Zing boom tararrel
ring out a song of good cheer
now's the time to roll the barrel
for the gang's all here
1. Right so. Here we are for Barfly Session 31. Trente-et-un. (Hello/Bonjour to my French Superfans of course.) Autumn is already showing signs that it's making way for Winter but hopefully our times in The Horse & Feather will see us through the dark nights. I've been out and brought the bin in. I've took the dog out to do it's business. I've turned off the phone, got my whiskey and rifled through the music collection to come up with songs that will see us through the next hour or so. Maybe more if you play them twice or three times even. Please do. They are worth it. So where to begin? Well. I've been doing some renovating since last weekend. My old Dad has been round putting a floor down with me in our new kitchen. It's been a nightmare (don't ask) but it's been grand listening to his stories. The first track we'll play tonight came to me because of my Dad. He brought three large toolboxes with him. All were full of modern gizmos and gadgets and yet the tool he was seeming to use the most was an old set square with a wooden handle. It looked like an antique. I enquired how long he'd had it. He stopped what he was doing and looked happy to answer the question. "An old fella from work gave me that over forty years ago Leon" he said. "Brought a big box of his old tools into work especially for me. I've used em ever since. Bill Valentine his name was. Such a nice man." Bill, I sadly suspect you're not with us any more but that doesn't mean I can't have a drink for you. Your tools went to a good home and my kitchen floor planks are now laid perfectly straight thanks to your kind gesture. This one's for you.
1. The Coral
Pass It On
2. Talking of work colleagues, an old work mate of mine (Hello Gareth) went to school with the lead singer of this next band in Failsworth, Greater Manchester. This single of theirs was released in 1998 and I was like a dog with a bone when this first hit the airwaves. I found it incredible at the time and it still makes the hairs on the back of my neck stand up to this very day. James Mudriczki's vocals dominate this song and whilst it's a shame the band didn't reach the heights they deserved when compared to some of the dirge being served up by Radio One at the time, sometimes you can still leave a legacy without having 9 albums to your name. Puressence are the next band up tonight.
2. Puressence
This Feeling
3. I worked with Gareth long enough to pick up on his (very dubious) music tastes but in fairness, his no. 1 favourite track is nothing short of a belter and it will sit nicely here as the third song we'll play tonight. Though I make no promises, I'm not above taking requests and Gareth took his opportunity to use the comment box at the bottom of the page to tell me what he'd like to hear. The only difficulty with this track is there are umpteen New Order versions of it but I think we'll go with this one. Like so many New Order songs, the title of the track doesn't feature in the lyrics and I always thought that was pretty cool. Kind of like the way Jackson Pollock named his paintings. "Every time I think of you, I feel shot right through with a bolt of blue." What an opening line that is. Anyway Gareth, I hope you approve.
3. New Order
Bizarre Love Triangle
4. Occasionally, songs you've heard in the past come knocking against the side of your head and this is a case in point. Brighton band Baby Charles released this Arctic Monkeys cover 3 years after the original came out in 2005. It was so 70's in it's sound and in it's feel that I had to check who was covering who.
3. Baby Charles
I Bet You Look Good On The Dancefloor
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5. The Fox sent over a few choice songs to choose from and I opted for this one. Perhaps this blog needs more droning psyche-rock after all.
5. The Brian Jonestown Massacre
Anemone
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6. "Heart, You make me cry loud little tears/And try to be the best man that I can." Always really liked that. It comes from Guillemots song "Nothing's Going To Bring Me Down" from their short 2012 album "Hello Land!" I thought we'd play this next as it's got a great end of the night feel to it and it's our penultimate song for this session so why not?
6. Guillemots
Nothing Is Going To Bring Me Down
7. We'll finish with a track from Daniel Avery who wrote this as a tribute to legendary DJ Andrew Weatherall this year. It's a thing of beauty and maybe a sweet send off as the lid comes down softly on rave culture. It's also a good track to walk home to so I'll say goodnight and wish you well until we go again next weekend. Byeeeee for now. x
7. Daniel Avery
Lone Swordsman
