Planet Plectrum

You may remember back in March, a mention of Plectrum Live Editions, an evening where I caught Cathi Unsworth reading from Bad Penny Blues. The hard copy companion to Plectrum’s Live events and website is the print edition magazine. The May/June issue of Plectrum has just been published and alongside the arts features, short stories and interviews with Biba big-boss Barbara Hulanicki and Biba model Delisia Howard. You’ll find me guesting as reviews editor lending a critical ear to minty fresh albums, singles, comics and podcasts. Two tunes under review are...

Neon Plastix - Gentleman's Gold



The Wolfmen - Cat Green Eyes



Have a listen, see what you think - then click here to see what I think

Funky Friday - The Adnams Family

Postcard by Juliet Blaxland

Following a week of local based bumbling: pubs, beaches and bikes - for the next week it's Southwold here we come (isn't that a Smiths album?)

If you've never visited, the highlights include: Suffolk's tea colured sea, the Adnams brewery, Aspall's Suffolk Cyder, the Southwold Picture Palace, the pier, crabbing in Walberswick, one of the UK's finest chippies rated Number One (here) just a nip away in Aldeburgh, - and Southwold's high street lighthouse. But like Mrs PM says - why the high street? Aren't lighthouses meant to be on a rocky outcrop, spit or somesuch - not plonked next to the pub and brewery surely?

If you've never visited why not take a taste test here - Southwold tour

PS We're not leaving until tomorrow - but I'm bored of usual holiday tunes (XTC, Beatles, Monty Python albums) having played them too many times - so any recommendations for must have holiday listens would be appreciated..

So, I'll leave you with Two summer soundalikes that were on my subs bench for the last Podrophenia..

Jack Costanzo - Peter Gunn Mambo




Dave 'Baby' Cortez - Watermelon Man



And a guest mix which should be appearing on The Right Side Of Funky sometime over the weekend

See you in week's time and I'll try to send a postcard..

Not sure about that manky mud-pier, nothing more scenic in the vaults then?

Run For Cover It's A Piley And Mondo Podcast

Who he? Find out in Podrophenia

Great Scott it's a podcast! Yes Podrophenia the first in an occasional series of oddcasts from Piley and myself wherein where cue up some themed tunes and generally jabber about a bit. The flavour of the day is 'cover versions'. So what can you expect to hear amid the random banter as we dig through our respective record collections? well, tracks like ...

The original hi-raunch version of One Night reworked by Marc Almond

Mission Impossible as you've never heard it before

Metallica remade for swinging and finger-clicking

Blur covering Rod Stewart

Rod Stewart covering Oasis

Bob Dylan goes garage..

Podrophenia is unscripted, unedited(ish) and available for stream or download right here..

Podrophenia 1

The audio embed has gone pop - but you can listen via itunes above


Oh and the opening theme, which I forgot to credit is The Mohawks - Mony Mony

Funky Friday - The Hair Flare Bunch

I’m guesting over at Devil Dick's blog today with brand new bespoke mix - ’33 and a 3rd Eye’ - that scrapbooks heavy mod, rocking hippy and some swishy sounds of the underground into a 70 minute blitz of grooving guitar based goodies - there’s a taste test below – but the full fat version is available right here..

33 and a 3rd Eye trailer



Two tracks I couldn’t seem to squeeze in - and one that I could, form a trio of early doors appearances, and low key/in disguise numbers featuring some of rock’s heaviest-hitters..

Jeff Beck (with Rod Stewart and Ron Wood)- All Shook Up



And the Magical Mystery Tunage...

Who are the undercover rockers masquerading as The Murgatroyd Band and doing the Jenny Hanley anthem

‘Magpie’



Or the anon' artist lending some welly to this budget comp cover of..

Spirit In The Sky..



I know who the last two are - but do you????

If this a touch too crash, bang, wallop - and you fancy something lighter on it's feet - why not try the confessions of a drummer...it's disco a go-go

Funky Friday - Worldwide Funk

Mondo Internationale - Teaser Trailer



I'm off on a Bank Holiday break at Matt's The Right Side Of Funky today, with a brand new mix 'Mondo internationale'

So what are Bank Holidays traditionally about then? Traffic and travel usually - and with that in mind I've tried to make 'Mondo internationale' a united nations mix of global groovers and tropical treats by blending acts from Nigeria, France and Jamaica with inter continental hops and stops at St Tropez, Broadway and Panama. Although there are earthquakes and a small splash of of bad weather on the way, hot pants are recommended as the temperature is generally hot, fiery and fevered with the final destination being Hawaii (5-0) for a hook up with Sammy Davis Jr.

The full mix is below if you fancy hopping onboard

Mondo internationale

Think of it as an antidote to Eurovision

You can taste test my musical version of a Wimpy International Grill at the top of the page. Somehow I couldn't seem to squeeze these two tunes into this short haul shakedown

Asiko Rock Group - Lagos City



Alan Hawkshaw - Expo In Tokyo



There's another couple of outtakes here if you fancy completing the set

Funky Friday - It's A Blog Swap!

Yes a blog swap! I'm over at Mr Double Down's thumpingly funky Hook And Sling site with a brand new bespoke mix 'Dial M For Mondo'
(Which you can taste test below with this two minute teaser trailer...)

While MR DD pushes the buttons and plays a royal flush of funky aces right here ...

Mr Double Down Presents Funky Friday (The Hook And Sling Meets Planet Mondo)

Hello, my name is Mr Double Down and I am one part of The Hook And Sling, a monthly 100% funk and soul night in London’s West End with The Popcorn King and Hoppin’ John . We also run the same titled Podcast / Blog over on Podbean.com. I’m really honoured to be invited over here by Dave to contribute to the ongoing ‘Funky Friday’ section of his fantastic Blog..

The old saying “All good things come in threes” couldn’t ring truer here today as I have the pleasure of sharing three of my favourite 45’s with you, they have all really been doing the business at our night lately! Its ’Funky Friday’!, so loosen that collar because the week-end’s just beginning!

Curtis Mayfield – Mother’s Son (Curtom)

Download Curtis Mayfield – 'Mother’s Son' here

First up is an artist most of you will (should!!) be familiar with. Curtis Mayfield, legendary singer, writer and producer from the 70’s. This cut, ‘Mother’s Son’ is perhaps a little less well known, but popularity should never affect quality, and it certainly doesn’t here! Taken from his own Curtom label, this is a 45 that Hoppin’ John has been hammering since our nights humble beginnings on the south coast of England – and justifiably so. What a record!! Definitely one for the bass heads out there!

The B.B.K. Expedition – For The Love Of Money (Dynamite Soul)

Download The B.B.K. Expedition – For The Love Of Money here

Dynamite Soul is a relatively new record label in the grand scheme of things. Lately they’ve been resurrecting all sorts of forgotten funk, soul and reggae gems from the 60’s and 70’s and issuing them on 45 again.
The B.B.K. Expedition’s cover of ‘For The Love Of Money’, a track originally by The O’Jays, was taken from an unreleased album called ‘Upships Creek’. The B.B.K’s version here is certainly the rougher and rawer of the two, and if the horn break at the end of the cut doesn’t do it for you , then give up now! This version also always manages to turn heads at our night! As a small Brucie bonus, here’s a great live version of the original by the O’Jays from 1974!

Tony Bowens And The Soul Choppers – Boilin’ Water (Tony Bowens)


Download Tony Bowens And The Soul Choppers – 'Boilin’ Water' here

I first heard this several years ago at Keb Darge’s ‘Legendary Deep Funk’ night in Soho. It’s an absolute funk monster and on the account that its as rare as hens teeth, it doesn’t come up for sale too often for anything less than 3 figures (I told you all good things came in 3’s). I caught my copy a few years back after a manic bidding frenzy on the Bay, and it was worth every single penny! For those that don’t dabble in the practise of shelling out ‘silly money’ on vinyl, it was recently comped by Will Quantic for Jazzman Records and was also put out on a French re-issue 45 under the name of The Soul Choppers. I don’t know all that much about the 45, other than that Tony Bowen’s hailed from New York and put the record out independently, probably due to monetary constraints. I think in this case the music says all that needs to be said!

I’d like to thank Dave once more for allowing me to contribute over here. You can find him holding the reigns over at The Hook And Sling where he is currently dropping his ‘Dial M for Mondo’ Mix as part of our continuing Guest Mix Series. I hope you enjoyed my selections today and for those of you who are in the London area, you can catch us at The Hook And Sling every second Saturday of the month at The Brown Sugar Bar in High Holborn. All the dates and details can be found HERE

Mr Double Down
http://thehookandsling.podbean.com

Funky Friday - Before They Were Famous

It's a Mod Mod Mod world on Funky Friday this week, and a celebration of the first steps of all things swishy, swinging and sixties...In the red Mini - there's a fistful of early doors appearances from proto popsters performing soul stompers here on Planet Mondo

In the white Mini - 'Cool Britannia' a bespoke 'Funky Mod Mix' - 45 minutes of 45s, rarities, obscurities and cinematic tracks is available for download by way of Fu Fu Stew

And in the blue Mini - a selection of blues boom guitar a go-go goodies and my big bang theory of rock are up for grabs in more guest blogging over on The Axe Victim

So the pre fame fruggery and funkiness comes in the form of light entertainers and lungbusters like...

David Essex - yes him from 'Rock On' 'Tahiti'and 'Nightclubbing' getting all Northern Souly

David Essex - So-Called Loving.mp3



Elkie Brooks - yes her from 'Pearl's A Singer' and 'Lilac Wine' sounding just like a proper Ronette.

Elkie Brooks - The Way You Do.mp3



And the atomic Tom Jones huffing, puffing and bellowing the house down on his first single 'Chills and Fever'



'Chills and Fever' is part of the ''Cool Britannia' mix (available at )Fu Fu Stew which continues the 'Before They Were Famous' theme, with appearances from Quincy Jones, Lulu, Tony Newman (later working with Bolan and Bowie), Jack Bruce and Ginger Baker as the rhythm section of The Graham Bond Organisation.

Here's the full menu and a two minute taste test



Michael Caine on Swinging London
The Bonzo Dog Doo Dah Band - Cool Britannia
The Small Faces - Grow Your Own
Georgie Fame - Somebody Stole My Thunder
Graham Bond Organisation - Long Tall Shorty
Tom Jones - Chills And Fever
Loose Ends - Taxman
Bo Street Runners - Drive My Car
Lulu - Feelin' Alright
Jack Bruce – The Ministry Of Bag
Shotgun Express - Curtains
The Shadows - Scotch On The Socks
The Kinks - Brainwashed
Quincy Jones - It's Caper Time
Lord Sitar - I Can See For Miles
The Who - Heatwave
Zoot Money - Uncle Willie
Tony Newman - Let The Good Times Roll
Keith Mansfield - Young Scene (Theme from The Big Match)
The Italian Job -Getta Bloomin' Move On! (The Self Preservation Society)

So get on over and fill your Chelsea boots with 'Cool Britannia'



Jude Rodgers also has some sixties glossy pop amazingness from a very young Gloria Hunniford