We are the goon squad and we're coming to town – for a Podrophenia Bowie special or Bowiephenia you could say.Beep-beep
What’s in our Velvet Goldmine of glittering goodies? Exclusive covers from The Wolfmen, the Southend Allstars (featuring Andy J Warhol, Ronno Jugg, Leee Black Andrews, Dave Woody Woodmansey and Mark Bolan) also Silvery and The Millipede Engine
Dave Woodock joins us for live music. And behold – a preview of the due-soon Eight Rounds Rapid secret single. Our first release on the Podrophenia label
8RR white label test pressing
So come on all you young (and not so young dudes), Moonage Daydreamers and Lady stardusts – lean back on your Radio Nova Lujon for some cat’s layin’ down some rock ‘n’ roll. Lotta Soul
A drive-in Sunday in fact, celebrating the mod who fell to earth and widescreen Jean Genius of the artist formerly known as David Jones - where our Cygnet Committee will be spinning in hits, highlights, obscurities, rarities and related artists from the Bowie back catalogue
It will be an evening of glam, glitter soul and electrickery - played by an ever circling (not-so) Skeletal family of local DJs (they are what they play) each tuning in into a specific slice of the great Dame's timeline that breaks down thus…
Curly Dan (65-70)
Prof Andrew Branch (71-72)
Me (73-74)
Daryl Easlea (75-76)
Tom Seabrook (77-78)
Nikki Nicholas (79-80)
There's even talk of an in-house band firing up for some Bowie-oke
All the details you need to know are here so come along all you pretty things 'n' peoploids and fill your hearts with Bowie
Commencing countdown, engines on for 8pm - at Southend's rockingest venue - The Railway Hotel
A little known nugget from my assigned timeline which threads together and Alladin and Diamond Dogs is this cyberspace oddity
"Your flashy clothes are your pride and joy " David Bowie - The London Boys
Ahead of Sunday's Bowie by the Sea bank holiday shakedown (more on that later) - expect to see a Bo' post or two in your feed of a lunchtime this week, Starting at the beginning - with a re-up from November 2008
Bowie, Bolan, Bryan Ferry, Eno (and Rod Stewart) all made the breakthough from cult undergrounders to interstellar superstars as variants on the star-spangled glitterkid theme. They may have had stars in/on their eyes, but those platform boots were firmly grounded in Mod roots. The look-sharp and look-ahead apprenticeship of Mod, with it's made to measure mix of American soul and Italian style, Ivy League look meets British dandyism - an eye for the detail and an ear for a tune, was probably why Bowie (and the other moonage mods mentioned) endured beyond the best-before date and lipstick-brickie chic of their patent leather peers.
The sixties scene was an era Bowie referenced from his earliest recordings (London Boys) and one of the motifs and influences that's remained a constant throughout his peacock career - mentions of Lennon, Beatles and Stones on various singles. Twiggy and Jagger getting name checked on Aladdin Sane (along with a Stones cover), Pin Up's set of swinging London standards and Young Americans (covering classics like 'Knock On Wood' and 'Footstomping' during live shows), and pitching in with 'Pictures of Lily' on The Who tribute album through to the slim-fit suit on 'Reality' being almost a homecoming to the Lord John look pictured above...
For some strange reason all tracks are playing - Silver Tree Top track, but DLs should be ok
David Bowie and The Lower Third - Can't Help Thinking About Me (There's a clip of Bowie on his mod days, Steve Marriot and a 1999 version of 'CHTAM'here)
David Bowie - In The Heat Of The Morning - (BBC version)
(The Last Shadow Puppets made a healthy go of 'INTHOTM')
Davie Jones and the King Bees - Louie Louie Go Home
(LLGH was the B-side of Bowie's first single "Liza Jane")
Ziggy Stardust - The Mod Who Fell To Earth
A note on the tunes....and a Bowie Bonus Can't Help Thinking About Me (1965)
The first recording to feature the newly named David 'Bowie', and almost a blueprint of Bowieness the outsider lyrics and ambiguous angst of "my head's bowed in shame" "blackened the family name" to the set piece template of semi-spoken verse and Bowie-bellow on the chorus, it's a tune that wouldn't seem out of place on any album since Scary Monsters.
In The Heat Of The Morning (1970)
For my earth pounds the BBC take of this tune is superior to the official album version, and benefits from being enhanced by the extra bounce of Alan Hawkshaw's fantastically funky keyboard coda.
The Beatstalkers (touted as the Scottish Beatles), were under Ken Pitt's management at the same time as Bowie (and also signed to Decca). They were offered first refusal on any unused Bowie compositions or offcuts, 'Silver Tree Top School For Boys' is one of these, and a Bowie penned 'Penny Lane ' sound-a-like from 1967.
I am on something of a Bowie buzz lately (two Bo' posts in two weeks) brought on by reading the Fantistico Dave Thompson book To Major Tom - a gem and a joy of a read if you're into any type of music or movement from Bowie's catchment era
The explosive Mikabomb hit Southend's Railway Hotel this Saturday. Are they J-pop, is it J-punk?. Either way, come on down and have a J-pogo.
Parked midway between The 5.6.7.8's and The Ramones, - Mikabomb's setlist is loaded with sweet-toothed treats that explode like space dust, and power along like the Tokyo bullet train.
But don't just take my word for it - Steve Lamacq calls them the best band to come from Japan.
It's all free, and I'll be DJing in the bar before and after the band from eight. Sicknotes will be exppected for non-attandence. All the info you need to know is here....
And what's this The Railway coming to Channel 4!!!
Ready to plug and play is the latest Podrophenia - brought to you by the letter P, from the Podrophonic alphabet.
Piley, Planet of the Apes, Paul Hill and Producer Dave Dawson can all be seen in the pic above.
While below - the podcast edition is packed with Public Service Broadcasting, the Pursuit of Happiness, Pirates and Professionals and live music from from Seasider and now solo artist - Paul Hill....
Centred in the twelfth issue of Vive Le Rock - amongst features on The Adverts, The B52s,Tom Tom Club and The Cramps you'll find ten pages of wall-to-wall Wilkoness.
Editor Eugene Butcher offers an exclusive and emotional interview with the King of Canvey Island. While I've pulled together eight pages of features and contributions from assorted pals.
Piley brings you a Dr Feelgood biography, Wilko biographer Zoë Howe hand-picks five key tracks from his back catalogue. Barry Cain pitches in with a Lord of Oil City interview from 1977. While Dave Alexander (Eight Rounds Rapid) , Steve Hooker, Dave Dulake and Roman Jugg all give unique insights into what gives Wilko his Wilkoness.
Me, I chip in telling the tale of the day we did an improv gig together, chat with Wilk's about his hero Chuck Berry, and review his final farewell show at Koko....
And worra result to be DJing last Sunday, when Wilko dropped in to catch his favourite local band Martin McNeill - where I happened to have VLR handy for him to put his squiggle on.
It's that time of the month, when Martin McNeill and The Bottletop Blues Band return for their Sunday residency at Southend's Railway Hotel. Having said that, Martin, JJ (bass), Steve Weston (keys/harmonica) , Roy Webber (drums) - were in for an improv gig last Tuesday - where I even managed to jump on (bass) for a jam 'n' run around on this Gatemouth groover
So ready your dancing legs as it's bound to be a bank holiday blast with a similar swish to this recent session
I'm in from four spinning the tunes - with Big Bo (below) possibly popping up on the playlist. And early birds behold: I'll be bringing in a few copies of an all new comp' Rocking at The Railway packed with floor-shakers and faves from our Sunday Sessions...
