and yesterday bringing home gold with an incredible boulder and lead performance, aged 19.

In 1990, 19-year old me dreamed of girls, music and getting away from the UK. As Meat Loaf once over emoted on vinyl, two out of three ain't bad. My love life was at least consistent: mostly short-lived or unrequited. But...I did eventually get away from the UK later that year, a life-changing solo experience in Australia. Gold Coast rather than a gold medal, but good enough for me.

And my relationship with music has sustained me through the years, never letting me down. Well, apart from that Simple Minds headline gig at the Ashton Court Festival in Bristol, but nothing's perfect, right?

So, as 1989 turned into 1990 I had the notion of doing a themed series of cassette compilations, looking back at the previous decade. Five C90s, one year per side, 12 songs apiece. 

I had a growing record collection by that time, mostly vinyl and cassettes, with a few CDs creeping in. I also had access to my brother's vinyl - he'd gone to uni in Bournemouth and left most of behind with my parents - and my friend Stuart's collection, to plug any gaps in my 'wants' list.

1980 is inevitably a cracking selection, if I say so myself, as there was so much good music to choose from. Pretty much all of these came from my own records, the only exceptions being Martha & The Muffins (my brother's copy of Metro Music) and Talking Heads and U2, borrowed from Stuart.

And yes, I accept that Once In A Lifetime wasn't released in the UK as a single until January 1981. However, in those pre-internet years, I went by the P&C year stated on the back sleeve and labels. Remain In Light said 1980, so that was good enough for me. I subsequently found that the info printed on records were often unreliable in this regard. in this case, I'm happy to confirm that Remain In Light came out in October 1980. Yippee, me.

A strong opener to the series, then. Could I sustain it? 

You won't have long to find out...

 

1) Messages (10" Version): O.M.D.

2) Fade To Grey (Dance Mix Edit): Visage

3) Echo Beach (Album Version): Martha & The Muffins

4) Once In A Lifetime (Album Version): Talking Heads

5) Call Me (Theme From American Gigolo) (Single Version): Blondie

6) Do It Clean (Single Version): Echo & The Bunnymen

7) Independence Day (Album Version): The Comsat Angels

8) Israel (Single Version): Siouxsie & The Banshees

9) Love Will Tear Us Apart (Album Version): Joy Division

10) My Perfect Cousin (Album Version): The Undertones

11) A Day Without Me (Album Version): U2

12) Being Boiled (Album Version): The Human League

Side One (46:12) (KF) (Mega)

Our Children Shall Rise Up Against Us Because We Are The Ones To Blame

Don't worry, there hasn't been a revolt at Casa K. Instead, here's some agit from the late 1970s, embracing punk, post-punk, post-modern, post-Mott and stick-it-in-your-pipe-and-smoke-it sounds from 15 of the best.

British Lions formed from the ashes of Mott The Hoople (via Mott) with John Fiddler (Medicine Head) taking front of stage. One More Chance To Run was their debut single and the opening track of their eponymous first album.

Quite a few self-titled debut albums featured here, now that I think about it, taking in The Clash, Tubeway Army, Squeeze, The B-52's, The Pretenders and (almost) Public Image Ltd. and Talking Heads.

 

A first appearance here for Sham 69 with - what else? - Hersham Boys and inevitable returns from Siouxsie & The Banshees, Magazine, Associates and The Jam. 

The closing song - and inspiration for today's post title - is We Are All Prostitutes, the blistering debut single by Bristol's own The Pop Group. 

 

It's been nearly a year since Mark Stewart tragically left us, so much to say in 1979 and so much still to say when he passed on in 2023. This one's for Mark and anyone who has spoken up and called out wrong doing.

Even so, our children shall rise up against us because we are the ones to blame.

 

1) One More Chance To Run: British Lions (1977)

2) What's My Name: The Clash (1977)

3) Hersham Boys (Long Version By Jimmy Pursey & Peter Wilson): Sham 69 (1979)

4) Poppy Day (John Peel Session): Siouxsie & The Banshees (1979) 

5) My Shadow In Vain: Tubeway Army (1978)

6) Attack: Public Image Ltd. (1978)

7) The Light Pours Out Of Me (Album Version By John Leckie): Magazine (1978)

8) Boys Keep Swinging (Cover of David Bowie): Associates (1979)

9) Sex Master: Squeeze (1978)

10) Marooned: Wire (1978)

11) Don't Worry About The Government: Talking Heads (1977)

12) 6060-842: The B-52's (1979)

13) News Of The World: The Jam (1978)

14) Brass In Pocket: The Pretenders (1979)

15) We Are All Prostitutes (Single Version By Dennis Bovell): The Pop Group (1979) 

 

We Are The Ones To Blame (46:05) (KF) (Mega)

 

We Are All Prostitutes

We are all prostitutes
Everyone has their price
We are all prostitutes
Everyone has their price
Everyone
 
And you too will learn to live the lie
And you too will learn to live the lie
And you too will learn to live the lie
Everyone has their price
 
Aggression
Competition
Ambition
Consumer fascism
Consumer fascism
 
We are all prostitutes
Everyone has their price
We are all prostitutes
Everyone has their price
Everyone
 
Capitalism is the most barbaric of all religions
 
Department stores are our new cathedrals
Department stores are our new cathedrals
Our cars are martyrs to the cause
Our cars are martyrs to the cause
 
Our children shall rise up against us
Our children shall rise up against us
Because
Because we are the ones to blame
Because we are the ones to blame
Because
Because
They will give us a new name, we shall be
Hypocrites

Hypocrites

Hypocrites

Hypocrites

Hypocrites

Hypocrites

Sorry I Disturbed Your Cat Nap

Siouxsie & The Banshees' debut album The Scream was released on 13th November 1978.

 

I was seven years old at the time and I didn't get on board until 4th album Juju in 1981 but coming back to The Scream as as adult, it was a remarkable first album which continues to unsettle after many years and repeated listens. 

 

Is it punk? Is it post-punk? I'd struggle to categorise it even now but there's something about the collision of on-point bass, frequently martial beats, squalling guitar and Siouxsie's at-times primal expulsions of words and sound that set it apart from their contemporaries and still sounds like a rage that's relevant to the times we're living through. Far from their most accessible album, it can be a difficult listen yet it's little surprise that it broke the Top 20 in the UK album charts.

 

Technically just the one single with Metal Postcard (Mittageisen) released as a double A-Side with Love In A Void, although a re-recorded version of Overground appeared on The Thorn EP in 1984.

 

Here's a selection of performances from The Scream, beginning with the opening and closing songs, Pure and Switch, bridged by a few lines from The Lord's Prayer which itself appeared on their second album Join Hands the following year. 

Steve Severin and John McKay either side of the stage, static yet relentless, Kenny Morris inevitably the next most animated performer. But all eyes on Siouxsie, white jeans, scarf and waistcoat, making full use of the stage space and a mesmerising stage presence.

Next up, one of two performances from Swiss TV show Lucarne Ovale broadcast 8th June 1979 a few months before the release of Join Hands. Jigsaw Feeling was the first of a 5-song set comprising Placebo Effect, Hong Kong Garden, Switch and - following up in this post - Suburban Relapse. Again, the band look and sound fantastic, Siouxsie and McKay almost pre-New Romantic in their respective wardrobe.

 

Back to Blighty for this performance of Overground from the Oxford Road Show, recorded on 3rd December 1982 and broadcast on BBC2. McKay and Morris were gone by now, replaced by Robert Smith and Budgie respectively. The look and sound has also evolved: Siouxsie with proto-Goth Cruella De Ville hair and dress, Severin in blousy shirt and bleached hair; the band backed by a couple of violinists, at first plucked then urgent, sweeping strings adding a grandeur and menace to the song.

Metal Postcard (Mittageisen) was showcased on The Old Grey Whistle Test (BBC2 again) along with Jigsaw Feeling on 11th July 1978. With it's marching, motorik rhythm (later used to stunning effect by Massive Attack on on their song Superpredators) it's long been one of my favourite Banshees songs. Do I need to say Siouxsie provides yet another example of why she is a superlative front person?

Closing this sample - and the TV show itself, as the end credits roll - with a return to Lucarne Ovale from June 1979 and the penultimate song from The Scream, Suburban Relapse. Siouxsie wanders up to the camera, turning it's attention to a prepared 'dressing room' set opposite the stage. Siouxsie finds a conveniently placed brick and casually lobs it at a mirror, risking seven years' bad luck. 

 

The broken mirror has the phrase "Il y a quelque chose de pourri..." scrawled across it in lipstick which, according to my D in French O Level roughly translates as "There is something rotten..." Again, another attention-grabbing show from the band, including John McKay who by now has turned his back on the main audience and seems to be playing directly to a small group of immobile men side of stage. And who is the mysterious figure at stage rear in the banana yellow polo neck and Mick Ronson-circa-72 coiffure? 

 

None of this detracts from Siouxsie of course, who builds the audience up and leads to a literal collapse at the song's climax. The credits have rolled and the backdrop screen proclaims, "C'est Fini".

Burn Baby Burn

Sunday 5th November is officially Bonfire Night, or Guy Fawkes Night if you prefer, although most of the displays in my neck of the woods inevitably took place on Saturday night. 

Things have changed dramatically since I was a kid. The weeks leading up to 5th November used to see children pitched up outside the local newsagents with a badly stuffed and clothed effigy and calling out for a "penny for the Guy". This year my local shop had a copper-hued approximation of Spongebob Squarepants, no kids and no indication of whether poor ol' Bob was going to end up on the pyre come the evening's festivities.

Hallowe'en was virtually non-existent as a "thing" when I was growing up but seems to have completely taken over from Bonfire Night in the last few decades. We were in Valencia for the former, which is followed on 1st November by el Dia de Todos los Santos ("All Saints Day" itself derived from the pagan festival "All Souls Day"), a national public holiday and a time to remember and honour the dead.

From a meteorological perspective, there couldn't have been a greater contrast. Hallowe'en and All Saints Day were bright and sunny, with temperatures in the mid-high 20s; Bonfire Night was bloody freezing and it had been raining for much of the day. We've not been to the local firework display since Lady K very quickly lost interest in it as a child and this year was no exception. Bah. And humbug.

However, it does give me an excuse to pull together a (let's face it, verrrry loose) Dubhed selection based on fireworks, bonfires and fires in general. Spoiler alert: despite the title, Ash doesn't feature at all.

What you do get for starters is a one-off collaboration between The Go-Betweens and The Birthday Party from 1982. From there, a trio of 1986 treats by XTC, Elvis Costello and Ciccone Youth, with more 1980s gems from Redskins, Siouxsie & The Banshees and Tom Robinson following later.

On Thursday, Walter - he of the excellent A Few Good Times In My Life blog - waxed lyrical about the 50th anniversary reissue of classic film The Wicker Man. As noted, Bristol legend Katy J Pearson was invited to cover a number of the soundtrack's songs. Katy brought some friends along, including Drug Store Romeos, Wet Leg and Sarah Meth for a spine-tingling version of Fire Leap.  

Speaking of covers, the only song I have by Joensuu 1685 is their full-volume cover of I'm On Fire by The Boss. The Helsinki-based band comprises three Joensuus - Markus, Mikko and Risto - though only the first two are related. Their second album was released in 2020 so I assume that they're still a going concern.

It would be remiss of me not to include a Spanish band in this selection and whilst they hail from Madrid not Valencia, who better than the raucous Hinds? 

By complete contrast, things drop down to a much more sedate level for the closing song, The KLF adding a chilled country twang to Build A Fire from their seminal album The White Room.

 

1) After The Fireworks: Tuff Monks (1982)

2) Sacrificial Bonfire: XTC (1986)

3) Indoor Fireworks: The Costello Show ft. The Attractions & The Confederates (1986)

4) Burnin' Up (Mike Watt Original Demo) (Cover of Madonna): Ciccone Youth (1986)

5) Building A Fire: James & Brian Eno (1994)

6) Worn From The Fight (With Fireworks): Castanets (2009)

7) (Burn It Up!) Bring It Down (This Insane Thing) (12" Version): Redskins (1985)

8) Light/Fireworks: The Fall (1993)

9) Fire Leap (Cover of Magnet): Katy J Pearson ft. Drug Store Romeos, Wet Leg & Sarah Meth (2023) 

10) Bonfire: Lamb (1999)

11) Fireworks (12" Version): Siouxsie & The Banshees (1982)

12) I'm On Fire (Cover of Bruce Springsteen): Joensuu 1685 (2009)

13) Looking For A Bonfire (Unreleased Alternate Recording): Tom Robinson (1984)

14) Burn: Hinds (2020)

15) Build A Fire (1991 Album Version): The KLF ft. Maxine Harvey (1991)

 

1982: After The Fireworks EP: 1

1982: Fireworks EP: 11

1985: (Burn It Up!) Bring It Down (This Insane Thing) EP: 7

1986: Burnin' Up/Into The Groove(y) EP: 4

1986: King Of America : 3 

1991: The White Room: 15

1993: The Infotainment Scan: 8

1994: Wah Wah: 5

1997: War Baby: Hope And Glory: 13

1999: Fear Of Fours: 10

2009: Texas Rose, The Thaw, And The Beasts: 6

2010: I'm On Fire / Perfect Grace EP: 12

2016: Skylarking (Steven Wilson Mix): 2

2020: The Prettiest Curse: 14

2023: The Wicker Man EP: 9

Burn Baby Burn (59:13) (KF) (Mega)

Be Seeing You

No, not my final ever post, you may be relieved or dismayed (or indifferent) to hear, but a nod to The Prisoner, a TV series that ended over half a century ago yet continues to intrigue, confound and inspire.

Likewise, the Welsh village of Portmeirion, the location of The Village in the series, has also been a go-to for music video shoots. I've included a selection here, including a couple filmed for legendary music show The Tube, produced by Channel 4 in the 1980s, which was also where I watched - and fell in love with - The Prisoner for the first time.

 

First up is The Times with I Helped Patrick McGoohan Escape from 1982. Edward Ball wrote and first recorded the song as a single in 1980 as Teenage Filmstars. The Times' video was directed by Nick Morris and a recreation of The Prisoner, including what many may argue is a more satisfying ending that the TV series' controversial final episode.

 

In 1987, The Tube had a special episode, titled "The Laughing Prisoner", filmed in Portmeirion. Jools Holland was the titular character and the opening of this clip features Jools and Stephen Fry, the latter performing possibly the worst umbrella lob committed to video.

The main feature is Siouxsie & The Banshees' cover version of The Passenger. I was (and still am) a huge fan of the band and their music so it was always a thrill to see them on TV. I'm not sure I'd heard Iggy Pop's original and frankly unbeatable version at the time. Either way, the Banshees' version may have been deemed worthy of a single but it's not their finest moment. The band look super cool though.

I'm not sure I've even seen the 1982 promo for See Those Eyes by Altered Images before. If I did, I completely forgot that like The Times, this was also directed inspired by The Prisoner. Much as I enjoy seeing Ed Ball in action, I didn't have a crush on him as a pre-teen, so Clare Grogan is going to win every time, no contest.

Fast forward to 1995 and Supergrass won me over with their cheeky chappy song and video, Alright. As impressive as the lads racing around Portmeirion on Chopper bicycles is, nothing can top Gaz Coombes' mutton chops, the likes of which I'd not seen since Amos Brearly was pulling pints in The Woolpack on Emmerdale Farm.

Back to 1987 and The Tube who, prior to "The Laughing Prisoner" special, filmed XTC performing a couple of songs in Portmeirion. The Meeting Place has Colin Moulding on lead vocals and full McGoohan garb, bar his hairstyle. I think Billy Ray Cyrus was paying close attention to the latter.

I'll confess that I've never heard of Ulysses before "researching" today's post. Even more galling to discover that they're from Bath, a reasonably short jaunt from Casa K. Situation Man was a released as a single from 2019 album On Safari (sadly, not a tribute to another classic TV show and presenter, as far as I can tell). If you like what you hear, you can find the album and other Ulysses releases on Bandcamp.

Ironically, this chap released a single in May 1989 called The Prisoner and even named the 12" version "The Portmeirion Mix". Was it enough to get him a free pass to Portmeirion? Hell no.

I Love You Siouxsie

Garbage have released a cover version of Cities In Dust by Siouxsie & The Banshees, included on an EP to tie in with Record Store Day and their recent Anthology compilation.

It's an interesting take, scuzzy electronic squalls, ominous piano chords and programmed beats replacing the original's more nuanced instrumentation whilst remaining a largely faithful version. At 4:10, Shirley utters "I Love You Siouxsie", bringing the song to a satisfying conclusion.

Aside from the RSD 12", Cities in Dust is also available digitally as part of a 4-track EP. Lead song Witness To Your Love originally snuck out on an Urban Outfitters/Filter Magazine charity CD in the USA in 2008 whilst Garbage were on hiatus. The other two songs are outtakes from their last album, 2021's No Gods No Masters.

Cities In Dust is a good if inessential version but it does it's job in taking you back to the original song. A much loved single, I bought the 12" version back in 1985 though didn't bother with parent album Tinderbox until it's re-release as an expanded CD edition in 2009. 

The video's quite a treat, an amusingly literal take on the Pompeii story and Siousxie naturally owns every moment that she's on screen.

 

Mrs. K and I were privileged to see Pompeii for ourselves in 2007 and it was a fascinating, sobering experience. And bloody hot, as Italy was in the midst of a heatwave, taking temperatures past 40 degrees. That day, I could appreciate the irony of taking shelter inside from the burning heat outside.

I Guess I Must Be Having Fun

Back to the 1980s for some weekend fun...but not as you know it. A clutch of brave DJs and producers - Danny McLewin & Tom Coveney aka Psychemagik, Ben Zaven Crane aka Mojo Filter, Blake Robin aka Luxxury and Nicolas Laugier aka The Reflex - have taken on some iconic songs and re-edited and re-imagined them for the 21st Century.

Opinion may be divided on whether the edits open the music up to new and interesting interpretations or whether, crudely put, it's a bastardisation of classic songs that should have been left alone. The fact that I've compiled and posted this selection probably tells you which way I'm dancing (badly) on this one. 

 

1) This Must Be The Place (Naive Edit By Psychemagik): Talking Heads (2010)

2) Arabian Knights (Mojo Filter Banshee Edit): Siouxsie & The Banshees (2012)

3) Rock The Casbah (Luxxury Edit): The Clash (2013)

4) It's My LIfe (The Reflex Re√ision): Talk Talk (2019)

5) Going Underground (The Reflex Re√ision): The Jam (2017)

6) Blue Monday (Luxxury 'How Does It Feel' Edit): New Order (2016)

7) Rapture (The Reflex Re√ision): Blondie (2017)

 

I Guess I Must Be Having Fun (47:54) (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!