Do you want to see something really scary ? # 2 Terror TV

I'm a terror for a Public Information Film, and this seasonally shadowy short film applies the classic codes and conventions of any Hammer or Amicus production....

A Donald Pleasance voice over.

Set dressed with convincing contemporary costumes (for the time) and locations.

An other-worldy, wraith-in-rags visitor - death in the form of 'The Spirit of Dark and Lonely Water' (a proto Dark Rider) tempting you to tumble.

A fist-shaking 'I'll be back' coda.

They really don't make 'em like this anymore.

Dark And Lonely Water


Also well worth a watch are almost any of Brian Clemens 'Thriller' series (with it's spooky tooting flute theme), almost all episodes have the intimacy of a radio play or theatrical performance - with the close crop shots and stripping out of any unnecessary incidental music all adding to the in-the-room experience

'Possesion', 'I'm The Girl He Wants To Kill' and 'One Deadly Owner' are must see All Hallows TV

'One Deadly Owner' intro


And I think my MP3 player may be psychic. Literally, as soon as I'd thought I really must find some spooky tunes this, this and Marsh Hunt's - '(Oh, No! Not) The Beast Day' popped into play.

Brrrrr..

Do you want to see something really scary ? # 1 Kendo Nagaskai

As the shadow of Halloween starts to creep towards us, it's time to log in the blog, some seasonal scaries..

First up is Kendo Nagasaki - yes him of the blood red dead eyes, tattooed head, lumbering Leatherface gait, and startled little piggy squeaks and squeals. The man-mass of Giant Haystacks menaced like a silent film foe, Cyanide Sid Cooper was just a caveman stooge - but Kendo, Kendo really was genuinley terrifying wasn't he?

The unmasking of Kendo Nagasaki


There's some recommended reading here..

Observer interview with Kendo

And Simon Garfield's The Wrestling is a must read if you were ever a watcher of ITV's Saturday afternoon rumbles.

Stress Down Friday - Farewell for Five Centres

Well, FC's decided to shut up shop - so that's another one gone pop. Apprentice and Istvanski self destructed. Axe Victim.. sorry - Col, Clair Woo, Matt and Suzy Roman have all had the blog-wobbles - and who hasn't? Knocking out a blog can feel like descaling your brain sometimes.

Anyway let's raise a glass (of Mateus, natch) and say goodbye, for now, to FC - and if you do decide to return to the Blogosphere old chap, don't forget stop in and say hello on either of my pieces of ol' puffery.

Fairport Convention - Meet On The Ledge


Fairport Convention - Meet On The Ledge


Frys 5 Center Bar Ad'

The Company Of Wolves Part 2

Side 1 of The Wolfmen's blow-by-blow guide to their new album Modernity Killed Every Night is right here..

Jackie Says



Chris Constantinou
Lyrically inspired by a Jack the Ripper thing - a sort of love song that Jack may have sung, and a chance to play harmonica, which I hadn't played since school. Killer Marco guitar riffs on this one! And great drums by Swizzy aka Daniel Strittmatter.
....................

Cecilie



CC
This is obviously a love song! Yes! And I got a chance to play flute on it too which was fun. We were trying to get the feel of 'Crosstown Traffic' on the chorus riff so I used a kazoo along with some distorted high vox doubling the guitar riff. Groove-wise we were trying to get 'Crosstown Traffic' and 'Fool's Gold' ... probably came out nothing like that, but I really like this song a lot.
.....................


Wak This Bass



CC
Lyrics were inspired by a manager who was driving me f***ing mad !! Ha ha ha - I love the vibe of this one - and it's so good to play live. Re the harp solo - I was thinking of 'Groovin' With Mr. Bloe' (the 70's harp instrumental) . Recorded this live at Raezor and Steve Musters mixed it. Great drumming by swizzy.
......................

If You Talk Like That



CC
Started off at me and Marco's - Dave Ruffy and partner worked
on it. Again lyrics inspired by certain types of annoying music biz
people :-)

.......................

Je T'aime Madame



Marco Pirroni
After a trip to Paris and a visit to a big record shop on the Champs-Elysees we noticed that everything sung in French sounds cool and also that all songs in French contain the word "fumée" espiacally the works of Alain Bashung

CC
Lyrics are inspired by strolls down to St Paul's from my flat at the Angel on Sundays - recorded this live at Raezor and Steve Musters mixed it ..

To check out all the dates, details and some extra tracks - beam on over to...The Wolfmen's Myspace site


A super-duper soul salute goes out to Marco and Chris for all their help with putting this together and providing the A's to my Q's

Stress Down Friday - Ivor Cutler

He was in The Magical Mystery Tour you know!

It's Ivor Cutler what can you say? Except that someone once lent me an Ivor album, which I made the clumsy mistake of dozing off to and lumbered myself with half an hour of the most brain-melting mindmares I've ever experienced.

Ivor Cutler - I'm happy


Ivor Cutler - Pussy On The Mat

"Librarians Are Often Sexy"

By day Batgirl really was Barbara Gordon - Gotham City Librarian !

That's a line from one of the few songs about Libraries - Cursor Miner's 'Library'. I hardly use my local Library any more, I work between Camomile Street and Barbican libraries but rarely visit either. I'm not sure why the visits dried up and dropped off as I've always been a terror for a loaner, but the availability of cheap/free hirers-keepers on the the internet has probably handbraked my buzz to borrow.

During the last year I've troubled the Library for just three items....

An OS map (Rye and Peasemarsh).

Survivors DVD (series 2) - which didn't get watched, so extended to max of the loan period but still didn't get watched, by which time it would have been cheaper to buy new or used from Amazon - so I copied a couple of discs for consolation (still not watched to date).

Candidate's Oxengate album - got played once, but not copied, and I got whacked with a walloping 20p fine for late return.

And I wonder, if it's possible to sneak my Topsy and Tim's Weekend Book back in the rack at Hadleigh Library without being spotted - it's only 38 years overdue. Whoops!





Cursor Miner - Library

The Company Of Wolves Part 2

Part 1 of The Wolfmen's blow-by-blow guide to their new album is right here..

Jackie Says



Chris Constantinou
Lyrically inspired by a Jack the Ripper thing - a sort of love song that
Jack may have sung, and a chance to play harmonica, which I hadn't played
since school.Killler Marco guitar riffs on this one! And great drums by Swizzy aka Daniel Strittmatter.
....................

Cecilie



CC
This is obviously a love song! Yes! And I got a chance to play flute on it too which was fun. We were trying to get the feel of 'Crosstown Traffic' on the chorus riff so I used a kazoo along with some distorted high vox doubling the guitar riff. Groove-wise we were trying to get 'Crosstown Traffic' and 'Fool's Gold' ... probably came out nothing like that, but I really like this song a lot.
.....................


Wak This Bass



CC
Lyrics were inspired by a manager who was driving me f***ing mad !! Ha ha ha - I love the vibe of this one - and it's so good to play live. Re the harp solo - I was thinking of 'Groovin' With Mr. Bloe' (the 70's harp instrumental) . Recorded this live at Raezor and Steve Musters mixed it. Great drumming by swizzy.
......................

If You Talk Like That



CC
Started off at me and Marco's - Dave Ruffy and partner worked
on it. Again lyrics inspired by certain types of annoying music biz
people :-)

.......................

Je T'aime Madame



Marco Pirroni
After a trip to Paris and a visit to a big record shop on the Champs-Elysees we noticed that everything sung in French sounds cool and also that all songs in French contain the word "fumée" espiacally the works of Alain Bashung

CC
Lyrics are inspired by strolls down to St Paul's from my flat at the Angel on Sundays - recorded this live at Raezor and Steve Musters mixed it ..

To check out all the dates, details and some extra tracks - beam on over to...

The Wolfmen's Myspace site

I Still Miss Melody FM

Magic FM (105.4) isn't Magic anymore. It's never been the same since rebranding as a rolling guest list of mediocre mish-mash and lightweight wishy-washies. Hopelessly devoted to dopes and as soft and soulless as a scatter cushion.

Whereas Melody, Melody, was a post pan pipe, pre chill out grab-bag of easy eared obscurities, soft rock oddities and one off wonders. Mellow melodies - but in minor key with a shadowy spooky mood and the ambiance of broadcasting from some deeply buried bunker. Like punk never happened, it would plod and waft stoically at all hours with a choice of tunes as soothing as a church bell - Midnight At The Oasis, Oh Lori, Delta Lady, Burt Bacharach, Strum Something Simple by Guitars Unlimited or somesuch. Now that's magic

Stress Down Friday - The Slider

I've only ever belonged to one fan club - Marc Bolan/ T Rex (circa 1987). I lasted about a year, but bailed when an ugly ‘Judean People’s Front/People’s Front of Judea’ style civil war exploded between several militant Marc splinter groups - but at least I’d had a few free photos and a Merry Rexmas card from the Bramleys who ran it.

It's almost impossible (and a disservice to the others ) to put all your Rex in one basket by qualifying a single favourite album - I love the on the cusp, crispness and crackle of Electric Warrior, the chuga-bug boogaloo of The Slider, and the unrelenting Glam anthems of Tanx.

But, today I'm in the mood for the title track from The Slider.

The Slider



And how about few words from Marc ‘ a pervy little twerp’ as he refers to himself in an interview recorded just a few weeks before that fatal car crash.Marc Bolan Interview



US TV Ad' for The Slider album..



Meanwhile on the other side, you can find who connects Marc Bolan and Paul Weller.

Incidentally 20th Century Boy is a great riff to roll with if you're a guitar beginner.

Video Nasties

It's been three days since seeing the Sex Pistols live at the Apollo, and I'm buzzing more now, than on the night - if you weren't there you can read all about it here - or watch the the fun and join in the great rock and roll swing-a-long below...

Liar


God Save The Queen


Happy Birthday Dear Fatty

Play In A Day - The Steve Jones Way

Are you a practicing musician, wannabe singer or am-dramatist at any level? Pro/semi pro, occasional gigger, or perhaps a 'have a go hero' kicking some riffs around at home or even a bedroom or PC/virtual DJ? If so - was there an album, artist or song that made you go from bewitched listener to befuddled learner?

Mine was the Sex Pistols NMTB. This riff heavy album with it's 'guitar soup' sound, kick started a teenage daydream of becoming a guitar hero and kept me playing through the early stages of calluses, chord combo fatigue and reef knot fingers.

Over thirty years on from its release and twenty five years since I started strumming, I still get the tingles when I Play-along-a Pistols, and I'm off to see them in concert at Hammersmith tonight.*goes cross eyed and faints from the excitement*

Steve Jones plays the riffs that got me rocking..

Stress Down Friday - Summer Sounds Like This

Do you remember the summer? It happened one weekend in July , a few days after buying my summer titfer in fact. Ho Hum.

At the time this homemade mix of latiny loose grooves soundtracked those handful of sunny evenings. When the heat disappeared, so did this mix. But it's back again - for one week while I'm off - and then its gawn for good (the mix that is not the sun).

There's also a shiny new companion piece 'Lazy Sunday' on the other side if you fancy collecting the set.

See you in seven days(ish)

*offline*'Summer Sounds Like This'*offline*

Variety Lab - London In The Rain
Big Muff – My Funny Valentine
Physics – Leaving Monte Carlo
Scubba (featuring Moana) - Fool To Cry
Rouge Rouge – L'amour
Ohm G & Bruno – One
Grandadbob - Hide Me (Al Usher Dance Mix)
The Streamers – Zwing Ting
311 Porter - Surround Me With Your Love (Mental Overdrive Mix)
Stigmato Inc. - Reality Check
Nouvelle Vague – Ever Fallen In Love
Patricia Marx and 4 Hero – Menino
Ralph Myerz and the Jack Herren Band – L.I.P.S.T.I.C.K
Ralph Myerz & The Jack Herren Band - Think Twice
Parov Stelar - Kiss Me Twice
Nouvelle Vague – Dancing With Myself
Pink Martini - Sympathique

Sunflower photo by Chocolate Girl 64

Day Tripper Tips

Well I'm here for a week, then off again next week - but, with no particular place to go. I'm hoping to manage a few trots out but seem to have run out of puff for places to visit - possibles on the itinerary are....

Knowle Park - done the park, but not the house.

Winchelsea Beach - always worth finding this hideaway nugget.

So any hints, tips and suggestions for sights to see and venues to visit around the south and south east would be welcome.

I won't be hoofing any further north than Suffolk, further south than Sussex or more westerly than perhaps Chelsea way.

Day tripping on previous 'at home' holidays has included outings to .....

Kenwood House, Hampstead and Highgate cemetry all doable as a day trip.

Chislelhurst Caves - chilling. Terrifying. Never again.

Aldburgh - it's got the the best chippie in Britain.

'Day Tripper' from The Beatles cartoon series


Sergio Mendes remake/remodel of 'Day Tripper'

Stress Down Friday - Fresh Ayers

Well I'm off to the country for a week then, and Kevin Ayers always hits the spot when stretching out in the Cotswold's green and spacey acres.

Kevin Ayers - 'Cold Shoulder'



'Cold Shoulder' is taken from his 2007 album 'Unfairground' - which is a holiday perma-play and just as full and fruity as any of Kev's vintage lazy summer shufflers like 'Shouting In A Bucket Blues', Stranger In Blue Suede Shoes' and...

'May I'

Polite Riot

I had a very similar zip up to matey's on the right, but in cream with black and red stripes - made by Lord Anthony, also a blue 'velvet look' one with a red "27" on the front, from M & S...

If disco or dayglo weren't your thing - and a quick scan of the chart rundown for week ending 6th August '77 shows for most record buyers they weren't - a diet of light bites and polite pop was the alternative, so how about a handful of songs from the softer side of '77, including a couple of nuggets from the mighty 'Disco fever' ...

Meri Wilson 'Telephone Man'



Meri updated 'Telephone Man' to 'Internet Man' in 1999.



Mike Nesmith 'Rio'



There's a video for 'Rio' too.


Joy Sarney - 'Naughty Naughty Naughty'

Stick with this this clip as The Jacksons make a TOTP appearance once Joy wraps up - she's a sunny Southender you know, one of my mates was a neighbour of Joy's. (And her intonation on "Oh no you don't" still gives me little ripples.)


If you fancy filling your vintage boots with more sounds of the seventies this is a retro belter

Back in Black

I'm really not tempted or taken by the Dark Knight trailers. I should be. I'm a lifelong (since the age of three anyway) Batmaniac - more than a fan, but not quite a geek - a fanorak I suppose.

But I've been put off by sequential superhero cinematic letdowns, the all black outfit which makes the Dark Knight Detective look like Robobat, and the Joker seemingly styled on Wurzel Gummidge meets Leigh Bowery and not the clipped, edgy deadly dandy he actually is.

What I hope to see at some point is an adaptation of Batman's equivalent of Elvis's 68 Special. A period when after spending most of the sixties lost in the wilderness of wackery and camp, the Caped Crusdaer became regenerated and revived by the dynamic duo of Dennis O'Neil and Neal Adams.

Adams almost draughtsman like artwork, expressive cape and the make over of Batman's build (Adams felt that Batman and Superman shouldn't share the same body type - Batman should be athletic rather than powerful) and O'Neil's Gotham goes Hammer Horror stories - 'The Demon Of Gothos Mansion', 'The Secret of the waiting Graves' 'Night Of The Reaper' 'Daughter Of The Demon' - all late night tales of haunted mansions, ghostly lovers and freak show runaways, that created a magical arc of dark art and returned Batman to the spooky moonlight roots of his earliest appearances.

Now that would be something to tempt me out of the shadows and into the cinema.

Recommended Reading

www.nealadams.com/
Neal Adams Batman Cover Gallery
Dennis O'Neil - Wiki entry

Stress Down Friday - All The Way From Memphis

Forget the Vegas suits and capes, the 'Burger King' tribute acts, Teddy Boys (why are they always ginger?), the tackery, quackery and clunky iconography.

It's all about the music.

Elvis 'Any Day Now'



Davey H's long haul hunt for the Percy Sledge version 'Any Day Now' is over, and he's sharing it right here.

That Linking Feeling

During some recent cyberspace-hopping I've stumbled across a fistful of mighty sites, all of which are just too good to keep hush about - so, I'm logging them in the blog with one pic' from each, to give a taste and flavour of the treats instore..

The Cobwebbed Room
The best of British horror from compendium paperbacks and ghouly mags to Horror Bag crisps and Haunted House ice lollies - but no sign of the terrifying hardback, large format, New English Library Dracula/Vampirella style comic which I swapped for something silly years ago.

Peter Gray's Cartoons and Comics
If you were ever a Whizzer and Chips, Whoopee or Shiver and Shake fan this blogfull of comic covers, stories and features should be right up your Fleetway Street.

George & Lynne
Fancy getting your hands on a Sun loving swinger - there's original 'George and Lynne' artwork for sale right here.

My Rear In Sears
Retro a go-go - for him and her

Worst Bowie photosEven international superstars have mad hair days.

What Not To Knit
Don't say you weren't warned!

No Sir!

I've only got a handful of irritations, aggravations and annoyances that nudge the needles in the red, but the one that'll really do it every time and have me cringing my shoulders and bristling like a badger is being called "Sir" in shops.

What fancy Dan grandness was afoot last time I was on the wrong end of this instore display of over embellishment, fawning and foreluck tugging? Buying a £5 hat at T K Maxx, that's what! If I'd had a pound for every time it was used during this sale, I could've paid for the hat and still had change.

Five Earth pounds on a summer tifter (as seen in my facebook photos) and I'm treated and greeted like the King of China. It's not polite - it's a pantomime

I haven't called anybody Sir since leaving school, so why should anyone else* have to?

*The exception being Police Officers, Traffic Wardens and cold callers.

Moon Boots

Following on from the last post's theme of themes it seems appropriate to post this - a monster mashup of Space 1999/Destiny's Child/Stevie Wonder/The Flying Lizards - neatly clonked together by the King of cut and paste Pop Mark Vidler (Go Home Productions).

Go Home Productions - Destiny 1999



I've still got my original pair of Dinky Eagles and both are in great nick you know.* Snaps fingers and thinks - what a great name for a blog or mystery session musician 'Dinky Eagles'!!!*

This post is dedicated to Reg Varney who's 92 today.

Theme from 'On The Buses'