Stress Down Friday - The Chilling Tunes of Choppers and Wolfmen

why not spirit yourself of to P-Mondo for a brand new monster mix of spooky tunesMondo Mania

I'd been planning to wrap up the 'see something scary' Halloween run with the trailer for this and this - my two personal favourite Amicus productions, but I actually fancy a tune or two instead.

Perhaps the moonlit crooning of Dennishopperchoppers (a one man band who plays all the instruments at the same time)? If the dark, rich resonance of Nick Cave's or Julian Cope's vocals ring your bell. DHC's album 'Chop' should be right up your shadowy alley. For a couple of other nuggets and links to his websites dig in here.

I Was Born



Don't Run From Me

'Don't Run From' me is more of a waltz-in-black type anthem, than Chop's typical late night Lynch-scapes and skeletal western soundtracking.



And it just wouldn't be Halloween with a prowl around from The Wolfmen would it? So how about the slinky lunar-tune glide of 'Je T'Aime Madame' - a grower which for me has become one the strongest songs in the Wolfmen's lair..

The Wolfmen - Je T'Aime Madame

Do you want to see something really scary ? # 5 Don't Go Near the Water

Cashing in on the cinematic splash made by Jaws (which I became obsessed with and saw at least five times at the pictures) filmmakers chunked out a mad amount of 'When Animals Attack' movies at the tail end of the seventies, pointing a potentially-hostile-to-humans finger at such unlikely aggressors as bats, worms and whales.

Tentacles
I actually paid good coin to see this Flop-O-Matic movie. Have a peep at the trailer, you will not believe the Hollywood heavy-hitters that got on board on for this titanic wet fish of a film.



Pirhana
The novelisation of Pirhana was the first adult fiction book I read (aged 12). Published by New English Library, with, I think those oddly yellow edged pages - saw this one with Carrie (so much better) as the B-movie.



The Incredible Melting Man was another horrorshow seen around this period, although I seem to be the only person that remembers it.

The Incredible Melting Man - trailer

The Beach Boys - Don't Go Near the Water (in which the BB's appear to be doing a day trip to Southend)

A drunken interlude

Here's a first - my very first drunken post and bollox to the typos

Having been walloped with a DMCA fizzer this week - here's my thoughts on it -

Fuck'em the money grubbing bastards!!!

If these sleazy weasels are more interested in casting a sly eye over real music fans excited jabber about the music they love, rather than than working out why their shitty-no-hope-identikit-every bands have tanked in the traps - they deserve to sucked into the gunk and grime of their own sleazy, scabrous doings the penny pinching pricks.

When was the last time you read any band's biog' that mentioned how great the label or publishers were?Never that's when.

Read any musicians story and it's always the same story of early doors scams, stitch ups and record label rip offs. These are the same sort of crafty bastards that would willingly charge £100 for a boxed set of previously released material that included only one albums worth of goodies not good enough to release when the band were at there hottest.

Yet these same frozone-hearted Rushmore-faced fakers are happy to hound tune-atics for any spare penny they can squeeze and start acting the bully boy tough nut over some silly odd song business

Never mind The Bullies - I'll keep on posting unil the buggers pull the plug..

Do you want to see something really scary ? # 4 Big Blogger Is Watching You

I wouldn’t normally double up or duplicate post an item – but having received a blogger takedown notification from the good people at Blogpspot - and seemingly fingers being wagged at other bloggers on the same day - thought it would be worth loading up something I posted on The Word website here as a cautionary measure for any occasional embedders or music based bloggers…..

I don't know many many of the contributors and chippers-in to The Word website are music bloggers or blog-browsers themselves - but if you qualify for either category, I have some disturbing news for you.

I run a small piece of music based puffery , a strictly happy amateur affair in some small corner of cyberspace - so a surprise yesterday then to be on the wrong end of a DMCA copyright violation warning. It concerned a post (made several months ago) featuring a 30 minute home-made mix. Fair enough really, as the mix featured a run of high profile performers like Ian Brown, Prince, Talking Heads plus Blondie and Kylie bootleg remixes. There was no clearance, permission or official endorsement for any tune used - so I can see why the plug was pulled, and have no beef about this.

But here's my concern, this particular mix was posted around Christmas/New Year 2007, as a sort of 'end of term' piece when the hits were low and the blogs weren't busy. It's rarely been a point of entry on my blog, and never been a particularly popular page according to my stats. So how did it get spotted? By a belligerent blogger or perhaps some stealthy spy-eyed software?

Through a Facebook contact I heard of another blogger also receiving a similar DMCA warning shot yesterday. I haven't checked any forums or message boards yet, but wouldn't be surprised should reports of taps on the shoulders of music bloggers and downloaders become an increasingly common occurrence.

It seems the internet traffic police have shifted gear and raised their game. If non-leaguers like me are appearing on a radar at DMCA HQ and being trawled for copyright compliance, heavy hitting blogs and sites like Hype Machine, could well be going the way of Kazaa, Winmx and Napster.

If this is the case, fill your boots where you can, while you can.

Do you want to see something really scary ? # 3 Going Underground

I’ve always enjoyed the classic seventies run of Dr Who (John Pertwee/Tom Baker), but I’m not an anorak by any stretch of the space time continuum

So surprising then really, that the band of baddies who prompted the most frightmares and stealthy footed sprints to the door are a lower league outfit of dark menacers known as The Ogrons

Yes, the Daleks were scary in a screechy neurotic Nazi-livery-talking-mobility-scooter way, the Sea Devils lumbering around in string vests/fisherman’s nets were politely frightening – but The Ogrons, a morbid mash-up of the Planet of The Apes Gorilla soldiers, cross bred with The Klingons were the most blood chilling of all the intergalactic bad guys.

I only saw them in just one series (where I think they lived under a bridge, by a canal) – but their fang baring, cadaverous leathery faces, twisted psycho-killer grin and sly eyed silence have stayed with me ever since.

When shooting for the new series of Dr Who gets underway (and why not have Jim Dale as a new Doctor), hopefully The Ogrons will be high on the list of re-animated enemies.

And if you fancy putting the self-inflicted frighteners on yourself why not have a day trip to Chislehurst Caves ( used as a location for a Pertwee period Dr Who series) over 20 miles of man made caverns and passageways, dug over a period of 8000 years. Used as a former WW2 air raid shelter and sixties music venue, but with no electric light after the entrance and large looming tunnels around every corner - you can be sure of short night's sleep after your visit..

The Haunted Chamber at Chislehurst Caves - could you take up the long running challenge to spend a night here?

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