» Listings for 2023

1. 2023 Albums Thing 134 - Fàshiön Music “Pröduct Perfect”

   Posted on 9:10am Tuesday 18th Jul 2023

   Fàshiön Music, or just Fàshiön as they were often known, were a Punk/New Wave trio from Birmingham who incorporated elements of Reggae into their music. Their sole album “Pröduct Perfect” is a criminally underrated work of freakin’ genius ! One of those albums I know every nook and cranny of and listen to regularly.

   They formed in Brum in 1978 and consisted of John Mulligan (known as just Mulligan) on bass and synthesizer, Dik Davies (known just as Dik) on drums and Al James (known as Luke James, Luke Sky, or just Luke or Lûke, short for "Luke Skyscraper" a reference to Luke Skywalker due to the fact that he was around 6’ 7” tall) on vocals and guitar. 

   It’s a mix of poppy late 70’s “New Wave” mashed up with elements of reggae. The most obviously reggae influenced songs are the title track, “Red Green And Gold” (of course) and “Don’t Touch Me”. Luke’s voice is very “affected” in style, in a way I’ve only really heard UK new wave singers manage, although the nearest comparison I could make would be to Devo’s Mark Mothersbaugh. The recording is quite basic with occasionally flanged bass and very chorused guitars (the guitar players will understand). 

   My favourite here is Side 2’s “Bike Boys” a new wave romp about motorbike riding ruffians, it’s the closest to the Punk sound of the times. I love the whole album and have since I bought it 44 years ago (how to make yourself feel old) and now own two copies, an original and a recent re-issue on “Verduous Green” vinyl (hey that’s what the hype sticker says !). Talking of Hype stickers Robert Christgau had this to say about the record on the 2021 re-issue…

   “…all of these songs are based on post-Marcusian cliches sophisticated enough to get the average rock fan thinking hard, and some of them are based on post-Marcusian ideas sophisticated enough to get the average post-Marcusian thinking hard. Sounds unmusical but it isn't that either--the singing is clever and impassioned, the punkish, futuristic reggae-synthesizer fusion often catchy and always apt."

   No, I don’t understand what most of that means either but it sounds about right and I will continue to listen to this marvellous record whenever post Marcusianism is required.

   Bike Boys - https://youtu.be/qOrZL9i6oWI

2. 2023 Albums Thing 133a - Eno “Here Come The Warm Jets”

   Posted on 10:26am Sunday 16th Jul 2023

   Sunday special, One out of step cos I acquired this just this weekend.

   I’ve not been previously that interested in Brian Eno until I wrote all those pieces about Bowie earlier this year and it became obvious that Eno’s influence on those records of Bowie’s he was involved with (and even some that he wasn’t) was significant. I’d always had him pegged as an experimantal, ambient noodler although I knew one of his songs had been covered by Bauhaus so maybe there was more to him. Rob, who comes into the shop 4 days outta 5 on his way to work, is a fan and suggested if I was going to like anything of Eno’s it would be his first two albums, “Here Come The Warm Jets” and “Taking Tiger Mountain (By Strategy)”.

   Brian Eno, a self confessed “non musician”, was a founder member of Roxy Music. After recording 2 albums with them, “Roxy Music” and “For Your Pleasure”, he quit in 1973 after disagreements with singer Bryan Ferry (it’s reported Ferry told Eno there could only be one Brian (Bryan ?) in the band). Eno almost immediately embarked on his solo career releasing this album in February 1974. 

   “Here Come The Warm Jets” is a gentle glam/art-pop concoction with more than a hint of Krautrock about it. It was recorded in 12 days by a group of 16 musicians (including all the members of Roxy Music except Bryan Ferry) who Eno invited to play on the basis that they were all “musically incompatible”. Eno (“non musician” remember) directed the musicians by suggesting how things might sound and by dancing. He is credited with playing "snake guitar", "simplistic piano" and "electric larynx”. You can’t nail it down to one thing but it’s easy to hear how this was quite the influence on a lot of people, especially through the 80’s.

   Here’s a link to a contemporary short documentary about the making of this album https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x81aix1. If any of the above interests you this will tell you more about the record than I can, I’m pretty new to it myself. Eno became involved with music that has been part of my world for decades and this album gives me more insight into how that music came to be. Cheers Brian

   Needles In The Camels Eye - https://youtu.be/2SWrIB75vc8

3. 2023 Albums Thing 133 - Georgie Fame “Bonnie And Clyde”

   Posted on 9:10am Saturday 15th Jul 2023

   Another of those albums I own just for one track as to own it on a 7” would be financially prohibitive. “Somebody Stole My Thunder” was a flop single in 1970 for Mr Fame but these days I’d not expect much change (if any) out of £200 for a 7” copy, so this budget album including it will have to do until I stumble across one in a charity shop !

   Georgie might be regarded as Britain’s king of the Hammond Organ and “Somebody Stole My Thunder” is a perfect ,fuzz guitar-tastic Hammond groover of the kind appreciated these days on both the Mod and Soul scenes. Play it alongside Julie Driscoll, Brian Auger & The Trinity’s “Indian Rope Man” and The Quik’s “Bert’s Apple Crumble” or Julien Covey & The Machine’s “A Little Bit Hurt” to instantly find yourself in Brit Hammond heaven.

   At the age of 80 you’ll still find Georgie behind his Hammond, these days most commonly as part of Van Morrison’s band and, trivia fans, he is the only British music act to have achieved three UK No. 1 hits with his only top 10 chart entries, "Yeh, Yeh" in 1964, "Get Away" in 1966 and "The Ballad of Bonnie and Clyde" in 1967, don’t ever say this thing ain’t educational.

   Somebody Stole My Thunder - https://youtu.be/Llt_gKLmpaQ