Listening Post #47: We Want Dave

In January, 1973, Dave Hill from Slade bought a new house next door to Solihull Girls High School. When he moved in, he was interviewed by ATV reporters, who appear to have staged it so that a bunch of schoolgirls greeted Dave's arrival and later stood outside chanting until he came to sign autographs. It's a wonderful piece of TV, especially considering all the awful stuff we now know went on in the 70s. Dave appears wholesome and innocent, still quite young himself, and genuinely pleased to read his fan mail. 

The Gymkhana are a band made up of Jason Applin (formerly of 90s Top Ten Towers favourites Bennet), Patch Hannan from The Sundays and theaudience, and Matt Dyson... who may or may not have a past, but it's hard to decipher. The band also from time to time rope in a Who's Who of Second Division indie stalwarts to help out - including members of Art Brut, BMX Bandits, Embrace, Gong, Lotus Eaters, Mediaeval Baebes, Midlake, Miranda Sex Garden, Slowdive and Teenage Fanclub... I'm not sure which of those make an appearance on today's tune. Maybe none of them. Anyway, it's a tribute to that classic Dave Hill interview, and it reminds me a lot of the kind of thing Luke Haines used to get up to.

I love the song, but I hate the AI-made video that accompanies it, so I'm going to link to bandcamp today rather than youtube. 

The Gymkhana - We Want Dave

  

Celebrity Jukebox #72: Neil Sedaka

All I need to say about the late, great Neil Sedaka can be heard in the songs below...

Neil Sedaka - Oh! Carol

Neil Sedaka - Calendar Girl

Captain & Tennille - Love Will Keep Us Together

Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons - Breaking Up Is Hard To Do

Neil Sedaka - Laughter in the Rain

Tony Christie - Is This The Way To Amarillo 

If he'd only written one of those, his name would deserve to go down in legend... but he was a co-writer on all of them, and many more.

Here are a few lyrical tributes...

Diggin' a record on the juke box
I nearly makes me want to cry
You always thought it was a cracker
The one by Sedaka 'bout away to say goodbye

Not sure about rhyming Sedaka with cracker, guys.

Kenny - Julie Anne

Boulder Colorado one nine sixty five

In a four piece cover band, called Peter and the wolves

What we lacked in musical got skill

We made up raising hell

But peter's grandmother's

Uncle's friend

Knew neil sedaka's manager who said he would send

My funky little band on a national tour

So we waited by the phone

And we waited, and we waited some more

The Bacon Brothers - Almost Got Rich

(Yes, Kevin is one of the Bacon Brothers.)

And I'm a host when my best friends come over

And kinda a hostess when they've finally gone away

I can sing up a song just like Neil Sedaka

I've got it covered, I'm kinky, straight, and gay

Martin Mull - I'm Everyone I've Ever Loved

And finally, here's one for George... all 32 minutes of it...

Some men say he could fly some men say he could swim

Others say he could sing like Neil Sedaka

And all the girls in flushing would be amazed of him

Frank Zappa & The Mothers Of Invention - Billy The Mountain

We close the jukebox today though with one of my favourite Neil Sedaka songs, given a new sheen by another late great - Mark Lanegan.

Namesakes #178: The Game

Do you like to play games?

I'm betting you won't want to play some of these...

Game on!

THE GAME #1

The Game came from Mitcham in Surrey and looked set for big things in the mid-60s until an appearance on Juke Box Jury with their single The Addicted Man ruined everything. On the comeback trail in 1995, songwriter Alan Gowing explained, “A lot of the scandal was pure hypocrisy. We were just made an example of. The panellists on the programme, Jimmy Savile, Alan Freeman, Pete Murray and Simon Dee said they thought The Addicted Man was pro-drugs. Yet Jimmy Savile has since told us he tried to persuade the others that they were misinterpreting the lyrics. The BBC banned the record and the chairman of EMI, who was also a member of the House of Lords, withdrew it from sale.” Still, it must feel good to know they had Jimmy Saville on their side.

The Game – It’s Shocking What They Call Me

GAME #2

Next up, a Florida rock band, getting ahead of the game in the late 60s / early 70s. I tried really hard to find their 1971 single Fat Mama / Girl Next Door, but it might have been cancelled. You’ll have to make do with this…

Game – Stop, Look & Listen

 

GAMES #3

Followed by a California band from 1977…

Games – Feeling This Feeling

Other bands playing Games in the plural were to be found on discogs… but not anywhere else.

 

THE GAME #4

The sound of Norwegian reggae from 1981…

The Game - Innespærra

 

GAME #5

Italian “synth-boogie” group from 1982… hardly a game-changer.

Game – Gotta Take Your Love

GAME #6

Aussie rockers, at the top of their game in 1984…

Game – Strange Passion

 

GAME #7

Also in 1984, try some Italian prog… that's mug's game.

Game - Stella di Andalusia

 

THE GAME #8

This was the sound of 1988, on Power Quality Records from California. I couldn’t find any pictures of the band, but I figured you might want to write to their fan club, regardless…

The Game - Savin' It All For You

 

THE GAME #9

French New Wave electronic band from 1989. Without giving the game away, they're a little bit Depeche Mode, a little bit Goth…

The Game - Under the White Bible Law

 

GAME #10

Imagine a South Korean Clannad, from 1990.

Game (게임(김태원) - 초연 I

 

GAME #11

New Jack Swing (whatever that means) group from 1991…

Game – No Exceptions

 

GAME #12

From the year 2000, Game Kutya was a Hungarian rapper who popped up on a couple of singles by the slightly more famous Hungarian pop-rapper Mohaman. I wouldn’t normally include him, except that I love the photo above, in which it looks like one of your mate’s dads has stolen your BMX… and what are you gonna do about it?

Mohaman featuring Game - Funky

 

THE GAME #13

Bobbins, from 2003.

The Game – Crash Test

 

THE GAME #14

Rapper and actor Jayceon Terrell Taylor is the most famous The Game (or Game to his mates) on today’s list – even if it’s unlikely anyone reading this blog has ever heard of him.

Here’s his biggest UK hit from 2005…

The Game ft. 50 Cent - Hate it or Love it

GAME #15

And finally, a hardcore punk band from London influenced by Gism, Zouo and Siekiera. You know - Gism, Zouo and Siekiera. D’oh.

Game – Who Will Play?

 

Game over?

Another Day #5: Dr. Seuss Day

 Today is the birthday of Theodor Seuss Geisel, born in Springfield, Massachusetts in 1904, the creator of The Grinch, The Cat In The Hat, The Lorax and many other popular children’s books and characters. He’s also the man who gave Marti Pellow a band name… but don’t hold that against him.

“They are tame. Oh, so tame! They have come here to play. They will give you some fun. On this wet, wet, wet day.” (from The Cat In The Hat)

Wet Wet Wet - Wishing I Was Lucky

I suppose you could argue he also gave Jamiroquai a nickname - but I have to draw the line somewhere.

You can celebrate Dr. Seuss Day by eating a plate of Green Eggs and Ham… or, if you don’t like them, maybe try listening to these tunes instead.

You're a star-bellied sneetch, you suck like a leech,
You want everyone to act like you

The Dead Kennedys – Holiday In Cambodia

Sebadoh - The Lorax
 

And if that's not lovin' me
Then all I've got to say
God didn't make little green apples
And it don't rain in Indianapolis in the summertime
And there's no such thing as Doctor Seuss
Or Disneyland, and Mother Goose is no nursery rhyme

Roger Miller – Little Green Apples

Sam I Am, down with the program
Green Eggs and Ham, Yosemite Sam

The Beastie Boys – Egg Man

Baby, instant soup doesn't really grab me
Today I need something more sub-stub-sub-substantial
A can of beans or black-eyed peas, some Nescafé and ice
A candy bar, a falling star, or a reading from Doctor Seuss
 
The Cat in the Hat came back
Wreaked a lot of havoc on the way
Always had a smile and a reason to pretend
But their world has flat backgrounds
And little need to sleep but to dream
The sidewinder sleeps on his back

 

Snapshots #437: Songs About Garden Birds

Holy Garden Birds, Batman! Why wasn't Rockin' Robin included?

Too easy, chum. Nothing by the Housemartins either... although I guess we came close with the opening track.

15. Not another ugly northerner?

Former writing partner of Paul Heaton in The Beautiful South...

David Rotheray - The Sparrow, The Thrush and the Nightingale

Almost included this one, but went with #11 instead...

The Beautiful South - Blackbird On The Wire

14. Wales, Persia, Darkness.

Prince of Wales, Prince of Persia, Prince of Darkness.

Prince - When Doves Cry

If the link ended up being guessed really easily yesterday, then I blame that one.

13. Lawless woman, and succulent too.

Lucy Lawless gets Juicy...

Juicy Lucy - Cuckoo

12. Still occasionally producing fresh porn.

Still a member of the New Pornographers, as well as doing her solo work...

Neko Case - Magpie To The Morning

11. Ethel Bates lacked co-ordination.

"Ethel Bates" was an anagram.

The Beatles – Blackbird

10. Till we meet again, Nina.

Au Revoir Simone - Lark

Twin Peaks fans might have recognised that one.

9. Have you tried saltwater as a mixer?

Saltwater is a gift of an anagram...

Al Stewart - Jackdaw

8. When Lawrence met Lon…

Lawrence Olivier meets Lon Chaney... almost.

Olivia Chaney - Waxwing

7. Warner…

Bros - Cat Among The Pigeons

The Soundgarden T-shirt was a tad misleading.

6. A bit like Hooperman – I’m joking!

Hooperman was a TV show starring Jon Ritter. This guy is Joshing.

Josh Ritter - Hello Starling (Snow Is Gone)

5. Michael Head, on the streets of Liverpool?

Michael Head is the man behind the band Shack. He's from Liverpool, where there is Panic on the streets...

Panic Shack - Tit School

I'm assured that this is a song about Blue Tits, Great Tits and Coal Tits. Going to school. Nothing else.

4. On our January School Trip, we went inside the Albert Hall.

On our January School Trip, we went inside the Albert Hall.

Bert Jansch - Finches

3. Robber Baron.

Big Thief - Sparrow

Just be glad I spared you this...

The Ramblers - Sparrow

2. Steal a Neanderthal and leave him among the black sheep.

Nick a Caveman and put him with the Bad Seeds.

Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds – Crow Jane

1. What did you find in your pyjamas?

There's JAM in your pyJAMas!

The Jam - The Bitterest Pill (I Ever Had To Swallow)

Wren Will I See You Again?

Next Saturday morning, hopefully...