From postcards from Pellicci's to postcards from Southend and Scarborough
Rewind backawhiles, to January 2010... and you'll find me getting into a wide eyed (boy from freecloud) froth over Michael Chapman and the proto Bowie-tone colouring the sound of his 1970 album Fully Qualified Survivor - a tone brought to the FQS sessions by the recording debut of Mick Ronson..
The result of some stealthy info-digging since first hearing FQS - reveals an entire web threading the Chapman-first/Bowie-later connection together, with a repertory of Chapman's accomplices and session men being absorbed into Bowie's orbit. From 69 and Jon Kane covering Chapman's Soulful Lady (produced by Tony Visconti) to Gus Dudgeon of Rainmaker and FQS (later of Space Oddity, MWSTW, Ziggy), Paul Buckmaster of Rainmaker and FQS ( also Space Oddity, unreleased Man Who Fell to Earth OST) to Chapman's drummer Richie Dharma later appearing on Lou Reed's Walk on the Wild Side - and of course - Mick Ronson's The Rats (from Hull), becoming Bowie's Spiders (from Mars).
So what's the point of this see-saw style, name-spotting? Well, Chapman returns to Southend for an appearance as part of the 2013 Leigh Folk Festival, which I believe, is his first live outing in this area since playing two local gigs with Bowie in 1970...
The tickets are booked, the bikes have been readied for a cycle to the venue - and who knows I may even try and grab a quick natter with Pal Chapman to get his take on the push-me—pull-you tale.
If you haven't backtracked to the original Chappers/Ronson post - lend a quizical ear below
With the theme for our June edition of Radio Podrophenia being summer/holidays/seaside - Piley and I are having ourselves a staycation. As in, we're still banging about with the usual natter and chat this Thursday from 9, but are having a beano to Southend's newest radio station Shipful of Bombs, and asking our Podrophonic listening pals to choose the tracks and tunes.
Pitched into the playlist is a new to me treat, and hit in August 68 from Robert John - hand picked by Pellicci legend Jukebox Jimmy.
In fact, Jim has kindly recorded a 60 minute podcast pulling into play a stunning run of summer sounds from The Mamas and the papas to the Goffin and King songbook, and dropping in sixties soul and perfect seventies. pop
Fill your boots below. And then backtrack to the JBJ's exclusive musical overview here
So what's been bubbling up over at the House of Blow Up? Long haul PM favourites Baltic Fleet were on the bill for the opening night of Yoko Ono's Meltdown last Friday. Playing two sessions - an early ambient/downtempo drift from 6pm, with a bulkier, beatier, bruiser of a do at around 9:30
A rotation of roaring performances that pulled in a playlist from both albums and had Bloomberg describing the Baltics as 'the psychedelic mid-point between Joy Division and Daft Punk'
Personally, I can't wait to see them belting out their unique brand of electrickery to a field full of festival-heads bouncing about to those Baltic beats.
On Tuesday the 18th June - Dave Woodock a Southender you may have read about on this blog first (or perhaps heard on our Podrophenia outings) released his debut single Same Things on the Blow Up label. An absolute stomper of a song, which two years back was my intro to the Boy Wonder that is - Dave Woodcock. But don't just take my word for what a walloper of a tune it is - behold the review from swish-hipsters at Brandish who claim...
Same Things reinvents Brit Pop, but in a good way, a wonderful distillation of everything that is great about quirky English pop music.
Same Things can be downloaded for free right here (and listen out for the line where this blog heading is lifted from)
Hang on a mo' - who's this ol' schmoozer hanging off of Sean Lennon
Doodle a red ring around next Monday! As, in the tradition of Mighty Marvel Team-Ups we unite the Pouch of Douglas and Podrophenia to bring you ..... Pouchophenia.
A mixed medium of drinking, dancing and doodling and one of many events gathering together to form the Leigh Art Trail -
Come on down for sketching, shaking. sipping and special guests at The Ship - it's all free...details and
doings are hereabouts
There *are* three steps to heaven - God, Elvis and David Bowie. Although only one of them is still putting out new material
Last Sunday, Podrophenia placed a Converse-clad foot on the first step, as your Podrophonic pals were featured on David Bowie's official FB and Twitter pages *faints* - *faints again*
We've been told before by someone in the know that Podrophenia would be right up Bowie's street - and while broadcasting live last Thursday, as well as Mr Bowie net listening in - we discover one mystery listener in New York (it couldn't have been - could it?)
We've never been so chuffed. We're happy - hope you're happy too.
A huge thank you is due to the ol' Starman himself and the Grand Master of Bowie Net for their support and shouts - so why not zip on over and take a look here....or here . Then grab yourself the Podrophenia Bowie Special - a Ziggy Podcast you could say right here - or in iTunes.
We've got five exclusive cover versions from Andy J Gallagher (and guests including Roman Jugg of The Damned ), Silvery, The Millipede Engine,The Wolfmen and Hannah, live Bowie covers from David Woodock (joined by Wendy Solomon for one) - and the first play of Eight Rounds Rapid new single - due soon on Podrophenia Records...
In fact why not pop on over to Millipede Engine HQ and grab their Bowie cover while it's online for a limited period
The Bowie Podrophenia Special can be streamed below or downloaded here
And if you haven't yet - grab the new album - it's all beauty, no beast
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....
