We Don't Need No Education

This sent in by our Edukashun Correspondent - Neil K

What is it with song writers and use of proper English? Alright, so Pink Floyd's example from the blog title was obviously done on purpose, but there are some really horrendous examples of bad grammar that just jump out and scream at you when you first hear them, and on every God damn listen since. Obviously, no one can spell anymore (Sk8ter Boi, Slave 4 U) – but that is different as it goes unnoticed when you hear the song. Having jolting grammar in sentences however, can really ruin an otherwise good song (or make a turd even more steaming). Or maybe it’s just me? (maybe it is just you Mr K!).

Sometimes it’s obviously been done to help make a rhyming couplet – but really – that’s no excuse. If you can’t make it fit, don’t force it with a sledgehammer and assume people won’t notice. Think of a different couplet!! Get out a Thesaurus. The #1 below is a recent one that led me to think of compiling a top 5. The Rolling Stones double negative on “I Can’t Get No Satisfaction” is just outside the top 5 – so bring on the worst examples…

1. Sugarbabes - Get Sexy
“When I'm drivin' in my car, or I'm standin' at the bar,
  It don't matter where I are, they say "hey sexy!"”


 2. The Police - Every Little Thing She Does is Magic

“Every little thing she does is magic

 Everything she do just turns me on”

Especially bad when said lyricist was allegedly a teacher - not English I presume, eh, Sting? P.E. or woodwork most likely I’d wager.


3. Bryan Adams - Run to You

“She say's her love for me would never die

 But that'd change if she ever finds out about you and I”

Sorry, Bryan, but you and I both know that it’s supposed to be “you and me”. And don’t pretend you’re French Canadian so it’s not your first language…


4. Chemical Brothers & Noel Gallagher, “Let Forever Be”

“How does it feel like, to wake up in the sun.

 How does it feel like, to shine on everyone.
 How does it feel like, to let forever be.
 How does it feel like, to spend a little lifetime sitting in the gutter.”

Noel, Noel, Noel…how does it feel like, to piss on Blake and Keats? Or are you pretending and being ironic (in an Alanis Morrisette – not really ironic at all type of way)?


5. The Doors - Light My Fire
 
“If they say I never loved you, you know they are a liar.”

Poetic licence with the Queens English, Jim? Or were you trying out Bowies lyric writing technique of cutting up words from newspapers and picking words randomly out - only it came out scarily normal?

U Turns

This sent in by our sometimes electro-pop correspondent (he lives in a shoe you know) Neil K

It’s big to admit your wrong, particularly after being so vocally anti something that it’s seen as a real back down. It’s happened to me on a few occasions musically, where early output from a band makes me take an instant (often illogical) dislike of them, and laugh loudly in the face of anyone that claims to like them. What? You’re that naïve you buy THAT!? … Sometimes it’s not so much the music but the personalities, or maybe inappropriate levels of press adulation or success, or because I’ve been told I’d like them because they’re like band “x” that I’ve been know to champion. Anyway, however it starts - 99.9% of the time it remains that way – but sometimes – just sometimes - something happens (usually hearing a particular song or a full album) where said band get rewarded with a reappraisal – or maybe they just raise their game and they really were crap. Either way, something happens where I see them in a different light and I think “you know what, on their day, they’re actually pretty damn good, and the world is a better place for their noise after all…”.

So, what examples of this phenomenon can I recall?

Feeder – What? The band that did that annoying Buck Rogers (“it’s got a cd player –player – player” indeed) that the Radio overplayed – and still plays now? The joke Welsh rockers with the Japanese Adam Clayton? This was until I heard a work colleagues (you remember ‘Pete’ don’t you Kevin T? – came in Our Price and stood there staring at you?) copy of Echo Park – and in particular the glorious “Turn”. That song got stuck on repeat play for many a day after that. Since then, I’ve discovered other highlights such as Tender, Feeling A Moment, Purple and the gloriously souring Silent Cry. A band that can rock but also do subtle and heartfelt. One of those bands where you look at the lyrics and think it’s a bit clichéd – but when your hear the delivery by Grant – you feel it. They really do regret and loss incredibly eloquently. One band I’m still hoping to get chance to see live one day.

Green Day – What? Those cartoon punks? Fronted by the Cliff Richard of Punk? Following the Punk A-Z handbook. Piercings? Check. Bright hair? Check. Throwing TVs out of Window? Check. Rich boys acting poor? You betcha. Sooooo rock ‘n’ roll… Until I heard “Boulevard of Broken Dreams”- the ultimate ode to taking comfort in solitude. Perfect meld of melancholy and melody. One of those moments where the words and music and mood and image just works together to produce something stellar. Holiday was alright too, and American Idiot was just the right side of a joke song. That said, the 20th Century bollocks CD (do you mean 21st Century? - Kevin T) was a big let down and they’re close to going back in my bad books.

The Smashing Pumpkins – What? Baldy screacher looking like someone from the Adams Family? “Tonight…” Who’s dragging their nails down a black bored?! Arrggghh!?!?!??! Be quiet – let me just listen to the music. Until I heard Ava Adore CD – where thankfully Billy Corgan's singing is generally more restrained and thus more bearable. I still can only take one album at a time before my ears start bleeding, but I can recognise the beauty in the melodies and hear the words without the barbed wire delivery. He also wrote Hole's only good song (and I thus hold him responsible for keeping the despicable Courtney Love in the public eye for so long). Songwriter for hire however is probably a good direction for him to take - let a singer sing it.

Beastie Boys – Fight For Your Right To Party indeed. You may have gathered - joke songs I don’t like. Punk I wasn’t keen on at that time. I wanted my pop stars to leave me in awe, not make me think I could do what they did but better. I thought and hoped these guys would disappear within 15 minutes. They didn’t. They actually developed their sound and went on to produce gems such as Sabotage and Intergalactic Planetary. And they’re still going – so much for 15 minutes.

I’m still waiting for the Billy Brag reassessment mind you, I’m beginning to think it will never happen...
Anyone out there with similar cases?

Random Play

This sent in by Jack T.

Ain’t Random Play Great.


In on my own, whack the ‘puter onto iTunes, random play. Here are the first five out. You gotta like something!

1. Aretha Franklin. ‘Think’.
Y’all know that scene from the ‘Blues Brothers’. ‘Four Fried Chickens and a Coke for Jake and Elwoods ‘ Dry White Toast.’ If you have never seen it, here is a clip. Listen for ‘Duck’ Dunns’ base line.



2. Ringo Starr. ‘I Wanna Be Santa Claus’
Not quite sure how this got into my iTunes library. You can find it on YouTube but this is funnier.



3. Marc Cohn. ‘Miles Away’
Love it in spite of the occasional change of octave. Hell, if Johnny Cash can get away with that who am I to complain?



4. The Chieftains and the Chinese Ensemble. ‘Full of Joy’
I can’t find the version I have which actually has a Chinese Ensemble on stage and live with an introduction in Chinese. Either the audience were all Chinese speakers or they had an applause prompt for the introduction. Any Chinese speakers out there know the live version and can chip in with a translation?
Here’s another version.



5. Bonnie Raitt. ‘Let’s Give Them Something to Talk About’
Another of Kevin Ts introductions. Top of his favourites list is Bonnie Raitt with John Prine singing ‘Angel From Montgomery’ which is great. This one is good as well. The chorus brings me out in goosepimples.

False Perceptions

This sent in by our non-electro pop correspondent - Neil K

Just to play up to the label of Mr Electro Pop - I admit I bought my first Strangelove CD 50% for the bands name - which is a Depeche Mode single (the other 50% having heard Time For The Rest Of Your Life on Mark Goodiers’ radio show in the mid ‘90s while at my digs at Stafford Uni). You will no doubt be pleased to hear that this one features no electro or pop. Just Radio 1 friendly blasphemy. Guitars. And some brooding teenage angst.

I owned all three albums from this Bristol based band (who were championed by Suede having supported Bret and co); the first two are highly recommended – the second, Love And Other Demons in particular is very strong. Anyway, my mind was drawn back to seeing this band in a small venue in Stoke (curiously I recall only one of the two people I went with). Anyway, the general gist of this posting is how your self made perceptions can be so way off the mark (yes, this means you Mr T with your “Mr Electro Pop” labelling!). My only knowledge of Strangelove at the time had been from playing their first two albums – and seeing some moody black and white photos in NME. I don’t believe I’d seen a video of them (until today) – viva la You Tube. Having three guitarists (not including bass) meant the album is very layered and textured, with lots of intertwining guitar lines, that take a few listens with headphones to make them all out. The first two albums also had more downbeat songs than up tempo attempts at singles, with lush strings on a couple (such as the glorious Sway).

Back to my point. All of this evidence led me to believe that the lead singer, Patrick Duff, would be a shy, poetic type – probably hiding behind the microphone with the occasional whispered “thank you” when the lager started to kick in and his confidence levels were up. What I wasn’t expecting, was a gothic Johnny Rotten on speed – said Mr Duff jumping on tables, spitting, generally being aggressive and insulting the audience. The rest of the band were more like I was expecting from an indie rock outfit circa 1995, so I guess it’s fair to say that the singer certainly made for a memorable evening as it was this that led me to write about them. When they split up not long after, two of the guys joined the equally good Witness. I had my own theories that the band must have been so irritated by sharing a tour bus with the lunatic Duff that they could take no more. Maybe. Maybe not. Thinking about it - the fact that Witness played on Jools Hollands show probably makes it more likely the latter – they obviously didn’t mind sharing the stage with annoying pr*cks (click here for a revealing Guardian piece on the troubled Duff).

Anyway, here are the band in their prime with the video for “Time For The Rest Of Your Life” – a video where it seems they dragged 7 people off the street – gave them a camcorder and told them to film them in the dark.

And I’ve just found what Patrick looks like now (just checking he was still alive) – and it appears he is (just) – although it looks like he may be living rough. Perhaps in a tent. On a recently vacated Wolverhampton roundabout. Buy this mans new CD – I’ve not heard it so can’t vouch for it’s quality – but it looks like he needs the pennies and he has “form” as 1/6 of a great band.

Missing Piece

This sent in by our Electro Pop correspondent - Neil K

I'm pretty damn sure that Depeche Mode do nothing positive for Kevin, and I suspect, having read Petes' entertaining driving alphabet reviews, that they wont be appearing in the soon to be started 'D's'. With the call for outsiders to contribute, what an opportune moment then for plugging the UKs most successful group (in terms of consecutive top 40 singles ever - or something like that).

For me, the Depeche Mode pinnacle was the double whammy of Violator (their biggest commercial success) followed perversely by Songs of Faith and Devotion, where they reinvented their sound. The Yin and Yang of the band. The clean, processed electro pop edges of Violator. The one with Brit Awards single of the year, Enjoy The Silence and Personal Jesus. Followed four event filled (i.e. drug/overdose filled in the case of singer Dave Gahan) years later with the dirtier, more organic follow up, Songs of Faith and Devotion. The one with songs you probably can't remember - I Feel You - Walking In My Shoes. For those who know very little of the band history - this is the one where singer Dave ditched the short spikey hair cut, opting for long grunge style.

So, aside from getting dm on the Blog index - what led to making this my first posting topic (and last - unless you are ready for why Duran Duran are a really underrated band?)...? Well...I made my once every few month visit to www.depechemode.com last week (which used to be hourly visit - how times have changed!) and I had a lot of feelings Flood (Depeche Mode producer of two aforementioned albums pun intended) through me. The thing all fans had dreamed but never thought would happen had happened, albeit briefly, and it had totally gone under my radar for two months. Alan Wilder, the producer/musician ex member who shaped the DM sound and then left shortly after SoFaD some 15 years ago, citing that he was doing all the work for no recognition, had rejoined the band on stage for a special performance.

Oh. My. God.

The classic line up had reunited, played "Somebody" (double A-side with the fantastic Blasphemous Rumours), hugged each other, before Alan walked off stage to the same rapturous screams and applause his shocking arrival had brought. This is almost like John and George suddenly returning to Earth for a final Beatles shot. OK, that's pushing it, maybe more like the Gallagher brothers kissing and making up in fifteen years time. Why wasn't this bigger news? NME.com made no mention (not that they ever cared about dm other than making fun of Martins dress sense). The 10 o-clock news made no mention - must have been a news heavy day. Probably Madonna was in Malawi. So....now they're at least talking, Alan no doubt got a live appearance buzz he's not had for years (his Recoil solo project has not played live (until later this month)...and not sold in numbers...so...perhaps....just perhaps...the four of them will return to the studio to produce masterpiece #3? If so, would it be what Godfather 3 was to 1 and 2? 15 years too late and with nothing new to say, a pale echo of past greatness? Or would it finally bring back that missing puzzle piece that has been lacking in the bands output since his departure?

The Proverbial

This sent in by our Manchester correspondent Bob D.

I worked with a lad from Salford. Die hard City fan. Built like the proverbial. Knew about four words and they all ended with 'off'. Broken nose, shaved head - you get the impression. He brought in some CD's to work one day and played Orpheus Lyre by Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds. Absolutely brilliant. I went out and bought the CD Abbatoir Blues and its been one of my favourite albums since. When we put our CD's in a folder it's the only one where I kept the cover. Its simple, poetic, emotional and so far away from what I expected.

Do I Have Time For This? A Contributor's Guide to, err, Contributing

Do I Have Time For This? (or ‘A Plea From Kevin T’)

Can I help out with a few bits and pieces for I Taught Myself How to Grow Old?

Of course. It’s a good blog. I’ve enjoyed reading about artists I knew and learning something about the (many, many) ones I had never heard of.

But have I the time?

One idea I had was to write about the music my two boys, Kevin T and bro Niall T, had introduced me to over the years dragging me out of the 60’s (and 50’s) and into the 21st Century, music wise. The working title is “Babes and Sucklings”.

God ordains strength (or music) out of the mouth of babes and sucklings’ (Psalms 8:2.)

So far, so good. First topic, Status Quo (you had to go and choose Quo?! - Kevin T)

My first bit of memory refreshing research quickly taught me that I knew practically sod all about Quo apart from the songs on the ’12 Gold Bars’ album and a few others. An hour and a half later I knew a hell of a lot more. However, working out what to put in and what to leave out seemed to be a fine subject for a post grad research fellowship. (Ph.D. (Cantab):(Quo) has a nice ring to it. Well, at least it is in Latin.

OK, park that one, different tack. Write about a single track, both song and artist new to me. That can’t be too hard can it? Can it?

Too bloody right it can.

This afternoon I started a piece about ‘The Promised Land’, a great song by Chuck Berry, well performed by Johnny Allan.


I may still do that piece. I am now well qualified.

After three hours, I know where and when the song was written, its significance in the hierarchy of socio-cultural Americana, when it was first recorded, all the words, who has covered it and when and the life stories of Chuck and Johnny. (I feel I now know them so well that first names are appropriate). If pushed, I can also probably furnish the biographical details of the tea lady at Chess Studios in 1964.

So:

Lesson 1:
DO NOT under any circumstances start a piece by researching the subject on the Internet.

Lesson 2:
Knock out a piece from memory and learn from the comments on the blog from those who know more.

That’s me from now on. And ‘cos this is a music blog here is one of my faves.



OK, I spotted Dave Edmunds, Graham Parker and Steve Cropper.

Anybody know the horns, the keyboard player and the two drummers? Maybe I will look on the Internet?

Bugger. Here we go again!

Written by Jack T (father of Kevin T)

Where's the Quo? - Kevin T

Alex Chilton

According to Alan McGee, who is a bit of a tit at times but seems to be reasonably well intentioned, the songwriting partnership of Big Star's Alex Chilton and Chris Bell was 'as iconic as that of Lennon and McCartney'. That's quite a statement (until you remember 'It's for You' sung by Cilla Black). Alex Chilton died earlier this month at the age of 59. During those 59 years he managed to be a teen star (with the Box Tops), heroin addict, be a member of the highly influential Big Star, punk icon, a tree-trimmer and a washer -upper. Writing about his death the BBC called him 'Rock's Unsung Hero' and went on to quote Bobby Gillespie of Primal Scream with saying 'September Gurls is an incredible single. It's as good as The Byrds or The Beatles' (The Bangles covered it also).

This is the End, Beautiful Friend (not really)

So, the good ship I Taught Myself How to Grow Old has hit a sand bank, run adrift, been caught in choppy waters (not sure how much longer I can keep this up) or possibly been re-assigned to do the Holyhead to Dun Laoghaire run. A bit like the Titanic orchestra we're going to keep playing till, er, well, till we stop. Co-blogger Peter, who has kept the whole thing afloat for quite a while has succumbed to, in his words, a 'fickle mistress'. He might mean his allotment but then again he might mean a fickle mistress, or possibly one on the other. So, the call for help went out yesterday ............

Dear All,

As you might know I co-contribute to a Music blog (with a chap called Peter) I Taught Myself How to Grow Old. It's amateurish, lacks focus and even our wives don't read it. Somewhat surprisingly we have a dedicated following of 6 and our latest viewing figures tell us that we get about 700 hits a month. This sometimes goes up if we are very topical (and could go up more if we were tropical).

http://itaughtmyselfhowtogrowold.blogspot.com/

Anyway, due to a combination of factors related to ageing in-laws, allotments, new jobs, football fixtures, earthquake damage and 18 month-olds (not in that order) Peter and I are a bit pressed for time. We are opening up the doors for guest writers and regular contributors.

Now, on the face of it this might not interest you, as you have a taxing job, kids, 2 dogs, hobbies, a life. But how much richer would your life be if you were able to free that frustrated writer buried deep down in your pile of ironing? The occasional scribble is very therapeutic, gives you an excuse to listen to music and gets you out of the washing up/walking the dog/making the bed/talking to your long-term partner - "I've just got to finish this piece for the website luv ...........deadline ......six readers you know"

Why not have a bash? What have you got to lose? Want to try? We only have one rule which is no Queen. Apart from that the music has been pretty varied. Have a look for yourself.

Go on, have a go!

Kevin
 
 
Who could resist? Well, as it turns out, most people. I had two replies, one from my Dad and one from Diamond Davey O, King of Wellington, market legend, bass player supreme, all-round good egg. Dave said
 
 
Kev, I was with you all the way till you said 'no queen'.



> I was particulary interested in writing an article on queen and


> artists who have written songs about the band.


> I was thinking along the lines of 'Hair like Brian May blues' by Half


> Man Half Biscuit


> Oh well some things are clearly not meant to be.

> Dave

So, in order to accommodate Dave's request we have backtracked on the NO Queen rule and opened the floodgates. Sadly I couldn't find a video for the song, although I am happy to replace May's hair with Davies' eyes. I hope this will do. Surprisingly it is the first time we have featured the Birkenhead Biscuits.
 
This one's for Dave.

Best of the C's

jThat then is the end of the C’s all CD albums I own, it’s not, I have a fair old selection downstairs but it will be some time before I see them so as far as the C’s are concerned. Richard Dunn.

It was nothing like the slog the B’s were, the most of a single artist that I encountered was JC, by the way his new album is utterly marvellous, very much a down beat album, beautiful and his voice is quite controlled. Where was I, oh yes, just Cash really and The Cramps but what of the best, what were the best C’s?



Orange Blossom special by Johnny Cash

Whilst we have Johnny Cash in mind, it was a close run thing between his compilation God and his album, Orange Blossom Special, in the end without a pause it was Orange Blossom Special. Admittedly of late I have been giving more play to Ride This Train but of all the Cash albums I poured words over, Orange Blossom special hit all the right notes, perfectly, and completely.

Was it the best C? I am still writing, ease up there a second.

Of the best C’s we also had two Clash albums, two perfect in every way easily ten out of tens in The Clash and London Calling. Genre defining and at the same time not tied to a genre, something special this way comes in both albums.



Career Opportunities by The Clash

And then there is Gene Clarks White Light, and that for my money was the best C. An album that I come back to time and time again and improves with every listen. All the C 10’s were great in their own way and any other day I may well have put Camera Obscura’s Lets Get Out Of This Country, but no, today it is Gene Clark that is the best C.

This is where I would post a video of a track but it seems all of Gene Clarks White Light tracks aren’t embeddable.

Exit Planet Dust

There are fewer things I dislike more than dance music made for white boys that that like bands that play guitars. I do, I really dislike them, The Prodigy, Pendulum etc. Very few things, well maybe Muse, Muse and dance music made for white boys that like bands that play guitars, well them and the storyline in Corrie that allows a grandfather to abduct a child and have custody based on chuff all. That and the Daily Mail. Mostly the dance music thing though.
Todays commute CD, the last C, the end of a relatively short journey through the third letter of the alphabet, the last C is The Chemical Brothers debut, Exit Planet Dust.
Exit Planet Dust refers to their original moniker The Dust Brothers, a tribute to the US production duo of the same name. EZ Mike and King Gizmo, responsible for the production of the greatest and best album ever committed to digital media, the self titled debut Tenascious D.
This isn't EZ Mike and King Gizmo, this is the post lawsuit threatening Lank Ginger and Dull Bloke, The Chemical Brothers, purveyors of the finest dance music made for white boys that like bands that play guitars.
I listened to it once on the way in, in the spring sunshine, rolling through the Staffordshire A roads, it wore heavy on me, it wore very heavy on me, its repetitive beats, essentially lyricless, it was just that little bit out of step with how I was feeling.
Roll on to the afternoon journey home and I decide to give the motorway ago, my mood was bouyant and I was a little more awake. Crank up my tinny car strereo up to 11 and by crikey its a good album, its definitely a mood album and the mood was served hugely by it, from the one that says "brothers gonna work it out" you know, Leave Home, that one. Through to Song to the siren, the Dead Can Dance sampling track, up through to the rather splendid One Too Many Mornings, the Tim Burgess featuring Life Is Sweet and finally ending with the gorgeous voice of Beth Orton on Alive Alone.
Really a splendid album in the right mood, in the wrong mood it is background music to me swearing at BMW drivers. So on the way to work 1 out of 10, on the way home, 8 out of 10, lets call it an 8.




One Too Many Mornings by The Chemical Brothers

Magic and Medicine

Friday and penultimate C was the second album by cheeky bin dippers The Coral. You may recall I was not a fan of their debut and like the debut this album is my wifes, she suggested that I didn't have to listen to it and I said that breaks the rules.
I did listen to though, Magic And Medicine, and you know what, it wasn't half bad. Yes it still went for that "druggy bollocks" sound, but not as much as their self titled effort.
At times they even have stabs at proper songs, Pass it on and Bill McCai, sound quite pleasant, as does Don't Think You're The First. They almost blow it towards the end when they approach noodley on Confessions of ADDD, but even that isn't massively offensive. I must be getting old.
On the whole it was a middling album that performed much better than expected and that alone should garner a 10, but that is ridiculous, this is The Coral after all, its the coral and they still fall into that retro scouse sound that was hugely popular, and tiresome at the time, and that deserves nothing more than 4 out of 10.



Don't Think You're The First by The Coral

The Best Of Johnny Cash

The Best Of Johnny Cash that was Thursday on the way to work CD, This is the last of my Johnny Cash discs and as I am a mere spit away from the end of the C's, this is unlikely to change unless a visit to HMV beckons.
This is a mid nineties release on Columbia and of all the Cash CD's that I have, its the worst of an excellent bunch. Do not get me wrong it is still superb but in the scheme of Cash, its the worst.
The Columbia years produced some marvellous work, some absolute greats, but this album seems to have rerecorded versions, live versions and odd selections. I like Jackson, but why would you put an alternate version of Jackson on a best of? Orange Blossom Special is one of my favourite Cash songs, but is it considered a best of track?
Strange.
Its still good for the strange reasons, it closes with Ballad Of Ira Hayes, a fantastic song, a little dark in its tone, but still great. Thats the thing with Cash, he can have a best of, he has earned that and he has the material to do it, you should look to see how many best of's and G.Hits that have been released bearing his name, he must have some kind of record, no pun intended. Anyway, busy week, Cash's label drops a point for this, 9 out of 10.



The Ballad of Ira Hayes by Johnny Cash

Parachutes

Ah. Coldplay. Coldplay, Coldplay, Coldplay. Why so sad Coldplay. Why such tunes of earnest melancholy? Your debut album Parachutes soundtracked my commute yesterday it was a bit of a slog to be honest. You made me sad at Stafford and the fog of miserablism did not lift until the end of track 10 when you released me from your grip. What happened Coldplay, you used to be such nice boys, not pencilling slogans on your hand, telling me stuff about fair trade and world debt, you used to smile, you used to be on Fierce Panda, then you started naming your kids after fruit (how is young boysenberry?) and sticking plasters on your fingers.
Your debut does contain two highlights though, that Yellow eh? Me and the wife loved that I think we probably still do, and then there is that bassline on sparks, thats lovely. Other than that a pile of steaming shit. 1 out of 10.



Sparks by Coldplay

The Clash

A bona fide classic today in the self titled Clash debut, The Clash.

I say this undramatically but what a stunning album, even if it was a dreadful album 2 songs part way through are the best two back to back songs bar none, name two songs on an album that follow each other that are better than White Riot and White Man In Hammersmith Palais. As I wheeled through Staffordshire in the Spring sunshine with each and every track I wanted to wind down the window, attract the attention of the BMW driver to my right and say this is fucking ace this is. I didn’t but by god I hammered away at my steering wheel bongos.
You know already if this is a good album, its not an obscure oddity, this is musical revolution (with guitars) from the opening Who strokes to the closing dig at Charles Shaar Murray, its not a good, great or excellent album it is ground breaking, a head of its time, undated and rare. Its a classic in every sense of the word and if there is a hole in your CD, tape or vinyl collection where this should be, I am not disappointed, I pity you.
This album takes music to a better place, it kicks open the doors and says here you go try some of this, yes sir you can still boogie, but the beat was a little different.
I saw Joe Strummer and his band The Mescaleros perform White Man In Hammersmith Palais before he died, my wife thinks it was one of the happiest I have ever been in my life. She wasn’t wrong.
The album is just wonderful, no low point, no filler, nothing out of place, nothing bad. 10 out of 10, and if you went back to all the other 10 out of 10’s they would be 9’s compared to this. Stunning.



White Man In Hammersmith Palais by The Clash