Electronic - 'Getting Away With It' (1989)

Electronic - 'Getting Away With It' (1989)

Electronic Musical Medicine Neal

Musical Medicine..... tracks that give you a shot in the dark, even when your legless

Electronic - 'Getting Away With It' (1989)

In light of the news from the courts in South Africa this week it reminded me of a great track from the very late 80's. The band was essentially Bernard Sumner (New Order) & Johnny Marr (The Smiths) with a few friends. This track featured Neil Tennant (Pet Shop Boys) on backing vocals and I for one bloody loved it...

sfw Pada 22:00 4 Komentar

Black Box - 'Fantasy' (1990)

Black Box - 'Fantasy' (1990)

Black Box Cover Nerd Crush Neal

COVER NERD!

What's your favourite cover version ??? Tell us by clicking here

Black Box - 'Fantasy' (1990)

I had a few crushes on pop stars back in the 90's a few of which I've mentioned in previous posts. This particular one however was a little different from my normal ones. Katrin Quinol was the 'singer' on Black Box's hits such as 'Ride On Time', 'Everybody Everybody' & 'I Don't Know Anybody Else' and whilst I bought the singles and the album 'Dreamland' I hadn't take much notice of her. That was until the video for the 4th single 'Fantasy' was released. As soon as the camera focused on her face I was as smitten as I'd been, she had the most amazingly sexy blue eyes. The image of her brown skin, with these blue eyes did something to me.

The eyes have it...

Nowadays when something like that happens that I can't explain I'd probably get my phone out and Google it. But back in 1990 I just took it for granted that she had blue eyes and that was that. The concept of coloured contact lenses wasn't something that I considered as I didn't know such a thing existed.
I've since discovered that she didn't sing on any of the bands songs and that she was a French-Caribbean model that was paid to be the face of the band and lip-synced all their videos and performances. Like Milli Vanilli it didn't bother me cos I like the songs regardless of who sung them. Albeit I didn't ever fancy the lads from Milli Vanill !!!

I remember the original by 'Earth Wind & Fire' from back in 1978.

NERD ALERT -The actual singer on nearly all of the Black Box songs was an American singer by the name of Martha Wash, who just so happens to be one half of 'The Weather Girls'

Check out my other Covers here

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sfw Pada 22:00 1 Komentar

Weezer - 'Buddy Holly' & Edie Brickell - 'Good Times'

Weezer - 'Buddy Holly' & Edie Brickell - 'Good Times'

Edie Brickell Musical Medicine Neal Weezer

Musical Medicine..... tracks that give you a 'Ctrl-Alt-Delete' to your memories

My mum came home from work one day in the 90's and gave me a PC that she had bought at work. Her company we're updating their systems and she got it for £20 !! "Great" I thought, I would have my very own computer, and I could now create my own 'Weird Science' hottie... In truth though it was about as powerful as a bottle of coke that had been left open for a week. But I was optimistic, and decided to pay a visit to PC World to upgrade it. I bought a CD ROM and soundcard package and some RAM memory which set me back a little over £500 !!. But hey I had the cash so why not, in hindsight I could probably have paid a little extra and bought a new PC but there you go. As part of the package I was also given a copy of Windows 95 which at the time was the dogs doodahs compared to DOS. Once I had installed everything I loaded Windows and was amazed at the difference. Plus it had video playback capabilities, the like of which I'd never seen and included on the disc were 2 videos for 2 great songs. Thinking back now the quality of the videos were awful but I'll never forget watching them over and over.

Weezer - 'Buddy Holly' (1994)

Having grown up in the 70's and 80's I was a big fan of 'Happy Days' so I absolutely loved the 'Buddy Holly' video which was set in Arnold's Diner. I'd bought 'Shooting Rubber Bands At The Stars' by Edie Brickell & The New Bohemians so was pleased when I heard the new track, and the fact that Barry White featured on vocals made it even better...

Edie Brickell - 'Good Times' (1994)

sfw Pada 21:30 2 Komentar

London Scouser's Best Of Latitude 2014 - Billy Bragg, Bombay Bicycle Club, Kate Tempest

London Scouser's Best Of Latitude 2014 - Billy Bragg, Bombay Bicycle Club, Kate Tempest

Billy Bragg Bombay Bicycle Club Kate Tempest Latitude Neal

My first festival since V in 2001, would I still enjoy my weekend... 

The tents, the toilets & the rain were all similar memories, shame that the price of a pint has gone up !!!

Obelisk Stage

I've chosen tracks by my favourite artists of each day, and decided to put a video of a live performance rather than a music video to try and give you a feel of my experience. Feel free to put on your wellies if you want the festival experience !!!

Billy Bragg - 'New England'

I loved this song when I was a kid, albeit the version released by the late Kirsty MacColl and it wasn't til a few years later I found out it was written by Billy Bragg. At that time I had read about him in Smash Hits and heard some of his stuff and wasn't impressed. Fast-forward almost 30 years and watching him own the main stage on the first day at Latitude 2014, I am happy to admit I was wrong. I missed his first song as I was buying a hat (the sun was beating down) but the rest of his set was really good and his banter with the audience was excellent. He finished with this song and when he said towards the end "this verse is for Kirsty" I had goosebumps all over and a lump in my throat. Thank you Mr Bragg for a great start to my weekend.

Bombay Bicycle Club - 'Evening/Morning'

Saturday evening was difficult, do I watch something new to me like 'Ghostpoet' or 'Solomon Grey' (as recommended by Shellhunter) or should I go see the BBC who I've been a fan of since day dot. I bit the bullet and went to the main stage and wasn't disappointed. The London boys (I still can't believe they're only in their early 20's) were amazing. Hit after hit followed and it was difficult to choose a standout. I went for this track which was on their debut album and was their first single. It's also the track that got me to like them in the first place.

Kate Tempest - 'Icarus'

I first heard of Kate Tempest when her band 'Sound Of Rum' supported Scroobius Pip a few year ago at a gig in Hoxton and was mightily impressed. On the Thursday evening, before the festival had officially started there was a showing of one of the plays she has written (which I didn't get a chance to see). She has also won awards for her poetry and is in the process of writing a novel, a talented and very busy lady. When I saw that she was performing in a small venue, the Film & Theatre Arena I made it my mission to watch her again which meant I wouldn't get to see 'Parquet Courts' or even 'Chrissie Hynde' who was on the main stage. I'm happy with my choice as I had a great position to watch from. The room soon filled and it got pretty damned hot in there and to make matters worse, I felt myself dancing along more than I can ever remember doing for many a long year. She played tracks from her recent album 'Everybody Down' backed by a small band and the whole room was alive. Ironically though the song I have chosen is an old song that she played. Due to the drum machine temporarily packing in, she performed 'Icarus' as a piece of spoken word. I remembered it from that gig a few years back and maybe it had been that long since she had last performed it as towards the end she forgot a line. She apologised to the crowd but we didn't mind it was still a brilliant recital. Moments later, drum machine fixed, she continued with her set and the crowd continued with their sweat.

Subscribe/listen to our Latitude Best of playlist, which is better value than a £4.80 pint of lager !!

sfw Pada 21:30 2 Komentar

Oasis - 'Stand By Me'

Oasis - 'Stand By Me'

Musical Medicine Neal Oasis

 Musical Medicine.....a track that let's you reminisce about the olden days

Noel on his way to the bank for some change, definitely maybe

Oasis - 'Stand By Me' (1997)

 

If I had a bucket list, I'd have a few things ticked off by now. Some of those include... Going to Madison Square Gardens and watching live Ice Hockey #letsgorangers. Sleeping with a pop star (see previous post). Learning to Scuba dive...
Back in 1997 I also was able to cross one off of the list. Oasis back were huger than huge... They mahoosive, and word got around that they were filming the video for an upcoming song in my hometown of Feltham. These words were true as they used many of the closed down/boarded up shops in the town centre as mock shops for the video of Stand By Me... Now you cover afficionados might make the mistake that I did in thinking this was a Britpop version of Ben E King's classic, but no, it's the Gallagher's through and through.
On the days that they were filming, I was hard at work slaving away behind the counter of a well known High Street Bank. And if I'm honest you can't actually see me in the video, but at 00:24 the Bank is clearly shown and I was in the Bank. Ergo I was in the video... I rest my case

sfw Pada 22:00 Komentar

Susanna Hoffs - 'Boys Keep Swinging' & The Bangles - 'Hazy Shade Of Winter'

Susanna Hoffs - 'Boys Keep Swinging' & The Bangles - 'Hazy Shade Of Winter'

Cover Nerd Neal Susanna Hoffs The Bangles

COVER NERD!

A proper girl band, they played their own instruments, do you you have a favourite all girl band ???

If so click here and tell us who

Susanna Hoffs - 'Boys Keep Swinging' (1991)

I was a huge fan of The Bangles back in the day from the moment I first heard 'Manic Monday'. I used to pride myself on the fact that I could recite the whole of "Walk Like An Egyptian' and without the need to do the dance. I was gutted when they split up until I saw that Susanna Hoffs had released a solo album 'When You're A Boy'. I immediately bought it and wasn't disappointed. After all it had a cover on it, that being a David Bowie song from his 1979 album 'Lodger'.

The Bangles - 'Hazy Shade Of Winter' (1987)

I've also included 'Hazy Shade Of Winter' by The Bangles which is a cover of 'Simon & Garfunkel's 1966 track. I really liked this song when it came out as it was a bit rockier than most of their other records. It featured on the soundtrack of the film 'Less Than Zero' which was based on the book by Bret Easton Ellis, who also wrote 'American Psycho' amongst others.

NERD ALERT - Susanna Hoffs was a member of the fictitious band 'Ming Tea' in the Austin Powers films, and she is married to the director of the trilogy, Jay Roach

Check out my other Covers here

And if you wanna subscribe to the Cover Nerd Spotify playlist, please click here

And here are the originals....

David Bowie - 'Boys Keep Swinging' (1979)

Simon & Garfunkel - 'Hazy Shade Of Winter' (1966)

sfw Pada 22:00 4 Komentar

R.I.P. - 'Allen Peter Bazeley' - April 15th 1989

R.I.P. - 'Allen Peter Bazeley' - April 15th 1989

George Jones & Gene Pitney Neal Pet Shop Boys Phil Collins R.I.P.

Who the bleep is Allen Peter Bazeley I hear you ask... Well let me tell you

He was my Dad and the person I miss the most. April 15th 1989 is a date etched in history due to the horrific scenes that happened at Hillsborough that Saturday afternoon. For me it is the worst date ever... It was the day my Dad died.

The last photo of Dad, taken about 2 weeks before he died with his niece Zoe

I was born in 1972 on the sunny island of Cyprus, Dad was in the British Army and was stationed there at the time. Shortly after I was born he found out that he had 'Hodgkins Disease' a form of cancer that fights the immune system, meaning that just getting the common cold could be really serious for him. I remember being told that his Mum looked it up in her medical books and it stated that the only cure was arsenic !!

For the first 17 years of my life the cancer came and went a total of 4 times. Each time it took more of a toll on his body and made him weaker. I remember about 3 or 4 years before he was in hospital and the surgeon told my Mum that he wasn't expected to last the night. He did, but as part of the operation he had 6 feet of gangarous gut removed. He was a fighter that's for sure. It sounds awful but on the morning of April 15th I was annoyed with him. He'd fallen ill over night and needed to be taken into the hospital. The reason I was annoyed was because it was FA Cup Semi Final day and I was a Liverpool supporter and I knew that I was gonna miss the game. He'd been ill so many times that I was beginning to feel he was invincible and therefore I didn't see the point in going. I'm glad I did obviously. He was transferred to Hammersmith Hospital where he passed away at 21.30. It wasn't the cancer, his body had finally given in.

But enough of the morbidness, I would like to share a couple of songs that he loved combined with some memories of him. I hope you like them as much as he did.

Phil Collins - 'In The Air Tonight' (1981)

My Mum remembers a funny little story about this song... These are her words.

'In 1981 while living Kerkrade in Holland we went to the out of town hypermarket and one of the many things we bought was Face Value, the Phil Collins LP. After unpacking the shopping when we got home. We realised that we had left the LP in the shopping trolley!! Needless to say we were angry, but we saw the funny side of it.  We did buy it again, not sure from where, possibly the NAAFI, and I think it is upstairs in the attic right now.'

Laughing about the missing album ??

My favourite musical memory of my Dad was when I bought the tape of the Pet Shop Boys album 'Disco' it only had 6 songs on it , 3 on each side of tape. Dad borrowed it from me one day and it remianed in his car for well over a year. It was the only thing he listened to for that entire time, thankfully the car stereo in his Yugo Zastava was advanced enough to play it and turn the tape over automatically. He never got sick of it, and to be honest even now I still love the album. This was his favourite track on the tape.

Pet Shop Boys - 'In The Night' (1986)

Finally I'll leave you with one of his favourite artists of the 1960's from a few years before he met my Mum

George Jones & Gene Pitney - 'Don't Rob Another Man's Castle' (1965)

25 years on... RIP Dad

sfw Pada 13:30 6 Komentar

Madonna - 'I Want You'

Madonna - 'I Want You'

Cover Nerd Crush Madonna Marvin Gaye Massive Attack Neal

COVER NERD!

I've slept with a pop star...

If you have as well tell us who it was by clicking here

Madonna (with Massive Attack)- 'I Want You' (1995)

Now that I've got your attention I'll explain myself... When Madonna first came to my attention with 'Like A Virgin' and 'Material Girl' I wasn't impressed. My older brother however was a big fan and bought the album and both singles if memory serves me. I finally saw sense when she released her follow up album 'True Blue' and overnight I became the worlds biggest Madonna fan. Or at least Feltham's I'm sure. I managed to persuade my Mum to buy me the duvet set of the True Blue album sleeve... And give or a take a few nights when it was being washed I slept with Madonna for pretty much 5 or six years. I bought everything she released, tapes, then CD's. Video's then DVD's. I bought all of her films, even the really bad quality naff porno she made before hitting it big. And I'm here to admit that I really enjoyed the 'Who's That Girl' film. Sod it, I even liked 'Shanghai Surprise' !!! It feels good to say that out loud, as I've been holding it in for too many years. I bought her book 'Sex' from that most rock and roll of places... WH Smith's in Hounslow. I've seen her live at Wembley Stadium twice also. I wonder how much money I've devoted to my obsession with Ms Ciccone over the years ??? Quite a bit, and yet my favourite item wasn't bought by me... Thanks Mum.

Similar to mine, but Mum always ironed it !!

I love this version of the classic 'Marvin Gaye' song which featured on her 1995 compilation album 'Something To Remember' the collaboration with 'Massive Attack' is haunting and sexy all at the same time.
I've decided to add my favourite track from 'True Blue' as a bonus for you, it was the song that probably wore out the rewind mechanism on my walkman back in the day after I would listen over and over under the duvet (in case my mum saw I wasn't sleeping and would have a go). 'Where's The Party' was never released as a single but there was a great remix of it on her 'You Can Dance' compilation album. That's the version here... Enjoy like I did and still do

NERD ALERT! - On Madonna's first world tour, she was supported by 'The Beastie Boys'

Check out my other Covers here

And if you wanna subscribe to the Cover Nerd Spotify playlist, please click here

For all of you that like the original's here is Marvin Gaye's from 1976

sfw Pada 21:33 1 Komentar

Fountains Of Wayne - 'Sink To The Botttom'

Fountains Of Wayne - 'Sink To The Botttom'

Fountains Of Wayne Musical Medicine Neal

Musical Medicine.....a track that helps the Chang beer go down perfectly

Fountains Of Wayne - 'Sink To The Bottom' (1996)

Back in the 90's Fountains Of Wayne were amongst the founding members of a genre I championed that Flycasual lovingly?!? dubbed 'Obscure American Guitar Bands'

They came back to my attention last week, this song in particular, whilst I was sitting poolside at my hotel in Phuket, Thailand nursing a Chang beer and contemplating the amazing achievement I had just accomplished earlier that afternoon. 

Allow me to take you back in time to 2012 when Mrs London Scouser (aka Shellhunter) and I as well as Old Pa & Ma were holidaying in Thailand. Shellhunter decides to get her PADI licence as she is a lover of all things pertaining to the ocean. I however didn't fancy it... fast forward to last week and that has now changed. I am officially a certified PADI Open Water Diver (thanks to Denis at Bubba Diving Phuket), something I'd never had dreamed of a few years earlier. It's not that I was afraid so much, it was more that A) I couldn't be arsed and B) the bottom of the ocean and all that swam within it didn't really float my boat (if you'll pardon the maritime pun). My views have now changed considerably as it's quite literally like nothing on earth I've ever seen or could imagine. Okay I've seen 'Finding Nemo' but this was like being part of that film (albeit without the talking)... The sights are so amazing that I can't really do them justice with my limited vocabulary. suffice to say that if you have ever, even for one second harboured the idea of learning to dive I would advise you to jump to it, remembering to put your regulator in your mouth and hold your mask as you jump in.

sfw Pada 07:37 2 Komentar

P - 'Dancing Queen'

P - 'Dancing Queen'

Cover Nerd Neal P

COVER NERD!

This is admittedly an odd track, but I love it and felt like it was time to share it. Do you have a favourite cover, if so please contact us and tell us why by clicking here

P - Dancing Queen (1995)

I'll admit that I bought the album that this was on purely on the basis that Johnny Depp was a member & at first I thought that he was the singer. I soon discovered that the lead singer was in fact Gibby Haynes who is better known for 'The Butthole Surfers' who are responsible for one of my favourite songs of the 90's in 'Pepper'. His deep deep vocals work really well on this bizarre cover of Abba's seminal classic from the disco days of the seventies. I wish I could find my copy of the album as it was a fun listen to, but it's probably been sent to Music Magpie for them to enjoy and resell on to Poundland or some such place !!!
Ah well, maybe someone is enjoying the album right now listening to the copy I spent my hard earned cash on.

Johhny and the band enjoying the royalties on my behalf (maybe)

ABBA - 'Dancing Queen' 1976

In case you didn't know the original !!!

NERD ALERT - P were playing a live set at 'The Viper Room' which was co-owned by Johnny Depp, at the same time that River Phoenix died on the pavement outside the famous venue

Unfortunately, P aren't on Spotify (yet??) but please check my Spotify playlist of other covers that I love

sfw Pada 13:43 1 Komentar

Neneh Cherry - 'Buffalo Stance' / 'Everything'

Neneh Cherry - 'Buffalo Stance' / 'Everything'

Musical Medicine Neal Neneh Cherry

Musical Medicine.....a track that makes you forget your aches and pains

Then....

Neneh Cherry - 'Buffalo Stance' (1988)

Where had the time gone ??? Neneh Cherry's first album 'Raw Like Sushi' came out 25 years ago !!! I remember listening to it religiously and loving it. I lent it to a friend and he liked it so much he bought his own copy but was gutted... His copy came in the usual CD format with the browny-black inlay case, but mine had a white inlay which I'd swapped with some other CD I'd bought cos it looked good against the white background of the sleeve !!!
I loved the way Ms. Cherry's American accent occasionally becomes a but Mockney on this track. 'Dya know't I mean" 25 years later and it still gets my feet tapping and singing along.

...and now

I see that she has a new single called 'Everything' followed by an album coming out soon and she still looks pretty much like she did back in the day, maybe it's the sushi ?!?!
If this track is anything to go by, I will be enjoying the album.

sfw Pada 22:00 4 Komentar

The Offspring - 'Self Esteem'

The Offspring - 'Self Esteem'

Give me a guitar Neal The Offspring

Give Me A Guitar!!

Songs that'll make you want to throw a TV out of the hotel window, but only if you've finished watching  the Corrie omnibus !!

The Offspring - 'Self Esteem' (1994)

I was so happy when I came home from work one day in the early 90's cos my Mum had made one of her better decisions. I'd been pestering her for ages to get Sky installed but she wasn't having any of it. "The dish is unsightly, I don't want that monstrosity on my house" bear in mind we lived in Feltham on a council estate... I don't think the dish would have done much damage. But she wouldn't budge, she did however compromise and we got cable TV... Looking back now from my Sky+ HD with the On Demand feature it was primitive, but at the time it was the dog's doodahs.

My quaint former residence...

Almost immediately my favourite channel was 'The Box' it was music video after music video but without the annoying presenter you would find on MTV. I used to tape it on longplay onto a 4 hour VHS tape. I would then have 8 hours of songs to listen to, a lot of which I'd fast forward through, but every now and then I'd discover a gem... This song was one such gem.

I had never heard of The Offspring, but as soon as I heard the 'lah-lah-lah' opening to Self Esteem I was a soon to be fan. I rushed to Our Price on my lunch break the next day and was pleased to see the album 'Smash' on sale. I really liked Dexter Holland's vocals, although I think the dreads were a mistake !!! I bought their previous two albums soon after and they had some good moments but weren't on a par with Smash. They became a bit too popular after the release of 'Pretty Fly For A White Guy' and were no longer a band that I was the only one who had heard of them but they still have a place in my musical heart.

If you would like to read our other Give me a Guitar Posts? (click here)

Or check out the Give Me A Guitar Spotify playlist 

sfw Pada 22:00 2 Komentar

The Selecter - 'On My Radio'

The Selecter - 'On My Radio'

Musical Medicine Neal The Selecter

Musical Medicine...a track that's like a double whopper with cheese for the soul! 

The Selecter - 'On My Radio' (1979)

In 1980, my Dad who was in the army got posted to Holland. I was 8 and my brother was 11, even then music was a big thing for both of us. One of the last things we did before leaving the UK was to go to our favourite record store, Memory Disc (maybe I bumped into Phil Collins there ??) which was in Hounslow where we lived at the time. My memories of the store are pretty vague, but I recall it was quite large inside with the usual record store runs of album upon album and I vaguely remember that it also had listening booths. Sadly it closed sometime in the late 80's I think and became a carpet shop.

At the time, 2 Tone Records were the label that we listened to the most, with bands like Madness, The Specials  & The Beat amongst the many. My brother bought 'Tears Of A Clown' by The Beat and I bought this song, my first ever single which even to this day I still enjoy, even though I can't figure out half of what is being sung !!! The Selecter like The Specials, hailed from Coventry and are both are still together today in some form albeit with different lineups. Later that year my dad came back to England for training armed with a list of records to buy. 2 Tone of course...

sfw Pada 10:29 6 Komentar

Coldplay - 'The Scientist'

Coldplay - 'The Scientist'

Coldplay Musical Medicine Neal

Musical Medicine...a track that's like a doner kebab for the soul! 

(but without the next day regret)

OMG this mattress is filthy

Coldplay - 'The Scientist' (2002)

One song that is a guarantee to get the hairs on the back of my neck standing to attention is this 5 minute masterpiece which I can't believe was released as far back as 2002. It will probably always be my favourite Coldplay track.
Whenever I hear the song and start singing along I always change one word in the lyrics as an homage to my favourite board game ever, Trivial Pursuit (a game that I have still never lost, although once did find myself in a losing position against Mrs Flycasual, but the game was never finished)

The line I change is :-
'I was just guessing at numbers and figures
Pulling your puzzles apart
Questions of science, science and progress nature
Do not speak as loud as my heart'

If anybody fancies challenging me to a TP duel, feel free to contact us !!

sfw Pada 22:00 3 Komentar

LONDON SCOUSER'S Best Of 2013

LONDON SCOUSER'S Best Of 2013

Alice In Chains Best of 2013 Black Books Dan Le Sac Imagine Dragons Macklemore and Ryan Lewis Neal Scroobius Pip

This has been a great year with 2 notable events.... A future King of England was born, but more importantly, I joined the Tune Doctor team as a regular contributor. I haven't checked the official statistics, but I believe I have had almost as much press coverage as baby George. Seriously though, I have really enjoyed choosing tracks to share every week and I look forward to contributing many more.

These are my 5 absolute standout tracks of the year, in no particular order.

Dan Le Sac vs Scroobius Pip - 'Stunner'

When I chose this as my TOTW back in August, I said that I was eagerly awaiting the release of their 3rd album 'Repent, Replenish, Repeat' and I wasn't disappointed. Despite only having 9 tracks, it has everything I have come to love about the boys. Clever and meaningful lyrics with Dan Le Sac's excellent beats holding the songs together. 

This time I will dedicate the song to a certain Shellhunter because as far as I'm concerned, 'The world don't revolve around you but it should'

Black Books - 'Favorite Place'

I first came across this 5 piece band from Austin, Texas when I was offered a free song on my mobile phone through my Google Play account. That song was 'White Noise' and it featured on an EP called 'Aquarena'. I was instantly impressed and could hear influences that to me ranged from 'Arcade Fire' to 'Embrace'. The standout track however was this song which also features on their self titled debut album. In May,they were in the UK supporting none other than 'The Flaming Lips' and Shellhunter and I caught them at their first ever UK headline gig at The Barfly just after they had played 2 support gigs at The Roundhouse. They played a great set and afterwards I spoke with the band at the bar and they were a bunch of nice guys to boot. I look forward to seeing them again in the near future.

Actual setlist taken off of the stage post-gig

Imagine Dragons - 'Radioactive'

I chose this as my first TOTW way back in January, and despite it's popularity (108 million plus views on You Tube) I haven't grown tired of it. The video still makes me smile with all of the cuddly-wuddlies gaining their revenge. The rest of the album was slightly poppier than this but I enjoyed it. I never got a chance to see them when they played over here earlier in the year, but I'm sure they will be back soon.

Macklemore & Ryan Lewis (Feat Wanz) - 'Thrift Shop'

When I first heard this track on Scroobius Pip's xFM show, I didn't realise how huge it was going to become. I don't have much else to say other than to quote some of  the lyrics ' This is f#@$ing awesome'

Having been a fan of Alice In Chains since the 90's I was really happy to hear their new stuff this year which did not fail to disappoint me whatsoever. Shellhunter and I saw that they were playing over in the UK and when the dates were announced we were dismayed to see that they were playing in London at the Alexandra Palace (see here for why we were upset) I saw that they were also playing in Birmingham, and I arranged to stay with some family up there, but never got around to buying the tickets and missed seeing them play. However, imagine my excitement when at work one mundane morning, a colleague handed me a plectrum and asked me if I had heard of this band.Upon studying it, I thought I read the signature as Jerry Cantrell...I then turned it over and saw the dinosaur logo that featured on the cover of their latest album 'The Devil Put Dinosaurs Here' by now I was speechless and shaking. I eventually managed to tell my colleague that this was one of may all time favourite bands. She insisted that I go and speak with them, which after taking a few minutes to gather myself together, I did. The bands tour manager, Chuck Randall looks an imposing figure, but he is the epitome of 'looks can be deceiving' as he was one of the nicest people I have ever met. he introduced me to Jerry and Mike Inez who were equally nice and spoke with me for a few minutes while I gushed about being a huge fan etc. This didn't put them off though as they agreed to have a picture taken with me. I promise that next time they are over here, I will 100 percent be seeing them.

Spot the nerd amongst rock gods

Subscribe to London Scouser's Best Of 2013 Spotify Playlist below!

sfw Pada 22:00 3 Komentar

Rage Against The Machine - How I Could Just Kill A Man & Pistol Grip Pump

Rage Against The Machine - How I Could Just Kill A Man & Pistol Grip Pump

Cover Nerd Cypress Hill Neal Rage Against The Machine Volume 10

COVER NERD!
In the week that England qualify for the World Cup in Brazil, I remembered my own little piece of football memories, and decided to share it with you. If you want to share some memories, football related or not, please click here and we will be delighted to share your thoughts with the world.

Rage Against The Machine - How I Could Just Kill A Man (2000)

I'd been working at the airport for over a year and a good bunch of us always played football over Cranford Park every week. It was proper jumpers for goalposts stuff with scores that took me back to the playground like 33-29 and the like. I miss those days hugely as now the only exercise I seem to get it walking to the bus stop in the car park at work. Maybe I like the football, but another part of the ritual was to play for about 3 hours then head to The White Hart and down a few welcome pints of lager.
We had been playing for a number of weeks when I saw that there was a Five-A-Side tournament coming up soon. The dedicated few amongst us decided that we would enter a team and I arranged a kit for us to wear. The day finally came and we turned up in Egham at the sports centre rairing to go. There were some teams that took themselves far too seriously unlike us who were just out for a good time and if we did well then that was a bonus.
The team was made up of Nick Spanneut in goal, he was our French maestro with legs that go all the way up and down the Champs Elysee. In defence was Mark 'The Schurmanator' Schurman who was and probably still is built like a tank, so the name was pretty apt. I was the other defender, and I guess I would be categorised as solid and reliable if not overly skillful. Our midfield was made up of our very own Flycasual, who as our box-to-box Midfield General was the engine of the team. Nick 'Rinky Dink' Dermott & Faisal Ahmed were our two silky skilled players who both had the skills to pay the bills, unfortunately at times they were final demands !!! Our striker was our very own goal-hanging, Communist sympathising ginger-whinger Stuart Farris. On paper we had a really good team, I think the problem was that at times the paper was a bit soggy and see-through !!! Having earned a grade C in maths at GCSE I realised that 7 into 5 didn't go so I took the honourable decision to leave myself as well as 'Rinky' out of our first game which was a fairly drab nil-nil bore-fest. For the second game I brought myself and 'Rinky' back in and dropped Faisal and Stuart to the bench. This was a good 10 years before the Spanish system of playing without an out and out striker. Hey, maybe I was the inspiration for Pep Guardiola and all of Barcelona's success !!
The first half was a pretty tight affair and was goalless. Then in the second half Mark & I played our way out of defence and found ourselves just outside their penalty area. Neither of us seem to want to shoot and passed it back and forth between us a few times before I took the brave decision to let rip. My trusty left foot wrapped itself around the ball and the next thing I saw was the net rippling and my shot sitting perfectly in the bottom corner. 1-nil.... Get in. As we ran back to our own half to celebrate, I screamed the most manly thing I had ever said. "COME ON LADS. IT'S STILL NIL-NIL !!!" whilst not being factually correct, it was the inspiration that the team needed to go on and win the game. It worked, we won.

Not the best way to celebrate scoring

The rest of the tournament was a non-event as far as progress through to the knock-out stages and the only other memorable event was in another game, when I was clean through on goal with only the goalie to beat I took swipe and when the ball eventually came down it landed smack bang in the face of a girl supporting her boyfriend on the pitch behind. I didn't see it happen as the moment after I shot, I turned away in disgust to continue the game. Unbeknownst to me, the girl's boyfriend ran off the pitch to comfort his lady as she was in floods of tears. Pah, get on with the game mate. Play the game, and see if she's okay after the final whistle. When our game finished, I walked over to their game and said something along the lines of "Errr, sorry about that" that was all I needed to say, it's a bloody man's game after all.

Later that evening we made our way back to The White Hart, to sink a few more pints of heaven. I put a couple of quid in the jukebox. This was one of the jukeboxes that had whole albums on them, so if you were feeling kind of selfish, then you could subject the rest of the pub to a whole album's worth of heaven or hell depending on their preference. On this particular occasion, I decided to use my money on one album. Renegades by Rage Against The Machine. I'd been into RATM ever since I first saw them perform 'Killing In The Name' live on The Word. I went out the next day and bought the record on 12 inch white vinyl. I don't know why it was released like that, but it was a gimmick so I naturally bought it. Back to the pub, and for my 2 quid I could play 7 songs, so I chose my favourites and suffered the wrath of many a regular, but I didn't care. I decided on sharing my 2 absolute faves. Covers of Cypress Hill & Volume 10.... Enjoy

Rage Against The Machine - Pistol Grip Pump (2000)

NERD ALERT - Killings In The Name has been used by interrogators in Guantanamo Bay, as part of the psychological torture process. Probably not what the band intended.

As a bonus, please find both songs by the original artists

Cypress Hill - How I Could Just Kill A Man (1991)

Volume 10 - Pistol Grip Pump (1994)

sfw Pada 10:17 1 Komentar

Blind Melon - 'The Pusher'

Blind Melon - 'The Pusher'

Blind Melon Cover Nerd Neal

COVER NERD!

This is one of my favourite covers, by a band that almost became huge. If you have a favourite cover, please contact us and tell us why by clicking here

Blind Melon - The Pusher (1996)

The name Shannon Hoon may not be familiar to most and his band Blind Melon aren't that well known I'm sure. They became popular in 1992 due to the video of 'No Rain' which featured a young girl dancing around in a Bee costume. After hearing the song I immediately went out and bought their self-titled debut album. It was very different to the rock/grunge music that I was listening to at the time (Nirvana, Alice In Chains & Pearl Jam) I guess if I had to pigeonhole it into a particular genre I would say folk/rock. My standout track from this album is 'Change'

Before this album was released Shannon Hoon featured on backing vocals on a few of the songs on 'Guns N' Roses' 'Use Your Illusion' albums including the single 'Don't Cry'.

Their second album 'Soup' was released in 1995 and the first single 'Galaxie' even now is one of my all time favourite songs. 8 weeks after the album was released, Shannon Hoon died of a cocaine overdose aged just 28. His gravestone has some lyrics on it from 'Change' which was the first song he ever wrote.

The following year the album 'Nico' was released. This featured songs that were either unreleased or unfinished and was named after his daughter Nico Blue who was only 5 months old when Shannon died. As well as a cover of a John Lennon track 'John Sinclair' it has a cover of the song made famous by Steppenwolf, 'The Pusher' which includes some new lyrics that Shannon Hoon added. It's the first track on the album and I like it so much I sometimes put it on repeat and forget that there another 12 songs to listen to.

I really think that if it wasn't for his tragic death in 1995, they would have become huge. I'm thankful that the catchy video for 'No Rain' brought them to my attention, but on the flipside I think that they are so much more than that song, and are probably overlooked as a result. I swear if I ever see them on a 'One-Hit Wonders' TV show I will probably cry (albeit after using a number of expletives)

NERD ALERT! - The scene in the toilet of 'Jack Rabbit Slim's' in 'Pulp Fiction where Uma Thurman snorts some coke and shouts 'I said God Damn. God Damn' is in homage to this song.

Check out my other Covers here

And if you wanna subscribe to the Cover Nerd Spotify playlist, please click here

As a bonus, I have included the version that Steppenwolf recorded. Although tey didn't write it I think it was the first recorded version.

sfw Pada 22:00 3 Komentar

Blondie - 'The Tide Is High'

Blondie - 'The Tide Is High'

Blondie Cover Nerd Crush Neal Recollection Collection

COVER NERD! meets THURSDAY I'M IN LOVE


After the relative success of my encroachment onto Old Pa's territory a few weeks back, I thought I would now step on Flycasual's toes and share with you a cover of a classic track that brings back childhood memories. What song takes you back to your childhood ??

Click here and let us read all about it and share with the world.

Do you remember your first crush ??? I do, her name was Trisha Yates and she was Tucker Jenkins arch-nemisis in Grange Hill.... Tucker was my hero cos of his cheeky grin and backchat to the teachers. Everyone wanted to be like him... And yet the girl that never took any crap from him was the girl of my dreams... I should have hated her but I couldn't. She wasn't a classic beauty but as an 8 year old boy I wasn't into looks... She was famous and I dreamed of being her boyfriend, I knew it could work... It didn't.

When I realised that this romance would never happen I went quickly onto my next crush, surely I'd have more luck with this one. Debbie Harry was sexy, even though I didn't really know what sexy meant. I read it somewhere and so she became the object of my affections. At the time we were living on an Army camp in Hounslow and my Mum worked in the NAAFI bar on the camp, during the school holidays my brother and I would hang out there playing Space Invaders and listening to the jukebox. One of my Dad's many responsibilities (he was the storeman for his regiment) was that of restocking the jukebox in the NAAFI bar. Every now and then he would bring home some of the records that had been removed from the jukebox and my brother and I would fight over them. This one particular day my Dad brought a few 7 inches home and I took a sneaky peek before he offered them to us. Usually my brother would get first dibs as he was older by 3 years, but this occasion I asked him if I could choose first. Obviously he said no, so I begged him and said he could have all the records if I could choose the first one. Thinking he was onto a winner he agreed... Haha sucker !!! I got my way and chose this particular track, I don't remember what he got but who cares. I got a Blondie record, even now 30 plus years later I can still picture the blue and white label on the vinyl with a small butterfly at the bottom. If I'd had a Top 20 of the year like I do now, that would have been in the Top 1 no doubt.

Blondie - 'The Tide Is High' (1980)

Last week, Shellhunter and I were at the French/Caribbean restaurant in our hotel here in Montego Bay, Jamaica and a band started playing a few reggae style instrumentals. They played a few classics and some Boney M songs too !!! Then they played The Tide is High... It took me back to 1980 again and Debbie Harry, then to Trisha Yates..

NERD ALERT - Trisha Yates came back in the very last episode of Tucker's Luck.... and went on a date with Tucker himself !!

And here is the original from 1967

The Paragons - The Tide Is High

Please find below my Spotify playlist

sfw Pada 22:00 4 Komentar

COVER NERD! - Will To Power - 'Freebaby'

COVER NERD! - Will To Power - 'Freebaby'

Cover Nerd Neal Will To Power

Do you look back on the 80's with fond memories ??? Maybe this Cover will help. If you have your own memory you wanna share, please contact us and tell us why by clicking here

Will To Power - 'Baby I Love Your Way / Freebird' (1988)

What was your first job ??? Thinking back it seems a million years ago, it was in fact 25. I'd finished school in the June a very young 16 years old and didn't have a scooby what I wanted to do with myself. Throughout the last two years of seniors, I'd planned to do something with languages as I really enjoyed French & German but in order to get into College or 6th form I needed to get at least 4 GCSE grade C or better. Because of this I had set my goals on achieving this in just 4, those being English, Maths and the two languages. Unfortunately when my English teacher gave her prediction for me, she went for an E please Bob !!! Now I wasn't a bad student, and I never expected and E, but now looking back, calling her a 'stupid cow' wasn't my smartest move. As a result my plans to continue on with my education were scuppered, at the time it seemed great.... no more school !!!!

I remember this song being played around this time and I'm not embarrassed to say I loved it and a little part of me still does. At the time I didn't know it was 2 songs. I know that musical purists would have hated the idea of putting two great songs together but I ain't no purist.

As I said earlier I didn't know what I was going to do.
I saw an advert somewhere saying that the local Bejam was looking for part time staff so I went and applied. They gave me the job and initially it was for 2 hours on Tuesday & Thursday evenings. Thankfully they liked what they saw and soon I was working most days. It was great fun and we had some giggles. Food fights with the brussel sprouts and sausage rolls amongst others......the we would put them back in and seal the bag up and sell them at reduced prices !!! Not big and not clever but neither were we and the lucky folks of Feltham got to have cheaper food so it was a win win. As much as I enjoyed it, it didn't seem the career for me, even though my manager told me that I would go far.....I guess if I'd stayed I would have gone to Iceland so he was kind of right !!! Some schoolmates told me they had applied for jobs with Banks and so I thought 'hey I can count too' so I applied for all the big ones. I got interviews with 3 and was offered a job with one. I took it and stayed with them with plenty of good times and a bunch of not so good times.... But that's another story....
Oh and if you're still reading, I think my teacher was dyslexic cos I got a bloody B, but by the time I got my results I was earning £500 per month and decided to stay at the bank.... Regrets ??? I've had a few.

NERD ALERT - Will To Power is a concept that was first thought of by Friedrich Nietzsche, who if I'm honest I only know through Kevin Kline's character Otto in 'A Fish Called Wanda' as he often quoted Nietzsche.

To take a peak at my other Cover Nerd! posts, click here

Click below and you can listen and subscribe to my Cover Nerd! playlist

sfw Pada 22:00 3 Komentar

COVER NERD! meets DYLAN COVERS - Transvison Vamp - 'Can You Please Crawl Out Your Window'

COVER NERD! meets DYLAN COVERS - Transvison Vamp - 'Can You Please Crawl Out Your Window'

Cover Nerd Crush Dylan Covers Neal Transvision Vamp

This week I've decided to encroach on Old Pa's territory and share with you a cover of a Bob Dylan classic. Do you have a favourite cover you want to share, Dylan or otherwise.
If so click here and let us read all about it and share with the world.

Apparently there were other band members too....

Transvision Vamp - Can You Please Crawl Out Your Window (1991)

Wendy James...... Phwooooaaarrr !!!! Just thought I'd get that out of the way. Back in the late 80's early 90's I was heavily into my music, however I also was heavily into female pop stars being plastered the walls of my bedroom. In amongst the Madonna and Kylie posters I'd taken from Smash Hits my pride of place had been a 24 by 18 inches (although as an 18 year old lad, my perception of size may have been exaggerated) poster of Transvision Vamp's singer, Wendy James. The poster was, is and always will be stored in a corner of my mind..... It made my Mum tut every time she came into my room, but I bloody loved it.

Don't look now Mum

I bought everything they released and I even bought a record store promo of their 3rd album, 'Little Magnets Versus The Bubble Of Babble' which their label MCA deemed not worthy of a UK release. It did get released in the US and Australia though. That's the album that this song featured on. At the time I didn't know who Old Pa was and therefore hadn't been introduced to the ways of the Dylan. I loved the song and only recently realised that it was a cover, shame on me I know.

After the band split up, Wendy released a solo album called 'Now Ain't The Time For Your Tears', all the songs were wtitten by Elvis Costello, I liked it but sadly the British public didn't and she was dropped by MCA. She surfaced earlier this century fronting a band called Racine (no me neither to be honest) they had two albums out, which I recently listened to on Spotify and they will take a few more plays. In 2010, Wendy resurfaced with a second solo project, but this time all her own work called 'I Came Here To Blow Minds' and as you can see, she still has the trademark platinum blonde hair. In 2012 she released her version of 'It's Alright Ma'

NERD ALERT - At the height of the band's fame, I remember Wendy had a bet with the then editor of the Bizarre column in The Sun, Piers Morgan. She bet him that she would win an Oscar before the end of the century....... She didn't and he has since gone on to world domination.

To take a peak at my other Cover Nerd! posts, click here and for Dylan Covers, click here

Sadly this cover isn't yet on Spotify, but you can listen and subscribe to my Cover Nerd! playlist below

As a bonus, please find a version of the track by Bob Dylan himself

sfw Pada 22:00 5 Komentar