Like the Cocteau Twins at Christmas

That's what The Wolfmen's new single Jackie, Is It My Birthday? sounds like to me.

A swirling dervish of ghostly notes, Marco's guitars arpeggiating like the midnight chimes of church bells and snowfalls of slow-shifting synth washes swaddling Sinéad O'Connor and Chris Constantinou as they waltz-in-black through this dark duet like ghost-dancers at the Overlook Hotel.

But don't just take my word for it, have a blast below. The 2 min's(half of the single) you'll hear is ripped from my own copy of Jackie - but you can get your own copy on 7 inch , CD or digital download



And don't you think Jackie would make a perfect Christmas single? A fresh airing and alternative to the overplayed Pogues, that Wham song or some one-shot winner from a TV 'talent' show

Freaky Friday - I Don't Like Spiders and Snakes

Not my carpet or spider - but my hand

Throughout October Funky Friday will be seasonally adjusted to Freaky Friday. The tracks and tunes will feature all the usual foot-stomping and leg-shaking shenanigans, but with an added splash of fright-night flavouring until the beckoning bony finger of Halloween finally touches upon us.

Think of today's theme as a prelude for the fourth Piley and Mondo podcast(with you next week)..

I've no fear of the snake, but spiders - yikes alive! Will literally, have me both legs in air the 'Lords-a-leaping' style. And apparently the last two summers (one wet/one dry) have provided the perfect breeding conditions for the little scuttlers *gulps*

Tony Joe White - Stud-Spider
A saucy, plodding slice of Southern Soul meets Gumbo-Funk from the writer of Rainy Night In Georgia and Polk Salad Annie


Al Wilson - The Snake
A classic Northen Soul nugget first heard by me on this Ronco comp (although it actually had this tracklisting)

The Mondo Metal Years - I don't what's scarier the mullet or the Motley Crue tee

And a trick amongst the treats..

Jim Stafford - Spiders and Snakes

Funky Friday - Podrophenia 3 - Surprisingly Funky

K-tel's Goofy Greats - now that's what I call music!!

Surprisingly Funky - that's the for theme latest podcast from Piley and I. Ten tunes from players and performers who've stowed away some uncharacteristically fleet footed crackers in the catalogue.

But can you guess who's who before each tune ends - of course you can!

Amongst the usual bumble and banter we touch on - The Basildon Music Festival - 'Basfest', Ron Wood's Southend connections, Piley's Newsround and celebrity lookalikes including: him and him - him and her

All grabbable and listenable right here...

Podrophenia 3



You may notice - the promise of a surprise at one point (a Radio One style Bits and Pieces quiz I'd planned for Piley), but soundwise, this section went a bit wonky . Rather than waste it - I'll embed here in case you fancy a pop at a summer themed Pop Quiz..

Click on the pic for a full-size gawp

Duet's You Couldn't Dream Up (Not In a Good Way)

Lulu and Johnny cash - Games People Play

Probably the most fumble fingered pre song chit chat since records began, which swerves from haggis and potatoes to Glaswegian Police recruitment.
Unfortunately these clumsy stumbles and toe treading techniques carry on for the duration of the song.

A song soundtracked by showbiz horns, Isley Brothers guitar and higgldy piggldy piano.

Lulu and Cash would make a great name for a detective series though.



Cilla Black and Bryan Ferry - It's My Party

Oh dear, the showbiz horn's are back and they’ve bought their mate Plod Plod on bass with them. Ferry’s people must have spent years trying to bury this clip which does the Cilit Bang on his supercool gloss. In his defence though, he does seem to have an “I'm only doing this because my new solo album These Foolish Things is out now” look in eyes.

The phrase “you would cry too if this happened to you” must have been bouncing round his brain on the bus home

Funky Friday - Duets You Couldn't Dream Up (In a Good Way)

I've got two Youtube frug fest's this week, and a rare Tom Jones Northern Soul stomper available for download at the bottom.

Ray Charles and Billy Preston – Agent Double O Soul

Put those star performers together and you know that something good is going to happen! Doing Agent Double O Soul? That's it then,'banker' - no question, and a screamingly green suit is just the cherry on the top..

But if that funky bundle's not enough to lock your focus, wait until Mr Billy Preston does his scatter bomb bursts of leg actions, and jives like the jiggins for 1 minute and 42 seconds.

If he tried any harder he’d pop from the screen and dance like a pixie on the desk.

"Its a shame Ray Charles can't enjoy it!" was the cry from Mrs Mondo. Hmmmm



If you feel inspired to learn some of these groovy moves, why not shimmy over to the tip top Landcrofthouse blog and enjoy a James Brown masterclass showing on this screen

Tom Jones and Janis Joplin - Raise Your Hand

Starts as a “You Bump - I’ll Grind” duet, which smolders,smokes and shakes away politely(in what looks like a swingers bistro)until the sax solo kicks in. After that it’s volcanic vocals and lava flows of funk and fatbacking, all the way to the finish line. Sort of Hieronymus Bosch at the discotheque..



Tom Jones - Stop Breaking My Heart.mp3