Reggie King, the singer in The Action, remembered by Kevin Pearce
We’ve lost some good people recently, so I’m hoping that stories circulating about Reggie King being dead prove to be wrong. Nevertheless, reflecting on Reggie’s life and legacy is a useful reminder why we do what we do, and love what we love.
It is impossible to overstate the importance and impact on my life of The Action, the group I first heard via Edsel’s compilation at the start of the 1980s. It is easy to forget how little in the way of obscure old music was around at the time, and Edsel releasing collections by The Action and The Creation was a major event. It was also perfect timing. The Action, in particular, fitted in perfectly with other things I was obsessed by, such as Dexys, Vic Godard, The Jam, Orange Juice, Byrds, Velvets, and old soul singles.
read the rest of Kevin’s piece here:
http://caughtbytheriver.net/2010/10/caught-by-the-reaper-reggie-king/
The Wheel Halloween music fayre @ Cecil Sharp House 31/10/10
Our friends at The Wheel, promoters of music & art events which take place on the most meaningful days of the year — for that read PAGAN CELEBRATIONS! — are celebrating this coming Sunday with an all-day-and-night psychedelic Halloween experience taking in live music from bewitching smokey blues things (and favourites of Jack White), The Smoke Fairies, as well as Heavenly Jukebox live favorites — Antipodean psych folkster ‘please don’t turn him into the Snat!’ Connan Mockasin and prog medieval rockers Circulus.
There’s also a very special sunset procession from Primrose Hill to Cecil Sharp House led by award-winning artist, Matthew Cowan. Mary Epworth and Jubilee Band, Hidden Masters and Tut Vu Vu among others are appearing live while members of Django Django, Betty and the Werewolves plus The Social’s resident meltdowner Ross Allen & ourselves (Heavenly Jukebox) will all be on DJ duties.
& check these inspired extra curricular activities …
* Acrobatics, songs and magical story telling from the incredible Chhau dancers from West Bengal
* Folk bingo from Lord Sinclair (his more louche rock n roll bingo is a hit at festivals like All Tomorrow’s Parties)
* Disguised procession from Primrose Hill to Cecil Sharp House at sunset led by artist Matthew Cowan. Everybody welcome to join. Meet at the top of Primrose Hill at 4.15pm
* Dan and Dan (YouTube video maker) performs comic songs
* Craft activities with The Winter Entertainments Club
* Morris dancing from The Belles of London City
* Specially commissioned decorations by artists Kim Coleman + Kim O’Neill
* Fortune telling from Dela Cartomancer
* Collage night does a collage day. Get crafty with glue and those tiny scissors
* Hog roast, apple bobbing, English ale and cider, and other good food
Tickets are available from the ICA website:
http://purchase.tickets.com/buy/TicketPurchase
Cecil Sharp House
2 Regents Park Road
London, UK NW1 7AY
More details here …
http://www.wheelwheelwheel.co.uk
The English Folk Song & Dance Society
http://www.efdss.org
L.C.M.D.F. free download of ‘Gandhi’
HVN 210
LCMDF (Le Corps Mince De Francoise)
Gandhi
Free download:
http://zaphod.uk.vvhp.net/reg/reg.pl?id=5572–149657
• ‘Gandhi’ available as free download from www.myspace.com/lecorpsmincedefrancoise
• Limited 12” vinyl with two remixes from Andrew Weatherall, plus further remixes from MVSEVM & Dicky Trisco (“Dicky Trisco’s Heavenly Dub”)
• Single available through iTunes as part of a download bundle with one remixes from Andrew Weatherall, Finlands — ‘MVSEVM & a re-edit dub from the Scottish master Dicky Trisco.
Rising out of Helsinki’s local electro-pop-punk scene in 2007, sisters Emma and Mia Kemppainen’s musical vehicle LCMDF (Le Corps Mince de Francoise) was quickly picked up by bloggers and music fans across the globe. Their incredibly vibrant, leftfield pop gained them countless fans, earning them the top spot on the Hype Machine, out-ranking even Kanye West.
Since seeing the band’s first ever UK show, Heavenly have wanted to work with the band. Following them from their early shows the label travelled to gigs in Oslo and Trondheim, Norway and their hometown of Helsinki where they played a sold out night to 600 fans jumping off the walls. They left the show determined to sign them. A year later with their debut album recorded the band is set to release their debut single ‘Gandhi’ as a free download on November 29th.
‘Gandhi’ re-imagines Sean Ryder’s skewed pop vision, but sung by Nordic sirens who cut their teeth listening to everyone from the Beastie Boys to Gaga whilst getting lost in Ghost World. It’s as immediate and accessible as it is dazzlingly unique.
In keeping with their Dance music and Pop heritage, Heavenly say of their newest signing “the band hold true the qualities of the bands we love: conviction, tunes & a love of POP”
Currently putting the finishing touches to their debut album ‘LOVE & NATURE’, produced by Kaiku Studios in Berlin, the band are soon set to unleash their songs and ebullient live performances on Europe this winter. One thing is for certain: LCMDF won’t remain a best-kept-secret for much longer.
Happy Mondays 86
Love these pictures of the Mondays.
They were taken for the music paper Sounds, by a mate of mine, Stephen Parker back in 1986. We think it was around the time of the ‘Freaky Dancing’ single.
The non-band members at the back of the van are Dave Harper and Phil Saxe. Dave (glasses) was Factory records press guy, a job he very kindly passed on to me a year or so after these photos were taken. Funnily enough, I bumped in to him on Portobello Road on Friday afternoon, the first time we’d seen each other in ages. Him and Parker were good mates and his name came up in the conversation. We must have been stood on the ley line that runs between west London and west Cornwall ‘cos when I got home these pics were in my in-box, a surprise gift from Stephen.
Phil Saxe was the manager of the band at the time. He was (is) a good bloke, Phil. He had been the youngest DJ at The Twisted Wheel in Manchester in the Sixties and first met the Mondays as customers of his clothes stall in the Arndale Market (“It was called Somewear in Manchester. Corny but true. Our bags had ‘we know the score’ printed on them”). He went on to become the A&R guy at Factory and is now a lecturer at LIPA. I sent the pictures to Phil and this was his reply:
Cheers Jeff
It appears the last quarter of a century has taken its toll. I’m cute and the boys look smashing. The good old days, before they degenerated into a music hall act. Wonderful. Thanks for the memories.
I think this was the occasion when the band were interviewed by the MM whilst they sat in the rear of the transit van we had travelled down in and Knobhead shouts during the interview,
“Phil, tell ‘em to ‘fuck off’, they’re smoking our draw”.
best wishes.
Phil
Some Kind of Wonderful night with the Heavenly allstars
SAINT ETIENNE’s Bob Stanley & Pete Wiggs will be djing this Wednesday night (20th October) at The Social (5 Little Portland St, W1) at SOME KIND OF WONDERFUL an evening of sweet soul sounds bought to you courtesy of Heavenly’s Martin Kelly & Jeff Barrett. Bob, Pete, Jeff & Martin will also be joined by the Social’s very own soul legend Dj Johnny Chandler
Edwyn Collins November Tour Dates …
Following the now legendary 100 club show & the monumentally brilliant gig at the Queen Elizabeth Hall, Edwyn Collins & his band hit the road in November to play the UK.
Brighton Komedia (November 4)
Oxford O2 Academy 2 (November 5)
Leeds Brudenell Social Club (6)
Glasgow Oran Mor (7)
Newcastle Cluny (9)
Manchester Deaf Institute (10)
Preston 53 Degrees (12)
Liverpool The Well (13)
Bristol Fleece (14)
Birmingham Glee Club (15)
Edwyn will be supported by two great bands he is currently producing on all shows, THE KINBEATS, whose music they will be giving away at the merchandise stall, as Edwyn wants you to HEAR IT! .… and at Brighton, Oxford, Leeds, Glasgow, Newcastle and Manchester by FRANKIE & THE HEARTSTRINGS
November UK tickets onsale now, all £15, available from:
www.ticketweb.co.uk (Brighton, Oxford, Glasgow & Newcastle),www.gigsandtours.com (Manchester, Bristol & Birmingham), www.lunatickets.co.uk (Leeds), www.seetickets.com (Preston) and www.ticketline.co.uk (Liverpool).
& here’s a link to a great session Edwyn, Carwyn Barrie and Andy did for The Fly, the most stylish music mag around, in their lovely courtyard, no amps, no mics, just lungs and strings, sounds great … http://bit.ly/cobPC2
Register for Edwyn updates and download the first single and title track from the album here:
http://zaphod.uk.vvhp.net/reg/reg.pl?id=5254–138382
Edwyn Collins latest & some say finest album ‘Losing Sleep’ is out now on Cd, download & vinyl.
Introducing ‘Le Corps Mince De Francoise’ to Heavenly
LCMDF are:
Emma Kemppainen – lead vocals and synths
Mia Kemppainen – backing vocals, guitar and synths
Since first seeing Le Corps Mince De Francoises (LCMDF) debut UK show we had been wanting to work with them. Following their early shows we went on an adventure to see gigs in Oslo and Trondheim (via an amazing train journey which followed the old pilgrims way from the south to the north of Norway) and also their hometown of Helsinki in Finland where they played a sold out night to 600 fans jumping off the walls. It was after that gig we decided that we had to sign them.
Rising out of Helsinki’s local electro-pop-punk scene in 2007, sisters Emma and Mia Kemppainen’s musical vehicle LCMDF (Le Corps Mince de Francoise) has been evolving an incredibly vibrant & creative style of leftfield pop & in keeping with Heavenly’s dance music and pop heritage we saw in this band the same qualities we’ve loved in all our bands, ‘conviction, tunes & a love of POP!’
Currently putting the finishing touches to their debut album titled ‘LOVE & NATURE’, produced by Kaiku Studios in Berlin, the band are soon set to unleash their songs and ebullient live performances on Europe this winter & will be coming over to the UK in November to support their debut Heavenly single ‘Gandhi’ which will be out on November 29th.
‘Gandhi’ re-imagines Sean Ryder’s skewed pop vision, but sung by Nordic sirens who cut their teeth listening to everyone from the Beastie Boys to Gaga whilst getting lost in Ghost World. It’s as immediate and accessible as it is dazzlingly unique.
The single will be available as a free download via their myspace
www.myspace.com/lecorpsmincedefrancoise
& also as a limited 12” vinyl with 2 mixes from Andrew (Ghandi) Weatherall, plus mixes from MVSEVM & Dicky Trisco (“Dicky Trisco’s Heavenly Dub”).
On iTunes you will be able to download a bundle with the single, one of the Weatherall mixes, MVSEVM & the Dicky Trisco Dub.
www.myspace.com/lecorpsmincedefrancoise
Saint Etienne party this Friday + deluxe re-issues and live dates …
Message from Bob:~
Hullo
To celebrate the last two official Saint Etienne albums (Good Humor and Tales From Turnpike House) being given the deluxe treatment, we’re having a RE-ISSUE ROUSTABOUT next friday (October 8th) at St Aloysius Church Hall, just round the back of Euston station, a splendid venue straight out of Up The Junction. Me and Pete will be playing records along with special guest and Foxbase Beta mastermind Richard X. The date is next Friday, October 8th, and it’ll be on from 8 til 12.30.
There will be a raffle and a small, ebay-friendly souvenir of the evening available for one and all.
Forget the recession for three and a half hours. Dance the pain away! We’d love to see you there.
Bob xx
Saint Etienne:
Re-issue of ‘Good Humor’ and ‘Tales From Turnpike House’ 4th October
Live shows and film screenings also announced
Saint Etienne have announced details of the release of expanded and re-mastered versions of their albums Good Humour and Tales From Turnpike House on Heavenly through Universal Music Catalogue on October 25th 2010.
Both albums will be re-released as Deluxe Editions featuring the original album, an extra disc of original B-sides and unreleased material plus extensive sleeve-notes.
These are the final pair of original Saint Etienne albums to be given the deluxe re-issue treatment. The set will be rounded out in Spring 2011 with the release of Casino Classics a comprehensive collection of Saint Etienne club remixes.
Good Humor, the group’s fourth album, was originally released in April 1998 through Creation Records (and Sub Pop in the States) and reached number 18 in the UK charts – the album featured the singles Sylvie (which charted at 12) and The Bad Photographer (which charted at 22). Eschewing the samples and programmed beats that characterised their previous records, the album was recorded in Sweden at the legendary all analogue Tambourine studio with Tore Johannson (producer of the Cardigans and Franz Ferdinand) augmented by a full-band and horn section. This 11-track pop classic is steeped in vintage soul, rich piano chords, punchy bass lines and Bacharachian melancholy. The deluxe edition features a second disc featuring 15 rare and unreleased tracks and extensive sleeve-notes from Gail O’Hara and author Douglas Coupland.
Tales From Turnpike House Side, released in 2005 through Sanctuary Records is the bands most recent studio album and included the top 40 single Side Streets. Featuring lush multi layered Beach Boys-esque vocal arrangements courtesy of cult sixties figure Tony Rivers, lavish electro pop co-written and produced by Xenomania and a cameo from David Essex it is an album with a concept, rather than a concept record — the titular Turnpike House refers to a fictional block of flats whose residents provide the characters for the bittersweet songs that are a microcosmic portrait of metropolitan life. Again featuring a second CD of rarities, the sleeve-notes are provided by author Travis Elborough and Turner Prize winning artist Jeremy Deller.
The group continue to record and play live and last year performed their debut album, Foxbase Alpha, in its entirety over 2 sold-out nights at London’s Bloomsbury Ballroom. They have recently announced a trio of Christmas shows. The dates are as follows:
December
16th Glasgow ABC
17th Manchester Ritz
18th London Forum
Tickets for the shows are available via www.seetickets.com and are priced at £16.50 in Glasgow, £17.50 in Manchester and £22.50 in London
Additionally there are plans to show a number of Paul Kelly directed Saint Etienne films. November 4th will see the screening of This Is Tomorrow, their film about the reconstruction of The Southbank Centre and on November 11th Finisterre and What Have You Done Mervyn Day will be shown. Both nights will take place at Croydon Warehouse Theatre and will feature Q&As with Paul Kelly and Bob Stanley.
Full track-listings for the 2 albums are as follows:
Good Humor
DISC 1
Wood Cabin
Sylvie
Split Screen
Mr Donut
Goodnight Jack
Lose That Girl
The Bad Photographer
Been So Long
Postman
Erica America
Dutch TV
DISC 2
Hill Street Connection
Hit the Brakes
Madeleine
Swim Swan Swim
4.35 In The Morning
Clark Co. Record Fair
Zipcode
My Name Is Vlaovic
Afraid To Go Home
La La La
Do You Love Me *
Cat Nap
Jack Lemmon
Constantly
The Emidisc Theme
4.35 In The Morning (original version)
*previously unreleased
Tales From Turnpike House
DISC 1
Sun In My Morning
Milk Bottle Symphony
Lightning Strikes Twice
Slow Down At The Castle
A Good Thing
Side Streets
Last Orders For Gary Stead
Stars Above Us
Relocate
Birdman Of EC1
Teenage Winter
Goodnight
DISC 2
Murder In E Minor
Take Me Home (On A Pushbike) *
Another Cup Of Coffee * (Mike & The Mechanics cover)
School Run *
You Can Judge A Book By It’s Cover
Who Pays The Rent *
Woodhenge *
Got A Job
Must Be More *
Holiday Song *
The Leyton Art Inferno
Missing Persons Bureau
Inside The Hive *
Aqualad *
Book Norton
Quiet Essex
* previously unreleased
