Eight From The Eighties Wasteland - Pts. 1 to 4

Whenever Cinema, TV and Radio recreate or rewind to the eighties it’s usually always set dressed with the same instamatic imagery and compounded clichés. So for balance here’s a handful of everyday items that seem to have dropped right off of the eighties radar (well from the pre Live Aid era anyway, before it all went soft, soppy and 'Johnny Hates Jazz').

Armageddon Time
Being prepared for the overhanging dangle of nuclear death and destruction - everyone I knew, well everyone my age really, almost expected to be atomised in an atomic blast by 1987. - see also Threads, Mad Max, 'Two Tribes' 'World Destruction'

Skeen-‘eads
Skinheads were everywhere and ever ready to bash, boot, beat up anyone who wasn't another braces and bleached jeans wearing skin.

Eighties - Gayties
It was just so gay - Marc Almond, Bronski Beat, Boy George, Marilyn, Dead Or Alive, Frankie Goes To Hollywood, Morrisey,Divine, HI-NRG(which later became the signature sound of Stock Aitken and Waterman) the clone look ‘tache, and films like ‘Kiss Of The Spider Woman’ and ‘My Beautiful Launderette’.

Middle Aged Teenagers
Girls in their teens going for the mature sophisticated smoker and A-Line look of Angie from Eastenders (who was only thirty six when 'stenders was first broadcast), while teenage boys would regularly dress in Golf Club casual clobber - see also the expectation to be married and mortgaged by twenty four at the very latest.

I Don't Miss The Hiss

CDs MP3s and digital downloads may be as sexy as the highway code, but for all the cosy fireside crackle of analogue and super size artwork of album covers, there’s a fistful of things I don't miss about the old fangled ways of listening...

Systems
Housing a Hi-Fi the size of a paraffin heater.

Picking up phantom ham radio broadcasters through the speakers.

Know alls picking holes in your personal filing system 'you've got *** next too ***? - That's not right!'

Tapes

The mind melting madness of actual man hours invested in compiling a single 90 minute tape, or the trickery and tactics of trying to wrench in that last track without clipping it or leaving a large gap.

The ghostly notes of backwards backing vocals seeping through from the other side. IE
Andy Partridges home demo of 'Harvest Festival' - recorded onto cassette, which hasn't quite wiped the previous classical recording from the tape.



The mangled reels and reef knot ribbons in the tape head - dear God please not the car stereo.

Those 'been done left in the sun' wobbles.

RSI from rewinding with pencil

Vinyl

Knowing the hops, skips and jumps as initmatley as the lyrics.

That random dusty needle glide (hey hey hey what's a happening!)

Blu Tack and copper coinage (never silver) employed as a weighting device.

Set dressing the 'scene' with romantic mood music, only for the mood go into meltdown at the inevitable album turn over( or the passion killing clunk and fidget of auto reverse tape decks.)

Rolling Home Stoned

If you've ever had a peep at the other side you may have noticed that I'm a bugger for a bootleg remix. Mark Vidler is the big boss of booty remixes, and has just released new boxful of goodies titledSpliced Krispies

These are a couple of the Stones themed pieces where Mick 'n' Keef team up with Carly Simon and The Tempations (there's also a T.Rex/Stones one available here) ... Mark has been good enough to give me some exclusive chat on his choons - including reworks of the 'finger of fudge' ad', the 'Grandstand' theme meets The Supremes and his CC Peniston/Sex Pistols stormer here..

'Mick n' Carly'


Go Home Productions - 'Mick n' Carly'

Go Home Productions - 'Rolling Confusion'


Go Home Productions -'Rolling Confusion'

Menace From The Deep

During the recent sunny spell this has been the view from my local station while waiting for the Fenchurch Flyer - but as sunny and delightful as this appears there is a real and deadly danger below the waves.

Just off shore (on the Kent side of the Thames) lies the the wreck of the SS Richard Montgomery loaded with somewhere between 1000 - 3000 tonnes of high explosives, which according to the New Scientist could generate "the world's biggest non-nuclear explosion" should they combust.

Eyes Right - the green strip just above the boats is Canvey Island.



Straight Ahead - the brown speck on the horizon is this place as seen on Grand Designs


Look East - looking towards the SS Richard Montgomery

Oh and it just happens to between two tanker lanes and a short hop from an oil refinery - there's more on it here

Stress Down Friday - French Lessons

Although I'm fluent in theatrical flailing and gesturing I don't actually speak a second language - I know a few scraps of French, but couldn't structure or shape a single sentance of any use.

So this track intrigues me, not just with its hypnotic loose grooves and repetitive riffing on a 'Get Carter' style bass motif - but what exactly in the name of Serge Gainsbourg is Yves Montand 'lapin'ing on about.

I'd be eternally greatful if anyone could explain the essence of his monologue as I'd love to know what's getting this homme so heated

Yves Montand - Pour Faire le Portrait d´un Oiseau



'Pour Faire le Portrait d´un Oiseau' is taken from volume 1 of the always excellent Hotel Costes series

NEWS JUST IN................

I've found a cartoon with the same title as this tune - although I'm still 'non' the wiser after a viewing...



FIN

I've just had confirmation from a real life Frenchman (a myspace friend of mine Mr Number Neuf) That the title translates as 'To make the painting of a bird'

Good Day Sunshine

You can buy these 'Will Patrons Kindly Refrain' tea towels here

It's just too sunny to be pretending to work or blogging (not strictly in that order) - so how about a trip to the beach?..

But watch out for broken glass..



Make sure you're a strong swimmer..


In case these two are around..


There's a medley of latin lovelies on the other side if you fancy a peep.