Wingmen is a collaboration between Baz Warne (The Stranglers), Paul Gray (The Damned), Leigh Haggerty (Ruts DC) and Marty Love (Johnny Moped).
Each have floated in and out of each other's existence at venues and festivals up and down the country, and two of them (Gray and Love) have recorded together before (with Captain Sensible under the Sensible Gray Cells banner).
Started as a project to keep sane in lockdown, files were shared between members, bits added, bits re-written. All this was done without any of the members actually meeting until they convened at Panther Studios in Reigate (helmed by ex-Tenpole Tudor man Dick Crippen). To complete the slightly odd nature of conception and recording, Marty Love's drums were the last sounds to be added. The songs were effectively complete, and Love had to find a route in and maintain the swing and the beat. Credit to all the players,as this unorthodox method does not compromise the finished article in any way.
The DNA of each host band is in evidence - the slight confrontation of The Stranglers, the low bass rumble and psychedelic tendencies of The Damned, the innate musicality and tightness of The Ruts, and the solidity veering towards the bombastic ramshackle of Johnny Moped. But this is no "pick the best bits, throw it in a pot, and see how it mixes together" - Wingmen stand on their own feet as a musical collective, informed by experience but not afraid to step out on their own. So whilst you get passing moments in song where you think "oh, that's a bit like XXX" it never becomes facsimile or tribute.
Born in lockdown, there are plenty of State Of The Nation commentaries, mixed up with melancholy, darkness ("Down In The Hole") and hope ("It's Raining All Over England", complete with the refrain "Happy Days Are Here Again"), and a takedown of social media ("Backstage At The Opera") - including a vitiolic Baz Warne exasperated monologue. Instrumental "Starting Blocks" opens up affairs, before a mix of pop-punk-blues-riffing imbues proceedings. Highlights are plentiful, beyond those already mentioned, "Brits", "I Would If I Could" and "Oh! What A Carry On" vie for supremacy
Even though the members were apart and the creative process potentially slowed by seclusion, the album is full of ideas, tricks, great lyrics, and top notch playing.
This may be the only output for this collective, but it's a worthy addition to their respective CVs. Proof that something good came from the time when we locked ourselves away from the world. And who knows, as live performance and studio visits for bands give way to down time, Wingmen may reconvene for live shows and maybe even another album - although if that one is birthed in the studio would it lack the feeling of necessity and exasperation of this very very fine album.
When it came time to sell my old Vauxhall Cavalier, two options presented themselves - do I play safe with a modern vehicle (or certainly newer than my X registration Cavalier with 150,000 miles in the clock), or get something a bit older, but more interesting. A Triumph Spitfire was considered, and then discounted, a Ford RS2000 looked at, and again discounted due to asking price and potential insurance. I came close to buying an MGB GT - the price was right, insurance do-able, but on closer inspection the bodywork appeared to be mostly filler and rust. Plus, it wouldn't go into reverse gear as I discovered when I returned from the road test.
One vehicle under serious consideration - even though the price was a real push - was a Jaguar Mark 2. This was pre-Inspector Morse, where the Mark 2 Jag was usually the villains getaway car in The Sweeney or The Professionals. Yes, in 1990 and Mark 2 Jag could be bought for around 5 to 6 grand. It was only a year later, when investments and yuppie money took off, that a Mark 2 was auctioning and changing hands for £20 to 30k (and more), rapidly rising to near 6 figures for mint (and some not so mint) examples. In the end, I went for a Ford Orion 1.6i - effectively an XR3 with a boot. It was a good car - it just wasn't a Jag.
The Jaguar company dates back to the Swallow Sidecar company, and when that was liquidated William Lyons formed SS Cars - it's prime purpose being the manufacture and sales of Sports Saloons (the Jaguar name first appearing on one of the SS models). However, World War II diverted car manufacturing to military manufacturing, and by 1945 the name SS was probably not the most saleable. William Lyons changed the company name to Jaguar, and set about producing a tranche of some of the finest looking sports cars on the market - XK120, XK140, XK150, and in 1961, the E-Type, all housing the robust XK engine (which would remain - with upgrades and modifications - the powerplant for Jaguar until the early 90s). "Grace, Space, Pace" was the Jaguar mantra, and whilst the Sports cars did indeed posses "Pace" (and some "Grace", it was the step-up into mid-range luxury cars that fully met the mantra by adding the "Space". The Mark II (like the Mark I before it) was not a small vehicle but by the some token wasn't that much larger than it's competitors. What the Mark II did do was make the best of it's dimensions by ensuring the cabin was the most comfortable it could be (I have heard the kitting of the interior being called a poor mans Rolls Royce). The Mark II is (probably) only second to the E-Type as the most recognisable car in the Jaguar history. And in 1990/91, was still an affordable (just) choice for the mainstream buyer - yet in 3 years at least another zero - and at it's peak, 2 zeros - were added to the price tag)
Madness may well be the quintessential singles band of the 80s ... but they didn't actually survive the 80s. Mike Barson left the band in 1984 after 'Keep Moving', which (whether directly related or not) led to a change in style for 'Mad Not Mad'. The album included the resigned and/or prescient "Yesterdays Men". The album scraped into the top 20 (as did the accompanying singles) and has generally been cited as "not a great experience". And that experience hung over into the early sessions for the next album, which were curtailed when the band called it a day. Mike Barson did re-join for the signing-off single "(Waiting for the) Ghost Train", before going their separate ways. Suggs, Chas Smash, Lee Thompson and Chris Foreman did re-group in 1988 under the The Madness banner, but after one poorly received album, that name was too retired.
In 1991, "It Must Be Love" was re-released as a single, swiftly followed by the compilation 'Divine Madness' which compiled all the A-Sides. Virgin Records investment was indeed returned as the record-buying public lapped it up (the fact it was on CD, and many older fans probably had 'Complete Madness' and 'Utter Madness' on vinyl, surely helped sales). Never a band to disappoint their fans, discussions and agreements reached to reform for 2 shows at Finsbury Park in 1992. Such was the reception, that the opening salvo of Madstock registered on the Richter Scale. Whilst not exactly a recording concern, Madness continued to tour and organised bi-annual Madstock Festivals. And then in late 98, decided to go back into the studio and see if they could still be a recording unit. 1999s "Wonderful" was not without flaws, but proved the 80s band could progress and develop into the next century.
The early part of the 2000s was spent overseeing the Our House Musical, before re-convening under the name Dangermen for a club tour (with each member adopting a pseudonym) playing predominantly cover versions from their early days. The resulting album 'The Dangermen Sessions Vol. 1' was well received, and work begun on their next album in 2007. Preceded by the single "NW5" and a Glastonbury appearance, 'The Liberty Of Norton Folgate' ranks as not just a return to form, but very probably the best album they have released.
In 1976 Thin Lizzy’s quest to break America stalled as they flew home exhausted (and in Phil Lynott’s case laid low with hepatitis).
From his sick bed he mapped out the songs that would form the second album of 1976 – Johnny The Fox (released in October, just 7 months after Jailbreak). When the supporting tour hit Hammersmith Odeon in November, the Maison Rouge Mobile Studio was parked out front to capture the 2 shows for posterity, archive, and potential use to push Lizzy in America. The US Tour in December was cancelled when, on the night before, Brian Robertson injured his hand in a brawl at the Speakeasy Club. Robertson was replaced for the revised US Tour in January by Gary Moore, but part way through the recording of the next album – 'Bad Reputation' – he was re-instated. 'Bad Reputation' was produced by Tony Visconti, and when considering their next album Thin Lizzy sought his services again. Visconti’s time was limited as he was due to start work with David Bowie. As time was limited, it was suggested a Live album would be the solution, and the tapes from Hammersmith 1976, and a variety of shows from the recent US Tour in October 1977 dusted off and listened through.
Thin Lizzy and Tony Visconti decamped to Paris to sift through and assemble the package, and it is here at the Des Dames Studio that the myths and legend of the album begins.
Is it really a LIVE album? Each participant has a different story.
Brian Downey is adamant that no changes were made to the drums
Phil Lynott concedes that a couple of bass parts, some backing vocals, and vocal fluffs were re-recorded/over-dubbed as they were lost in the mix of the original recording
Scott Gorham concurs with the backing vocals, but also states he only fixed one guitar part as a result of a fan climbing his leg during a solo, and re-did a rhythm part which he lost time on
Brain Robertson claims he spent no more than 15 minutes re-recording/over-dubbing small errors and missing notes
Tony Visconti however claims that 75% of the album was re-recorded in the studio.
Personally, I think the bulk of that 75% was assembling the various recordings, finding the best takes, and splicing together so you can’t hear the join. It’s true he was late joining up with David Bowie for the assembly and production for 'Stage' as his work on 'Live and Dangerous' over-ran, and I applaud Tony Visconti for spending the time capturing the energy, commitment and enjoyment of the band on stage.
Thin Lizzy on record and Thin Lizzy on stage are almost 2 different animals, and 'Live And Dangerous' contains the best, arguably definitive, versions of many tracks – "Emerald", "Southbound", "Rosalie", "Don’t Believe A Word", "Still In Love With You", and "The Rocker" being particularly notable.
The original CD release (from 1989) although claiming to be Digitally Remastered sounds flat compared to the original vinyl issue. This 2022 Remaster rectifies that, and a rapturous audience supporting a passionate and energetic band, bouncing between all-out twin guitar attack and expressive, romantic, elegiac moments shines through. (* "twin guitar attack" - it is compulsory to use this phrase when discussing Thin Lizzy)
This 8CD set packages the remastered version of the original document, with 6 full live shows which provided the source material, plus the March 1978 concert at The Rainbow filmed for a TV Special that was never shown. Admittedly, all the extra shows may not be making regular visits to the turntable/CD Player/Streaming platform of choice, but their presence allows one to compare and contrast different full shows versus final album, and to marvel at the bands power and consistency.
Listening to the alternative shows casts further doubt on Visconti’s re-recording estimates. Lizzy’s commitment and energy on stage never falls – yes there are errors, but it’s all about the performance, presence, and atmosphere. It may not need a Super Deluxe issue to cement it’s place in the pantheon of great Live albums, but this set ensure the profile of the album when the next Top 10 list is compiled.
Will this release bring an end to the “is it really live though?” debate. Maybe not, but armed with the source material in this box set (plus new sleeve notes, and a plethora of photos), and also a perusal of the later released 'Life' Live album, you get a pretty clear picture of the power of Thin Lizzy on a stage, and whilst there may be some fluffs and errors creeping in, there is nowhere near enough failing in performance to warrant re-recording 3 quarters of it
Launched in 1993 as the successor to the Sierra, the Mondeo was envisaged as a "world car". Ford had learnt from it's past, and was now attempting to produce homogenized vehicles, sharing as many components between it's interests as possible. Indeed, the name Mondeo is derived from the Latin word "mundus", meaning "world". Mondeo also translates from the international language of Esperanto as "world". On release it sold well - it was lauded for it's affordability, comfort, and reliability. I can attest to this having owned a 1993 model - it was basically bulletproof, and was only part-exchanged 10 years later when I needed to get a bigger family bus. The Mondeo survived through 5 facelifts, regularly winning (or at least appearing in the Top 3 of) various Car of The Year awards throughout it's lifetime. Such was it's ubiquity, the phrase "Mondeo Man" was coined describing relatively comfortable middle-class-ness. Mondeo Man became a key political term in the 1997 election and the rise of New Labour.
The concept of the "Mondeo man" was popularised by a phrase used by then Leader of the Labour Party, Tony Blair at the Labour Party Conference in October 1996. He recalled a Ford Sierra owner he had canvassed in the Midlands whilst out campaigning for the 1992 general election. The man was a self-employed electrician, whom Blair met while the man was polishing his car at the weekend, and told Blair that he was an ex-Labour voter who had bought his council house, owned his own car, and wondered what the Labour Party had to offer him given the party's history of raising taxes and mortgage rates.
His dad voted Labour, he said. He used to vote Labour, too. But he'd bought his own house now. He'd set up his own business. He was doing very nicely. "So I've become a Tory" he said. In that moment, he crystallised for me the basis of our failure.. His instincts were to get on in life. And he thought our instincts were to stop him. But that was never our history or our purpose.
This is the story that is often credited with inspiring Blair's concept of New Labour, and the "Mondeo man" became the target voter of the campaign for the 1997 general election for the Labour Party.
Mondeo production ceased in March 2022 following years of regularly falling sales, and the noting that buyers were moving away from large family cars to Crossovers and SUVs (aka those overly large vehicles that look like off-roaders, but have no real off-road capability).
It's not documented if Wreckless Eric ever owned a Ford Mondeo, but he did tour Europe in a 1960s Peugeot. This was in the mid-80s after he'd left Stiff Records (his original home) due to a lack of support, promotion and general belief. He was part of the original roster of Stiff artists, alongside Nick Lowe, Elvis Costello, Ian Dury, The Pink Fairies and The Damned, and participated in 2 Stiff Package Tours (5 acts sharing the bill and travelling up and down the country by train). His first album 'Wreckless Eric' came out in March 1978, 'The Wonderful World of Wreckless Eric' (featuring a cover photo of a big band including Danny Baker on drums) released 6 months later, 'Big Smash!' in early 1980. Not long after the release of 'Big Smash!' Eric ended his relationship with Stiff, and struck out on his own. Writing and recording in his home studio, he stayed active continuing to tour and release albums. If anything, there was something of a career re-awakening with the couple of albuims produced with his wife Amy Rigby, and then releasing three solo albums - 'AmERICa' (2015), 'Construction Time & Demolition' (2018) and 'Transience' (2019), which are probably the best of his long career.
But if there is one song that is his Pension Plan, it's this one:
If there is one company that can claim to be there right at the start. it is Mercedes-Benz.
After all, it was Carl Benz who invented the internal combustion engine and with the help of Gottlieb Daimler and Wilhelm Maybach strapped it into a stagecoach and the automobile was born. The name Mercedes was trademarked for the production and sale of horseless carriages, and as production and sales grew, the company name became Daimler-Benz, and Mercedes the brand name. Wilhelm Maybach parted company and set up his own company to design and manufacture a variety of petrol and diesel engines - and becoming the supplier of choice for the Zeppelin aircraft and the German Military. Whilst Military contracts remained, the demand for Zeppelin engines ceased following the Hindenburg disaster, Maybach focussed production on ultra-luxury limousines. Mercedes also had a foot in the ultra-luxury limousine market. The flagship vehicle being the Grosser Mercedes - it's biggest customer being Heads Of State including King Abdullah of Jordan, King Faisal of Iraq, Kaiser Willhelm, Mussoilini, Franco, and the Nazi Party (Hitler, Himmler and Goering are notable owners). And to prove the Grosser Mercedes was not just a Dictators car, the Pope also had one. Mercedes vehicles gained a reputation for reliability, build quality and longevity. This reputation, and no doubt it's high profile statesman ownership, also increased desirability. By 1960, Maybach was subsumed into the Daimler-Benz corporation and charged with overseeing the limousine output.
The existing Grosser Mercedes was re-designed, tinkered and fettled by Mercedes and Mybach - the result was the Mercedes-Benz 600. A luxury limousine competing with Rolls-Royce for Head of State ownership. OK, Mercedes didn't lose the "questionable" owners, with Idi Amin, Kim Jong-Il, François "Papa Doc" Duvalier, Ferdinand Marcos, PW Botha, Leonid Brezhnev, Nicolae Ceaușescu, and Saddam Hussein all owning a Grosser. On the plus side, The Pope continued to use the Grosser his his main conveyance. And Aristotle Onassis, Coco Chanel, Hugh Hefner, Elizabeth Taylor and Jack Nicholson also count as Grosser owners without dictatorial tendencies.
The 600 came in three main variants:
A short wheelbase 4-door saloon, available with a power divider window separating the front seats from the rear bench seat, although most were built without this feature.
A long wheelbase 4-door "Pullman" limousine (with two additional rear-facing seats separated from the driver compartment by a power divider window)
A long wheelbase 6-door limousine (with two forward-facing jump-seats at the middle two doors and a rear bench-seat)
With plenty of case, and plenty of entourage, the Grosser Mercedes also found favour with musicians in the 60s and 70s. Elvis had probably the biggest entourage, and fitted them into the Grosser. Both John Lennon and George Harrison owned one each (and Harrison bought Lennon's from him when he moved to the US in 1971). Eric Clapton, Pete Townsend, Ron Wood, and David Bowie have also been known to load the Grosser with their mates. Bobby Womack states in his autobiography, that after ferrying her around in his 600 Grosser, Janis Joplin was so impressed with the vehicle she wrote a love-letter to it in the form of "Mercedes Benz" on the 'Pearl' album.
Status Quo had enjoyed some success with the singles "Pictures Of Matchstick Men" and "Ice In The Sun", but were having no luck on the album front. Their record label Pye (as was the downfall for The Kinks) wanted to compete in the singles market, but not the album market.
So when the band ditched the psychedelic pop in favour the 12 Bar Boogie shuffle, and 2 further tanked albums with Pye, it was time to find a new home. That home was Vertigo, and the first release in November 1972 was the single "Paper Plane" followed a month later by the album 'Piledriver'.
Status Quo had a Mercedes 600 as the prime mode of transport, and was referred to by the band as the "3 Grand Deutsche Car" (because that's how much it cost and it was German), and so to pad out the stream of conscience lyrics (written by Francis Rossi and Bob Young) a little bit of self-reference was included.
Success for both convinced the band there might just be something in this 3 chord trick they were peddling (note: some songs actually have 5 chords in them)
And 50 years later, they are still boogie shuffling. But this is where 12 Gold Bars began:
Is it possible to condense the contents of all the new music released in a year down to just one song?
Probably not, but I've condensed my album choices to a Top 17 which equates to about 200 or so songs. So let's push that a bit further and select just one, with the additional rule that the chosen song is NOT on one of the selected Toppoermost of my Poppermost (I'm not making this easy for me am I?)
And the winner is ...
The Legends Of Tomorrow - "All We Need Is Love" (presented here in it's full 8 and a half minute version, with a prog-tastic breakdown and coda). The riff is immediately comfortable, and the lyrics are a glorious "spot the reference exercise" of music history. But the underlying message is an admirable one that. I'm sure, we all hope is observed in these uncertain times
So who are The Legends Of Tomorrow?
They are a 'studio band' project that features numerous musicians and artists from Northern Ireland ... and a couple from Dublin. The parent album - 'Days Full Of Rain' was recorded almost entirely between September 2021 and May 2022, and is available from bandcamp in download form, and also as a limited edition physical CD.
John Graham Mellor was born in August 1952 in Ankara, Turkey. He was the son of a Diplomat (something he tried to live down for large chunks of his life). He was sent to Boarding School at the age of 9 and rarely saw his parents growing up. After leaving school he went to London College Of Art, where inspired by a busker he first picked up a guitar (well, a ukelele) and learnt to play with fellow students in support. He also adopted the name Woody Mellor (in reference to Woody Guthrie). He then moved to Newport, Wales in 1973 - effectively "dropping out", working as a grave-digger, and fronting a band formed at the Newport College of Art (which he never attended, but spent plenty of time there). Within a year, he was back in London, living in a squat, and joining up with bands formed by whatever squat-mates he fell in with. One of these bands - The 101ers - gained a following and reputation, and gave the now re-christened Joe Strummer (so named because of his guitar playing style) his first visit to a recording studio and first single release ("Keys To Your Heart"). In a case of everything aligning at the right moment, in April 1976 The 101ers were supported by the Sex Pistols. Joe saw "something" that night and was considering how much further the 101ers could actually go. That same night, Joe was approached by Bernie Rhodes and Mick Jones, and invited to their Camden Town rehearsal rooms to try out as lead singer. Two and a half months later, with Joe at the front The Clash stepped on stage at The Black Swan pub in Sheffield supporting the Sex Pistols, and then 6 months later the band were signed by CBS Records. Their debut album came out inside a year of their formation, followed by incessant touring and a second album before the end of 1978 ('Give Em Enough Rope' which also sparked the departure of Manager Bernie Rhodes. Bernie's absence merely exacerbated The Clash's profile and output, culminating in 1979's near perfect double album 'London Calling'. Ambition knew no bounds in The Clash camp, and the next album 'Sandinista' was a triple (although, it could easily have been another double of one removes the chaff and filler). Wanting to keep the price of the album down, The Clash agreed a reduced royalty on 'Sandinista' leading to certain cash-flow and business issues, and Bernie Rhodes was invited back to steer the ship once again. What Bernie did seem to do though was start sow the seed of division in the band, and the ever trusting Joe went along with it. The sessions for 1982s 'Combat Rock' were fractious (not helped by drummer Topper Headon's deepening heroin habit), and the tour equally divisive. So much so, that by autumn 1983 (many reports suggest at Bernie's behest) Mick Jones was sacked. A new Clash line-up was configured and a back-to-basics, low key, busking tour completed before they decamped to the studio for their next album. Bernie Rhodes was now in full "divide and conquer" mode, and became Joe's co-songwriter (regardless of musical ability) and producer of the album sessions. Mick Jones sacking was part personal issues, and part down ti his interest in expanding the sound with drum machines and synthesisers - something Bernie Rhodes (and by association, Joe Strummer) felt was not where The Clash should be going. So it was all a bit odd when Bernie Rhodes effectively built 'Cut The Crap' in the studio without a real drummer, scant use of the new guitarists Vince White and Nick Sheppard, and layered on the synths and sampling. 'Cut The Crap' has few moments of worth ("This Is England" being the prime cut, and the last truly great Clash song), and Joe Strummer effectively disowned it upon release, and within 6 months The Clash disbanded.
Without his songwriting foil, band, or guiding hand (or should that be partially controlling co-conspirator?), Joe Strummer moved on from the demise of The Clash and started working with Alex Cox for the music of the film Sid and Nancy. In a fit of realisation he also sought out Mick Jones, firstly with the intent of re-forming The Clash, but then (once he'd found Mick on a Caribbean island recording Big Audio Dynamite's second album) as s slight rejuvenation of their partnership. Joe was credited as co-producer and co-wrote half of the album. One of the telling things he said to Mick when they met up was "you were right about Bernie".
Through the late 80s and early 90s, Joe tried his hand at acting and film soundtracks. His work in Alex Cox's Straight To Hell led to an association with The Pogues, where he filled in as guitarist in tour, then produced 1991s 'Hell's Ditch', and briefly replaced frontman Shane MacGowan on a US Tour.
Joe's self-confessed "Wilderness Years" were curtailed when he formed The Mescaleros in 1999, and they entered into the write, record, tour cycle. 1999 also marked The Mescaleros appearance at the Glastonbury Festival. This may have been the only time that Joe Strummer and The Mescaleros appeared on stage at Glastonbury, but the Strummerville gathering of friends and artists was to become a fixture of the Festival. This extended to the curation of a stage at the Festival - The Strummerville Bandstand. In November 2002, Joe Strummer and The Mescaleros played at a Fireman's Benefit Show in London. Mick Jones was in the audience that night and joined the band on stage for the encore. After the show Joe and Mick had a brief conversation about working together on future projects - Joe had a cache of lyrics that he felt could be used for a new album together (maybe even a new Clash album).
On the morning of 21st December 2002, Joe Strummer took his dog for a walk and then returned home for a Saturday snooze. A heart attack, as a result of an un-diagnosed congenital heart defect, took Joe Strummer at the age of 50.
Widely respected, cited as an influence by many, but also a very private man, Joe Strummers humanity is celebrated in the Julien Temple film The Future Is Unwritten which serves as a fine legacy, and also in the ongoing efforts of the Joe Strummer Foundation - a registered charity that supports aspiring musicians and funds projects which promote new music. They also operate workshops and rehearsal space (under the name Strummerville Studio) at The Roundhouse in London and The Oh Yeah Music Centre in Belfast.
