Namesakes #131: Fools

What a load of Fools there are in this world! Especially in the world of music.

On April Fool's Day then, we celebrate bands who are Fools.

Be warned: a couple of these might break some rules, because today is the first of April. But you know what rules are for? Fools!

THE FOOLS #1

We start with a Swedish rock n roll band from 1965 who appear to have specialised mostly in covers, like this one, originally done by Bobby Darin.

The Fools - Bull Moose

THE (APRIL) FOOLS #2

Our first offering to upset the sticklers... but I was hardly going to leave them out today. Sunshine pop from 1968, produced by Wayne Carson, who also wrote The Letter for the Box Tops and co-wrote Always On My Mind.

The April Fools - Things Go Better With You

FOOLS #3

Netherlands-based Fools, part of the Dutch "Palingsound" (Eel Pop) movement in the late 60s / early 70s. 

Fools - Going Back In Time

THE FOOLS #4

Ipswich-based band who got together in 1976. Ipswich, Massachusetts, that is. Had a long and distinguished (?) career stretching as far as 2017 (and beyond?) with dubiously-titled songs such as She Looks Alright In The Dark and Life Sucks, Then You Die.

George is going to hate me for this, but I laughed out loud when I listened to their biggest "hit". (I hope Talking Heads were adequately compensated.)

The Fools - Psycho Chicken

(APRIL AND) THE FOOLS #5

Another one to irk the purists... 

April (aka singer Barb Dwyer) & The Fools came from Brighton in 1980. This track crops up on quite a few early 80s post-punk compilations, but it's all I can find by them.

April & The Fools - You Do

THE FOOLS #6

Japanese Fools, formed in 1980, and still kicking around in the last few years.

The Fools - Mr. Freedom

FOOLS #7

French hair-metal Fools from 1991...

Fools - Vicious Life

THE FOOLS #8

Grungey Fools from Newcastle... Newcastle, Australia, that is. On the go since the late 90s, but this was released in 2015.

The Fools - Jesus Drives A Sandman

THE FOOLS #9

Lo-fi indie Fools from 2015...

The Fools - Bing Bong

(APRIL) FOOLS #10

More French Fools from 2014, appropriate for today. They're very proud of the fact that they have two bassists, a drummer... and no guitarist.

April Fools - Everybody Talks

THE (APRIL) FOOLS #11

Even more rule-breaking Fools from seven years ago...

The April Fools - Calling The Kettle Black

THE FOOLS #12

Bluesy Southern Rock Fools from 2018...

The Fools - Lay It Down, Lady

FOOLS #13

Polish Fools, also from 2018. They claim this one shows their "disco funky side". 

Fools - Haircut

FOOLS #14

Sweaty Texan Fools from 2019...

Fools - Metamorphoses

FOOLS #15

More Aussie Fools, who recorded this during lockdown...

FOOLS - Best Part

FOOLS #16

And finally, say hello to LA resident and multi-instrumentalist Chris Bear, playing gigs in Cambridge in June, if you're around. Here he is with a Bacharach & David composition that's perfect for today...

Fools - April Fools

Fools rush in... but which ones do you wish would rush straight back out again? And which tunes make you want to play The Fools?

Monday Snapshots #1

As Saturday Snapshots is by far the most popular feature on this blog, I decided to abandon all the other features from now on and extend Snapshots across the whole week. I will try to make it slightly different every day. Watch my clicks soar!

Here are ten photos randomly culled from my hard-drive's picture archive, along with ten songs. But what connects them?

10. Bahamas - Up With The Jones

9. Drunk Mums - New Australia

8. The Times - David Jones (Is On His Way)

7. Rocking Horse - Julian (The Hooligan)

6. Andrew Johnson - Ray Dalton's World Is Collapsing

5. Wilco - I Am Trying to Break Your Heart

4. The Reytons - Kids Off The Estate

3. Josienne Clarke - Done

2. Soft Cell & Pet Shop Boys - Purple Zone

1. The Westfield Mining Disaster - Greedy Bastards, Save Your Souls!

Answers... when you least expect them. 

U2 Mondays #1: Angels... or Gods?

A new series for Mondays celebrating the Godlike-Genius of the greatest band in the world.

Starring Saint Bono, The Edge, Larry and that other bloke.

Over the next 5245 Mondays I will choose one song a week from the back catalogue - or should I say "Library of Artistry & Wisdom"? - of the most important band of the 20th and 21st Century... starting with this gem from their 1988 pièce de résistance, Rattle & Hum...




More next Monday - your favourites welcome.


UPDATE AFTER 12PM... Yes, this was an April Fool's post. To be fair though, even a stopped clock is right twice a day... and I'm quite partial to Angel of Harlem. I might even be able to stretch to a Top 10 U2 Songs I Can Bear To Listen To... but none of them would be from The Joshua Tree, the most overrated album of all time. In My Humble Opinion. Etc.