"Written by Dick Clement and Ian La Frenais" is a virtual stamp of quality.
They're responsible for The Likely Lads (and Whatever Happened To The Likely Lads), Porridge, Going Straight, Auf Wiedershen Pet, The Commitments, Flushed Away and The Bank Job.
They also wrote this - the story of a defunct 70s Rock Band reforming for a second shot at glory.
In 1977, Strange Fruit - who had achieved moderate success - appeared at the Wisbech Festival with Mott The Hoople and Little Feat.
Original frontman Keith Lovell had died a couple of years previously, to be replaced by Ray Simms. Relationships with other members - Les Wicks (bass), Beano Baggott (drums), Tony Costello (keyboards) and Brain Lovell (guitar) - were strained, and this Festival was to be their last ever performance.
Twenty years later, a holidaymaker (who also happens to be the son of the original promoter of the Wisbech Festival) meets Tony Costello in Ibiza. He tells of a plan to re-stage the Festival with the original bands, and asks Tony if Strange Fruit would appear.
Tony's first contact is Karen - their Wardrobe back in the day. Between them, they set about tracking the others down.
Ray they find in his Rock Star Mansion (with a hidden For Sale sign) - at first he's reluctant to join up citing his work on his solo album.
Les now has a roofing business - and is initially even more reluctant than Ray. Until he climbs into his loft, finds his old bass guitar, and then has a "why not" moment.
Beano, who now works in a Garden nursery (and lives in a caravan at the bottom of his mum's garden), is more than happy to go back on the road and escape the Inland Revenue who are on his tail.
Their old Road Manager, Soundman, and undying supporter, Huey is brought out of retirement, and brings stories and memorabilia of the band's past.
Guitarist Brian is nowhere to be found - presumed dead.
As Record Company interest has been stoked (sort of) - a tour is arranged for Holland, meaning a new guitarist is needed. From the auditions a young hopeful (probably half the average of the band) is hired.
The tour has a shaky shaky start, with confusion about the key the songs are in, when to start and stop, and general audience apathy. And then one night right at the end of the tour - as is the way of films - it all comes together, and they are ready for a return to Wisbech.
Whilst in Holland, Ray falls through the ice on a frozen canal, and sees vision of Brian - he's somewhat freaked (as a recovering alcoholic and drug addict who's just fallen off the wagon would be).
Also in Holland, Les starts plying on old song - "The Flame Still Burns" - in a supposedly empty tour bus. The guitarist hears the song and asks Huey why it is not part of the act. According to Huey, the song - written by Les and Brian - is no longer played because Les doesn't like Ray's treatment of the song, and Ray won't let Les sing it on stage.
In another fortuitous moment for plot chronology, the day after they return from Holland is the anniversary of Keith's death. Karen visits the grave and finds a card saying "Love You Man, Brian".
Now this could be a crank, or it might actually be Brian (returned from the dead, or never went there in the first place). She confronts Huey who admits he has been protecting him. Huey reluctantly tells Karen where he is, and she goes to visit him - convincing him to put in an appearance with the reformed Fruits.
And so they arrive at Wisbech, all fired up and fully reformed. The Press Conference starts well enough, and then Brian gets more and more uncomfortable with the constant questioning and walks out, and announces he will not be playing.
A stunned Strange Fruit take to the stage to mild applause, and commence an out of tune, out of time, ramshackle performance.
And then, Tony Costello plays the opening chords to the "Flame Still Burns", Ray allows Les to take the vocal.
The crowd noise dies away, and all eyes are on stage. At the point of the guitar solo, Brian straps on his guitar, and reluctantly takes to the stage, plays the solo like a pro, and the crowd are in raptures at the return of the greatest Prog Rock band of the 70s that no-one has heard of.
For all it's cliche, it is a truly triumphant ending to a film.
As the credits roll, the voiceover comes in, reminding us, the viewer, that not everything in the world of Strange Fruit runs smoothly:
"and how are they going to bollocks it up this time?"
Just what is it that makes this film so good?
1. It's written by Clement and La Frenais - rarely does anything bearing those names disappoint
2, It has a great cast, and avoids the inclusion of a big name (and a big salary) to pull the punters in - and each and everyone put in a convincing performance
3. Unlike some other period films, this has an original soundtrack where some effort was spent on the songs - rather than just creating a simple pastiche, or just re-cycling old tracks.
The main man on the soundtrack was Chris Difford, ably supported by Clive Langer, Russ Ballard, and Foreigner's Mick Jones. There’s also a couple of Jeff Lynne co-writes (with Ian La Frenais).
Who would win in a fight?
Well, The Sweeney would. Regan and Carter would get stuck in while Bodie would stand there and look menacing whilst Doyle would run away scared of getting his curly hair ruffled.
I work a 9 day fortnight, meaning I get every other Friday off work. I still do the normal 37 hours per week (or 72 hours per fortnight), just spread over 9 days
(Actually, working "just" 37 hours per week would be welcome at the moment - average week = 45+)
So .. on these lazy Fridays, I like nothing more than getting up at normal time (my OCD does not allow a lie-in on a (once) normal working day, possibly going up the road for a big greasy fried breakfast in the local cafe, and then returning home to veg out for a bit on the sofa.
Daytime (morning time?) TV is not exactly the greatest, and I could probably watch endless episodes of Top Gear on Dave, save for the fact I think I've seen every episode at least 15 times already.
Just a bit further up the Programme Guide sits ITV4, and those Friday mornings offer Minder followed by The Sweeney followed by The Professionals.
Minder is the story of wheeling and dealing Arthur Daley and his sidekick/muscle Terry McCann.
It's basically the same conceit as Only Fools And Horses - 2 people stuck together, for better or for worse, trying to get through life by trying to turn a profit out of unremarkable merchandise. Both Arfur and Del-Boy are prone to malapropisms ("The world is your lobster"), and both Terry and Rodney want to be doing the right thing, but find themselves caught up in the others dodgy dealing.
But we're here to compare and contrast 2 Police procedural dramas from a similar time period (The Sweeney ran from 1975 to 1978, and The Professionals from 1977 to 1983).
So who is Top Of The Cops?
The Sweeney was commissioned following a one-off ITV Drama - Regan - in 1974. The one-off was written by Ian Kennedy-Martin (whose elder brother, Troy, had created Z Cars and written The Italian Job. Troy also wrote half a dozen episodes, and co-wrote the second Sweeney film).
There's something "gritty" and real about The Sweeney - when first aired, there were cries of "too real" from serving Flying Squad officers.
The Professionals was created by Brian Clemens - the creator of The Avengers and The New Avengers - and was set in a more fictionalised world - Criminal Intelligence 5 (CI5) was a government agency charged with those cases that fell somewhere between MI5/MI6 and the Police force.
The Sweeney has been a personal favourite since I first saw a slew of repeats around 1984.
Box Set TV? I bought the DVD Box Set (14 Discs, plus the 2 films, and happily gorged my way through it. And now continue to watch repeat episodes whenever they're on (although ITV4 have a habit of getting confused and play the same episodes in quick succession).
I never really took to The Professionals first time round (or at any other time - it was many years before it was repeated) - it now looks more dated than The Sweeney, despite starting as The Sweeney was ending), the characters seemed less real, and the storylines err on the fantastical - could there really be a terrorist attack or politically motivated kidnapping every week?
But I Started watching, and being a particular fan of the "Police Procedural Drama" a bit I got hooked.
The Characters
The Sweeney:
Jack Regan - Hard drinking, hard smoking, hard talking, basically "hard". But always fair, and you would be glad of him in your corner.
George Carter - Fiercely loyal, but always looking to get on - if he could ever break free from Regan's shadow
Frank Haskins - The Guv's Guv. Head of The Flying Squad - what he says goes, no matter how much Regan argues about it. Behind his back, Regan and Carter make no secret of their dislike of authority, but in front of him, they know who's the boss.
The Professionals:
Bodie - ex-Army / SAS. Carried himself like a proper hardman. If he hadn't been in the Police Force, he probably would've been a Nightclub bouncer.
Doyle - Like chalk to Bodie's cheese - trendy looking (he had a perm), fashionable, and likes the finer things in life, and an eye for the ladies. Where Bodie was gung ho, always wanting to storm in, Doyle was more measured in his approach
Cowley - the big boss man. Friends in high places,and a distinguished military career behind him, Cowley was the man in charge of CI5 and responsible for hand picking the best of the best, His job was to think about the situation, strategise, and instruct the action to take, And he was usually right.
And there you can see an obvious difference - The Sweeney actually had first names. The Professionals did, but I don't think they were mentioned that often (if at all).
The Storylines
The Sweeney concern themselves with dodgy characters, career villains, and blaggings. Just what the Flying Squad at Scotland Yard were doing in the mid-70s.
What makes The Sweeney (slightly) different to other Police dramas, is that they didn't always win. Yup, sometimes the crooks got the upper hand.
As The Professionals were a part of a fictional organisation, the crimes they fought were also of the fictional kind - not veering into complete fantasy, but unlikely events seemed to occur every week (a kidnapped diplomat, a blackmailed South African diamond merchant, a madman setting up a vigilante army). Professionals stories were wrapped up inside the hour, and usually took a jump of logic to nicely tie everything together (often involving a fight or car chase), before the freeze frame of the 3 main protagonists half-smiling and looking pleased.
The Sweeney storylines might actually happen, most of The Professionals storylines need a leap of faith to believe there will be a terrorist gunfight in Windsor High Street, or a group of Russian soldiers will parachute onto Clapham Common and attempt to overthrow the Government.
The Cars
The main Sweeney vehicle used (and seen in the opening credits) is not (as often thought) a Ford Granada, but the slightly lower specced the Ford Consul variant (registration: NHK 295M).
Most of the cars and vans used were the property of Euston Films, and were strategically placed, or used and used again. An example here is the Mark 2 Jaguar in the opening credits (registration DWD606C) - this can be seen in at least 2 other episodes.
The Professionals started out with Triumph Dolomites (and other British Leyland supplied vehicles). However, they soon switched to Ford when BL couldn't guarantee supply vehicles.
And so we get to see the iconic Silver and Gold Ford Capris.
They also did the "re-use" of vehicles thing - in a couple of episodes is a Rover SD1 that bears a striking resemblance (and number plate) to one used recently in The New Avengers.
No doubting this round - much as I love the Ford Consul / Ford Granada, the Ford Capri is just cool - it was when I was a kid, and it still is now.
The Production Values
Sweeney uses 16mm film stock,rather than standard video usually used for TV shows. This meant when it made the jump to the big screen (Sweeney and Sweeney 2), the aesthetic of the show didn't change greatly.
The Professionals used common TV video film, and now playing on HD TVs, it just looks a bit grainy and dated (the fact it would've been filmed in 4:3 ratio, and is now remapped to widescreen (16:9) probably doesn't help it much either.
Locations
The Sweeney was mostly in West London, centred around Hammersmith. Although they did manage to make it out as far as Staines, Esher and Wokingham in a couple of episodes.
The Professionals seemingly had no fixed location (Anytown, UK?), although Central London, Whitehall buildings, and Docklands popped up regularly. For countryside location shots, they often went to Hotels or Golf Clubs in Buckinghamshire (including, on at least 2 occasions, Stoke Poges Golf Club (also used in Goldfinger))
I have had for a long time a fascination with suburban London, and most of the locations used in The Sweeney are no longer there - but that hasn't stopped me looking for them
The Firearms
The Sweeney had access to firearms when needed, but most of the stories involved policing/detecting without the need to shoot the baddies.Sweeney - when needed
The Professionals on the other hand seemed to be permanently tooled up. Bodie always had a look of glee when presented with a new toy. And there was usually a fire-fight to round off that weeks story.
The Guest Stars
The Sweeney had the pulling power, even getting Morecambe and Wise to appear in one episode. Other well known names in the credits include Brian Blessed, Colin Welland, Roy Kinnear, Warren Mitchell, Lynda Bellingham, Patrick Mower, and Diana Dors.
The Sweeney also manged to pull in 2 future Blue Peter presenters - Tina Heath and Janet Ellis.
The Professionals didn't have quite the same stellar support cast. Series 1 did feature Geoffrey Palmer and a pre-Poirot David Suchet, and the 4th series does contain appearances by Stephen Berkoff and Pierce Brosnan, but after that supporting roles are filled by bit-part actors of the day (Pamela Stephenson does manage to appear as 3 different characters in 3 different series)
The Theme Tunes
Harry South vs Laurie Johnson and The London Studio Orchestra
(this can also be defined as respected Jazz pianist versus the bloke who wrote the theme to Animal Magic).
The Sweeney theme follows the golden rule for TV Themes in that, although there are no words, the title of the show can be recited over the music.
The Professional theme is a funky little number that works perfectly with the visuals for the opening credits. Problem I have with it is that it isn't as earwormy as The Sweeney (and I often get it confused with the theme to T.J.Hooker and/or Starsky and Hutch).
The Legacy
There were some contract wrangles which prevented The Professionals being repeated on terrestrial TV for a long time - this can't have served it's memory and retro-enjoyment that well.
The Sweeney has been through the repeat cycle (and repeats of repeats), and has become representative of 70s Police dramas, and is undoubtedly the inspiration to Life On Mars (Gene Hunt is an overblown, Mancunian version of Jack Regan - hard but fair, and what time are the pubs open?).
The Professionals were immortalised in a Two Ronnies sketch, but their lasting legacy (for me) is the parody produced by the Comic Strip Team The Bullshitters with the two main characters named Bonehead and Foyle. They took every nuance of the show (the sensitive Doyle and hardcase Bodie, the overwrought mannerisms of Cowley, the highly accurate lab information detailing height, weight and hair colour of a voice on a tape. It is difficult to watch The Professionals without that one in the back of my mind.
Bonehead and Foyle returned, along with Shouting George from The Weeny in a later Comic Strip outing - Detectives On The Edge Of A Nervous Breakdown - which brought in many other TV cops as well.
As I said above, I have watched (and re-watched) The Sweeney several times - and will continue to do so.
I was never taken by The Professionals, but the few I have seen recently have changed my view.
It looks like I'll have a bit of time to properly catch up with it now.
The New Wave Of British Heavy Metal (a bit of a mouthful - helpfully abbreviated to NWOBHM ( pronounced Ner-wob-am)) was a "thing", a title, bestowed by Kerrang Magazine in 1979 to recognise the swell of new bands around the country (yes, this was a Nationwide thing, not just starting in London and spreading outwards).
The formula was fairly simple - take equal parts Led Zeppelin, Deep Purple, Black Sabbath, Thin Lizzy, Wishbone Ash, Budgie, Prog Rock etc (ie early to mid-70s rock noises), mix them up however you wish, add a dose of DIY Punk ethic, and pretend to play an imaginary guitar, and hey presto: NWOBHM
(maybe not that simple, but you get the idea).
Of all the bands to get a record out, and column inches in the media, perhaps the 3 biggest lights were:
Iron Maiden (from East London)
Def Leppard (from Sheffield)
Saxon (from Barnsley)
As a "thing", NWOBHM ran from 1979 to it's death throes in 1983. So lets see that was released in those years, how they compare, and declare who is the foremost exponent of NWOBHM.
I'm aligning the start of this analysis to 1980 due to the release of the EMI compilation 'Metal For Muthas', Diamond Head's 'Lightning To The Nations' and a host of smaller bands (often on independent labels) getting their 15 minutes of fame and Kerrang features.
Saxon's debut ('Saxon') was released in 1979, and is an OK album - if a little confused as to the market/sound it's aiming at. It was only really the track "Stallions of the Highway" which (in retrospect) pointed the way forward for the band - others come close ("Rainbow Theme" / "Frozen Rainbow" being a prime example), but that track is the definite stand-out.
In the period 1980 to 1983, Saxon manged 5 albums, Iron Maiden 4, and Def Leppard 3.
So basing this purely on output means Saxon win, but how do these albums compare?
The albums were are:
Saxon
1980Wheels of Steel / Strong Arm of the Law
1981Denim and Leather
1982The Eagle Has Landed
1983Power & the Glory
Iron Maiden
1980Iron Maiden
1981Killers
1982Number Of The Beast
1983Piece Of Mind
Def Leppard
1980On Through The Night
1981High n Dry
1983Pyromania
So to ensure a balance battle, some preening is necessary
(and not just so I can ensure a 3 way tie and declare all 3 bands as the Masters Of NWOBHM)
Preening Job #1
Of the two Saxon albums in 1980, both are as strong as each other. The toss of a coin decides - 'Wheels Of Steel' stays in (which is a shame as 'Strong Arm Of The Law' is possibly my favourite Saxon album)
Preening Job #2
Def Leppard didn't release an album in 1982. The Saxon album was a live album (and a very good one too), but I would be comparing many of the same tracks.
Iron Maiden's 'Number Of The Beast' is pretty much unimpeachable and would win any competition.
So that leaves us with:
'Wheels Of Steel' vs 'Iron Maiden' vs 'On Through The Night'
No second album dip for Saxon (it might sound harsh, but I think they had that dip with their debut). 'Wheels Of Steel' is quintessential hairy biker rock ("Motorcycle Man" and "Wheels Of Steel" being the obvious examples. And then there is "747 (Strangers In The Night)" - undoubtedly one of their high points.
The Iron Maiden debut remains fresh to this day - Paul Di'Anno may not have been the greatest singer, but his straining vocals, particularly on "Remember Tomorrow" just ad to the theatre of it all. And talking of "theatre". the track "Phantom Of The Opera" was so good, it ended up on a Lucozade advert (with Daley Thompson)
Not a duffer amongst these 13 tracks, and the title track remains in their live set to this day.
Def Leppard's album sounds a bit "clean" when compared to the other two, and also their 'Rocks Off' EP from late 1978 - 2 of those 3 tracks ("Getcha Rocks Off" and "Overture") are included here, and personally I much prefer the original recordings.
Def Leppard are coming from a different place to Saxon and Iron Maiden, and the songs on this album support that. More blues-y, more considered and reined in. It rocks as hard as the other two (particularly "Rock Brigade", "Wasted" and "Rocks Off") but just misses something. And you can see where they're looking - track 1 ("Hello America") gives you just a little clue.
This is a tough call - I almost want to share the points (Iron Maiden 0.5, with Saxon and Def Leppard receiving 0.25 each).
No - I must be definitive ... Saxon 0 Iron Maiden 1 Def Leppard 0
'Denim and Leather' vs 'Killers' vs 'High n Dry'
You recall that "second album dip" mentioned above? Well, this could well apply to 'Killers' - EMI maybe got the band back in the studio too quickly. The material wasn't as good as previously (although in retrospect, there are some very good tracks here ("Murders In The Rue Morgue" and "Purgatory" are two fine examples), and the band sound like they're treading water a bit.
Saxon may also be treading water here, but they have produced possibly the definitive NWOBHM anthem ("Denim and Leather") and chucked in a fair few of their best tracks here too. And how many other Biker-type bands would pen a song about a Steam Train?
Def Leppard - they're sights are moving further over the Atlantic. Most melodic of the three, and (like the Saxon album) a few of their best tracks pugged away here ("Bringing On The Heartbreak" being the most notable). For me though, their sights are just too far on MTV to appeal to my sense of Heavy Rock. Saxon 1 Iron Maiden 1 Def Leppard 0
'Power & The Glory' vs 'Piece Of Mind' vs 'Pyromania'
'Pyromania' was the album the assured Def Leppard's status as one the biggest Rock acts on the planet - maybe not in the UK, but certainly in the US - and deservedly so, it is a very good album taking the best bits from their previous two and just adding to the recipe.
Iron Maiden have now changed lead singer (Bruce Dickinson replaced Paul Di'Anno prior to the recording of 1982s 'Number Of The Beast') and their songs are becoming more complex, more literate, better played, and still rocking along like a bugger. The whole thing has become singularly recognisable as Iron Maiden. This may not be one of their greatest albums when it comes to compiling Top 5 Lists, but it has many. many redeeming features.
By this stage, are Saxon a busted flush? The title is half right - there is plenty of Power here, but little Glory. Their 1982 live set ('The Eagle Has Landed') marks a sort of end point in Saxon's validity and growth - it maybe should've been called 'The Eagle Has Landed (And Failed To Take Off Again)'
Now wouldn't it be nice if I gave the point to 'Pyromania' and arrived at a 3 way tie.
No, for the sheer growth in 3 years (and because I prefer 'Piece Of Mind' over 'Pyromania',) the point goes to Iron Maiden Saxon 1 Iron Maiden 2 Def Leppard 0
Probably no real surprise, but Iron Maiden win this particular match-up.
But Def Leppard finishing with nil? To be honest, they'd probably love that as they've always declared that they were not a NWOBHM band (the genre, as it became) they were more rooted in the world of Mott The Hoople, Queen and Thin Lizzy - big rock sounds rather than headbanging.
Imagine Half Man Half Biscuit with a Midlands accent and a whiff of ska.
That is a really simple description of The Humdrum Express.
Very possibly unfair - there is more to the band than that - but I've got to start with a bit of a hook.
Ian Passey (for it is he) has been casting a wry eye over the world on a couple or 3 albums before. It was the last album ('The Day My Career Died') and more particularly the song "Leopard Print Onesie" which drew me in - and an enjoyable time it is too.
As before, every listen to this album has so far revealed another smart turn of phrase, a raised eyebrow, or a the very least a knowing smile.
The content is very much rooted in the ordinary (the humdrum I suppose?) and you're immediately comfortable in this world of pop culture references and musings.
And on the subject of Pop Culture Musings, there is a track by that very name here - one where he may have written his own review of the album opening with the line:
"Before I wander off to check how many times the word sardonic has been used in reviews ..."
or. possibly more cleverly, preventing the use of that word to describe this offering in all reviews (including those written my ham-fisted wannabe writers on their interweb blogs).
So if I can't use sardonic (which is a good fit), I'll have to say: witty, acerbic, observational, insightful, and just a little bit brilliant.
This album is a full band effort with a fatter sound than previous. Before it was effectively a voice and guitar, and the songs make the transition from "studio busker" (?) to full band with no loss of impact.
12 tracks covering important aspects pf life including motivational wall art, online beer clubs, the wearing of a novelty tie, video cameras in coffins, those who go onto message boards just to stoke trouble and the Grammar Police.
"Coffin Cam" is basically a set-up for a bad/great joke - "remains to be seen", "Chased By The Grammar Police" advocates the death penalty for a misplaced apostrophe, and "Fading Stars On Social Media" deals with the tribulations of being barraged by messages from a once popular artist, still doing the rounds and desperately craving attention.
Since the turn of the year, we have been constantly in a state of Storm Watch, with a new letter of the alphabet being used every week.
But amongst the cold and the damp, The Humdrum Express have provided plenty of relief.
A couple more more witticisms from the album:
"A misconstrued complexity. Craving authenticity. An elusive, bitter quality.
Not sure if that’s the drinkers or the ales" "Online Beer Club"
"Its like finding a bogey in a library book, it really puts you off you're reading" "The Curse Of The Modern Musician"
"I like Bob Marley, but he was a bit of a big-head to call his album Legend" "Pop Culture Musings"
Online Beer Club
'Pills n Thrills and Bellyaches' vs 'The Stone Roses' (aka The Battle Of Madchester)
These albums may be separated by 18 months (Stone Roses appearing in May 89, Happy Mondays in Nov 90) but they are both probably the definitive articles of Madchester.
The mass-market introduction to Madchester came in Nov 89 when both bands appeared on Top Of The Pops - Stone Roses performing "Fools Gold" and Happy Mondays performing "Hallelujah".
Before recording, there was apparently discussions between the bands of mixing it up a bit so Ian Brown would've played drums for the Mondays and Shaun Ryder take the lead vocal for Stone Roses. After all, outside of NME readers, no-one really knew these bands, and how would anyone know the wrong people were in the wrong band.
Unfortunately (fortunately?) it didn't happen, and what we did get was Ian Brown's bad miming (understated anarchy?) and an introduction to the Morecambe and Wise of Madchester - Shaun and Bez.
The Happy Mondays were 2 albums in by 1989 - both met with minor Indie Chart success, but had not crossed over to mass-market.
1987s 'Squirrel and G-Man Twenty Four Hour Party People Plastic Face Carnt Smile (White Out)' introduced the world to the Mondays melange of indie-rock, psychedelia, funk and dance music, inspired by the burgeoning club culture in Manchester and one or two narcotic enhancements.
1988s 'Bummed' continued and refined the formula - featuring some of Shaun Ryder's most striking lyrics - and added a smoother (madder?) production job from Martin Hannett.
Soon after came the reinforcement of dance floor links with "Wrote For Luck" and "Lazyitis" (both form 'Bummed') being given the re-mix treatment by Vince Clarke and Paul Oakenfield.
And the Oakenfield influence continued (if not directly from the production chair) for their next realease - the EP that was to change their fortunes
Was the 'Madchester Rave On' EP a follow-on from debut album 'Bummed' or a clarion call/pre-cursor to Madchester madness and the genesis of 'Pills ...'?
I think the latter. It's the same band, but a big jump forward in professionalism and presentation. Still ragged round the edges, but smoothed enough to make an impact.
The Stone Roses appeared (to this southerner) to come from pretty much nowhere. Their singles, prior to their debut album, had not scratched the Indie Charts but they were filling column inches in the music papers and attracting of strong following in and around Manchester.
"Made Of Stone" was released a couple of months before the album, and started to pick up airplay on Radio 1 (albeit in the evenings, but national airplay is national airplay), and the "buzz" continued.
By the time their debut arrived in May, the inky music papers were falling over themselves, and there was no disappointment with it's contents. It really did deserve the rave critical reviews it received.
The debut album was rooted in indie rock guitar jangle (think early Primal Scream, or others from the C86 generation) with more of a debt to The Byrds than to Paul Oakenfield.
The dance beats were present, but not to the fore - these would become a lot more explicit on the stand-alone single that came in November. "Fools Gold" was a floor-filler at clubs like The Hacienda, Cream or even various Ibizan clubs, as well as any self-respecting Indie-Disco.
"Fools Gold" may not have been on the debut album, but the exposure of the song and the band ensured that sales continued, and the Roses legend continued to grow.
Both The Happy Mondays and Stone Roses albums contain a similar arrogance and swagger. Both are as tight as f*ck, and loose/baggy (to coin a phrase) at the same time.
In both cases, all is held together by the respective drummers - Reni (Stone Roses) and Gary Whelan (Happy Mondays).
And the supporting musicians have a part to play too - both bassists (Mani and Paul Ryder) add rock-solid under-pinning with the odd flourish ensuring that everything is spot on.
Where John Squire's guitar veers to rock (amply displayed on follow-up album 'Second Coming') it is not without jangle and massive melody, Mark Day keeps the Mondays in check and keeps the funky riffing coming.
There is no historical doubt of the musicianship of The Stone Roses, the one thing that is often forgotten is how tight as a band the Happy Mondays were. Shaun and Bez could not have been Shaun and Bez of legend without the rest of the band being and staying at the very highest levels of commitment and capability.
Whilst the Happy Mondays album is closer the the Dance floor than most indie-rockers felt (initially) comfortable with, The Stone Roses album was much more a straight indie-rocker with psychedelic overtones.
By appropriating the sounds and rhythms in their immediate lives, they both evoke a similar culture, and it is only right for someone to pit each album (track by track) against each other.
So let's do it ...
"Kinky Afro" vs "I Wanna Be Adored"
Right, two absolute bangers to start with.
Some of Shaun's best lyrical couplets over a loose rhythm - I can't dance to save my life, but this makes me feel I want a bit of a strut (OK, more of a Shaun "dance" whereby you just sort of sway).
"I Wanna Be Adored" is a slow builder - there's 40 seconds before the bass rumbles in, 1 minute before the guitar starts chiming, and the song doesn't properly fill out until 1 minute 30 seconds. Ian Brown's vocal may not be the greatest, but it's perfect for the Stone Roses - he is just sounding so convincing. Happy Mondays 0 Stone Roses 1
"God's Cop" vs "She Bangs the Drums
Blues-y squealing slide guitar heralds the arrival of Gods Cop before it settles into a groove. You feel there's more tune than Shaun is letting on here, and then the chorus kicks in and briefly the song rises, before settling back to where it came from.
"She Bangs The Drum" is just joyous from the tinkling hi-hat , the rumbling bass and the sppiky trebly guitar. Ian Brown's voice is low in the mix. Like the Mondays track, the chorus just lift's the whole thing, but the verse part is stronger than the Mondays offering. Happy Mondays 0 Stone Roses 2
"Donovan" vs "Waterfall"
Apparently inspired by the actual Donovan - Shaun Ryder even gave Donovan a grand-daughter. But the song itself is a bit of a wig-out that never really goes anywhere.
"Waterfall" on the other hand just chimes away - it's bouncing and laid back at the same time. And that incessant riff has the ability to stick in your head long after you've turned the CD off. Happy Mondays 0 Stone Roses 3
"Grandbag's Funeral" vs "Don't Stop"
"Don't Stop" is just "Waterfall" played backwards, isn't it? Yes it is, but it is literally played backwards (not just reversed in the tape machine) but with new vocals over the top. The effect is a weird one, because you feel the vocals are backwards too (which they aren't).
I want to enthuse about "Grandbag's Funeral" - it is a great track, and in the flow of 'Pills ...' one of the stronger tracks here. But up against "Don't Stop" you just want a bit more invention and surprise. Happy Mondays 0 Stone Roses 4
"Loose Fit" vs "Bye Bye Badman"
Maybe "Grandbag's Funeral" is a turning point - here the Mondays employ a Roses-esque chiming riff, and stay in line with the title - the groove here is really loose, but as tight as anything they've ever done. Shaun's voice is stoned down too, ably supported by Rowetta's vocal.
"Bye Bye Badman" is good, but can sound like 2 songs bolted together. It works, but it just jars a bit when they move from one to another. . Happy Mondays 1 Stone Roses 4
"Dennis and Lois" vs "Elizabeth My Dear"
Happy Mondays go funky NY Disco - and it works (eventually).
Initially, I'm not convinced, but by the end it is definitely one of the high points
It is clear that with "Elizabeth My Dear", the Stone Roses want to make a statement of belief, but it just feels clumsy. Truly the inverse of The Beatles "Her Majesty", but does it really deserve a place on this album? Happy Mondays 2 Stone Roses 4
"Bob's Yer Uncle" vs "(Song for My) Sugar Spun Sister"
Happy Mondays sit in loose funky tones, with a touch of salsa going on. The almost hushed vocal adds to the air of mystery about the track. Yes, they have done better tracks, but this one is not far from their prime cuts.
Meanwhile The Stone Roses are in deep psychedelic-jangle territory - the sound is pretty dense, but triumphant at the same time. A minor criticism, but I always feel it just needs a little lift (truck-drivers gear change perhaps?) to make it truly brilliant. But it's still great enough to secure another point. Happy Mondays 2 Stone Roses 5
"Step On" vs "Made of Stone"
Another collision moment of two fantastic tracks. Two tracks which stand as (possibly) the most representative of each bands sound and attitude.
The "twisting my melon man" lyric is almost quintessential Shaun Ryder, and the whole construct of "Made Of Stone" is ripe for shorthand of a Manchester Indie band in the late 80s/early 90s.
In line with the lyrics, sometimes I fantasise that this task is easy and it doesn't twist my melon as much as this.
All I can do is declare a score draw Happy Mondays 2.5 Stone Roses 5.5
"Holiday" vs "Shoot You Down"
"Shoot You Down" is brilliantly effortless, relaxing and withdrawn. Not filler, but maybe sequenced wrong. Maybe swap places with "Elizabeth My Dear" (or even replace) would be a better place for this track.
"Holiday" - swaggeringly superb, with lyrics to match. Sounds very much like it was written from direct experience.
There is a very good chance that this track is the most under-rated and unrecognised the Mondays ever threw out.
Are the Roses slipping up? The Mondays are fighting back. Happy Mondays 3.5 Stone Roses 5.5
"Harmony" vs "This Is the One"
No, they're not. "This Is The One" is the forgotten classic of this album (maybe not forgotten, but not as regularly trotted out as "Adored", "Resurrection" or "Waterfall").
This track takes all that is expected of The Stone Roses so far, and bounds it up inside an almost prefect package (even with a slight Abba-esque guitar trill).
"Harmony" by comparison just can't compete. "Harmony" is the actual closer of the album (but not here where I had to lever in an extra track).
And it's got everything it should have - arpeggio indie guitar, funky bass, blissed out vocals. There's even a touch of Velvet Underground about it. The track builds to a virtual fight between instruments to be heard, and then just stops - no fade, no meandering to a close, just a dead stop.. It may not be the most focussed of tracks, but it is a fine closer to the album.
It just had the misfortune to come up against "This Is The One" Happy Mondays 3.5 Stone Roses 6.5
"Hallelujah" vs "I Am the Resurrection"
This is the track that probably brought the Happy Mondays to national (or partially national) attention. And deservedly so. Built around another loose funking dance riff with Shauns' pert sung/part chanted vocal over the top. Anthemic? Yes it was. Instantly recognisable and instantly repeatable.
The Stone Roses closed their debut album with an 8 minute track (were they going all Prog?). The track may be 8 minutes, but the majority of proceedings is an instrumental whig out.
Pounding drums and ominous bass with a slight background vocal building to a crescendo in the chorus. And then there is that breakdown and instrumental section, and the euphoric moment when they just stop and come back in all together - who knew one and a half seconds of silence could be a defining moment of the record?
"Resurrection" takes this one (just) Happy Mondays 3.5 Stone Roses 7.5
One question remains: are these truly great albums, or a perfect moment in time?
Of the two, 'Pills n Thrills and Bellyaches' is probably the most "of it's time" offering, whilst the Stone Roses debut has a certain timelessness about it.
'Pills ...' is one you have to be in a certain mood for, whereas the opening notes of "I Wanna Be Adored" just set the mood and get you ready for 50 minutes of aural enjoyment.
What happened next?
Happy Mondays contributed to bankrupting Factory with the aborted, drawn-out and chaotic sessions for the follow-up 'Yes Please' (despite the promise, it was not the monumental album that was promised/suggested). As a band they limped to a close. Shaun and Bez returned a year later with Black Grape, and delivered an album that would've been a more fitting epitaph for the Mondays.
The Stone Roses initially capitalised on their fame/notoriety and organised an open air festival at Spike Island. Hailed as "The Baggy Woodstock", the legend of the event outweighs the weather, the organisation, and the reported experience.
They thaen ahd one or two legal disputes with their record company to attend to - the follow-up album 'Second Coming' did not appear for until 1994, by which time they had upped the Led Zeppelin quotient and guitar histrionics of their songs. To this day, 'Second Coming' still divides the bands fans.
(Personally, I prefer 'Second Coming', but I believe I am in the minority)
10 songs done and dusted in 26 minutes - it's fair to day they may be back to their old selves, and finally breaking from the shadow of 'American Idiot'.
I recently did another of those Facebook challenges
This was the challenge: I've been nominated by xxx to choose 10 vinyl era albums that greatly influenced my taste in music. One per day. 10 consecutive days. No explanations. No reviews. Just covers.
What no explanations? That's OK, I'll just use my other presence on the interweb (ie here) to do the explaining (because I think I should).
And I've changed the posting order to try and create a chronological flow to my listening habits
Day 1
This is a double album (quadruple album?) really.
Introduced via nicking the Red one it out of my parents record cupboard, and playing it to death. The Blue album arrived a couple of years later. And that one got just as much record player time
Still today, if you want a hit of those Beatle-y blokes, these 2 are the perfect entry point.
And one still marvels at how far they'd travelled in 8 short years.
It's basically the singles, plus choice album tracks (but not always the best album tracks from their parent albums) - and it's always surprising just how many great were left off.
Day 2
The Jam split in 1982 - being 12 I owned a few of their singles, but surviving on a paper boys wages (I'd just got my first paper round), albums generally remained out of reach (unless it was a birthday or Christmas).
When this arrived in early 1983, it rounded up the singles, many B-sides and some album tracks (like the Red and Blue albums above). Plus and added bonus - the inner sleeve contained extracts from Paolo Hewitt's A Beat Concerto book. I read this, learnt it, bought the book, and became a Jam expert by the end of 1983.
Day 3
I heard "Fields Of Fire" on Top Of The Pops, and it was one of those moments where everything stops and concentration is focused in only one direction.
The album did not disappoint. I went forwards with Big Country, and backwards to The Skids - I'm happy to say I own just about everything commercially released by Stuart Adamson's bands (and a couple of bootlegs). The 16th of December is still marked by the wearing of a tartan shirt.
Day 4
Albums were out of reach in early teenage years (see above), but I did get a copy of Iron Maiden's 'Number Of The Beast' in early 1982.
I'm a Heavy Metal Mod with a major appreciation of The Beatles - jeez, I was confused.
This Live album arrived in 1985, and my listening habits changed again (as did my attire and hair length)
Day 5
Which came first - the album or the film?
The album (obviously), but in my world I'd seen the film first, and I very quickly wanted to get hold of the album.
One problem: it was either nowhere to be found in Our Price, or hellishly expensive.
Solution: "Hello mate. You like The Who, can you record that Quadrophenia album for me. Here's a TDK D90".
I played it so much I wore the tape out
Day 6
The same person who gave me 'Quadrophenia' also supplied (of his own volition) a tape copy of this 1976 live album (recorded in Mono, trivia fans).
The sheer energy (and danger) of the performance remains a yard-stick for how I want a sweaty live show to be.
Day 7
Their first couple of albums were Goth focussed, but no-one can deny "She Sells Sanctuary" is one hell of a track. Being Goth, it didn't really figure on my radar at the time, but by the time they got to 1987, Rick Rubin and some re-cycled AC/DC riffs changed my whole view of the band (and the genre).
And what's so wrong with re-cycled AC/DC riffs? I like re-cycled AC/DC riffs
Day 8
Being 7 doesn't really get you entry to Punk - however, 10 years later I was bitten by the music (and the attitude). I can keep doing the Heavy Metal Mod thing (with a bit of Goth thrown in), but now I can revel in the joy of amphetamine-fueled high energy noise.
In truth, it was a compilation called 'Burning Ambitions' that was my entry to Punk, but this album surely defines my listening.
Day 9
I want to own as much Punk music as possible, and a compilation called 'The Vinyl Alternative' presented a band that sounded as urgent, tuneful and aware as any I'd found (plus that rasping vocal sold it again).
On the strength of one track ("At The Edge") I bought this singles collection, played it once, and the S section of my vinyl collection expanded rapidly.
My absolute favourite band of all time. I own everything they've released, a fair amount of stuff they haven't (officially) released, see them at least once a year, and even use their record label name to hide behind when writing stuff here, there and everywhere.
Day 10
When you've exhausted UK Punk, where do you go? US Punk obviously - although tread carefully, not all of it is great. But this lot are one of the original influences on the UK Punk scene - their debut album is an artefact of great significance, and their Roundhouse and Dingwalls shows in July 1976 were attended by just about anyone who had anything to do with the original UK Punk movement.
Surf music, bubble-gum, and buzzsaw guitar, all topped off with a fantastic vocal (one of the greatest rock vocalists ever?). What more do these ears want.
I can even forgive the non-chronological running order - this album is that good and that important.
But wait - that only takes me to about 1988/89?
My Vinyl Era runs from the ages of 12 to 19 - after then, purchasing was a mixture of both Vinyl and CD. Also, I was now working full-time and had disposable income. Even more albums would be purchased, but maybe the deep influence, or seismic changes didn't occur as often.
Yes, there were moments where listening habits were broadened (rather than changed) - Richard & Linda Thompson's 'I Want To See The Bright Lights Tonight' for example - or reinforcing habits like the first Oasis album.
They may cause similar flurries of excitement, enjoyment and expenditure, but do they have the same "influence" as those first heard moments by a moody teenager with bad hair?
