Namesakes #194: Heatwave

Is it me or is it getting hot in here?

THE HEATWAVES #1

We start today with the soulful sounds of the New York City Heatwaves from 1963, and a punishment worthy of Bart Simpson...

The Heatwaves - (Write It On The Blackboard) 99 Times

THE HEATWAVE #2

Next up, a Dutch psychedelic band from the late 60s. They don't sound particularly psychedelic to me.

The Heatwave - Said Before It Couldn't Happen To Me 

HEATWAVE #3

From 1970, this London based Heatwave sound like they're caught halfway between chirpy 60s pop and early glam stomp. Drummer Martin H. Samuel used to do a bit of fire-eating to liven up the set. They soon changed their name to Peter's World and then The Sensations.

Heatwave - Sister Simon (Funny Man)

HEATWAVE #4

The Welsh Heatwave of 1975, surfing in from the small seaside village of Pwll in Carmarthenshire. They were all teenagers when they recorded this emergency call...

Heatwave - 9-9-9

HEATWAVE #5

That's my favourite picture of the Anglo-American disco band Heatwave, because they all have matching knitwear. Nothing say rock 'n' roll more, etc. etc. However, I thought some of you might also get a little thrill from this picture...

Steady on, ladies, etc. etc. Spot the guy who really isn't comfortable being photographed with his shirt off. That would be me. But it's actually drummer Ernest "Bilbo" Berger, from Czechoslovakia. I doubt they got much sun over there.

Heatwave enjoyed a run of Top 20 hits at the height of the disco boom, most of them written by keyboard player Rod Temperton (second from the right) who went on to become even more successful as a songwriter for other people. He's the guy who wrote Off The Wall, Rock With You and Thriller (what do you mean, you thought Jacko wrote those songs? Yeah, me too.) as well as George Benson's Give Me The Night and Love X Love, and the huge Patti Austin / James Ingram hit Baby, Come to Me. After leaving Heatwave, he withdrew from the celebrity lifestyle and became known as "The Invisible Man" in music business circles. Presumably content to sit at home on a huge throne made out of £50 notes.

Heatwave - Boogie Nights

HEATWAVE #6

A Japanese Heatwave, active from 1985 through the turn of the century. This may well have been their debut single...

Heatwave - Hello, I'm Here

HEATWAVE #7

Italian "prog-folk" duo from 1999...

Heatwave - Cry

HEATWAVE #8

Canadian hip hop collective from 2011...

Heatwave - Just A Memory

HEATWAVE #9

Martin Reeves, discogs tells me, owned the Instant Vibes record shop in Worthing and the Happy Vibes record shop in Brighton. You might ask why he needed a discogs page if he just flogged records. Turns out he also made them too as "Heatwave"... 

DJ Quantum & Heatwave - Get Ill 

Stick with the day job, mate.

THE HEATWAVE #10

"Dancehall soundsystem and production outfit" who made regular appearances at the Notting Hill Carnival and the UK festival scene in the decade known, rather boringly, as the Tens. Here they are with special guest vocalist Tippa Irie - remember him?

The Heatwave - Tun Ova (feat. Tippa Irie)

HEATWAVE #11

German electronic dude, aka Markus Spillner, clearly influenced by Vangelis & Jan Hammer's 80s work on Blade Runner and Miami Vice. What goes around comes around. This is from 2016, not 2087.

Heatwave - 2087

HEATWAVES #12

Spanish pop-rock group from 2017 onwards. The Heatwaves get particularly hot in Spain, I imagine.

Heatwaves - My Baby Has Gone

HEATWAVES #13

On the other hand, I'm betting Norwegian Heatwaves are muchcooler. Looks like these guys even had to light a fire to keep warm.

Heatwaves - Kawako

HEATWAVE #14

"Regular, everyday normal guy" from Russia, and he's obviously rather enthralled with the 80s. This is from 2021.

Heatwave - Simple Story

HEATWAVE #15

Finally, a "groovy and melodic" hardcore band from Germany. Your definition of "groovy and melodic" may differ.

Heatwave - Tough Times

Other Heatwaves were available, but I spared you.

Which one gets you hot hot hot... and which just makes you hot under the collar?

Snapshots Spillover: More Haberdashery Songs

Bulldog Breed - Eileen's Haberdashery Store

Some items that were left over in the Haberdashery Shop after this weekend's Snapshots... 

The Big Bopper - Chantilly Lace

Dan Bern - Tape

Jethro Tull - Clasp

Bombay Bicycle Club - Magnet

Rosa Linn - Snap

Peter Lee Stirling - Goodbye Thimble Mill Lane

The Fall - Shoulder Pads

Southern Melody Boys (Odus & Woodrow) - Wind The Little Ball Of Yarn

The Sea And Cake - Sewing Machine

Ten Foot Faces - Pin Cushion

George Bean - Smile From Sequin

I used some of these items to create tomorrow's Namesakes...

...no  scrap that.  I changed the order of Namesakes.  Tomorrow's is far more topical.

Snapshots #453: Haberdashery Songs

I wanted a picture of a famous dressmaker holding a camera today - but no luck with Vivienne Westwood or Coco Chanel... so here's a famous Taylor instead.

Songs you might find in a haberdashery shop. Unless you're in the US, where haberdashery doesn't mean sewing supplies and accessories, but means men's clothing instead. Apologies for any confusion.

15. Is rankle a verb? Not quite.

"Rankle a verb" was an anagram.

Lavern Baker - Whipper Snapper

14. Duane... had a strange hobby.

Duane Eddy. Arnold Layne had a strange hobby.

Eddy Arnold - Tennessee Stud

13. Leading Successor.

The lead singer in The Replacements...

Paul Westerberg - Man Without Ties

12. Don't be misled by a grateful nark.

"Grateful nark" was an anagram.

Art Garfunkel - Scissors Cut

11. Hyacinth Bucket and Frasier Crane.

The Snobs - Buckle Shoe Stomp

10. What's new in Mississippi, with Guys?

What's New, Pussycat. Pussycat also sand Mississippi. Guys & Dolls.

Pussycat Dolls featuring Snoop Dogg - Buttons

Snoop Dogg not pictured because, well, he's Snoop Dogg.

9. By J.R.R. Tolkien, abbreviated.

Tolkien wrote The Silmarillion, which is where these guys got their name.

Marillion - Hooks In You

8. Do and die with Spielberg and Seagal.

Do+die and two Stevens.

Dodie Stevens - Pink Shoelaces

7. Area, region, borough.

The Districts - Velour & Velcro

6. Strabismic cat meets Sex Machine without brakes.

Clarence The Cross-eyed Lion meets Carter The Unstoppable Sex Machine.

Clarence Carter - Patches 

...or you could have had...

Clarence Carter - Thread The Needle

5. A famous Stewart (minus 100) encounters Scott and Tara.

Patrick Stewart, minus a C and two Fitzgeralds.

Patrik Fitzgerald - Safety Pin Stuck In My Heart

4. French comedian... alternatively, Han Solo's old pal.

Dawn French... or Lando Calrissian.

Tony Orlando & Dawn - Tie a Yellow Ribbon

3. Parents and siblings, initially.

Mother, Father, Sister, Brother...

MFSB - The Zip

2. They refuse.

They are refuse.

Garbage - Felt

1. Known to use engines and frequent parties.

Search engines and search parties.

The Searchers - Needles And Pins

Snapshots returns next Saturday.

Saturday Snapshots #453

I have seen the Light, brothers and sisters! I'm here to bring a New Order to your Saturday mornings! All Joy - no Division! Close your eyes and pretend you're lying on a beach in Monaco... etc. etc.

Alternatively, work out who the people below are, and how their songs might be connected.

15. Is rankle a verb? Not quite.

14. Duane... had a strange hobby.

13. Leading Successor.

12. Don't be misled by a grateful nark.

11. Hyacinth Bucket and Frasier Crane.

10. What's new in Mississippi, with Guys?

9. By J.R.R. Tolkien, abbreviated.

8. Do and die with Spielberg and Seagal.

7. Area, region, borough.

6. Strabismic cat meets Sex Machine without brakes.

5. A famous Stewart (minus 100) encounters Scott and Tara.

4. French comedian... alternatively, Han Solo's old pal.

3. Parents and siblings, initially.

2. They refuse.

1. Known to use engines and frequent parties.

Answers tomorrow morning!

Another Day #17: Don't Panic!

Lots of things to be aware of today! For a start, it's National Clean Air Day 2026...

The Hollies - The Air That I Breathe

Let's hope the air stays clean, because it's also International Picnic Day...

Mickey & Sylvia - Let's Have a Picnic

Suede - Picnic By The Motorway

Doubt you'll get much clean air if that's your picnic spot of choice, Bret.

Modest Mouse - It Always Rains On A Picnic

There always has to be someone who spoils it before we even get there, eh?

Let's not bother. We'll stay in and embrace some clean water instead, for National Clean Your Aquarium Day. Any excuse to play something from these guys... ooh, wait - looks like they've got a new song out!

Here's another way to clean the air. Today is also the International Day for Countering Hate Speech so this seems pretty appropriate...

China Street - Rock Against Racism

Over in the USA, meanwhile, it is National Wanna Get Away Day. Who can blame them?

Here's a great bit of Memphis power pop from 1981...

Tommy Hoehn - Get Away!

And here's something a little heavier from one of Superman's arch-foes in 1993...

Brainiac - Get Away

Finally though, and no prizes for guessing why I saved this one till last, Thursday the 18th of June is also International Panic Day. Enjoy.