Out this this week Plectrum The Cultural Pick issue 12 - The glitziest of arts/fashion/music magazines. Where, you'll find editor Guy Sangster Adams in conversation with Marcella Puppini, ex Biba model Delisia Howard urging a return to dandyism, new shoes from ‘The Rock ‘n’ Roll Cobbler’ Terry de Havilland, and Nina Antonia author of Johnny Thunders: In Cold Blood and The New York Dolls: Too Much Too Soon as guest columnist.
Alongside this glittering gathering you'll find me on music reviews, where Hip Parade and two fruity new releases from Blow Up, Faye Hallam with The Bongolian and Baltic Fleet are all lent a critical ear. Grab your yourself a copy via the P-TCP website, or better still sign up for a subscription..
The lead off single 'Dancing' from Faye Hallam and The Bongolian's due-soon album Lost in Sound is previewed on the latest edition of Podrophenia: Southenders United - with special guest Dave Woodcock. It's a bulging edish tipping in at around two hours - loaded with live music, improv tinkling 'n' TV themes and an exclusive new tune 'My Escapism', so freshly written, the ink was still drying on Dave's songbook when he barrelled it out for us.
Should you fancy a listen, fill your boots below...
For tonight's Tuesday evening radio run out Piley and I will be celebrating Southenders old and new. It's a musical map that gets you from Mickey Jupp to Marc Bolan, The Basey Brothers to David Bowie and Blow Up records to Roman Jugg. The full route will be revealed tonight from 9.
Bowie comes to The Cricketers pub, Southend
And joining us with his keyboard and kit, we've live music from multi-instrumentalist, man about the Southend music scene and newly signed Blow Up artist - Dave Woodcock..
Park yourself at Chance Radio from 9 tonight. Or if you fancy a take away version of last Tuesday's doings - Podrophenia: The Letter L is now on iTunes, or baggable here..
Lee Brilleaux's hand drawn childhood map of Canvey - now on show as part of the Thames Delta expo...see also the Bowie flyer above
Terribly grim business this week with Donald Duck Dunn and Donna Summer - Larry does the pitch perfect tributes to both here and here . For my part, in no way a smirch on the life of Donna Summer - but, more a celebration of the deep-reach of her magnificence. Behold the Bollywood refit of I Feel Love....
A snatch of background: On the day I phoned Wilko Johnson for our Vive Le Rock interview, the line was beeping with a gut-rumbling engaged tone. A ticker tape of terrors rattled across my noggin - wrong number, dead line - he's forgotten! It turned out to be none of the above. Wilko had been busy on the helpline to Her Majesty's finest telecom's advisors, trying to untangle the mangle that is his old age pension.
You won't read about his rights, entitlements and allowances in issue 7 of Vive Le Rock. No, no we stick strictly to the script of Dr Feelgood's first gigs in Canvey and London. revealing - which gig does Wiko dispute as the band's debut, where did he have to avoid bashing his head - who barked at him for dragging amps across the metallic floor? All this can be read and digested between the covers of the latest Vive Le Rock in this edtion's You Should've Been There feature
The Quinn Martin style epilogue : I bumped into his Royal Wilko-ness while DJing at The Railway last Sunday (also in attendance was NME photographic ledge Dean Chalkley) - and can confirm he's even more of a gent and a legend in person....
If you fancy more musical based chat and chanter - grab yourself a copy of Tuesday's Radio Podrophenia (theme:Money) where Piley and I were joined by champion chap and choon chooser - Daryl Easlea for a chatter-about on days working at record shops, writing sleeve notes (over 300 to his credit) interviewing Lee Perry and the lost magic of ABC's Beauty Stab
Lord Reginald of Varney using the World's first cash machine...
Due to some unexpected technical agg (broadband link went pop) - the Money edition of Podrophenia never happened. So it's take two with special guest Daryl Easlea tonight from 9 at Chance Radio
Pounds, shillings and pence are the fistful of fiscals underwriting tonight's Money themed radio runout - where we're joined by local music writer (Mojo, Q, The Guardian, Uncut, Dazed & Confused, The Independent), DJ and broadcaster Mr Daryl Easlea..
Four tunes a pop amongst Daryl, Piley and myself. I'm opening my account with Magic Michael, Steve Marriot and Lee Perry.
If you missed last week's installment of the Podrophonic Alphabet: The Letter K ... take one and pass it on
What a full and frothing menu of musical doings are afoot at Southend's Railway Hotel this coming Sunday - bringing together a mixed bill of blues, soul and black-hearted all-girl garage.
Spread across two floors: upstairs Mod Club Almost Grown thumps out the funk with a soul all-dayer. While from 4:30 in the main bar downstairs - Martin McNeill's Bottletop Blues Band will be stomping through a set of jump blues, boogie and raw-rooted R 'n' B.
Following this, it's new band on the block The Other Ones (formed of Tom Burgess and Seasider Paul Hill)...Literally capping off the event are Snow-White-meets-the-Wicked-Witch girl group (and Jack White signings) The Black Belles dropping in as part of their debut UK tour.
From 4:30 between-the-bands in the downstairs bar I'll be pitching in a few platters ranging from Big Joe Turner to Big Boss Man and Merry Clayton to Mae West.
Should you happen to be in the central Southend area, or fancy heading there - come on around The Railway and shake a Sunday leg. One tune that's proved to be a recent rumbler at various shindigs has been.....
Led Zep (a BBC recording rarity), Little Richard a Roxy album track and Lulu - but which Lulu to choose? Feeling Alright, Watch That Man or Morning Dew?
Last week's radio runout didn't manage to lift off the launch pad - due to a last minute tech meltdown, so refreshed and re-revved after an unexpected Tuesday night off - Piley and I are back in bunker from 9 tonight at Chance Radio - why not swing by and listen live.
Divvyshare upload problems seem to be over - so as promised a take away versh of last Friday's funky nugget
Honey & The Bees - Love Addict must be one of the grooviest tunes ever posted on this ol' blog - in almost five years of posting tunes on this ol' blog. A nifty fit of soul with an opening riff that sounds distantly familiar leading to a soaring chorus that rises and shines like the midsummer sun.
It's a track that at some point, will be spun in during my DJ set at The Railway Hotel tonight - where oddities, obscurities, soul stompers and funky covers will be popped onto the playlist before during and after the bands. I'm not sure who support comes from, but headlining are electro-mod-poppers Theoretical Girl.
Headlining tonight - Theoretical Girl
So if you're Southend based or bound and with a spare Friday - night rally yourself round to The Railway and shake a lively leg...
Due to Divshare agg' (read: not allowing uploads) - I can't cross your palm with a copy - but you can lend Love Addict an ear here.
Lord Reginald of Varney using the World's first cash machine...
Pounds, shillings and pence are the fistful of fiscals underwriting tonight's Money themed radio runout - where we're joined by local music writer (Mojo, Q, The Guardian, Uncut, Dazed & Confused, The Independent), DJ and broadcaster Mr Daryl Easlea..
Four tunes a pop amongst Daryl, Piley and myself. I'm opening my account with Magic Michael, Steve Marriot and Lee Perry.
If you missed last week's installment of the Podrophonic Alphabet: The Letter K ... take one and pass it on
We didn't get to the Bronx, but Battery Park, yes - on our last full day in New York, passing through on route to the Staten Island Ferry for a sail-by sighting of the Statue of Liberty.
So what was New York like? Everything we'd hoped for at twice the scale. An all-absorbing, truly incredible metropolis - a clean, friendly and super-safe city (we were strolling around the back streets at 11 pm, riding the subways and mooching Central Park as dusk turned to dark – and felt perfectly fine and unrattled). Instantly familiar from films, TV (and comics) we were immediately installed, settled and at home from the first footsteps into Fifth Avenue.
At last: the lengthy wait since Record Breakers is over
So what sights were seen - Harlem and Spanish Harlem (by night), Grand Central Station, the Chrysler Building, New York Public Library, the Dakota Building, Central Park, the Chelsea Hotel, the Flat Iron building, West Village, Greenwich Village, SoHo, Times Square, Union Square, Washington Square, Brooklyn (both DUMBO and Williamsburg by way of two visits), a panoramic spread from the 86th floor of the Empire State Building (with 25 miles visibility).
86 floors straight down
And take note any future trip-takers some of the finest views to be had came from: the East River Ferry and its skyline commuter cruise - followed by the hair-tingling walk back across Brooklyn Bridge, the High Line and its newly-landscaped elevated railway aspect and finally gliding/hovering across East River riding the Roosevelt Island Tramway.
Roosevelt Island Tramway (as seen in Spider-Man 1) - yes we did brave a ride
For eats Sarge’s Deli is the place to park up (where I had my first Reuben) and my recommendation for a chow down – 24 hour service, on the premises prepared meats and home-made corn beef without any of the rush and bustle of Carnegie Deli or the NY's higher profile eateries - and is almost exclusively non-touristy. For shops J J’s Hat Centre will fit all your get ahead needs.
I've never returned from any holiday - anywhere! unable to shake off the sparkle of a visit like our trip to New York.
Grand Central Station and the Chrysler Building
Central Park and city
If you do get the chance to go - jump at it! I'm already prepping a tick-list for round two... while listening to New York's finest jazz station WBGO, which has given jazz a new and panoramic extra dimension after hearing it soundtracking the city of hootin'-tootin' cabs, steaming manholes and endlessly stretching skyscrapers
Looking south Brooklyn on the left and New Jersey on the right - Flat Iron in the middle
Should you fancy a squint at the full set of New York Pics have a peep hereabouts.
Only a couple of trips to record shops: Rebel Rebel in Greenwich Village where a Fania comp and Joe Batann were bagged, and Earwax in Brooklyn for DJ Shadow and Sharon Jones...
Keyboard kings and legends - as tonight we're joined by Southender and newly signed Blow Up label artist Dave Woodcock for live tunes and chat. Playlist-wise I'll be winging in Wynder K Frog, Jackie Mittoo, Keith Mansfield and this new beauty from Blow Up records…(available as free download here)
We're live from 9 come on over to Chance Radio and lend us your ears
If you missed last weeks edition - dig in below, or via iTunes
