JUNE PLAYLIST

Mary Love, Kent 25th Anniversary, London, October 2007

1.  The StanTracey Trio – “Free” (1959)

Tracey swops his piano for cool vibes, Kenny Napper plays an incessant bass but it’s the Afro-rhythms and snaps of Phil Seamen – at once ancient and modern - which really catch the ear. Sounds far out even now. 

2.  Derrick Harriott- “Monkey Ska” (1965)

A song about a ska dancing monkey released on the Gay Disc label, what’s not to love?

3.  Mary Love – “Let Me Know” (1966)

Both Bobby Bland and Mary Love checked into Blues and Soul Heaven this month and were introduced to thousands of us youngsters via their inclusion on numerous early Kent compilations. It was tempting to pick Mary’s “You Turned My Bitter Into Sweet” but instead I’ve gone for this equally gorgeously sung 45 for Modern Records.

4.  Rodriguez – “Cause” (1971)

Rodriguez’s Glastonbury set yesterday was like riding a very rickety roller coaster: moments of heart in mouth beauty (“Sugar Man”) and others (most of the bizarre covers) of terrifying horror. One listen today of Coming From Reality has restored the equilibrium.

5.  Kevin Ayers – “Shouting In A Bucket Blues” (1973)

Footage of Ayers doing this on The Old Grey Whistle Test cropped up on BBC4 the other Friday night and had me adding Bananamour to my to-get list. 

6.  Siouxsie and the Banshees – “Spellbound” (1981)

Was very lucky to see one of Siouxsie’s two gigs for the Meltdown Festival this month performing the entire Banshees’ 1980 Kaleidoscope LP, followed by a Hits and More set, followed by two encores of which “Spellbound” was the final song. Two hours long and the crowd stood from the first note to the last, which I’ve never seen in the Royal Festival Hall before. 

7.  The Pale Fountains – “Jean’s Not Happening” (1984)

It’s quite incredible how this wasn’t a massive mid-80s hit. Or even a minor one.

8.  BMX Bandits – “Serious Drugs” (1993)

Teenage Fanclub’s Thirteen reached number 14 on the UK charts in 1993 yet their Glaswegian label mates and cousins in BMX Bandits struggled to give away Life Goes On, an album every bit as good as anything the Fannies ever made. And I don’t say that lightly. One listen to “Serious Drugs” and you’ll be hooked.

9.  Hidden Masters – “She Broke The Clock Of The Long Now” (2013)

Some achievement by the Hidden Masters here as they’ve condensed the best parts of the 20-album Rubble series of late 60s UK psychedelic rock into one track. Of This & Other Worlds is an impressive album: a mix of close harmonies and tightly woven inventive playing and song writing.

10.  Mavis Staples – “Woke Up This Morning (With My Mind On Jesus)” (2013)

Mavis’s new album One True Vine is perfect Sunday morning music. Hallelujah. 

JULY PLAYLIST

Current spins in Monkey Mansions.

1. Margie Day – “Take Out Your False Teeth Daddy” (1953)
“Take out your false teeth Daddy, your Mommy wants to scratch your gums, Oh you’re gonna feel good after I’ve rubbed them some”. Now, I’ve no degree in bluesology but I’m thinking Margie had something other than her fella’s dental work on her mind.

2. The Martinels – “I Don’t Care” (1962)
This punchy rhythm and soul house shaker was released on Success records out of Des Moines, Iowa. The label proudly boasts of it being an “unbreakable 45 RPM” and fifty years later it’s been as good as its word.

3. Wanda Jackson – “Memory Mountain” (1963)
No need to choose between Wanda’s rockabilly years and her country years; have ‘em both.

4. Jimmy Witherspoon – “Drinking Beer” (1964)
“Let’s have party and drink up lots of beer/ Well, wine is fine but give me lots of beer/ Wanna drink some beer, talk some trash this mornin’/ Let’s drink some beer ‘til the rooster crows at dawnin’/ Well, wine is fine but give me lots of beer.” What he said.

5. Derrick Harriott – “Monkey Ska” (1965)
Irresistible.

6. John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers – “Snowy White” (1967)
Fear not the white boy blues band. Co-written by Mick Taylor - who plays lead - this Hammond and horns instrumental from the surprising warm Crusade LP is more reminiscent of the Small Faces than Bukka White.

7. The Rolling Stones – “Far Away Eyes” (1978)
Hard not to think of Gram Parsons and, for maybe the last time, hard not to think of Jagger and Richards having a right old laugh writing and recording this.

8. The Stone Roses – “Good Times” (1994)
Striped of context and nostalgia, the more muscular groove of Second Coming has dated far better their first album, and now sounds better than ever.

9. The Horrors – “Sheena Is A Parasite” (2007)
Thorny critic Everett True wrote a scathing piece on the new Horrors album, saying they sound exactly like U2. He over-egged the pudding but there are a couple of tracks where they're more U2 than Q65. Pity by his own admission he’s never heard the majestic tinny dustbin rattle of their debut 45.

10. Yuck – “Holing Out” (2011)
There is something comfortably reassuring about Yuck’s eponymous LP, sounding as it does like an record I would’ve bought in the early 90s next to Dinosaur Jr., Swervedriver, Sugar, The Pixies, Pavement and Teenage Fanclub.