Namesakes #199: Holy Mackerel!

The phrase "Holy Mackerel!" didn't originate on the Batman TV show. Apparently it dates back much further, to the Black American radio comedy of the 1920s, Amos & Andy. Holy Guacamole, on the other hand, definitely came from Robin. Unfortunately, I couldn't find any bands called Holy Guacamole... so if you're looking for a name nobody's used...

Holy Mackerel, on the other hand... well, you wouldn't be the first.

THE HOLY MACKEREL #1

We start our fishy journey in LA in the year 1968, when songwriter Paul Williams failed the audition to become one of The Monkees. In retaliation, he formed The Holy Mackerel... though things didn't quite go to plan and the band's first three singles failed to make any ripples across the pond. By the time their debut album was released, the group were no more, though Williams went on to write hits for Three Dog Night and The Carpenters (including We've Only Just Begun).

The Holy Mackerel - Wildflowers

HOLY MACKEREL #2

A couple of years later, a British Holy Mackerel surfaced in Kent. To quote a blog post about this band from 2012, "In the early 1970s music was more polarized between quality and complete lack thereof than any time in the previous decade since the psychedelic era and the beat boom." The writer then goes on to slag off The Night Chicago Died by Paper Lace, so phooey to him.

I'll let George decide whether these guys represent quality or a complete lack thereof, but I quite like the tune below, which I first heard on Natasha Raskin-Sharp's old BBC Radio Scotland show before they kicked her off for playing records nobody'd ever heard of. Bastards.

Holy Mackerel - Going To The Country

THE HOLY MACKEREL #3

And then, in 1996... along comes Les Claypool, lead singer and bass player with offbeat American rock band Primus. Fancying something a little bit different on his day off, he formed his own Holy Mackerel... and even wrote an eponymous theme song...

Les Claypool & The Holy Mackerel - Holy Mackerel

THE HOLY MACKEREL #4

I have a number of reasons for including these guys, even though I'm sure they fall foul of regulations. Firstly, we should always give Christian Rock a chance. It's the Christian thing to do. Secondly, the photo above features some very bad cutting out and Pritt Stick arrangement - respect for that. Thirdly, it's bound to wind George up. Win - win - win,

The Holy Mackerel Praise Band - Take My Hand

HOLY MACKEREL #5

And if we allowed that, we should surely find it in our hearts to give these San Francisco dudes from 2018 a little love...

Johnny & The Holy Mackerels - Pink Tomfoolery 

HOLY MACKEREL #6

And finally, pray be seated for a German Holy Mackerel from 2020...

Holy Mackerel - Sit Down

Which is your Holy Mackerel... and which is just Guacamole?

One Track Summer #8: Heavy Foot

Mon Rovîa is named after the place of his birth, the capital of Liberia, on the West African coast.

I think he lives in Nashville now. He's certainly taken to playing Grand Ole Opry... but his sound isn't immediately the kind of thing you'd expect to hear there. 

There was a time when a lyric like this might have been more appropriate for certain parts of Africa than the USA. Nowadays... well, what do you think?

Do you see the man on the street

Just fighting for a meal to eat

You can write him off as a lunatic

But it coulda been you or me

If we didn't ever find our feet 

Love me now

Hold me down

And the government

Staying on heavy foot

And they tried to keep us all down

No they never gonna keep us all down

Snapshots #458: Songs From Hell

And I heard, as it were, the noise of thunder

One of the four beasts saying,

'Come and see.' and I saw, and behold a white horse...

Johnny Cash - The Man Comes Around

And I heard a voice in the midst of the four beasts

And I looked, and behold a pale horse

And his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him...

Hopefully none of you are going to Hell any time soon, but if you are... at least they'll have a decent playlist...

15. S/laughter.

The Killing Joke - Pandemonium

14. Cher airs her grievances.

"Cher airs" was an anagram.

Chris Rea - The Road To Hell (Part 2)

13. Hyper, cuff and chain... make him wary (almost).

Hyperlink, cufflink, chainlink. Wary becomes Wray.

Link Wray - Fire & Brimstone

12. Ginger was not a Northerner.

Geri Halliwell was Ginger Spice

Jeri Southern - Fire Down Below

11. They just keep coming around.

Orbital - Satan

10. Have you misplaced the camera, Mike?

"Camera, Mike" was an anagram.

Maria McKee - This Property Is Condemned

9. Be good in St. Julian's country.

Johnny B. Goode meets goes to Cope-Land.

Johnny Copeland - Sufferin' City

8. Strange faces.

Steve Strange's faces...

Visage - Damned Don't Cry

7. Not Fats Domino.

I think I might have used this clue in reverse at some point...

Chubby Checker - Limbo Rock

6. Royalty................................................................................ and me with a capital, in the Middle East.

Prince is Far from I (the pronoun with a capital letter).

Prince Far I and the Arabs - Out Of The Abyss

5. No longer on the sidewalk.

He used to be in Pavement, now he's just...

Stephen Malkmus & the Jicks - Houston Hades

4. Did they have Reds under their Beds?

McCarthy - In Purgatory

3. Politicians on the funicular. 

A funicular is a type of tram, with added MPs.

The Trammps - Disco Inferno

2. What a bunch of cows!

The Herd - From The Underworld

1. Ben's gal is confused, obviously.

"Ben's gal" was an anagram.

The Bangles - Eternal Flame

Bonus track today from HMHB...

Because "Hell is other people". Not the people playing this quiz though, so hopefully I'll see you all back here next Saturday...

Saturday Snapshots #458

I would do anything for Saturday Snapshots, but I won't do... that.

Here are some people to identify. Who are they and what connects their songs?

15. S/laughter.

14. Cher airs her grievances.

13. Hyper, cuff and chain... make him wary (almost).

12. Ginger was not a Northerner.

11. They just keep coming around.

10. Have you misplaced the camera, Mike?

9. Be good in St. Julian's country.

8. Strange faces.

7. Not Fats Domino.

6. Royalty............................................................... and me with a capital, in the Middle East.

5. No longer on the sidewalk.

4. Did they have Reds under their Beds?

3. Politicians on the funicular. 

2. What a bunch of cows!

1. Ben's gal is confused, obviously.

If you didn't get them all, remember: Two Out Of Three Ain't Bad.

Answers tomorrow.

One Track Summer #7: Better Things

Here's wishing you the bluest sky

And hoping something better comes tomorrow

Hoping all the verses rhyme

And the very best of choruses, too

Follow all the doubt and sadness

I know that better things are on the way

Here's hoping all the days ahead

Won't be as bitter as the ones behind you

Be an optimist instead

And somehow happiness will find you

Forget what happened yesterday

I know that better things are on the way

The Kinks really are a gift that keeps on giving.