Scene: an empty warehouse, in darkness.
FX: A door creaks opens, a switch clicks.
The lights flicker into life.
Delivery Man 1 [poking his head through the door]: Yes, this looks like it.
Delivery Man 1 backs into view, clipboard under arm, guiding a large object covered in a sheet, which is being pushed by Delivery Man 2 with considerably more effort than Delivery Man 1 is expending.
FX: The door slams shut.
Delivery Man 2: Whereabouts does it need to go? What does the order say?
Delivery Man 1 consults the clipboard.
Delivery Man 1: It says āLeave in the middle of the floor, covered, as if itās been here for ages.ā
Delivery Man 2 [with a shrug]: Bit weird, but if thatās what it says.
Job done, they exit, leaving the light on.
FX: the door opens and closes. Pause. Repeat.
An incredibly handsome, if fat and bald, man enters the room. He surveys the object before removing the sheet.
Incredibly handsome, if fat and bald, man: And we’re back in the room!
Hello, and welcome to The Chain. Where’ve you been? I’ve been waiting for you.
Prompted by a question about whether one of this weekās suggestions qualified under the rules, and nothing whatsoever to do with the amount of time since one of these posts appeared, nosireebob, I thought it might be best if I go over them again here, with a brief explanation of what we do here.
So, The Chain is a feature on BBC 6Music’s Radcliffe and Maconie show (and prior to that, their show on BBC Radio 2), where a record is played and they invite suggestions as to what record could be played next, which must link in some way to the one just played.
The difference here is that whilst they choose just one record to play, we try to post all of the suggestions which you submit.
The only rules are:
- No suggested record can feature twice (unless it has only featured as part of The Official Chain). If youāre not sure ā ask!
- The only exception to this rule is “Back on the Chain Gang” by The Pretenders, which has been adopted as our theme tune
- When making your suggestion, you must provide an explanation of the link between the two songs
- You must already own a copy of it, and be willing to provide it (in case I don’t already own it or am unable to source it)
- Suggestions must be more than just naming a different song by the same artist.
- You can make as many suggestions as you like, but please, go easy on me, won’t you?
That’s about it. I award points every now and again, for Worst Record of the Week, Cheesiest Record of the Week, Comment Showboat of the Week, and of course, for anyone who happens to guess either the song or act (or both) that is the next record in the Official Chain, which becomes the source record for the following week. Nobody’s keeping score (well, I’m not anyway), the points are just a bit of fun.
Okay, that’s the admin done. Last time out, the source record was “The Universal” by Blur; personally, I found this a really tricky one to link to, especially as I have to wait and see what’s left after you guys have nominated all the good ones. Ho hum, such is life.
So, here we go then, and as usual, weāll bracket them into several fairly broad categories and, as usual, weāll probably wander off on a couple of tangents along the way.
First out of the traps last time was Charity Chic from Charity Chic Music who wrote:
āIt has to be something off ‘Universal Audio’, the final album by The Delgados. I Fought the Angels would do rather nicely I feelā
The Delgados – I Fought The Angels
Of course, CC was not alone in suggesting a link to something of Universal appeal; Dirk from sexyloser proffered thusly:
“…because not enough good German music is being featured on these pages, Iād like to link to Die Sterne ā āUniversal TellerwƤscherā from 1994 ā¦. which in fact is a mighty record indeed!”
I was going to make a rather unkind joke about the phrase “good German music” being an oxymoron, but then I listened to Dirk’s suggestion and have to agree, it is mighty fine (even if I have not one clue as to what it’s about, although Google Translate, which is never wrong, obviously, tells me that a TellerwƤscher is a dishwasher ):
Die Sterne – Universal TellerwƤscher
Sticking with the Universal theme, SWC from When You Can’t Remember Anything suggested this:
Universal Being – Size of an Elephant
whilst The Great Gog wrote:
“…seeing as weāre all commenting on The Universal, Red Hot Chilli Peppersā Universally Speaking would seem apt.”
Red Hot Chili Peppers – Universally Speaking
And The Beard quoted a completely different song which contains the word “Universal”:
āUniversal, unique untouched, unadulterated, the raw uncutā
He is, of course, referring to this:
Blackalicious – Alphabet Aerobics
Time for the first interlude of the day; I stumbled along this clip the other day, which I’m sure you’ll agree contains some quite wizardly rapping:
Anyway, where were we?
Ah yes. Blur’s ‘The Universal’. Take it away Julian of Music from Magazines fame:
“Blur did a song āBeetlebumā
The Beatles did a song āAcross The Universeā
Laibach did a version of āAcross The Universeā
Laibach nailed āSympathy For The Devilā
(The 7.52 version please)”
As you wish:
Laibach – Sympathy For The Devil
Time for a big Chain welcome for the first of two new contributors to The Chain this week, here’s Telefrank:
“The video for ‘The Universal’ references the Korova Milk Bar, so something by Wendy Carlos natch.”
Just to join up the dots: the Korova Milk Bar features in ‘A Clockwork Orange’, so this seemed like as good a tune as any:
Wendy Carlos – Title Music From ‘A Clockwork Orange’
Walter from A Few Good Times in My Life pointed out that “…the opposite of universe might be the underground. So…”
It’s scary how that song is so relevant now, 35 years after it came out. “Times have changed”, some people say. I’d play them that and respectfully disagree.
Anyway, before I start going off on one, more Universal shenanigans. Here’s Alex G from We Will Have Salad:
“A nice easy link from ‘Universal’ to another well-known film studio: Columbia.”
Walter continues the theme: “Universal is also a music label distributing music of various and different artists. So I suggest:”
Tom Petty – You Don’t Know How It Feels
From the Universal links, it’s one small step to the universe, and space in general, and to our second new member of The Chain Gang of the week, abramson60, the 60th from the very noble Abramson family, as Adam Buxton would say:
Anyway, abramson60 has certainly got the hang of how to make sure you get lots of tunes played here: list of a load of songs he’d considered before finally plumping for a completely different one. I, of course, cannot resist:
“Universe would automatically take me down the space road, so you could have….”
“…or another of my pet favorites…”
“…not forgetting that he went on to become the nation’s favourite spaced out artist.”
But, “…sticking with universe, The Rocky Horror Picture Show had long lasting and profound influence on the somewhat naive 16 year old me who first saw the film at the tail end of the 70ās. So my pick is ‘Iām Going Home’, not quite sure where to but somewhere in the outer reaches of space.” I’m not sure I quite follow the link there, but as it’s your first visit, I’ll let it slide this time:
Dr. Frank N. Furter – I’m Going Home
Over to The Swede from Unthought of, though, somehow next, who says:
“Iāll keep things cosmic and suggest āSpace is Deepā by Hawkwind ā the studio version from āDoremi Fasol Latidoā please.”
Very well.
A couple of you suggested links from lyrics withing ‘The Universal’, which is fair enough and fine by me. For example, Rigid Digit from Stuff & Nonsense suggested:
“‘The Universal’ includes the lines:
āAnd to karaoke songs,
We like to sing along,
Although the words are wrongā
So .. mondegreens (misheard lyrics) and possibly the most well known: ‘Scuse me while I kiss this guy'”
The Jimi Hendrix Experience – Purple Haze
Next up, Martin from New Amusements, who takes the “list a load of songs then pick a completely different one as their choice” approach adopted by abramson60 and combines it with Rigid Digit’s focus on the song’s lyrics:
“The Universal includes a line about ‘satellites in every home’ so we could go with that, enabling…”
“…or…”
“…or…”
Tasmin Archer – Sleeping Satellite
“…or, I guess…”
If I could just butt in for a moment, I can’t hear that record without thinking of this record (and vice versa) since I can’t help but think that while it’s not a straight-out sample, the synth melody line, owes more than a little debto the old instrumental Martin suggests:
Saint Etienne – You’re In A Bad Way
Martin’s actual choice will follow in a moment, but props where props are due, the category it falls into was first suggested by The Robster from Is This The Life? (well, actually, it was first mentioned by Rigid Digit last week time)
“My link comes in the form of British Gas adverts. The Universal was, as you point out, used in an ad campaign for British Gas. So was ‘More Than A Feeling’ by Boston, which despite ticking all the middle-of-the-road 70s AOR boxes, is a damn fine tune and one I always find myself playing air guitar to. True!”
It may well be, but unfortunately that’s featured in The Chain before, so, as per the rules above, I can’t allow it this week. Sorry!
Tell you what, have another go:
“Another gem from the British Gas archive is the wonderful ‘Rescue Me’ by Fontella Bass which cannot fail to give everyone a lift on a Monday morning.”
Much better.
Back to Martin again: “…letās go down the route of the Blur trackās British Gas-based ubiquity, all the excuse we need to have ‘Jumpinā Jack Flash’ by The Rolling Stones, since that tells us ‘itās a gas, gas, gas.'”
The Rolling Stones – Jumpin’ Jack Flash
He’s still not done yet, mind:
“But Iād rather suggest a song I really like, so the gas connection allows me to pitch the much-less-played ‘Itās A Gas’ by The Wedding Present. Any excuse to get the Gedge out, after all.”
I could not agree more.
The Wedding Present – It’s A Gas
Catchphrase time! If you’re suggesting that, then Iām suggesting this:
And as a special treat, here’s Marc Bolan performing ‘Life’s A Gas’ with Cilla Black, of all people:
The less said about that the better, I think.
But whilst we’re on adverts, here’s Snuff from their ace “Flibbiddydibbiddydob” album (these are so short, you may as well have two):
After those words from our sponsors, back to The Great Gog:
“‘The Great Escape album’ from which The Universal is taken also includes a song called ‘Top Man’. When I was younger (and a little less Great) I used to venture into Manchester and frequent a store of that name, and occasionally even buy something. Having done this, my then-significant other would drag me to where she wanted to buy stuff ā Chelsea Girl. Obviously the title of a song by Simple Minds…”
Well, if you’re suggesting that, then I’m suggesting this:
Sorry GG, I interupted, do carry on:
“…[Chelsea Girls is] also referenced on Mighty Mightyās ‘Is There Anyone Out There?’ Which sort of links back to matters universal.”
Mighty Mighty – Is There Anyone Out There?
Right, where next? Since we seem to have exhausted all of the possibilities of links to “The Universal”, how about links to Blur? Seems like a plan.
Over to Birthday Boy Rol (45 today!) from My Top Ten, then, with two and a half suggestions:
“Suggestion that needs no explanation: ‘Mr. Blur’ by Tom Verlaine.”
He continues: “Suggestion that leads a little more explanation: Blur used to be called Seymour. Iām sure someone will link to the obvious song from that (the one about a record company boss…”
You mean this one, I assume?
Belle & Sebastian – Seymour Stein
“…so,” Rol continues, “Iāll point us towards the character of Seymour in the movie ‘The Little Shop of Horrors’ and suggest the song ‘Feed Me, Seymour’ as sung by the killer plant Audrey II (aka Levi Stubbs from The Four Tops).”
The Great Gog’s back:
“As Rol has mentioned Seymour, the track that I always think of when I hear Blurās previous name is ‘Read About Seymour’ by Swell Maps.”
Swell Maps – Read About Seymour
Now, before he started listing spacey songs, abramson60 also proffered up a few relating to the name of Blur:
“Blur taken as unclear leads me to…”
You can all count yourself lucky that I decided not to post the version with Gazza on it. Actually, that might have been quite appropriate, since writing and indeed reading The Chain often has the air of a hostage situation about it, so maybe we should expect him to rock up with a bucket of fried chicken and a fishing rod.
Anyway, back to you abramson60:
“…or maybe when everything clears…”
Jimmy Cliff – I Can See Clearly Now
I’ve got Snuff covering that too somewhere, but let’s not overdo it, eh? That would take us over the 2 minutes of Snuff records mark, which would never do.
Any more, abramson60?
“Having said all of that I would much prefer to offer up Dr Phibes and the House of Wax Equations (any brownie points for extra long band names?) [Nope – Ed] and Hazy Lazy Hologram, link being obvious and in hazy, and everyone loves drug induced music, donāt they?”
Dr Phibes & The House Of Wax Equations – Hazy Lazy Hologram
Back to Julian for his obligatory weekly suggestion of a record by Lambchop:
“A Blur is what the world is when ones had too many HIC!!
Where was I ?
Who fucking knows?
Oh yes its all coming back to meā¦..”
Lambchop – The Man Who Loved Beer
And what of the individual members of Blur, there must be some links there, right?
Guess what, here’s abramson60. Again.
“Blurās singer is Damon Albarn who is the son of Keith Albarn, who once managed Soft Machine, whose drummer Robert Wyatt went onto have a solo career, recording ‘Shipbuilding’ which as we all know was written by Elvis Costello, who took part in the Red Wedge tours along side Billy Bragg. So my suggestion has to be ‘Valentine’s Day Is Over’.”
Billy Bragg – Valentine’s Day Is Over
I have two things to say about this. Firstly, I had no idea of the Albarn connection to Soft Machine, and secondly, abramson60 did suggest this back on February 15th, which makes his choice of Billy track a little more understandable.
But frankly, you had me at “Shipbuilding”:
Elvis Costello & The Attractions – Shipbuilding
SWC’s back:
“Damon Albarn was the boyfriend of Justine Frischmann of Elastica. So letās have ‘Stutter’ from them.”
The first record I ever bought by Elastica this, albeit on an NME compilation album of their Singles of the Week from 1993, and without doubt one of the finest ever songs about erectile disfunction.
Charity Chic’s back, with the obligatory Clash record of the week. Don’t worry George, there’s a finite number of them that can be suggested:
“Damon Albarn was in The Good,The Bad and the Queen, as was Paul Simonon who wrote and sung ‘Guns of Brixton'”
The Clash – The Guns of Brixton
Speaking of George, he’s been rather quiet so far this week, so here’s the first of his suggestions:
“Damon Albarn was/is also in a band called Gorillaz, and gorillas are in a branch of primates, as are monkeys, leading to ‘Monkey On My Back’ by The Triffids (from the Field of Glass EP). I think the song is not actually about monkeys.”
The Triffids – Monkey on My Back
Well, if you’re suggesting that, then I’m suggesting this:
Inspiral Carpets – Monkey On My Back
In fact, given his involvement with Gorillaz, you could describe Albarn as a…
(My apologies, by the way: I realised I’ve misnamed the mp3 as Toots and The Maytals, rather than just The Maytals, but I really can’t be arsed with changing it.)
The Great Gog’s back again:
“I did have one more up my sleeve, but left it in case anyone else came up with it ā they havenāt , so here goes. Blurās lead singer is D. Albarn. Shuffling one of those letters to the left a bit allows me to type Dr. Alban, the early 90ās hitmaker who made such a lasting impression on me that I can only recall one of his tunes…”
Hands down winner of the “Worst Record of the Week” award, there.
“Used in a Tampax advert at some point in the nineties too,” pipes up The Beard. Now, let’s not lower ourselves by making any jokes about that particualr subject. That’s it. None. End of. Period.
Instead, let’s move onto the other members of Blur, and focus for a moment on bass player Alex James. Over to you, George:
“Another Alex is Alex Harvey, so the song is from the first Sensational Alex Harvey Band album ‘Framed’, and ‘The Hammer Song’.”
The Sensational Alex Harvey Band – The Hammer Song
Another from SWC next, I think:
“When he is not doing that [being in Blur] he schmoozes up to his famous neighbours David Cameron and Jeremy Clarkson. He also pretends to make cheese which gives us a lovely link to āGorgonzolaā by Leslie Sarony.”
Mention any of the old music hall acts such as Leslie, and I’m afraid I can’t help thinking of this chap:
Back over to Rol, who might just see this post before his birthday’s finished:
“All this talk of Alex Jamesās cheese behooves me to suggest Copy Cats by The Humdrum Express, which features the linesā¦
āI read a Jamie Oliverās Feastival review
Where ex-Top Gear presenters jumped the queue
To a sign publicising ageing sleaze
But it was Alex Jamesās aptly named new cheeseā
(It also features the line āMore Betty Than Swervedriverā, which Iām half thinking of stealing to rename my blog.)”
Bagsy and first dibs duly note.
The Humdrum Express – Copy Cats
I may aswell chuck one in to the Alex-mix. When he isn’t making cheese, or being in Blur, he’s also popped up in some questionable novelty acts, most famously with Fat Les, but also in Wig Wam, a truly awful project that I’m not going to offend your ears by playing. His partner-in-crime there, though, was one Alison Clarkson aka Betty Boo:
Betty Boo – Where Are You Baby?
Two band members left, and absolutely nobody suggested anything Graham Coxon-related so I had a quick shufty round and found that according to wikipedia, he appeared on Blue Peter twice as a child.
But since all the rest of the band are getting at least two songs, we may as well have one of his singles. Friends of mine will attest that every time we’ve heard thisplayed out, I always point out that the intro sounds a lot like “Into the Valley” by Skids (Since nobody has ever agreed with me on this point, I’d post it so you could compare, but as it’s already featured on The Chain once before, I can’t. Who made these stupid rules up anyway??):
Which just leaves drummer Dave Rowntree, and a suggestion by The Beard:
“He shares his surname with the confectioners Rowntree. They are based in York and created the KitKat. York Cityās Bootham Crescent ground was for a period renamed KitKat Crescent. ‘Crystal Crescent’ is a track by Primal Scream amd nothing to do with chocolate or the city of York.”
Primal Scream – Crystal Crescent
Times may not change, by Primal Sceam certainly have over the years, haven’t they?
Finally, Rowntree has stood for election three times on behalf of the Labour party, losing on each occasion. Which leads me to this:
Which just leaves us to reveal what the next record in the Official Chain is, and many of you will have noticed the absence of one particular song from the start of this post, when we looked at songs with the word “Universal” in the title. Many people wanted to suggest this, but Swiss Adam from baggingarea was the first out of the traps so the kudos and points are his this week:
“The Small Faces have their own ‘Universal’ which is a lovely song.”
Ain’t that the truth:
So, all that laves me to do is to ask for your suggestions, please, for songs which link to āThe Universalā by Small Faces, along with a brief description of the link, via the Comments Section down below, in time for the next edition.
Let’s say that will be next week, and see what happens, eh?
More soon.
Top pub quiz shit
Wendy Carlos and Walter Carlos who
What better birthday present could there be than the return of The Chain?
My therapist also thanks you.
Suggestions?
No, I don’t want to rush that. I’ll be back.
From Small Faces to Angels with Dirty Faces by Sham 69 please Jez
Another corking post
Cheers, hopefully it won’t take me so long to write the next one!
I must admit, I’ve not been inspired by the last two Chains, but this one has got me thinking immediately. Ronnie Lane was in the Small Faces, then the Faces, but it’s Ronnie Lane’s Slim Chance & their version of Ooh La La I’m going to suggest first. One of my favourite songs and about the only song that makes me wish I could play guitar so I could annoy people at open mics with it.
From there I’m going to suggest Goldfrapp’s own Ooh la la (Strict machine has already been used…), and as I’ve gone there, I’m going to wring it to death like a dog & it’s favourite toy & suggest Ooh la la by The Wiseguys, a song I used to love playing when Dj’ing and one of Mrs Lotti’s favourite tunes……
After reading “Ooh La La” that many times, I now have Kool and The Gang “Ooh La La La (Lets Go Dancing” lodged firmly in my brain
Heh, yeh me too.
Good to see The Chain return. Looking back, I feel bad about making 5 suggestions last time, so I’ll limit myself to just the one for now and maybe something else later if my mind starts wandering. Interesting to see Dr. Alban rated worse than both Betty Boo and the Blue Peter theme, by the way!
It’s interesting that you choose to illustrate this week’s link with the Ogden’s Nut Gone Flake cover as The Universal was not on that album (unless it features on a reissue). Anyway, seeing the word Ogden’s immediately brought to mind World Of Twist and their late singer, Tony Ogden. I’ll go for The Storm from them.
There is categorically nothing wrong with Betty Boo! You have a point about the Blue Peter theme, mind.
Oh, and yes, you’re right of course, it was a bonus track on the 2007 re-release.
I met Betty Boo once. She was very pleasant but swore like a docker. Anyway. It’s good to have the chain back. I will be going down the face route. But I might also go down the flake route if I get hungry.
Steve Marriott was a member of the Small Faces, There is a hotel chain called the Marriott.
I have stayed in one at LAX Airport .So they have Hotels in California
If you can’t face the Eagles there is also a version by Alabama 3
Picking up from the Marriott hotel chain – this is mentioned in a song – Mark Ronson’s “Record Collection”, where Simon Le Bon sings the line “I get preferential treatment at the Marriott”. I got heartily sick of this tune at the time of FIFA 11, as it was on the soundtrack and my youngest, then aged 10, was constantly wanting to beat me at it – happy memories of having to be a Belgian 2nd Division team whenever we played!
OK, my first thought for this was to go down the Stan Ogden route (topical reference, ahoy!) which would lead you to Stan by Eminem and better still to Mark & Lard’s spoof version, Tony by The Shirehorses.
From Small Faces, I tried to come up with the smallest thing I could think of that has a face, and naturally I thought of Midge Ure.
I’ll rephrase that.
From Small Faces, I tried to come up with the smallest thing I could think of that has a face, and I thought of midges. And having looked them up and established to my own satisfaction that midges do indeed have an arrangement of features on the front of their heads which would pass for faces, that naturally leads me to Midge Ure. In the spirit of this blog, I suggest his little-remembered 1991 semi-hit “Cold Cold Heart”, which I liked enough at the time to buy it, though it leaves me cold (ha!) now.
Since we exhausted riffs on the song title last time out, I’m going to have to go with the band. My first thought is that Small Faces’ drummer Kenney Jones later joined The Who after Keith Moon’s death. No Moon maybe implies eclipse, but no, I’m not pitching anything by Bonnie Tyler. A new Moon (perhaps on a Monday?) No, I’m not pitching that, by Duran Duran, either.
Instead, let’s go with the fact that Steve Marriott introduced Ronnie Lane as “Leafy Lane” on one of their albums, and a Leafy Lane probably has lots of shade, so let’s go with Shady Lane by Pavement.
Good to have this back, by the way, cheers.
If we are talking about faces then the first port of call should be ‘poker face’ by Lady Gaga. Just because it’s ace.
A plethora of fine tracks on this week’s chain. Here’s a suggestion. The Small Faces’ first manager was Don Arden. The charming Mr Arden, not at all a thug or bully, in a meeting with Robert Stigwood (another would-be band manager) threatened to throw him out of a window, Robert Stigwood was the manager of Cream, so I suggest their single Badge.
So this is my attempt at showboating. The Faces reformed in 2009 with a certain Mick Hucknall on lead vocals. Hucknall is also a place in Nottinghamshire which was the birth place of a certain Eric Coates who wrote the theme to Dam Busters and the theme to Desert Island Discs. So either one of those please.
We all know you really wanted to ask for Money’s Too Tight To Mention… you were just too embarrassed, right?
The Small Faces keyboardist Ian McLagan died in Austin, Texas. Steve Austin, The Six Million Dollar Man, was played by Lee Majors. He also played Colt Seavers in The Fall Guy and, a la Dennis Waterman, crooned the theme tune, The Unknown Stuntman.
Genius. Tune of the week. Link of the week. No contest.
Genius. As with previous suggestions, I wish I could pretend I don’t already own this…
I’m just happy with the points.
The Small Faces were named because:
(a) they hadn’t yet reached the top of the Mod Hierarchy (ie they weren’t yet Faces, they were still Numbers – albeit high ranking ones – but there was already a band called the High Numbers, and
(b) they were all short (Steve Marriott was 5′ 1″, Ian McLagan was 5′ 0″, and Kenney Jones and Ronnie Lane were both 4′ 7″).
(Note: this may not be true)
Pixies are also short
Pixies – Here Comes Your Man
Small Faces first hit was ‘What’cha Gonna Do About It’, written by Ian Samwell.
He also invented British Rock n Roll by penning ‘Move It’
If I ever listen to Small Faces it takes me back to the good old days with Rod Steward. So it is easy to go to his second album under his own name. Gasoline Alley might be the best he ever made. Torn between ballads and rockers. So I have to suggest Jodie’s lament or Good old country for the chain.
Hey Walter, forgive my ignorance: Jodie’s Lament and Good Old Country are songs by Rod…?
As for Die Sterne, Jez, ‘dishwasher’ is of course the absolutely correct translation of ‘TellerwƤscher’: the song is about a bloke who works as a dishwasher in the Universal film studios and basically dreams about the things in life he thinks he deserves but won’t get. And yes, it’s a great tune, isn’t it? Also, ‘good German music’ d.o.e.s. exist and I’m happy to make an according tape (or whatever this may be called these days) for you any time if you are interested!
As for today’s link, I must admit I couldn’t remember this Small Faces tune and I could neither be arsed to download it nor to search for the ‘Best Of’ – CD of theirs I have somewhere. So instead I had a look at YouTube and found out that there’s a dog barking at approx. 1:05 minutes. An even better tune with a dog barking in it – albeit not at 1:05, no, at 2:27 minutes instead – is The Clash’s ‘Somebody Got Murdered’ … a link which – again, mind you – will please my friend George mightily, I suspect!
The dog you hear actually belonged to Steve Marriot. He became something of a session player, also appearing on Pink Floyd’s album ‘Meddle’ in a song they named after him – Seamus.
Dammit. I was keeping that factoid in my back pocket for inclusion in the next post. Still, keep me on my toes, eh?
I believe “the kids” call it a playlist these days, Dirk. Might take you up on that offer one day, since my knowledge of German records begins with Nena and ends with Die Roten Rosen, with nothing in between
can we PLEASE have one week of The Chain without a Clash tune. Please. It’s not much to ask.
I’ll be honest George, my heart sinks whenever they get nominated because I know there’s a song I know one of my Gang won’t like. But I have a plan: why not announce you dislike an act you actually love so they get suggested every week instead…?
Time for the best track that will be in the next issue of The Chain. From Small Faces, to masks (that tend to be worn on faces) to Trout Mask Replica, and Moonlight on Vermont.
OK I shall try to be a little bit more brief! First thoughts were along the Don Arden manager line leading me to either Black Sabath (Iron Man) or Vinegar Joe (proud to be (a honkey woman)) via Elkie Brooks who albeit briefly shared the same manager.
Though I have decided to take the geographical route, Steve Mariot was born in Manor park, which could have fetched us back to Blur and Parklife, but no. How about the Ruskin Arms the famed manor Park boozer that was instrumental in the rise of Iron Maiden, again no as I have never understood their appeal. Manor made me think of Ill Manors but despite having seen the film really can’t say much about the music, though did like the early stuff from Plan B. After all this rambling I thought of the Manor studios, something to do with a younger Richard Branson I believe, so two suggestions, both recorded at The said Manor. Something very un PC from Supercharge and the Local Lads Made Good album, She Moved The Dishes first, maybe not everyones cup of tea, a relisten made me think of certain elements of Frank Zappa’s work. Manic Steet Preachers also visited the manor to record their second LP Gold Against The Soul which contains a song that always brings a smile to my face La Tristesse Durera.
PS the 60 is not my numerical postition in the clan but the year I came into being.
That’s you being brief, is it..? š
yeah! sorry I used have my own blog, guess I’m missing it……maybe some I’ll get something up and running
No worries, I teasing!
Didn’t join in last time so it’s a while since I’ve dropped by and if I’m not mistaken both of the last two links in The Chain are called The Universal!? That means there are 2 x Universals next to each other in the chain but also 2 x the word The. Something from The The (Soul Mining?) from me then or are they persona non grata around here (I just never know!).
Very funny intro and links by the way – Thought you’d lost your mojo again but it’s returned with gusto.
Cheers! More than happy to play something from Soul Mining, any preference?
No – whatever you easily have access to but This Is The Day would be the obvious one.
I have access to pretty much all of their stuff…but it’s not that long since I posted “This Is The Day” elsewhere (it’s one of my favourite records)…do you mind if I pick something else from the same album?
Be my guest – They are from the era when I bought everything on cassette tape (what a rubbish medium) and not been all been replaced so not listened to them in a while. Will be interesting to see what you pick, not that it will be the link whatever but just what came to mind at the time!
Sorry a bit late
But small faces might have small hands as allegedly Trump has, to be honest the clash summed it up
“I’m so bored with the USA”
The American President is known as POTUS the first Lady as FLOTUS which happens to be the title of the latest…… Lambchop album
“The Hustle”
or The Floaters “Float On”
(particularly the Lenny Henry version: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wc6Rlw8utU0)
Nice
A final onslaught
Universal Hall by the Waterboys is a cracking number and so is” the whole of the moon” which name checks the film ” Brigadoon ” starring Gene Kelly famous for singing ” singing in the rain”
Um .. WATERboys singing in the RAIN what can it mean?
1 Wet Wet Wet?
Any shit
2 The Beatles
Rain?
3 New Musik
World of Water?
Or
4 Michael P Hinson
The Day Texas Sank To The Bottom Of The Sea
Your choice me 3
Jules
PS “singing in the rain” wasn’t another Trump reference
Hadn’t even crossed my mind….