Why Why Why Why

My introduction to the magnificence that is The Woodentops' Why Why Why was pretty innocuous.

I bought the double pack 7" single of Everyday Living on the strength of the title track and having the 12" mixes of Move Me and Well Well Well on the bonus vinyl. Rounding out the package on Side 2 was a track, singularly titled Why, which I'd never heard before.

Both the 7" A- and B-sides were remixed by the band with Adrian Sherwood. Both were good songs, the latter a fairly sedate chugger with crashing percussion but no hint of it's subsequent future as a Balearic classic.

I've never been to Ibiza so I missed the opportunity to hear the song played out there. However, the first inkling I had that Why Why Why was so much more than a B-side was hearing 1987's Live Hypnobeat Live album. Here, the acoustic strum and Rolo McGinty's insistent vocals come to the fore, creating an uptempo rhythm that drummer Benny Staples follows. Staples was a co-writer, along with Rolo and guitarist Simon Mawby, and it's a fascinating example of how the song evolved from it's studio origins to those exploratory live performances.

The video heading this post is from a later live performance at the Dominion Theatre in London circa 1988. It stretches Why Why Why out even further to over seven minutes but not a second is extraneous. Makes me wish I'd been there back in the day, it ust have been an incredible experience.

I've included three other versions of Why Why Why, starting with Adrian Sherwood's extended mix from the 12" single, just under eight minutes of On-U goodness. 

 

Next up is the Balearic Re-Edit by Tony Johns & Dave Boreham, which appears to date from 1988 but I'm not sure if it had a release prior to it's appearance on the (excellent) Before During After compilation in 2013. Still sounds pretty fresh to these aging ears in 2023.

Last up and a first time discovery when putting this post together is A WTF Acid Dub Remix, one of eight commissioned by and released on Wall Of Sound in 2016. Despite the obvious interpretation, WTF is in fact an acronym for the remixers, Dan Wainwright and Trevor Fung. Trevor is a legendary DJ and key player in the Balearic movement of the late 1980s, whilst Dan has been a regular on this site for his glorious 21st century take on psychedelic electronica. The pair strip the song - and tempo - right back, with Rolo's vocal pared down to a titular chant and "are you ready now?". 

 

Admittedly, none of the remixes can match the live performances but it's wonderful to see Why Why Why - and The Woodentops - continue to inspire three decades later.

 

The People I Meet As I Walk Down The Street Say, "Hey! What's Your Name?"

Brace yourself. Time for The Dave Howard Singers, please. 

 

Over at Musk's swirling social media shitstorm, I've been motivated to join a thread running for the whole of May, posting personal favourite 12" singles from the 1980s. It's a bit of a fun and it has the benefit of getting some vinyl off the shelf and on the turntable.

As far as physical product is concerned, I only have the two 12" singles of Yon Yonson that The Dave Howard Singers released back in 1987. The original 12" version (together with an extended mix and an instrumental/bonus beats) is nonsense but an earworm. Teetering on the brink of being bloody annoying, I love it. I first heard it on TV, during the Indie Chart countdown on The Chart Show and Rob Jukes, whoever you are, thanks for uploading a VHS rip to YouTube.

The other 12", titled Yon Yonson Meets Dr. R-R-Ruth (Sex Sample Sequel) is if anything even more bonkers. The two remixes cut and paste sex therapist Dr. Ruth Westheimer, who was a well-known face (and voice) on TV at the time. It was hardly a VFM purchase at the time, I think it cost me a couple of quid for 12" vinyl with a total running time of under five and a half minutes. But I love it.

 

I've also got the 1987 compilation album Funky Alternatives Vol 2, a good collection as a whole but also featuring further variant Yon Yonson III, which doesn't stray too far from the original version.

Since then, I've managed to track down another couple of 12" singles on t'internet, What Do You Say To An Angel (1989) and All My Relatives Look The Same (1990) but seem to have missed a compilation of The Dave Howard Singers' early material which surfaced in 2006. 

There's a potted history of The Dave Howard Singers on Iffypedia and whilst the official website now appears to be completely devoid of content, the DHS Facebook page was detailing live activity up to summer 2019.

YouTube has a fair bit of DHS audio floatin about and I've managed to find a few videos to accompany Yon Yonson, which kicked off this post. 

 

So, without further ado, here's Dave's unique take on David Essex's Rock On, followed by B-side Nothing To Say, both from 1986. Next up is the aforementioned All My Relatives Look The Same from 1990. Finally, the oldest song and video on here is Intervals, which dates from 1983 and leads the 3-track cassette release, A Loan And Yawn.

 

Canada's not just Neil Young, you know.

 

Devotional

Side 2 of a Depeche Mode mixtape, recorded sometime around September or October 1998.

The triumphant return of the boys from Basildon with this selection focusing on a decade of mixes from 1988 (not 1989 as advertised above) to 1998, bridging live compilation 101 through to their second singles collection, the rather functionally titled The Singles 86>98.

 

Headstar is a good example of Mode's stock-in-trade B-side, an instrumental that could easily have wound up on a US TV drama soundtrack. World In My Eyes is remixed by The Beloved's Jon Marsh, tucked away on a limited edition single back in 1990.  

 

In Your Room wasn't a particular favourite of mine as a single/album track but the remixes were better, including the one here by Jonny Dollar and featuring my first encounter with Geoff Barrow working under the Portishead moniker. 

 

Wrapping up Side 2 - and the compilation - a rare occasion when I used an alternative to the definitive single version of Enjoy The Silence on a mixtape. Poor old Dave Gahan doesn't get a look in until the closing minute or so, but it's a good mix nevertheless. 

 

I haven't yet got around to buying the latest Depeche Mode album, more a reflection on the ton of great albums that have already landed in 2023 so far. 

 

1) Headstar (Single Mix By Tim Simenon & Robin Hancock) (1998)

2) Nothing (Zip-Hop Mix By Justin Strauss & Eric Kupper) (1988)

3) World In My Eyes (Mayhem Mode) (Remix By Jon Marsh) (1990)

4) I Feel You (Babylon Mix By Supereal aka John Crossley) (1993)

5) Barrel Of A Gun (United Mix By Paul Freegard & Marc Waterman ft. Vanessa) (1997) 

6) Home (LFO Meant To Be) (Remix By Mark Bell) (1997)

7) In Your Room (The Jeep Rock Mix By Jonny Dollar & Portishead) (Edit) (1994)

8) Enjoy The Silence (Ricki Tik Tik Mix By Daniel Miller & Phil Legg) (1990)

Side Two (46:22) (KF) (Mega)

 

If that's left you hungry for more Mode, here are the previous selections I posted in August 2021 and May 2022.

 

More Than A Party

Moving Violations

 

Nothing Is As Good As They Say It Is

Sparks' 25th album, The Girl Is Crying in Her Latte, is finally with us at the end of next week. Following the title song in March, a second single and video dropped on Friday.

Nothing Is As Good As They Say It Is, track three on the album, is a glorious 4-minute romp that recalls their classic run of albums on Island in the mid-1970s. Which is fitting, as Sparks have returned to the label after four and a half decades for this release.

The video is comprised mainly of crying babies and on-screen lyrics which articulate a desire to return to the womb, mere hours after clocking the world that they've been born into. 

I'm biased of course, but this song is brilliant. Links to purchase the album are here.

 

 

Nothing is as good as they say it is
That's the way it is, I wish I'd known beforehand
I was born just 22 hours ago
But I want to go back to my former quarters

Mama mama, can you accommodate
Mama mama, tell me I'm not too late
Mama mama, can you co-operate
This will not work, I'm sure

Nothing is as good as they say it is
And I'd be remiss if I weren't honest with you
This is not a place that I can exist
Not ungratefulness, I just don't want this, want this

Mama mama, is there a remedy
Can I just go back to where I used to be
I was happy where I was previously
Just floating there, stood tall

Mama mama, please sympathise
This has been such a bad surprise
I won't ask any more from you
I can live with a lousy viеw

Nothing is as good as they say it is
That's the way it is, I wish I'd known beforеhand
I was born just 22 hours ago
But I've seen enough to make a wise decision

All your standards must be so very low
This is not a place that I'd want to go
How can you exist in a place like this
I surely can't, oh no!

Take a look around and you'd understand
This is not a place I could ever stand
Ugliness, anxiety, phony tans
It ain't for me, that's all

Thank you both for this special chance
Were I born in the south of France
I would feel less resistant to
Somewhere that just deserves adieu

Nothing is as good as they say it is
That's the way it is, I wish I'd known beforehand
Nothing is as good as they say it is
That's the way it is, I wish I'd known beforehand

All your standards must be so very low
This is not a place that I'd want to go
How can you exist in a place like this
I surely can't, oh no!

Nothing is as good as they say it is
Nothing is as good as they say it is

Playing Up The Vamp

If you've not followed Marc Almond's music through the 21st century, suffice to say that a) there's a lot of it and b) the quality is astonishingly high.

I've been playing catch up and have lost count at around 13 albums since 2000, including collaborations with the likes of Jools Holland, Michael Cashmore, Starcluster, Alexei Fedorov and John Harle, though not counting Soft Cell or Marc's 'other' job as lead singer with kick-ass rock 'n' roll band, The Loveless.

 

Whilst Marc's continued passion and capacity for a breadth of musical genres is breath taking, today's selection is a sedate Sunday stroll through his songs, a dozen songs spanning covers and collaborations. Most (not all) of Marc's albums since 2001 are represented and I'm quite happy with the sequencing on this one. 

 

In keeping with Marc's constant quest for new experiences and perspectives on our musical past, tonight he's performing in Oxford as part of The Bauhaus Band & Singers for a show entitled Brecht On Love And War.  In the first half, Marc will be singing hit songs and ballads of the 1920s and 30s, from Bertolt Brecht and Kurt Weill to Duke Ellington. I'm sadly not able to go but there are a few tickets left if you're nearby and fancy what will undoubtedly be a unique and entertaining night.

1) When Youth Becomes A Memory (Cover of Vadim Kozin): Marc Almond & Alexei Fedorov ft. The Rossia Orchestra Ensemble (2009)

2) Stranger In Paradise (Cover of Richard Kiley & Doretta Morrow): Marc Almond (2012)

3) Embers: Marc Almond (2017)

4) The Ballad Of The Sad Young Men (Cover of Rod McKuen): Marc Almond ft. Antony Hegarty (2007)

5) The Lunatic Lover: Marc Almond & Michael Cashmore (2011)

6) Burn Bright: Marc Almond (2014)

7) Trials Of Eyeliner: Marc Almond (2010)

8) Romance: Marc Almond ft. The Rossia Orchestra Ensemble (2003)

9) My Fair Lady: John Harle & Marc Almond (2014)

10) Dust: Marc Almond (2020)

11) Life In My Own Way: Marc Almond (2015)

12) End In Tears: Marc Almond (2001) 

 

2001: Stranger Things: 12

2003: Heart On Snow: 8

2007: Stardom Road: 4

2009: Orpheus In Exile: Songs Of Vadim Kozin: 1

2010: Varieté: 7

2011: Feasting With Panthers: 5

2012: MARCspace: The Unreleased Marc Almond Myspace Songs (bootleg): 2 

2014: The Dancing Marquis: 6 

2014: The Tyburn Tree (Dark London): 9

2015: The Velvet Trail: 11

2017: Shadows And Reflections: 3

2020: Chaos And A Dancing Star: 10

 

Playing Up The Vamp (51:50) (GD) (M)

 

 

Trials of eyeliner
Styles of eyeliner

Eyeliner saved your life
Playing up the vamp
You were applying mystery
Setting yourself free

Bitten nails down to the quick
Black nail varnish painted thick
You were tortured martyr, St. Divine
For playboys who wanted to shine
Father viewed you with your eyes of black
Responded with a violent slap
Said you made him feel ashames
Get out and don't come back

Trials of eyeliner
Styles of eyeliner

Went to Soho worked the clips
Met sailors on leave from ships
Mascara gave you deep allure
Of your sex they couldn't be sure
They were falling in love with you
Falling in love with yourself
And in the dim light of the basement
They didn't care enough
The 70's came to an end
Eyeliner still your dearest friend
From teen to glam to punk
And then
The disco age redefined men
You became one of a crowd
Your song drowned out when the music was to loud
But you stood your ground as a child of passion
As decades changed along with fashions

Trials of eyeliner

In 1980's New York town
Where leather boys could all be found
You tried to get into their clubs
But the doorman gave you quite a snub
Pointed to a sign above the door
Only denim and leather to be worn
Far too much black eyeliner dear
Not a chance of coming in here
You were true to yourself
Never fell out of love with yourself
But in the darkest corners of the world
They didn't care enough
But in the darkest corners of the world
They didn't care enough

Trials of eyeliner
Trials of eyeliner
Trials of eyeliner
Trials of eyeliner

They didn't care enough
Trials of eyeliner
(Repeat to fade)

If Summer Is Here, I'm Still Waiting There

What better way to offset what has so far been a pretty washed out May in this neck of the woods than with a dozen reggae tunes to let some sunshine in?

Many of the usual suspects - and Dubhed regulars - are present and correct: Gregory Isaacs, Marcia Griffiths, I-Roy, Junior Murvin, Carroll Thompson and Dennis Brown. A couple that have appeared less than I had thought: Black Uhuru and Bob Marley & The Wailers. The biggest surprise is that this is the first time here for Jackie Mittoo. Why so long?!

 

1) The Boom: Tapper Zukie (1979)

2) Warriors (Album Version): Gregory Isaacs (1978)

3) Mr. Bojangles (Cover of Jerry Jeff Walker): John Holt (1973)

4) Fresh And Clean: I-Roy (1974)

5) Solomon: Junior Murvin (1977)

6) I Just Don't Want To Be Lonely: Marcia Griffiths (1974)

7) Just A Little Bit (Album Version): Carroll Thompson (1981)

8) I Don't Want To Go: Pat Kelly (1979)

9) Waiting In Vain (Album Version): Bob Marley & The Wailers (1977)

10) Drum Song (Re-Recorded Version): Jackie Mittoo (1977)

11) What Is Life? (UK Remix Album Version): Black Uhuru (1983)

12) So Long (Rastafari Calling): Dennis Brown (1974)

 

If Summer Is Here, I'm Still Waiting There (42:59) (Box) (Mega)

Hanging On

Gosh, these weekends seem to be coming around quickly...! Here's another uptempo mix to round off the week and usher in a couple of days' respite from what has been a rather full on seven days.

The typically loose theme of today's selection is guest appearances galore. Where else are you likely to find Pharrell Williams rubbing shoulders with Steve Ignorant, Half Pint, Billie Ray Martin, John Grant, Vanessa Contenay-Quiñones, Peter Murphy, Emma Pollock, Zip Rapper, Alison Goldfrapp, KC Flightt, not to mention Carry On film legend Sid James and yesterday's birthday boy Greg Dulli?

The music is largely rooted in the 21st Century, with the occasional dip back into the 1990s, with a smattering of cover versions of Pink Floyd, The Clash and Julee Cruise.

Now all I need is a black coffee and some damn fine cherry pie...

1) A.D.D. S.U.V. (Armand Van Helden Vocal Remix): Uffie ft. Pharrell Williams (2010)

2) Diablo (The Devil Rides Out Mix By Dave Ball & Richard Norris): The Grid ft. Vanessa Contenay-Quiñones (1995)

3) I Try To Talk To You (Ha-Ze Factory's Mucho Elegante Rework): Hercules & Love Affair ft. John Grant (2012)

4) Falling (Log Lady Mix - Short Version By Kjeld Tolstrup & Per Holm) (Cover of Julee Cruise): One-Eyed Jacks ft. Zip Rapper (1991)

5) Somebody Needs You: Lo Fidelity Allstars ft. Greg Dulli (2002)

6) Heavy Game (Night Excursion): Hifi Sean ft. Billie Ray Martin (2017)

7) Front 2 Back (Todd Terry Unreleased Mix): Playgroup ft. KC Flightt (2006)

8) Bike (Steve James Mix) (Cover of Pink Floyd): Fortran 5 ft. Sid James (1991)

9) Paper (AXOR Remix By Sam Barker): Starless ft. Emma Pollock (2020)

10) Bankrobber (Cellar Mix) (Cover of The Clash): Audioweb ft. Half Pint (1996)

11) Are We Here? (Industry Standard?): Orbital ft. Alison Goldfrapp (1994)

12) Who D'You Think You're Talking To?: Buscemi ft. Steve Ignorant (2021)

13) We Dive: Rambient ft. Peter Murphy (2001)

 

Hanging On (1:02:47) (Box) (Mega)

I Wanna Feel Good

Happy birthday to Greg Dulli, born 11th May 1965.

 

I wasn't immediately struck by The Afghan Whigs - or Dulli's voice - when I first heard them, but it's fair to say that a combination of great tunes, incisive lyrics and sheer swagger won me over.

 

Here are a couple of personal favourites, Somethin' Hot from 1998 and Debonair from 1993, sandwiching two songs from Dulli's many diversions from the Whigs. 

The Gutter Twins was a sadly finite collaboration with Mark Lanegan that produced one (brilliant) album in 2008. 

The Twilight Singers roughly existed when The Afghan Whigs didn't, between 2000 and 2011. This performance, from the Lowlands Festival in the Netherlands circa 2006, is a rather fine cover of Too Tough To Die by Martina Topley-Bird.

 

 

 

Have a good one, Greg!

x

Lock The Target, Bait The Line, Spread The Net, Catch The Man

If you woke up this morning and thought, "You know what Wednesday needs? Some Electronic Body Music from shades-wearing Belgians" then you've come to the right place. I give you Front 242.

I don't have a whole lot of their music, to be honest. Headhunter was an essential purchase in the early 1990s and, apart from a few subsequent singles, I've not kept track of them since the mid-1990s or dived into any of the nine albums Front 242 released between 1982 and 2003. They're still very much a going concern on the live circuit, having toured the USA late last year and with further gigs in Europe lined up for later this year.

Today's selection is cobbled together from the few singles I own, spanning 1986 to 1993. I've steered cleared of remixes by other artists such as The Orb and Jim Thirlwell for single and 12" versions by Front 242 themselves. 

Another left turn tomorrow.

1) Quite Unusual (12" Version) (1986)

2) Religion (7" Mix) (1993) 

3) Born To Breathe (Single Version ft. 99 Kowalski aka Kristin Kowalski) (1993)

4) Never Stop! v1.0 (7" Version) (1989)

5) Happiness - More Angels (1993)

6) Headhunter (V3.0) (1988)

7) Tragedy ▷For You◁ (Punish Your Machine Mix (Long Version)) (1990)

8) Rhythm Of Time (12) (1991)

9) Masterhit (Part I - Masterblaster) (1987)

10) Agony (Until Death) (1989)

1986: Interception EP: 1

1987: Masterhit EP: 9

1988: Headhunter EP: 6

1989: Never Stop EP: 4, 10

1990: Tragedy ▷For You◁ EP: 7

1991: Rhythm Of Time EP: 8

1993: Animal EP: 3, 5

1993: Religion EP: 2

Lock The Target, Bait The Line, Spread The Net, Catch The Man (46:51) (Box) (Mega)

Headed Up To The Stratosphere 'Cause I Need Some Altitude

Take a trip to November 1988 and The Shamen vs Bam Bam with Transcendental.

The memory is a bit hazy but I recall reading about The Shamen's transition from psychedelic indie rock to acid house in the music press - I'd switch between NME, Sounds and Melody Maker so I'm not sure which - in particular a review of this 12" only single.

 

I'd liked what I'd heard of The Shamen's previous material. Christopher Mayhew Says got a slot in the indie countdown on ITV's The Chart Show back in 1987 and I rated Jesus Loves Amerika and Knature Of A Girl, so I was intrigued by this single, a collaboration with a US dance music producer that I'd never heard of.

I think it took a while to get the 12" single, probably early 1989 from Replay or Revolver in Bristol, but it blew my teenage mind. The A-side contained a 'short' version at roughly four and a half minutes. Pulsing, acidic beats with a lyrical edge.

Even better was the House Mix on the flip side, which extended the track to nearly nine minutes.

The version that eventually appeared on 1989's In Gorbachev We Trust was a slicker production that fit in well with the rest of the album but smoothed out the rough edges that I preferred on the original 12".

The duo of Colin Angus and Will Sinnott was The Shamen at their absolute best. 1989 mini-album Phorward would progress their vision, 1990's En-Tact would perfect it. Will's tragic death in May 1991 meant that the duo's exploration of possible worlds came to an untimely end.

Angus continued The Shamen with Richard West aka Mr. C and produced some great music - and achieved commercial success - but nothing that quite hit those earlier peaks.

 

 

Headed up to the stratosphere
'Cause I need some altitude
To clear my head in the higher wind
And change my point of view
Now I'm looking down on everything
And I'm looking down on you

 

Well I don't know but I understand
Yeah I don't know but I understand
 

Transcendental
Transubstantiation
Receptor activation
Transcendental
Transubstantiation
Receptor activation

 

I see the folly of your reason
The chaos of your rules
The madness of your institutions
And the wisdom of your fools
Yeah I'm looking down on everything
And I'm looking down on you

 

Well I don't know but I understand
Yeah I don't know but I understand
 

Transcendental
Transubstantiation
Receptor activation
Transcendental
Transubstantiation
Receptor activation