Echo and the Bunnymen with Billy Bragg – Run Run Run

Back in 1985 BBC’s Old Grey Whistle Test did an all-nighter show called Rock Around The Clock.  It was hosted by Word Magazine’s Mark Ellen and David Hepworth, with a bit of help from Andy Kershaw.

I remember staying up and seeing Echo and the Bunnymen joining up with Billy Bragg to play a rather shambolic version of The Velvet Underground’s Run, Run, Run at about 3 in the morning.  I’d just discovered The Velvet Underground for myself and it felt like being a member of an exclusive club.  In a pre-Amazon and MP3 world, just getting hold of their records was a challenge.  To see two of my favourite acts teaming on a Velvet’s cover was tremendously exciting.

I hadn’t seen or heard it again in nearly 25 years until I found this on YouTube.  In the intervening time I had thought about this version, and being a bit of a guitar geek, I remembered distinctly that Billy Bragg was playing a Telecaster f hole Thinline and that Will Sargent of the  Bunnymen was playing a Bond Electraglide.  A very 80s high tech guitar, made with carbon fibre with digital controls and readouts and a stepped rather than fretted fretboard.  Very much of it’s time and technology in a guitar that never really caught on.  Mick Jones played one in Big Audio Dynamite.  The Edge probably played one too.

Iron Maiden – The Trooper

BBC Four’s Heavy Metal Britannia series is on this weekend, starting this evening at 23:00 with Iron Maiden’s excellent Flight 666 documentary.  The Maiden took did the Somewhere Back in Time tour in 2008, revisting the classic Live After Death set.  All round top-bloke, frontman Bruce Dickinson was at the controls of their own decorated plane, Ed Force One, with a huge Eddie on the tailfin. I was there at Twickenham for the only UK date with a bunch of friends.  A great day out.

Even if you think you’re not that bothered about Iron Maiden you should watch it.

This version of The Trooper is from the original Live After Death  live album. “Let me see your hands in the air”

[YouTube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PSSHk0U9gv4]

In Between Days – The Cure

I was playing this badly on the guitar earlier.

Unfortunately YouTube embedding is disabled on request on this one so you’ll have to follow the link

I do find the disabled embedding a bit annoying for the purposes of this blog but not as annoying as the news that YouTube will be muting  videos with unauthorised copyrighted music.

Just Like Honey – Jesus and Mary Chain

I was writing tonight’s post with another track in mind, and then got distracted by the TV which had the Jesus and Mary Chain’s Just Like Honey being used on a perfume advert.  I’d never have expected that to happen.  I guess it’s down to the fact that the track got used in Lost In Translation.  I am intrigued now and need to pop into one of those perfume shops to find out if the perfume does indeed smell, ahem, just like honey.

Yes, that is Primal Scream’s Bobby Gillespie on drums.

Psychocandy remains one of my favourite albums ever.  I played it loads as an anst ridden teen and the reverb laden feedback noise had my dad thinking there was something wrong with the hot water tank.  Anybody who’s had the misfortune to play in a band with me has had to put up with feedback squeals as a result ever since.