JANUARY PLAYLIST

1.  Jimmy Nolen – ‘Strollin’ With Nolen’ (1956)

James Brown later had the savvy to employ Jimmy Nolen between 1965-1970 and it’s impossible to imagine that purple patch of JB’s output without Nolen’s chickenscratch guitar style. Back in ’56 he was already cutting loose.

2.  Herbie Hancock – ‘Watermelon Man’ (1962)

Herbs radically redid it on the squillion seller Head Hunters but it’s the finger snapping original cut on debut album, Takin’ Off, that gives ‘Watermelon Man’ its classic status.

3.  J.R. Bailey – ‘Love Won’t Wear Off (As The Years Wear On)’(1968)

The title sounds like the reverse of something George Jones might have written but this is classy soul from the Cadillacs singer cut under his own name for Calla Records.

4.  Herman George – ‘What Have You Got’ (1975)

Superb mid-70s soul.

5.  Laxton’s Superb – ‘Coming Round’ (1996)

Lost in the deluge of speculative Britpop signings, Laxton’s Superb were quickly dropped once their singles didn’t hit but the bright ‘Coming Round’ deserved better.

6.  Luke Haines – ‘The Incredible String Band’ (2016)

With a gentle strum, a children’s xylophone and a kazoo solo, Haines tells the tale of the Scottish psychedelic folksters who “were an unholy act, they sang like a couple of weasels, trapped in a sack.” This perversity, and songs about caterpillars, hedgehogs, death and a dude with no head obviously appeals to an outsider such as Haines. Now featured on the four-disc set, Luke Haines Is Alive and Well and Living in Buenos Aires.

7.  The Senior Service – ‘Slingshot’ (2018)

Anyone who’s followed Graham Day over the years will be aware of his penchant for groovy soundtracks to mind-movies so ‘Slingshot’ sounds how one would expect - the Shadows and Link Wray dressed as silver clad cowboys duelling in a dusty barroom situated in outer space while a Hammond organ catches fire in the corner.

8.  Daniel Romano – ‘Anyone’s Arms’ (2018)

While most spent January easing themselves into a new year Romano released two new albums under his own name and made available another recorded under his punky Ancient Shapes title. Nerveless (electric) and Human Touch (acoustic) have already been deleted – snooze and ya lose with Romano  – so many will have missed out on beauties like this catchy country-tinged pop rocker, which in a fair world would blare from every radio in the land.

9.  The Liminanas – ‘The Gift’ (2018)

The Liminanas’ blend of rattle and reverb rocked Rough Trade East this week during an in-store gig promoting Shadow People. For the second album in succession they include a track featuring the unmistakable contribution from Peter Hook and it’s a glorious one; all low-slung, sexy pop.

10.  Tara Milton – ‘Assassins’ (2018)

Former Five Thirty (okay, and Nubiles) man returns, at long last, with Serpentine Waltz, guiding the listener to the shadowy corners of the night. If I remember my William Burroughs correctly, ‘Assassins’ is a nod to Hassan-i-Sabbah who, in the 11^th century, controlled an army of killers with drug addiction. The shuffling rhythm and spiralling trumpets one of many highlights on an impressive debut solo record.

MAY PLAYLIST

Okay my little chickadees, a sample of what’s been rocking Monkey Mansions this month.

1.  Plas Johnson – “Downstairs” (1959)

Tenor man Johnson is all over hundreds of R&B and Rock ‘n’ Roll recordings, including hits by the Coasters, BB King, Larry Williams, Young Jessie, Duane Eddy, Johnny Otis, Gene Vincent, The Beach Boys, Marvin Gaye and more, but most famously it’s him playing the lead on “The Pink Panther Theme” in 1963. “Downstairs” is super cool and hard hitting; like the soundtrack to a detective series set in smoky basement strip clubs.   

2.  Lou Rawls – “The House Next Door” (1964)

With the greatest respect to Long John Baldry, when I heard him do this my immediate thought was I bet there’s a great original version somewhere. And here it is; almost as recognisable as Lou’s voice is H.B. Barnum’s kitchen-sink orchestral arrangement.   

3.  Fenwyck – “Mindrocker” (1967)

Much like The Factory’s “Path Through The Forest” when I first heard this slightly trippy folk-rock jangler in the early 90s I thought - thanks to the Stone Roses influence still hanging in the air - it was a new record.

4.  Bob Thiele and Gabor Szabo – “Eight Miles High” (1967)

Wowsers, this is so flipping groovy I’m in half a mind to remove my clothes, paint my body and go skipping down Walthamstow High Street handing out flowers. And that’s before I’ve digested my body weight in industrial strength LSD. Psychedelic big band jazz score with massive Eastern knobs on. Bob and Gabor should’ve retitled it “Eighty Miles High”.

5.  Grant Green – “Hurt So Bad” (1969)

Smooth yet funky jazz rendition of the old Little Anthony and the Imperials hit from Green’s splendid Blue Note LP, Carryin’ On.

6.  The Saints – “(I’m) Stranded” (1976)

The Damned claim they fell about laughing when they heard the first Sex Pistols single, saying it was so slow, an accusation they couldn’t have held against Australian band The Saints with their debut 45. It gives “New Rose” a run – make that sprint - for its money and beat it to release by a month.   

7.  Pigbag – “Papa’s Got A Brand New Pigbag” (1981)

On Saturday, for the first time in my life and only the second time in their history, Queen’s Park Rangers won a final at Wembley. I can’t think of a more dramatic way to win any game than to do it with ten men and for a substitute to score with ten seconds of the 90 minutes left. To do it in the Sky Bet Championship Play Off Final, to secure promotion to the Premier League, in front of nearly 40 thousand QPR fans, at Wembley, was truly unbelievable. Usually after a QPR goal the fans give a quick cheer and then follow with a blast of the Pigbag tune. When Bobby Zamora curled in that shot with his left foot, Pigbag, for once, was forgotten amid total pandemonium and frenzy. I’ve no idea now what I yelled, it wasn’t anything recognisable, simply a bellowing, guttural noise. In 32 years supporting QPR through thick and thin, this was the greatest moment, the pay back, and a memory to treasure forever.

8.  Laxton’s Superb – “Coming Round” (1996)

Laxton’s Superb got lost in a sea of Britpop wannabes but they did have one good song in them, this sweeping gem which although now sounds very-TFI Friday retains an ebullient charm.

9.  Joanna Gruesome – “Anti-Parent Cowboy Killers” (2013)

Indie like back in the olden days when it was, you know, indie. One for old duffers and young whippersnappers alike. 

10.  Brian Jonestown Massacre – “Vad Hande Med Dem?” (2014)

The pulsating opening track from the new LP, Revelation. I’ve long given up trying to understand what Anton Newcombe and company are on about (let alone on) so best not try to analysis what they do and just go with it. Not everything works (and they can go on a bit) but when they hit the spot they’re worth persevering with.