Tag Archives: Stranglers

Jan 29 2012

Punk Rock – for room 101 – I think not!

I have seen the new edition of Room 101 a couple of times in the last few weeks; the format is nowhere near as good as the original (what was I saying about originals last week?). But a few weeks ago Danny Baker was guest and suggested that Punk Rock went into room 101.

I have a lot of time for Mr Baker – I thought we were kindred spirits – he was, after all, there when Punk smashed onto the scene. He’s a bit older than me (not much!) so I had high hopes for him defending Punk, but alas no. He promoted it to be sent away to the great dustbin in the sky.

This is wrong on so many counts. OK, so some of Punks musical legacy is questionable, but some is still brilliant. Punk wasn’t just about ‘music’ (wonder what Alesha Dixon would think to the ‘musicality‘) it was about rebellion. It was trying to push against the blandness of the music scene, but also of the blandness soy life at the time. We were trudging through treacle.

I still listen to the music from that era – the period from 1977-1979 is still my favourite time. The Sex Pistols, The Clash, The Ramones, The Boomtown Rats, The Stranglers all feature highly on my iTunes ‘top played’ list. Who can ever forget Geldof tearing up a picture of the cuddly bunnies of Bright Eyes on Top of The Pops? This was what we needed…

So, in my view there’s no chance of putting Punk (and everything that followed it) into Room 101 – I think rather that we should resurrect is. And to prove a point I bought The Rezillo’s vinyl in New York just before Christmas – it is brilliant!

Punk Rock lives on…. and I wonder if it should make a comeback to rid us of the Cowell-ridden drudgery in the charts at the moment?

Mar 26 2010

Cool for cats…

I think it’s fair to say that music plays quite a big part in my life and has done so for a long time!

From the days when I listened to Radio City in Liverpool when I should have been revising for my ‘O’ levels (I blame them for the subsequent results!) to the live bands I have subsequently seen. The CD collection takes up one wall of our dining room! The itunes collection totals around 13,500 tracks – and that is after I thinned it out. I also have a pile of LP’s in the garage!

There are some people / bands who I would travel (almost) anywhere to see. Bowie is one – but not sure he will tour again? I went to New York to see The Killers at MSG in January 2009. But one band who I have seen countless times appeared on the TV this week – honoured by the PRS with a Heritage award. Squeeze I can listen to anytime – lyrically they are just brilliant! Their music reminds me of a great era in music (think Ian Dury, Boomtown Rats, Blondie et al)

A special plaque will be erected in South East London where the original group Chris Difford, Glenn Tilbrook, Jools Holland, Harry Kakoulli and Paul Gunn first performed, at the Greenwich Dance Hall in 1975. I think I first saw them in 1979.

I have even seen Glenn Tilbrook play on the Nottingham Tram – brilliant! The group have played on the beach at Cannes a few times at MIPIM.

I am looking forward to seeing them at the Isle of Wight festival in June – but also in November in Nottingham – when they tour.

Some bands just stand the test of time. Like the Stranglers I saw last month (blog here) Squeeze are still as good today as they were 30 years ago.

As the saying goes – “form is temporary – talent is permanent”

And instead of ‘O’ level boring subjects I learned all the words from Squeeze – “The Indians sent signals from the rocks above the pass, the cowboys take their position in the bushes and the grass…” I still know them today!

UPDATE

Unbelievably The Members are to play at the Isle of Wight this year; announced today. Now I do remember seeing them at the Sandpiper Music Machine in the The Lace Market Nottingham in 1980 (?). Roll on the Sound of the Suburbs and Offshore Banking Business!