Thursday 25 August 2011

The Holiday From Hayling

Just returned from 5 days holiday in Hayling Island.
Have done the usual: Grown a beard, drunk too much and generally adopted the demeanor of Jack Dee on Downers
5 days in a caravan, 2 miles from the nearest pub (which was usually closed) and kept awake at night by idiots who can't be bothered to let their dogs in the van at night, hence everyone kept awake for a good (bad) couple of hours listening to the whine of the hound of the Baskervilles.

Just my opinion, but a holiday never really feels like a holiday if you have to cook all your own food, do all your own washing up and make your own bed.  Am I lazy? Probably, but I'm 41 and just want to relax on holiday, and ,yes, be lazy.

Visited Chichester on one day, but didn't see Keith Richards out shopping in the city centre, but did see quite a few Saturday Kids, who'd obviously saved up their money for a holiday to Selsey Bill or Bracklesham Bay.

Every place I visit in the UK inspires thought to well known/famous local residents:
  • Birmingham - Trevor Francis & Jasper Carrott (very nearly asked to leave the Hotel for saying "They ain't got no cowing Bovril" in an attempted Brummie accent)
  • Coventry - The Specials, Pete Waterman, the song 'Concrete Jungle' and The New Fast Atomic Daffodills (I was convinced The New FADS were from Coventry - got that one wrong!)
  • Oxford - Radiohead & Robert Maxwell
  • Southampton - Mick Channon, Lawrie McMenemy & Kaliber non-alcoholic Lager
  • Brentford - Stan Bowles & Nick Lowe
No idea why, but for some unknown reason (actually it was probably something to do with reading Ian MacLagan's autobiography) my brain now permanently associates Hayling Island with Ronnie Lane.

Spent a long time revisiting The Small Faces & The Faces since my return.
Slim Chance (Ronnie Lanes band after leaving The Faces) are now somewhat forgotten.  Shame, because it is well worth listening to.
The track below ('How Come') - sort of The Faces meets McGuiness Flint - Enjoy!




Sunday 7 August 2011

In a Parallel Universe

Ignoring the time factor (which in an alternate reality may be irrelevant anyway), what if actors, comedians, TV Presenters etc were musicians instead.

Windsor Davies Group
Rik Mayall's Bluesbreakers
George Cole & The Commotions
Mr T & The MGs
Huey Edwards & The News
Nick Ross & The Supremes
Ben Fogle Five
Bruce Forsyth & The Range
Frankie Spencer & The Four Seasons
Ian Beale & The Blockheads
Alan Partridge Project
Kathleen Turner Overdrive
The Crazy World Of Arthur Lowe
The Jenny Bond Organisation
Emerson, Lake and Patsy Palmer
Tom Baker & The Heartbreakers
Jack Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick and Tich
The Ken Clarke Five
Kirsty Young and Crazy Horse
Bruce Forsyth & The E Street Band
Tom & Jerry & The Pacemakers
The Jimi Krankie Experience

Lead Singer of The Specials - Stuart Hall
Lead Singer of Transvision Vamp - Sid James
Lead Singer of Iron Maiden - David Dickinson
Lead Singer of Muse - David Bellamy
Lead Singer of The Smiths - Neil Morrissey
Lead Singer of Eels - Kenny Everett
Lead Singer of Teardrop Explodes - Julian Clary
Lead Singer Of The Velvet Underground - Oliver Reed

Edit: Some additions have been made since the original posting.  These additional items were "nicked" from suggestions on The Word Magazine blog

Saturday 6 August 2011

Musical Connections

I awoke this morning with Uriah Heep's 'Gypsy' stuck in my head.  As is usual when songs are embedded in the brain when I wake up, the first thing I do (after breakfast of coffee & a cigarette) is to play the CD containing the tune (in this case 'The Very Best Of Uriah Heep').

It was at this point I developed my objective for the days musical back-drop.

All songs listened to MUST be related to the previous, but cannot be by the same band/singer.

Today's musical journey was:

  • Uriah Heep - Gypsy (Heeps drummer was Lee Kerslake, leading to:)
  • Ozzy Osbourne - I Don't Know (Guitarist on Blizzard Of Ozz was Randy Rhoads, leading to:)
  • Quiet Riot - Metal Health (who covered 'Cum On Feel The Noize', leading to:)
  • Slade - We'll Bring The House Down (who had 3 singles enter the chart at number 1, leading to:)
  • Jam - Man In The Cornershop (Bass Player Bruce Foxton later joined Stiff Little Fingers, leading to:)
  • Stiff Little Fingers - Guitar & Drum (The SLF album 'Flags & Emblems' includes the track 'Its A Long Way To Paradise From Here' which has a harmonica track played by Lee Brilleaux, leading to:)
  • Dr Feelgood - Roxette
At this point, I stopped creating tenuous connections and just stayed listening to Dr Feelgood - which is a worthwhile way to spend any Saturday afternoon

More fun with Musical Connections: Six Degrees of Black Sabbath

Confusion

The following phrases can lead to some misunderstanding/confusion:
  • Flash Photography - News reports announce that the following story contains flash photography.  I wait and watch - all the photography I see looks to be pretty standard.  I son't see any clever techniques or methods being used
  • Everyone has a book inside them - Really? Does that mean people go round eating books.  And does that mak a library an All You Can Eat Buffet?
  • Humble Beginnings - Many actors, musicians, artists or authors state that they came from Humble Beginnings.  Where is this village?
  • Pepsi vs Coke - How can you compete against a company whose advertising slogan is 'The Real Thing'
  • Thorpe Park - How much more British can you get.  A visit to Thorpe Park (or any Theme Park) involves an awful lot of queuing.  In general, you will queue for anywhere between 30 minutes and an hour for 90 seconds  of "adrenaline fueled thrills".  You then unhook yourself from the seat and go and stand in another queue.  For me, the best thing about Thorpe Park is the doughnuts
  • No such thing as a Free Lunch - Yes there is, I've seen the sign.  It says 'Buy One Get One Free'
  • Windsor Davies Group - The world would be a very different place if the welsh actor had been the eponymous member of this 1960s R&B Band.
    Biggest Hits: Keep On Running (Lovely Boy) & Gimme Some Lovin' (Shoulders Back, Show 'em off)